Developers of a proposed project in Brighton Township have made a change that they believe will be an incentive to potential buyers.

An agreement was approved earlier this year to construct 78 homes on the corner of Old US-23 and Hyne Road as part of the Deerfield Preserve and Shoppes project. Construction plans were submitted in June, but listed the roads within the condominium sector as private. Developers recently decided changing the roads from private to public would be an incentive because it opens another avenue for financing road repair. Township Manager Brian Vick says this will allow the subdivision’s residents to undertake a Special Assessment District, or SAD, if they so choose.

Vick says the Livingston County Road Commission is responsible for public roads, but their funds are currently stretched so thin, they’re unable to do asphalt repairs on public roads in subdivisions. With an SAD, unit owners in the Deerfield Preserve could fund road repairs and replacement themselves.

The township’s Board of Trustees first reviewed the request to amend the project’s Master Deed and approve it with public roads in August, but voted 4-3 against it. Wil-Pro Development Company Executive Member Marshall Blau wrote the board, saying he was “surprised and disappointed”. He says they did not explain their reasoning and suggested they were influenced by other items on that meeting’s agenda that discussed financing road repairs.

The board took another look at the request last week and voted 6 to 1 to approve it. Trustee Mike Slaton’s vote was counted as being against approval because he said his vote could be taken either way during the roll call. (DK)