Developers of a proposed office/residential site at M-24 and Pelton’s Pointe finally received approval for their preliminary plans on March 28. But it took more than two hours for Village of Lake Orion Council members to vote on the issue that’s taken three years to get before the council.
And the OK came with a price. The council tacked on some conditions. It wanted the office building downsized from three stories to two stories, more parking spaces, a dumpster moved away from neighbors? homes. Council members also couldn’t get a majority vote on letting the developer use 20 feet of village property to create an entrance/exit drive onto the property
At one time there were so many conditions being discussed that councilman Tom Albert thought the PUD request should be sent back the village’s planning commission.
LO Village Manager JoAnn Van Tassel agreed with Albert. ‘This would be the most prudent action to take. I have some concerns about coming back with new plans without input from the planning commission, fire chief, planner, police chief,? she said.
‘Let them take care of it; put the ball back in their court.?
‘Going back is unfair to the developer,? said Terry Winter of Orion Pointe. ‘It’s a burden. We won’t be back (to the council) until August.?
Winter speculated that because of financial issues, the development would have to be abandoned if it took that long.
According to Winter, $1 million has already been spent on land and $400,000 in planning costs.
‘I guess I’m begging you (to do something now). It’s impossible for us,? he said. ‘I’ve never dealt with this situation in the past. I’m hoping to get some approval so the process can move forward.?
Village attorney Gary Dovre recommended that Orion Points? PUD request not be given back to the planning commission.
‘You’re required to approve/not approve this in a timely fashion, unless the developer agrees to this and I didn’t hear him say that,? he said.
Winter told the council he’s shown that he will cooperate with the village. ‘I will take direction if given direction,? he added.
According to Winter, one of his previous plans did have a two story office building, about 15,000 square feet.
Steve Auger, architect of the project, believes a PUD is the right way to develop the property, rather than using the current zoning C-3.
‘I hope you see it (the PUD) as a useful tool,? he told council members.
Under the C-3 zoning, a commercial building could be constructed on the water.
‘They have been working with us. This development is better than the alternatives,? councilman Ken Van Portfliet said.
Councilman Douglas Dendel was against the village letting Orion Point use 20 feet of village property.
I’m against giving up any village property. I would have to believe the general public wouldn’t want us to give it up to a private enterprise,? he said.
According to Auger, not having the village property would not affect the project. He said is was decided to use the village property to make it easier access for fire trucks after a request by the fire marshal.
‘It’s up to us to police this (the process),? Van Portfliet said. ‘I agree we didn’t do a good job on another one (Atwater Commons).?