At the Brighton City Council meeting Thursday night, a Brighton resident asked council who was paying for the over $2 million in improvements that are being made to Second St. David Bogden, who resides on N. Second, asked at call-to-the-public whether new residents who would be moving in would be required to help pay for the project, if the proposed, 200-unit luxury apartment complex comes in on the banks of the Mill Pond.

City Manager Nate Geinzer says the Downtown Development Authority is paying for the cost of the new street and sidewalks, while the city is paying for the new sewer and water lines through the utility fund. However, he tells WHMI that while residents’ tax dollars are not paying for the improvements, existing and new residents will be paying into the city’s utility fund via connection and rate fees –and therefore indirectly helping pay for the upgrades.

The base project, costing an estimated $2 mllion, will include complete reconstruction of the street from First St. to Cross St., replacement of water and sewer lines and new curb and gutter.

The DDA is paying for the entire $930,000 cost of street reconstruction. Replacement of the utilities at a cost of $1.26 million will be covered by the city’s utility reserves fund. The reason for the Second St. project, which got underway in June, is the deteriorating condition of a street, aging and inadequate sewer and water lines and two major construction projects.

Already approved are the 15-unit Second Street Flats condominiums, and a huge potential project involves a proposed $35 million, 200-unit luxury townhouse development between the Mill Pond and Second St. However, a site plan has not yet been submitted to the city by the developer, DTN Development Group of Lansing. (TT)