Mound Road property cited for zoning violations
A Warren site described as an eyesore by city officials and administration is drawing their concern and could also result in state review.
The property at 27439 Mound Road, formerly known as C&J Trucking, is in violation of Warren’s zoning ordinances and its approved site plan.
Councilman Garry Watts discussed the property during Tuesday’s Warren City Council meeting and said in addition to blight issues, there appear to be environmental concerns.
“It was a trucking company at one time, but now the name on the building is gone and there is a towing company that apparently is using the back half of the property as a junkyard and is dismantling cars and what have you ,” said Watts. “There is trash everywhere, the runoff is just running onto the pavement and there is nothing there to catch the oil or anything.”
Watts said there may be a need to contact Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy (EGLE) to help address some of the violations. Warren Building Director James Cummins expects to send inspectors to the property on Monday, March 29, adding he has personally visited the property and noted several violations.
“This property is a disaster and is in violation of most of our zoning ordinances including the variances they received,” said Cummins. “They have a significant amount of what we would call junk storage on the property, which is not allowed. They have trucks parked in the front yard and they are considerably
behind on their last couple years of taxes.”
When the phone number listed for C&J Trucking is called, a recording saying the number is a non-working phone number and the call cannot be completed is heard. The property is listed on the city’s web site as being owned by Frank and Maria Rabon.
Cummins said he will not know until an inspector visits the property next week if there are EGLE issues or what it will take to get the property in compliance with zoning ordinances. The original site plan approved by the
city’s planning commission allowed for a trucking company and the storage of tractor trailers and maintenance equipment. It does not allow for “junk vehicles” or open storage. If the property is no longer to be used as a trucking operation, the owners will have to submit a new site plan to the planning commission and also appear before the zoning board of appeals.
“This does not appear to be a site like over on 696,” said Cummins in reference to a toxic spill in Madison Heights in December of 2019 that came from the
defunct ElectroPlating Services and caused lane closures on the 696 expressway for several months. “They have some junk cars on the site that are not allowed and a lot of them are tipped onto their side. There may be gasoline or oils that have leaked out so any kind of spill is likely to be petroleum based.”
Cummins does not believe there has been significant seepage into the ground and hopes the issuance of tickets and revoking the current site plan will push the owners to bring their property into compliance.