Major 2022 events had people in Livingston County talking
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Development, in different forms, was a major part of life in Livingston County in 2022.
Developers proposed or started work on a variety of business and residential endeavors, and entrepreneurs started numerous commercial ventures in the area.
Meanwhile, Brighton remained firmly opposed to recreational marijuana businesses, voting down a proposal to allow them and then pulling a proposed ordinance that would have done the same.
In other major news, politics saw a shake-up as Michigan's redistricting efforts resulted in one of the most expensive U.S. House races in the county, and an entirely new state House seat representing a portion of Livingston County.
On the entertainment scene, music fans flocked to rural Livingston County in the thousands to hear country star Luke Bryan under the stars.
Here's a closer look at some of the major news stories the Livingston Daily Press & Argus tracked over the past year.
New hospital facility on its way
Trinity Health officials in November announced they are moving ahead with plans for a nearly quarter-billion-dollar medical center outside of Brighton.
Trinity will build a four-story, 174,000-square-foot addition onto the existing two-story Trinity Health Medical Center-Brighton to create a full-service hospital.
Plans include expanding an existing emergency department, as well as renovations to the existing health center. One thing the new facility won't include is a birthing center, which Livingston County does not have.
"Services are based on the current community needs," John O’Malley, president of Trinity Health Livingston and Trinity Health Medical Center-Brighton, said. "We'll offer a lot of services, but we are going to be constantly looking at the need and if we need to add services based on that need, we’ll do that."
Trinity Health's board of directors approved the three-year project and $238.2 million budget. Construction is expected to begin in early 2023, and the new hospital is expected to open in 2025. The health care provider's Howell facility will remain open until then. Plans for its use after that remain undetermined.
Country star makes big return
Country music star and "American Idol" judge Luke Bryan made his second big stop in Livingston County during his Farm Tour 2022, bringing in tens of thousands of fans to Conway Township.
The concert, which took place in the Kubiak family's hay field, drew about 20,000 fans.
The country star and other musical acts performed Sept. 17 on the third leg of the six-stop tour.
According to Bryan's Facebook post in the spring announcing the plan: "#FarmTour is back! All year long, I look forward to playing small towns while lifting up the American farmer. This year, I’m bringing along my buddies Riley Green Jameson Rodgers The Peach Pickers and DJ ROCK."
Bryan's previous concert took place at the farm on Sherwood Road, a short distance from the Kubiak family's main farm between Webberville and Fowlerville.
Caleb Kubiak said Bryan's team told the family the previous concert worked out very well.
"I was excited to have them come back again," Kubiak said. "My favorite part was just getting to experience it and see all the people, and see how much happiness it brought others."
Redistricting affects elections in Livingston County
Changes to voting district lines in Michigan for congressional, state Senate and state House races impacted Livingston County voters in 2022.
The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission adopted final redistricting maps in time for the November elections.
Here is how the adopted maps impacted Livingston County:
The region has a new congressional district. The newly created 7th District includes Livingston, Ingham, Clinton and Shiawassee counties, as well as most of Eaton County.
In what ended up being one of the most expensive House races in the country, Democrat Elissa Slotkin defeated Republican Tom Barrett for a two-year term. Slotkin was an incumbent representative while Barrett was a state senator.
While all Livingston County voters remained in the 22nd District for state Senate, the area the district covers outside of the county has changed. The redrawn district brought in different voters from portions of Ingham, Shiawassee, Genesee and Oakland counties.
Incumbent Republican Lana Theis handily defeated Democrat Jordan Genso to retain her seat.
The county saw more state House races, with four districts including Livingston County voters instead of the previous two. The shift gave Democratsa better chance of winning in a historically Republican stronghold.
Jennifer Conlin, D-Ann Arbor, defeated Howell Republican Jason Woolford in the race for a newly drawn 48th Michigan House district representing parts of Washtenaw and Livingston counties. In the 49th House race, Republican Ann Bollin was elected for her second term over Democrat Christina Kafkakis of Brighton. Republian Robert Bezotte was elected to the 50th Michigan House District over Democrat Glen Miller of Howell. Republican Mike Mueller was elected to the 72nd Michigan House District over Democrat Stacy Taylor.
Area saw numerous new businesses announced, take root
With unemployment hovering near the lowest rate in the state, the economy in Livingston County continued ticking upward, despite inflationary pressures.
Numerous new businesses hit the scene over the past 12 months.
One of the most eagerly anticipated was Log Cabin, 5393 E. Grand River Ave., between Brighton and Howell, about 5 miles outside of both cities.
A group of restaurateurs purchased the closed tavern, which has a more than 100-year history, and remodeled the interior with a small stage, a larger dining room, and log cabin elements and reclaimed barn wood from a South Lyon family's old mill.
The tavern was closed during renovations, which built anticipation of a fresh start for the tavern. It had previously been operated by a pair of brothers in their 90s, who both have since died.
Managers said the tavern previously reached capacity at times, sometimes with as long as an hour wait on the weekends, and customers have generally been excited and patient as they relaunch the business.
"We have a good lunch crowd, and we're usually full for dinner," restaurant general manager Kirstin Proctor said.
When space on the second floor of the Heart of Howell building became available, 2FOG's Pub co-owner Holly Fletcher saw it as an opportunity to add an indoor entertainment option to downtown.
