March 19, 2007

 

 

Mr. Kevin Mulcaster

Mead & Hunt, Inc.

2605 East Airport Service Drive

Lansing, MI  48906

 

Re:  Charlotte Airport Feasibility Study Request for Information

 

Dear Mr. Mulcaster:

 

This is in response to your letter dated February 5, 2007 requesting information concerning the Charlotte Airport Feasibility Study Site L.

 

On behalf of Carmel Township I will respond to your questions in order and then provide additional information.

 

Specific Areas of Concern: 

 

            Carmel Township’s greatest concern is that its residents have clearly stated that they do not want the airport relocated within the township.  In addition, relocating the airport to Carmel Township would have the following negative impacts:

 

            1.         Loss of farmland in the township in an area that our township has designated to remain agricultural in its master plan.

 

            2.         Loss of available areas to develop residential property in accordance with the township’s master plan.  This would place additional development                  pressure on agricultural land to be developed as residential - also in violation of the township’s master plan.

 

            3.         A reduction in the township’s tax base by replacing tax-producing property with tax-exempt property, thereby impairing the township’s                                                ability to provide services to its residents.

 

            4.         A potential reconfiguration of Wheaton Road which would reduce the ability of county emergency service providers to provide services to the                               township.

 

            5.         The location of an airport in Carmel Township would entirely destroy Carmel Township’s master plan because the conditions upon which it is                          based will have changed.

 

            6.         That there are significant agribusinesses on the Carmel Township site. These businesses have a value to the community that is equal to other                                    major business uses.  Relocating an airport to this site would destroy these businesses.  The study should not discriminate by ruling out disrupting                    some types of business activity while studying the disruption of agricultural businesses.  The agricultural businesses generate significant                                                 additional economic activity in the community.

 

            7.         Air traffic would limit the sheriff department’s ability to extend its radio antenna.  This in turn may impair the county’s ability to provide                                             emergency services to the township.

 

8.         That two drains, Fishcreek Drain and Densmore/Perkins Drain exist on the site and would be disrupted by an airport.  This, in turn, could effect other property in the township.

 

            9.         Wetlands exist on the northwest portion of the site that would be impacted by an airport.

 

            10.       Significant woodlands exist in the northwest portion of the site that would be impacted by an airport.

 

            11.       That relocation an the city’s airport to Carmel Township would require substantial changes and upgrades to existing infrastructure and would                                    further tax existing infrastructure in Carmel Township.

 

            12.       In addition, the township has the following concerns:

 

            a.         A major utility easement crosses the property.

            b.         Multifamily housing is being constructed to the south of the site. 

            c.         Single family homes are being constructed in a development to the south of the site.

            d.         Established neighborhoods in the area would be disrupted.

            e.         An established subdivision is east of the proposed site.

            f.          A medical care facility exists to the southeast of the proposed site.

            g.         There will be two new large adult foster care facilities in or near the flight path for the site.

                        h.         There is a fiber optic cable running through the site.

                        i.          Towers exist on Valley and Five Point that may impact the Carmel site or site I.

                        j.          The township has concerns over the impact to the environment.

 

            13.       The airport would devalue surrounding properties without compensation to the residents of these properties.

                       

Specific benefits to your organization:

 

            The township is unable to identify any benefits to the township.  The location of an airport in the township would disturb its residents, reduce the township’s tax base, violate its master plan by eliminating farmland, reduce other land that is available for development, and make its master plan obsolete.

 

Available technical information for the sites:

 

            Carmel Township has its master plan and future land use map available for the site.

 

Mitigation or permitting requirements that may be necessary for project implementation:

 

            1.         Growth Agreement:  Carmel Township has a 100 year (50 year/50 year-renewable) development agreement with the city passed on July 10, 2000.               The agreement has as its purpose, among other things, “to preserve farmland and open space; to protect and enhance the property values, tax                                    base”.   

 

                        That agreement provides that property may only be annexed in Phase 1 (which includes the east portion of the site when a property owner or an                 interested person with the property owner’s consent requests services. Further, the agreement provides that the township approve the proposed                       zoning and site plan for the property. 

 

The agreement further provides that property may be transferred conditionally upon an owner or a person with the consent of the owner submitting a request to the city for water and sanitary sewer service; and the property is to be developed as part of an economic development project as defined in Act 425 or, for any other transfer (for property to the east of Wheaton Road) or, that the owner or a person with the consent of the owner submits a request to the city for water and sanitary sewer service and the property is to be used for industrial, commercial, or limited residential use.

 

                        The agreement further provides that no other method of obtaining township property shall be used other than the agreement.

 

Thus, for an airport use, the owner’s agreement would need to be secured and the property use would either have to be approved by the township or otherwise qualify as an appropriate use.

 

            2.         Constitutional Requirements:

 

     

                        Any relocation of the airport to Carmel Township through the use of eminent domain when it is feasible to locate the airport on its existing site                                would amount to an unconstitutional taking of private property in order to support private development.

 

            3.         Farmland Preservation:

 

                        A large portion of the site is in a farmland preservation program that prohibits the sale of property under most circumstances.

 

            4.         County Permits and Zoning:

 

                        There may be county permitting and zoning requirements.

 

Thank you for this opportunity to comment.

 

 

                                                                        Sincerely,

 

 

 

                                                                        Steven D. Capps

                                                                        Supervisor

                                                                        Carmel Township

 

 

cc:        City Manager Dennis Stark (via e-mail)

            Mayor Deborah Shaunnessy (via e-mail)