Planning & Economic Development Committee Meeting – February 26, 2026
Planning & Economic Development Standing Committee Meeting – February 26, 2026
The Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee met on Thursday, February 26, 2026. The meeting covered general public comment, a public hearing on the proposed CPA Building Historic District, a detailed discussion on the biannual Community Benefits Ordinance (CBO) report, and several property sales and referrals.
Consent Calendar
- Approved meeting minutes.
Public Comments & Testimony
- General Public Comment (11 virtual callers, 2 in-person): Callers addressed multiple topics. Jadante Smith urged downzoning of 4.4 acres at 3405 Gaylor Street near Cronos Concrete, citing 800 residents and seven businesses supporting the request. Another speaker called for equitable development and criticized handling of historic properties like the Veterans Building. Betty A. Verner promoted the MI Choice Waiver program for seniors. William M. Davis supported housing voucher ownership options and repealing the emergency management law. Caller Owner Papa stated the planning department is "planning for the genocide and the dislocation of legacy Detroiters." Sam Butler and Chase Cantrell (Equitable Development Task Force) advocated for a CBO work group to produce reforms. Chase Cantrell listed recommendations: clear conflict-of-interest definitions, more NAC members, impact assessments, baseline negotiation provisions, and incentive clawback strategies. Other callers criticized demolition practices, the land bank's nuisance abatement program, and transit service; one dedicated comments to Black History Month.
- Public Hearing – CPA Building Historic District (11 callers): All but one commenter expressed support for the designation. Issues raised included ensuring the building is not later demolished (citing the State Fairgrounds demolition), providing financial impact studies for potential buyers, and naming the district after indigenous leader Wabansi. One caller questioned the city process for cutting off late-joining commenters.
Discussion Items
- CPA Building Historic District (Public Hearing): The Historic Designation Advisory Board (HDAB) presented a proposal to create the Conductor's Protective Assurance (CPA) Building Historic District in Corktown. The building, a six-story neoclassical flatiron structure at Michigan Avenue and 14th Street, was built in 1924. The district includes one contributing building and a non-contributing parcel (2216 Michigan Avenue). HDAB staff explained that local designation provides stronger protection than National Register listing. Incentives include state (25%) and federal (20%) historic tax credits. Councilmembers asked about archaeological discovery protocols, effects on property taxes, and development costs. The committee voted to send the ordinance to formal session for final approval.
- Community Benefits Ordinance (CBO) – Biannual Report (1030 Discussion): The Civil Rights, Inclusion and Opportunity Department (CRIO) and partners presented an update. Of 14 CBO-bound projects, 490 of 620 commitments are completed or on track, 120 not started, and one project (Herman Kiefer) is off track for four commitments. CREO outlined complaint processes: an online form, formal investigation by the enforcement committee, and a potential council hearing. Herman Kiefer is in litigation (land bank vs. developer) and on a compliance plan. District Detroit has not started because financing has not been secured; the University of Michigan building is separate. Future of Health's community land trust components were deferred for a future update. Councilmembers questioned delays, the lack of started commitments for The Mid (paused), and urged better support for NAC members, many of whom are not developers. Discussion stressed the need for CBO amendments (work group proposed) and improved monitoring. The report was received and filed.
Key Outcomes
- CPA Building Historic District: Motion passed to send to formal session with a recommendation to approve.
- Housing Choice Voucher Memo (Item 8.3): Motion passed to refer to legislative policy division, bring back in two weeks.
- Property Sales (Items 8.1 and 8.2): Both approved and sent to formal session.
- Hans Farms Purchase Agreement (Item 7.1): Brought back in two weeks for further information.
- M4 Green Buffer Amendment (Item 7.2): Brought back in two weeks.
- Grand River Corridor Update (Item 7.3): Received and filed.
- CBO Biannual Reports: Received and filed (Items 7.4, 7.6); Future of Health report (Item 7.5) brought back in one week for additional information.
- Nuisance Abatement Suit Request (Item 8.4): Motion passed, action taken.
Meeting Transcript
And thank you for joining us for the Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee on today, Thursday, February 26th. Madam Clerk. Will you please call the role? Councilmember Letitia Johnson present. Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero. Member Santiago Romero did indicate she will be a few minutes late, but she's on her way. Yeah. I'm sure you have a quorum. Thank you. Having a quorum present, we are now in session. Good morning, Pro Tim. Is there a motion on the minutes? Motion. There's a motion to approve the minutes. Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken. And we are going to move into general public comment. If there's anyone joining us in person or virtually who'd like to make a public comment, please raise your hand. Please raise your hand. We have two gentlemen in the committee of the whole. And Miss Great. Good morning. How many hands do we currently have raised virtually? Good morning, madam chair. We currently have 11 hands raised for virtual public comment. All right. We are going to cut off general public comment going once. Going twice. Going three times, the collection of general public comment has concluded. And we will give everyone two minutes. We've been doing fairly well with our time. So we'll give everyone two minutes and we'll get started with the two individuals in the committee of the whole. Good morning. My name is Jadante Smith for the record. Well, President Pro Temperate Tempore's team, Maya. We we started off kind of rocky. We've had a nice lady, so we had a nice conversation on the elevator. Um I want to say I just had a very interesting conversation about uh the Maroon family and Cronos Concrete and their vacant land that's about 4.4 acres west of their facility uh 3405 Gaylor Street. I have requested down zoning several times. There's about 800 residents who are uh also in the same request of down zoning. There's seven businesses around this business that request down zoning of the vacant land that can be downzoned from any member of city council, they can request it. We only need five votes. So I also want to say I made a promise a little while ago about Conrad Mallet. Those who voted affirmatively to um reinstate him. I was gonna make sure we have some media connections. I have not written my article yet. Uh I'm gonna make sure I write it very, very soon. I also want to say it's very interesting how the wine counts gets to ride off into the sunset after we have to deal with this demolition dirty dirt demolition scandal. Um, and also so does Mike Duggan. Uh it's really, really unfortunate that that is happening. Um, uh LGC Global.
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