In order to provide the Orion Township Board with all the information they’ve requested, Ashley Capital asked that consideration of its Industrial Development District (IDD) request be delayed.
The board originally considered the request in April, but decided they did not have enough information to make a decision at that time.
Ashley Capital has asked to have its Orion Commerce Center, located on property on the south side of West Silverbell and across from Eagle Valley, designated an IDD by Orion Township.
Susan Harvey, Ashley Capital Vice President of Leasing and Acquisitions for the Midwest Region Detroit office, told the board on April 18 the complex will most likely have three to four tenants, but would be able to accommodate up to six.
Depending on the type of business, the tenants could apply to the township for a tax abatement. Harvey said Ashley Capital hopes to attract light industrial tenants, because they tend to stay longer and employ more people.
Harvey was not present at the May 16 meeting, but in April she told the board that by designating Ashley Capital as an IDD, they would be ‘opening the door? to tax abatements.
‘If a tenant qualifies, they can apply,? she said. ‘The township still has the discretion to approve it or not.?
After the board voted May 16 to postpone any action until June 6, at the request of Ashley Capital, Orion Township Supervisor Jerry Dywasuk said he still had some apprehension about the request.
‘I have some grave concerns about this,? he said of possible tax abatement requests.
Dywasuk said the township currently has two tax abatement situations in the township: General Motors and Cobasys, which held its grand opening on Lapeer Road on May 18, working with Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMh) battery technology.
‘General Motors was already established, and if it hadn’t been for the tax abatement, I doubt we’d have that plant here,? Dywasuk said.
Dywasuk said Cobasys was considered another ‘win-win? situation for the township.
‘I don’t want to raise expectations and leave money on the table,? he said of Ashley Capital.
‘If we go forward, we’ll have people standing in line,? he said, adding that other businesses in the township not in the IDD might try to get abatements as well.
‘We need to be very cautious,? Dywasuk said. ‘Study it carefully.?