By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com


The City of Brighton’s Planning Commission continues to work on an ordinance amendment that would provide temporary shelter for travelers.

The planning commission is going through several of their zoning ordinance discussions and Monday night’s online meeting they picked up discussion on a proposed amendment for transit stops.

Community Development Manager Michael Caruso said this is back before them because the Michigan Flyer stop at the Brighton Meijer has been on hold due to the pandemic, but the Livingston Essential Transportation Service is looking at renewing it and getting it going again. LETS would be required to file for a special land use permit for the site. The planning commission was discussing what allowing temporary transit stop structures might look like, should a business or organization want to provide one.

The proposed amendment has a minimum size requirement but not a maximum. Caruso said there was a question from City Council about this, from when they were shown the amendment. Planning Commissioner and City Council liaison Jim Bohn said he believes the maximum size could work itself out naturally, with business owners not wanting to spend a lot on making something very large. Commission Chair Matt Smith said many times these shelters are of predetermined sizes, anyway. Bohn said imagined them looking like the structures at the North Terminal at Detroit Metro Airport where someone might use them to wait for a shuttle.

Commissioners also discussed what the stops might look like aesthetically. Mayor Pro Tem Susan Gardner said she thought transparency is likely a given, as people approaching a structure will want to know what or who is or isn’t inside before approaching for safety reasons. She also wanted to be certain they met ADA standards. Ultimately though, it was noted there is some room for creativity because any transit stop going up would have to come through the planning commission for approval.

Commissioners directed Caruso to prepare the proposed amendment for a public hearing at a future meeting.