Van Buren Township planners hear Housing Master Plan proposals

Planning consultant Vidya Krishnan of McKenna gave a lengthy presentation on the Housing Master Plan at the April 9 meeting of the Van Buren Township Planning Commission.
The planning work was made possible with a grant. She said the township already has been named a Redevelopment Ready Community.
She said the current master plan tells what housing is needed and, “We are implementing the master plan,” she said.
“This study helps make the housing a reality with zoning, to fill in the gaps we may have and provide what is missing.”
She said the Michigan Statewide Housing plan is like a master plan for the entire state. The study presents examples of what could be done on three vacant parcels: the 20 acres of Lakewood shopping center on Rawsonville Road (now for sale), the 180 acres of “Ford property” at Belleville/Tyler roads (owned by the township), and the 20 acres of vacant property at Hull/Martinsville roads.
A public open house/workshop has been set from 6-8 p.m. on April 30 to get public input on the proposals;
In other business at the April 9 meeting, the commission:
• Approved temporary land use for a TNT Fireworks tent in the parking lot of the Walmart store at 10562 Belleville Rd. from June 20 to July 6. TNT has been in that location without any problems for the last two years;
• Approved setting public hearings on May 14 for a residential development sign standards zoning ordinance amendment and a zoning ordinance amendment for commercial exterior lighting standards;
• Heard Jahr say he would like to empower the staff to approve fireworks tents each year, if they have had no issues the prior year. He said the first approval should bring them to the commission, but not every year for 12 years, like one has come. “I feel bad having them come every year to get approval for the same two weeks,” he said. Krishnan said the commission can approve that as a policy and Jahr asked Akers to draft a policy;
• Heard Akers say the April 23 commission meeting will be long and will have preliminary site plan approvals for McDonald’s, Contract Welding, Autokiniton (former L&W), and Chick Fil-A, along with a public hearing for Chick Fil-A, and perhaps a facade amendment for a subdivision; and
• Heard chairman Brian Cullen ask about the piles of fill dirt on the open land along Independence Lane, behind the newly reopened gas station. Akers said the township is aware of that and has sent a violation letter.