VBT board approves BYC fireworks display on Belleville Lake

The annual Belleville Yacht Club fireworks display over Belleville Lake was approved by the Van Buren Township Board of Trustees at its regular meeting on May 6.
The display will be from dark to about 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 5, with a rain date of Sunday, July 6. The location is in the lake directly behind the BYC clubhouse at 831 E. Huron River Dr.
Joshua Edwards, pyrotechnic operator of the Michigan Fireworks Club, requested the permit. Assistants are Matt Copeland and Michael Hawkins.
In other business at the 47-minute regular meeting, the board:
• Issued a proclamation for Apraxia Awareness Day in honor of Paxton Shukait;
• Approved special land use for a drive-thru restaurant for Chick-fil-A at 10010 Belleville Rd. There will be two drive-thru lanes and enough room for 39 cars to be queued up on site. Entry is from the drive in front of the Menards parking lot;
• Approved paying Fishbeck Engineers up to $48,650 to perform construction administration for the Tyler Road Sidewalk Gap project. Since federal grant money is funding the project, a professional construction administrator is required. Another $60,000 more of sidewalk repairs than planned will be able to be done because of the grant;
• Approved a resolution for the long-term maintenance of the storm water management system for Metro Park Party Store at 41001 E. Huron River Dr.
• Approved the five-year second amendment to the existing ground-lease agreement with the University of Michigan for the rowing premises containing approximately .45 acres of land in Van Buren Park. Their lease is $68,000 annually, increasing by 5% each year for the rest of the year. This is for use of the boathouse the township now owns, said Supervisor Kevin McNamara, noting U of M is responsible for repairs over the next five years;
• Approved the second reading and approval of a zoning ordinance amendment to add provisions for commercial, office, and industrial planned unit developments;
• Approved the second reading and approval of a zoning ordinance amendment to rezone 12 properties near Van Born and Haggerty roads to M-1, Light Industrial, as requested by Ashley Capital;
• Approved the memorandum of understanding between the Senior Alliance and Van Buren Township for the No-Wrong-Door program to help people get information on services;
• Was advised of the celebration of life for Carol Bird, who served many years on the township DDA. It is May 8 at the Washtenaw Golf Club. It also was noted that Ginger Bruder recently passed and she will be missed by a lot of people. She lived in Willis but was very active with the Van Buren Eagles, writing plays and presenting creative programs and cooking special meals for fund raisers;
• Heard the owner of FG Island Grille, which she hopes to open in the Rite Aid shopping area, ask the board for help with the water tap fee of $15,968, which she cannot afford. She cannot get her certificate of occupancy before the fee is paid. She said she could pay $1,000 a month after she opens but Supervisor McNamara said the township can’t loan people money and he had three meetings with her trying to figure out a solution. Clerk Leon Wright and Trustee Kevin Martin wanted the board to help her but they needed more information. McNamara said he can’t negotiate at a board meeting and he will talk to the board members after the meeting and call her the next day; and
• Went into closed-door session to discuss a personnel matter. After one hour and 38 minutes the board reconvened in open session only to adjourn.