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July 29, 2000
Dean Rhodes
Each of these concepts is detailed below. The Host Community Agreement should ensure Cheval-Knudsen Properties gives priority to building those elements the Township desires, and provide disincentives, such as performance bonds or a reduction in residential lots, for failure to meet the schedule. As proposed, the Stone Ridge Farm development will be built over 12 to 15 years. Some components will produce construction jobs while others such as the senior center, the hotel and the retail complex will provide permanent year-round jobs. It is important to ensure that Cheval-Knudsen Properties construct the elements of the development that benefit the Township, and not change course or halt construction before this occurs. Perhaps the most important components are those that provide permanent employment and the amenities that will attract seniors to the development and generate tax revenues from second homes while requiring relatively few services. Generally, residential developments are a drain on local tax coffers because new homes require new schools and other public facilities. Every time a community adds 500 or more homes, they must expand or build new school facilities. Under Michigan tax law, primary residences also pay a much lower tax rate than secondary residences, such as condos at a senior-oriented golf complex. So, it is essential that Cheval-Knudsen Properties attract seniors to the development, rather than a more standard mix of households. If the first several years of the development are more akin to conventional subdivision or site condominium developments, there will be no incentive for seniors to move in and no disincentives for other households to go elsewhere. While no one can discriminate based on age, Cheval-Knudsen Properties should make every effort to attract seniors to its development by building the assisted living and other senior-oriented amenities first and limiting the number of bedrooms that each residential dwelling can have. Modifications to the Master Plan and Zoning Ordinance The Host Community Agreement can provide Weldon Township time to alter its master land use plan and zoning ordinance in response to the proposal by Cheval-Knudsen Properties. A great deal of volunteer time has gone into crafting the township master plans and Weldon Township's zoning ordinance. These documents describe the community's realistic desires for the future, giving due consideration to population, economy, landscape and other considerations. If built, the Cheval-Knudsen development will change the population and demographic of Weldon Township and it will dramatically change the real estate market by meeting the demand for new homes, at least for seniors, for many years to come. The Institute suggests the Township not consider the application in isolation, but to also work through amendments to the master plan and zoning ordinance, including identifying how this development will affect other future land uses. Preservation of green space The site plan should ensure a portion of the development includes preserving land in its current agricultural or natural state. Undeveloped ridgelines, expansive fields and forests, and protection of unique natural features, collectively known as "green space" now are commonplace in modern development proposals. Across Michigan, rural communities require protection of green space as a condition for granting additional development privileges for Planned Unit Developments and other comprehensive development approaches. The agreement should include a precise definition of "green space" such as:
If the Township is interested in pursuing these concepts as part of the Host Community Agreement, the Institute is prepared to provide more information and serve as a resource in this process. As you know, the process for evaluating the development proposal requires further site plan review and local and state permitting. It is important that Township Zoning Board be actively involved in these next steps. By requiring Cheval-Knudsen to submit its plan to the Zoning Board for final site plan review, the Township can be certain the criteria in the Host Community Agreement are followed. cc: Art Spalding |
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