MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE GEORGETOWN CHARTER TOWNSHIP BOARD HELD AUGUST 28, 2006, 7:30 p.m.

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Chairperson Bill Holland.

 

Prayer for guidance by Del South

 

Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

 

Roll Call

 

Present:            Bill Holland, Daniel Carlton, R. J. Poel, Del South, Dale Mohr, Stanley Sterk,

Richard VanderKlok

Absent: none

 

#060828-01 - Public Comments

 

Todd Stuive, Exxel Engineering, 5252 Clyde Park, and Township resident, 7918 Oak Tree Lane, stated concerns with the Board agenda item that would require that monuments be installed for sidewalks, including the following.  The location of the markers could be confused with the lot markers and cause problems for surveyors when staking setbacks for houses.  The markers could be knocked around during construction.  The markers would not address lots with curves.  The costs would be passed on to the property owner and would be wasted.  He requested that the item be tabled for discussion and input from his firm, as well as Nederveld and Associates and Feenstra Inc.

 

Jason Thomas, 3963 Katie Ct., commented on crossing guards for the new Hudsonville School near 36th Ave. and Baldwin, including the following.  40th Ave. and Baldwin was accident prone and congested.  There are no sidewalks on 36th Ave. and students would have to walk through the snow.  He said that the best option for a cross walk was between 36th and 40th Ave.  There is a crossing in the middle on Port Sheldon for Alward School and there is a 5 mph difference.  The best design is to have the crossing in the middle between 40th Ave. and 36th Ave., and he represents 75 people in his neighborhood.

 

Stacy Hunt, 7533 Katie Lane, said that she supported what Jason Thomas said and that she was concerned about the location of the crosswalk.  She said that the best option is to have it right in front of the school.

 

Lydia Brown, 7000 36th Ave. said that she has a 4th grader attending the new school and she supports the Sheriff’s Department’s determination that it would not be safe to have the crossing in front of the school.  She asked the board to not be biased by the number of 75 others and that she was concerned with the safety of everyone.  She said that a better idea was to have the crossing at the intersection at 36th Ave.

 

#060828-02 - Approval of agenda as presented for August 28, 2006

 

Moved by R. J. Poel, seconded by Richard VanderKlok, to approve the agenda as presented.

 

Moved by Dale Mohr, seconded by R. J. Poel, to amend the motion to include the addition of an item for equipment for the Senior Center and Georgetown Transportation.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#060828-03 - Communications, letters and reports: Received for information, to be filed:

 

A.           Planning Commission agenda for September 6, 2006

B.           Planning Commission meeting minutes for August 16, 2006

C.           Sheriff Department Report for July 2006

D.           Library Report for July 2006

E.            DPW Report for July 2006

 

#060828-04 - Consent agenda

 

Moved by R. J. Poel, seconded by Del South, to approve the consent agenda as presented.

 

a.         Approval of minutes of the regular board meeting held on August 14, 2006

b.         Approval of minutes of the special budget meeting held on August 10, 2006

c.         Approval of Monthly Bills (bills will be available Friday afternoon)

            d.         Final Preliminary Plat Approval (construction) of Summerset West provided all

the Drain Commission requirements are met.  (paper plan available in the Township Office)

e.                   Ice Arena Repairs in the amount of $5,432.00 to prevent leaks in the concrete (the Water/Sewer Committee recommended approval)

f.                    Lease Increase for the cell tower lease in the amount of $50 per month for additional equipment for the addition of two 10 lb. booster signal boxes to Baldwin St. ground storage tank (the Water/Sewer Committee recommended approval)

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#060828-05 -   Tentatively Adopt the 2007 Budget and Schedule Public Hearing

 

Moved by Daniel Carlton, seconded by Richard VanderKlok, to approve the resolution to tentatively adopt the 2007 Budget and schedule a public hearing for September 11, 2006

 

            Note:                As recommended by the Finance Committee

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#060828-06 – Senior Center/Georgetown Transportation Grant Equipment Seek Bids

 

Moved by R. J. Poel, seconded by Richard VanderKlok, to seek sealed bids for the following items for the Senior Center/Georgetown Transportation grant:

1          Base unit

4          Mobile radios (4 channels)

1          Antenna

1          Repeater System

            Installation of equipment

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#060828-07 - Sewer Line Installation

 

Moved by Stanley Sterk, seconded by Daniel Carlton, to approve the sewer line installation for 12th Ave. with the county reconstruction project and sidewalks (12th Ave. south of Chicago Dr.) and the sewer is to be installed on a deferred basis.

