Minutes of the
regular meeting of the Georgetown Township Planning Commission, held Wednesday,
December 15, 2004
Meeting called to order by
Chairman Honderd at 7:30 p.m.
Present: Honderd, Huizinga, Poskey, South,
DeGood, Jansma, Stasiak
Absent: none
#041215-01 - Agenda for December 15, 2004
Moved by Jansma,
seconded by DeGood, to approve the agenda for December 15, 2004, as presented.
MOTION
CARRIED.
#041215-02 - Minutes of the November 17, 2004 regular
meeting and the December 1, 2004
work session meeting
Moved
by DeGood, seconded by South, to approve the minutes of the November 17, 2004
regular meeting, as submitted.
MOTION
CARRIED.
Moved
by Jansma, seconded by DeGood, to approve the minutes of the December 1, 2004
work session meeting, as submitted.
MOTION
CARRIED.
#041215-03 - Preliminary Plat of Cedar Lake Estates
No. 11
The
plat was tabled pending a letter from the developer regarding assurances that
28th Ave. would be constructed.
An agreement was approved by the Board on September 27, 2004; however,
the applicant has not accepted the agreement.
No one was present to represent the applicant. The plat was left tabled.
#041215-04 – Site Plan (ST0410) Hudsonville Public
Schools-3909 Baldwin St.
Schools
are under the jurisdiction of the State Superintendent of Public Education;
however, Hudsonville Public School has submitted a site plan for the new
elementary school located on the site of the Middle School for a courtesy
review. No formal action is necessary by
the Planning Commission. Suggestions
could be made as to ways the site plan could be revised, but the school is
under no obligation to follow the suggestions or the requirements of the
ordinance. A Fire Department memo was
presented.
Roxanne
DeWeerd, superintendent of Hudsonville Public Schools, and David Wilkins, GMB
Architects, represented the applicant and presented the request. The plan for the elementary school is part of
an overall master plan for the site and a high school is planned for the
future. The elementary school will have
70,000 square feet with 103 parking spaces.
Start times for the elementary school and the middle school will be
staggered to address potential traffic conflicts. The applicant is working with the Fire
Department in regards to fire issues.
The
planner presented a review and the zoning administrator noted that the Fire Department
memo asked for an addition fire hydrant and for the location of the proposed
fire hydrant to be moved.
The
chairman opened the floor to public comments.
There was discussion regarding safety issues relating to sidewalks.
The
applicant said that they wanted a campus-feel and the exterior brick of the
proposed building would be compatible with the existing building. It was also noted that the athletic field was
just a playfield with no lights and different from a regular athletic field.
Honderd
said that kids mostly play kickball or soccer, not baseball which had been part
of the problem in the past with balls being hit onto neighboring property. He said that a soccer ball would not go as
far as a baseball.
Roxanne
DeWeerd said that representatives from the school have been meeting with the
Sheriff’s Department and the Ottawa County Road Commission regarding safety
issues relating to sidewalks, streets and traffic.
A
member of the audience stated that it would be inconvenient for a parent to
drop off children at different times for the different schools, resulting in
two trips to the site.
Roxanne
DeWeerd said that currently the schools have staggered times, so this would not
be a change.
A
member of the audience said that it was noted that start times were staggered
and he asked if the end time were also staggered. He was told yes.
The
applicant thanked the Planning Commission for the courtesy review and said that
they would take the suggestions into consideration. He also said that they would return with a
landscape plan when it was completed.
#041215-05
– Initiate Zoning Ordinance Amendments to Sec. 25.2(T), 25.4, 26.9 (K) and (L),
Chapter 24(o), 3.4(E) (2) and (7), 2.26(a), 25.6
There was discussion regarding the
proposed ordinance amendments. It was
noted that the supervisor had suggested the proposed amendments for garage sale
signs.
Moved by South, seconded by DeGood,
to initiate zoning ordinance amendments and to advertise them as follows:
Sec.
25.2(T) Garage-sale sign.
A sign displayed for a limited period of time to provide information
relating to a residential garage sale when such use has not become
permanent. Such sign could be located off-site
with permission from the property owner.
An address shall be provided on the sign as to the location of the
sale. Such address shall be displayed in a block text having a
minimum height of four (4) inches and a color that contrasts with the color of
the background on which the address is displayed.
