Detroit City Government Overview

MAYOR

It’s not often, if at all, that one can claim success in three distinct areas—professional sports, business and politics. Yet, Dave Bing did just that when he was elected the 62nd Mayor of the City of Detroit in May 2009 as part of a special election. A native of Washington, D.C., Bing is a graduate of Syracuse University where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics, and was later bestowed an honorary Doctorate of Laws in 2006. He was also a standout basketball player and an All American in both high school and college.

Dave Bing came to Detroit in 1966 when he was drafted by the Detroit Pistons as their #1 pick, and the #2 overall pick in the National Association of Basketball (NBA) draft that year. Bing played nine of his twelve years in the NBA with the Pistons, and was named to the All-Star Team eight times during his career. Bing and his family made Detroit their permanent home, returning in the off-season even after he was traded to the Washington Bullets in 1975. After retiring in 1978, his number (#21) was the first retired by the Detroit Pistons. Voted one of the top 50 basketball players of all time, Bing was inducted into the Michigan Hall of Fame in 1984, and into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1990.

CITY COUNCIL

The Detroit City Council, one of the country's few full-time City legislative bodies, consists of nine (9) members elected at large for a four-year term. The City Council was first constituted as the legislative body of the City in 1824 (replacing a Board of Trustees) and was called the Common Council until July 1, 1974 - the effective date of Detroit's new City Charter.

If a vacancy occurs on the City Council thirty (30) days or more before the filing deadline for the general election in the City or a special City-wide election, the vacancy shall be filled at that election for the remainder of the unexpired term. If a vacancy occurs on City Council less than thirty (30) days before the filing deadline for a general election in the City, or special City-wide election, the vacancy shall not be filled until the subsequent general election in the City, or until the special City-wide election.

BOARDS, COMMISSIONS & AGENCIES

City Planning Commission

Mission
The mission of the City Planning Commission is to function as an advisory body to the City Council on the physical, economic and social development of the City. The Commission serves both the legislative branch and the citizens of Detroit by acting as a representative of the community, serving as a conduit for opinions from the community, and proactively initiating matters for consideration by the City Council. In this way, the Commission is a key link in the City’s development process.

Focus

• This Commission focuses on issues, procedures and fees related to Zoning,
  Land Use and Rezoning.
  
• Additionally, CPC also focuses on processes related to the Community Development Block Grant Funding, the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund, and Hope Funding.

Goals & Objectives

• Assist City Council with annual fiscal review by developing recommendations on the Capital Agenda, Consolidated Plan  and Annual Budget.
• Review and make recommendations to City Council on all requests for amendments to the Master Plan and communicate needed Master Plan changes to the Planning and Development Department.
• Respond to all City Council referrals and directives.