By Susan Bromley
Staff Writer
Brandon Twp.- What began as a public hearing for the proposed township purchase of a 14-acre parcel of land ended with another purchase proposal on the table? a separate 54-acre parcel also located off M-15.
More than 50 people turned out for the March 6 public hearing, with some residents speaking out against the purchase of the original property located north of MacPhee’s Restaurant, 650 S. Ortonville Road, citing hard economic times and the cost of the $1.8 million property. However, several more were in favor and voiced their support of the possible purchase.
Brandon Fire Chief Bob McArthur has budgeted for the property purchase using fire department funds and says it can be done without raising taxes. The property would be used in the future to build a new fire station, replacing the existing Fire Station #1 in the village which officials says poses a safety hazard.
McArthur noted there have been two accidents on South Street in the past two years involving emergency vehicles and several near misses with increasing emergency calls out of the village. Concerns have also been raised with the number of pedestrians, particularly children on the 25-mph roadway, particularly with Brandon Fletcher Intermediate School located on South Street, as well as two elementaries located on Varsity Drive, accessed by South Street.
The property, owned by Tony Amico, is attractive because it is located between the village and residential developments off M-15.
Ellen and Kevin Burke were two Brandon residents that support a move to purchase the land.
‘If we don’t buy now, what will the price be later?? asked Ellen Burke. ‘I’m worried someone will get hit. If a kid gets hit, it will cost a hell of a lot more than the property costs.?
Other potential uses for the property besides a new fire station would include a possible municipal complex with township offices and a new police substation, as well as a waste water treatment plant.
Village councilmembers are particularly interested in the latter, as the village has been facing septic problems for years and sewers have become a necessity. Village Manager Ed Coy, as well as Council President Sue Bess and councilmembers Bob Flath and Kay Green were present at the meeting to give their support for purchase of the land.
Near the end of the meeting, Brandon resident and businessman Mike Riddle offered to sell the township 54 acres of land south of Brandon High School, 1025 S. Ortonville Road. The property has four to five acres of M-15 frontage and about 20 acres of wetlands, leaving about 34-35 acres usable. The land was offered to the township at a cost of $1.7 million.
The property is half of the 108 acres that Brandon-Lockwood LLC is in the process of purchasing from the Casselman family.
‘We believe that property would easily house a water sewer treatment plant, fire department, a full municipal building for future township offices with possible expansion for a police department and enough area to creat a recreation building or banquet facility,? said Riddle, a member of Brandon Lockwood LLC. ‘I’m truly hoping we can bring the community together and put together a plan that would work on our piece of property for the fire department, police department, township and school system to build a better community.?
Even though the property Brandon-Lockwood LLC is offering has more than three times the amount of land that Amico’s property does, Riddle says he is offering a lower price for a few reasons, one of which is the group is hoping a sewage treatment plant goes in, benefitting all of the property on M-15 in the area.
‘We would like to see the land that we have, the last large piece of property in this area that has commercial and R1 zoning, enhance the whole community by having a planned development where you have everyone working together,? Riddle said. ‘Between that development and what we can put on M-15, it would be a benefit to the whole community. The amount we came with is because we would like to create a complex that would better our investment on M-15.?
Riddle would not specify what the plans are for the remainder of the property purchased from Casselmans and not offered to the township, which includes another 30 acres of commercial property. He would neither confirm nor deny rumors that Kroger’s is interested.
Riddle, 40, has been in the building business for more than 20 years and is the owner of Rison Construction and Maximum Real Estate. Projects he is involved in include Pheasant Ridge, a 41-unit residential development under construction at Granger and Sashabaw roads; and the newly finished Hunter’s Ridge development off M-15 near Granger Road.
At the conclusion of the public hearing, township board members approved the forming of a property acquistion subcommittee to study the pros and cons of both pieces of M-15 property offered to them for purchase. Board members Tom Stowell and Bob DeWitt will be on the committee, as well as treasurer Linda Owen. Township Supervisor Ron Lapp said he will also ask for a member of the village council to be on the committee.
‘The subcommittee will make a recommendation about what is best for our future needs,? said Lapp.
Issues such as access to the property (ingress/egress), hydrology, space for a sewer plant and engineering will be looked at.
‘We want to make sure we’re not strapping future township boards with an albatross,? said Lapp, who hopes to have an answer from the subcommittee within 60 days.