News and Notes on the
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Or What could be the future
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News and Notes on the
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Or What could be the future
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Not a single township audience member spoke in support of the project.
A crowd of 180 people packed into the Marshall Township Hall on January 26, 2023 to express their opposition to the PA 425 land transfer and to the State proposed #marshallmegasite. Not a single person from Marshall Township spoke in favor of the plan which will consume 1,800 acres of township farmland and natural area along 2.5 miles of the Kalamazoo River. The only people speaking in favor of the proposed plan included letters from several Marshall businesses (City residents) and paid staff of the MEDC, MAEDA, and regional economic development corporations who stand to receive state dollars if the plan moves forward. The Township board of trustees voted 4 to 1 to approve the land transfer with Township Supervisor, David Bosserd being the only dissenting vote.
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Dear Governor Whitmer:
I am writing to urge you to stop the proposal to turn 1900 acres of beautiful, lush Michigan agricultural land covered with historic farmsteads into an industrial megasite in Marshall, MI. Please do your utmost to protect Michigan’s natural resources, which provide food, water and clean air to our residents. This land should instead be used to build a state park recreational area for everyone to enjoy. Industry should be located in the many vacant industrial areas within Michigan. There is no good reason to destroy small family farms and a whole way of life. Please use the power granted you by your constituents to protect our valuable farmland and keep it in the hands of local residents. Michigan has the water and rich fertile farmland needed to grow food not only for our state, but for the whole country. Our state is poised to take over as a leading agricultural power in the U.S. because agricultural states such as California no longer have the water needed for agriculture. It’s easy to turn beautiful farmland into an industrial megasite, but it is very difficult to turn an industrial site into rich farmland. For example, the huge industrial lot right across the street from Lansing Sexton High School, Where I taught for 18 years, remains vacant since 2005. This former Fisher Body Plant site is heavily contaminated with PFAS and 1,4-dioxane, a flammable liquid that is likely carcinogenic to humans. Contaminants will remain for many years to come, so the area water must be routinely monitored. You have been a great protector of our environment and I urge you to continue to do so. I am not against industry per se, and in fact grew up in Flint, MI amid numerous factories. Let’s keep the factories on industrial sites, and keep the farms on the farmlands. Thank you for taking the time to read my plea. Sincerely, A Michigan Farm Owner 2/5/2023 Michigan economic development corporation (MEDC) plans to tear down historic farmsteads in marshall megasiteRead NowMedc has claimed since 2019 that the "Marshall megasite" is "vacant" property with no existing structures. That is False.The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has claimed since 2019, that the land which makes up the Marshall Megasite is vacant agricultural land, void of any structures. This is a falsehood The 1,800 acre site is comprised of hundreds of individual property which range from small ranch houses to historic 120 year old farmsteads. One of these, Riverside Farm, dates back to the late 1800's. The farm is a showpiece, with principle hay barn, attached horse stalls, milking barn, cattle barn, hog barn, corn crib, machine shed, garage and two granaries.
The farm, which was farmed through October 2022, is located at 13024 C Drive North. The following Reconnaissance Survey of History was made By Ina Hanel-Gerdenich dated February 5, 2023 The scope of this survey is to review the readily available literature online to determine the ownership and other history of the indicated property. The results from this brief survey are included below. The property lies in Section 29 of Marshall Township (T2S R6W) and is currently described as the SW ¼ of the section except the “E 91 feet of N 338 feet, totaling 159.29 acres.”1 The farm buildings are grouped together near the northwest corner of the property. They include a nineteenth century house and late nineteenth- and early to mid-twentieth-century barns and outbuildings. For clarity, the descriptions below refer to three parcels: A, B, and C. Parcel A consists of the W ½ of the SW ¼ (80 acres) of Section 29 and includes all the extant buildings standing in its northwestern corner. Parcel B refers to the E ½ of the SE ¼ (76 acres) in the neighboring Section 30 to the west. Parcel C refers to the 80-acre parcel to the east of Parcel A, described as the E½ of the SW ¼, Section 29. All three parcels are currently owned by Phillip Glotfelty III. The farm was established on the north shore of the Kalamazoo River, a few miles west of the city of Marshall and a few miles south of Michigan Ave and I-94 (the former Territorial Road corridor). The location was central to transportation—not only was it nearby to the major roads, it also was situated between the railroad stops in the towns of Marshall and Ceresco. The crossroads concept can be applied to other aspects of local history. The area around Battle Creek and Marshall was associated with the Underground Railroad during the mid-nineteenth century. Prior to that, the early surveyors recorded an “old Indian Village” on the banks of the Kalamazoo river, about one mile east of the farm.2 By the second half of the nineteenth century, most of the local area that was originally forested (and included oak openings) had been cleared and developed into farmland, and the local 1 Marshall Township, Calhoun County, Tax Assessor page, 2/3/2023. 