East Bay Supports Brownfield Plan, Bond Resolution, Ridge Grant, Speed Zone

East Bay Township trustees voted Monday to support a brownfield plan for a 240-unit housing project on Three Mile Road, an intent-to-bond resolution for the East Bay/Acme sewer project, and resolutions supporting a grant application for the acquisition of The Ridge and to establish a school speed zone around the Hammond/Three Mile intersection.

Trustees voted to support a brownfield plan for a 240-unit apartment complex called Central Park on a 20-acre parcel on Three Mile Road just north of the Meadowlands Industrial Park (pictured, rendering). The $49 million project from development group Krimson will include 10 three-story buildings with 24 units each, with apartments ranging from 647 square feet (one-bedroom) to 1,389 square feet (three-bedroom). Proposed amenities include a clubhouse, carport parking, two dog parks, a playground, bus stop, and a system of walking paths and outdoor picnic areas.

The bulk of the units – 190, or 79 percent – will be reserved for residents earning up to 100 percent of the area median income (AMI). Rent with utilities included for those units is expected to range from $1,285 for a one-bedroom apartment to $2,079 for a two-bedroom apartment, according to the brownfield plan. The brownfield plan for Central Park covers approximately $20 million in reimbursable expenses over the 30-year lifespan of the plan. Trustees in July also established a Residential Housing District for the property, which will allow Krimson to apply for a temporary tax abatement for the site – another way to offset costs for workforce housing. That abatement will require the 50 market-rate units to be priced below 120 percent AMI for the first 12 years. The brownfield plan will next go to the county Brownfield Redevelopment Authority on August 28 and Grand Traverse County commissioners on September 17 for approval.

Trustees Monday voted to adopt a notice of intent resolution that would allow the township to issue up to $6.5 million in bonds for a joint East Bay/Acme sewer project – building a new main to replace a crucial but severely corroded line that carries all the wastewater for both townships to the treatment plant in Traverse City. The project cost is estimated at $11.4 million, which will be covered by a combination of grants and a cost-sharing agreement between East Bay and Acme in roughly a 60-40 split, respectively.

The resolution gives East Bay the ability to bond up to $6.5 million but doesn’t obligate it to do so if final costs come in under budget. Following board approval of the notice of intent resolution, a public notice will be published that gives voters a 45-day period in which they can file referendum petitions calling for an election before the bonds can be issued. If the referendum period passes with no petitions filed, the township can proceed with bonding. Township Supervisor Beth Friend said bids for the project will be opened on September 4, providing clearer figures that will inform "a lot of the financial plan" for the project.

Trustees Monday approved a resolution of support for a collaborative application with the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund for the Conservancy’s acquisition of the property known as The Ridge between Four and Five Mile roads. Trustees previously issued a resolution of support for the grant application in February but raised the amount in the resolution this week after an appraisal produced a higher-than-expected property value. The total project cost is now just over $10 million, about $2 million more than first estimated. The grant funding being sought is approximately $4.8 million, with the Conservancy to secure the remaining $5.2 million in matching funds.

Finally, trustees Monday approved a resolution to establish a school speed zone around the Hammond/Three Mile intersection. The speed limit, which would be in effect during the 30 minutes before and after the onset and dismissal of school, would be reduced to 35 miles per hour along Hammond and Three Mile for a distance of 1,000 feet from each nearest school property line. School districts are also requested to support the speed zone, which is approved by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and Michigan State Police. Pedestrian improvements around the intersection are planned in 2026 as part of Safe Routes to School, with township staff stating that the lower speed limit will help serve those improvements. Based on board feedback Monday, staff said they could explore the possibility of installing flashing signs that would warn about the reduced school speed as part of the planned improvements, though those aren't included in the project budget now.