March 12th, 2026.

Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll?

Morning.

Councilmember Letitia Johnson present.

Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero.

Present.

Council President Pro Tem Kulman Young.

Pro Tim Young is on his way.

Madam Chair, we have quorum.

Thank you.

Having a quorum present, we are now in session.

Good morning, Member Santiago Romero.

Is there a motion on the minutes?

Motion to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

And I just want to remind everyone that we do have an abbreviated session this morning.

Our budget hearings start at 10 a.m.

Uh, and so we may need to abbreviate our public comment time.

I am now calling for general public comment.

If there's anyone who would like to make a public comment, whether in person or joining us virtually, please raise your hand.

Seeing one hand in the committee of the whole, please raise your hand.

Public comment will be cut off momentarily.

And madam clerk, if you will please note that council president pro Tim Young has joined us.

Well note.

Good morning.

Thank you.

Good morning.

Public comment has now been cut off.

Good morning.

Ms.

Great, how many hands do we have raised virtually?

Good morning, madam chair.

We have six hands raised for virtual public comment.

All right, we're going to give everyone a minute and a half for general public comment, and we will get started with Mr.

Foster, who's here in the committee of the whole.

If we can please set the clock for one minute and a half.

Thank you.

Um good morning through the um chair.

Just very briefly, I wanted to um speak on a few things.

I think it's important that you guys hear it and be aware for yourself, do good self-reflection to make sure that you don't deviate from any morals or ethics yourself.

Self-policing.

But um the last four years have been the first four years that the city have not had an indictment for city council at all.

I think that speaks volumes.

Prior to that, there have been a lot of indictments down here.

And take in the information that we get, listening to our community and um things of those sort.

I missed some of those meetings yesterday, but I did want to speak about a comment that I heard in reference to seven mayors down the line.

Just a different perspective.

Seven mayors down the line is your grandchildren.

And if we talk about a council here that inherited bad situations, then it's incumbent upon this council to be proactive and preserve things to make sure that future bodies and future organizations are in the best position to um take care of their residents.

And so I'm not gonna keep coming down and speaking.

I don't think that is a value that's uh um that I know I am, but I do appreciate you all listening in the direction that you're going.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Foster.

We do appreciate you coming down and um always sharing good information and and insight and things for us to keep in mind.

We are now going to turn to our virtual callers.

Who do we have first?

Madam Chair, our first caller is William M.

Davis.

William M.

Davis, good morning.

You have one minute, 30 seconds for general public comment.

Good morning, young people.

Can I be heard?

Morning, yes.

Okay, I like to start off with 5.1.

The housing voucher, the housing choice voucher for home ownership option.

I think that's something that should strongly be uh looked into.

I think more we need to be doing more.

The city needs to be doing more to have more homeowners, ownership.

Uh, when I started with the city, the you know, it was almost 25% more people in the city of the church own homes than today.

You know, things have gotten worse and worser and worse, and we need to be doing more to help the people become homeowners to establish generational wealth that help pass on to their kids and grandkids.

Uh also looking at 5.6.

We need to make sure that when people get benefits from the city, that they live up to the community benefits that they sign up for, like the future of health.

I would think they should be a whole lot further along with doing what they agreed to.

You know, like when we have entities that are not, y'all should be calling back stuff.

Y'all call back a whole lot from City of Detroit retirees from our savings, which is horrible and dreadful.

So hopefully y'all start looking at calling back some of these entities that y'all given sweetheart deals to.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Our next caller is Cunningham.

Good morning, Cunningham.

You have one minute, 30 seconds for general public comment.

So what up though?

Coach we're approaching Lansing right now to advocate for better public transit here in Michigan.

Shout outs to TRU Wow, ATU, and so forth.

Um my team leader is uh Juwan Golston uh with Warriors on Wheels, myself, um Ryan Fasloo, Neil Meritett, Harry, Leo Barrett, and Justin uh Finwick.

Uh I will be uh we will be going to see our representative Young, Representative Donovan McKinney, Representative Peter Hesberg, Representative Oliver Hot, and Senator Mary Kavanaugh, traveling Mercies, uh that everything goes well.

