By Meg Peters
Review Staff Writer
Another PUD driven development failed at the Planning Commission/Board of Trustees joint Public Hearing meeting Wednesday, Nov. 19.
A second Planned Unit Development (PUD) proposal was postponed by the applicant.
Both applicants, Pinnacle-Lake Orion LLC with North Ridge on Maybee Rd. and Redwood Acquisition with Meridian Commons on Lapeer, said their proposed densities were a good transition between adjacent developments? densities.
On the flip side, commissioners and members of the public agreed the number of units the applicants were proposing were still too dense.
Pinnacle’s property proposal
Pinnacle’s denied PUD proposal will still be assessed by the township board as an un-recommended development per the Planning Commission (PC). The board can follow the PC’s recommendation to deny it, can approve the plan and send them out the door, or can send it back to the PC for further review.
North Ridge would be located on Maybee Rd. one-half mile west of the Baldwin corridor. The community would encompass 16.76 acres with 28 lots at a density of 1.6 dwelling units per acre.
Owner of Pinnacle-Lake Orion, Brad Bothum is proposing to rezone from Suburban Farms (SF) to a PUD, which would allow him some variation from the current requirements. Pinnacle’s proposed density would be consistent with single family residential R2 sized lots, with a minimum of 10,800 sq. ft. lots.
‘These land uses nearby need residential density to survive,? Bothum said, referring to the Baldwin corridor and the township master plan proposed pedestrian system.
According to studies conducted by Pinnacle, adjacent zoning to the east is between nine and ten units per acre (Sycamore Creek Apartments), to the south density is 2.1 units per acre (Rolling Hills subdivision) and more Suburban Farms (SF) development and open space is to the north.
The average size of their proposed lots are 14,374 sq. ft.??
‘It’s a uniquely shaped parcel that allows for varying lot sizes and significant lot sizes,? he said.
If Pinnacle were to zone it according to SF, five lots at 2.5 acres each would be permitted over the almost 17 acres.
Chairwoman Carol Thurber said the proposed density exceeded the existing zoning and low-residential master plan density SF by almost five times.
All of the public input at the meeting was against the North Ridge community, she said.
Mike Pizolla was the first to invite people to calling him a N.I.M.B.Y., a ‘not in my back yard.?
‘I don’t even know where to start. To me this is a complete joke,? Pizolla said, a resident on Waldon. ‘Ten years ago I bought my property for the exact same reason, Suburban Farms, and it should stay that way. The recognizable benefit? None for me. It’s going to destroy it. It’s paving over 15 acres, minus the wetland and setbacks.?
There are seven wetlands on the parcel. Two of them are regulated.
As part of the PUD eligibility requirements, the developer must propose recognizable benefit both to the residents of the project and?’residents of the township.??
Pinnacle’s benefit is a’proposed 3,000 foot long safety path and trail from their development to the Baldwin corridor, connecting a loop to Maybee Rd. which would require obtaining a handful of easements.
Thurber said Pinnacle was offering a public benefit that might not even be obtainable.
‘I walked into the meeting thinking [the path] was a community benefit, and the power of the public hearing certainly showed me that the public did not want that,? Thurber said. ‘Furthermore a number of people that live on Waldon Rd. actually own that ITC corridor, and Pinnacle would have to get individual easements for each of those homeowners.?
Meridan Commons on Lapeer would be different
The same applicant for Waterstone at Village Square apartments on Baldwin, Redwood Acquisition LLC of Cleveland area is proposing to develop 171 apartments within 31 buildings at 3677 S. Lapeer.
The proposal would be similar to the 77 units on Baldwin in that they offer ADA and Fair Housing compliant apartments geared toward empty-nesters and young professionals, however the proposed development would be a move up, Petitioner Richard Batt said, Vice President for Michigan.
‘We handle everything for our residents, we plow the snow, we cut the grass, if they need a light bulb changed we do it for them,? Batt said, with 24 hour a day, seven day a week service.
With a couple of exceptions, the proposed site plan is compliant with the residential portion of the PUD, he said.
The proposed density is about 5.2 single-story units per acre, ‘a nice transition between the residential neighborhoods and the busy atmosphere of Lapeer.?
The current zoning of the 30 acre parcel is a mix of single family residential (R1), office professional (OP-1) and restricted business (RB-2).
The development would ‘terrace down? an 18 foot grade from the overlooking High Hill subdivision to Lapeer Rd.
Chairwoman Thurber said the applicant requested to postpone his development after hearing a number of comments by the planners, engineer and fire chief that they wanted to address before a recommendation was made.
She said common concern was the proposed density, along with the proximity of the proposed development to the High Hill subdivision, which could be eradicated with larger setbacks from those homes.
‘They are less dense than the other development on Baldwin, but my opinion is they need to step up their product to win over some of the planning commissioners,? Thurber said. ‘What they offer on Baldwin is kind of plain-Jane, I think they need to add some brick or stone or some variation.?
Forty-one year High Hill resident Kimberly Ray has similar concerns.
‘This community is going to surround me,? she said. ‘My position has changed somewhat knowing it’s going to be geared to young professionals and not the free-for-all with a bunch of noisy kids.
‘I have complete privacy in my backyard, so I would like to know if my privacy would be impacted when I want to sit in my backyard in my bathing?’suit.?
Thurber predicts the applicant will bring the proposed PUD plan back to commissioners?’after the holidays after addressing community concern.