Acme Township trustees agreed this week to pay for a feasibility study to explore building a township water system – a move that could significantly expand commercial and multi-family development opportunities in the US-31 and M-72 corridors.

Acme Township, which has a sewer system but lacks its own municipal water, has long hoped to build a water system, with that goal appearing for years in the township master plan. While a handful of Acme property owners pay to tap into a water system owned by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians – including Meijer on M-72 – the vast majority of properties have their own on-site water supplies, such as private wells or cisterns.

That set-up is satisfactory for most residential homeowners, but is a major hindrance for commercial development, according to John Iacoangeli of Beckett & Raeder, which provides consulting services to the township. Iacoangeli told trustees Tuesday that Acme is “never going to see the level of commercial development or residential development that it should see without potable water.”

“The property owners, in some of the larger parcels of property, will not be able to afford the necessary well water in order to accommodate the requirements under the fire suppression systems under the new fire code,” Iacoangeli said. A municipal water system is one of the “last linchpins that's really needed for the township” to realize its growth potential, Iacoangeli said, particularly in the commercial corridors. Without it, properties like the former Kmart site – where an indoor storage facility is proposed to be built – will not see more creative or high-density uses because of the prohibitive cost involved in supplying water to those types of projects, according to Iacoangeli. “(Warehouse-type uses) is really all…you’re going to see in Acme Township unless you have access to public water,” he said.

Trustees and staff lamented that Acme Township has experienced multiple commercial and multi-family developers abandoning proposed projects over the years because of the lack of municipal water. “I know people are walking away from us because there isn't the water in the commercial district,” said Trustee Jean Aukerman. “I can only imagine what could be if the stars aligned and this is something that was feasible…I think there would be charm and enterprise and just a positive catalyst for that corridor, that frankly would deliver the vision that the master plan has described for years.”

Trustees emphasized that they wanted to focus specifically on providing water to the US-31 and M-72 corridors, not the entire township. Iacoangeli said that scope of focus would discourage sprawl into agricultural areas. “It would preserve the rural character of the balance of the township by focusing concentrated development in areas along your commercial corridors,” he said. The board approved a $16,500 contract with Gosling Czubak to analyze the costs and logistical considerations involved with two options: Acme constructing a water system that would be supplied by its own water sources, and Acme constructing a water system that would be supplied by East Bay Township. The first option could have higher costs, but could also generate revenue for the township long-term and provide Acme independent control over its water supply.

Iacoangeli said Acme obtaining a “bonafide engineering feasibility study” would not only give the township a clear picture of its options, but fulfill federal requirements for funding if trustees move ahead with building a system. “If the feasibility study comes out and says that it is financially feasible for the township...then the township can take that feasibility study and coordinate with the USDA, who provides the long-term financing for the installation of the water system,” he said. Iacoangeli added the study would evaluate not only installation costs for the two options, but operation and maintenance costs as well. Gosling Czubak is expected to deliver the results of the feasibility study by July.

Trustees, who unanimously approved the contract, were enthusiastic about moving forward with an in-depth analysis to better understand the township’s options. “You almost can’t have enough information when it comes to this topic, because it’s such a big topic in terms of economics…and life safety,” said Trustee Dale Stevens. Township Clerk Cathy Dye said she was glad to see that the feasibility study would be dedicated to a “focused area” in the township’s commercial core. Aukerman, meanwhile, described the undertaking as an important milestone in potentially realizing the long-discussed plans to bring water to Acme Township. “We can’t do it unless we take this step,” she said. “This is a much more robust look than we've ever given it before.”