By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com


Possible approval for a proposed housing development in Green Oak Township has been postponed until the Planning Commission receives updated site and parallel plans.

Applicant Tom Schroder is requesting a planned unit development (PUD) for 37 single family homes to all be located on the west side of Dove Lake, near 12 Mile Road, Dixboro, and at the end of Kensington Court. The site is approximately 108.5 acres with 35 acres of open water. The site is currently zoned “rural estates.”

The Green Oak Township Planning Commission had a public hearing and final site plan approval on their latest agenda, but didn’t have an updated site plan for consideration. Project Engineer Michelle Spencer was present for the online meeting and said she has made revisions, but didn’t submit them because she was waiting to see if further requests would be made.

During the public hearing portion, one resident of 40 years in the neighborhood said he wasn’t opposed to development, but still had questions about how this might affect him. He worried about traffic impact and 37 lots all being on the west side of the lake. Planning Commission Chairman Lamberto Smigliani noted later in the meeting that the clustering preserves more of the site and minimizes disturbances to nature. Township Planner Paul Montagno noted that the project didn’t meet standards that would require a traffic impact study.

Montagno said they were preserving a considerable amount of land- more than 50%, compared to the 40% required. Planning Commissioners pointed out that part of that was a reclaimed gravel pit from decades ago, however, and questioned whether that could be considered a “natural asset.”

Commissioners Lary Marshal and Deborah Sellis weren’t sold on the smaller setbacks and lot length to width standards either. Marshal requested parallel plans from the PUD and the project in the sites current rural estates zoning.

Montagno recommended postponing action until they see updated plans, and the Planning Commission voted unanimously to do just that.