By By NORMA LERNER / Dowagiac Daily News
CASSOPOLIS – A hearing to discuss the realignment of a portion of Eagle Lake Road in Ontwa Township was set for 10 a.m. Jan. 4 by action of the Cass County Road Commission on Thursday.
About 50 persons attended the meeting expecting to hear about a petition to abandon Eagle Lake Road by a developer after hearing about it Monday night at the Ontwa Township meeting.
The request for the road realignment was made by Lakeview LLC developer Paul DeLano of Edwardsburg who proposes to realign Eagle Lake Road from the top of the hill at Stacy's Food and Spirits restaurant to the south to behind the Dock restaurant to the north.
It would then join the existing Eagle Lake Road to the north where DeLano owns property at the north end of the channel. His proposal is to build condominiums and single-family homes on the 12.5 acres that he owns at the Dock property at Eagle Lake Road where he will be presenting an abandonment petition.
Board Chairman Robert Powers said there would be no discussion about the acceptance of a petition that was on the agenda to discuss only. He said when a hearing date is set, the road commission wouldn't have to listen to it all over again and only two to three spokespersons should be chosen to speak.
Road Engineer-Manager Joseph Bellina said there are issues with surveys of the proposed realignment that will be discussed during the hearing.
Bellina said he would inform the Department of Environmental Quality to attend the hearing on Jan. 4.
Powers noted there are discrepancies in the abandonment over two pieces of property and approval was given to table the matter until the commission's Dec. 7 meeting at 9 a.m.
The commission also adopted a resolution for the county and road commission approved Cass County Parks and Recreation Five-Year Recreation Plan following a required public comment session held Nov. 2 for citizens to express opinions, ask questions and discuss the aspects of the plan.
Parks Director Scott Wyman that the adoption means that the Parks Department will be able to apply and/or receive state grants.
The commission also approved the extension of South Fork Drive in South Fork Subdivision on Redfield Road into its road system of .17 miles.[ok]