(Publisher’s note: In bold, is a clarification to this story. Once approved by the Planning Commission as a recommendation, requests to to the Township Board for a final decision. Please see the comment from a Planning Commissioner on this story.)
By Lisa Carolin
The future of the Wolf Development application to build two medical professional buildings and 172 residential units on a 42-acre parcel located on Freer Road north of Old US-12, is now in the hands of the Lima Township Board.
That decision was made at the Jan. 27 Lima Township Planning Commission when the commission unanimously voted (William Coltre recused himself) to approve Wolf Development, LLC’s request to change the zoning from AG-2 (agricultural) to R-1D (residential) and PUD (planned unit development).
The Lima Township Board is expected to meet with Chelsea City Council in a work session regarding the application on Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m. at Lima Township Hall. The meeting will be open to everyone, but there will be no time allotted for public comment.
During the Jan. 27 Planning Commission meeting, Lima Township Board Member Duane Luick commented as a member of the public and a lifetime resident of Lima Township, saying that the Wolf Development proposal is too dense a project for the infrastructure and will cause too many traffic problems in an already backed-up area.
As far as the possibility of the City of Chelsea annexing the land, Luick said, “ I don’t want to see any of our land go to Chelsea City. We’re Lima Township. We should hang on to it.”
At previous meetings, the leading concern from most of the people who commented as well as planning commission members is that traffic is already backed up on Freer Road at US-12 and that more development will cause a significant increase in traffic.
In other action, the Planning Commission approved a petition to amend the official zoning map to AG 2 at the residence of Carmencita Samples, 8855 Gross Road. This request now goes to the Township Board for a final decision. Currently, the property is zoned rural residential. Samples wants to apply for a special use permit to put a greenhouse on the property, something she can only apply for if the property is zoned AG-2.
The Commission postponed a decision on the subject of a second public hearing regarding a special land use application by Patrick and Alicia Tanner at 375 S. Freer Road. The request is to store equipment both inside and outside at that address, but commission members asked for more clarification on the request, which the applicant hopes to bring back in February.
The Planning Commission did not approve the Samples rezoning; they recommended that the Board of Trustees approve it. The Planning Commission is a recommending body.
I too am concerned about the congestion it will cause in an already congested area. Too many things going into too small a space to accommodate the traffic flow.
Lima township board will approve anything that brings in increased revenue. Don’t count on them to do the right thing.