Brandon Twp.- Site plans for an apartment complex off M-15 have expired, another possible fatality of a tanking economy.
Township Building Director Tim Palulian said a site plan for the multiple-unit complex to be located north of Solley’s Appliance expired at the beginning of the month. Another site plan, approval for Silverman Development to extract about 170,000 yards of material from the property in order to balance the land, expired about three months ago.
‘For us, it means there is no project in the wings,? said Palulian. ‘For them, it means they would need to resubmit all the data and go through the process again of getting approval, even if the plan was exactly the same. There is probably nothing on the horizon, considering the economy.?
A ‘for sale? sign is currently posted on the property, for which the Brandon Forest Lake Company, represented by Silverman Development, originally planned 144 units of 1-bedroom, traditional apartments. These plans were approved by the Planning Commission last year, over the objections of several residents, who were concerned over a variety of issues including destruction of wetlands.
A representative from Silverman Development did not return a call for comment by presstime.
‘When we come out of this (economic) malaise, someone will pick up the property,? Palulian said. ‘The land balancing is an added expense. There may be some inhibitions by developers to take it on.?
Also up for sale is a 4-and-a-half acre parcel of M-15 frontage zoned commercial, north of Seymour Lake Road and just south of the entrance to the Long Lake Village subdivision. Silverman sold 70 acres of property to Centex Homes in 2004 for the sub, but retained the small parcel with the intent of establishing a 15,000 square foot retail center.
The planning commission turned away a site plan for the center because of wetlands issues. The Department of Environmental Quality later approved it, but Silverman never returned to the planning commission for final site plan approval. Palulian suspects the property will remain inactive for the winter.