After tabling a proposal last year to install more than three dozen security cameras throughout downtown Traverse City, TC Downtown Development Authority (DDA) board members will discuss a scaled-back request from the Traverse City Police Department (TCPD) to support purchasing a mobile surveillance camera for downtown use at their 9am meeting today (Friday). Board members will also consider voting to modify a recommendation they approved in September to extend a downtown two-way street pilot project for one year to instead extend it for two years – a proposal that would next go to city commissioners for final approval.

Video Surveillance System
DDA and TCPD leaders have long discussed installing more security cameras in downtown Traverse City, but have yet to settle on the best approach for doing so. Last year, DDA board members hit the brakes on a proposal to lease 38 cameras from private security firm Flock Safety that would have been installed throughout downtown Traverse City and operated by the TCPD. The cameras would have cost $28,500 to install initially and then $114,000 to operate annually. Board members were skeptical of the project’s price tag and wanted more data before moving forward, as well as to explore other options like deploying a smaller number of cameras as a pilot project or partnering with private business owners to install cameras.

Over the last year, the TCPD has “worked to research and employ other public safety video surveillance options throughout the city,” according to a memo from DDA Executive Director Harry Burkholder. “To that end, TCPD Police Chief Matt Richmond has asked to address the DDA board about a possible collaboration regarding the purchase of a mobile surveillance camera system.”

According to a memo from Richmond, “current video surveillance infrastructure is insufficient, with only three overt cameras owned by TCPD. This makes us reliant on outside entities for security at large events and privately-owned or TCPD covert cameras to identify and prosecute those responsible for criminal activity.” For example, Richmond said the TCPD was unable to provide cameras at Up North Pride festivities in the Open Space this year because camera trailers from partner agency the Michigan State Police (MSP) were unavailable. The TCPD also won’t have access to MSP’s camera trailers for the upcoming tree lighting ceremony and light parade in downtown Traverse City, nor the Cherry T-Ball Drop since cameras are “receiving maintenance and being prepped for winter storage,” Richmond said.

To help address those and other surveillance shortages, the TCPD is looking at purchasing at least one and possibly more mobile surveillance camera trailers. A trailer is a “more affordable” option than the Flock Safety proposal at an initial cost of $38,385 with no additional recurring annual expense, Richmond wrote. The TCPD would also own the equipment, as opposed to leasing it. Richmond said the camera will not have facial recognition technology or audio recording for now. “Areas under overt video surveillance will be signed notifying the public that the area is under surveillance,” he wrote. “Areas of interest for video surveillance include areas with high number of calls for service, city infrastructure, and special events.”

Richmond said the TCPD has funds budgeted to purchase one mobile camera and has submitted a grant application to purchase a second. DDA board members will also consider “buying one or contributing money toward one unit,” Burkholder tells The Ticker. “I think it’s the intention that several mobile units could be placed at different areas of downtown for large events.” DDA board members are not expected to vote on the proposal today, but will hear the TCPD presentation and if interested in proceeding, could ask to have a formal motion brought back by staff for consideration at an upcoming meeting. Burkholder noted in his memo that the DDA has $112,480 allocated in its 2024-25 TIF 97 budget for the “possible implementation of a video surveillance system.”

Two-Way Pilot Project
DDA board members could consider recommending extending a pilot project converting State Street, Pine Street, and Boardman Avenue to two-way traffic by two more years instead of just one. The board in September approved recommending a one-year extension to the city commission, but Burkholder says the city’s design team – which consists of a variety of key city department heads – is suggesting extending the pilot for two years instead.

“The design team felt that two years would be needed in order to collect the relevant data, study the potential for also converting Front Street to two-way traffic (including conversion costs and implementation timeline), study the long-term traffic impacts of only one east-bound traffic lane (if Front Street remains one-way), and facilitate public outreach,” according to a memo from Burkholder.

Burkholder said a two-year extension would “allow the project partners to further study mobility (vehicular and pedestrian) movement” as well as implement and study several design tweaks. Those include signalization and/or signage modifications at intersections including State/Cass, State/Union, West Front/Pine, and West Front/Hall/Wadsworth. Other pilot modifications could include installing mid-block crosswalks on State Street and converting Front Street to two-way traffic – “including possible improvements to the Hardy Deck entrance on Front Street,” Burkholder wrote. He added that “exploring this conversion would include a community engagement process with downtown business and property owners and the community.”

If DDA board members are supportive of a two-year instead of one-year extension, that recommendation will next go to city commissioners for final approval.