The rezoning of 18.3 acres next to Visteon Village, requested by Visteon, was removed from the agenda of the Van Buren Township Planning Commission on March 24 at the request of Visteon.
The official statement on the agenda said: “The applicant has requested that this item be postponed to allow for collection of additional information.”
The earliest it can be considered by the planning commission would be at its April 14 meeting.
Jim Militello, who had introduced himself at a previous meeting as being responsible for the real estate department of Visteon, told those present at the March 24 meeting that he has been advised to take the long and narrow lots at the north and south ends of the proposed rezoning off the request, thereby reducing the number of acres they want rezoned.
He then explained his lack of preparedness at the March 10 public hearing on the rezoning.
“My understanding was to look at the rezoning first and then the use, and so we were prepared just for the rezoning,” Militello said.
That is the regular procedure, with the land’s proposed use not generally connected to rezoning approval.
But at the March 10 meeting, a large group of neighbors with various documents in hand, protested the rezoning because they had information that an electric generating plant, using methane gas from a landfill, would be constructed on the property near their homes.
Since the rezoning was on the March 24 agenda, the planning commission could have voted that night on the rezoning request, from Agricultural and Estate (residential) to Office Technology, had the item not been removed. There is a question whether OT zoning would allow a generating plant, even with special land use approval.
Planning consultant Sally Hodges from McKenna Associates gave a brief report on the Grace Lake Area Master Plan, an amendment to the township master plan that was approved in December 2001. The Grace Lake area includes the Visteon property.
Hodges said the township planning commission took a year to come up with a plan for the gravel pit area (Grace Lake), and at that time, Visteon wasn’t one of the considerations.
That area now is primarily master planned OT zoning, for future uses. She pointed out there were large tracts of open land in that area and the goal was to attract high-quality architecture in the area from Hannan on the east to I-275 on the west, and along both sides of Tyler to the south and up to Ecorse on the north. A commercial area was planned for the I-275/Ecorse corner.
Public property pieces were cut out of the master plan drawing: Tyler Road Cemetery, the old fire station site (now the dog pound), and Wayne County Community College, south of Tyler along I-275.
Hodges produced an up-to-date aerial photo to point out the location of the Grace Lake Master Plan and the proposed rezoning on the northeast side of the Visteon property.
At the March 10 meeting, neighbors had complained that Militello displayed an old aerial photo of the property, showing the unimproved gravel pit, instead of a recent photo showing Visteon Village.
Hodges displayed a list a standards, which included sequencing of zoning changes and no isolation of residences.
Ernie Tozer, 9200 Hannan, said it was the timing he was worried about and he questioned if they were not seeking rezoning prematurely.
He also questioned whether all the various parcels acquired by Visteon could be lumped together for the rezoning request.
Tozer said the master plan calls for at least 340’ frontage on Hannan, but Visteon has only 310’ frontage on Hannan. That parcel does have the required frontage on Visteon Way, however.
“We can come up with guidelines for one lot at a time, but it’s hard to measure when they are all lumped together,” Tozer said.
He noted that screening is required between development and residential for visual, noise, “and everything else.”
“I love my neighborhood the way it is and I don’t want to change it,” said Sandra Croswell, and the audience applauded in support.
In other business at the March 24 meeting, the commission:
* Held a public hearing on the request of Michael Carr, 49700 Martz Road, to construct a detached accessory building that is larger than allowed (by 372 square feet) and 10” higher than allowed. There were no objections to the construction and the vote on the request is due to be voted on at the April 14 meeting. When asked, Director of Planning and Development Dan Swallow said Carr’s pole barn would be allowed without special approval under the rules in the new ordinance amendments being discussed;
* Discussed those amendments to the zoning ordinance having to do with accessory structures. David Frankling, who had been in litigation with the township for almost five years over an oversize garage built next door to him on Harmony Lane, said the changes to the ordinance are a direct result of his litigation. No one denied this. After going to circuit court, court of appeals, and a try at the supreme court, “It turns out you were wrong all along… I’m a bit miffed I wasn’t informed of this meeting… It would have been courteous to let me know.” He said he had to get information on the proposed changes through Freedom of Information Act requests. Frankling said the proposed changes would allow the peak of a roof on an accessory building to be up to 19 feet tall and he unrolled a tape measure to show the commission how tall that would be. “I cringe to think anyone could put that next to my house,” Frankling said. He said township officials took their argument to court and lost and now they are changing the ordinance to comply with their losing argument. Frankling asked several pointed questions about the ordinance and then Sharry Budd made a motion, seconded by Robert McKenna to postpone any action on the ordinance until the attorney as consulted and all questions were answered. The motion passed unanimously; and
* Heard resident John Delaney point out that he saw some animosity from board members when Frankling was trying to head off new problems for the board that evening. Delaney said Frankling was “hosed by the holdover commissioners” in the past. Delaney also praised Township Trustees Al Ostrowski and Denise Partridge for getting done in the previous 48 hours action on the Walmart path that had been stalemated for years. Delaney also praised Planning Commissioner Carl Johnson for going out to the site and talking with neighbors and then bringing the issue back to the planning commission. Delaney said the neighbors didn’t get help from the planning commission, but it got done finally when the problem was taken to Wayne County Commissioner Kevin McNamara on March 22.