If at first you don’t succeed, try annexation.
That’s what Jim McGowan, owner of Oxford Products International at 544 Lakeville Road, is doing following Oxford Township’s denial last month of his request to rezone his 7.94-acre parcel from light industrial (M-1) to multiple family (RM) residential.
McGowan and Bob Coltman, of the Rochester-based RTC Development, LLC, went before the village council recently to see if officials were interested in annexing the property into the village so condominiums could be developed there. Coltman has a purchase agreement with McGowan for the land.
Although council did not take a formal vote, the consensus was well-disposed to the concept presented.
‘I’m in favor of your annexation,? said Councilman Tom Benner. ‘I think that property would fit well with housing of some type.?
Unlike the annexation of land from a township into a city, annexation from a township into a village does not require any action by the state Boundary Commission, according to the agency’s website.
Exactly what’s required procedure wise for annexation is being researched by village attorney Bob Bunting at council’s request so it can be formally considered.
McGowan’s is located on the south side of Lakeville Road, just outside the village limits and across from Beaver Stair. It’s adjacent to the village’s boundary on the west, south and east sides, all of which are zoned single family residential.
McGowan wishes to sell his property to Coltman who wants to remove the existing industrial facility, which does contract sewing for automotive companies and makes other things like pool table covers, and build 55 to 60 condominiums.
However, township officials voted 6-1 April 12 to deny the rezoning due to their preference the property eventually be used for what the Master Plan shows it as in the future ? office/service.
As a result, the property owner and potential developer are looking into annexation by the village, something council members eagerly welcomed.
‘I don’t have anything against what you’re planning to do,? said Councilman George Del Vigna.
‘Housing is far more logical,? said former village President Renee Donovan, who was presiding over her last meeting. ‘It fits the entire area.?
Of the township’s desire to see the land become office/service, Donovan said, ‘I don’t think that makes a tremendous amount of sense when to me the office space would be right in the downtown where it is very centrally located, easy to find.?
Coltman suggested the possibility of the village and township trading parcels as opposed to an annexation.
‘Either way would be fine with me,? he said. ‘At this point, I would rather do whatever’s the easiest way. Whatever way is going to step on the least toes.?

Right now, a 7.99-acre parcel of village land is located in the proposed Lakeshore Village condo development along N. Glaspie St./N. Oxford Road. The other 15.?? acres of the proposed development are located in the township.
It was suggested the village could trade it’s 7.99 acres in Lakeshore Village for the township’s 7.94 acres which McGowan owns.
However, council was opposed to such a land swap.
‘If you are of the mind to want to annex anyhow,? Benner said to McGowan and Coltman, ‘why should we put ourselves out and try to do something for the township??
‘Maybe being neighborly, yes. But I have a concern over the speed limit from the Polly Ann Trail to the village limits.?
Benner lives in a house on N. Glaspie St. next door to the 7.99-acreLakeshore Village property and Polly Ann Trail.
Right now, the speed limit on N. Glaspie St. is 25 miles per hour to the village limits. Then the road becomes N. Oxford Road in the township and immediately jumps to 50 mph.
Benner was concerned over who would control the speed limit and be responsible for road maintenance on N. Glaspie St. if that 7.99 village parcel became township land.
Councilwoman Teri Stiles agreed and said that was a ‘valid reason not to do the land swap.?
But Supervisor Bill Dunn pointed out to this reporter that what both Benner and Stiles failed to understand was if that land in Lakeshore Village became township, it would not give the township control over that section of N. Glaspie St.
‘It would still be a village owned and controlled street,? Dunn said. ‘We would only be trading the two privately-owned parcels. That doesn’t include the publicly-owned roads or streets in front of them.?
Speaking only for himself, not the township board, Dunn said he would be in favor of such a land trade.
‘They’re almost exactly the same size,? the supervisor said. ‘What would be the harm? Neither side would really gain anything. It would be a wash. It would also square off the boundaries a little better.?
However, other council members also expressed opposition to such a trade.
‘I’m not quite in favor of swapping the land,? Del Vigna said.
‘I also would probably be opposed to seeking the land trade, but for different reasons,? said Councilman Dave Bailey, noting it would be ‘too easy for any person who wanted to oppose it? to ‘delay it indefinitely.?
‘For practical reasons, I don’t think it’s a good idea,? Bailey said.