Save Our Public Park Land! This is not a Dearborn Heights issues, nor is it merely a golf course issue. This is about saving our valuable parks and open space for present and future generations. We should not allow a short term problem to result in a permanent loss in our quality of life.
History of Middle Rouge Parkway. Henry Ford and Edward Hines were among the main visionaries who worked to protect land along the Rouge River to create the Middle Rouge Parkway. The primary purpose of acquiring the land was to assure that inappropriate development did not occur in the floodplain. Henry Ford knew that it was imperative to protect land along the river in order to protect water quality--water which flowed by his Fair Lane Estate downstream.
The creation of the Middle Rouge Parkway was a collaborative effort in the 1940s between Wayne County (through the Board of Road Commissioners, parks trustee at the time) and the newly-formed Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority. Hundreds of acres of floodplain were taken by eminent domain for park purposes and to make sure that the floodplain was not developed for commercial or residential purposes. The Middle Rouge Parkway is a sliver of green space in urbanized Wayne County. The Warren Valley Golf Course represents the largest contiguous block of habitat along this section of the river in the Parkway. Even if closed (which it shouldn't be) this land should remain in the public domain as park land.
Economic Development. Misplaced economic development is NOT a benefit--it creates significant and costly problems. The reasons for protecting the floodplain should be even more apparent today. For the past 30 years, citizens, local communities and Wayne County have spent millions of taxpayer dollars in an effort to restore the Rouge River. It is almost unimaginable that the County would even propose something that is contrary to everything that people have been working for. The best use of this land is as a natural floodplain--retaining and absorbing floodwaters, providing habitat for a wide variety of wildlife, protecting water quality and providing recreational opportunities.
The County administration has trumpeted that new development will bring new tax revenues. What they fail to mention is that it will also require significantly more tax expenditures, offsetting that gain, since residential development requires the most in terms of tax expenditures. This is simply not an appropriate place for development. There are thousands of acres of vacant and under-utilized land in Detroit and the inner suburbs. Wayne County should be promoting in-fill development which strengthens our communities--not promoting development which will degrade our quality of life and promote more urban sprawl, forcing people to move to "where it's green". Urban sprawl has been the greatest economic impediment facing established communities in southeast Michigan. Wayne County should not make it worse.
Dedicated Parks Millage. Just last year, Wayne County residents voted to renew the dedicated parks millage which generates approximately $10 million each year. The parks millage was put to the voters so that recreational opportunities could be increased and improved, not diminished. The original millage was touted as a way to maintain our park land and avoid exactly this type of situation. Promises were also made that more park land would be acquired--which has proven not to be the case. Selling park land, especially under these circumstances, would be a terrible betrayal of the public trust.
Providing public recreation is not free. There are costs involved and a public service is not meant to be a money-making venture. However, proper management of the golf course should enable the course to operate without significant losses. Wayne County needs to come up with a better plan.
Misinformation. There appears to be much misinformation surrounding this proposed sale. It seems that Wayne County is intentionally dismissing the value of the land in order to promote its sale. This land was purchased for approximately $200,000 over 70 years ago! The County easily has over $1 million in improvements to the property. A sale price of only $1.8 million at today's prices is ridiculous. There is no way that the County could purchase a similar sized parcel in such an urbanized setting for such a low price. The County claimed in a news release that the land appraised at $1.8 million, but that seems hard to believe. Regardless, this land is priceless and should not be sold. That would be extremely short-sighted.
Bonded Indebtedness. The Wayne County administration is claiming that the golf course is subject to $7.2 million in bonded debt. If that is true, when were the bonds issued and for what purpose? This land was paid for decades ago, and former Park administrators indicate that the building was paid off years ago as well. Factual information needs to be determined. However, if it is true, the County would be stuck paying off the $7.2 million without the revenue generated by the golf course.
Potential Loss of Grant Revenue. Sale of this park land may cost the County millions of dollars by jeopardizing future state and federal recreation grants to Wayne County. Over the years, Wayne County has been awarded over $3 million in grants just from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund. There are many other state and federal recreation grant programs from which Wayne County has also benefitted. Selling park land--and taking actions counter to Wayne County's approved Recreation Master Plan--will not be viewed favorably in scoring for new grants.
Recommendations:
Stop the Sale. This is the first step. There needs to be a full evaluation of possible alternatives. Any money gained would be insignificant--but the land would be lost forever. Where there is a will, there is a way. Wayne County can and must do better.
Independent Audit. An independent audit needs to be made of the dedicated parks millage and of the overall Park system expenditures. A special audit should be made of the operations of the Warren Valley Golf Course and made available to the public.
Establish a Wayne County Parks and Recreation Commission, authorized under state law, to oversee the operations of the Parks Department and to promote parks and recreation opportunities for the benefit and enjoyment of the people. We need professional park managers who care about public recreation opportunities and understand the value of public park land. Wayne County should emulate Washtenaw County, which in all fairness, runs a much better Parks Department than Wayne County. A big difference is that Washtenaw County officials seem to understand the significance of parks and open space to the economic well-being and vitality of their communities.
