VBT residents question Supervisor McNamara’s proposed Lake House

At the end of the May 2 meeting of the Van Buren Township Board of Trustees, a group of residents got up, one by one, to speak to the board about their concerns with the “Lake House” Supervisor Kevin McNamara said he wants to build on the lakeside DNR property north of the Belleville Bridge.
Bob Long of Harmony Lane asked who was going to pay for this, since the DNR is going to require a public fishing dock be a part of the plans.
“All we’re doing is talking with the DNR about how much it’s going to cost,” Supervisor McNamara replied. “We have a vision we’d like to have there.”
“Why would you put it there?” Long asked.
McNamara said the township is on the lake and many township residents lack lake access. He said he met with 13 people who didn’t like the idea. McNamara said it was on his campaign literature and in his newspaper ad and he only got one negative response to his idea until the other day when he got 13.
“If people in that neighborhood said that they didn’t want it, would that matter?” Long asked McNamara.
“It’s a community decision,” McNamara replied, noting they could provide a Lake House for weddings and reunions and maybe even a splash park.
“Van Buren Park has incredibly bad shoreline slopes,” he continued, noting the second entrance to the park is bad and because of the trees you can’t even see the lake.
He said the decision would be made by the full board.
“Maybe it’ll be put on the prepaid list and it won’t matter,” said Trustee Sherry Frazier, referring to a previous discussion on a $562.41 plane ticket to Montreal for Clerk Leon Wright that was preapproved.
Long said there was a potential traffic issue at the site and when the school buses are coming in and out of town there are traffic backups. He mentioned McNamara said they could put in 110 parking spaces on the site.
Carol Pesta said she had a lot of questions for McNamara at the meeting in his office. She asked where the police protection on the lake. There will be drinking and fights and people will have to be picking up the trash that blows.
“Why not bring it up on a vote on a ballot?” Pesta asked.
“We don’t know what to put on the ballot,” he said.
“It’s a done deal already,” Pesta said.
Trustee Paul White said Supervisor McNamara came to the board members to say he wants a showpiece on the lake. Trustee White agreed there will be trash on the lake and drugs and the DNR will not give up that property without a fishing pier. He said there should be discussion on what to put on that property.
Pesta said it’s going to be commercial with the Lake House being rented out for events. She said there were more than 13 people at the meeting with McNamara and she wished she had a video of the meeting.
“I’m only one member of the board,” McNamara said.
White said the supervisor is the administrator of the township and the trustees were supposed to watch how the money is being spent.
Phyllis Johnson got up to say VBT doesn’t need another park. She said there were already 15 parks for residents to use and she ticked off her list, which included, the Lower Huron Metropark, Van Buren Park, Victoria Commons Park, Victory Park, French Landing Park, Quirk Park, Riggs Park, Hamilton Park in Haggerty Sub, nearby Willow Metropark, Crosswinds Marsh in Sumpter, and more.
“How many parks do we need?” Johnson asked. She said they could put a few park benches, birdhouses on poles, flowering trees and bushes instead of commercial events.
“It could be very, very pretty,” she said. “Maybe it could be a welcome to Belleville, serene and beautiful to look at. I’m tired of more blacktop.” She said there are a lot of restaurants in VBT and so much hustle and bustle and congestion.
“All of your concerns are heard by this board,” said Trustee Reggie Miller. “This is very early in the preliminary stages.” She cautioned about announcing things prematurely.
“Can we talk to Trustees Frazier and White?” Pesta asked and McNamara said they could set up meetings with them.
“We’re on the losing side,” Trustee Frazier said, referring to two previous votes that evening on the airline ticket to Montreal.
After a brief discussion on towing charges, Judy Prescott came up to the podium to speak on the Lake House.
“I made a lot of calls and all agree the traffic would be horrendous with a parking lot on that property,” Prescott said, adding traffic is bumper to bumper after 3 p.m. and residents can’t get out of the subdivision around Harmony lane.
“Leave it green, not a blacktop,” Prescott said. “Please consider a green area. The whole world is talking about green. Even people going in and out of Belleville could see the beauty, not cars parked and paving. You want to make something beautiful.
“Consider us,” Prescott said. “Let us know as you’re going along.”
“Everything would have to be in an open meeting, except the price,” McNamara said. He suggested the DNR might like to sell it to the township for a dollar.
Prescott said if the decisions are really going to be made two or three years from now, she wants the board to let the people know. When McNamara said they could put in in the paper, she said that was OK but they should post it on a wall, as well. Others concerned about the project applauded her remarks.
Trustee Frazier suggested a focus group or survey of citizens on the matter, if the land is purchased.
Margo Hibbitts of Sunrise said she’s worried about the maintenance and would like to see a five-year plan. She said a nice new fence was put up and she maintains that and pulls the weeds. She said for anyone who lives on the lake, the maintenance is important.
“It’s going to be the showplace for Van Buren Township,” McNamara said.
Vic Franzoi said the DNR mandates what you have to do there, like the fishing dock. He suggested the township put a fishing dock in Van Buren Park to satisfy the DNR and use this site as a something beautiful.
“Everybody’s happy,” Franzoi said.