Council authorizes contingent purchase and environmental review for proposed Fire Station 4 site

Westland City Council on May 18 authorized a contingent purchase agreement for 37501 Cherry Hill as the city’s preferred site for a replacement Fire Station 4 and approved a separate environmental and due‑diligence contract not to exceed $54,450. The council voted to give the city six months for due diligence with an option to extend for 90 days and the ability to exit the agreement without penalty if the site proves unsuitable.

The city attorney told the council the purchase agreement ‘‘allows the city . . . six months to do due diligence and actually can extend due diligence another 90 days,’’ and described the step as the next part of a year‑plus search for a suitable site. The action followed a motion by Councilman Sullivan and was supported on the floor; no dissent was recorded in the public record.

The environmental contract with Michigan Consulting and Environmental covers multiple assessments: an asbestos survey for a small house on the property slated for demolition, a wetland determination for adjacent wetlands to ensure truck turning radius and siting will work, phase I/II and a baseline environmental assessment, geotechnical testing and magnetometer surveys to detect buried tanks or drums. The city attorney said the baseline environmental assessment provides ‘‘state protection’’ so historical contamination would not automatically become an obligation of a future owner.

Chief Stamper and other staff told the council the work is designed to identify contamination or subsurface surprises early so the city can withdraw during due diligence if remediation costs are prohibitive. The chief said the geotechnical scope includes magnetometer surveys ‘‘to find any tanks or drums or auto parts’’ and soil testing to determine whether the site can support building foundations and heavy apparatus movements. A finance department representative said the intention is to estimate potential remediation costs and then decide whether the capital budget could accommodate them.

Council members stressed that entering the purchase agreement is not a final sale. One council member summarized council direction to residents that the purchase is contingent on due diligence findings and that further approvals would be required before any construction or final acquisition.

What happens next: Michigan Consulting and Environmental will proceed with the assessments under the approved contract; the city will review results and decide whether to proceed with closing within the six‑month due diligence window (with a possible 90‑day extension). If contamination or other material problems are found, the city may exit the agreement without financial penalty, or, if feasible, estimate remediation costs and revise the capital plan.

Actions and motions: The council approved (1) a contingent purchase agreement for 37501 Cherry Hill and (2) a due‑diligence/environmental assessment contract with Michigan Consulting and Environmental (amount not to exceed $54,450). Both motions passed with no recorded dissent in the meeting transcript.

Authorities and documents: The council referenced the draft purchase agreement terms, the Michigan Consulting and Environmental proposal, and prior internal study sessions but did not cite a statute or ordinance in the public record for this authorization.

Community impact and timeline: The council framed the purchase as a step to replace a 40‑plus‑year‑old station with inadequate bays and water issues and to improve firefighter housing and response capacity. The environmental review is intended to limit the risk of unexpected remediation costs mid‑construction.