At the Aug. 14 Sumpter Township Planning Commission meeting, resident Kay Harris, who lives south of a business on 2.06 acres of property that is operating as a salvage yard at 25891 Sumpter Rd., pointed out the business has been operating for just short of a year without an approved site plan.
The township planning consultant Joe Pezzotti of Carlisle Wortman Assoc. said the business is seeking special land use and a revised site plan is needed.
Pezzotti said wheel stops and a pedestrian path are needed, there should be no salvage outside of the building, a greenbelt or wall is needed on the south side of the property and no loud speakers should be used outside.
Trustee Matt Oddy, who is the township board liaison to the commission, reminded them that when there was a question about the business from the audience at a past meeting, the owner Sammi Nasser of Sammi Auto Sales said he wasn’t responsible for what goes on there, although he is the applicant.
Pezzotti said he would look at the paperwork.
The commission voted to table approval of special land use and a proposed revised site plant and wait for the revised site plan to be presented. The next commission meeting is Sept. 11.
Harris said there were 45 days to the one-year anniversary of when the new owner bought the property.
Sumpter Properties, LLC bought the property on Sept. 27, 2024.
She said there is no septic tank and they are operating with shipping and receiving and do have parts outside.
She said they didn’t do what they were supposed to in over a year.
Harris said she was hoping for the township to require a firewall, since the vehicles are placed right next to her property.
“A fire wall would give me a couple of minutes to get out,” she said, referring to the fires that erupt from lithium batteries. “I’d rather have a firewall and not need it than not have one and I perish.”
Oddy also pointed out the resolution of the property line to the south was not done as required and the setbacks are required. He said when it was split it was not done correctly and it was supposed to be solved.
“Mr. Chapman said he would make it legal,” Oddy said, referring to former property owner John Chapman. Oddy said he didn’t know how to do that, but an attorney would know how.
Pezzotti also noted that a hard surface is required by the ordinance for this business. Also, they have no approval by the fire department for the operation. He said the hard surface could be waived.
In other business at the meeting, the commission:
• Voted unanimously to pass on to the township board the request for a tri-community planning commission subcommittee to work together with a few planning commissioners from the city of Belleville and Van Buren Township. Nicole VanAssche, who attended a recent tri-community planning commission meeting representing Sumpter, said they talked about grants that could be shared and other opportunities; and
• Tabled to the next meeting consideration of text amendments to the accessory building structures ordinance and a revised site plan for 50637 Bemis Road.
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