 

Note:                The Water/Sewer Committee recommended approval

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#060828-08 - Request for 2007 Pick Up

 

Moved by R. J. Poel, seconded by Del South, to approve authorizing the clerk to seek sealed bid for a 2007 4x4 pick up to be purchased in January or February 2007, and to trade in a 2002 Dodge 4x4, as a replacement for the Parks Dept.

 

Note:                The Services Committee recommended approval

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#060828-09 - Increase Fare at Senior Center

 

Moved by R. J. Poel, seconded by Del South, to approve authorizing the increase of fares for riding the Senior Bus at the Center.  Fares to increase from $4.50 to $5.00, bus rental with driver to be $11.00 per hour, $.45 cents per mile, and $6.00 per rider.  Trip to Meijers from the Center from $1.50 to $2.00.  Pick up at the Center from $1.25 to $1.75; Kandu, one way from $5.00 to $5.50.  Increases to be effective Oct. 1, 2006.

 

Note:                The Services Committee recommended approval.  The reason is to balance the

budget line items.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#060828-10 - Bids for Mowing and Fertilizing

 

Moved by R. J. Poel, seconded by Richard VanderKlok, to approve authorizing and seeking sealed bids for mowing and fertilizing for the years 2007 through 2009 for all Georgetown Township properties

 

Note:                The Services Committee recommended approval.  The Supervisor noted that the

current company asked to continue providing the service; however, R. J. Poel noted that they would have to submit a bid.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

#060828-11 - Request for New Well at Rosewood Park

 

Moved by Richard VanderKlok, seconded by Del South, to approve accepting the low bid from Raymer Well Drilling for a new well at Rosewood Park in the amount of $5,360.00

 

Note:                The Services Committee recommended approval.  It was noted that this was an

additional well.  Other Bid-Buer Well Drilling $5,850.00

 

            MOTION CARRIED.

 

#060828-12 - Request for Crossings Guards from Hudsonville Public School

 

Moved by R. J. Poel, seconded by Del South, to approve authorizing crossing guards at the Intersection of 36th Ave./Baldwin or to provide up to $5,000.00 to Hudsonville Public School for the school year and allow them to provide their own crossing guards at their crossing location.

 

Note:                The Services Committee recommended approval as presented and did not

recommend the crossing between 36th Ave. and 40th Ave. because there is no intersection at that location and the speed limit is 55 mph and vehicles traveling on the road are not looking for crossing guards or students.  This puts student and crossing guards at risk and liability would be an issue with the Township insurance company. 

 

R. J. Poel stated the following.  He talked to the Township insurance company and the risk was high to provide crossing guards between intersections because vehicles were not expecting to stop.  Even if signs were posted to lower the speed by schools, vehicles still traveled fast and did not see the signs.  The insurance company does not cover any other crossing guards for municipalities because Georgetown is the only municipality that provides crossing guards.  Students and crossing guards would be at a safety risk if the crossing was not at an intersection because the speed limit is 55 mph and cars sometimes even go as high as 70 mph. 

 

Bill Holland said that five people met at the proposed crossing site by the school between 36th and 40th Ave., including Sgt. Bill Ward and Dep. Scott Dyke from the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department, Fred Keena from the Ottawa County Road Commission, Roxanne DeWeerd, Superintendent of Hudsonville Public Schools, and himself.  He said that their comments included the fact that this was the shorted route but they all agreed that this is not a good place because they were scared for the safety of the crossing guards and students due to the vehicles traveling 55 to 70 mph. and no intersection.  He said that even if they put up signage, it was an accident waiting to happen.  He said that they discussed a tunnel or sky walk, but determined those avenues were unreasonable.  He said that bussing the students from the south side of Baldwin was the safest alternative.

