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Residents and Commission on Aging push council for alternatives to Hawk-campus senior center
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Summary
Residents and the Farmington Area Commission on Aging told the City Council they prefer a new senior center on the existing site, raising safety, accessibility and cost questions about the council's plan to place the facility on the Hawk campus; council said an engineering study and a proposed advisory committee are next steps.
The Farmington Hills City Council received extended public comment on Feb. 9 after the Commission on Aging and multiple residents urged the city to reconsider plans to build a new senior activity center on the Hawk campus.
Dan Fantore, chair of the Farmington Area Commission on Aging, told the council members that “we are most interested in the road around the Hawk, and how that will accommodate delivery trucks, for the Meals on Wheels program, buses and vans,” and raised concerns that relocating the senior center to the Hawk could displace frail elderly users unless transportation is provided. He said commission members want the engineering study’s results before accepting the site and asked the council to itemize any projected savings from consolidating facilities.
Members of the public reiterated those points. Lori Doro said survey results showed broad preference for the current senior center site, asserting that “95% of the seniors at the listening session stated that they wanted to remain at the current [senior activity center] land.” She and other speakers highlighted traffic safety at the Orchard Lake/12 Mile corridor and questioned assumptions about cost savings, noting additional expenses such as a new road, parking, noise abatement and high-quality filtration that would be needed if the center were adjacent to I‑696.
Other commenters warned that placing the center at the Hawk could increase congestion during events that already bring large vehicle lines (blood drives, shred events, warming-center operations) and said the existing site offers flat land, an existing parking lot and lower immediate infrastructure needs. Suzanne Dengez emphasized programmatic needs, saying a full kitchen at the existing site helps generate rental revenue for activities.
Councilmembers thanked the Commission on Aging for the input. One member said the engineering study will determine feasibility and impacts, and another described a proposal discussed in the council's study session to form an advisory committee to improve communications between the city and center users. According to council remarks, the advisory-committee proposal will be brought back at the next meeting for a formal vote and the engineering study results will be shared with the public.
The council did not take a final vote on the senior center location on Feb. 9. The meeting record indicates the city will provide requested transparency information about the consent-agenda personnel matter raised during public comment and that council intends to consider a proposed advisory committee and the engineering study findings at future meetings.
