VBT approves DDA amendment, Morton Taylor paving project

After a public hearing on Nov. 18, the Van Buren Township Board of Trustees unanimously adopted the Third Amendment to the Development and Tax Increment Finance Plan for the VBT Downtown Development Authority. This is the first reading of the ordinance, with the second reading and final approval to be at the Dec. 2 meeting of the township board.
DDA director Merrie Coburn explained that the township’s DDA was established in 1990 and the development plan was approved and expires in 2038. This is the third refreshing of the plan since 1990. The last amendment was in 2009. The district has remained the same size and there is no plan to change its size.
“The district has had a lot of growth since 2009 and the third amendment will reflect that with added projects and costs, revised cost estimates of projects that have not been completed to reflect the rise in costs, updated maps and updated tax capture revenue spreadsheets,” she said.
Coburn presented a list of high-priority projects, with the Belleville Road widening at the top, sidewalk and nonmotorized improvements and maintenance, Belleville Road improvements from I-94 to Tyler, Belleville Road streetlights from Tyler to Ecorse, and concrete joint repairs on Belleville Road. Other projects were listed as medium and low priority, along with ongoing annual projects.
She said that there are 1,161 residents in the DDA district and Public Act 57 requires a citizens’ council of seven to be formed if there are more than 100 residents in the district. The council is made up of those residents or those closeby the district, so the council was formed. It has met three times to consider the amendment.
During the public hearing, Reg Ion said he would like to have a hard copy of the amendments. He said there was a lot of money spent on the landscaping at Ecorse and Belleville roads but the snowfence that used to be between Ecorse Road and the South Service Drive is gone. He said when they plow Ecorse, now the snow goes onto the Service Drive where he lives and he has to plow it out. He also said there is no longer grass cutting along the Service Drive. He said they should spend more money on the residents in the township, instead of on businesses. He said the airport bought the Saratoga property on Ecorse and is now offering it for development. He said he is not in favor of the Stellantis development now under way on Ecorse.
Another speaker, who said he lives on Morton Taylor and the North I-94 Service Drive, asked about paving Morton Taylor Road, which was on the agenda. Supervisor Kevin McNamara said the township wants to pave Morton Taylor Road north of Tyler Road, but not in his area yet. He said the township had an agreement with a developer to pave that part of Morton Taylor, but the township got money from Wayne County to split the cost. McNamara said VBT residents have the lowest taxes in Wayne County.
In other business in the 68-minute meeting, the board:
• Approved adjusting a 2025 road paving budget item from $0 to $850,000 for the first payment for the Morton Taylor Paving Project to pave Morton Taylor between Tyler and Ecorse. McNamara said the cost is being shared with Wayne County and, “That’s how we got Haggerty Road.” The total cost is expected to be $3.5 million and the township will pay up to $1.7 million and the county will pay anything over. The township will pay $850,000 in 2025 and $850,000 in 2026. He said the township is asking the residential developer on the northwest corner of Tyler and Morton Taylor to kick in a couple of $100,000s;
• Approved a fireworks display permit application from the Belleville Yacht Club for Michigan Fireworks Club on Saturday, Dec. 6, with a rain date of Sunday, Dec. 7. It will be staged on Denton Road just west of the Denton Road bridge, the place it had been staged over the past three years. This event is part of Winter Fest;
• Witnessed a presentation on the design plan developed by contractor PEA Group for the front entrance area of Van Buren Park. Trees are being cleared next to the sled hill and along the South Service Drive. A bunny hill will be put in next to sled hill for young children. A new community garden area is planned to the west of the drive with a 23-car parking lot, pavilion, and tool shed. There will be a fence and piers along the drive, along with a fitness area, no-go zones for wildlife, a gate to the maintenance area, native plantings, and other park amenities. McNamara said none of this is budgeted, but if you don’t have a plan, no one will give you money. “We’re reloading the barrel to go after some more money,” he said, noting a long list of grants received by getting a plan first;
• Heard clerk Leon Wright state that the township hasn’t raised taxes at least since 2008 when he first got here. He also said the township had about $50,000 in health care cost savings over six months by utilizing EHIM’s model based on employee usage instead of a standard 20% cost to employees;
• Heard a resident of Crowley Road ask about the drift race track on Robson Road. McNamara said it’s in court now and the race track owner is fighting it. He said the case is expected to move forward in the next year since this is the busy holiday season; and
• Heard resident Reg Ion say there has been a lack of maintenance at Van Buren Park and the trees and shrubs having to be cut back are because of ten years of neglect. He said the American flag at the park was on the ground and he reported it, but doesn’t know if it’s been picked up. “I have yet to see a damn bicycle on the Iron Belle Trail,” he said. He said the water tower should have been built in Van Buren Park. He suggested they start testing the water and soil at the park. McNamara said it’s been tested and it’s good. He said he’s concerned about the flag comment, also noting the grant money is not tax money. Ion replied, “It’s still my tax money.”