NFP Board approves cold storage site plan at 3317–3329 S. Burdick, with woodland protections

The Natural Features Protection (NFP) Review Board on Oct. 28 approved a site plan for a 40-by-80-foot ambient cold storage building at 3317 and 3329 South Burdick Street, conditioned on full approval by the Site Plan Review Committee and completion of the tree-protection and landscaping items shown on the updated plans.

Applicant engineer Dave Koudroy of SME described the proposal as an accessory cold storage building for an existing business, noting “by cold storage, it's just ambient temperature. It's not actually gonna be, freezer storage or anything like that.” He said the building will have electrical service and a stormwater system but no sanitary sewer or on-site water service.

Koudroy said the two contiguous parcels total about 5.28 acres, with roughly 2.75 acres of woodland. The applicant proposed removing roughly 0.3 acres of woodland to place the building and leave about 2.45 acres of woodland (about 89% woodland coverage). The plans show an MDEQ/EGLE-delineated wetland and conservation-easement signage at the rear of the parcels; the team said they would maintain a 25-foot separation from those signs and keep the majority of the development on the front portion of the lots.

Stormwater measures include mechanical pretreatment for the paved maneuvering area, a small detention basin and a controlled discharge to the Burdick Street public storm system. The applicant said the pretreatment device will treat the 1-inch/one-year runoff event and that post-construction runoff will be managed to meet predevelopment rates for the 10-year event. Construction controls described include silt fence and protective tree fencing along the east disturbance limit.

Board members and staff requested several clarifications and adjustments: species selection for plantings (staff warned against large pin oaks under overhead power lines and suggested crabapple or serviceberry), spacing of shrubs (board suggested ~6-foot on-center rather than 3-foot for screening), and ISA planting specifications (removal of wire baskets/burlap at planting). The applicant agreed to update planting details and tree-protection fencing on the final plans.

A motion to approve the site plan for 3317 and 3329 South Burdick Street, conditioned upon full Site Plan Review Committee approval, was made, seconded and passed on a roll-call vote; staff will track site-plan comments and finalize planting/spec details during the next review stage.