The city of Potage is to keep hold of, market and attempt to sell a vacant residential property, which was being considered for use as a community garden, by turning it over to the county. Potage City Council discussed the situation for more than an hour before voting 5-1 on Tuesday night to keep the property, which is situated at 10323 Archwood Drive, city owned and appraised, and then to be marketed for people to move into instead of turning it over to the Kalamazoo County Land Bank to be used as a garden by residents.
Councilwoman Elizabeth Campbell, who is a member of the property committee of the council, says that she made the recommendation following the time she and her committee spent looking at a number of other properties owned by the city and weighing up the pros and cons of the decision. “The best option for us is to take it and put it back on the tax rolls, to market it along with other city properties.”
The property in question is a former two-story house in a pleasant South Potage neighborhood, which had been foreclosed on following the bursting of pipes; this flooded the basement and made the house impossible for anyone to move into. The home and garage was razed by the city and the driveway removed in 2010, with the property then going through two auctions held by the county treasurer without finding a buyer.
Lance Grooms
