Public hearings have begun on the Sashabaw Road Corridor Improvement Authority, one of the final steps before it can begin working on about $37.5 million in projects. Obstacles remain, however ? involvment by Oakland County and other government entities may be hard to get.
The township has already spent thousands of dollars on the proposed authority. If cooperation is not secured soon, Independence Township may have to cut its losses, said Trustee Daniel Kelly.
‘We need to find out what the county is saying,? Kelly said. ‘If they decide not to opt in, we need to decide if we need to cut bait.?
An ad-hoc committee of Oakland County officials met with township Supervisor David Wagner and planning consultant Richard Carlisle on Nov. 16 to discuss the plan. The committee will probably recommend against participating on all 11 proposed CIA projects, said County Commissioner Tom Middleton.
However, the plan must be in place before the county can officially begin its process of opting in or out ? it can’t debate a plan until it exists, Middleton said.
The county has one main criteria when considering participation ed by the county: will the improvement project help create jobs, he said.
‘If it doesn’t ? we have our own budget problems,? he said. ‘We’re concerned about our own revenues.?
About $13 million in county revenue is already tied up with township Downtown Development Authorities ? another obligation may be too much. By his estimate, the county may be able to contribute about half of what has been requested, Middleton said.
The Sashabaw Road corridor needs the CIA projects, said Forrest Milzow, chairman of the CIA Board.
‘The infrastructure improvements are a huge expense ? I don’t how we could get them otherwise,? Milzow said. ‘I’m asking you to look at the positives that could come from this.?
Thousands of jobs, at the proposed McLaren Health Park and other developments, could be created because of the improvement projects, he said.
On the other hand, Sashabaw Road already has enough development as it is, said Neil Wallace, township resident.
‘Development on Sashabaw certainly doesn’t need any stimulus,? Wallace said. ‘Development is going to happen in this area ? I don’t think you need to encourage it.?
In addition to the county, Oakland Community College and the Huron Clinton Metro Authority have been asked to participate. If fully participating, the county would contribute about $9 million, OCC about $6.5 million, and HCMA about $500,000, in addition to the township’s $15.4 million. These contributions are based on estimated increases in taxable values of the Sashabaw Road properties over the next 20 years. According to estimates, the value of the property will almost triple in value, from about $105 million to about $303 million. Under a state law passed in 2005, municipalities can ‘capture? the extra taxes collected on the property in a process called tax increment financing.
‘I want to caution you that this is simply an estimate,? Carlisle told the board.
The schedule of projects proposed by the township CIA board would be revised based on actual revenues, he said.
The board voted unanimously to adjourn the public hearing, to be continued at its Dec. 19 regular meeting.