Massive Meijer project proposed for western Plymouth Township
The proposed Meijer project would be built on Five Mile Road, between Beck and Ridge roads.
A proposal to build a sprawling new Plymouth Township Meijer store — which will cover over 21 acres south of Five Mile Road between Beck and Ridge roads — has passed its first test, but it still has a thorough check-out process to survive before any ground-breaking ceremonies commence.
McKenna, the township’s planning and building services firm, recommended that the Plymouth Township Planning Commission grant a special land use approval for the proposed 159,000-square-foot Meijer shopping center and 3,300-square-foot gas station/convenience store, a portion of which would be built on the previous Detroit House of Corrections property.
The Planning Commission is set to discuss the project at its June 21 meeting.
In addition to receiving multiple rounds of approval by the Planning Commission, the project would have to ultimately be approved by the Plymouth Township Board of Trustees.
Big-time development
The hundreds of barren acres of green space property located south of Five Mile Road and east of Ridge Road is on the verge of turning into big-time development — Meijer or no Meijer — as the proposed Northville Downs of Plymouth 1,000-seat, open-air horse-racing track is expected to be built on the southeast corner of Five Mile and Ridge.
“Pending any additional information presented during the public hearing, it is recommended that the Planning Commission grant special land use approval for the proposed Meijer grocery store and convenience store/gas station (PC #2484), contingent on approval of a site plan that addresses all planning, fire, and engineering requirements, and contingent that the traffic study and associated roadway improvements are found acceptable to the Township Engineer,” McKenna wrote in a letter to the Planning Commission.
“This review is only for special land use; should the grocery store and convenience store/gas station use be approved, a separate application for the site plan would then be submitted to the Planning Commission for further review and consideration.”
Exception explained
McKenna explained why a grocery store/convenience store/gas station concept can come to fruition at the site even though the property is zoned “Industrial”.
“Special land uses in the Industrial District include other commercial and retails use, that in the determination of the Planning Commission, will be consistent with the purposes of Article 19 and not impair the present or potential use of adjacent properties,” McKenna stated.
“Section 2.7 of Zoning Ordinance No. 99 sets forth six standards for the Planning Commission to consider in evaluating a special land use request.”
The proposal meets all six standards (or criteria) required by the the zoning ordinance, McKenna confirmed.
Founded in 1934, Meijer is a family-owned, regional retailer based in Grand Rapids.
It has more than 240 super-centers in six states including Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois and Wisconsin, and employs approximately 70,000 people.
Among its Michigan locations are stores in Canton and Northville.
