City offices will be closed on Monday, January 16th in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Meetings

Agendas and minutes are available by clicking here

Special City Council - Tuesday, Jan. 17, 10 a.m. - Council Chambers, City Hall
Planning Commission - Tuesday, Jan. 17, 7 p.m. - Council Chambers, City Hall
Historic District Commission - Wednesday, Jan. 18, 7 p.m. - Council Chambers, City Hall
Senior Advisory Commission - Thursday, Jan. 19, 1 p.m. - Community Center 303 W. Main
City Council - Thursday, Jan. 19, 7 p.m. - Council Chambers, City Hall or via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85725644298 Or Telephone:+1 301 715 8592 +1 309 205 3325
Webinar ID: 857 2564 4298

Anyone needing assistance should contact the City Manager's office at 248-449-9905. More information about online meetings and a user guide are available here.

This Just In

Design consultants to present downtown street report in joint meeting

The City Council meeting on Thursday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m. will be a joint meeting with the DDA Board as design consultants Grissim Metz and Andriese (GMA) present their findings and recommendations for improving the street aesthetics along the closed sections of Center and Main in Downtown Northville. The meeting will be held at City Hall* and on Zoom. The package for the meeting will be posted on the website. View it at Government/AgendasMinutes/CityCouncil.                                           

*Note: If you plan to attend in person, view the website calendar in case the meeting is moved to the Community Center, since a larger audience is expected to attend.

Photo: Designers from Grissim, Metz and Andriese (GMA) conducted a walking tour of Downtown Northville on Dec. 7 that showed members of the community how the streets could be revitalized as part of the pedestrian plan. Photo by Liz Cezat.

pedestrian walking signal

Your input is needed on keeping Northville streets safe

There’s still time to provide input into the Northville Pedestrian and Traffic Study, with an online, interactive tool developed by the city’s traffic engineering consultants. Point out where you would like to see enhancements and where there are potential issues for pedestrians and drivers. It only takes a few minutes. View the online tool here.

The consultants, Fleis and Vandenbrink with support from MKSK, and the Mobility Task Force, a volunteer group of engaged citizens, are monitoring the posted information. A summary of findings from comments received will be developed after the initial survey ends on Jan. 21.

Photos by jeshootscom for Pexels.

Many candidates express interest in city manager position

The search firm Walsh Municipal Services has received great interest in the open position of Northville City Manager as more than 20 qualified candidates have applied. Mayor Brian Turnbull and fellow City Council members, along with Interim City Manager Mark Wollenweber, will meet with CEO Frank Walsh next week to narrow down the list of candidates. Initial screening will be done in a closed session not open to the public. Once a smaller group is selected, actual interviews will be done in a public meeting.

In the interim, Wollenweber is the contact person for executive management of city business. If you have a concern or something to discuss, contact him by email or phone: 248-449-9905.

Finding the house – why homeowners bought in Northville
Historic District Homes Series

Most homeowners in this series who looked for a home in Northville bought here for the proximity to Downtown Northville, the tree-lined streets and the allure of owning an historic home in friendly neighborhoods. The house itself provides a respite – a place to cocoon from life’s stresses – yet also lends itself to being a place for social gatherings with all the intriguing rooms and views. So many of Northville’s historic homes are bursting with character and charm. Homeowners don’t seem to mind expending tender loving care to maintain the structure inside and out, or paying remodelers and the skilled trades to get things done.

Cady Street

Kathy Spillane and her husband, Tom, moved from a large house in Northville Township to 487 Cady in 2016. When their kids moved out, the couple decided to downsize. They wanted to be able to walk into a downtown area and found that in Northville.

“It took two years to find a house,” Kathy said. “Totally renovating a historic home is both exciting, and an enormous burden for homeowners. You need a big heart, courage and the funds to go through all that. During our search, the ones for sale required a lot of exterior renovation, but we wanted a move-in ready house. We bought this house in three hours. It was the right location and it had been renovated.”

After moving in, they expanded the kitchen, adding several chunky pillars that complement the wood pillars in the front rooms of their arts and crafts-style home. Their home is updated in a traditional style – true to its roots – with modern touches that honor the past.

Kathy finds that living in a historic home is much different than living in a new home. “It’s about compromise,” she said. “In a new home, you can have tall ceilings, spacious rooms and ample storage. Historic homes have some limitations and you just need to work with them. You find that certain things weren’t as important as you thought they were.”

One example she cites is a few storage spaces with four-foot tall doors. "We call them the troll closets, because we have to crawl in to reach the items stored inside," Kathy said.

Not having huge closet space is inconvenient but a fair trade-off for the Craftsman-style features of a historic home, such as built-in cabinets in the dining room and a beautiful fireplace in the front room – their family room.

Dubuar Street
Pat Stein didn’t want to move, but to appease her husband, Bruce, the couple bought the house at 419 Dubuar in 1986. Bruce wanted to live closer to his mother, who was in a nursing home on Main Street. Two of his sisters also lived on Dubuar. The move was a family reunion of sorts.

