City of Windsor wants to take over part of Sandwich Towne waterfront
There are plans to expropriate 75 Mill St., which belongs to a Michigan car dealership owner
The City of Windsor has taken the first steps to expropriate nine acres of waterfront land at the corner of Russell Street and Mill Street.
According to a letter sent to the landowner at 75 Mill St., the city wants to exchange part of the property with the Ojibway Shores property currently managed by the Windsor Port Authority .
The Mill Street land belongs to Michael Dorian Jr., a car dealership owner in Clinton Township, Michigan. He plans to fight the expropriation.
"I think it's unfair. I think I'm beholding what they offer me," said Dorian, who believes the offer will be under $1 million. He believes it's worth "three or four times that."
But Mayor Drew Dilkens tells CBC News the city can't pay less than the appraised value and he says they will offer what an appraiser deems the market value to be.
"If you look at what the city has done in their history with expropriation proceedings...we've always been very fair and very reasonable," said Dilkens.
The city had tried to purchase the land before but couldn't come to an agreement.
The expropriation letter from city solicitor Shelby Askin Hager dated July 25, states the purpose of the expropriation is to "assist Windsor in a land exchange to acquire natural heritage lands contiguous to its existing Black Oak natural heritage park."
The letter also touches upon eco-tourism opportunities as well as meeting the 2011 Community Improvement Plan objectives to encourage investment and development in the Sandwich area.
Access to water for residents
Dorian currently maintains that area as a park and allows free access to the property for the public and the Olde Sandwich Towne Business Improvement Association (BIA) for events.
But BIA secretary and past chair Mary Ann Cuderman is concerned the public will lose access to the riverfront once the land is in the hands of the port authority, and isn't sure how much of it will be retained as parkland.
"This is the only waterfront that Sandwich now has," said Cuderman, who was also surprised the BIA was not made aware of the expropriation plans by the city. She thinks the BIA and the community should be involved in the discussion about the land.
"Mr. Dorian has been a beautiful neighbour. He has never, never crossed off that property. He lets us use it for anything we want to use it for," said Cuderman.
A west-end resident who takes care of the property for Dorian thinks the expropriation isn't right.
"I think it's a hundred per cent wrong because Sandwich Towne is supposed to be a riverfront community according to the City of Windsor's planning department," said Terry Potomski.
No firm comment from city
While Dilkens remains mum on whether the land is going to be swapped and what plans they have for the land at 75 Mill St., he said the city is interested in obtaining Ojibway Shores.
He also said the community will like the plans for the northerly portion of the expropriated land.
"It's a great use. It will be great for Sandwich Towne. Great for the community as a whole," said Dilkens, who confirmed that city council unanimously approved of the expropriation in a closed door meeting in June this year.
Windsor Port Authority president and CEO Steve Salmons also wouldn't confirm plans to participate in a land swap.
"At this point there is no agreement. No plan to do so. So it would be unfair and inaccurate to comment otherwise," said Salmons, adding that the expropriation is a City of Windsor initiative.
Salmons points out that the port authority has provided access to the river through the Queen's Dock parkette development.
"A real important initiative of the Port is to connect people to the water. Allow people to experience the waterfront and port lands as much as the economic benefits," said Salmons.
However, Potomski doesn't trust the port authority would let people to have access to the property after they gain control over it.
"You can look down the street, you can see no trespassing, no trespassing, no trespassing," he said.
The city has been trying to obtain Ojibway Shores to complete the Black Oak Heritage lands for several years now to maintain it as a natural area, but until now has not been able to arrive at a deal with the port authority.
The Detroit River Canadian Clean up group chair Tom Henderson has told CBC News previously that the group was in favour of the city obtaining Ojibway Shores "by any means necessary."
Henderson said he was okay with a land swap.
Dilkens said a plan for the Mill Street land may be announced in about a month.
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