HomeMy WebLinkAboutPUBLIC HEARING - 2018-01-22 - REZONING - SOUTHWEST HOUSING SOLUTIONS
CITY OF LIVONIA
PUBLIC HEARING
Minutes of Meeting Held on Monday, January 22, 2018
______________________________________________________________________
A Public Hearing of the Council of the City of Livonia was held at the City Hall
Auditorium on Monday, January 22, 2018.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Laura Toy, President
Jim Jolly, Vice President
Scott Bahr
Brandon Kritzman
Kathleen McIntyre
Brian Meakin
Cathy K. White
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
OTHERS PRESENT: Scott Miller, Planner
Eric Goldstein, Assistant City Attorney
Bonnie J. Murphy, CER-2300, Certified Electronic Recorder
The Public Hearing was called to order at 7:09 p.m. with President Laura Toy presiding.
This is a Public Hearing relative to a request for a change of zoning within the City of
Livonia on the following matter: Petition 2017-10-01-06, submitted by Southwest
Housing Solutions, to rezone the property located on the south side of Eight Mile Road,
between Brentwood Avenue and Middlebelt Road (29023 Eight Mile Road) in the
Northwest ¼ of Section 1, from C-1 (Local Business) to OS (Office Services).
The City Clerk has mailed a notice to those persons in the area affected by the
proposed changes, and all other requirements of Ordinance No. 543, the Zoning
Ordinance, have been fulfilled. The public hearing is now open for comments. There
were nineteen people in the audience. Please state your clearly your name and
address before making your comments.
Toy: Mr. Miller?
Miller: Thank you. The subject property measures 160 feet in width by
approximately 168 feet in depth. Currently the property is vacant and
there are two adjoining parcels to the east which are all owned in
common. The other two parcels are zoned OS (Office Services), thus if
the zoning change is successful, then all three parcels would be zoned
OS. Together all three parcels contain roughly 2 acres. The Petitioner
2
has requested the zoning in anticipation of developing the subject site to
include a three-story senior independent housing facility, a proposed
senior apartment complex which will consist of approximately 50 to 55 one
and two-bedroom units and the Planning Commission recommended
approval of this petition. That’s it.
Toy: Thank you. Any questions for Mr. Miller from Council?
Meakin: Madam Chair?
Toy: Yes.
Meakin: Through the Chair to Scott, how does this meet with our Future Land Use
Plan?
Miller: The Future Land Use Plan showed it as General Commercial, so it doesn’t
follow the Future Land Use. It’s showing as Commercial to the west and
then Office, it’s right between the Office and Commercial.
Meakin: Thank you.
Toy: If I may, Mr. Miller,
what is to the side of that, help me understand like where the Mobil Station is and the
strip center there?
Miller: Yes. If you look at this, this is the gas station, this is a plaza, this is an
office building here, the OS, the cemetery is the AG off to the east and
then you have RUF, Rural Urban Farm houses to the south.
Toy: So that’s the site that they’re proposing, the RUF site, right?
Miller: No. They’re proposing the C-1 right here, across there.
Toy: Oh, the C-1, okay, thank you.
Jolly: Madam Chair?
Toy: Sure. Vice President Jolly.
Jolly: Mr. Miller, if I understand your answer to the question that Mr. Meakin
posed, is that answer likely to change as we look at a new Master Plan?
Miller: I mean if you did rezone this to OS, then we’d look at the Master Plan and
probably change that to office.
Jolly: What the FLUP sets forth?
3
Miller: Yes, we usually follow the zoning.
Jolly: Thank you.
Toy: And if I may, the hot pink, if you will, or violet, or whatever color that is to
the east of that, what is that area again?
Miller: This is a cemetery.
Toy: Right. But those two small parcels?
Miller: These are just vacant parcels that are all owned in common with this
parcel.
Toy: So those three would be of significance?
Miller: Right.
Toy: Do we have any other senior housing within that area, off of Middlebelt I
think, don’t we? There’s a piece, there’s one over that way on the east
side of the street there.
