City of Riverview Ballot Proposal — Sale of Part of Riverview Highlands Golf Course (Wayne County)

Ballot measure · November 3, 2026 · Riverview voters

What it does
Shall the City of Riverview be authorized to publicly sell a portion of the City of Riverview’s Highlands Golf Course property, previously dedicated for recreational purposes, to the highest qualified bidder subject to City Council’s approval, for the development of a Community Park and approximately 400 Residential Housing Units? The property to be sold is located within the Riverview Highlands Golf Course and consists of not to exceed 80 acres of land (out of a total of approximately of 248.5 acres), adjacent to and west of the Forest Subdivision and north of King Road.
A YES vote means
Riverview could publicly sell up to 80 acres of the Riverview Highlands Golf Course, west of the Forest Subdivision and north of King Road, to the highest qualified bidder, with Council approval, for a community park and about 400 housing units.
A NO vote means
Riverview would not be authorized to sell this part of the golf course.
Needed to pass
A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Left–right lean
Unclear: our AI read of the official summary isn't confident enough (we require 70%) to place this on the left–right spectrum, so we don't. Read the summary and decide for yourself.

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Explained

Today

  • The City of Riverview owns the Riverview Highlands Golf Course, about 248.5 acres. A 1971 City Council resolution dedicated the property for recreational purposes and says no part of it can be sold unless a majority of voters approve.
  • The city charter (Section 12.1(g)) also requires at least five Council votes to buy, sell or lease city real estate.
  • The city says closing its landfill (the Riverview Land Preserve) ended a transfer of about $3.5 million a year, roughly 30% of its budget, to the general fund.

If it passes

  • A 'yes' vote authorizes the city to publicly sell up to 80 acres of the course, adjacent to and west of the Forest Subdivision and north of King Road, to the highest qualified bidder, subject to City Council approval.
  • The land would be developed as a community park and approximately 400 housing units. The rest of the course (about 168 acres or more) would remain, and the city says it plans to keep operating a municipal golf course.
  • A 'yes' vote does not pick a buyer. The city says it would then start a competitive bidding process, and the Council would still have to approve a specific sale.
  • A 'no' vote keeps the 1971 restriction in place for this land; the city could not sell it.

Who would notice

Riverview residents and taxpayers, golfers who use Riverview Highlands, and neighbors of the Forest Subdivision and King Road area next to the land. The ballot question itself sets no tax.

How it got here

On June 29, 2026, the City Council unanimously voted to start the sale process. On August 3, 2026, it adopted Resolution No. 26-13 putting this question on the November 3 ballot, by unanimous vote of the members present, according to the Council's minutes.

The city has tied the plan to the loss of landfill revenue: Mayor Andrew Swift told The Detroit News the sale became necessary after Wayne County denied the city's request to expand its landfill.

What each side says

Supporters

  • The sale and redevelopment would let the city address demand for housing, add new property-tax revenue and raise property values while keeping green space and continuing to run a municipal golf course. The city also says soil from the site could cap the remaining landfill for an estimated $1.5 million to $2 million instead of about $8 million for outside fill, and that sale proceeds or savings could pay for upgrades to the 53-year-old course. · Riverview City Council (Resolution No. 26-13) and the City of Riverview

Opponents

In the news

Written by SpectrumVote from 7 linked sources (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). Arguments are each side's own, not ours; the official text is what you vote on.

Background

The Riverview City Council placed this question on the ballot because the golf course land was previously dedicated for recreational purposes; the parcel is up to 80 of the course's roughly 248.5 acres, west of the Forest Subdivision and north of King Road, according to the ballot language.

According to the city, the closure of the landfill means roughly $3.5 million a year, about 30% of the city's budget, is no longer transferred from the Riverview Land Preserve to the general fund, and the city says new housing on the parcel would generate property tax revenue to help replace it.

The city also says soil from the redeveloped area could be used to cap the remaining landfill for an estimated $1.5 million to $2 million instead of about $8 million for outside fill, and that sale proceeds or savings could pay for upgrades to the remaining 53-year-old course.

If approved, the land would be sold publicly to the highest qualified bidder, subject to City Council approval, for a community park and approximately 400 housing units.

Put on the ballot by Riverview City Council (2026).

From official source 1, official source 2.

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Quick answers

What does a YES vote on City of Riverview Ballot Proposal mean?
Riverview could publicly sell up to 80 acres of the Riverview Highlands Golf Course, west of the Forest Subdivision and north of King Road, to the highest qualified bidder, with Council approval, for a community park and about 400 housing units.
What does a NO vote on City of Riverview Ballot Proposal mean?
Riverview would not be authorized to sell this part of the golf course.
Does a 'yes' vote sell the land to a specific developer?
No. The city says a 'yes' vote lets it begin a competitive bidding process to sell the land to the highest qualified bidder, and the City Council must still approve the sale.
Will the golf course close?
Not entirely. The question covers no more than 80 of about 248.5 acres, and the Council's resolution says the plan includes continuing the operation of a municipal golf course. The city says holes would close temporarily during phased construction of course upgrades.
Why does this need a public vote?
A 1971 Council resolution dedicated the golf course property for recreation and requires that any sale of all or part of it be approved by a majority of votes cast.
Is this the same as the road bond on the Riverview ballot?
No. Riverview voters also have a separate question to borrow up to $10 million for road work. The golf course question sets no tax.
How many votes does City of Riverview Ballot Proposal need to pass?
A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Should I vote yes or no on City of Riverview Ballot Proposal?
SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.
When is the vote?
The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.

Not sure how to decide? Read our nonpartisan guide to the Wayne County ballot.

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