Public hearing times and a date have been set for 4 Hamburg Township subdivisions that are being prepared to have their roads repaired.

It was with overwhelming support that residents in four neighborhoods signed petitions to establish special assessment districts to improve their streets. The Hamburg Township Board of Trustees announced the required public hearing times, Tuesday evening. All hearings will take place on July 16th, before the Board’s regularly scheduled meeting.

Residents in the Towering Pines district, which had roughly 64% support based on road frontage, will have their hearing 5pm. Shadow Woods, which had 86.3% approval, will go at 5:30. At 6pm, Tamarack North subdivision residents, where 94% support the SAD, will have their opportunity to speak. The Tara Glen subdivision, with 72% in support, will close out the hearings at 6:30.

These projects are the beginning of a concerted effort by Hamburg Township officials to bring relief to residents, many of whom live in subdivisions that haven’t had road repairs done in decades. More subdivisions could potentially follow and become part of the one bond the township will take out for all of the projects next spring. The township will be paying all the administrative and bond issuance costs for subdivisions wishing to participate in this one-time offer.

Clerk Mike Dolan recognized Supervisor Pat Hohl’s hard work in particular in getting this project up and running in such a quick manner. Hohl said that the state has neglected its responsibility and that it’s a shame that the residents have to pay to fix their roads, but that they’ve worked very hard on this project. He said he finds no fault with the Livingston County Road Commission, and that the County’s been very supportive of the township’s efforts.

Additionally, Hohl says they have been getting requests for private roads from those residents, who are also paying into the road millage. Officials seemed in support of a private road SAD program, offering them same deal with payment of administrative costs and a chance to get on the bond, but made the decision to first check with legal counsel to see whether or not public monies could be spent there. Hohl said that “if it’s go, we’ll start. If not, we’ll bring it back in July.” (MK)