9/9/14 - After years of discussion over the Highland/Howell property, Howell City Council is moving forward with the best option for the land. Council met last evening and decided from four possibilities which would be most beneficial to the city. The parcel in question is a 210-acre area located north of I-96 between Lucy Road and South Michigan Avenue. It was the focal point of litigation by developers who sued the city after a proposed âloop-roadâ project failed to win federal approval. The city last year agreed to settle the lawsuit by purchasing the land for $2 million. The four options presented last night were to put the property up for sale, engage with a broker, gauge the propertyâs value, or create a Request for Proposal, also known as an RFP. In the end, council decided to put the property up for sale with the hopes of being able to pay back the funds they borrowed from the city for it. City Manager Shea Charles tells WHMI that the city is in a good position as the landâs owner, as well as the regulatory agency in its use. This ensures that offers can be turned down in the event they are not in line with the areaâs best interest. As taxes are not being collected on the property, it is a financial drain on the city and is hindering other necessary projects. Therefore, council members were agreeable in putting it up for sale, hoping to reimburse the borrowed monies. In the meantime, the city will continue to hold onto the property, until an offer is made and accepted. Image courtesy of Google Maps Street View. (DK/JK)
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