Grosse Pointe Woods Ordinance to be Reviewed by Planning Commission

City Council voted Monday to have the planning commission review an ordinance that restricts total consignment shops from Mack Avenue.

The decision comes following a request by Richard Trute, who owns 19605 Mack Ave., the 1,400-square-foot building formerly rented by Malibu Tanning. The tanning business has since closed and Trute is trying to rent out the building to a new business. 

Trute had a renter but when the high-end consignment shop business applied for a business license with the city, it was denied. Trute had not known about the city's restriction on total consignment shops. 

The ordinance allows for businesses to have up to 25 percent consignment merchandise and aims to prevent businesses such as pawn shops or complete consignment. 

City Manager Al Fincham reviewed the ordinance with building inspector Gene Tutag and a city attorney, both of whom agreed the ordinance should not be changed or altered to allow pure consignment shops, according to a letter submitted to council members for Monday's meeting.

The ordinance will be reviewed by the planning commission and return a recommendation to the council as to whether they believe it should be altered. Trute said he just wants to rent his building and is willing to work with the city.

In other business, the council approved applications by two organizations for parade processions. The first is for the Crop Walk by Assumption Greek Orthodox Church and the second is for Grosse Pointe Woods/Shores Little League.

The council also recognized three auxiliary police officers who are retiring after decades of volunteer policing in the community. 

Mirvan Hayes has worked as an auxiliary officer for 30 years and has lived in the Woods since 1965. Sgt. John Nelson has worked as an auxiliary officer for 30 years, 26 of which he served as sergeant, and has lived in the Woods for 38 years. Capt. Robert Estabrook has been an auxiliary officer for 31 years, during which time he served as a sergeant and is retiring as the captain. He's lived in the Woods for 45 years.  

During their time with the auxiliary department, the officers fought fires, worked traffic control for Grosse Pointe North athletics and worked on various other investigations, storm response and other projects. Hayes and Nelson are looking forward to spending more time with their grandchildren while Estabrook is looking forward to pure retirement, according to proclamations given by Mayor Robert Novitke.