Can a church locate in a residential district in Rochester Hills?

Yes, but in most residential districts a church needs conditional use approval from City Council. Places of worship are marked C, conditional, in RE, R-1, R-2, R-3, and R-4, with use standards in § 138-4.427 (§ 138-4.300, Table 4). In the R-5 district, places of worship are permitted by right (§ 138-4.300, Table 4).

The conditional use process (§ 138-2.301):

• The Planning Commission holds a public hearing and makes a recommendation.
• City Council decides, with written findings against the standards in § 138-2.302.

Conditional approval expires after 365 days unless the use is established OR the associated final site plan has been submitted for review; it also expires with expiration of its approved final site plan. A written request before expiration may obtain one Planning Commission extension of up to 180 days if the use meets current standards (§ 138-2.301.G). A denial bars resubmission for 365 days absent qualifying new evidence/changed conditions. The Zoning Board of Appeals cannot hear an appeal of the Council's decision (§ 138-2.301.F).