Dexter Council Moves to Put City Land Sale on August Ballot

Dexter voters will decide this August whether to authorize the sale of city-owned property once considered for a new public safety complex.

At its April 14 meeting, the Dexter City Council approved a resolution to submit a ballot proposal to voters on August 5, 2025, seeking approval to sell city-owned property at the corner of Dexter-Ann Arbor Road and Meadow View Drive.

The 2.38-acre parcel, originally purchased by the city in 2019 for $544,283, was once considered a potential site for new public safety facilities. However, the council ultimately selected the city-owned property at 8140 Main Street for that purpose, leaving the Meadow View property without a planned public use.

By city charter, Dexter cannot sell public land without a two-thirds vote of the City Council and majority approval by city voters. Monday’s resolution satisfies the first requirement and sets in motion the process for the second.

The proposed ballot language asks:
“Shall the City of Dexter be authorized to sell property located at the intersection of Dexter-Ann Arbor Rd. and Meadowview Dr. (Tax Parcel ID #08-08-05-300-061), legally described as part of the SW ¼ of Section 5, Town 2 South, Range 5 East, City of Dexter, Washtenaw County for an amount not less than $XXX,XXX?”

An appraisal conducted earlier this year valued the property at $780,000. However, local real estate agent Brent Flewelling of Reinhart Realtors suggested listing the site between $625,000 and $650,000 based on current market conditions. City staff is awaiting feedback from additional realtors before setting the minimum price to be written into the ballot language.

The Meadow View property is zoned ARC (Dexter-Ann Arbor Road Corridor) and is included in the city’s master plan for corridor development. It also has a prior history of planned private use. In 2005, the Village Council approved a two-building medical office complex called Boulder Park 2 on a 3.5-acre version of the site. Those buildings were never constructed.

Now, city officials say it makes sense to return the land to the private sector, as there are no current or future municipal needs for the site.

Staff shared the draft ballot language with City Attorney Scott Munzel, who raised no legal concerns. However, Munzel did question the inclusion of a minimum sale value and the implications if no offers meet that figure. City administration is working to refine those details before submitting final language to the Washtenaw County Clerk by the April 29 deadline.