Planning Commission approves parking expansion and buffer reduction at 49995 Star St. SE, requires landscaping and stormwater bonds

Cascade Charter Township Planning Commission members approved a site plan Sept. 22 permitting a parking expansion at an industrial site on Star Street SE, with conditions that require the applicant to post bonds for landscaping and stormwater improvements and to record an amended stormwater maintenance agreement with Kent County.

Staff told commissioners the site was underparked relative to the use and that a 2020 building expansion had left landscaping and some stormwater items incomplete. Staff reported that the applicant submitted updated stormwater calculations and that the township engineer recommended approval because the proposed plan would increase detention capacity and bring the site closer to compliance. Staff also noted the parcel currently contains extensive impervious surface and that the requested buffer reduction applies to the new area of pavement, not to previously paved areas.

Jack Bauer (Niederbeld), representing the applicant, and an applicant representative described the business as a logistics and event-rental operator that stores trucks and equipment between events. The applicant said the additional pavement primarily provides maneuverability for delivery trucks and staging space so trucks can turn and park between assignments; he said much of the existing pavement currently drains off-site and that the proposed plan will add curbing, catch basins and piping to route more runoff to the detention basin.

Several commissioners and staff raised that some landscaping approved in 2020 was never installed. The commission said an appropriate remedy is a landscaping bond in an amount set by staff and a stormwater-improvement bond to ensure the required detention and landscaping are completed. Staff and the applicant agreed to those conditions; the applicant said a bond was acceptable and that the site improvements would be completed to the plan.

The motion the commission approved reduces the south buffer depth to accommodate the proposed parking and access and places three conditions on approval: the applicant provides a landscaping bond for the value of the proposed landscaping (amount to be set by staff), the applicant provides a stormwater-improvement bond for the value of the proposed stormwater improvements (amount to be set by staff), and the applicant modifies and records the 2020 stormwater maintenance agreement with Kent County Register of Deeds. Commissioners indicated staff will calculate bond amounts based on the submitted plans and that final approval is contingent on satisfying these conditions.

Commissioners noted there had been some site work on the property before the hearing; staff said the township’s building department does not require a permit for certain site-prep activities and that the commission’s focus at the hearing was the formal site-plan review and the buffer reduction request.

The motion passed by voice vote.