(return to index)

 

A.                Vice-Chair Sheldon called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.

 

B.                 The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Commissioner Yokom.

 

C.                 Roll Call:

Members Present: Maurice Groce, John Helder, Ed Kape, Laurie Sheldon,  Frank Vander Hoff,  Don Yokom and Johngerlyn Young

Members Absent: Dan Holtrop, Ed Swanson, (with notification)

Others Present: Community Development Director Terry Schweitzer, Staff Secretary Monique Collier, the press and the applicant.

 

 

-          Motion Carried (7-0) –

-          Holtrop and Swanson absent -

 

D.                Approval of the Minutes and Findings of Fact

 

-          Motion Carried (7-0) –

-          Holtrop and Swanson absent -

E.                 Approval of the Agenda

 

 

-          Motion Carried (7-0) –

-          Holtrop and Swanson absent -

 

F.                  Acknowledge visitors wishing to speak to non-agenda items.

 

            There was no public comment.

 

G.                Old Business

 

            There was no old business.

 

H.                Public Hearing

 

Case #8-11 – Kentwood HoneyBaked Ham – Special Land Use and Site Plan Review for a Drive-Thru Facility located at 3756 28^th Street SE   

 

Director Schweitzer introduced the request. He stated Honey Baked Ham is working with an existing building and the request is for a drive thru facility. He stated the request is intended to add a drive along the east side of the building to accommodate a drive up window.

 

Schweitzer stated at the work session there was discussion about on-site circulation, including the interaction between the pedestrian movement on the property and the vehicle movement. Schweitzer stated there was also discussion regarding landscaping. He stated the ordinance requires a greater amount of landscaping than what they had in the initial plan. Schweitzer stated they have made some modification to increase the amount of overall landscaping but it still does not meet ordinance. He stated Honey Baked Ham will go to the Zoning Board of Appeals to seek relief from the landscaping as well as the setback of the building off the public right-of-way. Schweitzer stated the ordinance requires the building to be at least 50 foot off the public right-of way (ROW) and in this case the building is within 30 feet of the Lake Eastbrook Blvd. ROW.

 

Schwietzer stated modifications have been made as far as on site circulation and dealing with the pedestrian/vehicular interaction.

 

Schweitzer stated staff is recommending conditional approval of the special land use and site plan review as stated in Golder’s memo, dated July 5, 2011.

 

Ryan McHenill, Engineer with Fitzgerald Henney and Associates was present representing Honey Baked Ham. He stated this request is to better service their lunch customers and also to make it easier for customers that preorder Hams to be able to pick them up rather quickly. 

 

McHenill stated one of the things they have addressed since the work session was the comment from the Fire Marshall regarding the fire lane that was added along the west side of the building and designated with signage. He stated the Engineering comments from the Assistant City Engineer Tim Bradshaw were addressed as well. He stated they added a separate soil erosion sheet and grading per his request.

 

McEnhill stated this is a difficult site that is only a ½ acre in area and he described some of the steps they have taken to improve the greenspace. McEnhill stated they thought it was necessary to supplement the new drive thru lane with a bypass lane to add a measure so people can get out of line if it is taking too long even though it did reduce landscaping. McEnhill stated they did try to compensate for this loss of landscaping by adding landscape back into the southeast portion of the site along the back of the building and providing landscape islands within the parking area. He stated they also added an island to address the pedestrian movement on the site due to the commissioners concerns with pedestrian circulation. They added a sidewalk area and a striped crossing on both sides to accommodate the safety and ease of pedestrians walking through to the strip mall and or to their vehicles.

McEnhill stated they also added a couple of landscape islands to the overall 2.63 acre parcel which includes the Honey Baked Ham site and the two condominium retail buildings

 

McEnhill stated adding some of the greenspace areas did reduce parking spaces but they were already over parked (they reduced the number from 124 to 114 parking spaces.) He stated the main things they tried to change were pedestrian safety, additional greenspace, and make sure traffic movement and pedestrian movement all were addressed.

Vice-Chair Sheldon opened the public hearing.

 

There was no public comment.

-          Motion Carried (7-0) –

-          Holtrop and Swanson absent -

Commissioner Yokom asked if they planned any structural changes to the building. McEnhill stated all they plan to do is add the drive-thru window. Yokom suggested doing a green roof if that is possible in order to address the landscaping requirements. Yokom stated he is in support of the project.

 

Groce asked about the 3 barrier free parking spaces. McEnhill stated they initially indicated 4 barrier free parking spaces would be provided on the site, but they are only showing 3 barrier free parking spaces in conformance with State barrier free requirements.

 

Sheldon asked what the greenspace percentage is with the recent site plan changes. McEnhill stated they went from 16% to 19% greenspace on the 0.50 acre.

-          Motion Carried (7-0) –

-          Holtrop and Swanson absent -

 

 

-          Motion Carried (7-0) –

-          Holtrop and Swanson absent -

I.                   Work Session

 

            There were no work sessions

 

J.                   New Business

 

-          Motion Carried (7-0) –

-          Holtrop and Swanson absent -

 

K.                Other Business

 

1.      Master Plan Discussion

 

Director Schweitzer reviewed the Kalamazoo Avenue Corridor Sub area 2 and displayed graphics that were developed during the Lighthouse Communities workshops as well as the graphics that were used in the last Master Plan update for 60^th and Kalamazoo and 44^th and Kalamazoo. He pointed out the changes that have taken place since 2005 at the various intersections.

 

Helder asked if the improvements on Kalamazoo Ave would affect property taxes for the frontage residential properties. Schweitzer stated appraisers take a lot of factors onto consideration and if you are facing on a four lane road way as opposed to a subdivision street there is a tendency to give greater value to those residential lots that are on a local street. Schweitzer stated we have tried to mitigate the negative impact nuisance associated with residential lots fronting an arterial street.

 

Schweitzer stated the Kalamazoo Corridor recommendations have been put together based on the feedback that we have gotten over the last couple of years.

 

VanderHoff stated we have left open quite a few possibilities and the only thing at this point is that a developer coming to us with an idea and we could work around his idea if we thought it was valid. He stated we shouldn’t push anything or force anything.

 

Commissioners agreed with Kalamazoo Ave Corridor recommendations

 

2.      Commissioners’ Comments

 

Commissioner offered no comments.

 

 

3.      Staff’s Comments

 

The Planning Commission recommendations to go from 4 lane to 3 lane and install a roundabout on Breton Avenue has been rescheduled to August 16^th. Schweitzer will keep the commissioners posted.

 

Schweitzer stated there will be an open house on July 14 for the refurbished 4 unit building on 52^nd at Kalamazoo Avenue.

 

L.                 Adjournment  

 

-          Motion Carried (7-0) –

-          Holtrop and Swanson absent -

 

Meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

 

 

                                                            Respectfully submitted,

 

                                                            Don Yokom, Secretary