It appears that the Dorr Township water tower site near the intersection of 142^nd Avenue and the U.S.-131 expressway will be getting some company.

The Dorr Township Planning Commission Tuesday evening recommended rezoning a 77.64-acre parcel and approved, with conditions, a special use permit and site plan for Copart, a combination salvage yard and on-line vehicle auction business.

The site plan and special use permit are contingent on then Township Board giving its blessing to rezoning from agricultural/industrial to MXPUD, mixed use. Approval also depends on the project winning approval fro the Allegan County Health Department, Road Commission and Drain Commission and successful hookup to the Dorr-Leighton sewer system.

As can be expected some neighboring residents said they weren’t too keen on the proposed project.

Robert Parker said, “My wife and I are not happy about looking out our front yard window to see a salvage yard.”

He added he is concerned about property values and “further industrialization of the area.”

But Ross Wood, legal counsel for Copart, said, “This will look a lot like a used car lot except the vehicles are damaged, surrounded by a an eight-foot (steel) fence.”

Therefore, he claimed it will not present an eyesore.

Chandler Stanton, a member of the Township Board, expressed concerns about the potential for water contamination.

However, Matt Strother. Another Copart representative, said the company will adhere to environmental guidelines, cleaning up any vehicle, which will be on the lot for only an average of 50 to 60 days before being sold in an on-line auction or removed entirely.

There also were concerns about added traffic in the area, especially because it’s to the immediate east of the expressway at the Dorr exit.

Strother insisted an average of 10 to 12 trucks will be in an out of the facility each day.

And Plan Commission Chairman Bob Wagner pointed out that traffic issues are “not in our hands to do something about (instead by the Michigan Department of Transporation).”

“We‘re going minimize the effect on the neighborhood,” Wood promised, noting the business will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday though Friday and will not produce lighting at night.

Copart asked for the site plan and special use permit to be able to sell the vehicles on line. Though the current zoning at that location permits salvage yards, additional permission is needed to do the e-commerce part of the business.

The firm plans to demolish the house currently occupying the space on top of the hill and it will give way to a parking lot.

Strother said Copart, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, has 240 locations all over the country, including one at Lansing.

Lori Castello, zoning administrator from Professional Code Inspections, said the matter probably won’t be brought before the Township Board until April because its next meeting is only two days away. The board will make the final decision, yea or nay, on the extensive project.

In the Planning Commission’s other business for the evening, members approved special use permits for Steve Chachulski, 1653 140^th Ave., and a duplex area in Moline for building private roads.

COVER PHOTO: The Copart facility in Lansing.