MERIDIAN TWP. – Residents want to make sure two car dealerships looking to locate within a ½ mile stretch of Grand River Avenue don't take away from the quiet, rural feel of their neighborhoods.

"We're concerned about our little, rural section of the neighborhood getting kind of a big city feel," Jessi Adler, who has lived just south of Grand River Avenue for about 10 years, said.

Two automotive groups — LaFontaine Automotive Group and Fox Nissan — have requested special use permits from the Meridian Township Planning Commission to allow them to build dealerships on a handful of parcels along Grand River Avenue.

The proposals, if approved, would extend commercial development along the north side of the road from Central Park Drive to just past Powell Road in a primarily residential area. The dealerships would sit across Grand River Avenue from Walden Ponds Condominiums, Forest Hills, Meridian Meadows and Arrowtree Apartments.

Forest Hills residents have been particularly involved in the process as the planning commission considers approval or denial, sending comments to the township and speaking during planning commission meetings. Many of them question whether this is really the right spot for a dealership, and they're working to make any final development as palatable as possible.

"I would like to make development as easy on the residents in terms of disruption to what I consider a neighborhood with rural ambiance," Forest Hill Homeowners Association President Cecilia Kramer said.

She said residents are asking township officials to add conditions to the special use permits that would call for more green space, address drainage issues, decrease light and noise pollution and mitigate potential issues related to increased traffic.

"We’re just trying to massage their plans, with their consent, so it’s a little bit more palatable to the neighborhood," she said.

Working together

Both LaFontaine and Fox Nissan have expressed a willingness to work with neighbors.

"We don't want to just come in and build a dealership and that's what it is," Ryan LaFontaine, owner of the auto group that shares his name, told the planning commission. "We want to make sure we listen."

LaFontaine sent a representative to meet with area homeowners' associations and figure out their concerns.

Kramer said neighbors have appreciated that effort.

"I remain positive that we’ll be able to work this situation out so that we can welcome them as new neighbors," she said.

DP Fox, the group that owns Fox Nissan, hasn't done that, but a representative told the commission the group is open to comments and suggestions.

"We want to be great neighbors," Colin Schiefler, the group's director of project development, said. "We want to be part of this community."

From three to five dealerships

According to planning staff, the proposed dealerships would be the first built in the township since Okemos Auto Collection in 2001. Other dealerships have renovated existing buildings.

The dealerships would bring the total in the area around Grand River Avenue and Central Park Drive up to five. There are three dealerships operating within a mile west of where the two groups want to locate their new facilities. That includes a current Fox Nissan location.

LaFontaine Auto Group plans to open a Chrysler, Dodge, Ram Truck and Jeep dealership along West Grand River Avenue to the east of Powell Road. They have a long-term plan to also build west of Powell Road.

The first phase of the group's project calls for renovations to an existing building at 1492 West Grand River Ave. formerly occupied by Sports by Sager.

LaFontaine plans to open that building as a temporary dealership by June or July while it continues to work on plans for a permanent dealership to the west of Powell Road. There will not be a service facility on site.

The building would be the auto dealer's Ram Truck store permanently once it completes the full development, which it has yet to officially propose. The car dealer plans to renovate another building on the site into an office during a second phase of development.

Green Castle has proposed a 23,094 square foot Fox Nissan dealership, to include sales and service, to the west of the proposed LaFontaine dealership.

The Fox Nissan dealership in operation already at 1728 West Grand River Ave. is leasing that space, and the company prefers to own, a representative told the planning commission.

Fox Nissan is targeting an opening date of spring 2020.

Traffic studies show the developments could increase traffic on Grand River Avenue by about 727 trips per day, including about 115 during peak traffic times. Most of that additional traffic would come from Fox Nissan.

A 'sea of asphalt'

Both developers' plans call for demolishing at least one structure and removing trees from the wooded lots to make way for parking lots.

The vast amount of pavement is driving most of the neighbors' concerns. Pavement isn't permeable, meaning it could cause drainage issues after rain.

Suzanne Ferris lives in Walden Pond condominiums and says her biggest concern is drainage off the parking lots. That would increase the water flowing into the pond, which already needs to be cleaned.

It's taken three years for an upcoming dredging to happen, Ferris said, and she's concerned it would become an ongoing issue.

And then there's the issue that pavement simply isn't as pretty as a wooded area, residents say — they want the area to remain visually appealing.

"What we would not want to see is just a sea of asphalt with new cars on it," Kramer said.

Residents have said they especially don't want to simply see a line of cars with their hoods open taking up a significant portion of Grand River Avenue frontage.

That doesn't look or feel like Meridian Township, Adler said.

Adler added it's an environmental issue, as the plans call for a fair amount of deforestation, which also would displace wildlife.

"We’ve now taken a lot of green space, forest, rural property and turned it into nothing," said. "We’re essentially taking forest land and turning it into pavement."

Neighbors also have concerns about the increase in traffic. Even now, they said, it can be difficult to turn from Northview Drive onto Grand River Avenue.

"At 5 p.m. or when there’s a game going on, forget it," Ferris said. "You’re not going anywhere."

They've also asked the dealerships to not allow people to test drive cars through the neighborhoods.

What's next?

The Meridian Township planning commission has yet to vote on either request for a special use permit.

It is tentatively set to consider both requests on Dec. 10, though that could be pushed back if the auto groups miss a deadline to turn in revised plans.

Commission members generally have agreed with neighbors' concerns and asked the developers to include lots of green space and ensure they adequately address drainage issues.

If the commission does grant the permits, township planning staff will do a detailed review of developers' plans to make sure they follow local rules and regulations.

Contact reporter Megan Banta (517) 377-1261 or at mbanta@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @MeganBanta_1