In response to some of the comments from our new supervisor. I would like to know if the supervisor believes that the property owners affected by national park creation and matters of eminent domain did not need to be negotiated with, or in many cases compensated? The only compensation we wish is to be left undisturbed. How is the township going to be better at preserving the environment than the private owners who have done so since 1837, by allowing more human impact? There is already in place a DEQ wetlands protection easement on the vast majority of the land. No matter who owns it the wetlands will be protected.
I find the supervisor’s assertion that ‘If the landowners were that concerned, they should’ve bought the property when it was on the open market? both ominous, and dubious. The property never had a for sale sign posted, and we were not notified. We naturally expected the property would be sold to someone after Mrs. Trask passed away, but did not know that the township was quietly negotiating some way to get the property. We first heard about the plans that the Oakland County Land Conservancy wished to buy it a few weeks before the deal was done, by reading about it in the paper. They told us it was a set aside, a preserve paid for by Beaumont hospital. Who would object to preservation? It was only after we learned of the townships bigger plans that we became concerned.
Apparently in Addison township property owners who wish to prevent unforeseeable government intrusion must be ready and able to buy every neighboring piece of property that goes up for sale, even if they have no means of discerning what is for sale. This should give every property owner reason for great pause.

Curt Steenson
Addison