Trees Cleared At Shelby Parkway to Showcase Land To Potential Buyers

Do not adjust your eyes, Shelby Township: The massive loss of trees in Shelby Parkway and along 24 Mile Road between Jewell and Schoenherr roads was intentional.

According to the Shelby Township Planning and Zoning Department, Developer Gene D’Agostini has cleared the 50-plus acres of vacant land he owns inside the industrial parkway, and along 24 Mile Road, in order to showcase the property to potential buyers.

“When he purchased it, we met after, and he told us he wanted to start marketing it. He said all the vegetation obscures potential industrial buyers,” said Planning Director Glenn Wynn. “He told us he was going to do some selective clearing.”

D’Agostini, a member of the Shelby Township Downtown Development Authority, did not return Patch.com’s calls. However, Wynn said D'Agostini plans to farm winter wheat crops on the cleared land until he can sell it.

Since agriculture is an allowed use on the property, which is zoned as light manufacturing, D’Agostini did not need a permit from the township to clear the trees.

Wynn added that he has been supervising the phased clearing and the township had identified and tagged trees that were not to be cleared.

“There was a lot of trees frankly that were dead and fallen over,” said Wynn. “We tried to save some of the productive tree species, and we want it to look nice for some future use.”

But ultimately, Wynn said the land now belongs to D’Agostini, who bought up most of the vacant property inside the Shelby Parkway, and it will eventually be developed.