Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Residents are expected to again crowd a special meeting set tonight related to a developer’s plans in the Latson Road/I-96 Interchange area in Genoa Township.

Two applications will be before the Planning Commission: a rezoning application for a 7-acre parcel located on the east side of Latson Road, between Beck Road and the CSX rail line. That application was postponed at the Commission’s September 17th meeting. The second request is for a 200-foot private road and signage for the existing Innovation Interchange PUD. The project is located on the west side of S. Latson Road, between Clover Bend Court and the CSX rail line.

Both requests are petitioned by Developer Todd Wyett, who entered into a letter of intent for a gas station and affiliated commercial use. If the rezoning is granted, that project will move forward with final site planning and engineering design.

The developer is seeking a rezoning of property located east of Latson Road, along Beck Road to ICPUD. He earlier sought to add an adjacent 5 acres of land already zoned ICPUD to the proposed future development.

Developers had last sought to move some commercial uses closer to the railroad tracks, while increasing buffers and landscaping around homes in the area.

Residents opposed to requests have expressed concerns about urban sprawl, over-development, property values, the impact on groundwater from underground storage tanks associated with gas stations near homes, the larger impact on all of the residential areas, wetlands and environmental impacts, increased burden on public safety and crime, noise and light pollution, traffic, and overall safety.

A memo from Alan Greene, who represents Wyett, states “That land is already part of the existing, approved Innovation Park PUD and would have required an amendment to the Innovation Park PUD agreement. Based upon the negative public reaction to amending the Innovation Park PUD apparent at the public hearings held on September 17, 2024, we are no longer seeking to amend the Innovation Park PUD and will just proceed with the request to approve ICPUD zoning on the Property”.

Developers maintain the current zoning of the property, Country Estates, is inconsistent with all of the surrounding zoning and land uses. The memo goes on to state “This 7-acre island of agricultural, low-density residential zoning abuts land already zoned ICPUD to the east, and east of that is land master-planned for future ICPUD land uses. It abuts active railroad tracks to the south, fronts Beck Road to the north, which is in close proximity to the I-96/Latson Road interchange, with the extensive noise generated by that interchange. It fronts Latson Road to the west and the land on the west side of Latson is zoned for industrial and high-tech uses. The Master Plan calls for the accommodation of a variety of land uses in a logical pattern. For all of the reasons incorporated in the ICPUD future land use designation for the Property, this is the appropriate location for such highway commercial uses”.

Due to a large expected turnout, tonight’s meeting will be held at Parker Middle School, located at 400 Wright Road. It starts at 6:30pm.

The Coalition to Stop the Latson PUD will be out in force tonight. Coalition Co-Director Denise Pollicella told WHMI the Coalition will be at the meeting to “vociferously oppose the two Versa applications: one, a new PUD for a proposed gas station and fast food drive thru adjacent to residential areas on East Latson and Beck, the other for a road at West Latson and Beck for the purpose of building an industrial building in the expired PUD. Clearly the developer's intent is to slip applications through during the holiday season when he is expecting less vigilance and opposition, and at a time when the new board has had no time to become familiar with the complex land use and legal issues at play. The Coalition does not rest, and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure responsible development that meets the needs of the Township's voters, taxpayers and residents."

More information can be viewed in the meeting packet. That link is provided.