By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com


Plans for a new realty business in Howell Township are on hold and could be on thin ice.

Aaren Currie has owned and operated real estate companies for nearly 25 years. He was before the Howell Township Planning Commission, Tuesday night, for a combined preliminary and final site plan review for a new Nexthome Statewide Realty building, to be built off of Highland Road. Howell Township Planner Paul Montagno said that Currie had addressed many of the issues that were required, but there were still concerns, namely with parking. Currie had been asked to add spaces, and he did, but Montagno said there problems with where they were added. Deferred parking spaces end up in a setback and another row is inaccessible because it is stacked right behind one in front of it. Montagno said this doesn’t meet design standards and thus, the layout was unacceptable.

Another problem surfaced in the detention pond being within the front yard setback. Montagno said it looks to him like the site is not large enough to host the size of the building Currie wants, and so he was not recommending approval. Currie said that he couldn’t make the building any smaller for what they need it for. He argued that the stacked row of parking would be for full-time employees, who would be parking there before there were customers, and not leaving until the end of the day. He said, to him, the site plan feels harmonious with the surrounding area, and that they aren’t creating any health or safety issues. Currie added that he is taking his “last run at this” and will “move on” if he can’t do what he wants to do.

The planning commission passed a motion to postpone action until such a time that Currie would like to bring the site plan back or withdraw it. Currie will have 1 year to make a decision before it automatically expires due to inactivity.