By Lisa Carolin
More than two dozen Sylvan Township residents participated in the township planning commission’s March 25 meeting via Zoom to voice their opposition to a rezoning request from agriculture to industrial zoning at 480 Pierce Road.
Applicant Bill Kerns, owner of Manchester Collision and Towing, spoke about his interest in rezoning the property so that he could open an impound tow yard with the goal of being close to I-94 and the Chelsea area.
Residents, who mostly live in the area on Garvey Road and Pierce Road, spoke against the rezoning proposal for a number of reasons that include noise, traffic concerns, inappropriate use of the rural, natural area, endangering a protected wellhead area, light pollution, fear of property values going down, and a threat to the environment which includes Letts Creek and wetlands.
Planning commission members shared residents’ concerns, which also included dividing the proposed 32-acre area to be rezoned into three lots, with just one lot to be used for the tow yard. There was additional concern about what the use might be for the additional two lots.
After a lot of discussion, the planning commission voted to table the rezoning request, which gives Kerns the opportunity to change his application.
In other action, a preliminary site plan for Chelsea Square, a proposed 81-unit apartment complex to be located near Pielemeier Drive and Coliseum Drive, was postponed by the Sylvan Township Planning Commission.
Following a public hearing, commission members discussed their concerns about still waiting for a water and sewer capacity study to be completed. The question is whether 81 units are feasible with the current water and sewer capacity.
A second cause for concern is a wetlands delineation survey. The applicant still needs to confirm the wetland line.
The planning commission approved and sent on to the township board memorialization of the Feb. 25, 2021 final site plan approval for Chelsea Springs II, a 28-unit condominium site connected to Coliseum Drive. The applicant satisfied all conditions that were agreed upon during approval of a final site plan at the planning commission’s Feb. 25 meeting.
The Sylvan Township Planning Commission meets next on April 22 at 7 p.m.
