Atlas Twp.-By a 4-0 vote on Monday night, the township board of trustees denied local business owner Lee Steinhoff a franchise sewer agreement.
At issue is a 20-acre parcel located just north of the Goodrich High School, where Steinhoff intends to build an assisted living facility. The sewer line runs along the Hegel Road frontage across the street from the high school.
‘There’s no cost to the township,? said Steinhoff, owner of Direct Properties, 8191 S. State Road, Goodrich.
‘I see a win-win situation’it’s totally a positive thing for the township. I have the room on the property to build an engineered septic system, but that’s far more environmentally risky then tapping into the sewers. Not to mention the township will gain tax revenues from the business too.?
While only in the planning stage, the assisted living project will include 40 beds to start out and grow from there if the demand is necessary, said Steinhoff.
‘We want to build a facility that’s like a home and even provide the students from the school an opportunity to interact with the elderly. There’s plenty of trees on the parcel and I’d like to keep the area as natural as possible.?
‘I know Paul (Amman, township supervisor) has been anti-sewer from day one, for no good reason other than anti-growth for the township.?
Township Supervisor Paul Amman see things differently.
‘The township’s position has always been we do not approve franchise agreements,? Amman said. ‘We are not in the sewer business. Lee (Steinhoff) knew this when he purchased the property. Approval requires Goodrich, Atlas Township and Grand Blanc Township to sign the franchise agreement.?
Currently the township has 72 sewer customers in Arbor on the Lakes and Winfield Hills subdivisions.