Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Oh, sorry. We'll do that again. I heard you. City of Ron Hills planning commission meeting for Wednesday, February 18th is called to order. Everyone, please rise for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Okay, here we go. Item two is roll call. I guess I'll do that. Roll call. Oh, you're going to do it. Yeah. Mr. Long present. Miss Krova present. Miss Rosco here. Miss Fry here. Mr. Bob here. Um, I'm here and Miss Mr. Gladfelty is excused and Miss Green is here.

You mean Jameson? Miss Jameson is she said here. Excuse. We haven't heard. He's good for Miss Jameson. Yeah, we haven't heard from her, but she could just be running late. Okay. Right. Okay. Item three is approval of the agenda. I'll make a motion to approve the agenda. Support. Second. Seconded. Mr. Long. Okay. Yes. A

motion for Mr. Crox supported by Mr. Long to approve the agenda. Mr. Long, I'm sorry. Mr. Prova, yes. Mr. Long, yes. Mr. Green, yes. Miss Rasco, yes. Mr. McAllie, yes. Miss Mr. Bad, yes.

Chair votes yes. The agenda is approved. Okay. Item four is approval of the minutes. So move madam chair. Support. Support. Yes.

Motion from Mr. Blanc. Seconded by Mr. Green to approve minutes from the meeting held Wednesday, Jan Oh, January 21st. What am I thinking? January 21st. We're on Wednesday. I'm screwed up on Wednesdays. Okay. Mr. Long approved it. Mr. Mr. Long make the motion. Mr. seconded to approve the minutes of the planning commission meeting held on Wednesday, January 21st, 2026. Any discussion Mr. Long? Yes,

Mr. Green. Yes, Mr. Croat. Yes. Mr. is excused. Mr. Jameson. Yes. Yes. Miss Rasco, yes. Mr. Mcelli, yes. Mr. Boad, yes. Chair votes, yes. Minister approved. Okay, Madam Chairman, yes. Let the record show that Miss Jameson has joined the meeting. It's nice if you can join us.

Okay. Item five, comments from the public on non-aggenda items. Is there anyone here who wants to speak on something that's not on our agenda? Not everybody at once. Okay, we'll move on to the next one. Public hearings, we have none. Old business, we have RZ202504, Bradford Airport Logistics. Um, then you are requesting requesting a zoning a zoning map amendment

and approval of the site plan. No traditional resoning. Traditional resoning. Right. Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm Marcus Tommy, the director of economic development for the Wayne County Airport Authority. Apologize for my voice. I'm practicing to be a lounge singer. It's not going very well. Um, you're a lounge singer. I was going to have you sing it. I I can do that if you'd like, but uh I may take up too much of your time.

Uh, thank you very much for having us back here again. uh your prior feedback has been uh very important uh for us to make a stronger uh and more responsive case. Uh so appreciate your time and consideration. I'd like to now introduce Ike Rosson from Radford Airport Logistics.

Good evening, Madam Chair, commissioners and sincerely want to thank you for the opportunity to come back here uh today to present this. um Mike Rosson, Bradford airport logistics, director of business development, and we came prepared with an updated slide deck, but based on the feedback we received from uh the commission in the December meeting, we have addressed those items uh specifically asking for approval conditionally to resone the 11.8 8 acres versus the full 40 acre piece. The updated conditional resoning agreement which we worked with um the city and Wayne County Airport Authority and believe that falls in line with the the more traditional agreement and uh really if we can go through the slide deck if you would like to go through the whole project but um we can in in the sake of time and and your time respectively right into questions if you have

I don't think we have to go through the whole project. No, they did an exceptional presentation last month. So, pardon me. They did an exceptional presentation last month on So, and you got that. Um, yeah. Yeah, we don't need to go through the whole Okay. And are there any questions that that we have? Madam Chairman, um, I'm speaking I'm looking in finding of fact and recommendations out of page nine of our report that we have. I there are like 21 items listed and I just want to know are there any open items on that list that we should be aware of?

Uh no. Um the like you said the the agreement is is has been updated. We're only requesting approval for the 118 acres and then obviously we'll come back through the permitting process with the the site plan. I'm just reading through really quickly just to see if I had any additional the property you're going to reszone 11.88 of now is that's going to create something that's going to be corrected or

well it's going to be it's a portion of a bigger piece and it will be split off. It will either be split off through just your standard parcel division or as part of a bigger condominium development for the their entire piece, whatever whatever the airport authority, however they decide to to do it. But it's not it'll come as part of site plan when you see a full site plan. Okay. And this is already been addressed in the in the res. Yep. They're aware of it. The agreement. It's actually not addressed in the agreement, but it will come up during site plan review, which you will see. you will get a full-blown site plan when they're ready to, you know, get going after this. Okay. Thank you, Madam Chair,

Mr. Law. Yes, Madam Chair. Thank you, Carol. This is I want to address this to you. Um, this property since it's owned by Wayne County Airport Authority, how does that play into our tax base? Is this going to be revenue for this proposed building or this going to be with the airport authority? So, my understanding is it's going to go back on the the tax roles. Marcus probably can describe it a little further. You're I'm guessing you're going to want more details.

Uh yes. So since uh the property is owned by the Wayne County Airport Authority, as soon as there is occupancy, I mean when that building opens, then there will be uh taxable uh revenue then that would go to the city of Ramulus. Is that based on the building itself or is that based on the products that's going through there?

It' be based on the on the building. So the assessment would be on the square footage of that building. um just as it is with other airport authority property. So when we look across the street on the actual airport, if we have a warehouse or another facility and it's occupied by a third party, then there will be taxes assessed to that facility based on the occupancy of that building. And that would be in the case of this facility as well. Oh, thank you. That was my main concern, you know, cuz I have an issue with that and been having issue for a long time with uh Wayne County Airport Authority. So, thank you. Thank you.

