MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION,
WHICH TOOK PLACE ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2004, 7:00 P.M.,
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL,
1. Roll Call
PRESENT: Baker,
Eyre, Kanuch, Kozakiewicz, Mead,
Senesac, Svenson and Wieland
ABSENT: Dowling
OTHERS PRESENT: Jon Lynch, Assistant City Manager;
Daryl Poprave, City Planner; Cheri Standfest, Community Development Specialist;
Sally Sutton, Zoning Board of Appeals Member; and 20 others.
2. Approval
of Minutes
Regular Meeting of October 12, 2004.
It was moved by Wieland and supported by Eyre to approve the minutes of
October 12th. The minutes
were unanimously approved.
3. Public
Hearings
a. Special Use Permit No. 14 - Petition
by Eby Group, on behalf of Bickford House,
for a 45 unit senior
living facility on 3.03 acres located east of
and north of Joseph
Drive. [See transcript]
b. Site Plan No. 245 – Petition
by Bartow & King Engineers, on behalf of Bennett
Construction,
Inc., for a 14,160 s.f. retail building addition and a 6,720 s.f. office
building on 3.66 acres
located west of Jefferson Avenue and south of East
Wackerly Street. [See
transcript]
4. Public
Comments (not related to agenda items)
None
5. Old Business
a. Site Plan No. 243 - Petition by
Kutchey’s Flowers for an 11,280 s.f. retail building on
1.96 acres located east
of Eastman Avenue and south of Commerce Drive.
Jon Lynch stated that during the public hearing he was asked
to provide a radius for turning vehicles.
There was some question if vehicles could negotiate around a turn
island. By using the drive aisles, the
turn can be made by vehicles that are up to 30 feet long. A conventional tractor/trailer together are
55 feet long. A tractor/trailer would
not be able to make that turn. A city
bus is roughly 40 feet long, so a city bus might have some difficulty making
that turn. A fire truck is 32 feet. An ambulance is 20 feet. That provides an idea of what vehicles may
have difficulty making the turn and which ones should have no trouble.
The Engineers have prepared a modification of the plan and
turns the greenhouse 90 degrees.
Sidewalk has been provided between the greenhouse and the market so
pedestrian access can be facilitated.
There are a couple of new parking spaces behind the proposed loading
dock. We have received some comments
from the municipal traffic engineer. He
noted it would be advantageous to have a deceleration lane along Eastman
Avenue. He also made some negative
comments about the angle parking.
Commissioner Senesac questioned if he was interpreting the
turning radius correctly, that a vehicle turning right, exiting the site, would
not be able to make that turn. This also
says the vehicle would be able to turn and go back the other way, if the turn was
not there.
Lynch stated that if you get much longer than 33 feet, the
turn would not be possible.
Commissioner Svenson noted that the parking that was added
to the right of the greenhouse didn’t have a sidewalk. How are they going to get into the building?
Commissioner Mead stated they talked about the greenhouse,
and he thinks this placement is better.
He wondered if it was going to happen right off the bat.
Mike Colpretzer, Spicer Group, stated that yes it was going
to happen right away.
Commissioner Senesac asked if the contingencies are still
applicable as indicated on the staff report.
Lynch stated that several are still applicable.
Commissioner Svenson thinks it is a good plan. She hopes that somehow the people will be able
to access the greenhouse without walking in the parking lot.
Commission Kozakiewicz thinks this is a good plan. He thinks the concerns have been addressed.
Commissioner Mead stated that they did what we asked them to
do. He thinks it is a good plan and he
will support it.
Commissioner Wieland stated that he supports the plan.
Commissioner Eyre agrees.
It is now a lot better than it was.
It was moved by Kozakiewicz and seconded by Mead to
recommend approval of Site Plan #243, with the following contingency items.
1. Storm water
detention plans are reviewed and approved by the City of Midland
Engineering
Department.
2. Illumination
is not cast off site.
3. Parking on
the driveway connecting Eastman Avenue to Commerce Court must
be
prohibited.
The vote proceeded as follows:
YEA: Baker,
Eyre, Kanuch, Kozakiewicz, Mead, Senesac, Svenson and Wieland
NAY: None
ABSENT: Dowling
b. Site Plan No. 244 – Petition
by Tractor Supply Company for a 22,792 s.f. retail
building on 2.95 acres located
east of Eastman Avenue and south of Commerce
Drive.
