VBT Environmental Commission to review proposed ordinances

Van Buren Township is proposing 12 new ordinances that premier communities enforce in order to make VBT a premier community.
Supervisor Kevin McNamara sent the ordinances that have to do with the environment over to the Environmental Commission to review and at its Feb. 15 meeting the commission discussed new rules for dead or dangerous trees, plants, and shrubs; animal waste; removal of snow and ice from sidewalks, walks, and ramps; and trash receptacles.
Commission Chairman David Brownlee directed commissioners to read the ordinances and mark them up with questions so they will be prepared for an in-depth discussion at the March 15 meeting. Then they can send back recommendations and suggestions to the township.
Police Lt. Charles Bazzy is set to be at the next meeting to discuss the ordinances. Lt. Bazzy directs the township’s ordinance department and he and a township attorney created the ordinances based on ordinances in other communities.
In other business at the two-hour-and-22-minute meeting on Feb. 15, the commission:
• Discussed promotion of Household Hazardous Waste Day at US Ecology on the North I-94 Service Drive set for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14. Ron Akers, director of planning and economic development, listed all the ways the event will be promoted, including social media, and said with more promotion last year they saw an increase in the use of Hazardous Waste Day;
• Heard Brownlee announce that a Wayne County Hazardous Waste Day will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 22 at the Romulus Civic Center. He said they will be accepting electronics, TVs, computers, cell phones, and other items. Akers said a tire recycling day is also being set up by the county and they are working on details;
• Received an update on the Shoreline Zoning Ordinance Amendment and General Ordinance, which has been passed by the planning commission and will be voted on by the township board; and
• Learned the township is considering the fifth amendment to the Host Community Agreement with Waste Management. Akers had some confidential papers with him on the subject that he couldn’t use for comment. Trustee Paul White, who sits on the Environmental Commission as board liaison, said he was told the commission could only comment on environmental concerns on the proposed agreement, not anything else, although there were lots of questions. Brownlee told the commissioners to keep looking at the documents and to keep comments to environmental issues. Akers said the township doesn’t expect a recommendation from the Environmental Commission soon.