Any other comments or anybody Carol or Lindsay or have anything you want to add? I don't think so. We, you know, did a markup on the agreement, went back and forth with them. They agreed to all of the things. our new attorney, uh, David Greco, who's very involved in it, looked at things, had some suggestions, as well as OM and Carlile Wman and few of the rest of us, and yeah, we got everything worked out very easily. So, all we're doing tonight is the um, conditional resoning, right? Tonight, it's a recommendation to city council. Yeah. Right. Mhm. Okay. Then they'll have to come. No, they don't have to come back before us for recite plan. Site plan. Yes,

they like to come back. Yeah, you'll see them again. Any other questions? Two questions. One, I don't recall if I mentioned it before. That um cell phone lot that's there. Is that going to be relocated um someplace? Cuz people actually do use that. And I'm thinking with what has happened recently at the airport and now with the new blockade, people can't really sit there. So, they're probably really going to be using that lot or need to as they wait.

Yeah. And our preference is for folks who are coming to pick up passengers to use both the cell phone lots on the north end and the south end. So, the south cell phone lot will remain in existence. So, as part of this development, uh the the new facility will be located south on Wayne Road and the South Sul will remain. At some point down the road, if we do decide to expand the building, that'll obviously come back before the planning commission. But our intention is to ensure that we've relocated that lot at that time so that we can continue to maintain an opportunity for folks to have a place to sit rather than on the curb at one of the terminals. Thank you. Um also the um verbiage in there that says that um we reserve the right to do a traffic study later on as it develops. Is that in that agreement?

It is. Yes. And to clarify his question, so the taxes will go to Romulus, not to Wayne County or Detroit. Is that correct? Uh that's correct. Yes. Uh the airport authority does not collect any taxes. We we are tax exempt. So, and it would not go to the city of Detroit either. Okay. Thank you. I had a madam chair. I had a question just for

one one other question in regards to um the airport property when that was designated um a Detroit zip code. Can you kind of explain the logistic behind that? What what happened with that with that being in the city of Romulus and then you know when the airport authority came aboard they decided to go with the Detroit zip code. Can you give some clarification on why that was done?

Um I'm I'm sorry commissioner. I don't have that information as to how the zip code was created to become Detroit rather than Romulus. Um I started at the airport in 1999 and uh it it had a Detroit Yeah. zip code um since then. So I back in the 70s, right? Uh but I would be happy to be able to follow up with you and uh give that information to you so you can understand how that came about to occur. Thank you. Appreciate it.

They probably were doing the whole thing. So they just said all of their property, all the airport property. They said, "Well, let's just make it all." When the airport was founded, was it not? We would have been a township at that point. We were a township. So, I'm wondering if that had something classified as zip code. It It used to have a post office right in the center of it, too. I remember going there when I still there. There was an observation deck that you could go watch the airplanes.

Actually, I didn't see it. My mom told me about it. Okay, Kathy. Any other questions or comments? Madam Chairman, Mr. Mini,

I make a motion to recommend to the city council approval of the conditional resoning for RZ 2025004 Bradford Airport Logistics to reszone 11.88 88 acres of a 40.52 acre parcel. ID number 80-130-99-00001-76 located at 18115184 Wayne Road from C3 Highway to M2 General Industrial subject to the finalization and execution of the conditional resoning agreement by the city attorney which is still ongoing. It's yeah, it's got there's there's finalization steps that come into play when those are done, making sure it's in the correct format and all of that. So, content of it, he's he's already approved. And

so, this recommendation is based on the findings of the Carile Wartman Associate CWA report dated February 9th, 2026. Support Anybody second this second?

Mr. Long, excuse me. I have a motion from Mr. Mcno, supported by Mr. Long to recommend to city council the conditional resoning for okay. So zoning for

excuse me zoning for what he said. Okay. What Mr. Melli said supported by Mr. Long. Any discussion? Mr. Melli. Yes. Okay, Mr. Long. Yes, Miss J. M. Jameson. Yes, Mr. G. Excuse. Mr. Green, yes. Mr. Croat, yes.

Mr. Rasco, yes. Did I ask you? Yes. Okay. If you did, yes, Mr. Bad. Yes. Chair Vess. We will recommend to city council approval of this um site plan. Conditional resoning. Condition. I'm sorry. Reszoning. I'm sorry. Thank you very much. Thank you. Good luck. Thank you. Have to excuse me. I'm not allowed to go out.

Especially on a Wednesday and I left my water in the car. You know what? I was just going to go see if I can find

Okay, so we're done with uh Bradford, right? What is this? Next we have new business. We have SPR 20235. New Malawa Express. Is it Malwa Express?

Yep. New Malawa. No. Yep. Sounds like I got gum in my office. Melwa. No, it's all right. You want to wait for your water? No, it's great.

Okay. Uh And your project is to construct a 25,770 25,770 square foot warehouse, truck repair office, and truck wash facility. And you are the representative? Yep. I'm here with the owner and and uh the potential builder, the company, you two guys. Yeah. Oh, you

both been here many times. Yeah. My name is Michael Brock. I'm with Hennessy Engineers at 13500 Greek Road in Southgate. Uh we're here tonight for the new Mallet Express located at 29057 Hilda Brand which is just east of Middle Belt Road. Thank you. It's

on the south side of Hilda Branch and New Maua actually owns and operates their trucking facility on the north side of Hilda Brand. So they've outgrown their their building and property and and are wanting to construct this new facility. There we go. Uh the property consists of 13.76 acres made up of multiple parcels. Um Manny, the owner, did uh submit for a um a lot consolidation and I believe that's been approved by the city, but it won't get issued a tax ID number until the end of the year. Um yeah, the streets and alleys within the property have all been vacated. Um out of the 13.76 acres, approximately nine acres are are to to be developed at this time. So they're not using the entire piece of property. They're just using a portion of it. Uh the property is zoned MT industrial transportation in which the proposed uses are allowed and the property is surrounded by MT zoning with the exception of the the C2 parcel where the uh I believe there's a hotel that's being built there right now. So there's our site plan like like you mentioned there's approximately 26,000t building. is set back 131 ft from the rightway line. Uh we're proposing a new entrance um on the Hillbrand Road. I believe it's almost in the exact same location as a roadway. I forget the name. Central I think it might be Central Street.

