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:: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 ::
Finally, More Than Just Rumors
The story about the sale in today's Tribune confirms the rumor that the sale is contingent upon a major rezoning of the property. As noted below and in the story, the Township recently rezoned the property as Recreational/Institutional, which severly limits the potential to build on the property (for good reason). The property was sold for $19.4 million, but the Owasippe Outdoor Education Center's press release notes that the council's IRS filings show the camp's valuation to be only about $4 million, indicating that the buyer intends a major change of use at the site. The Owasippe Staff Association apparently is trying to scrape together a legal fund to save the camp as a near-last-ditch effort. Hopefully the Township board will not approve the zoning change - I'm sure there will be pressure on them from both sides in the next few months, especially when all the staff arrives at camp for what will hopefully not be its last year.
The word is still out on the irregularities of the board vote. It was very close, 14 to 12, and if some board members were prevented from casting votes against then the legal challenges to this will have a much better leg to stand on.
:: The Squire 2:21 PM :: email this post :: ::
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