MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE MIDLAND CITY PLANNING
COMMISSION
WHICH TOOK PLACE ON TUESDAY,
JUNE 12, 2012, 7:00 P.M.,
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, MIDLAND, MICHIGAN
1. Roll Call
PRESENT: Hannah,
Heying, McLaughlin, Mead, Pnacek, Stewart, Tanzini and Young
ABSENT: Senesac
OTHERS PRESENT: Brad Kaye, Director
of Planning and Community Development, Cheri King, Community Development
Specialist, Cindy Winland, Contract Planner, Lori Morgan, Planning Intern, and 9
others.
2. Approval
of Minutes
Moved by Stewart, seconded by Hanna, to approve the minutes of the
regular meeting of May 22, 2012. Motion passed unanimously.
3. Public Hearings
a. Site Plan No. 313 – initiated by
Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc. on behalf of VC Energy, LLC for site
plan review and approval for a 150,100 square foot thermal island building and
fuel storage barn, located at 602 South Waldo Avenue on 31.42 acres.
Brad
Kaye introduced Lori Morgan, Planning Intern, who will present the public
hearing this evening. The property is
located on 31.42 acres at 602 S. Waldo Avenue.
The site is zoned Industrial B, which permits the use proposed by right
subject to site plan review. The site is
located on South Waldo Avenue, just to the east of the Dow Corning Plant. It is surrounded by Industrial zoned
properties so it will not interfere with any incompatible uses. The site is located within a wetland area but
the development will be located to minimize the impact on the wetlands
areas.
The
site plan shows a proposed thermal island and separate fuel storage barn. Two separated entrances to the site are
proposed which is in compliance with ordinance standards. Employee parking will be at the northeast
section of the site and will be the only on-site pedestrian activity. The outbuildings shown are the fuel storage
barn and the pump house.
A
stormwater management plan has been submitted for review by the City’s
Engineering Department. Revisions have
been made to the photometric plan to comply with Zoning Ordinance
requirements. Updates to the current
water and sewer service plans will be required to provide for a looped and
pressurized water system. A landscaping
plan or computation is recommended by staff.
A storm water and sedimentation plan is also required. Staff
recommendation is for approval with contingencies. No public comments have been received by the
Planning Department.
Kerri
Miller of Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc. introduced the project and
provided an overview. David Peeper of VC
Energy LLC stated they acquired this property in December and negotiated the
purchase of the property with Dow Corning.
They have checked the air quality as well as the wetlands areas. The project is for a 31 acre site at 602 S.
Waldo Avenue. The property is being
leased from Dow Corning. The facility
will be capable of generating 35 MW of renewable energy (electricity and low
pressure steam). This has the potential
to generate over 3000 pounds of steam per hour.
This is a renewable energy project. They have a gasification process. They do not “burn” anything. It is one big steam turbine. There will be truck traffic of about 50
vehicles per day. There is another
company that has proposed to put a sawmill on the
adjacent property. They do have an
approved wetlands mitigation plan and an approved air quality permit.
Kerri
Miller showed some existing site photos.
There is quite a tree buffer between the site and Waldo Avenue. The pattern for trucks to enter the site is
through the north entrance. The DEQ
permit was approved with the mitigation of 2.4 acres. They are managing all of the storm water on
site and will route
their drainage into the wetland areas to maintain their integrity.
David
Peeper stated this is the first plant of this scale that they have done. They have a pilot facility that is running
now in Howard City. The storage of biomass
will all be indoors and conveyed underground into the plant.
Tony
Kuipers stated the loudest thing will be fans with decibel ratings in the 70’s,
although it will not be above 60 decibels at the property lines. The primary source of the biomass will be
chipped wood, ideally coming from within a 125 mile radius. They hope to break ground August 1st,begin
delivering test power in October, 2013, and be up to full power by December,
2013. The plant will employ
approximately 35 hourly people plus a management staff of about eight.
The
detention pond will contain some water in the bottom at all times, with a slope
not to exceed 1:6, as required by the city’s ordinance.
No
one spoke either in favor or in opposition to this petition.
Public
hearing was closed.
4. Old
Business
a. Site
Plan No. 310 – initiated by
Central Michigan Surveying & Development Company on behalf of P & P
Opportunities, LLC for site plan review and approval of Olive Garden Restaurant
and retail, located at 6803 Eastman Avenue.
Brad Kaye stated this use is by right,
subject to site Plan Review. The
petitioners are P & P Opportunities LLC, located at 6801 Eastman
Avenue. The site is 4.41 acres. The property is zoned Regional
Commercial. The proposed development is
for a 7,500 sq. ft. Olive Garden Restaurant, a future development site, and a
drive through use. Everything internal
to the site has remained unchanged since the application was last presented to
the Planning Commission. Cross-site
access and adjacent property owner authorization prevented approval at that
time.