The vacated central central street or is that Lorman? I'm looking trying to compare the site plan. Is it Mormon or is it Central? Central. I believe Central is vacated. Yeah, Mormon is at the I don't know the the end of the property that that's been vacated up to that point. The um Lorraine Lraine on the east side of the of the development that's still uh that's still a street. However, it's it's barricaded off and I think it has been for for some time.

What will become of Lorraine? I think that either one of the property owners wanted to develop it in the future or it may get vacated depending on it. it right now is providing access to some of the if you look at this the summary report you can see them the outline of the entire property and you can see down you know in this area that's more green that's not part of the development needs access to some of those roads

yeah if you look at the zoning map that I have the new Malva Express I kind of highlighted in yellow and it shows Lorraine and there's some some parcels on the east side of of Lraine that that still need um still need access to them, you know, should anything be developed back there or anything. Okay.

So, legally, I think they they need access. You know, you can't vacate your road and and not lose somebody access. So, that's why Lena is still open. Not that it's used because like I mentioned, it's barricaded off, but it's still open legally. Um, where was I? Oh, and I wanted to mention, you know, although the original application listed a truck wash within this building, there's no plan to build a a truck wash at this time. So nor in the future I don't know that was um that was part of the original plan but we've since

eliminated the truck washing the plans. Why I didn't find it on the drawing. What's that? That's why I didn't find it on the print. Oh yeah, I know. Yeah, it was listed in the original application when we when we first submitted, right?

Over a year ago by now. But uh we've worked through a lot of things and and the truck wash is no longer part of them. So we are requesting six waivers. Um not sure if you want to go through them. Um first one's the detention basin. Um located in a front yard setback. I know we've uh we've done that several times. Um the building appearance on Lraine or Hilda Grand Street that's I think that's because of materials on that that face Lraine you know the one the one that's closed off um the landscaping adjacent to Lraine um I know that I think Lorraine is still considered a a front yard setback because because it is an open street, but they say there's no traffic down there, no anything. So, we're kind of want to reduce some of the landscaping on that side. And I think the ordinance calls for a 4ft BM along the rain and we just like to keep it as is.

Isn't part of it grown over? Pardon me. I said, isn't part of it grown over? Oh, the rain street. Oh, last time I was out there. Yeah. I think there's actually a little somebody cut a ditch in so that the traffic can't get back there and I you know I think there was a history of dumping you know back there if I'm not mistaken. Yeah, it's it's it's unused right now and blocked off. Nobody really goes down there. Pardon me. Nobody goes down there. It's it's an unused street. It's a street but it's it's unused. There's nothing down there. Right. But somebody owns that property. Yeah. On the other side of the rain, somebody owns it. legally it has to remain there, right, for access, right?

Um the sidewalk along High Park, you know, there's a and in and Lorraine Street, we're requesting a waiver to not construct the the sidewalk along Lorraine since there is no foot traffic down Lorraine and High Park. There's only a a small portion where the detention basin is along High Park. And there's a waiver for the trash receptacle location because it is it's not technically in a front yard setback, but it's visible to Lraine, I believe, but again, Lraine doesn't was not getting used. And we are asking for one variance for the overhead doors which are facing Lorraine Street. You'd have to go through the BCA for that.

Yes. Yep. Yeah. I just want to make everybody aware that Sure. that we are going through BCA.

Um, as you can see, there's ample room for for both trucks, semiis, and and fire trucks. There's a ample turning areas for for any kind of truck that'll that will go in there. Uh we do have there's a 4ft high BM in front of the building on Hilderbrand Street and with extensive landscaping even though you know we asking for reduction of some of the landscaping along the main street we we're still providing ample landscaping over there and there we have a lot of landscaping around the utensil. they continue. And there's kind of an overview, an aerial overview of uh of the development and what they are, what we're proposing and what's remaining of the property that that isn't being used at this time. Yeah. You can see that Lraine Lraine Street to the to the east, which would be the top of the development. You know, it's a street that kind of leads to nowhere. And at this time, I'll leave it up to Nino. He can come talk about the uh the building and the appearance of the building and other materials.

Good evening, Nino Domenico, DNG Building Company. Um just want to go over some of the the building materials on the building. Uh the front office area will be a masonry structure. Um colored block, split face color block on the front. Uh the orange panel on the front entrance that is their corporate orange color um on on their trucks. It says New Melo and it had has that orange brand on there. Um the warehouse in the back will be a combination of color split face block and um and the gray uh panels in the warehouse portion.

Thank you.

Thank you. Appreciate it. What is the orange? Is that a sheet metal or is it It's a metal panel. Not. Is it like a bent metal spray painted? I'm trying to understand. No, no, it's it's integrated color.

Okay. Integrated. Yeah. It's a it's power coated panel. And as you can see with the with the floor plan, you know, we have a repair area, a large repair area, a warehouse, and you know, there there's no problem watch there anymore. The um the office area is a is a twotory twotory office area. That's why there's a second floor plan. Then we have the building elevations with the that show the overhead doors in the front of the building.