 

Stanley Sterk noted that Hudsonville Schools had refused to put in sidewalks on part of their property and that was creating this situation now.  He said that this was a self-created situation by the school and they should have put the sidewalks in.  He said that a traffic stop light should be installed at the Baldwin/36th Ave. intersection.

 

Dep. Dyke said that he had researched the cost and it would cost $6,500 for the crossing guards and equipment for a school year.

 

Moved by Stanley Sterk, seconded by R. J. Poel, to amend the motion to provide up to $6,500 to the school for the school year.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

Amended motion is as follows:

 

Moved by R. J. Poel, seconded by Del South, to approve authorizing crossing guards at the Intersections of 36th Ave. or to provide up to $6,500.00 to Hudsonville Public School for the school year and allow them to provide their own crossing guards at their crossing location.

 

            MOTION CARRIED.

 

#060828-13 - Request for Off-Leash Dog Park

 

Moved by Del South, seconded by Richard VanderKlok, to approve recommending that the off-leash Dog Park Committee use the property recommended by the Ottawa Parks and Recreation Commission for dogs at the Timmer Farm on Fillmore at Bend, in Georgetown Township.  This is one of six open space lands recommended for dogs on or off leash.

                     

Note:                The Services Committee recommended approval (see minutes).  It was noted

that this would not cost the Township any money.

 

            MOTION CARRIED.

 

#060828-14 - Four Cement Pads at Rosewood Park

 

Moved by Richard VanderKlok, seconded by R. J. Poel, to approve the installation of four cement pads at Rosewood Park, for a cost of $2,000

 

Note:                The Services Committee recommended approval.  It was noted that the picnic

tables would be mounted in the cement.

 

            MOTION CARRIED.

 

#060828-15 - PC Policy 2006-01 - New Planning Commission Meeting Procedures

 

Moved by Daniel Carlton, seconded by Dale Mohr, to approve PC Policy 2006-01 for the Planning Commission Procedures and SOPs as follows:

 

PC Policy 2006-01

Planning Commission Procedures Revised

 

In order to formulate the application, review and action process for the Planning Commission, the Township has adopted the following policy.  This process will save valuable assets relating to time and financial investments both for the applicants and the Township in regard to meetings and reviews.

 

The Planning Commission normally meets the first and third Wednesdays of the month and both are regular meetings when review, discussion and action could take place.  The Planning Commission may table or postpone discussion and/or action on any item they determine requires revisions or additional information, or for any other reason determined necessary.

 

Information, Forms, and Fees.

Information, application forms, submittal material requirements and fee schedules are available in the Building and Zoning Department at the Township Office or at the Township website at gtwp.com, Building and Zoning. 

 

Please note that the Township highly encourages submission of electronic files (in pdf format) along with the other required submission materials for projection use at meetings.  The electronic files can be sent by email to mmin@gtwp.com.

 

Deadline for application submission.

The submittal deadline for applications to be placed on a Planning Commission agenda is normally noon four weeks prior to a Planning Commission meeting (could be for either of the two meetings which are normally scheduled for the first and third Wednesdays of each month). 

 

If application materials are submitted with substantial, necessary or required information missing, incorrect or not in compliance with the Zoning Ordinance, the Planning Commission normally would postpone review and action on the application until such time as the missing or incorrect material is addressed and submitted to the Township.  The Pre-Application Meeting helps to eliminate such a possibility with a review by the Township zoning administrator prior to the application submission.

 

Pre-Application Meeting.

A pre-application meeting with the zoning administrator and the applicant is required prior to application submission according the requirement of the Zoning Ordinance.  The pre-application meeting must be scheduled with Township staff by calling the Building and Zoning Department at 616-457-2690.  This meeting must be scheduled and held at least five business days prior to the submission deadline for a particular meeting agenda (or as scheduled by Township staff).  Failure to attend a pre-application meeting could result in the application being withheld from a Planning Commission agenda.

