Brandon Twp.-The township is currently negotiating the purchase of 47.5 acres near Hadley and Oakwood roads for a possible recreation park.
The estimated cost of the parcel currently owned by James Vantine Sr. is $807,000 (or $17,000 per acre), to be purchased on a five-year land contract.
Brandon Township Supervisor Ron Lapp announced the plans at the May 17 township meeting.
Lapp said the paperwork is in the hands of the property owners? attorney adding that the relatively flat piece of land is an ideal piece to pursue for recreation.
In addition to the even terrain, reducing the cost of excavation for park development, the property perimeters are tree lined and it includes a central pond making it ideal for development.
While public discussions, committees, or hearings have not been scheduled to develop a recreational park on the property, Lapp said the piece is ideal for a recreational facility to support community ball fields, and passive picnic parks.
In conjunction with the purchase, Lapp said the township is pursuing the sale of the 40-acre parcel of township property near Seymour Lake and Sashabaw roads.
Because there is a cell phone tower situated on the Seymour Lake property Lapp said the townships? attorney and the building director are drawing stricter ordinances regarding tower regulations versus property mass in Brandon Township.
‘This is something we’ve been working on for quite some time,’said Lapp, who explained that the township was waiting for a decision to be made on the most recent tower dispute between Sprint in conjunction with Allen Road property owner Scott Constible, and the township.
‘We wanted the planning commission to make a decision on the Allen Road tower issue based on what was current and in front of them (in the ordinance) and not a decision in the future.?
Last month Sprint lost a decision by the Planning Commission to place a cell tower on 40 acres of Scott Constible’s Allen Road property.
‘We have always used 40 acres as the limit, but land mass is not the answer’not a good enough deciding factor, ? Lapp said.