What is this? Go back a slide. Sure. Uh proposed roof for shed for cleaning.

Yeah, I was just going to let um Manny come up and um explain his his business um explain his logistics and I think he's going to talk about that as well. Hi everyone, my name is Manny. I'm the director at New Express. Um so we are currently have been in city of uh in Ramulus for the last five six years on Hillbrand and um now as we are looking into the you know development for our own terminal. Uh we run a logistics transportation company and a lot of our you know our trips that we are running are from Michigan down to Texas or you know um Midwest and all the way down to Texas. But uh the terminal that we're proposing to develop is basically for all of our need even the repair facility is to perform repairs on our trucks. It's not for outside repairs. And same goes for the warehouse and then the office building. We have a, you know, an office personnel of about eight to 10 people right now that run dispatch and safety for our trucking company. So that's primarily what the use of the office will be. And I guess with that, open it up to any questions or comments anybody might have.

Open to the commission. Ask a question to the chair. I have a couple questions. Sure. Um I was a little confused as far as the orientation because there's so many streets there that have been abandoned. But I believe it's Hyde Park. Hide Park is the street that is to the west of that facility. Yes. Okay. Well, yeah, it's it doesn't abut the the property the h high part hide park part only abuts the detention basin. Okay. You see that it kind of the property kind of has a little L shape there at the end.

And um my concern with Hide Park and and to the west of that facility would be the proper screening so that the um the people who are staying in the hotels are not looking out and seeing you know they have a little bit of a screening there. I guess my maybe my question would be to uh Lindsay if um that's the proper screening there for the hide park the west side because I know we're given waivers or they're requesting waivers for some of the other stuff.

So we were not the firm that uh did the review for the landscaping. However, uh along that it's a technically a sideyard and so the there's not the screening required there uh as there would be along a frontage even though those properties to the west of this are not currently being used I believe. Yeah, there's a little bit of a gap there. Okay, so those are still buildable properties, right?

So something could be built there and then they would have some screening. And then the other portion is um Lraine. Um you're asking for some waiverss dealing with the rain. Do the uh property owners also own the properties on the opposite side of Lraine? No. No. Um you can see on this I forget the name of that trucking facility. What is it? Milestone. Milestone. They own the property on on the west side of of Lraine or I'm sorry on the east side of Lraine. Okay. They're mostly developed right there. It's really not big enough to develop anything on that.

Um it's just a kind of a sliver piece of property. It was the old army barracks, I believe. Oh yeah. This this property is actually Manny's property was the old army barracks. Okay. So, even if we uh we grant the waiverss that you're requesting for the Lraine uh um side, it's not really affecting anything on the opposite side of the road because uh that's already owned by that truck uh trucking company. That's correct. Okay. And there there's a there's a tree line, you know, on the east side of of Lando. Pretty mature grows. And if I look at your map now, um there is a lot of property in between the um hotel that's being built for the last couple years or so. and it's been a while

in your facility. Um it looks like if there's big enough property big enough there to to build something and also has um a buffer. Yeah. And you know I I kind of viewed it as the detention basin being a a buffer as well, you know, because it's I mean it's not a huge detention basin, but it'll be landscaped and you know it it should look pretty nice. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Long.

Yes. Thank you to the chair. The building itself now, you you'll be doing um repairs and and maintenance on your vehicles. But when you speaking of the components and parts for those repairs, would that be on a order basis or would it be stocked there at the facility and would it be placed outside or inside?

Would you be changing tires there? Will you be having fuel on the property and everything like that? How do you plan to um eliminate potential problems with supplies? Yeah, there no outdoor storage is being proposed as part of this. Everything would be inside. If you want to as for the parts today, even like where we are on Hild de Brand, we order parts and we do just basic repairs on the trucks. We're not anything everything else, engine work and anything that involves fuel, all of that goes back to dealerships for us. We're just doing basic, you know, no major repairs.

No major repairs, just minor repairs. So yeah, we just have it for you two two mechanics.

Madam Chairman, chair. So if I'm correct or please correct me, Carol, if I'm wrong, the PIPP, the pollution, that will address how they deal with spills and and oils and things like that. So that'll be submitted as part of this, right?

Yes. you know, and and that we're seeing that in a lot of reviews. It it it's associated with a lot of the uses that we're looking at. Um the ordinance under the special land use conditions or the conditions um in this case because it's MT, it's not a special land use, it it always said the planning commission may require that. That ordinance actually got updated to say shall be required during engineering. And you know, we kind of let it happen during the engineering review or construction review. fire looks at it, right? It's primarily a fire department thing, but that's all I'm looking for is reassurance that somebody will address those issues. Y absolutely

because I think their comment on here was um they would put the PP PIP in if it's necessary, right? It always is. But we're saying it's necessary. It's necessary. something comes up during engineering that say I don't know they did one a year before or something because it was a new development you know there could be some unusual situations but uh for the most part on uses like this they want them so

I'm sure Jeff won't give them a cow unless they have Five. Madam Chair. Madam Chair. Madam Chair. Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead. Another question in regards to hours of operation. Are you a 24-hour operation or?

Um, currently we're not. We're up until about midnight and then open back up at 6:00 a.m. In the um far as the trucking goes, how many vehicles per day? About 10 to 10 to 15 for the traffic of exiting and entering the yards. About 10 to 10 to 15. We do a lot of long haul. So once the drivers are gone, like Monday, they don't get back till about Friday or Saturday. Oh, okay. All right. Thank you. That's what I wanted clarification. Thank you. You're basing that on how many trucks you're seeing right now? Yes.

