[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6101726,"mediaKeyId","2807194-6f7fded94dcd83dc791289f4d88113f4","parentId",2807194,"title","Oakland County, Pontiac outline $930,000 Ducks Unlimited grant and petition plan for Roof Collier drain and Murphy Park wetlands restoration","audioSeconds",905,"startMs",6974000,"endMs",7879000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2807194-6f7fded94dcd83dc791289f4d88113f4&start=6974&end=7879","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2807194-6f7fded94dcd83dc791289f4d88113f4/thumbnail_6974000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6101726/Pontiac/Oakland-County/Michigan/Oakland-County-Pontiac-outline-930000-Ducks-Unlimited-grant-and-petition-plan-for-Roof-Collier-drain-and-Murphy-Park-wetlands-restoration","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6101726-372c59e260413a051436dc3b06c3c7d6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771050318&Signature=GUaRvbG3BUbziJwqudz35W1nJbhBkIH5p6C0sxBPyUJPVwyI-hkvLn~arR6Jnj~rai2O2w3KUkfC8xaS2z1qocPDL1tf6MW1xownBd7-6l7z5OhpiqhffJohjNnjp1RvGuqCDPn~VzaJWOcMkGvHOz-7Bv0CI7PRO34Eupo8Ssbp6KNSt65VriRJFIVDgCsxRyo34DjINXQqbT~Yq4oGsLpv~XcCvCnb7taFTpaT7cAZ000xkC-1VCRm6K7flj2cSeBXqsGNs~qhBa1ZsyDw3oUNeDdq7Y-VcI9HeeG884ztiwA0y1e2vqWgd7s-Coz6ULodL3AGauDqktewGCnrtw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Pontiac","date","2025-03-18T00:00:00Z","article","Oakland County Water Resources staff told the Pontiac City Council on Tuesday that a $930,000 Ducks Unlimited wetland grant will pay design costs for wetland restoration in the Roof Collier/Bartlett drain corridor at Murphy Park and downstream along the Clinton River outlet.

Scope and grant: Taylor Worsler, a civil engineer with the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner’s Office, said the grant covers design of wetland restoration across roughly 60 acres of continuous wetlands in and downstream of Murphy Park. The stated goals are to increase wetland storage and habitat, reduce erosion and sedimentation into the drain, stabilize stream banks and design walking and biking trails to connect Murphy Park to the Clinton River Trail extension.

Drain petition and jurisdiction: The county plans a petition to extend the Roof Collier drain district upstream to include channel segments now outside county-maintained drains, and to consolidate the Bartlett Drain into an expanded Roof Collier Drain (chapter 20 drain). Extending the district would put additional channel segments under county maintenance authority. County staff said they will obtain easements where necessary and expect the petition process to begin once the council adopts a supporting resolution; staff indicated they would bring a resolution for council consideration on April 1.

Costs and responsibilities: County presenters said the grant covers restoration design (no city match required for the grant). The county estimated petition-related costs to the city at about $5,000 for the petition filing; ongoing annual maintenance costs would transfer with the extended district (the city already pays some maintenance for portions of the Roof Collier Drain). Lynn Seymour, a county chief engineer, said that a memorandum of understanding (MOU) clarifying maintenance responsibilities and long-term jurisdictional boundaries will be prepared for council review once designs are further along.

Community linkage: The plan would also design trail connections between Murphy Park and the Clinton River Trail extension (North Spur). County staff emphasized design-only funding for trails under the grant — trail construction would require separate funding and coordination with the city. County staff said they will coordinate with city parks, the Michigan DNR and local stakeholders and offer additional public outreach sessions.

