1-14-2020 3:03pm

City of Saline Sends Andelina Farms Annexation Proposal to Saline Township, Extends Deal Window

The City of Saline has presented Saline Township with a proposed agreement to annex the land which could be home to a 284-unit development known as Andelina Farms.

Saline Mayor Brian Marl said the city does not offer any revenue sharing with the township in the proposed agreement.

Marl said the city attorney’s office drafted the proposal. Before it was sent to Dykema, the legal firm representing Saline Ventures, and to township representation, the document was reviewed by Marl, Councilor Dean Girbach, City Manager Campbell and DPW Director Jeff Fordice.

Marl asked council members to review the document and forward questions to himself and Campbell. He also notified Township Supervisor Jim Marion that the city is not proposing revenue sharing in the initial proposal.

“This is in keeping with a previous statement I had made. If we are able to execute ‘Option B’ the city is going to have to expend some financial resources, it’s going to be a burden on our staff, and it’s critical that we agree to a 425 annexation agreement that is advantageous to the city,” Marl said.

“Option B” is one of two options laid out in the agreement reached between the city and Saline Ventures and MI Homes, the developers proposing Andelina Farms, which is located on the city’s western border, between Michigan Avenue and Austin Road. The other option is to develop the parcel as Saline Township land, using a private wastewater treatment system with more environmental enhancements than the one previously proposed.

According to previous statements from Mayor Marl, the developer’s willingness to invest $5 million into expanding the city’s utilities to the west put annexation back on the table.

City Council also voted 7-0 to amend its agreement with Saline Ventures and Andelina Farms. The amendment pushes a deadline for reaching agreement on “Option B” to Feb. 14. That deadline was originally in January.

According to Marl, the developers hope to have some homes built by the end of the year.

The city has not received a development from Dykema, nor have they reached an annexation agreement with the township.

The city and Saline Township are also working on forming a task force to discuss future land use and annexation issues.

The City of Saline furnished The Saline Post with a copy of the agreement Tuesday afternoon. According to the agreement, the city would generally accept the planned-unit-development site plan previously approved by the township. The agreement would expire Dec. 31, 2035, at which point the land would become part of the city.

This agreement will need to be approved by the city and township board.