It appears the Oxford Township Planning Commission is going to discuss, and perhaps reevaluate, its position on keeping the ‘village look? along M-24 at the board’s 7:30 p.m.Thursday, Jan. 24 meeting.
‘I have never been a fan of the fake village-look storefront facade,? wrote Commissioner Todd Bell in a Jan. 7 letter to the commission.
The commission’s desire to see the new Kohl’s store ? proposed as part of the Oxford North shopping center planned for just north of the village, on the east side of M-24 ? sport a village facade, similar to Meijer’s storefront, has generated a lot of criticism from the public.
Residents who support a Kohl’s opening in the township are afraid the planning commission’s support for the village look is going to force the department store chain to go elsewhere.
Bell couldn’t attend last week’s commission meeting due to a family emergency, but he had Chairman Don Silvester read a letter into the record calling on the board ‘to at least start the dialogue (on) the village look? that night.
Because there were only five of the nine members present, the planning commission decided to hold off on any discussion until the next meeting.
‘It’s an important discussion to have, but I also think that all of the planning commission needs to be here,? said Silvester, who also invited ‘all the public? to ‘please come in and give us your opinion.?
Bell’s letter was written in response to public support for building a Kohl’s here and opposition to the planning commission’s desire to see a village look incorporated into the store’s design.
‘I believe it is time we rethink the village look down the M-24 corridor based on the negative media the commission is receiving of late and the numerous discussions I have had with members of the community,? Bell wrote.
The planning commission meets on the second floor of the Oxford Veterans Memorial Civic Center, located downtown at 28 N. Washington St.
For more information about the meeting call (248) 628-9787.