Detroit City Council Meeting Summary - November 13, 2025

The City Council of Detroit convened to address a packed agenda featuring three major public hearings related to the Uniroyal site redevelopment and the proposed Rivertown Business Improvement Zone (BIZ), alongside routine agenda items. The session included extensive public testimony regarding community benefits, environmental remediation, and the potential financial impacts of new assessments on residents and business owners. Several key items, including the CPA building historic district hearing, were recessed due to technical scheduling issues.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of the minutes from the previous meeting was granted via a motion and second without objection.

Public Comments & Testimony

• General Public Comment:

  • Carolyn Hughes (Owner Papa): Expressed strong opposition to the planning department's trajectory, citing a tripling of the poverty rate since 2017 and concerns regarding gentrification and over-policing. She challenged the council to address peace, health, and safety, noting the city government is a service institution subordinate to the people.
  • William M. Davis: Expressed concern regarding the Mayor's physical condition and slow response times. He also voiced dissatisfaction with the loss of purchasing power and healthcare benefits for retirees under the current administration, stating at least 50% of purchasing power was lost.
  • Cindy Dara: Criticized the council for cutting off residents during previous hearings and violating city charters regarding public notification for zoning changes, arguing 30-seconds is insufficient for impacted residents.
  • Miko A. Williams: Stated he was opposed to Mayor Mike Duggan, labeling him a "fascist" for disrespecting residents. He urged continued fighting against developments like the Renaissance Center funding that he believes ignore community "no's."
  • Redo Zoning Change Hearings Caller: Accused Council Pro-tem Tate of violating Charter Section 6-205 regarding public hearings, stating that massive zoning changes were being implemented without proper notification to affected citizen advisory councils.
  • Tyson Gersh: Requested a recording of an October 30, 2013 committee meeting, noting it was time-sensitive.

• Public Comment on Uniroyal/Brownfield (Line Item 6 & 1020):

  • Theo Pride (Detroit People's Platform): Expressed concern that the project is being built on a toxic site and questioned if public money would be better spent in safer locations. He argued that splitting the project (youth academy vs. WNBA facility) intentionally avoids triggering a Tier 1 Community Benefits Ordinance (CBO) and urged a voluntary CBA.
  • Carolyn Hughes: Called for more financial "sweeteners" in the deal, questioning the identification of the nonprofit running the youth academy and how city residents would access the facility without costs.
  • Pamela Powell: Expressed general support but noted the city's reimbursement obligation seems excessive and hoped for written community benefits beyond what is legally triggered.
  • Dr. Candice Turner (Wayne State): Expressed full support, viewing the project as a powerful message to youth about what is possible.
  • Austin Black: Expressed support, noting the site is a major gap on the riverfront that needs to be transformed.
  • Michaela Lucas (Genesis Hope): Expressed full support, believing the project addresses a citywide shortage of youth sports fields.
  • Owner Papa (Caller): Reiterated concerns about "pie in the sky" jobs and requested clarification on costs and funding sources.

• Public Comment on Rivertown BIZ (Line Item 9 & 1105):

  • Tamika Little & Scott Turnbull: Expressed strong opposition to the BIZ, citing a letter claiming a $300 rent increase for tenants at Pasadena Apartments as a financial burden they cannot shoulder. Turnbull stated the math showed an annual increase of $300 for the building, not per month.
  • Alicia Pardo: Expressed support but demanded accountability mechanisms to ensure promised benefits are realized and clarified where ballots are mailed.
  • Ryan Sullivan: Expressed support, citing the need for collective investment to combat crime which he identified as a barrier to business growth.
  • Penny DeVall: Expressed strong opposition, characterizing the tax as a "burden" on vacant property owners with no income and questioning the map boundaries that include residential areas. She felt the petition process was flawed and the tax unreasonable.
  • Vince Little (UPS Store Owner): Expressed support for the BIZ to maintain a safe and clean environment for tenants and customers.
  • Tanya Stapleton: Expressed support, noting crime and perception of crime are primary barriers to small business growth.
  • Hanny Boutros: Expressed opposition, arguing the footprint is too large and includes tax-exempt land and vacant properties, placing a burden on the wrong people.
  • Reuben James Crowley Jr.: Expressed support for the community, but focused his comment on potential ballot fraud and urged a pause to ensure officials voting on contracts are transparent.
  • Commander Matthew Fulgenzi (Detroit Police): Expressed support, citing the 16% reduction in crime in Downtown Detroit as proof of the effectiveness of the public-private partnership model the BIZ proposes to replicate.

