Commissioner Jackson Pahle attended his final meeting with the Van Buren Township Planning Commission on Sept. 23, with his service term ending Oct. 1.
Fellow commissioners thanked him for his service, with Planning Commission Chairman Brian Cullin expressing appreciation for the insights and views Pahle brought to the commission. Commissioner Jeffrey Jahr added a lighthearted moment as he retroactively apologized for kicking Pahle in the ankle to get his attention during past meetings.
While Pahle is leaving the commission, he assured them that he is “not going far” as he still lives down the street and wants to stay involved with the township. He thanked the commission, sharing that he enjoyed serving, learning, and growing alongside them, while extending his gratitude to township residents and consultants.
In other business at the 79-minute meeting, the commission:
- Continued discussion on the proposed Childcare Institution Ordinance and moved to schedule a public hearing at the earliest convenience;
- Reviewed and prioritized upcoming ordinance amendments, with Industrial Uses/Development definition updates and revisions to the Soil Mining/Pond Ordinance at the top of the list;
- Granted preliminary site plan approval to James Frazier, on behalf of Great Lakes Towing, to remove an existing structure and build a 3,840-square-foot facility to temporarily store vehicles preserved for investigations at 42350 Van Born Road, contingent on a Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) review and approval of a variance for the front yard setback;
- Noted that Chick-fil-A has been managing heavy traffic at its new Belleville Road location very well, fulfilling assurances made during its approval process.
The meeting adjourned at 6:59 p.m. All commission members were present.