VBT board approves revised consent judgment on subdivision

The Van Buren Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved a revised consent judgment to allow revised architectural requirements for the Townsend Park Planned Residential Development at the corner of Ecorse and Morton Taylor roads.
This was at its regular meeting on Sept. 20. Present for the agenda item were township attorney Dave Greco, Infinity Acquisitions representative Rino Soave, and Director of Planning and Economic Development Dan Power, who explained.
Director Power said initially in 2006, the PRD for Victoria Park was approved with 160 lots on 60 acres. It was to be completed in two phases and one phase of attached single-family housing units. In 2012 the PRD expired and Blue Victoria sued the township and the 2014 consent judgment was approved by both sides without testimony so the development could restart construction.
In 2020 Infinity Homes became the successor to Blue Victoria as developer and became responsible for the construction of all 67 detached single-family home sites in the second phase of the project, now named Townsend Park.
Power said in lieu of requiring a minimum of 30% of the 160 detached single family homes in Townsend Park to have side or rear-entry garages, Infinity has offered to ensure 37 units (23.1%) of the units will be built with side or rear-entry garages and 11 units (6.9%) will have front-entry garages and additional architectural enhancements beyond the required minimum architectural requirement of the project’s 2006 PRD agreement, such as additional brick or recessed garages.
Power said the Van Buren Township Planning and Economic Development department recognized that a diminished inventory of wide lots was available to ensure 30% of the project’s lots wider than 50 feet were improved with, or available for, homes with side or rear-entry garage doors, as required by the project’s 2006 PRD agreement and the 2014 consent judgment.
In order to feasibly complete project construction while continuing to meet architectural goals, staff supported a revision to the consent judgment to allow alternative architectural treatments for some units, Power said.
Now a revised consent judgment is being sought by Infinity and once the township board agreed, the judgment would be submitted back to the court for approval, Power said.
Attorney Greco, who drafted the revised consent judgment, told the board once they get the language correct and both sides agree, the circuit court judge will stamp it. Greco was present for the board’s earlier closed-door board session to discuss labor bargaining agreements with the POLC (Police Officers Labor Council) and AFSCME (American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees).
In other business at the 50-minute meeting on Sept. 20, the board:
• Heard Trustee Reggie Miller read a proclamation declaring September as National Recovery Month in Van Buren Township. She said she brought a similar proclamation to the board in 2019. She urged that mental and substance abuse matters not be social stigmas and people should turn to services available for help. She said her daughter’s friend died from an overdose that week. She said people can get help by calling 1- (800) 662-4357. Supervisor McNamara said he and Tom Fielder of Belleville belong to a group that is working for ways to get fentanyl test strips out to the residents. “It’s getting out of control,” Supervisor McNamara said of fentanyl use;
• Approved Supervisor McNamara’s reappointments of Bernard Grant and Callie Barr to the planning commission with terms to expire Oct. 1, 2025;
• Heard Recreation Director Jennifer Zaenglein explain the colors, font, and logo for the new Style Guide for the Van Buren Community Center which will appear on current and future communications to make them stand out and make people stop scrolling through social media. It was developed by the Communications Department;
• Approved Special Land Use to Chahal Trucking, 6100 Schooner Dr., for truck repair and maintenance on six acres that has been split off. Special Land Use approval is required for this use under the zoning ordinance;
• Approved Amendment #5 of the Great Lakes Water Authority Water Service Contract. This is a renewal for the township to purchase water from GLWA and there are no changes in the contract limits. There is no estimated increase of commodity rates or flat-rate monthly charges. Water and Sewer Director Kevin Lawrence said the township has avoided any penalties for the past three years with the use of its water tower to manage peaks. He said after concluding the by-pass valve project, it is the expectation of the negotiating team that in 2023, the township will sit down with GLWA and is confident that lower contract limits can be established with a potential reduction in annual charges paid by the township. Supervisor McNamara noted that Van Buren Township has the third-lowest water rates and had zero percent raise last year and zero percent this year;
• Approved the second reading and adoption of the Sumpter Road Mixed Use zoning district, the Sumpter Road Overlay District and related zoning amendments;
• Approved the second reading and adoption of an ordinance that identifies gas stations and filling stations as special land uses;
• Heard Supervisor McNamara announce that Fire Chief Dave McInally earned his Professional Emergency Manager certification;
• Heard State Rep. Darrin Camilleri introduce himself as a candidate for State Senator in this district. Supervisor McNamara said the MEDC has $4.5 million for construction of the township community center and the township could really use it. Rep. Camilleri said he would look into it;
• Heard Supervisor McNamara read a letter from a township resident thanking the township for the cleanup of her yard this summer by the REAL crew of youth workers. The REAL program was run by Zaenglein this year. Also, he reported a resident called to compliment the professionalism of Police Officers Griggs and McGregor and Police Sgt. Rini on their ability to calm a heated domestic incident at the grateful resident’s home; and
• Heard Clerk Leon Wright note that Sept. 20 is National Voter Registration Day. “You can’t complain if you don’t vote,” Trustee Sherry Frazier said. “And, you can’t vote if you’re not registered,” Clerk Wright agreed. He invited residents to call the clerk’s office for information on registering to vote.