A weekly eNewsletter for the community - Sept. 15, 202

Meetings

Agendas and minutes are available by clicking here

Liquor License Review Committee - Monday, Sept. 19, 6 p.m. - Council Chambers, City Hall

City Council (note location) - Monday, Sept. 19, 7 p.m. - Community Center, 303 W. Main

Planning Commission - Tuesday, Sept. 20, 7 p.m. - Council Chambers, City Hall

CANCELED - Historic District Commission - Wednesday, Sept. 21, 7 p.m

Rouge River Task Force (moved from Sept. 8) - Thursday, Sept. 22, 6:30 p.m. Council Chambers, City Hall

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

City Council to discuss Downs’ PUD 

City Council’s first reading of the PUD ordinance for the Downs will occur at the Sept. 19 meeting, starting at 7 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Community Center and on Zoom due to the large number of people expected to attend.

The public is welcome to comment on Hunter Pasteur Northville’s PUD/preliminary site plan. Since this is the first reading of the PUD ordinance, no decision will be made until the second reading, which can’t happen sooner than two weeks after the first reading.

The Planning Commission voted 7-2 on Sept. 7 to approve the PUD/preliminary site plan, with many conditions, to redevelop the Downs property and other sections on Cady and S. Center Street. City Council has the deciding vote on whether or not the plan for a mixed-use neighborhood with parks and a daylighted river will become reality. To help reach that decision, public comment is encouraged. 

View Zoom log-in here.

Experienced pro takes helm at Senior Services

Lindsay Boujoulian has joined the Dept. of Parks and Recreation, a shared service of the city and Northville Township, as the new Senior Services Supervisor.

This is Lindsay’s second time working for the department. While majoring in gerontology as a student at Western Michigan University, she interned here. 

Her unique skillset will benefit Senior Services in multiple ways. She understands the senior population, having served as director of Marketing at Waltonwood of Cherry Hill and Carriage Park in Canton Twp., and as a Lifestyle Programs director at Brookdale Living in Southfield. 

Both roles had her planning events, following a budget, managing and coordinating staff and volunteers, reaching out to community resources to enrich programs and creating a trusting, caring environment for families and residents. She will use these skills in her new position. 

She also was an event coordinator for six Marriott resorts in Hilton Head, SC. One of the events she didn’t plan but helped coordinate was the evacuation of 6,000 guests when Hurricane Floyd hit. That’s almost the entire population of the City of Northville!

Most recently, she was a paraprofessional for both the Northville Community School District and Novi Community Schools. It was a position that allowed flexibility while raising a family and giving her experience working with another special population.

Lindsay knows what it’s like working for a municipality. She was employed by the city of Farmington Hills, where she developed marketing strategies, secured donations, booked entertainment, administered the budget and managed a staff of 35. 

Please welcome Lindsay to her new role with the city/township. She is a “people person” and seniors will certainly  be inspired by  her spirit of fun.

Join the fun of the Victorian Heritage Festival this weekend 

The streets of Downtown Northville will once again be the primary venue to celebrate the city’s historic past and lively present at the annual Victorian Heritage Festival on Sept. 16-18. The official kick-off is the Victorian Parade at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 16, with hundreds of walkers, including elementary school children dressed in Victorian costumes, dignitaries, antique cars and Mill Race Village’s float promoting the duck race. (See parade route map.)

The festival was renamed this year by Chamber Director Doug Wallace in response to requests from city officials and historians. In recent years it was called the Heritage Festival, prior to that it was known as the Victorian Festival. View the full schedule here. 

“It takes a whole village to put on a celebration of this caliber,” Wallace said. “History is important here and that’s part of the city’s charm during this special weekend and throughout the year.”   

Both Friday and Saturday nights will feature the traditional beer tent from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the green space behind City Hall. Music will be part of the dual-evening event, which often draws former Northville residents and Northville High School alumni from other cities and states. On Friday night, listen to The Shawn Riley?band from 7 to 10:30 p.m. The Northville Folk will play on Saturday night. The beer tent and music is sponsored by Rotary.  

Over the weekend, more than 40?local non-profit, school groups, art & craft vendors, and food vendors will be in the heart of town. Children can have fun with free pedal cars.?Festival booths on Main and Center streets willbe open Friday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. New this year are horse-led carriage rides.  

On Saturday, free fitness events, yoga at 10 a.m., and boxing at 5 p.m. will transform a part of Town Square into group work-out sessions. Music will flow from the Town Square stage, with Chamber-hosted concerts by The Plymouth Fife and Drum Corps. at 11 a.m. and Switchback from noon to 2 p.m. From noon to 3 p.m., see parts of the Historic District via horse-led carriage rides for $10 per person. (Note: limited availability) View details and obtain tickets here.  

The Northville Art House will host Painting with Paws? where pet owners bring their dog to the Art House from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and an artist will transform their paw print into a completed work of art. A?$20 donation includes a signed painting with mat. Pre-registration is encouraged.  

Northville’s historic baseball team, the Eclipse, will play games at Ford Field at noon on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. All are welcome to attend these free sports events and cheer on the home team.  

The DDA will continue to host musical performers Friday and Saturday evenings from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., alternating between Center and Main streets with Kate Hinote Trio on Friday and Phil V Duo on Saturday.   

