DRAFT

                                       MARION TOWNSHIP

                  PLANNING COMMISSION 

           APRIL 22, 2003 @ 7:30 PM

MEMBERS PRESENT:  John Lowe, David Hamann, Jean Root, Jim Anderson, 

                                             and Debra Wiedman-Clawson

MEMBERS ABSENT:      None

OTHERS  PRESENT:          John Ambrose, Township Planner

                                               Bob Hanvey, Township Supervisor

                                               Annette McNamara, Zoning Administrator

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CALL TO ORDER

John Lowe called the Regular Meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

John Lowe added a discussion on Open Spaces at the end of New Business.  

Debra Wiedman-Clawson motioned to approve the agenda as amended.  Jim Anderson seconded. 

 Motion carried 5-0.  

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Regular meeting minutes of 3/25/2003 

Dave Hamann motioned to approve the minutes pending verification of Tax I.D. code for AT&T Wireless Services 

Lease Parcel.  Tax code noted at the bottom of page 2 on drawings received 3/25/03. Jean Root seconded. 

 Motion carried 5-0.  

Public Hearing – AT&T COMMUNICATION TOWER minutes of 3/25/2003

Jean Root motioned to approve the minutes as amended.  Jim Anderson seconded.  Motion carried 5-0.

OLD BUSINESS 

Blossom Farms amendment to Final Site Plan

Brent LaVanway from Boss Engineering representing Adler Enterprises made a presentation for proposed

amendments to the final site plan.  

1.      Proposing the roads within the development remain private. Roads will meet the Livingston County Road 

 Commission (LCRC) standards. Reason for change is an easement conflict between Detroit Edison and the LCRC. 

 Brent Lavanway referenced Mike Kehoe, Township Attorney and John Ambrose, Township Planner review letters 

that stated the need to execute a separate Private Road Maintenance Agreement.  Brent LaVanway will bring 

documents to the Planning  Commission  with the request to begin phase 3.  

2.      Propose removing the meandering walkway and constructing a centralized play structure in Blossom Park.

Families within the development have expressed a deeper interest for an active play area than for additional walking

 trails.  The sidewalks along the street and a pathway connection along County Farm Road will remain in the plans.  

3.      Propose removing the shelter structure in front of the development and replacing with a sign. John Ambrose asked

if the proposed Private road was an issue with the current residents that purchased with the understanding that the 

roads would be public.  Brent LaVanway responded that in the Master Deed the developer retains the option of 

keeping the roads private or turning them over to the LCRC. John Ambrose also had a concern about access to

adjacent parcels if the roads were to remain private.  Options were discussed on possible changes in the road layout

that would not cross the Edison right-of-way so the roads could be public.  Bob Hanvey added he was still having 

discussions with Detroit Edison Public Relations liaison Paul Gantz in reference to the conflict with the LCRC in 

hopes of resolving the situation. Brent LaVanway summed up stating that he will speak with Mike Kehoe.

Bob Hanvey will continue working with Detroit Edison and the LCRC.  Issues to be discussed when developer

submits a request for phase 3. John Lowe asked Brent LaVanway to notify the current residents of the changes.

Motion

Jean Root motioned to table Blossom Farms Estates Amended Final Site Plan until discussed issues have been 

resolved and applicant requests placement on a forth-coming agenda. Jim Anderson seconded. 

Roll call vote:  Jim Anderson, Jean Root, John Lowe, Dave Hamann, Debra Wiedman-Clawson – all yes. 

Motion carried 5-0  

Proposed Ordinance Amendments:

Section 17.10 – Communication Towers 

John Ambrose reviewed the document with revisions.

Jean Root noted that in statement g. on page 3 the words at maturity were suppose to be removed and insert

 at time of planting.  Jean also noted that on page 8 in the Lot Zoning paragraph the word block should be changed 

to parcel. Debra Wiedmen-Clawson also noted a typo on page 2 in item a. where a space was missing between 

Rural and Residential.

Motion

Jean Root motioned to approve section 17.10 Communication Towers as amended to include corrections.

Corrected copy to be sent to the Zoning Administrator to forward to Township Board for their approval.

Jim Anderson seconded.  Roll call vote: Debra Wiedman-Clawson, Dave Hamann, Jim Anderson, Jean Root, 

John Lowe, – all yes.  Motion carried 5-0  

Section 6.14 – Home Occupation

Debra Weidman-Clawson motioned to table proposed ordinance amendment 6.14 Home Occupation until the next 

regularly scheduled Planning Commission meeting. Jean Root seconded. Motion carried 5-0

Review of Site Plan Checklist  

John Ambrose presented the Marion Township Site Plan Application Checklist and noted that it was taken right out 

of Section 18.03 –Data required for Site Plan.  John Ambrose mentioned the Site Plan Checklist could be turned in 

with the application for site plan review.  John will meet with Annette next week and decide if the checklist needs to 

be expanded on. It will be read for the board to review at the next regularly  scheduled meeting. Jean asked that the 

site plan checklist indicate what agencies needed to have this information forwarded to them.  Mr. Ambrose 

mentioned normally the Township is the distributor of those. The Township when submitting these to the proper 

agencies can tell them that they have a certain period of time to respond and if they do not respond within that time 

we assume they have no issue at hand.  Debra Wiedman-Clawson and Jean Root mentioned their concern about

 being handed papers at the meeting with no time to review which would be eliminated with a time restraint of 

accepting documents before a scheduled meeting.  

 Discussion was held between John Lowe, Debra Wiedman-Clawson and Jean Root regarding a review step now

being done not required by the current ordinance.   John Ambrose stated that a minor amendment to Section 18.03 

could set that up.

Motion

Jean Root motioned to table the review of site plan checklist to the next regularly scheduled meeting.

Debra Weidman-Clawson seconded.    Motion carried 5-0.   

NEW BUSINESS

Section 3.02  - Definition of Lot Lines  

John Ambrose at the request of the Planning Commission submitted the following proposed language (Zoning 

Ordinance text amendment) that clarifies how side lot lines intersect a front property line or street/road right-of-way 

line.  It is recommended that two areas of the Zoning Ordinance be amended to achieve this goal.  

Section 3.02 Definition of Lot Line .  New language in bold italic.

            1.  Side Lot Line: Any lot line other than a front or rear lot line, which shall be at right angles to straight 

streets and radial to curved streets and cul-de-sacs, except where such lot lines would create unusual, 

inconvenient, or irregular lot shapes.

The above amendment would cover side lot lines as they intersect any “public” or “private” road.

Section 6.20 F  by adding a new item number 4 to read as follows:  

            4.  Any lot located on a cul-de-sac shall have its side lot lines designed to be radial to the front

 property line or right-of-way line, except where such lot lines would create unusual, inconvenient, or 

irregular lot shapes.

Planning Commission member suggested placing cul-de-sac guidelines in Section 6.11 & 6.20.

Motion

Jean Root motioned to table proposed ordinance amendments Section 3.02 Definition of Lot Lines and 

Section 6.02 F Private Road cul-de-sac to the next regularly scheduled meeting with revisions as discussed.

Jim Anderson seconded. Motion carried 5-0

OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE

John Lowe reported on his discussions with John Ambrose, Mike Boss and Mike Kehoe on an Open Space 

Preservation option project for Boss Engineering.   John Lowe said that in general it was not site specific. 

 Boss Engineering submitted a parallel plan using the premise that you would be able to use a centralized drain field 

to increase the number of lots on the parallel plan.  In conventional subdivisions each lot must perk in order to build on.

 Through discussions with John Ambrose, Mike Boss and Mike Kehoe the language of the current zoning ordinance 

does not support that.  A possible concern would be dense population.  (A 100-acre parcel would only need 5 acres

that would perk in order to develop the whole parcel.)  John Lowe expressed his opinion on the need to amend the 

zoning ordinance.  John Ambrose said the ordinance could be amended.

Motion

Jean Root motioned to table any new language regarding open space calculations for parallel plans to the next 

regularly scheduled meeting. Jim Anderson seconded.   Motion carried 5-0 .

CALL TO PUBLIC

None

ADJOURNMENT

Jean Root motioned to adjourn the meeting at 9:35 p.m. Debra Wiedman-Clawson seconded. Motion carried 5-0

 CALL TO ORDER:

 APPROVAL OF AGENDA FOR:  APRIL 22, 2003

 APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM :

                               MARCH 25, 2003 REGULAR MEETING

                                    MARCH 25, 2003 PUBIC HEARING

 OLD BUSINESS:     

                         BLOSSOM FARMS AMENDMENT TO FINAL SITE PLAN

                      PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS:

                                       SECTION 17.10 - COMMUNICATIONS TOWERS

                                       SECTION 6.14 - HOME OCCUPATION

                           REVIEW OF SITE PLAN CHECKLIST

  NEW BUSINESS:

                      PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS:

                                      SECTION 3.02 - DEFINITION OF LOT LINES

                                                                 #3 SIDE LOT LINE

                                       SECTION 6.20 F CUL-DE-SACS - NEW ITEM #4

    CALL TO THE PUBLIC:

   ADJOURNMENT