By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com


Genoa Township officials have approved an ordinance that will rezone over 5 acres and pave the way for a new commercial development.

The Board of Trustees met Monday night, in person, at the township offices for the first time since March. A developer from BMH Realty LLC was present for the rezoning request of 5.12 acres at E. Grand River and Lawson Drive in Genoa Township. The site is currently as Office Service District, and was proposed to become a General Commercial District with a Redevelopment Planned Unit Development overlay.

Currently the land houses a Sunoco gas station and a couple non-residential buildings. BMH has a conceptual PUD plan that includes a climate-controlled self-storage building as the site’s centerpiece. There would also be 7,000 square-feet of office or retail space, and potentially space for a fast food restaurant on the corner. The gas station and pumps will remain, but the other buildings, which include a vacant pool supplies shop and a vacant fencing company will be demolished. The developer also plans to change the grading of the site, redirecting and reversing the current flow which moves down to Grand River, backwards towards a property that they are also owners of, with a retention basin. The developer said the supporting parcel behind the one proposed for rezoning would be built up to support the main site with utilities. Genoa Township Supervisor Bill Rogers said he wasn’t worried about the drainage issue as they have worked with these developers before and that he feels comfortable that they can do the drainage project competently.

The Supervisor said he expects this entire project to definitely be an improvement to the area, saying that corner has been in need of help for as long as he can remember. A public hearing on the rezoning request was held, with no members of the public offering comment. The rezoning request was approved unanimously by the Board of Trustees.