Jan 08

Okemos School Board to Discuss Sale of Wardcliff School Property

The Okemos School Board will meet on Monday, January 13, 2014 to continue discussing the possible sale of a portion of the Wardcliff School property.

 

The Wardcliff Neighborhood Association would like to keep residents up to date about the Okemos Board of Education and the informal proposal it has received for the purchase of 8 of the 16 acres of the WardcliffSchool property. The School Board has discussed this proposal at its previous two meetings and will continue the conversation at the next meeting on January 13, 2014 at 7:00 pm. in the Community Conference room in the Administration Center (at Central Elementary School) located at Mt.Hope and Okemos Road.

Thus far the School Board discussions have been exploratory, since no formal offer has been made to purchase the eastern half of the Wardcliff School Property. The question before the School Board right now is whether they are interested in receiving a formal offer.

The informal proposal the School Board has received is for the purchase of 8 acres, the land from Park Lake Road on the east to a line running north and south approximately between the two parts of Blue Haven Drive. The stated intent of the purchaser is to develop a three-story Senior Citizens housing development with approximately 100 units. Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MISHDA) funds would be used for construction, so the rents on a portion of the units would be subsidized. The buyer has expressed a willingness to pay about $500,000 for the property. A report about the proposal appeared in the Lansing State Journal on December 10, 2013.

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20131210/OKEMOS/312100053/Okemos-Schools-considers-selling-eight-acres-near-Wardcliff-School

If the School Board eventually agrees to sell the property, decisions about land use would then pass to the Township.  Any development would need to be reviewed and approved by Meridian Township Planning and Development staff, the Meridian Township Planning Commission and the township Board of Trustees.

The School Board has expressed a desire to learn what the Wardcliff Neighborhood residents think about the proposal. Some residents of the neighborhood have attended previous School Board meetings, but greater community input would help the School Board to make their decision.  If you are able to attend the School Board meeting on January 13, 2014 at 7:00 pm and speak to them directly that would be appreciated.  If you are unable to attend the meeting, you can express your opinions in a letter or email to the School Board, to the Superintendent, or to individual School Board members.

The School Board of the Okemos Public Schools

4406 N. Okemos Road
Okemos, Mi 48864

Okemos School Board: board@okemosschools.net

Okemos School Superintendent (Dr. Catherine Ash): catherine.ash@okemosschools.net

brian.pillar

Permanent link to this article: https://www.wardcliff.org/wardcliff-school-property-sale-discussion-201401/