Bingham Township took a potentially huge step this week when the Township Board decided to apply for a Coastal Zone Management grant that could pay for about half of an estimated $1.6 million acquisition of Grand Traverse Bay waterfront property adjoining the township's Boughey Park.

The board voted 5-0 to adopt a resolution to apply for the grant following a discussion with the chair of the township’s Parks and Recreation Committee, Bob Walton.

Last month, the owners of a seven-acre parcel with 440 feet of West Bay frontage, along with the owner of another parcel adjacent to Boughey Park, indicated they might be willing to sell their properties to the township. Walton explained that the $1.6 million figure was a rough estimate of the cost of the properties based on tax records, but that no negotiations had yet occurred with the property owners.

Walton acknowledged the concerns of some township board members who said the prospect of “matching” half of a $1.6 million grant was “scary.” Walton said, however, that he expected additional grant funding could be acquired to cover most of the match requirement.

Township supervisor Ross Ard noted that the township’s endorsement of a grant application would not immediately obligate the township to pay any matching funds. He said that if the grant is awarded, the township can decide whether or not to accept it – thereby accepting a requirement to provide matching funds – based on whether additional funding sources have been identified to complete the project.

Walton noted that the township had already received a $5,000 Coastal Zone Management grant to help pay for engineering studies and drawings to improve and possibly expand Boughey Park as well as Hendryx Park, also on West Grand Traverse Bay, along Lee Point Road.

In a separate action at its regular monthly meeting Monday evening, the township board voted 5-0 to authorize Ard to sign a $1,000 grant agreement with the Suttons Bay-Bingham Endowment Fund which will provide some of the matching funds required to pay for the Boughey/Hendryx Park site plan project.

Trustee Mary Bush, who serves on the Parks and Recreation Committee, noted that the committee will hold a public workshop session on May 12 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the township hall to hear from engineers working on the Boughey/Hendryx Park site plan, and to solicit public input on the plan.