[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6098180,"mediaKeyId","2824182-37b7c6cab40c03c34468389673dffa8a","parentId",2824182,"title","Portage council approves Brownfield plan to subsidize two housing projects, setting aside workforce units","audioSeconds",1816,"startMs",1228000,"endMs",3044000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2824182-37b7c6cab40c03c34468389673dffa8a&start=1228&end=3044","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2824182-37b7c6cab40c03c34468389673dffa8a/thumbnail_1228000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6098180/Portage/Kalamazoo-County/Michigan/Portage-council-approves-Brownfield-plan-to-subsidize-two-housing-projects-setting-aside-workforce-units","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6098180-93f493bb09a4a26aad884c2ad356ee9a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775224130&Signature=VQs36Pn7YR6WS3IcRGc6xuggiaMpYUiRQWbZz3x2E0qSly2AQdIC8C0neBe7A5sIjez85KjEM8yseYmJsPoE2TjN3aszPNRKtB30a~E87MrMSF1tykkfMWHwt88lVXg8frNCmcse5DSJBBXSLvK2UOwT43mL003Ns4xo7y6QHnvyt6Ooyn9EDu6wK1B~KR34uxFH39kzujuNcJw0Sl0PgqOk5DFRF~rADQgcFz3xemnJtZWZFDpSEemFD1upO6patp8a9lJlwqGlg01Hwb1lW~9Lkx0Pqch3rInXhdB57RloMZmIj1VjiZYBXXXZj2b5B2ftXwxbUgabsm1IL80Epg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Portage, MI ","date","2025-03-25T00:00:00Z","article","Portage City Council on March 25 adopted a Brownfield Redevelopment Plan amendment (No. 13) for Greenfield Development Ventures LLC that enables tax-increment financing (TIF) reimbursements for two planned rental developments, Oakland Commons and Creekside Commons.

The council voted unanimously among members present to approve the plan after a public hearing and questions from council about the TIF structure, the share of units reserved for workforce housing and how school funding will be protected. Mayor Pro Tem Jim Pearson presided; six council members voted yes (Miller, Pearson, Urban, Young, Burns, Ledbetter). The mayor was participating remotely and did not vote.

The Brownfield plan uses changes to the state Brownfield enabling law (Public Act 90 of 2023) that explicitly allow Brownfield tools to support housing development. Jonathan Hallberg, deputy director of economic development and staff liaison to the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, told council that the revised law broadens eligible costs for housing projects to include infrastructure and gap financing to subsidize units for households at or below an average of about 90% of area median income (AMI), and in some cases as high as 120% AMI. “Public act 90 in 2023, altered the, Brownfield enabling legislation to allow for housing redevelopment activities,” Hallberg said.

Under the plan presented, the developer will invest about $36,000,000 across the two sites. Hallberg corrected an earlier scrivener error in staff materials, saying the combined total is approximately 104 units (not 114). Oakland Commons is described as 58 units with an estimated development cost of roughly $19,000,000; the developer requests $8,150,000 in TIF reimbursement for that site over a 20-year repayment period. Creekside Commons is smaller and is modeled with a shorter affordability subsidy (10 years); Hallberg said the project’s Brownfield-eligible reimbursements were modeled at about $6,350,000 for Creekside and that the developer’s request for subsidy to cover the specific affordable-unit gap is roughly $2,560,000 for Creekside and $4,800,000 for Oakland (the latter over 15 years).

Brian Farkas, representing Allen Edmond Homes, said the incentive package is required to make the projects financially feasible. “At no point during, this term of the TIF is money be going to be coming from Portage budget to us,” Farkas said, adding reimbursements are generated from new taxes created by the developer’s own investment.

