A 424-unit residential development okayed two years ago will have to go through the site plan approval process all over again following the Oxford Township Planning Commission’s denial of a second extension.
‘I think it’s in the best interests of the township to revisit this whole thing ? bring it up to speed,? said Planning Commissioner Tom Lepping.
Last week, planning commissioners voted 5-2 to deny a one-year extension of the final site plan approval for Terraces at Waterstone, a 56.48-acre multi-family development south of Ray Road between M-24 and Oxford Road.
The property borders Oxford High School’s southern and western sides.
‘We have quite a few projects like this that are on hold,? said Nicole Andriani, representing the developer, the Novi-based Crosswinds Communities. ‘We wish things were different, but they’re not. We want to keep the project approved so when things do turn around, we (can) get things going as soon as possible.?
But planning commissioners rejected extending the final site plan’s approval until April 2008. It would have been the project’s second extension. As a result, it expired April 14.
In order to proceed, Crosswinds Communities has to go through the site plan approval process again from square one.
‘They would have to re-apply,? said township planner Don Wortman, of the Ann Arbor-based Carlisle/Wortman Associates.
Chief among the reasons for the extension’s denial was the fact that since Terraces was okayed in 2005, construction of a new shopping center has begun just south of E. Market St. (Promenade at Waterstone) and another new shopping center south of that is currently making its way through the planning process (Oxford North Shopping Center).
‘The area out there has changed radically,? said Commissioner George Black. And none of those changes are reflected in the Terraces site plan.
In addition to new development, there have been numerous changes to M-24 in that area ? such as the realignment of the medians and the addition of a traffic signal at Market St. ? that necessitate a new traffic study, Black noted.
Given the new zoning ordinance recently adopted by the township allows for a single one-year extension of final site plans, Commissioner Kallie Roesner felt that since Crosswinds was already granted an extension under the old ordinance, the developer was now out of chances.
‘Under the new ordinance, we would have only allowed one,? she said. ‘They’ve already had the one. We go by what spirit of the ordinance is.?
Roesner felt that given it’s been two years since Terraces site plan was originally approved and ‘it’s not in,? the public deserved another chance to review it so it’s not a ‘surprise? or ‘shock? to them.
‘I think the new citizens, people that live in this area, people that are more aware of what’s happening, would like a chance to look at this,? she said.
How the state’s poor economy will affect Terraces was also of concern to planning commissioners. ‘I’ve got a horrible feeling the economy isn’t going to allow you to do what you want to do,? Black said.
‘Do you think (Terraces) will ever come to be in the next year?? he asked.
‘Our estimates and projections show that the market should start turning next year,? replied Ehrlich Crain, a representative for Crosswinds Communities. ‘I certainly can tell you it won’t happen this year.?
‘We hope with a one-year extension, if things look (like they) are progressing, we could get started within this year, early next year,? Crain added. ‘That would be our hope. I certainly can’t commit to that.?
Crain told commissioners he didn’t feel making Crosswinds Communities redo the site plan approval process was in the developer or the township’s best interests.
‘We’ve invested a significant amount of money in this project with all the engineering and permits and other things,? he explained. ‘We think it’s in everybody’s best behalf to at least not let us lose the progress we’ve made up to this point.?