Paulette A. Skolarus, Genoa Township Clerk   

Planning Commission Meeting

September 11, 2006

Work Session Agenda

CALL TO ORDER:

DISCUSSION: of Agenda items of the regular meeting of the Planning Commission

DISCUSSION: of general items

Public Hearing Agenda

CALL TO ORDER:

CALL TO THE PUBLIC: (Note: The Board will not begin any new business after 10:00 p.m.)

OPEN PUBLIC HEARING # 1… Review of request for an extension of special use, site plan and environmental impact assessment approval for a 41,680 sq. ft. church located on the Southwest corner of Bauer and Brighton Roads. Sec. 35, petitioned by Brighton Christian Church.

A. Recommendation of special use extension.

B. Recommendation of impact assessment extension.

C. Disposition of site plan extension.

OPEN PUBLIC HEARING # 2… Review of a special use application, site plan and impact assessment for an expansion of a special use to install an additional drive-thru lane located at 2235 E. Grand River, Sec. 6, petitioned by CVS Realty Corp. (06-17)

A. Recommendation regarding special use.

B. Recommendation regarding impact assessment

C. Recommendation regarding site plan.

OPEN PUBLIC HEARING #3… Review of a sketch plan for an entrance monument sign for Genoa Business Park, located at the corner of Genoa Business Park Drive and Grand River Avenue, Sec. 13, petitioned by Rand Construction Engineering. (06-19)

A. Disposition of sketch plan.

Adjournment

 WORK SESSION MINUTES

CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 6:32 p.m. Present constituting a quorum for conducting business were: Chairman Don Pobuda, Steve Morgan, Teri Olson, Barbara Figurski, James Mortensen, Curt Brown and Dean Tengle. Brian Borden was present on behalf of LSL and Tesha Humphriss was present on behalf of Tetra Tech.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Motion by Barbara Figurski to approve agenda. Second by James Mortensen. Motion carried.

DISCUSSION: of Agenda items of the regular meeting of the Planning Commission

ADJOURNMENT: The work session of the Planning Commission was adjourned at 6:57 p.m.

PUBLIC HEARING MINUTES

CALL TO ORDER: The public hearing was called to order at 7:03 p.m.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The pledge of allegiance was recited and a moment of silence was observed.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Motion by Barbara Figurski to approve agenda. Second by James Mortensen. Motion carried.

CALL TO THE PUBLIC: (Note: The Board will not begin any new business after 10:00 p.m.)

OPEN PUBLIC HEARING # 1… Review of request for an extension of special use, site plan and environmental impact assessment approval for a 41,680 sq. ft. church located on the Southwest corner of Bauer and Brighton Roads. Sec. 35, petitioned by Brighton Christian Church.

Dennis Dimhoff, 8571 Saddlewood Circle, Brighton, Michigan appears on behalf of petitioner. He is chair of the building committee for the church. He requests a one year extension for special use.

A. Recommendation of special use extension.

B. Recommendation of impact assessment extension.

C. Disposition of site plan extension.

Motion by James Mortensen to recommend to the Township Board a one year extension for the special use permit. Second by Barbara Figurski. Motion carried unanimously.

Motion by James Mortensen to recommend to the Township Board approval of one year extension of the impact assessment for the church. Support by Barbara Figurski. Motion carried unanimously.

Motion by James Mortensen to recommend to the Township Board approval of the site plan extension for one year. Supported by Figurski. Motion carried unanimously.

OPEN PUBLIC HEARING # 2… Review of a special use application, site plan and impact assessment for an expansion of a special use to install an additional drive-thru lane located at 2235 E. Grand River, Sec. 6, petitioned by CVS Realty Corp. (06-17)

Terry Saylor, architect from Prospectus Architecture of Cleveland, Ohio present on behalf of petitioner. Petitioner is seeking an expansion of the drive-thru for CVS. Petitioner indicates a widening of the lanes is necessary for safety reasons because most traffic goes to the right rather than to the left. The new plans will create a greater difficulty for traffic to turn right and will force traffic left. The new plans will enter into the buffer area for the wetland and will have a no right turn sign.

The new plans would cause an increase in impervious surface. This will affect the drainage as it currently exists. There are no plans at this time, but it is recommended that the retention area be increased. Percentage-wise, they’re still within their requirements per petitioner. They’re going to expand the pond into the existing grass area and not the tree area.

Petitioner does not anticipate attracting a higher volume of traffic through the drive thru lanes. The canopy will not be expanded. The existing lane will be a full service lane, rather than drop-off only. The new lane will be drop off only.

Deliveries will not be impacted by these changes.

The dumpster area will be moved backwards.

Steve Morgan inquires about additional landscaping across Grand River. Petitioner indicates they could include that in the proposal. He recommends that the gaps in the current landscaping could be filled with shrubbery. Curt Brown indicates that it could be a matter of how the existing shrubbery is trimmed.

Brian Borden addresses the land use standards for drive thru pharmacies. The existing ordinance addresses one lane, so the ZBA may have to address this.

Additionally, the existing signage exceeds the size allowed under the ordinance. This would require a variance from the ZBA, but the Planning Commission would have to make a recommendation to the ZBA on the variance.

Brian Borden addresses the turning radius and its encroachment into the 25’ setback. It is not encroaching into the wetland, but only into the buffer, which is in the 25’ setback.

Brian Borden indicates that the landscape plan does propose a few new canopy trees. He suggests that the ordinance be followed as to the size of these trees.

Three variances are needed: for the drive thru lane, the additional signs and the encroachment. Petitioner indicates the additional lane is needed for the flow of traffic and this would be the reasoning behind the variance requests.

James Mortensen suggests that landscaping in the island would be appropriate, perhaps low shrubbery and irrigation. Petitioner agrees that is probably a good point and some low lying items would be fine. Brian Borden suggests that six trees are proposed for that island, but no shrubs or flowers. James Mortensen indicates that low, flowering shrubbery would make more sense for that particular area. Kelly VanMarter indicates that trees are appropriate as a buffer for the lights on the side of the building and the residential area behind the building.

Tesha Humphriss indicates that a sign directing traffic left and prohibiting right turns from the drive thru is necessary.

Tesha Humphriss addresses the September 6th letter. The revised plans and grading have not been submitted for approval. Petitioner will submit those to Tesha Humphriss and she must approve those before the Township Board’s approval.

Ed Mourad appeared and places his objection before the Board. He indicates that the CVS driveway is causing a problem with the Big Boy restaurant. He would like to see CVS driveway be right hand turn only onto Grand River. Left hand turns would go onto Golf Club Road and turn left from there onto Grand River. Tesha Humphriss agrees that the traffic is congested in this area. The suggestion of right-in and right-out would assist, but Tesha Humphriss is unsure what authority the Planning Commission has to require that. This would require the entrance be reconfigured.

James Mortensen believes a review is warranted as it relates to traffic. He indicates that this matter should be tabled until the review is completed. Tesha should work with the CVS, Big Boy and other merchants nearby to assess traffic issues. MDOT, of course, will be involved. An access management study has been completed for this area of Grand River. James Mortensen requests statistics from CVS indicating whether volume of business will increase or not when second drive-thru lane is added.

A. Recommendation regarding special use.

B. Recommendation regarding impact assessment

C. Recommendation regarding site plan.

Motion by James Mortensen to table this issue at the request of the petitioner. Support by Barbara Figurski.

Roll call by the Recording Secretary. Supporting votes were Curt Brown, James Mortensen, Barbara Figurski, Chairman Pobuda, Teri Olson. Opposing votes were Dean Tengel and Steve Morgan. Motion carried.

OPEN PUBLIC HEARING #3… Review of a sketch plan for an entrance monument sign for Genoa Business Park, located at the corner of Genoa

Business Park Drive and Grand River Avenue, Sec. 13, petitioned by Rand Construction Engineering. (06-19)

Dan Dieter from Rand Construction, 1270 Rickett Road, Brighton, Michigan appears on behalf of the petitioner. Petitioner requests that the existing monument sign be replaced. He provides a proposed drawing for the Board. There is not a traffic light at the entrance at this time, so a larger sign is requested. The petitioner proposes to use the same building materials as were used on the building and the same exterior illumination system.

The setback for the sign is 16’ as it is currently. The ordinance currently calls for 10’.

Brian Borden indicates the sign ordinance does give the authority to grant the relief requested. The sign is proposed to be 10’2”. The current ordinance is 6’. A variance would be required.

Tesha Humphriss has no issues with this new sign.

A. Disposition of sketch plan.

Motion by James Mortensen to approve the sign subject to the following:

A. Approval of the 4’2” height variance by the ZBA;

B. That the lighting must conform to the Township ordinance;

C. The building materials will match the medical center presently under construction;

D. That the site will be restored to its pre-existing condition relative to landscaping.

Support by Curt Brown. Motion carried unanimously.

Planners report presented by LSL Planners.

Approval of July 10, 2006 Planning Commission meeting minutes. Motion by Barbara Figurski to approve the minutes, subject to adding the date of the Fire Department letter and also, changing the word “subject” to “based on” on page three, paragraph three.

Member Discussion. The next meeting will be Tuesday, October 10th, 2006.

Adjournment at 8:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Kristi Cox

Recording Secretary

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