Greenfield City Manager Todd Wilkin visited the Thursday Highland County Land Reutilization Corporation (HCLRC) meeting seeking a partnership with the land bank. Wilkin and the new Greenfield Law Director Hannah Bivens were present at the meeting to discuss the possible partnership, and how it could work.
Wilkin said Greenfield has buildings “throughout town” that nobody lives in, and that are also unproductive houses in the community and owners willing to sign them over.
He said that the Greenfield Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) is looking for the land bank to receive properties from the owner, clear the taxes, and then give them to the Greenfield CIC to take on the demolition and cleanup. Wilkin said he is mostly looking at the land bank as a “pass-through.”
Wilkin specifically was talking about a property on 602 N. Fifth St. in Greenfield, which has $23,265.40 in taxes due, with the land valued at $9,100.
Charles Guarino, a member of the land bank board, said that before agreeing on the partnership, he would like to talk to a legal consultant and receive a legal clarification on the topic.
Mark Current, the Highland County Community Action Organization housing director, gave updates on other possible land bank properties.
One of those updates was on a property on 235 Willow, which sold for around $7,000.
Considering two parcels on Cinderella Drive, a neighbor is interested in the side lot. Each of the parcels are valued at $7,100.
Where the Enchanted Hills Community Association properties are concerned, there are 11 properties. Eight of them are together while the other three are near where a dump/transfer station was located. Local attorney Greg Van Zant is currently looking into the liens and title searches.
The next land bank meeting will be held on Thursday, May 20, at 9 a.m.
Reach Jacob Clary at 937-402-2570.
