TO:                    Georgetown Township Planning Commission

 

FROM:              LSL Planning, Inc.

 

DATE:               August 16, 2005

 

SUBJECT:      Agenda Comments for August 17, 2005 Planning Commission Meeting
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The following are comments, findings, and recommendations from LSL regarding the matters before the August Planning Commission Regular Meeting:

 

III.       UNFINISHED BUSINESS

A.     Special Use Permit (SUP0504) Wizard Wash Ventures, LLC, 4346 Leonard NW, Grand Rapids, is requesting to have a vehicle wash establishment under Sec. 15.3(C), on a parcel of land described as P.P. # 70-14-13-300-075, located at 550 Baldwin St., in a (CS) Community Service Commercial district.

 

No new information has been received since the August 3, 2005 Planning Commission work session.  Per a letter from the applicant dated July 6, 2005, a traffic study has concluded that additional traffic from the car wash will average seven cars in addition to vehicles that use both the adjacent gas station and proposed car wash, and will have a minor impact on the overall traffic within the site.  Directional and informational signage has been included to facilitate site circulation, but concerns still exist regarding left-turn movements from the car wash to the south access drive.  The exit from the car wash is located near an internally-controlled intersection and access to the site.  Due to this location, the following options are offered for consideration:

 

1.      Limit the east access drive on the south side of the leased property to right-in traffic movement, and limit the west exit drive from the car wash to right-out traffic movement during weekday and weekend peak hour traffic periods;

 

2.      Install speed bumps along the east access drive to discourage traffic from the gas station to use the car wash access drive for entry and exit to the development area.

 

3.      Install signage to direct internal traffic to utilize the internal service roads to enter and exit the development site.

 

A combination of the above options can be used to help achieve a safe and effective circulation system within this portion of the development site.  Given the results of the traffic study which concluded that a majority of traffic to the car wash site will occur from vehicles already within the development, LSL staff recommends that a combination of the above options be utilized.  Specifically, signage should be included that regulates traffic movement to the car wash drives during peak traffic periods (6:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. weekdays, and weekends), and signage and speedbumps should be utilized to both discourage and guide internal traffic.

 

Recommendation

Recommend the Georgetown Township Planning Commission recommend Approval of this application to the Georgetown Township Board on the basis that the application meets all standards listed in Section 20.3 (A), Special Land Use General Standards, subject to the following condition(s):

 

1.      The east access drive on the south side of the leased property should be limited to right-in traffic movement and the west exit drive from the car wash should be limited to right-out traffic movement during weekday and weekend peak hour traffic periods (6:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.);

 

and/or

 

2.      Install speed bumps along the east access drive to discourage traffic from the gas station to use the car wash access drive for entry and exit to the development area;

 

and/or

 

3.      Install signage to direct internal traffic to utilize the internal service roads to enter and exit the development site.

 

LSL recommends the Georgetown Township Planning Commission Approve the site plan of Wizard Wash Ventures on the basis that the site plan meets the requirements of the Georgetown Township Zoning Ordinance, subject to the condition(s) noted above.

 

 

B.     Preliminary Plat of Georgetown Shores No. 6 connection, no connection

Request: To obtain preliminary plat approval for Lots 275 to 322 for Georgetown Shores No. 6.

 

A revised application was reviewed at the August 3 Planning Commission work session, which showed two (2) alternative designs regarding a connection to 18th Avenue.  One plan contains a connection to 18th Avenue with a note that the existing emergency access drive from 18th Avenue to North Bay Drive will remain unobstructed and operational until the beginning of Phase 6 construction.  The second plan shows a connection of North Cover Drive to 18th Avenue.

 

A letter dated July 27 from the Township Fire Inspector indicated support for the 18th Avenue connector to increase response time by the fire department and emergency unit.  LSL staff supports a connection of North Cove Drive to 18th Avenue, with a controlled three-way intersection at Eastridge Drive and 18th Avenue.  Such a street network will facilitate both neighborhood and local traffic movements within the area.

