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Genoa Township seeks $915,000 to restore 76‑acre Brighton Road parcel into nature park
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Summary
Genoa Township asked the House appropriations subcommittee for $915,000 to fund a five‑year ecological restoration of a 76‑acre Brighton Road parcel, with more than 80% of funds dedicated to habitat restoration and long‑term maintenance. The project would add modest access and parking and restore state‑ranked oak barren savanna habitat.
Genoa Township officials told the House appropriations subcommittee they are seeking $915,000 in state support to restore a 76‑acre parcel on Brighton Road that was historically mined and later degraded by dump operations and logging.
"We respectfully ask for your support of this $915,000 appropriation so Genoa Charter Township can complete this restoration and create a public asset that benefits both people and wildlife for generations to come," Genoa Township Supervisor Kevin Speyer said, describing a five‑year, science‑based restoration plan that aims to reestablish oak barren savanna, mixed savanna and deciduous forest across the site.
Speyer said roughly 46.5 acres would be restored to mixed savanna, 27.5 acres to deciduous forest and the remaining acreage reserved for access and habitat support. He told the committee that more than 80% of the request is dedicated to ecological restoration and long‑term maintenance, with about $60,000 earmarked for engineering, a 10‑vehicle parking area and trail access and $119,000 for staffing and project management.
Committee members pressed presenters about contamination and other funding sources. Consultant Spencer Kellen told the committee the project would qualify for the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund but that obtaining Trust Fund dollars would require additional regional planning steps; he recommended beginning restoration work with other funding while pursuing those processes. Speyer said current monitoring wells indicate groundwater issues are stabilizing and that the township’s proposal aims to avoid disturbing soils that might trigger remedial cleanup costs.
The committee did not take a vote on the request during the hearing. Presenters said they would welcome follow‑up questions and documentation of project budgets and monitoring plans.
The subcommittee moved on after several minutes of questions and clarifications about phasing and eligible funding sources.
