Voters to decide fate of ‘Pathway’ millage proposal

STERLING HEIGHTS — There’s an electoral fork in the road approaching. It’ll soon be up to Sterling Heights voters to decide which pathway to take regarding a ballot millage proposal that city officials say promises to promote recreation, sustainability and other city priorities.

The ballot proposal, which the city calls the “Pathway to Play and Preservation,” is a 0.95-mill levy that would last 15 years if approved. In total, the millage proposal expects to raise around $92 million.

City officials say the new plan would bring the city’s Visioning 2040 goals closer to fruition. The goals include:

Nature preserve path: A new, natural pathway would grant more accessible public access inside the Sterling Heights Nature Preserve, located in the city’s northwest. The estimated cost is $4.7 million.

Rotary Park improvements: Rotary Park would gain new amenities including the installation of a canoe and kayak livery, two soccer fields, a basketball court, a boardwalk, and a historical tribute to Sterling Township’s early 20th century Belvedere Park. The estimated cost is $11.8 million.

Red Run Park: A new Red Run Park near Moravian Drive and Schoenherr Road could gain pickleball courts, a dog park, a mini automated satellite library and more. The estimated cost is $5.2 million.

Pickleball complex: A new building will house indoor pickleball courts. The estimated cost is $15.8 million.

Sidewalks: Officials said the proposal would fund new sidewalks and replace the special assessment system that currently bills property owners. The estimated cost is $27.2 million.

Open space preservation: The creation of a new city land bank could let the city acquire land parcels for green spaces or for recreational uses. The estimated cost is $18.2 million.

Trees: The city would plant around 15,000 street trees to build up its tree canopy. The estimated cost is $9.1 million.

At an Oct. 15 Sterling Heights City Council meeting, Sterling Heights Councilman Michael Radtke urged residents to do their research and get behind the millage effort.

“This is the last meeting before the upcoming election, so I just want residents to make sure they read their information about the upcoming millage, see the benefits and hopefully join me in supporting it,” Radtke said.

Council members Deanna Koski and Henry Yanez have spoken in opposition to the millage proposal during previous council meetings. At the Oct. 15 meeting, Koski said she remembers when the nature preserve was created and added that it was meant to be a green space and a haven for animals driven out of their habitats. She said there was no intention of putting paths in that area.

“The idea was to keep it nature, the way nature made it,” she said.

The city’s website has a special millage cost calculator where residents may enter their home’s taxable value and learn how much extra they’d pay per year if the millage succeeds. This calculator may be accessed by visiting bit.ly/3Y0hnDY.

Learn more about the millage proposal by visiting sterlingheights.gov/pathway.