 

Recommendation

Recommend the Georgetown Township Planning Commission recommend Approval to the Georgetown Township Board of the application and plans dated July 19, 2005 which shows a connection from North Cove Drive to 18th Avenue on the basis that the plat meets the requirements of Section 19 of the Georgetown Township Zoning Ordinance.

 

IV.       New Business

A.                 Site Plans

1.         (ST0511) Serviscreen -1765 Chicago Dr.

Revised plans and a written statement has been received based on comments provided at the August 3, 2005 Planning Commission work session.  The written statement addresses the performance standards listed in Section 23.4, and it appears that the operational characteristics comply with the listed standards.  A note on the plan states that trees and landscaping east of the access road will be saved wherever possible, but that most of the area will need to be graded to construct the access road.

 

Elevation details have been provided and show the building height and proposed materials of the new building and its consistency with existing buildings.  A general note has been provided that states all storm water drainage systems will comply with Ottawa County Drain Commission requirements.

 

A sidewalk along 18th Street has been shown on the site plan to be located one foot inside the road right-of-way.  A 20-foot wide fire apparatus access road has been shown east of the proposed building.  Parking calculations have been provided, with a total of 2 spaces provided where 48 spaces are required.

 

Recommendation

Recommend the Georgetown Township Planning Commission Approve the site plan dated August 9, 2005 for Case (ST0511) on the basis that the applicant has made or addressed comments from the August 2005 work session.

 

 

B.         Public Hearings

            Rezonings

a.         (REZ0503) To change from (I) Industrial to (HS) Highway Service Commercial a parcel of land described as P.P. # 70-14-22-450-016, located at 1720 Chicago Drive

 

b.         (REZ0504) To change from (I) Industrial to (HS) Highway Service Commercial a parcel of land described as P.P. # 70-14-22-450-017, located at 1720 Chicago Dr.

 

These two applications have been reviewed concurrently given their adjacency and similar characteristics.  No new information has been presented as a result of the August 3, 2005 work session.  The site is surrounded on three sides by vacant land.  The subject property is currently zoned Industrial with industrial uses located to the north.  A combination of industrial and highway commercial uses is located to the east and west, and medium to high-density residential development is anticipated to the south of Rush Creek.  The site has public utilities readily available, as well as direct access onto a major thoroughfare.    

 

The main question being decided here is if the property should be rezoned to a zoning category that allows a more appropriate range of transitional uses than the industrial district, given the parcel’s proximity to Chicago Drive and industrial uses to the north and residential uses to the south.  Although the proposed rezoning is for Highway Service (HS), the Office Service (OS) and Community Service (CS) categories should also be considered as a transitional district between the Chicago Drive Corridor and residential developments to the south.

 

The purpose of the HS district is to provide an appropriate location for commercial and business enterprises which primarily serve the motoring public, while the purpose of the CS district is to provide for the construction or continued use of land for general community-wide commercial and service uses.  The purpose of the OS District is to accommodate office uses together with office sales uses and certain personal services in proximity to major shopping facilities and/or in compatible relationship with the major arterial street system and surrounding land uses.  Given the location of the subject parcels along a major corridor and north of medium-density residential development, the purpose of the CS and HS districts appear to be appropriate.  While the HS district primarily serves the motoring public, the CS district serves community-wide and service uses.

 

Below is a comparison of the permitted uses of the CS, HS and I District:

 

Permitted Uses

OS

CS

HS

I

Retail Business whose principal activity is the sale of merchandise within an enclosed building.

 

x

x

 

Service establishments including printing, publishing, photo reproduction, blue-printing, and related trades or arts

 

x

x

 

Assembly buildings including dance pavilions, auditoriums, churches, and private clubs.

 

x

x

 

Public or private business schools or colleges.