 

The cost for a pre-application meeting is established by the Township Board and can be applied toward the application fee of the particular application being reviewed if the particular application is submitted to the Township within two months of the Pre-Application Meeting.  Alternately, the complete application fee could be submitted at the time of the pre-application meeting.

 

The purpose of the Pre-Application Meeting is for a complete or nearly complete proposal and/or plan to be reviewed by the zoning administrator with the applicant present to determine if all the necessary and required elements are provided on a plan and that all submittal requirements are fulfilled.   The proposed plan would also be initially reviewed for compliance with Township Zoning Ordinance requirements.  If necessary, the Township zoning administrator could schedule the attendance of other Township representatives at the Pre-Application Meeting such at the planner, Fire Chief or Director of the Department of Public Works.

 

Attendance at a Pre-Application Meeting does not guarantee approval for a proposal; rather it helps to ensure that the application has all of the necessary elements and submission materials for review by the Planning Commission.

 

Since the Open Meetings Act (Public Act No. 267 of 1976, as amended) requires that all deliberations towards decisions, as well as decisions, are to be made at meetings that are open to the public rather than private meetings between applicants and members of a public body (Boards and Commissions), no decisions nor deliberations towards decisions would be made at any time other than at a public meeting.

 

Direct contact by applicants with the Township planning consultant would be at the applicant’s expense. 

 

SOPS

Township Procedures for Planning Commission Applications

 

The following are procedures for applications for site plan approval, special use permits, plats, PUDs, rezonings, or any other applications that come before the Planning Commission.

 

1.                  When a potential applicant contacts the Township Office, information is supplied regarding meeting deadlines, meeting dates, submittal materials, pre-application meeting requirements, and fees and forms.  This information can be obtained at the Township website or at the Township Office.

 

2.                  When a petitioner plans to submit an application, a pre-application meeting is scheduled and held at least five business days prior to the submission deadline with the zoning administrator and petitioner present.  The complete or nearly complete plan or proposal is reviewed for completeness of submittal materials and preliminarily for compliance with Zoning Ordinance requirements and any applicable general ordinances.  A fee as established by the Township Board is charged and can be applied towards an application fee amount if the application is submitted within a two month period of the date of the pre-application meeting.  Alternately, the complete application fee amount could be paid at this time without the payment of the separate pre-application meeting fee.  The petitioner should use the information provided at the pre-application meeting to revise the plan and/or submittal material prior to the formal application submission.  Planned Unit Development applications have additional requirements listed in Sec. 22.4 of the Zoning Ordinance that must be met in addition to the above standards for a pre-application meeting.

 

3.                  At the time a formal application is submitted (including a signed application, fee, ten copies of a site plan and any other relevant information), the materials are reviewed by the zoning administrator for completeness and the application is placed on the Planning Commission agenda for the next regular meeting (which could be either meeting of the month, normally the first or third Wednesdays of the month).  If substantial or required elements are missing or incorrect, the zoning administrator would recommend to the Planning Commission to postpone review and action on the application until such time as the missing or incorrect elements are addressed.  An application would not be added to the Planning Commission agenda until the pre-application meeting has been held. 

 

4.                  Notices for any required public hearings would be according to the requirements of State Law.

 

5.                  The zoning administrator conducts a formal review of each application that has been submitted by the deadline, has been determined to be sufficiently complete and correct, and for which a pre-application meeting was held.  The application materials are reviewed for compliance with all requirements of the Zoning Ordinance and applicable general ordinances.  The zoning administrator may contact the planning consultant with questions regarding any application, site plan or complicated detailed proposal in order to incorporate additional information into the review.  Only those applications with questions or detailed complicated plans would be forwarded to the planner for a review.  The planner would present a review to the zoning administrator of those specifically requested plans and the information would be incorporated into the formal review provided to the Planning Commission.

