VBT planners give final site plan approval for Tractor Supply store

“Hopefully, we’re very close to the finish line,” said a representative of Tractor Supply, saying he was waiting for the Wayne County approval in writing to finalize the project.
The Van Buren Township Planning Commission voted unanimously to give final site plan approval to the project. Commissioner Bernie Grant was absent from the meeting.
It was about a year ago that Tractor Supply started seeking approval for a 22,407-square-foot building at the southeast corner of Sumpter and Hull roads in Van Buren Township.
He said they have verbal approval from the county on the storm water management system that outlets to the county drain, but it is needed in writing to be final.
Vidya Krishnan, planning consultant from McKenna Associates, said the site was previously zoned AG, Agricultural and Estate District; however, the applicant was granted a request to rezone the property to SRMU, Sumpter Road Mixed Use District by the Board of Trustees at its regular meeting on June 18, 2024. The site also falls within the recently adopted SROD, Sumpter Road Overlay District, which carries higher standards for building design and pedestrian amenities.
The township board also approved special land use. The property that had been labeled “optional” on the plan, has now been included in the plan. She said since a drain goes through the property, easements are taking up some of the 5.4 acres.
Krishnan said all corrections requested had been made on the site plan, including parking spaces and removal of elms, which the township doesn’t allow. She said there will be 100 trees and 400 shrubs planted.
“The water detention system with the county took most of the time,” she said, recommending approval of the final site plan.
Fishbeck engineer Mike Leppek said the storm water management plan that outlets to the county drain has been approved, but he needs a soil erosion permit from the county. He, too, recommended approval of the final site plan.
The Tractor Supply representatives said they brought samples of the colors to be used in the brick and other outside colors. Commission chairman Brian Cullin advised them that if there are any changes to what colors they will be using, they need to come back to the commission for approval. Commissioner Jeff Jahr said if they get the wrong color delivered or, worse, if they build with it, it will very expensive to tear down.
Krishnan urged them, “If you have change, come to the planning commission.”
They referred to the Hampton Manor project that used a siding color that was not approved by the commission and the developer had to remove the siding and get the approved color put in place.
“I’m looking forward to have Tractor Supply in our community,” Commissioner Jahr said, and Commission Chairman Cullin agreed that he is looking forward to this new addition to the community.
Under Public Comment, Brad Traskos of Sumpter Township thanked the planning commission and the Tractor Supply engineers for all their hard work. He said he is happy to see Tractor Supply coming. He said Tim and Jenna at Sumpter Ace Hardware also told him they welcomed the new business. He said the two stores carry “different stuff” and there shouldn’t be a conflict.
Traskos said he has lived in the area for 72 years and had served as fire chief of Van Buren Township.
In other business at the one-hour-43-minute meeting, the commission:
• Held a public hearing during which no public spoke and then recommended to the township board rezoning of 12 parcels from R-1B, Residential, to M-1 Industrial and M-T Industrial Transportation along the west side of Haggerty Road between Ecorse and Van Born roads at the request of Crossroads Distribution Center North. Dennis Schultz of Ashley Capital explained this was an ongoing process to consolidate property it owns and there is no plan to develop it at this time. Krishnan said, it will probably be for small industrial uses;
• Held a public hearing during which no public spoke and then voted to send a recommendation to the township board to approve a Non-Residential Planned Unit Development (PUD) Amendment for PUDs in commercial, office, and industrial developments;
• Was informed the posted public hearing for that evening for a zoning ordinance amendment related to battery energy storage systems has been postponed and notice of a future hearing will be reposted. He said a developer on Rawsonville Road said he will wait for the ordinance to be enacted and he is cooperating with the township. He said the public hearing is expected to be set for May 14;
• Discussed, for more than half an hour, proposed updates to the Commercial Exterior Lighting Standards Zoning Ordinance. Krishnan said several developers said the township rules made the lights too dim for safety and so the developers were planning to seek variances. Krishnan said a couple of decades ago the lights were very strong at gas stations and so the township’s illumination standard was set super low. She said the standards are very, very low now and so she compared this with other communities. When talking about how the ordinance would be enforced, Director of Municipal Services Ron Akers said the township doesn’t have a light meter, but will be getting one. After much discussion, Krishnan said she would make changes and bring it back to the commission as soon as possible;
• Heard Akers report on ongoing development issues: the former Leggs Lounge has been taken down, a fireworks tent for Walmart is coming for approval, Camping World is coming back with some site plan changes, the Housing Masterr Plan will be coming before them as will zoning amendments for gas stations. He said at the April 23 meeting there will be preliminary site plans for a rebuilt McDonald’s, Contract Welding, an L&W canopy, and a public hearing/site plan review for Chick-fil-A;
• Heard Commissioner Media Atchinson ask how the township can attract sit-down restaurants and Akers said the township could offer rebates and cut water/sewer rates. He said the Agave restaurant in Belleville Square is very successful. He said it’s a tough market for restaurants right now. Atchinson said when she was in Florida she saw that big empty malls had been filled with two churches and while she doesn’t suggest that for the former Kmart site, it’s better than being empty. Akers said there are some plans proposed for that area. Also the laundromat in the former Suzuki building has its building permit and has filed a sign permit application; and
• Heard Akers report the former Twisted Rooster is now being turned into two small restaurants. The Morning Belle will be open in the morning and lunch with alcohol. Another restaurant will be in the afternoon and evenings. They will be open at different times in the same building and will each have its own bathrooms. The two restaurants will share one kitchen, he said.