5/22/24 Sterling Heights Sentry

City budget includes ‘small tax increase’ for refuse, second assistant city manager role

BY ERIC CZARNIK eczarnik@candgnews.com

If Sterling Heights’ 2024-25 budget maps out how the city plans to open its purse strings, city officials recently gave the public a look inside the bag during April budget meetings and a final May presentation.

During a May 7 Sterling Heights City Council meeting, Finance and Budget Director Jennifer Varney gave an overview of the new budget, which the council then adopted.

Varney said the total budget tops out at $252.2 million, with $125.7 million making up the general fund. The total budget is smaller than the prior year’s by about $34.5 million, or 12%, she said. She attributed the change in large part due to the ending of American Rescue Plan Act funding and changes in road funding “due to timing and the completion of Mound Road in the current year.”

However, the general fund increased by around $5.6 million, or 4.7%. Varney said the new general fund budget spends more on staffing — such as wages, health insurance costs, and police and fire pension contributions.

OFF-ROAD WHEELIN’ IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN/18A

SPORTS STALLIONS TENNIS BACK ON TOP IN MAC GOLD

BY JONATHAN SZCZEPANIAK jszczepaniak@candgnews.com

It’s been a long time coming for Sterling Heights girls tennis, but they’re back on top in the Macomb Area Conference Gold.

The Stallions, for the most part, have always been a threat in the MAC Gold over the past decade, but they have never been able to separate themselves from the pack.

There were moments of shared dual-meet championships, but for the first time since 2011, Sterling Heights is standing alone at the top of the league.

Going 3-0-2 in the league and finishing nine points ahead of Utica High School in the divisional meet, Sterling Heights earned a clean sweep of its conference rivals with the dual-meet and divisional meet championship.

The Stallions tied with St. Clair Shores Lakeview High School for the dual-meet title last year but fell to Lakeview in the divisional meet.

“We did really well last year,” Sterling Heights head coach Katie Kennedy said.

See TENNIS on page 22A

ABOVE: Sterling Heights junior Tanaysha Stamps waits for the ball during a team practice May 14 at Sterling Heights High School.

RIGHT: Sterling Heights senior Khyra Kimble serves during a team practice.

Photos by Patricia O’Blenes

CRIME WATCH

Indecent exposure reported at median by Hall and Hayes

During the afternoon of May 3, officers investigated a median near Hall and Hayes roads upon hearing that a man wearing a blue shirt and black pants was allegedly indecently exposing himself by a pond.

Police said they saw the man lying down, with his zipper undone. Police said in the reports that the suspect did not speak fluent English and might not be a U.S. citizen. He reportedly shook his head when asked what he was doing or why his zipper was down, and he later “stated he was just walking around.”

Police said they arrested him for aggravated indecent exposure.

Men spotted peeing outside along Maple Lane

Two men were reportedly spotted peeing outside in the vicinity of the golf course at Maple Lane Drive May 4. When police arrived, they heard that a manager had contacted the people involved and that the men were supposed to apologize to the complainant. Police said they took no further action.

Hoodie stolen from mall

Police went to Lakeside Mall, 14000 Lakeside Circle, May 4 upon hearing that a man and a woman were allegedly involved in the theft of a hoodie. According to mall security, the man was spotted at one point wearing the hoodie, police said.

Dodge Charger stolen, recovered

Police went to the 43000 block of Freeway Drive, near M-53 and Canal Road, after

hearing that a gray Dodge Charger had been stolen sometime between 11 p.m. May 3 and 2 a.m. May 4.

Police said the vehicle owner parked his car and locked it at night at an apartment complex. The next day, the victim reportedly discovered the broken remnants of a window where the car had been parked.

Police said May 5 that the car was later recovered not far from the site, in the area of Gibson Drive and North York Drive.

Police arrest shoplifter at Kohl’s

Police said they went to Kohl’s, 44200 Schoenherr Road, May 5 upon hearing about an ongoing shoplifting incident.

Police said a man wearing a long black coat was seen stealing multiple items and concealing some inside his jacket. The suspect then reportedly took the merchandise out of the store and put it behind a parking lot dumpster.

Police said they saw the man behind a nearby jewelry store and then arrested him for first-degree retail fraud. Officers reportedly found a white garbage bag full of clothing items valued at $1,045.48. The suspect also had merchandise that apparently had been stolen from other stores, police added.

Anyone who has more information about these events or general suspicious happenings is encouraged to call the Sterling Heights Police Department at (586) 446-2800.

— Eric Czarnik

In April, the Sterling Heights Planning Commission voted to recommend the concept plan for a planned unit development for an Icon Park Residences apartment complex by the corner of Mound and 14 Mile roads. The Sterling Heights City Council is expected to review the proposal at a later date.

An ‘Icon’

returns

to the Planning Commission

REVISED

APARTMENT COMPLEX PLAN WOULD CONTAIN MORE UNITS

BY ERIC CZARNIK eczarnik@candgnews.com

Around 18 months after the Sterling Heights City Council approved a planned unit development for an apartment complex by Mound and 14 Mile roads, the developers have come back to the city to propose a modified plan for the site.

During an April 10 meeting, the Sterling Heights Planning Commission deliberated over a new PUD proposal for Icon Park Residences, which would develop seven vacant

See APARTMENT on page 10A

FRIDAY 5/24

Next year marks the beginning of the final phase of a freeway reconstruction project that will run along I-696 from

LAST PHASE OF ‘RESTORE THE REUTHER’ PROJECT BEGINS IN 2025

BY ANDY KOZLOWSKI akozlowski@candgnews.com

MADISON HEIGHTS — Hot off the heels of the massive “Modernize I-75” initiative that ensnarled traffic in and around Madison Heights for years, the Michigan Department of Transportation is finalizing plans for the last leg of another freeway project.

Promising greater safety and efficiency along Interstate 696, the third and final phase of the “Restore the Reuther” project is set to begin next year and continue through 2027, spanning Dequindre and Lahser roads.

During 2025 and 2026, eastbound I-696 will be closed and traffic will be detoured via southbound M-10

(Lodge Freeway/Northwestern Highway), eastbound M-8 (Davison Freeway) and northbound I-75 back to eastbound I-696. Westbound I-696 will remain open, with periodic lane closures during both years.

In 2027, eastbound and westbound I-696 will be open with periodic lane closures on both sides to complete bridge work and restoration of the freeway. In addition, lane closures and bridge closures will be required on cross streets within the project limits during bridge construction.

Diane Cross, spokesperson for MDOT, said any temporary inconvenience will be worth it.

“Motorists and residents are typically concerned

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SATURDAY 6/1

Dequindre to Lahser roads.

Photo by Patricia O’Blenes

See I-696 on page 8A

Image provided by Icon Park Residences

NEWS & NOTES

SPLASH PAD TO REOPEN

The Dodge Park Splash Pad, 40620 Utica Road, will reopen May 25, an occasion that Sterling Heights City Manager Mark Vanderpool called “a true sign of summer beginning” at the May 7 City Council meeting.

General splash pad operating hours – barring special circumstances like inclement weather – are noon-8 p.m. Mondays and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays. Admission is free for residents with ID proving they live in the city, or $5 for nonresidents, including nonresident parents and guardians.

Before going, call the weather hotline at (586) 446-2711. Learn more by visiting sterlingheights.gov and typing “Dodge Park Splash Pad” in the search bar or by calling (586) 446-2700.

Farmers market to return

Starting June 6, the Dodge Park Farmers Market will open at the farmers market pavilion, 40620 Utica Road, 3-8 p.m. on Thursdays through September, with the exceptions of July 4 and 25.

Admission is free, and the event participates in the EBT and WIC Project FRESH programs. Attendees may park at Dodge Park or these other places nearby: the Senior Center, City Hall, the Sterling Heights Public Library, the 41-A District Court, the Sterling Heights Community Center, or Metro Church of Christ.

Learn more by visiting sterlingheights.gov/dpfm or by calling (586) 446-2700.

GET MORE GARBAGE CARTS

Apartment complex gets award

According to consulting firm Giffels Webster, the Sterling Center Apartments, located near Schoenherr and Hall roads, recently won a 2024 CoStar Impact Award for Multifamily Development of the Year – Detroit Market. Gallo Cos. is the property’s developer.

Learn more about Sterling Center Apartments by visiting sterlingcenterapartments.com.

