MONTAGUE — The Montague city council unanimously approved a new Bowen Street Planned Unit Development (PUD) at its regular meeting Monday after a presentation from city manager Jeff Auch on how the PUD would work.
According to Auch's presentation, the city, which is working with a company called Bowen Woods LLC on the project, has the right to terminate the development if it does not receive affordable bids. The goal is to complete construction within four years, though there is a two-year extension option if necessary. The city would construct the units and would receive $35,000 in reimbursements from the company each time a unit is purchased. Bowen Woods will form a condominium association for the development's long-term maintenance and management.
The development will include a storm water detention spot that will connect directly to city storm sewers, as well as an emergency-access road for emergency vehicles. Twenty-seven visitor parking spots are planned in addition to residential parking, and there will be no on-street parking.
As part of the PUD, uncompleted units would be forfeited to the city if not built on time, and Bowen Woods would be on the hook to the city for its unreimbursed outlays. A surety bond and termination clauses will be put in place to protect the city as well. Auch confirmed Bowen Woods has agreed to all these stipulations. Council member Susan Newhof, at the end of the meeting, praised Auch for addressing the council's main concerns regarding the new PUD.
Also during the meeting, Bruce Froelich, the council's representative to the White Lake Ambulance Authority, gave an update about the WLAA. He said since he began serving in this capacity in 2017, he believes there's been much change for the good, notably in the authority's operating by millage and not running deficits that participating municipalities have to cover.
The improvements, Froelich said, have sparked interest from Fruitland Township in returning to the WLAA, which it left acrimoniously in 2015 amid financial disputes (there was even litigation involved). While nothing is finalized, as the Fruitland board tabled the idea at its October meeting, there remains mutual interest in a fee-per-service relationship for now with a possible more formal rejoining after a year. Froelich did add that bylaws would have to be rewritten in order to approve the latter, and each participating municipality would have to approve Fruitland's return via an election vote for that to occur. He stated that if that approval were made - it would have to be in 2026 - the WLAA would aim to lower the millage rate for all participants from its current 1.7 mills to more like 0.8 to 1 mill, as the tax base in Fruitland would provide a boost in revenue.
Council member Paul Schultz expressed concerns about Fruitland's potential return, citing the "ugly breakup," and stated he'd prefer the council to have some say in the matter. Froelich agreed the 2015 events made the concern understandable, but did note Fruitland presently averages about one ambulance call per day - adding it to the current WLAA average of two per day, he believed, would be manageable given current staffing and equipment availability.
Auch gave a city manager's report, during which he updated the council on work being done at Maple Grove Park. The playground is about 50% completed; council member Ken Mahoney said he's seen the progress and chuckled that "it's starting to look like a playground again." The next phase of the project is up for bids - it will include new matting and a new sidewalk - and completion is expected before Memorial Day 2026.
Auch also shared that the city is up to 188 of its water service lines that have been replaced under the state-mandated lead service line replacement project, which is essentially two years ahead of schedule. The city is also continuing to get the White Lake Senior Center building evaluated for potential repairs.
