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Record of Proceedings

Detroit Planning and Economic Development Committee Meeting - March 26, 2026

City Council — Thursday, March 26, 2026
BodyDetroit, Michigan
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, March 26, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:01:54

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:00

Joining us for the Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee on today, Thursday, March 26th, 2026.

0:08

Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll?

0:10

Councilmember Letitia Johnson.

0:12

Present.

0:12

Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero.

0:15

Present.

0:15

Council President Pro Tim Call me on the second.

0:18

Yeah.

0:18

I'm sure you have a quorum.

0:19

Thank you.

0:20

Having a quorum present.

0:21

We are now in session.

0:23

Good morning, colleagues.

0:24

Is there an approval of the minutes?

0:27

Motion.

0:27

There's a motion to approve the minutes.

0:29

Hear no objections, that action shall be taken.

0:33

We are going to move into public comment, noting that we will provide one minute for public comment.

0:40

We do have a public hearing on our agenda this morning.

0:44

Um and also just want to remind everyone that we have until 10 o'clock.

0:50

10 o'clock, our budget hearing starts.

0:52

So if there is anyone in the committee of the whole or virtually who's joining us virtually, if you'd like to make a public comment, please raise your hand.

1:03

Please raise your hand if you're joining us in person or virtually.

1:06

Public comment shall be cut off in three seconds.

1:12

If you'd like to make a public comment, please raise your hand.

1:16

All right.

1:17

Public comment has now been cut off.

1:19

Good morning, Ms.

1:20

Gray.

1:20

How many hands do we have raised virtually?

1:25

Good morning, madam chair.

1:26

There are four hands raised for virtual public comment.

1:29

Okay, thank you.

1:30

We do not have any hands raised in the committee of the whole.

1:33

So if we can please get started with our first virtual caller again, you will have one minute for general public comment.

1:44

Our first caller is William M.

1:46

Davis.

1:48

William M.

1:48

Davis, you have one minute for general public comment.

1:52

Good morning, young people.

1:53

Can I be heard?

1:54

Good morning, yes.

1:55

Okay, I like to say I think that Josh explore the feasibility of having the land bank whenever they sell the property.

2:10

In so much that the city, you know, that's a strange relationship where the city is cutting the grass, broadening up and doing a whole lot of work related to that, but not getting anything for it.

2:21

You know, it's good that they if they can expedite, you know, the the process of getting the paperwork cleared quicker, but the city should get a rebate on everything they sell.

2:31

And I think that would be helpful to help helpful to developing uh projects in the neighborhood, you know.

2:38

At least we get a better return on our our time and our money.

2:41

Thank you.

2:44

Thank you.

2:45

The next caller.

2:48

Our next caller is Betty A.

2:50

Varner.

2:50

Betty A.

2:51

Vernon, you have one minute for general public comment.

2:54

Uh good morning to all within the sound of my voice.

2:57

I'm Betty A.

2:58

Brown, the president of the Soda Elsewhere Black Association.

3:01

Uh, if you are a caregiver and you need some assistance taking care of your loved one, please call a Mrs.

3:09

Deborah A.

3:10

Royal at 313-484-3808.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████25%
Housing████████████████████████24%
Public Comment███████████████████19%
Zoning and Land Use█████████████████17%
Economic Development███████7%
Land Bank███3%
Accessibility██2%
Homelessness██2%
Community Engagement█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Detroit Planning and Economic Development Committee Meeting - March 26, 2026

The Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee met on Thursday, March 26, 2026, to consider a public hearing on a rezoning for a mixed-use development, lease agreements, emergency shelter expansions, and other items. The meeting was brief due to a scheduled budget hearing at 10:00 AM.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of meeting minutes from a previous session.
  • Line item 6.1 (status of memorandum on Michigan House Bills 5660 and 5661) received and filed.
  • Line item 6.2 (status of public notice distance requirements, 300-foot rule) received and filed.
  • Line item 6.3 (community outreach ordinance report) brought back in two weeks.
  • Line item 6.4 (M4 Green Buffer Text Amendment) brought back in one week.
  • Line item 7.2 (contract amendment for single family scatter site homeownership program, ARPA-funded) approved.
  • Line item 7.3 (emergency shelter bed capacity expansions, from 50 to 77 beds) approved.
  • Line items 7.5 and 7.6 (resolutions supporting or opposing state house bills) approved.
  • Line item 7.8 (transfer of jurisdiction of two parcels to parks and recreation) approved.
  • Line item 7.9 (DTE electric easement for Joe Louis Greenway) approved.
  • Line items 7.10 through 7.13 (various requests to legislative policy division) referred to appropriate departments and brought back in two weeks.