Miller: I think south.
Toy: Okay, thank you very much. Is the Petitioner here?
Gazrys: Yes.
Toy: Sir, if you would approach the podium and state your name and address
for the record, please.
Gazrys: Yes. My name is Steve Gazryz, I work for Southwest Housing Solutions.
th
My address is 1920 25 Street, Detroit, Michigan.
Toy: Can you give us a little clue, can you explain about the 50 to 55 units and
the three-story high rise, has that changed at this point?
Gazrys: That hasn’t changed, no, it hasn’t.
Toy: So, do you want to elaborate a little bit on that?
Gazrys: Sure. Southwest Housing, we’re an affordable housing provider and we
put this property under contract and came to the City to see what we need
to put affordable housing for seniors and in talking and conducting market
studies there’s a significant need for affordable housing within the City of
4
Livonia. So we met with the Planning folks and brought this to the
Planning Commission for a first review as it would require a zoning
change for those three parcels. Currently two of them are allowed under
OS and we’d need that third Commercial to be rezoned, so that’s what
we’re respectfully requesting to do.
Toy: Have you done any developments in the City at this point?
Gazrys: This is our first development in Livonia.
Jolly: Madam Chair.
Toy: Vice President Jolly.
Jolly: Sir, you mentioned that this is the business that you’re in?
Gazrys: Yes.
Jolly: Can you provide us with a list of addresses of other properties that are
local so that we may inspect those to see the standards within which
they’re kept up and make sure they’re functioning and in good condition?
Gazrys: Sure. We do affordable housing in Detroit and surrounding suburbs.
Jolly: Well, I don’t care where it’s at but we need to see what the standard is and
how you keep it up.
Gazrys: Sure. We can actually provide that.
Jolly: Thank you.
Bahr: Madam Chair.
Toy: Sure. Councilmember Bahr has a question.
Bahr: Can you educate me, I’ve never dealt with these things before, can you
educate me on what exactly, when you say affordable housing, what all
that entails?
Gazrys: Affordable housing is the standard, what we do is apply to the State for
Affordable Housing Acts Credits and we sell those credits for equity and
that equity is then used to keep the rents affordable. So you’ve got a
whole spectrum of senior housing projects, a lot of these similar senior
housing projects may charge you $3,500 a month fees or more, we would
target folks at area median incomes to make them affordable.
5
Bahr: So what would be the price range for one of these units?
Gazrys: Price range, well, it depends. The rent is based on your income so it’s
affordable and there’s certain, what we have is different area median
incomes, there’s 30, 40, 50, 60, and then within that depending how much
money your household makes, that’s how much your rent would be.
Bahr: So is there a maximum income that would apply to these?
Gazrys: Yes, 60% would be the maximum.
Bahr: 60% area median income?
Gazrys: Yes.
Bahr: Okay, thanks.
Meakin: Madam Chair.
Toy: Councilmember Meakin.
Meakin: Thank you, Madam President. Sir, do you plan on operating this business
as well or are you just going to build it?
Gazrys: No, we’re going to build and operate and manage. We operate and
manage all of our own, we have about 750 units that we manage that
we’ve developed.
Meakin: There were comments about where your other communities are, I’d like to
take at those properties as well. Thank you, Madam President.
Toy: Sir, do you work with MSHDA then?
Gazrys: Yes.
Toy: And how long have you worked with MSHDA?
Gazrys: We’ve been working with MSHDA since the 1980s.
Toy: Tell me a little bit about MSHDA and how they relate to you.
Gazrys: MSHDA is the Michigan State Housing Development Authority that
provides financing for affordable housing so it would be the methodology
by which we can get affordable rents for folks and there’s a shortage of
affordable housing right now. A lot of people have built, a lot of the market
rate has been built but with the downfall that we had with the ’08-’09 real
6
estate market a lot of the resources went away for affordable housing. So
there’s still folks in communities that wanted to stay in communities and
this is the way to do that, by making affordable housing for them in the
neighborhood.
Toy: Do your numbers show that in Livonia, that we have a need?
Gazrys: Yes, they do. We had a market study done, MSHDA, it was done through
MSHDA, whenever we propose one of these projects and that indicated
there was a need of 540, a great need for affordable housing within the
City of Livonia.
Toy: May we get a copy of that?
Gazrys: Sure, absolutely.
Toy: Thank you, appreciate that. Any other questions?
McIntyre: Madam Chair.
Toy: Yes, Councilwoman McIntyre.
McIntyre: Through the Chair, and I’m not sure if this should go to the Petitioner or to
the Administration, but would these be included and be a part of that
Voucher Rental Assistance Program?
Gasryz: We have currently been working with the Housing Commission for the
units that would be designated as vouchers towards this project.
McIntyre: Thank you.
Toy: All right. We ask you to stick around for this issue tonight. There’s a lot of
interest in this issue with several of our residents that are here and if
there’s any other comments that you want to make at this time, please do
so.
Gasryz: No, but if there are any questions, I will be happy to answer them.
Toy: Perfect. Thank you for being here. This opens it up to Audience
Communication and if there’s anyone that wishes to speak on this subject
matter, this is your time. Approach the podium, please share your name
and address that will be helpful.
Earl: Good evening. I’m Tammy Earl, 28980 Morlock. Along with several of my
neighbors we are very concerned about this. We back up to that property.
They did say there were other probable buildings that couldn’t come up
7
with plumbing, they said there was an issue there because it so close to
the Farmington line, I don’t remember exactly what it was but that is
concerning. We are very concerned on the run-off. I came before the
community a couple months ago with problems that we had with dark
houses and crime and that they weren’t really watching the crime in our
area, our crime is huge in that area. So to bring low income housing, what
is that going to do to our crime? How much parking is going to be there?
We have many, many, concerns that we need answers for. Also, when I
bought my house I was mindful of going around and looking to see what
was around my house and at the time there was a house on that property.
That’s why I chose my property. If there was a three-story building there, I
would not have bought my property. How is that going to affect our
property values moving forward? Also, the cemetery there was built I
believe it was in the early 1800’s, are we positive that there aren’t graves
within that property line? There’s a fence there but that doesn’t mean that
you know that’s completely encased with some of those graves or
whatever. Also, there are wetlands behind our house, there’s animals,
deer, fox, coyotes, you name it, it’s there. How is that going to affect their
habitat? We just need all those answers. Considering the parking that’s
going to be involved there, bright lights, our personal enjoyment is going to
be gone with that building back there. Those are my concerns.
Toy: Anything else you’d like to add at this point?
Earl: No, not yet.
Bahr: Madam Chair.
Toy: Councilman Bahr.
Bahr: You mentioned there used to be a house there?
Earl: Yes.
Bahr: We’re talking about one particular lot tonight but there’s actually three lots
there.
Earl: It was the house closest to the cemetery, it ended up being vacated, the
Fire Department used it as a controlled burn.
Bahr: Through the Chair to Scott, did there used to be a house on each of those
lots, do you have any idea?
Miller: No, I do not. No, but these have been OS.
Bahr: Oh, because they were zoned OS?
8
Miller: Yes.
Bahr: Okay, thank you.
Earl: Is there anything else from the previous development that was trying to be
built there that couldn’t get approved because of the plumbing issues?
Toy: It’s in our notes, it was back in ’05 and it was a two-story medical office
building they were proposing.
Earl: So if a two-story medical office couldn’t be approved because of that, how
is a three-story multi-unit?
Toy: Well, this was a 12,000 square foot one, okay, and that was extended two
times for that piece of property so I’m not really sure what was happening
in ’05, I didn’t happen to be here that year but, you know, we could find out
some more history.
Earl: That would be a major concern of ours, a structure, I mean with that
nursing home at the end of our street, they are constantly there with that
Liqui-Force truck flushing the lines and everything.
