To view or leave comments on this story, click HERE.
At the June 3 meeting of the Peninsula Township Planning Commission, the agenda included an introduction of Special Use Permit #143 for a new Planned Unit Development (PUD) called Walnut Grove. The proposed development will be located on Center Road on the first curve out of town on the left side of the road. Across the road is the entrance to Port of Old Mission and the Unitarian Church.
In a memo included in the meeting packet, Township Planner Elise Loud wrote that the applicants, Bill Pierce and Penny Campo-Pierce, are applying for a Special Use Permit to construct a 33-unit single-family residential PUD in the R-1A and R-1C zoning districts. A PUD is allowed as a special land use in these zoning districts.
Old Mission Gazette is Reader Supported.
Click Here to Keep the Gazette Going.
The 23.9-acre parcel is largely surrounded by existing PUDs and condominium subdivision developments, including Vineyard Ridge, the Enclave, Port of Old Mission and developments surrounding Wakulat Drive, Knollwood Drive and Homestead Court, among others. The residential units will be located within building envelopes ranging from 4,000 to 20,000 square feet, and all structures will be located within these envelopes.
From the application:
“The proposed project parcel has been planned for a single-family development for decades. Public utilities have been installed through the parcel to supply other neighboring developments. Zero agricultural land will be lost by this development. This project will greatly increase the tax base, thereby raising the preservation revenue via PDR millage, which will, in turn, increase the amount of funds available for Agricultural preservation within Peninsula Township.
“Onsite stormwater retention is proposed. All homes will be hooked up to public sewer, thus limiting contamination to groundwater. Also desired are municipal water connections to all homes. All private roads, stormwater structures, and sewer and water systems are to be approved by the Township Engineer prior to installation to verify that the infrastructure meets or exceeds the required codes. During construction, onsite inspection is required to ensure infrastructure is built in accordance with approved plans.”
Open Space and Pelizzari Natural Area
Because a PUD requires a certain portion of the development be set aside for open space, the applicants are proposing that 4.3 acres (17.9 percent) be designated for “public general commons,” specifically for walking/recreating along trails and the private roads servicing the development.
However, the logistics of the PUD would make access by the public challenging, and the Commission discussed whether people would park at the Pelizzari Natural Area trailhead and walk over to Walnut Grove, which might pose safety hazards on a busy stretch of road.
“As currently proposed, staff does not recommend that the proposed dedicated open space complies with ordinance requirements,” wrote Loud in the packet memo. “To meet the Ordinance, the Township Board must determine that ‘the access to and characteristics of the open space land is such that it will be readily available to and desirable for the use intended.'”
She added that otherwise, “staff finds the proposed land use of a single-family residential planned unit development to be compatible in character with the surrounding land uses — which are very similar to Walnut Grove.”
From the application regarding the open space:
“The proposed open space dedication will be utilized for foot traffic. Dedicated for public use in the Master Deed. There will be no public maintenance required. The HOA will maintain a safe attractive walk path. The path will consist of wood chips and be free of debris. Foot traffic along the shoulder of Private roads is common in the area and this concept would support that practice. There would be trail adjacent to Center road and along\adjacent to the Electrical transmission line.
“The proposed private roads would also serve as connection points for public foot traffic. There is no trail head parking proposed. The trails would most common be utilized by locals. The Pelizzari parking lot is +-1,000 feet to the North and would provide pedestrians with an area to park and traverse to the trails by way of center Road. Additional trail connections on this project are possible if deemed necessary. Most of the trails on this project would be wooded, providing shade to users. The wooded trail system would be attractive because of the proximity to trees and wildlife.”
Discussion also took place regarding the two entrances from Center Road to Walnut Grove on a busy curve with lots of traffic. The primary road entrance to the development would be located directly across from the Port of Old Mission entrance. The secondary road entrance would be located closer to the Unitarian Church entrance.
The developers have not yet obtained reviews from the Grand Traverse County Road Commission and MDOT. The Township Engineer and Fire Chief will receive a copy of the site plan, and their initial review and comments are forthcoming.
Planning Commission members discussed concerns over the open space allotment and overlap with land under easement. They’ve requested more details on forest and tree preservation, as well as a grading plan and easement documentation. They also mentioned removing the north entrance and conducting a lot-by-lot tree inventory.
Read more about the Walnut Grove PUD in the June 3 meeting packet here. The item is not scheduled for formal action at the July meeting, and no action was taken at the June 3 meeting.
Also Read…
SUPPORT YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSPAPER: I started Old Mission Gazette in 2015 because I felt a calling to provide the Old Mission Peninsula community with local news. After decades of writing for newspapers and magazines like the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Family Circle and Ladies' Home Journal, I really just wanted to write about my own community where I grew up on a cherry farm and raised my own family. So I started my own newspaper.
Because Old Mission Gazette is a "Reader Supported Newspaper" -- meaning it exists because of your financial support -- I hope you'll consider tossing a few bucks our way if I mention your event, your business, your organization or your news item, or if you simply love reading about what's happening on the OMP. In a time when local news is becoming a thing of the past, supporting an independent community newspaper is more important now than ever. Thank you so much for your support! -Jane Boursaw, Editor/Publisher, Old Mission Gazette
To keep the Gazette going, click here to make a donation.
To view or leave comments on this story, click HERE.
It Appears very crowded. Not attractive or in accordance with the open space green feel of the peninsula. m37 will become a fast mess unless a lot of road changes and speed control with police support is included.
Walnut Grove development. What about the flora and fauna that is currently there? They have a right to exist, too. And 33 homes? Give people space to breathe for crying out loud. I suppose these will be cookie-cutter homes, all looking alike because it’s cheaper than individually designed homes and the developers can make more money that way, too. I’m not at all happy about this news.
An environmental, quality of life, and traffic disaster for residents of Old Mission Peninsula so a couple of “developers” can make a lot of money.
It’s unfortunate that these folks want to build that many homes. It’s too bad they didn’t think of donating development rights and creating a park on the west side of Center Road like Pellizzari is on the east side.
WOW! After looking at the map and having to do research to see what was in the map legend. I wonder where some of the driveways are located. Are these houses backing up on Center Rd. (that is what it looks like).
Are these low income housing since they seem very small and close together. Will this be more of a residential area for Seniors? Many of the houses appear to have the garage taking up a third of the house????
Since it is on a BLIND CURVE a TRAFFIC LIGHT SHOULD BE ADDED!
Drivers seem to like to use Center Rd. as a race track. Not good for many trying to SAFELY enter or exit the roadway.
Half the houses may be a better plan . . . depending on who they are targetting for this development.
I attended the June 3 meeting of the township Planning Commission (PC) where the sketch plan for the proposed development was presented as a Planned Unit Development (PUD) for preliminary review. The applicant/developer received significant negative feedback from certain well-informed members of the PC. Initial comments from the Township Planner suggesting the proposed plan is similar to other nearby neighborhoods are, frankly, incorrect. Also, as noted by the PC, the plan does not meet the requirements of a PUD. Township committees and boards need to instruct staff to provide highly critical technical reviews of such plans, and township legal counsel should provide protective support based on zoning and land development ordinances. The public needs to know these ordinances, strengthen them, show up at future meetings and provide input during the public comment period, as I did on June 3. If these things do not happen together, Old Mission Peninsula will continue to fill up with misdirected developments. One only needs to consider the still under construction Vinyard Ridge which is located just north of the proposed development.
People deserve affordable housing. Not everyone can afford a lot of land with a custom built McMansion. Not everyone has prior generations handing down homesteads.