Council members pressed staff and the applicant on several details: the length of affordability (Oakland 15 years for the set-aside units; Creekside 10 years), how annual income recertification will work, and the effect on taxing jurisdictions. Hallberg explained that the plan would divert captured incremental taxes to reimburse eligible Brownfield costs rather than to taxing bodies in those years, but said that if the state agrees to participate under the Act 381/Proposal A mechanism, roughly 42% of the capture could be reimbursed via the state school aid fund so local school funding “will always be made whole” if the state approves that participation.

Developers and staff explained how rent levels will compare: the presentation cited a MSHDA-derived “control rent” used to calculate the subsidy; project workforce rents were discussed in the hearing as about $1,959 for a three-bedroom workforce unit under the subsidized calculation, with an estimated unsubsidized market rent of roughly $2,500 to $2,700 after the subsidy term expires. Hallberg and Farkas said units will be recertified annually to confirm household incomes meet the program rules; tenants are informed at lease signing that affordability terms have an end date.

Hallberg summarized the financing structure: the petitioner seeks a 25-year TIF plan in which the first 20 years would reimburse eligible costs and the final five years would flow to a local Brownfield revolving fund. Eligible costs include infrastructure, contingency, interest on unreimbursed costs (3.5% used in the model) and subsidized rent-gap payments for the income-restricted units.

After the public hearing closed, Council moved to adopt the Brownfield plan amendment. The roll-call vote recorded Yes from Miller, Pearson, Urban, Young, Burns and Ledbetter; the motion passed.

The council’s approval allows staff and the developer to proceed with the Brownfield plan steps required for state participation and future reimbursements, subject to final agreements and any state approvals required for school-aid reimbursement.

Questions relating to the precise rent schedule, the final verified unit count by site, and state participation were noted in the discussion and remain items staff and the applicant said they will finalize as the project advances.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting - March 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Portage City Council on March 25 adopted a Brownfield Redevelopment Plan amendment (No. 13) for Greenfield Development Ventures LLC that enables tax-increment financing reimbursements for two planned rental developments, Oakland Commons and Creekside Commons.","taxTitle","Portage, Kalamazoo County, Michigan","taxId",65797,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6098166,"Portage council clears consent agenda; awards $1.8M road reconstruction and $410K signal contract",0,1182000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2824182-37b7c6cab40c03c34468389673dffa8a&start=1182&end=1182","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2824182-37b7c6cab40c03c34468389673dffa8a/thumbnail_1182000.jpg","/articles/6098166/Portage/Kalamazoo-County/Michigan/Portage-council-clears-consent-agenda-awards-18M-road-reconstruction-and-410K-signal-contract","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6098166-7d67ad1946f49935f8d29a8c9708022e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775224130&Signature=iTPAck3~GGYAEXE2t0rPvIjOv2SbJu12tN2po0cxYYF2E07uFT4p0h3fwv5j~84e7jk7gBKu1HGsWXJasQgXVkCdGSsM5hXKvZRxwYBgUFg-OuLUICmtu3sVdc~1ziTKYDZp3mnacVqezjLYSeEOLcyB0MGkBi29JV~MP-kTuBeLEhAPBZ2FNpeD0mIffEepb26FG-I2ULYj249gA79xPubJ-n2t2sUDwoLdQwaqFK~MXOx1Jz~LY3ihZMEXDGQZtSuWVqGgj0TMUJslSQ7bZzw0uJ2E5t9LQjnB0UHcxT7NRyOQYkdUCHrmqsEVh8uOxcI5ZeFejiaO9PcIpktE2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Portage City Council approved its consent agenda on March 25 by roll call and awarded two construction contracts described during closing remarks.

Council moved to accept the consent agenda as presented; the roll-call vote recorded affirmative votes from the members present (Leadbetter, Miller, Pearson, Urban, Young, Burns). The consent agenda included routine items and the contracts announced later in the meeting.

City staff reported two larger construction awards: a roughly $1,800,000 contract for Southwestnedge reconstruction covering about 7,000 feet from Osterhout to South Shore Drive that includes storm drain improvements, sanitary sewer work, a new sidewalk from Bacon to Equestrian Drive and intersection curb and gutter work; and a $410,000 contract for traffic-signal improvements at Angling Road and West Center, replacing mast arms and poles and upgrading the signal controller and pedestrian signals.

