VBT planners discuss Subaru R&D’s new landscaping project

The changeover from turf to native plantings at the Subaru Research & Development building on Michigan Avenue was discussed by the Van Buren Township Planning Commission at its regular meeting on July 24.
“It looks a little bit jarring without the sod,” said Dan Powers, director of planning and economic development, who inspected the project on July 17 with Subaru officials.
He said Subaru has put up signs to announce their intentions.
A year ago, Subaru came to the planning commission to ask to allow about 1.1 acres of the original landscaping plan for the building at 50255 Michigan Ave., to be converted from turf grass to native plantings that will use little or no irrigation.
The planning commission granted modifications to the original landscaping plan on June 14, 2023 and asked that it be reviewed after two years.
But at that meeting, commissioner Jeff Jahr was skeptical at how it would look and asked the staff to review the project after one year.
Township treasurer Sharry Budd, who sits on the planning commission, said it looks a little sparse.
Commissioner Bernie Grant, an architect, said he had some experience with Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan) and it takes three years to really fill in. He said he planted a few and in three years it completely took over.
Commissioner Jahr said he went over to look at it himself and saw butterflies, and bees, and birds chirping and was “very pleasantly surprised how this has turned out.”
Jahr asked whose idea it was to make the change and Director Power said it was Subaru’s idea.
Jahr said if it looks good after two years, maybe the township should consider changing the landscape ordinance to allow natural planting.
He asked that they look at it again next year.
In explaining the project to the township in a letter June 7, 2023, Subaru facilities manager of the facility Ryan Plum wrote: “The goal of this proposed pollinator garden at 50255 Michigan Ave. is to conserve water and reduce the amount of pesticides that we are applying to our property – in the most cost and environmentally effective manner, which also providing habitats for species that have lost them due to lawns, invasive species, etc.”
He said the large expanse of grass between their north parking lot and Michigan Avenue comprises 64% of it irrigated acreage (2.3 acres out of 3.6 acres) and uses nearly 2,000 gallons of water per irrigation cycle (or 4,000-6,000 gallons of water per week).
He said on the days they don’t irrigate their lawn, they consume an average of 400 gallons per day of water within the facility.
“We will have to irrigate the area to establish the pollinator garden but in a few years it should be 100% self-sustaining,” Plum wrote. “Our proposal/contract with PlantWise LLC also includes numerous annual services to weed out invasive species that appear and to get things going and looking good as soon as possible.”
He stated, “Watering and fertilizing grass is not a healthy activity – and along with this project, Subaru R&D is also pursuing adding renewable power sources like wind and solar to be a positive example on the community, meet our corporate earth stewardship goals, and reduce our impact on the environment.”
He said this is something Subaru is proud of in other locations.
In its 37-minute meeting, the commission also granted final site plan approval to Ashley Capital Crossroads North for buildings 8 and 9 at 6290 Haggerty Rd. and 6480 Haggerty Rd.
This is to construct two 205,888-square-foot industrial buildings along with parking, landscaping, and affiliated site improvement. The total Ashley site is 175 acres in area and this proposed development is about 26.09 acres.
Kyle Morton, who represented Ashley Capital, said now all of building 11 is leased which makes all of the Crossroads North buildings occupied.
He said “the end is near on bumpy rides” referring to the work on Haggerty Road next to Crossroads North. He said the township has completed upgrading the 12-inch water line on the west side of Haggerty between Ecorse and Van Born roads and it is now 16 inches. He said gravel has been put on the west side of the road so they are getting ready to pave. Then they will flip to work on the east side of Haggerty.
He said they will be tapping into the sanitary sewer on the east side of Haggerty and so Ashley Capital has placed the connection so the paving can go over it and they won’t have to disturb a brand-new road in the future.
All of the storm water management plan was approved by the county for the whole Crossroads North plan so the county has approved that part of it.
Morton said there is a lot of standing water now, so they are anxious to get started on the detention ponds.
Vidya Krishnan, planning consultant from McKenna Associates, said Ashley Capital agreed to change their plans to put in a 5’ sidewalk from building 11 all the way to Haggerty Road to make a campus setting and pedestrian walkways. They also added a greenbelt behind buildings 8 and 9.
Absent from the July 24 meeting was commission chairman Brian Cullin, so vice-chairman Jeff Jahr led the meeting. Also absent was commissioner Medina Atchinson.