June 6 – Update

June 6, 2020 RE: Hannah Farms Update

Dear neighbors: As many of you already know our friend, neighbor and Indian Lakes Estates Homeowners’ Association (ILEHA) legal counselor Mr. Jack Davis has passed away. Jack’s life centered on his family and community and fortunately for us that included our neighborhood. Words cannot express the Board’s high regard and respect that we have for Jack. Over the years, Mr. Davis became a trusted advisor and his mere presence in any discussion or meeting involving issues of importance to our neighborhood gave ILEHA instant credibility and standing. Jack will be greatly missed and our sincerest condolences go out to Sue, children Greg and Jennifer, and their respective families. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.

Going forward, I have had a transition conversation with the Loomis Law Firm and the Board has approved Loomis’ Mr. Kevin Roragen (https://loomislaw.com/attorneys/kevin-j-roragen/) as our legal counsel. Mr. Roragen is well suited to serve as our advisor and is very familiar with the issues facing ILEHA regarding the development of the Hannah Farms property; Mr. Davis had provided Mr. Roragen with updates throughout the years.

As a reminder, there will be a virtual public hearing on the proposed senior living center before the Meridian Township Planning Commission this Monday evening (June 8, 2020) at 7 pm. We encourage all members to join the meeting if at all possible. Instructions for joining can be found on the Township website https://www.meridian.mi.us/ ; click on Meetings and then click on the June 8 Planning Commission Meeting. Mr. Roragen and I, as well as many of the Board members, will be joining the meeting. The Planning Commission will only be conducting a public hearing with this meeting and will not be voting on the project. Item No. 6 on the Agenda is the senior center project and our comments can be heard at that time. However, the Planning Commission will not stop someone from speaking at the beginning or end of the meeting.

As a refresher, this will be a two step process. The Planning Commission approves the project for acceptability for the site along with compliance with all codes and requirements. If approved, the project then moves to the Township Board for approval on overall size. Projects which exceed 25,000 square feet (proposed senior center is about 270,000) must be approved by the Board. Of our key issues, i.e.., land preservation, no connectivity to ILEHA and surface water management, the ILEHA Board has found the first two items to be adequate as proposed but still have concerns about the surface water management plan. Therefore our focus at the Hearing, along with a few other minor details, will be on the water plan. Please feel free to offer any thoughts or comments publicly that you too may have. This is our one opportunity to make public comments before the Planning Commission on the project. Please check your email for this message that was sent with attachments of planning maps and agenda.

As always, thank you for your continued support and interest in helping us maintain the wonderful quality life and rural residential character of Indian Lakes Estates.

Kindest Regards, Joe