Visioning Session

On April 24, 2001, the City of Novi hosted a meeting, at which approximately fifteen individuals representing various interests, organizations, and businesses in the community discussed the future of the Novi Road Corridor study area. The participants completed a brief survey regarding the vehicular traffic, design character, commercial development, and pedestrian focus of the Novi Road Corridor. Participants were also divided into three groups and asked to organize their discussion and come to a consensus about the following three topics / questions:

• For the segment north of Ten Mile Road, what development and land use pattern would be the most desirable?

• The intersections of Novi Road & Ten Mile Road and Novi Road & Nine Mile Road are highly visible focal points in the City. What improvements should be made to enhance the appearance of these intersections?

• What improvements to the entire Novi Road Corridor should be made to enhance the appearance, function, and overall quality of the Corridor?

Results of both the survey and the group discussions indicated support of the following:

• The segment of Novi Road north of Ten Mile should primarily be developed and/or redeveloped with light industrial and office uses.

• Overall traffic flow and circulation within the Corridor is generally below average and needs to be improved. Widening Novi Road to five lanes south of Ten Mile Road is a top priority among the Visioning participants and should be considered.

• Woodlands and wetlands within the Corridor must be preserved. Where possible, these features should be enhanced to create visual relief along Novi Road. Future development should be sensitive to the natural features within the Corridor.

• The pedestrian environment of the Corridor needs to be enhanced through the continuation of sidewalks, the creation of public spaces, and the installation of pedestrian-friendly features such as lighting, landscaping, and decorative paving.

• Special treatment of the Nine and Ten Mile Road intersections should be developed which incorporate distinctive design elements such as signage, lighting, paving, and landscaping in order to identify these key focal points within the Corridor.

• The overall appearance and character of the Corridor could be improved by an increase in landscaping and trees, the enhancement of natural features, the installation of attractive lighting, and the elimination of overhead utilities.

Goals and Objectives

Long-range land use planning requires a policy basis from which decisions can be made. Through the information gathered in the Visioning Session, changes have been identified to improve the overall quality of the Novi Road Corridor. These sought after changes take the form of the following goals and objectives statements which become the foundation of the planning process.

Develop a new land use plan for the segment north of Ten Mile Road.

Objectives:

• Reduce the influence of heavy industrial and outdoor storage within the Corridor.

• Reconsider the function and use of City-owned property in the Corridor.

Improve vehicular traffic flow and circulation through the Novi Road Corridor.

Objectives:

• Implement an access management plan that ensures safe and efficient access to all properties along Novi Road.

• Continue the widening of Novi Road south of Ten Mile Road.

• Explore other road improvements throughout the Corridor to improve the flow of vehicular traffic.

Create a pedestrian-friendly environment along Novi Road.

Objectives:

• Extend and connect sidewalks throughout the entire Corridor.

• Construct a bicycle path along both sides of Novi Road north of Arena Drive.

• Install decorative lighting and other pedestrian amenities along sidewalks and bike paths.

• Create public spaces to help connect residential areas to Main Street and Town Center.

Enhance the overall appearance and character of the Novi Road Corridor.

Objectives:

• Develop distinctive landscaping treatments and design elements at key intersections and throughout the entire Corridor.

• Eliminate overhead utilities at the Ten Mile Road intersection and in other locations where possible.

• Improve Ten Mile Road intersection with mast arm traffic signals and decorative lighting and signage.

• Encourage new development designs that are sensitive to and, where possible, feature the woodlands and wetlands within the Corridor.

• Develop a system of sidewalks, bicycle paths, and public open spaces throughout the Corridor.

• Use the façade and site plan review process to ensure the incorporation of façade materials and building design components that project a high quality image for the Corridor.

Introduction

Recommendations for land use, traffic and circulation, open space, architectural design, and wetlands have been developed for the Corridor in order to achieve the goals and objectives identified during the planning process for this area. The Planning Recommendations Map provides a visual summary of many of these recommendations, and more detailed maps and graphics specific to each recommendation component are included. Future road improvements and future developed conditions of public utilities and storm water management are also discussed.

Land Use

A main goal of the Corridor Plan is to develop a new land use plan for the northern segment of the study area. The Recommended Land Use and Thoroughfare Plan Map illustrates the proposed new land use arrangement. The following changes to the City’s Master Plan for Land Use are recommended:

• Designate heavy industrial property between Novi Road and the CSX Railroad for light industrial uses in order to reduce the influence of heavy industrial along Novi Road.

• Designate heavy industrial property between CSX Railroad and Trans-X Drive across from the proposed Main Street Village II for light industrial uses in order to provide less intensive industrial uses near residential property.

