When COVID-19 shutdowns were enacted and social distancing became the norm, restaurants and public spaces emptied out. Streets across the country went quiet. But people, cities and businesses adapted. Many set up temporary outdoor seating. It provided a much-needed solution in a public health and economic crisis.

In Northville, as the pandemic crisis waned, outdoor dining remained. The city’s downtown was reminiscent of cafes and public plazas in other, more walkable, less car-dominated cities around the world. 

City residents and elected officials wanted to make the innovation permanent. 

In 2023, the Northville City Council voted to close the two main streets in downtown Northville, Center and Main, during summer months. Residents were drawn to the city center like never before. But not everyone was happy with the changes.

Community groups were formed, for and against. Let’s Open Northville has filed multiple lawsuits to end street dining and seasonal road closures in downtown Northville. Community Over Cars and Northville City Council are in favor of street dining and seasonal road closures.

On July 9, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Charlene Elder ordered Main street and Center streets opened back up, saying seasonal road closures violated the city’s charter. The City of Northville appealed Judge Elder’s ruling and on October 1, she’ll make a final ruling.

Kristi Wysocki and Peter Hoffman from Community Over Cars joined the Metro to discuss their group’s efforts to preserve seasonal road closures and outdoor dining in downtown Northville.

The Metro contacted the City of Northville and the group Let’s Open Northville. We haven’t heard back.

Guests:

• Kristi Wysocki lives in the city of Northville and is the founder of Community Over Cars. 
• Peter Hoffman lives in Northville Township and is on that group’s board, serving as their government relations liaison.

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Vetoes aren’t just polite refusals. They’re vital checks of power between executive and legislative branches, at every level of government. 

But when the city council doesn’t grasp how vetoes work, things can get heated.

During a recent city council meeting in Highland Park, confusion over veto authority sparked a heated moment with a dramatic walk‑out by Council Member Khursheed Ash-Shafii. 

The city council had previously voted to cease a contract with the consulting firm McKenna. The mayor vetoed that decision and then the city council was tasked with upholding or overruling the Mayor’s veto, per the city’s charter, at the Aug. 4th meeting. 

Metro Producer Jack Filbrandt spoke with Detroit Documenters Caitlin Santer and Lynelle Herndon to unpack the tension and decode what went wrong. 

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The Detroit Documenters play a vital role in improving our access to information. That’s because they attend a range of public meetings and document what leaders and community members are saying.

Detroit is in the middle of local election season. The primary is coming up on Aug. 5, followed by the general election in November.

Several boards and public bodies in Detroit have open seats, and it will take separate processes to make these boards whole. Some seats will be selected by voters and others will be appointed by local leaders.  

There are currently vacant seats on Detroit’s Public Schools Community District Board, Board of Police Commissioners, Wayne County Commission and the Tenants Rights Commission.

Detroit Documenters Coordinators Lynelle Herndon and Noah Kincade joined The Metro to help break it all down.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

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