Grosse Pointe Park voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to approve a new 0.65-mill property tax starting in 2027 to improve aging parks and recreation facilities.
The proposal appeared as an informational discussion item on the Recreation Commission’s Oct. 14 agenda at Tompkins Community Center, according to the meeting agenda and packet. Parks and Recreation Director Chad Craig prepared the item, which included no formal recommendation.
If approved and levied, the tax would run seven years, from 2027 through 2033, and generate an estimated $562,000 in its first year. The city estimates roughly $3.934 million over the full term, according to its millage FAQ.
The city’s 2007 general obligation bond levy, currently 0.81 mills, is ending this year. The proposed parks levy would be lower at 0.65 mills.
The new tax would cost $65 annually for every $100,000 of taxable value. A property with a taxable value of $400,000 would pay $260 annually, compared with $324 at the expiring bond rate, assuming the same taxable value.
Money would support pools, playgrounds, splash pads, boardwalks, ice rinks and other capital improvements. City materials say it would not fund daily park operations, employee wages and benefits, park system expansion or general city expenses.
The ballot language specifies that a portion of revenue would be disbursed to the city’s Downtown Development Authority and Tax Increment Financing Authority.
The city’s five-year recreation plan identifies about $600,000 annually in capital needs, according to the FAQ. Windmill Pointe Park’s pool has mechanical systems roughly 45 years old that need code-related upgrades. Patterson Park’s aging boardwalk remains functional, but eventual reconstruction is estimated at about $2 million.
The city says the parks’ resident-only status makes state and federal funding unavailable for those improvements.
Separately, the Oct. 14 agenda included a review of 50% marina plans and specifications prepared by engineering firm Abonmarche. Craig recommended commissioners submit questions or recommendations to the firm.
The marina operates through an enterprise fund supported by boat well holders and would not receive the proposed millage revenue, according to the FAQ.
The commission’s next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 18. Residents can find details on the city’s ballot proposal page. Public comments at commission meetings are limited to three minutes.
