8/6/2019 Chelsea Standard Front Page Aug. 18

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By Sean DaltonHeritage Media

This Sunday will mark an anniversary on the Beachfarm property located in Lima Township on the north sideof Jackson Road.

Not the anniversary of the farm itself, which is now158 years old, but the seven-year anniversary on whichFlorence Beach found a fence on her property demolishedby the township

The 120-foot fence bordered the Lima Township hallproperty and a small plot between that property and theBeach property frontage on Jackson.

It was quickly replaced after Beachs attorneys sent aletter to the township, but a legal battle, which only endedthis past June, would ensue that year.

Beach says that she filed the suit to quiet her propertytitle, having no idea at the time that she would need tospend $68,980.68 on legal fees, only $7,653.23 of which shewill receive back after the state Supreme Court ruled inher favor in a 5-2 decision.

I have no problem spending that money to protectthe farm its what my father would have done, Beachexplained.

In the end, the township and its attorney Victor Lillichsought to force Beach to file a plat correction under the

Land Division Act, but her attorney Peter Flintoft suc-cessfully argued that such an action would be unfair tonot only Beach, but the more than 300 other similar casesin the state of Michigan that would be affected by such aprecedent.

I think this is a win for the little guy (filing a platcorrection is) expensive, Flintoft said. It would up theengineering costs by $25,000 at least, and also what it doesis it creates an avenue for the township to make otherobjections that they werent entitled to make, within thecurrent framework of the case as it stands under the cur-rent shape of the law.

We were happy to say, Just stay on your side of thefence, Flintoft said.

While Beach is the plaintiff, she was required to filesuit to protect the integrity of her title. Flintoft said thatthe course of going to the state Supreme Court and vari-ous lower courts on the way was the doing of the town-ship.

He added that the defenses motion to force Beach to file

an LDA plat amendment was likely an attempt to keep thetownships case alive.

Last Friday, Beach sat in her dining room looking outover her property with a look of relief on her face. Shesaid that she feels no regrets, other than that taxpayer dol-lars were wasted.

I think its just wasteful and disrespectful, she said.

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on www.heritage.comaround the clock for themost in-depth coverageof Washtenaw County.Our most viewed storythis week is Florence

Beach wins Limalawsuit.

Check outour video: Citizen of the Year

John Frank Beach v Lima

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Chelsea StandardVOL. 138, NO. 33 THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 201175

Printed on

recycled paper

Editorial Page 6-A

Calendar Page 3-X

Deaths Page 10-A

Sports Page 1-X

Community Page 1-X

News Tip Hotline: 475-1371

INDEX

Check out our insert on

the Chelsea Fair!

INSIDE

FAIR PREVIEWTodays

couponsare worth

up to ...

$114

Brownie troop helps

fixes up Timbertown

Page 7-C

INSIDE

Chelsea Fairways residents seek aidCity offers special assessmentto help finish developments

By Eric AndersonSpecial Writer

Chelsea City Councilmembers discussed plansto assist the ChelseaFairways neighborhood atits Tuesday meeting.

The fairways, a subdivi-sion created about 10 yearsago, has suffered fromtough economic timesthat caused the originalbuilder to leave some lotsin the area unfinished. Inaddition, the neighbor-hood streets are not partof Chelsea proper, causingproblems with snow plow-ing and other services.

Matt Jordan, a repre-

sentative of the ChelseaHomeowners Association,was on hand to discussprovisions of a proposedspecial assessment thatwould calculate how mucheach property owner wouldhave to pay to join the city.Jordan was appreciative ofthe councils cooperation.

With this plan, there isno disconnect between theneighborhood and the city,Jordan said. This bringsboth parties closer togetherto share the cost and bur-den.

Jordan also asked aboutthe special assessmentmethod, wondering how the

PLEASE SEE FAIRWAYS/3-A

Photo by Erica McClain

Just beyond the entrance to Chelsea Fairways on Freer Road and Fairways Lane liesan unfinished home.

PLEASE SEE LAWSUIT/3-A

Photo by Erica McClain

John Frank (center) received the 2011 Citizen of the Year award at the ChelseaHouse Victorian Inn on Aug. 10. President of the Chelsea Area Chamber ofCommerce Rick Benson and the chambers executive director Bob Pierce wereamong those who surpised Frank.

Citizen of the YearJohn Frank honored for work in gettingdowntown Chelsea listed on historic registerBy Erica McClainHeritage Media

John Frank is enam-ored with local history,and its pretty evidentwhen he describes howhe and his wife, Jackie,restored their late 1880shome to a near-museumquality.

But what might not beso apparent is that Frankhas spent the better partof more than a decadeworking to preserve andhonor Chelseas down-town by getting it ontothe National Register of

Historic Places.With those years worthof effort capping off inthe success of adding 61buildings, including theLongworth Complex andthe McKune Memorial

Library, to the register,the Chelsea Citizen of theYear Committee had arather clear cut decisionfor its 2011 award winner.

A committee, includingrepresentatives from theChelsea Area Chamberof Commerce, whichstewards the award withthe Chelsea Standard,surprised Frank on Aug.17 with an official decreeat the Chelsea HouseVictorian Inn.

I am flabbergasted,Frank said as the cham-bers executive director,Bob Pierce, informed

Frank of his award.Franks earnest sur-prise made this yearspresentation one of themost fun, according toPierce.

The look on Johns

face when we announcedhis selection as this yearswinner will remain withme forever, Pierce said.

Kim Broekhuizen, whorecommended Frank forthe Citizen of the Yearaward, said in her nomi-nation letter that Frankhad a dedicated vision,and when he was facedwith nos, rather thanbe discouraged, he con-tinued to educate othersand research and workfor what he knew wasright for the downtown.

I cant think of a morehumble man, that I have

had the privilege to know,who has tirelessly workedfor what he thoughtwould make Chelsea aneven greater place tocall home, Broekhuizen

Beach wins suitagainst townshipfor property right

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