Neighbors of a proposed 31-home development in Canton Township are strongly opposed to the plan of Pulte Group to build on the western edge of the township.
Residents of Pilgrim Hills Estates have appeared to protest the builders' plans at both planning commission and board of trustees meetings, claiming that the construction would be a disturbance to the natural habitat where wildlife flourishes. They maintain that the parcel of land has historical significance.
Residents also note that the 31.5-acres of land includes large, mature trees including one which they say has been on the land since sometime in the 1840s.
The land is currently zoned as rural residential which allows for one home on every 5 acres of property. Pulte representatives have proposed a rezoning of the land south of Warren Road and east of Napier Road to R1 which allows for one home per each acre of property.
Members of the township planning commission unanimously agreed with the neighboring residents and voted 6-0 to deny the rezoning during a meeting in March. Members of the board of trustees, however, voted to return the matter to the planning commission in April.
Township Supervisor Ann Marie Graham-Hudak said the issue was procedural and the remand to the planning commission had not complied with state law which requires a factual basis for the denial of the rezoning request. The Pulte construction plans met all 10 standards of the rezoning application, according to the township planning division.
A second hearing of the proposed rezoning is expected next month, officials said.
