The purpose of this petition is to oppose the Forsberg #15010 rezoning of 39.46 acres from Industrial, Professional and Office, Rural Residential, to Commerical, and Commercial 2. Our community is strongly opposed to the Forsberg plan because it would negatively impact and drastically change the neighborhoods and single-family homes in the area.
The job of the planning committee is to protect the residents that have already built their homes in this area- specifically the residents of The Meadows, The Sanctuary, and The Preserves, as well as the residents of Kansas Road and Coyote Creek. We all bought our land, built our homes, and are raising our families in this area based on the zoning and culture of the existing laws. The Master Plan of the Meridian Township clearly states that the no. 1 goal of the Meridian Township Board is to preserve and strengthen existing and future residential neighborhoods. What is being proposed is NOT a neighborhood, or residential homes. What is being proposed is a massive apartment complex that will dramatically change the make-up of our already existing neighborhoods.
The following are several reasons why we oppose this rezoning plan #15010:
1. Violation of Charter Township Master Plan.
- The project violates the number 1 stated goal of Charter Township of Meridian’s master plan. Which states: Maintain a community of desirable, attractive residential neighborhoods with an emphasis on single-family, owner-occupied homes. As well as, to ensure that future land results in a housing supply that emphasizes single-family owner-occupied homes.
2. Changing the zoning rules after the neighborhoods of single family homes are already built.
We all bought our land, built our homes, and are raising our families in this area based on the existing zoning laws. Changing the zoning to allow high-density housing, after the fact, is wrong and goes against the Charter Township Master Plan.
2. Property Value.
- Taking quiet cul-de-sac family neighborhoods full of single family homes and attaching it to a 500 unit rental complex can only have a negative effect on property values. Furthermore, if the units turn out to be less then upscale, or these apartments are built shoddily and fall into disrepair over the next ten years, the surrounding single-family homes will loose even more value.
3. Density.
- 500 units is just too many~ that’s 700-800 tenants attached to the Sanctuary neighborhood. The nature of the Sanctuary and surrounding neighborhoods is family friendly. Adding this many units will negatively alter the dynamics of the neighborhoods.
4. Safety.
- The safety of our children who play on our streets and in our yards, are potentially at risk. This proposal is basically giving 700+ renters direct access to our family owned and occupied residential neighborhoods. We do not need the added dangerous exposure to these 700+ people walking into our neighborhoods and able to leave without anyone seeing them.
5. Traffic.
-Adding 700-800 cars to the Jolly and Okemos intersection that is already very congested and dangerous. Also there is no turn lanes for either the high school or the Meadows off of Jolly Rd. with this additional traffic the situation would become even more dangerous.
6. Crime.
- 700-800 renters living in a high-density housing development will lead to a higher crime rate.
7. Already exists.
- If the idea is that there is a need for single bedroom and two bedroom apartments, they DO exist within a mile of this project's location. Both Club Meridian and Knob Hill have vacancies and no waiting lists which means opportunity for immediate occupancy. If the township still believes that more housing is needed, why not opt for condo-style housing?
Updates
March 29, 2015
The Meridian Township Board is still ignoring our demands while they prioritize developers over the families who actually live here. I have been digging through their planning records all week and their blatant disregard for the Master Plan is absolutely infuriating.
52 Comments
In addition to the issues noted in this petition, construction to the south of Coyote Creek Drive has already resulted in pushing the wetlands further onto Coyote Creek property. We now have standing water in the lawn area behind my condo (2335 Coyote Creek Drive) year round.
Having a housing unit like this in this location would cause so much more traffic, it is hard to imagine living in Okemos if this was built. Also, I am very dissapointed in the process for determining what businesses/buildings do get put up. Why another bank? Why not a market on the corner of Okemos/Jolly. Hard to believe, we have the chance to build businesses that make our city a community and instead we are choosing congestion and businesses that do not add to the culture of our neighborhoods.
The high density of Forsberg's proposal fails to give evidence that this will be a "high end" housing project. A significantly lower number of units would be more compatible with the proximity of single family homes whose owners have invested heavily into their long term interest in their properties.
The reason Okemos is Okemos today is because of some well thought out plans from some very thoughtful people in yester yerars. Let's preserve the integrity/truth/culture for commercialization. Resident of Sanctuary.
I strongly oppose the Forsberg Rezoning. Is it required by the law that those who works in Okemos should live in Okemos. It doesn't make any sense that building a massive apartment complex in the inappropriate area just because of high demanding. They need to find vacant land for their building project if they are so desperate.
NO commercial!
From the meadows subdivision
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The purpose of this petition is to oppose the Forsberg #15010 rezoning of 39.46 acres from Industrial, Professional and Office, Rural Residential, to Commerical, and Commercial 2. Our community is strongly opposed to the Forsberg plan because it would negatively impact and drastically change the neighborhoods and single-family homes in the area.
