After a year of work, Citizens for Orderly Growth decided this past week to withdraw its ballot proposal for a legal defense fund in Independence Township.
‘We felt like we were hitting a wall. We’re just not getting anywhere,? said Craig Bennett, a member of COG and the legal defense initiative.
COG first presented the idea for a legal defense fund in June 2005. The purpose of the fund was to supply the township with a money source for dealing with developers challenging the township’s master plan. Money for the fund would come from a one time tax levied for a period of one year which could be enacted by the township between 2006 and 2010.
On June 22, 2005, COG presented ballot language for the fund and kicked off a petition drive that garnered 1,098 signatures. The group turned in their petitions on Aug. 2, 2005.
However, on Sept. 6, the board decided to not take action on the issue, and instead ‘establish a dialogue? with COG as reported in the Sept. 14 edition of The Clarkston News.
Since then, no action or meetings have been held on the topic.
‘We’re giving up at least until 2008,? said Bennett.
‘We figure we’re beat politically,? he added. ‘We’re just not getting any interest from the board.?
Bennett said COG will remain active in supporting township officials and the master plan.
In their latest action, COG sent a letter to township trustees asking them to accept the withdraw of Orco Development’s proposal for a mixed residential and commercial development at the corner of Waldon and Sashabaw Roads, near the I-75 interchange.
As of deadline on June 20, the board had taken no action on the matter.
However, Orco was on the agenda for the June 20 regular meeting.