OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

2026-03-19 Detroit City Council Budget Hearing for Planning and Development Department

City CouncilThursday, March 19, 2026
BodyDetroit, Michigan
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, March 19, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 34:24

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

PM.

0:00

So I want to just get some opinions on how you all want to handle the situation.

0:04

But I would again, because they they came, they've been here waiting, and we do have public who is who are watching.

0:10

Tip sometimes what we've done in the past is just put the entire budget into the uh executive session uh and then allow them to to move on.

0:18

But again, they've been here, public's waiting um and they've got a PowerPoint at least allow the PowerPoint to go.

0:24

But I'll again open up for recommendations, suggestions, uh pro Tim Young.

0:29

Uh thank you, Mr.

0:31

President.

0:32

Uh, for the sake of uh expediency for leadership as President Protep, right?

0:36

I will just submit all my questions in writing.

0:39

Because I don't need to ask you, because I love asking you got questions.

0:42

I'll just submit all my questions in writing and submit my uh request from artificial intelligence writing as well too.

0:47

All right, thank you so much, Member Johnson.

0:49

Thank you, Mr.

0:50

Chair.

0:50

I was going to um suggest the same thing that if uh we can allow them to do their presentation if um there are no pressing questions that we can submit them in writing and move their budget to executive session.

1:05

Okay.

1:06

Any of the other suggestions?

1:08

All right, is there a motion to move the entire uh planning development budget into executive session?

1:15

Motion.

1:15

See no objections, then action shall be taken.

1:18

All right.

1:19

So that's what we'll do.

1:20

We'll give you an opportunity to provide your presentation and then we'll give you, I guess, a closing remarks, and then we'll move on uh to the rest of the uh the day.

1:28

So thank you again for being here.

1:29

Thank you all for your patience as well.

1:31

The floor is yours, Director Bush.

1:33

Wonderful.

1:33

Um, thank you.

1:34

And through the chair, good afternoon, everyone.

1:36

Thanks for the opportunity to just give some extra context for this year's budget.

1:41

Um, as always, we're very excited to work with you.

1:43

We're excited about where things are heading in the department, and we'll at least for the public provide an overview of where we're heading, knowing that we won't have further conversations about um the budget in more detail.

1:54

Are we ready with slides?

1:56

Okay, we will go quickly, but just want to be sure that we can get those pulled up.

2:11

Your system is syncing up right now as we speak.

2:18

Director Bush, while we while we get everything cued up, you want to introduce your team?

2:22

Absolutely.

2:23

Um through the chair, Alexa Bush, Director for Planning and Development.

2:29

Dara O'Burn, Deputy Director, Planning and Development.

2:34

Ewless Braxton Williams, agency CFO.

2:39

Good afternoon, Edwina King, Associate Director of Legislative Affairs and Equitable Development for the Planning and Development Department.

2:49

And it looks like we've got slides ready to go.

2:51

Um so we'll jump right in.

2:54

We are very excited, if you run to the next slide, um, to just lay out how our department is looking to align with the mayor's vision for where we are going to go and especially take our neighborhood planning into the next step.

3:08

So a really big piece of alignment is to think specifically about how we can better and more substantially integrate youth engagement into our planning studies and what capacity looks like to continue to grow that youth participation.

3:22

We've done this through our master plan youth summit.

3:25

We've done this um in District 7 through the Cody Rouge Warrendale plan in the past, but are really looking forward to working with the new youth affairs team and really thinking through what that partnership can add in terms of capacity, but also building civic leadership around youth really owning the vision, shaping the vision, and seeing their future here in the city of Detroit.

3:43

The second key piece of this, um, as was touched on at the previous hearing with the DGC is to really ensure that we're aligning that economic development strategy with what recovery looks like in neighborhoods.

3:55

How do we think about good jobs for folks?

3:56

How do we think about increasing that buying power that then does better support our small business ecosystem?

4:02

Um, but to really think about how development lands in place and really lands in neighborhoods throughout the city and particularly aligns with new opportunities for collaboration around poverty alleviation through some of the new departments being set up around health, um human services, and poverty solutions.

4:19

The third major piece I would point out is to really expand that economic development toolkit through some of these new partnership opportunities.

4:26

Um I think what we are really seeing is an opportunity to really touch more neighborhoods of the city and really ensure that we are aligning the right tools with the right needs in community, and we're really excited to be able to do that as we continue to plan more neighborhoods and touch all neighborhoods across the city.

4:42

Next slide, please.

4:44

Um I'll give a quick recap of our department.

4:47

Um we are a small but mighty team of about 40 FTEs.

4:51

Our overall budget is just shy of seven million dollars.

5:00

What we really do is try and work with residents to ensure that we are shaping a vision for the city's future that is truly informed by their priorities and also you know pragmatic, feasible, and able to be implemented.

5:06

We our team supports citywide and neighborhood planning.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████29%
Public Comment███████████████████████████27%
Economic Development█████████████████17%
Community Engagement█████████9%
Disability Rights███████7%
Youth Programs██████6%
Public Engagement█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

2026-03-19 Detroit City Council Budget Hearing for Planning and Development Department

The Detroit City Council held a budget hearing for the Planning and Development Department (PDD) on March 19, 2026. Due to time constraints, the council voted to move the entire PDD budget into executive session, but allowed Director Alexa Bush to deliver a presentation. The council also approved several motions to place specific items into executive session and closing resolutions. Public comments addressed tax abatements, equitable development, and neighborhood needs.

