Dearborn Heights, Crestwood discuss sublease of Warren Valley parking to ease Riverside pickup congestion

Crestwood Schools and the City of Dearborn Heights continued a study-session discussion about a proposed sublease of part of the Warren Valley Golf Course parking lot that the district says would reduce vehicle congestion on Warren Avenue during student pickup and drop‑off.

The school district’s superintendent, Dr. Joe Musalom, told the city council the district needs a sublease to use district funds to repave and reconfigure the area: “in order for us as a school district to use, district funds, we have to have a sublease or a lease with the property that we do not own.” The plan shown to council would add two drive-through lanes and gates, create a right‑turn‑only exit, and allow the district to route as many as 75 to 100 cars into the golf course lot during dismissal, the district said.

Why it matters: council members and residents said the intersection at Warren and Beach Veil becomes congested and creates safety risks when hundreds of cars queue for pickup. Supporters said shifting cars into the reconfigured lot could reduce backups onto the main road and ease conflicts with golfers entering the course; opponents and some residents warned re‑routing could increase cut‑through traffic into nearby neighborhoods such as Berwyn.

On the technical and engineering side, Ali Dib, the city engineer, urged a coordinated approach: “this project should be done as 1 project,” he said, noting the existing golf‑course parking lot uses grandfathered drainage and that piecemeal repairs could cause grading or runoff problems. Dib recommended a single, engineered design and construction contract to preserve drainage patterns that now prevent flooding.

Council discussion focused on several practical issues that will determine whether the city and the district move forward. Those include: whether the sublease would affect the golf course’s existing liquor license; how long lease terms would run (a recent presentation referenced a 50‑year term that several council members said they opposed); who would hold liability and insurance for the area; how the work would be funded; and how to prevent parents or other drivers from misusing the reconfigured lot.

Jason, who identified himself as an attorney involved with the property, stressed that the parking lot is defined separately from the leased premises and that the city currently owns the parking area: “the parking lot is the city's responsibility,” he said, and urged the city to make the leasing decision. The district explained the approval steps: city council permission would be required, then the Crestwood school board would vote, and finally the Issa Brothers (the property operator) would need to consent.

Officials also discussed funding. City staff said money originally budgeted for parking improvements was not placed into a restricted fund and has since been spent in the general fund; the council will consider options during budget season and bid results for the district’s milling and repaving work are still pending.

Public comment included parents, neighbors and the school board president. Moe Saba, president of the Crestwood school board, emphasized safety: “First and foremost, the safety of of the children, which is always number 1 to me.” Some neighborhood speakers warned the plan could shift congestion to Berwyn and other residential streets and suggested closing medians or altering access points on the course to reduce cut‑through traffic.

Council members directed next steps rather than taking a vote. City and district attorneys were asked to confer with the Issa Brothers’ counsel to resolve potential liquor‑license and insurance issues; the city engineer and the district’s engineering team agreed to coordinate designs and drainage solutions; and staff were asked to return draft contract language and budget/bid information for a future council meeting.

No formal vote or agreement was adopted during the study session. The council chair said the item will return for formal consideration, with attorneys and engineers providing revised language and reports to address the outstanding legal, liability and drainage questions.