The Sterling Square development would be located immediately to the west of the Red Run Plaza on 15 Mile Road, west of Schoenherr. It would wrap around the existing development in an “L”-shaped pattern. (MITCH HOTTS — THE MACOMB DAILY)
Questions are being raised about the foundation of a proposed mixed-use development planned for the 15 Mile-Schoenherr area of Sterling Heights that once operated decades ago as a landfill.
Lansing-based Sterling Square, LLC wants to construct a planned unit development on 15 Mile Road that would include two retail centers, two free-standing restaurants, and five two-story, multi-family residential buildings.
It would be located just west of an existing shopping strip and gas station at the southeast corner of Schoenherr and 15 Mile roads.
But concerns have been raised over would the integrity of the land would be sufficient to support the project. Longtime residents talk about previous buildings built in the area that experienced a shifting ground, which is often caused by gases penetrating from the trash buried below ground.
“Who knows what all is in there,” Roger Alexander, a resident of the area, said at last week’s Planning Commission meeting. “It’s built on garbage.”
The commission ultimately voted to recommend the project be approved by the City Council.
Longtime homeowners in the neighborhood said the property was a residential dump that operated from 1954-1961 when the area was known as Sterling Township and incorporated as Sterling Heights.
They shared accounts of municipal waste trucks dropping off solid waste in the daylight, and so-called midnight dumpers unloading under the cloak of darkness.
Others spoke of chemicals leaching from the site, such as lead and benzyne, which can cause health problems upon prolonged exposure. They say excavation from construction can further expose contaminants. noting the property is to the north of the Red Run Drain.
“I don’t think it’s safe to build there,” one homeowner said.
Planning department officials say Sterling Square representatives have had an initial meeting with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) for direction on how clean up the contaminated site.
State officials will require the developer to create what’s known as a due care plan to spell out whether the contamination does not cause unacceptable exposure as part of the redevelopment process. The developer will also have to come up with response activity plan as a condition of the site plan.
Jake Parcell, the city’s assistant chief planner, said the city and state will thoroughly study the process and a cleanup of the site performed.
“No shovel will be put into the ground until remediation has taken place,” he said.
Other concerns about the property centered on increased traffic and parking issues.
Zaid Arabo, of Troy-based ZA Design, the architect, said the developer has agreed to reduce the number of parking spots by 20% for increased walking space. Traffic studies conducted by Quality Control indicated the development would increase daily traffic trips by 3.46%
Planners say there was a “significant reduction” in the number of parking spaces for the apartments. Sterling Square now has 160 parking spaces, compared to the 172 in the original plan.
The planning department say the commercial side, with the shopping centers and restaurants, is “overparked.” Sterling Square has 190 spots, while the city says 145 is required.
City officials say both the commercial and residential sections have too many parking spaces. They want the developer to obtain shared parking agreements with neighboring property owners or create parking spaces behind the buildings.
Sterling Square plans to construct five, two-story residential buildings that would house 64 two-bedroom apartments.
The site would have frontage on 15 Mile and Schoenherr, and include a retention pond close to Schoenherr.
Responding to criticism from the commissioners that the project wasn’t “cohesive” enough, Arabo said: “We put our best foot forward. We’ll have to agree to disagree.”
A motion to deny approval failed, with two commissioners absent. The plan was then approved to be forwarded to the City Council, likely at a November meeting.
