Page 14 - The Wayne Dispatch

A tale of two city parks

By Carolyn Marnon berg Elementary School property for
Two city parks, Kiwanis Park and $50,000.
Jaycee Park, were sold to Shafer De- Councilman Phil Wagner was con-
velopment in early 2019 with the cerned about the $50,000 purchase
prospect of 42 new homes being amount and asked if Gouin and
built between the two pieces of land. Buiten had counteroffered. While un-
Unfortunately for the City of Wayne, derstanding Wagner’s viewpoint,
that deal fell through after Shafer Gouin told the city council “You had
brought in representatives from one of the biggest home builders A sample of a current Infinity home called the Catalin.
Pulte Homes, the 3rd largest home (Pulte) in the state of Michigan walk agrees to the swap. surance on it. It would no longer
construction company in the US, away. To get $50,000 is amazing. It’s Once the land swap is done, an need to be maintained by the City
who did not feel it was advantageous also not very responsible if we don’t agreement can be made. Once that and the City needs the tax revenue
to them to invest in building homes take advantage of opportunities to agreement is made, an 18-month that would be generated from the
in Wayne. create new tax revenue in the city.” time-frame begins for Infinity to have new home development.
Wayne Community Development Buiten said it has been hard to the right of first refusal to the larger What is happening with Jaycee
Director Lori Gouin and Mike get development interest. The City property. Park now? When the park was being
Buiten, Director of Building and En- has the opportunity for Infinity to The planned new homes that In- considered for sale last year, resi-
gineering, were able to get Infinity have success with developing Kiwa- finity Homes would construct will dents who lived near the park vehe-
Homes, one of Michigan’s top pri- nis Park. With that success, Infinity have full basements underneath mently opposed the new home
vately held home builders, to look at has the opportunity to get additional them. The Shafer Development development. Many had purchased
the Kiwanis Park property. After in- property in the City for development. homes would have been built on their homes because there was a
specting the site, Infinity agreed to The larger property will not be slabs. Infinity will be spending park across the street. Because of
enter a purchase agreement for the available until the City does a land $20,000 extra per home. For the this dissent, it was decided not to
approximately 3-acre property for swap with the Wayne Westland builder to break even, the $1 pur- put this particular park back on the
the sum of $1 to build 22 new single- School District. chase price was proposed. Infinity market again.
family homes. The agreement also The plan is for the City to trade will be building the sewer system in- If you are interested in seeing the
provides Infinity the option to pur- Taft-Galloway Park to the district in frastructure, another benefit for the home plans Infinity is presenting,
chase a 22-acre piece of land made return for the Vandenberg school City as it won’t have to do that. you will find renderings in the City
up of Sue Winn Park, Angela De- site. This sales opportunity cannot By selling the property, the City Council Agenda packet for October
mario Park and the former Vanden- move forward until the school board would no longer need to maintain in- 6, 2020.

14 · November 2020 · The Wayne Dispatch