Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A decade in the making - a big apartment project has been given the final go-ahead in Hamburg Township.

The Board of Trustees granted final site plan approval for “The Crossing at Lakelands Trail”, at the site of the former Hamburg Elementary school.

The project will be 208 apartments with a clubhouse and pool 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 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 about traffic and property values, trail access, as well as what some felt were inadequate setbacks and buffers between existing residences.

At last week’s meeting, Planning & Zoning Director David Rohr stated it’s a very good development – considerably better than the one passed by the township nearly ten years ago – and that developers worked diligently to address issues.

The board discussed growth in the area and a desire for an access to the Lakeland Trail, as there is no direct access point from the development, except Livingston Street. It was stated during the meeting the development will share pedestrian access and connect to a separate project with 40 townhomes located to the north once completed.

Supervisor Pat Hohl stated he still gets calls from people wanting apartments and it’s necessary, saying he thinks they have a responsibility to residents want to stay and “age in place” – adding the township has a muti-generational community. He said with Regency Village, and now the townhomes and apartments, they are providing options for people to stay.

Hohl said he knows a lot of residents “abhor” development but he thinks the township has been very proactive and astute in concentrating the dense development in the village area, which is served by water and sewer. He added it has been a long time coming - ten years since the initial purchase of the old school – and developers plan to move forward expediently.

Trustee Cindy Michniewicz agreed with earlier comments stated by the Planning Commission chairman regarding the township board working with the county on streetscape the hamlet of Hamburg, as well as pedestrian traffic/access. It was noted the pathway to the trail from the apartments, and eventually the townhomes, funnel through Hamburg. One concern is that there’s no sidewalk across from the Hamburg Pub and no shoulder, meaning people have to get into the road to get onto the trail. It was agreed it was something that needs to be addressed as development continues to come into the area of the Village.

Michniewicz said she also agreed a third-party traffic engineer might be a good idea to evaluate if a 4-way stop at the intersection is still the best option for the coming townhomes with the apartment traffic. She further agreed with some commissioners that a traffic circle would be a better option than a 4-way stop at the intersection, and a more attractive entrance to Hamburg.

Trustee Patricia Hughes serves on the Planning Commission, which recommended final approval in October. She said there was discussion about whether the buffer should be bigger but it is at least 20-feet minimum. Hughes noted the Commission also felt the township should have a role in getting a pathway to the Lakeland Trail – later suggesting possibly purchasing a Brownfield property that sits south of the project or an easement through it. Supervisor Hohl said an easement could be beneficial and noted he is already looking into it and would and report back.

Trustee Chuck Menzies stressed the importance of planning with another development going in, as well as the future townhome development going in next door that’s high density with traffic.

Clerk Mike Dolan commented that said he’s excited for the development, it’s been a long time coming, they listened to the citizen concerns, and changes were made.

It was stated during a previous meeting that in a perfect world, the first occupancy would be in early 2026.