The
following signs are permitted in all zoning districts and are exempt from
regulations of this Chapter.
(I) Garage-sale
signs not exceeding four (4) square foot in area, not located within any public
right-of-way or on any utility pole, when the person responsible for placing
the sign provides their address on the sign along with a date for the first day
of display period. The sign could be
displayed for a maximum time period of seven (7) days or less.
MOTION CARRIED.
It was noted that the Planning
Commission had previously discussed revising the parking requirements to
prevent large asphalt parking lots that were not necessarily needed.
Moved by Poskey, seconded by
Huizinga, to initiate zoning ordinance amendments and to advertise them as
follows:
Sec. 26.9 MISCELLANEOUS OFF-STREET PARKING PROVISIONS.
(K) The Planning Commission may grant a reduction in the required
number of parking spaces for
commercial,
industrial or mixed use developments from one space up to a maximum of
twenty-five (25) percent of the number of required spaces as calculated from
Chapter 26, based on the following:
a.
The applicant
has demonstrated that the parking needs
of the development would be adequately served due to factors such as joint use
of common space for varying time periods of use or with alternate modes of
transportation;
b.
With the
condition that if the site and/or development is changed in any way by
additional development, change in the size of the property or change of use,
the parking requirements would be recalculated and reevaluated, and the
reduction eliminated if the determination is made that the waived parking
spaces are needed to meet the needs of the changed development or site.
c.
If the
reduction is eliminated due to the mentioned site/development changes, the
newly calculated number of parking spaces shall be provided prior to any
approvals being granted for a change in use, parcel size, or additional
development.
d.
In granting
the reduction, the determination must be made that the reduction will not cause
unreasonable negative impacts to the surrounding properties.
e.
Additional
documentation could be required to provide assurances that the circumstances do
not change that warranted the reduction, such as the use or size of
development.
f.
Adequate space
is provided for snow removal and storage.
g.
That in
reducing the required number of parking spaces, the intention is for more green
space or landscaped areas to be provided, in addition to less paved surfaces
that require storm water runoff.
(L) Parking lots may contain up to twenty (20) percent more spaces
than the required minimum.
Any
additional spaces above twenty (20) percent shall be allowed only upon the
finding by the Planning Commission that additional spaces are needed. In such cases, the Planning Commission may
stipulate a maximum number of parking spaces that shall be provided in addition
to the required number as calculated from Chapter 26.
MOTION CARRIED.
It was noted that the changes
regarding decks were merely clarifications and this is the way the ordinance is
currently enforced and that a member of the Board had asked for a review of the
accessory building ordinance for larger parcels
Moved by Poskey, seconded by
DeGood, to initiate zoning ordinance amendments and to advertise them as
follows:
Sec. 2.26a. DECK.
A horizontal, unenclosed
platform with or without attached railings, seats, trellises, or other
features, attached or functionally related to a principal use or site and at
any point extending above ground level.
Chapter 24(o) Projections Into Yards. Architectural
features, as defined, not including vertical projections, may extend or project
into a required side yard not more than two (2) inches for each one (1) foot of
width of such side yard and may extend or project into a required front yard or
rear yard not more than three (3) feet. An open porch, paved patio, deck
or terrace may project into a required front or rear yard for a distance not to
exceed twelve (12) feet.
Sec. 3.4(E)(2) The maximum floor area of all accessory
buildings, excluding attached garages, which are accessory to primary
residential uses, shall be six hundred (600) square feet, unless otherwise
provided for in this section, in the following districts:
a.
LDR
b.
LMR
c.
MDR
d.
MHR
Sec. 3.4(E)(7) The maximum floor area of all accessory
buildings, excluding attached garages, which are accessory to primary non-residential
uses, shall be subject to the following square footage requirements based on
parcel sizes within the LDR, LMR, MDR and MHR zoning districts:
a.
Less than two
(2) acres: Six hundred (600) square feet,
b.
Two (2) to
five (5) acres: One thousand two hundred (1200) square feet,
c.
More than five
(5) acres: One thousand five hundred (1500) square feet.
MOTION
CARRIED.
It was noted that the proposed
amendments for the sign ordinance were to keep sign setbacks in compliance with
those required in Chapter 24 footnote (b).
