Plymouth reviews plans to build 319 homes on golf course site.

Byline: Brian Johnson

Developer Jake Walesch hopes to start pushing dirt this summer on a development that would create up to 319 high-end single-family homes on the shuttered Hollydale Golf Course property in Plymouth.

Walesch has a purchase agreement to acquire the golf course property, which is just east of Holly Lane, south of Schmidt Lake Road, west of Vicksburg Lane and north of Old Rockford Road in the northwest part of Plymouth.

But before the first homes go up, the project has to go through an environmental review, which looks at potential impacts on everything from water and soil resources to historic properties. A comment period runs through Feb. 26.

In the 186-page environmental assessment worksheet, the developers said the project responds to "the demand for housing" in Plymouth and increases the "diversity of single-family homes" in the suburb.

"It's a good site for what we do as a developer," Walesch said in an interview. "We usually do larger lots; a little more expensive homes. And we usually have nice amenities, private amenities that we install in the neighborhood.

"We've developed over 1,000 lots in the area in the last 10 years, so it fits in very nicely with what we do generally as a business."

Some current residents have pushed back on the plans.

The city has "heard from some neighbors that they are not in favor of having the golf course developed," said Shawn Drill, the city's senior planner. Critics have said the project will create traffic issues and other problems in a largely residential area.

Walesch said the environmental review process will allow residents to express their views.

"It's a long process with multiple opportunities for folks to comment and have input," Walesch said. "Because of the EAW, it essentially doubles the amount of meetings that we will have. There's a lot of dialogue about the project."

Walesch said the homes would range in price from about $650,000 to $1.5 million. Up to three types of single-family homes with lot sizes ranging from 60 to 90 feet wide and 130 to 135 feet deep are planned, according to the EAW.

Possible amenities include 40 acres of open space, community spaces, wetland, park land, a clubhouse, pool...