Planning Commission Takes No Action on Blossom Ridge Plan

About 100 residents packed  on Tuesday night at the Oakland Township Planning Commission meeting to hear what Moceri Development had to say about the proposed , a continuing care senior residential community at the corner of Adams and Dutton Roads.

Moceri went before the Planning Commission last month with the Blossom Ridge rezoning request and listened to input from the Planning Commission and residents. Though it made some changes in its proposal, it still hopes to construct the senior residential center with 284 independent and assisted-living dwelling units on a 42-acre lot currently zoned for medium residential density. If the site’s zoning is maintained, it can only accommodate 61 residences, according to Moceri’s proposal. To allow for the large project that the developer is hoping to construct, the property would need to be rezoned to multiple family residential density with planned residential rezoning overlay. 

The Planning Commission, like last month, let it be known early on that it did not have intentions of voting on the project Tuesday evening, but instead wanted to hear what Moceri and residents had to say before considering the information. Additionally it was noted that the Planning Commission received several letters about the project and that they would be reading and taking them into consideration before next month’s meeting scheduled for Nov. 1.

Donald Westphal of Donald C. Westphal Associates spoke on behalf of Moceri. He presented changes to the plan presented at the last meeting, also detailing comparisons to other residences in the area that would be comparable to its project.

Some of the notable changes to the plan included:

• the setback off of Adams Road being moved to 220 feet
• a cap of 20 three bedroom units so the density is in line with zoning standards
• the east wing of the project has been changed to two stories with a height of 25 feet.

Full size plans as well as parking garage elevation plans were submitted to the Planning Commission.

Though Westphal was hoping the presentation would clear up some of the residents’ concerns, about a dozen residents talked about why they are not in favor of this project. Many concerns centered around the traffic on Adams Road, the possibility of property values going down and changing the landscape of that corner.

"The corner of Adams and Dutton roads is one of the most dangerous traffic wise in the area,” said Tom Ryan, a Rochester Hills resident.

Oakland Township resident Judy Evans agreed and noted that traffic backups already occur because of and Van Hoosen Middle School along Adams Road.

Though the majority spoke out against the senior living center, a couple of residents announced their support for the project.

One thought that was consistent in residents’ arguments on both sides is that there is a need for a senior living center in the area. However, many said it's not appropriate at that corner, or at least not of that size.

“I would love to pick up this development and move it,” Evans said.

Other facts and comments from the meeting:

• The 284 planned units include 58 duplexes, 70 attached units in buildings that contain four to eight units per building and a larger building that contains 124 independent living facilities and 32 assisted living facilities according to Oakland Township Planner, Larry Nix.
• Though a traffic study was submitted, Nix advised the Planning Commission to talk with the Road Commission for Oakland County about what could be done on Adams Road about the traffic.
• The traffic study submitted showed no substantial increase of traffic during peak driving times.
• Nix noted that the township's master plan does deem the property appropriate for senior housing.
• Blossom Ridge as proposed calls for 7.3 dwelling units per acre, while the master plan suggests three to five per acre, Nix said.
• Residents opposing the project said the development is too large and too dense.
• The building along Adams Road is planned to be 210 feet in length according to Dominic Moceri, a partner in Moceri Development, and total length along Dutton Road will be 450 feet. He also said it would be well screened.
• The building will be landscaped with large evergreen trees, said Westphal, and hardly any of the senior living center will be visible from the road.
• Westphal noted the building and entrance would be attractive and mirror the Hills of Oakland.
• The building off of Dutton Road is planned to have a 170-foot setback.
• Matt Gibb, deputy Oakland County executive, attended the meeting and pointed out there is a great need for jobs in Oakland County and additional senior living centers in the area.
• Many residents suggested that the traffic study be looked at again.