A Rooted Township

Stability, Growth, and Community First

Shelby Township is a peaceful suburban municipality in Macomb County, Michigan. Long seen as a bedroom community for Detroit and other nearby communities, the township is now attracting new industries of its own.

“We have picked up a lot of new high-tech businesses. We’re pretty happy about that, but it’s a very quiet community and we want to keep it that way,” Township Supervisor Rick Stathakis stresses. “If there were two words to describe Shelby Township, I would say stability and dependability.”

He mentions the excellence of the township’s police and fire, and the high quality of life that keeps improving. In addition, Shelby Township is affordable for residents and businesses. Since 2008, the tax millage has remained unchanged at 9.2999. Water rates have not increased for four years, and investment in roads and other infrastructure is ongoing.

A Vision for a Downtown and Beyond

Although Shelby Township lacks a defined downtown, an effort is underway through the DDA (Downtown Development Authority) to create a central hub in the community. “Our zoning ordinance and master plan have the 24 Mile and Van Dyke area identified as the Shelby Downtown District,” explains Planning, Building and Development Director Julijana Rasawehr.

“It’s in the preliminary stages. But we are trying to create a place for the residents to be able to come in and enjoy all the amenities that we have here and expand that into a bustling downtown district.”

The Van Dyke corridor is the township’s economic heart, evidenced by the few, if any, vacancies along the route. Through the DDA, Shelby Township supports beautification, infrastructure upgrades, and façade improvements to keep the area vibrant. “Our DDA district extends from the southern limits of Shelby Township all the way to the north limits of Shelby Township, about six miles.” expands Rasawehr.

Over the years, the Van Dyke corridor has seen significant improvement and redevelopment. Stathakis notes, “15 years ago we used to have a hodgepodge of businesses on Van Dyke. Over time it has consistently gotten better in that we no longer have welding shops next to restaurants or single-family homes where they don’t belong.” The northern part of the township, between 24 Mile and 26 Mile is another focus.

“We still have considerable infill parcels up and down that corridor. It’s kind of the hot spot for the township now, there is a lot of development in that area,” Rasawehr shares.

Central to that improvement is the Blight Enforcement Initiative, a top priority for the residents and businesses of Shelby Township for several years. “Our ordinance enforcement officers respond to calls from residents and businesses, conducting site visits to address a wide range of issues, from grass and weed control to signage and property maintenance, and everything in between,” details Rasawehr.

“The bigger objective of this is identifying 5 to 10 parcels each year that are very blighted and working with the property owners in bringing them into compliance and cleaning up these sites. It’s a good deal for everybody. It enhances the township aesthetically and spurs economic development.”

Smart Business Growth

Shelby Township is home to a burgeoning industrial corridor along Shelby Parkway which has become a magnet for high-tech and advanced manufacturing companies. “We now have at least 10 new businesses on that one-mile strip, probably more than that,” boasts Stathakis, sharing that beyond the beauty of these uniform white brick buildings lies a story of excitement and innovation.

JVIS, which occupies multiple facilities in the area, is involved in various advanced manufacturing initiatives. A different company manufactures 21-gear transmissions for the M1 tank, while another produces scopes for military rifles. Still another makes interior automotive components such as leather stitching for Jeeps. “What we have now that we didn’t have 10 years ago are not only the buildings, but more than 1000 jobs just on that one strip,” Stathakis asserts.

“The high-tech, advanced manufacturing has come to Shelby Township, and it’s really done a lot to make our tax rolls more diversified, which makes our local economy more resilient while bringing in outside investment and wealth. We’re still a bedroom community, we always will be, but it’s nice to have that.”

When it comes to growth, the township’s commitment to a low-tax environment also appeals to both local and international businesses. Rasawehr highlights, “We’ve been fortunate enough that we did not have to go out and seek these businesses. We’re centrally located in the county, in an area that provides easy transportation in and out of the township.”

