April 26, 2004

The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Department of Attorney General have entered into a consent judgment with Lakeside Oakland Development, L.L.C. (Lakeside Oakland) to resolve a pending civil lawsuit concerning development activities that occurred within state regulated wetlands located in the City of Wixom, Oakland County, at the northeast corner of Wixom Road and I-96.

The Attorney General, on behalf of the DEQ, filed a complaint alleging that Lakeside Oakland had undertaken construction activities in a wetland estimated between 8 and 15 acres in size. Under the mediated settlement, in exchange for completing construction of a hotel and office complex on the property that previously contained areas of regulated wetland, Lakeside Oakland has agreed to pay a $200,000 penalty to the general fund of Michigan, along with creating 30 acres of mitigation wetland from non-wetland areas. At least 20 acres are required to be created within the Upper Rouge River watershed, with the remaining 10 acres to be created within a 30-mile radium of the property.

“We are very pleased with the terms of this agreement”, said DEQ Director Steven E. Chester. “This year marks the 25th anniversary of Michigan’s wetlands protection program, and we are hopeful that the outcome of this case will encourage developers and local governmental authorities to recognize the importance of preserving valuable wetland resources, and to avoid them to the maximum extent possible.”

Editor’s note: DEQ news releases are available on the department’s Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

Revised April 26, 2004 by Peggy Webster