Toy: So, there is a nursing home right there?
Earl: Right. Thank you.
Toy: Thank you. I appreciate you coming out tonight. Is there anyone else
wishing to speak on this item? Just give us your name and address.
Bauer: My name is Andrew Bauer, I live at 29030 Morlock and I have a lot of
concerns. I was here two months ago when these people said they are
affiliated, associated with the HUD Housing Projects and that these
potential residents were $11,000 to $13,000 incomes. I don’t know
anyone that lives in Livonia that meets that financial status but the big
thing that concerned me is not just the property values and the run-offs,
the electrical. Our power goes out twice, three times a year, all the time
for the last ten years. There was two houses back there and there was a
third one that was on this property they wanted to change, that was
seventy years ago. This run-off, I have run-off from the gas station, the St.
Paul’s Church, the landscape supply in that strip mall all comes off of a
pipe out of his backyard. And if you’re going to put three more acres of
run-off it’s going to come into my backyard. The drainage is on our
property, it’s not on the property they’re planning on developing. I don’t
know, like you said, we’ve got a nursing home four doors down, we have
all kinds of traffic constantly. Our houses, every one of our houses were
9
built in the ‘40s, ‘30s and ‘20s, if you’re going to construct this thing
between the contractors and the trucks and all the shaking and everything,
we already have problems with our plumbing, our drainage, my gas line
broke in my front yard. Like I said between the electrical and the water
supply, in the middle of the afternoon if you’re watering your lawn, the
sprinklers barely work because there’s a strain on the water supply.
You’re going to put fifty more people adjacent to my backyard, they’re
going to have to have a supply of water, if they’re going to house a bunch
of people and feed them, all these dumpsters and the noise and the rats
that come along with that kind of stuff, I’m adamantly opposed to the
whole idea. I mean a one-story office building would be fine but not a
three-story apartment complex. That’s the way I feel.
Toy: Thank you very much for your comments tonight.
Childress: My name is Robert Childress, I live at 29110 Morlock, right next to the
convalescent home. I’ve lived there for a period of fifty years. After they
put the convalescent home there, all the dumpsters used to be in the back
alley and now they’re up across my fence and when I go back there I see
nothing but dumpster lids up in the air. And in the summertime, there’s a
path through my grass over to the --- from next door to me over to the
dumpsters like it’s a path you know. That’s one of my big concerns with
this and I’ll get trashing going to these dumpsters. I’ve been over there
several times and they say, we’ll take care of it and then the next morning
the lids are still up. So I’m sure that’s what’s going to happen. And, you
know, west of the –
Toy: Proposed site, sir?
Childress: The place on the corner and all their stuff comes down the alley in my
backyard and down to Andy’s backyard. So, right now I look in my
backyard and I see dumpster lids and I don’t want to see that. It seems
that that part of Livonia is really neglected, we’re what we consider the
armpit of Livonia or something, it’s not a nice place to eat and live
anymore.
Toy: Sir, if I may, I’d like to, if you’ll put it in the notes, Bonnie, I’d like Inspection
to go out and check the convalescent home for excess garbage,
dumpsters, whatever is going on over there and help these neighbors out
because you’re right, you shouldn’t have to put up with that.
Childress: I talked to the City inspectors and they said as long as they’re three feet
from your fence there’s nothing they can do about it. Why should they be
across my fence?
Toy: We’re going to try and get them out there. Councilman Bahr.
10
Childress: The dumpsters are really a bad scene and all the trash coming up from
the west.
Bahr: Just for your information, sir, the issue for tonight is the rezoning of the
property.
Childress: Pardon me?
Bahr: I said the issue tonight is the rezoning of the property. If this were to pass
and if this project were to proceed, there would come a point where we
would review the site plan as a Council, and that’s the point if there are
issues like dumpster location and those kind of things are all taken up and
there will come a time where the residents can express their concerns.