City is No. 6 for hotel-to-apartment conversions

According to a report from the apartment search website RentCafe, Sterling Heights took sixth place in 2023 among top U.S. cities for converting hotels to apartments, in this case adding 213 new units.

Sterling Heights was the only Michigan city in the top 10, with Manhattan, New York; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Richmond, Virginia, making up the top three.

According to Sterling Heights officials, the new local apartment units came from The Block at Sterling Heights, along Van Dyke Avenue, near 15 Mile Road. It replaced a Wyndham Garden hotel.

Learn more about the RentCafe study by visiting RentCafe. com/blog and typing “adaptive reuse” in the search bar.

Now that Priority Waste has started collecting Sterling Heights’ trash, the city says residents who need more of the new waste carts may purchase them from the hauler.

According to Priority Waste’s website, the base cost – not including sales tax – of a green 95-gallon trash cart, a blue 65-gallon recycling cart or a brown 95-gallon waste cart is $110 each. In a Facebook post, the city says Priority will pick up waste from those extra carts at a property for no extra fee.

During a May 7 Sterling Heights City Council meeting, City Manager Mark Vanderpool commented on the recent introduction of Priority’s services to the city and added that trash must be placed inside the new carts that were distributed to residents.

“This month, continuing for the month of May, we’ll be issuing warnings if there’s garbage outside the containers,” he said.

“We certainly won’t be writing any citations during the month of May. So we understand there’s a bit of a learning curve, and it’s a new process, so everyone’s getting used to it. But come June, we’ll be a little more proactive with enforcement there.”

Learn more by visiting prioritywaste.com/waste-recycle-bin-order-form or by calling the Sterling Heights Department of Public Works at (586) 446-2440.

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File photo by Erin Sanchez

File photo by Patricia O’Blenes

File photo by Patricia O’Blenes

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CITY PLANNERS SERVE UP SECOND SURVEY, OPEN HOUSE

BY ERIC CZARNIK eczarnik@candgnews.com

The people who are tasked with updating Sterling Heights’ master land use plan this year are asking residents to share how they spend their cash.

The Sterling Heights Office of Planning announced in May that it has released a second survey after its first one, a community survey, got more than 3,000 responses earlier this spring.

According to City Planner Jake Parcell, the new survey will be out until late June. He described the purpose behind the poll and expressed his hope that at least 3,000 respondents will take it.

“This survey is a market study survey, focusing highly on consumer spending, so that we can use the data to help identify where our community can make recommendations to help our business retention and attraction, and how to help our existing businesses continue to succeed,” Parcell said in an email.

The online survey says it welcomes submissions from city residents as well as

“others who have an interest in the future of the city.” Questions cover a variety of topics ranging from shopping, dining and entertainment habits to housing.

The resulting data will be incorporated into a market analysis done by consulting firm The Chesapeake Group in coordination with the consulting firm Giffels Webster.

Parcell added that anyone who successfully submits a survey may enter for a chance to win a raffle with prizes such as Sterling Heights swag bags and VIP parking at the July Sterlingfest Art & Music Fair.

Sterling Heights Community Relations Director Melanie Davis added that the city is already “seeing a steady flow of responses” in regard to the latest survey.

“Residents definitely have an appetite to share their input on this important planning for the future of their community, and we love that,” she said in a text message.

In addition, city planning officials and Planning Commission members are getting ready to host a Master Plan Open House that will further highlight and discuss the master planning process. The event will take place 6-9:30 p.m. June 10 at the Sterling

Heights Community Center, 40250 Dodge Park Road, in Sterling Heights.

Organizers say the workshop will be an interactive, collaborative way to discuss the future and talk about what succeeded or didn’t work in earlier versions of the master plan.

“There is no presentation,” Parcell said. “It is intended for workshopping, creating strategies to preserve and support our neighborhoods while also examining redevelopment options in our major corridors through fun activities.”

Parcell said the event promises food and refreshments, and he explained that it will provide activities on-site to grade schoolers who attend with their parents.

“We will have a station for craft activities with the planning interns that will relate to zoning and land use as well in a fun and art-based way!” he said in an email.

Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor commented on the importance of public en-

gagement with the master plan.

“Generally speaking, the master plan is an opportunity to set the priorities of how we want to see the city developed over the next one year, five years, 10 years,” he said.

“We’re doing a lot of outreach to make sure the public is engaged with that process. … It’s really important for us to see that input from the residents and do everything we can to make sure they’re engaged in this process.”

Fill out the market study survey by visiting surveymonkey.com/r/SterHres2024. Find out more about the Sterling Heights master land use plan update process by visiting engage.giffelswebster.com/sterlingheights-master-plan. For more information about the Master Plan Open House, visit sterlingheights.gov and type “Master Plan Open House” in the search bar, or call the city’s Planning Office at (586) 446-2360. Call Staff Writer Eric Czarnik at (586) 498-1058.

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From Oakland University to the State Fair Transit Center via Squirrel, University/Walton, Rochester, Big Beaver, John R, Oakland Mall, Chicago, Maple, Rochester, Main, Royal Oak Transit Center, 11 Mile, Campbell/Hilton, 8 Mile/Lindsay Lane and Woodward.

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Royal Oak Music Theatre

Rochester Woods Apartments

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Rochester

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The Village of Rochester Hills

I-696

from page 3A

about how they are going to get around during construction. They want to know how they can get to work, school, home and recreational activities. We understand that, as we also share that concern. But we must keep improving our infrastructure,” Cross said via email. “With this investment in new pavement, drainage, pavement markings, signing, traffic signals and bridge repairs, safety will be greatly enhanced.”

Pavement in the project area was first constructed more than 35 years ago, and is in need of significant repairs. The work will also include improved drainage, signage and pavement markings, along with modernized traffic signals on the I-696 service drives, and operational upgrades at the westbound I-696 service drive and the Woodward Avenue and Main Street intersection in Royal Oak.

Other items include improvements and preventative maintenance at 60 bridges within the project limits; among them, the Church Street Plaza bridge in Oak Park that will be removed and replaced in 2025 and 2026. Existing amenities on top of the plaza bridge will be restored, and new amenities will be added, such as pavilions, shade structures and fitness stations.

Once completed, the “Restore the Reuther” project will have made pavement improvements along the entire I-696 corridor from I-96 to I-94.

The first phase was completed in 2018, rebuilding eastbound and westbound I-696 from Dequindre Road to I-94. The second phase, currently underway and ending next year, covers the eastbound and westbound lanes of I-696 from I-275 to Lahser Road in Oakland County.

The overall cost of all three phases of I-696 construction is $655 million, of which the third phase from Dequindre to Lahser roads costs an estimated $290 million. MDOT is funding the project through a variety of sources, including the “Rebuilding Michigan” bond program and the federal “Reconnecting Communities” grant program.

The third and final phase directly impacts the communities of Madison Heights, Hazel Park, Ferndale, Huntington Woods, Royal Oak, Pleasant Ridge, Southfield, Lathrup Village and Oak Park. Many will experience varying degrees of rerouted traffic that local officials worry will take a toll on the shelf life of their roads.

Mark Bliss, the mayor pro tem of Madison Heights, said he wants the state to set aside funds for impacted communities to

repair local roads worn down by increased traffic, and to carefully coordinate construction periods so that local projects — particularly those funded by time-sensitive grants that can’t simply be delayed — can be completed.

“I won’t debate the necessity of infrastructure projects like these … but the problem arises when the state underinvests in our local roads, and then these highway projects divert traffic onto our local roads, putting undue stress on them. Heavy multi-axle trucks that would never drive through our town are now driving on our roads, requiring instantaneous repairs, pothole work that has to be done, and shortening the life expectancy of our roads. Even if it shaves just one or two years off a road that was expected to last 20 years, that’s additional money we’re going to have to find,” Bliss said.

“And it’s also a headache for our residents,” he continued. “Our residents had to put up with the ‘Modernize I-75’ project, where it would sometimes take up to 15 miles to drive just one mile on John R. That’s a major artery in our town, so when there’s a logjam, it affects every resident here.”

Off the top of his head, Bliss suggested ideas such as the state setting aside 1% of a freeway project’s construction costs to help affected cities make local road repairs.

“But whether it’s extra funding making sure local roads last as long as they should, or more coordination with other layers of government to ensure we’re not doubling up on road projects and completely stalling out cities, we need to get these things figured out,” Bliss said. “The system here needs to be fixed.”

Call Staff Writer Andy Kozlowski at (586) 498-1046.

Apartment

parcels that are zoned either C-3 general business or P-1 parking.

