Correction: Detention pond would be on RV property, not wetlands

In the May 1 edition of the Belleville-Area Independent on page 3 we reported the regional detention pond that the Van Buren Township Downtown Development Authority wants to build would be on the 25.77 acres of wetlands, called the Heritage Oaks Nature Preserve, owned by the Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy.
DDA Executive Director Susan Ireland said this is incorrect. She said the DDA does want to have access from the North I-94 Service Drive through the protected wetlands to the back of the National RV property next door.
The back part of the National RV property is where they want to build the large detention pond to be shared by local businesses.
But, Ireland said National RV has not yet agreed to sell the land it owns behind its business, but “is not unwilling to discuss it.”
Ireland said VBT Director of Planning and Economic Development Arthur Mullen, Dave Nummer and another Wade Trim engineer met March 7 with Executive Director Jill Lewis, staff members and the president of the board of the Land Conservancy to discuss the project.
Lewis told the Independent that they were approached with an extremely preliminary concept and talked to VBT about it just once. She said there were elements they found compelling which could enhance the public’s experience of the land.
She said there is an easement on the land by the Detroit Audubon Society and other things that need to be addressed. Lewis said she will wait until there is a more concrete plan in writing to take to her board.
— Rosemary K. Otzman, editor