Atlas Twp.-Those prepared for a showdown between developers, the planning commission and residents are going to wait until September.
A crowd of more than 200 gathered at the Lakeview Community Church in Goodrich concerning Atlas Land Company’s request for rezoning in the township to build a mobile home park.
Developers from the West Bloomfield company wants to rezone 173 acres from Hegel to Coolidge roads, just west of Henderson Road for 500-1,000 new homes.
However, the developers nor any representatives were in attendance at last Wednesday nights public meeting.
Township attorney David Lattie, said he received a call on Wednesday about four hours before the meeting from an attorney in Grand Rapids representing the applicants and said no one would be present on behalf of his clients.
‘This puts the Planning Commission in an interesting position. There is no state requirement that says a person has to be present when an application is considered,? said Lattie.
‘We know the applicant wants to rezone a parcel of land, but what we don’t know why they want it rezoned. It’s up to them to show us and convince us because the burden is on them.?
The commission was faced with three choices: to deny the request; or continue with the public hearing and possibly deliberate to a vote.The third was to adjourn the meeting altogether.
Members of the board agreed to continue, and allowed the public hearing portion for those that wanted to voice their opinions and concerns.
Vice Chairman Richard Misek told the public the developer requested the public hearing be postponed for a date in June. The commission granted the request, but added an additional two months until Sept. 17, to ‘make sure they had ample time to prepare before another group of that size gathered.? The crowd was ecstatic, and one voice suggested the commissions postpone the meeting until Dec17, 2006.
‘The community made attempts to accommodate them in their endeavor. Every one here tonight has set aside important events and business in the past few months. The applicant is not here and there’s no reason for that,? said Misek.
After two hours and 15 speakers the meeting was adjouned until Sept. 17.
‘I would personally like to say the support I see here tonight is overwhelming,? said Paul Duggan, Planning Commision president.