Livonia council committee outlines $150 million civic‑center proposal; council to consider ballot language

Councilman Donovic reported at the regular Livonia City Council meeting that a committee charged with planning a Civic Center Campus has moved a package of design ideas and financing options toward the council, and the administration intends to present ballot language at an upcoming study meeting.

The proposal under discussion would redevelop roughly 70 city‑owned acres around Five Mile and Farmington into a multi‑phase “Civic Center Campus.” The administration described a multi‑phase program that could clear about 9.5 acres in phase one, build a new combined municipal complex (city hall and library), create a central park and bike/pedestrian connections, relocate or update several public facilities and pursue private residential and commercial development on remaining acreage.

Donovic said the administration has already sought federal, state and county grants and believes those sources are largely exhausted; the proposal instead relies on a locally requested millage and bonds. The draft the committee discussed would ask voters to authorize up to $150,000,000 for Civic Center Campus improvements, to be repaid over up to 25 years and issued in two series. City officials and the…