By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com


A special road project that crosses into two neighboring Livingston County townships is one step closer to getting underway.

The Green Oak Township Board of Trustees held their regular meeting online last Wednesday night, with much of their time being dedicated to a road paving special assessment district for Hillside Lakes of Brighton. This project is unique in the fact that the subdivision is split with 36 parcels in Green Oak, and 17 in Hamburg Townships. Green Oak Township Supervisor Mark St. Charles laid out the scope of the project, saying it will cover 112,000square feet of road; milling, removing and repaving with 4 inches of asphalt and all associated clean ups. Roads affected will be Hillside lakes Drive, Foxgate Drive, and Foxgate Court. The project is projected to cost $525,000, with Green Oak’s total coming to roughly $359,000.

St. Charles said that he has certified the petitions and that 79% of the owners were in favor of the project. The 10year SAD will cost property owners just under $10,000 each in both townships. Green Oak’s first public hearing was held on Wednesday, and the 2nd hearing was scheduled and approved for September 2nd. Hamburg has already has their first and will hold their 2nd public hearing on the matter soon.

Because one township cannot issue SADs in another township, John Oak, who is Green Oak’s bond counsel, said each township will collect their SAD money the normal way, with Hamburg sending their payment to Green Oak 15 days before a payment is due. Axe said he has prepared an agreement for both townships confirming this process.

Green Oak board members asked about what the interest rate would be on the bonds and received promising news. Axe said he anticipated it would be around 1.5%. St, Charles said that at a pair of informational meetings with residents, he had been preparing them for around 4%.

St. Charles said that time of the essence with construction season nearing the end, but that there is still time if they don’t delay to get it done this year. He said he’s heard concern from residents who don’t want this to spill over into another construction season.