Oxford Township’s next large-scale residential development could be located on the Koenig Sand & Gravel property along Lakeville Road.
The Troy-based Biltmore Properties Corp. has secured the option to purchase the nearly 1,200-acre parcel, according to Biltmore representative Jack Carnahan.
Should Biltmore Properties decide to buy the land, Carnahan said it would be developed, but he was not prepared at this time to give any details about the potential development.
Biltmore Properties is southeast Michigan’s largest family-owned residential land developer and builder. Locally, the company developed the Lakes of Indianwood subdivision in Oxford and Orion townships.
Koenig Sand and Gravel began mining gravel in Oxford Township in 1920 on East Drahner Road. In 1924, the 135-year-old company moved its operations to 1,170 acres on Lakeville Road.
Koenig’s property is bordered by North Oxford Road to the west, Ray Road to the north, the Addison Township border to the east and Lakeville Road to the south.
A vast majority of the Koenig land is currently zoned Suburban Farms 2 (SF-2), which means the minimum residential lot size for future development is 5 acres.
However, the East Central Area Land Use Plan, adopted by the township planning commission March 15, 2001, calls for the Koenig property to be divided into four zoning categories ? Country Estates with 2?-acre and 5-acre lots; Resort Residential with 1-acre lots; and Hunt Country Estates with 10-acre lots.
Township Building Official Mike Darling noted the current Suburban Farms 2 zoning takes precendence because the township board never adopted the East Central Area Land Use Plan as a rezoning of that property.
If the Koenig property is sold, Darling said the new owner could request a rezoning of the SF-2 from the planning commission and township board.
Supervisor Bill Dunn confirmed he met with Carnahan last week to discuss the Koenig property’s future, but indicated he cannot release any details at this time.
A special joint meeting of the township board and planning commission ‘to meet with the possible developer of the Koenig property? has been scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 6 at the Oxford Veterans Memorial Civic Center.