VBT Planner postpone apartments approval, set public hearing on RM zoning changes

At a 91-minute Zoom meeting Sept. 9, the Van Buren Township Planning Commission postponed approvals of the Clover Communities senior apartment plans and set a public hearing for Sept. 23 on the proposed amendments to the RM zoning ordinance to make way for Scott Jones’ development next to Sandy’s Marina.
Beth Ernat of Clover Communities, which plans to build senior apartments on Belleville Road near Robson, said it was necessary to increase the building size by about 44 linear feet to enlarge the size of the two-bedroom units to comply with the ordinance. She said neither she nor the township had noted the discrepancy until now.
Ernat said the development has been named Belleville Gardens Senior Apartments.
She said they plan to scale back the 1.9 acre commercial outlot along Belleville Road to 1.52 acres and decrease the oversize drainage pond.
The plans now feature 51% brick siding, 25% hardie plank, plus board and batten in earth tones. The VBT Board of Zoning Appeals had turned down the original plan for mostly hardie plank.
The BZA did approve 40 garages for the project, all with wall separations. They are actual garages with moveable doors and with a regular door in the rear. They will be 51% brick and 49% hardieplank cement fiber.
Vidya Krishnan, planning consultant from McKenna, said the legal advertisement for the public hearing for this project cites the exact square footage and this change would make the notice invalid.
Dan Power, director of planning and economic development, said there are still adjustments to be made and modifications could be made inside the building to keep the same footprint.
He suggested renoticing and revisiting the project at a later date before approval.
When Matt Best, director of public services, asked where the 44 feet would be, Ernat said they need to find 44 additional feet and it could be eight feet to the north and 14 to the south. She said they could have an increase in one wall of 20 feet with no substantive changes and their engineers are working on it.
Krishnan recommended having the engineers prepare new drawings and bring them back to the planning commission.
Director Best said Krishnan is citing the rules, but it is the planning commission’s decision.
Director Power recommended postponing action to give his department a chance to see the changes and they may be able to bring it back to the commission without republishing. They may have a creative solution, he said. He urged them to bring it back to the township as soon as possible.
He said it was inadvisable to take action at that meeting.
After a brief discussion, the commission voted unanimously to postpone action on Clover Communities’ special land use request and its request for preliminary site plan approval.
Multiple Dwelling Residential District Amendments
The commission discussed proposed amendments to the township’s RM – Multiple Dwelling Residential district, to make way for Scott Jones’ free-standing condominiums on the lake.
A public hearing has been set for Sept. 23.
The proposed amendments would allow single-family detached dwellings at a density of 6-7 units per acre as a permitted land use by right in the RM, Multiple Dwelling Residential District. The changes would be to permitted uses and dimension regulations.
Krishnan explained the “Edge” dwellings and the “Interior” dwellings in the amendments. The Edge dwelling would be 7,200 square feet with a 60 foot front lot width and the Interior dwellings would be 6,300 square feet, with a 45 foot front lot width.
The Edge dwellings could be seen from the street and neighboring parcels and would appear as a normal subdivision. Interior dwellings would be smaller. Together the units would achieve the density required by the Master Plan.
The discussion was to make sure everything the commission wanted was included in the proposed changes.
Commissioner Jeff Jahr said he compared this plan with six communities and suggested they add the lake also as the place for the Exterior units.
Krishnan agreed, saying that would ensure they wouldn’t have teeny-tiny lots on the lake.
Best said they could just add zoning districts BLA and BLB, which are lakeside districts, as the best way to describe it and commissioners agreed.
As to side yard setback, Krishnan said it would be a combined 15 feet and not less than 5 feet on one side.
Ashley Crossroads South
The commission also unanimously approved the preliminary site plan for Ashley Crossroads South for a 83 spot parking/storage area under the ITC lines on a 4.5-acre site located between 41775 and 41873 Ecorse Rd., between Kirkridge Street and Haggerty Road.
Allen Dresselhouse of Ashley said the tenants need more parking and the site is leased from ITC.
Krishnan said all requirements have been met and there are no other uses possible for the site. She said each parking spot would be 11 feet by 50 feet. There would be landscaping and no tree removal and 10 light poles 35 feet tall.
Township Treasurer Sharry Budd said they are building on property they do not own. She questioned what would happen if they left in the future.
Power said they have a lease with an uncertain end date. He said a letter from ITC allows this and he didn’t see that as being an issue. He said the key is no structures to interfere with their lines.