By Lisa Carolin
Too many traffic and safety concerns, too much residential density, and the loss of woodlands were some of the leading concerns on the residents’ minds who spoke at the Sept. 23 Lima Township Planning Commission meeting regarding a proposed mixed-use development by Wolf Land Development Company, LLC.
The proposed development would be on land owned by David Wolf, located on Freer Road, just north of Old US-12 and just south of Chelsea High School.
Close to half of the more than 35 people who attended the meeting spoke during public comment and most shared concerns about the proposed development.
The Planning Commission voted unanimously (Kenneth Prielipp absent) to postpone any decision about a preliminary site plan until the developer makes more changes to the proposal.
Wolf Land Development Company, LLC made its initial appearance before the commission on July 22 when a public hearing was held. Since that time, the developer has made some changes to the plan including eliminating 16 residential units, modifying the road layout, and increasing community garden space on the 46-acre parcel.
Commission Chairperson Marlene Consiglio, as well as several members of the commission, asked for less density in the development and more open space and that the developer try to keep the woods.
Commission members had mixed opinions about the types of housing being proposed.
The current proposal is for 40 attached ranch homes, 76 single family residential homes, and 76 two-story town homes as well as two medical buildings, which would each be 40,000 square feet.
There were questions about why the medical buildings couldn’t be built closer to St. Joseph Mercy-Chelsea. Wolf responded that this land is the closest parcel with sufficient parking.
Bill Anderson, a planning engineer for Atwell Hicks working with Wolf, said that they did a traffic study and that improvements need to be made on both Freer Road and Old US-12 and that left turn lanes need to be created on both roads and modifications need to be made to the traffic signals.
In addition, residents who live on nearby Trinkle Road where traffic is often diverted, complained that the road can barely handle the traffic it has now.
The Lima Township Planning Commission meets on the fourth Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at Lima Township Hall.
“improvements need to be made on both Freer Road and Old US-12” doesn’t mean making the roads better, only bigger. When will Lima Twp, the city, and the state begin to cooperate on building a Chelsea bypass?
Wouldn’t all the perceived traffic issues be mitigated by yet another poorly designed and placed roundabout?