 

6.                  The formal review compiled by the zoning administrator would provide information as to whether Zoning Ordinance and applicable general ordinance requirements have been met.  For rezoning applications, capability, consistency and compatibility would be evaluated.  In addition, information regarding past history, current circumstances and any other relevant material would be incorporated into the review.

 

7.                  The agenda and the formal review compiled by the zoning administrator (along with submission materials) would be forwarded to the Planning Commissioners prior to the meeting (agendas and minutes by email and paper copies of site plan via US mail).  Members who have questions or would like additional information prior to the meeting could contact the zoning administrator.

 

8.                  At the Planning Commission meeting, the zoning administrator would present the formal review with any additional information that had been requested by Planning Commission members.  If requested, the zoning administrator would provide recommendations with options for motions, including possible conditions.  However, the intent is for the Planning Commission to have the responsibility to deliberate the actions and to take the action they deem appropriate, after being provided with all pertinent information (specifically if ordinance requirements are met) and considering the request.

 

9.                  If an applicant requests withdrawal of an application, the procedure would be the same as for any application such that if the Planning Commission has the responsibility to take action, they would act upon the request, but if the Board takes action, the Planning Commission would make a recommendation to the Board.

 

Note:                The Planning Commission approved the Policy and recommended the Board

approve the policy.  The changes make each Planning Commission meeting regular for review and action, allows for two deadlines per month, plus requires a pre-application meeting held at least 5 business days before a deadline.

 

            MOTION CARRIED.

 

#060828-16 - Professional Planning Services for Baldwin St. Extension Overlay Zone

 

Moved by Del South, seconded by Richard VanderKlok, to approve professional planning services from Design Plus for the Baldwin St. Extension Overlay Zone as presented

 

            Note:                The Finance Committee recommends approval

 

            MOTION CARRIED.

 

#060828-17 - Concrete Monument Markers

 

Moved by R. J. Poel, seconded by Dale Mohr, to postpone action on the requirement of concrete monument markers set at grade, one foot inside the right-of-way line (according to Georgetown Township/Ottawa County Road Commission sidewalk specifications) for all plats receiving preliminary plat approval after August 28, 2006.

 

            Note:                The Finance Committee recommends approval

 

            MOTION CARRIED.

 

#060828-18 – Public Comment

 

Jason Thomas, 3963 Katie Ct., said that the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department should be held accountable to keep the speeds down on Baldwin.

 

Stacy Hunt, 7533 Katie Lane, said that it was not fair that the Township wanted the school to have the liability of the crossing guards because the school did not want the liability and that the school had already told the families that crossing guards would be provided at 40th Ave.

 

#060828-19 – Board Open Discussion

 

Stanley Sterk said that Hudsonville Public Schools created the problem and now they don’t want to take care of it.  He asked why it should be a Township problem because the school did not put sidewalks in when they should have done it and all others have to put sidewalks in.

 

Bill Holland said that the Township is completing sections of sidewalks to allow them to connect, such as the sidewalk that was completed by Hidden Lakes.  He said that there would be one school season without the sidewalks because the development at 36th Ave. and Baldwin would probably be in by the next school year.  He called the owners of the property at 36th Ave. and Baldwin and got their permission to allow students to walk on their property on the way to school.  He said that the Township would brush-hog the area and would plow the snow.  He said that the easiest solution would be to bus the students for one year.

 

Dale Mohr said all problems were Township problems and we should work together.  He said that at the budget hearing when the budget was established the salary of the seven members of the Board was increased.  He said that it was the Attorney General’s opinion that the Board must act on a resolution for salaries. 

 

Bill Holland stated that the Township meets the requirements of the law.

 

#060828-20 - Reports from Standing Committees

 

            Water/Sewer committee minutes of August 14, 2006

 

Services Committee meeting minutes of August 21, 2006

           

Finance Committee meeting minutes of August 24, 2006

 

#060828-21 - Meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

 

 

                                               

William Holland, Supervisor

 

                                               

R. J. Poel, Clerk