Planning Commission tables proposed condo development

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — A proposed condominium development remains in limbo after the Harrison Township Planning Commission voted on March 21 to table its decision to a later meeting.

Brought to the township by Victoria Park Holdings, LLC, plan calls for building 82 single-family site condo residences on a 30.5-acre triangle between Jefferson Avenue, Metropolitan Parkway and Prentiss Street. A planned unit development plan would override the existing residential and commercial zoning for the site to be entirely residential. Condos will be custom built with different types of elevations, costing around $400,000-$600,000.

“Our target here is not for people that are wanting to start a family and have kids,” said developer Randy DePrez. “We’re going to be kid-friendly; everything is going to be nice, but I can’t imagine someone moving in here (with) a bunch of kids. It’s to be people whose children are grown and young kids out of college that may move in close to the water, close to their parents and pay student debt off.”

Commissioners and residents, who turned out in droves for an hours-long public hearing, were not as certain with the plan as DePrez hoped. Among the items commissioners wished to see are updates to the landscaping plan, a traffic study that accounts for summertime traffic and additional renderings. While they reportedly did use an environmental consultant, the developers had also not yet spoken with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy or the Department of Natural Resources about how the project would affect wildlife in the area.

Harrison Township Fire Marshal Larry Shackett said he would not approve the plan until the site plan issues are addressed and given an architect’s seal.

“If they send me a letter that’s sealed by an architect, that would be acceptable,” Shackett said.

Township residents who attended the meeting were of varied opinion. While around 10 speakers expressed support for the project, around 15 were against it for one reason or another.

C. William Bardill, a resident and a former township board candidate, took issue with the housing elevation materials as depicted and the density of the development.

“I believe that we’ve got to sharpen our pencils,” Bardill said. “I say you might be able to get about 46 houses in there on 80-foot by 130 (parcels), that’s what I say. Have one street come in there at 45, at the same angle as Jefferson … come in one way and come out the other way.”

Some residents were wholly opposed to the project.

“I find natural beauty to be more than unsightly,” said Carl Bulak, referring back to comments from DePrez about the land being unsightly. “Eating my ice cream over there, I’ve seen some magnificent sunsets with my now-deceased wife. I say leaving the land as it is would just be overjoy from me.”

Bulak then countered claims from DePrez about the development raising property values, saying he wishes property values would decline in the township.

Jason Bernard, a Harrison Township resident and real estate agent, said approving the project would add stock to Macomb County’s limited housing market.

“Our supply of inventory is about 1.2-1.1 months,” Bernard said. “A healthy market is 3 months of inventory. Simply put, not enough homes for people that need homes. This type of development, I strongly believe, is something that would benefit that greatly.”

Some of the most supportive residents were the owners of the existing vacant land, who have owned the property since it was a farm and went through periods where owning the land was nearly unaffordable.

“While I appreciate some may prefer to keep things as they are, my family has faced many local challenges over the years,” said John Callewaert. “From the splitting of the original 40-acre farm for the creation of Metro Parkway, the loss of my father’s favorite duck hunting location to the creation of canals and homes across Jefferson (and) the construction of schools and churches, all of which impacted us through things like traffic, noise, stormwater management and utilities, we’ve always supported our neighbors and we never resisted construction of additional housing, schools, churches and local infrastructure … I ask that the Planning Commission consider and approve the PUD application based on the merits of the proposal and your review of the process.”

The Callewaerts were supported by Jim Causley, another property owner in the area, through a letter read by DePrez.

Resident Anna Prowalny addressed those who were opposed to the project by arguing the site’s development is inevitable and that the condos are preferable to larger buildings.

“I would rather see single-family homes than an apartment, Section 8, low-income housing; I don’t want to see any of that,” Prowalny said. “The proposal sounds great but there is a lot of traffic … Something’s going to go in there. I’m sorry, something will go there, and this is a heck of a lot better than senior housing and a big-a** apartment building.”

DePrez, who was taken aback by the opposition to the project, said he wanted the single-family developments at the objections of firm partners and other developments that have inquired about the site. Should the condo plan be rejected by the township, DePrez said Victoria Park Holdings would work toward a more profitable senior living or apartment complex.

Whether further developing the condo concept or switching to apartments or senior living, Victoria Park Holdings will have to return to the Harrison Township Planning Commission for approval. It is uncertain when the updated plan will go before the commission.