More proposals sought for TCLP ash pit
Apr. 11—TRAVERSE CITY — It's back to the drawing board for the Traverse City Light and Power Board as it seeks to find a second life for its coal ash pit in Garfield Township.
The utility board this week agreed to seek another round of redevelopment proposals for a nearly 50-acre parcel of vacant land along Cedar Run Road just west of Barney Road, a portion of which was utilized as a dumping pit for coal ash from the operation of the utility's former bayfront power plant that was decommissioned in 2005.
Because of state environmental restrictions on the coal ash pit, which is capped and has an underground liner to prevent the spread of the contamination, about 33.5 acres of the total site is available for future use.
Utility officials have been mulling over the site's future for more than six years. TCLP Executive Director Brandie Ekren said the property at one time was considered for potential renewable energy sources to serve the utility, including a solar array, but the property's rolling terrain ruled that out. A recent appraisal pegged the property's value at $655,000.
The TCLP Board revisited the issue again earlier this year, and on Feb. 1 issued a request for proposals targeting nonprofit organizations and public entities seeking potential uses for the site. Those included picnic grounds, playgrounds, athletic grounds, botanical and zoological gardens, hiking and bike paths, environmental or wildlife areas and other uses. Board members wanted public and/or nonprofit organizations an exclusive opportunity to put forth some redevelopment proposals before potentially opening the process to private developers.
Those proposals were due by mid-afternoon on April 1. But Ekren said no submissions came in by the deadline. One informal proposal arrived hours later, but didn't meet the requirements of the RFP and didn't include a $1,000 refundable payment that was required with all bids.
Ekren said she wasn't surprised the property didn't draw more bidders. The environmental restrictions surrounding the site are significant and will require potential owners to work through multiple hurdles in making it available for public use — particularly in the two-month bidding window that was established.
"It's a lot to bite off, to be honest," Ekren said.
But Ekren's also convinced that there's significant interest in the property.
"This has been on the community's radar since 2018 ... we know (people) are aware of it," she said. Part of the property offers views of Grand Traverse Bay and has drawn interest as a potential housing site, as well as the recreational uses identified in the RFP. The property is located in Garfield's Agricultural zoning district, and the tract is identified for low-density residential land use in the township's master plan.
"If there's a way to maintain the natural beauty of it without getting it too commercialized, that's a win-win," Ekren said.
Board members said they continue to prefer some sort or public and/or recreational use for the land in the future. But a successful re-use plan could entail some type of public-private partnership where at least some of the participants have experience in environmental clean-up or adaptive re-use of contaminated properties.
"We do want to encourage some collaborations which yet might occur," board member Elysha Davila said.
The TCLP Board will revisit the issue again in May, when it again expects to seek proposals from non-private and public entities before it considers bids from the the private sector. The board also directed staff to develop a more specific set of criteria for evaluating the proposals that are received.
"We want to see diverse, inclusive ideas as to the best use of that property," board member John Taylor said.
