Adult Piano Class For active retirees who have always wanted to play the piano! 10 WEEK BEGINNER CLASS
MARCH 22, 2023 Vol. 21, No. 6 candgnews.com
$99
Includes a free loaner instrument!
MOMS ADVOCATE FOR CLEANER AIR
Negotiations on parking changes in Royal Oak continue
MUSIC
BLOOMFIELD 248.334.0566 SHELBY 586.726.6570
Class size is limited
0094-2302
Royal Oak DDA getting feedback for Fifth Avenue plaza
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2/23/22 2:26 PM
BY MIKE KOURY
mkoury@candgnews.com
ROYAL OAK — Back in February, the Royal Oak City Commission directed the city administration to continue work with Municipal Parking Services on changes that could be made to the downtown’s parking network. The city has heard complaints and feedback from residents, business owners and visitors to Royal Oak about the city’s parking system. According to City Manager Paul Brake, many of the complaints revolved around tickets given for violating a five-minute grace period and a two-hour time limit at parking meters. At its March 13 meeting, the commission gave an update on its parking situation, stating that negotiations with MPS are ongoing. “We’ve been working urgently and aggressively with MPS,” Mayor Michael Fournier said. “(We’re) really conveying to them the expectations and needs of our city, and I believe we’re at a point now where we have an understanding that the system, as is, is not working and we need to make some significant changes, and both parties agree at this point that those changes are going to be made.” “Some of those changes are dealing with the city’s ability to have more control over our policies, such as grace periods and the length of parking,” he said. “We do not want to be encumbered by a contract. We want to have the flexibility and ability to make those changes as we see fit.”
ENROLL TODAY!
BY MIKE KOURY mkoury@candgnews.com
While no changes are official yet, improvements discussed in the past to the parking system include an increase in the on-street parking time limit to three hours and an extended grace period. Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
See PARKING on page 7A
ROYAL OAK — The Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority is looking to make a big change to a section of its downtown. Last year, The DDA approved the beginning of a design process for a plaza that would be located at Fifth Avenue from Center Street to Lafayette Avenue. The beginning of that design process began on March 20, which occurred after the Royal Oak Review went to press. This included meetings with property owners, businesses and a public forum with residents to gather information and feedback on potential plans. The DDA stated in a press release that “landscaping, decorative paving, lighting, public art, green infrastructure and street furniture will be incorporated into the space.” Downtown Manager Daniel Hill said, from those meetings, engineering firm Fleis & VandenBrink will create See PLAZA on page 16A
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