Master plan begins public distribution period

By Grace Lovins

The Birmingham City Commission on Monday, October 3, authorized a 63-day public distribution period for the city’s final draft of the 2040 Master Plan, formally called the Birmingham Plan 2040.

A work in progress for over two years, the 2040 Master Plan includes recommendations for future land use, supporting mixed-use districts, advancing sustainability practices, embracing managed growth and retaining neighborhood quality. The city is required by the Michigan Planning Enabling Act to provide at minimum a 63-day distribution period where the public can have the opportunity to review the final draft and submit comments. The draft will be sent to surrounding municipalities, Oakland County, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), CN North America, Public Utilities and SMART for review as well.

Birmingham Planning Director Nick Dupuis presented an action plan table to the commission that includes target dates for the anticipated review and public hearing on the final draft and the eventual adoption of the final master plan. After the required 63-day public notice period concludes, the city’s planning board will review the draft and discuss comments received during the distribution period. A public hearing is slated for January 11, 2023, with the planning board, and a presentation of the final plan and a public hearing with the city commission is anticipated to happen in February, on a date still to be determined.

Commissioner Andrew Haig questioned if the commission was confident that the methods the city is planning to use to distribute the draft of the master plan are getting to the maximum number of people possible. City manager Tom Markus stated that while the city is making a strong effort, there’s always the possibility of someone not noticing.

“The one thing that I am confident of is that you will have people that will say that they did not get communications,” Markus said. “I do think that we are making a strong effort to make those communications, but I assure you that you will still have people that will indicate that they weren’t aware of it.”

Dupuis added that the draft will be kept in the city manager reports and newsletters and will be shared on social media for distribution. Commissioners voted 6-0, with commissioner Clinton Baller absent, to authorize the 63-day distribution period for the final draft of the master plan.