Planning Commission approves Reworld Solutions storage building, requires landscaping and setback changes

The Planning Commission approved a site plan to construct a pre-engineered fabric storage building at 21750 Hoover Road for Reworld Solutions, a company that processes commercial waste into an alternative engineered fuel (AEF).

Architect Ken Moreland described the building and said the material to be stored is primarily sawdust used as a solidification media. Reworld representative Andrew Geistwight told the commission the operation is intended to divert industrial waste from landfills and provide a renewable feedstock: "This is more of a renewable resource than anything else," he said.

Planning staff recommended approval with standard conditions, including revised site plans showing building dimensions and setbacks, a note prohibiting open storage unless indicated on the plan, landscaping details for a 60-foot setback area, a required recorded ingress/egress document for a north gate, and a $5,250 performance bond tied to an estimated project cost of $175,000.

Petitioners and neighbors discussed whether concrete in the setback area could be retained with a variance or substituted with a six-foot standing-seam fence. Pat Sears and other speakers suggested a continuous standing-seam fence as an alternative to removing concrete while preserving day-to-day operations; staff clarified anything in the 60-foot setback requires variance or must be converted to landscaping. After discussion commissioners moved to approve with amendments requiring the petitioner to address the staff comments and update the concept and site plans.

Next steps: submit revised plans showing corrected setback lines, landscaping and trash/ingress notes; discuss variances if the petitioner seeks to retain concrete or parking within the setback.