Minutes of the special joint meeting of the Georgetown
Township Planning Commission, Township Board and Zoning Board of Appeals held
Wednesday, January 24, 2007 at 7:00 p.m.
1.
Call to order by
Supervisor
2.
Present: Bill
Holland, Daniel Carlton, Del South, Dale Mohr, Stanley Sterk, Marvin
VanSomeren, Richard VanderKlok, Ed Stasiak, Cornie Huizinga, David Poskey, Ron
DeGood, Daniel Lennington, Joyce Weise, John Fanthorpe, Mannette Minier
3.
Facilitation by
Vice Chairman of the Planning Commission, Ed Stasiak
4.
Introduction of
each member present
5.
Opening remarks and
presentation by Supervisor Bill Holland
6.
Presentation by
the Planning Commission Vice Chairman, Ed Stasiak
7.
Presentation by
the ZBA Chairman, Dan Lennington
ZBA Statistics - 2006
Variance
Requests 17
Appeals 4
Other 1 (House
Location on Lot After Fire)
Total
Matters Handled 22
Variances
Granted
w/o conditions 5
Granted
w/ conditions 5
Denied 7
Appeals
All
Four Affirmed
3 –
Zoning Administrator/ 1 – Planning Commission
Types of Matters Handled
Rear
yard set back 4
Wall
signs 3
Major
Arterial Street Setback 3
Parking 2
Accessory
building location 2
Front
yard set back 1
Fences 1
Deck 1
Site
Plan Appeal (Meijer) 1
Permission
to build house after fire 1
Swimming
pool location 1
Open
Air Business 1
Dealer
License 1
Daniel Lennington asked that
the Planning Commission and Township Board review the sign ordinance relative
to non-conforming signs on major arterial streets and possibly allow face
changes without variances. He also asked
that the Planning Commission and Township Board review the variance ordinance
and consider amending it to include provisions for personal hardships.
8.
Roundtable
discussion of the future direction of the Township
Mannette Minier explained the
process for development relating to the Boards and Commissions:
1.
When a person
contacts the office regarding developing a site within the Township, they are
provided information as to the ordinance requirements and submittal
requirements.
2.
Pre-application
meetings are held at the Township Office to review the submittal materials and
the plans for compliance with the ordinance.
3.
If a developer
plans to have any items that do not meet the ordinance (and the application is
for a site plan or special use permit-since PUDs have flexible options), the
developer would first have to obtain a variance from the ZBA.
4.
If a resident
wants to building something that does not meet the ordinance, he or she would
also have to seek a variance from the ZBA.
5.
The item is then
placed on a Planning Commission agenda where a public hearing is held for PUDs,
special use permits and rezonings.
Public comments are taken for site plans.
6.
The Planning
Commission reviews each application for compliance with the Zoning Ordinance
and with the Master Plan.
7.
The Planning
Commission also reviews Zoning Ordinances and amendments.
8.
The Planning
Commission takes action on site plans and makes a recommendation to the
Township Board for special use permits, rezonings, and zoning ordinances and
PUDs.
9.
The Township
Board takes action on those items, taking into consideration the Planning
Commission’s recommendation.
Del South stated the
following. He is concerned that the
Master Plan is reviewed and adhered to.
He is receiving calls about the DeWent farm and Little League area and
it is not zoned for commercial uses. He
heard that Family Fare is looking to buy other property for Little League and
located at that site. He is concerned for
the other store buildings if they were to be vacated. Family Fare is already talking about locateing in that area and they have not even requested a
rezoning.
Joyce Weise asked about the
new proposed on/off ramp to I-196 and if the current interchange would stay. She said that the Township should develop a route
plan for residents. She stated concerns about
storm water, the removal of vegetation, excessive parking such as at Meijer and
pollution going into the storm sewer.
She said that the Township should encourage developers to include
vegetation in their plans.
Ron DeGood stated a concern
with the Chicago Dr. corridor since it is the entrance into and exit from
Jenison.
Dan Carlton stated that he
was also concerned with the Chicago Dr. corridor. He said that the Township should be proactive
by building sewer which would improve things along the street. Also access points should be limited.
Marvin VanSomeren said that
years ago he didn’t understand why he couldn’t put an office in a residential
district, but since becoming a trustee he has learned a lot and now knows that
the Township makes decisions for the betterment of community. He said that he now understands that certain
uses belong in certain zoning districts and that the decision to close
Maplewood Park was for the betterment of citizens.
