VBT planners postpone action on Yost Transfer Station addition

In 2023, two days after the Van Buren Yost Transfer Station passed all building inspections and the certificate of occupancy was in hand, a fire erupted.
Although the official cause of the fire was undetermined, it is believed it was from a lithium battery. The structure of the building was not affected, but the siding and roofing were damaged.
Now, South Yost, owner of the business at 44145 Yost Rd., wants to repair the damage from the fire to the north portion of the building and to construct an 8,280-square-foot addition to the existing waste transfer facility.
Rob Wagner of Midwestern Consulting, which is representing the applicant, told the Van Buren Township Planning Commission at its Aug. 13 meeting that the township now has many more requirements than it did when they built the 44’ building.
He said the business is a drive-through where trucks bring mainly construction materials, such as drywall, and unload it so they don’t have to take it to a landfill. He said Yost then ships it to a landfill.
Wagner opposed McKenna planning consultant Lauren Sayre’s recommendation that the commission table voting on approvals until the company could get better information. She listed 11 items for Yost to consider.
She said they could consider the preliminary and final site plans together at a future meeting after everything is worked out.
Wagner agreed to change the sign that was proposed to read “Superior Township” to read “Van Buren Township” but he said now the height of the building already in place is being questioned, as well as the setback, which was approved by the township before, “but now is wrong, I guess”.
And, since only three or four people work at the site and nobody parks and there are no visitors, they would like a total of four parking spaces approved instead of the 37 needed under the ordinance. Four was what was approved in 2023.
Sayre said she did not get elevations and the the photos the developers took that morning were not enough.
Wagner said the business has been operating since 2018 and conforms with state and county rules 100%. He said inspectors from the state and county can show up at any time.
Commissioner Medina Atchinson asked since the building is non-conforming, can the commission approve repairing it? She was told the damage was minor enough for the repair project to be approved.
Commissioner Jeff Jahr said there are more than the usual number of question for a preliminary site plan. He would like a clear diagram of parking allowed in 2021, what it is now, and what is proposed. He said now the information is disorganized and he wants it put on a clear sheet.
Wagner said in 2021 for the last project, they needed just four sheets for the site plan and now they need nine because there have been a lot of changes.
“We’re missing information that you have,” said commissioner Bernie Grant, who is professional architect.
Wagner said they would submit the application for variances to the height and setback requirements to the Board of Zoning Appeals the next day and get the requested drawings for the planning commission.
Commissioner Jahr said there are a lot of moving parts and, for example, the sidewalk agreement was not executed. He said in 2020, the planning commission deferred the sidewalks and required the applicant to execute an agreement to construct a sidewalk along the site’s frontage at a future date when such sidewalks are required as part of a larger redevelopment of the area. The agreement was never executed.
Brittney Williams, the township’s planning and zoning specialist, said she was not a part of that and there is no agreement on file. She said she will make sure it is signed.
“They’re close,” Jahr said, adding they can address the McKenna list.
“I’d like to postpone this, not deny,” Jahr said. “And, I would like to see the sidewalk plan closed out.”
Jahr made the motion to postpone until the applicant can address the concerns, and the sidewalk agreement is complete. Commissioner Grant seconded the motion and the commission unanimously approved it.
Commission chairman Brian Cullin said he hopes to approve the preliminary and final site plans at the same time.
In other business at the 54-minute meeting on Aug. 13, the commission:
• Approved the final site plan for the 5,033-square-foot Chick-fil-A drive-thru restaurant at 10150 Belleville Rd., in front of Menards. A correction to the proposed sign was agreed to, so the reference to the city of Belleville will change to Van Buren Township. Chick-fil-A has a grand-opening team that will come out weeks before the location opens and works with the owner-operator and staff specifically on traffic management. The team also will meet with the police department and other officials to make sure everyone is on the same page. The restaurant is expected to start construction in April;
• Approved the site plan amendment for The Timbers subdivision for nine revised single-family architectural elevations, so Century Complete can build on the 37 lots in the unfinished development on the east side of Elwell Road, south of Harbour Pointe Court and North of Lauren Court. When asked the costs, the developer said the smallest houses will be about $354,990 and the larger homes about $379,000; and
• Discussed the subcommittee that was proposed at the recent tri-community planning commission meeting. Commissioners Atchinson, Jahr, and Peter Creal volunteered to serve. When asked what they were expected to do, Jahr said usually at the first meeting the group decides if the subcommittee is a good idea and then what they should do. Commissioners said the joint city/township sidewalk along Sumpter Road was mentioned at the recent joint meeting, as well as turning the island into a park.