Developers withdraw application to rezone Kalamazoo-area golf course

KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI — A proposed zoning transform that would have led to a combined-use development overtaking the Prairies Golf Training course in Oshtemo Township has formally been withdrawn by the applicant.

The requested improve, which would have allowed for a mixture of professional and multi-household residential advancement on the 116-acre golf training course, located northwest of the West Key Avenue/North Drake Highway intersection in Oshtemo Township, experienced been established to be listened to by the township board on Tuesday, Could 10.

Adhering to an April 28 planning commission assembly, in which the fee arrived at a unanimous selection to recommend the township board deny the software, and additional than two dozen men and women spoke out in person or by letter towards it, the developers resolved to withdraw the application.

Connected: Fee rejects proposal to develop Kalamazoo-region golf program

A letter dealt with to township setting up director Iris Lubbert. dated April 29 and signed by builders Joe Gesmundo, of AVB, and Roger Hinman, of the Hinman Co., informed the township of the determination. The letter, involved in the agenda packet for this Tuesday’s conference mentioned, in part:

“In thought of the choices designed throughout the April 28th Preparing Fee meeting, we would like to formally withdraw our existing application to rezone the Prairies … We glance ahead to further dialogue connected to this home.”

Associates from AVB and Hinman were being not able to be reached for remark prior to deadline and did not respond to cell phone phone calls or e-mails pertaining to upcoming techniques for the achievable improvement of the golf class.

At the April 28 conference, Gesmundo, co-founder of AVB, stated he hated to be the bearer of terrible news, but the Prairies, which is currently zoned as R2 and R4 and to accommodate for minimal-density, residential progress, would not remain a golfing course.

“From our viewpoint, worst situation it will be developed beneath these zoning classifications, but the desire would be to end what we all collectively began,” he claimed to the commission, addressing the info that talks experienced been ongoing because 2016 and he needs to see them perform collectively.

“Our eyesight for this residence is to do one thing as opposed to something that is been finished in southwestern Michigan, perhaps the western section of Michigan,” Gesmundo stated.

ABV, which entered into an arrangement with the golf course’s operator, the Elks Lodge No. 50, in 2014 to acquire the study course, has expressed a eyesight that would include establishing the assets to characteristic distinctive styles of modest-scale commercial builds, household in excess of industrial builds and environmentally friendly house.

Lubbert, talking on behalf of the scheduling division, told the commission at the April 28 conference that the proposal introduced ahead of the commission ignored a bulk of the advised standards and would nullify the township’s master prepare if the request was granted.

Most residents who opposed it voiced fears with likely traffic problems in what is already a congested spot. In addition, the bulk of comments centered about the elimination of a prolonged-standing golfing course, loss of inexperienced room and further enhancement that a lot of did not see as vital although a large selection of vacant company attributes dot the neighborhood.

Other people spoke to how they bought their residences specifically to live on a golfing class, and the peace and silent that went together with it.

“I assume in advance of we approve any more industrial development, we will need to have an inventory of what is by now out there that is not currently being utilized, an stock of the business area that could be designed and unquestionably, not take a beautiful golf study course in a wonderful, organic place and transform it into professional advancement where by there might be choice spaces to acquire it,” resident Wayne Fuqua explained.

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