Q: I got a letter from Farmington Hills about being assessed for $12,000-$18,000 to pay for road work in my neighborhood. What is going on?
A: Farmington Hills has decided to create a special assessment district for the purposes of repairing roads that don't meet certain standards. In the past, over half of residents in an area would petition for road work in order for the city to spring into action. That era appears to be over, as the city is now using a combination of PASER scores (road quality), resident interest and other factors to determine who gets work done.
Q: What is the Special Assessment District?
A: The special assessment district (SAD) is a collection of neighborhoods in which the roads have been scheduled for improvement in the city's 5 year capital improvement plan. This work will be primarily paid for by the residents in those neighborhoods.
Q: Why is my assessment so high?
A: The letter sent out by the city mentions assessments running from $12,000 to $18,000. This number is so high because the Farmington Hills City Charter does not allow the city to pay for more than 20% of road work in neighborhoods.
Q: I heard that another neighborhood is being sued by the city?
A: Independence Commons was the first scheduled for road work, and it's residents challenged their $18-23,000 assessments in the Michigan Tax Tribunal. The city counter-sued to block the assessments from being challenged, and that case is being considered by the Oakland County Circuit Court. You can read more of the backstory here.
Q: How can I find out exactly what my assessment will be?
A: The Farmington Hills City Clerk's office, located at the corner of 11 Mile Road and Orchard Lake Road, should be able to provide that number for your specific property. They can also be contacted at
(248) 871-2410
Q: How can I get involved?
A: Go to a City Council meeting and give them your feedback.
City Council meets on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month Farmington Hills City Hall,
31555 W. Eleven Mile, just west of Orchard Lake Road. Meetings begin at 7:30 PM. Citizens who
wish to comment on a specific agenda item must complete a registration form, available in the
boxes located at both entrances to the Council Chamber. Forms should be given to the City Clerk
prior to the start of the meeting. Individual comments are limited to 5 minutes.
Q: How am I expected to pay for this assessment?
A: Either lump sum, or over a 10-15 year period including interest on the construction bond the
city will put out at the start of the work.
Monday, August 29, 2016
Backstory: The Assessment of Independence Commons
September 2015 - Farmington Hills City Council approves special assessment for 53 miles of road, starting with Briar Hills, Independence Commons and Hollywood/Westhill/Tarabusi. Nearly 100 residents from Independence Commons attended the council meeting, with almost universal opposition to the project.
April 2016 - The FH City Council chose Fonson Company for the work, but postponed the awarding of the contract to allow the city of assess their liability given the large number of residents appealing to the Michigan Tax Tribunal. Additionally, the council decided to go with concrete over asphalt during this session.
August 2016 - Farmington Hills is asking the Oakland Circuit Court to validate their city charter, in which they are allowed to pay for no more than 20% of roadwork. This potentially conflicts with Dixon Road Group vs. City of Novi which ruled special assessments must add equivalent value to the property. Additionally, they seek to bar residents from challenging their assessment as not "fair and reasonable". The Circuit Court decision is due out during the first week of September.
April 2016 - The FH City Council chose Fonson Company for the work, but postponed the awarding of the contract to allow the city of assess their liability given the large number of residents appealing to the Michigan Tax Tribunal. Additionally, the council decided to go with concrete over asphalt during this session.
August 2016 - Farmington Hills is asking the Oakland Circuit Court to validate their city charter, in which they are allowed to pay for no more than 20% of roadwork. This potentially conflicts with Dixon Road Group vs. City of Novi which ruled special assessments must add equivalent value to the property. Additionally, they seek to bar residents from challenging their assessment as not "fair and reasonable". The Circuit Court decision is due out during the first week of September.
Welcome to the Farmington Hills Special Assessment District (FHSAD) Information Blog
This blog will be a collection of frequency asked questions, updates and documents related to the proposed assessment Farmington Hills will be levying to fund roadwork on a variety of subdivisions. While there are many gaps in information at the current time, I will try and keep everyone as up-to-date as possible. Expect an FAQ, petitions and some city documents to appear in the coming days.
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