Council declines to proceed with Dunning Road SAD paving after resident objections

Rochester Hills City Council on Jan. 12 voted not to proceed with a proposed Special Assessment District (SAD) to pave Dunning Road east of Eastwood Drive, citing cost and policy considerations.

City staff presented an engineer’s report (dated Dec. 1, 2025) proposing to pave roughly 4,440 feet of Dunning with 6‑inch HMA, curb and gutter. Under the SAD policy, resident assessments were capped at about $15,700 per buildable lot (estimated resident share ~$141,000) with the city’s remaining share estimated at $342,000.

One resident who said she lives on the nine‑house end of the road testified that the project was not worth the cost for so few homes and raised concerns about gas main replacement, taxes and the impact of heavy construction on nearby streets. She stated, "342,000 could pay for your water meters...I'm paying $4,600 a year in taxes...I'd have to put away $500 a month on a fixed income." Councilwoman Neubauer said the decision to not proceed was policy‑based and not a reflection on the engineer’s report; she moved to end the project and the council approved the motion by voice vote.

Next steps: no SAD proceeding; the council noted residents may return with alternative proposals if they wish to pursue broader paving options in the future.