Road commission to construct a roundabout on Orion Road

By Megan Kelley
Review Writer
LAKE ORION — The Lake Orion Village Council voted 7-0 to approve an easement request from the Road Commission of Oakland County (RCOC) for a section of village-owned property at the southeast corner of East Lawn Cemetery on Orion Road.
The approval, made during the council’s March 13 meeting, is contingent on “fair compensation” of $10,164, including $2,800 for tree clearing, for the property.
The request comes as part of the road commission’s road improvement project at Stoney Creek, Conklin and Orion Roads. The road commission plans on installing a roundabout at the intersection
While the RCOC also requested that the village donate the property for $1, village Manager Darwin McClary recommended that the council request compensation for the property.
“The village did purchase that property for a specific purpose and that was for burials,” McClary said. “Even though this project and the easement would not in any way affect the operations of the cemetery, or any burials, based on the way the property is currently plotted. As the council is aware, we struggle to fund cemetery operations. Every dollar counts when it comes to the cemetery. I don’t think it’s unreasonable for us to ask for fair compensation for the property that we will be losing if the council approves this request.”
The requested easement is 5,455 square feet along the cemetery line on the west side of Orion Road.
The motion, made by Councilmember Carl Cyrowski, was to approve the easement for fair compensation, which will be placed in the Village of Lake Orion Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund.
The motion was seconded by councilmember Sarah Luchsinger. Approval is also subject to the review and approval of the village attorney.
According to plans provided by the RCOC, the easement is likely necessary to widen the road leading into the roundabout that is set to be constructed at the intersection this year.
The road commission requested a “Highway Easement” and “to construct, operate, maintain, repair, and/or replace roadways, utilities, and other infrastructure improvements in, over, under, upon, and through” through the easement portion of the cemetery, according to the village.
The agreement also grants the road commission the right to remove “any trees, shrubs, and/or vegetation” on the easement, according to the road commission’s request.
Construction of the approximately $1.7 million roundabout is scheduled to begin this year and is being paid for with federal funds with additional funds from Orion Township and the Road Commission for Oakland County, according to information from the road commission’s project plans.