Minutes of the
regular meeting of the Georgetown Township Planning Commission, held Wednesday,
June 16, 2004
Meeting called to order by
Chairman Honderd at 7:30 p.m.
Present: Honderd, Huizinga, Poskey, South,
DeGood, Stasiak
Absent: Jansma
#040721-01 - Agenda for July 21, 2004
Moved by DeGood,
seconded by South, to approve the agenda for July 21, 2004, as presented.
MOTION
CARRIED.
#040721-02 - Minutes of the June 16, 2004 regular
meeting and the July 7, 2004
work session meeting
Moved
by Huizinga, seconded by Stasiak, to approve the minutes of the June 16, 2004
regular meeting, as submitted.
MOTION
CARRIED.
Moved
by DeGood, seconded by Poskey, to approve the minutes of the July 7, 2004 work
session meeting, as submitted.
MOTION
CARRIED.
#040721-03 – Unfinished Business-Preliminary
Plat of Hunters Meadows
Ron
VanSingel, Nederveld Associates, represented the applicant and presented the
request. He explained that the plat had
been tabled because the County Road Commission required that the cul-de-sacs be
connected. He said that a letter was
submitted from Brett Laughlin, Ottawa County Road Commission, dated July 12,
2004, which states that the Road Commission has approved the preliminary plat
of Hunters Meadows as shown on the drawing dated June 16, 2004. Therefore, the Road Commission is not
requiring that the cul-de-sacs be connected.
The
zoning administrator stated that the letter had been received from the Road
Commission and distributed. She stated
that a sidewalk policy letter would have to be submitted.
The
chairman opened the floor for public comments.
No one was present to speak on this topic. The chairman closed the floor to public
comments.
Moved
by Poskey, seconded by Stasiak, to remove the item from the table.
MOTION
CARRIED.
Moved
by Poskey, seconded by DeGood, to recommend to the Township Board tentative
preliminary plat approval of Hunters Meadows, as shown on the drawing dated revised
6-16-04, based on the fact that the letter was received from the Ottawa County
Road Commission dated July 12, 2004, and with the condition that the sidewalk
compliance letter be submitted.
MOTION
CARRIED.
#040721-04 – Rezoning (REZ0404) To change from (RR) Rural Residential to (LDR) Low
Density
Residential parcels of land described as P.P.# 70-14-16-100-032, located at
3023 Baldwin
The
applicant submitted a letter asking for the request to be withdrawn.
The
chairman opened the public hearing since the application had been
advertised. No one was present to speak
on this topic. The chairman closed the
public hearing.
Moved
by South, seconded by DeGood, to accept the withdrawal request.
MOTION
CARRIED.
#040721-05 - Preliminary Plat of Hickory Grove Farm
No. 4
Rob
Berens, Exxel Engineering, represented the applicant and presented the request. He stated that the street names had been
changed, as requested. He said that on
Friday, the Ottawa County Road Commission would be acting on the request to
change the name of the stub street. He
said that the backyard setbacks have been corrected on lots 100 to 102 and
frontage dimensions had been added for lots 107, 115 and 95. He said that the Ottawa County Road
Commission approved the revised layout showing the connection in Phase 2.
The
zoning administrator stated that the sidewalk compliance letter had been
received and a revised plan had been submitted showing the connection to the
south.
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 South, seconded by DeGood, to recommend to the Township Board to grant
tentative preliminary plat approval of Hickory Grove Farm No 4, as shown on the
drawing dated July 12, 2004, with the condition that notes be added to the plan
stating that signage would meet ordinance requirements, maximum building height
will not exceed 2 ˝ stories or 35 feet, and a minimum of two parking spaces
will be provided for each dwelling unit.
MOTION
CARRIED.
#040721-06 – Planned Unit Development (PUD0401) Plaza Partners LLC (Cottonwood Center),
is requesting
a Planned Unit Development for commercial uses, under Chapter 22, on parcels of
land described as P.P.# 70-14-13-300-074 and part of -071, located at 7517
(7493) Cottonwood (discuss revisions and
already advertised for public hearing on August 18, 2004)
Roger
Lamer, W.L. Perry, represented the applicant and presented the request. He said that the number of trees provided
meets the ordinance and could be staggered.
He said that most of the existing trees would remain and that elevations
had been provided. He said that towers
would not be added to the back because the front would be retail and the back
would be commercial offices.
Bill
Busey, Plaza Partners, stated that the tower shown in the middle of the
building would be moved to the northern end of the building in the front. He said that he had talked to Meijer about
extending the landscaping. He said that
they would continue the greenery and add landscaping to the west after Meijer’s
permission is obtained.
The
planner presented a review. He said that
it would be good to relocate the tower to the north. He said the access issue had been discussed
at the previous meeting and the revised plan still showed the access with
right-in and right-out. He said that it
may impact traffic and recommended one drive access be eliminated. He talked about the pedestrian walkways.
Bill
Busey said that he could only add walkways to his property and had no control
over the adjacent property. He said that
he had tried to incorporate walkways where feasible. He said that the Meijer people take a long
time to okay any requests, even though he is proposing to enhance and manage
the improvements to the site. He said
that there is no practical way to require Meijer to add more improvements. He said that it is essential to have more
than one curb cut because perception is important. He said that shoppers want convenience and
ease, and the property owners want national tenants who would perceive that it
would be more difficult for customers to access the businesses without the
additional driveway. He said that if the
tenants perceive that it would be inconvenient for customers to access their
business, they would go to another site.
