Welcome back. I’m still Malachi Barrett.

The City Council delayed action on two sets of zoning changes meant to promote the renovation of vacant institutional buildings and allow land uses in new areas.

Council Members Mary Waters, Gabriela Santiago-Romero and Angela Whitfield-Calloway argued the changes are being rushed and that there’s not enough community support. They advocated for pushing the vote to 2026.

“I haven’t spoken to a single community organization who’s pleased with these ordinances,” Waters said. “They said we’re acting too fast. They haven’t determined how it affects all of them.” 

Council Member Scott Benson made a motion to remove one vote from Friday’s agenda with objections from Council President Pro Tem James Tate and Council Members Coleman Young II and Fred Durhal III.

Waters made a motion to remove the other zoning change from the agenda, but it failed 4-4, so the council then voted to delay the decision until the next formal session with objections from Durhal and Young. 

Santiago-Romero said she’s in favor of many of the proposed changes but agreed that residents haven’t had enough time to understand the changes.

“The public is already confused, they are pushing back, they are not appreciative of the process,” Santiago-Romero said. “Many of these things might need a little bit of clarification … We are making this seem bad, when there are a lot of solutions here.” 

Durhal said there’s been public outreach for more than a year, with 28 meetings across the city. He argued that the changes are needed to put vacant land to good use.

“People fear change, but people more so fear that which they don’t understand,” Durhal said.

The first set of changes removed from Friday’s agenda are aimed at the “adaptive reuse” of former schools, religious buildings, fire stations, libraries and government buildings. City planners said they’ve heard consistent frustrations about those sites being difficult to redevelop due to restrictive zoning rules and parking requirements.

The proposal would allow roughly 50 new land uses without requiring sites to be rezoned and reduces parking requirements by 50%. 

City Planning Commissioner Kimani Jeffrey said neighborhoods suffer when buildings that used to serve important community roles remain vacant and create blight. Tate said he’s also heard strong support for making it easier to redevelop these sites.

“The whole goal of this ordinance is to save these anchors in the neighborhoods so that we can save the neighborhood,” Jeffrey said during a public hearing last week.

The zoning changes would allow new conditional uses in residential districts like barber shops, bed and breakfasts, theaters, brewpubs and restaurants, low-impact manufacturing and child care facilities. “Tactical preservation” projects will be reviewed and approved by the Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department.

Lead Planner Greg Moots said the BSEED review is much quicker than rezoning, which is often needed to turn vacant institutional buildings into something else. Moots said it can take six months to a year for developers to get a zoning change authorized.

Jeffrey said reducing parking requirements is useful because many institutional buildings are surrounded by homes or other buildings without immediate access to street parking.

The council also delayed voting on another broad set of zoning changes revising definitions, giving new uses a green light in various zoning districts and allowing public parking within 1,300 feet of a special district to count toward off-street parking requirements.

Some of the more impactful changes include the following:

Allow lofts as a conditional use in R1 and R2: Lofts are dwellings in a building that wasn’t originally constructed for residential uses. They’re currently not allowed in the R1 and R2 districts, making it difficult to repurpose buildings for housing.

Allow lots and mixed-use developments by-right in B2, B3 and B4: Lofts are conditional uses in those business districts, which means they can be done with special approval. Changing to a by-right use allows lofts to be developed without additional permission.

Allow pubs in various districts: Brewpubs, microbreweries and wineries haven’t had the same negative effect on surrounding areas as liquor stores, according to the city. Planners would stop treating those businesses as controlled uses and allow them as by-right uses in several types of business and manufacturing districts.

Revise family definition: Families are defined in the zoning ordinance as two unrelated people living together in a single unit. The proposed amendment increases the number of unrelated people considered to be a family to four people.

No expiration for Planned Development Districts: Planned Development Districts previously expired within three years if the project wasn’t completed. Extensions are allowed, but it can be a lengthy process. These districts give greater zoning flexibility to planned projects that align with the city’s Master Plan.

Council Member Latisha Johnson and Whitfield-Calloway said residents are confused by the multiple zoning proposals being advanced at the same time. Another zoning proposal housing greater density in R2 residential districts has drawn the ire of multiple neighborhoods, Whitfield-Calloway said.

Other members were frustrated by the conflation of different zoning proposals, expressing concern that the council will be in a similar position when the next term starts in 2026. 

