VBT planners approve special land use, preliminary site plan

After a one-minute public hearing, on Aug. 10, during which no public had a comment, and a brief discussion by the commission, the Van Buren Township Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of special land use for Chahal Semi Truck Repair facility with a truck well and land improvements.
This recommendation will be sent on to the township board for the final decision on land use.
Joe Davenport of Davenport Brothers Construction, on behalf of owner Sukhdev Singh, applied to construct the 8,320 square foot building at 6100 Schooner Drive, south of Michigan Avenue, extending between Schooner Drive (west) and Schooner Drive (east).
The property is zoned M-2 – General Industrial District. Truck repair as a principal use requires special land use approval under the zoning ordinance and a public hearing is required.
Dan Power, planning and economic development director, said the 6-acre parcel was recently split.
Vidya Krishnan, planning consultant from McKenna Associates, said the building is suitable in an industrial park. They are working on a storm water detention issue and that is expected to be resolved by the final site plan approval.
She said the west site of the site is wooded and this is the east side. She recommended approval to the board of trustees for special land use.
The commission also approved the preliminary site plan for the project.
Krishan said they have a 36-foot entry because mostly trucks will be entering. Twenty-four feet is required. They will put in a new sidewalk to the east and west, also on the north, and partially on the east. The parking spaces are 12’x80’ along the northwest area.
She said the tree survey is still needed, but not for the south area which is left wooded for now. She said regulated trees of 5 inches need to be listed. She said the building has metal siding and block. It is functional and looks good, she said. There is an awning over the office door. She recommended approval of the preliminary site plan with stipulations.
Dave Potter, engineering consultant from Fishbeck, also recommended preliminary site plan approval, but noted a Wayne County Road Permit and SCSD permit are needed.
Commissioner Jeff Jahr, who was chairing the meeting, said they need a bit more investigation into the existing storm sewer.
In other business at the one-hour-and-32-minute meeting on Aug. 10, the commission:
• Removed from the agenda and postponed the final site plan consideration for a truck sales and repair facility for Kenworth/CSM Companies, Inc. Applicant is General Development Company, LLC, on behalf of owner Belleville North Marsh Ventures, LLC and Livonia Property, LLC. The request is for construction of a 62,750-square-foot building with related site improvements for outdoor vehicle sales and vehicle showroom uses with accessory vehicle repair and service. The site is a 20-acre parcel at 44660 N. I-94 Service Dr. between Dewitt and Morton Taylor roads. On Nov. 2, 2021, the township board approved special land use, but since then minor building changes have been proposed;
• Held a 52-minute discussion on building separation standards and side-entry garages, which currently are required in the PRD ordinances for single-family detached dwellings in the township. Krishnan said there have been many changes in housing needs since these requirements were put in place decades ago. The issue has come up in recent discussions with prospective developers regarding completion of long-incomplete residential PRDs and new proposals. A study of ordinances in Canton, Ypsilanti, Lyon, Plymouth, and Pittsfield townships and the City of Novi show side-entry garages as desirable options, but not mandated. Director Power said smaller lots may make affordable housing. Krishan offered to get pictures of subdivisions with options for side-entry garages and smaller building separations so the commission could see what they look like. The discussion will continue; and
• Discussed briefly the proposed design of the expanded Van Buren Township stormwater detention basin, located on township hall property, that is being updated as part of the Community Center construction. Power presented an Aug. 3 letter from Spalding DeDecker engineers on how a dry pond would work. The commission’s engineering consultant, Paul Kammer of Fishbeck, was not present and so the commission will discuss this after Kammer gets back. Treasurer Sharry Budd, who sits on the planning commission, said she talked to the township board about her concerns that children can crawl or climb over a fence at a detention pond. Power said the issue will go back to the township board for a final decision.