Fletcher is an avid golfer who enjoys using golf simulators to fine tune her skills, especially in the offseason.
Fletcher and co-owners Chris Stone and Winfred Dahm, the owners of the basement-level pub, opened 2FOG's Golf in a former yoga studio on the building's top floor. The new venue features two TrackMan 4 simulators and 18-foot wide projection screens, on two plots of artificial grass.
Green Oak Township Board members approved plans for a more than 7,000-square-foot Texas Roadhouse, including a takeout area at 6800 Whitmore Lake Road.
Officials said representatives of Texas Roadhouse told township officials it would only take about 14 weeks to build, once the TGI Fridays is razed and construction begins.
Wainwright and his business partner, Kip Miller, a former NHL player who also coaches youth hockey, are planning to construct a more-than-7,500-square-foot, two-story sports academy near the Kensington Valley Ice House in Brighton Township and invest $3 million.
Plans to redevelop land south of the ice house include constructing a 3,100-square-foot retail and restaurant building, which will have a similar look at the academy's architecture.
No marijuana in Brighton
Brighton will continue to prohibit retail marijuana stores after city officials in November canceled a public hearing for a proposed ordinance that would have approved them.
Brighton officials scrapped a hearing on a proposed ordinance to allow some marijuana business in the city, removing discussion from their agenda after voters rejected a proposal that would have allowed a minimum of two adult-use recreational marijuana stores in the city.
The petition-led initiative failed with 2,546 (57.76%) people voting no and 1,862 (42.24%) voting yes.
The Brighton City Council in October scheduled a hearing on a city-initiated ordinance that would allow marijuana stores, but limit them to two sites, in response to the proposal being put on the ballot.
The city's attorney and staff had created a draft for a city zoning ordinance amendment, which the city could use to regulate marijuana businesses, whether the proposal passed or not.
Livingston County attracted numerous developments in 2022
New housing developments made headway across Livingston County. Some are under construction and others have been approved by local municipalities or are in the works.
Representatives of Shelby Township-based Lombardo Homes revived plans for a 579-unit residential development — with 195 single-family homes and 384 townhome and ranch-style apartments on the north and south sides of Winans Lake Road off U.S. 23.
Troy-based Fairview Companies is constructing the first phase of a 542-unit development geared for seniors, Encore Village, off Grand River Avenue around Pickerel Lake and part of Woodruff Lake in Brighton Township.
Randall Residence of Encore Village, a more than 88,000-square-foot assisted living and memory care facility, has been constructed on the site and started taking reservations for its 56-apartment assisted living wing, which features studio and one- and two-bedroom options for residents 55 or older.
Lansing-based DTN Management is moving forward to construct a four-story, 235-unit luxury apartment complex on the Mill Pond in Brighton.
Brighton City Council members approved the project, Vista at Uptown, in May. The complex will be on North Second Street, between the road and Mill Pond, south of Advance Street.
A lawsuit settlement determined the fate of the former Lindbom Elementary School property in downtown Brighton. Bingham Farms-based development firm S.R. Jacobson Development Corp. and the property owner jointly sued the city, after Brighton City Council voted in 2021 to deny West Village, a proposed 140 townhome development at 1010 State St.
In May, city officials announced they reached an agreement for a modified plan, which reduced the number of units to 123 and reduced the height of the buildings from three stories to two.
Farmington Hills-based investment group Grand River Hilton is bringing a 134-unit condominium complex north of Interstate 96 in Brighton Township. Township officials approved a total of 66 two-unit condos for the site, as well as two stand-alone units off Hilton Road, about a quarter-mile from Grand River Avenue in the township.
Affordable options will increase by 220 apartment units on land on the west side of Oak Grove Road immediately north of the Crossroads Town Center shopping complex in Howell Township.
Union Development Holdings, an investment group associated with Indianapolis-based affordable housing development firm The Annex Group, was awarded low-income housing tax credits through the Michigan State Housing and Development Authority to build the complex, which is called Union at Oak Grove. The apartments will be available to individuals and families earning wages 60% or less of the area median income.
Oceola Township officials approved BRIDA's plans for Highland Knolls and Bethel Green at Highland Knolls, a 226-unit development, which includes a three-story, 127-unit apartment complex and ranch-style apartments on the northside of M-59/Highland Road west of Latson Road.
Several housing developments are in the works that could bring hundreds of new residences to Hartland Township, including an approved 148-unit Redwood Living apartment complex. The apartments will be constructed on about 27 acres of the Hartland Glen Golf Course off M-59 and west of Pleasant Valley Road.
Father and son team Jordan and Mark Dick expect to break ground in January on a 273-acre motorsports complex off Interstate 96 in Howell that will combine a variety of automotive entertainment options, as well as other businesses.
Motorsports Gateway Howell is planned as a large automotive district with a members-only driving circuit, trackside garage condominiums for purchase, garages for rent by members, an automotive innovation business park, as well as a mixed-use zone for retail, restaurants, entertainment and other commercial businesses.
Howell city officials granted final approval of a planned-unit development plan for the land, located north of I-96 between D-19/Michigan Avenue and Lucy Road earlier this year. The three parcels had been zoned for single family residential use.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Major 2022 events had people in Livingston County talking
