If at first you don’t succeed, try applying for a rezoning.
That’s what Hamlin, LLC, a Rochester Hills-based partnership involving members of the Denno family, is doing with regard to its White Pine Estates project.
A previous plan for it was rejected by the Oxford Township Board in November.
Hamlin had originally proposed building 32 homes as part of a planned unit development (PUD).
A public hearing regarding a request to rezone Hamlin’s 42.5-acre site ? located on the north side of Stanton Rd., just east of Baldwin Rd. ? from Suburban Farms (SF-2) to single family residential (R-3) will be held during the 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8 meeting of the township planning commission.
The meeting will take place on the second floor of the Oxford Veterans Memorial Civic Center (28 N. Washington St.).
The requested rezoning would change the minimum residential lot size from 5 acres to 1 acre.
Michelle Denno, spokesperson for Hamlin, said if the rezoning is approved, a plan including 30 single family homes sitting on 1-acre lots will be submitted.
‘Of course, we would love to see our PUD go through, but we totally understand and respect their decision, and hope to work with them on the 1-acre lots,? she said.
The PUD called for the 32 homes to be built on lots ranging from 21,000 to 35,826 square feet, which equals 0.48 to 0.82 acre.
The small lots drew a large amount of opposition from surrounding residents, who voiced their displeasure and concerns at multiple meetings.
Many of the residents favored keeping the 5-acre zoning in place, citing their support for open space, low density and rural character.
It should be noted the proposed PUD plan showed the homes clustered together so as to preserve 47 percent (or 20 acres) of the site as open space.
In November, township officials voted 7-0 to deny the preliminary PUD. Officials cited multiple reasons, but chief among them was the fact the small lots did not comply with the township master plan.
At that meeting, Supervisor Bill Dunn, who’s one of seven votes on the township board, made it clear he would be in favor of the project if it had 1-acre lots, which is consistent with properties located to the north and east of the site.