2 Plat Image of Original Survey of Marshall Township by Lucius Lyons, October 1825. General Land Office Records, https://glorecords.blm.gov/, accessed 2/3/2023. towns and cities were firmly established with businesses providing the necessary goods and services. Nearby Marshall was well established, serving as the county seat since 1838. The following provides a snapshot of property ownership during specific years. The years selected are those in which a historic plat map of the area is available.3 1858: The property now owned by Thomas Knight included the NW ¼ of the SW ¼ of Section 29 (northern half of Parcel A, 40 acres) and the neighboring 76 acres in Section 30 (Parcel B). Thomas Knight (1805-1892) was an early settler of Marshall Township, arriving in 1831 or 1832 from England and buying parcels of land as early as 1833. 4 The 1840 census indicates that he was in the agriculture business. He lived in Section 18 with his wife and ten children, but owned land in Sections 19 and the NW ¼ of the NW ¼ in Section 29 in addition to the northern half of parcel A and parcel B. By 1870, Knight owned 400 acres in the area. He had served as one of two Township coroners in 1865- 1866. He also was a highway commissioner and township assessor at various times. In 1872 he moved to Section 13 in neighboring Emmet Township and his son occupied the father’s former property in Section 18. Thomas owned up to 500 acres in both townships in his later life. It is not clear if the Riverside Farm property (or any of the other scattered parcels owned by Thomas Knight) was farmed during this time or simply kept vacant. There are no buildings indicated on Parcels A, B or C on the 1858 plat map. The railroad tracks had been installed (Michigan Central RR arrived in Marshall in 1844), cutting across Parcel B and clipping the southwestern corner of Parcel A. The town of Ceresco a few miles to the west was established in 1838 and had grown to include a church, two schools, hotel, merchants, several mills, shoe shop and shoemaker.5 1873: By this time, the farm was owned by John and Frances Carnes Shea. It consisted of Parcels A and B (the W ½ of the SW ¼ of Section 29 and the E ½ of the SE ¼ of Section 30). A house is indicated near the northwest corner of Parcel A. Parcel B includes two adjacent houses placed along the west side of the current U-shaped driveway and due west of the house in Parcel A. Neighbor George Avery owned the E ½ of the SW ¼ in Section 29 (Parcel C, 80 acres), and his house was located near the northeast corner of his parcel. John Shea was born in County Cork, Ireland in 1837. He emigrated to New York in about 1851 when he was fourteen years old. While working in New York City, he met his wife Frances. They were married in 1866 and their first child, Agnes, was born in New York in 1868. Sometime between 1868 and 1871 (when the next child was born in Michigan), the young family moved to Marshall, and by 1873 settled on the farm. Given these dates and the appearance of a house symbol on the 1873 plat map, it is possible that the Sheas were the ones to build the east wing of the house, which appears to be older than the west wing.6 The 1880 Agricultural census records indicate that the Sheas had a typical farm of the area—one that was smaller in size and profit than many others, but by no means the smallest or poorest. There are two unusual features of the Shea farm in 1880: the family did not raise sheep, but instead raised a slightly larger number of swine and chickens. They also planted sixteen acres of potatoes during the census year. This contrasts with the surrounding farms which typically planted one-half to one acre of potatoes. John Shea’s father (also John Shea) and younger brother Jeremiah immigrated later with additional family members and settled in Marshall township as well. In about 1883 (possibly by 1882 or as late as 1884), the Shea Family sold the farm and moved to Kingston County, Kansas. John had traveled there to help settle an estate for a Michigan neighbor and liked it so much that he decided to stay. He purchased a farm there as well, although a son later remarked that he “was no farmer.” From 1899-1903 John was elected as a judge. He died in 1921. 