Long-term plans laid for natural park

MACOMB TOWNSHIP — As population growth drives development throughout Macomb Township, local officials are racing against time, the bulldozer and future uncertainty to preserve a sliver of nature along the North Branch of the Clinton River.

Known as the North Branch Greenway, the project aims to be a near-continuous stretch of trail running the length of the river in Macomb Township.

“What we’re trying to do is acquire as much land as we can along the North Branch of the Clinton River, which is the big waterway that’s west of North Avenue,” said Jim Van Tiflin, the township’s land development director. “We’ve gotten some grant money, and we’ve been in contact with many of the landowners along the river, and we’ve been successful in acquiring three different parcels at this point … and we’re looking to assemble some more so we can potentially create a bit of a trail along the river connecting some of our township-owned property.”

The idea came to the township in 2022 from county officials, who proposed a large trail along the North Branch of the Clinton River that would connect places like Armada and Ray townships to the network of parks, paths and trails in Clinton Township. For officials in Macomb Township, a big trail is exactly what they have told the township needed. Van Tiflin says pathways and trail expansion are highly requested by residents in surveys, and something like a nature trail would be best suited for the eastern part of the township.

“That’s probably the area of the township that we have the most to gain for something like this,” Van Tiflin said. “Along the other water courses, like the Middle Branch, which is along Romeo Plank, most of that is already developed. That area of the township where the North Branch is (located) is fairly undeveloped, so we saw it as a win — especially when we got the opportunity to acquire the Lucido River Park property. It became something we were very interested in doing, preserving the green space along the river.”

Since the concept was accepted by the township, plans to secure the land — and the funding needed to get the land — have been moving forward. Macomb County agreed to help the township acquire grant funding, but it was up to Macomb Township to seek out grants and other funding sources.

So far, the township has received $742,500 from the Natural Resources Trust Fund, which is managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and $1 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funding, plus support from the DNR for a $500,000 grant that has yet to be awarded.

The first application for DNR funding was made in March 2023, as the program officially made its debut at a township board meeting after residents along the river had been contacted on a noncommittal basis. Concerns from those in the area about the use of eminent domain were quickly quashed by Township Supervisor Frank Viviano, who said the practice would “certainly not (be used) while I’m sitting here.”

“We sent letters out to all of the residents who abutted up to the North Branch, and those residents contacted us,” Deputy Township Supervisor Jodie Claycomb. “It was a generic letter (asking), ‘Are you interested, we’re applying for this grant,’ and we had five residents who actually reached out to us and said they were interested.”

Van Tiflin estimates about 12 parcels of land along the North Branch are needed to complete Macomb Township’s stretch of the greenway. So far, three parcels have been acquired with two being located between 23 and 24 Mile roads with one north of 24 Mile at 26 Mile. 

Nobody is under the impression this will be a quick process.

“This is a very long-range idea,” Van Tiflin said. “This is going to be many, many years, 10, 20, 30 years that this might take. It just depends on what grant money is available, what partnering opportunities we have with local developers … this is something that will be on the township’s radar for quite some time.”

Even though it will take some time to get the full route secured, there are elements of the greenway that can be visited. Lucido River Park, located at 52175 North Ave., is a key location for the North Branch Greenway. Trails on the property, which are set to be expanded upon thanks to a $500,000 DNR-supported grant, are planned to connect to the greenway. The township’s other owned properties along the river can be visited today. The experience of being on those properties will not be too different than what it may be like with a developed greenway, which is entirely by design.

“With the grants, the best thing about it is (the acquired land) will always be in preservation,” Claycomb said. “We can never sell those. That is always going to be park property”

Van Tiflin and Claycomb know that Macomb Township is continuing to grow at the fastest rate of any township in Michigan. They also know the opportunity to get and preserve this land is fading. Currently, officials bring up the greenway project to developers as soon as they can in order to try getting some of the flood plains set aside for future use in the trail. Van Tiflin says the greenway has been “fairly well-received” by developers and landowners.

Another aspect of the changing township is that its government may change. Macomb Township is no stranger to ambitious projects being carried over from one supervisor administration and elected board to another, and the project has received consistent support from the current board and supervisor. But how support from those bodies may change over the years is unknowable.

Between the desire of residents for trails and the work done so far, Van Tiflin believes the North Branch Greenway has a good shot of making it to completion, or somewhere close, at least.

“I think with the acquisitions we’ve gotten at this point, I think it’s a good groundwork to inspire future boards to continue this,” Van Tiflin said. “We’ve got some properties over in that 23-24 Mile area that are definitely going to benefit from having trails being able to connect these township-owned properties.”