Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


The City of Howell is moving forward with a property sale.

The City currently owns a vacant parcel at 1333 Ashebury Lane in the Victoria Park condominium development. At a recent meeting, Council approved a motion to execute a purchase agreement with Chestnut Development in the amount of $2,492. It was stated the developer expressed an interest in purchasing the property to construct two single-family attached condos.

Since the City only owns one-half of a two-unit lot, the sale was said to make sense for everyone involved. It provides an opportunity to return a vacant parcel to the tax rolls but also remove a property from the City’s responsibility. A memo states it would also move the development one step closer to a full build out, which “has been long overdue”.

City Manager Erv Suida stated they acquired the property in 2011 essentially through a tax sale. Since it’s only one-half of an attached condo unit, he said there’s not much the City can do with it and it’s not a very strategic piece. Chestnut Development owns the other half, along with another condo immediately to the south.

Suida said historically, the City has sold these type of parcels for what they paid at tax sale and it has no other costs associated with the property.
One resident previously expressed some concerns about compliance with the master deed, PUD, and other units. It was noted the property will need to be compliant with the condo development.

The purchase agreement provides for a 120-day inspection period, and Suida noted the company will need to work out something with the Homeowners Association to make it buildable.

The City hopes to close on the property at the end of the 120-day period.