Are apartments allowed above stores in Royal Oak?

Yes, and downtown they are allowed by right. In the Central Business District, dwellings above the first floor are permitted by right, as long as the ground floor is occupied by a permitted non-parking use (§ 770-42). Ground-floor dwellings in the CBD are a special use.

In the Neighborhood Business district, upper-floor dwellings are a special land use (§ 770-39), so they need Planning Commission approval after a public hearing (§ 770-11).

Parking treatment differs too:

• CBD residential units require 1.5 spaces per unit; most other CBD uses are exempt from off-street parking (§ 770-106E, § 770-107)
• Elsewhere, dwellings require 2 spaces per unit (§ 770-107)

If you are converting upper floors in an existing building, confirm building code and parking details with the Planning Division at 248-246-3280 before finalizing plans.