News and Current Events

I Need a Home


Mary1

AVAILABLE FOR CHRISTMAS
    Mary, a 6 month old female puppy, part lab, brown speckled legs
    A little taller than a beagle
    Good with small children and other dogs,
    Somewhat potty trained
    Good personality, calm and playful
    Similar to a small "Easy" dog who used to live on Kent Street

    I met Mary yesterday at an AFC home where my brothers live in Haslett by Lake Lansing Park. Her young owner with two small children cannot care for her any longer. This is Mary's second home and she is looking for another loving home. Please call Ruth Hall at 349-2176 if you are interested.




Meetings



Discussion of the DDA (Downtown Development Authority) expansion
Board will discuss the DDA expansion
They will also be discussion the Methodist street abandonment
June 3rd, 2008, 6:00 PM @ Township Building on Marsh road
Download Survey.doc
Survey Document Download

The township board will be discussing the petition to abandon the western most block of Methodist Street.  The street was originally platted to connect to Kent Street on the west end.  Only one block of the street has ever been built.  It is the neighborhood assoc. view that the Ingham County Road Comm. should grant the request to abandon the western section.  The road comm. has asked the township for an opinion. 

While the township has no actual jurisdiction in this matter, historically, the road comm. has followed it's opinion.  The potential development of the vacant land east of this section (DeLind property and other vacant lots) could possibly create heavy traffic onto Kent St and other neighborhood streets which are ill equipped to carry such traffic.  No "shoulder", curbs, sidewalks or lighting makes these streets unsafe for heavy traffic and pedestrians.  Please try to attend the twp. board meeting and support our neighborhood.  The meeting is at the twp bldg on Central Park Drive, 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 3, 2008.


Why should I care about this Right-of-Way? 
A note from Doris Schwartz

Currently Methodist Street is a relatively insignificant block-long street next to the music store, between Okemos Road and Ardmore Street.  But on the official maps, Methodist Street continues to the west as a “Right of Way” (R.O.W.) all the way to Kent Street.  This Methodist R.O.W. could be developed as a continuation of the current Methodist Street.  The newly-extended Methodist Street would then be a direct roadway connection between Okemos Road and Kent/Kenmore Streets that would open the heart of our neighborhood to a significant increase in all types of vehicular traffic.  Considering the nature of our neighborhood and its streets (as we all know, they have no shoulders, curbs, sidewalks or lighting!), a link of that type could have a dramatically negative impact on our safety and way of life.

Bob and Jane Drake and I are requesting the abandonment of only the portion of the R.O.W. that abuts our two Kent Street properties.  If we succeed, a new connection from a major roadway to our neighborhood will not be a possibility--nor will the
assumed negative consequences such a link could bring.  The undeveloped properties abutting the remainder of R.O.W will still be served by it, and arguably will be enhanced.  We hope that our initiative will help to preserve the neighborhood--its character, its safety, its property values and ultimately its very existence--a very special community.

Our petition will be discussed at this Tuesday’s Board of Trustees meeting.  Although the ultimate decision will be made by the Ingham County Road Commission, a positive opinion from the Township Board is vital to an overall favorable result.

I invite the residents of our neighborhood to call me with their questions about the petition.  If a map would help, I would be delighted to bring one to you.  On the petition, we stated as the number one reason for the abandonment that the neighborhood was strongly in favor of it.  We felt comfortable stating that because so many of you told us you  wanted the abandonment.  All of the signatures on the petition are from the residents of the neighborhood.

It is of critical importance that our fellow residents attend the Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday so that the Board has evidence of the neighborhood's support for the abandonment.