How SEMCOG Began

This photo shows one of my early SEMCOG days as a housing planner, the beginning of a career that would not have been possible without a series of events that took place years before.

This year is a special one at SEMCOG, as we are celebrating 50 years of serving Southeast Michigan. In regional planning, we tend to emphasize the importance of preparing for the future. A milestone like this one is a welcome opportunity to reflect on our history and the events that brought us to where we are today.

A Growing Region Brings New Challenges

Our story really begins in the late 1930s when water supply and highway issues began to demand coordination beyond local boundaries.

In 1945, the State Legislature passed Public Act 281, known as the regional planning enabling act. This enabled government and community leaders to form the Detroit Metropolitan Area Regional Planning Commission in 1947, one of the nation’s first such entities. This commission served a number of region-wide planning purposes. It gathered and analyzed data, surveyed public facilities, and projected needs for such facilities.

In the mid-1950s, a counterpart to the Regional Planning Commission was formed – the Supervisors Inter-County Commission. It dealt with a variety of administrative and other inter-governmental challenges.

Identifying the Best Approach to Regional Policy-making

In the continuing pursuit of regional coordination, business, community, and government leaders came together in the mid-1960s to form the Committee of 100. Sponsored by the Metropolitan Fund, Inc. (the precursor of the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition, SEMCOG’s long-time partner organization), the Committee of 100 reviewed the functions of the Regional Planning Commission and the Supervisors Inter-County Commission.

The committee focused on future needs, potential, and challenges. Members included some names that you might recognize – Detroit Mayor Jerome Cavanagh, Detroit Councilmember James Brickley (who later served as Lieutenant Governor of Michigan and on the Michigan Supreme Court), and State Senator Sander Levin (now an 18-term U.S. Congressman).

Meanwhile, in 1965, under the direction of the Regional Planning Commission, local, county, state, and federal agencies worked together on the Detroit Metropolitan Area Regional Transportation and Land Use Study (TALUS). This project enabled the region to continue receiving federal highway funding.

A COG is Born

In January 1968, on recommendation of the Committee of 100, the Regional Planning Commission and the Supervisors Inter-County Committee disbanded, and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments was formed. It assumed most of the principal functions of the two groups and, under a 1967 amendment to Act 281, began to respond to the need for both planning and other types of intergovernmental and regional programs.

SEMCOG’s earliest years set the tone for much of the work we do today. I am proud to lead this organization and very excited to honor the people – past and present – who have helped achieve so much good for our region, while looking toward the future.

Stay tuned…

As our 50^th anniversary year continues, I look forward to highlighting several Southeast Michigan assets and some of the exciting work that aims to improve quality of life in our region for the next 50 years on this blog.

You can also experience more of Southeast Michigan’s story in our 50 Years | 1 Region exhibit at the Detroit Historical Museum (5401 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48202) now through April 8.

Remember to follow additions to our 50^th Anniversary story on Facebook and Twitter (including weekly Throwback Thursday installments), and with #SEMCOG50 on both.