Livonia City Council Study Meeting – October 12, 2026

The Livonia City Council held a study session on Monday, October 12, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. in the City Hall Auditorium, 33000 Civic Center Drive. The meeting was agenda-setting for the 2051st regular meeting scheduled for Monday, October 26, 2026; the opening remarks initially said October 28 before correcting to October 26. Councilwoman McDonald was absent, recovering from surgery. Published agenda item 4, the Parks and Recreation roof-replacement bid for Whispering Willows and Idyl Wyld Golf Courses, was pulled from the evening’s agenda. No binding votes were taken; items were directed to the consent or regular agenda for the October 26 meeting.

Consent Calendar

No formal consent calendar was approved at this study session. The following items are planned for the October 26, 2026 consent agenda: the Infinity Homes waiver petition (item 1), the Brome Modern Eatery waiver petition (item 2), the Bell Creek conservation easement update (item 3), the residential cross-connection control program bid (item 5, after referral to committee), the brush chipper purchase (item 6), and the equipment maintenance vendor approvals (item 9).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Six residents spoke during initial audience communication, predominantly opposing the Flock automated license plate surveillance system. Steve King asked council to stop expanding Flock and conduct a complete public review of contract costs, data sharing, retention policies, and search records, with independent civilian oversight. A resident named Lori said the cameras make her feel less safe, cited false-arrest cases involving Flock data, and asked for the cameras to be removed. Elijah, a Livonia resident with a computer engineering background, opposed the system, describing Flock Nova, data concentration risks, and the inability to enforce contract guardrails. Josie Leather thanked council for reconsidering Flock and said she opposes mass surveillance as a parent wanting a better world for her children. Noah Joseph Ojek compared the program to surveillance in authoritarian states and stated, “In America, you watch TV. In Russia, TV watches you.”
• Jerry Kersinski spoke about the budget, saying the presentation still showed a revenue/expenditure variance of about $2,500 and that he saw no changes from public feedback. Councilmember Ashing replied that the updated budget will be presented on October 26, when the city votes, and that the presentation seen so far remained preliminary.
• Francis Gianus asked council to address the blighted Livonia Corporate Center at 29200 Vassar Road, abutting a thriving neighborhood, by working with the owner to rehabilitate or tear it down.
• Frank McDermott questioned council’s handling of the permanent City Hall ADA ramp, which was referred to committee because the proposed solution was called too steep; he asked whether it is ADA compliant, why council is dealing with a project costing under $30,000 when he recalled it should be about $8,000–$10,000, and urged completing it this fall if possible.
• During the Infinity Homes item, resident Cindy Fleming noted the Fire Department had requested a 20-foot access road while the applicant said 18 feet; she understood the applicant’s nod to mean it would be 20 feet. Another resident asked if a sidewalk would be installed along the Seven Mile buffer; the applicant confirmed one would be.

Discussion Items

• Infinity Homes Planned Residential Development (Waiver Petition 2026-07-02-21): Tormina presented a proposal to demolish the former bar/restaurant on the site at 28001 Seven Mile Road and develop seven attached ranch-style condominiums plus two single-family homes at 19021 and 19017 Floral, at the southwest corner of Seven Mile and Floral. The site is about six-tenths of an acre with two 40-foot-wide Floral lots; planning staff noted 45 of the 83 parcels in the three-block area are on 40-foot-wide lots. The plan includes vacating the public alley while retaining utility easements, removing the old building, and using an 18-foot drive connecting Gilman and Floral for access, with no direct Seven Mile access. Condos would be roughly 1,653 square feet for three-bedroom units and 1,200 square feet for two-bedroom units, with one-car garages; the two homes would have two-car garages. The applicant also described about a $1.5 million investment, hardy board plank composite siding, cultured stone, black windows, and estimated sales prices around $300,000 for condos and close to $400,000 for homes. The Planning Commission voted unanimously to support the petition after recommending design changes such as dormers; the applicant stated those changes were included and agreed to sod and irrigation. Councilmembers praised replacement of a blighted property; Councilmember McCullough offered to approve it on consent. It was placed on the October 26 consent agenda.
• Brome Modern Eatery (Waiver Petition 2026-08-02-23): The council reviewed a request by Afor Concepts for a full-service restaurant at 19450 Haggerty Road, the former PNC Bank building in the Pentagon Entertainment Complex. Tormina said the 3,500-square-foot building would be gutted and renovated with 64 indoor seats and 40 outdoor patio seats. The old drive-through canopy is to be removed, with about 2,300 square feet of addition planned for another tenant; that addition must return to the Planning Commission, and the dumpster is to be relocated behind the building with added landscaping. Petitioner Sam Abbas said Brome is his existing “fresh casual” concept and this would be the sixth and flagship location; the architect said phase two is in design development. Councilmember McCullough called the project a huge enhancement and offered consent. It was placed on the October 26 consent agenda.
• Bell Creek Conservation Easement Update: Parks and Recreation Superintendent Michelle Coppin asked for approval of an updated EGLE conservation easement along a Bell Creek branch within Fox Creek Golf Course. The easement area was reduced from 3.37 acres to 2.52 acres after detailed data collection while still meeting state restoration goals. She stated the project costs the city zero dollars and provides native plants, better stream flow, and flood improvements. Councilmember Persicone called it a win-win and offered consent; the item was placed on the consent agenda.
• DPW Residential Cross-Connection Control Program (Item 5): Assistant Public Works Director Zach Oplum presented a five-year bid to create the city’s residential cross-connection control inventory, required under state Public Act 399. Livonia has had a commercial program for over 15 years but no residential inventory; the new program would inspect residential boiler and irrigation connections to prevent back-siphonage. The plan calls for 7,000 inspections in the first year and 3,000 in later years, covering more than 36,000 connections, and would also advance lead-service-line verification. Estimated costs are upward of $600,000 for the first year and $270,000–$300,000 in subsequent years. Staff recommended further committee discussion, and council referred the item to the Capital Outlay and Infrastructure Committee and placed it on the October 26 consent agenda.
• DPW Equipment Purchases and Fleet Maintenance (Items 6–9): Staff requested authorization to buy a 15-inch drum-style brush chipper through MiDEAL for $56,644.85; a 2026 Case backhoe model 580SN for $162,029.95; and two trailer-mounted leaf vacuums, also through MiDEAL, all replacing obsolete units from 2026 budgeted funds. Councilmember Budzinski asked that the backhoe and leaf vacuum purchases go on the regular agenda because Councilwoman McDonald had unanswered administration questions. For item 9, staff proposed maintaining outside vendor services for city fleet repairs, reducing the previous $300,000 allocation to $250,000; council offered consent.

Key Outcomes

• No votes were taken at this study session; action will occur at the October 26, 2026 regular meeting.
• Items 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 9 were placed on the October 26 consent agenda.
• Items 7 and 8 (backhoe and leaf vacuum purchases) were placed on the October 26 regular agenda per Councilmember Budzinski’s request, to allow answers for Councilwoman McDonald.
• Item 4 was pulled from the study meeting agenda.
• Council directed that the updated budget presentation be brought to the October 26 meeting.