Many residents living near the Pine Knob Golf Course were surprised to see trees being removed the weekend of Oct. 29.
‘Have you seen the trees being cut on the Pine Knob Golf Course,? wrote Del O’Dowd in an e-mail to The Clarkston News. ‘The proposed developer has started cutting down trees without any zoning changes.?
Robert Mollicone, AAC Acquisitions sales and marketing manager, confirmed the company began moving ahead with plans to build approximately 114 apartments on close to 25 acres of the golf course.
‘We’re just going to go forward with what we can do,? said Mollicone. ‘This is what we can do, so this is what we will build.?
AAC Acquisitions received confirmation this past July from Independence Township Planner Dick Carlisle that 25 acres near the back nine holes of the course could be developed as apartments or condos. However, Carlisle estimated the number of units from 102-112. The area of the course in question is located near the Sashabaw Road and I-75 intersection.
The company originally requested to construct 150 detached condominiums on the back nine holes, including the driving range. Mollicone previously told The Clarkston News these areas are being abandoned by the golf course owners due because they are no longer profitable. He estimated the proposed detached condo units would have cost around $500,000 each.
In order to move forward with building the condominiums, AAC Acquisitions requested for township trustees to shift scenic easements currently on portions of the land. Mollicone stated previously the plans called for the easements to be relocated near the original nine holes.
Township trustees did not decide on the matter, and turned AAC Acquisition’s proposal over to the planning commission, who voted in early October to not hear the company’s site plan.
‘We told them right from the beginning we were going to do either one plan or the other,? said Mollicone. ‘We are moving ahead with what we have approval to do.?
Mollicone said the current site plan includes 90 apartments on a 15-acre parcel, 24 apartments on a 9? acre parcel and four baseball fields. The plans calls for the fields to be leased to a management company.
‘With the recreational zoning, we felt that baseball diamonds would be the least obtrusive,? said Mollicone.
Mollicone added that before work began in the area, residents were notified by flier. He anticipates going before the planning commission soon to begin the site plan approval process.
‘We are paused for the moment hoping to hear whether or not the township will be discussing or acting on our previous request (the scenice easement shift),? said Mollicone. ‘We hope to hear from them this week.?
Independence Township Clerk Shelagh VanderVeen said she is unaware of anything scheduled at this time concerning AAC Acquisitions request to shift the scenic easements.
However, she is attending a meeting on Wednesday in the township’s building department to review AAC Acquisition’s current site plan for the apartments. She was uncertain who would attend the meeting.
When asked, VanderVeen said she was unaware of any work begun on the property.
‘I didn’t know they were working,? said VanderVeen. ‘I had seen some trees down, but I thought they were working on a hole.?