PH-6 18-0807 Resolution to Approve the Cottages at Barton Green Site Plan, Wetland Use Permit, and Development Agreement, West Side of Pontiac Trail, South of Dhu Varren Road (CPC Recommendation: Approval - 2 Yeas and 7 Nays)
I am opposed to the current plan. We need to ensure the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists before beginning construction on any housing development. Children frequently walk and bike to school at A2 STEAM at Northside along this road. Cars routinely travel at 40 mph on this stretch of Pontiac Trail. The proposed intersection for this housing project is hidden just behind a crest on Pontiac Trail making this a very dangerous intersection. I would recommend that traffic calming measures be instituted PRIOR to the construction of the proposed intersection.
I strongly oppose this development on the grounds that it does not meet the master plan developed by the city in cooperation with citizens of this community. The planning commission conceded that the developer is utilizing a loophole in existing zoning laws to push through a development that the zoning was never intended to support. Placing a community of over 700 18-22 year old college students within shouting distance of an established neighborhood will be cause for multiple nuisance calls to city officials. My own home, built within 20 feet of the property line, will end up being within 50 feet of one of these cottages. The neighborhood requested meetings with the developers on multiple occasions and were ignored until the planning commission voted no. Then the developers came through with far too little concessions, far too late in the cycle. Another concern I personally have is the drainage - routing the entire development into the small drainage ditch at the end of Skydale Dr.
A driver must be able to see far enough ahead to avoid collisions. AASHTO standards exist for new driveways, so approaching drivers have time to react to exiting vehicles. The minimum sight distance required is a function of driving speed. Northbound drivers on Pontiac Trail must crest a steep hill before spotting the Cottages entrance. They then have 368 feet to avoid hitting drivers turning left there. The developer's traffic impact study concludes that's enough space, but barely--the minimum sight distance is 335 feet. However, the study assumes that vehicles are at the 30mph speed limit. 2015 SEMCOG speed data for that stretch of Pontiac Trail show the average vehicle moving at 45mph, not 30. Since kinetic energy is proportional to the square of speed, that difference brings the minimum sight distance for the driveway to 500 feet, much more than the 368 feet available to drivers to stop there in time. Therefore the current Cottages entrance will be the site of many future crashes.
I believe the greatest disservice here is to the unsuspecting student residents and their parents. They will not be aware of how tenaciously the Skydale neighbors will use any legal means to prevent overflow parking, nuisance and unsafe behaviors from affecting their environment (including as is their right to use seeclickfix, costing the city Community Standards hours and overutilizing police and emergency vehicles). They will trust that the shuttle will perform like clockwork, despite Michigan weather and the unreliability of other Trinitas properties’ shuttles well documented. In essence: this development WILL most certainly, “cause a public and private nuisance; it WILL have a detrimental effect on public health, safety and welfare.” It is reasonable and logical to assume as much. Trinitas knows this; that is why they avoid discussing their operational strategies at every turn. We can do so much better; mixed housing, senior housing etc. Let’s not be “penny-wise, pound foolish.”
I am opposed to the current plan. We need to ensure the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists before beginning construction on any housing development. Children frequently walk and bike to school at A2 STEAM at Northside along this road. Cars routinely travel at 40 mph on this stretch of Pontiac Trail. The proposed intersection for this housing project is hidden just behind a crest on Pontiac Trail making this a very dangerous intersection. I would recommend that traffic calming measures be instituted PRIOR to the construction of the proposed intersection.
I strongly oppose this development on the grounds that it does not meet the master plan developed by the city in cooperation with citizens of this community. The planning commission conceded that the developer is utilizing a loophole in existing zoning laws to push through a development that the zoning was never intended to support. Placing a community of over 700 18-22 year old college students within shouting distance of an established neighborhood will be cause for multiple nuisance calls to city officials. My own home, built within 20 feet of the property line, will end up being within 50 feet of one of these cottages. The neighborhood requested meetings with the developers on multiple occasions and were ignored until the planning commission voted no. Then the developers came through with far too little concessions, far too late in the cycle. Another concern I personally have is the drainage - routing the entire development into the small drainage ditch at the end of Skydale Dr.
A driver must be able to see far enough ahead to avoid collisions. AASHTO standards exist for new driveways, so approaching drivers have time to react to exiting vehicles. The minimum sight distance required is a function of driving speed. Northbound drivers on Pontiac Trail must crest a steep hill before spotting the Cottages entrance. They then have 368 feet to avoid hitting drivers turning left there. The developer's traffic impact study concludes that's enough space, but barely--the minimum sight distance is 335 feet. However, the study assumes that vehicles are at the 30mph speed limit. 2015 SEMCOG speed data for that stretch of Pontiac Trail show the average vehicle moving at 45mph, not 30. Since kinetic energy is proportional to the square of speed, that difference brings the minimum sight distance for the driveway to 500 feet, much more than the 368 feet available to drivers to stop there in time. Therefore the current Cottages entrance will be the site of many future crashes.
I believe the greatest disservice here is to the unsuspecting student residents and their parents. They will not be aware of how tenaciously the Skydale neighbors will use any legal means to prevent overflow parking, nuisance and unsafe behaviors from affecting their environment (including as is their right to use seeclickfix, costing the city Community Standards hours and overutilizing police and emergency vehicles). They will trust that the shuttle will perform like clockwork, despite Michigan weather and the unreliability of other Trinitas properties’ shuttles well documented. In essence: this development WILL most certainly, “cause a public and private nuisance; it WILL have a detrimental effect on public health, safety and welfare.” It is reasonable and logical to assume as much. Trinitas knows this; that is why they avoid discussing their operational strategies at every turn. We can do so much better; mixed housing, senior housing etc. Let’s not be “penny-wise, pound foolish.”
I oppose the Barton Green development.