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Council approves American Mulch expansion, vacates portion of Maple Ridge Ave with conditions
Summary
After neighbor concerns about dust and noise, Southfield approved a special land use for American Mulch Producers to expand operations and vacate a stub of Maple Ridge Ave, subject to easements, screening, pile-height limits and administrative site‑plan review.
Southfield City Council approved a special land‑use permit and a related street‑vacation on Dec. 16 to let American Mulch Producers expand operations and consolidate adjacent parcels.
Planning staff outlined PSLU 24‑0020, which would allow the company to modify its site at Boning (Boeing) Drive and nearby parcels to move grinding and chipping operations 300–500 feet farther from residences and to vacate an unimproved northern stub of Maple Ridge Avenue. The plan includes a 50‑foot vehicular parking buffer adjacent to residences, required easements to preserve utility access and administrative site‑plan review.
Neighbor Evangeline Glover said residents have experienced sawdust entering homes and pressed the council to finalize safety measures quickly. Planning staff summarized written concerns from another neighbor and said many issues were addressed in the current plan. The applicant, Randy Blackman, told the council the plan "meets every one of those requirements" and emphasized safety and ongoing coordination with neighbors.
Council's resolution approved the special land use subject to the street‑vacation approval, required easements for utilities, compliance with any zoning‑board waivers, administrative site‑plan sign‑offs and conditions on screening and pile heights (revising current pile limits). The council then approved the street‑vacation (PSV 24‑1) with a retained easement for the Owens relief drain and existing utilities.
What happens next: the applicant must obtain required waivers from the zoning board of appeals and secure administrative site‑plan approval; the city retains easements for utilities and may require additional screening or masonry wall alternatives as banded in the approval conditions.
