VBT OKs going to court to take properties by eminent domain

Going to court to take 10 properties by eminent domain was approved unanimously by the Van Buren Township Board of Trustees at its regular meeting on May 7.
Downtown Development Authority executive director Merrie Colburn explained that there are 56 parcels on Belleville Road between Ecorse and Tyler roads and 46 of the parcels have been acquired by the township.
The properties are needed for the widening of Belleville Road and sidewalks.
She said they have come to an impasse with the final 10 and have a lawyer, Jerome Pesick of Williams Williams Rattner & Plunkett, that will take the owners to court to get the properties by eminent domain.
Trustee Kevin Martin said he sees that at 7810 Belleville Rd. the entire property is being taken. It’s right next door to the storage place, he said. It is going to be destroyed.
He asked if it is occupied and he was told it is.
Attorney Pesick said the property needs to be acquired to widen Belleville Road. The house will be taken at this address, which leaves the garage reducing the value of the property. The home is zoned commercial and the township will own the rest of the land.
He said the property owner is non-committal and they are still hopeful to make an agreement with him and the rest of the property owners without going to court.
Trustee Martin said taking a home is too much.
The attorney said they reached out to the property owner.
Supervisor Kevin McNamara said they have offered a premium on the property.
Trustee Donald Boynton noted the township said it will help find him another home in which to dwell.
Supervisor McNamara said the acquisition of property along Belleville Road began long ago, when Cindy King was supervisor.
“They just don’t respond,” McNamara said. “Those sidewalks are going in.”
McNamara said there are lots of grants coming in for the road-widening project, in fact they have “an embarrassment of riches.” He said Canton forgot to get easements for its project that is due to begin this summer, so maybe the Van Buren Township project, which is next in line, can leapfrog over the Canton project and start this year.
“I’m against eminent domain, but this is ridiculous,” McNamara said. “It’s jeopardizing our safety.”
In other business at the May 7 meeting, the board:
• Approved a fireworks display permit for Saturday, July 6, with a rain date of Sunday, July 7, for the Belleville Yacht Club, with the display in front of the BYC from a barge on Belleville Lake. The fireworks are by the Michigan Fireworks Club. The same location was approved in 2022 and 2023;
• Approved an agreement with Wayne County for improvements to Van Buren Park with the annual millage allocation of $38,321. The project would redesign the entryway area of Van Buren Park, including a lighting element for the sign, as well as renovate the township’s Community Garden;
• Approved an updated agreement with Norfolk Southern Railroad to contruct the Iron Belle Trail Section J rail crossing with the money to be paid to the railroad for its work remaining at $45,290;
• Approved the attorney’s recommendation in the board’s closed-door session held before this regular meeting concerning trial or settlement strategy in connection with specific pending litigation involving the police department;
• Approved recognizing Savage Elementary School PTO as a local, non-profit entity in Van Buren Township to help with the group’s fundraising;
• Approved amending the fee schedule for the existing tow agreement with Great Lakes Towing and J&T Crova. The existing costs were agreed upon in August 2017;
• Approved a three-year extension for contracted assessing services with WCA, with the cost of $85,176 annually from June 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025, and costs going up 5% each year after that;
• Approved a revision to the Cobblestone Creek Planned Residential Development requested by David Straub of M/I Homes of Michigan, regarding fewer side-entry garages. The approval does not impact the Jewitt Drain, the board was told;
• Approved the selection of Michigan Building Cleaning and Maintenance for a one-year contract that will provide janitorial services at the community center at a monthly cost of $16,016. Annual cost is $192,192. Also bidding were ABM Industries, Inc. at $143,964 and Master Maintenance at $262,740. The low bidder was not selected because it had fewer staff per shift than what was needed, said Elizabeth Renaud, director of community services;
• Removed from the agenda a zoning ordinance amendment to provide language clarifying signage provisions for the Belleville Road and Sumpter Road Mixed-Use District because of problems with the ordinance language;
• Approved a budget amendment in the amount of $481,900 from the township general fund balance into capital outlay for the Safe Streets for All study. As the township spends the money it is reimbursed by the grant. After the plan is complete, the township will be able to apply for an application grant for implementation; and
• Approved a resolution asking the Citizens Redistricting Committee to keep Van Buren Township, Sumpter Township, and the city of Belleville in the same state senate district. Supervisor McNamara said he found out about the redistricting in a hard-to-access GIS file and he called Sumpter Supervistor Tim Bowman and Belleville Mayor Ken Voigt and asked for their support and they said they will pass resolutions. Belleville passed its resolution at the May 6 meeting. McNamara said he would go to the next redistricting meeting to testify and other board members said they would join him. He said, “They are going super-fast and if we don’t get involved now, we’re out of it.”