VBT planners approve final site plan for Constellium buildings

In a new procedure that accelerates development in Van Buren Township, Constellium got final site plan approval for a building expansion and an accessory building at its very first appearance before the planning commission on this project.
In the past, it took several steps and at least a month or two to get to this point.
At the May 9 regular meeting of the planning commission, Ron Akers, director of planning and economic development, explained.
“… this process differs from our typical process as the applicant has elected to submit construction drawings prior to preliminary site plan approval,” he wrote in a memo, noting this was a risk for the applicant.
“It is due to the earlier submittal and approvals from our township engineer and Wayne County that we are able to consider this project for final site plan approval prior to obtaining preliminary site plan approval. We have completed our review based upon the standards of the Township’s Zoning Ordinance.”
The project includes a 50,551-square-foot addition to the south end of an existing industrial building at 6331 Schooner Drive, and construction of a 20,000 square foot detached accessory building for storage to the east side of the property.
Included in the project are related site improvements consisting of parking areas, drives, sidewalks, utilities, landscaping and lighting.
Akers said the accessory building is compliant with the standards in the recent Zoning Ordinance amendment that the commission forwarded to the township board regarding accessory buildings.
He said the first reading of the amendment was approved by the township board and the second reading was scheduled to be approved May 15.
Approval of the final site plan was given contingent upon the township board’s approval of the amendment.
Wayne Perry of Desine, Inc., representing Constellium, reminded the commission that three years ago the business expanded and now they are expanding again.
The commission also approved a tree removal permit for 81 trees, most of which are considered “removable” under township ordinances. They will be replaced with 16 trees.
Commission chairwoman Carol Thompson was interested in the details of the accessory building construction, since it was labeled a “fabric structure.”
Constellium architect Karl Vollmar explained that it was a steel structure bolted to a cement slab and the structure has a cover that is fabric. It is an unheated space that can be disassembled and transported.
Thompson asked if it was lighted and if it might glow at night. Vollmar said the lights were inside at the top and they were motion activated. He said he didn’t believe the building would be glowing at night.
Akers said the accessory building was to house plastic totes that had been stored in the open which was in violation of the ordinance. Moving them inside would bring the property into compliance, he said.