It turns out, to widen John Street, all Otsego has to do is ask.
Allegan County gave preliminary support to the concept of granting the city an easement to widen the road that leads to the entrance of the former Rock Tenn paper mill.
District 6 county Commissioner Gale Dugan represents the Otsego area and said it would only help the county’s efforts to sell the industrial property.
“I would suggest, since the county owns the property, that Otsego should be looking at a full-fledged 66-foot right of way so they can place utilities, water mains, storm sewer, things of that nature... and that we work collaboratively with the city to make sure that easement happens,” Dugan said. “Basically, it’s an improvement for getting our property sold and getting it better access out to 106th and River Street.”
John Street’s roughly 300 feet of deteriorating pavement runs south from West River Street to Helen Avenue. The mill property is to its west; to the east is the newly constructed Otsego Storage.
Allegan County owns it because the taxes went unpaid for several years. It has lingered on the county books, as the dilapidated building of the former mill requires by some estimates several million dollars in remediation to properly clean it up. The Allegan County Board of Commissioners has directed its staff to offload the property this year if possible.
Currently, John Street is 33 feet wide. City manager Thad Beard has said it is essentially impassable for semi trucks.
Otsego has had informal talks with county officials to consider whether or not the county will grant an easement to the city for the space on the Rock Tenn property to widen the road.
Commissioner Max Thiele had initial concerns over approving anything without an official request from the city. He also balked at giving up the easement for the sake of helping improve a single, private business, referring to the new storage business across the street.
Dugan said it would benefit both properties, allowing larger trucks easier access to all, including the county’s property.
Commissioner Jim Storey proposed granting the easement more immediately.
“I don’t see why we would do anything to stand in the way of the city improving the area around the property,” Storey said; Dugan supported it.
Thiele said that would be premature.
“It seems like an ok idea, but I’d like to know more about it,” Thiele said.
His proposal to table the issue failed on a 3-3 tie, with board chair Dean Kapenga absent.
Dugan proposed amending the action to only provide preliminary support to the concept.
That gives time for the city to make a formal request for the easement and for the county and city to split the cost of survey work for the property and provide specifics and maps for the proposed easement.
The amended motion passed unanimously.
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