Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Brownfield Cleanup topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Riverview council backs Downriver plan, urges Michigan Land Bank role in Arkema cleanup
Summary
The Riverview City Council unanimously adopted a resolution supporting the Downriver Community Conference and the Michigan Land Bank to advance cleanup and future redevelopment of the former Arkema riverfront brownfield, endorsing the Downriver Forward strategy as guidance while noting the plan is not a substitute for official planning authority.
The Riverview City Council voted unanimously to adopt a resolution backing the Downriver Community Conference (DCC) and the Michigan Land Bank in efforts to clean up and redevelop the former Arkema riverfront site and other targeted brownfield properties.
The resolution, moved by Councilman Webb and supported by Council member Gannaga, endorses Downriver Forward, a regional economic strategy prepared by the DCC in partnership with the Michigan Land Bank and with funding support from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The document identifies post-industrial properties — including the former Arkema parcel and sites in Riverview — as priority locations for environmental remediation and potential redevelopment.
The council’s action is framed as a formal expression of support and guidance: the text explicitly states that Downriver Forward is intended as a planning tool and "shall not be construed as a substitute for any official planning policy or legal authority under the Michigan Planning Enabling Act." The resolution also notes that the Michigan Land Bank could take ownership of the Arkema property to coordinate cleanup while the city may remain liable for costs, according to remarks made during the meeting.
At the public-comment podium, Ken Keilman asked why the DCC plan referenced in the agenda materials was not included in the backup and when it would be available for public review. Keilman said, "I don't find the plan as a part of the backup for tonight... when will that plan be available for the public to have an opportunity to review it?" A council member responded that the DCC presentation had occurred earlier in the summer and that the plan is not finalized, describing it as "a fluid plan" that will be refined over several years.
The resolution passed on a roll call in which Council members O'Neil, Pray, Robins, Mayor Swift, Webb, Workman and Gannaga each recorded a "Yes." No "No" votes or abstentions were recorded.
Next steps discussed on the record included making available the DCC materials (the council noted the presentation is on the city's YouTube channel) and that transferring a property to the Michigan Land Bank could allow the Land Bank to coordinate remediation and redevelopment efforts. The resolution itself does not commit the city to a particular cleanup schedule or specific funding obligations beyond endorsement and support.
The council adjourned at 7:18 p.m.
