City Services > Committees and Boards > Planning Commission > Minutes > March 27, 2012
 APPROVED MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
OF THE KENTWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION
MARCH 27, 2012, 7:30 P.M.
COMMISSION CHAMBERS
  1. Vice-Chair Sheldon called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
 
  1. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Commissioner VanderHoff.
 
  1. Roll Call:
Members Present: Betsy Artz, John Helder, Ed Kape, Laurie Sheldon, Ed Swanson, Frank Vander Hoff and  Don Yokom
Members Absent: Dan Holtrop and Johngerlyn Young (with notification)
Others Present:  Community Development Director Terry Schweitzer, Economic Development Planner Lisa Golder, Planner Joe Pung, Staff Secretary Monique Collier, and the applicant.
 
            Motion by Commissioner Swanson, supported by Commissioner Artz, to excuse         Commissioners Holtrop and Young from the meeting.
 
  • Motion Carried (7-0) –
  • Holtrop and Young absent -
 
  1. Approval of the Minutes and Findings of Fact
 
Motion by Commissioner VanderHoff, supported by Commissioner Artz, to approve the Minutes of March 13, 2012.   
  • Motion Carried (7-0) –
  • Holtrop and Young absent -
  1. Approval of the Agenda
 
Motion by Commissioner VanderHoff, supported by Commissioner Yokom,                               to approve the agenda for the March 27, 2012 meeting.
 
  • Motion Carried (7-0) –
  • Holtrop and Young absent -
 
  1. Acknowledge visitors wishing to speak to non-agenda items.
 
            There was no public Comment.
           
  1. Old Business
 
            There was no Old Business
 
  1. Public Hearing
 
Case #2-12 – Marriott Residence Inn – Special Land Use and Site Plan Review for a Hotel Located at 4441 28th Street (Applicant has requested tabling to the April 10, 2012 meeting)  
 
Vice Chair Sheldon opened the public hearing.
 
There was no public comment.
 
Motion by Commissioner VanderHoff, supported by Commissioner Artz, to table the public hearing to the April 10, 2012 meeting.
 
  • Motion Carried (7-0) –
  • Holtrop and Young absent -    
 
Case #3-12- Fox Hyundai/Kia- Major Change to An Approved PUD Site Plan located at 4101 28th Street SE
 
            Planner Pung stated the request is for a Major Change to an approved PUD site plan. He   stated the applicant would like to construct a 1700 square foot freestanding building west     of their existing building. He stated the building will house their preowned vehicle sales   operation which is currently housed in their main building.  He stated the proposed area           in which the building will be located is currently used for vehicle display and storage.    Pung stated there will be no change in the use of the property.  He stated they made the             building larger by about 100 square feet subsequent to the work session review.  There      were no issues with Engineering or Fire.  Pung stated he is recommending to the City        Commission conditional approval of the site       plan dated March 20, 2012 as described in    Case 3-12 Fox Kia Hyundai/Kia.  Approval is conditioned on conditions 1-5 and basis         points 1-4 as stated in Pung’s memo.
 
            Applicant Aaron Jenks stated the building is simple and clean matching the existing          facility with similar materials.
           
            VanderHoff questioned having the one handicap parking space. Jenks stated there are a    lot of barrier free parking spots for the main facility, due to the size of the proposed   building the one handicap parking space should be adequate.
 
            Motion by Commissioner Swanson, supported by Commissioner VanderHoff, to        recommend to the City Commission conditional approval of the site plan dated       March 20, 2012 as described in Case 3-12 Fox/Hyundai Kia. Approval is         conditioned on conditions 1-5 and basis points 1-4 as described in Pung’s memo dated 3/21/12.
  • Motion Carried (7-0) –
  • Holtrop and Young absent -
  1. Work Session
Case #4-12 Structures and Improvements Plan (SIP)
 
Golder stated this is a 6 year plan that lays out the improvements that will be made in three categories: Buildings and Structures, Parks and Streets, Trails Sidewalks etc. starting in 2012 and 2013.  She stated we also have projects that are unranked in which we don’t know when they are going to happen. She stated the SIP is a tool for budgeting and scheduling for the City and its Department Heads and City Commission.  Golder stated if the planning commissioners have questions for the City Engineer or someone from the Parks and Recreation we will have a representative for the public hearing.
 