Why it matters: Murphy Park includes significant wetland acreage within Pontiac. The county’s proposal seeks to combine floodplain, wetlands and trail objectives into a single, grant-funded design process that could reduce downstream flooding and erosion while creating recreational trail connections. Councilmembers asked about timing and confirmation that the city would have a formal MOU before construction; county engineers said the resolution to start the petition will be on the April 1 council agenda and that the MOU will follow once a more advanced design is available.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Pontiac City Council 3-18-25","oneSentenceSummary","Oakland County officials told the Pontiac City Council they have secured a $930,000 Ducks Unlimited grant to design wetland restoration and trail connections for the Roof Collier/Bartlett drain area at and below Murphy Park.","taxTitle","Pontiac, Oakland County, Michigan","taxId",4028,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6101728,"Pontiac approves sale of multiple city lots to private builders for infill housing after public hearings",4670,8829000,13499000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2807194-6f7fded94dcd83dc791289f4d88113f4&start=8829&end=13499","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2807194-6f7fded94dcd83dc791289f4d88113f4/thumbnail_8829000.jpg","/articles/6101728/Pontiac/Oakland-County/Michigan/Pontiac-approves-sale-of-multiple-city-lots-to-private-builders-for-infill-housing-after-public-hearings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6101728-34f9f123b6b03cd327dcb5a94a8c1eec/orig.mp4?Expires=1771050318&Signature=UB~aUS7BS-NYR4zNpUi-DqI9tobBX6MdG7U0-0SGzqibL9MJgSDVgKUkiiueny0S7~cdNFF5zr5M5BqiM0JwK11-p7OR0iwvySFMG8nu4JH4~NjtTuUU81rvevPNmJZVCeSJ8dV45Vi3P~hnh5s8drjxrCpInxYSUvL4WOgrGUOUN1dH4XVe9aJh2LfZwXqa0SGXlJV6aiedBZhLYOo6YEABAHpok3W82nf5qz8npjyt8CENwQ44CYQVaH1Vtf83zS-DkMEyd1u61HfAmPRq5l0pHaPhT9eqEthSr0vIYDpiM1fs-XJNq29IbEOr6D8XCrBblTqPmpGVIb0lVZXkUg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Pontiac City Council approved option contracts and the sale of multiple city-owned vacant lots for infill housing during the March 18 meeting, clearing the way for private and nonprofit developers to construct new single-family and multifamily units.

What council approved: By roll-call votes the council adopted separate resolutions to sell groups of vacant parcels to developers who proposed new housing. The first package — four lots at 476 California, 586 California, 530 Luther and 182 Rockwell — passed 5–2 (Parker, Rutherford, Goodman, James and McGinnis voting yes; Carrington and Jones voting no). The second and third batches — a pair of narrow strips behind Auburn Avenue (140 Clifford and an adjacent unaddressed strip) and four parcels on Luther Avenue (including 387 and 383 Luther) — were each approved by roll-call vote (unanimous where recorded). The council also concurred with Oakland County Brownfield plans for Presbyterian Villages (two separate Brownfield concurrence resolutions were adopted unanimously).

Conditions and safeguards: Sale resolutions include development agreements and standard city protections. The city requires a two-year reverter clause that returns the lots to city ownership if the buyer does not complete development within the agreed timeline. Several sales included price terms (many lots sold for nominal amounts such as $1,100–$1,895 or at half SEV as authorized by city policy) and language that the buyer would pay combination, transfer and tax costs. The administration said where projects received MSHDA subsidies they could be offered as affordable housing; for example, two recently completed houses were sold at a subsidized price of $190,000 with MSHDA subsidizing the difference to reach construction cost levels reported by administration.

Public comment: Dozens of residents spoke during three back-to-back public hearings. Supporters told council that converting city-owned vacant lots to occupied, owner-occupied housing would raise neighborhood stability, reduce blight and add taxpayers. Other speakers — including long-term residents — urged more engagement with neighbors, stronger safeguards to prevent speculative investor flipping, workforce development linkages so local construction-trained residents could obtain work, and assurances about house size and quality. Multiple commenters asked the city to pair lot sales with down-payment assistance and workforce programs; staff said a city down-payment assistance program was in preparation and that banks already offer layered assistance in partnership with MSHDA.

Developer commitments: Builders who presented to council pledged to limit heights, improve buffers where lots abut single-family houses, and, for the Luther Avenue project, to cap building height at four stories and limit the number of units (example: a proposal limited to no more than 90 units and to access only from South Johnson). The administration noted some parcels will require planning commission review and possible variances because several lots are small and require specific design approvals.

Why it matters: Pontiac owns hundreds of scattered vacant parcels that currently are tax-exempt and costly to maintain. The administration and several council members argued that conveying underused lots to builders who will construct owner-occupied homes or subsidized rentals advances neighborhood stabilization and increases the tax base. Critics asked the city to prioritize owner-occupancy for local residents, strengthen neighborhood engagement, and use public tools — neighborhood enterprise zones, home repair grants, and down-payment assistance — to ensure long-term benefits to residents.