The job of the planning committee is to protect the residents that have already built their homes in this area- specifically the residents of The Meadows, The Sanctuary, and The Preserves, as well as the residents of Kansas Road and Coyote Creek. We all bought our land, built our homes, and are raising our families in this area based on the zoning and culture of the existing laws. The Master Plan of the Meridian Township clearly states that the no. 1 goal of the Meridian Township Board is to preserve and strengthen existing and future residential neighborhoods. What is being proposed is NOT a neighborhood, or residential homes. What is being proposed is a massive apartment complex that will dramatically change the make-up of our already existing neighborhoods.
The following are several reasons why we oppose this rezoning plan #15010:
1. Violation of Charter Township Master Plan.
- The project violates the number 1 stated goal of Charter Township of Meridian’s master plan. Which states: Maintain a community of desirable, attractive residential neighborhoods with an emphasis on single-family, owner-occupied homes. As well as, to ensure that future land results in a housing supply that emphasizes single-family owner-occupied homes.
2. Changing the zoning rules after the neighborhoods of single family homes are already built.
We all bought our land, built our homes, and are raising our families in this area based on the existing zoning laws. Changing the zoning to allow high-density housing, after the fact, is wrong and goes against the Charter Township Master Plan.
2. Property Value.
- Taking quiet cul-de-sac family neighborhoods full of single family homes and attaching it to a 500 unit rental complex can only have a negative effect on property values. Furthermore, if the units turn out to be less then upscale, or these apartments are built shoddily and fall into disrepair over the next ten years, the surrounding single-family homes will loose even more value.
3. Density.
- 500 units is just too many~ that’s 700-800 tenants attached to the Sanctuary neighborhood. The nature of the Sanctuary and surrounding neighborhoods is family friendly. Adding this many units will negatively alter the dynamics of the neighborhoods.
4. Safety.
- The safety of our children who play on our streets and in our yards, are potentially at risk. This proposal is basically giving 700+ renters direct access to our family owned and occupied residential neighborhoods. We do not need the added dangerous exposure to these 700+ people walking into our neighborhoods and able to leave without anyone seeing them.
5. Traffic.
-Adding 700-800 cars to the Jolly and Okemos intersection that is already very congested and dangerous. Also there is no turn lanes for either the high school or the Meadows off of Jolly Rd. with this additional traffic the situation would become even more dangerous.
6. Crime.
- 700-800 renters living in a high-density housing development will lead to a higher crime rate.
7. Already exists.
- If the idea is that there is a need for single bedroom and two bedroom apartments, they DO exist within a mile of this project's location. Both Club Meridian and Knob Hill have vacancies and no waiting lists which means opportunity for immediate occupancy. If the township still believes that more housing is needed, why not opt for condo-style housing?
Updates
March 29, 2015
The Meridian Township Board is still ignoring our demands while they prioritize developers over the families who actually live here. I have been digging through their planning records all week and their blatant disregard for the Master Plan is absolutely infuriating.
52 Comments
The building of this apartment complex directly behind Coyote Creek infringes on the wetlands that are supposed to be protected. We moved to this location in 1994 because of the natural aspects of the terrain and not to view hign density apartment buildings. Coyote Creek property owner.
In addition to the issues noted in this petition, construction to the south of Coyote Creek Drive has already resulted in pushing the wetlands further onto Coyote Creek property. We now have standing water in the lawn area behind my condo (2335 Coyote Creek Drive) year round.
Having a housing unit like this in this location would cause so much more traffic, it is hard to imagine living in Okemos if this was built. Also, I am very dissapointed in the process for determining what businesses/buildings do get put up. Why another bank? Why not a market on the corner of Okemos/Jolly. Hard to believe, we have the chance to build businesses that make our city a community and instead we are choosing congestion and businesses that do not add to the culture of our neighborhoods.
The high density of Forsberg's proposal fails to give evidence that this will be a "high end" housing project. A significantly lower number of units would be more compatible with the proximity of single family homes whose owners have invested heavily into their long term interest in their properties.
The reason Okemos is Okemos today is because of some well thought out plans from some very thoughtful people in yester yerars. Let's preserve the integrity/truth/culture for commercialization. Resident of Sanctuary.
I strongly oppose the Forsberg Rezoning. Is it required by the law that those who works in Okemos should live in Okemos. It doesn't make any sense that building a massive apartment complex in the inappropriate area just because of high demanding. They need to find vacant land for their building project if they are so desperate.
NO commercial!
From the meadows subdivision
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The building of this apartment complex directly behind Coyote Creek infringes on the wetlands that are supposed to be protected. We moved to this location in 1994 because of the natural aspects of the terrain and not to view hign density apartment buildings. Coyote Creek property owner.