VBT planners OK preliminary site plan for Subaru project, phase 2

In order to get Project Pancake going as soon as possible for Subaru, construction on the 76-acre former farm in Denton was divided into two phases. Phase one, approved Aug. 8, got the earth work started on the construction. Phase two was everything else.
At its Sept. 26 meeting, the Van Buren Township Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve the preliminary site plan with 15 stipulations from Patrick Sloan of McKenna Associates, the township’s planning consultants.
One of the recommendations from Sloan was to use a more decorative fencing in front of the business, but civil engineer Gary Tressel said the metal fence panel system planned is for visual security since the project will be testing secret designs.
He referred to similar building sites in Flat Rock and Plymouth Township that have the metal fence panel system to block the public from seeing what’s going on inside.
“We don’t usually have to deal with security,” said commission chairwoman Carol Thompson.
Sloan also recommended that the prefab cold container be shielded by shrubs.
Tressel said it looks like a shipping container, but it will be completely behind the 30′-tall building. He said it would be invisible and no one from the public can see it. He said they will paint it the same color as the main building.
The staff and planners will work with Tressel to work out those two problems.
Tressel said ACS Michigan still hasn’t bought the property from Harold Smith. He said this is a fast-moving project and everything has to be right before they complete the purchase of the farm.
Ashley Crossroads
At its Sept. 26 meeting, the planning commission gave final site plan approval for 59 additional parking spaces to service existing Building 1 at the Crossroads South Development at 41775 and 41873 Ecorse Road.
At the last session with Ashley, the commission showed anger at learning that “Detention Basin 3” had been filled in. The Ashley representative asked if he could explain and he was not allowed to speak.
At the Sept. 26 meeting, the township’s engineer David Potter of Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, referred to the applicant’s response letter that said Wayne County had required modifications to Basin A and in order to comply with that, they had to reroute the storm water conveyance outlet pipes in Basin A into a proposed integrated forebay and outlet control structure. Detention Basin 3 was no longer needed so it was filled in.
Potter said he concurred with the Wayne County requirements and recommended final approval of the parking lot plans. He said they did review the South Basin issue.
Ron Akers, director of planning and economic development, said the commission wanted to make sure the storm water system was up to date, which was the original purpose of Basin 3.
Metro Park Party Store gas station
The commission also voted unanimously to grant preliminary site plan approval for construction of a 4-dispenser gas station with canopy at the existing Metro Park Party Store at the corner of Haggerty and East Huron River Drive.
Sloan said this was the fifth review of plans for the project and each time the plans got a little bit better. He said the site is small, just about one acre.
Sloan said on June 12 the VBT Board of Zoning Appeals granted setback variances.
Sloan’s recommendations included marking off of a fire lane, copies of cross-access agreements, a 6′ wall along the south side of the strip mall painted to match the building, more details on the usable open space at the corner, construction of five-foot-wide sidewalks along Haggerty and East Huron River Drive, and details on the proposed sign and light fixtures.
Andy Shina was present on behalf of the applicant, Side Park Inc.
Engineer Potter asked for soil borings to find out the buoyancy of the soil, “so the tanks don’t float.” He said there is an existing sanitary sewer below the tanks.
Akers said the fire marshal’s report recommended approval after certain changes, including a sign saying the door is kept unlocked during business hours, venting of the pizza oven, and fire extinguishers.
In other business at the one-hour-and-18 -minute meeting, the commission discussed a proposed plan for public participation in planning of large projects.
The first draft of this policy will be written in the next few weeks by intern Grace Moore. It will come to the planning commission for a recommendation and on to the township board for consideration of approval.