Oakland County committee backs recommending $1.5 million contribution for Pine Lake Park partnership

County staff presented a proposal to enter a long‑term affiliation agreement with West Bloomfield Township to develop Pine Lake Park on property formerly used as an elementary school.

Staff said the township has a roughly $6 million park development plan and that Oakland County would contribute $1.5 million in capital (split into a $750,000 up‑front payment and $750,000 due at project completion). Under the proposed agreement, the township would continue to operate and maintain the park; the county would have co‑branding, priority access to schedule programming, and the ability to offer Oakland County Parks programming at the site. Staff described the item as part of a broader strategy to expand county presence through partnerships in high‑population communities.

Simon Rivers, the county's supervisor of planning, and county parks staff said the park will include a nature‑based playground and trail connections and is located on Long Lake Road just east of Orchard Lake Road. Commissioners asked whether the park would be open to non‑residents (staff said yes), whether the model differs from past agreements, and whether comparable arrangements are planned; staff said earlier models existed (for example Normandy Oaks) and the county is targeting several high‑population communities for similar partnerships in the future.

Why it matters: The agreement would direct county capital toward a municipally operated park in West Bloomfield and expand the county parks's programming footprint without transferring operations to the county.

Next steps: The committee moved the item to the finance committee for consideration.