Livonia News 9/26/2026

The Planning Commission tables draft rules for data centers after more than 25 residents speak, most urging tougher limits, and recommends a Brome Modern Eatery on Haggerty Road. The mayor's proposed $235 million budget trims the city tax rate slightly ahead of an Oct. 5 hearing. Schoolcraft College holds a job fair Monday, Sept. 28, and the Friends of the Livonia Library book sale opens Thursday, Oct. 1. Rain arrives Wednesday, Sept. 30. Comments are open below.

The Weather: Dry and Near 78 Early, Then Rain From Wednesday

Monday, Sept. 28, and Tuesday, Sept. 29, are the week's warmest days at 78°. Sunday through Tuesday are dry. Rain arrives Wednesday, Sept. 30 (0.31 inches), with drizzle Thursday, Oct. 1 (0.28 inches). Friday, Oct. 2, brings the heaviest rain, 1.32 inches on a 43% chance, and Saturday, Oct. 3, adds 0.57 inches. Highs fall to 64° Thursday and Friday.

The News

Planning Commission tables data center rules after long public hearing

The Livonia City Planning Commission voted 6-0 on Tuesday, Sept. 22, to table draft zoning rules for data centers and send them back to staff for revisions, after a discussion of nearly two hours that included about 40 minutes of public comment. More than 25 people spoke; most urged tougher limits on noise, water use and electric demand, and several called for keeping data centers out of Livonia entirely. The draft, written by the Planning, Law and Public Works departments at City Council's request, would allow stand-alone data centers only in the M-2 heavy-industrial district, as a waiver use requiring public hearings before both the commission and Council. It would require a 1,000-foot separation from residential land for facilities over 100,000 square feet or 15 megawatts and 300 feet for smaller ones, along with closed-loop cooling, third-party sound studies and a decommissioning plan backed by a financial guarantee.

Chairman Ian Wilshaw said, “Livonia has not received any requests to build a dedicated-use data center at this time.” City Attorney Eric S. Goldstein said an outright ban would invite a lawsuit the city would likely lose. The public hearing is closed, so the revised draft returns as pending business with commissioner discussion only before a recommendation goes to Council, which will hold its own hearings. A separate proposal letting Council impose temporary moratoriums on new land uses was pulled from the agenda because it was not properly published and will return at a future meeting.

Earlier in the meeting, the commission voted 5-1, with Secretary Sam Caramagno opposed, to recommend that City Council approve a waiver use letting Brome Modern Eatery convert the former PNC Bank branch at 19450 Haggerty Road into a full-service restaurant with 64 indoor seats and a 40-seat patio. Among 12 conditions, the restaurant may not open until construction begins on enclosing the old bank's drive-through canopy. Commissioner Glen Long was absent. Vote counts are from Livonia Thrive's coverage of the meeting; the commission's official minutes are posted after approval at its next meeting.

Source: Livonia Thrive, September 24, 2026 (Planning Commission meeting of September 22)

Mayor proposes $235 million budget with slightly lower city tax rate

Mayor Maureen Miller Brosnan sent City Council her proposed budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, which runs Dec. 1, 2026, to Nov. 30, 2027, on Sept. 15. It totals about $235 million across all city funds. The General Fund, which pays for police, fire and city offices, is $77.8 million, up about 1%. The proposed city tax rate is 13.6841 mills, slightly below last year's 13.7134, or about $1,368 a year to the city on a home with $100,000 of taxable value; the decrease comes from the Headlee Amendment's automatic rollback. Police and fire together account for nearly 63% of General Fund spending.

The plan includes $15.3 million for road work, $6.8 million in building repairs and improvements, including $1.5 million to demolish the old courthouse and senior center, and a 4.5% cost-of-living raise for all employees. It also funds a $2.7 million repair of the city landfill's leaking membrane and gas containment system. State revenue sharing is down $866,000. Departments requested $80.7 million in equipment and projects; the budget recommends $43.3 million. City Council holds a public hearing on the budget Monday, Oct. 5.

Source: Livonia Thrive, September 25, 2026, from the City of Livonia proposed 2026-27 budget

Schoolcraft College hosts Biztech Job Fair Monday, Sept. 28

The Schoolcraft College Career Center holds its Biztech Job Fair Monday, Sept. 28, in the Vistatech Center on the college's main campus, 18600 Haggerty Road. Employers from information technology, business, supply chain, accounting and other fields will take part. The fair is free and open to the public, and the college's required dress code is business attire. A Career Pathways & Transfer Fair, connecting students with four-year institutions, follows Wednesday, Nov. 4, in the same building.

“Whether students are looking to launch their careers or continue their education, these two events will give them an opportunity to connect directly with employers and four-year institutions to explore their next chapter,” said Sharon Christian, director of career mentorship and placement. The Career Center, in Jeffress Center Suite 202, helps with resumes, cover letters, interview skills and LinkedIn profiles, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The college's announcement does not give the fair's hours.

Source: Schoolcraft College, September 21, 2026

Friends of the Livonia Library hold fall used book sale Oct. 1-4

The Friends of the Livonia Library hold their used book sale, their largest of the year, Thursday, Oct. 1, through Sunday, Oct. 4, at the Bennett Civic Center Library, 32777 Five Mile. Friends members and teachers with ID can shop a pre-sale 4:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1; memberships are available at the door. The sale runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, and Saturday, Oct. 3. From 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, shoppers can fill a bag for $5, and books in the special room are half off.

Source: The Detroit News (Jeanine Matlow), September 25, 2026

Livonia lays out voting options ahead of Nov. 3 election

The City of Livonia is urging residents to plan how they will vote in the Nov. 3 election. Absentee voting is available without a reason; the city encourages voters to apply early and return ballots by mail or at one of the city's secure drop boxes. Early in-person voting runs Oct. 24 through Nov. 1 at City Hall, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, polls at each voter's assigned precinct are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Polling locations and other election information are posted at VoteLivonia.gov.

Source: City of Livonia, September 22, 2026

Metro Detroit

Most Archdiocese of Detroit priests will move to new parishes

Most of the Archdiocese of Detroit's 483 current priests will be reassigned to a new parish under the archdiocese's restructuring, which involves “a large-scale movement of priests, with limited exceptions,” Holly Fournier, associate director of communications for the archdiocese, told The Detroit News in a Sept. 24 email. The archdiocese lists 483 priests among 209 parishes in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, St. Clair and Lapeer counties. The restructuring groups existing parishes into “pastorates,” each led by one pastor, with most also assigned one or more parochial vicars.

In a message sent to parishes for their weekly bulletins, the archdiocese said dioceses that had gone through similar restructurings consistently recommended that all priests move, and that keeping longtime priests in place could make it harder for a new pastor to lead a combined pastorate. Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger and a Priest Missioning Team will decide each assignment, drawing on a survey every priest completed after the restructuring was announced in November 2025. New assignments are expected to be shared in parishes and posted on the archdiocese's website the weekend of April 17-18, 2027, and take effect July 1, 2027, with implementation continuing into July 2028. Weisenburger plans to release a video about the reassignments in mid-October.

Source: The Detroit News, September 25, 2026

Event details and times can change. Confirm with each venue before heading out.