Stan Sterk stated the
following. The current zoning is
discriminatory toward affordable housing and the Township is a candidate for a
law suit for excessive lot sizes and setbacks.
The ZBA and Planning Commission made a mess of the drive-in drug store
at Meijer and that the Township should be interested in how people get onto the
property and then it should be owner’s problem to take care of circulation
issues within the property. It is not
the Township’s responsibility to take care of the interior circulation,
including at the northwest corner of 36th Ave. and Baldwin. His opinion is that interior circulation is
an issue for developers. He wanted to
address the issue of alcohol by glass and the 30 licenses available. Monday night the Township gave a gambling
license. The Township will be a second
rate bedroom community and would not be more unless there is alcohol by glass.
Dale Mohr said that he is very
pleased that the ZBA has a heart for the handicapped and he agreed that there
should be something built in for extenuating circumstances. He said that the Planning Commission should
consider the overall development of a site. He said that he wrote up comments
for distribution.
Cornie Huizinga said that he
agrees about too much asphalt and lack of greenspace, and that the Planning
Commission has reduced parking requirements because it is wasteful to see too
much asphalt and they would rather see greenspace.
Dan Lennington stated the
following. He agrees with Joyce about
greenspace and that the Township should try to do as much as possible in that
respect. Since Chicago Dr. is the
entrance to the Township, an effort should be made to make it better. He agrees with Stan about alcohol by glass
because it would encourage commerce and alcohol by the glass would be needed to
get a nice restaurant in the Township.
There could be an alcohol district to regulate the use. In regards to the Meijer situation, Meijer
has the culpability for the mess. Del
came to the meeting and talked about the safety issue. The ZBA understood that it was initially a bad
situation but it would be made worse if the flow was reversed and people had to
cross streams of traffic. The ZBA and
Planning Commission take their responsibility seriously and make their
decisions based on the betterment of the community. A commercial enterprise might not make
decisions for the betterment of the community, but rather base their decisions
and development on economic or profit motivations. Such a profit or economic motive would not
get greenspace and would not be the motivation for the best traffic flow. Economic motivations affect businesses differently
than the motivation for public good. Basically
the reason why the ZBA and the Planning Commission make the decisions they do
is for the betterment of the Township and decisions are not necessarily based
on the economic motivations of the business.
Meijer is at fault for what happened and hopefully the Township learns
and does better next time.
John Fanthorpe said that some
changes might not necessarily be in the public interest. He said that alcohol by glass would bring
jobs, help teenagers obtain work and bring commerce to the Township. The consistency of ZBA has improved and legitimate
reasons are needed if a variance is to be granted.
Bill Holland stated the
following. His issues with the previous
planner included the fact that he presented views from other cities that were
not relevant to Georgetown Township, which is a conservative unique area. If we bring in someone who is not from
community, they would not understand the environment of the Township. He wanted to encourage open dialogue between
boards. When the ZBA reviews variance
applications, he encouraged them to consider the human end, even though that
may not be specifically listed in ordinance.
The Township should have a human factor.
Even if the Township can’t give everything because we have to have
guidelines, we still need to be flexible while still having rules.
Mannette Minier said although
it was a good idea to require site improvements for businesses on Chicago Dr.
who come for site plan approval for additions or changes, the Township should
find a way to work with those that have to retro-fit because some applicants walk
away rather than spend the money for the improvements, such as Booker
Institute.
Stanley Sterk said that it is
better to do a good job at first.
Joyce Weise said that rather
than having cookie cutter landscaping, there is an opportunity for better
landscape planning for the door to Township to allow people to see through the
vegetation. She said that she had
suggested landscaping for the Meijer fence.
Del South said that the
Baldwin interchange would cut down idling vehicles.
Joyce Weise said that
examples of landscaping should be provided to applicants.
9.
Additional
questions or comments.
Bill Holland said that the
Baldwin St. construction project would take place in different phases and there
would be decorative lighting.
Dan Lennington said that the
Township should investigate opportunities for Brownfield redevelopment credits.
10.
Summarization
11.
Adjournment of
the formal meeting at 8:30 p.m.
12.
Refreshments and
conversation