VBT Board of Zoning Appeals meets briefly in Zoom session

In a half-hour Zoom session on Dec. 8, the Van Buren Township Board of Zoning Appeals met to set its meetings for the year. There was no other business on the agenda after another item was removed.
The meetings are set for 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month, if needed. The last meeting of the BZA before the December meeting, had been Aug. 11.
Dan Power, director of planning and economic development, gave an overview of 2020 said there had been fewer activities for BZA review and it has met infrequently. He said there were three variance requests from two people and one more that had been withdrawn.
The election of officers for 2021 had been on the Dec. 8 agenda, but it was removed when Power said the election should be pushed to the next meeting, in 2021.
Power said there is an obligation as BZA members for individuals to attend a minimum of four hours of training each year. He said there had been limited training available this year because of COVID-19.
BZA member John Haase asked if there is the opportunity for distance training and Power said there are virtual workshops they can attend and he will alert them to opportunities next year.
BZA member John Herman asked for an update on the senior housing on Belleville Road. He asked if it was a dead issue because the BZA turned down its request for a façade that didn’t meet the overlay district ordinance.
“I’d hate to see it die,” Herman said, adding, “It is needed.”
Power said that is another item that has been put on a temporary pause. He said besides the façade, there is an issue with floor area in the units. He said the project was tabled by the planning commission in September so that issue could be addressed.
“I’d hate to see us kill this project,” Herman said.
Power said that’s not the BZA’s job.
Power thanked former BZA member Don Boynton, who was invited to the Zoom meeting to say goodbye. As a newly elected township trustee, he no longer has a seat on the BZA.
The Jan. 12 meeting of the BZA was canceled.