Hearing, discussion held for 2006-2011 improvement plan
By Austen Smith, Editor
PUBLISHED: December 7, 2006
Planners last Wednesday night discussed a proposed medical facility, to be located at the corner of Tyler and Belleville roads, which would require an amendment to the Van Buren Township Master Plan.
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The three and a half acre lot, which lies right across the street just north of Meijer's store, would have to be rezoned in order accommodate the proposed medical facility from Oakwood Hospitals. The current zoning, set forth in the master plan, does not allow for medical practices or facilities.
The architect for the Oakwood facility, Michael Boggio, was on hand to present the plan and answer questions. He explained that the building would stretch to right around 26,000 sq. feet and would contain medical offices for a wide variety of specialized medical practices including radiology, orthopedics, cardiology, a small pharmacy and would even contain an MRI machine.
"Almost every suite is spoken for," Boggio said.
The proposed facility is currently in site plan process and has had the preliminary approved by planning commission.
Planning and Economic Development Director Bryce Kelley called the facility, "an exciting project."
"This is a very viable project and I think there is a need in the community," Kelley said at the meeting.
Kelley added that they had never - at least in the 10 years that he has served the township - re-zoned a property that wasn't in accordance with the master plan.
If approved, along with the master plan changes, the facility could be built and occupied by next fall.
Principal Planner for Van Buren Township, James Breuckman, said in a memo that the process for a master plan amendment is identical to the process of amending a new plan except that the review and comment period is shorter for a plan amendment than for an adoption of a new plan.
In order for the Van Buren Planning Commission to introduce the amendment, they will have to perform the following the actions:
n Notice of intent to plan. Prior to preparing the plan amendment, the planning commission must mail a notice explaining that the planning commission intends to prepare a plan amendment and request the recipients cooperation which will be sent out to adjacent planning commissions, SEMCOG, the Wayne County Board of Commissioners and any public utility organizations that have registered its name and mailing address with the township in order to receive master plan change updates.
n Develop the master plan amendment. After the intent to plan is transmitted, the planning commission will develop the proposed master plan amendment.
n Submittal to the township board for approval to distribute. The prepared master plan amendment is then submitted to the board for review and comment. Board members must approve the distribution of the amendment in order to complete the next step.
n Distribution for comment. The plan must be distributed to a number of other entities around the municipality including planning commissions within 40 miles, SEMCOG, county board of commissioners and public utilities.
n Planning commission public hearing. After the deadlines for outside comment have passed, the planning commission may hold a public hearing on the plan.
n Planning commission and township board adoption. Following the public hearing, the planning commission may approve the amendment by a majority vote of its membership. After that, the township board may choose to adopt the plan but it is an optional step.
Commissioner Ted Smolinski aired his concerns on whether the proposed facility will impact the current Oakwood facility located in downtown Belleville. He said he didn't want this operation running the smaller one out of town.
Boggio told Smolinski that the two facilities will not be in competition.
"Oakwood has no intention of shutting down the Belleville facility," Boggio said.
Planners also aired concerns about the proposed facility backing into a residential neighborhood. Boggio said they are going to do their best in order not to disrupt the neighborhood by keeping the facility to a single story and building with brick exterior.
There was also some contention over whether the current zoning was accurate or not. Smolinski said he didn't remember approving changes to that area when the master plan was last updated over 10 years ago.
"That area is residential, it always has been residential, it should stay residential," he said.
Planners eventually agreed to do more research on the current and historic zoning of the area and bring the issue back to the next meeting.
In other business, the planning commission held a public hearing on the 2006 - 2011 Capital Improvement Plan. The CIP entails a great assortment of proposed projects and improvements throughout all areas of the township and departments within Van Buren government.
Kelley assured planners that there is nothing set in stone.
"This is kind of like our wish list," Kelley said.
One of the more significant projects laid out in the CIP calls for the construction of VBT Fire Station #1, to be located on Sumpter and Hull roads. Some other areas for improvement include; Greenways Phases one through three, repairs and improvements to playground equipment, Visteon Way improvements, expansion of the public safety facility and a number of sewer and water improvements.
"Over the past several years, the township has experienced considerable growth as the community transitions from a primarily rural environment to one that is much more urban or suburban in nature," as stated in a prepared memo.
"The projects listed in the CIP are those the administration believes will be needed in the future for the improvement of municipal service in the community and the preservation of existing municipal facilities."
For a copy of the CIP, please visit the Van Buren Township offices located at 46425 Tyler road. For more information please visit the web site at www.vanburen-mi.org.
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