Orion Homeowners Hear from Township Departments at Annual HOA Meeting
(Crystal A. Proxmire, May 5, 2023)
Orion Township, MI – In Orion Township there are 55 active Home Owners Associations and 10 Lake Association group, and each year representatives from those groups are invited to a meeting with the Township Supervisor and staff to get updates, share ideas, and build lines of communication between the groups.
“It is important to have a meeting of the HOAs as they are the volunteer group closest to the issues facing our residents. We take the opportunity, at least once a year, to bring them together, with our experts, to arm them with useful information, key township updates and networking with each other. This has proved to be one of our most popular meetings every year,” said Township Supervisor Chris Barnett.
The April 26 meeting covered a variety of topics, including where residents can find information about development projects, and updates about what is both new and forthcoming at the parks. They also heard from Orion ONTV, which is funded through state-mandated cable company fees which come back to the community and are used for public access TV and the recording of public meetings (including this one).
Lt. Ofiara of Oakland County Sheriff’s Office talked about crime and traffic crashes. He announced that the Township would be adding a new traffic position – a weighmaster who will be on the the lookout for over-weight semi trucks that travel through Orion in order to avoid the scales on I-75. Overweight trucks contribute to the deterioration of roads.
The condition of roads was an obvious concern of attendees, which was included in the presentation. Supervisor Barnett explained that townships do not collect tax money for roads, so they rely on Oakland County Road Commission for main roads, and that residents are able to ask for special assessments to have local roads paved. “It’s not fun,” Barnett said. “No one wants to pay several thousand dollars to fix the road in front of their house.” He added that it is a small cost compared to the taxes residents might pay in other places. “Orion is cost effective. You are paying lower taxes by living in a township not a city.”
As far as main thoroughfares, several projects are planned or in the works, including the Orion and Stony Creek roundabout, a roundabout at Baldwin and Clarkston Road, and resurfacing projects on Silverbell, Giddings, and Brown in anticipation of increased traffic from the General Motors plant expansion and other area developments.
“Progress is painful sometimes, but once we get that done it should last 20-30 years,” Barnett said.
Another hot topic was that of food trucks, and the requirement for inspection and licensing. In a fairly recent ordinance, Orion Township has started requiring the inspections as a safety measure. “We drafted an ordinance that every food truck that gets near your house, near your car, that has everything they need for safety,” the Supervisor said. The Township has a list of licensed trucks, or if a group is requesting to bring in a food truck, the application process and inspection can happen with 24 hour approval. Over 60 trucks were approved last year. “The trucks with stickers are the ones you want to eat from,” said Fire Marshal Jeff Williams. “The trucks that have not passed inspection are the ones I would not want to eat from.” In addition to health, there are safety concerns. “Google food truck fires and explosions,” Williams said.
“We’re not trying to nickel and dime folks, but we do want to keep people safe,” Supervisor Barnett added.
Another topic on the minds of homeowners is that of watering their lawns. Bill Basigkow of the Public Services Department explained that Orion Township has watering restrictions in place because that allows the Township to replenish their water supply when the rates and demand are at their lowest. Residents and businesses are permitted to water between midnight and 5am Monday through Saturday, or any time on Sundays. Basigkow also stated that if someone has a home with a sprinkler system that is no longer desired or used, they property owner should cut and cap the water line going to that system because it prevents back flow into the home’s drinking water.
Other ordinances to keep in mind include the fact that solicitors – those who go door to door doing sales – must be registered. They also are restricted to knocking on doors between 11am and sunset. If residents are concerned about a solicitor, they can contact the Oakland County Sheriff’s office who can come out and see if the person is complying.
Orion Township also requires that any repair person doing over $600 worth of work on a home must have a license, again another regulation designed to protect residents.
Also to help keep residents safe, Orion Township Fire Department offers free smoke alarms and installation. Residents may reach out to the department at (248) 391-0304 ext. 200 if they are interested.
The meeting was packed full of updates and bits of information to help residents get the most out of living in Orion Township. “I think my most important job as your Supervisor is to protect your investment,” Barnett said to the dozens of people who attended the event. He explained that those active in HOAs are often a good source of information, and people that officials rely on to know what is going on in the neighborhoods. There is an HOA map in progress, and HOA leaders are asked to share information for the map, such as a contact email or website if groups have them. Residents can find their HOA, and a wealth of other information, at https://www.oriontownship.org/community/orion_township/homeowner_associations.php.
Those who missed the presentation can view it online courtesy of Orion ONTV:
