The plan to build 92 single-family homes on a golf course and to add 277 more multiple-dwellings next door as well is not setting well with neighbors.
The neighbors to the Waverly Apartments were invited to a meeting at the Van Buren Township hall on May 14 to see the plans and to comment.
And comment they did. They are still commenting and gathering up the proof needed to show this is not legal. The original apartment complex was built in 1973-74 and the township let it have greater density because of the golf course amenity.
What’s especially rankling is that Van Buren Township officials can’t find the documents from that time that show the deal. There are other ways to get to the truth and those pathways are being pursued.
The owners of quiet lakeside property in that neighborhood are not going to let their home life be turned upside down by a plan they say is downright illegal.
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2 Comments
Weather
Dear Editor and Neighbors;
Regarding the potential Wavery Apartment development at 49000 Denton Rd Van Buren.
Through personal efforts and research, we’ve discovered prior EGLE findings in the area.
The area in question is a high erosion risk. It is on wetlands with a high-water table, and flooding zone. Further development would exacerbate, increasing flooding and erosion, and pollution that would run off straight to Bellville Lake.
The large-scale development could cost many of us neighboring homeowners and possibly even the State substantial damage expenses.
Furthermore, construction on the property in question could lead to higher maintenance needs and expenses that could be neglected, or not in the foreseen budgeting plans. Leading to possible property abandonment, by ownership. And even uninsurable damages to buildings, tenant property, neighboring properties etc, etc, etc….
In addition, the irreparable damage this development may have to the endangered, threatened and special concern species, that inhabit and / or hunt on the property in question.
PUBLIC HEARING: June10th , 2026, at 5:30 pm, held at 46425 Tyler Rd. Van Buren Twp.
REZONING REQUEST: from Single Family Residential (R-1B) to Multiple Family Residential (RM)
Please find more specifics below on endangered and special concern species as well as impacts to high erosion risk, wetlands at 49000 Denton Rd.:
Grasshopper Sparrow (special concern)
Bald eagle (special concern) has been seen in area, and a nest is located in close proximity to identified property.
Red shoulder hawk (threatened) has been seen hunting the identified property.
Indiana bat (endangered) has been seen on identified property and neighboring properties.
Evening bat (threatened) again seen on identified property as well as neighboring properties.
Wood turtle (special concern) has been seen on identified property near bodies of water.
The present of these species indicates a functional eco system, that is relatively undisturbed, and thus attracts other species such as Barred Owls, Scott’s Oriole, and Blue Herring.
Indicating a clean, healthy and self-functioning eco system. That further development would displace, disturb and destroy, further putting these species at further risk of endangerment. And in our honest opinion allowing this type or any development on this property, NOT Pure Michigan…
We do not want the property developed. We bought our property across from the proposed site because at the time it had a golf course. We don’t mind that it had become a wildlife area. We are extremely concerned about our property being subjected to flooding, the destruction of wildlife and the heavy burden of traffic on Denton road that this project would cause.
The company spokesperson lied at the meeting saying that the development of the area was part of the original plan when they bought it. I had called the Van Buren Building Department when I saw people taking soil samples. After speaking with a couple of people there they told me that they (the Waverly owners) had just found out that they owned the property. They bought the apartments over a year and a half prior to finding out that they owned that area so it could not have been part of the original plan.
Does this company plan on reimbursing us for the potential damage to our property, damage to the value of our homes and the traffic issues? I don’t think so.
So no, we do not want the area developed, especially more rental property.