The Dorr Township Planning Commission Tuesday evening voted 6-0 to recommend final approval for a mixed zoning planned unit development request for the sustainable business park.
The move was just the latest in a series of requests handled by township over the last several years regarding an effort to establish a sustainable business park on 226 acres to divert waste normally earmarked for landfills to a recycling site in the northeast portion of Dorr Township.
Planning Commissioners went through the customary “findings of fact” and concurred they would send along their blessing to the Township Board for final action.
The park actually is an extension of the South Kent Landfill in the southern part of Byron Township, which Kent County officials insist is getting close to capacity and soon will have to be closed. A business already established for the park will receive materials that can be repurposed.
Commissioner Dan Beute noted that the business park plan essentially is the same as what was outlined last October.
“Nothing has changed. It’s essentially the same,” he declared.
Lori Castello, planning and zoning enforcement officer from Professional Code Inspections agreed.
“This is something that’s been going on for some time. I think it’s a fantastic plan,” Castello said.
Representatives for the project said they hope to begin work on constructing the site late this year, but most work will take place in 2024 and it is hoped the park will open in 2026.
In another matter, the commission approved the site plan for TMS Storage to build and located self-storage structures near the corner of 14th Street and Walnut Dale Drive.
The voting to approve Commissioner Larry Dolegowski said he’s eventually like to see 14th Street extended further north and Beute said he would prefer the project include more trees.
However, Castello cautioned, “You can request it, but you can’t require it.”