“I looked at the house and said, ‘You have to be kidding me,’” Pat said. Her husband persuaded her to move from their large Farmington Hills home into the tiny historic home by promising they would remodel it.

“I had to compromise and make it work,” Pat said. “Nothing had ever been touched in the house.” They paid $59,000 for it.

The house was only 900 to 1,000 ft2 but the couple tripled its size to 2,950 ft2, with a two-story addition added to the back that isn’t noticeable from the front. The house appears to have been built before 1900 from the hand-forged nails that were found on the property.

The couple did not make major changes to the exterior but enhanced it by placing a second window between the first window and the front door, adding a small front porch and recladding the mint green tiles on the front of the house.

Pat has long since become settled in her home and has no plans to move. Sadly, her husband passed away in 2001. She is content living in Northville and likes visiting her favorite places in Downtown Northville.

High Street
Marianne and Thom have lived in Northville since 1973 and bought the 239 High St. home in 1985. They were intrigued by the home’s historic charm, Farmhouse style, and large yard. They knew it needed a great deal of ‘tender loving care’ and were able to provide it.

“We have touched every square inch of the house from top to bottom by restoring, cleaning or renovating both interior and exterior,” Marianne noted.

They are pleased with the fruits of their efforts (time, money and planning) that have resulted in an upscale home interior with a nod to the past. “We definitely don’t live in a museum but we have our share of antiques,” she said.

There’s a lot of historic charm that comes from blending old with new. Done right, it enables the home to maintain a timeless elegance while offering comfort and functionality.

West Street

Mike and Sarah Weyburne, of 226 West, moved to their home as newlyweds in 2000. Their 1887 home, considered to be a farmhouse style, lured them in.

Mike grew up in Northville but never thought he would return as a homeowner. He worked for four years in England where he met his wife. Their 1,800 ft2 home turned out to be the ideal place to raise their two children, Hannah, 17, and William, 15. Both attend Northville High School, which is also Mike’s alma mater (albeit at Hillside).

“We’ve improved it to make it modern, livable,” he said. “I don’t want to live in a house where everything I’m touching is 100 years old.” 

View the entire article on the city website.
 
Photos: Top: Kathy Spillane stands in the doorway between their family room (front room) and dining room in her Craftsman-style home on Cady St. Below: Marianne Barry and family dog Jake sit on the front porch of their home on High St.//Pat Stein’s home on Dubuar was expanded in the back soon after she and her husband moved in. She holds a hand-forged nail that was used to build the house more than 120 years ago. Photos by Liz Cezat.

Ring in the New Year with a cleaner house/garage

There’s nothing like a new year to clean out junk from last year and the years before.
City of Northville residents can take household hazardous waste items to Environmental Recycling Group (ERG), 13040 Merriman Rd., Suite 200 in Livonia, for free disposal and recycling. The city is covering the cost of this service, up to 100 lbs. per load. Plan to have a full load when you make a delivery – consider taking your neighbors’ hazardous waste along with your own to reach the maximum allowable weight. Any amount over 100 lbs. will be charged to the customer at 75¢ per pound.

Winter hours are: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. View the company’s website to see what waste items are accepted.
Old medications
Look through your medicine chest, drawers and cabinets for medication that is no longer needed. It’s best to safely dispose of old or unused medication to help prevent accidental ingestion by children, teens and pets, and to keep them out of landfills and waterways. Bring your unwanted medication - no liquids, needles or injectable medication - to the secure drop box in the lobby at the Northville Township Police Department at 41600 Six Mile Road.

Oversize materials, old furniture and appliances
GFL will pick up large, bulky items, including lumber, furniture, carpeting, etc. There’s no need to call for a special pickup. Simply place unwanted bulky items at the curb on your collection day. DTE will pay households $50 for old working refrigerators and freezers. Visit dteeneergy.com/recycle to arrange for a pickup.

Northvillians and friends,

MLK Day 2023 is quickly approaching. I want to honor this extremely important individual, Doctor Martin Luther King Jr., who truly had an impact on all of our lives and on the American landscape.

I feel encouraged by all the engagement from our community citizens as well as the trajectory of progress on our “Way Forward Path.” Your daily efforts are felt in more ways than you can imagine. Now, I want to touch on activities surrounding Martin Luther King Jr. Day (MLK), his dreams, and related happenings in our historical past. (View the entire letter here.)

Take note of this upcoming event.

Quarterly Mayoral Town Hall – Thursday, Jan. 26 (live and on Zoom). Northville Township Hall, 7 p.m. with Debbie Dingell, our new U.S Representative in DC joining us via zoom because she will be in session in D.C., and Matt Koleszar, our State Representative in Lansing who will be attending and giving us a live update. Join us here.

Keep that Community Equality Faith!

Brian Turnbull
Mayor, Northville

Things to do

Doing Business

Winter tax bills can be paid now through Feb. 14

Winter tax bills have been mailed. Winter 2022 taxes are payable without penalty and/or interest through Feb. 14. On Feb. 15, 2023, a 3% penalty will be added.