“The ordinance that people have been (concerned) about is not on today’s agenda,” Durhal said.

Planning Commission Marcel Todd said the “piling on” of zoning changes because the Law Department was slow to provide approved language.

“We could have taken the necessary time and we would have had that time had we been allowed to follow a course we’re far more used to,” Todd said. 

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What page are we on? 

Today’s notebook covers the Nov. 14  formal session. Council President Mary Sheffield was absent.

Dig into the agenda, read Detroit Documenter notes or watch the recording for more details. The 2025 legislative session ends on Nov. 26.

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Overheard at CAYMC 

Here’s a rundown on some smaller, but notable, actions taken by the City Council.

Waters commended Police Chief Todd Bettison for recommending the suspension of an officer who shot a woman six times after a traffic stop. Waters said it shows police misconduct won’t be tolerated. The Board of Police Commissioners suspended the officer without pay last week. Body camera footage has not yet been released.

The Joe Louis Greenway will be connected to Clark Park through a $250,000 grant from the State of Michigan, pending council authorization. The funding will allow for new concrete pathways and public plazas, signage, trees, lighting and a drinking fountain.

A legislative agenda outlining the council’s priorities would be created within the first year of a new term under proposed changes to the council’s rules of order. The council discussed other changes to other procedures at length on Friday, but did not vote to adopt them.

Whitfield-Calloway led the creation of a Domestic Violence and Exploitation Task Force “to confront the interconnected crises of intimate partner violence and human exploitation.”

Johnson is working on a resolution urging city departments to provide urban farmers with sustainable and affordable water sources. A memo from Johnson states a lack of water access threatens the long-term viability of their gardens and farms.

Historic Fort Wayne buildings will be improved through a $750,000 grant provided by the National Park Service. The grant will help preserve Old Guard House and three duplexes that used to hold officers. It covers half of the funding for the $1.5 million project.

Another sign that winter is looming: The city spent $2.1 million to secure rock salt for streets from the Detroit Salt Company.

The city plans to expand Mallett Playground on three properties along Strathmoor Street it purchased for $100 from NP Detroit Fullerton.

Brightmoor Family Grille plans to refurbish and reopen a car wash on a property on Fenkell Avenue, which it bought from the city for $18,615.

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Waters fires employee after investigation  

Waters fired a staff member who abused his position and misrepresented himself to improperly access information, according to a city investigation.

The Office of the Inspector General recommended Reggie Davis face “appropriate disciplinary action” in an Oct. 27 report for falsely presenting himself as a member of the new ombudsman team to a software vendor. The investigation found former council president and convicted sex offender Charles Pugh also pretended to work in the ombudsman’s office as Davis’ “chief of staff.” Two weeks later, Waters announced that Davis was terminated.

In a statement, Waters said Davis “impugned the integrity of the Detroit City Council” and violated the public’s trust. City records show Davis was an administrative staff member earning $70,000.

Davis was a candidate for ombudsman in September when he made contact with WingSwept, a case management tracking application designed for government investigative agencies. Davis’ attorney argued he was making a “good faith effort” to get familiar with software he would use if appointed. WingSwept has had a contract with the city since 2017.

Recorded phone calls obtained by the OIG show Davis requested a price quote and a second meeting with WingSwept and Pugh, where Pugh inquired about the software’s capabilities and pricing.

WingSwept contacted the Office of the Ombudsman to inform them about the sales meeting. Former Ombudsman Bruce Simpson advised WingStop to stop communication with Davis and Pugh, then submitted a complaint to the Office of the Inspector General.

The ombudsman is a liaison between the City of Detroit and people who submit complaints about city operations or employees. The council appointed Sherry Gay-Dagnogo to replace Simpson in October.

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I-375 project will move ahead with raising freeway 

The Michigan Department of Transportation is moving ahead with components of a plan to reshape I-375 after pausing the controversial project earlier this year.

MDOT planners told Detroiters Thursday they are building a new stormwater outfall at the end of the freeway and will seek to raise I-375 to street level from Gratiot to Jefferson and rebuild a bridge over the Dequindre Cut between 2027-2028. Plans to reconfigure the I-375 interchange and Gratiot Avenue connection remain on hold. 

