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MARION
TOWNSHIP
Planning Commission - Special Meeting
01-12-2004
DRAFT MINUTES
MEMBERS
PRESENT: Jim Anderson,
Debra Wiedman-Clawson, Dave Hamann, John Lowe,
Jean
Root
MEMBERS ABSENT:
None
OTHERS
PRESENT:
John Ambrose, Planning Consultant
Bob Hanvey, Township
Supervisor
Annette McNamara, Zoning Administrator
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CALL TO ORDER
John
Lowe called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
APPROVAL OF
AGENDA
Jean
Root asked to add under New Business, election of officers and also add
Public Hearing Procedural
guide
update.
Dave Hamann made a
motion to approve the January 12, 2004 agenda as amended.
Jim
Anderson seconded. Motion carried 5-0.
OLD
BUSINESS
John
Lowe introduced Jim Barnwell representing Cascade Development (formerly
Premier Farms) for a
special
meeting for discussion, comments and questions.
Jim Barnwell, project engineer, presented a
historical
overview of the project that began in the mid-1980’s.
The proposal in 1986 was for a Planned Unit
Development
(PUD) to develop the property into single-family lots with attached units.
A sewer treatment
plant
was also proposed in that location. These are similar proposals to what is
being proposed today.
A
referendum turned the project down in that 1986 time frame and the developer
sold the property to Waste
Management
in 1990. Waste Management
proposed a landfill. Property was sold to another developer in
1999-2000.
In 2001 a conceptual plan was developed. A commercial area was
planned along the north
property
of 17 acres; school site or community facility site 10 acres; various
densities throughout the
development.
1150 acres of property, 2 units per acre was overall density.
A mix
of single family attached units, townhouses, and commercial was proposed.
A clubhouse was
included.
After a number of public hearings in late 2000-2001, it was approved. General concept was
approved,
2000 plus homes was discussed.
A
conceptual plan with more detail was developed. Concerns with the conceptual
plan were:
- Traffic
direction; the focus was to configure traffic flow up Amos Road instead
of Norton Road.
2. Attached units were placed in denser area.
Relocate school site near wetlands was changed for
educational benefit for the school.
3. Commercial area was relocated so as to encourage use of
walking trails and pedestrian access.
4. Larger
lots were put around perimeter; wooded areas were left near center area.
5.
Standard rules and regulations: PUD
is good for the community. That encourages community
participation that
you do not get in a standard subdivision.
Positives
of PUD:
- More
buffering around perimeter.
2. Impact on the environment: wetland areas are pulled away and
preserved in a PUD.
3. Marketability
4. Amenities improve sales; less impact on environment.
5. PUD
gives variety for developer and township.
Negatives
for developer:
1.Time
consuming project.
2. Large costs in
amenities.
3. Paving of
roads can be requested for off-site roads and add additional costs to
developer.
4.
Smaller lots equal smaller return on investment.
This
conceptual new plan has approximately 322 acres of open space. On the
eastern border, community
facilities,
31 acres; 171 acres of wetland; 524 acres open space.
John Ambrose
commented that in order to
pick
up project from where it left off, it must stay close to approved original
conceptual plan. Open space and
density
will have to stay exactly to what was previously approved.
John
Lowe confirmed with Jim Barnwell that they wanted a general overview of what
was approved and
planned.
The ordinance calls
for 30% of open space. Presently,
there’s 524 acres. Previously it was
477
acres. A number of grants proposed is
in the same realm (2000 units). The Public Hearing was 2200.
Jim Barnwell stated they would not deviate.
John
Ambrose stated density indicated 2000 square feet lot sizes permissible for
this PUD. Previous minutes
stated
2200 was listed.
Jean
Root questioned there were sites set up for five acre lots in the original
plan but the plan does not reflect
that.
Jim Barnwell indicated there were seven lots on 35 acres on the east
side.
John
Lowe asked about area set aside for commercial.
Jim Barnwell stated there’s around 17 acres for
commercial.
They’re showing about 6-10 now.
Jean
Root stated it’s indicated on page four there’s 14 acres for seven
future units. Jim Barnwell stated they
were
looking at two acre lots in that area and Jean Root questioned the
accessibility. He stated there’s been
no
determination regarding that yet. Jim
Barnwell pointed out area that crosses the creek and wetlands,
here’s
an old easement off a paved portion in the Georgetown area that could
possibly be used.
