Northville Township to fight Livonia annexation

“So Livonia voters will be asked to put this on a ballot issue, and seven squatters will be able to disenfranchise 28,000 Northville Township residents”

Northville Township attorneys will contest whether residents should have been able to file a petition to legally move a 414-acre parcel of property out of Northville Township and into Livonia. via Crain's Detroit Business

[Joe Z]

Go figure...Northville Township does very little to protect,enhance or support its residents.As a resident, its almost a shame some other city doesnt take us over all together! Maybe we could at least move into the "Stoneage". Shame on the township leaders...if there are such a thing?!?!

[A FRIEND]

I ENJOY WATCHING LOCAL PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT NORTHVILLE TOWNSHIP HAS TRULY BEEN REMISS IN THEIR DUTIES. THEY JUST DON'T SEEM TO BE PROMOTING THE TOWNSHIP AND THE BUSINESS CLIMATE IS REALLY SUFFERING. WHEN TIMES ARE POOR YOU MUST PROMOTE ANY BUSINESS AND WORK WITH THE FOLKS WITH THE MONEY. RIGHT NOW ALL YOU HAVE ON SEVEN MILE ROAD ARE SOME SERIOUS EYESORES AND THE FEW PLACES THAT ARE STILL OPEN NEED THE TOWNSHIP'S SUPPORT. IF NORTHVILLE TOWNSHIP CAN'T DO THE JOB PERHAPS LIVONIA WILL HELP AND SAVE A POTENTIAL NIGHTMARE.

[Joe Public]

Livonia's Mayor Jack Kirksey will get it done! I'm sure the residents of Northville Twp. were just planning on having more McMansions built on this site...Time to wake up and do your homework. There is already a glut of homes for sale! Let's bag the snobbery.

[A new comer]

If the people want a chance for better services, they should have a right to get them. If a township is not willing to provide those services they should not be allowed to retain the tax base. Livonia is a community willing to provide for its residence. Go for it Livonia

[Steve Emsley]

I like how none of you have the guts to use your real names. You are probably REIS shills.

Joe Z - Northville Twp. is a top MI community. Period. We are fully protected and supported.

"A FRIEND" - We do not need to "whore" (pardon the term) our Township out for a few bucks. We are financially stable and do not need to change our zoning ordinances for a quick buck. Your logic is flawed.

Joe Public - You seem to want tension between Northville and Livonia? Be careful what you wish for. I may be wrong, but I believe that Livonia has far more to lose from tensions. Livonia has many failed/decrepit/horrible developments. Go visit Livonia mall. Boy, I sure would love to live near that.

A new comer - This is not about the developer seeking better services. It is about higher density and nothing more. One of the "residents" was quoted in our paper as saying how GREAT the home, land and area are. The DEVELOPERS want an annexation... not any real citizens.

The 7 "residents" on the property... come on. I can;t believe anyone would take the developers side on this for anything other than selfish reasons (i.e. construction work, etc.). The developers are employing sleazy tactics and if you can't see that you are blind or a shill.

[obi-wan]

So here it is March 31, and the original article I read said the Northville was in court March 20, requesting to remove the voter registration from the "residents" of the former hospital site on the grounds that the residences were installed fruadulantly. So what was the result of the lawsuit?
As for the "McManssions" comment, doesn't that refer to "A large home on a small lot", which is exactly what REIS wants to do, along with more commercial area that isn't getting leased (example; the partially vacant strip mall further West on Seven Mile, the new strip mall at 5 and Haggerty - which has two occupants, the office construction that was cleared 5 years ago - on Haggerty North of 5 mile that is still barren ground stripped of top soil, or the MacDonld Ford Dealership taht has been vacant for three to four years).

[Joe Z]

Steve- could you explain to all, exactly what Northville Township is? Where is the infrastructure,downtown,arts or science,commerce,community,etc . Please also reference the data,surveys,audits,ranking you use to rank this gem among the best!
Livonia plans to do exactly what the Township plans, but in a drastically more affordable and sensible manner. This aint Cape Cod!!!

[katz]

Why didn't the "City" of Northville try to annex?? Just annex ALL of the township, then expand the "downtown area" Combine Police and Fire.