Taxpayers who live in Oakland County, north of 8 Mile, will see an additional tax on their winter tax bill to cover the voter-approved .95 mill transportation millage to maintain and expand public transit services in Oakland County for the next 10 years.

Online payments for utility bills, taxes and more

Citizens can pay online for taxes, utilities, delinquent property taxes and other miscellaneous payments. Go directly to the BS&A website and enter your address. You will be redirected to the Point & Pay website to make a payment, which also includes a convenience fee of 3% for credit cards (minimum $2) and for e-checks a $3 fee for payments up to $10,000 or $10 for any amount over $10,000.

Save time – schedule inspections online

The City of Northville offers online inspection scheduling. Contractors and homeowners may schedule inspections using an online portal to request all types of inspections, such as building, electrical, plumbing and heating. Users need an assigned permit number, obtained from the City Building Dept., when using the Inspection portal. If you are requesting an inspection for the following business day, it must be scheduled by 3:30 p.m.

Dog licenses are up for renewal

All dogs four months and older must be licensed. The annual license fee is $13 ($10 with documented spay/neuter). Dog licenses for 2022 expire on Feb. 28, 2023. Please provide a current rabies vaccination certificate at the time of application. Licenses are available at the City Clerk’s Office. If you want to register by mail, please download an application.

Around Town

Keep sidewalks clear of snow and ice

Property owners (residents and businesses) must clear sidewalks within 24 hours of a snow or ice event by ordinance. When clearing snow, do not blow or shovel snow into any roadway. The DPW only clears sidewalks that are on city-owned or operated properties, such as those at City Hall, the Fire Station and cemeteries. Prompt removal of snow reduces the need for salt. That means less salt travels to storm drains, which discharge into the Middle Rouge River.

Have fun in city and township Parks

There are many parks – large and small – available for individuals, families and groups of friends to gather in both the city and township. Some are small pocket parks located within a neighborhood; others are larger spaces with plenty of room for nature hikes, ball playing or frisbee tossing. Some parks have play structures. Check out the variety of parks maintained by Northville Parks and Recreation on the department’s legend/map. All the parks are open to the public. (Membership is required at the dog park.)

Report water main breaks

Each year the City of Northville has between 10 and 20 water main breaks. If you see water bubbling out of the ground on City property, contact the Public Works Department at 248-449-9930 or 248- 349-1234 after hours and report its location. The sooner the leak is identified and reported, the quicker it can be repaired, reducing the chances of contamination entering the water system and minimizing the cost for lost water.

At Home

Christmas trees are being collected

You can set your live Christmas tree on the curb for pickup at your next scheduled trash collection day. These trees will go to the landfill.

Northville Police Department has free gun safety locks

Don’t take the risk of having an unlocked gun get into the wrong hands - especially if you have young children and teenagers. You can pick up a free gun safety lock at the Northville Police Department lobby. There are no forms to fill out and no waiting.

Test for radon in your house

Winter is a good time to test for radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can become a health hazard. It is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, according to the EPA. The gas may seep into homes through cracks in floors or walls and can accumulate. During the winter months, when windows and doors typically stay closed, radon gas is more easily detected.

For residents in Oakland County, radon test kits are half-price ($5 rather than $10) during January at Health Division offices, open 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Mondays through Fridays (closed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 16.) Locations are: North Oakland Health Center, 1200 Telegraph, Building 34E, Pontiac and South Oakland Health Center, 27725 Greenfield Road, Southfield.

If you live in Wayne County, there are no discounted kits but you can learn where to obtain a radon kit here.

To learn more about radon levels in Michigan and resources, visit the EGLE Radon webpage. Additional information is available on the EPA’s Region 5 website, which is managed by the State of Illinois.

Sewer back ups

An individual making a claim for property damage or physical injury due to sewerage backup on their property must prove that the public sewer had a defect. Further, they must prove that the City of Northville knew or should have known about the defect, in the exercise of reasonable diligence, and failed to take timely action to repair or remedy the defect.
These steps are outlined in the State of Michigan’s Public Act 222 of 2001, known as sewer backup legislation. The legislation clarifies when municipalities are liable for sewer backups, sets standards to determine the extent to which a municipality is liable, and provides a process to seek compensation when a backup occurs.

If you experience an overflow or backup of a sewage disposal system or storm water system and seek reimbursement, you must file a written claim with the City of Northville within 45 days after the overflow or backup is discovered. Claim forms may be obtained online, by calling DPW at 248-449-9930 or inquiring at the front desk of City Hall.

When presenting a written claim, you will be required to provide the following items:
1.  Copies of receipts for cleaning costs, plumbing bills, or other bills.
2.   List of the damaged items and receipts to prove the age of your items. Reimbursement for the actual cash value of damaged items is the maximum amount payable.
3.   If possible, bring pictures of items damaged during the storm water or sewer back-up.
The filing of a claim does not guarantee reimbursement.

Most homeowner’s insurance does not cover sewage backups but insurance often can be obtained as an added item. Also, consider having a plumber install a check valve - backflow preventer - to reduce the risk of backups and related damage.

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If you have comments or requests for specific news items, please e-mail Liz Cezat, communications manager, at [email protected].