The denial of consent by Hart City Council for the sale of the Ceres Property to S Hegg Real Estate was the topic of the singular public comment at Tuesday’s meeting. Commenter Patty Kersjes of Main Street Spa discussed her concerns with the process and discernment over which items council makes decisions.
Some of the examples Kersjes presented were the apparent lack of council decision in the dollar amounts of TIFA grants and the taxation, rent and utility payments of churches and businesses. The most notable item was the sale of the 408 and 412 State Street parcels to Cindy Beth Davis-Dykema following her winning of the Pitch for the Parcel earlier this summer. Kersjes had submitted a pitch for the property, the research for which gave her insight on the value of the three buildings. “[Davis-Dykema] got [the property] for a dollar. And did you have to approve of that? To me, that’s a lot of money just to not approve it… I think she’ll do great with what she does. But again, did you approve it?”
Of the Ceres Property sale denial in particular, Kersjes said the decision should be reevaluated, citing the work the Hegg family had done in restoring the 112 Main Street building and business for Hart they have provided in the past. “If you don’t want TIFA to make a decision like that, then why can they make other decisions?”
Following public comment, the board proceeded to the consent agenda and the 15 total action items listed.
The first three regarded the resignation acceptance of Gale Goldberg from the TIFA and Planning Commission Boards and the appointment of Hannah Juhl and Lisa Clark to fill the absences on those respective boards.
The following four action items concerned the ongoing efforts to expand the variety of residential dwellings permitted for development in the City of Hart, with the goal of fulfilling the requirements necessary to be awarded the Ready Redevelopment Certification. As with the last time the topic of tiny home developments was brought before council, council member Dean Hodges voiced concern with the minimum required square footage allotment. “To me, 400 square feet is tiny, tiny, tiny and to allow that anywhere within the city, I’ve looked… I don’t find other cities that allow that size. I had trouble finding apartment complexes that had apartments that small. So it's concerning to me.”
Along with the minimum size, Hodges also expressed concern over the possibility of tiny house developments affecting the value of surrounding properties. “Say my neighbor’s house burns down and somebody ends up with that [property] and puts up a 20x20, which devalues my property - potentially devalues my property, (and) potentially impacts the revenue from our taxes.”
Hodges said he would feel better pushing the tiny house-related ordinances forward if an expert came in and reviewed the ordinances. “As a retired engineer, as a retired architect, it concerns me, and I think it’s worth us having somebody consult.”
Council members Cat Burillo and Betty Root voiced interest in passing ordinances to allow tiny houses, Burillo believing that they could be used to help solve Michigan’s housing crisis, and Root pulling from past personal experiences of living in dwellings smaller than 400 square feet. Of the discussion, councilor Jim Cunningham said, “I like the idea of tiny houses. There’s a need for housing; this is a first step. But I also agree… there is no expert on the planning commission that knows real estate or taxes… I don’t think [having an expert’s review] can hurt us. I would recommend that approach.”
In the end, the council unanimously decided to send back the three action items relating to tiny house ordinances for review by the planning commission with an expert.
One ordinance that did pass was the allowance of buildings containing three or four dwelling units, another housing type that would bring Hart closer to Ready Redevelopment Certification. This was only the first reading of the ordinance, so a second reading and public hearing are necessary prior to its adoption.
With three action items tabled, the council continued by reviewing and approving the remaining eight action items.
Before the meeting’s adjournment, Mayor Amanda Klotz provided an update on the search for a permanent city manager. Three finalists have been chosen from the applicant pool provided by Double Haul Solutions, one of whom is the current interim manager, Nichole Kleiner. The public was invited to a meet-and-greet with the finalists at the Hart Community Center on Oct. 23 from 6-7:30 p.m.