Jean
Root asked about interior roads being proposed as public roads. Jim Barnwell
stated private roads were
being
considered for the project to stay in keeping with building a community.
What they are proposing would
need a
couple full-time employees.
Jean
Root questioned the shaded area on the first page along the perimeter, which
are designated walking
paths.
She also questioned future problems with continuing maintenance in that
large of a project that may
result
in legal recourse. John Ambrose stated they are only as good as the
association is. He also spoke
to
the
several phases proposed to be fanned out over an 8-10 year period and
questioned as each phase
comes
in, would they form their own association. People, who come in at the end,
pay the same as those
who
had paid over a number of years. The township cannot govern that.
Jean
Root asked if the township can say they want the roads to be public?
John Ambrose stated private
roads
have to meet county standards. He stated there is no central core road that
ties into the original
concept
plan.
Jim Barnwell stated
the project is leaning to one association. This project goal is to have
a
unified
neighborhood development with a clubhouse, a community for continuity. He
also commented they
would
contribute to a traffic study. Howell Township may also participate. They
would also contribute money
to
off-site pool resources.
CALL
TO THE PUBLIC
Steve
Cavaney, 4152 Emily Court, questioned the 6-10 commercial sites’ future
vision. John Ambrose
explained
commercial uses would be limited to convenience type functions for
residents. One element is a
wellhead
protection zone that overlays all the zoning and wellhead protection zone.
That precludes a lot of
businesses.
There may possibly be a small grocery store, small office but no service
stations. The paving of
Cedar
Lake Road due to its usage was also posed.
Norma
Flaherty, 4120 Norton Road, questioned the different roads that go away from
there and where the
roads
in the existing subdivision will come in.
Richard
Hitchcock, 4218 Emily Court, stated their road is private and asked if their
road would be used.
Jean
Root pointed out on the drawing their road is not considered. Another
concern is whether with the
added
houses and people coming to the Township Hall if Cedar Lake Road between
Jewell and
Coon
Lake Road be paved; no, not in
the near future. Mr. Hitchcock
also asked if the township can handle
the
extra sewer. Yes, it can.
John Lowe invited
public to review maps.
(Short
recess was taken.)
John
Lowe hearing no more comments from the public closed the Call to the Public.
FURTHER
DISCUSSION
Jean
Root asked if another traffic impact study would be conducted. Jim Barnwell
believes it should be done
but
would be more beneficial to the community to do it later. They are
considering contributing to
improvements
for off-site roads, such as Pingree.
Jean
Root pointed out in the original site plan there were costs to be incurred
by the developer and asked if
they
were willing to do off-site improvements at a minimum?
Yes, but no comparison was done dollars to
dollars.
Jim Anderson asked
Jim Barnwell if they would manage the project to be done and would the
project
be
done in Phase I and Phase II simultaneously? Jim Barnwell stated that sales
would be the driving force.
Bob
Hanvey stated he spoke to Merry Berring from Howell Township and they would
be willing to participate
in a
joint traffic study.
John Ambrose
believes an overall review should be done and outline differences from
the
original conceptual plan.
Mr.
Sanch, developer, commented that the one thing that changed was moving the
school for the safety of
the
children. Mr. Flaherty
commented where Amos Road empties out and traffic flow would be hard to
widen.
John
Ambrose stated that the significant difference in traffic control would be:
previous plan had a
connector
road and the new plan has only one access to driving through residential
streets, which creates
a lot
of internal traffic.
The question was
raised by the audience what these units would sell for, which would
be
around $170,000 to $300,000. The
developers stated they are open to meeting and talking with
residents
if they have questions.
Jim
Anderson mentioned there are two large neighborhoods in the area and if this
project is in the center,
you
have to use main roads to get out of development.
John
Lowe asked if this plan is neighborhood friendly. It is with a combination
of paved walking trails and
cedar
chip.
Jean
Root asked if the school should be contacted again on this plan. Jim
Barnwell stated he has contacted
them
and will contact again but the school has decided to sell the property.
Thirty-one acres of the property
may be
donated to the township for a purpose beneficial to the township such as a
public facility, fire hall,
a
cemetery.
Jean Root also
questioned whether the original plans of a school changing to donating
property
pose a
problem? John Ambrose stated no.
Jean Root has
concerns about a project this large posing a
problem
with association dues and paying property taxes and would like input from
the township attorney.
John
Ambrose stated that bylaws and guidelines would clearly state association
responsibilities.
John
Lowe asked Jim Barnwell to go back and work with people at the end of court
that would benefit both
parties.
Jim Barnwell stated there is a similar layout that shows the main road going
through the center of the
project.
John Ambrose asked
Jim Barnwell to breakout number of units and types for each phase proposed
to
know
number of units for each phase. Jim Barnwell agreed to do that and stated Phase I has 2084.
John
Lowe asked if this layout is similar to the Hometown layout on D-19 and John
Ambrose indicated it is
similar.
John Ambrose
pointed out there would be 18-20,000 trips a day generated with a plan this
size.
John
Lowe questioned the efficiency of the road, such as a road like Grand River
down the center of project
and
would like to see the road funneled to Amos Road.
The ideal situation
would be to layout a project this
size
with a collector system to help funnel traffic out to Cedar Lake Road to
south end where there’s an
access
point and then up to Amos Road, pulling traffic up and funneling out. As the
plan exists, it is such a
maze
it would be difficult for fire trucks to efficiently navigate.
Jim
Barnwell commented there will be about 500 residents to the north of Norton.
The original number was
1500
and then split it becomes 750 and then next intersection would break it up
even more. He would like to
offer
more options.
John Lowe stated
the original plan used Pingree which cannot handle additional traffic.
This
plan is much more favorable. John Lowe asked the township engineer to confer
with their traffic engineer
to
critique this internal plan regarding functionality.
The open space is
greater on this plan. The previous plan
was
41% open space. John Ambrose commented that the conceptual plan was approved
with 477 acres of
open
space. Jim Barnwell stated 522 is on the current plan.
The conceptual plan
was based on 2000 units.
Based
on density, 2215 units would be allowed at the maximum. This would be
allowed based on the
underlying
zoning district of 20,000 square foot lots of buildable acres.
John
Lowe pointed out original plan had 17 acres of commercial and new plan is
six, which may go up.
Jean
Root asked if there’s a plan to sell commercial land and to who. Jim
Barnwell stated this will be set up
according
to PUD, with their suggestions that would be acceptable with a universal
theme. Their suggestion
would
be possibly small grocery/party store, video store, small restaurant like
doughnut shop, hardware,
personal
services, day care, etc.
Jim
Barnwell is proposing:
-
One tree for
every lot; perimeter and main roads, tree every 40 feet
-
Garbage
collection – one hauler
-
Sales trailer
and signage for on and off site
Jim
Barnwell listed several issues for the township to consider:
-
Amos Road
paving
-
Contribute to
traffic study
-
Contribution
to off-site improvements to road over time
-
Ordinance
allow: mini storage on site, consideration for assisted living later on in
later phases
John
Lowe does not believe that storage units would fit. He also proposed the
upper right corner for Phase I
and
II. John Ambrose stated that would be submitted at that time with updated
plan.
Bob
Hanvey asked if there’s a checklist for the developer to complete before
obtaining first land use permit?
The
question was asked what triggers a permit? Dave Hamann stated there’s a
preliminary and then final site
plan
in Phase I and then to the Township Board.
Jim
Barnwell stated he plans about four more formal meetings. The developer
thanked everyone for coming
and
stated they are willing to meet with any resident to answer questions.
NEW
BUSINESS – Election of Officers
Jean
Root nominated John Lowe as Chairman of the Marion Township Planning
Commission. Debra
Wiedman-Clawson
seconded. John Lowe abstained.
Motion carried 4-0.
Jean
Root nominated Dave Hamann as the Vice-Chairman for the Marion Township
Planning Commission.
Jim
Anderson seconded. Dave Hamann abstained. Motion carried 4-0.
Debra
Wiedman-Clawson nominated Jean Root as Secretary. Jim Anderson seconded.
Jean Root abstained.
Motion
carried 4-0.
Jean
Root pointed out that the Rules and Procedures of 1996 need updating, which
will be done and be
presented
at February meeting for review.
John Ambrose
distributed a handout entitled, “Public Hearing
Procedural
Guide”, and reviewed with the Planning Commission.
ADJOURNMENT
Dave
Hamann made a motion to adjourn at 9:30 p.m.
Jim Anderson seconded. Motion
carried 5-0.
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