Riverview council considers resolution asking Downriver Community Conference and Michigan Land Bank to push Grama riverfront cleanup

Council members discussed a proposed resolution authorizing the Downriver Community Conference (DCC) and the Michigan Land Bank to pursue possession or management of the Grama riverfront property to accelerate cleanup and redevelopment. City staff framed the measure as a tool to compel the property owner (referred to in the session as Arkema) to address contamination and allow the land bank to manage remediation activities. "This is a way to force Archima into doing something with their property," an unidentified city speaker said.

Staff said the plan is to approve a resolution at the election-night council meeting and then forward it to the DCC and Michigan Land Bank so those entities can "pierce that veil" and begin cleanup oversight. Council members asked clarifying questions about ownership and whether the city would lose title; staff said the city would not want or seek ownership but instead wants a third-party intermediary to manage cleanup steps.

Members discussed dredging, staging of cleanup work (beginning with the West brinefield), and constraints such as disposal capacity for dredged material and the timing of Army Corps/EGLE coordination. Council also raised alternatives, including testing clean dredged soils for use as capping material and coordinating with the Army Corps of Engineers on berm or containment options. Staff said any imported soil for final capping would require testing to confirm it is free of contaminants.

No formal vote was taken during the study session; staff indicated the resolution would be placed on a forthcoming meeting agenda for a formal council vote.