Dearborn's South, East End Residents Debate New Master Plan

Residents from Dearborn’s south and east ends met Wednesday night at the , calling for additional greenery, city services and shopping options in the first neighborhood breakout session of the city’s master plan meetings.

Around 15 Dearbornites gathered to hear a presentation by Amy Chesnut of McKenna Associates, the firm hired to facilitate revisions to the city’s master plan this year. It was the focusing on specific geographic sectors in Dearborn.

Wednesday night’s meeting was designed for residents of Fordson East, Fordson West, Springwells and Salina to voice their opinions on each individual neighborhood. And as Chesnut said, breaking Dearborn into smaller geographic areas not only simplifies the planning process, but also directs attention toward individual residents’ wants and needs.

“What happens in your immediate area definitely impacts your quality of life,” she said.

After Chesnut’s presentation, residents voiced community desires ranging from better landscaping to an east end supermarket to improved enforcement of city ordinances.

Nearly all present expressed an interest in maintaining and improving Dearborn’s police and fire departments and park systems, citing them as two of the city’s main selling points.

“That’s what draws people to the city,” resident Helene MacMillan said during the meeting’s discussion period.

Although consensus was reached on public safety, increased shopping options and distaste for commercial vehicles parking in residential areas, there was some debate regarding rental housing.

While a few residents shared concerns regarding the prevalence of long-term renting, Frank Bechard, an east end landlord who said he has lived in Dearborn for more than 50 years, thinks increased renting is merely a response to the economic climate.

“What’s happening is the income is going down,” he said. “No one is going to be able to afford down payments.” 

Bechard added that east Dearborn’s gradual conversion of two-family flats to one-family homes could scare away the city’s future–its youth.

“We don’t have any choices for young people but rent,” Bechard said. “(Renting) is good for business. It’s good for schools. It’s good for the community.”

McKenna Associates will organize community responses from breakout meetings such as the one held Wednesday to revise the master plan by early 2012, according to Chesnut.

The two remaining neighborhood meetings will be held Aug. 3 and Aug. 17. The first will target Princeton-Carlysle and Edison-Snow residents, and the second Cherry Hill, Fairlane and West Dearborn Center residents.

For Dearbornites like Maureen Madaffer, the decision to attend Wednesday night’s meeting and have a say in the city’s future was a simple one.

“I really love the city I live in,” she said. “I know things aren’t going to go back to the way they were. But once you get used to Dearborn, you really don’t want to leave.” 

Follow Dearborn Patch for continued coverage of the city’s master plan revisions.