A plan to redevelop a 129-acre industrial-commercial parcel suffered a severe blow from the Dorr Township Board Thursday night.
The board declined to send a letter of support for a grant application to the Michigan Economic Development Corp. to establish Brownfield designation for a site immediately north of the Frontier Truck Parts retail business along U.S.-131 with an address of 4400 144th Ave.
Joe Agostinelli, consultant with West Michigan Growth Advisors, said he was seeking the board’s blessing to proceed with a development project that would take in seven businesses or industries on the 1.5 million square foot location. He noted the site now is zoned mixed use Planned Unit Development (PUD).
He explained that commercial and industrial developers are experiencing a shortage of sites to do business, telling board members, “We need places to put projects.”
Insisting that Brownfield Developments no longer are confined to environmentally contaminated sites, he said, “They should take Brownfield out of the name and just call it redevelopment.”
Agostinelli told board members he was seeking a letter of support in order to secure more funding, some from an MEDC grant and some through Tax Increment Finance Act support.
A TIFA is a state program that permits projects to capture funds from improvements made on the property or district without reducing local tax revenue. The property now is valued at $419,000, and if the project gets off the ground, it is expected to grow and create revenue.
“Essentially, you’re giving up short-term in exchange for long-term gain,” he explained.
However, he said he would line Dorr Township’s letter of support to increase approval chances before the Nov. 1 deadline. Supervisor Jeff Miling so moved, but the proposal died without a second.
Trustee Chandler Stanton said, “I’m not in favor of voting for something we didn’t draft… How can we support something that we had nothing to do with?”
Trustee Dan Weber said he has concerns about putting more pressure on infrastructure and on the local fire department.
Jen Aalderink, who was representing the Dorr Business Association at the meeting, said she didn’t understand the board members’ reluctance. She maintained there is no risk in supporting a grant application, adding, “It seems like the township might be missing an opportunity (for development and eventually more tax revenue… This (the board’s inaction) might hurt the chances of getting a grant.”
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