Minutes of the regular meeting of the Georgetown Township Planning Commission, held Wednesday, December 17, 2003

 

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

 

Present:            Jansma, Huizinga, DeGood, Stasiak, Poskey, Honderd, South

Absent: none

 

#031217-01 - Agenda for December 17, 2003

 

Moved by DeGood, seconded by South, to approve the agenda for December 17, 2003, as presented, except to move one item of old business to the end of the agenda.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#031217-02 - Minutes of the November 19, 2003 regular meeting and the December 3,

2003 work session meeting

 

Moved by South, seconded by DeGood, to approve the minutes of the November 19, 2003 regular meeting, as submitted.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

Moved by Huizinga, seconded by Poskey, to approve the minutes of the December 3, 2003 work session meeting, as submitted.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#031217-03 – Unfinished Business-Site Plan (ST0313) Randy Rottschafer (Mani’s Photo

Studio)- 612 Baldwin

 

This is the third month as unfinished business.  A revised plan had been submitted that meets the ordinance requirements and the direction given by the Planning Commission.  The applicant submitted a letter asking to remain tabled until the January 21, 2004 meeting.  The item was left tabled.

 

#031217-04 - Site Plan (ST0315) Sparkling Image Auto Wash-6451 Kenowa

 

The applicant stated that vacuums were being added to a previously approved site plan.

 

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

 

Moved by Poskey, seconded by Stasiak, to approve the site plan dated revised 12-10-02 and received 11-5-03, as submitted.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#031217-05 - Special Use Permit (SUP0314) James Veldink, 6257 36th Ave.

 

The applicant stated the proposed pond would be used to irrigate an agricultural operation and had been revised to include a fence around the perimeter.


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

 

It was noted that the revised site plan meets the ordinance requirements and the direction given by the Planning Commission.

 

Moved by South, seconded by DeGood, to recommend to the Township Board approval of Special Use Permit (SUP0314) James Veldink, 6257 36th Ave., to have a customary agricultural operation, under Sec. 7.3(C), on a parcel of land described as P.P.# 70-14-29-100-029, located at 6257 36th Ave., in a (RR) Rural Residential district, with the condition that a soil erosion permit and a Storm Water Drain permit be obtained.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

Moved by Stasiak, seconded by DeGood, to approve the site plan dated 12/5/03, as submitted.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#031217-06 - Preliminary Plat of Rozeveld Ridge No. 3

 

Matt Cole, Focus Engineer, represented the applicant and presented the request.  The plan has been revised to show sidewalks on the 40 foot wide exception.

 

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 Township Board to grant tentative preliminary plat approval of the preliminary plat of Rozeveld Ridge No. 3, as shown on the drawing dated 12-4-03.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#031217-07 - Preliminary Plat of Rozeveld Ct.                   

 

Matt Cole, Focus Engineer, represented the applicant and presented the request.  The plan has been revised as directed by the Planning Commission.  The exempted parcel has been added as lot 6 and the driveway portion from the existing house will be removed from the other parcels.  Sanitary sewer and water will be extended down 16th Ave., along with sidewalks, as per Township ordinance. 

 

There was discussion regarding lot 4 and the applicant stated that a house would be designed to fit in the building envelope so no variance would be needed.

 

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

 

Moved by Huizinga, seconded by Poskey, to recommend to the Township Board to grant tentative preliminary plat approval of the preliminary plat of Rozeveld Ct., as shown on the drawing dated 12/9/03.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#031217-08 – Unfinished Business-(PUD0303) Arena Development LLC, 2551 VanOmmen

Dr., Holland, is requesting a Planned Unit Development for a mixed use development with various types of residential housing and various commercial uses, under Chapter 22, on a parcel of land described as PP#70-14-07-100-012, located at 8658 48th Ave.

 

Rick Polaski, Nederveld Associates, represented the applicant and presented the revised proposal.  There was discussion regarding the amount of retail space, which is shown as 116,000 square feet.  The applicant said that the commercial areas would be developed in phases that could be switched to residential if the need for commercial did not exist at the time of development.  A park area is shown and the creek area was left alone.  It was noted that the plan shows 15% of open space, which is less than the 20% required by the ordinance.  It was noted that the plan shows too much pavement and that a sidewalk should connect the area to the ice arena.

 

The applicant noted that the proposed townhouses would be sold for $170,000 to $180,000 and would be owner-occupied.  He said that the fronts of the townhouses frame the open space.  He said that there would be a one-way slip road off 48th Ave. and that the site abuts the Consumers Energy easement to the east and north, which serves as a build-in buffer.  He said that they were going for a village-like feel with a lot of sidewalks.

 

It was noted that the Master Plan calls for a smaller scale of commercial, possibly comprising 5 acres, and the proposal shows much more and concerns were noted regarding the large amount of retail space.

 

The applicant stated that if the commercial areas didn’t develop as expected, the area could be developed into multi-family.  It was also noted that the live/work areas had been eliminated and replaced by more townhouses. 

 

There was discussion that the development would draw from the community and the Township did not want it to compete with other commercial areas or the student housing on GVSU property.

 

Elevations were requested to determine that the attached residential areas would be condos rather than rental units.

 

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.

 

The applicant was directed to submit a revised plan and no direction was given to advertise the public hearing.

 

 

 

#031217-09 - Other Business-Master Plan

 

The Master Plan has been advertised for a public hearing to be held on Wednesday, January 17, 2004 at the Planning Commission meeting.  The latest revision of the proposed Master Plan text and Future Land Use Map were presented.  A revised copy of page 9 of the Master Plan text shows the addition under “Traffic and Vehicular Circulation” of the statement as follows: “The streets listed in Chapter 24, footnote (b) are to be considered as Major Arterials, Minor Arterials, and Collectors.

 

A draft review from the County was presented, which stated that they were pretty much in agreement with what had been submitted except for one area in the southwest section of the Township. The County asked that an area from the southwest of the Township and heading toward the northeast, and encompassing the northwest border the Township shares with the City of Hudsonville remain AG/RR due to the muck land and composition of the soil which is unstable for development.  Direction was given to change the text in regards to this area and to change the map to reflect AG/RR for the muck soil areas.

 

#031217-10 - Review Ordinance Amendments-proposed for decks and for bay windows

 

There was a discussion regarding decks and bay windows.  The planner presented some possible ordinance amendments.  The decision was made that the Planning Commissioners would review the information and discuss it at the next meeting.

 

#031217-11 – Adjournment

 

The chairman adjourned the meeting at 9:10 p.m.