City Council Minutes

Mayor Christopher Johnson called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. in the Northville City Hall Council Chambers, 215 W. Main Street, Northville, Michigan

Present: Mayor Christopher Johnson, Mayor ProTem Carolann Ayers, Councilmembers Kevin Hartshorne, Jerome Mittman, and Thomas Swigart.

Absent: None

Also Present: City Manager Gary Word, Assistant City Manager/Finance Director Nicolette Bateson, DPW Director James Gallogly, Fire Chief James Allen, Parks and Recreation Director Traci Sincock, DDA Director Lori Ward, Deputy City Clerk Carol Kasprowicz; DDA Commissioners James Long, Greg Presley, Lynda Heaton, Jim DeHaan, Rick Shaffner, and Margene Buckhave; Planning Commissioners Marc Russell, Jay Wendt, and Jim Allen; Reporters from the Northville Record and Northville Journal and approximately 35 citizens.

A. Citizen Comments None

Joan Wadsworth, Chair of the Downtown Steering Committee (DSC), identified members of the DSC which included Lynda Heaton, Greg Presley, Jim Allen, Marc Russell, David Cole, Martha Nield, Ken Roth, Jody Humphries, and Tom Gudritz (who was unable to attend the meeting). Wadsworth spoke of the commitment of time and effort by the committee members and expressed gratitude to them for their hard work and dedication.

Wadsworth stated the result of many meetings and discussion groups with the citizens of Northville was a clear vision for Northville’s downtown. Several elements of the vision included:

- Preserving the historic and unique character of downtown.

- Modest growth.

- More green space.

- An expanded Farmers’ Market.

- Balanced retail businesses to allow "everyday" shopping.

- Improved parking and maintenance of infrastructure.

- Additional activities and events in the downtown.

Wadsworth stated the key to realizing the "vision" was ownership of assignments by various City commissions, Township officials, business groups, and citizens, as indicated in the report. The assignments dealt with the areas of responsibility and authority tied to the various goals of the vision. City Council was specifically requested to provide leadership in implementing the vision.

Mayor Johnson thanked the members of the DSC for their work and opened the discussion to Council members. Councilmember Swigart thanked the committee and offered the following comments:

- Spoke of the urgency to address the issues facing the downtown because of outside pressures.

- Stated the next step is to acquire specific actionable plans and implementation strategies to accomplish goals.

- The need for a comprehensive effort involving the entire community that will result in concrete outcomes. The discipline of "town futuring" has been existence for over 40 years.

- Criticized the DSC’s report because it was a response to the Gibbs Retail Market Study, which offered three growth models, and did not include other factors such as architecture, shopping, schools, and culture.

- The need for a comprehensive approach that includes more than retail planning.

- The need a community-based project, outside the DDA, to develop actionable plans that address the urgent pressures facing Northville’s downtown.

Wadsworth responded that the citizens’ meetings were not limited to the growth models, and discussions included farmers’ market, green space, what was wanted in the downtown, activities in downtown, and connections to downtown. Much consensus was evident in specific items such as everyday shopping, green space, and the existence of the farmers’ market.

Extensive discussion followed the initial remarks. Comments included the following:

- Objection to the designation that the report was a DDA project. The Downtown Steering Committee consisted of members of the DDA, Planning Commission, Historic Commission, and Township residents.

- Suggestion to conduct a survey of all Northville residents regarding the vision of Northville’s downtown.

- Statement of confidence regarding the process of soliciting and involving community input.

- Actionable plans are present in the DSC’s report with the various assignments given to specific Commissions and business groups.

- Continued objection to the Gibbs report as being a basis for the citizens’ hearings, and the belief that the comments from citizens were limited and guided.

- Support for the various methods of communication that was offered to citizens regarding the question of Northville’s downtown future.

- Objection to and subsequent defense of the composition and directive of the Downtown Steering Committee.

- Business and downtown property owners are looking for guidance and direction in developing future plans.

Mayor Johnson proposed that the strategic plan to implement the vision, as stated in the DSC report, be under the direction of the City Council. It was also proposed that the various City Commissions meet and address the assignments as enumerated in the report and report back to the City Council by July. Council stated that many suggestions made in the Gibbs report regarding physical improvements in the downtown could be prioritized and quickly addressed.

DDA Director Ward, when asked to explain the Request for Proposals (RFP) for a strategic plan, spoke of the DDA’s assignment regarding physical changes and improvements of the downtown, including the possible reconfiguration of the band shell and an amphitheater in the Ford Field. The RFP, as proposed by the DDA, would request services of a planner to help coordinate and visualize the physical improvements and growth in the downtown. Other aspects of an overall strategic plan, such as marketing and image identity, could be addressed separately but not necessarily in the proposed RFP.

Further comments focused on the role of the City Council and the DDA, any tasks that could be immediately undertaken by the City, and the assignments outlined in the DSC report for the various Commissions.

It was suggested that an overriding strategic vision be confirmed by the City Council, which would give direction to the various groups and commissions in completing their assignments. A subsequent strategic plan could be formulated that deals with timelines and costs. It was mentioned that a possible strategic vision could be "Northville as a destination historic city."

A question was raised as to how concepts such as "moderate growth" and "historic nature" are to be translated into concrete specifics. It was suggested that the strategic plan could contain the specifics.

It was reiterated that the responsibility of the strategic plan be placed under City Council to counteract any misconceptions of DDA misdirection.

City Staff was directed to broaden the scope of the proposed RFP to incorporate the stated objectives of the City Council with regard to responsibility, scope, identification of issues and priorities, and actionable items. Additionally, City Council directed the various boards and commissions, identified in the DSC report and the Gibbs report, to meet and discuss their assignments as listed, and report back to City Council in the month of July.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Carol T. Kasprowicz
Deputy City Clerk