VBT denies request for Industrial Development District

The request of Ashley Crossroads North to establish Industrial District #25 was denied by the Van Buren Township Board of Trustees at its regular meeting Sept. 1.
The property is near the northwest corner of Ecorse and Haggerty roads.
During the public hearing held at the beginning of the meeting, Treasurer Sharry Budd reported that the planning commission looked at the plans Ashley Capital had in May and some items had to be addressed.
When the traffic problem was mentioned, Budd said, Ashley said they didn’t have to change anything because Wayne County didn’t require it.
Budd said they have no site plan and necessary rezoning of some of the lots were not done. She told the other board members that they should table the industrial district request.
“When they’ve got something, they can bring it back,” Budd said.
Trustee Jeff Jahr said they could hold the public hearing and postpone action.
“I don’t want to postpone,” Budd said. “I want to turn this down.”
Trustee Jahr said he has a problem with taking action on an item the same night as the public hearing because, to the public, it looks like a done deal.
Township assessment coordinator Linda Stevenson said on July 31 she received a request to establish this district on 283 acres.
“I don’t see Mr. [Michael] Balow here from Ashley tonight,” Stevenson said.
She said the map of the proposed district shows different zoning and the residential is around the industrial parcels.
The township’s new director of planning and economic development, Ron Akers, said he doesn’t have all the information on the project.
Trustee Reggie Miller said at the work/study session on the project, the Ashley representative said they wanted to have the industrial district because it would draw businesses into their development based on the tax abatement.
“We don’t know who’s going in there,” Trustee Miller said, adding she would vote no to establishing the district. “I’m glad Sharry spoke up.”
Budd said at an earlier meeting residents voiced concern about water in the field and their home values declining on Haggerty Road and whether they can sell their property.
“Would Ashley finish work with Wayne County?” asked Trustee Brenda McClanahan.
“They have to have the work done before bringing it back to the planning commission,” Budd said.
Trustee McClanahan said the Ashley representative said they were seeking the industrial district for the future. She said she thought it was a little premature.
Budd said on the south side of Ecorse at the present Ashley location, they rent the buildings and never knew them to sell.
McClanahan recalled they said they would sell them or lease them or both.
Resident John Delaney said the tax abatement was a selling point for Ashley and it would be “a tax abatement that comes with a set of keys.” He said this would be nothing but a set of headaches for the township and its residents.
He said 47 parcels along Ecorse and Van Born go notices and only one resident is here.
Delaney reminded the board that if the township approves a district and then turns down a tax abatement they can go to the state and the state will approve it.
“I think the board has indicated we will not sit back and let it happen…” said Supervisor Linda Combs.
When the item came up for a vote later in the meeting, the board voted unanimously to deny the request for Industrial Development District #25.
Supervisor Combs said Ashley’s work is incomplete and they need to finish it before returning to the township.
In other business at the Sept. 1 meeting, the board:
• Heard Supervisor Combs read a letter to Public Safety Director Greg Laurain praising his department for work during a traffic accident and heard Budd read a letter from School Board President Brent Mikulski thanking the township for its assistance with collecting school supplies for Back 2 School Blitz;
• Approved selection of Verdeterre Contracting as contractor for the reconstruction of Dewitt, Jeanette, and Venetian at a cost of $488,100, plus up to 10% construction contingency ($48,800). Also approved was Wade Trim for engineering work for the project at a total of $46,200. The whole project will cost $628,100, which is under the estimate of $650,000. There is no cost to the township. The Special Assessment District of property owners will pay 20% and the County pays 80% through its Local Road Initiative program. Verdeterre actually was the high bidder of three, but there was a 3.5% difference between high and low bidder and the township’s purchasing policy allows a 5% leeway to local contractors;
• Approved Martin Ladd as the new DPW Superintendent. Bill Turner has been supervising DPW and water and sewer and now will just do water and sewer. Ladd will be paid $56,850 from the water and sewer budget. He has almost 30 years of experience with Madison Heights, City of Taylor, and City of Hamtramck;
• Approved hiring Matthew Best as the deputy director of planning and economic development. Combs read off his credentials and said, “It’s been a while since we had an environmental person on staff.” He will be paid $62,000 and was to start work the next day. He has worked with Wayne County Environmental Services Department for 12 years and holds a bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University in biology, environmental science, and geology and a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from Eastern Michigan University;
• Approved a resolution for Health Care Opt-Out for 2016, as required by law if the township wishes not to place a hard-cap limit or an 80% limit on the amount the township may pay toward employee health care benefits;
• Approved the combination of two lots on Denton Road, slightly north of the railroad tracks: V125083-018-02-0112-003 and V125-83-018-02-0115-000;
• Heard Marge Malicke say she has lived in the township for 47 years and on Harmony Lane for 19 years and she wanted to criticize the process by which the millage decision was made. “It is in your control to be transparent,” Malicke said, noting the board said it was going to discuss options and then rushed forward with only one proposal: 6.5 mills;
• Heard Don Schoenberger (who was wearing a brightly colored sign on his chest reading “No New Taxes”) ask about what Supervisor Combs found when she asked the attorney for an opinion about whether she could shut down the public from talking about the millage at meetings. He said he expected it to be on the agenda but no mention has been made of it. “We are your boss,” he reminded her. “Not at township meetings? Wow! No more talk of the millage, you said … Let the peasants eat cake…” Combs said she should have brought the opinion to the meeting but she recalled it said the board does not have the power to limit the subject of the speaker and they can speak on whatever subject they want to, “as long as it is germane to township business.”