The concerns you’re expressing tonight, that is something that comes
further down the line, we are here for a rezoning petition tonight.
Childress: My backyard used to be part of the swamp back there, they filled that up
and they said they were going to put soil back there and reseed it. They
put granual sandbags there, I couldn’t dig there anymore. The city
inspector assured me that all the plumbing was already appropriated to fill
in that whole drainage area from there.
Toy: Sir, I don’t want to interrupt you but I’m going to. Councilman Bahr stated
we are here for a rezoning of a piece of property and we appreciate you
being here tonight, we appreciate you sharing your troubles on your piece
of property. We are going to look into that for you, okay. Did you leave
your name and phone number and all that good stuff on that paper for us
and someone will get ahold of you, sir, to go over some of those issues
you’re having. But short of that we need testimony about the site we’re
looking at right now. So we appreciate you coming and we’lll look at those
problems.
Childress: That’s another thing, the rezoning says Office Services, but what does that
have to do with multiple?
Toy: That’s what the current is and that’s what it has to be zoned in order to
meet the zoning for the City.
Childress: Thank you very much. I had a stroke about three years ago.
Toy: You did great, you did great. No worries.
Kritzman: Madam Chair.
Toy: Councilman Kritzman.
11
Kritzman: A quick clarification for Mr. Childress, part of the reason they are
requesting Office Services which sounds a little out of sync with a
residential development, the reason behind that is that they’re planning on
having some space within the building with I think a small barbershop or
something like that, it would help service the residents inside the building.
So in order to allow for a residential unit to be built on the same property
as something that would be like an office say like a barbershop is the OS
zoning is for that.
Childress: Thank you.
Toy: Thank you, Councilman Kritzman.
Crider: Is it okay if I speak?
Toy: Yes. You have to sign in otherwise Bonnie will never talk to us again.
Crider: My name is Ken Crider, I live at 16381 Fairway, Livonia, Michigan. I was
born and raised at 20117 St. Francis in Livonia, Michigan, in the
neighborhood right behind this proposed project or zoning change. I can
remember riding my bike as a kid to that strip center and buying my first
pocket knife at a sporting goods store that used to be in that shopping
center. I know the property, I know the area there and to me I’m really not
invested in the area but I am invested in Livonia. That area is one of the
biggest eyesores in that area, there’s a five-story vacant office building
right across from Livonia Mall that seems to always be looking for tenants.
To me it’s out of place, a five-story building and there’s nothing else in that
whole area that’s over two stories. And myself, I would be against
changing this to something that they can put a three-story building, it
would be out of place. There’s nothing to compare to that in the area. I
once asked a politician once why nobody knocks doors in the
neighborhood back in there and they said well, because those people
don’t vote. And I really want to be sure that everybody is sensitive to
these people and where they live and I really do feel that a three-story
office building wouldn’t be appropriate there and that’s just my opinion, I’m
not invested in the area but I thought I would come out and speak
because that was my neighborhood when I was a little kid.
Toy: Yes, thank you.
Kritzman: Madam Chair.
Toy: Yes, Mr. Kritzman.
Kritzman: Mr Crider, do you understand this is actually a residential development?
12
Crider: It’s the three-story that I am opposed to, not necessarily the project itself.
Kritzman: I wanted to be clear because you referenced office several times.
Crider: Oh, I’m sorry. You know I think when I mentioned the office I was
mentioning the office building that’s around on Merriman Road that’s kind
of out of place.
Kritzman: And I think it’s taller than five stories, I think it’s seven or eight or nine.
Crider: But it’s just out of place when you drive by there and you look there and
you watched it being built, that’s my neighborhood. To me that’s a
building that’s out of place, trying to figure out things to do with it, to try
and fill it and even changing it. Those are some thoughts. But to me it’s
just I don’t think that deserves a three-story building in that spot. There’s
nothing else in that area that’s three stories tall.
Toy: Thank you, very much. Anything else?
Bahr: Madam Chair.