              Sheldon asked about the Safe Routes for Schools. Schweitzer stated we were approved for money for the project and when it came down to developing the cost of it the overall cost was beyond what was submitted for grant approval. City Commission decided to see if we could scale back the project. Schweitzer stated that was taken to the State and is still in discussion. He stated if we can come to an agreement on what the project will entail it would be undertaken in 2013 for three different safe route to school projects. The City Commission doesn’t know whether they are going to go ahead with it even with the grant funding until they have a good appreciation of what the overall cost is going to be.
 
Sheldon asked about the roundabout. Schweitzer stated they will be undertaken this year.
 
Sheldon asked about the Countrywood Drive connector.  Schweitzer stated this is an example of where the Master Plan for the Land Use and Street system try to work together.  Schweitzer stated the thought is it will make the frontage properties on 44th Street more attractive and provide opportunity for a rear access. The connector will be another back door and provide better traffic circulation in that area.  
 
Kape asked about unscheduled projects and how they will be determining when they become scheduled. Schweitzer stated in many cases it is dependent on when State Federal or Local monies become available. Metro Council handles the schedule of transportation funding from State and Federal sources. . Same as some of the trail projects for trail connections. Discussion ensued.
 
Swanson asked about the east west trail from Kalamazoo to the Library. Schweitzer stated the east-west trail extension from Kalamazoo to the Paul Henry Trail is scheduled for next year. Discussion ensued regarding trails and funds becoming available.
 
Swanson stated he would like to see the map where all the trails are and a map for the safe routes to school and projects that are being done at the next meeting.
 
VanderHoff asked about his property that bears a Low Density residential land use designation  and what he can build. Golder stated that R1-C  zoning would be 0-4 acres per unit. R1-B zoning allows for 2 units per acre. Discussion ensued.
           
  1. New Business
 
            There was no New Business
 
  1. Other Business
 
  1. Commissioners’ Comments
           
            Commissioners offered no comments.
 
  1. Staff’s Comments
 
Staff offered no comments.
 
Dick Jisinski, Realtor was present. Golder stated Jisinski had a Land Use question regarding East Paris north of Baker Books (zoned C-2). Jisinski represents International Beverage and would like to find a site they could own.  They would like to see if there was a chance in rezoning the property from C-4 Office to C-2 Commercial. Golder cautioned the commission about requests to rezone frontage properties along busy material streets to commercial retail. However, in this case she stated there is a drop in grade and a commercial school immediately to the north making it less likely that there would be pressure to further extend C-2 zoning in this area. She stated one benefit that might come out of a rezoning and redevelopment of this is with the rezoning we may get a shared driveway.
 
Yokom questioned whether sidewalk would be required. Golder stated we will ask for a sidewalk for anyone who comes in.
 
Jinjinsi stated they would build a two story building. He stated they would do the shared driveway. They would tear down the house on the property
 
Golder stated this would be a case where the applicant might want consider for conditional zoning and set a condition on the use.
 
The commissioners thought it would be a good use of the area with the conditional zoning. Swanson and Sheldon stated a conditional C-2 zoning would have more merit if they can provide the alternate access points out of the back. Jisinski stated he will investigate that.
 
  1. Adjournment  
 
Motion by Commissioner VanderHoff, supported by Commissioner Artz,                            to adjourn the meeting.
  • Motion Carried (7-0) –
  • Holtrop and Young absent -
Meeting adjourned at 8:10pm
                                                            Respectfully submitted,
                                                            Don Yokom, Secretary