Canton Township is set to become a burgeoning new hub of activity, with plans to build two drive-thrus, a Topgolf facility, and a hotel all within the same 55-acre parcel bordered by Warren Road and Ford Road to the north and south, and Interstate 275 and Lotz Road to the west and east. The proposed development is currently under review by the Canton Township Planning Commission, and the project might break ground in the summer of 2021, in anticipation of a grand opening in spring 2025. Vice President of Acquisitions and Development for Broder Sachse Real Estate, Steve Robinson, is spearheading the efforts, seeking multiple avenues for tax abatements and additional financial incentives to make it feasible.
Canton Township is set to become an exciting new destination, with plans for two fast food drive-thrus, a Topgolf recreation facility, and a hotel on the east side of the township. Chick-fil-A and Portillo’s will be located on the north side of Ford Road between I-275 and Lotz Road; a new four-story hotel will be in the center of the proposed 55-acre site, and a Topgolf indoor/outdoor driving range and recreation facility will be close to Warren Road and I-275. The Tile Shop, which currently exists on the property, is intended to remain. On Dec. 18, the Canton Township Planning Commission reviewed the preliminary plans with enthusiasm.
Despite the numerous revisions since the initial submittal, the plan has been enhanced, and an entire acre of pavement has been eliminated. Steve Robinson, Vice President of Acquisitions and Development for Broder Sachse Real Estate, expressed his hope that the township will receive the necessary approvals to break ground this summer in anticipation of a spring 2025 opening.
Robinson is diligently pursuing opportunities for tax abatements and other development incentives to further optimize the project.
Conditional Rezoning Request:
The Conditional Rezoning Request seeks to change the zoning of a section of property on the north side of Ford Road between I-275 and Lotz Road to C-3, Regional Commercial and Central Business District Overlay, to allow for fast food restaurants and other similar businesses, as per the township master plan.
At the Dec. 18 meeting, the planning commission reviewed two applications from a developer. The first was a conditional rezoning request to change the zoning of a section of property on the north side of Ford Road between I-275 and Lotz Road to C-3, Regional Commercial, and Central Business District Overlay, to allow for fast food restaurants and other similar businesses, as per the township master plan. The second application sought approval of a PDD for the entire site, which provides developers the flexibility to encourage design creativity and preservation of natural amenities while also requiring the inclusion of community benefits.
The proposed plan includes eight EV charging stations, a connection to the I-275 trail through Ford Road, bicycle parking, benches, bicycle repair near Chick-fil-A, and free use of the golf facility for high school golf teams and charities during certain times.
Delayed Township Review
Sloan expressed that the developer had submitted the traffic study in July; however, the township review was delayed due to MDOT’s ongoing design of the Ford Road boulevard project. He noted that MDOT has been working diligently to produce the necessary traffic models, which the traffic engineering consultant for the township has been waiting on. Planning commissioners voiced their worry about potential traffic impacts and emphasized the importance of withholding approval until the traffic study is presented and discussed. Furthermore, they raised concerns over plans to limit the development to a single entrance via the current driveway at Ford Road near The Tile Shop building.
To address their worries, the engineering consultant proposed widening the driveway, adding a traffic signal, installing a westbound deceleration right-turn lane, and converting the center lane west of the site drive to a left-turn lane into the site. Additionally, an emergency-only access is proposed at Warren Road.
Commissioner Sommer Foster’s Excitement for the Project
The Canton Township Board of Trustees representative on the planning commission, Commissioner Sommer Foster, expressed their enthusiasm for the project, noting that it would meet the need for something in Canton that would draw people and provide young people with fun things to do. Foster proudly shared that the Master Plan Advisory Committee had been working on this for months and that commissioners were thrilled with the prospect of a Chick-fil-A and Topgolf in Canton.
The rezoning request will now move on to the board for a first reading and final action at a future meeting. If the planning commission recommends the PDD for approval, it will then go to the Board of Trustees for consideration before returning to the planning commission for another review of the PDD and a formal site plan review before development can begin.
The rezoning request is progressing to the board for a first reading and final action at a future meeting. After receiving the Planning Commission’s recommendation, the Board of Trustees will consider the PDD before it returns to the Planning Commission for a review of the PDD and a formal site plan review. With all these steps completed, development can begin.
Therefore, it is clear that the new potential development in Canton Township has gained the planning commission’s approval and now moves forward into the phase of reviews for securing development incentives and a timeline for groundbreaking. The project will include exciting venues such as Chick-fil-A and Portillo’s, a new hotel, and a Topgolf recreation facility and is slated to open by spring 2025. All in all, this development is expected to significantly add to the township and is likely to provide future visitors with an enjoyable experience.
