The City of Northville is seeking proposals from qualified consultants to conduct a Green Ordinance Audit to examine its codes, policies and operational processes and determine where barriers exist to the protection of waterways and use of green infrastructure practices. Assistance with prioritizing the recommended code revisions and amendments is also requested.
The City of Northville is located in both Wayne County and Oakland County in the State of Michigan. The City is two (2) square miles in size and is situated in the headwaters of the Middle Branch of the Rouge River watershed. In its earliest days, the City was a lumber and manufacturing powerhouse due to its ability to harness the waterpower of its rivers. Over time, industrial usage took its toll on the waterways. Northville is poised to reverse these negative impacts and restore its rivers and riverbanks to their natural condition.
The protection of water resources and the use Low Impact Development (LID) Practices, including green infrastructure practices, to protect those resources are part of the City of Northville’s vision, which is further articulated in both the City’s River Restoration and Riverwalk Framework Plan, and the Sustainability Plan. In addition, average annual precipitation continues to increase, which poses flooding risks to both Northville and downstream communities. Integrating water quality and watershed health with the City’s plans for growth and development is vital to ensuring a sustainable community that will benefit current and future generations.
To ensure that the City of Northville’s goals are attainable, rather than merely aspirational, specific codes, policies and processes need to be examined. While some aspects of stormwater management are codified at the County levels, the City needs to assess whether specific local regulations are supportive, prohibitive, ambiguous, or absent regarding the use of LID practices.
