(Analysis prepared by the Livonia Chamber of Commerce: July 2008)
Overview
Voters in Livonia and eight residents in Northville Township will be participating in a special election on Tuesday, August 5, to decide if 414 acres of land on the southwest corner of Seven Mile and Haggerty will be annexed from Northville Township into the City of Livonia. If the majority of participating voters in each municipality approve the referendum, the site formerly occupied by the state’s Northville Psychiatric Hospital will become part of Livonia and Livonia city officials will be empowered with site plan reviews and approvals for the development on the property. While annexation would move municipal control to Livonia, Northville Public Schools would continue to serve future students living on this site.
What is the Livonia Chamber of Commerce’s position on this issue?
Consistent with long-standing Chamber practices, the Livonia Chamber of Commerce will take no position on the issue. The Livonia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has directed the Chamber staff to provide information to the Chamber membership.
What’s the background of this issue?
After the state closed the hospital, a partnership involving Bloomfield Hills-based Real Estate Interests Group and Livonia-based Schostak Brothers and Company acquired the land from the state in a bidding process. The partnership, known as REIS, has pursued a mixed-used development plan with Northville Township officials for three years. Preliminary plans called for construction of various retail, residential, office, medical, and education facilities. The proposed density of the retail components and size of residential property lots are among the biggest issues in the debate between the township and developers. REIS and Northville Township have several lawsuits pending against each other in various courts. REIS has won favorable rulings in preliminary court hearings but there are pending court appeals. REIS reports they intend to invest some $500 million on the property in a project that would create some 4,000 construction jobs and an additional 4,000 permanent jobs at the site. Livonia Mayor Jack Kirksey initially advised city officials to stay neutral on this matter in the hope a potential annexation election would spur a settlement between REIS and Northville Township, but Kirksey changed to a supportive position once the election became inevitable. Northville Township officials are strongly opposed to the annexation of this land into Livonia.
How was this matter put on the ballot?
In conjunction with State law, seven of eight residents living in manufactured housing on the 414-acre site became registered Northville Township residents and petitioned for annexation election. Livonia city officials had nothing to do with placing this measure before voters. Despite legal challenges sought by Northville Township officials, state election officials authorized the election and courts have upheld the decision.
Who supports the annexation?
Livonia Mayor Jack Kirksey and other city officials support the annexation and anticipated development that would boost the city’s tax revenue by about $2.5 million a year. Kirksey said the planned development will improve city services, spark traffic improvements to the busy Seven Mile-Haggerty intersection, and provide a rare, major economic opportunity for Livonia, a city which is nearly fully developed and tied to the region’s struggling economy. For more arguments supporting annexation, visit www.michiganjobsnow.com.
Who is against the annexation?
A few grass-roots groups, comprised mostly of Northville Township residents and some residents from Livonia, will lobby Livonia residents to vote against annexation because they argue it is immoral. They held small protests during the Livonia Spree, and vowed to boycott Livonia businesses as an attempt to influence votes against the annexation. Opponents contend REIS orchestrated the annexation vote to sidestep dealing with Northville Township’s zoning laws. For more arguments against annexation, visit www.stopannexation.com.
How can voters participate in this election?
The Livonia City Clerk’s Office will begin mailing absentee ballots in the coming days. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, August 5. Other issues on the August 5 ballot include: A primary election involving four candidates seeking the open seat for 16th District Court Judge, a regional millage proposal to raise taxes by .10 of mill (10 cents for each $1,000 of state-equalized property value) to fund Detroit Zoo operations, and primary election involving 10 candidates seeking the District 12 seat on the Wayne County Commission, a district that represents portions of Livonia, south of Plymouth Road.
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