Property in Gladwin, Clare up for bid (complete article from source)
Source: Gladwin County Record, by Andrew F. Mutavdzija
November 20, 2007
Capital News Service
The Department of Natural Resources, in an attempt to consolidate its holdings, is selling parcels throughout the state.
“This is a project for the future,” said Ed Meadows of the DNR.
Meadows said the department wants to get surplus parcels back to local management or private ownership and take the proceeds from those sales to acquire more desirable land for public use.
Bids are being taken on 39 properties in the following counties: Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Hillsdale, Kalamazoo, Mason, Muskegon, Oceana, St. Joseph, Van Buren and Wexford.
Other parcels are available for direct purchase in Alpena, Charlevoix, Chippewa, Clare, Dickinson, Gladwin, Iosco, Lake, Midland and Oakland counties.
All surplus land is first offered for sale to local governments and conservation groups, then to Native American tribes, Meadows said.
The remaining properties are then available to the public for land exchanges. If there are still plots available, they are listed for sale.
Some of the plots are too small to be of use to the department, while others are unfit to build on, Meadows said.
The state often acquires parcels after the owners fail to pay their property taxes.
Meadows expects about a third to a half of the 39 parcels will be sold.
Brad Garmon, land programs director at the Michigan Environmental Council, said his organization supports DNR’s initiative.
“It makes sense to take this strategy on,” he said, noting the state’s economic problems. Everybody’s streamlining lately, he said.
Acquiring new land will benefit DNR’s overall system, Garmon said.
Donna Stine, deputy director of policy at the Michigan United Conservation Clubs, said MUCC supports the consolidation efforts as long as the DNR does not get rid of any properties that include public access, border water or that are larger than 40 acres.
One such property on Beaver Island was originally listed, but has since been taken off the list, she said.
Stine said the department faces a tough challenge with inadequate funding and more demand for public land for recreational use.
“It makes great sense for them to try to consolidate their land holdings,” she said.
Meadows said prices range between $300 and $43,000. If all 39 properties were sold, he said, DNR would take in about $512,000.
DNR will use the money to acquire more desirable land, preferably adjacent to existing state property.
“We only buy from willing sellers,” he said. “If they don’t want to sell, we move on to other property.
There are a lot of people who want to sell property to the state,” especially in this market, he said.
People interested in acquiring property can visit DNR’s Web site (www.michigan.gov/ dnr) and print out a bid form and find more informatoin on parcels. The minimum bid is posted on the site. Bids must be mailed to DNR and will remain sealed until Dec. 13.
Currently, there is one parcel of land for sale in Gladwin County, an 80 acre parcel in Beaverton Township about 4 miles south of Beaverton on Roehrs Road. The parcel is zoned for residential and farming.
In Clare County, two 5-acre properties are for sale in Frost Township in the middle of private land. The parcels are each 132 feet by 1,650 feet with 132 feet on Harrison Avenue. The northern most parcel is zoned single family residential.
A 0.97 acre parcel of property is available for sale in Greendale Township, Midland County. It includes 120 feet of frontage on Salt River Road; it is zoned R1 residential.
Click here for complete article from Gladwin County Record
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