Perspectives
“The village that time forgot.”
If you live in Franklin you’ve heard of the Round Up, the village green, Streetscape, sidewalks, no grocery store, a coffee shop that almost was, air problems, wells, water, parking, shops, the Grill, the church playground, Huda School, baseball leagues, the Cider Mill and much more.
The truth is, there is a lot to Franklin. It is both a thriving community of mostly single family homes surrounding a small business district and it is a historic home rule village governed by a charter that acts as our constitution. About 3300 people live here in about 1240 homes. In 2010, the median age in Franklin was 45.4 years, a little older than the rest of Oakland County.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the population in the area was shifting. When the village was incorporated in the 50’s less than 1,000 persons lived in the village. During the next 15 years, people wanted the amenities in the Village and Franklin’s population grew to over 3,300. During the 1970s, though, the pace of population growth slowed and concerns changed.
In the 1970s-1990s, important issues were: the pressure to use undeveloped land in the Village, installing public sewers and the need to stem perceived degradation of Village character. (2006 MP). The sewer issue has been largely resolved, albeit noisily, and there are zoning rules that protect open spaces and large lots. The concern about village character continues.
What residents want. As part of the 2005 Master Plan preparation, residents identified their priorities in community meetings: roads, traffic, and pedestrian access. Data collected in 2015 from residents for the subsequent Master Plan was was consistent. (2006, 2015 Master Plans).
I believe strongly that village character is defined by the people who live there when they live there, not as defined by the needs of a post WWII environment that sought to protect what was important at that time. We do not live in a museum. Leaders have an obligation to understand the needs of residents and (not or) protect the amenities that brought people here in the first place.
“We need our businesses to thrive as a community”
In 2007, the Village Council approved the “Downtown Revitalization Plan” that had been prepared by a committee of the Planning Commission following Council approval of the 2006 Master Plan. In it were three recommendations, one of which was to join Oakland County’s Main Street program (MSOC). In Michigan, Main Street assists communities interested in revitalizing and preserving their traditional commercial district. It was a good fit for Franklin as the Council made a new commitment to infusing energy and resources into the village center.
The reality then was the village center had not been considered to be a concern of the local government and little effort was made to tie the well-being of the whole village to the health of the business center. In fact, businesses, many of which were owned by women were considered “hobbies,” not real businesses.
The reality today is that most of the businesses in Franklin are women-owned and are the primary source of income for the owners.
There is little question that a healthy downtown business district boosts property values, attracts new residents and brings revenue into the village.
When we lost the market and the coffee shop we also lost important community gathering places.
Since the COVID shutdown, Franklin businesses have suffered and construction disruption has not helped. Our membership in Main Street Oakland County has enabled federal/state/county funds and materials to be funneled to our businesses. Villagers showed their caring by donating $10,000. to a crowdfunding effort coordinated by Oakland County and supported by Main Street Franklin. More than $61,000. came into the village and was distributed to businesses.
I will continue to support efforts to grow a healthy and vibrant Franklin business district and will look for incentives to assist owners with the costs to improve their buildings. I will continue our membership in MSOC, enforce building codes and I will look for ways the village government can support efforts to bring in businesses that provide essential services that residents want.
