By Susan Bromley

Staff Writer

Ortonville

– A public hearing at which information will be presented regarding the proposed Iron Belle Trail and the village council will accept input from the community is planned for 7 p.m., March 27, at the township offices, 395 Mill St.

The public hearing, which is necessary for two grant applications for property acquisition, was narrowly approved in a 3-2 vote at the village council’s Feb. 27 meeting.

“This will help us achieve future goals for a village that is more walkable, bikeable, and accessible,” said Village Manager David Trent, who noted the grant application deadline is April 1. “Anything related to the Iron Belle gets higher priority and 100 percent funding from the state last year. This is a golden opportunity to strike while the iron is hot.”

The Iron Belle Trail is a proposed statewide trail system with two routes— both of which would extend from Belle Isle in Detroit to Ironwood in the Upper Peninsula. The state has offered grants to help communities on the proposed routes connect into existing trail systems in order to make a continuous trail possible. The village, as well as Brandon, Atlas, and Groveland townships, are part of the proposed bicycling route for the Iron Belle Trail, which would extend 774 miles in total.

In January, the village applied for a $35,000 grant from the Department of Natural Resources to establish a new trailhead at the juncture or curve of Church Street, across from the post office that would include a bike rack, bike fix station, benches and signage.

The trail segment itself in the village would be approximately 700 feet along the ITC corridor and 500 feet extending south from Church Street at the trailhead.

The council’s Monday motion, for which Council President Wayne Wills and trustees Tonja Brice and Keith Dylus voted yes, and trustees Mark Butzu and Karen Sleva voted no, authorizes Trent to proceed with developing two DNR grant applications to acquire property owned by the Brandon School District as well as a private parcel for sale at 25 Church St. Both would be incorporated into the 43-acre village owned property west of the Crescent Hill subdivision. This property, mostly wetlands, was donated to the village in 1984 under the stipulation it only ever be used as a park or recreation area. The looping trail is planned for this land.

The Church Street parcel that Trent would like to pursue grant funds to purchase is currently for sale for $100,000 and is also known as the “red barn property” as it comes with a historic barn. It is less than an acre and the village would retain the barn.

Trent also hopes to acquire with grant funds two parcels currently owned by the Brandon School District for which only one grant application is necessary. One parcel is three acres along the ITC corridor, and the other parcel is 5 acres in size and fronts Church Street. Trent said a market analysis has not yet been done on these parcels, but because they can not be built on due to wetlands, he expects they can be attained “at a very reasonable price.”

Concerns about possible costs surrounding the Iron Belle Trail were cited by Sleva and Butzu prior to their no votes on the motion authorizing a public hearing.

“It looks like a project that will be more of a drain on our budget,” said Sleva. “There will be public safety costs and maintenance costs. I don’t understand how the Iron Belle Trail will generate revenue to pay for itself. This is something we need to think about carefully.”

Butzu noted that he has lived in the community for 30 years and he didn’t know the village had a 43-acre recreation area.

“This is part of a 5-year plan,” said Brice of the proposal to expand trails in the village. “This is a goal, it’s not spur of the moment.”

“Maybe not for those already on the council,” responded Butzu, who, along with Sleva, was newly elected in November.

Trent reminded the council that their vote on the motion to develop the grant applications in no way committed them to going through with applying.

At the March 27 public hearing prior to the regular council meeting, Trent said he would make a presentation in which he will have more answers to questions about the grants, the trail, and potential costs.

“Concerns cited by citizens and council members will be addressed during the hearing, regarding the trail identified as a possible route, how it ties in with trailhead application and also tied in with (the grant), the possibility of using the Kearsley Creek as a kayaking opportunity for the months of June through August… I don’t have concerns of trail maintenance costs because we have the luxury of a DPW. To the best of my knowledge on other communities that have trails adjoining neighborhoods, there has been little or negligible crime issues associated with trails.”