Sumpter Twp. Planners set public hearing on changes to vehicle sales

The Sumpter Township Planning Commission has set a 7:05 p.m., Oct. 8, public hearing on proposed revisions to the zoning ordinance regarding outdoor automobile, farm equipment and recreational vehicle sales.
The public hearing was set at the commission’s Sept. 10 meeting.
The commission will hear comments from the public and then make a recommendation to the township board, which will make the final decision.
Matthew Lonnerstater of Carlise Wortman, the township’s zoning administrator, had prepared the changes and the board discussed them and said the document was ready for public comment.
The commission also discussed Lonnerstater’s proposed changes to the zoning ordinance concerning detached accessory buildings. That needs more work and will be discussed further at future meetings.
At the open floor part of the meeting Steve Anton, a contractor from Bloomfield Township, wanted to know what he could do to get permission to change the former commercial units into residential apartments in the building at the southwest corner of Judd and Sumpter roads. He said preliminary plans call for the doors to be on the south side of the building and just windows along Sumpter Road. After discussion, Lonnerstater suggested either a rezoning request or a conditional rezoning request.
At the Aug. 13 meeting of the planning commission, the commission:
• Heard Lonnerstater discuss the used car dealership that is going in at the corner of Willis and Sumpter roads by Waltz Garage and Towing. He said ordinance officer Randy Lynch issued a stop work letter to cease work at the site until the special land use is approved by the township;
• Discussed whether a resident is in violation of the blight ordinance if he puts out a car for sale in his yard without a valid plate. The question was brought up by Commissioner Bardell who said you don’t want to renew the tab if it’s going to be sold. Brandon Brzys said he bought a car and transferred the plate to the new car
and put the other in the yard to sale without a plate. He wanted to know if he is in violation of the blight law. He said the car is still legally insured. Lonnerstater said he would check into laws on that (and his findings are incorporated in the proposed ordinance revisions; and
• Heard Lonnerstater say the survey of residents on what they would like to see in the township master plan only has had 24 respondents. The survey is expected to run through September, he said, and they would like to have more people respond. The survey has an on-line version and there are paper versions at the township hall.