The Van Buren Township Planning Commission held a 50-minute workshop on Sept. 9 and got an update GE’s plans and an update from the subcommittee looking into subdivision problems and foreclosures.
The commission also set some priorities for meeting topics over the next few months.
Dan Swallow, director of planning and economic development, said he’s been working with the project manager for GE’s VBT facility which will take up about a quarter of the the Visteon Village site.
Swallow said GE has been lining up local contractors to renovate the existing buildings and work is expected to get under way by October. They will be adding some conference rooms and offices and make other minor renovations, he said.
As for the new building to be constructed on what now is a parking lot, GE had wanted to have their foundations in this fall, Swallow said, “But that’s looking less likely,” because of delays. He expects they will begin in early spring, instead.
Swallow said the township has language in its Office Technology zoning district that limits manufacturing and GE wants to do a small amount of surge manufacturing. GE has offered to submit some language for the proposed ordinance amendment, so the township could decide if it was comfortable with what they are proposing.
Swallow said Visteon got a variance to allow for its tallest building at the site, 71′.
GE may want a 40′ clearance at a peaked roof, and Sally Hodges of McKenna Associates, adding that GE would have a good case for a variance because of what was done for Visteon.
Swallow said he and the planning consultants, McKenna & Associates, were working on something and he hoped to have another announcement the next week.
The commission also discussed the subcommittee’s work towards an ordinance that would deal with foreclosed and vacant properties, requiring the owners to register with the township and be responsible for maintenance of the properties.
“A lot of things can’t be solved by ordinances, but by creative thinking,” said Commission Chairperson Carol Thompson.
Hodges agreed, saying the new ordinance would just “just another tool in our toolbox…”
Hodges said some of the problems they are looking into were brought to the planning commission by residents a few months ago.
A draft of the proposed ordinance is expected to be ready by the next commission meeting on Sept. 23.
Commission members discussed setting some new priorities, since they have gotten off schedule because of pressing business.
The commission addressed an ordinance on wind towers and solar panels because Wayne County Community College wanted to put up a wind turbine. The commission moved forward and the township board approved the first reading of the ordinance, but now WCCC is silent on its plans that were in a hurry previously.
Hodges said GE wants to put up a wind tower and solar panels, so the ordinance has to be changed somewhat before going back to the township board for final approval.
“We try to be proactive and put in some rules and regulations from the get-go,” Hodges said. “We have researched it a lot and the technology keeps changing.”
There was discussion about what else the commission would like to put on its schedule and Hodges said she would come back with a modified schedule based on their discussion.
Swallow said he is studying areas for administrative rezoning, like near the Metropark where it has been Agricultural for so long and now is R1B.
Hodges said she gave a presentation to the Downtown Development Authority two weeks earlier and she would like to give it to the planning commission at its next meeting.
She spoke of the study McKenna did on areas adjoining the DDA district in the north side of the township. There have been land-use and population studies.
The study looks at where certain uses might be appropriate, and uses studies done for the Aerotropolis. There are proposals for locations of office, industrial, hotel/ entertainment, public, and other uses. She said the information hopefully could be used on an updated north-end master plan.