Royal Oak, MI Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic Zoning (2026)

The City of Royal Oak's Zoning Ordinance treats veterinary offices and hospitals as a special land use rather than a permitted use in the Office Service Zone (§ 770-38C(2)) and the Neighborhood Business Zone (§ 770-39C(1)); both sections list the use identically as veterinary offices and hospitals, including accessory boarding, provided no outdoor exercise runs or pens are permitted. Because it is a special land use, an applicant must follow § 770-11, Special land uses; permit procedures: submit a complete application, site plan, and building floor plans to the Zoning Administrator and pay the associated fees, after which the Zoning Administrator forwards the file to the Plan Commission.

The Plan Commission cannot decide without first holding a public hearing under § 770-13, and it may deny the request, approve it outright, or approve it with conditions, issuing a written statement of conclusions either way. The Commission judges the application against seven findings in § 770-11C, including whether the clinic is harmonious with the surrounding area and will not be hazardous to existing uses. A granted permit is void unless the first building permit is pulled within one year, though the Zoning Administrator can extend that deadline for good cause under § 770-11D(1), and a permit obtained on incorrect information can be suspended or revoked under § 770-11D(2).

The outdoor-runs-and-pens prohibition applies regardless of zone: a veterinary hospital that wants to board animals outdoors, even temporarily, cannot rely on either special land use listing to do so. A denied application cannot be resubmitted for one year absent newly discovered evidence under § 770-11E.