Township moves forward with subdivisions

Bloomfield Township trustees approved tentative preliminary plats for two residential lots at 7010 Franklin Road, and for a nine-lot subdivision to be called Franklin Woods at 7141 Franklin Road, at their meeting on Monday, November 9, as required by the Land Division Act. Patti Voelker, township director of planning, building and ordinance, explained, “Terry Nosan of Wing Lake Village, LLC has made application to commence with the state platting process as prescribed by the state’s Land Division Act to create two residential lots on the 1.7 acre parcel to be known as Bloomfield Mill subdivision. The subject property fronts on Franklin Road and abuts Franklin Woods Manor subdivision to the north and Franklin Ravines subdivision to the south and west.” The site is currently vacant. It was previously a single family lot on Franklin Road. She said it met all of the township's ordinances and that the Land Division Act is lengthy for both the applicant and the board. “This is the first stage,” she said. “If the board grants approval, the next stage is preliminary plat,” with more engineering and approvals outside of the township. The applicant must return within a year for preliminary plat approval, then follow up with sequences prescribed in the state act Voelker said. Township attorney Derk Beckerleg said, “If those conditions have been met for tentative preliminary approval, and the board determines that the standards have all been met, which it appears they have been, the board is obligated to approve this.” “So it says if the standards have been met, the board must approve this?” asked supervisor Leo Savoie. Beckerleg answered yes. “One of the questions is being compatible to the area. Is there a way to put conditions?” asked trustee Dani Walsh. “When you look at compatibility, the key thing you look at is lot area and lot width in the Land Division Act and the plat process,” Beckerleg said. “But the history of many builders is to get approved for this and then to go ask for variances almost immediately because they can't build what they thought without variances,” Walsh contended. “From reading Ms. Voelker's report, both the lot area and the lot width exceed the ordinance requirements and the building setback so really in terms of compatibility the only objective standards you have is to approve it,” Beckerleg responded. Trustees unanimously approved the tentative preliminary plat for Bloomfield Mill. Voelker then explained that previously Nosan and Buzz Silverman had submitted a planned unit development (PUD) for 16 detached homes for 7141 Franklin Road. At a meeting of the planning commission, they had received several conditions in order to move forward, and subsequently “they withdrew their application to pursue other development options. “Presently, Buzz Silverman of Red Equities, LLC in conjunction with the property owner, George R. Pickering Revocable Trust, have made application to commence with the state platting process as prescribed by the state’s Land Division Act to plat the 10.02-acre parcel to create nine residential lots, known as Franklin Woods Subdivision. The subject property fronts on Franklin Road and abuts the St. Owens Catholic Church to the north, Hill Top Subdivision and Orchard Valley Subdivision to the east, and Franklin Village County Estates Subdivision to the south.” She said the nine lots are only accessible from Franklin Road, and the property has an iconic red barn on it, which will be preserved or sold to be moved to a site in the township. Existing vegetation along Franklin Road will be maintained. “The only criteria you're left with is does this meet the lot area and the lot width criteria, and it does,” Beckerleg said. Trustees voted 6-1, with Walsh voting against.