After a half-hour meeting on Sept. 14 before an audience of supporters from Friends of Michigan Animals Rescue the Sumpter Township Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of a special land use permit to permit animal rescue.
The final vote on the special land use permit and site plan will be at the Sept. 26 meeting of the township board. FMAR also was before the Board of Zoning Appeals recently for a variance for the project.
FMAR has been in operation as an animal rescue at 51299 Arkona Road for more than 20 years. It had worked hand in hand with Sumpter Township animal control and taken in dogs when the township needed help. The relationship between FMAR and the township was warm until the rescue wanted to expand.
Last year, FMAR decided to build some new dog kennels for from 22 to 24 dogs to be able to help more animals at the no-kill facility and received a grant to help with the cost. But, the township planning consultant at the time said it couldn’t go forward without getting an architect-sealed plan, which would add more expense to the project. There were other requirements.
So, the kennel building has been delayed for more than a year. Once the township approves the special land use for a rescue, construction is expected to be completed in early 2018.
Township Planning Consultant Christopher Atkin of Carlisle/Wortman in Ann Arbor recommended approval of the special land use and site plan for the project, with some stipulations.
A condition is that the three parcels at the site, totaling 6.5 acres, be combined after they are paid for to follow the ordinance requirement for 5-acre minimum lot area.
Marcia LaFramboise of FMAR said the financial agreement with the bank on the property does not allow combination of the parcels before they are paid for, but they are working on it.
No landscaping was required because of the tree line along the south end of the property, but Atkin said FMAR has indicated it will put in a white vinyl fence. The parking area was allowed to remain gravel.
Atkin praised the architect’s elevations of the project as being all hand-drawn with no computer images.
Atkin said last spring it was his recommendation to get the special land use permit to make it all legal. He suggested they put in the elevation a proposed building in the front, but they would have to come back when they decide to build that building.
He said it does meet the standards in the ordinance and FMAR went through the proper procedure for a variance.
He said the license allows for a certain number of dogs and there will be no more dogs than they currently have. The township animal control will inspect them once a year.
When the FMAR proposal was opened for public comment at the public hearing, Rick Dawson of Belleville read a letter from his wife, who had to be at the Belleville Planning Commission that evening and couldn’t be present herself. Mary Jane Dawson’s letter told of her support for FMAR and was met with applause from the audience.
Philip Ross, a 30-year Haggerty Road resident, said he was a volunteer at FMAR. He said he volunteers in the section that holds the senior cats, who probably will not be adopted because of their age and will die at the shelter. He said he is old and that is why he works with the old cats.
He told why he supported the rescue which operates without any financial aid from any community. He said businesses donate items and labor to FMAR, which is “astounding to me.”
“It would be a terrible loss if they weren’t allowed to answer the phone when it rings about dogs and cats in need,” Ross said.
His words were also met with applause.
Board Trustee Matthew Oddy, who sits on the planning commission, made the motion to recommend to the board the special land use with conditions and his motion was seconded by Commissioner Virginia Belinski and approved by the commission.
LaFramboise said the FMAR supporters present had left 150 other supporters at the spaghetti dinner fund raiser at the Eagles in Van Buren Township and had to get back.
Atkins said at the Oct. 12 meeting of the commission they will consider a hobby kennel for up to 10 dogs and special land use for a cell tower.
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2 Comments
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God Bless FMAR !! Sumpter township residents have found out that Sumpter township has gone back to being to much government ! 3.5 years and we should vote all these people out and be done with all these so called commissions telling us how and what we can and cannot do on our on property !! Some high priced consulting firm from Ann Arbor is here dictating to us is a JOKE go back to Ann Arbor and boss somebody else around !! Mrs Dawson thank you and your Husband for your support but there are many on top of many residents that feel the same way. God bless FMAR !!!
The whole tri-community area and more need FMAR and they should be allowed all allowances available and everything should be done not only to make it easier for them to make improvements but to add space. When you think of all the pets, strays, abused animals that have found homes and found safety within their walls it’s an embarrassment that they are finding it difficult to get approval for the improvements they plan. We need FMAR a lot more than we need the sumpter officials that are preventing this from moving forward.