A developer asked for something Oshtemo had never granted. The board said no.

Michigan Housing Partnership LLC, operating as Alan Edwin Homes, wanted to build approximately 51 single-family homes on three parcels along Stadium Drive in Oshtemo Township's village center area. The project needed a zoning variance to move forward. The Zoning Board of Appeals denied it.

The properties total about nine acres. Oshtemo's zoning ordinance requires a minimum of 10 acres for a Planned Unit Development, or PUD. That one-acre gap forced the developer to the ZBA instead of the Planning Commission, where such projects normally begin.

The ZBA voted to deny the variance during its May 26 meeting. The denial does not permanently block the project. The developer can reapply if they acquire additional land to meet the 10-acre minimum, or wait for potential ordinance amendments that may lower the threshold.

What a PUD means for Oshtemo development

A PUD is a zoning tool that allows developers to propose projects that do not fit standard zoning rules. In exchange, the project goes through a more intensive review process. A PUD can override standard rules for lot size, setbacks, and density as long as it satisfies specific criteria and gets approved through multiple layers of review.

Oshtemo's ordinance sets the 10-acre floor because the flexibility a PUD provides is significant. Once approved, a PUD effectively governs development in place of the underlying zoning.

Alan Edwin Homes proposed a mix of 2-, 3-, and 4-bedroom homes. Some would have rear-loaded garages, some front-loaded. Some would be two stories, some ranches starting at a minimum of 1,000 square feet each. The concept plan presented to the board was preliminary. The developer said the full design would go through engineering and staff review before reaching the Planning Commission for a formal public hearing.

A board split on precedent and timing

The board spent more than 40 minutes deliberating. Members were divided on whether granting the variance was appropriate.

One board member argued the ZBA's role was narrow. The question was whether a one-acre deviation warranted a variance, not whether the project itself was good. The Planning Commission and Township Board would still scrutinize the design in two separate future reviews. Denying the variance, in that view, just adds a roadblock before the actual evaluation begins.

Other members were not comfortable with that reasoning. They argued that a PUD is different from a standard zoning request. Granting a variance to enter the PUD process without knowing much about the plan feels like giving a green light without knowing where the road goes.

Township zoning staff added a significant note to the record. They could find no prior case in Oshtemo Township where the ZBA had granted a variance from the minimum PUD development size. The decision could be precedent-setting, staff said.

The comprehensive plan adds pressure

Oshtemo Township adopted its 2045 Comprehensive Plan just before the ZBA meeting. Its implementation is expected to include zoning ordinance amendments, potentially including a reduction in the minimum PUD size.

Staff told the board that if those changes go through, a project like this one might not need a variance at all in a year or two.

That context cut both ways. One member said it was a reason to wait. Another saw it differently. The project still needs to go through multiple reviews, and the planning process could address the outstanding design questions the board was worried about.

The cautious view prevailed. A motion to approve failed. A subsequent motion to deny passed.

What residents said

One resident spoke during public comment about the tension at the heart of the decision. The property has been sitting empty for years since the last structures were demolished in 2021. A former township planner talked about wanting more housing near the village center. A project that could deliver 51 homes is, on its face, the kind of thing the comprehensive plan is calling for.

The ZBA's job was not to evaluate that broader question. Their job was to evaluate whether one acre of missing acreage warranted a variance. They decided it did not, at least not yet.

What happens next

The developer has two paths forward:

  • Acquire additional property to meet the 10-acre minimum and reapply for the variance
  • Wait for ordinance amendments that may lower the PUD size threshold as part of the comprehensive plan implementation

The parcels are not going anywhere. They have been largely vacant since 2021.

The ZBA's job isn't to evaluate that. Their job was to evaluate whether one acre of missing acreage warranted a variance. They decided it didn't, at least not yet, and not without more to look at.

The full ZBA meeting recording is available through Oshtemo Township's official channels. The Stadium Drive PUD variance discussion covers roughly 40 minutes of the meeting.