Any other questions or comments? I have something. Go ahead. Yeah. Just for uh Carol and Jeff, is there any possibility that Lorraine may ever be used? Not that I I mean not without something potentially happening with one of these two proper the one's already developed and then when this one's developed not without something changing on that front.

Yeah. because that's my my only concern is that um we allow the waiverss for the trash especially that and then the uh the screening and let's say in 5 years he moves or is no longer there or the other side then we do have a problem with screening. if let's say one of them decides they need that road operational for whatever their business might become cuz as of right now we're making the decisions based on what it is right now but it doesn't feel very futuristic thinking because we're we're hoping that Romney's continues to grow and change which means so are the businesses um so I I wouldn't want us to get stuck into a place where well it made sense 5 years ago but now it doesn't so are we not thinking forward enough um because that is part of the planning problem is if we don't think far ahead enough.

Well, actually this this area as you know we keep hearing we know it's barracks. It was used for housing. It was used for totally different uses and much of we've been trying for years to get these parcels all assembled. Uh vacate the alleys, vacate the roads. Um the the piece the reason that we've got to keep the ones open is because it's typically some of the properties to the south. The ones across Hildebrand, you know, this is a big chunk coming together. Um be nice to pick up those other few pieces at a But on High Park, which who knows, maybe they will in the future. They're tough sites to develop for trucking. They're they're kind of small and narrow. And then going to the other way with Milestone, same thing. you know, at some point getting them all consolidated together and then the access to the properties to the south, they have access off of middle belt. So, while you keep it open to to get back there, they still do have that access off of middle belt. So, um we're just liking the idea that these are getting consolidated. So, they they are dumping grounds when they're not. You know, these vacant little pieces of property just just are just problematic all the way around. So getting these these things vacated and having that right away become part of property that could be more useful, you know, in the future um is is really what we've been trying to that's been our goal in this area.

Yeah. And if I could mention something, Manny has been trying to purchase the parcels to the I know south and not not souththeast of of Lorraine, south of Lorman. I mean, he's been in talks to purchase those parcels, which would allow him to vacate the vacate the rain essentially. If he owns all that and combines them with his parcel, the rain could actually be vacated. So, he's been in talks with the owners of those of those parcels, try to purchase them.

Thank you, Madam Chair. In regards to um the 100 or so spaces for parking and everything, will you be how would that will you be leasing to other companies that have parking spaces or how does that work? Will it be all under MA? No, it'll all be strictly for new MA. Um you know, we where we are right today, we're kind of limiting to our space. So that with this proposal um we just want to keep this terminal for you know our trailers and our trucks. All right. Thank you.

The chair. Go ahead. Um so would you be doing cross docking at the facility?

Uh then again no. Um we the reason why we have that is today if any of our trailers they we empty them and have to do any repairs that's what that is for. Um we're not like storing anything in the warehouses as of today and we don't offer like warehousing services to any of our customers. Um and to kind of elaborate on our customers we service GM and Honda and Chrysler. We do a lot of automotive. So, um, in case of an emergency or if the trailer something is wrong with the trailer, if it just needs to be unloaded and fixed and reloaded, that's when we're using the the warehouse phase today.

So, how many trailers do do you think at every time t you might be storing on the property? because we want to make sure that it does not also turn into kind of like a short-term long-term lease type arrangement because you you have a lot of space and based on what you do I don't know if you need 123 spaces.

Well, with the automotive business for every every um truck it it's up to like three trailers that are needed for the business. And I mean we're running a fleet of about 50 60 trucks today and composing 120 spaces kind of seems you know ideal because a lot of the automotive they do take you know all the holidays and the downtime. So when it comes to like the long shutdowns around Christmas and New Year's um the space would be rarely used for that for that time. So it's not only repairs you'll be doing you you'll be storing trailers on site. Yeah, that's what the I mean the back end of the parcel is where all the trailer parking will be.

But there are trailers that will like basically go out to, you know, do the load that we pick up and head out, you know, with the trucks that are going for the long haul. You'll be loading on site and offloading on site too. No, I'm saying the trailer spa, the parking space for the trailers will be used and then the when the drivers are taking it to go pick up their loads. That's, you know, that's the trailers that they're using. That's what the need is for the 120 trailer spaces. Okay. Thank you. Yep.

Any questions? So basically, you'll have a lot of trailers on there and then the tractor will pull in, get the trailer, and go wherever they're supposed to go. But when they're in your lock, when they're parked, they're empty.

They could they could be loaded with dunage. Like we have to kind of wait on appointment. So if if their loads are picked up, they might have empty racks. They might have auto parts. They might be empty. They're stored here until we have to go make the delivery. We we go down to GM Arlington, down to Laredo. So, and they get reloaded with dunage that goes back to some of the suppliers here in Michigan, you know, in Detroit and Lake Orion. So, a lot of the trips that we do are round trips. So, we get picked up, we pick up the load and then we deliver it, but then drivers come back and take their reset. So, that load is brought back to our yard until it's running ne the next week. How many trailers do you have? How many tractors do you have?

Uh we have 55. 55. Yep. And they're pretty much in use. They're all in use every day. Every day. That's good. But they're not going to have 55 coming in here get a load and go. No. About 10 or 15 leave every say like Monday 10:15 leave and then Tuesday 10:15 leave. But the ones that leave Monday don't come back till Friday and then the ones who leave Tuesday don't come back till Saturday. So it's kind of like a you know leave and come back on a rotation schedule. So they go deliver their wares and then they come back.

Yeah. The drivers usually like based on their hours of service, they take like a 304 reset. A lot of the drivers that we have are doicile out of Michigan. They live near Ramulus. Um they, you know, they go out for their load. When they come back, they stay at home for 34 hours and then they come back, get in their truck and go back out for the next So, Madam Chair, Carol.

