City Hall will be closed on Monday, December 25 and Tuesday the 26th in observance of the Christmas holiday.

City Hall will be open on Wednesday, December 27 and Thursday, December 28 from 10 am – 3 pm.

City Hall will be closed on Monday, January 1 and Tuesday, January 2 in observance of the New Year’s holiday.

We will reopen with regular 8 am – 4:30 pm hours on Wednesday, January 3.

Get in the holiday spirit ⛄

Join us for an exciting lineup of December recreation events! Get ready for a month filled with fun, festive activities that the whole family can enjoy together. There’s something for everyone, from our annual tree lighting at Memorial Park tonight to cheerful holiday-themed workshops. Come and create lasting memories with us this December!

Tonight at 6 p.m. – Tree Lighting at Memorial Park: Witness the magic as we light up the beautiful tree with dazzling holiday lights. A perfect way to kick off the festive season!

Wednesday, December 6 at 6:30 p.m. – Holiday Greens Workshop: Get creative and bring the holiday spirit into your home! Join the Pleasant Ridge Garden Club for an interactive workshop on crafting beautiful holiday greens. Don’t miss out, register now at https://www.facebook.com/groups/840070242799677/ and secure your spot!

Friday, December 8 at 6:30 p.m. – Cookies and Cocoa with Santa at the Community Center: Meet Santa Claus himself and indulge in delicious cookies and warm cocoa. Only 10 spots left, so don’t wait! Register today at https://pleasantridge.activityreg.com/selectactivity_t2.wcs?leaguesid=942# and make this holiday season even more memorable.

Friday, December 15 is the letters to Santa Deadline: It’s time to send your heartfelt wishes to Santa! Remember to drop off your letters at the Community Center or City Hall and spread joy to the North Pole.

Tuesday, December 19 at 6:30 p.m. – Gingerbread House Making at the Community Center: Join the waitlist for this popular event and let your creativity run wild as you build and decorate your own gingerbread house. Don’t miss out on this delightful holiday tradition! https://pleasantridge.activityreg.com/selectactivity_t2.wcs?leaguesid=942#

With so many exciting events lined up, Pleasant Ridge is the place to be this holiday season. Mark your calendars and join us for unforgettable moments of joy, laughter, and festive cheer.

Congratulations to Commissioner Perry and Commissioner Budnick on Reelection

The swearing-in ceremony for Commissioners Perry and Commissioner Budnick will take place during our upcoming commission meeting on December 12. City Clerk Emsley has confirmed that the election was certified and in balance!

Pleasant Ridge Fall Soccer Teams Are 2023 League Champions 

2023 Pleasant Ridge Public Opinion and City Communications Survey

The City of Pleasant Ridge believes that understanding our community’s attitudes, concerns, and values is critical in fulfilling the responsibilities of government. We recently conducted a survey to gather feedback from residents. We invited all residents to participate in the survey, and each person in a household could respond once to the survey. By completing the survey, residents will help the City improve the delivery of government services, enhance its communication tools, and prioritize budget allocations based on what the residents value most. Kurt Metzger, former Mayor of Pleasant Ridge and data guru, presented the data from the survey. Key highlights include:

• 99 percent of residents are satisfied or very satisfied living in Pleasant Ridge
• 98 percent of residents feel very safe or safe in the City
• 42.5 percent of adult residents completed the survey
• 40 percent of have lived in the City for more than 20 years
• In 2016, only 23 percent of residents gave Gainsboro an ‘excellent’ rating. Since the park’s major redesign, 66 percent of respondents now give it an excellent rating
• Resident interactions with our police department and Ferndale Fire Department had a 97 percent satisfaction rating, while Berkley Dispatch hit 93 percent satisfaction
• Most parks and facilities received an ‘Excellent or Good’ rating of 90 percent and higher. Hessel Park, the Dog Park, and the Wellness/Fitness Center came in just a little lower with ‘Excellent or Good’ ratings at the Wellness/Fitness Center (86 percent), the Dog Park (80 percent) and Hessel Park (79 percent)
• The Ridger is a go-to source for PR residents. The City website ranks second as an “up-to-date” source for current items of interest and “breaking stories”

The 2023 Pleasant Ridge Public Opinion and City Communications Survey results have provided valuable insights into our residents’ views and opinions. Additionally, the survey included helpful suggestions for the City across various areas. The complete results of the survey can be found here: https://cityofpleasantridge.org/community-survey-results/.

November 14 – 11:09 am: Water pressure will be low on Oakland Park for a few minutes. Oakland County WRC (our water system maintenance partner) is here testing valves. We need to replace a 100 year old fire hydrant that broke during the sewer lining project. WRC is testing valves to make sure that we can shut off the water main to make that replacement. Once water service is restored your water will likely be brown for a few minutes. Run a tap for 5-10 minutes and the water will clear. The brown water is caused by sediment being loosened from the old cast iron water mains.

The Oakland County Water Resources Commission (WRC) conducted a test-shutoff of 7 valves along Woodward this morning and afternoon. The test shutoff was related to the need to move a fire hydrant as part of the Woodward streetscape project. All valves have been reopened and the test is complete.

