Belleville planners send recommendation for rezoning to city council

The Belleville Planning Commission held a public hearing on a proposed rezoning at its Feb. 9 meeting and then voted to recommend approval to the city council which will make the final decision.
At issue is the 3.49-acre tract at 515 Sumpter Rd., between the Senior Co-Op residence and the veterinary clinic, where Davenport Brothers proposes to build 15 houses that are being called “apartments” since Davenport plans to keep ownership of the units and rent them out.
First plans called for the project to wind around the veterinary clinic into a Van Buren Township property, but Steve sDavenport told the commission that another person wants something built on the north side and so all of the housing units will be on the Belleville property.
The only family speaking at the public hearing was one that had a home in Victoria Commons and backed up to this project. A man said the notice that was taped to his door said these were single-story attached condos and now they are single-story-attached apartments.
Davenport said there is no pond planned and wastewater will be stored underground. He said this is more expensive, but is better. He said a private road will go around in the development for fire access.
City Councilman Tom Fielder who, at the last meeting said he had talked with Davenport about the development, was present at this meeting with Davenport and offered to help him hold exhibits and stand with him at the front of the room.
When Commissioner Randy Priest said the sidewalk along Sumpter Road was terrible, Councilman Fielder said the sidewalks were installed by the school district in 1964 so students could walk safely to South Middle School. He said they were asphalt.
Davenport said each unit will have a separate water, sanitary sewer and electric connection and they will have 35’ setback from the property line. A one-hour firewall will be between the units.
He said each unit will have two full baths, walk-in closets, granite countertops, and an air conditioner on the ground.
The units will be rented to anyone who can pay the lease, he said. He said Davenport will maintain the private street and the grass.
He said he didn’t have the drawings yet, but would in a few days. The drawings with architectural seals are expected at the next meeting when the site plan will be considered.
“Next month we’ll come back,” Davenport said. “The hurdle was the zoning and we’ve got that. We’ll have the drawings in to you by the end of the month.”
In other business at the Feb. 9 meeting, the commission:
• Unanimously reelected Michael Hawkins as chairman of the commission and Matthew Wagner as vice chairman for the year. Hawkins was absent from the meeting;
• Set a public hearing for a proposed zoning ordinance amendment for the next meeting, March 9. City Manager/Police Chief Dave Robinson said the November election took things out of the city charter regarding recreational and medical marijuana. Terminology changes needed to be done. He had provided the ordinance as amended and asked the commission to look it over before the public hearing. Then it needs to be recommended to the city council;
• Heard Matthew McLean say he had wanted to set up a dispensary at his business at 573 E. Huron River Dr. and he was disappointed that the city gave it to a location between two parks and it was named after an ice cream shop. Steve Jones said the marijuana district has always been set in the industrial district. Several commissioners said they cannot do spot zoning for that;
• Heard Robinson say that there were a lot of steps in the ordinance amendment and he is glad they had legal counsel for that;
• Welcomed the two new commissioners, Mark Kowalski and James O’Keefe. The third new commissioner, Julie Kissel, was absent;
• Heard Commissioner John Juriga say something is showing on the roof of the museum and when the library had something on the roof they had to pay $100,000 to cover it up. Building Official Rick Rutherford said he would look into it. The museum and the property it is on in the city are owned by Van Buren Township;
• Heard Commissioner Priest say the city has to be connected by sidewalks and there are gaps. He offered to write grants, since he has experience.