 

x

x

 

Municipal buildings and service installations

 

x

x

 

Public utility buildings and service installations

 

x

x

 

Health and physical fitness salons

 

x

x

 

Restaurants, clubs and other drinking establish­ments which provide food or drink for consumption on the premises, excluding drive-in restaurants

 

x

x

 

Office buildings for any of the following occupations: executive, administrative, professional, accounting, writing, clerical, stenographic, drafting, and office equipment and supplies sales.

x

x

x

x

Medical offices including clinics

x

x

x

 

Banks, credit unions, savings and loan institutions not drive-in facilities.

x

x

x

 

Personal service establishments which perform personal services on the premises, including barber and beauty shops, interior decorating shops, photographic studios, laundromats.

x

x

x

 

Hospitals (per design standards defined in Chapter XX).

x

x

x

 

Commercial schools including art, business, music, dance, professional, and trade.

x

x

x

 

Municipal buildings, exchanges, and public utility offices but not including storage yards, substations, or regulator stations.

x

x

x

x

Accessory buildings and uses

x

x

x

 

Retail Food Establishments which supply groceries, fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy products, baked goods, confections, or similar commodities for consumption off the premises.  Foodstuffs may be prepared or manufactured on the premises as an accessory activity if the sale of the product is limited to the local retail store and not more than five (5) persons are employed on the premises in such production.

 

x

x

 

Other Retail Businesses such as drug, variety, dry goods, clothing, notions, music, book, hardware, or furniture stores which supply commodities on the premises.

 

x

x

 

Vehicle service stations and wash establishments.

 

 

x

 

Hotels and motels.

 

 

x

 

Drive-in businesses including restaurants, banks, dry cleaning pick-up stations and other similar uses.

 

 

x

 

Compounding, processing, packaging, treating and assembling from previously prepared materials in the production of food products; textile mill products; apparel and other finished products made from fabrics, leather goods, fur, canvas, etc.; lumber and wood products, not including logging camps or outdoor storage; furniture and fixtures; paperboard containers, building paper, building board, and bookbinding; printing and publishing; chemical products (plastics, perfumes, synthetic fibers); engineering, measuring, optic, medical, lenses, photographics, and similar instruments; and jewelry, silverware, toys, athletic, office and tobacco goods, musical instruments, signs and displays, lampshades, and similar products.

 

 

 

x

Wholesale establishments including automotive equipment, drugs, chemicals, dry goods, apparel, food, farm products, electrical goods, hardware, machinery, equipment, metals, paper products, and furnishings, and lumber and building products, not including outdoor storage.

 

 

 

x

Warehouses, cartage businesses.    

 

 

 

x

Laboratories including experimental, film and testing.

 

 

 

x

Trade or industrial schools and veterinary hospitals or clinics. 

 

 

 

x

Motor freight terminals and distribution centers including garaging and maintenance of equipment, freight forwarding, packing, crating services. 

 

 

 

x

Central dry-cleaning plant.

 

 

 

x

Electricity regulating substation, and pressure control station for gas, water and sewage.            

 

 

 

x

Accessory buildings and uses incidental of industrial permitted uses.

 

 

 

x

x: permitted use

Based on this use analysis, the OS district permits a limited extent of uses on the subject parcels, while the existing I district permits uses of significant intensity in close proximity to residential uses.  The CS and HS districts permit a range of retail, service and office uses that are appropriate for the location of the subject parcels, near a major corridor and residential uses.  The HS district allows three additional permitted uses as compared to the CS district: vehicle service stations and wash establishments, hotels and motels and drive-in businesses.  In an effort to expand the scope of potential uses in the CS and HS districts, a comparison of special land uses is provided below.

