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Wayne Metro wins alley vacation after residents press council on land use and access
Summary
The City of Highland Park approved vacating a 20-foot portion of an alley between 2nd and 3rd Avenues to allow Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency to complete site consolidation and improvements; residents questioned why the nonprofit has acquired many nearby parcels and asked about emergency access, easements, and community benefits.
Council considered a planning-commission recommendation to vacate a narrow portion of the alley on Cortland Street so Wayne Metro could consolidate and improve a parcel adjacent to its community center and early head start facility.
Wayne Metro representative Joan Brophy told the council the agency has acquired property on the block to support services, early childhood programs and community outreach and plans to create green space, improve emergency egress, and add parking to support operations. "We currently have a facility there that's a community center, providing services to the community," Brophy said, listing early head start and energy-efficiency outreach among the agency’s programs.
Several council members and residents pushed for clarity about the nonprofit’s long-term plans and its pattern of parcel acquisition. One council member asked, "I'm just curious as to what they're doing with all of this property… I see your signs everywhere," criticizing an accumulation of lots without visible redevelopment. Resident and public commenters also asked whether nearby residents would lose backyard access to the alley and whether utilities and sewer easements would be preserved; city staff said the Department of Public Works had reviewed and approved maintenance of necessary easements.
City planning and applicant materials shown to the council describe the requested vacation as a 20-foot segment that would be returned to adjoining property owners and incorporated into Wayne Metro's site plan; subsequent site work in the packet included plans for landscaping, a parking area, roof and window repairs, and improvements intended to make the property a regional resilience hub. An architect working on the project said the immediate funding covers three phases: parking improvements, roof repairs, and window replacements, with other redevelopment contingent on future funding.
After hearing residents and agency representatives, councilmembers voted to approve the alley vacation. Council President Thomas noted the parcel under consideration was small and that the city does not currently use the alley for municipal access. Supporters said the vacation would help Wayne Metro secure safer emergency access and provide more usable green and parking space for programs serving residents; skeptics called for continued oversight and for the nonprofit to clarify long-term redevelopment and community-access commitments.
The vote carried; city staff and Wayne Metro representatives were encouraged to return with further details about future development plans, community benefits, and coordination with public-safety agencies and utilities.
