Detroit City Council Formal Session

Detroit City Council

Politics

Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025
10:00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m. EST

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2 Woodward Ave Detroit 48226 (Directions)

ERMA L. HENDERSON AUDITORIUM, Coleman A. Young Municipal Center

Join City Council Zoom Meeting: https://cityofdetroit.zoom.us/j/85846903626

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Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team

Note-taking by chandler vaughan

With mixed reaction from residents, City Council approved 35-year contracts with DTE Energy and Lightstar Renewables for solar generation in the Greenfield Park and Houston-Whittier neighborhoods. Councilmember Angela Whitfield Calloway objected. Pro Tem James Tate was absent.

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Live reporting by Benjamin Haddix

Bhx

Hello! I’ll be live tweeting the Detroit City Council meeting at 10am for #DETDocumenters. Media Partners: @DetDocumenters media partners: @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @metrotimes @Michigan_Public @media_outlier @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit

08:59 AM Jan 14, 2025 CST

Bhx @BhxDetroit 2/33

Annd we're still waiting for it to start…

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Meeting has been called to order at 10:14

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Council member Waters is speaking to honor and thank Tamara Liberty Smith for her work – a police commissioner for District 1

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Council Members Santiago-Romero and Tate have excused absences for today

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Here is a link to today's agenda: pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?I…

pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?I…

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Public comments has begun

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A couple commenters bringing resolutions toward Detroit divesting from Israel and other apartheid states involved in genocides

Bhx @BhxDetroit 9/33

Some discussion about contracts with predatory towing companies. It appears that a contract with "Gotcha" towing company in particular, which was referenced in this regard by a commenter, is on the agenda in two weeks.

Bhx @BhxDetroit 10/33

Lots of commenters there in-person today and lot of discussion about people who expressed being disposed of their homes. One commenter just referenced being unfairly pushed out of his home for solar farm construction.

Bhx @BhxDetroit 11/33

The council say they will be talking about the solar farms impact on individuals' properties later on the agenda.

Bhx @BhxDetroit 12/33

A commenter calling in just spoke on behalf of a grocery store clerk she was talking to who said her building has no heat and most residents are mothers and their babies– the commenter said she would take her story to city council.

Bhx @BhxDetroit 13/33

… It's a beautiful thing to do, looking out for someone you only just are meeting like that.

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Commenter references more equitable models of solar projects that benefit residents: the Highland park Soulardarity project, and the incentivizing residents to have panels on their roofs.

Bhx @BhxDetroit 15/33

I have not heard of this but here is a link to Soulardarity's website: soulardarity.com/about

soulardarity.com/about

Bhx @BhxDetroit 16/33

Frequent commenter Marguerite Maddox is sharing. Here is a great article that highlights one of Detroit's more involved civic participants: outliermedia.org/marguerite-mad…

outliermedia.org/marguerite-mad…

Bhx @BhxDetroit 17/33

Someone from the law department is now speaking to a commenter from earlier whose comments regarding specific injustices he felt were happening around his property tax ended with him being asked to leave due to disruption. I don't believe the individual is in the room anymore…

Bhx @BhxDetroit 18/33

…but the rep from the law department is reflecting details of the individual's specific property tax situation. It seems unusual to get into the specifics of someone's business like this, regardless of whether that person initiated the discussion.

Bhx @BhxDetroit 19/33

Public comments have ended

Bhx @BhxDetroit 20/33

In terms of line item 17.2, on the conversion of an industrial building into apartments at 6051 Hastings, and representative of the project clarifies that the proposed development will not have 20% afforable units, but rather 14.7% affordable units…

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… and he suggests this change was due to neighborhood residents preferring it this way, as it reflects something about the local AMI…

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(meant a period at the end of that, not an ellipses).

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Some discussion now with a representative from some related department (not sure) who is responding to a commenter from earlier who felt that they were being forced to leave his home for construction of a solar field…

Bhx @BhxDetroit 24/33

…and that a good faith offer was not made relative to his specific property situation. The rep argues that the individual has recourse to dispute but has not done that. Council member Johnson articulates concern that individuals may not have access to means of recourse.

Bhx @BhxDetroit 25/33

Discussion about the emotional contours of buying (repossessing? …not sure what the operative word is here) property for the solar fields, and how residents have varying degrees of understanding of their rights within this situation.

Bhx @BhxDetroit 26/33

Council member Calloway objects to line items 20.11, 20.13, 20.24, and 20.42 after a discussion regarding these millions of dollars given for POSSIBLE abatements in the demolition process. She articulated discomfort with the abstractness of these expenses.

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The logic from the department rep for these extra expenses for POSSIBLE abatements is that it would allow them to make decisions more quickly regarding demolition processes, and NOT to continually have to bring additional costs to city council for approval…

Bhx @BhxDetroit 28/33

… it sounds nice, but it seems to forget part of the purpose of city council – to ensure that tax payer dollars are being spent responsibly and with respect to a democratic decision making process.

Bhx @BhxDetroit 29/33

Some discussion regarding line item 20.68 regarding installation of 75 light poles holding cameras (to be used by the DPD) and solar panels. The cameras, apparently, would be to monitor activities on freeways, rather than residential areas.

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Next coffee hour with the city council is next Monday at Detroit's Finest III Coney Island at 13337 E. Jefferson

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Meeting adjourned at 1:45

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This concludes my coverage of the Detroit City Council meeting. Learn more about our coverage of local meetings here: Documenters.org

Documenters.org

Bhx @BhxDetroit 33/33

If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@outliermedia.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.

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Agency Information

Detroit City Council

www.detroitmi.gov

See Documenters reporting

The Detroit City Council is the legislative body of Detroit, Michigan, United States. The Council is responsible for the creation of local laws—called ordinances. Additionally they pass resolutions, motions, and the proposed city budget. The full-time council is required to meet every business day for at least 10 months of the year, with at least eight of these meetings occurring at a location besides city hall. The council may convene for special meetings at the call of the mayor or at least four members of council. Areas of responsibility for the Budget, Finance and Audit Committee include, Budget, Finance and the Auditor General.

City Council members are elected on the same cycle as the Mayor and will be elected in 2021. Seven members represent the seven council districts, while two members are elected at-large.