By Charles E. Ramirez / The Detroit News

MACOMB TOWNSHIP — For Eugene Braniecki, moving to Macomb Township was, as they say, a no-brainer.

“We really like it here,” said Braniecki, a retired tool and die worker who moved from Shelby Township to a home in Macomb that is easier to maintain. “We’re really enjoying living here.”

Last month, Braniecki and his wife, Theresa, paid $135,000 for a 1,200-square-foot condominium in Warwick Village near Hall and Garfield.

As thousands of people like the Branieckis flock to Macomb Township — the state’s fastest-growing suburb — developers are turning land that once was used for farming and growing apples into industrial parks and subdivisions. Forty projects — including new neighborhoods, a downtown district and an ice arena — are under construction or on the drawing board, records show.

Thirty-four projects involve the creation of new homes and condos, township Clerk Michael Koehs said. That’s on top of the more than 4,000 new homes that have been built in the township since 2000, according to the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments.

Sprawl speeds ahead

As residential sprawl speeds ahead unabated, the community gets more crowded and traffic more congested.

“Traffic is really crazy around here,” said Joseph Nevedal, an autoworker who moved into a $285,000 Macomb Township home from Royal Oak with his wife, Sandra, three years ago. “It seems to get worse as the township grows more every year.”

While new home growth soars, businesses and commercial development is flagging. Over time, having a tax base that is primarily residential may lead to higher taxes for homeowners to offset the costs of township services.

Susanne Cannon, professor of finance and director of the Real Estate Center at DePaul University in Chicago. said the issue is a typical problem for “communities that grow out of cornfields.”

“Someone has to pay for all of the stoplights, schools and (township) services,” she said.

Macomb Township’s rapid growth and construction boom are having a profound impact on the region’s economy.

“All of the construction here has created jobs for thousands of workers,” Koehs said. “Those workers then spend the money they earn here where they live as well as in our community.”

The $300,000 homes and $3 million estates being built as part of the residential building boom in Macomb Township also are helping to change northern Macomb’s blue-collar image to one that is more affluent, new home buyers say.

Location is big draw

The draw to Macomb Township — and the driving force behind all of the construction in it — is its location, its services and its tax rates, residents say.

The township has M-53 at its western border and Interstate 94 to the east. Its southern border is Hall Road.

“Everything my wife and I need is nearby,” Braniecki said. “And we can get anywhere in Metro Detroit very easily from here.”

In addition, the township also offers top-notch services, residents say.

“You get more bang for your buck here,” said Michael Magnoli, a Macomb Township resident and real-estate developer. “And because it’s such a close-knit community, you get personal attention from the township’s government.”

The township’s taxes also are comparatively low. Depending on the school district, the community’s millage rates are between 24 and 28 mills, so taxes on a $200,000 home can be as low as $2,400 a year. By comparison, the same home in Rochester in Oakland County would create an annual tax bill 38 percent higher — about $3,300, records show.

These qualities have helped Macomb Township remain one of the fastest-growing communities in the state. Its population swelled to 66,708 this year — up from 22,714 in 1990 and 50,478 in 2000, according to SEMCOG. The council predicts the community’s population will top 111,000 in 24 years.

“The township has a lot going for it,” said John Brennan, Macomb Township supervisor. “We’ve got rising property values and great schools — everything that makes for a desirable community.”

Housing projects

While developers are planning or building some industrial subdivisions in Macomb Township, “about 85 percent of all of the construction here is for new neighborhoods and homes” and condominiums, Koehs said.

The latest project to get the go-ahead: a Clinton Township developer’s plan to build 150 houses and town houses. Developer Antonio Evangelista told township officials last week he will invest at least $2.4 million to put up the homes at 25 Mile and Luchtman this summer.

To acknowledge the continued growth, the township is hiring additional firefighters and working with the Road Commission of Macomb County to open new routes and pave new roads, Koehs said.

“Our lifestyle here has definitely changed,” he said. “We’re trying to stay ahead and make sure we can serve all of the township’s residents.”