SEPTEMBER 27 - OCTOBER 3,1987 THE MICHIGAN CITIZEN
Counci rejects cente
MJmeltD CUll
HIGHLAND PK - The
Highland Par City Council
voted unanimously at their
Sept. 21 regular meeting to
reject a proposed Use
Variance which would have
provided for the renovation of
an abandoned aparbnent
building into a residential
rehabilitation center for con­
victed, non-violent offenders.
The Council voted to for­
mally reject the variance short-
ly after the would-be buyers,
Shirley Hailey and Dr. Wil­
liam Kyle, called the City
Cler 's office and stated that
they were no longer interested
in the property at 124 Ferris.
either Kyle nor Hailey
could be reached for comment
but Council President Martha
Scott said after. the meeting
that public sentiment ex­
pressed against the proposed
center during the September 7
council meeting may have con-
or offende
vinced Hailey and Kyle to
look elsewhere.
Sister Marie Benzing, prin­
cipal of St. Benedict's grade
school at 53 Chandler, a block
orth of Ferris, was at Mon­
days meeting to express her
concern.
Benzing said, just prior to
the announcement that the
property was no longer being
sought, "Our students go to
gym classes not a half a block
away so we really have a great
concern."
"We're also aware that
many' of the crimes that are
committed are done by people
who have prior records, Benz­
ing said.
Council President Scott
said that the formal vote to
reject the variance was con­
ducted because the council
had not yet received word in
writing from Kyle and Hailey.
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