By Lisa Carolin
The application by St. Vladimir Russian Orthodox Church for a new cemetery and classroom trailer dominated the discussion at the March 27 Lima Township Planning Commission meeting.
During a public hearing for the church’s special use permit, neighbors expressed concern about traffic patterns and people gathering in the church’s parking lot in the middle of the night. Father Gregory Joyce from St. Vladimir Church said he appreciated hearing from neighbors and explained that the classroom trailer would only be temporary.
“When we raise enough funds, we will build a new church,” he said, referring to the church’s site at 9900 Jackson Road. “Right now the congregation is growing and we need something to do with the children. We see this as very much a temporary situation.”
Father Gregory said that it could be as soon as 2018 when they would start building a new church, but it could also be five or six years away. DTE is donating the trailer, which will be either 60 feet or 80 feet.
“If we allow this, other churches in the township could ask for the same thing,” said Marlene Consiglio, Planning Commission chair. “It would set a precedent.”
As far as the cemetery goes, Scott McElrath from Dangerous Architects explained that the plan is to keep the existing slopes on the property and to make the cemetery uniform and flat.
Because the Planning Commission still needs to receive a perpetual care agreement, an easement deed, an engineering report, as well as a time frame, they voted unanimously to table the motion until that information is provided.
Following a separate public hearing, the planning commission unanimously approved an application for a special land use permit for Burns Lawn Care and Landscaping, located at 267 Steinbach Road, to build a 36 by 40 foot pole barn to use for equipment and materials storage.
The commission formed a subcommittee to address what to do about the township’s existing sign ordinance, which Zoning Administrator Tom Caplis said could use clarity regarding commercial applications.
The commission unanimously approved amending the township’s zoning ordinance to create a stand-alone ordinance for infraction fines, which will go to the township board.
