The Dorr Township Planning Commission Tuesday evening recommended changing the local zoning ordinance to allow for an outdoor self-storage business to locate within the industrial district in the northeast end of the township.
Mr. and Mrs. Alex Hiestand asked the commission to allow them to locate the mini-self storage facility despite the fact the current ordinance prohibits it.
Commissioner Dan Beute, who cast the one dissenting vote in a 4-1 decision, explained, “In my opinion, this is better suited for commercial,” insisting it’s not appropriate to offer “storage for people’s toys” in area in which products are manufactured and produced.
Zoning Administrator Lori Castello of Professional Code Inspections recommended a special use permit because it lets the township better regulate the operation, but she cautioned against having too many nonconforming uses within the district.
Chairman Bob Wagner and commissioners Larry Dolegowski, Jody Schaendorf and Rich Osbon voted in the affirmative.
Beute, just before the vote tally, explained, “I guess I’m going to stick to my guns and vote no.”
In other business Tuesday, the commissioners listened to a presentation by Planning Consultant Nathan Mehmed on progress of the master plan process. He talked about the visioning meeting held last month and results of a survey with 502 responses.
The good news about the survey, he said, was, “Actually, most of the residents of Dorr Township seem pretty content.”
Work on updating the master plan will continue.
