GROESBECK GOLF COURSE RECONVEYANCE S.B. 908 (S-2):
SUMMARY OF SUBSTITUTE BILL
IN COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 908 (Substitute S-2)
Sponsor: Senator Curtis Hertel, Jr.
Committee: Government Operations
CONTENT
The bill would require the State Administrative Board to reconvey certain property to the City of Lansing, if the city conveyed the property to the State, and require the reconveyance to omit a requirement that the property be made available to members of the public regardless of residence, and a requirement that any fees for use of the property be imposed in the same manner on residents and nonresidents.
The property in question includes a parcel that the Department of Natural Resources conveyed to the City of Lansing pursuant to Public Act 531 of 1996, referred to as the Groesbeck Golf Course. Public Act 531 contained a restriction that the property be dedicated for park and recreational purposes and be available for use by members of the general public without regard to place of residence. The Groesbeck Golf Course property, and three other parcels in Ingham County, were conveyed to the City of Lansing for $1.
The property subject to the bill also includes a parcel that the State Administrative Board conveyed to the City of Lansing for $1 pursuant to Public Act 431 of 2004. That parcel was conveyed subject to a requirement that it be used exclusively for the purpose of a public golf course owned by the City, or other public purpose. The conveyance also contained a restriction that, if any fee, term, or condition for the use of the property is imposed on members of the public, or is waived for use of the property, resident and nonresident members must be subject to the same fee, term, condition, or waiver.
The bill would require the State Administrative Board to reconvey the property described above to the City of Lansing for $1, if the City conveyed it to the State. The reconveyance would have to be subject to the same terms and restrictions as the original conveyance but could not contain the restriction requiring the property to be made available for use by members of the general public without regard to place of residence, or the restriction that if any fee, term, or condition for the use of the property is imposed on members of the public, or waived, resident and nonresident members must be subject to the same fee, term, condition, or waiver.
The reconveyance would have to be by quitclaim deed approved by the Attorney General.
BACKGROUND
Public Act 531 of 1996 authorized the State Administrative Board to convey to the City of Lansing several parcels of property that were under the jurisdiction of the Department of Management and Budget. The Act also authorized the Department of Natural Resources to convey several parcels to the City. These included the Groesbeck Golf Course property, which the City had leased from the State for several decades.
The conveyances authorized in 1996, however, had omitted a portion of the golf course property. Public Act 431 of 2004 then authorized the conveyance of this parcel to the City.
Legislative Analyst: Suzanne Lowe
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would result in an indeterminate fiscal impact on the City of Lansing by giving it the ability to charge nonresidents a higher rate than charged to City of Lansing residents for use of the Groesbeck Golf Course.
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.