Follow-up: The council directed the administration to finalize option contracts and development agreements; staff will return with required lot combinations, site plans, and any required planning commission reviews. The council reiterated the two-year reverter clause as the city’s principal enforcement tool if buyers fail to develop.","The Pontiac City Council approved the sale of multiple city-owned vacant lots for infill housing following three public hearings in which residents voiced both support for getting vacant lots developed and concerns about investor purchases and lot size.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6101721,"Council pauses controversial auto‑services zoning rewrite; removes vague “Type A/B/C street” language for legal clarity",2437,11226000,13663000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2807194-6f7fded94dcd83dc791289f4d88113f4&start=11226&end=13663","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2807194-6f7fded94dcd83dc791289f4d88113f4/thumbnail_11226000.jpg","/articles/6101721/Pontiac/Oakland-County/Michigan/Council-pauses-controversial-autoservices-zoning-rewrite-removes-vague-Type-ABC-street-language-for-legal-clarity","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6101721-60e422e98c3975918f12b88d5af5d23b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771050318&Signature=YusdZcKHaMG1A4ZXM2e~e3MzTp9Awkl3aZh8MFYEgE3f3yMXHk9ylQwWNy8ujCWV4sluW4ti0iiaNxC2c9JZSA~-A7c91sJZiPHw-IsRrNmN-C0a4Nvnvf9LYu44b3EXaQ6OZecuhEoIEjPRXgR7ISlvIHYSc0DtjG686okQibfrbut-67ZN4kvsArOcKQhdppS9v9UhQyFjyHIbjAm5JbZVTs8jvBZJ2KD9tdfCfMmuCp3v5~aFyIg-UUFO7DEKDOKxfQBX9B-Baw5RhLwmgnFD-84s2uUWqi9TWKhcDqnQzXR78maWSTL-2Put5epli3tk0NtRisf3flgo35CuCw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Pontiac City Council spent extended time Tuesday debating a city-initiated zoning text amendment aimed at restricting where new gas stations, auto mechanics and car washes may locate.

Background and purpose: Staff said the change responds to resident complaints that auto-related uses, especially repair shops and tire businesses, have proliferated on major corridors and in some cases created noise, outdoor storage and blight that spill into residential neighborhoods. The city instituted a nine‑month moratorium on new automobile-service applications last year to allow time to draft new rules.

What staff proposed: Planning staff recommended splitting the single “automobile services” category into three regulated uses — automobile filling stations (gas), automobile service stations (mechanics/tire shops) and automobile wash establishments — and tightening buffer, screening and operational standards. Proposed rules required greater landscaping and masonry walls where these uses abut residential property, limited overnight outdoor vehicle storage, restricted overnight operating hours for service stations, and required car washes to confine wash activity inside a building and locate vacuums away from residential lots. Staff also initially proposed that many such uses be limited to the city’s busiest “Type A” streets.

Council amendment and legal concern: During council debate attorneys and planners warned the Type A/B/C street definitions in the city code were imprecise — they used terms such as “typically” and “generally” — creating a legal vulnerability if the code attempted to rely on them. Council adopted a technical amendment to strike cross-references to Type A/B/C street wording from the zoning text and directed planning staff to return with clarified, defensible street classifications in a follow-up ordinance and public hearing.

Postponement and next steps: Council chose to postpone final adoption to the April 1 meeting to allow staff time to prepare a clean ordinance version and to clarify how the draft rules will work in practice. A majority supported removing vague street-type wording so the ordinance will be less susceptible to legal challenge; the motion removing the Type A language passed and council postponed the full ordinance vote 6–0 to April 1, asking staff to return with tighter language and answers to neighbor concerns. The moratorium expires April 9, so postponing gives staff and council a short window to finalize legally defensible text before the moratorium lapses.

Public reaction: Planning had notified adjacent properties and held a public hearing; commenters at council expressed both support and concern. Some neighborhood residents supported stricter rules; others urged the city to avoid harming existing, long-established small auto businesses and to prioritize enforcement over sweeping bans.