Yes. Um, on these recommendations, would you have anything else that you would like to make comment on as far as the recommendation?

No. Uh Doug Luan from Carl Worman did a very thorough review and you probably noticed it's in a little bit different format. We did one review already. Actually this is I think our third review and so you know he he his everything in red are some of his you know final comments. So a lot of a lot of stuff was caught. There still is some housekeeping stuff. Much of it got on the record tonight. So, the plans definitely need to be, you know, revised and cleaned up some, but um, you know, other other than these waiverss that you need to take action on, you know, they do need a trip to the BZA for that variant. But otherwise, no, it uh it sounds like sounds like everything either got discussed that was in the package or you guys have talked about it tonight. You don't you see anything else that was in any of these comments that needs to get

cleaned up? No. No. I mean, property, it's all zoned MT. I mean, the use that they're proposing is allowed in that district. It's actually, you know what I mean, for for a trucking operation the way they are long haul with 10 to 15 a day and then they're gone for a while. And it's not like every all of them every single day, it's not a super high intense use. So, it's actually I look at it as a good fit for this MTZ zone property that hasn't been developed for a long time that's got the opportunity to have development come. Thank you. Any other questions or comments? Would you like a Would you like a motion?

Not a motion would be in order. Madam Chair, I'd like to make a motion. Mr. Grab. Yes. I'd like to make a motion that the planning commission approve the site plan for SPR2023- 005 Newway at 29057 Hilda Branch subject to the following five comments that are listed in the planning summary report. Support seconded. Yes.

Okay. I have motion with Mr. Grovis ordered by Mr. Green to approve the site plan for RZ20235. New Malawa New I feel funny. I feel like saying Malawa Newa Malawa new Malwa Express. Um,

and add a correction be SPR 2023. What did I say? 2025. Say 2025. You said the number right. You just said should be SPR 9.

Oh, I'm sorry. SPR 202305. Okay. subject to the five items in the excuse me in the planning report any discussion green Mr. Green second. Yeah, he I know he seconded. I I said that already. I think. Yes, you did. The only discussion I have is what will become the existing building that you're

I don't know. Are you going to keep it or sell it? Oh, they're leasing. Oh, okay. You're just renting leasing. Okay. Thank you. Mr. Prova. Yes. Mr. Green. Yes. Mr. Rosco. Yes. Mr. Mali. Yes. Mr. Bad. Yes. Mr. Mr. Long. Yes.

Miss Jameson. Yes. chair votes yes. Thank you. We'll get these uh few items cleaned up and get it into the planning department for uh you know for administrative review. Great. We're going to have a grand opening, right? A grand opening. Sure.

Two weeks we're in Detroit. That would be nice. Manny wish I give Manny credit because you went around and you must have bought up all those pieces of properties that probably a lot of work all those little sites the the rain situation just always keeps coming all our discussions and we've tried numerous times. It's just you know but we're here and we've you know gotten all this combined you're on your way and uh we just look forward to you know getting this project. Yeah. Hopefully we don't find any old foundations that are there. The buildings are there. They were there. It's been empty for a long time. Constructed. Yeah.

Several of them burned down and then got demolished. Yeah. Thank you. Good luck with your project. Thank you. Yeah, I'll get it.

Oh, that's right. We can we can continue. You sure? Please, I'll tell you what.

Next, we have PC cases involving advice or input from the planning commission.

I have one. It's not necessarily a PC case, but I do have one that I've been talking with a uh there's there's a few sites on Metal Belt Road that are all houses. They're all zoned M1. There's one specifically that's on the corner. They had actually redeveloped uh I can't remember the address. I think it's 6837 Middle Belt. Um they did paving, did everything, and they got it to a residential CFO. And now the property they're looking to sell the property because they were want they were get it to a commercial sale. And one of the questions that keeps popping up is either they to run either a Toro business there which could possibly be allowed or another one is there keep there's somebody that wants to rent it as an office but it's for an auto sale and with that we have to sign there's a license that's got to be signed. So I've been telling them no. Now, part of what they continue to ask is that if they were to put stipulations where they were going to be an office only, no cars on site, but they need that license to be able to buy, sell, they have a lot in another city where they sell these cars. They don't do any repairs or anything on site. The guy's really been asking and pushing the la the recently the last probably two weeks about this. I continue to tell him no. And the more and more I think about it, I'm like, well, if they never have a car on the site, I don't know if there's stipulations on that we can put on. I don't know. I just figured I'd bring it up here because these are kind of popping up a little bit. There's about five or six houses there. It would be great if somebody bought them all. They're just frontage. They're not real deep properties at all. They're just front like a bunch of little houses all zoned M1 and they've been kind of popping up the last couple years.

Doesn't he doesn't he have don't they have a license where they're where they're selling them from at the other lot? Uh he he wants to move his office. He wants to put an office here and have a license there and continue to sell them in the lot. So, they don't have I don't I don't believe that I don't think they have a license on that lot. They must they probably have a license at an office they're leasing somewhere in a different city. So, we've gotten in Steve Hitchcock did um a legal opinion on this, investigated this several years ago with the state that when we signed these forms to the state to allow a dealership. So, as you you may recall, we just updated the vehicle use section of the ordinance. Dealerships now need two acres,

which is we've been trying to um you know, just kind of get these under control. And as Jeff said, an ideal world, all these little tiny pieces, you know, we'd love them all consolidated in some more useful thing, but in the meantime, we have a lot of people that are looking for dealership licenses. Um, one of the things that he came up with is that um, even though the state, you can't condition that signature on the state that this is for internet sales only because of course everybody's internet sales um, or so they say and some days they are and some days they're not or the use changes. They pull in a partner that they've got cars. Cars tend to emerge. They come they come. what his suggestion was is to you the building department and I think there were a couple I'm thinking about this now it's all kind of coming back um put a condition on the CFO that the condition of CFO is there to be no cars parked in that big paved area um yeah it goes into code enforcement

and and I've thought through that and yeah can you do that I could but it's just a weird that's kind of why I'm bringing it up here just to see if anybody's got a code wouldn't it be just like uh Carvana like cuz they have an office in um Leavonia and like if you go there like they got the cars in the glass tower but they're not selling those cars. It's just like a display type deal. They still need the license but they they they got to have a license signed to the address to be able the dealer. It's you're signing for a dealership use and it's too like they don't sell cars. this one. They only want thinking about what you're saying. If he's going to use it, have a lot somewhere else. He's selling the cars there, but it's just the office there.

