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4704 Rochester Rd.
Royal Oak “City of Trees” violates its own branding -
Legacy trees cut down for multi-family project.

"We are saving three very large legacy trees, which are on Genesee, which I know is something that is important to the neighborhood - and to us," project attorney Dennis Cowan said at a May 13, 2024, Royal Oak City Commission meeting about a multi-family development that squeezes 42 apartments onto a site zoned for only 16 units — despite a protest petition signed by over 300 neighbors. (Note: Although Cowan cited three trees, the site plan showed four.)

Despite that promise, four massive trees, which were at least 100-years-old and were designated to be saved on the site plan, were reduced to a pile of sawdust on Wednesday, Dec. 18, and their trunks scattered like gigantic Lincoln Logs. Mayor Mike Fournier and most of the commissioners have frequently accepted money from the mayor’s “Political Donation Dream Team” which includes Cowan and the project’s architects Krieger Klatt. City politicians recently approved plans by Cowan and Krieger Klatt to waive 100% of the parking requirement, or 81 parking spaces, at 505 S. Lafayette in downtown Royal Oak despite public outcry.

Source: May 13th, 2024, Royal Oak City Commission meeting at 10:46:30 p.m. at 3:23:00 of the recording at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNf5RbKc2m0

Photographs courtesy of Tom Hoermann and Rich Hetrick

The savage slaughter of the trees at 4704 Rochester Road hypocritically violated Royal Oak’s branding as an environmentally conscious “City of Trees” – the trees would have helped residents with much needed storm water management, shade and noise buffering from the increased traffic that the overly dense project will bring to the site.

“A violation of the zoning ordinance is a misdemeanor, and if this aspect of the Planned Unit Development (PUD) has been violated, what next?” asked former city attorney Charles Semchena, Jr. “The city of Royal Oak never enforces site plans when the politicians’ political contributors are involved in the approval process.”

 

Semchena further pointed out that the project team used a tactic at the May 13th meeting called greenwashing to deceive the public into believing a project is environmentally sound.
 

“Cutting down these four legacy trees represents the typical fast and loose approach being taken by our elected and appointed officials and the companies doing business with the city,” long-time bank building neighbor Tom Hoermann said.

“And where is the Lorax who speaks for the trees?” he added, referencing the popular Dr. Seuss children’s book which depicts the impact of greed on the natural environment.

“We must be able to rely on Royal Oak politicians and their cronies to keep their promises,” Protect Royal Oak organizing member and long-time Royal Oaker Trish Oliver said. “We must safeguard our trees so that Royal Oak remains the ‘City of Trees’ not only for our own quality of life but for that of our children and our grandchildren.”

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For more information about 4704 Rochester Road, visit:

https://www.protectroyaloak.com/pay-to-play-royal-oak-is-for-sale

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