Discussion Items

  • Director Alexa Bush presented the department's budget of approximately $7 million for 40 full-time employees. She highlighted priorities including youth engagement in planning, alignment with the mayor's economic development strategy, and expanding the economic development toolkit. Key initiatives include the Master Plan of Policies update (Plan Detroit), historic preservation plan, neighborhood framework plans (Denby Whittier, Forest Parks), and support for retail strategy.
  • The department oversees citywide and neighborhood planning, development review, Historic District Commission, and the Community Benefits Ordinance process.
  • Director Bush noted ongoing community engagement: over 135 meetings for Plan Detroit and plans for district-by-district meetings in April 2026.
  • Councilmember Callaway raised concerns about abandoned school buildings (Bethune and Coffee in District 2) and the need for family entertainment spaces tied to youth engagement.
  • Councilmember McCampbell requested focus on youth and senior recreation and literacy in District 7.
  • Councilmember Miller asked about protections for historic districts.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Maurice Weeks criticized tax abatements, citing studies showing negative net impact and that many businesses would locate regardless. He offered to provide research to council.
  • Betty A. Barber (president of DeSoda Ellsworth Block Association) requested equal investment in the Thinker corridor (District 2) comparable to the Grand River corridor and other areas.
  • Foster (caller) called for accountability in the prosecutor's office and urged DEGC to be more equitable with its 501(c)(4) arm and campaign contributions.
  • Tyson Gersh raised concerns about the Detroit Economic Growth Association (DEGA), a subsidiary of DEGC, receiving developer donations and potential conflicts of interest with city contracts.
  • William M. Davis argued that downtown-focused funds should be spread citywide and that planning should prioritize neighborhood development.
  • Owner Papa (caller) criticized the lack of equity in spending, noting no rec center in Districts 6/7, and called for planning with community input, especially for Black-owned barbershops and beauty shops impacted by COVID.
  • Tahira Ahmed requested more investment in home-based businesses and home repair, and inclusion of disabled and overtaxed residents.
  • Margaret Mattox (caller) emphasized including people with disabilities in all city planning and design processes.

Key Outcomes

  • Council voted to move the entire PDD budget into executive session with no objections.
  • Council approved Councilmember Callaway's motion to place the plans for Bethune and Coffee schools into executive session and closing resolution.
  • Council approved Councilmember Callaway's motion to explore creating an indoor/outdoor family fun space as part of youth engagement.
  • Council approved Councilmember McCampbell's motion to focus on youth and senior recreation and literacy in District 7.
  • Council approved Councilmember Miller's motion to add protections for historic districts to executive session.
  • All motions were followed up with memos.
  • Public comments were heard from seven callers and one in-person speaker. The meeting recessed at approximately 12:30 PM and will reconvene at 2 PM for afternoon budget hearings.

Meeting Transcript

PM. So I want to just get some opinions on how you all want to handle the situation. But I would again, because they they came, they've been here waiting, and we do have public who is who are watching. Tip sometimes what we've done in the past is just put the entire budget into the uh executive session uh and then allow them to to move on. But again, they've been here, public's waiting um and they've got a PowerPoint at least allow the PowerPoint to go. But I'll again open up for recommendations, suggestions, uh pro Tim Young. Uh thank you, Mr. President. Uh, for the sake of uh expediency for leadership as President Protep, right? I will just submit all my questions in writing. Because I don't need to ask you, because I love asking you got questions. I'll just submit all my questions in writing and submit my uh request from artificial intelligence writing as well too. All right, thank you so much, Member Johnson. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I was going to um suggest the same thing that if uh we can allow them to do their presentation if um there are no pressing questions that we can submit them in writing and move their budget to executive session. Okay. Any of the other suggestions? All right, is there a motion to move the entire uh planning development budget into executive session? Motion. See no objections, then action shall be taken. All right. So that's what we'll do. We'll give you an opportunity to provide your presentation and then we'll give you, I guess, a closing remarks, and then we'll move on uh to the rest of the uh the day. So thank you again for being here. Thank you all for your patience as well. The floor is yours, Director Bush. Wonderful. Um, thank you. And through the chair, good afternoon, everyone. Thanks for the opportunity to just give some extra context for this year's budget. Um, as always, we're very excited to work with you. We're excited about where things are heading in the department, and we'll at least for the public provide an overview of where we're heading, knowing that we won't have further conversations about um the budget in more detail. Are we ready with slides? Okay, we will go quickly, but just want to be sure that we can get those pulled up. Your system is syncing up right now as we speak. Director Bush, while we while we get everything cued up, you want to introduce your team? Absolutely. Um through the chair, Alexa Bush, Director for Planning and Development. Dara O'Burn, Deputy Director, Planning and Development. Ewless Braxton Williams, agency CFO. Good afternoon, Edwina King, Associate Director of Legislative Affairs and Equitable Development for the Planning and Development Department. And it looks like we've got slides ready to go. Um so we'll jump right in. We are very excited, if you run to the next slide, um, to just lay out how our department is looking to align with the mayor's vision for where we are going to go and especially take our neighborhood planning into the next step. So a really big piece of alignment is to think specifically about how we can better and more substantially integrate youth engagement into our planning studies and what capacity looks like to continue to grow that youth participation. We've done this through our master plan youth summit. We've done this um in District 7 through the Cody Rouge Warrendale plan in the past, but are really looking forward to working with the new youth affairs team and really thinking through what that partnership can add in terms of capacity, but also building civic leadership around youth really owning the vision, shaping the vision, and seeing their future here in the city of Detroit. The second key piece of this, um, as was touched on at the previous hearing with the DGC is to really ensure that we're aligning that economic development strategy with what recovery looks like in neighborhoods. How do we think about good jobs for folks?

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