VBT planners approve cutting 87 trees as first step for Ashley Capital

Kyle Morton, speaking for Ashley Capital, explained that they need to get critical access to the east side of the site for Building 11, which is in an open field. The access, however, is now blocked by trees.
The site is on the south side of Van Born Road and west of Haggerty Road in Van Buren Township.
He said there is 12” of topsoil on the land, some 200,000 cubic yards, and the topsoil is “not buildable.” They were able to give away 50,000 cubic yards to a contractor who needs to build berms. He said another contractor is interested, but access is needed.
On the Oct. 11 regular meeting agenda of the Van Buren Township Planning Commission there was a request from applicants Tim Riedl and Dennis Schultz on behalf of owner Crossroads Distribution Center North 11 for a tree removal permit for 87 trees.
The two were not present at the meeting and Morton spoke for the project.
Dan Power, director of planning and economic development, said Ashley Capital had provided a grading plan sheet, a permit from EGLE, and details of the 87 trees targeted. Also, Wayne County has worked with them on a soil erosion kit and will allow offsite hauling.
Director Power said 76 regulated trees and 11 non-regulated trees is just part of the 440 total regulated trees and 354 non-regulated trees they will ask to be removed at the final site plan application.
He said they will pay a bond of $350 per regulated tree and a tree survey had been provided for this first group.
Morton said they hadn’t planned on having access to Haggerty, but the county is putting in a traffic signal half way between Ecorse and Van Born roads on Haggerty in its upcoming road project, so a road will come into the Ashley site.
He said the project is on the agenda of the Wayne County Commission meeting next week and if they approve the Haggerty Road project, it will start in November.
Commissioner Bernie Grant said the township requires a bond of $350 per tree no matter how big the tree they cut down. He asked if there were “monument trees” among those to be cut down. Director Power said he didn’t know if “monument” trees were in the ordinance and he would check.
They are retaining 2,772 regulated trees on the site (86%). Morton said the company hired a firm which counted 7,096 trees in the development and made a listing of details for each tree.
Ashley Capital had provided the EGLE notice of authorization it received a year ago for wetland preservation and abandonment of 2,363 linear feet of the Bell Drain and a new storm water management pond, among other items. The authorization is good until Nov. 11, 2027.
Morton said there were two piles of topsoil of about 19,000 cubic yards each that were left over from other building on the site.
“We’re trying to get rid of the topsoil,” Morton said.
Commissioner Jeff Jahr said this project was going in a different order than normal projects, with the tree removal permit request so early. He said the bond should be paid before the trees are removed.
Morton said the $26,600 for the bond will be paid within the next few days.
The tree removal permit was granted unanimously by the planning commission, with stipulations.
In other action at the 45-minute meeting, the planning commission granted an extension of the final site plan for a 16,280-square-foot, multi-tenant light industrial building at 6060 Schooner Dr. The final site plan was approved March 9, 2022 and there was no activity since then, Power said. Approval was for one year.
A building permit was sought on July 31 and so the extension procedure was started.
Scott Wright, architect, said owner Sam Patel had his wife pass away last summer and things were delayed and then they couldn’t get a contractor. Now all the drawings are completed and they got their water main permit from the State of Michigan. He said they hope to break ground this year.
The extension was granted to Sam Patel for one year from this date, with building to begin no later than Oct. 22, 2024.
Under general discussion, it was noted that Commissioner Jackson Pahle has earned his Citizen Planner certification.
Commission Chairman Brian Cullin said he went to a state conference and the presentation by Vidya Krishnan, the township’s planning consultant, and Director Power was on battery storage and had a lot of good information.