A previous Icon Park plan came before the Sterling Heights City Council in 2022, and the council voted 5-2 to approve it. This reportedly let the developer seek an administrative site plan review, but now the project has undergone a new iteration, and the old plan has lapsed, according to City Planner Jake Parcell.

Parcell called the proposed development’s location a “very unique site.”

“We believe that this is a very useful type of development to have along Mound Road,” Parcell said, later concluding: “We believe that this application meets the need of providing people space where they can live that is quite literally within walking distance of several of our large industrial users, where they can walk safely at Mound Road on the new sidewalks and get to work.”

Developers Randy Najjar and Amer Batal addressed the Planning Commission. Batal said they changed their plans for Icon Park alongside the “transition that we’ve seen along Mound Road over the last couple of years.”

Batal called Mound “ the third-most important road in Macomb County” after Hall Road and Van Dyke Avenue, and pointed out that the Mound Road corridor is near some of Macomb County’s largest employers, such as General Motors, Ford and Stellantis.

Under the current plan, Icon Park Residences would be located on around 5.6

acres by the northwest corner of 14 Mile and Mound roads. The multifamily apartment complex would have five four-story buildings, with one of them containing showroom units and amenities like a game room and an exercise room.

In addition, Icon Park would now have 190 units instead of 140, and the buildings are four stories instead of three stories.

The proposal also calls for more density, 36.4 units per acre compared to the previous plan’s 26.8. Included among those apartment units are 38 “micro units,” though they are now planned to be somewhat more spacious than they were in 2022, at around 415 square feet each, compared to 308 square feet.

During public comment, resident Paul Smith criticized the project’s density, adding that “we’re going to shatter the record by 20%, jam-pack more units in, just like the Five Points, the tenements in New York.” He said the city normally requires minimum apartment sizes of 600 square feet.

“This is supposed to be a nice suburb,” he said. “We’re not trying to duplicate Hong Kong or New York or Newark.”

According to a slide shown during the developers’ presentation, Icon Park’s monthly rents were set to be $1,160 for a micro unit, $1,450 for a one-bedroom unit, and $1,740 for a two-bedroom unit. Batal later told the Planning Commission that the rents would be about $1,140 for a micro unit, $1,450-$1,500 for a one-bedroom unit, and “close to $1,700” for a two-bedroom unit.

When the Planning Commission discussed the proposal, Commissioner Brandy Wright said the micro units’ proposed rent is higher than the $850 proposed in 2022,

though she understood that the square footage increased too.

Wright later said that while she personally wouldn’t want to live in a 400-squarefoot apartment, she has met many people who’d have no problems with it.

“I don’t think that I, personally, would deny them the right to live anywhere that they would want to live,” she said.

Najjar said he hopes to market the micro units to people who frequently travel. They also said the complex would have an outdoor “Icon Boulevard” full of places to gather or relax.

In addition, new proposed amenities not seen in the last version include a pickleball court and a dog park, the developers said. The developers said this version lacks the reflection pond that was in the old plan, which some city officials had safety concerns about.

Planning Commission Vice Chair Nathan Inks said he agreed with Parcell that the proposal fits the Mound Road Innovation Support District’s purpose.

“Housing is very crucial to innovation along Mound,” Inks said. “If people can walk to work, that is a plus.”

But during the discussions, multiple commissioners asked the developers if they

would be willing to add balconies to the apartments. Batal said he understood the appeal of balconies, but he said they come with structural, maintenance and aesthetic challenges. And Najjar said balconies also bring problems with rain and bugs.

Planning Commission Chair Pashko Ujkic said he also favors balconies, and due to their current absence in the proposal, he said he would’ve likely voted no had the Planning Commission had the final say on it. But Ujkic said he would vote yes because the City Council will get a chance to review and vote on the proposal in the future.

“I’m going to trust the City Council’s judgment,” he said.

The Planning Commission voted 6-1, with two absences, to recommend approval of the concept plan for Icon Park’s PUD. Planning Commissioner Paul Jaboro, the lone dissenting vote, said he thought the development was too big for its spot and “too much.”

Learn more about the Sterling Heights Planning Commission by visiting sterlingheights.gov and typing “Planning Commission” in the search bar, or by calling (586) 446-2489.

Call Staff Writer Eric Czarnik at (586) 498-1058.

Budget

Varney said the general fund is expected to produce almost $89,000 of additional fund balance, adding that it should bring the city’s total reserves to around $37 million, or around 30% of general fund spending.

The city’s total millage is set to increase from around 16.38 mills to 16.58 mills, and an average home with a market value of $284,000 and a taxable value of $98,340 would pay $1,630 in city taxes per year, Varney said.

Varney attributed the budget’s “small tax increase” mainly to refuse services. She said the previous eight-year fixed refuse contract has expired, and the new contract means around a $30-$35 yearly increased cost for the average home.

When commenting on refuse costs, City Manager Mark Vanderpool said inflation has caused services to become more expensive. But he said the city’s new 10-year refuse pickup contract with Priority Waste was competitively bid and was $23 million below the next highest bidder, and it implements universal curbside recycling.

Vanderpool said the city’s recycling rate has only been around 25%, far below the “best practice” of 75%. He added that the new contract provides carts that keep trash contained in an aesthetically pleasing way.

“So for this relatively minor cost adjustment, the value-added service to the community is absolutely significant,” Vanderpool said.

Varney said other key points of the budget, among others, include $22 million toward major road projects, replacing 16 police vehicles and an ambulance, Dodge Park Wi-Fi, replacing park trails, and fixing the Nature Center’s bridge.

City officials have said the planned major roadwork includes improving Clinton River Road. Other assignments include fixing the Hayes Road bridge at the Clinton River, as well as resurfacing 14 Mile Road from Van Dyke Avenue to Maple Lane Drive; 17 Mile Road from Van Dyke to Mound Road; and 18 Mile Road from the Plumbrook Drain to Utica Road.

“In summary, the proposed budget preserves the city’s solid financial position,” Varney said in her conclusion.

A budgetary inclusion

During public comment, multiple residents criticized the budget’s authorization of funding a new, additional assistant city manager position.

Resident Sanaa Elias said this new position — in addition to helping oversee the

police, fire and public works departments — would be in charge of implementing the city’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies.

She said DEI programs are politically charged and divisive, and added that many colleges and businesses are rolling back such initiatives.

“You couldn’t probably sell it as a fulltime position as DEI, so you cloaked it with the assistant city manager and tried to present it that way,” Elias said.

Mayor Pro Tem Liz Sierawski said that while the new assistant city manager will oversee the DEI program, that’s not all the person hired for the position will do. Councilman Michael Radtke said the city’s current assistant city manager, Jeff Bahorski, is already very busy, since his job is a “dual-responsibility position” that also involves labor contract negotiations and overseeing human resources matters.

Councilman Henry Yanez said he approved of the budget overall but questioned the need for this new role, adding that the city could have used the money to hire more fire inspectors to inspect buildings.

Varney estimated the position’s cost could range between $180,000 and $220,000 for wages and benefits, depending on the candidate’s experience and qualifications.

Vanderpool compared Sterling Heights’ managerial situation to other communities.

“I want to reiterate again,” Vanderpool said, “this city does not have a traditional assistant city manager. Unlike Grand Rapids, who has a deputy city manager and an assistant city manager, our city does not have that. We’re the second-largest council-manager community in the state, not far behind Grand Rapids. We do not have a traditional assistant city manager.”

Mayor Michael Taylor said he sees the need to support Vanderpool given the city’s organizational size and complexity and that striking the position from the budget would have no noticeable effect on the millage rate and would be equivalent to perhaps a penny, nickel or dime in a resident’s annual taxes.

Taylor also said the city budgeted a fulltime DEI position last year, but never filled it, so the role is being added to this new assistant city manager position’s list of responsibilities, including overseeing three major city departments.

“So if the concern is, ‘Hey, you don’t need somebody spending all of their time on DEI,’ … we’re agreeing with you in passing this budget and creating this position,” Taylor said.

Find out more about the 2024-25 budget by visiting sterlingheights.gov/budget or call (586) 446-2489.

Call Staff Writer Eric Czarnik at (586) 498-1058.

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Con-grad-ulations

ABOVE: Graduates Kyra Jefferson, left, David Hendren, center, both of Chesterfield Township, and Robin Averitt, right, of Roseville, were the guest speakers for the evening. Faculty awarded approximately 1,300 associate degrees for the winter semester to about 550 graduates.