Yeah. Yeah. And that's kind of what And like I say, I've been I've been I've been dealing with a few different ones and as of for a while now, I've been I've been just directing them. This is it's a it's a no. You need two acres. These are oneacre parcels. I'm just, you know, I like to get empty buildings filled somehow some way. I remember like and here's just a something I saw years ago. Maybe it's still there. I don't know. Helum Road near Ecourse and Van Morton area. There was like a cemetery office. Wasn't a cemetery, but they sold tombstones. They sold plots. You could go in there and do your business.

And I'm thinking, okay, it's similar similar thing. It's not a cemetery, so it's not zoned that way, but it is the office for the cemetery. Mhm. I don't I mean if you're not physically putting cars on the lot is there's got to be a mechanism where it could be used as an office. Yeah. And I and I and I I believe that as well. I think so too. It's just it comes down to that whether the decision that whether I'm going to we're going to sign that dealer license at that address. Even though if I put a stipulation on the CFO or conditions that you have to no cars can be on the lot whatsoever and if it's just an office, that's just something I'm kind of working through right now.

I think Dave might having the attorney look into it deeper that what it is is there's a zoning compliance form and then there's the city his co form. It's the zoning compliance. You're checking off basically you're saying yes, a dealership, a car dealership is allowed in this zoning district and for this property. Well, the property it might be allowed in the zoning district, but the property is less than 2 acres, so it's not allowed. It does not meet zoning compliance, right?

So, you can't you can't then take that and say, well, it it's a dealership. Yep, that's allowed. Yeah, it's less than two acres, but there's no cars there. You you can't the state doesn't allow you to put the buts but but this but but or if if can you do it through variance through the

it's a state it's a state and so basically what we're doing is going through a you center zoning ordinance and even though it says you can do this in the vining road overlay district you can build an industrial building if it's 350 thou it can't be any more than 350,000 square feet so for us yeah we could go see variances of these things on the state of Michigan form to get that use approved. It's yes or no.

Well, yeah, the forms there's multiple different forms for whatever for the different things they do. There's like a there's like the sale form, there's like for parts, there's there's all there's like four different classes, I think. So, that that determines and it basically just is asking if the community if this meets the zoning and they're allowed to do this specific. So, some of them depending on what they need, they need two forms, they need three forms, they may need one form. Depends what their intensity is, but uh it's just our zoning doesn't allow it. There could be I've thought about the varian side of things. I've thought about stipulations on a CFO, but right now the the no's been the answer, but I know this site they've done they did a lot of work on the site. Now, they're trying to sell it. They're not getting loans for residential, which obviously we have a zoned M1. They're allowed to have a residential use because they have a active residential co now. They did all the

stipulations when they bought it in 23 that got it to that got the co for that. Now they're selling it and they're having issues with loans for residential because it's zoned M1. Although it's an existing non-conforming and remain that way or they have to turn it into a commercial and and obviously right now the users that they're getting are are that this was the only one. The other ones have been easy nose. This was the only one that was like well maybe there's some potential there but I still you know what I mean? I'm still leaning on the no, but it's just something I I bring I thought I'd bring up for discussion. That's not up for a brick shop. Is that a permitted use in M1? You have two acres. If you have two acres,

it is, but there's stipulations in our ordinance that we just changed that they have to have at least two acres. They used to be one acre. So, I mean, it's not like it didn't have that stipulation, you know, a size where where is the lot in and where's the office? sell sales office. The office would be the house. The lot would be in a different city. Oh, in a different city? Yes. So, would they have to come back to the house to do the paperwork?

No. My assumption is they would they would probably come to the house for buy and sell, like office, whatever, but the car wouldn't actually be there. The car, they're going to they're looking at the cars in different areas, whether it's on that other lot or if they're just buying them online. So that I don't know all the ins and outs because I've just been a pretty hard no for him. It's just something I've been it's been on my mind for a couple weeks. Yeah. All we have in our city is the office. Mhm. Yes. And the cars would be someplace else. Yes. So that city would have to worry about the cars. Yes.

The thing I'd be worried about is setting precedents down the road. And then um that's why they um they tightened up all those dealership license from years ago. I remember in back in the 80s and 90s was working out of their garage. And I remember uh buying a vehicle out of someone's garage and you had a little showroom in there. Um and but that was years ago they changed

and we and we have in the last few years we've done a lot of work to ensure that it's not simple to just open up a used car lot and work on cars and have cars everywhere. Make changes in the ordinance and uh so yeah, I I agree with that. Like I say, I've I've been a no on it. It's just been it's just one of those ones I've been thinking about. They've been trying to figure out something with that property for a while. They tried to buy the neighbor's property. They don't want to sell. They live there. So, it's just kind of one of those ones that may somebody may have to figure something out or it may sit there for a long time until more property can get purchased to combine with it. Yeah. That's what I would be afraid of is uh being able to sell to the next person who comes along with a little quarter acre or something.