[JoeN]

Bravo Steve on your complete and insightful post. Livonia only wishes they had the same level of services, and especially schools, as Northville.
This is all about GREED. The greed of a developer who only wants to MAXIMISE their return on their investment to the highest possible point and could care less about anything else.
Shame on Livonia if they vote for this (if the court action does not stop it first) and only helps a developer who has certainly displayed a lack of ethics (and who is a political contributor to several Livonia elected officials).

[Joe L]

Northville Township officials have to be village idiots if they didn't see this coming! To provide a certificate of occupancy to these people was extremely stupid. All of you should be fired. Further, Livonia will be that much dumber if they vote yes to the annexation. Shostak is a crook. You will be taken! We need to unite against corporate greed and prevent this commercialization from detracting from both of our communities.

[nvillcitzen]

Annexation will do nothing for Livonia Schools. This property will remain in the Northville School District and so will the taxes. It will also remain in the Northville Library District and so will the taxes. Publice Safety: Livonia will have to provide the Police and Fire protection. That will COST Livonia residents. When the Northville School District needs to float a Bond to build a new school for this area, Livonia will pay. When the brown site needs to be cleaned up, Livonia will pay. Hiz honor the mayor of Livonia is buying a pig in a poke.

[puckster]

something should be done this has been an eyesore for years. WHile Northville is sitting there taking surveys and twittling its thumbs, Livonia is stepping up to the plate and getting the job done, again. Northville has been waiting for a private developer, but that can't sell it. That cant even turn off the utilites as they have to provide a private security company to watch it, so all of these so called "elite" Northville schooled punks stay out of there.

[Bill]

This is a Northville fight, Livonia stops at Haggerty.

[puckster]

Bill wrote:

This is a Northville fight, Livonia stops at Haggerty.

Northville is already a part of Livonia, they just don't know yet

[donna]

Northville Twp. can work with Livonia. Everyone can win.
If Schoolcraft Community College became an accredited University; both cities would win.
Livonia would benefit from the University (including Laurel Park Mall) and Northville Twp. could benefit from building student housing on the 414 acre site.
Both cities should be against the proposed $800 million residential commercial and retail project; because it will cost Livonia money and Northville Twp will have to look at more abandoned buildings. Has anyone counted the number of home foreclosures we already have in the area? Furthermore, what about failed, vacant businesses on 7 mile and even worse; the failed and vacant buildings already in downtown Northville?
Einstein said; 'Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.'
In my opinion; planning a city around an environment that promotes education and learning can't help but promote growth and intelligence of the communities involved. Do you want to be surrounded by more struggle; or an opportunity for real growth and real change?

[livresident]

Livonia already has many vacant houses or houses up for sale. Just reading the "For Lease" signs as you pass nearly empty strip malls or visiting Laurel Park Place and seeing the plastic covers where stores used to be ought to be evidence enough that the city is not in need of more townhouses and retail space.

If there is money to clean up a brownfield, why can't the land be cleaned up and made into a park or wilderness area that would be lovely to look at?

[resident]

This is a shameless money grab by an unscrupulous developer and immoral mayor.

The net result will be the most congested intersection in the state of Michigan at 7 mile and Haggarty (the talk of it improving is BS!) The residents of Livonia will have their taxes jacked up to pay for the expensive cleanup, and the economic benefits are much less than have been stated - namely because Laurel Park Place will get hammered!

Livonia residents, don't let the greedy corporate interests pull the wool over your eyes!

[Carol A]

I was a long time resident of Livonia before moving to Northville. Livonia residents are being lied to when their Mayor tells them that developing the hospital property will cost them nothing. Thats the reason REI went for the annexation. Northville refused to give the builder 15 million to help with the cleanup. It is a matter of public record that Schostack has made a few $20,000.00 political contributions. Anyone can check and see who he made them to. Guess who? The banks are not lending money now so Liviona residents will pick up the tab for making the developer even richer. Just remember when something is to good to be true........

[Woody]

Steve Emsley wrote:

I like how none of you have the guts to use your real names.

Unlike you Steve Emsley, the rest of have more brains than guts. ;)

[SkatOnTheVille]

This development will expand Livonia's tax base $2.5 million a year and add $8.5 million additional tax revenue. The people of Livonia wont have to look at it, just when they go to Home Depot. What a great move by Livonia.