He said that they plan to spend almost as much on improvements to the
site as they did to purchase it. He said
that it was essential to get the right tenants.
He said that he talked to Ed Swanson, who analyzes sites and conducts
traffic studies, and he will provide a letter that states the right-in and
right-out access would not pose problems or have a drawback.
Bill
Busey stated that when dealing with retail, everyone wants signage. He said that there were too many tenants to
all be listed on the permanent sign and that a sign had been designed that
would be architecturally similar to the building. He said that with the electronic message
board, each tenant not on the permanent sign would have a day to
advertise. He said that this sign would
be about 28 square feet larger than permitted, but most of the extra square
footage would be in the architectural feature that would match the
building. He said that to add extra
towers to the building would be very expensive.
Huizinga
stated that the proposed sign and the right-in/right-out access were acceptable,
and the proposed towers were reasonable.
Stasiak
stated that he liked the idea for the message center and the right-in/right-out
access was good; however, he would like a tower on the west side of the
building.
South
said that the right-in/right-out access would save traffic congestion to the
south and he agreed with leaving it. He
asked if there would be offices on the west side.
The
applicant stated that the west part of the building would be called Cottonwood
Professional Center and have a different look than the front.
South
said that it would be nice to have the towers on the west side, but the rest
was good.
DeGood
said that the right-in/right-out access was good, the proposed sign with the
extra square footage was good because it added the architectural feature of the
building, moving the tower to the north was good and towers in the back were
not necessary.
Honderd
said that the towers would look nice in the back, but he understood that they
were expensive and not very visible. He
said that they would look nice on the west side, but were not necessary. He said that the right-in/right-out access
was acceptable. He said that it was good
to have the crosswalks installed up to the property line and they could be
connected to other pedestrian walks at such time at the neighboring property
requests any action. He said that the
sign was okay. He said that the
applicant has done a good job and the project was a good overall improvement
for the site.
The
planner said that a written narrative should be provided and a site visibility
plan.
The
Planning Commission directed that revisions were necessary and that the request
would be on the agenda for a public hearing on August 18, 2004, and not discussed at the work session.
#040721-07 – Planned Unit Development(PUD0402) Koetje Builders and Developers LLC, 547
Baldwin,
is requesting a Planned Unit Development for Unity Timbers for residential uses, under Chapter 22, on parcels of
land described as P.P.# 70-14-31-400-030 and 70-14-31-200-060, located at 5101
and 5131 40th Ave. (discuss
revisions and decide if ready for advertisement)
Ron
VanSingel, Nederveld Associates, represented the applicant and presented the
request.
The
planner said that the site has remained unchanged from the original submission
and he questioned if the plan met the intent of the PUD ordinance in regards to
high innovation. He said that the site
was difficult because it was narrow with existing trees. He said that it meets the density of the
Master Plan and that sidewalks would not be required along the private
street. He said that a PUD should go the
extra mile to achieve uniqueness in design even if it had to be designed with
less density.
In
response to the question regarding open space, the zoning administrator said
that Jim Jansma had stated at the previous meeting that the state law does not
permit water to be counted as open space.
She said that the ordinance provides that the Planning Commission may
consider PUD’s with less than 20% of open space. So basically it would be the Planning
Commission’s decision if they would accept the plan showing water as open space.
Stasiak
asked about the phasing and the applicant stated that the single family area would
be constructed in two phases and the condos would be constructed in two phases.
Honderd
stated that he would rather see three-unit buildings and all condos rather than
single family, and to cluster the buildings up front to achieve the density. He said that if the development were to be
moved to the northeast, the property would be protected from the Industrial
district with heavy woods as a buffer and there would be fewer roads with more
open spaces.
The
Planning Commission directed that the request be advertised for a public
hearing to be held on August 18, 2004 and no discussion would take place on
this item until then.
#040721-08 – Planned Unit Development (PUD0403) Sunset
Manor, 725 Baldwin St., is
requesting
a Planned Unit Development for an independent and assisted living community
with associated commons, service area, parking and open space, under Chapter
22, on a parcel of land described as part of P.P.# 70-14-22-400-006 and
70-14-22-450-001 located at 1751 Port Sheldon
Revisions
were submitted and the item will be on the August 4 agenda for discussion. The public hearing was advertised for August
18, 2004.
#040721-09 – Planned Unit Development (PUD0404) Final
Development Plan (for PUD0302)-
Pages in Time-7359 Cottonwood (discuss
revisions and take action-no public hearing necessary)
Mark
Tomasik, Innovative Design PC, represented the applicant and presented the
request. The site plan had been revised
to address concerns raised at the work session and listed by the planner in the
review. Pedestrian walkways have been
provided to Culvers. Drain
Commissioner’s concerns have been addressed.
An easement is being recorded and a copy would be forwarded to the
Township. A Storm Water Management
agreement was required by the Drain Commissioner and the applicant stated that
one would be provided.
The
planner stated that the requested revisions had been addressed.
The
zoning administrator stated that the site plan could be approved with the
condition that the Storm Water Management agreement and the easements be
provided prior to the issuance of a building permit because all permits were
reviewed for compliance with all conditions before they were issued.
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 Poskey, seconded by DeGood, to approve the site plan dated 7-21-04 on the
basis that the revised plan addresses the qualifying conditions of Sec. 22.2
and with the condition that the Storm Water Management Agreement and easements
be provided to the Township prior to the issuance of a building permit.
MOTION
CARRIED.
#040721-10 – Adjournment
The
chairman adjourned the meeting at 8:50 p.m.