Royal Oak Sued Over Office Development

ROYAL OAK, MI — Royal Oak is being sued by a number of downtown businesses over the city’s approval of a portion of its civic center plan. City Commissioners recently approved preliminary plans for six-story office building, which would be constructed on a portion of the current city hall parking lot. The lawsuit claims the development will deplete an already bad downtown parking situation and, in turn, damage their businesses.

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“The city has knowingly withheld and concealed prior parking studies from the public and Planning Commission that are inaccurate, and out of date with what the city plans and the current approvals for building and construction in the” downtown, the suit says. “If the studies were updated, they would show a materially greater deficit in parking in the most congested area of the city that will destroy the central business district and the Farmers Market, and is a fraud upon the public.”

City Attorney Dave Gillam said the city stands behind the decision the Planning Commission made and competitive bidding for the office project is not legally required, the Royal Oak Tribune reported.”

For more, go to the Royal Oak Tribune.

File photo