Elmer Davis

RIGHT: On May 3, Macomb Community College celebrated its 110th commencement ceremony inside the Sports & Expo Center on the South Campus in Warren.

Photos by Patricia O’Blenes

BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — Each time Bart van der Sterren visits the Netherlands American Cemetery, he places a bouquet of fresh flowers at the Wall of the Missing.

The heartfelt gesture honors the memory of U.S. soldier Cliffe Hamilton Wolfe, a Detroit native who went missing in November 1944 during World War II. His remains have never been found.

Van der Sterren, a resident of Schinveld, Netherlands, is among many volunteers who have adopted American GIs buried at the cemetery, located in the European town of Margraten, Netherlands.

Approximately 8,300 U.S. military service members killed in combat during Operation Market Garden and the Allied push into Nazi Germany are laid to rest there. Also remembered are the 1,700 soldiers whose names are listed on the Wall of the Missing, including Wolfe’s. The cemetery was built

ABOVE: Detroit native Cliffe Hamilton Wolfe, who has been missing in action since November 1944, is among the U.S. soldiers remembered at the Netherlands American Cemetery.

LEFT: Bart van der Sterren, a resident of Schinveld, Netherlands, has adopted two soldiers, including Cliffe Hamilton Wolfe, of Detroit. Pictured here van der Sterren stands below Wolfe’s name at the Wall of the Missing.

Photo provided by Bart van der Sterren

on land where the U.S. Army’s 30th Infantry Division liberated Dutch citizens in September 1944.

Rows of crosses — each etched with a deceased soldier’s name, rank, unit, hometown and date of death — line the cemetery’s open fields. Each headstone, along with displayed flags of America and the Netherlands, pay tribute to the U.S. service members who made the ultimate sacrifice. The Dutch people constructed the cemetery to show their gratitude to the U.S. troops who liberated their country during wartime. The cemetery officially opened July 7, 1960.

“It is important that people around the world, especially America, read that these young heroes did not die in vain, but for our freedom more than over 78 years ago,” van der Sterren, a World War II buff, said via email.

Through the Margraten Adoption Graves Foundation, volunteers can adopt an American soldier. Currently, all the graves

Photo provided by Susan Miller

BEHIND THE WHEEL

16A/ STERLING HEIGHTS SENTRY • MAY 22, 2024

Do you own a vehicle with an interesting history?

Contact Staff Writer Maria Allard at allard@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1045, and you could be featured in an upcoming Behind the Wheel. For more stories, visit candgnews.com/news/auto or use the QR code.

Dodge Super Bee 1970 creates a buzZ

BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

METRO DETROIT — If you were to dig into Mike Mazelis’ vehicle history, you’d find someone who, at one time, had an interest in off-road trucks.

“I was always going out into the mud and mud-bogging and things like that,” he said. “I was always breaking the truck. Every time I’d come back, I’d have to fix something new.”

Eventually, the Warren resident switched gears and found a new pastime: muscle cars. In 2008, while perusing Craigslist, Mazelis found out about a 1970 Dodge Super Bee for sale in Hazel Park. He decided to check out the car, but when he did, it didn’t look like much.

“It was just a shell. There’s nothing on it but wheels. There’s no interior, there’s no engine,” he said. “The engine, transmission and all these boxes were just next to the car.”

Even though he “didn’t have any tools or knowledge” of restoring the car, he purchased the vehicle anyway.

“Everybody’s like, ‘How are you going to do this?” Mazelis, 51, said. “‘How are you even going to put this car together?’”

Mazelis learned from friends, watched YouTube videos and did plenty of reading to learn how to build the Super Bee.

“I spent almost every day of two years to get the car on the road, learning as I went, buying tools as I went,” Mazelis said. “A lot of trial and error.”

He made the car his own, including the sublime green paint job and addition of comfortable seats.

“It’s got a five-speed manual transmission in there. It had an automatic before. I

When Warren resident Mike Mazelis found his 1970 Dodge Super Bee in 2008, “It was just a shell.” Mazelis created the Detroit Area Only Twisted Axle Car Club on social media. The club meets at 7 p.m. every Friday at Gratiot Coney Island, 28560 Gratiot Ave. in Roseville.

Photos by Maria Allard

Super Bee

from page 16A

added the wheels that I wanted. I added some suspension upgrades. That’s a custom hood that’s on there. It’s a steel hood with a fiberglass scoop,” he said. “I’m still modifying, adding parts, doing things to the car. People that have classic cars, they always say they’re never done because they’re always fixing things.”

One change Mazelis recently made was the engine.

“The car had a 440 six pack in it. That was getting pretty tiring,” Mazelis said. “I recently put a 512 cubic inch stroker engine in there, so it makes 650 horse (power). At least 600.”

Mazelis’ main goal was to drive the car as much as possible. During the summer, most Sundays are spent cruising Lake Shore Drive with his wife, Stacy; daughter Alaina, 15; and son Evan, 11. They’ll stop for lunch somewhere or grab an ice cream.

“It’s a special thing. It’s just quality time,” Mazelis said. “I like being able to share it with my family, driving around and going places.”

The eye-catching vehicle has been fea-

tured in many shows, including Detroit Autorama. The farthest trip he’s taken in the Super Bee was an 11-hour drive to Wisconsin for a car show.

Looking to connect with other car buffs, Mazelis created the Twisted Axle Car Club on Facebook and Instagram in 2013. At first, 30 people joined the group, and then 70 car enthusiasts came aboard. After a while, the pages went global as they reached car owners in Germany, Australia and Canada.

“Now it’s 50,000 people,” Mazelis said.

From that, Mazelis started the Detroit Area Only Twisted Axle Car Club on social media. He also has a presence on social media with Dynamic Detroit Mopars on Facebook.

“A lot of these people became my best friends. The car community’s just great, always trying to help each other out,” Mazelis said. “Metro Detroit is very diverse. You have all different kinds of cars, all cars that span decades. It’s just a very rich culture that we have here.”

The Detroit Area Only Twisted Axle Car Club meets at 7 p.m. every Friday at Gratiot Coney Island, 28560 Gratiot Ave. in Roseville. All are welcome. Car enthusiasts are also encouraged to check out the website twistedaxlemotorsports.com.

EXPLORE

OFF-ROADING UP NORTH

BY GREG TASKER

CADILLAC — It’s a warm spring morning, and the forest floor is erupting in green and budding trees are exploding in hues of yellow and red, a colorful, seasonal shift that would entice any outdoor enthusiast into the woods.

Normally, that’d be a cue to hike, but instead I am watching a parade of off-road vehicles gear up to explore a newly mapped out “ride” on rural county and U.S. forest service roads in and around the Manistee National Forest.

One by one the off-road vehicles disappear through awakening trees and beyond the kiosks marking the Caberfae Trailhead Staging Area. Just down the road from the popular ski resort Caberfae Peaks, this trailhead is one of the designated starting points of Cadillac’s new 100-plus-miles-long ORV Scenic Ride.

I’m not quite sold on ORVs as a means to explore the outdoors — they do make noise — but I’m willing to give this fastgrowing recreational sport a whirl.

Hopping on a side-by-side with volunteer Kris Thorsen at the wheel, we trek along an off-shoot from the main stretch, thick with trees and occasional puddles. Thorsen gingerly maneuvers the mud and small pools of water, keeping his passengers dry and clean. Up

ahead, as the ride winds east and then north toward Mesick, the terrain will become more rugged, steeper in spots, and wetter.

“It’s a beautiful, fun ride to Mesick,” says Thorsen, a retired home builder who traverses these woods frequently on sideby-sides with his children. “It’s pretty much all in the Manistee National Forest and will take a couple of hours to get there. “There are many reasons to get outside and see how pretty the forest is, how vast it is.”

Thorsen, who lives nearby and helps groom winter trails for snowmobilers, says interest in off-roading has exploded in recent years and is helping bolster the local tourist economy. His hope is many off-roaders will come to experience the beauty of northern Michigan and to spend time outdoors. He concedes, however, that some pursue offroading to simply to feel the rush of power and speed

Cadillac’s ORV Scenic Ride is the culmination of two years of planning and work by the Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau and a host of others, including the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Forest Service.

