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Council approves preliminary clustered-housing plan for 18 homes at 4038 West Maple with open-space protections
Summary
After hearing resident concerns about sidewalks, trees and stormwater, the council granted preliminary approval for Pine Cove Investments's 18-lot clustered site condominium at 4038 West Maple, subject to a recorded open-space preservation agreement and other conditions.
The Wixom City Council voted to approve a preliminary site condominium plan that will allow Pine Cove Investments LLC to build an 18-home clustered-housing community at 4038 West Maple, subject to conditions including a recorded open-space preservation agreement at final review.
Planning consultants from Carlile Wartman (identified in the meeting as Mario/Matteo Pasqua) told council the clustered plan uses the city's clustered-housing ordinance to concentrate homes on smaller lots while preserving about 45% of the 9.35-acre site as open space and natural features. "If developed under the by-right R3 zoning the site would fit 16 units," the consultant said; the developer requested a density bonus to reach 18 units by meeting the ordinance's open-space criteria.
The plan includes deviations from standard R3 dimensional requirements: proposed lot areas range roughly from 6,900 to 11,000 sq ft (R3 minimum 12,500 sq ft), narrowest lot widths about 56 ft (R3 minimum 80 ft), and front-yard setback reductions to 25 ft (R3 35 ft). The planning commission conditionally approved the open-space plan, density bonus, dimensional deviations and a waiver to allow a road up to 627 feet (the ordinance standard is 500 feet).
Several nearby residents from Cameron Court attended and raised questions about a proposed pedestrian connection, sidewalk placement adjacent to houses, and preservation of mature trees near the detention pond. In response the applicant's representative said project staff staked property lines, met with neighbors, agreed to revise the sidewalk alignment to reduce impacts next to homes, moved a water-main easement to preserve a large poplar, and proposed additional screening along shared property lines.
On project design, the consultant said the plan devotes about 4.24 acres to open space, proposes sidewalks along both sides of the new road, and locates a detention pond in a cleared northwest area rather than the southeast tree area that a by-right plan would have used. The applicant said they would document open-space protections in a legal agreement required at final site-plan approval.
Council members repeatedly praised the planning and outreach process, noted the balance between compact housing and preservation, and asked for clear language in the preservation agreement to prevent private owners from altering preserved natural areas. Council moved, seconded and approved preliminary site condominium approval with the planning commission's conditions; staff will require the final preservation agreement before final approval.
The vote followed planning commission's conditional recommendation and the council's questions about tree preservation, sidewalk alignment, and storm-water design.
