Storm Water Issues Discussed at Limerick, Michigan Senior Housing Hearing
A hearing on a proposal to build a two-story, 112-bed assisted living senior facility on 8.5 acres at 545 Lewis Road in Limerick, Michigan, is raising concerns after the township's traffic engineer, Joe Platt, confirmed what the developer's lawyer told the supervisors regarding issues raised about the study's findings.
What took up most of the hearing about the assisted living senior facility proposal were storm water concerns raised by residents of the neighboring Aronomink subdivision, reported The Times Herald.
According to Gaurav Gupta of Navajo Drive, who just finished his basement, he is worried construction of the 30,000-square-foot assisted living facility behind the Wawa at the intersection with Linfield Road could create a crack and allow his basement to be flooded.
Another resident of Navajo Drive, Matt Lewis, showed the supervisors photos of a storm on Mar. 24 that dropped 12.4 inches of rain. The photos purported to show storm water from the undeveloped site where the senior housing project is planned having an impact on homes in the Aronomink subdivision, reported The Times Herald.
The developers said the project will have an underground retention tank to improve storm water flow, reported The Times Herald. In response, the lawyer for the developer said storm water is a subject for the land development process, not a conditional use hearing. He was told a formal storm water plan has not yet been submitted to the township.
According to John Alejnikov, an engineer for the developer, the underground storm water management system planned for the project will mean when construction is complete, there will be less runoff from the site.
Another resident, Andrea Straka, noted that in March, during heavy rainfalls she can see the water running down towards her home and neighbors have had flooding problems in basements and yards, reported The Times Herald.
The project is proposed by Senior Housing Development LLC and complies with the retail business zoning for the site. The township planning commission has recommended that the project receive the conditional use permit from the supervisors, reported The Times Herald.
Since conception, the project has already obtained four variances from the township's zoning hearing board, including an allowance to clear more vegetation that the ordinance allows and to have less parking than the ordinance requires.
If the conditional use is approved the project must still go through the land development process.
Resident concerns about the issue can be raised during the land development process, when formal storm water designs will be submitted to the township, said Township Solicitor Mike McGrory, reported The Times Tribune,
The board adjourned the hearing without taking a vote and the supervisors legally have 45 days to make a decision.