Toy: Sure.
Bahr: Through the Chair to Mr. Miller, the other properties, all of which are at
least two stories, are those Office Service as well?
Miller: No, I believe those are R-9.
Bahr: That’s what I thought. And so is the difference here as Councilman
Kritzman mentioned, some of the things they’re planning in here to do are
they different than what they do in those other places? I would assume
that those places would have things like barbershops?
Miller: The reason here is the density, they get a bigger density with the OS than
the R-9.
Bahr: Okay, thank you.
Toy: Vice President Jolly.
Jolly: Good evening, Madam President. Mr. Miller and possibly the Petitioner,
Eight Mile is a Wayne County road, has there been any talk or any
discussions with Wayne County in terms of rainwater runoff, or anything
that needs to be done to the property? We’ve heard from residents here
13
who have expressed that that’s an issue, are they involved in this process
at all, Wayne County?
Miller: Yes, I’m not sure, that’s engineering.
Jolly: Okay. Is the Petitioner here?
Kritzman: My assumption is that –
Gazrys: We’ve engaged an engineer to look at the County and to work with Wayne
County on stormwater, additionally we’ll be working with the City and its
own internal engineer to approve anything we’ve done with the stormwater
on site and any of the concerns addressed, we always encourage folks
that have concerns and work with our architects to provide a quality
development. These are independent senior housing, it’s not
convalescent or assisted, it’s independent.
Jolly: Thank you.
Toy: Councilman Kritzman.
Kritzman: Thank you, Madam Chair. Just to the folks in the audience who did
express concerns about some of the drainage issues they have, because
of situations like your home and if you do have drainage that is why
Wayne County has revised their stormwater ordinances and Wayne
County actually has one of the most stringent, in fact it’s terribly stringent
at times, but Wayne County has one of the most stringent requirements
for new developments to go in. And this project would be completely
subject to the approval of the Wayne County Engineering Department
which is something that is something that is certainly a vastly different
process than the timeframe when Mr. Childress said his home was built
fifty years ago, it’s a vastly different process now and so I really believe
that between the Livonia Engineering Department and the Wayne County
requirements, that those things would be dealt with. But I think it’s great to
bring those things up because if there are issues that exist outside of the
property line, now is the time to do that, so thank you.
Toy: Councilman Meakin.
Meakin: Madam Chair, I think we’ve heard the sentiment of the residents in the
neighborhood. I’m going to offer three resolutions, one is approving, one
is denying and one is to refer to the Committee of the Whole.
Toy: Thank you. We have three resolutions then, Bonnie, you’ve got it?
Murphy: So noted.
14
Toy: And if I may and this may be studied further but just now at the Public
Hearing, do you believe you need a three-story building, I mean are your
numbers based on three stories?
Gazrys: Yes.
Toy: Okay. Is there a timeline you’re on, sir?
Gazrys: We’ve been working on this for quite some time but we’re trying to get in
at the April deadline. There’s two rounds every year so we’re looking at
April. As far as the rezoning goes, we understand there’s a rigorous both
through Wayne County and internally through the City of Livonia for the
site plan process to address all these issues, so we would just encourage
you if we could get to the -- we know there’s a need and a demand for the
senior, especially senior affordable in working with the Livonia Housing
Commission so in consideration during the zoning we know all of these
items will be addressed and we will address all these.
Toy: Sure. And just a reminder, if you could submit those to our Council office
which is on the second floor of this building. We would really appreciate it.
Gazrys: Absolutely.
Toy: Thank you very much for being here tonight.
McIntyre: Madam Chair.
Toy: Yes, go ahead.
McIntyre: I just want to comment on one issue that was raised. We have the historic
cemetery that is adjacent to this property and I think it was a good point
that was raised, you know, when there were houses and then there’s
nothing there, I don’t know who has jurisdiction over this, if it’s a County
issue, but I do think it’s a significant issue that’s raised, that there should
be some sort of assessment, I don’t know what the right term is, to make
sure that there are not gravesites that extend beyond the boundaries of
that cemetery given the age of the cemetery and given the fact that the
only thing that was on that property before from what I understand were
small residential structures.
