Developer Mario D’Agostini said he never expected to receive so much publicity and attention on a proposal he has yet to submit to Independence Township.
D’Agostini, owner of White Lake Development, has been working on plans to build 150-160 single-family, detached condominiums, priced between $400,000 and $1 million, on the Pine Knob Golf Course off Waldon Road. However, he has not submitted any official plans to the township.
D’Agostini said he hopes to present a proposal at the April 5 regular board meeting asking trustees to approve a scenic easement relocation that would move the easement from nine holes added five years ago, over near and combined with the 25 acres covering the original 18 holes.
‘Right now, as the golf course sits, there is a potential 180 units (apartments or small condos) to be built out here without any approvals, without any easements, without any problems,? said D’Agostini, ‘but the location of those areas are bad for the people that live here. There are nine acres right out here that are behind $1 million homes that I could put apartments on.
‘All we’re trying to do is take that supposed scenic easement, all you can see now is a parking lot and some of I-75, and attach it to the 25 acres that are existing out there, and build our condos on that property.?
D’Agostini said the nine holes were added to the golf course almost five years ago by Tony Cantenacci, his uncle and course owner. D’Agostini said he would not be developing two of the holes upon request of the Fairways Homeowners Association.
When the nine holes were added, the area was rezoned recreational and a scenic easement was agreed to by Cantenacci and the township. The original 18 holes of the course are covered by a scenic easement from 1973.
In response to recent rumors and public statements, D’Agostini presented his plan to area homeowners associations on March 16.
‘We can tell you this, after the meeting last Wednesday night, people left with a clear understanding and they all left in a supportive manner,? said Robert Mollicone, head of sales and marketing for D’Agostini’s Pine Knob Enclaves condominiums. ‘And we answered all the questions they had, and said everything was done satisfactorily.
‘Many said they wished they had known prior to the meeting that this was what we were doing because it is not what the rumors and the misinformation that they had? they were under the impression something else was going to happen.?
In combination with his development plans, D’Agostini said he is donating a portion of land to Independence Township for construction of a new pump house, and expanding and rebuilding the bridge leading to the Pine Knob Golf Course.
?(Director of Public Works Linda) Richardson was thrilled to hear this,? said Mollicone. ‘This took a load off her. She was ecstatic.?
In addition to addressing ‘misinformation? and ‘rumors,? D’Agostini said he is displeased with several actions of Independence Township Clerk Shelagh VanderVeen on this matter.
According to D’Agostini, discussion of his development plans were ‘illegally put on the agenda a week and a half ago.?
At the March 15 regular board meeting, VanderVeen made a presentation and motion requesting the board to transfer the scenic easements to the North Oakland Headwaters Land Conservancy. She publicly read a letter on the matter from a local attorney who does not represent the township. The township tabled the motion until the April 5 board meeting.
‘We are waiting for a legal opinion on what we can actually do,? said Supervisor Dave Wagner. ‘There has not been a formal proposal made. We’re not sure what we can do at this moment, or if the motion could even be made.?
D’Agostini said he received no notification that the topic would be an agenda item and believes the motion and discussion were inappropriate.
‘That was a completely illegal act that she was asking the board to do,? said D’Agostini. ‘Thank goodness the board was good and realized it was improper to do that.?
VanderVeen said she had not planned on making a formal presentation. She requested the topic be on the March 15 agenda because of public comments at the March 1 meeting.
‘That wasn’t necessarily planned,? said VanderVeen. ‘I originally put on the agenda to have our board refer to legal counsel. We need to find out what role the township can have in all of this, what our rights are.
‘We had citizens come to the meeting and show concern on this topic, so I wanted to find out more,? explained VanderVeen.
VanderVeen said she read past minutes on the topic and saw where the township had discussed sharing the scenic easements with the conservancy. She felt officials needed to know ‘the rights of the township in this regard.?
‘I didn’t know Mr. D’Agostini was coming forward with any proposals,? said VanderVeen. ‘I had talked with some individuals and received conflicting answers on this, so I felt we needed more information.?
According to D’Agostini, he is responding to this situation and others, such as the leaking of information for an upcoming ‘closed door meeting,? by having his attorney draft a letter requesting VanderVeen to abstain from any voting on this issue.
‘We feel this is a conflict of interest,? said D’Agostini. ‘She has shown she already has an opinion.?
At deadline, D’Agostini was not yet placed on the township’s April 5 agenda. The final agenda will be set on Monday, March 28.
‘There are units to be built on this land. It is up to the board and the people as a whole to determine where they’re going to be built,? said D’Agonstini. ‘They are going to be built. Whether they’re going to be built on nine acres abutting million dollar homes or 15 acres causing traffic congestion which we don’t want, they will be built.
‘We are basically looking for direction from the board.?
The April 5 board meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Independence Township Library meeting room.