A public hearing was held for a property owner in Green Oak Township who is asking the township to rezone 40 acres of land from a low density zone to medium density. Kenneth Soerries owns the residential farming parcel at 13055 12 Mile Road in Green Oak. On the property stands a historic farmhouse and couple accessory buildings, including barns. Soerries was before the Planning Commission Thursday night asking to be rezoned as R3 single family residential. Soerries is looking to rezone so he can split the farmhouse off and build, at most, he says, a couple homes for his family. He wants to keep the barns, himself, as he says he has the ability and wherewithal to preserve them, where a future property owner might not.

In a letter to the township, Green Oak’s planning consultant wrote that the proposed change does not appear consistent with township policies. It asked that the Planning Commission review their findings to determine if it was appropriate. During the public hearing, several of Soerries neighbors stood up and spoke on their support for the rezoning. Township Clerk Mike Sedlak, who sits on the Commission, asked if whether or not deed restricting the parcel was the better path. This could possibly open up an easier path for Soerries to get his split, while further guaranteeing that the land won’t be developed beyond that which the township wishes. The Planning Commission took no additional action, as they will wait to see if Soerries wishes to take the traditional rezoning path, or the deed restricting path. (MK)