Title
The Board of Water Commissioners for the City of Detroit, Water and Sewerage Department authorizes the Director to acquire the properties listed in the attached Exhibit A as a part of the Brightmoor Stormwater Improvement Project - Acquisition plan included in the Capital Budget, and also authorizes the Director to take such other action as may be necessary to accomplish the intent of this vote.
Body
Agenda of July 17, 2025
Item No. 2025-164
Project Length: Indefinite
Amount: N/A
TO: The Honorable
Board of Water Commissioners
City of Detroit, Michigan
FROM: Samuel Smalley, Deputy Director
Detroit Water and Sewerage Department
RE: Approval of Acquisition of Property for the Brightmoor Stormwater Improvement Project
MOTION:
Upon recommendation of the Deputy Director of the Board of Water Commissioners for the City of Detroit (“the BOWC”), the BOWC authorizes the Director to acquire the properties listed in the attached Exhibit A as a part of the Brightmoor Stormwater Improvement Project - Acquisition plan included in the DWSD Capital Budget, and also authorizes the Director to take such other action as may be necessary to accomplish the intent of this vote.
BACKGROUND:
The Detroit Water & Sewerage Department (DWSD) would like to acquire 102 Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA) parcels and 62 privately owned parcels (amongst an estimated 18 owners) for the Brightmoor Stormwater Improvement Project. In the last 10 years, DWSD has studied the Brightmoor area and conducted an engineering analysis to determine the feasibility of a large-scale green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) project in the Brightmoor neighborhood and has determined the optimal location and size for a GSI project in the area. GSI is a cost-effective way to manage stormwater to enhance our combined sewer system which is being challenged by more intense, frequent rainstorms that could result in city-wide flooding.
Project Details
DWSD is constructing a large-scale GSI project in the Brightmoor neighborhood to manage stormwater. The project includes installing an underground network of storm sewers which will capture stormwater (rainfall and snowmelt) from catch basins and direct it to a bioretention pond. Based on the typography of the area, proximity to the Rouge River, and the density of DLBA parcels, the pond area will be between Outer Drive (north) and Lyndon (south) from Outer Drive (west) to Bentler (east). This area of the Brightmoor neighborhood includes historic streambeds and is currently visibly a low-lying area, requiring less excavation and engineering by DWSD to convey and temporarily hold stormwater.
Funding
Phase I of the project is funded by $25M of the $346M 2023 HUD CDBG-DR allocation which was approved by the Detroit City Council. Phase I includes installing the first portion of the storm sewer network, the pond, and the outfall at the Rouge River. DWSD is seeking additional grant funding for Phase II of the project which includes installing the larger network of storm sewers to enhance the capacity of our combined sewer system.
Property Acquisition
The project area includes 102 DLBA parcels and 62 privately owned parcels. The privately owned parcels include 13 houses, 3 urban farms, and 12 vacant parcels, amongst 18 different owners. DWSD has been meeting with property owners since December 2023 regarding the property acquisition process. DWSD has contracted the Detroit Building Authority (DBA) and Zausmer to assist with the property acquisition process.
Per our agreement, the Detroit Building Authority (DBA) will conduct appraisals, pull title work, meet with property owners, prepare acquisition packages, and ensure the relocation assistance process is abiding by Uniform Relocation Act (URA) guidelines. Zausmer, a Michigan law firm, will lead the strategy for the property acquisition process, review title work, create purchase agreements and other legal documentation, ensure that the acquisition process is URA and HUD compliant, and extinguish title histories.
Once appraisals are finalized, DWSD will submit good faith offers and purchase agreements to owners at the end of July with the expectation of closings in August through November. Once the properties are acquired by DWSD, they will be secured until an environmental assessment is approved and the properties can be demolished in anticipation of project construction in 2026.