The ORV Scenic Ride is not a “route” or “trail” as designated by the forest service or the Department of Natural Resources. Instead, it’s a recommended ride providing

Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau 201 N. Mitchell St. Suite 102, Cadillac, MI (231) 775-0657

RideCadillac.com

This new website offers specifics about the ORV Scenic Ride and other related information. The scenic ride map is available at all points of interest along the ride and at various business and lodging locations

ORV rentals: Westside REC Rental

Locaed in J & D Marine and Powersports 6600 M-115, Cadillac, MI (231) 775-7880 jandmarine@att.net

Bigfoot Epic Adventures

7804 W. Moorestown Rd., Manton, MI (231) 878-4952 info@bigfootepicadventures.com

ABOVE: The ORV Scenic Ride is a recommended ride providing an easy-to-navigate, enjoyable excursion through the mostly wooded terrain west of Cadillac. LEFT: Libby Doering, owner of Bigfoot Epic Adventures, which rents off-road vehicles, says her fleet of side-by-sides have navigation systems, which ease the concerns of customers who may fear getting lost.

Cadillac’s ORV Scenic Ride is the culmination of two years of planning and work by the Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau.

Photo provided by Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau

Photo provided by Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau

Photos provided by Cadillac

Visitors Bureau

Off-roading

an easy-to-navigate, enjoyable excursion through the mostly wooded terrain west of Cadillac.

The ride stretches in all directions beyond the Caberfae Trailhead Staging Area, snaking as far north as Mesick and the Big Manistee River and southwest over the Pine River into Lake County. Riders are encouraged to stop at natural spots like the Caberfae Overlook, a tower that stands above tree line overlooking the ski resort, and restaurants and other businesses — all noted on maps.

Helping newcomers and others navigate the ride are kiosks at key intersections and others at businesses with maps, safety education and responsible recreation messages. There is a heavy emphasis on Leave No Trace principles.

“We want people to tread lightly or this won’t last,” Thorsen warns.

It’s all part of a broader effort by the Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau to promote Wexford County as an off-road vehicle destination. Cadillac, of course, has long been a snowmobiling destination but undependable winter weather has impacted that slice of the region’s economic pie.

For off-road enthusiasts, the appeal is clear. It’s a chance to delve deep and far into the forest and, in this case, enjoy the beauty of the expansive Manistee National Forest, whose footprint encompasses parts of nine counties. This forest of hardwoods and pines is also popular with hikers, fishermen, campers, boaters and others.

“There are some areas of the (ORV

Scenic Ride) where you can get near the Pine River and you can also get near some of the lakes,” says Pete Finch, the owner of the nearby Coyote Crossing Resort who frequently takes his Jeep off-roading.

Finch, whose resort is on the ORV Scenic Ride, talks to a lot of off-roaders who pop into his restaurant, hungry for hamburgers or chicken strips and French fries. “Our Bang Bang Shrimp — a spicy fried shrimp — is really popular,” he says.

For Finch, one of the standout features of the ORV Scenic Ride is how well it’s mapped out with markers and kiosks along the way.

“A lot of people don’t want to stray from a map. This provides a sense of safety and security,” Finch says, stressing, too, the importance of recreating in a safe manner and adhering to Leave No Trace principles.

Libby Doering, owner of Bigfoot Epic Adventures, which rents off-road vehicles, says her fleet of side-by-sides have navigation systems, which ease the concerns of customers who may fear getting lost. She provides customers with safety and ride orientation and outfits them with safety gear — helmets and goggles.

“People have commented that the navigation system really helped them out and made it easy,” she says. “People come back saying they’ve had a wonderful experience.”

My experience on a side-by-side in the Manistee National Forest was limited, and while I can’t say that I’m hooked, I would give off-roading another shot. I love the idea of traveling deeper in the woods — at a faster clip than my hiking boots allow — to cover more ground and to soak in more nature. It’s definitely worth another whirl.

Main Office: 13650 E. 11 Mile Road Warren, MI 48089 (586) 498-8000 facebook.com/sterlingheightssentry @candgnews candgnews.com

Editor: Annie Bates | (586) 498-1071 | abates@candgnews.com

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Artroom: (586) 498-1036 | ads@candgnews.com For retail ad rates: Dan Carroll | (586) 498-1024 | dcarroll@candgnews.com

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Classifieds: For ad rates (586) 498-8100 Legals and Obits: (586) 498-1099

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Soldiers

and names of the Wall of the Missing have been adopted. Because so many people want to pay tribute to the soldiers, sometimes there is a waiting list to adopt. Volunteers bring flowers to remember the service members and also conduct research on their own to learn more about their lives. Van der Sterren said a visitors center was built recently, which he described as “beautiful” and “worth a visit.”

Van der Sterren, 58, who speaks Dutch, German and English, lives about 40 minutes from the cemetery. He visits it four times a year. Each year, a ceremony in honor of the U.S. Memorial Day is held. This year’s event is scheduled for May 26, one day before the official holiday.

This past winter, van der Sterren contacted C & G Newspapers after an article appeared in the Eastsider about someone with a last name that is similar to a soldier buried at the cemetery. He wanted to know if there was a connection, but there wasn’t.

However, there was a local tie from across the Atlantic Ocean because one of the soldiers van der Sterren adopted — Cliffe Hamilton Wolfe — hailed from Detroit. In an email interview, van der Sterren shared details about the service member and the efforts to find his remains, which so far have been unsuccessful.

Wolfe, born in 1913, was a technical sergeant with the 28th Infantry Division, 109th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion Company A. He was last seen Nov. 17, 1944, in a forest near the town of Hürtgen, Germany. He is still listed as missing in action.

Going through the proper procedures, van der Sterren obtained Wolfe’s Individual Deceased Personnel File. Inside the file was a map the captain of Wolfe’s troop drew,

indicating his last known whereabouts. It is highly suspected that Wolfe lost his life near the village of Hürtgen, southeast of Aachen, Germany.

Wolfe, 31, “died in his own foxhole during combat. Due to the rapid advance of the Germans, Wolfe and others were buried quickly on the spot,” according to van der Sterren’s research. “At the end of the Second World War, there was heavy fighting here, a battle that was given the name ‘death factory.’ The conditions in this period were extremely miserable due to violent enemy artillery fire that sowed death and destruction.”

With the help of various organizations, including the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, van der Sterren tried to find the missing soldier through aerial photographs, metal detectors and ground-penetrating radar.

“After a week of digging in Hürtgen (in 2018) and finding several hidden foxholes containing ammunition, bullets, mortars, hand grenades and personal military items, we were unable to find Cliffe H. Wolfe,” van der Sterren said.

‘I think it’s so nice to have Cliffe’s memory being honored.’

Wolfe’s family members, including nieces Susan (Wolfe) Miller and Nancy (Wolfe) Jordan, found out about the cemetery through van der Sterren. Their dad (Wolfe’s older brother) was Charles Wolfe, who served in the Navy during World War II. After the war, Charles, his wife Margaret and their daughters lived in Detroit for many years. At one time, Charles served as Detroit Public Schools superintendent. He died in 1990.

Nancy was a toddler when Wolfe went missing and Miller was born in 1947, after the war. When Miller found out about the Netherlands American Cemetery, she put together a book of photos and essays about her uncle for van der Sterren. Although Miller

has not visited the cemetery, she stays in touch with van der Sterren.

“I think it’s absolutely wonderful the Dutch people have honored the soldiers all these years. I think it’s so nice to have Cliffe’s memory being honored,” said Miller, who now resides in Rochester, New York. “It was such a lovely thing to know the Dutch country was taking care of our uncle who has never been found, but are honoring his sacrifice.”

Although Miller never knew her uncle, she felt his presence through the many stories her father and grandparents told. He was an educator at the Merrill-Palmer Institute in Detroit when he joined the Army in early 1942.

“Cliffe sounded like a lovely person,” she said. “I had a lot of pictures of my dad

and Cliffe growing up. He was tall and lanky and very handsome.”

Before the Wolfe brothers left for combat, their parents — Miller’s grandparents — moved to a cottage in Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. At Wolfe’s request, his parents lit a lamp every evening at the cottage in the front window until the boys came home.

Wolfe attended Northwestern High School in Detroit and after graduation enrolled at Wayne State University, when it was called Wayne University. According to information Miller obtained from her sister, who lives in Maryland, Wolfe was in a long-term relationship with a young woman in Detroit when he left for the military.

Miller said her uncle had an interest in the Appalachian Mountains and its people. He even built a cabin nestled in Berea, Kentucky. Miller, too, sensed the pain his loss brought to the family.

“The sadness of Cliffe’s death really hung over my childhood,” she said.

