VBT planners deny update of Subaru storage building facade

At its Aug. 27 meeting, the Van Buren Township Planning Commission approved the preliminary and final site plans for construction of an auxiliary storage building at the Subaru property. It actually had been approved in 2018 but had not been built and the approval had lapsed.
Since the plan was the same as was previously approved, staff didn’t think putting them through the full site plan review would serve any purpose.
The Subaru facility is on the Harold Smith Farm parcel on Michigan Avenue in Denton.
Subsequently, the applicant submitted a building permit application for a structure constructed entirely of block, stating the approved elevation is cost-prohibitive and the building will not be seen by anyone in the right of way.
So at its Sept. 24 meeting, Subaru was back to ask the commission to amend the façade of the storage building from the metal siding approved to make it a block building instead.
Both Vidya Krishnan, the township’s planning consultant from McKenna, and Ron Akers, director of municipal services, recommended the commission deny the change and stick with what the commission approved on Aug. 27.
A Subaru representative said their budget does not coincide with metal siding and there was a misunderstanding at the last meeting.
Director Akers said that Brittany Williams, who was staff representative at the Aug. 27 meeting, assumed it was still the metal siding. But, Akers said, the Subaru representative changed it and turned in a different packet.
Krishnan said she mentioned the metal siding several times at that meeting.
Township Treasurer Sharry Budd, who sits on the planning commission as board liaison, said they usually get samples of the facades and this time at the Aug. 27 meeting they did not get samples.
Commissioner Jeff Jahr said he doesn’t think cinderblock coincides with the other buildings on the site, as required.
“Can’t see it from the road. Can’t see it from city hall. That doesn’t fly,” Jahr said.
Krishnan said there is a block chiller on site, but that was allowed because of its use.
Commissioner Medina Atchinson said everything is going up in price.
Jahr said he didn’t want the commission to slam the door on the applicant and he encouraged them to find something more within their budget and come back.
“They have the approval to build the building,” Krishnan pointed out.
“We could build it with metal siding and not have to come back here?” asked the Subaru representative and he was told that is correct.
The commission then voted unanimously to deny the request by the applicant for the façade amendment.
In other business at the Sept. 24 meeting, the commission:
• Approved a site plan amendment for Applebee’s at 10526 Belleville Rd. The proposed improvements include new awnings, signage, building stenciling, and canopy alterations. Applebee’s updated lighting fixtures to correspond with new requirements of the township. The replacement of brick with light stone veneer around the front entrance on the east façade of the building is already complete along with some trim painting and the representative apologized for the workers not knowing the township had to review this work;
• Approved for 12 months the extension of the preliminary site plan approval to construct a new gas station with a 8,251 square-foot building containing a convenience store and drive-thru restaurant on 4.25 acres at the northwest corner of Haggerty and Ecorse roads; and
• Heard a report by Krishnan on the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) Housing Readiness Incentive Grant, Zoning Map and Text Amendments she has been working on. This is to come up with ways to increase affordable housing. She will be recommending a Mixed Residential Overlay District and a Mixed Residential District in the future. The timeline is being revised.