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| Northville City Manager George Lahanas, left, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, Marilyn Price and John Carter gather for a group photo following the July 15 Coffee With Council event. Photo by Liz Cezat |
One of the chief concerns of residents was the effects of the closure of sections of Main and N. Center. Jeff Snyder, a resident of Beal Town, said wayfinding apps are directing people through his neighborhood and along River Street, which has been much busier, especially during morning and evening rush hour. Andrew Daily, a downtown resident and real estate developer, noted that the city is making some good changes in regard to adding new stop signs and pedestrian crossings but said government moves slowly with more to be done.
Northville resident Nancy Chirri said she wants the city to collect data from homeowners on whether the downtown streets should be open or closed to traffic since residents are largely impacted by it. Carter said he wants to see data on how the traffic patterns have changed since the downtown streets were closed.
Lahanas said the Downtown Development Authority is a great avenue for business owners to weigh in on how their businesses are doing with the street closures. There are plans to host a business forum in the near future to gain more insight, he told the audience.
Several citizens mentioned the need for the city to attract residents of all demographics. Some felt that council members were more focused on attracting younger families as residents than any other age group due to statements made at council meetings. Carter responded that he tends to hear more from residents with young families because they are a similar age and in a similar place in life but he proactively works to make sure that the council members are getting feedback from all residents.
