Posted by The Huron Hub|Aug. 5, 2021

The Huron Township Board of Trustees voted to allow another warehouse to be built at the Pinnacle development area during Wednesday’s meeting.

The board voted in favor of changing a zoning ordinance amendment that banned further warehouse and truck distribution at the Pinnacle site. The zoning ordinance was created after Hillwood/Sterling Groups purchased the property and built two large Amazon facilities that are now nearly finished.

The intent of the original ordinance was to make sure the property did not see further warehouse and trucking development occur.

The board’s decision goes against the planning commission’s decision to vote down the zoning change last month in a unanimous 9-0 vote.

On Wednesday, Supervisor David Glaab, Trustee Angela Cady, Trustee Michael Glaab, and Clerk Jeremy Cady voted in favor of changing zoning to allow a Home Depot warehouse to be built on the property. Trustees John Chont, David Patterson, and Treasurer Colleen Lazere voted against changing the zoning ordinance.

During Wednesday’s nearly two-hour meeting, several residents approached the board during public comment and spoke out against having another warehouse built on the Pinnacle property.

The main concern among most residents is an increase in truck traffic that would come with adding more warehouses to the development area, and the impact it will have on local roads and overall lifestyle in the township.

Some residents expressed that they feel further development at the Pinnacle property would affect a peaceful and quiet lifestyle that comes with living in the township.

Others noted that it’s not fully know the impact of the current Amazon warehouses built on the property as they are not fully operational as of this time.

Developers of the property claim that only one truck per hour would be arriving at the facility daily. Members of the board in favor of the change, as well as developers, say that the decision is good for the township, because if it is voted down, other types of development, particularly manufacturing, could be built at the site, which they allege might bring more traffic to the area.

Board members in favor of the decision also noted that the township will be able to collect full taxes from the development, instead of possible tax abatements that could be provided to manufacturing developments constructed at the site.

Part of the deal to change the zoning would be for a new Sibley Road boulevard to be constructed between Vining Road intersection west to I-275 entrance ramps.

You can watch the entire board meeting that this link.

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