What are the zoning rules for churches in Troy, Michigan?

A church needs special use approval in Troy's residential districts. Places of worship are listed as special uses in the one-family districts, not uses by right (Section 4.21).

The approval process:

• The Planning Commission holds a public hearing and decides the application (Section 9.02.D)
• Approval requires a concurring vote of 5 of 9 members (Section 3.10.D)
• The application must meet the special use standards (Section 9.03)

The ordinance notes that some special use applications are recommended to City Council rather than decided by the commission, without listing which ones. Confirm the routing with the Planning Department at 248-524-3364.

An approved special use expires if a preliminary site plan is not secured within 2 years, and lapses after 12 months of abandonment (Section 9.05). A new church will also go through site plan review, since the exemption in Section 8.02.B covers only one- and two-family dwellings.