Planning commission backs Fillmore Place amendment that cuts housing density by 151 units

The Canton Township Planning Commission recommended approval on Sept. 8 of Amendment No. 2 to the Fillmore Place planned development district, a change that would convert approved townhouses and attached units on the west side of the site to 100 detached single‑family lots and reduce the project’s unit count on that portion by 151.

The recommendation, approved unanimously in a voice vote, follows a staff presentation and a public hearing in which the developer said the change responds to market demand and would reduce impervious area, increase open space and cut vehicular trips.

Patrick Sloan, Canton Township planning staff, said the parcels involved total roughly 97 acres and that the original 2020 PDD approval allowed multifamily housing (about 504 units across phases). At this late phase the applicant proposes converting 59 attached single‑family dwelling units and 192 two‑story townhouses on the far west side into 100 detached for‑sale single‑family houses — “a proposed net reduction of 151 units,” Sloan said.

The project sponsor, Brooks Cowan of Pulte Homes, told the commission the homes would be for sale as site‑condo lots, retain the community park, playground and trails, and that the change would reduce density and stormwater runoff. “We’ll be reducing the density by 151 units, thereby reducing some of the traffic,” Cowan said during his presentation.

Engineers for the applicant said the detention basin built for the original development was sized for a more impervious scenario and that the proposed product mix (detached homes with lawns) would reduce runoff by about 25 percent compared with the previously approved layout. Matthew Bush of Atwell Engineering said the team calculated a reduction in runoff based on changes in runoff coefficients and that the basin is “oversized, helping with flooding.”

Staff’s written report notes the amendment requires multiple modifications because detached single‑family homes are not a permitted use in the site’s underlying R‑6 zoning district. Planned modifications described in the staff report include: permitting detached single‑family dwellings in R‑6 for this PDD; adopting front, side and rear yard setbacks tailored for the detached product (a 22‑foot minimum front yard setback to accommodate driveways, 5‑foot side yards and 30‑foot rear yards); and adjustments to internal setback tables created during a 2023 PDD amendment that subdivided the development into three parcels for financing.

Material requirements were also discussed. Sloan noted the zoning ordinance typically requires a minimum of 50 percent brick or masonry on facades; the submitted elevations show each first story finished in brick or stone and elevation styles with masonry percentages in a range the staff characterized as compatible. Landscaping plans were still under review at the time of the hearing; staff recommended that any outstanding landscape comments be addressed during site‑plan review if the PDD amendment is approved.

During public comment, adjacent property residents raised concerns about flooding in neighboring subdivisions. The applicant and engineer said the proposed change reduces impervious surface and that on‑site detention facilities collect and release stormwater at a controlled rate; the developer encouraged neighbors to contact the project office and noted the project’s detention system drains on‑site.

Commission deliberations emphasized the long approval timeline for the PDD and current market conditions as reasons for the change. A motion to recommend approval was moved on the record and the commission voted unanimously in favor; the proposal will proceed to the township board for final consideration.

Votes at a glance: The planning commission recorded a unanimous recommendation to approve Amendment No. 2 as conditioned in the staff report; the motion carried with all present commissioners voting yes.

Ending: If the township board accepts the planning commission’s recommendation, the applicant will be required to finalize the amended PDD agreement, submit the schedule of modifications exhibit and address landscaping and site‑plan review comments before building permits are issued.