Royal Oak Twp Insolvent- Possible Annexation

[Lowell]

In my three decades in Highland Park, as it slowly slid downhill, the proposal that it be annexed by Detroit was often put to me. "Hell no," I would say, "We want to be annexed by Grosse Pointe Shores or West Bloomfield."

Sorry but this isn't about black and white at that level. It's about green. All about green. And for that reason RO Township and Highland Park will be left on their own. No municipality will be willing to assume their liabilities. However Highland Park with its central location, quality architecture and ownership of its own water system has some attractions.

ROT has none of those and, well, it's acronym spells its future, unless the state finally gets some leadership that realizes that we are only as good as the least of us are. Frankly I think they are smart to get to the front of the municipal insolvency line. Get what support remains before all the others come rattling their beggar cups.

[Augustiner]

No problem. We all have our biases. I too am guilty.

That reminds me of a song.

[DC48080]

wow, I didnt know Highland Park had its own water system. I knew Wynadotte does and the Ford Rouge plant. What other metro Detroit cities have their own water systems?

Grosse Pointe Farms, Mount Clemens. Actually, G. P. Farms and Highland Park share the same intake pipe from Lake St. Clair.

[R8RBOB]

yeah not too many murders...
http://www.dailytribune.com/articles...9296172519.txt
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/g...&Ref=PH&Params=

So what's your point? That Royal Oak Township leads the county in murder?

[Danny]

This is terrible fate for Royal Oak TWP. They have lost its immunity under the State Boundry Commission's requirement to finance its police, fire and water sewage control. R.O.T. is dead broke and its Oak Park and Fendale can annex what's left of the TWP. The just going to have to deal with the small historically black community there.

[Baselinepunk]

FWIW -- We [[Ferndale) already cover fire services for our neighbors in Royal Oak Twp. Yes, there is a lot of chit chat about in Ferndale about not having anything to do with "The Township", there was even a big hub bub about providing fire services because of the fear of potential sue happy situations.

IMHO -- A bunch of people in this city would shit there pants if Ferndale annexed Royal Oak Twp. At this point in time, we've got a lot of BS going on with the city's financial situation, annexing "The Township" would be a gas can issue that would be counter-productive at the moment. Perhaps when things get sorted out with the money, then we can talk about annexing.

[Chris Rohn]

Annex it. Split it between Oak Park and Ferndale at the school district border. Put the township out of its misery.

[rb336]

Detroit could have a "toe hold" in Oakland county. It would be fun just to see how red L.Brooks Patterson would get. Hell, he might just have a stroke over the very idea.

That would be fun to watch

[professorscott]

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I think in order for a city to annex a township, the city at least has to want to do it. I'm not aware of any political leader in Ferndale, Oak Park or Detroit who has come out in favor of annexing.

Unless the laws change, RO Twp has to kind of tough it out for itself.

[jtf1972]

Grosse Pointe Farms, Mount Clemens. Actually, G. P. Farms and Highland Park share the same intake pipe from Lake St. Clair.

I bet it passes thru Detroit though!

[Hermod]

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I think in order for a city to annex a township, the city at least has to want to do it. I'm not aware of any political leader in Ferndale, Oak Park or Detroit who has come out in favor of annexing.

Unless the laws change, RO Twp has to kind of tough it out for itself.

I do not know if the state legislature could force an annexation through by law or if it would require a change to the state constitution.

I wonder how many other "orphaned townships" exist in Michigan [[where so much of the township is in incorporated cities that the rump of the township is not economically viable)?

Looking at county maps in SE Michigan it would appear that the only townships which have lost more than half of their land to city incorporation are Royal Oak Twp, Redford Twp, and possibly the tiny sliver of Wayne County down by Gibraltar and Rockwood. How viable is Redford Twp?

[Melocoton]

I get the "Detroit stare" when driving through. People rarely wave or smile when I walk down the streets in the summer. I get the feeling that a "siege" mentality is around. I do alot of walking in the good weather. 10-15 miles at a time. I usually start around 7 mile/Lasher and head east along eight mile. Attitudes change dramatically across city borders.

Maybe you should try waving or smiling first, instead of looking scared or suspicious like I imagine you do.

[Novine]

"I do not know if the state legislature could force an annexation through by law or if it would require a change to the state constitution."