• Expand local commercial area located at the northwest corner of the Ten Mile Road intersection utilizing the large open water wetland as a natural buffer between future commercial and office uses.

• Expand local commercial area at the northeast corner of the Ten Mile Road intersection to provide a more uniform land use arrangement at this main intersection.

• Due to site constraints created by existing natural features, designate vacant commercial area at the southeast corner of the Ten Mile Road intersection as a Special Planning Project Area and reevaluate the future need for commercial uses at this location.

• Designate City-owned property on west side of Novi Road as a community park in order to preserve and enhance the presence of natural features within the Corridor and strengthen the connection between residential areas to the south and Main Street and Town Center areas to the north.

• Encourage relocation of post office facility on Novi Road to a more appropriate and accessible location in the Town Center/Main Street area.

Traffic and Circulation

Another goal of the Corridor Plan is to improve traffic flow and circulation through the Corridor. A well-designed and maintained road network is needed to provide access to businesses and allow traffic to efficiently travel through the Corridor. The pattern of land use and number and type of access points onto Novi Road impacts its ability to function as an arterial. The Access Management Plan details recommendations designed to ensure safe and efficient access to all properties along Novi Road while improving traffic flow through the Corridor. These recommendations are focused on the northern segment of the study area due to the potential for redevelopment north of Ten Mile Road.

As properties develop and redevelop, implementation of the Access Management Plan will reduce the number of access drives onto Novi Road by creating a system of shared public and private access streets. The Plan will result in improved traffic signal progression and driveway spacing north of Ten Mile Road. The Recommended Land Use and Thoroughfare Plan Map incorporates the new nonresidential collector street recommended by the Access Management Plan.

Architectural Design

The Architectural Recommendations Map provides examples of building materials and designs that are encouraged within the study area. These recommendations focus on the northern segment of the Corridor because of the redevelopment potential in this area.

Open Space and Landscaping

Another goal that came out of the visioning program is to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment along Novi Road. The Pathway and Open Space Plan provides recommendations for creating and linking public spaces and pedestrian nodes throughout the Corridor. Specifically, the Plan recommends the following improvements to the open space and landscaping along Novi Road:

• Develop a community park on the City-owned property on the west side of Novi Road. This park is intended to be a passive recreation area with features such as walking trails and nature identification signage. The park is to be designed to preserve and enhance the site’s woodlands and wetlands. This public open space will provide a link between residential neighborhoods to the south and the Main Street and Town Center areas to the north.

• Create pedestrian nodes at the Nine Mile Road and Ten Mile Road intersections to strengthen pedestrian linkages throughout the Corridor. A combination of landscaping, plantings, and amenities such as benches and lighting will enhance the pedestrian atmosphere at two key intersections along Novi Road.

• Amend the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan to include an 8-foot bicycle path along both sides of Novi Road between Arena Drive and Main Street.

Enhancement of the overall appearance and character of the Novi Road Corridor is another key goal of the Corridor Plan. This includes developing special intersection treatments for the Nine Mile Road and Ten Mile Road intersections, as well as improving landscaping, and enhancing natural features throughout the Corridor. The Corridor Enhancement Plan provides detailed recommendations for landscaping and design treatments at the Corridor’s intersections and entry points. The Enhancement Plan also offers right-of-way landscaping and planting recommendations for other areas along Novi Road.

Wetlands

A variety of land use management and maintenance practices are currently employed by the City of Novi. Catch basin cleaning and erosion and sedimentation control are two examples of such programs currently implemented. We recommend that any future design incorporate any of the following practices where appropriate:

• Swale and filter strip use to protect water quality using vegetation and rip-rap, where appropriate.

• Channel restoration in areas of accelerated erosion.

• Streambank protection of riparian vegetation using bioengineering and gradual slopes.

• Pavement deicing program.

• Reestablishment of buffer via plantings such as native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous material.

• Culvert design to achieve natural streambed conditions as well as to facilitate wildlife mobility.

• Vegetative establishment adjacent to watercourses for shading and to provide habitat.

• Sedimentation basins / vaults to aid in the removal of suspended particles of soil in the water.

• Boardwalks over highly sensitive areas to minimize environmental impacts.

• Oil / gas separators.

• Utilization of regional detention storm water basins.

• Maintaining hydrological regimes within wetlands that mimic the pre-improvement conditions.

Infrastructure

The Infrastructure Improvements section details the future developed conditions of public utilities and storm water management within the Corridor. In addition, this section illustrates the proposed improvements to Novi Road.