Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Some residents opposed to a condo development in Marion Township are taking their fight to the Zoning Board of Appeals Monday night.

At issue is the condominium project called Meadows North from the Mitch Harris Building Company that proposes 167 units on property with access off of Peavy Road.

The Planning Commission earlier recommended preliminary site plan approval, which moved it along to the township board. Following resident opposition and an opinion was issued by the Zoning Administrator – which determined the project met requirements and should receive preliminary approval.

The site is currently zoned residential, but was previously zoned commercial.

A petition was put forth by residents who live off Peavy Road alleging ordinance and other violations - which will be discussed at Monday’s ZBA meeting.

The appeal was filed by resident Kathryn Acker and seeks an administrative review and interpretation of various ordinance sections.

Some concerns from Acker and other Peavy Road residents include increased traffic and congestion, potential crime, safety, noise, decreased home values, impact on wildlife, and potential damage to the new bridge constructed over the Marion Drain, and “overall quality of life in the neighborhood”.

Township Supervisor Bill Fenton told WHMI he doesn’t have any solid concerns at this point but there are resident concerns they are working to address. He said he thinks what’s being proposed is the best use of the land versus the prior commercial as it works in harmony with the surrounding developments - which are multi-family dwelling units.

Fenton said the ZBA will meet to address the resident concerns and see if the building company is following the ordinances as written, and they’re looking to get some clarification from the meeting. He referenced the opinion from the Zoning Administrator, which determined they are in compliance and preliminary site plan should be approved at this time.

Everything is preliminary at this point, as the developer would still need a special use permit and final site plan approval to proceed with the project.

Monday’s meeting starts at 7:30pm at the township hall off Coon Lake Road. It can also be accessed virtually.