Toy: If you could make that request, Councilwoman.
McIntyre: Yes, I’d like that on the record so that we send it to the Committee of the
Whole to determine who has jurisdiction over that or responsibility.
15
Toy: Absolutely.
Gazrys: If I may, so as part of the MSHDA process, they do what is called a 106
Review, so if there are any adjacent historic so in addition to an
environmental review, there will be an historic so if anything comes up.
McIntyre: So I think that addresses, it sounds to me like it gets scooped up in the
process with MSHDA?
Gazrys: Yes.
McIntyre: I just wanted to make sure.
Gazrys: From what I hear you saying, yes, that is my understanding.
McIntyre: Thank you, Madam Chair.
Toy: Certainly. If there’s no one else, we’re going to close the Public Hearing.
Go right ahead. Name and address, please.
M. Bauer: There was a church there before the two houses, it was an historical site,
it was where people went to Lansing by covered wagons, that’s how long
that graveyard has been there, so that’s part of that. The other thing is
that straight across the street is the bus yard where the busses start at
7:00 o’clock in the morning, I can hear the busses in our yard so that’s
going to be a disturbance to anyone that’s straight across the street. The
traffic through that area, people will not be able to get out on Middlebelt
Road between 4:00 o’clock and 8:00 o’clock.
Toy: We appreciate that. Can we have your name and address, please.
M. Bauer: My name is Marie Bauer, 29030 Morlock Street. We’ve been there for
seventeen years, but for the past seventeen years we’ve had the same
ducks come into the valley and the duck families, families of ducks being
born there and swim in the little creeks that go along, that’s where the
swamp is at. We get the same birds every year because we feed them.
We care about them. And my grandchildren play down there and we call it
the valley, the kids all play down there and they’ve all fallen into the creek
and they’ve all gotten mucky. Now the great grandchildren are playing
down there. I don’t want anything behind me that’s going to cause harm
to my grandchildren or my greatgrandchildren. I don’t want to have to
worry about someone snatching them up and carrying them off and to
have that many units in that small of an area because that’s Clarenceville
part of Livonia because it used to be Farmington. There’s no taxes being
paid, it’s low income housing, we already have open enrollment in our
schools with Clarenceville, so this is something that we have to carry and I
16
don’t think that’s fair. We already have a hookah bar there, we already
have two barbershops, we have a Lady Jane’s, I figure that the people
that move into there will probably walk down to Lady Jane’s than if there’s
one inside the development. I just want you to know we’re upset.
Audience
Member: We have senior housing behind Livonia Mall.
M. Bauer: We already have some over there. Why does there have to another one?
Clarenceville is only a three mile area, why does there have to be another
one? There’s one right there at the Livonia Mall, we’ve got to have
another one that close? I don’t think that it should be that way. It should
just be office and nothing else. There’s buildings up that way that are
empty and they keep building stuff. That place has been what, five years
ago they tried to redo, and redo and redo. Every few years they come up
with something else. I would think they bought this place for $100,000,
$140,000 is what Mrs. Dix told me, she was the one that lived behind us
because I would go over and visit her, that’s how close my yard is to this.
We walk through the back over to the gas station on the corner, I don’t see
how they think they have all that much room to put that big of a unit and
shove people together. I’m totally against approving this. Thank you.
Toy: Thank you, Mrs. Bauer. This will have three resolutions now, so you’ll
understand, three motions of denying, which will deny it; approving, which
would approve it as presented; and other things could be added at that
meeting, and also Committee of the Whole where we would go upstairs
th
and study it more in depth, if you will. On Monday, February 12 of this
year is when that meeting will take place.
As there were no further questions or comments, the Public Hearing was declared
closed at 7:47 p.m.
SUSAN M. NASH, CITY CLERK