Rochester Hills council approves wetland impact for Nowicki Park community center and paths

Rochester Hills — The Rochester Hills City Council on Oct. 20 approved a wetland use permit allowing the city to permanently impact about 1.26 acres of regulated wetlands to build the proposed Nowicki Park community center, paths, parking and supporting infrastructure.

The council’s unanimous vote followed a presentation by city planning staff and public comment from nearby residents who asked for screening, buffers and protections for private property adjacent to the new park. Planning staff said the affected wetlands are primarily lower‑quality, interior wetlands that the project team intentionally avoided where higher‑quality wetland resources exist on the site.

Planning staff told the council the roughly 34.5‑acre site contains about 4 acres of city‑regulated wetlands, and the park design was revised to limit impacts to low‑quality areas. “The 30, almost 35‑acre park has roughly 4 acres of regulated city‑regulated wetlands of which 1.26 are proposed to be impacted,” planning staff said during the presentation.

At public comment, resident Martin Krieger, who lives in the Shadowwood subdivision adjacent to the park, said he supports the park plan but asked the city to provide an adequate buffer: “We ask for adequate buffer and ground cover to shield the residents,” he said, citing privacy, trespass concerns and the need to screen pools that back onto the trailway.

Planning staff and council members said the design includes berms, plantings and other screening to reduce sightlines and discourage cut‑throughs from the public park into backyards. Council members reiterated that staff and the parks department had engaged neighborhood residents in several outreach sessions and an open house before the planning commission review.

The resolution approved by the council authorizes the wetland use permit for Nowicki Park based on plans received by the planning department on Sept. 11, 2025, and includes the findings and conditions listed in the planning packet. Council members said the design aims to preserve the site’s natural feel and to place built amenities—parking, paths, a dog park and the community building—outside higher‑quality wetland areas.

The council vote was unanimous. The city’s next steps are to finalize construction documents and continue the detailed coordination with residents about buffers and screening as the project proceeds toward construction.

Why it matters: Nowicki Park will add a city‑managed community center, dog park and accessible paths to the northwest side of Rochester Hills while altering a section of low‑quality wetlands. The project site has been the focus of recurring neighborhood discussions; neighbors sought stronger screening and confirmation that the project will not increase trespass or create sightline concerns into adjacent yards.

The city’s approval directs parks and planning staff to continue resident engagement and implement the screening and grading measures described in staff presentations as the project moves to permitting and construction.