NORTHVILLE — Downtown restaurants will need to remove on-street dining setups by Oct. 4 following a new court ruling, city officials announced Wednesday.
The order marks the latest development in a legal battle over downtown street use that has divided the community for more than a year.
In a statement, the City of Northville said it was “disappointed” with Wayne County Circuit Court’s latest decision granting an emergency motion by the nonprofit group Let’s Open Northville.
The latest order, the city said, requires removal of all permitted dining platforms along Main and Center streets, which the city noted have been part of downtown for more than a decade.
“While the City believed it had fully complied with the court’s earlier order to reopen Main and Center Streets to vehicular traffic, this latest decision impacts long standing outdoor dining that has been permitted, inspected, and approved for more than a decade,” the statement said.
Seven downtown restaurants are affected by the ruling, including Browndog, Table 5, Le George Mediterranean Bar, Center Street Grille, Exchange Bar and Grill, VillaNorte Cocina Mexicana, and Twisted Cork Winery.
City officials said the ruling will disrupt restaurant operations mid-season, just as many businesses have already invested in staffing, supplies and infrastructure for the outdoor dining season.
“On-street dining has supported small businesses, helped activate public space, and contributed to a vibrant, walkable downtown that residents and visitors deeply value,” the statement said.
Attorney Joseph Corriveau, representing Let’s Open Northville, said the Oct. 1 ruling underscored the group’s position.
“Contrary to the position and arguments of the City of Northville and those wanting closed streets, Let’s Open Northville is not opposed to the Social District or sidewalk dining,” Corriveau said in a statement.
He added that Wayne County Judge Charlene Elder “ruled that while not holding the City in contempt of the Judgment, they never presented the issue of street dining during the Trial and they violated the terms of the Judgment which specifically sets forth amongst other things that the manner in which the City closed the streets and parking spaces violated both State and Federal Law.”
Elder ruled in July that the city must reopen downtown streets to vehicle traffic, siding with residents and business owners who say the closures affected safety, access and property rights.
That ruling stemmed from a lawsuit filed in 2023 by Let’s Open Northville, whose members opposed the city’s decision to enhance its social district by keeping vehicle traffic off portions of Main and Center streets from late spring through early fall.
The group said it supported the initial closures in 2020 as a temporary pandemic measure, but argued making the closures permanent was never part of the original understanding.
Elder said this summer that “It is clear that only a few businesses have benefited from the closures,” and that she couldn’t see a legitimate public purpose for the six-month reoccurring closures.
The city said it will comply with the ruling, with barriers scheduled to be removed by the Oct. 4 deadline.
Streets will have to be temporarily shut down during the process to take out the concrete safety barriers now in place, the city said, noting it will work with impacted businesses “to help navigate this transition in a timely manner,” while continuing to explore ways to support the downtown district.
“We remain committed to advocating for our business community and will continue to explore every avenue to maintain a thriving downtown district that reflects the values and needs of the Northville community,” the statement said.
Contact reporter Laura Colvin: lcolvin@hometownlife.com
This article originally appeared on Hometownlife.com: Judge orders Northville downtown on-street dining removed
Reporting by Laura Colvin, Hometownlife.com / Hometownlife.com
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