1884: The farm as indicated on the plat map from this year is owned by Charles D. Brewer. Charles was the son of Chauncey M. Brewer, an early settler of Marshall from New York. Chauncey established a dry goods store in the town in 1836 which was passed to his sons, Charles D. and Edgar M. in 1875. Chauncey would become one of the wealthiest and respected men in the county.7 Charles Brewer was born in Marshall in 1850. He married Anna M. DeWolfe in 1878 and had three children born between 1881 and 1886. In 1900, Charles sold his share of the store to his brother, and focused his energies on managing his multiple farms, which had grown to a combined total of 1000 acres at the time. 8 The Riverside Farm was a part of this larger operation. Charles and his family had moved to Ward 2 in the City of Marshall, and he is listed as working as a “capitalist” in that year’s census. Charles died there in 1922. His occupation at the time was described as “merchant.” It is not known who was working on the Riverside farm property during this time. Charles leased his farms on a share basis. However, he may have been the one to build (or commission) the hip-roofed portion of the house on the west side as well as some of 6 Interpretation of relative construction dates are made from online photographs only (no site visit). Note that the west wing is capped by a hipped roof rather than a gable roof. What is unusual is that the hipped roof has very low eaves, leaving no room for a frieze, suggesting a later construction date. the farm’s outbuildings during the 1880s and later. The west wing may have been built as late as the 1920s.9 An undated plat map probably from the late nineteenth or early twentieth century continues to show three houses (two on Parcel B and one on Parcel A) clustered around the driveway that runs along the boundary between the two parcels. 1916: According to the plat map of this year, the farm was still owned by Charles D Brewer. It included all 160 acres in Section 29 (Parcels A and C) and approximately 78 acres in Section 30 (Parcel B). The house in Section 29 (Parcel A) is indicated, but the two houses in Section 30 (Parcel B) appear to have been removed. Charles is not included on the list of Farmers published in the Farm Journal’s Rural Directory of Calhoun County (1916). 1920s-1960s. It is not known who owned the Riverside Farm during these decades,10 but the buildings depicted in the photographs indicate that a dairy operation was conducted. The ceramic tile silo probably dates to the 1920s. The drive-through corn crib may date to the post World War II period. Other outbuildings and the addition to the main barn may have been built during this time as well. 1974: The farm purchased by Philip III and Marlene Glotfelty in 1974 (Parcels A, B, and C) The farm was continually leased to local farmers through October of 2022. The Glotfelty family operated a hobby farm with goats, chickens, horses, pigeons, pheasants. The family planted 10,000 white pine along the Kalamazoo River circa 1974 and 1975. The Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance is set to close on the property in February 2023. The family will be made to torn down the property for the Marshall Megasite. Additional research can be conducted to determine more of the twentieth-century history of Riverside Farm. Twentieth-century census records, directories, Rockford Plat maps, and deed records (is there an Abstract in the possession of the family?) have not been examined. In addition, descendants of the Shea and Brewer families may have information, and a survey of the buildings on the property may reveal clues. References Atlas of Calhoun County, Michigan. New York: F.W. Beers and Company, 1873. Farm Journal Illustrated Rural Directory of Calhoun County, Michigan. Philadelphia: Wilmer Atkinson Company, Publishers, 1916. Gardner, Washington. A History of Calhoun County, Michigan. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1913. 9 The farm as depicted in an undated older framed photograph in the possession of the Glotfelty family shows the house without the west wing. 10 A review of the 1920 United States Population census for Marshall Township revealed no obvious clues. Charles Brower is listed as living on Prospect Street in the city of Marshall. History of Calhoun County, Michigan. Philadelphia: L. H. Everts, 1877. Lyons, Lucius. Marshall Township Surveyor Notes, October 1825. General Land Office Records, https://glorecords.blm.gov/, accessed 2/3/2023. Map of Calhoun County, Michigan. Philadelphia: Geil, Harby and Siverd, 1858. Plat Map of Calhoun County, nd. (familysearch.org/library/books/). Standard Atlas of Calhoun County. Chicago: George A. Ogle and Co., 1916. United States Census Bureau. Federal Census Records, Calhoun County, Michigan. Schedule 1: Population Schedule, Marshall Township, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900. United States Census Bureau. Federal Census Records, Calhoun County, Michigan. Schedule 2: Agriculture Schedule, Marshall Township, 1880. Prepared by: Ina Hanel-Gerdenich Mirka Productions, LLC Ann Arbor, Michigan 734-717-9079 February 5, 2023 2/3/2023 residents speak out against marshall megasite at calhoun county board of commissioners meetingRead NowCalhoun County residents continue to voice their opposition to the State of Michigan's proposed plan to create a heavy industrial Megasite on 1,800 acres of farmland located at the door step of Marshall, Michigan, a small historic community located in South Central Michigan at the intersection of I-69 and I-94. The town has the distinction of being the largest National Landmark District in the United States in the small urban category with 750 structures in the district being listed as historically significant.
