Highland Park community garden land will not be sold to developer
HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Land that is home to a community garden in Highland Park will not be sold to a developer.
That decision was made Tuesday night by the Highland Park City Council.
The land has been at the center of an ongoing land dispute between a group who has developed a garden on the grounds and the developer who owns the home next door.
The lot is on Avalon St. in Highland Park. The city owns the land, but the nonprofit Avalon Village has been running a community garden built by Shamayim Harris. The garden offers produce to neighbors and classes to children.
"Last week, it was spoken about how I was illegally on the property," said Harris at the city council meeting. "I've been illegally on the property of Highland Park for years. … Cleaning them up, I've spent thousands. Blood, sweat, and tears."
Developer Rick Lopez of PMP Properties wanted to buy the land.
"We bought around 40 homes, and work on each home, one at a time," said Lopez while addressing city council.
One of those homes is on the lot next to the garden. Lopez said the land would serve as the home's yard.
City council said Lopez applied to buy the land before Harris.
"Whoever had their application in first is the one that gets the lot if we're following the rules. You're asking us not to follow the rules," said Khursheed Ash-Shafii, council member from District 3.
A few members of the public in attendance at that meeting agreed with Ash-Shafii.
"I'm highly disgusted that you guys have taken this long to sell the property to the person who came first and who's bringing tax money to the city," said Highland Park resident Princess Davis.
Most in attendance Tuesday were opposed to selling the land to the developer.
In a 3-2 vote, the council moved not to sell the land to PMP Properties. The vote does not imply the land will be sold to Avalon Village. The next steps for selling the land were unclear after the council's vote.
