Plan for 8252 Dexter-Chelsea Road gets Scio Township’s Official Approval

It’s all good at 8252 Dexter-Chelsea Road. This lot on the north side of road, between the A&W restaurant and Mark’s Auto Service, that’s being used as the home to landscaping /lawn care company and firewood processing operation, is now in full compliance with Scio Township.

At its July 22 meeting, the Scio Township Board approved the Wallace Development Conditional Land Use Permit that helps bring the parcel and its uses into compliance.

For some background, the township planner’s report said “The applicant received conditional rezoning approval to C-4, Composite Commercial, from the Planning Commission and Township Board in late 2024. This conditional use request is the final step to bring the current firewood processing facility into compliance. The applicant currently utilizes the existing 0.72-acre parcel located at 8252 Dexter-Chelsea Road without appropriate Township approvals. This conditional use approval will bring the firewood processing operation into compliance with current Township ordinance standards. The vacant site is located on the north side of Dexter-Chelsea Road between the A&W restaurant and Mark’s Auto Service.”

According to the township, Wallace Development Company owns the vacant parcel located at 8252 Dexter-Chelsea Road as well as the A&W restaurant. Wallace Development’s President is Coley O’Brien, whose son Miles, a Dexter High School student, has started a landscaping business and used the location as its headquarters.

In their report on the conditional land use permit, township law firm, Dever Eby & Issa, said, “Miles has been quite successful, and has identified a market among the residents of Scio Township and surrounding area for preparing and delivering firewood to homes. This requires splitting logs, cutting them to the appropriate lengths, and storing them for delivery.”

The need for the conditional use comes from the unique ways the property is being used.

The township attorney said, “Interestingly, there is no zoning category in the Scio Township Zoning Ordinance that allows this type of activity as a ‘permitted use,’ and it would only be allowed as a ‘conditional use’ within the C-4 zoning category. Recently, Wallace obtained a conditional re-zoning of the Property to C-4, and one of the ‘conditional uses’ pursuant to Section 36-74(n)(3)(e) is for a contractor wholesale supply, when in conjunction with general retail sales of items, including lumber. Miles would like to use the Property to conduct his firewood operation, and accordingly submits this application for a conditional use permit.”

Photos of location by Lonnie Huhman