 

Special Land Uses

CS

HS

Drive-in establishments including restaurants, banks, dry cleaning pick-up stations and other similar uses

x

P

Open air businesses           

x

x

Vehicle service stations and wash establishments.       

x

P

Mortuaries and funeral homes.         

x

 

Commercial recreation facilities such as indoor theaters, bowling alleys, indoor skating rinks, billiard parlors or similar uses.                

x

x

Veterinary hospitals, clinics, and kennels.      

x

x

Commercial enterprises producing merchandise on the premises to be sold at retail and/or wholesale.

x

x

Amusement Parks.

x

x

Warehouses selling retail on the premises, PROVIDED, there is no outside storage or stockpiling and the property does not lie within one hundred (100) feet of any Residential District.

x

 

Any business or use permitted by right or by special land use approval in the CS Commercial district and having or providing more than two electronic games.

x

 

Commercial soil removal.

x

 

Day Care Centers.

x

 

Commercial radio and television and wireless communication towers.

x

 

Vehicle repair establishments when all activities are conducted within a wholly enclosed building and provided that such activities do not include collision services, such as body frame or fender straightening and repair; overall painting and vehicle rust-proofing; refinishing or steam cleaning.

x

x

Adult Foster Care Congregate Facility.

x

 

Drive-in theaters.

 

x

Building supply and equipment establishments.

 

x

Greenhouses and plant nurseries selling retail.             

 

x

Par 3 golf course, miniature golf, driving ranges and similar outdoor recreation uses.                

 

x

Hospitals.             

 

x

Municipal buildings and service installations.

 

x

Any business or use permitted by right or by special land use approval in the HS Com­mercial district and having or providing more than two electronic games.

 

x

Commercial soil removal.   

 

x

Mini-storage garages.

 

x

Sexually oriented businesses.           

 

x

Commercial radio and television and wireless communication towers.

 

x

x: allowed per Special Land Use approval

P: permitted use

 

Special land use applications need to meet the standards listed in Section 20.3.  Both the CS and HS district list uses that can have an impact in terms of traffic generation, visual and noise elements on the residential properties to the south.  The impact of special land uses listed within both districts can be managed by adherence to specific design standards listed in Section 20.4.  This section makes provisions for uses that are in close proximity to residential areas.  As a result, it appears that both the CS and HS district purpose and permitted and special land uses could be appropriate for the subject parcels.

 

The proposed rezoning also needs to be weighed against the potential inconsistency with the future land use plan designation of Industrial.  While rezoning the property would be inconsistent with the Land Use Plan, it would not be incompatible with development that exists along Chicago Drive.  The HS district is a more compatible district in regard to existing uses and future land use designations.  The range of permitted uses within the HS district can be supported by existing infrastructure.  The future land use map should be revised to reflect the recommended zoning designation along Chicago Drive.

 

Recommendation:

Recommend the Planning Commission recommend Approval to rezone parcels of land described as P.P. # 70-14-22-450-016 and # 70-14-22-450-017 located at 1720 Chicago Drive, Georgetown Township to Highway Service (HS) to the Township Board on the basis that the district is appropriate for the subject parcels and meets all applicable rezoning review criteria.

 

4.      PUD’s

a.         (PUD0403-1) Sunset Manor (Waterford Place) Final Development Plan-1672 Chicago Drive

Revised plans have been submitted based on comments provided at the August 3, 2005 Planning Commission work session.  A five (5) foot wide sidewalk is indicated along 18th Avenue and Port Sheldon Street.  The applicant has committed to establishing an open space easement agreement with the Township and will submit an easement agreement at the August 17 Planning Commission meeting.  The applicant has also obtained approval from the Ottawa County Road Commission.  As a result, the site layout, density, building elevations, open space area, landscaping, parking, phasing and improvements is consistent with the preliminary approved plans dated July 14, 2004, the narrative statement and building elevation details dated August 10, 2004 and August 11, 2004.  The applicant has also satisfied comments made at the August 3 work session.

 

Recommendation

Recommend the Georgetown Township Planning Commission Approve the final Planned Unit Development of Sunset Manor (Waterford Place) based on the revised plans dated August 9, 2005.