We've done this for a few years now, and it has borne fruit.

Um so we're just gonna keep at it.

Of course, you know I don't get paid for this type of work.

It's a passion to get it done for those we have to get to work, school, play, etc.

Um, do fighting or whatever your mission is, no matter what.

And thank you, uh Councilwoman Chair for your kindness always.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Our next caller is Owner Papa.

Owner Papa, you have one minute, 30 seconds for general public comment.

Good morning, and through the chair, may I be heard?

Morning, yes.

Thank you.

Uh, I am an agreement with um Mr.

Davis.

5.1.

Um, can you tell me what kind of funds were used to fund this?

Uh the choice vouchers and um how much money was used to fund it, and uh uh and how much has been used thus far.

And uh for the CBO, I am I'm I'm I have to agree with Mr.

Davis.

It seems as though they're moving along with the with everything else, but the community benefits agreement is seems to be slow on that, and and they seem to be a little strange.

One of the benefit agreements is building a behavior uh area.

That's what the developer is going to do, and they're going to build this behavior area, and it's for addiction, it's for you know, uh it's just strange.

ADH.

Um, that what are they trying to say?

The seniors and the people have mental issues, and that's what they're building.

Because you know, I took behavior science a long time ago where we train rats.

That was uh my my first introduction in the 70s to behavior science.

Um it seems a little strange that that's part of the benefits, the community uh benefits is to offer these kinds of services.

Um, and I think it should be looked into.

And yesterday we had a meeting about a gentleman who bought a house for 170,000.

He said he paid for it.

And then the taxes, the taxes, the the market value is that that would be now the market value, and that's what must be used to calculate the taxes, which we would be 85,000.

Um, thank you.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Our next caller is caller ending in 905.

Caller ending in 905.

You have one minute, 30 seconds for general public comment.

Good evening.

My apologies.

Good morning.

Virginia Park Community.

Good morning.

In reference to 5.6 community benefits ordinance.

Just wanted to make sure that I appreciate the development in the area and also appreciate the bringback to make sure that the reports are compiled and complete.

And also, in addition that the NAC members have the updated information for any adjustments and for CREO, making sure that the monitors are being monitored.

For example, with our CBO1, which would be example like Herman Keefer when it was more color-coded and rubber stamped.

So we don't want that to continue with any behavior in the future health, but we are glad that the project is happening in our community.

I yield my time.

The next caller.

And you busted.

Now Kenisha Coleman did not shoot herself.

There is no evidence nor no proof that Kenisha shot herself for suicide is a full a double dollar sign.

And they enlisted Jeffrey Hudson, Wayne County Medical Examiner to change the original determination of homicide, which was correct to that of suicide some four and a half months later after Kenisha letter demands and pass on to be with the aircraft.

Oh elected officials here in the city of Detroit is TV man at Donald Trump, number 47.

The president of the United States has the information.

Remote.

My dude has filed.

The next caller.

Madam Chair, our last caller before you cut off public comment is Betty A.

Varner, noting that there were two additional hands raised after you cut off public comment.

Thank you.

Betty A.

Verner, you have one minute, 30 seconds for general public comment.

Good morning to all within the sound of my voice.

And we're going to have a health fair.

And it's going to be at the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church at 7151 Finco Avenue.

And that's in Detroit 48238.

It's going to be April 18th from uh 10 a.m.

to 1 p.m.

And there will be free eye exams and screenings by the vision doctors.

There will be free health screenings by the community health connections and cooperation.

We are hoping to have free ear screening tests.

Again, that will be at 7151 Finko Avenue, Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church on the uh corner of Finkel and Monica.

I took a couple of blocks from uh Lilinois.

And I want to talk about this church, uh Pastor Uh Samuel Nettles.

He has been so cooperative working with our association, helping us uh to achieve our mission and goals and to improve our neighborhood.

Thank you, y'all.

Have a nice day and good luck with thank you.

You have a great day as well.

That now concludes our general public comment, and we are going to return back to the agenda beginning with unfinished business and line item 5.1.

