County accepts an offer for Lakeland School property

Don Reid, Coldwater Daily Reporter
·2 min read

BRANCH COUNTY — The county commission has agreed to the sale of the former Lakeland School property during a Thursday work meeting, accepting a $250,000 cash offer from businessman Wade Longstreet.

“That’s a good thing,” county commission chairman Tim Stoll said.

Final approval comes Tuesday at the formal commission meeting.

Branch County paid Coldwater Community School $150,00 to purchase the closed aging Lakeland Elementary on 40 acres on Centennial Road in 2021.

Lakeland School at Centennial Road and Otis Road.
Lakeland School at Centennial Road and Otis Road.

The property was the only available site for a new fifth tower site of a new 911 emergency dispatch radio tower.

After cutting out just under five acres required to meet Ovid Township’s zoning for the tower, the county wanted to sell the remaining 35 acres.

Since the purchase, sheriff deputies and county maintenance have responded to numerous vandalism calls on the site.

County administrator Bud Norman publicized the sale over the last two months. There were several offers, with Longstreet being the highest.

Deborah Lounds-Bowers
Deborah Lounds-Bowers

Deborah Lounds-Bowers, a realtor and county planning commission chair, worked with the county and interested parties.

"My husband and I did show it to several people. Everyone who has looked at it has received a letter that I got from the township zoning administrator as to how it’s currently zoned," she said.

Ovid Township Zoning Administrator Matt Ashenfelter said the property is zoned rural residential.

“Any other use would require rezoning or a special use permit if allowed," he said.

The county will sell all the land in the red area. The tower is located in the middle of the blue square.
The county will sell all the land in the red area. The tower is located in the middle of the blue square.

Prior story Commission pushes for sale of surplus Lakeland property

The county had an informal appraisal of $299,000 for the property.

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Longstreet intends to do something other than demo the building.

The county will set a closing date after Tuesday’s formal approval.

---Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DReidTDR

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: County accepts an offer for Lakeland School property