Council clears distribution of proposed housing chapter for public review amid calls for more hearings

The Livonia City Council agreed to release proposed amendments adding Book 5, "Housing Sustainability," to the city's Vision 21 master plan for public review under the Michigan Planning Enabling Act (Public Act 33 of 2008), while several residents urged more extensive public engagement before any final adoption.

City staff and the plan's consultant said the expansion of the master plan was funded by a $50,000 Michigan State Housing Development Authority grant and was prepared by a steering committee that included council and planning‑commission representatives. Termina and Donovan Smith (project manager, McKenna) described the next step as a 42–43 day statutory public‑review period followed by a planning‑commission public hearing; the planning commission would then forward recommendations to the council.

Several residents at tonight’s meeting said the draft compares Livonia to large cities they consider inappropriate comparators and complained that prior outreach was insufficient. James Bigel and others asked for multiple public hearings and more time for community review. Donovan Smith and staff responded that the process included a community survey with about 500 respondents and one open house that drew roughly 50 residents, and that the distribution for public comment is a required statutory step to trigger the formal hearing process.

Why it matters: The master plan guides future land use, housing policy and zoning decisions for years; changes to housing policy can affect development expectations and local regulations. Residents said the draft does not reflect local priorities and called for more opportunities to comment.

What’s next: Council and staff discussed committee placement versus immediate posting for hearing; the item will appear on the May 4 agenda for decisions about committee study and scheduling of the planning‑commission public hearing.