VBT planners require sidewalk for VBT accessory gas station

Although Van Buren Township’s plans for construction of an accessory gasoline filling station next to the water tower did not include a sidewalk along Tyler Road, at its May 10 regular meeting the planners voted unanimously to require the sidewalk within five years.
With the construction of the new community center, the space for the loop around the present gas pumps is being taken up, so they are moving the township filling station. This is to fuel vehicles from the police, fire, public works, and community center departments.
Ron Akers, municipal services director, presented the request for the preliminary and final site plan approvals.
The 41.58-acre parcel is at the southeast corner of Tyler and Quirk roads. The proposal includes adding an accessory above-ground fuel tank, pump station, improvements to the traffic circulation and parking, as well as lighting and landscaping.
The plan is to mill down the present drive and reconstruct it at 25’ in width at the street, down to 24’, and then up to 30’ for the turn for large vehicles.
Akers said the future use of the rest of the site is still in question and there is no specific plan, so they are putting off sidewalks on Tyler until the final use is determined. No staff works on the site, although workers come in from time to time to get things that are stored in the water tower building, he said.
There will be an irrigation system for the landscape, he said. The project is not subject to water retention through Wayne County because of the limited scope, Akers said. A non-decorative chain link fence, not visible from the roads, will be around the filling station area.
Commissioner Bernie Grant, an architect, questioned deferring the sidewalks.
Commissioner Jeff Jahr, who was chairing the meeting, said whenever projects come in with deferred sidewalks, the answer is no. But this is an accessory structure, and doen’t need sidewalks yet because of future development.
“It’s a public utility,” Akers said.
Commissioner Grant asked if they are planning a DPW building at the site and Akers said that’s a possibility but there is no timeline.
Jahr said it was basicially warehousing with an essential services use.
Township Treasurer Sharry Budd, who sits on the planning commission, agreed with having no sidewalk at this time.
McKenna planning consultant Vidya Krishnan said nobody is on that site at all. People come in, fuel up, and leave, she said.
Grant said sidewalks are not for the site but to link public spaces.
Wayde Hoppe, an architect for another project on the agenda, spoke on this issue.
“Sidewalks are put in for pedestrian connectivity. It’s for the public, never for the building.” He said if this project doesn’t have to have sidewalks it will look like the commission is treating public projects different than other projects.
“They should have put in sidewalks when they built the water tower,” Hoppe said.
Grant asked if they could require the sidewalks in the next five years.
Dan Power, director of planning and economic development, said this would be a link to a future development and it’s up to the planning commission.
Akers said the township is adding sidewalks along Tyler from Haggerty and is seeking the opportunity to provide sidewalks in the community.
Jahr asked Akers if the motion comes up with sidewalks required, what would he do?
“We would take it back, get costs, and be compliant with the code,” Akers said.
Budd said if the planning commission wants sidewalks, she wouldn’t object and Commissioner Jackson Pahle said he agreed with requiring sidewalks.
Commission chairman Brian Cullin and Commissioner Medina Atchinson were absent from the meeting.
Grant made the motion to approve the preliminary and final site plans with the stipulation that sidewalks had to be placed within five years on Tyler and Beck. The motion passed unanimously.
Later in the meeting, Director Power said that he had misspoken and the township’s property does not go all the way to Beck, so there will be no sidewalks on Beck.
French Landing Park Boardwalk
Another township project was on the agenda: the preliminary and final site plan approvals for French Landing Park Boardwalk and Dock Improvements, which were approved unanimously.
The township will remove an existing elevated boardwalk and dock structure. The new structure will be about 202 feet in length, will extend about 23.5’ from the shore, and will have a total combined area of about 2,691 square feet.
French Landing Park is located at 12090-12100 Haggerty Rd.
Director Power said the dock will extend 23.5’ into the lake and 40’ is allowed by ordinance. He said no exceptions are required. He said 400 cubic yard of rip-rap will be used for stabilization. Inset, solar-powered, dock lights will be used.
A Michigan EGLE (Energy, Great Lakes, and Environment) permit has been issued and the township is working with the FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) dam operator Eagle Creek.
Elizabeth Renaud, director of community services, said since the 2019 Master Plan was done, they have been working on the park. She said the dock is the last piece of the puzzle.
Architect Hoppe explained the fence that will be installed that is very resilient. He said part of the problem with the old fence was vandalism.
Residential Zoning Amendment
Commissioners also approved setting a public hearing for either June 14 or 28 on a Residential Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment. The amendment was prompted by an application from a couple for a taller home than allowed. That couple received a variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals and the commission looked into a text amendment. The amendment would change the approved height to 35’, from the current limit of 30’, and allow 2.5 stories, up from the present limit of 2 stories.