FeedsNorthville loses ground in annexation fight
A vote to annex the former Northville Psychiatric Hospital property to Livonia is looking more and more likely.
Circuit Court Judge William Giovan ruled against Northville Township last week in the effort to prove that eight residents were moved onto the 414-acre parcel under false pretenses and should therefore not be allowed to vote.
“We were disappointed, of course, but not surprised with the ruling,” said Township Supervisor Mark Abbo. “(The judge) did not want to infringe on the voting rights of the people, even though we feel they were put on the site illegally.”
The issue is one of the conflicts ongoing between the township and the developer, a partnership between Real Estate Interests, Inc and Schostack Bros. Construction (REIS). The partnership has tried to develop the property for more than a year now, and has filed a $100 million lawsuit against the township, alleging that officials have thwarted the project. The first pitched the 400-acre project called ‘Highwood’ in November of 2006. The township planning commission recommended and the board of trustees granted a preliminary approval of the concept, but with a long list of conditions that the developer said would make the project economically unfeasible.
Township officials argued that the conditions they put on the plan reflect the concept that was put in place prior to the sale of the property. The concept was put in place to protect the long-term interests of the community, ensure its infrastructure was not overtaxed and to promote a high-quality development, they said.
The eight residents of the property were moved in to four security trailers close to Seven Mile Road under the guise that the 24-hour presence would improve safety on the site. They registered to vote from that location, though, and ultimately filed annexation petitions to add the property to the Livonia tax base.
The township responded with the two lawsuits, one to seek the removal of the residents, the other to revoke their voter registration.
“We had a mountain of proof that the developer used deceptive tactics to get them there,” said Township Manager Chip Snider. “I guess it didn’t matter.”
Annexation election set
Voters in the City of Livonia may decide the annexation election on Aug. 5. Livonia residents will vote on the issue, as will the eight residents of the hospital property, but the remainder of Northville residents and officials have no say in the matter. Snider said there’s still time for the township to receive a favorable ruling on the issue, though.
“We’ve already filed an appeal to the Court of Appeals where I’ve been assured that we’ll receive an expedited hearing because of the elections,” he said. That date had not yet set when The Journal went to press.
The timing might provide another difficulty for clerks. Ballots for the August primary are being mailed out this week and should be received on Saturday. Township Clerk Sue Hillebrand said she was not sure how the ruling from the court of appeals would impact that. Livonia Clerk Linda Grimsby referred questions to the Wayne County Clerk; representatives from that office did not return calls prior to press time.
Legislation in limbo
Separate pieces of legislation were introduced to solve the issue—from the township standpoint—in the Michigan House of Representatives and the Michigan Senate last month with mixed results. The House version of the bill, which would protect townships from annexation, was sponsored by State Rep. Marc Corrvieau (D-Northville). It was approved in the House and sent to the Senate.
State Sen. Bruce Patterson (R-Canton), reintroduced a package of bills initially introduced more than four years ago, but they failed when Republican senators Alan Cropsey, Valde Garcia, Mark Jansen and Wayne Kuipers voted across party lines to reject the legislation. All four senators have at least 15 townships in their districts. Cropsey then requested reconsideration of the package, but another vote on them has not been scheduled.
Matt Marsden, press secretary for State Sen. Mike Bishop, who is the Senate Majority Leader, said it was unlikely that a vote would take place prior to the end of the session.
“It’s not something that’s on the radar screen right now,” he said. “Everybody right now is focused on getting the budget done. On both sides of the aisle, that’s what they’ve been directed to do.”
Citizens’ group will fight on
The Citizens for Northville, (CFN) a grass roots group of township residents that formed to educate the public on the issue and promote smart development, said they would be willing to send out literature to Livonia voters to educate them on what’s at stake.
“We’re not going to give up,” said Laurie Marrs, co-founder of the organization.