Line item 5.1 is status of council member Letitia Johnson submitted memorandum requesting the legislative policy division to draft the resolution regarding the housing choice voucher home ownership option.

Is there a motion to discuss?

Discussion discussion.

Thank you very briefly.

Um just want to share that this particular line item housing choice vouchers are um financially supported, I believe, by the federal government, perhaps also by the state of Michigan.

This is essentially just advocating for the use of the voucher to go towards a mortgage for individuals who receive it to purchase a home as opposed to continuing to rent a property.

It is something that the Detroit Housing Commission has indicated they do.

I think it's something new that they do.

So we're just looking to ensure that residents are aware of it and that the Detroit Housing Commission is walking people through the program to be able to own a property.

Colleagues, there is a request for a one-week bring back.

Is there a motion?

Motion.

There's a motion to bring line item 5.1 back in one week.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 5.2, a status of council member Mary Waters, submittee memorandum relative to NAP suit request.

Leland House Apartments 400 Bagley Street.

Is there a motion to discuss?

Discussion.

Thank you.

Discussion.

Law.

If you could please turn your microphone on and introduce yourself for the record.

So Alex Henderson, Law Department.

I'm filling in for Graham today.

Okay.

Colleagues, is there a motion to bring line item 5.2 back at the end of the agenda?

Motion?

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Without objection, I'd like to combine line items 5.3 and 6.1.

Line item 5.3 and the corresponding response is status of councilmember Letitia Johnson submitted memorandum requesting that the City Planning Commission look into options to down zone 10631 Whittier aka Cover Girl Strip Club.

Is there a motion to discuss?

Discussion.

Discussion.

Good morning.

Mr.

Bowser.

Good morning, Council members.

The property at 1063 on Whittier Avenue is on land that zone B4.

The use as an adult cabaret was established prior to 1972, which is when the city first started regulating.

At that time, what were referred to as Gogo bars, differently than regular bars.

Topless entertainment became more prevalent.

And Judge Gilmore in 1972 issued a ruling that those 90 some GO bars in the city of Detroit were in fact legal uses because the city had not regulated them distinctly from regular bars until until that time.

What it would support is B2 zoning district classification, a local business and residential classification.

So it would be appropriate, the master plan would support a rezoning, not just of one property, but of the entire strip from V4 to a B2.

That being said, it would have no effect on the legal status of any of those uses that would not be permitted, new uses that would not be permitted on land zone B2.

So for the instance of 10631 Whittier, it's nonconforming today.

If the land were zoned B2, it would remain nonconforming.

And the same is true for a number of other uses that are no longer permitted on land zone B4, uses such as tow yards, where the effects from the operation may bleed over into the neighborhood.

Certain used car lots and some other uses that are discontinued.

What the Planning Commission is suggesting to this committee and to council is that it may be appropriate for LPD, the law department, and for building safety engineering department to develop a protocol for better monitoring problematic nonconforming uses.

Uses such as sexually oriented businesses, gas stations, use car lots, repair garages, are not only regulated by city zoning, but they require licensing, either by the State or by the City of Detroit.

And those other licensing entities may have a better sense of when a particular business is ceased operation or discontinued operation or paused operation.

If there were a monitoring crew that were looking both at those documents as well as listening to what the community is saying, it may be easier to establish a specific date at which a six-month clock should start ticking.

And at the end of those six months, building and safety may have grounds for holding a show cause hearing as to why the land use rights might not be discontinued.

Dr.

Bowser, thank you so much for the information.

Certainly do appreciate it.

And we are going to do two things.

One, we will request that we receive a list of nonconforming, I suppose, addresses by district.

And we will also uh take you up on your recommendation, but I would like to have a conversation with B seed, and we'll do that during their budget hearing as it relates to all of this because it is something that's very interesting to me.

I do know that BC has been out in our commercial corridors, issuing a lot of blight violations.

Um, and I think that might even assist in identifying properties that have been vacated.

So uh thank you so much for the report.

Uh pro tempore young.

Thank you, Mayor President.

I appreciate that.

Sir, good to see you.

Let's just break this down into simple English here.

