By By NORMA LERNER / Dowagiac Daily News
CASSOPOLIS – Cass County road commissioners got the ball rolling by taking action to approve a motion saying the alignment of Eagle Lake Road in Ontwa Township is feasible.
The action surfaced during a road commission meeting Thursday morning by board Chairman Robert Powers, who moved to adopt the motion.
Powers noted that the Eagle Lake Road alignment would bear no cost to the road commission or to the taxpayers.
The action followed a public hearing last Monday night at the Ontwa Township board meeting.
At the hearing, a petition had been presented by developer Paul DeLano to align Eagle Lake Road from the top of the hill at Stacey's restaurant north to behind the Dock restaurant, across a creek and out again to the road at Eagle Lake Estates, where DeLano owns property.
This alignment was opposed, however, by the majority of the public present at the hearing, including township Supervisor John Brielmaier.
Vice President Cliff Poehlman explained that it is the commissioners' job to determine if the alignment will work.
He said it would be built to road commission standards and that of the Michigan Department of Transportation. "It is feasible," he said, as did Trustee Roger Bowser.
He said the facts meet all criteria.
Powers said to get this done so DeLano can get permits as required.
"The lid is off. Let's see if you can put it together," he directed at DeLano, whose next step is to go to the Ontwa Township Planning Commission.
DeLano said after the meeting that if he does build the road to support his proposed upscale housing and condominium development, it will cost him $1.8 million.
Commissioners also discussed a proposed lot DeLano offered to purchase at 23275 Lakeview Drive on Eagle Lake's north side to become a public park.
There again, the road commission listened to the public Monday night at the Ontwa Township Board meeting. Engineer-Manager Joseph Bellina III noted the township board made its decision against the lot becoming a public park. However, he said he was willing to see a drawing on the lot. Powers agreed to look at things further when the snow is off the ground.
The commission adjourned after going into closed session to discuss union negotiations and resumed to conduct a parks board meeting. It approved to amend the parks 2007 budget to include $90,000 received as a county appropriation.
Parks Director Scott Wyman said he has ordered log cedar fencing to fence in the parking lot under construction at Lawless Park in Volinia Township. He said he plans to finish the parking lot on the park's east side to accommodate equestrian trucks and trailers and larger vehicles such as school busses. There is $7,500 in the budget for this.
He said he has been contacting property owners along the old Airline Railroad line from Decatur Road to Vandalia, about four to five miles for a Rails to Trails path. He said there is currently a Midwest Energy utility right of way on the path. If ever materialized, it would be used for non-motorized hiking or biking.
Wyman said the tubing hill at Dr. T. K. Lawless Park southeast of Vandalia is open from 5 to 9 p.m. and is lighted as are three miles of cross-country skiing trails. The night events are typically held on Saturday nights in February, but the first Saturday was closed because of a blizzard. Last Saturday, Feb. 10, about 25 people showed up. It is planned to be open this Saturday night. There are free use of tubes at the park.[ok]