Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A big apartment project at the site of a former elementary school in Hamburg Township has cleared another hurdle.

The Planning Commission met Wednesday night and granted final PUD site plan approval for “The Crossing at Lakelands Trail”. Member John Hamlin was opposed.

The proposed project calls for a 208-unit apartment complex to be located on the old Hamburg Elementary site. The project is on a 15-acre site, south of East M-36 accessed by Learning Lane that is currently vacant. It consists of five existing parcels.

The apartment complex would have 22 residential structures, 14 structures with 8 residential units, and 15 structures with between 8-16 residential units; a community club house with offices, a gym, a community recreational room, and a pool. It was earlier stated that in a perfect world, the first occupancy would be in early 2026.

The project dates back to 2016 and 2017 but was re-opened this past June. The applicant is Elevate Land Holdings, LLC of Northville.

Residents who live nearby have raised various concerns, some of which have since been addressed. Those have centered on increased traffic, loss of property values, the project being out of character for the area, trail access, as well as what some felt were inadequate setbacks and buffers between existing residences.

Since the last Planning Commission meeting and discussion; additional landscaping was added, buffers and setbacks were increased, and lighting issues were addressed. There was also earlier debate about vinyl fencing material, which was changed, and there will be 6-foot pressure-treated wood fencing.

The developer told the Commission that they listened and responded, and hoped their responses accurately reflected the requests.

The connection to the Lakelands Trail has also been discussed in detail at meetings. Developers had been working to get access through a neighboring owner’s lot but nothing was worked out. They do have access to a public road, about a block and a half from the trail.

The developer stated they don’t have any access to Hall Road and don’t own the neighboring properties so their only for-sure option is to use the public right-of-way along Washington Street to link to existing sidewalks. There are existing sidewalk gaps on Washington Street, which the applicant asserted they would be filling in.

Chairman Jeff Muck commented during the meeting that both the streetscape and downtown pedestrian traffic are something that will have to be addressed at the township board level as they see these types of developments come in.

The project must still go before the township board for final approval.

Photo: Google Street View.