What you're saying is that this used to be a legal use, then zoning laws changed, but no longer compatible for this used to be used, it was grandfathered in.

So it used to be legal and now it's not.

And the downzoning will reflect that non-conforming use.

That's what you mean by this, correct?

When um when the in 1993 or 1996, when the zoning ordinance text was changed.

Right.

Zoning used to permit adult cabarets on land zone B4.

Okay.

That changed in the early 1990s, and all of those adult cabarets, many of which would be on eight miles, some on Michigan Avenue, where the land was zone B4, they became non-conforming at that point.

Okay.

Any new downzoning of the property would of the property or that B4 stretch would not have an effect on the conforming or non-conforming status of a particular use.

So it's like so this change makes no difference one way or the other in terms of the use of this property.

This the use of this property as it is, as an adult entertainment facility is is done.

We are no we we are no longer, I'm not going to read in the paper that authorized a go-go bar.

It's no other property, for instance, on Whittier could apply for a permit for an adult cabaret.

Okay.

And get one.

Okay.

That one which is in place until its land use rights might have been extinguished.

Operates on the assumption that it is a legal non-conforming use.

Okay.

Um, unlike many other non-conforming uses, however, um, it's not able to expand.

Oh, okay.

So it's still able to function, it's just not able to expand.

It it that's correct.

The specifics about whether or not it can reopen.

I think there's something the building in safety needs to look at right now.

Um, going past the property, you know, it appears that it's closed up.

Oh, okay.

So would you say this this has no um this this down zoning would have no relevance on the use of this property?

That's correct.

But them opening it up have to do more with regulation of building and safety rather than so.

What you're saying is we are not authorized.

This this decision makes no difference one way or the other.

This is not an authorization, this is not an endorsement.

This is this because it has nothing to do with the way in which this property is used.

Through the chair, if if this if council were to direct CPC to initiate a rezoning of the Whittier commercial corridor, that would not have any impact on um the on the current status of an adult cabaret.

Right.

Well, well, just for from my from my perspective, just a little bit more just personal preference and politically.

I if I have my drrothers, uh I would repeal the 1999 proposal that banned these organizations within the central business district.

I think that is completely just hypocritical that we have businesses that exist in the neighborhood like this, but we have a ban on downtown.

I think we should flip that around personally.

But uh so uh so if I have my drrothers, but I just but I just want to ask you to make sure about this particular business and what we're authorizing here.

A dom zoning would have neutral effect.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor Chair.

Thank you.

And um Dr.

Bowder, just to share with you, so my team is actually looking at the zoning, current zoning within the corridor because it is a variety, it includes some residentially zoned land.

Um so once we have that completed, we will certainly reach out um to CPC to begin the down zoning process.

Um, and this is being driven by the community.

Thank you.

Colleagues, is there a motion to receive and file both line items 5.3 and 6.1?

Motion.

There's a motion to receive and file line items 5.3 and 6.1.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 5.4, status of council member Letitia Johnson.

Submit a memorandum relative to Hans Farms LLC purchase agreement.

Colleagues, is there a motion to bring line item 5.4 back in one week?

Motion.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 5.5, status of council member Scott Benson.

Submit a memorandum regarding the M4 green buffer text amendment.

Timeline and process.

Motion.

There's a motion to bring line item 5.5 back in two weeks.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 5.6 status of civil rights inclusion and opportunity department community benefits ordinance by annual report for future of health.

Uh colleagues, is there a motion to bring line item 5.6 back in one week to allow for additional conversation?

Motion.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

That brings us to new business beginning with line item six.

Uh we've dealt with line item 6.1.

Line item 6.2 submitting proposed ordinance.

This is to amend chapter 50 of the 2019 Detroit City Code zoning by amending Article 17 zoning district maps, Section 50-17-33.

Colleagues, is there a motion to send line item 6.2 to formal for introduction of an ordinance and setting of a public hearing?

Discussion.

There is a motion with discussion.

Pro Tim.

Yes, um thank you so much, madam chair.

Mayor Chair, I just wanted to ask you before we begin on this.

