‘United we stand, divided we fall.?
Oxford Township Supervisor Bill Dunn is hoping the wisdom of this old adage will bring the village and township together to prevent the proposed construction of about 3,480 new residential units on the Koenig Sand & Gravel property along Lakeville Road.
‘Basically, I want to set aside all the stuff dividing the village and township right now ? the fire department, cityhood, things like that ? and concentrate on preventing these developers from possibly using us against each other to get what they want,? Dunn said. ‘This isn’t a township issue or a village issue. It’s a common good issue. It’s an Oxford issue.?
To make sure the developers can’t use the ‘threat of (village) annexation? as a means to force the township into approving an ‘excessively high density,? Dunn wrote a July 11 letter to council suggesting the two governments enter into some sort of ‘arrangement? to limit the proposed development’s density to an ‘appropriate? level and present a ‘united front? to the developers.
The supervisor presented and discussed this letter with council at last night’s village meeting.
‘I don’t care whether the project ends up in the village or township, it’s going to affect us all,? he told council.
On March 30, the Leader reported that the Troy-based Biltmore Properties, Inc. and West Bloomfield-based Ivanhoe-Huntley Homes had secured an option to purchase Koenig’s approximately 1,160 acres.
The Koenig property is defined by N. Oxford Road to west, Ray Road to the north, the Addison border to the east and Lakeville Road to the south.
At an April 6 meeting with officials and residents, the Leader reported Biltmore representative Jack Carnahan proposed a density of three residential units per acre based on the total gross acreage of 1,160.
Exactly how much of the Koenig acreage is actually buildable ? once lakes, wetlands and future roads are subtracted ? is being determined.
At this time, no concrete plans for developing the Koenig site have been formally submitted to the township for review and approval. Some concept plans were presented and discussed at a May 19 design workshop, but again nothing formal was submitted.
The Koenig property’s current zoning for future development is Suburban Farms 2 (SF-2), meaning the density is limited to one residential unit per five acres. To obtain the suggested three units per acre would require a substantial rezoning by the township.
Dunn believes a three-unit-per-acre density would have a ‘significant impact on the community? (both village and township) with ‘excessive traffic? topping the list of negatives.
Village President Renee Donovan agreed about the project’s impact. ‘It’s definitely something that affects the entire community,? she said. ‘You’re talking about roads. You’re talking about other infrastructure. And you’re talking about a whole lot of residences.?
Dunn said he opposes such a high density and doesn’t wish to see the threat of village annexation used by the developers to obtain it.
‘I am hopeful that Biltmore, in an effort to obtain very high density, will not use as leverage in Oxford the threat of annexation? the supervisor wrote, noting the township ‘has always had excellent experience with Biltmore and its developments? and is ‘hopeful this will continue to be the case on the Koenig project.?
However, the same cannot be said of Biltmore’s relationship with Saline Township.
Dunn gave council a copy of a May 20, 2005 story from The Ann Arbor News in which Biltmore filed a lawsuit against Saline Township to try to force the government to go along with plans for a 3,000-home development on 1,060 acres.
The Saline Township Board had previously denied Biltmore’s proposal to rezone the 1,060 acres from rural residential to suburban residential. Saline’s Zoning Board of Appeals then denied Biltmore’s request for a variance to develop the land for a mixed-density residential use.
At previous hearings on the proposal, Saline Township residents also opposed plans for the 3,000-home development saying it would destroy the rural character of the area, increase traffic, crowd schools and strain police and fire services, according to The Ann Arbor News.
In the lawsuit, Biltmore asked the judge to issue an order preventing Saline Township from ‘interfering with the plaintiff’s proposed use of (the land) for mixed-use residential neighborhoods,? the article stated.
Dunn fears annexation could be used by Biltmore and Ivanhoe-Huntley as leverage against Oxford Township because the Koenig property abuts the village.
Because the Koenig property runs along the north side of Lakeville Rd. while the village boundary runs along the south side of the road, the entire 1,160-acre property is technically vulnerable to annexation by the village.
If the developers do not get what they want in terms of density from the township, it’s possible they could petition the village to annex the property and if this effort was successful, the township government would have no say in how it’s developed.
If the village ever became a city, the township would lose the development as part of its tax base.
‘I believe it is not in the communities? best interest, and it certainly will not result in good land use, if . . .the township and the village, through threat of annexation, are used as pawns to achieve excessive unit density,? Dunn wrote.
‘I propose to council that the village and the township enter into an arrangement which would prevent this from happening.?
Dunn wrote that he’s ‘open? as to the ‘best? way ‘to achieve this arrangement, but the objective would be to plan and establish density for this land that is appropriate for the township and the village, regardless of whether this land remains in the township or becomes part of the village.?
‘If I had my druthers . . . it would be to involve our planning commissions (village and township) to jointly figure out what is best for the Oxford area,? the supervisor told council.
Councilman Steve Allen was receptive to that idea.
‘I have to agree with Bill,? he said. ‘I think that should be where both communities get the bulk of their knowledge as to the current, the near-term and the long-term future of where the community needs to go. And if we can get both of them working together, I think it would be a very smart move.?
Dunn brought council some information about a new program called ‘Partnerships for Change? and suggested the township and village may wish to jointly participate in it.
Partnerships for Change is a statewide multi-jurisdictional planning assistance program designed to ‘foster new and expanded cooperation between cities, townships and villages in developing and carrying out local land use policies that contribute to the preservation of cultural and natural resources,? according to www.partnershipsforchange.cc. ‘Whenever possible, these policies should encourage urban redevelopment and discourage urban sprawl.?
Right now, Partnerships for Change is seeking project proposals from local government partnerships composed of at least one city or village and one or more townships. Applicants must agree to work together in developing and adopting one or more land use policies applicable to all the jurisdictions in the partnership.
‘As community leaders, if we can’t get together to try to do what’s best for the community, shame on us,? Dunn told council.
‘We will receive and file (your letter) tonight and get back with you as quickly as we can,? Donovan said.