VBT Planners schedule March 14 public hearing on Smith farm rezoning

A public hearing on March 14 will seek input on the plan to change the 75-acre Harold Smith farm, at 50015 Michigan Ave., in Denton from Low Density Single Family B zoning to Light Industrial Zoning on the township master plan map.
At its regular meeting Feb. 28, the Van Buren Township Planning Commission set the public hearing for its regular 7:30 p.m. session March 14.
The township has just completed the required 42-day comment and review period for amendment of the Master Plan.
Ron Akers, director of planning and economic development, said he sent out information to 22 entities, including the planning commissions of Belleville and Sumpter, and none had any objection to the change.
Only one replied. William DeGroot, financial analyst and planner for the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority / TheRide said his group had no objections or comments.
“We do not operate service past Ridge Road in Washtenaw County and do not have the ability to extend our service past its current design,” he wrote. “Although we recognize that local land use policy decisions are solely the decision of the local municipality, we appreciate the opportunity to comment on land use issues at an early stage.”
Last June, Ben Griffin of Dearborn wrote a letter to the township explaining what he wants to do with the property.
He said the property currently consists of nine parcels and has been farmed by the same family for more than 100 years. All utilities — sewer, water, gas, electric — are in the right-of-way adjacent to the site.
The land uses for the areas adjoining the subject property include: to the north is 4,000 feet of frontage on Michigan Avenue (US-12), to the south is the active Norfolk Southern Rail line and General Motors Service Parts Operations (distribution center). To the east is the Denton Cemetery and single-family residential and to the west is Michigan Avenue (US-12).
“The property is surrounded on three sides (north, south and west) by Michigan Avenue (US-12) and the Norfolk Southern Railroad,” he wrote. “We believe this makes the site non conducive for current residential development and that impacts on the established residential neighborhood to the east would be mitigated by the required residential protection (buffer zone).”
He said he feels this is an appropriate location for an M-1 Light Industrial zone.
At the early meetings, Harold Smith was present to say he had no family members that wished to continue farming on the site so he is willing to sell the property.
Griffin said he had no specific plans for the property, but has had interest shown.
If there are no objections, the legal steps required will be followed to change the master plan and it will be complete at the June 5 township board meeting.
In other business at the 21-minute, Feb. 28 meeting, the commission unanimously approved the final site plan for a four-story office / laboratory building at 1 Village Center Drive in the Grace Lake Corporate Center. There were six minor changes that needed to be made, but those can be done administratively.
In a report on the project, VBT Fire Lt. Jason Martin, fire inspector and plan examiner, wrote that “In all new and existing buildings, minimum radio signal strength for fire department communications shall be maintained at the level determined by the Authority Having Jurisdiction.”
Patrick Westerman of Smith Group said he called the fire marshal and was relieved to learn that the radio communication stipulation is just for the new building, not for those already at Grace Lake.