Dorr Township Planning Comm
ission Chairman Bob Wagner Tuesday evening agreed to ask Professional Code Inspections to look into complaints by residents of the Dorr Ranch development off 12th Street.
Several members of the neighborhood association appeared before the Planning Commission to talk about what they called unacceptable conditions of the private road in the development and other instances of developer Matt Howell not following through on what he promised.
Travis Knoper, chief spokesman for the group, said though Howell claimed to have had the road paved, “It was as if he painted the road and then called it paved.”
Knoper said at least three inches of asphalt are needed for proper paving, but Howell had only an inch and a half applied. Furthermore, he insisted that the road is too narrow.
He also charged that Howell promised to build him a four-bedroom house, but he’s living in a home with two bedrooms and a septic system that can handle only two.
Planning Commissioner Larry Dolegowski said, “I can’t believe PCI would let that happen,” particularly with the septic situation.
The planned unit development (PUD), formerly zoned agricultural, but not farmed, now includes 14 houses, but two are owned by Howell. It has an association, with a $200 annual for membership, but it isn’t clear if Howell is a member or not.
Kelly Bandoske said, “He’s in the association when he wants to be, but out of it when he doesn’t want to be.”
When it was noted that the site plan approval was for a gravel road, Knoper said the township ordinance insists the road must be paved if there are 10 or more houses.
The development earned approval in January 2005, but Dolegowski acknowledged, “When that first came in, it took a lot of meetings. That was a wet development.”
The residents said they feel now like they’re living on a swamp.
“We feel like we’re the victims of false advertising,” Knoper said. “We need to know what the developer is or isn’t responsible for.”
Dolegowski said, “It’s not our (the Planning Commission’s) job to go out and inspect a development after we’ve approved it.”
Knoper said he has talked with personnel from PCI, but he was told to take the matter before the Planning Commission.
Wagner promised he would speak with PCI to see what could be done, but added, “We can’t guarantee you anything.”
PHOTO: Travis Knoper shows some paper work to (pictured, from left) Planning Commission Chairman Bob Wagner and commissioners Dan Beute and Dan Weber.
