By David Fleet
Editor
Goodrich — On Monday night the village council voted 4-0 to deny a request from Atlas Township to purchase a village owned vacant lot for a future fire hall location.
In August 2021, the village council voted 3-1 to purchase 5.4 acres of property in the village that was tax reverted from Genesee County. According to the Genesee County Office of the Treasurer, the property, located north of East Hegel Road just East of M-15 and borders Fairview subdivision. No taxes were paid on the property from the Madison Heights based D&J Investment properties from 2017-2020. The total amount owed was $4,918 with $2,186 interest and fees for a total cost to the village of $7,104.
All parcels foreclosed by a county treasurer’s office are available to be purchased by the State of Michigan, city, village, township or county in which they are located. The acquisition must be made prior to the foreclosed parcels being taken to public auction.
“When we did obtain this property, it was purchased with the intent for future recreational use,” said Melissa Schluentz, village trustee. “It’s not a huge piece of property, but we thought that even in 15-20 years maybe down the road it could be a part of keeping a little bit of nature and recreation side of things. I don’t love the idea of firetrucks on Hegel (Road) in the 25 mph zone. I oppose this idea.”
Shannon McCafferty, village council president pro tem said the residents she spoke with were more nays than yeas.
“I’d rather see it as recreation,” said McCafferty. “Property in the village is hard to come by, we’re getting choked out of property.”
The property had some history in the village. In 2017, the vacant property was considered to be rezoned from Low Density Residential to a Residential Planned Unit Development.
If approved, the Goodrich Haven Senior Living complex, a single senior housing building with 62 units, would have been built on the property. The complex was for low-income seniors under the guidelines of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. However, the planning commission denied the rezoning thus dumping the project.
Keith Walworth, village council president said the property was not purchased to just give it away.
“Property continues to be scarcer and scarcer as communities expand and develop,” he said. “Land also becomes more expensive. Right now it’s not costing us a penny.”
Atlas Township Supervisor Shirley Kautman-Jones was disappointed that no one from the village council reached out prior to the vote, to ask why we are looking for property.
“We know that within five years we have to have a new fire hall location,” said Kautman-Jones following Monday night’s vote. “It’s there for the public safety and clearly a fire hall needs to be located as close to the main artery as possible, which is M-15. It’s for the response time, but also for the personnel to get to the fire hall quickly.”
The township has three acres near the Gale Road Hall for future use, said Kautman-Jones.
“But that puts us that farther away,” she said.
The issues at the current location are spaced out, added Kautman-Jones.
“The trucks are not getting smaller,” she said. “State and federal requirements include larger tankers and trucks. When they turn into the fire hall they are cutting into the tires.”
“We are looking for a site that is going to serve the public as a whole, whether it’s the village or township. Most severe accidents occur along the M-15 corridor. We need about five acres, it’s a capital plan for the township in the future.”
In May 1942, construction of the first fire hall in downtown Goodrich was approved at a cost of $1,653, with the property valued at $300. The building was completed on June 16, 1942.
Prior to construction of the fire hall, the fire truck was stored at the Stanard Seely Ford Garage 10195 Hegel Road (the site of Hempton’s Body Shop today). A new fire hall was constructed in the early 1990s, about two blocks from the original site at 8081 Clarence St.