This land was bought over 70 years ago for the benefit of the public. Don't destroy the natural heritage of present and future generations--save this park land!
History of Middle Rouge Parkway. Henry Ford and Edward Hines were among the main visionaries who worked to protect land along the Rouge River to create the Middle Rouge Parkway. The primary purpose of acquiring the land was to assure that inappropriate development did not occur in the floodplain. Henry Ford knew that it was imperative to protect land along the river in order to protect water quality--water which flowed by his Fair Lane Estate downstream.
The creation of the Middle Rouge Parkway was a collaborative effort in the 1940s between Wayne County (through the Board of Road Commissioners, parks trustee at the time) and the newly-formed Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority. Hundreds of acres of floodplain were taken by eminent domain for park purposes and to make sure that the floodplain was not developed for commercial or residential purposes. The Middle Rouge Parkway is a sliver of green space in urbanized Wayne County. The Warren Valley Golf Course represents the largest contiguous block of habitat along this section of the river in the Parkway. Even if closed (which it shouldn't be) this land should remain in the public domain as park land.
Economic Development. Misplaced economic development is NOT a benefit--it creates significant and costly problems. The reasons for protecting the floodplain should be even more apparent today. For the past 30 years, citizens, local communities and Wayne County have spent millions of taxpayer dollars in an effort to restore the Rouge River. It is almost unimaginable that the County would even propose something that is contrary to everything that people have been working for. The best use of this land is as a natural floodplain--retaining and absorbing floodwaters, providing habitat for a wide variety of wildlife, protecting water quality and providing recreational opportunities.
The County administration has trumpeted that new development will bring new tax revenues. What they fail to mention is that it will also require significantly more tax expenditures, offsetting that gain, since residential development requires the most in terms of tax expenditures. This is simply not an appropriate place for development. There are thousands of acres of vacant and under-utilized land in Detroit and the inner suburbs. Wayne County should be promoting in-fill development which strengthens our communities--not promoting development which will degrade our quality of life and promote more urban sprawl, forcing people to move to "where it's green". Urban sprawl has been the greatest economic impediment facing established communities in southeast Michigan. Wayne County should not make it worse.
Dedicated Parks Millage. Just last year, Wayne County residents voted to renew the dedicated parks millage which generates approximately $10 million each year. The parks millage was put to the voters so that recreational opportunities could be increased and improved, not diminished. The original millage was touted as a way to maintain our park land and avoid exactly this type of situation. Promises were also made that more park land would be acquired--which has proven not to be the case. Selling park land, especially under these circumstances, would be a terrible betrayal of the public trust.
Providing public recreation is not free. There are costs involved and a public service is not meant to be a money-making venture. However, proper management of the golf course should enable the course to operate without significant losses. Wayne County needs to come up with a better plan.
Misinformation. There appears to be much misinformation surrounding this proposed sale. It seems that Wayne County is intentionally dismissing the value of the land in order to promote its sale. This land was purchased for approximately $200,000 over 70 years ago! The County easily has over $1 million in improvements to the property. A sale price of only $1.8 million at today's prices is ridiculous. There is no way that the County could purchase a similar sized parcel in such an urbanized setting for such a low price. The County claimed in a news release that the land appraised at $1.8 million, but that seems hard to believe. Regardless, this land is priceless and should not be sold. That would be extremely short-sighted.
Bonded Indebtedness. The Wayne County administration is claiming that the golf course is subject to $7.2 million in bonded debt. If that is true, when were the bonds issued and for what purpose? This land was paid for decades ago, and former Park administrators indicate that the building was paid off years ago as well. Factual information needs to be determined. However, if it is true, the County would be stuck paying off the $7.2 million without the revenue generated by the golf course.
Potential Loss of Grant Revenue. Sale of this park land may cost the County millions of dollars by jeopardizing future state and federal recreation grants to Wayne County. Over the years, Wayne County has been awarded over $3 million in grants just from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund. There are many other state and federal recreation grant programs from which Wayne County has also benefitted. Selling park land--and taking actions counter to Wayne County's approved Recreation Master Plan--will not be viewed favorably in scoring for new grants.
Recommendations:
Stop the Sale. This is the first step. There needs to be a full evaluation of possible alternatives. Any money gained would be insignificant--but the land would be lost forever. Where there is a will, there is a way. Wayne County can and must do better.
Independent Audit. An independent audit needs to be made of the dedicated parks millage and of the overall Park system expenditures. A special audit should be made of the operations of the Warren Valley Golf Course and made available to the public.
Establish a Wayne County Parks and Recreation Commission, authorized under state law, to oversee the operations of the Parks Department and to promote parks and recreation opportunities for the benefit and enjoyment of the people. We need professional park managers who care about public recreation opportunities and understand the value of public park land. Wayne County should emulate Washtenaw County, which in all fairness, runs a much better Parks Department than Wayne County. A big difference is that Washtenaw County officials seem to understand the significance of parks and open space to the economic well-being and vitality of their communities.
This land was bought over 70 years ago for the benefit of the public. Don't destroy the natural heritage of present and future generations--save this park land!
