A Michigan family owned a one-third-acre lakefront cottage before Prairie View Park was built; more than 60 years later, courts say Kalamazoo County can condemn it

A Michigan family owned a one-third-acre lakefront cottage before Prairie View Park was built; more than 60 years later, courts say Kalamazoo County can condemn it

The Michigan Court of Appeals has confirmed Kalamazoo County's legal right to acquire a residential cottage located near Prairie View County Park, ending a protracted legal battle. County officials want to integrate the cottage into their plans for park expansion, but the owners have raised objections, arguing that the public purpose claims are obsolete. The issue of fair compensation continues to be debated if a mutual valuation is not achieved.