Township officials ask City Council to sway Bernero
Tom Lambert
Lansing State Journal
LANSING TWP. - Lansing Township officials have turned to Lansing City Council member with hopes they would put pressure on Mayor Virg Bernero to change his mind on blocking a sewer project near the Eastwood Towne Center.
The two sides met Monday night at the township's offices.
Bernero, who was not at Monday's meeting, said he wouldn't back down.
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Township officials were hoping to have already tapped into the city's sewer system as part of a $7 million project to extend Sam's Way from Wood Street to Chamberlain Drive.
The township has relied on the city's sewer system for nearly 50 years. The project would have built a bypass around this summer's reconstruction of Lake Lansing Road.
Lansing officials, however, have yet to approve the plan, saying the city's segment of its sewers serving that portion of the township is over capacity by 5 million gallons a day.
John Daher, township supervisor, said city officials had mentioned no problems with sewer capacity until recently.
"Mayor Bernero claims to be a poster child for regionalization," said Daher. "This is his chance to prove it."
The township's master plan calls for housing, retail and medical offices in the Eastwood area. No specific projects are on the table.
The township has other options besides using Lansing's sewer system, including holding off on the sewer work this year or turning to East Lansing for sewer service, he said.
Bernero said the area is a good candidate for a tax-sharing plan that would split responsibility for services - and collecting taxes - between the city and township.
"Lansing Township is perfectly willing to cooperate when it comes to us providing free mutual aid," he said.
"Why not show that same cooperation when it comes to economic development?"
Bernero said Lansing Township is not an island and it should be willing to partner with Lansing and East Lansing.
Lansing City Council President Harold Leeman said while Lansing Township should be allowed to move forward with the sewer project, there was little the council could do to force Bernero's hand.
"The mayor needs to let us know what his issues are with this project," Leeman said.
Contact Tom Lambert at 377-1063 or tlambert@lsj.com.
I get the feeling this will drag on for quite awhile. And I wouldn't be suprised to see this conflict act as a catalyst for some positive change, if not leading to the eventual annexation of Lansing Twp. Or at least some sort of tax sharing agreement at Eastwood, as Bernero suggested.
Lansing schools is poised to sell the former Holmes Street School property to Spartan Internet.
The IT firm wants to use the building to double its size in Lansing, adding 30 to 40 employees.
Meanwhile, Spartan also is willing to accommodate and house a Lansing technology learning center envisioned by Michigan State University faculty members, neighbors who live near the school and local economic development leaders.
School board members are considering the transaction at tonight's (Thursday night) meeting.
I think they have several floors in that building now. I was really hoping to see them continue to expand downtown, there is in fact more space available in Capitol Hall. I'm glad to see the technology learning center is going to happen though, and its good that Spartan is doing well enough to expand.
The one old school I'd like to see redeveloped most is Cedar St School. Thats really an eye sore and it seems like being in Old Town would help it.
Just FYI, I was reading the a story about Harry Hepler and his MotorWheel Lofts in the Greater Lansing Business Monthly and it said that "In the future Hepler is partnering in the rennovation of the former YMCA building, currently vacant." It doesen't give any more details, and I doubt this will be happening any time in the immediate future. It is however, nice to hear that this building is going to be rennovated, I just can't imagine what they will do with it.
The GLBM has a bunch of stories on the redovelopments going on around downtown in the most recent issue, definately worth reading through them.
Like a lot of the cities "green" efforts this is symobolic. If the city continues to go Green, we may just get some recognition on a national level. I'm not sure how common efforts like using electric cars and Bio-fuels are with other city governments, but Bernero seems really pressed about it, all these little changes are happening pretty quickly. Maybe the next step will be a new LEED certified City Hall/Police HQ.
Comments
Lansing Township presses for sewer line
Township officials ask City Council to sway Bernero
Tom Lambert
Lansing State Journal
LANSING TWP. - Lansing Township officials have turned to Lansing City Council member with hopes they would put pressure on Mayor Virg Bernero to change his mind on blocking a sewer project near the Eastwood Towne Center.
The two sides met Monday night at the township's offices.
Bernero, who was not at Monday's meeting, said he wouldn't back down.
Advertisement
Township officials were hoping to have already tapped into the city's sewer system as part of a $7 million project to extend Sam's Way from Wood Street to Chamberlain Drive.
The township has relied on the city's sewer system for nearly 50 years. The project would have built a bypass around this summer's reconstruction of Lake Lansing Road.
Lansing officials, however, have yet to approve the plan, saying the city's segment of its sewers serving that portion of the township is over capacity by 5 million gallons a day.
John Daher, township supervisor, said city officials had mentioned no problems with sewer capacity until recently.
"Mayor Bernero claims to be a poster child for regionalization," said Daher. "This is his chance to prove it."
The township's master plan calls for housing, retail and medical offices in the Eastwood area. No specific projects are on the table.
The township has other options besides using Lansing's sewer system, including holding off on the sewer work this year or turning to East Lansing for sewer service, he said.
Bernero said the area is a good candidate for a tax-sharing plan that would split responsibility for services - and collecting taxes - between the city and township.
"Lansing Township is perfectly willing to cooperate when it comes to us providing free mutual aid," he said.
"Why not show that same cooperation when it comes to economic development?"
Bernero said Lansing Township is not an island and it should be willing to partner with Lansing and East Lansing.
Lansing City Council President Harold Leeman said while Lansing Township should be allowed to move forward with the sewer project, there was little the council could do to force Bernero's hand.
"The mayor needs to let us know what his issues are with this project," Leeman said.
Contact Tom Lambert at 377-1063 or tlambert@lsj.com.
Nicole Geary
Lansing State Journal
Lansing schools is poised to sell the former Holmes Street School property to Spartan Internet.
The IT firm wants to use the building to double its size in Lansing, adding 30 to 40 employees.
Meanwhile, Spartan also is willing to accommodate and house a Lansing technology learning center envisioned by Michigan State University faculty members, neighbors who live near the school and local economic development leaders.
School board members are considering the transaction at tonight's (Thursday night) meeting.
The one old school I'd like to see redeveloped most is Cedar St School. Thats really an eye sore and it seems like being in Old Town would help it.
I love it, if only it would catch on...
You're killing me by posting a picture of the wretched Michigan Restaurant Association Building again. gah.
The GLBM has a bunch of stories on the redovelopments going on around downtown in the most recent issue, definately worth reading through them.