Yeah. Cool. But yep, that was it. So, the triggering aspect is that license because they could use it as an office, but because they want to use that license, then that wouldn't stop them from saying someone did go out to the lot, saw the vehicle, come back to the house to sign the paperwork, and they deliver the vehicle at that spot. So, they pick it up. So technically they are selling the car from it even though the car is not housed there but it will be delivered there because we know how dealerships work. Y so yeah that would probably be a hard no because it's it's too hard to police that. Yes. Yes.

Is that it? That's it for me. Yep. That's it for you. Yep.

Uh reports on interest designation. Miss Rosco. I don't have a whole lot tonight, but I do want to uh remind everybody that um on February 28th from 9 to 2, they'll have their annual dog and cat inoculations, all your vaccinations. Um it's going to be at the Ramos DPW, which is at 12600 Wayne Road. And if you need more information as far as pricing and everything, um, and it is on the Romulus uh.gov website, uh, the whole flyer and whatever with all the prices and everything. And the other thing I do want to mention is the fact that it's cash only. Uh, so you need to bring cash with you um to to get everything done. And again, that is uh

February. see if there's anything else on here I want to tell you. Um, basically it's February 28th, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Everybody that usually does this um knows the routine there. Um, vaccinations this year only cash only. Uh and I said if you need more information you can call 734-9427591 and um they can answer more of your questions. So that and just want to remind everybody that in April even though this is only February that we'll still have the free dumping days so you can start figuring out you know what you're going to clean out of out of your yards and what have you. And those free dumping days is going to be April 23rd, 24th, and 25th. Um, daytime hours 8:30 to 3. And that'll be at the Romulus DPW. But if you got information and also um no commercial waste, got to show your residency and um but that's in April. But I just wanted to throw that out there so people know that's coming up. And the other the last thing I'm going to bring up is the fact that the Raml Cemetery will be having their cleanup day and that is um March I wanted to get the date right. March 16th uh which is on a Monday and they'll start uh doing their cleanup. They're asking that everything gets removed by the 15th on that Sunday. And uh if not, then they're going to start going through and and cleaning up all the gray blankets and so on and so forth. So if you have anything out there that you you want to keep, uh I would suggest getting out there before then.

But other than that, that's all I have tonight. Okay. Mr. McNel, do you have anything from the board of appeals? No, I've had one meeting under my belt and it was a literal trial by fire, but I really don't have anything to report as of yet. There there is no March meeting. So, however, there likely will be April uh for Bucks Oil, the site plan that you you looked at last time.

And and I will add that I have talked with uh people from the Mr. tire that was at that meeting multiple times uh since the meeting and I don't know exactly where we stand yet but they are they may be wanting to make some changes for the opportunity to come back and get reheard through the BCA but that's ongoing just a just an

that's for Anybody else? Anything they want to add? Everybody awake now?

All righty. Well, moving right along to item 11, which is communications, and we have our project status report.

Yep. Uh I can let you know that we are very likely going to be having uh meetings in both March and April. Uh right now for March we are going to be scheduling this week a public hearing for Ramulus Trade Center North which is uh north of Amazon for a couple crossdoc buildings are reszone to uh M1 conditional resoning in April. uh fairways of gateway um had do you remember that a couple years ago maybe it was just last year that you saw uh two changes uh duplexes that went to single family that's all under construction now then the multiple part the bluffs they are asking for single family there as well so it's a PDA public hearing you know another amendment um pretty pretty simple but uh does require public hearing and that should be ready by April we're meeting on that uh in another week or so. Uh Marman School, uh quite a bit of work on that one. You saw them in December, but they are have been working with Roberto on Marman road improvements and Kevin on some conveyances of property to the city. And that agreement we just got in. It's it's not going to make it on on March. We've got I think too much to look at with it, but that one will likely be on in April as well. So, you're going to be busy. And then we got a few site plans scattered in there if they get done in time. Uh so

Carol, I have a question about gateway. Mhm. The last time they were here, there was a lot of um concern about the water runoff and the storm storm drains there. Has that been improved or have they worked on that? Indeed, Jeff. Because it was a different section. This is this is the other part. Um, was it one of the older sections that were there? It was one of the uh first few phases and never went into phase maybe four or five or something. Edna, do you remember where it was where the storm problem was? It got touched on by Beverly Road, I believe.

They all connect. So, if there's a problem in one, it becomes a problem at all. So, there's no such thing as one section. There is that problem. Resolve work. No. working on. Yes. Um the unfortunate part is the residents are have to pay that bill. So there's that part. All right. Thank you.

Anybody else have any questions on the project report? I don't. But I have a comment. Pardon me. I said I don't, but I have a comment. Totally off agenda. no topic at all. And I'm going to get in trouble for what I'm about to do, but I wanted to wish a rock star in our city a very happy birthday. And that's Danielle Thunderberg. So, happy birthday, Danielle. Well, if she's watching, we'll say happy birthday. She's not watching, but I'll tell her that she she can watch the replay.

Exactly. Yeah. So, she'll kill me and say, "Why'd you do that?" But it's on Facebook, so people already know. Anyway, anything else? Anybody? Nothing on the status report. Okay, guess what? Guess what? We're guess where we're at. So move, madam chair. Support. Support. You beat one. What's up with that? Okay. I have a motion from Mr. Long. supported by Mr. Mclli to adjourn. Mr. Long, yes. Mr. McLei, yes. Midday. Yes. Miss Rosco,

yes. Mr. Prova, yes. Mr. Green, yes. Mr. Gladfelt is not here. Miss Jameson, yes. That's everybody, I think. Oh, and me chair. Yes, this meeting stands adjourned.