Committee approves transfer of vacated easement at Lenitaskar Road to adjacent owner

The Muskegon County Ways and Means Committee on April 15 approved an agreement to vacate a 100-by-30-foot easement fronting 3507 Lenitaskar Road and to authorize the chair to sign documents transferring the county’s portion of the vacated right-of-way to the adjoining property owner, Drew Turvey, with reimbursement to the county for legal costs.

County administration staff described the parcel as two lots from a 1913 plat and explained that, under the applicable abandonment rule, half of an abandoned roadway interest goes to one adjacent owner and half to the other. Staff said the county currently holds a 15-by-30-foot strip that is not useable for county purposes and that transferring the county’s interest would make the red-highlighted parcel a buildable lot.

Matt Farrah, county administration, summarized the procedural steps and said the agreement would first confirm the county’s willingness to abandon its interest and then convey the county’s portion to the developer, with the county to be reimbursed for staff and corporate counsel time. “Very long motion, very long explanation, lots of attachments for something extremely simple,” Farrah said while explaining the parcel geometry.

Committee members asked about site access and permitting. Farrah said the developer intends to use sheet piling and cut a small access on the dune; the county will not be involved in permitting of dune work. He said the developer had previously proposed routing access through Dune Harbor Park, but that option was not feasible because of the grant terms under which the park was acquired.

The motion was moved by Commissioner Page and supported by Commissioner Cyr. After the vote the clerk confirmed the tally as five yes and one no; the motion carried.