See SOLDIERS on page 21A

ABOVE: The Netherlands American Cemetery was built on land where the U.S. 30th Infantry Division liberated the Dutch citizens in September 1944. Photo by Brian Louwers

LEFT: Brothers Charles Wolfe, left, and Cliffe Hamilton Wolfe both served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Charles served in the Navy and his ounger brother served in the Army. Photo provided by Susan Miller

Soldiers

from page 20A

‘Now it’s war time.’

As a keepsake, Miller still has the letters Wolfe wrote to his parents while overseas.

“He was a beautiful writer,” Miller said. “His expressiveness was beautiful.”

In one written correspondence dated Dec. 7, 1942 — exactly one year after the Pearl Harbor attack — Wolfe wrote to his parents about the memories he had of opening presents on Christmas Day, including the year the family got its first-ever Victrola.

“Playing that grand music, we were so thrilled,” he wrote, according to Miller. “Now it’s war time. It’s hard to look into the immediate future.”

In another letter entrusted to the keeping of his chaplain, Wolfe wrote, “Dear Mother and Pop: This may reach you if anything happens to me. I hope and pray that when all of this horrible war is over, I’ll be coming home to you. But ahead of me lies a great deal of danger and life is not very highly valued.

“We will be going into a tremendous battle soon and we all know that many will not live through it. If this should reach you because I’ll not be home, you’ll know, my dears, that my love for you continues eter-

•

nally in whatever place in the universal realm our Lord has chosen to lead me. I do love you so, Cliffe. “

After Wolfe went missing, the family connected with a liaison officer in an attempt to locate his remains.

“My grandmother wrote 75 to 100 letters from 1945-52,” Miller said. “The military looked so hard for Cliffe and the other soldiers. We know they searched and searched and searched.”

After speaking with the DPAA, there could be another attempt next year to locate Wolfe.

“Hopefully in 2025 another search for his remains will take place together with the DPAA and he will be found,” van der Sterren said. “In letters to his mother during the war, he wrote that if he died during the war, he would like to be buried in his hometown.”

Along with Wolfe, van der Sterren, who is married and has two grown sons, adopted another soldier named Hans Bermayr, who was killed in action Feb. 26, 1945. His hometown was Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Van der Sterren does not want the members of the U.S. armed forces at the Netherlands American Cemetery to ever be forgotten.

For more information on the Netherlands American Cemetery, visit abmc.gov/ Netherlands.

“We won a lot of great matches, and I think it’s just that experience of going from one year to the next and the consistency of our lineup.”

More impressively, Kennedy was without her No. 1 singles player, senior Khyra Kimble, for the majority of the season.

Kimble was sidelined after having knee surgery, but returned the first week of May in efforts to help her team at the MAC Gold meet.

Tough as nails when it comes to being a competitor on the court, Kimble’s resiliency to return to the court spoke volumes to coach Kennedy and the rest of the team.

Kimble said she was nervous at first making the transition back, but seeing her teammates compete from the sidelines gave her a different outlook.

“I did gain a different perspective, and it made me see how easily you can see things that you don’t notice when you’re playing, yourself,” Kimble said.

Alongside Kimble, senior Julia Griest (No. 2 singles), junior Tanaysha Stamps (No. 3 singles), and junior Thao Nguyen (No. 4 singles) rounded out the singles flights.

Stamps and Nguyen both earned a league title in their respective flights, and both will headline the returning 2025 core for the Stallions.

Stamps, who went 10-1 this year, and Nguyen both saw significant improvements from their 2023 season, and Nguyen said trusting in her game more was the difference.

“I feel like I’ve improved a lot by learning and taking advantage of what I can do best instead of focusing on trying to achieve

difficult tricks that just seem cool,” Nguyen said. “As I’ve played singles for two years now, my first year consisted a lot of just trying to keep the ball in. Now that I’m in my second year, I’ve come to realize the advantages I have, especially as a left-handed player. For example, I started adopting a slice serve in my matches this year because it’s easier for left-handed players and trickier to receive.”

On the doubles side, junior Mirela Rovcanin and sophomore Lonna Phillips anchored doubles flight 1, sophomore Megan Xie and sophomore Tyresha Baetiong doubles flight 2, senior Jasmine Abuel and junior Pham Agar doubles 3, and senior Ujvesa Blakaj and senior Sama Khalid doubles flight 4 — all consistent contributors for the Stallions.

Sterling Heights ended its season May 15 in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 2 Regional 13 Championship at Grosse Pointe North High School. Against all odds and a region loaded with talent, Sterling Heights finished fifth in a field of 10 teams.

While the team is graduating a core group of seniors in the starting lineup this year, the sophomores and juniors are ready to take the next step with another year under their belt and to continue the success the Sterling Heights tennis program has achieved.

“It feels great to hold the title of league champions, especially two years in a row,” Nguyen said. “I hold a lot of pride knowing that not only the Sterling Heights tennis community, including our players, coaches and families, are getting the recognition they deserve for all their hard work and dedication that they’ve devoted to this sport, but recognition to the Sterling Heights athletics program overall as well.”

VB BTS II, LLC proposes the construction of a tower facility consisting of a 165’ monopole tower (Sterling Heights) located at 42°36’58.27” N & 83°0’2.26” W 12828 Canal Road, Sterling Heights, Michigan 48313. If you have any concerns regarding historic properties that may be affected by this proposed undertaking, please contact: Abby McKay, Lotis Environmental, LLC, at Legals@TheLotisGroup.com.

Published: Sterling Heights Sentry 05/22/2024

CITY OF STERLING HEIGHTS

NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE

ORDINANCE NO. 493

AN ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR THE GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS OF THE CITY, AND SETTING FORTH THE AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED TO DEFRAY THE EXPENDITURES AND SETTING FORTH A STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REVENUES, BY SOURCE, IN EACH FUND; TO ADOPT THE CITY’S BUDGETS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2024/25; TO ADOPT THE FEE SCHEDULE FOR PUBLIC RECORDS AND SERVICES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2024/25; AND TO ADOPT WATER AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL RATES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2024/25.

A copy of the ordinance can be inspected or obtained from the City Clerk’s Offce in City Hall, 40555 Utica Road, Sterling Heights, Michigan 48313, during normal business hours. BY ORDER OF CITY COUNCIL

ADOPTED: 05/07/2024

PUBLISHED: 05/22/2024

EFFECTIVE: 07/01/2024

Published: Sterling Heights Sentry 05/22/2024

STERLING HEIGHTS PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA FOR WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2024 MEETING TO BE HELD AT STERLING HEIGHTS CITY HALL 40555 UTICA ROAD

7:00 P.M.

AGENDA ITEMS:

1. CALL TO ORDER

2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

3. ROLL CALL

4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

5. CONSIDERATIONS

A. PSP24-0012 – Gator Jakes Nuisance Mitigation Plan

Request for a nuisance mitigation plan for an outdoor patio service area in a C-3 General Business District.

Property Address: 36863 Van Dyke Avenue

Location: West side of Van Dyke Avenue, south of Metropolitan Parkway

Current Zoning: C-3 General Business District and Van Dyke Mixed Use District

B. PPCM-1317 – CARSTAR of Sterling Heights

Request for a special approval land use which would allow storage containers as an accessory use for storage incidental to the primary use in an M-1 Light Industrial District.

Property Address: 6309 Fifteen Mile Road

Location: North side of Fifteen Mile Road, east of Mound Road

Current Zoning: M-1 Light Industrial District

C. PPCM-1318 – Falafel and Ambah

Request for a special approval land use to permit a restaurant in a C-1 Local Convenience Business District.

Property Address: 3538 Fifteen Mile Road

Location: South side of Fifteen Mile Road, west of Ryan Road

Current Zoning: C-1 Local Convenience Business District

D. PZ24-0002 – J & M Plaza

Request to amend an existing conditional rezoning agreement to remove the section prohibiting the opening of a restaurant, fruit market, meat market, or other use selling prepared food or beverages of any kind.

Property Address: 36833 Ryan Road

Location: West side of Ryan, south of Metropolitan Parkway

Current Zoning: C-1 Local Convenience Business District

E. PPUD24-0002– Chaldean Community Foundation

Request for a planned unit development which if granted would allow for one four-story mixed-use multi-family structure with 80 units.

