REGULAR MEETING

July 22, 2008

7:30 p.m.

CALL TO ORDER:

APPROVAL OF AGENDA FOR:        July 22, 2008 Regular Meeting

INTRODUCTION OF MEMBERS:

CALL TO THE PUBLIC:                  Agenda Items only – 3 minute limit

APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM:    June 24, 2008 Public Hearing

                                                               June 24, 2008 Regular Meeting                                                                   

OLD BUSINESS:

1)     Lucy Road, LLC Site Plan Review – located in the Highway Service District on the west side of Lucy Road – Tax ID# 4710-01-200-024 – Proposed Use; Contractor Storage Yard

2)     Sample of a proposed General Ordinance – Stormwater Ordinance w/maintenance agreement

3)     Proposed Text Amendment – Section 6.17 Infrastructure and Concurrency Standards

4)     Proposed Text Amendment – Article XV-Signs – Section 15.07 Outdoor Advertising Structures and Billboards

5)     Proposed Amendment – Section 00.00 Wind Energy Conversion Systems

NEW BUSINESS:

CALL TO THE PUBLIC:

ADJOURNMENT:

                                           DRAFT MINUTES

MEMBERS PRESENT:                 JOHN LOWE, CHAIRPERSON

DAVE HAMANN, CO-CHAIRPERSON

JEAN ROOT, SECRETARY

JAMES L. ANDERSON

DEBRA WIEDMAN-CLAWSON

MEMBERS ABSENT:                                          

OTHERS PRESENT:                    ANNETTE MCNAMARA, ZONING ADMINISTRATOR

                                                JOHN ENOS, CARLISLE/WORTMAN

                                                PHIL WESTMORELAND, ORCHARD, HILTZ & MCCLIMENT

                                                ROBERT W. HANVEY, SUPERVISOR

LES ANDERSEN, TRUSTEE

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CALL TO ORDER

John Lowe called the meeting to order at 7:37 p.m.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Dave Hamann motioned to approve the July 22, 2008 regular meeting agenda.

Jean Root seconded.  Motion Carried 5-0.

INTRODUCTION OF MEMBERS

The members of the Planning Commission introduced themselves. 

CALL TO THE PUBLIC

John Lowe opened the call to the public.

No response.

John Lowe closed the call to the public.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

June 24, 2008 Public Hearing minutes

Dave Hamann motioned to approve the June 24, 2008 public hearing minutes.  Jean Root seconded.  Motion carried 4-0.  James L. Anderson abstained.

June 24, 2008 Regular Meeting minutes

Dave Hamann motioned to approve the June 24, 2008 regular meeting minutes.  Jean Root seconded.  Motion Carried 4-0.  James L. Anderson abstained.

OLD BUSINESS

Lucy Road, LLC Site Plan Review – located in the Highway Service District on the west side of Lucy Road – Tax ID# 4710-01-200-024 – Proposed Use; Contractor Storage Yard

David LeClair, Livingston Engineering is here tonight to inform the Planning Commission of Vern Brockways intent to lease the Lucy Road , LLC property and use it as a contractor storage yard.  He will be the only contractor using the property for storage.  Mr. Brockway has submitted an application to the Zoning Board of Appeals to request variances.  These will include the front yard set back and side yard set back requirement.

The Planning Commission was not satisfied with the site plan submitted, the use proposed by Mr. Brockway is different that the use proposed by Frank Lover.  The Planning Commission members would like the applicant to resubmit with additional information and a site narrative.  This does not have to be a detailed plan, more in the form of a bubble conceptual.

Vern Brockway agreed to submit another site plan.  He assured the Planning Commission that activity along the North side of the property will be limited due to the electrical wires.  He also told the Planning Commission he would need latitude to make adjustments.  He wants these rules to apply as long as the property to the North is used as residential, once it is sold and reverts to commercial it is a different story.  

The Planning Commission would like to see the following information with the next submittal.

1)      Letter from the owner of the property giving Vern Brockway permission to use the property

2)      Proposed uses

3)      Circulation

4)      Employee parking (if any)

5)      50’ of the asphalt millings along the East side of the property removed

6)      Show uses within 200’ around the site

7)      Hours of operation

8)      Address the storm water runoff

9)      Height issues

10)   Section 6.13 B 25’ Greenbelt buffer

11)   Section 6.25 Sidewalks

12)   Section 14.04 B & D and 14.05 C (Parking and Loading Requirements)

Jean Root motioned to table Lucy Road , LLC until the applicant submits a site plan.  Debra Wiedman-Clawson seconded.  Motion carried 5-0.

Proposed General Ordinance – Stormwater Ordinance w/maintenance agreement

Section 6.17 Infrastructure and Concurrency Standards

The Planning Commission members reviewed the document and discussed a few minor changes.  They would like to keep the general ordinance language with Section 6.17, Infrastructure and Concurrency Standards as the zoning ordinance and the general ordinance language relate to one another.

Phil Westmoreland, 2995 Sunset Meadow.  On page 3 of 6 in Section 7 of the maintenance agreement, this will place a significant burden on Home Owners Associations.

John Lowe will contact Mike Kehoe to discuss placing owner within the maintenance agreement so it would read ‘owner/developer’ and to clarify this language enables Marion Township to take over maintenance if necessary.

Annette McNamara will change the year 200_ to 20__.

Jean Root motioned to table the Stormwater General Ordinance and maintenance agreement.  Debra Wiedman-Clawson seconded.  Motion carried 5-0.

Section 6.17 Infrastructure and Concurrency Standards

The Planning Commission members reviewed the document and have no further changes to request.

Jean Root motioned to hold a public hearing for Section 6.17 Infrastructure and Concurrency Standards on August 26, 2008 at 7:15 p.m.  Dave Hamann seconded.  Motion carried 5-0.

Proposed Text Amendment Article XV Signs

John Enos summarized the reason behind the proposed changes to signage, he asked the Planning Commission to review the language within the next month and let him know at the August meeting if this is something the Planning Commission would like work on.

Jean Root motioned to table Article XV Signs to the August 26, 2008 meeting.  Debra Wiedman-Clawson seconded.  Motion carried 5-0.

Proposed Amendment – Section 00.00 Wind Energy Conversion Systems

John Enos summarized the wind energy language and told the Planning Commission he is more concerned with large scale operations and this language can be helpful even if Senate Bill 213 preempts local zoning authority.

John Lowe told the Planning Commission he had heard the federal government would like to make installation requirements uniform across the United States .

Jean Root motioned to table this agenda item to the August 26, 2008 meeting.  Debra Wiedman-Clawson seconded.  Motion carried 5-0.

NEW BUSINESS:

Marion Oaks Site

The Planning Commission discussed the newspaper article regarding St. Joseph Mercy Hospital possible move to Marion Township .

The Planning Commission members have concerns with the following.

1)      Traffic

2)      Noise

3)      Need for additional Doctor Offices

4)      Need for additional parcels zoned Highway Service

Mr. Hanvey asked the Planning Commission to nominate two of the members to attend a meeting along with three Board of Trustees members, John Enos and the St. Joseph Mercy representatives.  John Lowe and Jean Root agreed to attend.

CALL TO THE PUBLIC

John Lowe opened the call to the public.

No response.

John Lowe closed the call to the public.

ADJOURNMENT

Jean Root motioned to adjourn the meeting at 9:50 p.m.  James L. Anderson seconded.  Motion Carried 5-0.