By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com


Parking ordinance amendments led the Brighton Planning Commission down a couple roads of discussion.

City of Brighton Community Development Manager Michael Caruso said, at the Planning Commission’s latest meeting, that they have had a lot of problems with residents parking on grass. Grass parking in Brighton is prohibited, and vehicles need to be parked on a hard surface like cement or asphalt. In a review of the City’s parking ordinance, Caruso pointed out that do allow recreational vehicles like campers and trailers to be parked on property as long as they are on pavement. Newly proposed writing for the parking ordinance amendment defines those vehicles as “permitted.” What’s not included, though, are commercial vehicles. Caruso said they have had complaints during the pandemic about commercial business vehicles parked at homes.

Planning commissioners then entered a debate about what defines a vehicle as “commercial.” In addition to the size of the vehicle, they questioned items like “how much space should be taken up by advertising?” and “what about vehicle wraps?” Planning Commission Chairman Matt Smith they don’t want to be too restrictive, though, during the pandemic. He pointed out that they don’t want tractor trailers, big cabs, or constriction equipment, but they still want to encourage people to work from home when forced to. Not being able to bring a smaller commercial vehicle home, he said, “runs counter to that.”

Commissioners Mike Schutz and Ken Schmenk agreed with Matt’s sentiment. Mayor Pro-Tem Susan Gardner said she can understand why there’d be complaints, but pople may be required to bring this vehicles home right now by their company, and that this is a tough one. Smith pointed out that this conversation turned into something completely different that the original discussion which started with front and side-yard parking.

Commissioners agreed to remove “commercial vehicle” wording from the amendment, with the intent of coming back to it at a future time, if needed. The amendment with changed language requiring permitted vehicles to be on hard, compact surfaces will now be prepared for a public hearing to held during a future meeting.