on May 4, 2011 at 5:59am.
Planning Commission Meeting on July 13, 2009
GENOA CHARTER TOWNSHIP
PLANNING COMMISSION
PUBLIC HEARING
July 13, 2009
6:30 P.M.
AGENDA
CALL TO ORDER:
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
WORK SESSION:
APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
CALL TO THE PUBLIC: (Note: The Board reserves the right to not begin new business after 10:00 p.m.)
OPEN PUBLIC HEARING # 1… Review of sketch plan application and sketch plan for a proposed 6,000 sq. ft. storage building at the rear of the existing Conley Rent-A-Car business located at 7208 W. Grand River Brighton. Sec. 13, petitioned by John Conley.
Planning Commission disposition of petition
A. Disposition of sketch plan.
Administrative Business:
· Planners report presented by LSL Planners
· Approval of June 8, 2009 Planning Commission meeting minutes
· Member Discussion
Adjournment
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER: At 6:32 p.m., the Genoa Township Planning Commission meeting was called to order. Present constituting a quorum were Chairman Doug Brown, Barbara Figurski, Dean Tengel, Lauren Brookins, John McManus, James Mortensen and Diana Lowe. Also present were Tesha Humphriss, Township Engineer, and Kelly VanMarter, Township Planner.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
WORK SESSION: No work session was required.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Upon motion by Barbara Figurski and support by James Mortensen, the agenda was approved as submitted. Motion carried unanimously.
CALL TO THE PUBLIC: (Note: The Board reserves the right to not begin new business after 10:00 p.m.)
OPEN PUBLIC HEARING # 1… Review of sketch plan application and sketch plan for a proposed 6,000 sq. ft. storage building at the rear of the existing Conley Rent-A-Car business located at 7208 W. Grand River Brighton. Sec. 13, petitioned by John Conley.
David LeClair of Livingston Engineering and John Conley addressed the Planning Commission. The building is a 6,000 sq foot building that will house no employees. It is a cold storage type of building. It will be over 600 feet from Grand River.
The building will be a metal building and a sample photograph was provided to the Planning Commission. No additional parking will be required.
James Mortensen discusses the brush and growth at rear of property. Mr. Conley indicates it is more than likely on his property. The building is about 350 feet from the residential area. To the east of the building is Best Self Storage.
The building is placed to the rear of the lot so the Petitioner could leave the possibility of expanding the original building at a later date open.
Petitioner is to plant some evergreen trees along the rear lot line.
Outside storage is discussed.
Tesha Humphriss discusses the detention pond/catch basins with the petitioner. Crushed limestone has a similar run off rate to asphalt. The building pad has already been built. When additional paving comes in, the Petitioner will be building additional catch basins.
Tesha Humphriss discusses the terms of her July 8th letter with the Petitioner. The metes and bounds description will have to be amended to properly reflect the property description. The storage will be all cold storage.
Drainage and grading was discussed. The 2003/2004 site plan was reviewed by Tesha Humphriss. She needs documentation of how much square footage will require asphalt in the current plan. The petitioner will provide those calculations to the Township Engineer. The gravel area on the south side should be laid in a manner that will allow for run-off to drain in the direction of the detention pond. Calculations regarding the detention pond shall be provided to the Township Engineer, as well.
Petitioner will need to provide calculations to the Township Engineer regarding how many downspouts will be on the building. The catch basin should be un-buried and brought up to grade again. The inverse elevations of the storm sewer pipe need to be provided to the Township Engineer, as well.
The Township Engineer requests information regarding type and thickness of gravel that is on the property. The petitioner will have that information provided to the Township Engineer.
Tesha Humphriss discusses the lack of a close hydrant and indicates a hydrant should be run from Grand River to the proposed site.
Petitioner indicates the original building was not built because the fire hydrant would be $100,000 and the sewer fees would be approximately $50,000. It was not feasible financially for the Petitioner to build at that time.
The letter from the Brighton Fire Department dated July 6, 2009 was discussed with the Petitioner. The Petitioner will meet with the Fire Marshall regarding this letter.
The petitioner indicates that cars (w/ gas tanks) will be housed within the building, but no 55 gallon drums w/ combustible fuels will be stored in the building. Flammables such as gasoline are in the flammable shed, which is a separate out building.
The Petitioner will be placing steel poles up to prevent collisions with automobiles and the overhead door.
Petitioner is willing to place some windows high on the west side of the building to help break up the view of steel.
A discussion is held regarding what constitutes outdoor storage.
Chairman Brown indicates that if proper screening is in place, he could conceivably vote yes for an amendment to the site plan to allow some parking of vehicles on the gravel portion of the
property.
Petitioner commits to begin process of setting a staff meeting, a meeting with the Township Engineer, and a meeting with the Brighton Fire Department if the plan is approved tonight.
Planning Commission disposition of petition
A. Disposition of sketch plan.
Motion by James Mortensen to approve the site plan presented this evening, subject to:
1. The terms of the previously approved special use permit for outside storage will be complied with unless and until the proposal is submitted and approved for a revised special use permit
through the Planning Commission and Township Board;
2. The renderings showed this evening will become Township Board property. The color scheme on the rendering will apply to the 6,000 sq foot building that has been proposed. Additionally, two
large windows will be added to the west side of the building;
3. The requirements set forth in the Brighton Area Fire Dept. letter of 7/6/09 shall be complied with unless an appeal to that body is approved in consideration of the fact that the building will
be a cold storage building filled with non-hazardous materials. If the waiver is granted by the Fire Department for the hydrant, the requirement in the Engineer's letter on that point shall
become null and void;
4. This approval is granted because of the substantial distance and restricted visibility from Grand River of the building on what formerly was an industrial zoned site;
5. Township staff will review the plantings to determine if any additional are required on the west side of the building to shield it from the residence to the west;
6. No additional parking will be required since no employees are being added for this building;
7. The requirements set forth in the Township Engineer's letter of 7/8/09 will be complied with. In regard to item number two in that letter, the petitioner has indicated that the materials to be
stored in there will be largely related to the business of selling and repairing vehicles and will not involve the storage of hazardous materials. There will be no major repair of vehicles in the
building;
8. The brick requirement for this building is relaxed also because of the distance and restricted visibility from Grand River.
Support by Barbara Figurski. Motion carried unanimously.
Administrative Business:
· Planners report presented by LSL Planners
· Approval of June 8, 2009 Planning Commission meeting minutes. Barbara Figurski moves to adopt the minutes as amended. Support by Diana Lowe. Motion carried unanimously.
· Member Discussion. James Mortensen discussed the upcoming conference for Planning Commission members. Barbara Figurski is celebrating 40 yrs of service to the Township. Kelly VanMarter will do
sketch reviews on occasion in an effort to save money for the Township. Kelly discusses the proposed land swap between Lowe's and R.G. Lowe's has not signed off on this with R.G. Therefore, R.G.
is looking for a backup plan and has submitted a change in their PUD plan. She believes that the change can be approved administratively and is asking for the Commission's blessing on this. The
Commission agrees with Ms. VanMarter. Tesha Humphriss will be attending a meeting on Wednesday to address utility conflicts regarding the new interchange. The next meeting is August 10th.
Adjournment. Motion by Barbara Figurski to adjourn. Support by James Mortensen. Motion carried unanimously.