BY MATT MACKINDER
Clarkston News Editor

Last Tuesday’s Independence Township Board of Trustees meeting lasted more than two hours and included several residents voicing their concerns over the township removing Sam Moraco from the planning commission and discussing the re-appointment of Brian Galley to the planning commission.
Moraco is a longtime member of the the planning commission while Galley is a non-resident, living in nearby Springfield Township.
Independence Township Supervisor Gerald Fisher has stated publicly he will not recommend Moraco for re-appointment, saying, “The Township Board appointed me to make the decisions given to a township supervisor by law, including nominations to the planning commission. I’m sure the board appointed me based on my experience and track record. I did a lot of homework on the planning commission nominations and determined in my best judgment what would be best for the township.
“At the same time, recognizing Mr. Moraco’s fine qualities, I offered him a position on another important committee that will assist in making policy decisions. I’m sorry that he refused this offer.”
At the December 7 trustees meeting, Moraco addressed the board with his statements after the board moved to approve the second reading of setbacks at the impending Waldon Village project.
Following the approval of Waldon Village, it was discussed by township staff a review of the multiple-family setback regulations should be looked at again as it had been some time since the township had a multiple-family project. The planning commission discussed possible changes to the side and rear setbacks over the course of three meetings last spring, and while the commission was not concerned with setbacks to adjacent commercial property, it focused on adjacent single-family residential properties to lessen the potential land-use conflicts.
The commission decided to drop the overall rear setback from 40 feet to 20 feet. However, a footnote was added stating multiple-family dwellings that abut single-family residentially-zoned or used property shall have a minimum side and rear yard setback of 40 feet for one-story buildings and 70 feet for two-story buildings.
The planning commission held the required public hearing at the May 13, 2021 meeting, the commission voting 7-0 to recommend township board approval of the amendment. The first reading was held at the board’s November 16, 2021 meeting.
“It’s gotten out of hand and when I bring it up to people’s attention, I get blown up,” said Moraco. “It’s like with the setback thing and the apartments, that’s only because I fought and fought and fought. There was no one else on the planning commission in favor of moving it more than 40 feet. I wanted 100, and they finally gave in to 70. It’s not that anybody here was willing to help the people or go out of their way to fight for the residents. There were six homes in that neighborhood affected by that development on 70 acres, and I had to fight for months to move a two-story apartment balcony more than 40 feet from somebody’s backyard that’s lived there their whole life.

“Not one person here was on my side of that argument.”
Moraco also weighed in on Galley.
“I like Brian, nice guy, but does it make sense that he moved away and is still on the planning commission? No.” Moraco said. “Is he on the planning commission that he went along with what (former township supervisor) Pat Kittle’s agenda was? Yes. Are you allowed to have a person who doesn’t live in the community on the planning commission? Yes. What I think personally is that the intent of that line in the ordinance, which is only for the planning commission and not the zoning board of appeals, is that putting that in there is for someone that has a footprint in the community, someone that has a big investment in the community, someone that would want a say in how we develop.
“That’s why you would put that in there, not for some random out-of-town person.”
Township resident Carrie Giaier also spoke at the meeting, voicing concerns over township growth.
“I think we need to stick to what Clarkston has always been about,” Giaier said. “We don’t want tons of growth, that’s what our community has always been known for. We have a master plan, and we need to know what’s going on in our township.”
“I chose to purchase a house and raise my family here because I was all about the values and the limited growth compared to other communities,” said Jennifer DeNio, another township resident. “That’s what I wanted my children to be part of. It’s pretty disappointing to see what has happened to the area in the time I’ve been here. I also want it on the record that there has been questionable behavior floating around about the different boards and who is making the choices for us. I just want to make sure that (the board) is warned that we’re not going to stand for it anymore, and that we will be watching you. I think it’s important that you remember that because you have a responsibility to us and the decisions that you make that affect our families and community, you have to answer for.”
Township trustee Paul Brown said the negative feelings toward the board from Moraco bothers him.
“I’ve been here since 1968,” Brown said. “And for someone to stand up there and look at the board and say ‘I’ve done more than any of you,’ that’s not fair. Mr. Moraco doesn’t know me well. I don’t know how he knows everybody else up here, but for someone to sit there and say we haven’t done anything for this community, I love this community. I grew up here. I went to South Sashabaw Elementary School that they took down 10 years ago. I’m a product of Clarkston schools. I’ve lived in like six places in this township. People who know me know that I care a lot about this community. I quit a job that paid me a lot of money to come get elected here.
“I love Independence Township, and I don’t believe that we’ve varied from the master plan.”
Near the end of the meeting, Moraco left while saying, “I’ve been erased,” while DeNio left as well, looking at the board and saying she is ashamed to live in the township.
Not all was sour, as one township resident, Eugene English, thanked Fisher for stepping up be the supervisor.
Still, the topic of the meeting revolved around development.
“Similar to a lot of other people, I moved out here because I wanted a country setting,” said township resident Mike Catania. “I think our township board should consist of people from Clarkston with those similar values, and that we should stick to those guidelines and not be diverted like this dense population subdivision going in on Walters Road.
“I think that’s a travesty and a shame for the people who abut to that property that that was allowed to go through and de-value their property and take away from the community of Clarkston.”