LANSING - The Planning Commission and Township Board are working together to revise their urban services management areas. That is, what areas receive township water and sewer. But the two sides have yet to reach an agreement about where the new line should be.

The stretch of Van Atta Road North of Grand River is part of what is known as the Georgetown Payback District, an area that citizen Neil Bowlby says has been a political hot-button for quite a few years.

"The township insisted that the developer put in a sewer with a capacity to service this whole area of the township," Bowlby said.

The district is not part of the current Urban Services Management Plan, which means it does not receive township sewer or water. Clerk Dreyfus says developing this new plan is part of a partnership with Portland State University.

"Five pilot sites were selected of places that were of keen interest in this whole concept," Dreyfus said. "The Greater Lansing Area was one of those selected, and because Meridian was a part of this group, we get to benefit from the resources that come as a part of this one-year partnership."

"We do need to develop a new line, and so it's a matter of cooperation between the planning commission which develops the line, and the township board who then approves it," Ronald Styka, Meridian Township Trustee said.

"As it stands right now, it's a deadlock between the planning commission and the township board as to what areas should be included," Bowlby said.

Clerk Dreyfus says not including areas like the Georgetown Payback District would not only save taxpayer money, but also preserve natural areas.

"East of cornell road, those are some of our most natural areas in the township," Dreyfus said. "Van Atta Road, you know, cornell road itself is a natural beauty road."

Styka says the Township Board is waiting on the Planning Commission to develop a new boundary.