City leaders reminded residents that road and signal work signal the start of spring and summer construction season and encouraged the public to expect activity at those locations.","At its March 25 meeting Portage City Council approved the consent agenda and awarded a $1.8 million contract for Southwestnedge reconstruction and a $410,000 contract to replace mast arms and upgrade signals at Angling Road and West Center.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6098171,"Portage council opts for full-council interviews on city attorney bids; staff to prepare comparative table",1232,2962000,4194000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2824182-37b7c6cab40c03c34468389673dffa8a&start=2962&end=4194","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2824182-37b7c6cab40c03c34468389673dffa8a/thumbnail_2962000.jpg","/articles/6098171/Portage/Kalamazoo-County/Michigan/Portage-council-opts-for-full-council-interviews-on-city-attorney-bids-staff-to-prepare-comparative-table","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6098171-aa51b2daf9ea6c53dfc372328c02f8af/orig.mp4?Expires=1775224130&Signature=LjvpJ4Pt-HkBLlXdGPQKNXiwE~UJzEcjKv3EfSB26IemFBz1ZhrcGmpIkGx3S2uP9vHcx8mGPXcg3xyG-WELMHTX1LjJmtVJajeQR519VM-TFFyoUSNdH2OeeHU10xC-GG82suZB9fo-mHa2UmLJlvMjqnwyyq~NwI79gn3foAsWPPOKKWr383-7a3OOBgH2KCDuyB~uQXje7rJB5zdib5~d~i54sY~cJxnKSH8fR58zZ6EJZMfvBWSMxyBc2vYC6xq5Oqd7YCd3AzBNcU6HTyLmdG2buFTtaubgGz7QcKwJg~Ppq07uOi8T-lV8hyIpRCZLWK3IcedlBk1F4X25Og__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Portage City Council discussed competing proposals for city attorney services on March 25 and reached a consensus to interview candidates in a Council-of-the-Whole (COW) format rather than rely on a three-member subcommittee.

City Manager McGinnis reviewed the procurement timeline and said the administration solicited five bids and that three bids complied with the request for a lump-sum annual amount while two provided hourly rates and were therefore noncompliant for the advertised submission format. McGinnis recommended that council decide whether to interview candidates as a full council or delegate interviews to a subcommittee, and he said staff would arrange interviews and prepare materials if council directed.

Council Member Urban said he preferred the full council do the interviews, noting this hire is analogous to selecting a city manager and merits full participation. Several other council members agreed. Council Member Burns said that because the council will ultimately vote, it made sense to have broad participation. Council Member Miller also supported a council-of-the-whole approach to ensure full representation.

Council asked staff to prepare an objective comparison table (apples-to-apples) summarizing each proposal’s scope, fee approach (lump sum vs. hourly), travel/mileage terms, availability and any satellite-office presence. City Manager McGinnis said staff would circulate the table to council and that proponents could correct any factual errors; he estimated the staff work would take a few weeks given other priorities.

