CENTRAL LAKE -- A group of homeowners in Antrim County are fighting to block a road improvement project that is set to begin.

Several residents of Burch Terrace Road in Central Lake Township contacted 7&4 News asking for help to find out why the township is pushing forward with the plans even though the residents say the majority of them oppose the project.

"It just sickens me, I wanted to just cry this morning when I heard the trucks. This is going to change the atmosphere," said Pat Burch who lives on the road that has been in her family since the early 1920's.

Homeowners like Burch say they're up in arms with estimated $16,000 project to cover the gravel road with blacktop asphalt.

"It's a waste of money that could be used far better. Give it to the schools if you have to get rid of it," Burch said.

Burch Terrace is a one-lane seasonal road servicing about two-dozen seasonal cottages. Residents who spoke with 7&4 News say the paving will take away the ambience of their up north living and triggers various environmental and safety concerns.

"It will definitely increase speed," said Sheri Swinehart, another resident who opposes the plan. "What many of us are also concerned about is that many people coming on east torch lake drive are going to see a blacktop and think this road goes somewhere and use it as a cut through."

Several residents also say they are concerned about where water run off where end up, especially considering they all have shallow wells as their water source.

At the center of the project are two separate petitions.

"After this petition was circulated we moved on it and we are getting some excellent pricing as far as asphalt and we voted to have the road done," said Stan Bean, supervisor for the township of Central Lake.

But, the home owners say the original petition is plagued with problems including multiple signatures from the same home; the residents add they were never even approached in the first place.

So, they returned last week to the most recent township board meeting with a petition of their own, one they say that shows the majority of homeowners are opposed to the plan. But, they say they were told it's too little too late.

"There we were pleading with the supervisor to take the revote. I mean what would have it cost to take a revote he could have polled the trustees right then and there and avoided a special vote. No his attitude was it's a done deal, it's a township road and we're going to pave it," Burch said.

"It's divided but we feel that residents have been paying taxes and the township is trying to improve all of the roads," Bean said.

The project is funded by a one-mill taxation used for general road improvement projects. Bean says during the last general board meeting there were not enough votes from board members to bring the issue back up for a re-vote.

While work is already underway, Burch Terrace Road is slated to become asphalt by some time next week. Until then, the residents who oppose the project say they'll continue to do whatever they can to keep the road just the way it is.