Discussion Items

• Uniroyal Brownfield Redevelopment (Line Item 1020 / 6):

  • Presenters: David Howell (Detroit Economic Growth Corp), Brian Vosberg (Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority), Richard Madad & Stephon Welch (Pistons Sports Entertainment).
  • Project Details: A $50 million investment to build a WNBA headquarters/practice facility (75,000 sq ft) and a Youth Development Academy (100,000 sq ft). The project requests Brownfield Tax Increment Financing (TIFF) reimbursement of approximately $34.5 million and a Commercial Rehabilitation Certificate (PA210).
  • Key Arguments: Developers emphasized the site is 42 acres of contaminated land requiring extensive cleanup. They projected 71 permanent jobs and significant economic activity. They committed to a nonprofit entity running the academy, with no costs for Detroit youth users.
  • Council Questions: Councilmember Johnson inquired about youth access and costs. Welch confirmed no cost for Detroit youth and a commitment to engage with organizations in District 4. Councilmember Darhall noted the project triggers a Tier II CBO (workforce development partnership) rather than a Tier I CBA due to the tax abatement structure. Adam Patton (Environmental Consultant) detailed the remediation process, including a "cap" of 18 inches of clean soil over contaminated layers.
  • Community Benefits: Speakers noted the project engages in Tier II CBO requirements. The developer expressed willingness to go above and beyond, but critics (Theo Pride, Carolyn Hughes) argued the project structure artificially avoids Tier 1 community benefits thresholds.

• Commercial Rehabilitation Certificate (Line Item 1035 / 7):

  • Presentation: Requested by W Detroit Property LLC for the WNBA facility portion. Proponents argued the "but-for" test is met (development is not feasible without the abatement which caps property taxes at ~$542k/year vs. ~$1.3 million without).
  • Deliberation: Councilmember Durhall and others discussed the need for a full site plan review approval. The City Planning Commission is set to review the site plan via resolution. Councilmember Durhall moved to postpone this item to allow all related documents (site plan, compliance checks) to be reviewed together, though an objection led to the motion failing initially before the item was closed.

• Rivertown Business Improvement Zone (Line Item 1105 / 9):

  • Presentation: Josh Elling (Jefferson East) and Amir Faruqi presented the proposal for a BIZ in the Rivertown area to fund security, cleanliness, and marketing. The zone currently includes commercial properties and apartment buildings, but excludes residential condos and single-family homes.
  • Assessment & Impact: The assessment is based on floor area and assessed value. Estimates suggest 62% of parcels will pay $1,000 or less annually. The highest assessed parcel is under $65,000, with a 3% annual cap on increases. Apartment buildings are assessable as commercial property (e.g., Pasadena Apartments), though developers argue savings in common area maintenance and insurance will offset pass-through costs.
  • Council Objections: Councilmember Waters expressed strong opposition, characterizing the BIZ as a "land grant" that taxes residents and legacy property owners, including vacant lots, potentially driving them out. She questioned the inclusion of vacant land and city-owned properties. Councilmember Johnson requested detailed breakdowns of assessments for top owners and potential rent impacts on apartment tenants, asking for proof of property owner commitments to not pass costs to residents.
  • Developer Responses: Developers argued that BIZ assessments on vacant parcels are low and that the collective pooling of resources allows for services (like trash pickup and security) that individual owners cannot afford, preventing blight. They confirmed that city-owned properties (like the Aretha Amphitheater) are not assessed but have offered voluntary contributions.
  • Outcome: Despite opposition regarding the assessment formula and potential rent hikes, the motion to send the item to formal session with a recommendation to approve was made and passed.

Key Outcomes

• Uniroyal Brownfield Plan (Line Item 1020): Motion to send to formal session with a recommendation to approve carried. The vote was scheduled to occur later in the session after grouping with other related items.
• Property Transfer (Line Item 10.3): Motion to send to formal session with a recommendation to approve the transfer of city hall land at the former Uniroyal site carried without objection.
• Commercial Rehabilitation Certificate (Line Item 1035): The hearing was closed. Councilmember Durhall moved to postpone the final vote to the next meeting (November 20) to await site plan approval, but an objection was raised, and the item was effectively closed without a vote at this time, pending future action.
• Rivertown BIZ (Line Item 1105): Motion to send to formal session with a recommendation to approve carried.
• CPA Building Hearing (Line Item 1055): The hearing was recessed/closed due to a technicality regarding the premature scheduling. It will be rescheduled for early January. Council Pro-tem Tate noted that the hearing could not be continued to the next session and required a new public hearing process.
• General Unfinished Business:
  • Line Item 10.1 (OCP software system): Moved to bring back in one week.
  • Line Item 10.2 (St. Jean/140 Terminal sale): Moved to bring back in one week.
  • Line Item 10.4 (HUD Section 3 data): Moved to bring back in one week.
  • Line Item 10.5 (XYZ 20-02 Neighborhood Enterprise Zone): Moved to formal session with a recommendation to approve.
  • Line Item 10.6 (63 Prentice Street Neighborhood Enterprise Zone): Moved to formal session with a recommendation to approve.
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned following the motion to suspend memory reports. All motions passed unless otherwise noted.

Note: The council expressed a need to verify the specific assessment breakdowns and rent impact commitments from apartment owners prior to the formal vote on the BIZ in the subsequent session.