By ZEINAB NAJM
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS — An ordinance for businesses on the Van Born Corridor on the border of Dearborn Heights and Taylor could soon be coming before city councils in both cities.
During the May 25 Heights council meeting, Councilman Dave Abdallah asked the administration for an update on the project. He said the Van Born Corridor project is very important and that the administration needs to continue to do what it can to have the project move forward.
“It’s a beautiful thing that is going to be very nice for the residents and businesses, but yet here we are — I think it’s almost been four years and again there’s no reflection on the current mayor, we’re still in the same spot.”
Mayor Bill Bazzi said that there have been several meetings between Taylor and Dearborn Heights since he became mayor with the last one about three weeks ago which lasted two and a half hours. Present at the meeting was Ordinance Director Ali Dib, Department of Public Works Director John Salmi, the city of Taylor team including its building department and public works department, and representatives of Wade Trim.
The latest update is that both cities have brainstormed ideas on and drafted an ordinance for the corridor. It will be brought to the Dearborn Heights and Taylor city councils once approved.
“So, the first thing we have to do is we have to incorporate an ordinance for the Van Born Corridor before we do anything on that street,” Bazzi said. “A few communities were looked at, looked at their best practices and bench marking the best ordinance. We actually have a draft copy that we reviewed at the last meeting, we went through it item by item. Right now, we made some recommendations of some changes.”
Abdallah then asked when visual changes on the corridor can be seen.
“The first phase is the ordinance,” Bazzi said. “We have to make sure we have an ordinance in place.
“I am hoping once we get it done, then any future businesses that come to the area — businesses will be excited with what we have to present. A lot of investors will want to come to Van Born.”
Phase two is related to the funding needed before deciding what projects can be pursed, with city council approval. Dib shared information during the council meeting, saying the project construction on the corridor is going to be gradual and doesn’t include demolition.
“Once the ordinances are adopted by the communities, we are going to gradually move into the new standards,” Dib said. “So, the project is called ‘Van Born Overlay,’ so, we are going to specify things like landscaping, setbacks, things of that nature and they’re going to be gradual, as businesses and buildings are renovated or new businesses come in you are going to see the new standards apply.”
Dib also said that once the ordinances are adopted in both cities, changes will become visible.
“In terms of putting a time limit on this, we’re going to bring back the ordinances for approval and Taylor will do the same thing,” he said. “Then once that is adopted you’ll start seeing results immediately.”
The last question Abdallah had was if there was a change a resident would see on the Van Born Corridor this year.
“If we adopt the ordinance this year, say in two months, then it will go to the building departments of both communities and then the results will be immediate,” Diab said. “Anytime someone pulls a permit for renovation or new construction, the new standards will apply immediately.”
Discussions on the Van Born Corridor project began in 2017, under former Mayor Daniel Paletko, to make significant improvements to the the infrastructure and streetscape.
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected].)