By Jim Newell

Review Editor

The Lake Orion Village Council on Monday approved an interlocal agreement with Orion Township that will allow a new condo development on land that is half in the village, half in the township.

The Orion Township Board of Trustees approved the interlocal agreement at its Aug. 5 meeting.

The concept plan for the development calls for 9-10 condos on the vacant property on the north side of E. Flint Street and Miller Road at the three-way roundabout.

The proposed development is on two parcels between the entrance to the Lake Orion Nursing Home on the west and Schorn Road to the east.

Robert/Justini Co. LLC is the developer of the project, known as Orion Townhouses Development.

The property was previously owned by the Lake Orion Lions Club.

The council approved the interlocal agreement 6-0 during its meeting Monday night. Councilmember David Churchill was absent from the meeting.

“The village property parcel is zoned for multiple family (development) and the developer is proposing nine or 10 units on this property,” said village Manager Joe Young. “The zoning of the township needed to conform to that of the village. The township has met and approved an agreement that would allow for a development of their parcel to meet the standards of our zoning ordinance for multiple family (use).

“This is just to approve the agreement and then the actual construction plans…will come back at a later date,” said village council President Ken Van Portfliet. “I’m excited for (the developer), I’m excited for our community. That property has sat vacant for a long time, so win-win.”

The developer did submit a concept plan for the development and will be submitting a formal site plan for review after the village approves the interlocal agreement, Young said.

The village portion is currently zoned for multiple-family use. A condo development would fit into that zoning. The township typically requires five acres of land for multiple-family use zoning.

“That’s what the essence of what this local agreement provides for…the township is granting the development of this property under our zoning ordinance, which means it will go our planning commission for site plan review and approvals,” Young said.

Police services would be divided along the border, with condos in the village portion receiving Lake Orion Police Department services and condos in the township portion receiving Oakland County Sheriff’s Office services, according to the agreement, although officials noted that both departments would respond in emergency situations.

“Each jurisdiction would have the appropriate police department services,” Young said. “Likewise, they would be taxed accordingly…whether its village or township.”

The Orion Township Fire Department would provide fire and EMT services to all residences.

Water and sewer services for the development will be provided by the township. Those services are in Schorn Road, a gravel road, adjacent to the development.

“Whereas the village’s water and sewer is across the street, across our roundabout. So, the developer is choosing under this proposal…that the water/sewer be provided by the township,” Young said.

If the village had provided water and sewer services – which are on the south side of Flint Street – the construction contractor would have had to rip up the roundabout in order to tie the development lines into the village’s systems.

The addresses for the 10 proposed residential condominiums will be numbered in odd numbers beginning with 601 E. Flint St. through 619 E. Flint St.