The Mound Road Innovation Support District ("MRISD") is intended to:

   A.   Provide a comprehensive, collaborative planning, zoning and project review process through this overlay district in order to create an environment that is supportive to the city's industrial district, particularly the MRISD, that extends generally from on the west side of Mound Road, generally between 14 Mile Road and 18 Mile Road, more specifically within the east half of Sections 17, 20, 29, and 32 of the City.

   B.   Allow for uses, development, and redevelopment of property in a manner which is transformative, flexible, and supportive of those in the area, while increasing the overall design aesthetics and pedestrian amenities.

   C.   Provide an environment that allows for an overall more efficient, attractive use of land which recognizes the unique lot size and configuration of most properties, while minimizing impacts to abutting uses through careful attention to building design, use, orientation and materials paired with appropriate, abundant landscaping.

   D.   Provide safe and efficient integrated access and on-site circulation for automobiles and pedestrians through a cohesive cross connection of parking areas, sidewalks and paths.

   E.   Allow a flexibility in the mixture and types of uses, building designs and overall layout, etc. that can be responsive to changes in industrial, technological, office, and some retail market demands while still promoting quality through a variety of compatible uses, services and building types throughout the MRISD.

   F.   Promote development that meets the goals of the City's 2030 Visioning Plan which include the development of successful, vibrant and attractive commercial and industrial centers with unique offerings, well-maintained and desirable neighborhoods, plentiful leisure and recreational opportunities, abundant pedestrian connections, aesthetically pleasing roads and greenspaces, and opportunities for emerging businesses and entrepreneurs.

   G.   Limiting retail uses to the intersections of Mound Road and the major Mile roads within the District, in order to encourage the development of undeveloped land and the redevelopment of existing developed properties with office and technical research uses within the District.

(Ord. No. 278-EEE, § 1, 11-6-19)

   The MRISD shall be an overlay district that is applied to those properties designated in the City of Sterling Heights Master Land Use Plan as "Innovation Support Designation", which are located along the west side of Mound Road, generally from 14 Mile Road, extending northward to approximately one half mile north of 17 Mile Road (i.e. parcels along the west side of Mound Road generally in Sections 17, 20, 29, and 32 of the City), as depict ed on the graphic below.

(Ord. No. 278- EEE, § 1, 11-6- 19)

   The city's standard review processes for site plan, special approval land use, and/or planned unit development approval shall apply to any proposed development or redevelopment of sites within the MRISD, except as modified in this article.

(Ord. No. 278-EEE, § 1, 11-6-19)

   Existing commercial buildings/structures within the MRISD shall not be considered non-conforming, provided they were lawful at the time of their development and adoption of this article and have not been modified except in conformance with this article.

(Ord. No. 278-EEE, § 1, 11-6-19)

   The following uses shall be permitted in accordance with the requirements set forth below:

   A.   All permissible uses within the O-R (Office Research District).

   B.   Existing retail uses, consistent with their current nature and scale and the regulations of the existing underlying business zoning district. (Expansion or modification of existing retail properties must comply with the requirements of this article).

   C.   Existing industrial uses, consistent with their current nature and scale and the regulations of the existing underlying industrial zoning district. Expansion or modification of existing industrial uses must comply with the requirements of this article.

(Ord. No. 278-EEE, § 1, 11-6-19)

   The following buildings, structures and other uses similar to those cited in this article may be permitted by the Planning Commission, subject to the general standards of section 25.02 and the specific standards imposed for each use:

   A.   Uses permitted as special approval land uses in the underlying zoning district.

   B.   Outdoor storage, regardless of whether outdoor storage is allowed under the underlying zoning district as a permitted use or accessory use. Outdoor storage shall not be a principal use of the site (either by itself or as a principal use on a site with multiple principal uses).

(Ord. No. 278-EEE, § 1, 11-6-19)

   A.   Buildings proposed to be constructed and the overall site shall be designed with particular attention to their arrangement, quality, and interrelationship of space and the way in which the building and overall site are designed to be useful.

   B.   Buildings and the overall site shall be designed and constructed in a way to create a sense of place, so that the development or redevelopment will have a positive effect on the immediate area, while adequately protecting any abutting residential uses from potential nuisances.

   C.   The off-street parking provided shall be the minimum amount of parking needed to adequately service the site and its uses. The collective use of shared parking shall be encouraged with cross access easements provided which are approved by the City Engineer and City Attorney.

   D.   Truck docks shall be prohibited, unless approved by the Planning Commission based upon the criteria for special land use approval set forth in article 25, section 25.02. In reviewing requests for truck docks, the Planning Commission shall give particular consideration to truck maneuvering onsite and truck dock maneuvering/orientation as related to abutting residential uses.

(Ord. No. 278-EEE, § 1, 11-6-19)

   Within the MRISD, the total number of parking spaces provided on site may be reduced administratively by the City Planner, if the applicant can provide verifiable justification for such a reduction. Justification may be in the form of parking studies, regional / national standards, and similar developments within the community/abutting communities. A parking reduction agreement shall be signed by the property owner and recorded against the affected property identifying the number of required spaces that have been reduced and acknowledging that the reduction may affect future uses of the overall site depending on the type and scope of uses proposed and the total number of available parking spaces.

(Ord. No. 278-EEE, § 1, 11-6-19)

   With the intensification of development anticipated within the MRISD and the comparatively shallow parcel depths of properties along the west side of Mound Road, additional screening shall be necessary when development within the MRISD abuts any residential development outside of the MRSID. Screening consisting of a six foot high decorative masonry concrete wall, along with a ten foot wide greenbelt along the entire mutual property line with the abutting residential development, shall be provided and maintained by the MRISD property. The greenbelt shall be planted with eight foot high evergreen trees (spruce, pine or fir) at a rate of one tree for each ten linear feet of greenbelt. The City Planner may approve alternative means of screening when it can be shown the same level of screening will be accomplished.

(Ord. No. 278-EEE, § 1, 11-6-19)

   The required rear yard setback within each underlying zoning district may be reduced, provided intensified screening approved by the Planning Commission is provided and maintained to offset the reduction in the overall setback distance. The appropriateness of any reduction of rear yard setback shall be reviewed by the Planning Commission as a part of site plan/special approval land use review. The Planning Commission shall review the method of screening, type of use, and building/site orientation in determining whether the rear yard setback shall be reduced.

(Ord. No. 278-EEE, § 1, 11-6-19)

   Unless otherwise modified by this article, all required landscaping shall be installed and maintained in compliance with the standards of the Zoning Ordinance.

(Ord. No. 278-EEE, § 1, 11-6-19)