Council approves Meijer plan development agreement amid resident concerns about new traffic signal

The Livonia City Council approved a plan development agreement for a mixed‑use project at 33500 West 7 Mile Road that will include a 75,466‑square‑foot Meijer grocery and a 102‑unit multifamily townhome complex.

Why it matters: The site contains long‑vacant commercial buildings, and supporters said the project will remove a blighted property, improve stormwater management and add new housing. Opponents and nearby residents raised concerns about a county‑requested traffic signal, pedestrian safety and whether the developer should be allowed to build the Meijer before the residential component.

Developer phasing and ordinance: Council members described the proposed phasing as a modification of the city’s usual requirement that a mixed‑use project begin a residential build‑out concurrent with the commercial work. Council member Budzinski said she could not support an exception to the ordinance without a demonstrated, unique need; other members said phasing is common and that the council had negotiated protections, including liquidated‑damages language and site‑safety requirements.

Traffic signal dispute: Multiple residents called attention to a proposed traffic signal less than 500 feet from an existing signal on 7 Mile. Tim Kilroy and other commenters asked whether the signal warrants and timing had been properly coordinated and whether McDonald’s and other adjacent property owners had been consulted. Council members noted that Farmington Road is a Wayne County road and that the county’s engineers determined a signal was warranted and requested it; Commissioner Tara Morecki was cited as involved in the county review.

Vote and conditions: The council approved the development agreement; city staff said the contract includes performance benchmarks, deadlines to pull permits and begin construction on the townhomes (permits by July next year and construction by December next year were discussed), safety provisions for demolition staging and a liquidated‑damages provision to protect the city if the residential component does not proceed on schedule.

Ending: Council members pledged to continue engagement with Wayne County engineering staff and County Commissioner Morecki on the traffic signal and said they would relay resident concerns as the county finalizes its traffic plan.