The Northville Sustainability Team, chaired by Kathy Spillane, entered the award competition on behalf of the city. Others on the team are: Mike Domine, DPW director; Lori Ward, DDA director; AnnaMaryLee Vollick and Thom Barry, both on the Planning Commission; Susan Haifleigh; Dave Gutman, past chair; City Council Member John Carter; and John Porterfield.
Northville was at the bronze level in 2019 when the Sustainability Team was formed. “After we put together a plan, which was adopted by members of the city council, we implemented several projects such as replacing streetlights with LED bulbs, planting street trees and installing more EV charging stations,” said Spillane. “This helped us earn silver status.”
The city then took on more complex projects such as the permeable pavement on Wing Court, Smart Growth advocacy for new construction, non-motorized transportation infrastructure, the Tree Champions, Low Impact Development ordinances for managing stormwater and energy conservation plans. These and other efforts helped the city achieve gold status, officials said.
The team got credit for completed projects and those in process. They are currently conducting a Green Ordinance audit to review city codes, ordinances, policies and procedures, to determine where barriers exist to the use of Low Impact Development practices and recommend greener alternatives.
Another sustainability effort was the conversion of sodium-gas lights in downtown Northville to LED. To better manage stormwater, the city piloted the permeable pavement on Wing Court. Observations by the residents suggest the absorption of water has markedly decreased as the pavement requires vacuuming to clear dirt and debris from the porous surface, which needs to be done by a contractor.
The Sustainability Team and Rouge River Task Force came together to advocate for non-motorized paths and a more cyclist/pedestrian-friendly road system in the community. This included giving feedback on the Seven Mile and Sheldon roundabout and making recommendations for the Downs River Park paths. To improve pedestrian safety, DPW staff members have been painting more visible crosswalks in the downtown area.
When The Downs project was being reviewed, city planning commissioners challenged the width of the roads to insure a more walkable community and traffic calming measures. They also advocated strongly for walkability while deliberating the Master Plan updates for sub areas. Economic development was also a big factor in The Downs project - building in a substantial commercial area to cater to the growing residential sections of the city, officials noted.
As part of internal operations, the city has reduced paper usage included the recent adoption of the online agenda/packet for council meetings. The online system will be applied to other boards and commissions in the fall reducing the estimated 50,000 to 70,000 sheets of paper used to produce agendas and packets for meetings.
The Tree Champion group is educating the public about the importance of a tree canopy, which provides a cooling effect, cleans the air, supports wildlife and enhances the beauty of the community. The Tree Champions conduct seminars on tree care and have put together a tour of majestic trees in the city on an app. Porterfield, an arborist, chairs this volunteer group.
“All of these projects and others were considered in the award designation,” Spillane said. “This certification recognizes our efforts to achieve that balance of economic development, sustainability, social needs and quality of life factors.
“The pillars of our (sustainability) plan are economic, environmental and social,” she noted. “When we recognize conflict between the pillars, that shows up on our radar, and we strive to figure out ways to resolve those conflicts,” she added.
