MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Last week, East Lansing City Council approved the Costco development Brownfield plan at 1.5 million dollars. East Lansing and Meridian Township have had an Urban Cooperation Agreement in place since 2001. A resolution to the agreement was made in July earlier this years stating Meridian Township would cap the Brownfield plan at no more than one million dollars in regards to the Costco Development.

Since East Lansing approved the Brownfield plan point five million over what Meridian Township agreed to pay, and amendment to the Urban Cooperation Agreement went before the Township Board during their meeting Tuesday night. The amendment simply restated that Meridian Township would cap the Brownfield Plan at one million dollars and East Lansing would be responsible for any amount that exceeds that.

When the original Urban Development agreement was put into place back in 2001, it stated that Meridian Township would not be responsible for paying for improvements for Park Lake Road. Even with the Brownfield plan approval, Meridian Township will still not be responsible for paying for Park Lake Road improvements.

During the Township Board Meeting Township Manager Frank Walsh said, "That seems like we're giving up 1 million dollars in tax capture to this project, that's completely false." Walsh went on to say, "Our portion of the Brownfield is only. 10.9%, so the most we could pay if we get up to a million dollars is a hundred nine-thousand dollars."

The amendment to the agreement was adopted with a 7-0 vote