Editorial: Tri-community commissions compare plans

There were about 30 people present at the Dec. 6 cooperative meeting of the three planning commissions for the tri-communities of Van Buren Township, Sumpter Township, and the city of Belleville.
About half of that number were members of the three planning commissions, with the rest being elected and appointed officials and a planning consultant.
The members of the commissions talked about anything that they thought would be of the interest to the other communities.
There were a few things that hadn’t been discussed in public before, like the plan for Tractor Supply to build a store on the corner of Sumpter and Hull roads. That’s a big deal for the rural area on the south side of Van Buren Township. It also will no doubt bump heads with one of its national competitors, Ace Hardware, just down the road in Sumpter.
Belleville and Van Buren Township officials told of their hopes to build a boardwalk. It could start on the former DNR property on the water just north of the Belleville Bridge and then go to Doane’s Landing and along the lakeside to the far end of Horizon Park.
And, other ideas that were new.
Those from the three communities agreed it was a good idea to share their plans and ideas and will do it again on May 1, if all goes well. It’s always better to know.