Amazon reached out about locating in the community, and Shelby Township welcomed them with open arms. “We are happy they moved in because there was a brownfield. For 10 years, we didn’t know where that was going to end up, and then Amazon was interested,” elaborates Stathakis. Along with a tax abatement, the company agreed to clean up the property, spending $9 million to get the job done.

“We’re happy that they’re here. They’re a great corporate partner,” he continues. Another major corporation, NorthPoint, moved in to the adjacent land and cleaned up the rest of the property. “Today we now have uncontaminated property, on a very important stretch of Shelby Township.”

Along with these significant partners, Stathakis underscores the importance of its small businesses, who are the backbone of Shelby Township. With 178 of these local enterprises opening in 2024 alone, the township recognizes their contribution to the character and quality of life for the community. “Those are really important partnerships,” he maintains. “We’ve got some wonderful, great restaurants here in Shelby Township. You can practically buy anything you want right here, a lot of it right on Van Dyke.”

Building for the Future

As it plans for future growth Shelby Township is addressing both water and sewer needs. In 2017 a special assessment district was created, allowing developers to join together and bring sanitary sewers to the northeast corner of the municipality. “That’s what really busted open the residential,” relays Danielle Allen, Director of Public Works. “That was the biggest portion of undeveloped property in Shelby Township. Once the sanitary, which is the most expensive part of it, came into play, the developers now are bringing water main as they develop their subdivisions, which is awesome.”

Additionally, the township built a 3.5-million-gallon water storage tank in 2020, a proactive attempt to keep water rates from increasing during COVID. “With a lot of people being at home and working from home during that time period, water demand increased during peak demand time, which in turn, was going to cause us to raise our water rates to our residents,” Allen acknowledges. “The tank being constructed actually ended up reducing our rates, by allowing us to discharge from our tank during the peak demand times, and fill during off peak times.”

These investments also support major industrial operations like Niagara Bottling, which chose Shelby Township after comparing multiple municipalities. “They wanted to make sure that they were getting the best water supply with the best quality, and that the infrastructure, our roads and everything else, would fit into what they needed,” Allen relays. “They’re a good partner here. They really do a good job, and I believe that they’re going to be looking at expanding over the next year or two. We’re looking forward to that.”

A Connected Community

With over 1300 acres of dedicated parkland, Shelby Township invests in its greenspaces and recreation amenities. A portion of the statewide Iron Belle bike trail runs through River Bends Park, bringing thousands of cyclists each year, along with visitors to the township’s scenic hiking trails and natural parks. “I don’t know of a township that has more recreational acreage than us,” Stathakis depicts. “River Bends Park is more than 850 acres, and Holland Ponds Park is about 200 acres. We’ve got nesting American Bald Eagles and also Great Blue Herons out there.”

Walkability and connection are also priorities, and the township’s Sidewalk Committee has been working hard to join residential neighborhoods to parks and trails. He recounts, “Today, we’ve got 15,000 people that could go out their front door and walk to River Bends Park, something we didn’t have 10 years ago. The people of Shelby Township have wanted that, and those needs are being met better and better every year.”

A “Right Side Up” Township

At the heart of Shelby Township’s culture is a service philosophy they call “Right Side Up.” Stathakis describes an inverted triangle, where customers are at the top. “Everybody coming through that door is a customer, whether it’s a builder, a resident or even a non resident. They drive our actions,” he says.

“In the middle are the department heads, who convey what resources are needed for the performers (those on the front lines) to satisfy the needs of the customer. At the bottom is the Board of Trustees, who ensure that everyone has what is required to do their job well. “It is the department heads who tell us what those employees at the top of the organization need,” he summarizes.

“We are a customer driven organization, and we are 100% service oriented.”

AT A GLANCE

Who: Shelby Township, Michigan

What: An evolving township burgeoning with growth and economic development

Where: Macomb County, Michigan

Website: www.shelbytwp.org