Warren planning panel approves maintenance building with conditions, requires variances and performance bond

The City of Warren Planning Commission on March 23 approved a site plan for a new maintenance building, expanded gravel/open storage, and site changes at 24200 De Quindre Road, subject to multiple planning conditions and required variances.

Planning staff outlined detailed revisions the applicant must provide, including utility locations, stormwater and detention compliance under the City of Warren stormwater ordinance, corrected site-plan data, clarified building and open-storage square footage (planning staff calculated total open storage at 9,169 square feet), relocated driveway centers, expanded driveway radii, required canopy trees and screening along property lines, and a $15,000 performance bond tied to an estimated $500,000 project cost.

The applicant (hopeful future owner and operator) told the commission most staff comments had been addressed in revised drawings but said open storage was critical to his business model. “This purchase for me would be dead in the water if I can't get the open storage,” the applicant said.

Planning staff emphasized that to retain parking in a 20-foot setback the petitioner would need a zoning-board-of-appeals variance. Commissioners discussed driveway placement and on-site circulation and directed the applicant to pursue variances where required. A motion to approve the plan with the enumerated conditions passed on a roll call vote.