Madison Heights council postpones vote on Dartmouth alley vacation after residents urge traffic study

Mayor Grafstein and the Madison Heights City Council on Oct. 13 opened a public hearing on an alley vacation request for a 17-foot improved alley serving properties at 601 West 12 Mile Road and 28767–28768 Dartmouth Road and voted to postpone final action until the council's Oct. 27 meeting.

The postponement came after residents said the alley vacation would increase traffic and safety risks in the adjacent Dartmouth neighborhood. City staff told the council the applicant requested a delay so a traffic study, being prepared at the recommendation of the city and the Oakland County Road Commission, would be available before the council takes a final vote.

The petition before the council would vacate an improved 17-foot alley that currently provides access to multiple properties. Community and Economic Development staff said all adjacent property owners had signed the petition and that the alley also provides access to 611 West 12 Mile Road. Staff recommended postponing the request until Oct. 27 to allow review of the traffic analysis.

Neighborhood residents described daily congestion and safety concerns. “Just a common day ... the traffic that backs up any given day,” said Timothy Genster, who said he lives at 28757 Dartmouth and shared photos of regular backups. Kathy LaSilla, who said she has lived at 28727 Dartmouth for 38 years, told the council she had counted as many as 155 vehicles in 45 minutes and said Dartmouth is already busy between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Kathy Sapia, who identified herself as a homeowner in the Dartmouth, Caram Drive and Bel Air area, urged the council to deny the proposal and warned against setting a zoning precedent that would allow commercial encroachment into a residential area. “The major company has a special situation,” Sapia said. “They bought a house in our neighborhood so they could tear it down to meet their needs. Don't let this happen.”

A representative of Nager Companies, Brian Nager, spoke in favor of the alley work as a public-safety and site-improvement measure and said the alley was part of the subdivision plan from the 1970s. “The alley will be built to be safer, more beautiful, walkable,” Nager said, and added that the alley vacation is contingent on approval of a related special land-use application.

Others who spoke included Matthew Urla (28724 Dartmouth), Leanne Heithaller (28125 Dicing Drive), and a resident who identified only as Balot (30644 Winthrop Drive). Several speakers asked whether large delivery vehicles could maneuver through a residential street and whether the alley change would worsen backups on 12 Mile Road near commercial entrances.

After public comment the council voted to postpone consideration of the alley vacation request DE25-01 to the Oct. 27 council meeting “so we should have the results” of the traffic study, Mayor Grafstein said. The motion to postpone was made and seconded; the council indicated all present were in favor and the motion carried.

The postponement delays any final determination and allows council members, staff and the Oakland County Road Commission to review the traffic study when it is completed.