The Sun and News, Saturday, May 18, 2024/ Page 5That money would then be
used to reimburse the devel-
oper for infrastructure and
other related costs tied to the
project, including construc-
tion of a $475,000 lift station
that would handle sewage for
the development.
The TIF application is the
result of a change in the
state’s Brownfield
Development Financing Act
that has been in place for
more than 25 years. State
lawmakers last year passed a
four-bill package that chang-
es the law to allow new tax
revenues captured through
local brownfield redevelop-
ment authorities to fund
affordable housing projects.
The Flats at Mid-Villa proj-
ect calls for construction of six
apartment buildings, totaling
144 units – 120 two-bedroom
apartments and 24 one-bed-
room apartments – along with
a 134-unit self-storage facility
and three commercial outlots
fronting M-37. The site has
been vacant since the former
Middle Villa Inn was torn
down in 2015. The Village
Council in May of last year
approved a planned unit devel-
opment proposal for the proj-
ect.
The developers say the
project addresses a need for
“workforce housing” that
was identified in a report
issued last year by the Barry
Community Foundation and
Barry County Chamber and
Economic Development
Alliance. The apartments
would be marketed toward
people whose incomes are
between 80 and 120 percent
of the community’s median
income, which works out to
between $40,000 and
$90,000 a year.
Rents for the units would
range from $1,225 a month
for one bedroom to $1,
for two bedrooms, which
developers say is below mar-
ket rate. Without the TIF,
rents for the apartments
would likely exceed $2,000 a
month, Dutch Developers
principal Nate Heyboer said.
“It’s not perfect. It’s not
going to help (everyone). It’s
supposed to help some. It’s
supposed to help the two-in-
come family, the boy-friend-girlfriend that work
together, they’re trying to
make the step into the vil-
lage, who want to live here
and be part of the communi-
ty,” Heyboer said. “Right
now, there is nothing avail-
able for anyone in that situa-
tion. You have to go to Misty
Ridge or somewhere (else)
and buy a brand new home.”
Katie Stanton considers
the TIF request an affront to
the hard-working residents
who pay taxes to support the
community.
“If you vote and you say
yes to this ... you’re basical-
ly smacking them in the face
because we helped make this
community great,” Stanton
said. “We paid our taxes. If a
hundred residents came to
you and said we don’t want
to pay taxes, would you
agree with that? No. That
would be asinine – for 15
years. That’s crazy.”
The TIF request does not
involve the self-storage facil-
ity and commercial outlots.
Development of that portion
of the project is underway.
Heyboer said recently he
expects to generate about
$600,000 in new tax reve-
nues from the commercial
side of the development that
will be taxed in its normal
fashion.
“The tax request for this
has nothing do with any of
the commercial properties.
All the commercial proper-
ties – the potential restau-
rants, the potential doctors’
offices – are all going to be
paying new (taxes), full
taxes,” Heyboer said.
Keara Hilton said that the
type of project being pro-
posed at the Mid-Villa site is
more suited to a larger city
and not a community the size
of Middleville.
“I just don’t see what
you’re trying to do, and (how)
the program you’re trying to
use fits with our small com-
munity,” Hilton said.
Brenda Coles expressed
concern about the mainte-
nance and upkeep of the
building after the 15-year tax
capture is completed.
“In 15 years, you’re going
to have a development that has
had 15 years of ... full occu-pancy, full use,” Coles said. “I
live in a home that’s 20 years
old. When do things start tak-
ing a crap at my house?
Around 15 years. You have to
replace heating, cooling,
plumbing, etc. Do we have
projections for the mainte-
nance of those units over time?
Do we have quality building
going up, or are we going to be
dealing with some run-down
housing in 15 years?”
Dutch Developers said it
will use a property manage-
ment company that has been
certified by the Michigan
State Housing Development
Authority to maintain the
apartments.
Concerns were also raised
on the need for increased
police and fire presence in
the community as a result of
the new development, as
well as additional traffic on
M-37.
The Middleville Village
Council on April 23 approved
a resolution of support for
the TIF proposal on a unani-
mous vote. Village President
Pro Tempore Kevin Smith
spoke of what he sees as the
long-term benefit of the proj-
ect and the TIF proposal.
“In 15 years, this will be a
windfall for the village (in
terms of new tax revenue),
and we’ll have affordable
housing to address what is, at
this stage, a national crisis,”
Smith said. “This isn’t a loss,
it’s a gain.”
The DDA board is expect-
ed to consider a similar reso-
lution when it meets at 6 p.m.
Tuesday night at the Village
Hall.MID-VILLA TIF, continued from previous page
PUBLISHER’S
NOTICE:
All real estate advertising in this newspaper is
subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan
Civil Rights Act which collectively make it ille-
gal to advertise “any preference, limitation or
discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex,
handicap, familial status, national origin, age or
marital status, or an intention, to make any such
preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial
status includes children under the age of 18 living
with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women
and people securing custody of children under 18.
