City Commission set to make Mount Pleasant Center decision on Thursday

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The need for future development in Mount Pleasant is a key concern for city commissioners deciding the fate of the Mount Pleasant Center property Thursday night.

It is an opportunity to secure something for future generations, said Commissioner Sharon Tilmann.

“I don’t want to be known as a city that cannot grow because we have no facilities or resources to welcome development,” she said.

Before the commission makes its decision, members will hear the results of the phase II environmental study from ATK Peerless. Commissioners will also receive a more concrete estimate of insurance costs and demolition or clean-up costs for the property’s vacant buildings.

Commissioner Jon Joslin sees the land as almost identical to Project 2000 — a 1990s effort by the city to purchase 300 acres of land in its southeast portion for residential and commercial development.

Some opponents of the purchase argue the Mount Pleasant Center property would be competing against Project 2000.

Another fear is how much it is going to cost the city to complete the project. With cuts in services last year plus proposed revenue sharing cuts from Gov. Rick Snyder, Joslin said, people are hesitant.

The initial cost for purchasing the property is $50,001. Additional costs are expected to follow after the purchase and the estimated cost per year is $125,000.

It is a great chance to expand the tax base for Mount Pleasant, just as Project 2000 did, Joslin said.

“We would have had to do the recent cuts sooner and would’ve seen an increase in the millage if we didn’t have the Project 2000 tax base,” Joslin said. “It’s generating that much revenue.”

Commissioner Nancy English has overwhelmingly been encouraged by residents to vote for the purchase, she said. However, she has also been told to pass on the property and let other developers purchase it.

The latter option is not as easy or appealing as it sounds, she said.

If the commission votes “no,” there is a variety of things that could happen as the next step, with the possibility that another government entity could purchase the property.

“When people say things like, ‘We can still control it with zoning,’ that may or may not be the case depending on the next step,” English said. “If we decline, depending on the scenario, it’s up in the air how much control we get, and depending on who purchases if we even get any.”

It may take 10 to 20 years before expenses turn to overall gains, Tilmann said, but Mount Pleasant having control of what goes on with the property is worth that time.

“I may not see in my lifetime the great things or what transpires out there over the years, but it’s a beautiful piece of land, if not the only piece left,” English said. “Can we afford not to purchase for the future community?”

Tilmann is confident the community recognizes the opportunity and is willing to back the commission should they take the risk of purchasing.

“This is not a community that sits on our hands and waits for things to get better,” she said. “We make things better and it’s always been that way.”