VBT signs agreement with Blue Country Walk for more than 136 new homes

After work on County Walk housing development in Van Buren Township was stopped by economic conditions in 2008, phases 3 and 4 remained incomplete.
Jeff Gibbs of Blue Country Walk LLC said his company purchased 136 or 138 parcels in 2012 and want to complete the development.
But, they don’t want to do everything agreed to between the township and Bernie Glieberman for the original Planned Residential Development (PRD), which included paving of Martinsville Road, a bike path, and other amenities.
Last fall, Gibbs worked with township officials trying to get an agreement on what amenities it would be responsible for and the homeowners associations of the two phases asked for input into any agreement. Residents said they bought homes in the development based on the promises in the PRD.
At the regular meeting of the Van Buren Township Board of Trustees on July 7, the board approved a Memorandum of Understanding with Country Walk that also had been approved by the two homeowners associations and Country Walk Blue.
This clears the path for the building department to issue four permits for new homes.
“You heard of our problems with other developments?” asked Trustee Phil Hart and Gibbs said he was “blissfully unaware” of problems with other developments.
“We are taking steps to bring other developments into compliance,” Trustee Hart said.
“We have a good reputation,” Gibbs replied.
Trustee Reggie Miller asked for an explanation of the Savage Road situation, referring to previous plans for a turn lane at the development.
Gibbs said the original contractor pulled the county permits for the county road and the Country Walk Blue doesn’t have them.
“It is not bound on us,” said Gibbs. “It’s a county road, off site.”
When Trustee Brenda McClanahan asked about sidewalks, Gibbs said they will be constructed according to the PRD. The home-building partners will pull permits and put in sidewalks, street trees, and mailboxes at the time of construction.
Gibbs said they will finish the roads, the 205’ wall by putting on a cap, and give $360,000 to the homeowners associations to assign as they wish.
“That’s up to them,” he said about use of the money.
When Hart asked about his projections for sales, Gibbs said they’d like to see 20 sales a year. He said Gilbert Homes will build for $106-$110 a square foot, which should go well. He said all the lots should be built in six to eight years.
“We’re very pleased you’re taking on this project,” said Supervisor Linda Combs.
Claudine Poole of Country Walk #4 said they bought a home in July 2007 and shortly after they moved in, the developer disappeared. She said there were 17 homeowners “carrying the weight” for that phase.
“There are items we cannot pull out of the PRD and we’ve accepted that,” she said.
Donald Boynton, who lives in Country Walk #4 and is the president of the homeowners associations for #4, said there are 83 occupied parcels in #3 of the 108 lots and 82 are solidly behind their board. The president of #3 was present, he said.
“It was a long fight … I may have more heavy than necessary some times,” Boynton said. “We’re not ecstatically pleased with it. It is adequate. It is equitable.”
In other business at the July 7 meeting, the board:
• Approved the second reading and adoption of rezoning a parcel on Tyler Road, across from the Meijer store, from C-1 (General Business) to R-1B (Single Family Residential). This was the 3.4 acres that had been rezoned with conditions for a medical clinic in 2007. When the project did not move forward, it was supposed to revert to its original zoning, but the agreement was not executed and there is no revision clause;
• Approved the 2014 Financial Statements as audited by Plante Moran;
• Heard Trustee Brenda McClanahan read a report on the Downriver Utility Wastewater Authority meeting she attended;
• Approved extension of the 2015 summer property taxes without penalty through Wednesday, Sept. 30;
• Approved continuation of the Joint Management Committee through 2015;
• Approved the Amended Articles of Incorporation of the Downriver Utility Wastewater Authority;
• Heard Supervisor Combs say she was going to read a letter from Belleville Police Chief Hal Berriman to the VBT Police Department, but she failed to bring it to the meeting and will read it another time; and
• Heard Clerk Leon Wright say he was voted to be chairman of the Wayne County Association of Clerks and he is on the board of the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks, and both groups are supporting an effort to pass “No-Reason AV.” He said the Secretary of State and Michigan Township Association also are behind the effort to allow voters to request absentee ballots without a reason and to be put on a permanent absentee voters list. He asked the board to put together a proclamation to send to Lansing.