There was no formal vote recorded; the council’s informal direction was to schedule a Council-of-the-Whole meeting to conduct interviews and to ask staff to prepare a proposal comparison and gather answers to council questions about compliance and access. The mayor and mayor pro tem indicated willingness to serve on a subcommittee if council chose that route, but the group agreed COW interviews were preferable.","Council members agreed to a Council-of-the-Whole process to interview finalists for city attorney services and asked staff to prepare an objective comparison table of the five proposals; two proposals were noted as noncompliant for providing hourly rates instead of the requested lump-sum amounts.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6098176,"Quail Street residents tell Portage council they fear neighbor’s harassment; council directs manager to document complaints",1010,132000,1142000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2824182-37b7c6cab40c03c34468389673dffa8a&start=132&end=1142","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2824182-37b7c6cab40c03c34468389673dffa8a/thumbnail_132000.jpg","/articles/6098176/Portage/Kalamazoo-County/Michigan/Quail-Street-residents-tell-Portage-council-they-fear-neighbors-harassment-council-directs-manager-to-document-complaints","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6098176-1c7245d2a41e3cd59ae4c53cef9c51de/orig.mp4?Expires=1775224130&Signature=BBxwPZaZrGkRKdmoNtYTe-WZaS7oUF3eOM0NWueGzlqF0JzNb2XqY27J5ePZ5Uuor9zkraQ-~2DDDd~u22wN-sg551VB~QL~~UTkXySwJx6iL~bN~kjjGiM45jkuxocbaNA~QAtcmxp2VchsLVmjev6I8V72fCYFRQ94reOCFZv3d8I4YE09BoYm9BDtSZY4ZcKSIg7i~H~QHOJY2mdKUoZksuV4f3EnurENq4jpk736x1muKKwxpdIJnYie4OwHN7norBafcHx6jZw5g4QNhzfwZ5DQdzBM~zKlkDXQABuK5H205SRdSBAU617ELx8jeTKHPUvBm8mVx2meIud02w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Three Portage residents told the City Council at the March 25 meeting that they face persistent harassment, property damage and threats from a neighbor identified in public comments as Stanley Massey.

Residents said the incidents include removed chain-link fencing, cameras pointed at houses, aggressive behavior and at least one assault for which a resident said the court charge was later reduced. Carolyn Morin, who said she lives at 7341 Quail Street, said her family is fearful to go out at night and that replacement costs for damaged fencing exceeded $2,000. Mark Mowery of 7402 Quail Street described an encounter he said ended with him being struck and later reduced charges. Charlene Tools, who said she lives at 7417 Quail Street, said the neighbor’s conduct leaves her frightened to collect mail.

The council did not take formal action during the meeting; Mayor Pro Tem Jim Pearson proposed a meeting at City Hall so affected neighbors could come together with the city manager and appropriate staff to document the complaints in a single session. “What we did back then is so that everything can be documented. We had the neighborhood and all the people that had a beef meet with the city manager and others that the city manager deems appropriate in one conference room at City Hall so that he and his staff...has a full account on what's going on,” Pearson said.

City Manager McGinnis told residents the city will listen and assemble a summary of public-safety reports and other documentation but said the city does not have authority to remove people from private property absent a legal basis. He advised residents to provide the city manager with names and times for a coordinated meeting so staff can gather records and prepare a full account for review.

Residents said they have reported incidents to police multiple times. Mark Mowery said he is pursuing a civil suit and a personal protective order; he also described a restitution hearing related to property damage and said some charges in a criminal proceeding were reduced. Charlene Tools said she has filed repeated complaints with police and that she continues to feel threatened.

Council members asked the city manager to provide copies of relevant police reports and to investigate whether the department’s recordkeeping or response coordination could be improved. Council Member Ledbetter specifically requested a copy of all police reports related to the neighborhood so the council can review the sequence of responses and consider whether different remedies or clearer neighborhood liaison procedures would help.

The city manager and mayor pro tem urged neighbors to coordinate with staff and bring all documentation to the scheduled meeting so the city can create a comprehensive record that may assist law enforcement and any civil proceedings.","Three Quail Street residents described repeated property damage, threats and assault by a neighbor, asked the council for help; councilors said they could not take immediate action but asked the city manager to meet with the neighborhood to collect documentation and review police reports.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Portage council approves Brownfield plan to subsidize two housing projects, setting aside workforce units

Portage council clears consent agenda; awards $1.8M road reconstruction and $410K signal contract

Portage council opts for full-council interviews on city attorney bids; staff to prepare comparative table

Quail Street residents tell Portage council they fear neighbor’s harassment; council directs manager to document complaints