Jason Garza, project lead and MDOT deputy region engineer, cited three reasons for pausing the “Reconnecting Communities” project: Costs ballooned from $350 million to $520 million, residents were unhappy with the design and chances to rebuild a highway don’t come around often. 

“We have one shot at this,” Garza told residents who attended a Thursday update at Eastern Market. “Whatever we build is going to be out there for 40, 50, 60 years. We need to make sure that we’re getting this as right as we possibly can.” 

Garza said pausing the project provided an opportunity to address “public consternation,” improve communication and strengthen relationships with local stakeholders. Garza said it’s a unique project with considerable community impacts. 

MDOT isn’t the only cook in the kitchen. Authorization is needed from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to raise I-375 and reconfigure the interchange with I-75 and Gratiot. The Downtown Detroit Partnership and Kresge Foundation are working with the city on a framework plan for new real estate that would be created by raising the freeway.

The U.S. Department of Transportation provided a $105 million grant in 2022 to support converting the sunken freeway to a street-level boulevard. It would create 8.8 acres of new land and add a two-way bike path. The grant will be reassessed by federal officials since there was  a change in the project.

The original highway capped off urban renewal efforts in the 1950s and 60s that demolished Black Bottom and Paradise Valley neighborhoods. Reshaping the highway was pitched as a way to reconnect downtown to east side communities and repair harms caused by federal infrastructure projects. 

MDOT is continuing to study whether a diverging diamond interchange is the best option to replace the connection between I-375 and I-75. 

Another community update is scheduled for March 2026 focused on community enhancements, aesthetic design, zoning and land use. The framework plan for the new land will be presented in June 2026. 

The stormwater upgrades are meant to prevent sewage from overflowing into the Detroit River during heavy rain events. MDOT will separate stormwater and sewage pipelines. 

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WNBA facility seeks site plan approval    

The City Council will consider approving a site plan for a proposed WNBA practice facility along the Detroit riverfront.

W-Detroit Property LLC, an affiliate of the Detroit Pistons, seeks to lease the former Uniroyal Site from the city to build a headquarters for the new WNBA franchise by 2029. The facility would include two basketball courts, locker rooms, weight rooms, offices, media production space and parking lot.

A youth sports academy would be built on the site sometime in the future, though fewer details on the second component have been made public. Most of the site would be used for the youth activities; the WNBA headquarters would sit on 7.2 acres of the 42-acre site. City documents state the project would provide seamless integration to the riverfront.

Developers plan to seek tax abatements valued at $40.6 million and $9.1 million to help finance the project, which is expected to cost more than $50 million.

Detroit’s Civil Rights, Inclusion & Opportunity Department has not responded when asked whether the project will trigger the city’s community benefits ordinance, which requires developers to negotiate additional investments with surrounding residents. A Pistons spokesperson referred BridgeDetroit to the city when asked the same question.

If approved, a brownfield tax increment financing plan would reimburse developers for cleanup and other activities. City documents show the site is contaminated with volatile organic compounds, metals, asbestos containing materials and other harmful substances.

The subject site has a long history of heavy industry dating back to the 1800s. Uniroyal Tire produced 60,000 tires per day there. Cast iron stoves and bicycle tires were also produced at the site. 

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State seeks lease for Belle Isle Boathouse    

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is seeking a long-term lease to help restore the historic Belle Isle Boathouse.

The City Council will consider an agreement to give DNR control of the boathouse until 2073, the same year its lease for Belle Isle State Park ends. Friends of Detroit Rowing would then seek a sublease boathouse with the DNR so it can invest $2 million to replace the roof and eventually reopen it for public use.

A draft contract shows the DNR and Friends of Detroit Rowing must preserve historic elements of the building. Construction plans must be submitted to the city before alterations can begin. The lease prohibits removing trees or landscaping without city approval.

Stuart-Pittman submitted a $35 million redevelopment proposal last fall. It includes plans to host a welcome center, water taxi launch, canoe and kayak rentals, food options, an event space and other amenities. Stuart-Pitman principal David Carleton said Mayor Mike Duggan gave approval to start negotiating the lease.

Carleton said in September that he’s been bringing investors and donors to the park multiple times a week. He expects youth programs will be a major feature of the new building.

The Detroit Boat Club built the boathouse in 1902 and sold it to the city in 1996. Friends of Detroit Rowing was using it until the building was shuttered in 2022.