Council approves license to use two private parcels for municipal parking

The Berkley City Council voted Jan. 5 to approve a license agreement allowing the city to use two privately owned parcels (Parcel 04-25-07-455-033 and 04-25-07-455-032) for municipal parking for an initial five-year term with automatic one-year renewals.

Director Kaplansky described the arrangement as a cost-effective alternative to constructing new municipal parking, saying the approach expands an earlier agreement with the property adjacent to Frank’s Nursery (formerly Garden Central). She said the city would perform snow removal and maintenance while forgiving certain city taxes and stormwater charges on the properties.

During council discussion the city attorney clarified the document is a license agreement, not a lease; the attorney said the title will be corrected to reflect that. The packet lists the city taxes to be reimbursed for both parcels combined as approximately $19.57 and identifies waived stormwater and sewer charges totaling about $3,000. Council members and staff did not further quantify the tax figure during the meeting.

Mayor Pro Tem Gavin moved to approve the agreement and Council member Patterson seconded; the council approved the motion on roll call.

Staff said the city is also negotiating a similar agreement with Berkley First Church for additional contiguous parcels and will present that to council when ready.