Moved by Jansma, seconded by
DeGood, to initiate zoning ordinance amendments and to advertise them as
follows:
Signs are permitted according to the District in which they are located or intended to be
located. Certain types of signs are
permitted in certain Districts according to the following regulations:
(A) Residential Districts. The
following types of signs are permitted:
(2) TEMPORARY SIGN, one (1) per lot. A
temporary sign shall not exceed thirty-two (32) square feet in area; shall be
set back from any right-of-way or distance as required in Chapter 24(b)
at least fifteen (15) feet; and shall be removed from view during periods when
the use or activity to which it relates is no longer operating or in season.
(3) INSTITUTIONAL BULLETIN BOARD, one per
public or semi-public institution site, located on-site, not exceeding
seventy-five (75) square feet in area per side (revised 6-25-2001) and set back
at least twenty-five (25) feet from all property and right-of-way (revised
1-24-2000) lines or distance as required in Chapter 24(b). The sign shall be mounted directly on the
ground and its height shall not exceed six (6) feet above mean grade.
(5) PLAT ENTRY SIGNS, two per road entrance
to a subdivision, mobile home park, or multiple-family development,
continuously and properly maintained; not exceeding a total of sixty-four (64)
square feet in area nor three (3) feet in height and set back at least ten (10)
feet from any property line or right-of-way line or distance as required in
Chapter 24(b).
(6)
PORTABLE SIGN, one (1) portable sign per parcel, not exceeding
thirty-two (32) square
feet in area per sign and set back at least ten
(10) feet from the road right-of-way line or
distance as required in Chapter 24(b). No electrical cord attached to the sign shall
extend
more than six (6) feet from the power source to
the sign. Such sign shall not be
displayed
for more than seven (7) consecutive days and
shall not be permitted more than six (6)
such display periods during the calendar
year. A separate permit and fee shall be
required
for each display period and the permit sticker
shall be affixed to the sign for the entire
display period.
(B) Neighborhood, Community and Office
Service Districts. The following types of signs are permitted:
(2) FREESTANDING SIGN, one (1) freestanding
sign per business or business center, as applicable. Such sign if mounted on a pole shall not
extend over the road right-of-way nor shall it extend over the distance from
which a required setback shall be measured as required in Chapter 24(b) from
a point 50 feet from the centerline of the street if the street is listed in
Sec. 24(b)i or a point 60 feet from the centerline of the street if the street
is listed in Sec. 24(b)ii, and shall not exceed twenty-five (25) feet in
height nor seventy-five (75) square feet in area per side, provided a business
center sign may be permitted up to one hundred (100) square feet in area per
side. Such sign shall have a clear space
of at least eight (8) feet from the ground to the bottom of the sign. If mounted on the ground, such sign shall not
exceed four (4) feet in height as measured from the mean grade nor fifty (50)
square feet per side, provided that such sign shall be set back from the road
right-of-way and the distance from which a required setback shall be measured as
required in Chapter 24(b) from a point 50 feet from the centerline of
the street if the street is listed in Sec. 24(b)i or a point 60 feet from the
centerline of the street if the street is listed in Sec. 24(b)ii a minimum
distance of fifteen (15) feet and shall
not, as determined by the Zoning Administrator, obstruct the view of traffic
entering or traveling upon the street. (revised 7/25/95) (revised 5-29-01)
(C) Highway Service and Industrial Districts. No signs
shall be located nearer the front lot line or side lot line than one-half (1/2)
times the required yard setback. The
following types of signs are permitted:
(2) BILLBOARDS, where the erection or
maintenance of the same will not unreasonably affect the proper use of
adjoining property, billboards will be allowed in (HS) Highway Service and (I) Industrial Zones.
They shall be located at least 200 feet from a freeway right-of-way line
or distance as required in Chapter 24(b), and 100 feet from any other
street or railroad right-of-way line. A
billboard shall not be located closer than one mile (5,280 feet) from another
billboard on either side of a public right-of-way. This spacing standard shall be applicable
regardless of what governmental jurisdiction other billboards may be located
in.
MOTION
CARRIED.
#041215-06 – Adjournment
The
chairman adjourned the meeting at 8:40 p.m.