Baraga weighs options for industrial park
Baraga weighs options for industrial park
By LAURA KIRBY, DMG Writer
BARAGA — Booming business in the Baraga Village Industrial Park has prompted the village council to consider expansion, according to Village Manager Jeff Sturgell.
“Our businesses are running out of room in the park. We’ve basically filled up,” he said. “Terex needs more room, as do their suppliers.”
Terex Handlers, which produces rough-terrain telescoping forklifts, has seen a net sales increase of $92 million over the past three years, according to management. Pettibone Michigan LLC., which has smaller lines in the same industry, are also tight for room, Sturgell said.
Increasing production has a domino effect on parts producers in the park, he explained.
“What we want to do is to help them expand and create jobs,” Sturgell said. “If they expand, that’s creating jobs in the area.”
Currently, some lots are company owned and others are leased from the village, Sturgell said.
Options for land acquisition have been under review by an industrial park expansion committee for several months, he noted.
The most viable and feasible option for the near future is a land swap acquisition of a nearby parcel of non-trust lands owned by the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, the committee decided.
The 14-acre parcel is adjacent to the park and old U.S. Highway 41.
Tribal realtor Jason Ayres has demonstrated interest but an ultimate decision would be made by tribal council, Sturgell added.
About nine acres of DNR-owned land nearby is also being reviewed for acquisition. Additionally, the village could create space by filling in a small section of wetlands on parks property, although this could lead to a costly mitigation process involving the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
The sale of the village building, on the southeast side of the park, is a final option for creating new space, Sturgell said.
He estimated the building to be about 15 years old.
Expansion could also be beneficial in planned efforts to isolate industrial areas in the village, Sturgell said.
By making more room, they could encourage several downtown industrial facilities to move up to the park in the long term.
“I would very much like to relocate them and clean up downtown,” he said. “Keep industrial areas to themselves.”
Operations and streets millages were also lowered by village council earlier this month, Sturgell said.
An operations millage was reduced by 0.1961 mill and the street millage was decreased by 0.0511.
Changes were put into effect for the summer 2006 season, to insure property owners don’t see a rise in taxes, Sturgell said.
“We have some of the lowest property taxes around,” he added.
Laura Kirby can be reached at lkirby@mininggazedtte.com
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