Property Address: 43934 Van Dyke Avenue

Location: East side of Van Dyke Avenue, north of Utica Road

Current Zoning: RM-3 Multiple Family Mid- and High-Rise Districts

F. PZ24-0003 – Van Dyke Mixed Use District Ordinance Amendment

Proposed text amendment to Ordinance No. 278, Zoning Ordinance, Article 14A, to revise permissible, special approval land, and non-conforming uses for properties located within the Van Dyke Mixed Use District Overlay. The ordinance can be viewed at the Offce of Planning or in the upcoming meeting packet to be posted at the Agenda Center.

6. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. APRIL 24, 2024

NEXT MEETING DATE: June 26, 2024 (supplemental meeting), July 10, 2024 (regular

Jake Parcell, PhD

City Planner and City Development Manager

0159-2421

Veterans Thrift Store sales support Vets Returning Home

Resale shops serve a number of important purposes. They keep used but useful things out of landflls and ofer an afordable shopping solution for anyone living in an era of high infation.

The Veterans Thrift Store, on Gratiot Avenue in Roseville, also supports the Vets Returning Home nonproft and its noble mission of helping homeless veterans in crisis transition to stability.

Sandy Bower is the founder of the store. “I pay the bills, but all the profts go back to Vets Returning Home,” Bower said.

The main donation center for Vets Returning Home is located at 11 Mile Road and Gratiot, where the organization Vets Returning Home is located. Vets Returning Home is a 43-bed, 11,000 square foot facility with a full commercial kitchen, and ofers a variety of support options for veterans in need.

“When people drop of their donations, our veterans kind of pick through anything they want or need, and the overfow goes to the store where we sell it, and the profts from that help keep the lights on and make it possible to house our homeless veterans,” Bower said.

The store has very nice items for reasonable thrifty prices, it is clean, organized, and the staf is friendly. All of the sales go to support the best of causes: helping the veterans who served to protect us all when they need the help the most. “We have over 4,000 unique items. Probably my favorite space is what we call The Boutique.

It’s more upscale with designer, brand-new stuf. We have a man cave that also has a lot of cool stuf.”

You’ll fnd anything from electronics to tools,

garden items, books, albums, toys, clothing and shoes, jewelry and accessories, furniture, housewares, home decor, new mattresses, and bedding at the Veterans Thrift Store all from gently used to new.

The organization is also looking for businesses to host a collection bin. They are attractive, take up minimal space, and are emptied on a weekly basis. If they fll up before then, they have someone come out within 24 hours to empty them.

The Veterans Thrift Store is located at 29523 Gratiot Ave. Roseville, MI 48066.

Donation drop-ofs are received at Vets Returning Home located about a mile down from the store at 17955 E. 11 Mile Rd. Roseville, MI 48066

For more information, call (586) 285-5606 or go to vetsreturninghome.org

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Hauling & Waste Removal ***AAA HAULING*** JUNKREMOVAL Wehaulitall! DemolitionBig&Small Residential/Commercial RubberWheelDumpsters-10,15,20-Yards, Clean-outs,Construction Material,Small-Moving, Appliances,Furniture& More!LowestRates!!! Free-Estimates Senior/MilitaryDiscounts 586-360-0681 ucallwehauljunk.com

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**CLUTTERGUY'S** Removal-Experts Residential/Commercial Houses/Offices Garage/Storage-Areas EfficientCourteous Workers Reasonable-Rates Free-Estimates NEEDCLUTTER REMOVED? LETUSDOTHEWORK! 586-258-6672

Heating & Cooling

Kitchens/ Cabinets/ Countertops

MR.BACKSPLASH

·CUSTOM BACKSPLASHES

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*Granite*Quartz* ·CustomBathrooms ·TILEREPAIRS *FREEESTIMATES*

586-552-5416

mrbacksplash.com

Landscaping & Water Gardens

ALLTIMATE OUTDOOR SERVICES

DrainageSystem Professionals

New-Construction, Yard-Drainage,Grading, Sod/Seed,Retaining Walls/Walkways/Patios, Senior/Military-Discounts Credit-Cards-Accepted Free-Estimates 586-719-1202

DOLL'S

LANDSCAPING SPRINGCLEAN-UPS! Shrub&Tree-Trimming, Planting,Removal.Mulch

SodInstallation,Pavers, Garden/RetainerWalls, PorchSteps,Raise Backyards/DrainTiles, Powerwashing/Sealing, Powerrake,Aeration, Seeding,DebrisRemoval 586-634-0033

TOTALBRICKPAVING LANDSCAPINGPROS 586-420-3531

Brickpaving,Patio, Walkways,Driveways, Porches,Repairs, Powerwash,Rock Installation,Mulch,Sod, CompleteLandscape Design.

Painting PEAKPAINTING Custom-Painting, Commercial/Residential, Interior/Exterior. Drywall-Repair,Paper Removal,Carpentry. 30-yr.-exp.*WillBeat AnyOtherReasonable Estimate! Senior-Disc. Insured.Credit-Cards Accepted.References. 586-722-8381

NEBOPAINTING ServiceAllYearRound Interior/Exterior 15YearsExperience WeMakeIt EasierForYou, AllNeedsAreMet! Call 248-953-7807

VKPERFECTPAINTING

• Entry, Storm Doors, Patio Doors Installed/Serviced CALL JAMES THE DOORMAN at 586.215.8138 0096-2332

Gutters

A.M.G. Gutters&Downspouts.Owneroperated. Seamlessgutter installationandrepair specialist.Builders License#2101202369 www.amgapplied services.com FullyInsured 586-323-0755

SHORES METALWORKS SeamlessGutters Installed, FreeEstimates. Licensed&Insured. License#2101209190 586-343-2315

*”STEVE'S SEAMLESSGUTTERS” Made&installedonthe spot.5”&6”Gutter Cleaning.Treetrimming, exteriorpainting, powerwashing. 586-778-3393 586-531-2111

ELIMINATE gutter cleaningforever!LeafFilter,themostadvanced debris-blockinggutter protection.Schedulea FREELeafFilterestimate today.20%offEntire Purchase.Plus10%Senior&MilitaryDiscounts. Call1-866-495-1709

POWERWASHING GUTTER&WINDOW CLEANING Veteran/Firefighter Owned/Operated championwindow cleaning.net 248-765-0613

GUTTERS &WINDOW CLEANING INSURED TOMMICOLI 313-656-9402

AFFORDABLE HeatingandCooling Greg'sHeatingLLC Familyowned company 89$servicecall 79A/Ctuneup SeniorDiscounts 586-422-8528 Home Improvement STYLELINE REMODELING COMPLETE,QUALITY, CustomKitchenand BathroomRemodeling, Framing&Finish Carpentry, ReferencesAvailable SeniorDiscounts Call586-354-7549

586-610-1209

PaintingInterior/Exterior RemodelingKitchens, Bathrooms,Finish Basement,Tiles, Drywall,Repairs, RemoveWallpaper, RepairingandStaining Decks,Powerwashing. FreeEstimates. GOLDENBUILT CONSTRUCTION New-garages/additions &dormers,New-siding/ roofingandallrepairs, Interior/exterior-renovations,Supportingwallsremoved/rebuilt,Seamless gutters/downspouts, Concrete-sidewalks/ driveways/foundations. Licensed/Insured 586-948-4764

M.D.APro HomeImprovementLLC HardwoodFloors, FinishCarpentry,Tiles, Bath,PaintingInt/Ext. Plumbing,ElectricalRepairs,SidingandTrim. 30YearsExperience. 586-604-2524

Home Repairs

EXTERIOR REPAIRSLLC. Since1999 Roofing,Siding, GuttersandMore! Reliable Ask,WeMightDoIt! FREEESTIMATES 248-242-1511

Lawn Maintenance

2024SPRING 586-260-5218

2BROTHERS PAINTING CompleteInterior/Exterior WoodRepair, Powerwash, Free-Estimates CallFrank 248-303-5897 ReferencesAvailable

*N&J

Professional Painting Interior/Exterior, Residential/Commercial. Powerwashing,caulking, deckstaining,varnishing, wallpaperremoval. Drywallrepair/installation. Insured.Free-estimates. 586-489-7919

(586)229-4267

(586)795-8122

ChrisCronin Painting& StainingInc. Professionalquality. Interior-exterior. Power-washing, decksealing.Insured, References. Freeestimates. MC/VI/DC/AX accepted.

ANDERSON Painting&Carpentry CompleteInterior/Exterior Services.Plaster/Drywall &WaterDamageRepairs Wood-Staining.Wallpaper Removal.Kitchen/Cabinet Refinishing,Insured/References.Free-Estimates 586-354-3032 248-974-4012

•Guaranteed-Work.

