Phase 4 of Meadowbrook Farms in Three Rivers advanced a step at Tuesday’s city commission meeting. Commissioners voted 6-0 to approve a sketch plan for the proposed single-family home condominium subdivision.

Westview Capital, LLC, an affiliate of Allen Edwin Homes, seeks to build 22 new residences. These would range from a 1,607-square-foot ranch house to a 2,278-square-foot two-story house, along with two models for bi-level houses.

Tuesday’s public hearing included discussion about a second entrance and exit along Pine Street in Three Rivers. Mayor Tom Lowry said for at least the last three years, the city commission has said it would seriously consider any request by Meadowbrook Farms residents for a second ingress and egress. Lowry also mentioned how Meadowbrook Farms’ development and construction has been ongoing over several years.

“When they started Phase 3 several years ago, a number of the Phase 1 and Phase 2 residents said it’s great, we’d like more neighbors,” Lowry said. “But when it fills up, there’s going to be a lot of cars coming in and out of one egress, which is on Portage (Avenue). They asked if we would please ask Allen Edwin to put a second entrance and exit. The only corner left was Pine Street.”

Lowry reiterated that the Three Rivers City Commission has felt strongly, for safety and convenience, that a second entrance and exit is needed at the Meadowbrook Farms site.

John Lovely, Westview Capital, said that as of Tuesday, construction was being prepared for some of Meadowbrook Farms’ Phase 3 houses. He expects Phase 4 construction will happen quickly. As for new traffic within Phase 4 and Pine Street, he anticipates it will all be residential traffic and the occasional trash truck.

“I think it’s going to be pretty minimal,” Lovely said.

Tuesday’s motion only approved the sketch for Phase 4. A permit still needs to be approved. The City of Three Rivers cannot issue the permit until the Phase 4 land is bought from the city.

“We will be addressing this a second time,” Lowry said.

Frank Stanko is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.