The
submitted plan now includes all required detail except for lighting and
landscaping. A cross-site access
agreement has been offered by the applicant.
Written authorization from Midland Lodging LLC to use Saylor Drive is no
longer required (#3) as their lands have been removed from the site pan
application. Written authorization from
adjacent property owners for cross site access is no longer required (#5) due
to the open access agreement now offered by the applicant. Removal and restoration of the Saylor Drive curb
cut to Eastman Avenue is required. All
other previously recommended contingencies remain valid.
There were two public hearings held on April 24, 2012 and May 8,
2012. The Planning Commission will make
their recommendation on June 12, 2012.
City Council can have this for consideration on June 25, 2012. Staff recommendation is that the application
is incomplete at this time. One public
comment was received.
Motion by Hanna,
seconded by Heying, to recommend to City Council the approval of Site Plan No.
310 initiated by Central Michigan Surveying & Development Company on behalf
of P & P Opportunities, LLC for site plan review and approval of Olive
Garden Restaurant and retail, located at 6803 Eastman Avenue with the following
contingencies:
1. All
outstanding information items required under Article 27, Site Plan Review, must
be submitted.
2. Elevations
of the drive-through building addition must be provided.
3. Written
approval of the Fair Board authorizing site access to the fairgrounds road must
be provided.
4. Cross-site
access easements shall be provided in a manner and form acceptable to the City
Attorney.
5. Site
lighting shall comply with the standards of Section 3.12 of the Zoning
Ordinance.
6. Site
landscaping shall comply with the standards of Article 6 of the Zoning
Ordinance.
7. Dumpster
enclosures shall comply with the standards of Section 3.15 of the Zoning
Ordinance.
8. A
traffic light agreement between the applicant and the City of Midland shall be
entered into. Such agreement shall
include the requirement to physically remove the existing curb cut at the end
of Saylor Drive, construct new curb and sidewalk as necessary and restore the
outlawn.
9. Final
utility sizing and location shall be approved by the City’s Engineering, Water and Wastewater Departments.
10. Final
soil erosion and sedimentation control plans shall be approved by the City’s
Building Department.
11. Administrative
site plan approval shall be granted to the future development area only if such
development complies with Section 27.02.C of the Zoning Ordinance.
Vote:
YEAS: Hanna,
Heying, McLaughlin, Mead, Pnacek, Stewart, Tanzini and Young
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Senesac
b. Master
Plan – Chapters 3 (Natural Resources Inventory) and Chapter
5 (Future Land Use)
To
date we have seen the introduction, demographics, existing land use, a draft of future land use, the community facilities plan,
and performance measures. What we have
left are Chapters 3 and 5, and the local economy and future trends, and
transportation.
There
are not many changes in Chapter 3. In
the Natural Resources Inventory, we have added a little bit of text
change. Staff opted not to change the
existing land cover. However, there are
updated maps that go along with this due to annexations over time.
Mr.
Heying asked about page 3.6, environmental quality. He wanted one section re-worded so that it
did not sound like previous city officials had ignored environmental concerns
when in fact the technology and current knowledge level were just not available
at that time.
Chapter
5, the Future Land Use Chapter, is a plan.
It does not mirror the zoning map.
The proposed changes are on the first page, to reflect the current city
boundaries. On page 5.3, there is a
short discussion about goals and public hearings. We have not reviewed these yet but that will
be done in the review process. On page
5.6, we discussed the densities. Low
density will allow six units per acre rather than only four. Medium density will permit 10 dwelling units
per acre instead of nine. On page 5.11,
principal uses, instead of 3.4% planned commercial, we now have 4.0% planned
commercial. On page 5.15, they discuss
the 5 story office building, which had its public hearing at City Council
yesterday.
Mrs.
Hanna objected to the increases in density being proposed and to the area
designated commercial on the north part of Waldo Road. Ms. Winland explained that before this
develops as commercial, the Planning Commission would have to see this annexed
into the city, and then city zoning would have to be applied. At this time, even with zoning, there is
insufficient sewer or water in this area.
At this stage, the land use designation is just proposed. Mr. Heying asked about the goals written on
page 5.4. These are goals that were
established in prior years.
Staff
hopes to distribute Sections 4 and 6 so the Planning Commission has a chance to
review them prior to their next meeting.
Mrs. Hanna
complimented Lori Morgan on her presentation.
5.
Public Comments (unrelated to
items on the agenda)
None
6. New
Business
None
7. Communications
None
8. Report of the Chairperson
None
9. Report
of the Planning Director
Riverside Place will be getting all new
carpeting throughout the facility.
10. Items for Next
Agenda – June 26, 2012
a. Site Plan No. 313 – action
b. DNO
Signs and Standards
b. DNO
Cornices and Light Standards
11. Adjourn
Adjourned at 8:24 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
C. Bradley Kaye, AICP
Director of Planning and Community Development
MINUTES ARE NOT FINAL UNTIL APPROVED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION