MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - With the hopes of bringing new high end restaurants to Meridian Township, Stockwell Development Group requested the rezoning about nine acres of land during the Township Board meeting on October 20th.

The Developers urged for the two parcels of land, north of Grand River Avenue and just west if Powell Road, to be changed from professional office space to commercial space.

Ken Stockwell, President of Stockwell Real Estate Group, noted that the demand for office space no longer exist in the area. Meridian Township Trustee John Veenstra agreed.

"We have an excess of (professional office space) in the Township," Veenstra said. "It seems permissible to grant the request so that we rezone this to C-2 commercial. It was suggested that this might be a good location for a restaurant."

The Planning Commission held a public hearing on this same matter more than a month ago and recommended the rezoning of the two parcels from professional office space to commercial space.

It was also noted that the Planning Commission previously received statements about the abundance of unused office space in and around the township.

The two parcels that Stockwell is requesting to be rezoned is located near land already designated as the Township's Commercial Core on the 2005 Master Plan Future Land Use Map.

The Township's traffic consultant reviewed the applicant’s traffic assessment and determined that there were no concerns with traffic volumes. It was also discussed that public water and sanitary sewer services are available to serve the site.