KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Despite threats of more lawsuits from the Tolanda-Johnson family, the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners voted 8-3 Tuesday night to proceed with condemnation of their lakefront property, which sits in the county’s Prairie View Park.
Members of the family argued for nearly three hours that the county lawyers were wrong, regaling commissioners with memories of lazy summers on the water.
One family member even likened the county’s action to the invasion of Ukraine.
But for the first time, other family members spoke saying the county’s 60 year old claim on the land is valid. Mark Getting was the son-in-law of the last living owner Edward Tolanda.
Kalamazoo County Parks Director David Rachowicz says it’s their mission to obtain, maintain and provide access to green spaces for all county residents.
With very little discussion, the Commission voted 8-3 to proceed with condemnation if the family still refuses to sell.
Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners Chair Mike Quinn says the decision was tough, but made in the public’s best interest.
The county board also set aside $350,000 to compensate the family if the land is seized under Eminent Domain.
Some clarification is needed following this article by Ken Delaney. To begin with, the cottage property is not “landlocked” as the title of the article indicates. In addition, the County’s interpretation of the 1963 Agreement is erroneous in the context in which it was written. The owners of the cottage have tried, on numerous occasions, to meet with County Commissioners and explore options that would be mutually beneficial to both parties. However, the commissioners refused to meet with the owners. The cottage and property are privately owned, including a deeded right-of-way to the cottage, and sits tucked away in a small 1/4 acre parcel of land that is NOT in the middle of the park. PrairieView Park has 208 acres of property that continues to be underutilized and undermarketed and has fallen into disrepair over the last several years. In closing, the taxpayers of Kalamazoo County should know that their tax monies will be used to fund the County’s unnecessary legal proceedings with Eminent Domain/Condemnation. In addition, a County-appraised price of $350,000 offered by the County is considerably less than the actual market value of lakefront property similar to the cottage on Gourdneck Lake.