Tractor Supply plans approved by VBT planners

Two people spoke at the May 22 public hearing on the requested rezoning of farmland at the southeast corner of Sumpter and Hull roads in Van Buren Township to make way for a new Tractor Supply business.
Both men spoke on behalf of bringing Tractor Supply to that 5.11-acre site.
Edward Berger, now of Milford, whose grandfather, father and now he owns the 40 adjacent acres to the south and east of the Tractor Supply site, said he feels this is a very appropriate use for the property.
He said the township is encouraging agritourism and this use is a part of that.
Berger said he is a customer of Tractor Supply stores in Novi, Holly, and South Dakota and the stores have quality products, tools, and equipment, along with animal feed – a wide inventory of quality products.
He said the store will bring employment and tax base.
Harry Brad Traskos of Sumpter Township said he was born and raised on Sumpter Road and would rather have this store than an industry at the site.
Traskos said he is a lifelong friend of the family that runs Ace Hardware and they have great hardware. He said Tractor Supply also has grainery for animals and other items Ace does not carry.
He said he is a retired fire chief of Van Buren Township and the fire and police departments get heavy tax base from businesses like this.
A second public hearing was held on a request for special land use for outside sales and display area for Tractor Supply, but no one got up to speak on that.
When it came to new business, the planners voted unanimously to recommend to the township board that they rezone the land and approve special land use for the outside sales.
Dan Power, director of planning and economic development, said this rezoning request is a result of the South Side Master Plan changes and the Sumpter Road Corridor overlay district. The rezoning would be from AG (agricultural and estate) to SRMU (Sumpter Road Mixed Use) zoning.
He said the 5.11 acres for the retail development would have to be split from a larger parcel.
Planning consultant Vidya Krishnan of McKenna Associates said this is the first parcel rezoned for mixed district use and is in keeping with the rural atmosphere they want to keep at the south end of the township. She said there are no wetlands or trees on the property and she recommends the rezoning.
Steve, representing CBE, the preferred developer for Tractor Supply, said sometimes Tractor Supply builds and leases the property, but in Van Buren Township it is buying the property. He named a long list of new Tractor Supply stores in the state that recently have been constructed, including Harrison, Bellaire, Caledonia, Stockbridge, and Clare.
The commission also approved the preliminary site plan for the 22,407-square-foot retail building, parking, landscaping and affiliated site improvements with several stipulations. This approval does not have to go on to the township board.
Krishnan said the site plan was redrawn many times to keep the loading and unloading in the back and to add trees, shrubs and other plants and 8-foot fences to surround the area storage, as well as hard-surface parking and other changes.
She said there will be five-foot sidewalks along Sumpter and Hull roads at the site. She said they are working with DTE to try to bury the electric line there, but Whittie said DTE told them it would be too costly to go underground and around the building for just one business.
Commission vice-chairman Jeff Jahr, who was chairing the meeting in the absence of chairman Brian Cullin, said he would like to see an estimate from DTE on how much it would cost to bury the lines.
Krishnan said there will be an 8’x8’ sign with a red brick base and the building is brick and metal. There are road stubs to connect with future businesses next door and greenbelts.
“This is much higher quality than other Tractor Supplies you’d see because they had to follow our ordinance,” Krishnan said.
Engineering consultant Paul Kammer of Fishbeck said a full engineering review will be done for the final site plan review. He said there is a 16” water main on Hull Road and a 12” main on Sumpter Road and they will bring in a 2” service line and a 6” fire protection line.
He said there is a 36” sanitary sewer line along the north side of Hull Road and they want to bring a 6” sanitary sewer line to the northeast corner of the building. He said the line there is 22’ deep and it will need lots of digging. He said he wants to make sure this will not cut off the fire station during construction.
Kammer said they will work with the township and the county on storm water detention and flow.
Director Power read the fire department report that said there has to be room for the 49’7” ladder truck to maneuver on the site.
The Tractor Supply representative said this is the most enhanced Tractor Supply development constructed. He said they have retail inside and outside with a sidewalk display, permanent trailer sales, and outdoor display area. He said while the ordinance requires 91 parking spaces, a Tractor Supply store usually uses 30 to 40 spaces.
He said they haven’t officially gone to the county yet for the stormwater drainage approval, waiting until after they had township approval, but their plan is for a 100-year storm system.
He said the building is primarily brick and they showed samples to the township board. He said they will buy the extra 25’ needed for a greenway buffer.
In the motion to accept the preliminary site plan, commissioner Bernie Grant reduced approved parking spaces from 90 to 70 for passenger vehicles and three RVs, reduction of the size of the landscape islands, accepted the overhead electrical lines, accepted the color of the brick samples, required the cross-easements to be recorded, and the installation of RV trailer signage and signs designating traffic patterns.
Also in the more than three-hour meeting, the commission:
• Approved a site plan amendment for Ashley Capital Crossroads North Building 11 at 6110 Haggerty Rd., along the west side of Haggerty between Ecorse and Van Born. This is to meet the needs of its tenant, Danish Logistics, which has leased two-thirds of the building and may lease the whole building, to provide for increased security with more fencing and a gate. The front fencing will be 8’ wrought iron and the 8’ around the back of the building will be black-vinyl-coated chain link;
• Approved preliminary site plan for Ashley Capital Crossroads North Buildings 8 & 9 at 6290 and 6480 Haggerty on the west side of Haggerty between Ecorse and Van Born. These are speculative buildings and truck access will be north or south because Haggerty is under construction. Krishnan said EV charging stations will be put in as needed for employees and she urged them to put in a 5’ sidewalk along one side of the drive to Haggerty so employees can walk to future businesses there. She recommended granting approval with nine conditions. Commissioner Grant recommended a modified greenbelt on the north and west sides where future buildings are planned;
• Heard director Power say the commission has a full schedule for its June 12 meeting;
• Heard vice-chairman Jahr say he noticed the old motel on the South I-94 Service Drive has been demolished;
• Heard township treasurer Sharry Budd say that work at Camping World on the North I-94 Service Drive now is moving forward; and
• Heard commissioner Grant, who is an architect, say all the Ashley Capital buildings look the same and they should be varied. Krishnan said the development has its own identity and that’s why they are doing that. Grant said he would like staff to look into design requirements for industrial zoning.
Besides chairman Brian Cullin, commissioner Medina Atchinson was also absent from the meeting.