The Hartland Township Planning Commission began a closer consider of their latest retail market analysis study and what it means for commercial areas.

Planning Commissioners met Thursday evening and started analyzing the study to see what further questions may arise, with the goal of eventually crafting a recommendation for the Board of Trustees. Hartland Township Planner Troy Langer led the discussion which focused largely on commercial retail space. The plan suggests that the township can currently support another 20-25 acres of commercial development. Langer identified roughly 200 acres of undeveloped commercial zoning in the township, largely off of segments of M-59 and Clyde Road, near the US-23 interchange.

The report dove into of which types of businesses could be best needed and supported, but what stuck out to commissioners was the opinion that there was no need for any new grocery store. Commissioners were skeptical, noting the too-small size of the existing Kroger and the effect that a specialty grocer like a Whole Foods could have. They also took into consideration that the study only projects retail needs out to 2035, and that should they grow even further beyond that, how much more commercial space will they need.

Langer said he was pleased with the discussion and that the planning commission will revisit it at a future meeting. (MK)