VBT sets public hearing on Sumpter Road Corridor Plan

After about an hour of discussing the Sumpter Road Corridor Plan and its Mixed-Use Zoning District and Overlay District, the Van Buren Township Planning Commission voted to set a public hearing on the plan and ordinance amendments
Director of Planning and Economic Development Dan Power said the earliest date for a public hearing would be July 27, but the information will be put front and center on the website and there will be plenty of room for public comment.
This is an amendment to the township’s 2020 Master Plan to address the area located along and near Sumpter Road between Bemis Road and Industrial Park Drive. The plan includes an amendment to the township’s Future Land Use Map to change the future land use designation of the property to Sumpter Road Mixed Use District.
At its one-hour-and-14-minute meeting on June 22 the commission also:
• Heard Director Power announce that the Wilkin Farm irrigation ponds project for agricultural purposes on 180.57 acres south of Hull Road between Sumpter and Martinsville roads that was granted by the planning commission in March 2021 is anticipated to begin in July. He said the board of trustees has to review the excavation and everyone has to be advised of the extra truck traffic that will be in the area;
• Learned Ameristar Hanger has a site plan for a 21,712-square-foot hangar with office and storage located on the south portion of Willow Run Airport. The address is 51500 Tyler Road Extension near the border with Ypsilanti Township at the site of the former “Hangar 2” location. Power said Ameristar is a private firm with jets for traffic and cargo and is relocating its hangar. The Wayne County Airport Authority is in charge, but VBT issues permits for the building trades and a sanitary permit to YCUA;
• Heard Arby’s at 10940 Belleville Rd. will remodel its building, as it first planned in 2019, and will be approved after administrative review. Commissioner Jeff Jahr asked if Arby’s has a park bench as required by the ordinance and Power said he would make a review;
• Learned the 3,062-square-foot former Payless Shoe Store building at 2153 Rawsonville Rd. has been sold and the store renovated as a beauty supply store. Power said there is a house behind the store that shares access. The parking lot has been redone, along with a new dumpster enclosure, as well as indoor upgrades;
• Heard Commissioner Jahr ask if they had heard back from Cobblestone Creek about details of its plan and Power said staff is looking at materials now; and
• Heard Commissioner Medina Atchinson ask if the township has heard back from Camping World on details concerning its proposed painting booth that it needs to get its project approved. Power said he has made a pest of himself calling Camping World’s world headquarters to get the details for submittal so the project can continue.