505 S. Lafayette:
City of Royal Oak Ignores
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Requirements.
Planning Commission Voted Unanimously to Approve Site Plan
for 10-Story Building with No Parking
Royal Oak continues to hypocritically violate its own positioning as a compassionate, fair and equitable city when it comes to seniors and disabled residents.
The Royal Oak Planning Commission approved a 10-story residential apartment building at 505 S. Lafayette without any on-site parking, including zero ADA-compliant parking spots, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, 7:00 p.m. at Royal Oak City Hall. The Planning Commission’s vote was the final one before this project goes forward since it’s not a PUD – Planned Unit Development – and therefore doesn’t need to go on to the City Commission,
Royal Oak’s Zoning Board of Appeals Commissioners waived the city’s required 81 parking spaces of which at least 4 need to be ADA compliant. Instead, they recommended use of the public parking deck across the street where any disabled or senior resident of the proposed apartment building would NOT be guaranteed a publicly available ADA parking spot at any given time.
In addition, the commissioners said that they cannot reverse a ruling by the ZBA. However, MCL 125.3604 does state it can reverse its own ruling:
"The zoning board of appeals may reverse or affirm, wholly or partly, or modify the order, requirement, decision, or determination and may issue or direct the issuance of a permit."
The ZBA’s decision negatively impacted Stephen Lograsso who lives close by in the Fifth on Washington Avenue and who has disabilities that require ADA support since his caregivers currently rely on the parking garage across the street. He particularly would like to know how a disabled individual living at the new 10-story high rise will cross Lafayette in the wintertime to get to the parking. Hear his story here:
https://www.protectroyaloak.com/more-videos?pgid=m2h3a6lq-84e835b8-27c5-4649-9fed-95b21079f3a4
The Planning Commission should not allow Royal Oak politicians to deviate from the well-established standards and protections in the current Master Plan and zoning ordinance and should instead have denied the site plan Dec. 10th until 81 onsite parking spots are provided.
That way Royal Oak’s reputation is preserved as a compassionate, fair and equitable city when it comes to seniors and disabled residents.
Upcoming Problems for Downtown Businesses, Adjacent Neighborhoods and Residents of the Fifth


A 10-story building will be built at 505 S. Lafayette, above,
but will provide no parking for its residents on-site.
505 S. Lafayette is approved for an 10-story residential building that originally had a regulation number of parking spots reduced to 55, then reduced to zero. That is a financial boon (to the tune of approximately $2,000,000) for the developer who need not use up space on parking ... increased rentals, increased tax revenue.
Yes, there is the 5th Street city parking structure across the street which serves that neighborhood AND Baker College next to it and Stagecrafters, and numerous local retail businesses and guests of the Fifth on Washington Avenue, and event traffic.
How much fun will it be in winter especially for any handicapped or elderly tenants? Protests from the handicapped were shrugged off with a "take the elevator" solution (which frequently do not work).
AND, it is believed that those spaces are not currently assigned so if the structure is full up where do those new residents park? Our guess is that this is an extension of the walkable city with fewer cars and parking spaces which will inconvenience and maybe even prohibit anyone who depends on driving (especially the disabled) from participating downtown - even a premature iteration of the "15 minute city" which is a West Coast social philosophy where cars go extinct.
At 10 stories this building will be at least 121 feet high! By comparison, 350 N. Main just north of 11 mile is 9 stories and looms large. It is the building farthest from the little bungalow in the image on our home page.
Any home facing east on S. West St, down W. Fifth will see the tallest structure in the neighborhood ... something that prominent will be "visually adjacent" from 1/2 mile away. "In your face" comes to mind.