Residents in the area of Indianwood and Fernhurst Roads were at the Orion Township Board of Trustees meeting on Nov. 17, pleading with the board to work with developer James Faycurry and avoid a possible annexation of Dutton Road property to Auburn Hills.
Faycurry has been working for the past four years to develop condos on property he owns at Indianwood and Fernhurst, but recently offered to donate the area as a park to the township, in exchange for increased density on 175 acres of township property he owns near Dutton and Squirrel Roads.
Faycurry is a partner with Dutton Partners, LLC, a Troy-based group that plans to develop 486 duplex and single-family homes along Dutton Road. Orion Township has zoned the property for single family homes on 2.5 acres each, while Faycurry would like to put his homes on about 2.8 acres each.
Residents along Indianwood learned that Faycurry planned to have the Dutton Road property annexed to Auburn Hills if the Orion Township Board does not want to work with him, taking a large tax base for the township with him.
John MacMillan, a Fernhurst resident and member of the Indianwood Preservation Group, talked to the trustees during the public comments time at the Nov. 17 meeting, as the issue was not an item on the board’s regular agenda. The board did have a closed session prior to the regular meeting to consult with their attorney.
“While we may not agree with all of Mr. Faycurry’s actions, we do appreciate the four years he’s put in,” said MacMillan. “We want the township to talk with the Dutton Partners, and negotiate the best deal, and avoid the annexation that could rob the township of its tax base.”
Craig Brown, also a Fernhurst resident, said the preservation group was working with the Indianwood Homeowners Association, as well as the Lake Orion Lake Association (LOLA).
“The groups have, I think, been fairly good at communicating to this board what we as a community want in our neighborhood,” he said. “I think you’d agree we’ve been creative.”
Brown said the residents had always been against multi-story dwellings in the area of Indianwood and Fernhurst.
“They just don’t apply to that area,” he added.
“It would be a shame to see such a large tax base welcomed with open arms into Auburn Hills,” said resident Craig Kampenaar of the Dutton property. “You have a mile and a half of people (along Indianwood) ready and waiting.”
Trustees did not respond to the residents’ comments, but will address the issue at a future board meeting after they receive more information from Faycurry.