I just wanted to ask you did all the questions that you have about this, have they been satisfied yet, or are you still in the process of negotiating?

You know, um the what, the hows, and the do's and don'ts of this.

To answer your question, no questions, responses have not been answered satisfactorily.

Um this is something that I hope to have happen between now and the actual public hearing.

Um recognizing that you know the need for it, but also understanding the community and um their reservations with it.

But certainly would love to have your support as we continue to move through this process um with the the various entities that are involved.

Okay.

So just just before I wrap up, I just want to make sure just to get this clear just for clarifications.

Is this something that from the constituents that your constituent that you're talking to?

Is this something that you're caught that you're cautiously deciding whether whether or not to support, or is it something that you support that needs some changes to it or so?

Pro Tim Young, just to so that everyone is aware.

So this is in regards to the fruit pumping station.

Right.

Um, the community has a variety of requests in order for them to be more comfortable for this to be palatable for them to have this structure uh developed in their residential neighborhood.

We've worked with them to create a list of requests.

We've been working with various entities to ask for their support.

Um it's been difficult.

Uh and so again, I would love to have your support.

Um but there are some things that really they're asking for to help shore up the infrastructure and to reduce the likelihood of them having backups in their in their homes, and so those are the things that we have really elevated.

Um additional assistance with uh or funding for the basement backup protection program, which is the only program that the Jefferson Chalmers community can benefit from because they are in a floodplain, they were not able to benefit from the private sewer repair program.

Um they we are all for that matter, right?

We are also um advocating just to ensure that the um pipes underground that uh could use uh some support in being upsized to just make sure drainage is proper and properly flowing.

Uh there was a brick grant from the federal government.

We're leaning on our congressional reps to ensure those dollars are coming to the community so that can be done.

Um the state of Michigan is working on doing some work under I-94.

So there are a number of things that are happening.

We just want to be certain that they do happen, and we're making progress because I will say if not, then this is just part of which does not, I don't believe, gives the residents that assurance that they will not continue to have backups in their in their basement.

But we'll be sure we send to you the uh list of requests that came from the community so you can help in in that in that way.

I appreciate it.

Thank you, ma'am chair.

Yeah, thank you.

I appreciate the uh question.

Um there's a motion to send line item 6.2 to formal for the introduction of an ordinance and setting a public hearing.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

And line item 6.3 is submitting resolution authorization for the a corrective resolution for property sale of 563 Harper Aven Harper Avenue to Jackson Land Holding Company LLC.

Colleagues, is there a motion to approve or discuss?

Motion approved.

There's a motion to send line item 6.3 to formal with the recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

And line item 6.4, Councilmember Letitia Johnson submitted memorandum requesting the legislative policy division to draft a resolution in support of Michigan House Bills 5660 and 5661.

There's a request for a two-week bring back.

Is there a motion to refer this item to LPD and bring back in two weeks?

Motion.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

And that brings us back to line item 5.2.

Is there a motion to discuss?

Discussion.

Discussion.

There's a request for a one-week bring back on line item 5.2.

Is there a motion?

Motion.

There's a motion to bring line item 5.2 back in one week.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

And that brings us to member reports.

Member Vice Chair Santiago Romero.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Just want to remind everyone that this Saturday we are going to be at the Little Caesars Arena from 11 to 1 p.m.

We are going to be doing our NARCAN training.

Please come and join us.

And thank you.

I just want to remind residents in District 4 that our monthly community meeting is taking place on Monday, March 16th at 5 30 at the Shepherd, located at 1265 Park View Street.

We are focusing on knowing your rights as a renter, tenant protections, and landlord responsibilities.

So this is for everyone.

If you are a tenant, if you are a landlord, if you are a resident who has a rental property near you, we want to ensure that we collectively are providing that information to the building safety, engineering, and environmental department so that we can hold everyone accountable for their property.

And so again, the meeting is on Monday, March 16th at 5 30 p.m.

at 1265 Park View Street.

That is the Shepherd.

That concludes my member report.

If there is nothing further to come before this committee, we shall stand adjourned, noting that our budget hearings begin at 10 a.m.

We are now adjourned.