UPDATE:

We had a big victory at the public hearing on Tuesday! The Planning Commission voted to recommend DENIAL of the developer's PDD application. We had an amazing turnout and we definitely made an impact. Thank you to everyone who attended, spoke up in protest, or emailed the Planning Commission. 

This is great news but our fight isn't over, this is only the beginning. The developers will likely rework their proposal and try again. So it's important for us to keep paying attention if we want to stop them. The Planning Commission is only an advisory board that reviews applications before they're submitted to the Township Board, along with their recommendation for approval or denial. Their recommendation holds a lot of weight but its actually the Township Board who gets the final say. 

***Amy Mindell is the Planning Commissioner who called for a vote to DENY the PDD application. She stood up for our community and she's the reason the PDD was denied instead of postponed. I found out that Amy Mindell is currently running for Township Trustee and is deeply committed to protecting West Bloomfield's wetlands and woodlands. Please consider voting for her on August 4th. It'll be a big help to our cause if she's on the Township Board when they vote on this issue. Here is more information>>  AmyMindellforWB ! ***

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 A developer is trying to build an 84-home condominium called "The Preserves at West Bloomfield" on the 45 acres of extensive woodlands and wetlands east of the Bloomfield Knolls subdivision. They want to rezone the land into a Planned Development District so they can cut down the trees, disturb the wetlands and cram in as many lots as possible. They intend to purchase and knock down the white hilltop farmhouse on Greer (between Lochaven and Hiller Rd) to build a road that snakes through the 45 acres. The other end of the street will connect to the back edge of the Windriff Pond neighborhood, directing cars THROUGH that neighborhood onto Hiller. 

     Please join me at the public hearing so we can urge the Planning Commission and Township Board to reject this proposal and refuse any rezoning in our neighborhoods. The high density of this development is an overutilization of the land. This property is NOT the location for a Planned Development District! We need to protect these wooded wetlands and the wildlife that depends on it.

Public Hearing 

June 9th @ 6pm

Township Hall

4550 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48323

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1. We need as many people as possible to attend the public hearing. Doesn’t matter where you are from. The bigger the turnout, the larger our impact!
2. The opinions of people who live within 300 feet of the property (you received a notice in the mail) will hold the most weight, especially if your property is within 100ft of the land they want to rezone. We must tell them we do NOT want the land rezoned. We also need to present a legally relevant argument about how the proposal fails to meet the criteria for a Planned Development District, conflicts with  the township’s Master Plan, and causes too much harm to the wetlands & woodlands on the property.

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If you fall into the second category, or you just want to be informed, the rest of this information is for you! 😊 I wrote up a ton of information to hopefully make things easier for everyone. All the links to referenced documents are listed at the bottom along with specific page numbers to the information I found most relevant. I tried to be as accurate as possible but I’m working from a previous draft of their proposal. The latest version won’t be posted online until Friday 6/5. I will link it here once it becomes available.

>>>>>>Click this link to read my document with more information and explanation! <<<<<<

If you cant make it to the meeting, your comment can still be submitted by emailing it to: askplanning@wbtownship.org

*EDIT* Friday's updated proposal. Just a warning, it's over 200 pages: The Preserves of West Bloomfield Preliminary PDD – PZR25-0003

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The cover photo is of a baby sandhill crane named Pickle. That photo was taken on Henbert Rd, on a property that directly borders the land proposed for rezoning. Pickle is an actual resident of Bloomfield Knolls subdivision who relies on that ecosystem! 

DO YOU WANT A YARD SIGN? Feel free to use my images below! CVS and Walgreens will print a yard sign same-day.