Public Comments & Testimony

General Public Comment:

  • William M. Davis urged the city to seek a rebate from the land bank on property sales, arguing the city spends money on maintenance without return.
  • Betty A. Varner, president of the Soda Elsewhere Black Association, promoted a caregiver assistance program (Helping Hands) and provided contact information.
  • Owner Papa agreed with Davis, criticized the land bank’s relationship with Wayne County, and questioned costs for stadium access for Detroit residents.
  • Marguerite Maddox requested that new bus stop developments include accessible doors, height-appropriate buttons, and enforcement against vehicles blocking stops.

Public Hearing on Rezoning (4094 Dwayne Street):

  • Owner Papa asked about the estimated opening date and whether rents would remain affordable for the 45-year period tied to low-income tax credits.
  • William M. Davis asked about unit square footage for different unit types.
  • Jadante Smith expressed concern that outside developers have an easier process than local ones, and questioned whether the development would substantially alter the neighborhood or increase rents via AMI calculations.
  • Another caller (name not clearly stated) asked about stormwater drainage under parking lots, graywater reuse, and the one percent pilot tax abatement.

Discussion Items

Rezoning for 105 Units at 4094 Dwayne Street (Public Hearing):

  • The rezoning would change the parcel from R2 (two-family residential) to SD1 (small-scale mixed-use) to allow development of 53 senior units and 52 family units. The site was formerly Alice Burney Elementary.
  • Graham Welling (Wallach Development) presented: 45-year affordability, eight project-based vouchers for disabled residents, 0.75 parking spaces per senior unit and 1:1 for family units, commercial space, and a greenway linking Monterey Street.
  • Lolita Williams (Presbyterian Villages) and Debbie Fisher (Hope Village Revitalization) expressed support.
  • Councilmember Gabriela Santiago-Romero asked about parking, accessibility (zero-step entry, automatic doors, elevator), and whether the project would return for tax abatements (not required to come back).

Lease for 127 Campbell (Gordy Howe Bridge Staging):

  • John Trump (Real Estate Division) explained the lease is new but effectively a continuation of a previous lease that expired December 31, 2025. Councilmember Santiago-Romero asked about the expiry date.

Music Hall Expansion Project Bond Issuance:

  • Nathan (DEGC general counsel) stated the EDC would act as a conduit issuer with no financial obligation to the city or DEGC. The item is a request to set a public hearing for an amended and restated project plan.
  • Councilmembers clarified that a public hearing was needed due to a change in financing and increased bond amount.

Key Outcomes

  • The rezoning for 4094 Dwayne Street (SD1) was approved by motion to send to formal session with a recommendation to approve. Hearing no objections, the action was taken.
  • The lease for 127 Campbell (line item 7.1) was approved for formal session.
  • The Music Hall bond issuance (line item 7.4) was sent to formal session for introduction and setting of a public hearing.
  • Line item 7.7 (property sale at Springwell Street) was brought back in one week.
  • Member reports were suspended over one objection but the motion passed.

Meeting Transcript

Joining us for the Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee on today, Thursday, March 26th, 2026. Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll? Councilmember Letitia Johnson. Present. Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero. Present. Council President Pro Tim Call me on the second. Yeah. I'm sure you have a quorum. Thank you. Having a quorum present. We are now in session. Good morning, colleagues. Is there an approval of the minutes? Motion. There's a motion to approve the minutes. Hear no objections, that action shall be taken. We are going to move into public comment, noting that we will provide one minute for public comment. We do have a public hearing on our agenda this morning. Um and also just want to remind everyone that we have until 10 o'clock. 10 o'clock, our budget hearing starts. So if there is anyone in the committee of the whole or virtually who's joining us virtually, if you'd like to make a public comment, please raise your hand. Please raise your hand if you're joining us in person or virtually. Public comment shall be cut off in three seconds. If you'd like to make a public comment, please raise your hand. All right. Public comment has now been cut off. Good morning, Ms. Gray. How many hands do we have raised virtually? Good morning, madam chair. There are four hands raised for virtual public comment. Okay, thank you. We do not have any hands raised in the committee of the whole. So if we can please get started with our first virtual caller again, you will have one minute for general public comment. Our first caller is William M. Davis. William M. Davis, you have one minute for general public comment. Good morning, young people. Can I be heard? Good morning, yes. Okay, I like to say I think that Josh explore the feasibility of having the land bank whenever they sell the property. In so much that the city, you know, that's a strange relationship where the city is cutting the grass, broadening up and doing a whole lot of work related to that, but not getting anything for it. You know, it's good that they if they can expedite, you know, the the process of getting the paperwork cleared quicker, but the city should get a rebate on everything they sell. And I think that would be helpful to help helpful to developing uh projects in the neighborhood, you know. At least we get a better return on our our time and our money. Thank you. Thank you. The next caller.

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