The State is working to attract large scale manufactures to the site for the production of EV vehicles and batteries, CHIP manufacturers and the like. Ford Motor Company, which is partnering with the Chinese firm CATL, is apparently considering the site after it was turned away by Virginia's Republican Governor as CATL is known to have ties with the Chinese Communist Party. Residents voiced concerns during "public comments." The topic was not included on the agenda. Concerns included the lack of transparency in the process, failure of MAEDA to notify area residents, the threat of the Marshall Megasite to air, noise, water, and light pollution, Residents were given three minutes each. Public comments lasted about 40 minutes (in two parts). The video is available here. I live in Marengo Township and own property in Eckford Township. I oppose the land transfers and the industrial development of the megasite due largely to environmental concerns. I want to address an environmental issue that will affect me at my home in Marengo, on my property in Eckford, and that will have a disastrous effect on the people of Marshall Township, and that's light pollution.
People who study the night sky use a 9-point scale to measure light pollution. 1 is the middle of the desert, with no towns for a hundred miles around: as dark as it gets. 9 is the Las Vegas Strip, or downtown Manhattan: you're lucky to see a bright star or the planet Jupiter. Here in Michigan, south of Saginaw, there is nothing better than a 4 (and remember, low numbers are good). You can see the Milky Way in a 4. Downtown Detroit is an 8 or 9; downtown Lansing is an 8 or 9; downtown Coldwater is an 8 or 9, probably because of the prison. Battle Creek is a 6; Marshall is a 5. The megasite, as you get away from Marshall, is a 4: as good as it gets south of Saginaw. Industrial development there will invariably create light pollution, probably raising the number to a 5 or even a 6. The view of the night sky, as good as it gets in the area, will be ruined. People will no longer be able to see the Milky Way. Please vote "no" on the land transfers, and prevent the light pollution that will be created by industrial development of the area. -- W. Jeffrey Wilson he, him, his Professor Emeritus, Psychological Science Albion College Owner: Terra Nova Astrophotography wjwilson@albion.edu campus.albion.edu/wjwilson jeffwilson.zenfolio.com/p534094800 2/1/2023 retired engineer speaks against the Marshall Megasite - part 2 - environmental impact ~Regist KlingerRead NowMarshall Mega-site Part 2
*The Mega-site will be subject to Marshall City’s zoning laws and ordinances and local and state environmental laws. That is good initially, but over time industry and regulatory vigilance wanes, or new owners come, and ordinances and environmental regulations are ignored, or are not met, and spills occur. The Mega-site would be subject to the City’s zoning laws and ordinances as well as local and state environmental laws. That is well and good, but we know that as time goes on, plant owners relax their vigilance on environmental matters, or new owners don’t care as much. The chances of a spill or air emissions increases. These environmental concerns are magnified by the Mega-site’s location close to the north bank of the Kalamazoo River and being southwest (SW) of the City of Marshall. The closeness to the river increases the chances of spills into the river directly or through groundwater. The location SW of the City of Marshall increases the chance of odors and released air emissions drifting over the City because of the prevailing winds. Examples of recent and past environmental problems from large industrial plants are:
* There is no guarantee that a plant will be built at the Marshall Mega-site. What if that happens and the road and utility improvements don’t serve anything? There is a lot of competition for Mega-sites and Mega-plants in Michigan and other states. If Michigan needs shovel ready Mega-sites, why not locate them in industrial parks like Fort Custer, or on brownfield sites in Battle Creek or Albion, close to interstates and rail lines? The ideal site would be one that cleans up a brownfield site and brings an industrial plant to a region that needs and wants that kind of growth. For Marshall? Let’s Think Marshall! Be smart about the direction of economic growth we want for Marshall and the surrounding Area. Growth that can be controlled to minimize effects on the environment. Growth that preserves farmland and our rivers as much as possible. Growth that preserves the character and lifestyle of Marshall. There will be more public hearings to approve site plans and engineering plans if a plant(s) does plan to locate at the Mega-site. We need to use these opportunities to express the kind of plant site we want to see. We need to make sure our community leaders take every possible action to mitigate the effects of a mega-plant on the surrounding neighbors and the Marshall area. MAEDA should hold more public question and answer meetings to share more details on how the Mega-site will be developed and listen to citizen input. Please take these opportunities to inform our representatives on what growth we want. If you want the keep the Marshall Mega-site from becoming a reality and keep Marshall development under control, go to http://www.michiganmegasite.com Sign the petition and contact the Save Marshall group to help. Summary *The Mega-site will be subject to Marshall City’s zoning laws and ordinances and local and state environmental laws. That is good initially, but over time industry and regulatory vigilance wanes, or new owners come, and ordinances and environmental regulations are ignored, or are not met, and spills occur. * Mega-site is too large. Smaller sites at existing industrial parks or brownfield sites could be developed instead. There needs to be a change in how economic planning is done to include quality of life and minimizing resource use. * There is no guarantee that a plant will be built at the Marshall Mega-site. What if that happens and the road and utility improvements don’t serve anything? There is a lot of competition for Mega-sites and Mega-plants in Michigan and other states. Regis Klingler Marshall Resident Marshall Mega-site Part 1 - By Regis Klinger
