A 180-acre property owned by Glen Lake Community Schools is still being considered as site for affordable housing despite the school board’s decision to table the issue.
The Sleeping Bear Gateway Council (SBGC) presented to Empire Township Tuesday night regarding affordable housing education and the plotting of a 180-acre forested school property that Glen Lake Community School owns.
The presentation came as a surprise for Cory McNitt, president of the Glen Lake Board of Education.
“I had no clue that this was happening,” she said.
The same presentation was scheduled at Glen Lake Community Schools in December, but the Lakers declined to hear it for several reasons.
SBGC representatives Mike Rivard and Bill Witler gave the presentation to the Empire Township Planning Commission.
“The Planning Commission was very engaged and had lots of good questions and some opinions and thoughts that we needed to take into consideration,” Witler said. “The focus was how we need to develop sound plans for affordable, attainable housing in a rural setting without infrastructure, which is the biggest challenge.”
Rivard and Witler both have extensive private and real estate development experience.
In December, Glen Lake quashed the potential affordable housing project on its 180-acre property on Benzonia Trail in Empire Township.
McNitt referred to a December statement from Glen Lake Superintendent Jason Misner: “This is simply due to not having any process and procedure for changing the usage of this property... Before considering any potential changes designation, we need to become better educated ... the board will not be considering any changes to the current designation of the school forest property at this time.”
But that isn’t stopping SBGC from trying.
The forested property was originally deeded to the Empire Agricultural School in 1941 for $1 for timbering purposes. In 1955, the school districts of Maple City, Glen Lake, and Empire consolidated to form Glen Lake Community Schools.
The proposal has been in the works since spring 2023 when board member Rick Shanhals first inquired with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) about the possibility of using the property for affordable housing instead of its initial use for forestry and recreation.
The project received attention from state representatives John DaMoose, Betsy Coffia, and higher- ups in the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
The DNR shot down the first attempts at communication because the 180-acre land is considered “prime” property, a piece of land over 120 acres that was given to a school district for specifi c use through the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act 451. But in recent months, SBGC has indicated there has been a discussion with the DNR about acquiring the property without including the school. The DNR has not confi rmed this as of press time.
The SBGC presentation consisted of outlining the need for workforce housing, testing a model to provide attainable housing, and locating land at no cost.
Several goals of SBGC include providing permanent affordability (accessible approaches to home equity) to grow and maintain a permanent workforce community, enabling development on rural land not served by municipal infrastructure, and upholding values of environmental sustainability and responsible land stewardship in design, construction, and maintenance.
“A community Land Trust (CLT) is a nonprofit organization that acquires and holds land in trust for the long-term benefit of a community. Its primary purpose is to ensure affordable housing, prevent displacement, and provide community stewardship of the land,” the presentation stated.
According to the SBGC presentation, the DNR has agreed to accept the transfer of the property currently owned by Glen Lake Community Schools to the State, issue a public use deed back to Glen Lake Community Schools, and allow attainable housing as a use of the property, even though the school board has declined to pursue this endeavor.
“I really think that this issue is important to the community … I think (SBGC) they’ve come up with what is possibly a very good strategy for beginning to address (workforce/affordable housing),” Empire Township Planning Commission representative Dale DeJager said.
