Industrial lots at airport in Rogers City are ready to be sold

What?s the County Development Commission/Economic Development Corporation?s wish for 2004? That industrial lots are sold in the Renaissance Zone at the Presque Isle County Airport in Rogers City. Mary Ann Heidemann, appearing before the Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners December 30, pledged to ?do everything in my power to move that along.? The board adopted a pair of resolutions at the session, to authorize a special allocation of $77,900 to the Economic Development Corporation and then approving the sale of the lots on the north and south sides of the airport runway to the EDC for the same price.

?The EDC passed a resolution at its last meeting (December) to purchase the lots from the county, subject to the county providing a special allocation for the purchase price,? said Rogers City attorney Erik Stone, who provides legal counsel for the EDC.

?AT THE SAME time, the EDC would be purchasing the lots for the purchase price, so its a revenue neutral transaction from the county?s standpoint.? The Federal Aviation Administration released the county of its requirement to hold those lots for airport use a few months ago. With that completed, they can now be developed for industrial use, ?which has been the plan for a couple of years now,? Stone said. Chairman Allan Bruder signed the release from the FAA in October, but Stone said there are some restrictions that will remain in place in terms of use. ?As the lots are developed, you can?t build a tall building next to the runway,? Stone said. ?You also can?t put anything there which will attract animals or create a hazard for airplane traffic. The restrictions are fairly minimal. I don?t think it?s going to affect the marketability of the lots.?

The purchase price of $77,900 was derived from an appraisal of the property, which was the predeveloped value before the road and sewer was put in. ?We would like to complete that tran

saction for this fiscal year,? Stone requested. ?The bookkeeping looks better for the county, because the county has expended the five percent required for airport improvements this year.?

?BOTTOM LINE,? Heidemann said, ?if you agree to this transaction, you make a special appropriation today, and sign a check to the EDC for $77,900, then we would run over to the bank.? Following formal approval, the deed was signed by Bruder. District 4 commissioner Gary Wozniak asked who receives the deed to the property after it is sold. ?It would go to the individual,? Heidemann responded. ?We leave the restrictions on it.?

One of the requirements of the new owner will be the creation of jobs within 18 months. ?We don?t want warehouses here,? Heidemann said. ?We want job-producing businesses.? Stone said there have been discussions with a potential buyer in regard to the restrictions. ?We haven?t completed the transaction yet, but there will be deed restrictions from the EDC to the buyer, restricting their use of the property,? he said.