* Marshall City Council and Marshall Twp Board have approved of Land Transfer from Marshall Twp to Marshall City after public hearing speakers were overwhelmingly opposed to it. The Marshall City Council and Marshall Twp Board have now both agreed to the Public Act 425 land transfer from Marshall Twp to the City of Marshall, even though input from speakers at the public hearings were mostly against the land transfer and the process it would start. This land transfer starts off the process for the City of Marshall and the Marshall Area Economic Development Association (MAEDA) to prepare the transferred land as a Mega-site for heavy industrial use. While this land transfer has been planned by MAEDA, The City of Marshall and Marshall TWP for some time, it has only recently been brought to the attention of the residents and taxpayers of the City and Twp. The public hearings were the first opportunity for input from the public on this transfer and project. Marshall is a small, but vibrant, town which is one of the main reasons people chose to stay here and move here. Most Marshall residents are for economic development and the benefits of added jobs and money it brings into the community. They are not for growth and development which will drastically change the size and character of the town and area they live and work in. Citizens want to have input on economic development to advise planning leaders on what is wanted and what is not. * Mega-site would be up to 1,900 acres when only a small portion of that is actually is needed for a large industrial plant. Smaller sites at existing industrial parks or brownfield sites could be developed instead. The proposed Mega-site area would be up to 1,900 acres and stretch from 12 Mile Rd to 15 Mile Rd along C Drive N in Marshall Twp (to become Marshall City after the land transfer is completed). It has been suggested that the site will be for a battery assembly plant or semiconductor plant. A review of the 4 battery assembly and related plants that General Motors has announced in Delta Twp (Lansing), Orion Twp (Auburn Hills), Spring Hills TN and Lordstown OH, show that those plants are planned to be between 2.5 million sq ft and 3.0 million sq ft at existing plant sites. That area is the equivalent of 58 to 68 acres. If additional land is assumed for parking, storage, distribution and landscaping, at 5 times the original area needed, that area is still only 290 to 340 acres. This is a similar size to the new battery component plant being built near Big Rapids. What is going to be done with the other 1700 acres? We can only assume that there will be multiple plants in addition to the original mega-plant. The effect of a single battery or semiconductor plant bringing in 2,000 to 3,000 jobs would greatly impact the city and surrounding area. A large number of these types of plants or feeder plants, would drastically change the character and size of the region into a metropolitan area. Most people in Marshall and the surrounding Twps live here, or have moved here, to get away from metropolitan areas. * Mega-site is primarily farmland which will be permanently lost if developed for heavy industry. Unfortunately, the Mega-site is primarily farmland and located very near to the north side of the Kalamazoo River. The loss of 2000 acres of prime farmland is significant especially in this county because of all of the recently installed marijuana-grow farms, solar farms and windmill farms in the rural areas. Additional lose of this farmland would mean that these 1,900 acres would be gone forever. In the case of a heavy industrial site, it would be very unlikely that this land could ever be returned to farmland. The cost to remove and cleanup the site would be prohibitive to return to farmland, with the only possible reuse being more industrial uses. I have been involved in the planning, design and construction of large projects for many years. I know the amount of planning, coordination and resources it takes to develop a project of this size. I also believe that the old way of doing economic and project planning is outdated and needs to be changed. It needs to be changed because of climate change, increasing human population and resource use, and loss of farmland to drought, flooding and urban sprawl. We need development, but not at the expense of clean air and water, loss of farmland to feed the increasing world population, and just as important, preserving the lifestyle that people have chosen in this area. Marshall would be much better off developing on a smaller scale. A scale that can be better controlled and regulated. Development that preserves the character and lifestyle of the residents and taxpayers of the area If you want to help keep the Marshall Mega-site from becoming a reality and keep Marshall development under control, go to http://www.michiganmegasite.com Sign the petition and contact the Save Marshall group to