Interior/Exterior Drywall,Plaster,Repair Free-Estimates DedicatedtoQuality 26YearsExperience CallBill 313-433-9400 586-746-9846 vkperfectpainting.com Plumbing MASTER PLUMBER Sewer&DrainService. Remodeling,Repairs, NewInstallations. FreeEstimates SeniorRates. 35+yrsexp.CallPaul 248-904-5822 Lic.#8109852

Kathryn and the Lonely Days Band

7-10 p.m. May 26, and Big B and The Actual Proof 7-10 p.m. May 27, also carnival and midway, Knights Park & Pavilion, 11541 21 Mile Road in Shelby Township, shelbytwp.org/our-township/summer

JUNE 4

Breakfast of Nations: Hear from Macomb County residents who immigrated and became successful in community, registration and food at 8 a.m., panel discussion at 8:30-10 a.m., Macomb Intermediate School District, 44001 Garfield Road in Clinton Township, (586) 7315400, info@connectmacomb.com, connectmacomb.com

JUNE 8-9

Selfridge Open House and Air Show: Featuring U.S. Air Force’s Thunderbirds flight team, U.S. Army’s Golden Knights parachute team, Royal Canadian Air Force’s CF-18 demonstration team, Misty Blues all-female parachute team, and Selfridge’s A-10 Thunderbolt II and KC-135 Stratotanker planes, plus historic and modern military vehicles on display, STEAM Expo, NASA trailer, Air Force’s mobile lab and more, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., 29080 Wilbur Wright Blvd. in Harrison Township, teamselfridge.com

JUNE 16

Vicki Lawrence & Mama: A Two-Woman Show: 3 p.m., Macomb Center for the Perfoming Arts on Macomb Community College - Center Campus, 44575 Garfield Road in Clinton Township, (586) 286-2222, macombarts@macomb.edu, macombcenter.com

ONGOING Farmers markets: 3-8 p.m. Thursdays June 6-Sept. 26 (except July 4 and 25), also food trucks, vendors and special events including Pride Night June 6, Juneteenth celebration June 13, Park It Family Fun and Movie in the Park (“Trolls Band Together”) June 27, Cool Car Rally July 11, Park It Family Fun and Movie in the Park (“Super Mario Bros. Movie”) Aug. 8, Pet Parade Sept. 5, Market Fit Sept. 12, Oktoberfest Sept. 19 and Touch A Truck Sept. 26, Dodge Park, 40620 Utica Road in Sterling Heights, sterling-heights.net/1236/Dodge-Park-Thursdays, weather hotline at (586) 446-2692

2 3 Create a CitySpark account

Landmark 1-4 p.m. every Wednesday and second Sunday of month, 40433 Dodge Park Road in Sterling Heights, (586) 446-2495, www. sterlingheights.gov/789/Upton-House-Museum

Dodge Park Splash Pad: Opens May 25, 40620 Utica Road in Sterling Heights, myshpr.net, (586) 446-2700

7 p.m. July 18, Rockstar (hair metal) at 7 p.m. Aug. 1, Planet of Fun (rock/ dance) at 7 p.m. Aug. 8, Your Generation (party band) at 7 p.m. Aug. 15, Family Tradition Band (country rock) at 7 p.m. Aug. 22, and Square Pegz (’80s) at 7 p.m. Aug. 29, Dodge Park, 40620 Utica Road in Sterling Heights, (586) 446-2700, facebook.com/dodgeparkthursdays, weather hotline at (586) 446-2692

Fun Time Cruzers: Weekly car shows, prizes, 50-50 and more, 4-8 p.m. every Monday through September, Lakeside Mall, 14000 Lakeside Circle in Sterling Heights, (586) 260-3459, funtimecruzers.com

Widowed Friends dancing: Every Tuesday, doors at 6 p.m. and music from 7-10:30 p.m., American Polish Century Club, 33204 Maple Lane in Sterling Heights, RSVP to Victoria at (586) 566-7936

Upton House Museum tours: Visit 1860s Michigan Historical

Northern Toastmasters: Meets 6:30 p.m. every second and fourth Monday of month, Leo’s Coney Island, 33577 Van Dyke Ave. in Sterling Heights, (248) 828-7481, samcrowl@comcast.net

Bereaved Parents of Macomb Support Group: Meets 7-9 p.m. every first Thursday of month, Washington Senior Center, 57880

Suspect vanishes after overpayment

GROSSE POINTE CITY — A 21-year-old Detroit man is being sought for the crime of larceny by conversion after he reportedly refused to return overpayment after he was accidentally overpaid by a business in the 600 block of St. Clair Avenue. According to a police report, the suspect was hired to work for $15 an hour at the business, but the payroll company administering the paychecks is said to have paid him $1,500 an hour instead, resulting in him receiving $16,000 for his first paycheck. The business owners called him to fix the error, but they said he stopped returning their calls and didn’t show up for work again. Police said the investigation was ongoing.

Suspects arrested in armed robbery

GROSSE POINTE CITY/PARK — A 22-year-old Detroit man and a 25-year-old Detroit man were arrested in Grosse Pointe Park May 3 after they were reportedly involved in the theft of multiple pieces of lawn equipment from landscaping trailers, including an armed robbery May 1 in Grosse Pointe City that resulted when a worker confronted one of the suspects in the act and the worker said the suspect pulled a gun on him. Police said the suspects committed several larcenies in Grosse Pointe City and Grosse Pointe Park before they were apprehended.

Cat held hostage

GROSSE POINTE PARK — A 62-year-old Grosse Pointe Park man was arrested April 30 after he reportedly found a cat that his neighbor owned and had reported missing, but he refused to return the cat. The suspect reportedly showed the victim that he had the missing feline but wouldn’t give it back. Police went to the suspect’s home but said he wouldn’t turn the cat over to them, either. The suspect was eventually persuaded to turn the cat over to an animal clinic, after which it was reunited with its owner. Police said the suspect was cited for larceny and disorderly conduct.

Sunglasses stolen

GROSSE POINTE WOODS — A woman in her late 20s to early 30s is accused of stealing a $405 pair of Prada sunglasses from a business in the 19000 block of Mack Avenue at around noon April 26. Employees told police the suspect has stolen from the store on three previous occasions.

Fraud reported ST. CLAIR SHORES — At 3:22 p.m. on April 26, a report was made about an alleged case of fraud that occurred on April 23 in the 22000 block of Revere Street. The victim, a 69-year-old woman, came into the

police station and stated she was defrauded out of $4,000 dollars. She contacted a number on her TV screen who she thought was Hulu. She was reportedly instructed to buy gift cards worth approximately $4,000.

Once the woman had the gift cards, the suspect stated they needed to prove who she was and the woman allowed them to access her phone via an app they told her to download. They helped the woman to create an Apple Pay account where more money was transferred through Zelle.

Police subdue blade wielder outside Fuddruckers

STERLING HEIGHTS — Police said they went to Fuddruckers, 40955 Van Dyke Ave., April 19 after hearing that someone with a hatchet or ax was acting disorderly.

Police said they found the man outside and confronted him, but he allegedly did not follow multiple orders to drop his weapon. The suspect also threatened to harm others and himself, police said.

Police said they subdued the man with a “lessthan-lethal weapon” and then apprehended him.

The Sterling Heights Police Department praised the officers’ performance in a Facebook post.

“The individual who was clearly suffering from mental illness was transported to the hospital for a mental petition,” the department said.

Man evicted from market for insulting, swearing at woman

STERLING HEIGHTS — Police went to a supermarket in the 43000 block of Schoenherr Road April 19 upon hearing that a man allegedly swore at a woman without cause. The man then reportedly followed the woman down an aisle and insulted her and called her an evil woman.

Police said they found the man after he left the store, and he allegedly confirmed that he had used bad language and had a temper. Police said they told the man he couldn’t come back to the store, upon the manager’s request.

Assault reported

STERLING HEIGHTS — A witness told police that a “grown man” punched a female victim and grabbed her by her hair April 20 at a gas station in the 36000 block of Van Dyke Avenue, near Metropolitan Parkway.

Police said the witness thought the female victim didn’t appear to need medical treatment, and she left in a vehicle onto Van Dyke Avenue. The witness reportedly added that she didn’t know whether the suspect had entered a vehicle.

Police said they couldn’t find the suspect when they arrived.