By: Dean Vaglia | Mount Clemens-Clinton-Harrison Journal | Published December 18, 2023
HARRISON TOWNSHIP — A new development in a nearly two-year-long residential development saga occurred at the Dec. 11 Harrison Township Board of Trustees meeting as the board unanimously approved a rezoning request for former L’Anse Creuse Public Schools land.
The recent move by Holsbeke Investments LLC saw the site at L’Anse Creuse Street, Jefferson Avenue and Ponchartrain Street rezoned from R1-A to R1-D, paving the way for single-family homes to be built on the site. Within the next year Holsbeke expects to create four single-family homes on the site — including converting the old day care into a home — while leaving space for future homes.
“I think this is the best solution for this property,” said Trustee David Bratto. “I’ve looked at other alternatives and I think if anybody has a complaint about this, they’re going to be complaining from their home. They’re looking to build more homes, so there should be no reason to complain. I think this is a good use of the land.”
Holsbeke has tried to build residences on the site for the past two years. The developer came before the board in December 2022 seeking a rezoning to build 28 condominiums. The developers got their rezoning despite a contingent of residents voicing objections to the condos. Only a handful of people sat in the audience at the Dec. 11 meeting and none commented against the decision.
Trustees also gave unanimous approval to Mansour Companies, LLC’s rezoning request for parcels just west of the westbound onramp to Interstate 94. The parcels were rezoned from industrial to commercial.
Special assessment districts receive county support
Two neighborhood road repair projects were approved for financial support from the Macomb County Department of Roads, which will cover 50% of each project’s costs. One project encompasses Santose, Cortez and Carno streets while a second project covers North Blom Drive and Cloverleaf Street.
It appears the second project might be the only one moving forward.
Residents near the Santose, Cortez and Carno project took issue with the formation of a special assessment district, leading several residents to retract their signatures and effectively ending the project.
The county’s approval of the first project means it can go forward with the 50% cost share if the number of signatures reaches 50% again, but the petition is currently slated to fail. Should residents change their mind and try to qualify for 2025 funds next year, township officials indicated other successful petitions may win out if Santose, Cortez and Carno streets have to compete against three other successful petitions.
“If we don’t get anyone else next year that wants to do this and they (Santose, Cortez and Carno streets) come forward, we’ll put them down,” said Harrison Township Supervisor Ken Verkest. “But we can only apply for three projects, so if three projects come forward and these guys come in after the fact, I might ask this board to make that decision.”
Elected officials get raise
The township supervisor, treasurer and clerk received yearly raises at the township’s last meeting of the year, set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024. The three full-time elected officials will make a salary of $87,665, which is about 4% more than their 2023 salary of $84,293.