Minutes of the regular meeting of the Georgetown Township Planning Commission, held Wednesday, February 19, 2003

 

Meeting called to order by Chairman Honderd at 7:30 p.m.

 

Present:            Jansma, South, Huizinga, DeGood, Stasiak

Absent: Poskey, Honderd

 

#030219-01 - Agenda for February 19, 2003

 

Moved by Huizinga, seconded by Stasiak, to approve the agenda for February 19, 2003, as presented.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#030219-02 - Minutes of the January 22, 2003 regular meeting and the February 5,

2003 work session meeting

 

Moved by South, seconded by Huizinga, to approve the minutes of the January 22, 2003 regular meeting, as submitted.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

Moved by South, seconded by Stasiak, to approve the minutes of the February 5, 2003 work session meeting, as submitted.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#030219-03 - Unfinished Business-Special Use Permit (SUP0208) Unity Motors (Vander

Kodde Construction Co.), 828 Chicago Dr. is requesting permission to have an open air business (for vehicles sales) under Sec. 16.3(H) and to have vehicle repair under Sec. 16.3(B), on a parcel of land described as P.P.# 70-14-23-250-027, located at 828 Chicago Dr., in (HS) Highway Service Commercial

 

The item is on the ZBA agenda for February 2003; therefore, it was left tabled.

 

#030219-04 – Unfinished Business-Special Use Permit (SUP0213) Harbor House

Ministries, 7683 Cottonwood Dr., is requesting permission to have a convalescent home, under Sec. 8.3(D), on a parcel of land described as P.P.# 70-14-26-200-066, located at 861 44th St., in a (LDR) Low Density Residential district

 

Todd Stuive, Exxel Engineering, represented the applicant and presented the request.  He stated that Chuck Skipper was also present for the request.  He stated that comments made at the last meeting had been addressed.  Parking lot lights and one-way marking had been added.  He stated that the drive had been widened according to the Fire Inspector’s comments.

 

The chairman opened the public hearing.  No one was present to speak on this topic.  The chairman closed the public hearing.

 


Moved by DeGood, seconded by South, to recommend to the Township Board approval of Special Use Permit (SUP0213) Harbor House Ministries, 7683 Cottonwood Dr., to have a convalescent home, under Sec. 8.3(D), on a parcel of land described as P.P.# 70-14-26-200-066, located at 861 44th St., in a (LDR) Low Density Residential district, based on compliance with all applicable ordinance requirements.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

Moved by DeGood, seconded by South, to approve the site plan dated 2-12-03 based on compliance with all applicable ordinance requirements.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#030219-05 – Unfinished Business-Preliminary Plat of Alward Estates West overall layout

 

Steve Witte, Nederveld Associates, represented the applicant and presented the request.  He said that the Township Board approved phases one and two, and tabled the overall layout because the cul-de-sac is 1007 feet, which is longer than the 600 feet maximum in the ordinance.  He stated that they were asking for a variance, which the Board could grant, to permit the length of the cul-de-sac because of the elevation difference between the two proposed roadways and due to topographical issues.  He stated that the Road Commission has granted a variance and approved the length of the cul-de-sac.  A letter was submitted from the Road Commission.

 

Sec. 50-51 states the maximum required length of a cul-de-sac is 600 feet..  Sec. 50-52 of the Code of Ordinances gives the Township Board the authority to waive the maximum length of the cul-de-sac.

 

Sec. 50-52.  Variances.

When the subdivider can show that a literal enforcement of the standards of this chapter would cause unnecessary hardship if strictly enforced or where, because of topographical or other conditions peculiar to the site the standards require adjustments, departure may be made without destroying the intent of such provisions. The planning commission may recommend a variance, or the township board on its own initiative may approve a variance; provided, however, that such variance from the terms of this chapter may not change or amend the requirements of the township zoning ordinance.

 

The chairman opened the floor to public comments.  No one was present to speak on this topic.  The chairman closed the floor to public comments.

 

Moved by Huizinga, seconded by Stasiak, to recommend to the Board tentative preliminary plat approval of the overall layout of Alward Estates West as shown on the drawing dated 2-12-03, with the condition that the Township Board grant a variance for the design standards of the length of the proposed cul-de-sac of 1007 feet due to natural features, including topography and the different elevations of the proposed roads, and with the condition that the street names be changed, based on compliance with all applicable ordinance requirements.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#030219-06 – Rezoning (REZ0301) To change from (RR) Rural Residential to (LDR) Low

Density Residential parcels of land described as P.P.# 70-14-17-400-026; 70-14-17-499-001, -002, -003, -004, and part of 70-14-20-237-001, located at 7090 36th Ave., and 3267, 3263, 3259, 3255, 3251 Primrose Dr.