John Healy, Park West Development, Toledo, Ohio, representing Tractor Supply development had a couple of questions for the Commission regarding the recommendations. The prescribed amount of parking spaces are provided and are 10’ x 20’. They like them a little bigger for the types of vehicles that come into the shopping area. He addressed the 33’ long turn that would occur between the two aisles. The 33 feet represents a long pick-up truck and a trailer. We had hoped to keep the additional curb cut. We would still very much appreciate retaining the existing curb cut to the south. We do not feel our retail center will generate the volume of traffic generated by the large retail establishments prior to our site, including the mall and Meijers. The speed limit sign, approximately 600 feet south of our driveway, states 45 mph. He questioned whether the speed limit is a carry over from the townships. For the traffic and the fact that traffic movement is required to move away from the left turn lane at that point, we hope you would not require the right turn lane.
Commissioner Senesac stated that the petitioner spoke about having 4-5 trailers on the site at any one time. When he looks at the parking lot, he does not see any provisions for the parking of those vehicles. If you get 4-5 trailers on this site, it would pretty much shut down the site for thru traffic.
Healy stated that is why he would like the second curb cut. You will have traffic trying to make turns trying to get out.
Commissioner Senesac asked where they are going to park if cars are scattered in the parking lot.
Healy stated that sometimes they will stop in the drive aisle. They try to route the traffic into the appropriate areas. People, who come in, do not stay long.
Commissioner Mead asked if he drove his pick up to the store with his four-horse trailer, is there enough room that he could turn there.
Healy stated that yes hopefully you can pull right through and stop.
No one spoke in favor of or in opposition to this petition.
Commissioner Eyre is in favor of the southern curb cut. His only concern is if someone pulls in and blocks that aisle, how do you get out? If there was a fire and the Fire Department had to get in and couldn’t, that would be a problem.
Commissioner Mead stated that it would be a good idea to have a main entrance, but he thinks the second entrance would be good for exit only.
Commissioner Wieland stated he would support it with the one-way out.
Healy stated that they developed these stores for half a dozen years. The clients are very good about getting the traffic in and out. He doesn’t know of any time our clients were sited for safety issues. We certainly can live with an exit only on the southerly entrance. We would prefer full access, but in lieu of that we would accept the one way access.
Commissioner Baker thinks two curb cuts are warranted, but the southerly one should be one way, exit only.
Commissioner Svenson agrees, she thinks that would be a good improvement to make and the petitioner agrees.
Commissioner Kanuch agrees.
It was moved by Wieland and seconded by Svenson to recommend approval of Site Plan #244 with the following contingency items.
1. Storm water detention plans are reviewed and approved by the
City of
Engineering
Department.
2. Illumination is not cast off site.
3. The southwest curb cut is restricted to egress only.
4. A copy of the easement providing access to the through
driveway and associated
parking spaces is
provided prior to issuance of a building permit.
The vote proceeded as follows:
YEA: Baker,
Eyre, Kanuch, Kozakiewicz, Mead, Senesac, Svenson and Wieland
NAY: None
ABSENT: Dowling
6. New Business
None
7. Communications
None
8.
Report of the Chairman
None
9.
Report of the Planning Director
The Director reported on the
following matters:
October 25th
PUBLIC HEARINGS
1.
City
of Midland Zoning Ordinance (action postponed to Nov. 8)
ACTION
ITEMS
1.
Preliminary
Plat Extension – Tri-City Commerce Park (approved)
2.
Set
Public Hearing – Zoning Petition No. 513 (approved)
3.
Preliminary
Plat – Scenic Estates No. 7 (tentative and final approval granted)
November 8th
PUBLIC HEARINGS
ACTION ITEMS
1.
Site
Plan No. 243 – Kutchey’s Flowers
2.
Site
Plan No. 244 – Tractor Supply Company
3.
City
of Midland Zoning Ordinance
November 22nd
PUBLIC HEARINGS
i.
Zoning
Petition No. 513 – William Weckesser: 5512 W. Wackerly St., OS-2 to BC
ACTION ITEMS
1.
Site
Plan No. 245 –
October 26th
PUBLIC HEARINGS
1.
Special
Use Permit No. 14 – Bickford House (46 unit senior housing facility, NE corner
Jefferson / Joseph Dr)
2.
Site
Plan No. 245 – Bennett Commercial Plaza (SW corner Jefferson / Wackerly)
ACTION ITEMS
1.
Site
Plan No. 243 – Kutchey’s Flowers
2.
Site
Plan No. 244 – Tractor Supply Company
November 9th
PUBLIC HEARINGS
ACTION ITEMS
1.
Special
Use Permit No. 14 – Bickford House (36 unit senior housing facility, NE corner
Jefferson / Joseph Dr)
2.
Site
Plan No. 245 – Bennett Commercial Plaza (SW corner Jefferson / Wackerly)
October 19th
No
Meeting
10. Adjourn
Adjournment at approximately 8:57 PM was moved by Mead, seconded by Baker
and
unanimously approved.
Respectfully submitted,
Jon Lynch, AICP
Planning Commission Secretary
MINUTES ARE NOT FINAL UNTIL APPROVED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION