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Council approves consent agenda; members raise short‑term rentals, Freedom Hill traffic and AI/drone privacy concerns
Summary
After approving the consent agenda, councilmembers used reports and new business to request staff research on short‑term rental policy, report back on county coordination for traffic control at Freedom Hill, and review drone/AI privacy policies as the city considers surveillance tools.
Sterling Heights — With the consent agenda approved, councilmembers used the reports and new business time to raise several items for staff follow up, including short‑term rental regulation, county coordination on event traffic, and privacy safeguards for drone and AI tools.
Councilmember Todd Radke urged the city manager to press Macomb County and Freedom Hill operators for better event traffic control after multiple nights of concert traffic spilling onto city streets. Radke said residents reported long backups and inconsistent on‑site traffic control and suggested the county or the amphitheatre operator reimburse the city for traffic control if city resources are deployed.
Councilmember Mary Schmidt asked administration to research what peer suburban communities are doing about short‑term rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO, noting other Michigan cities have had problems with rentals used as party houses. The council asked staff to bring a report — to be considered during strategic planning — about approaches taken by jurisdictions of similar scale.
Councilmember Todd Radke also asked for a staff review of city policy on drones and AI, including privacy protections and limits on continuous recording during flights, citing recent examples from other municipalities where policies were adopted to restrict down‑looking recording during transit. The council asked the city manager to consult police leadership and bring a report on any proposed drone or AI surveillance rules.
Councilmembers also praised community events and local programs reported earlier in the meeting — including the DTE EV ride‑and‑drive and the library's "1,000 Books Before Kindergarten" awards — and asked staff to continue public outreach on those programs. No formal votes were taken on these follow‑up items; staff was asked to report back.