 

The chairman opened the public hearing.  No one was present to speak on this topic.  The chairman closed the public hearing.

 

Moved by South, seconded by DeGood, to recommend to the Board approval of

Rezoning (REZ0301) To change from (RR) Rural Residential to (LDR) Low Density Residential parcels of land described as P.P.# 70-14-17-400-026; 70-14-17-499-001, -002, -003, -004, and part of 70-14-20-237-001, located at 7090 36th Ave., and 3267, 3263, 3259, 3255, 3251 Primrose Dr., to insure compliance with the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#030219-07 - Ordinance Amendments

Sec. 20.4(E)    Church (in residential districts only)

(1)               Minimum lot width shall be two hundred (200) feet

(2)(1)   Minimum lot area shall be two (2) acres; plus an additional fifteen

thousand (15,000) square feet for each one hundred (100) seating capacity or fraction thereof in excess of one hundred (100).

(3)(2)   The property location shall be such that at least one (1) property line with

a minimum lot width of two hundred (200) feet abuts and has access to a collector, major arterial, or minor arterial street.

 

Chapter 24 bi   McClelland

 

Chapter 24 bii  48th Ave.

 

Chapter 24

biii        In all districts, required setbacks along any of the following streets shall be measured from a point 70 feet from the centerline of the street, if the public right-of-way measures 70 feet or less from such centerline.  Streets upon which this requirement applies include the following:

48th Ave.

 

Sec. 26.3         DRIVEWAY AND PARKING LOT REQUIREMENTS.

(I)                 In all districts, the Planning Commission shall determine driveway access to streets listed in Chapter 24, bi, bii, and biii.

 

 

The Township Board initiated the Zoning Ordinance amendment to Sec. 20.4(E) as a clarification because they believed in the past that it had been adopted with this intention and this is the way they thought it read. The new language reflects the intent that was always meant to be in the ordinance, not a new set of regulations for this particular special land use.

 

The Planning Commission initiated the Zoning Ordinance amendments to Sec. 26.3 and Chapter 24 at the meeting on January 8, 2003.  The first is to eliminate McClelland from the list of streets where setbacks are measured from a point 50 feet from the centerline of the street because McClelland is a winding street and likely will not be improved to be used as a collector, major arterial or minor arterial street.

 

The next two delete 48th Ave. from the list that requires that setbacks be measured from a point 60 feet from the centerline of the road and creates a third list, consisting at this time of 48th Ave., that requires that setbacks be measured from a point 70 feet from the centerline of the road.

 

After reviewing the plans to widen 48th Ave., the Planning Commission initiated an ordinance amendment to provide a way to limit access to all major streets listed in Chapter 24 bi, bii, and biii.

 

The chairman opened the public hearing.  No one was present to speak on this topic.  The chairman closed the public hearing.

 

Moved by Huizinga, seconded by Stasiak, to recommend to the Township Board approval of the Zoning Ordinance amendments as follows:

 

Sec. 20.4(E)    Church (in residential districts only)

(2)               Minimum lot width shall be two hundred (200) feet

(2)(1)   Minimum lot area shall be two (2) acres; plus an additional fifteen

thousand (15,000) square feet for each one hundred (100) seating capacity or fraction thereof in excess of one hundred (100).

(3)(2)   The property location shall be such that at least one (1) property line with

a minimum lot width of two hundred (200) feet abuts and has access to a collector, major arterial, or minor arterial street.

 

Chapter 24 bi   McClelland

 

Chapter 24 bii  48th Ave.

 

Chapter 24

biii        In all districts, required setbacks along any of the following streets shall be measured from a point 70 feet from the centerline of the street, if the public right-of-way measures 70 feet or less from such centerline.  Streets upon which this requirement applies include the following:

48th Ave.

 

Sec. 26.3         DRIVEWAY AND PARKING LOT REQUIREMENTS.

In all districts, the Planning Commission shall determine driveway access to streets listed in Chapter 24, bi, bii, and biii.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

 

 

 

#030219-08 – Other Business

 

The Supervisor had submitted a letter to the members of the Planning Commission asking that the Planning Commission update the Master Plan.

 

Moved by Jansma, seconded by Stasiak, to instruct the Planner and Zoning Administrator to start the process needed to update the Master Plan.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#030219-09 - Adjournment

 

The chairman adjourned the meeting at 8:05 p.m.