By: Dean Vaglia | Macomb Chronicle | Published February 20, 2023
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — Land does not come cheap, nor does it go cheap, as the Macomb Township Board of Trustees found at its Feb. 8 meeting.
Located at the northeast corner of 24 Mile and Foss roads, the over-40-acre parcel (#20-08-10-400-025) was sold from the township to the Warren-based Tayba Village LLC for $950,000. Tayba Village plans to develop the site for single-family residential homes at a density of one home per 0.75 to 1 acre.
Several homes are already located along the same section of 24 Mile Road.
The sale of the parcel comes as the township looks to repurpose held properties that lack a current or planned use.
“The only rationale I can conceive of to hold onto these properties is if we intend to use them for parks and recreation,” Trustee Frank Cusumano said. “Otherwise, you could argue the land is an investment as a land bank, but I don’t see that the return on investment is sufficient to characterize it as a good move for a land bank use. That’s the reason I have been voting to dispose of the surplus properties.”
CDBG allocation and applications
The Board of Trustees also voted to allocate the township’s 2023 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to a number of organizations.
Of the $32,200 allocated to the township, $2,500 is going to Care House, $600 to Wigs for Kids, $500 to Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers and $28,600 to Macomb Township’s Marvin Blank Senior Center.
“I also am very happy to see the people at Wigs for Kids and Caregivers come in and ask us for some support, because that’s all tied into the community,” Trustee Charles Oliver said. “We’re happy to see that.”
Trustees are also pursuing CDBG brick and mortar applications to build disabled access ramps and senior center renovations. The projects are estimated to cost around $62,868 and $185,610, respectively, with matching contributions included.
CDBG funds come from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and are distributed by Macomb County.
Other business
Township Clerk Kristi Pozzi confirmed the township will take part in the Utica Community Schools special election on Tuesday, May 2.
The special election will cover a bond proposal and non-homestead millage. Voting will take place in precincts 10, 15, 18, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32, and absentee voting will begin on Thursday, March 23. The nine-day early voting period will not occur for this election.