Development Approved for Cranberry Road

For the second time a group known as Seven Oaks at Howell came in front of the zoning board on Monday looking to build an age restricted development on Cranberry Road near Eagle Oaks Country Club. 

What had originally started as a development of single-family homes had its plans changed to 28 age residences built on a total of eight lots in nine buildings. At the first meeting last month some of the broader issues like landscaping were discussed leaving more specific questions about the construction itself to Monday's meeting.

Several questions were raised in terms of the exterior appearance of the buildings as well as interior items like fireplaces and elevators that could be built into some of the homes. 

With most of their questions answered Board Engineer Jack Mallon went over some of the final details of changes made to the proposed plans including parking, fencing and landscaping modifications.

Before the current plans were approved the discussion turned to the previous plans that had originally been presented to the board. Vice Chairman Valerie Morone said the current plans seemed "so much more complex to me than eight single-family houses."

The applicant's attorney Todd Cohen said that while that was the original goal it did not work out that way. "Believe me, my client would have rather had eight single family houses that he tried to sell for the two and a half years they had them on the market but he didn't sell one," he said. "This seems to be a market that is selling."

Also discussed was the process under which the construction would start. The applicant said they will be using Eagle Oaks as their welcome center while they wait for the houses to be built. Each building would be built one at a time based on sales for the units. 

There will also be a model unit for prospective buyers to look at and each time two residences are sold in a building a new building's construction will begin.

For those residents who buy into the new development they will have the opportunity to take advantage of the amenities at Eagle Oaks and will also have the opportunity to apply for membership at the nearby club. 

Board member Wendell Nanson introduced the motion which was seconded and passed unanimously with member Edward Guz voting "yes and good luck."

Stephen Meier, the board president also voted emphatically in favor of the application. "I want to say this I think really a better application than what you had originally with the houses," he said. "I think it's cleaner and it's going to function better as well as probably be more sellable."

After the meeting Meier said he believed the development would be good in its proposed location. He was also in favor of it being an age-restricted project as opposed to an open development. "With that you have the extra expense of school children. This is age restricted, it's an upper end age restricted so compared to what he had it's a lot better," he said. 

Meier said he believed the economy would continue to have an impact on the types of projects the board will see in the future. "For senior developments, seniors are no longer going to Florida or south. They're finding that their families aren't there, air travel has gotten so expensive so now they want to find someplace close by," he said.

Being able to combine the development with Eagle Oaks in a quiet part of town is also part of the reason why he said he voted in favor. "They do have the advantage that it's not much going to be going on around them," he said. With farms around them and the country club the surrounding areas and the amenities with the club he said it makes for a quality location for potential homebuyers.