Former swim club set for million-dollar housing development

FARMINGTON HILLS — At its meeting May 11, the Farmington Hills City Council took the plunge and unanimously voted to conditionally approve the former Kendallwood Swim Club property for a 10-unit, detached home, single-family cluster development.

Council members voted 7-0. The property is located at 29150 Farmington Road, just south of 13 Mile Road. It was first introduced as a planned unit development in 2019.

Among the reasons for the delay were a change in ownership, changes in the plans, and the COVID pandemic.

City Councilwoman Jackie Boleware, who is among the most senior members of council in time served, described the decision as a full-circle moment.

“I came on board to council in November 2019 and this was the first thing on the agenda the day I came in,” Boleware said. “It was approved that day. It was a great project.”

The homes are estimated to range in size from 2,700 to 3,500 square feet, with a lot size of about 40 by 60 feet. The floor plans include a four-bedroom model with three and a half baths.

According to the applicant, Ayman Rida, the developer is trying to keep the price of the homes around $800,000 to $1.1 million, depending on the size. The homes will be made from insulated concrete for greater energy efficiency and a more durable structure.

“The prices just went up with rising oil prices, Rida said. “Nobody can guarantee (a price).”

According to renderings, the homes will feature a more modern look and adhere to the zoning ordinances on height regulations. The new cluster development is zoned as RA-2, which is for single-family units and consistent with nearby properties, according to Benjamin Carlisle, with planning consulting firm Carlisle | Wortman.

There was concern that the development may affect the water and sewage infrastructure. According to Carlisle, the drainage of the development will not affect drainage going into the minnow pond, which borders the property.

“The storm system has been designed to capture the stormwater on each site on each parcel, so that it would retain it and then send it to the north instead of affecting the south,” he said.

One resident was concerned with the new development encroaching on her property and removing the tree in her backyard. She asked the council not to approve the project.

Carlisle assured her that her property was the offsite part of the renderings, and the tree was marked as “do not remove.”

The conditions of the motion included council’s approval of the floor plans, elevation and tree survey.

“Kendallwood (Swim Club) was a magical place. Woodbrooke (Hills Swim & Tennis Club) was a magical place. I’ve also been heartsick that it has just been sitting there,” said Theresa Rich, the mayor of Farmington Hills. “I think this is going to be great. I look forward to hearing children laughing again on that property.”