The shutoff was only partially successful and the impacts were greater than expected due to the age and condition of our water system. We experienced a larger than expected pressure drop in areas outside of the shutoff area, and a larger area of impact for brown water.

The brown discoloration in the water is caused by sediment on the inside of the old cast iron water mains being disturbed when flow direction is altered or when hydrants are opened causing an abrupt change in flow rate. Now that the valves have been re-opened and the hydrant closed, the discoloration will resolve over time. We do not know how long it will take to flush the brown water from the pipes, so please be patient as the brown water resolves itself.

The water is not dangerous, but you should avoid doing laundry until the water is running clear again as the discoloration can stain white clothes.

Given the larger than anticipated impacts of this shut down, we will provide advance notice when the actual hydrant work will be done. We do not yet have a time frame for when that will occur.

The 2023 community survey is now closed. Survey results are available in the online document library.

You can also review the raw results of the survey here.

The window to complete our community survey is coming to a close tomorrow. Join the conversation and make your voice count today! Take the survey here.

We have some exciting news to share! Effective immediately, parking is now permitted on both sides of the street on Sylvan between Indiana and the Woodward alley. This change comes as a result of the City Commission’s decision at the last meeting, September 12, 2023, following the traffic calming petition submitted by Sylvan’s residents. 

The implementation of parking on both sides of the street is part of a pilot project that will run for the next year. During this time, we will be actively evaluating its impact on traffic flow and safety. By introducing parking on both sides, we aim to create strategically placed chicanes and pinch points, effectively reducing vehicle speeds and enhancing road safety. 

We want to hear from you! If you have any questions or feedback regarding the pilot period, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Your input is invaluable as we work together to create a safer and more efficient street for our community. 

The City’s annual concrete repair program will begins this week (the week of June 5). Hartwell Cement, the City’s contractor, will start in the northwest quadrant of the City and move south. This year we are doing street repairs and replacing deficient sidewalk flags. Every 4-5 years we evalute all of our sidewalks and identify sidewalk flags that meet our criteria for replacement, which are as follows:

• Raised or heaved sidewalk: 3/4″ or more at a joint or crack
• Cracks: One crack at 1/2″ or greater width, or 2 or more cracks
• Cross slope: 3/4″ per foot
• Spoiled/Spalled: 25% or more
• Dip: Judgement generally, but replace if water collects

Driveway Access. Some residents may lose driveway access if sidewalks will be replaced through the drive, or if street repairs are being completed directly in front of a driveway. The City contractor will provide advance notice to any homeowner who will lose access to their driveway at least a day in advance. Project Funding. All work is completed at public cost. Most Cities directly bill homeowners for the cost of sidewalk repairs in front of their house. Here, we pay for ongoing street and sidewalk repair program is provided through the infrastructure millage and State Act 51 road funding. This is partly because some streets had their entire sidewalk replaced at public cost when the street was replaced, while other streets did not.

Please refer to the following maps for locations where street and sidewalk repairs will be made.

We have received a few reports of coyote sightings in the City. We have been in contact with Oakland County Animal Control and the DNR. Coyotes are highly adaptable and are found in every county in Michigan. 

For more information about Coyotes refer to the following resources from the DNR and Oakland County. You can also call the DNR at 517-284-9453.

• DNR Coyote Information Page
• DNR Coyote SMART brochure
• Oakland County Coyote Fact Sheet
• Humane Society Coyote Information

Coyotes generally weigh between 20 and 40 pounds, and look like a small German shepherd, but with relatively longer legs. Given their size, Coyotes are usually timid in the presence of humans. Coyotes are common in urban areas, and Coyote pairs hold territories of about 2-5 square miles in urban areas, so Pleasant Ridge will only be a part of the range of any coyotes spotted here. Given their adaptable nature and ther large range it is not possible for us to prevent or eliminate coyotes from the City. New coyotes will show up to take over the territory of a killed or removed coyote pair, and coyote killing programs have proven ineffective in elminating them from urban areas. Managing coyotes by preventing them from becoming habituated to humans is the best way to handle these animals, which are a natural part of the landscape.

Coyotes almost never pose a threat to humans and most household pets. They are opportunistic omnivores that feed on small mammals such as rats, rabbits, cats, and some small dogs, but also will supplement their diet with food waste in garbage. To deter coyotes, keep all garbage in sealed containers, and consider removing bird feeders which attract not only birds, but small mammals and rodents which are coyote food sources. 

Do not feed coyotes, and do not approach them. Feeding coyotes will habituate them to humans and will reduce their natural shyness around people. Research indicates that most coyote-human incidents are caused by coyotes that have been fed or habituated to humans, altering the coyote’s natural behavior.

If you see a coyote you can usually scare it off by “hazing” it: yelling, clapping, or making other loud noises, or by throwing any kind of projectile such as sticks or small rocks at it. If coyotes are present, please consider monitoring small dogs when they are outside.

Our wellness center re-opening continues to be dependent upon the Governor’s order, and the resolution of the issues in the Courts. Our wellness center will open when permitted by the Governor.

You can review our operating plan for the wellness center at the following link:

Wellness Center Re-Opening Plan