Seven Mile Property Overview
Announcements
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Background and Details
In 2006, 414 acres of property, located in the Township at 7 Mile
and Haggerty, was purchased by REIS of Bloomfield Hills. Most
residents will remember this acreage as the Northville Regional
Psychiatric Hospital property. The City of Livonia fought an
annexation attempt of this land in 2008 and Northville Township
reached a consent agreement with REIS with regard to the property.
However, early in 2009, when REIS began harvesting 200 year old trees
in an area that had become known as the “virgin” forest, outraged
citizens protested. The Township and REIS eventually reached
agreement, allowing the Township to buy 234 acres of the property.
Added to the 100 acres of the property the Township already owned,
this brings the total acreage the Township owns to 334 under terms of
the consent agreement.
 In the effort to purchase the property, Township residents approved
a bond of $23.5 Million in August of 2009, purchasing it in November
2009. One month later, the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund
(MNRT) awarded the Township a grant (acquisition money) to assist in
the purchase of the property, thereby reducing the bond to $21.5
Million. Township tax payers had been prepared for a 1.15 mill tax
increase, but with favorable interest on the bonds sold in December
(4.53%) and a reduced purchase price, taxpayers will see a decrease to
.9661 mill (this will vary slightly from year to year.) for payment of
the property over a 20 year period. REIS is allowed to construct
commercial buildings of up to (approximately) 500,000 sq. feet on the
remaining 68 acres, with the additional 20 acres committed to buffers
and a water feature along 7 Mile and Haggerty Roads.
Clean Up Efforts
Environmental clean-up of the property will commence under a
Brownfield Authority after REIS’ commercial development of the 68
acres has begun. The Township will use taxes from the new development
to fund the clean-up. At that time, it is expected the existing,
onsite buildings will come down. With that scenario in mind, the Board
of Trustees established a steering committee from a host of volunteers
to head planning and/or restoration efforts.
Members of the committee (Township residents) include:
- Marjorie Banner, Chair and Township Trustee
- William Sivy
- Joe Vig
- Dan Ventimiglia
- Steve McGuirk
- Carol Poenisch
- Fred Shadko
- Mark Abbo, Township Supervisor
- Chip Snider, Township Manager
- Jennifer Frey, Township Planner
Michigan Mountain Bikers Clean Up
The Michigan Mountain Bikers began clean up the forested area. The
progress to clean up is slow but steady. The intent is to open the 50
forested acres on the southeastern edge of the property (as well as
acres which are not environmentally contaminated) to the public as
soon as possible. Those acres were purchased with the grant from the
MNRTF with the understanding that they will always be preserved,
protected, and available to the residents of this community and state.
Future Plans
The steering committee has met regularly since December 2009,
looking at all planning and use aspects of the property. Research is
currently being performed on the value of the existing buildings to
determine whether they should be rehabilitated or torn down. Site
planning has been the primary focus, based on a $0 budget. Efforts are
underway to include as many residents in the planning process as
possible. With this goal in mind, committees have been formed and work
is underway, including this communication website project. (Please see
the committee summaries for additional information on current
projects.)
Planning Help from the University of Michigan
The University of Michigan’s graduate planning students took on the
property as their project for the 2010 winter semester, bringing the
community valuable planning expertise for the property and at no cost
to the Township. Students met with residents in an effort to clarify
“hopes and expectations” for the property and translated them, along
with consideration of the site’s physical and natural conditions, in
to a series of recommendations. The students acknowledged this is the
first step in the process and the plans shall be presented back to the
community for further input and refinement. The steering committee
will be leading this effort. Please click the PDF icon below to view
the student’s final presentation which includes the conceptual plan. The full analysis and written document is
available in the township’s planning department.
University of
Michigan 7 Mile Property Presentation
Community Clean-up Effort
Efforts are underway to hold a spring clean up of debris on the 50
acres wooded parcel. The Board of Trustees has presented a Forest
Management Plan (which has been approved in concept) to preserve and
maintain the forested part of the property. Tree harvesting has
disrupted large areas of the property, where invasive species will
take over unless the community undertakes proactive land management.
The date of the clean will be posted on this website.
Site Access
Due to physical and environmental hazards, the site is not
currently open to the public. Access is authorized for individuals
performing work on behalf of the township. The township, through the
efforts of the steering committee, is working toward making a portion
of the wooded area on the east end of the site accessible and open for
use. Details of this effort can be found on this website.
Contact the Township Webmaster by
clicking here.
To report technical problems with this website, please
click here.
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Seven Mile Property