This newspaper will not knowingly accept
any advertising for real estate which is in viola-
tion of the law. Our readers are hereby informed
that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are
available on an equal opportunity basis. To report
discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at
616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone num-
ber for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.116Thornapple Twp. OKs
cemetery rate increases
Greg Chandler
Staff Writer
Facing rising costs of
maintaining Mount Hope
Cemetery, the Thornapple
Township Board Monday
unanimously approved a
series of rate increases to
generate additional reve-
nue for upkeep of the cem-
etery.
The cost of a cemetery
lot for a township resident
will increase from $700 to
$850, while a lot for a
non-resident will rise from
$1,000 to $1,200. A cre-
main lot for a resident will
now cost $450, up from$300, while a non-resident
cremain lot will cost $
under the new rate struc-
ture, up from $500, accord-
ing to township docu-
ments.
The burial fee for a full
cemetery lot between May
and October will be $650,
an increase from $600,
while the burial fee for a
cremain lot in that same
time window will be $250,
up from $200. The sur-
charge for a burial during
the winter months
(November through April)
will be an additional $150,
an increase from $100,township documents show.
The cost for a columbar-
ium niche for a township
resident will increase from
$800 to $875, while a
non-resident columbarium
niche will cost $1,175, an
increase from $1,100.
The township budget for
the cemetery for the 2024-
25 fiscal year calls for
$93,700 in expenditures,
including $26,800 for pro-
fessional services, $26,
for repairs and mainte-
nance and $20,000 for
building and grounds
improvements, according
to township documents.Thornapple Twp. puts
single fire services tax
proposal on August ballot
Greg Chandler
Staff Writer
With two millages to
support fire services in
Thornapple Township hav-
ing expired, township offi-
cials have decided to com-
bine the two previous levies
into a new proposal that
will go before voters on the
August ballot.
The Township Board
Monday voted to put on the
Aug. 6 ballot a single pro-
posal for fire protection and
emergency services, includ-
ing the purchase of equip-
ment, of 2.25 mills for six
years, running from this
year to 2029. If approved,
the levy would generate
$993,565 in its first year.
On a unanimous vote, the
board chose to combine the
two prior tax levies — one
that was approved in August
2020 and a second that
passed by less than 100
votes two years later —
into one new proposal rath-
er than seek two separate
renewals. Some board
members were concerned
about presenting separate
renewal proposals.
“I think we take a chance,
if they only want to vote
(yes) on one, but if they
don’t (vote yes) on the
smaller one ... We need
both,” Township Treasurer
Laura Bouchard said.
Trustee Curt Campbell
raised a concern about the
way the ballot language
will look to voters. Because
it’s a new proposal, it can’t
be worded as a renewal,
even though it would
replace the two prior sepa-
rate millages.
“I don’t care how we do
it, but I’m just worried that
our voters aren’t going to
understand what they’re
voting for,” Campbell said.
In August 2020, town-
ship voters approved a
1.7169-mill renewal for fire
protection and emergency
services for four years,
including funding to sup-
port the purchase of fire
and emergency equipment,
with 1,151 yes votes to 469
no votes. That levy has
since been rolled back to
1.6742 mills because of the
Headlee amendment.
In August 2022, the
township asked for an
additional 0.5662 mills for
fire and emergency ser-
vices. That vote was much
closer, passing with 1,
yes votes to 913 no votes.
That levy has been rolled
back since then to its cur-
rent level of 0.5629 mills
by the Headlee amend-
ment.
Board members also
debated whether to seek a
four-year or six-year period
for the new levy. Trustee
Kim Selleck supported
seeking a longer term for
the tax.
“It’s a lot better (and)
easier for planning down
the road. We just have to
explain to our constituentsthat we’re combining the
two and making it longer,
just for ease and budget
planning,” Selleck said.
Fire Chief Bill
Richardson also supported
going for a six-year levy.
“Every four years, it just
seems like you’re over
here, constantly asking (for
approval),” Richardson
said.
Supervisor Eric Schaefer
said that the township will
have to educate the public to
try to clear up any potential
confusion about the new
proposal. Richardson sug-
gested an informational
flyer similar to one distrib-
uted by Thornapple Kellogg
Schools to explain their
recent non-homestead mill-
age proposal, which voters
approved last week.
Seventy percent of the
revenues generated by the
millage goes to fire ser-
vices, 20 percent goes to
ambulance and 10 percent
goes to capital improve-
ments toward the purchase
of new equipment, accord-
ing to township board min-
utes.Thornapple Township Treasurer Laura Bouchard
shares her concerns about seeking separate renew-
als of the township’s fire and emergency services
millage at Monday’s board meeting as Supervisor
Eric Schaefer listens. (Photo by Greg Chandler)