Royal Oak is rewriting its zoning code, and wants residents to weigh in by Nov. 9 on the rules for what can be built where

ROYAL OAK, Mich. — Royal Oak is rewriting the zoning ordinance that decides what can be built on every lot in the city, and its planners are asking residents, business owners and builders to fill out a survey on the rules by Monday, Nov. 9.

The survey takes about 10 minutes and is anonymous, the city said in an Oct. 21 announcement. It is posted on the project’s website, bit.ly/RO-ZO, which also holds interactive maps, a timeline, meeting materials and drafts of the ordinance as they are written. Anyone who wants a paper copy can call the city’s planning division at 248-246-3280.

“We want to hear from people that reference the zoning ordinance,” said Joseph Murphy, the city’s director of planning. He said the goal is a code that works “not only as a regulatory document, but also a practical guide for residents, applicants, staff and decision-makers.”

Why the city is doing this. Royal Oak approved a new master plan last year. City staff then concluded that the structure of the current zoning ordinance, and some of what it says, does not line up with that plan, with city initiatives, with recent development or with best practices, according to the announcement. The stated aim is an ordinance that is clearer, more objective, better organized and easier to navigate.

The master plan is the city’s long-range vision. The zoning ordinance is the enforceable part: it sets which uses are allowed in each district, how tall and how close to the street buildings can be, and how much parking they need. In Royal Oak, proposed zoning changes go through the Planning Commission, which makes a recommendation, and the City Commission, which has the final vote, after public hearings, according to the city’s budget book.

Who is writing it, and what it costs. The city hired the consulting firm ZoneCo, and the Planning Commission has held work sessions on the rewrite with the firm, including one on June 10, according to the commission’s agenda. In March, city staff described it as an 18-month project that would start with a diagnostic report comparing the current code with the master plan, according to a Citizen Portal summary of that meeting.

The city’s 2026-27 budget sets aside $270,000 for contracted planning services, “of which approximately $237,000 is for the completion of the zoning ordinance rewrite.” The same budget lists two goals for the planning division: a “predictable, accessible, and development-friendly” process, and zoning rules that are “legally defensible.” It also aims to cut down on repeat requests for variances by making the standards clearer.

What this means for you. If you own a home or a business in Royal Oak, the new code will set what you can add, build or open on your property for years to come, from a garage addition to a storefront use. You can look up your lot’s current district now on the city’s zoning district map. The rewrite comes as the city also takes proposals for the former Center Street garage site downtown.

New drafts and public meetings will be posted on the project website. Any final ordinance will still need public hearings and a City Commission vote before it takes effect.

Sources:
City of Royal Oak announcement, Oct. 21, 2026, as published by Oakland County Times (survey dates, Murphy quote, purpose of the update), https://oaklandcounty115.com/2026/10/21/royal-oak-seeks-resident-and-stakeholder-input-in-zoning-update-process/
City of Royal Oak, “Zoning Ordinance” (update notice and project link), https://www.romi.gov/305/Zoning-Ordinance; zoning district maps, https://www.romi.gov/303/Zoning-District-Maps; project website (bit.ly/RO-ZO), https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/8d0f1c1807ca4116b3c85f0997e89186
City of Royal Oak, fiscal 2026-27 budget, Planning and Zoning (rewrite budget, goals, review process), https://stories.opengov.com/royaloakmi/published/KNeQwwfsVV_
Royal Oak Planning Commission agenda, June 10, 2026 (ZoneCo work session), https://connect.telvue.com/media/741c4f90-b486-0132-412f-002590f0085c/d2bed3e8-bfa3-4d74-a845-07aba9efe623/file_attachments/d44f9a31-e7b7-45ca-b6dd-09ea949b8dbf.pdf
Citizen Portal, summary of the March 11, 2026, Planning Commission meeting (18-month timeline, diagnostic report), https://citizenportal.ai/articles/7742630/michigan/oakland-county/royal-oak-city/staff-outlines-18month-plan-to-rewrite-royal-oak-zoning-ordinance-diagnostic-and-publicengagement-phases-ahead
Photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Royal_Oak_(Oct2023)_(2)_01.jpg

Royal Oak

Tags: Royal Oak · Zoning · Development · City Government · Taxpayers · Housing