Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Council Approves Planning Commission/DDA Re-Appointments

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 734.422.1230

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

Council Approves Planning/ DDA Commission Re-Appointments

Westland, MI (February 18, 2020) - On Tuesday, February 18, 2020 the Westland City Council confirmed the re-appointment of Debra Fowlkes to the Westland Planning Commission for a three year term, expiring on February 18, 2023 and the re-appointment of Sharon Scott to the Westland Downtown Development (DDA) for a four year term, expiring on Febraury 23, 2024.

Debra is a longtime resident of Westland. She has served on the Planning Commission since May 2015. She has previously served on the Police and Fire Civil Service Commission. She is the former President of the Wayne-Westland Community Schools Board of Education.

The Planning Commission is governed by a nine (9) member board appointed by the Mayor and subject to confirmation of City Council. Members serve three (3) year terms. Members must reside, work or have ownership interest in property in the City of Westland. The Planning Commission reviews and recommends to City Council all applications for amendments to the Zoning Ordinance or zoning map, applications for special land uses, site plan approvals. and planned unit developments. Meetings are scheduled for the first Tuesday of the Month at 6:30 p.m., at City Hall, 36300 Warren Rd.

Sharon is a longtime Westland resident and has served on the DDA since 2004. She serves as Treasurer on the Wayne County Community College District Board of Trustees. She has previously served on The Wayne-Westland Board of Education, Westland City Council member, Wayne-Westland Credit Union Supervisory Board and the Wayne High Alumni Association Board.

The DDA is governed by an eleven (11) member board appointed by the Mayor and subject to the approval of the City Council. The Downtown Development Authority implements an improvement and business development plan in a commercial district along Ford Road and Wayne Road south of Ford and they help firms by providing design assistance for redevelopment of commercial properties. Regularly scheduled board meetings take place the 4th Thursday of every month at 8:00 a.m. at City Hall, located at 36300 Warren Rd and are open to the public.

"Debra and Sharon have worked hard on their respective boards and commissions during their previous terms and I look forward to continuing to work with them throughout their upcoming terms," commented Mayor Wild. "I am pleased to support their re-appointment and welcome their continued service and commitment to the community."

For more information, please call the Mayor's Office at (734)467-3200

Westland, Michigan is the state's 10th largest municipality, with a population of over 84,000 people who exhibit a great deal of pride in their All-American City. Westland has a thriving business community along with beautiful residential areas. The citizens enjoy a wide array of amenities and a quality of life that is second to none.

In 2014, Westland was rated as one of 24/7 Wall Street's America's Best 50 Cities to Live, offering residents and visitors an ideal blend of single-family affordable homes, apartments and condominiums, great schools, and access to numerous outdoor activities. Public safety is delivered by full-service, professional law enforcement and firefighting personnel. Westland Police Department, whose motto is protect and serve, provides emergency dispatch services to four cities and over 100,000 residents; the Westland Fire Department are licensed paramedics who responded to over 9,000 calls for service last year, about 85% being medical based. They never forget their mission of preserving life and property.

Westland is well-known as the premier destination for shopping and dining in Wayne County with hundreds of shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, one of the country's original four regional malls.

The City is served by two public school districts; Wayne-Westland Community Schools serving 12,000 youth was recently named one of the Best School in Michigan by WXYZ-TV and is the proud recipient of 14 Golden Apple and two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards. Livonia Public Schools, educating nearly 15,000 students, is proud of their MEAP/MME scores that exceed state averages and the District has also earned Golden Apple and Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards.

The City provides competitive incentives for those who are interested in investing in Westland, making it one of the hottest investment markets in the region. Our Fast-Track to Business Team, which consists of key decision makers who work diligently on a development plan will "cut the red tape" and expedite the approval process for new business development.