Hazel Park council to weigh South End social district, sign rules and shared mental health team
Tuesday's agenda includes a second social district on John R, first readings of sign and outdoor storage ordinances, a four-city agreement for mental health clinicians who work with police, and scheduling a Flock camera study session.
By OCJ Staff
The Hazel Park City Council meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, at City Hall, 111 E. Nine Mile Road. Here is what's on the agenda, according to the city's meeting packet.
A South End Social District
The council will consider Resolution 10-014-26 to create the South End Social District and Commons Area, along with a first reading of an ordinance amendment that would set it up.
In a social district, people can buy a drink from a participating bar or restaurant and carry it within a marked public "commons area."
According to a city memo, the commons area would run along John R from Harry Avenue south to Maxlow Avenue, including public alleys. The memo lists Boozy's Bar & Grill and Eastern Palace Club as the qualified liquor licensees on the south end of John R. The district would also include the Jan Parisi Art Garden and several food and drink spots.
Proposed rules in the district's management plan include:
- Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, modeled on Ferndale's PATIO Zone
- Containers: 16 ounces or less, no glass, marked with the district logo
- Costs: paid by the city, the Downtown Development Authority and/or Main Street Hazel Park
The memo notes that the city created a North John R Social District earlier, but no licensees there have agreed to take part so far.
Sign and outdoor storage rules
Two ordinance changes are up for first reading. A city memo says the outdoor storage change responds to substandard commercial patio furniture. The sign code change deals with digital message boards and slightly changes what counts as a "ground" sign.
Mental health co-response team
The council will consider an interlocal agreement with Madison Heights, Ferndale, Royal Oak and Oakland Community Health Network for the CoRe Crisis Outreach Program. Under the program, mental health clinicians work alongside police officers to respond to people in crisis and follow up with families.
The agreement runs Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027. It would fund two full-time OCHN clinicians at a total cost of $262,312. Oakland County would pay $60,000, and the four cities would split the remaining $202,312:
- Royal Oak: $84,971.00
- Madison Heights: $52,601.19
- Ferndale: $34,393.02
- Hazel Park: $30,346.79
Roads and other items
- Road work: Staff recommend awarding the 2026 Local Roads Improvement Program to Scodeller Construction, the only bidder, at $224,567.41. State LRIP money would cover $98,259, leaving $126,308.41 for the city. The work includes resealing concrete joints on John R north of Nine Mile, crack filling on several asphalt streets and rebuilding part of W. Brickley.
- Zoning: Second reading of zoning ordinance amendments.
- Flock cameras: Under new business, the council is set to schedule a study session on Flock license plate cameras. Neighboring Madison Heights announced Sunday that it is ending its Flock program. Our story.
The agenda also lists a "Resignation and Farewell Speech" under new business. It does not say who is resigning.
This story uses the Hazel Park City Council's Oct. 13, 2026, agenda and meeting packet.