On Sunday, there will be additional events at Mill Race Village. The buildings are open from noon to 4 p.m. with docents for free tours, and an emphasis on Victorian history. The 33rd annual duck race will be held at 3 p.m. This ticketed water race is a fundraiser for the village, yet you can watch for free. After, help celebrate the 50^th anniversary of Mill Race Village at a special event on the grounds from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

Northvillians and friends,

This coming week is a special one, where we will celebrate the Victorian Heritage Festival in town. As we approach our Bicentennial in 2027, it is up to us to look back at our rich history and learn all we can from it. By 2027, our Victorian “Gateways to the Community” may be even more vibrant, with potentially new, thoughtful development along our restored riverbanks that will include a connected pathway system. 

We are on an exciting trajectory, with our downtown becoming a true Victorian destination for recreation, commerce, and placemaking gatherings. Let’s pause and give homage to Queen Elizabeth with her passing this past week after her reign of more than 70 years (1952 - 2022). Our Victorian era is named after her great grandmother’s time on the throne.

This week, the Victorian Heritage Festival teams up with our schools to learn about and celebrate our heritage… let’s take a look at some historic Victorian Days in town.

View the entire letter here or on the city website.

I believe knowing our past is crucial to planning our future together. I fully encourage you to learn more about the community’s Victorian history. Stroll through Mill Race Village or visit the library with its history room to read about our past and view historic photos of our time. 

Keep that Northville Victorian Faith!

Brian Turnbull

Mayor, Northville

Lake Street reconstruction is in progress

Infrastructure work continues on Lake Street as water mains are being installed. The milled section will stay on the surface during the water main replacement so residents can still drive on the street. There will be intermittent closures – with signs posted. Watch for construction activity at the intersections of Lake St. and Grace, Carpenter, Horton and Novi Street. Please avoid the area while construction is underway unless you are a resident.

Doing Business

Tax & Assessing data lookup

You may retrieve tax and assessing data from the city website. If you have any questions, call the Tax and Assessing office at 248-449-9901.

Sign up for automatic utility bill payment or e-bills

Utility bill customers may sign up to receive email bills or arrange for automatic payment by completing the online form. E-bills are emailed on the billing date with a full-page bill attached as a PDF. Payments can be made by ACH, which is an electronic transaction agreed to by the customer that allows the city’s bank to withdraw the amount due from the customer's bank account. For questions, call 248-449-9901.

Around Town

Overnight parking
Street parking is prohibited from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. The City of Northville provides overnight parking permits for $120 per year ($10 per month). Each of the downtown parking lots have spaces identified for overnight parking. If you need to temporarily park on the street overnight in a residential area, contact the Police Dept. at 248-305-2790 before 12 a.m. to obtain a waiver.

Help stop illegal use of fire hydrants  
The city’s fire hydrants can be accessed by the Fire Dept., the Police Dept., and the Dept. of Public Works (DPW). Any other use of the fire hydrant, without a permit, is illegal per city ordinance.

Fire hydrants used illegally could become damaged or freeze, causing the fire hydrant to be inoperable during an emergency. Water theft and fire hydrant repairs due to misuse are an added expense to the city’s water system and could increase water rates to all customers.

If you witness illegal fire hydrant use or any questionable water use, please call Police/Fire at 248-349-1234 or DPW at 248-449-9930. When calling, please provide any available information such as: vehicle make/model, license plate number, and/or company name.

Construction companies or contractors that need a high volume of water for their work may obtain a permit to use a fire hydrant, from April 1 through June 1, and from Sept. 1 through Nov. 1. If there is a special need to connect to a fire hydrant, please contact the DPW at 248-449-9930.

Drive safely and watch out for pedestrians and bicyclists
The social district has drawn more people to Downtown Northville, especially on weekends and evenings. With this expanded outdoor area, please stay alert at the intersections of Main and Center and Center and Dunlap where people may be existing or entering the district.

Also, when driving through City streets that have bicycle lanes, be aware of cyclists and give them the courtesy of yielding so they can cross the road if you can safely do so. The police and EMTs strongly encourage cyclists to wear helmets and have visible lights and reflectors on their bikes.

At Home

Maximize water use on lawns and gardens

To keep the cost of water as low as possible, remember to follow the City’s odd/even watering system regulations. Homes with addresses that end in odd numbers can only water on odd days: 21th, 23rd, etc., while addresses that end in an even number can only water on even days: 22nd, 24th, etc. Automatic sprinkler systems may only be used between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m., following the odd/even rules. Manual watering with a hose (not attached to a timer), is permitted between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., also adhering to the odd/even rules. Notices will be posted on the homes of residents who are watering outside their required times/days, and civil infraction violations may be issued. (See the Code of Ordinances, Sec. 86-48.)

Tree permits required

Prior to cutting down any tree with a diameter of more than six inches, you must make an application with the city, which will then determine whether a permit is required. Contact the Building Dept. by phone: 248-449-9902 or email. This ordinance is strongly enforced and there are associated fines. Learn more on the city website. 

Dispose of hazardous waste year-round

City residents can dispose of hazardous waste at no cost by dropping it off weekdays at Environmental Recycling Group (ERG) at 13040 Merriman, Ste. 200, in Livonia. Visit the website to see the company’s COVID-19 safety instructions and find out what waste items are accepted. To help the city contain costs for this program, consider taking a neighbor’s hazardous waste as well as your own to reach the 100 lb. limit. Any amount over 100 lbs. will be charged to the customer at 75¢ per pound. For more information, please visit ERG’s website or call 734.437.9650.

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