The state legislature can generally do as it pleases with city and township boundaries. It could consolidate all Oakland County cities and townships into one city. Not that it would ever happen politically but there's no legal impediment to that. The problem with Royal Oak Township is that the state legislature would have to craft a law that would apply only to ROT but without saying so. The legislature isn't allowed to pass "special acts" that only apply to one community as was the practice back in the 1800s.

"I wonder how many other "orphaned townships" exist in Michigan [[where so much of the township is in incorporated cities that the rump of the township is not economically viable)?"

Novi Township is an "orphaned township" with only 60 acres and 120 residents. But because its residents are relatively well to-do and can afford to contract for some basic services, it continues to exist.

"Looking at county maps in SE Michigan it would appear that the only townships which have lost more than half of their land to city incorporation are Royal Oak Twp, Redford Twp, and possibly the tiny sliver of Wayne County down by Gibraltar and Rockwood. How viable is Redford Twp?"

Redford is facing the same budget challenges as any other inner-ring suburb. In urban areas, there's very little difference in services between townships and cities. Size is less an issue than the ability of the township to match revenue to service demand.

In SE Michigan, Southfield Township is less than one-half of its size but almost the entire township is part of an incorporated village [[Franklin, Bingham Farms and Beverly Hills). Bloomfield Township has lost portions of the township to Pontiac, Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills but it's still very viable. Brownstown in southern Wayne County is actually split into three separate pieces but it's healthy. Ann Arbor Township has lost at least half of its area to the city of Ann Arbor but the remainder of the Township is split between agricultural areas balanced by the tax base of Domino Farms and the Toyota Tech Center so it's managed to survive OK. The incorporation of Grosse Pointe Shores as a city eliminated two "orphan townships".

[ConantNHolbrook]

I lived in RO Townhip until about 8 years ago. Tightly knit community, multi- generational, and extremely safe. And In the interest of full disclosure, I'm a white guy. The economics of the situation will probably spell it's demise, but it will be sad to lose such an enclave of community. Sometimes the poorest, smallest municipalities exemplify some of the 'urban values' that get bandied about. It has nothing to do with walkability or any other buzzword at a certain point.

[luckycar]

Half of the "township" kids attended Oak Park schools,half Ferndale.This was from 7th grade and up.This was back in the 60s and 70s,don't know about today.This is why our old yearbooks were not all white.Oak Park became the first suburb of choice when blacks voted with their feet in the 70s.

[DetroitDad]

I like the idea of dividing it up based on profitability. 1/3 go to one suburb, 1/3 going to another suburb, while the problem section goes to Detroit, just like problems are always divided up in Metro Detroit.

Har har har!

[RickBeall]

Cool "Time" article from the past JohnLodge!

[Zacha341]

Excellent points....

In my three decades in Highland Park, as it slowly slid downhill, the proposal that it be annexed by Detroit was often put to me. "Hell no," I would say, "We want to be annexed by Grosse Pointe Shores or West Bloomfield."

Sorry but this isn't about black and white at that level. It's about green. All about green. And for that reason RO Township and Highland Park will be left on their own. No municipality will be willing to assume their liabilities. However Highland Park with its central location, quality architecture and ownership of its own water system has some attractions.

ROT has none of those and, well, it's acronym spells its future, unless the state finally gets some leadership that realizes that we are only as good as the least of us are. Frankly I think they are smart to get to the front of the municipal insolvency line. Get what support remains before all the others come rattling their beggar cups.

[Lowell]

I lived in RO Townhip until about 8 years ago. Tightly knit community, multi- generational, and extremely safe. And In the interest of full disclosure, I'm a white guy. The economics of the situation will probably spell it's demise, but it will be sad to lose such an enclave of community. Sometimes the poorest, smallest municipalities exemplify some of the 'urban values' that get bandied about. It has nothing to do with walkability or any other buzzword at a certain point.

Wise observation ConantNHolbrook. Those are the invisible aspects that don't get seen in a drive-by. That 'gang' of kids many assume to be up to no good are more often the nicest kids you would ever meet, if you had the chance. Our Highland Park neighborhood was [and still is] similarly tight-knit. Kids got watched over more than elsewhere, neighbors cover for each other. In the end, if you neighbors suck it doesn't matter where you live, it will be hellish.