Why it matters: The rewrite could change where auto-service businesses may open in Pontiac. If passed, it will give planning staff and the commission stronger tools to require buffers, limit outdoor vehicle storage and address noise and nuisance impacts while the administration produces a clarified street-classification methodology to return to council for review.","Pontiac’s council removed vague street-classification language and postponed action on a city-initiated zoning rewrite governing gas stations, mechanics and car washes, instructing staff to return with clarified text at the April 1 meeting.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6101733,"Pontiac council renames North Woodward Loop to Chief Pontiac Boulevard after public feedback",2064,4789000,6853000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2807194-6f7fded94dcd83dc791289f4d88113f4&start=4789&end=6853","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2807194-6f7fded94dcd83dc791289f4d88113f4/thumbnail_4789000.jpg","/articles/6101733/Pontiac/Oakland-County/Michigan/Pontiac-council-renames-North-Woodward-Loop-to-Chief-Pontiac-Boulevard-after-public-feedback","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6101733-0ecf98ceff96f7d5ecda7cb2ff25fa42/orig.mp4?Expires=1771050318&Signature=aB9ngT8Ox9mVEXTRWK8lAMrLpva85X~nxOGOuX3k-QtmYQUuH65qqAX6w9t5Z6E8QovS3lEQAcbnEJ0pT4I0JzXT7P5CQyUc6ET9Apf9PwN88hAHbZwnYRbCA2n-Dq~oFjVWMLRjnXIcoyi5GhEZ03vbFruw-ULmZxUrpoDD-Udx~3-BpHAB4k6ESnVIlHkEhsbtyi~PZctYVaY92KpsanGkw-F7PAl58aEeJ3vmSphH33ph3Xvaf55Oq8PFDEXB5ypHR2uaQoS7kObO~IxSM0krET2-qNhMymUdbO0XuodBgRarcjE6EmabKAfIbG4odBHrOCUsjbbOCzqqfk3tuQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Pontiac City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to rename the northbound portion of the Woodward Loop to Chief Pontiac Boulevard, a change prompted by the Michigan Department of Transportation’s reconfiguration of the Woodward Loop.

Council President McGuinness said the decision follows several meetings and public outreach, including emailed responses, Facebook comments and an in-person hearing that produced more than 40 responses: a majority favored Chief Pontiac Boulevard over the historic Park Street name.

The council considered a late amendment to use “Parkway” instead of “Boulevard.” Councilman Jones moved the amendment and Councilman James seconded; the amendment failed after roll call. The council then adopted the Chief Pontiac Boulevard resolution by roll call vote (Jones, McGuinness, Parker, Rutherford, Carrington, Goodman and James voted yes; 7 yeas, no nays), directing staff to inform MDOT before the department finalizes signage and construction.

Why it matters: MDOT’s work to convert the Woodward Loop from a one-way loop to a two-way boulevard will remove the Woodward name from the northbound footprint. Without a city decision, MDOT would revert the old corridor to the historic “Parke”/“Park Street.” Council held extra outreach to ensure the new name aligned with community sentiment and local history.

Public input and council debate: At the public hearing dozens of residents and commenters favored “Chief Pontiac Boulevard” as a way to preserve local identity; several others supported “Park Street” or proposed other names. Planning questions during the council debate focused on technical differences between “boulevard” and “parkway,” and whether future MDOT landscaping would match the chosen suffix. Council members said they considered Park Street’s historic value but ultimately backed Chief Pontiac Boulevard after tallying written and spoken feedback.

Next steps: The council’s resolution asks the administration to take necessary steps to implement the renaming and to notify the Michigan Department of Transportation prior to MDOT’s sign ordering and final construction milestones. The item takes effect under the standard municipal implementation process.","After public input and a months-long discussion, Pontiac City Council voted unanimously to rename the northbound portion of the Woodward Loop to Chief Pontiac Boulevard. Council debated whether to use “Parkway” instead of “Boulevard” and considered public-submitted alternatives during a public hearing that drew dozens of residents and emails.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Oakland County, Pontiac outline $930,000 Ducks Unlimited grant and petition plan for Roof Collier drain and Murphy Park wetlands restoration

Pontiac approves sale of multiple city lots to private builders for infill housing after public hearings

Council pauses controversial auto‑services zoning rewrite; removes vague “Type A/B/C street” language for legal clarity

Pontiac council renames North Woodward Loop to Chief Pontiac Boulevard after public feedback