CADILLAC — A minor piece of business is holding up a proposed residential development on Lake Street and may put the project in jeopardy.
The developer, Gary Pitsch, told Cadillac City Council members at their last meeting that he’s worried that multiple public hearing cancellations could affect his ability to finance the project.
The development — North Lake Street Flats — already has been the subject of numerous discussions and hearings since the beginning of last year.
To date, a number of actions have been taken by the planning commission, staff and city council to allow the project to proceed, including relaxing zoning regulations pertaining to minimum site size, approving a brownfield financing plan to recoup development costs, and approving the site plan.
The only thing holding up the project now is a “paper road” that exists in the middle of the property. A paper road is just that — a road that only exists on paper, likely the remnant of a street that used to exist at the location many years ago.
Two public hearings so far have been canceled on the request to vacate the paper road to allow the development to move forward: The first hearing scheduled on Jan. 21 was canceled after death threats were sent to a council member and a member of staff. The second hearing scheduled for Feb. 18 was canceled because there weren’t enough members of council present to vacate city property; Mayor Carla Filkins resigned a week earlier and Mayor Pro Tem Tiyi Schippers was not able to attend the meeting.
Pitsch asked if the public hearing could still be held, even if council couldn’t vote on the request at their February meeting but was told this wouldn’t be possible.
A notice must be issued 20 days before a public hearing of this type, which means the next available date for the hearing would be council’s March 3 meeting.
Since there are timetables that have to be met by March 1 in order to obtain state grants that have been approved for the project, Pitsch said he thinks the delays will be detrimental.
“I think this is going to hurt us,” Pitsch said.
The development will include two apartment buildings, each containing 24 units. Each building will contain 17 one-bedroom units, six two-bedroom units, and one studio unit for a total of 34 one-bedroom units, 12 two-bedroom units and two studio units.
While the site is too small for the development by the city’s current zoning standards, members of the planning commission and council have said they’re willing to make an exception in this case because of how dire the area’s housing shortage is.
Keep reading the Cadillac News for updates on this project as they become available.
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