Oshtemo Township’s Zoning Board of Appeals on October 27 approved two variances for a proposed self-storage facility on West Michigan Avenue.
J.C. Customs, LLC is seeking to acquire about 18.5 acres of an approximately 22-acre industrial parcel at 5088 W. Michigan Ave. The parcel has three existing communication towers and no public road frontage. Township staff said the land division would leave a parcel without the required 200 feet of frontage. They also said the ordinance requires towers to be set back from property lines by a distance equal to their height. Township records list the towers at roughly 230 to 500 feet tall, built between 1991 and 2003.
The board approved the frontage variance, with members citing the property’s landlocked condition and unique physical circumstances. Staff said the board granted frontage relief for the site in 1991 and 1995, conditioned on its use as a wireless tower site. The property is reached by an existing 66-foot-wide easement connecting to West Michigan Avenue. The applicant’s team said it would be improved and paved as a shared private drive.
The board also approved the tower setback variance with conditions. The use is limited to the storage business, final setbacks must be verified with a survey, and the existing access easement stays in place and may be improved. Both motions passed.
The applicant’s representatives said the towers receive annual inspections and engineering reviews every three to five years, and that the guy wires are redundant. They said the applicant has agreed to protect the guy wires where they meet the ground, which could be addressed during site plan review. The applicant also said the facility’s gates would be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and would generate about one to four vehicle trips per hour. No one spoke during the public comment period on the item.
Staff said any development would still need site plan review, including review by planning and zoning, public works and the fire department.