help. Summary * Marshall City Council and Marshall Twp Board approved of Land Transfer from Marshall Twp to Marshall City after public hearings where speakers were overwhelmingly opposed to it. * Mega-site would be up to 1,900 acres when only a small portion of that is actually is needed for a large industrial plant. This implies multiple plants are expected and planned for. * Mega-site is primarily farmland which will be permanently lost if developed for heavy industry. Regis Klingler Marshall Resident An open letter to Governor Whitmer and other leaders in our community: Dear Governor Whitmer, I am writing to you today as a concerned citizen of Marshall township and previous citizen of the City of Marshall. Earlier this month, I was informed of the proposed "megasite" to be developed near the Marshall Township Building. Since then, I have kept up to tabs on the firestorm of opposition from locals and have attended a heated Marshall Township hall meeting where they inevitably approved the motion transferring the properties involved in the proposed "megasite" from the township to the City of Marshall. Through all of this, I have tried to keep a level head. I have tried to read between the lines of blame assigning, mud raking, and political rhetoric cast during this heated discussion and while the facts have yet to be seen, I still find myself on the side of those opposed to developing the 1800+ acres outside Marshall. I am very opposed to this development for a couple reasons: 1.) I am VERY concerned for the environmental impacts development on current greenspace and undeveloped land may have. I like to think of myself as a "green" thinker, and paving over farmland and woods, not to mention developing what is expected to be a battery plant next to a critical water source seems like a VERY bad idea. I recognize the need for Michigan as a whole to position itself for a "green" future and cementing its role as a provider of key infrastructure for an electric-vehicle economy, but such a site as the one here in Marshall I feel is a completely inappropriate choice. I grew up in Flint, and bore witness to the immense and numerous eyesores of unused factory buildings. I've seen them all over the state - Detroit, Jackson, Lansing, Battle Creek - they all have huge facilities that would be perfect opportunities to reuse and revitalize both their buildings as well as the local economies. Doing so would also prove so much more environmentally responsible than clearing over 1800 acres of plants, animals, and environment. 2.) I am also VERY concerned about changing the way of life so many of us love in Marshall already. I am a young man of only 29 years. I moved here for work at Eaton's proving grounds south of Marshall and have absolutely fallen in love with this small town. Its quaint charm is second to none in my humble opinion. I look forward to starting my family here and staying here to make a mark on this town and community. I seem to hear this a lot as well. People truly love the small historic town of Marshall. While I recognize the demographic of this town isn't particularly diverse with a seeming majority of the population being older than the rest, I don't think this is a simple "the elders don't want their town changing." Us up and comers in this town also love the small town feel while still retaining a forward-thinking outlook on the area's future. I would like to instead propose that the land signed over from the township be utilized for either one of three uses: 1.) Calhoun County's first state park. Such a development (I recognize this would be developing the site) would be a huge improvement for the City of Marshall, Calhoun County, and the state of Michigan as a whole. Having a state park in our backyard would be such an awesome opportunity to get out and enjoy the beautiful land that Calhoun County has to offer, while likely providing an economic boost to the local area through camping fees and other sources of revenue that can be generated through a state park. 2.) Double down on protecting our environment and list the land as a protected nature preserve. Provide for our environment by eliminating invasive species and encourage the growth of native plants and animals and put Marshall and Calhoun County on the map for another reason - a town that invests in the environment from the ground up. 3.) Combine the two above ideas into one and make a truly forward-thinking green space. Reserve some of the land for recreational purposes - Mountain biking paths, walking trails, and/or campsites. Reserve some of it for preserved nature preserves, recognizing the need to encourage natural biodiversity and conservation of an endangered ecosystem. And reserve some of it for a community garden. A place where locals from all over Calhoun county can come and contribute to a locally-sustainable food source for all of us to share in and enjoy. Give our kids and adults an opportunity to learn about and from nature by providing courses on wildlife and natural resource conservation. In closing, I believe Marshall can be an innovator and leader in the state of Michigan in this changing climate and world. But I don't think the site as proposed is the appropriate place for a battery plant. I think Marshall can spearhead a movement in true green thinking from the ground up. Thank you for your time and consideration - I truly hope that you listen to your constituents and oppose this "megasite” as it is currently scoped for Marshall, and instead choose a different site to host the proposed battery plant or other uses. Robert Weiss Background Information.
The Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance (MAEDA) aka Choose Marshall has been promoting a 1,600 acre track of land which they call the "Marshall Megasite" to various manufacturers for several years now. Unfortunately, promotion has mostly occurred out of the eye of the general public, especially Marshall Township residents. The "veil" was lifted so to speak, when word got out to the public that a PA 425 land transfer was about to be enacted between the Marshall Township and the City of Marshall. (see our posts on the 425) This transfer allows for City water and utilities to service the proposed Megasite. As one could have anticipated, residents were outraged by the lack of transparency in land acquisition and lack of public notification. Since 2019, MAEDA has slowly been securing options to purchase property to assemble he Marshall Megasite. These options are secured with nondisclosure agreements so that property owners do not discuss the terms of the options with their neighbors. Adjoining property owners had no idea that they would be on the edge of a Mega Industrial complex that was being pitched to manufactures like Toyota, Ford, and GM through MAEDA and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) Over the years this site has been passed over by various manufacturers, most recently by Ford Motor Company who decided to go to Tennessee to build their mega campus which they've coined, "Blue Oval City" on 3,600 acres of farmland in the Memphis area. After being passed over by Ford, the State of Michigan really started to ramp things up. They were able to get the state legislature to approve taking one billion, yes one billion dollars out of the state's general fund to use toward making Michigan's Megasites more attractive to potential manufacturers. Attractiveness also involves big incentive packages which includes, providing infrastructure to the sites, free land and tax abatements. Will this be the silver bullet to land big manufacturers. Well we hope not. But the Marshall Megasite has plenty of deficiencies as far as Mega Industrial Sites go. We're listing them in no particular order. Size and Shape of Megasite. MAEDA advertises the site to be 2.5 square miles, which gives an inaccurate picture of the site. The site is actually much longer than wide. Averaging roughly 1 mile wide to 4 miles long. Megasites across the country, which have proven to be more attractive, are more square than oblong making for factory layout a little more convenient. Proximity to Kalamazoo River, one of Michigan's longest tributaries. The Megasite runs along the Kalamazoo for roughly 2.5 miles. (separated by a railway line and narrow green strip) The reluctancy of a Corporation to set up shop along the Kalamazoo River is understandable. In 2010, the largest inland oil spill in the Midwest (at the time) occurred along this very segment of the Kalamazoo (it entered the Kalamazoo from Talmadge Creek) The spill occurred due to a rupture of the Enbridge Oil pipeline. 800,000 gallons of crude tar sand oil entered the river. Enbridge spent four years cleaning it up. This clean up included removing large islands of contaminated soil from the center of the river and from along the banks. But can corporations be rest assured that contaminants at some level won't be detected in years to come? If they are detected, will the corporation be blamed? It could be a large enough concern that Corporations have chosen other sites. Undesirable place for management to live. What MAEDA has failed to address is Marshall's desirability as a place to live. Management must want to live here, and we argued that many don't. Compared to states such as Tennessee, South Carolina, and Georgia, Michigan's climate is terrible. First off, Southwest Michigan tops the list of cloudiest places in the United States. One is lucky to see the sun more than a couple dozen times between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day. Winters are cold but without enough snow to make winter sports a possibility. Marshall also falls within the top range of severe weather occurrences, mostly in the form of sever thunderstorms but also to a lesser extent tornado activity. Marshall is a quaint small historic town that is a wonderful community, however it doesn't provide the outdoor recreational activities which young adults seek. The town itself surrounded by cornfields, solar farms, marijuana growing facilities and little else. The only possible place for outdoor recreation IS the 1,800 acre tract of land that the Township is planning for the Megasite. Marshall is positioned exactly in the center of the state, far away from Michigan's beautiful beaches and recreational areas. Local grocery stores don't provide much diversity in products and produce appears as though it has sat on the shelf for a week or more. The local schools are in good shape but they have been unable to pass the last two school millages. And unlike larger municipalities, the local schools offer less in the way of curriculum. Our suggestion to the City of Marshall and Marshall Township is to provide the services and amenities that would attract the people to our community who will be able to provide the knowledge and skill to start up small manufacturing plants within Marshall's current industrial park that fits within the character of our community. This suggestion would be to create a 1,800 State Park Recreational Area in what is referred to as the Marshall Megasite. This site could include miles and miles of hiking, bike and horseback trails, an agricultural district (so the two historic farmsteads would not be destroyed) offering community gardens and barn. The Park would include camp sites and observation platforms along the Kalamazoo for observing wildlife and there is even a suggestion to build a new Museum of Natural History to house the collection from the Kingman Museum of Natural History. The park would be accessible from downtown Marshall by a two mile bike path that runs along the railroad line. That would be marvelous. That is a plan that would attract investment to our community. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/01/05/2583904/0/en/Central-South-Carolina-Megasite-Receives-CSX-Select-Site-Designation.html 1/31/2023 Governor Whitmer signs bipartisan bill to invest in health and welfare of communities - marshall not included.Read NowHold Governor Whitmer accountable! Why is Marshall, Michigan not receiving a fabulous placemaking grant in the way of a new State Park Recreational Area which will provide camping, hiking, horseback riding, canoeing, and gardening opportunities? Why isn't doesn't MAEDA have plans to renovate a historic 120 year old farmsteads for public use? These things ARE happening in other. cities across the state. Why is MAEDA NOT petitioning for these resources which will add to the quality of life for current residents? Instead, the state proposes to increase air, water, noise and light pollution in our community through the construction of a MEGA industrial complex that will destroy out way of life. Here's the press release which was issued today by the Governor's office. *********************************************************************************************************** Dear Friend, Today, Michigan is taking a step forward to grow our economy, invest in our communities, and build a bright future for Michiganders. I joined Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II, Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, Speaker of the House Joe Tate, and members of the Michigan Legislature to sign a bipartisan supplemental into law that will build more housing, revitalize communities, and empower entrepreneurs. This is the earliest any bill has been signed in a new term since 1947. This supplemental bill will help us lower costs and make a real difference for Michigan families, communities, and small businesses. It will help build or refurbish thousands of affordable housing units across our state, revitalizes our communities with projects to create more vibrant spaces, empowers entrepreneurs just starting out in the tech world, and help workers get good-paying jobs. I’m proud of my partners in the Michigan Legislature for their work to get this done and I look forward to seeing all that we will accomplish in the coming year. Housing We are investing in the Housing and Community Development Fund to build and refurbish affordable housing for veterans, seniors, people with disabilities, and working-class families across our state. This funding will help build or refurbish 2,000 housing units, house 6,000 Michiganders, and create 1,600 good-paying construction jobs. Additionally, we are funding the Missing Middle Housing Program, which aims to specifically build and rehabilitate properties for middle class families near where they work. Community We are funding $100 million in Revitalization and Placemaking Grants to turn underutilized office, commercial, and community space into places for people to enjoy, including affordable housing, outdoor dining areas, or other place-based spaces. The first round of grants back in September 2022 provided funds for several projects that are already underway, including a 180-unit building in Portage, a historic theater in downtown Clare, a mixed-use building in Alpena, and Grand Circus Park in Detroit. The shared spaces will provide Michiganders a place to gather with their friends, family, and members of their community. This investment will secure good paying jobs in construction and operations for thousands of Michiganders for many years to come. Entrepreneurs & Workers We are also investing $75 million in SmartZones, which are 20 regions across our state where technology companies, entrepreneurs, and researchers are near one another and organizations that help them succeed. This bill also provides $25 million for apprenticeships to help our Michigan workers pursue whatever career path they choose and ensure they have a good-paying job. As we close out a productive first month of 2023, I am fired up to keep getting things done alongside the Michigan Legislature to help us build a brighter future for Michigan. Sincerely, Gretchen Whitmer Governor Below is a report by MLivehttps://www.mlive.com/politics/2023/01/whitmer-signs-spending-bill-first-of-her-second-term.html |
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Concerned CitizensWe are concerned residents who are oppossed to the State of Michigan's plant to create a 1,600 acre industrial park outside historic Marshall, Michigan. Instead we wish to see a 1,600 acre recreational area on this site which runs along two miles of the Kalamazoo River. Save Historic Marshall, Save Michigan's Agricultural Land and Protect Michigan's green spaces! Archives
May 2023
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