A.                Chair Holtrop called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.

 

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

 

C.                 Roll Call:

Members Present: Maurice Groce, John Helder, Dan Holtrop, Ed Kape, Laurie Sheldon,  Ed Swanson, Frank Vander Hoff,  and Johngerlyn Young

Members Absent: Don Yokom

Others Present: Community Development Director Terry Schweitzer, Economic Development Planner Lisa Golder, Planner Joe Pung, Staff Secretary Monique Collier, Steve Kepley, City Engineer and  Marc Start from URS.

 

-          Motion Carried (8-0) –

-          Yokom absent -

D.                Approval of the Minutes

 

 

-          Motion Carried (8-0) –

-          Yokom absent -

E.                 Approval of the Agenda

 

 

-          Motion Carried (8-0) –

-          Yokom 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

 

            There were no Public Hearings

 

I.                   Work Session

 

            There were no Work Sessions

 

J.                   New Business

 

            There was no New Business

 

K.                Other Business

 

1.                  Breton Avenue Improvements Recommendation

 

The planning commissioners again discussed their opinions pertaining to traffic flow concerns, potential problem with pedestrian traffic as well as motorized traffic. The planning commissioners discussed other roundabouts in the City and Kent County, traffic flows and traffic counts. The commissioners discussed the options for Breton Avenue pertaining to changing from the current four lane road to a two lane road with a center turn lane and bike lanes on either side. The planning commissioners discussed their concern with bus stops, school buses, traffic flow and emergency vehicle traffic. They also suggested a simulation so they could see exactly how the traffic would flow with the roundabout, 3 lanes and traffic signal. Kepley stated this would be a major decision, but if this is what the commissioners would like to see then we could possibly proceed to commission the creation of the simulation.

 

Schweitzer stated the planning commissioners will provide the city commission with a recommendation; the City Commission have the choice whether to accept that recommendation or modify. Schweitzer suggested formulating a recommendation and if there are some areas that the planning commissioners have particular concerns then make that known within the recommendation.

 

-          Motion Carried 8-0) –

-          Yokom absent –

 

Swanson stated he would like to be able to cross the street into a median crossing only one lane sewer refuge in the median and then crossing the other lane. He stated this is the pedestrian safety that he thinks we need to be concerned about and a 3 lane option is what Mr. Start described that will accomplish this.

 

-          Motion Carried (7-0) –

-          Sheldon and Young dissenting –

-          Yokom absent -

 

Schweitzer stated this will now go to the  City Commission. Holtrop stated he felt the simulation  would be helpful. Swanson asked staff to present the planning commissioners the plan so they can review them. Schweitzer stated that he can.

 

2.                  Master Plan Discussion

 

Golder stated we need to discuss the 2011 Master Plan and what we are going to call the Patterson Farm in Section 13. Discussed were Sub Areas 5, 7 and 8. Golder stated there wasn’t a lot of interest in section 34 and 13. Golder stated whatever plan that is adopted we should have the guiding principles so that they are in place.

 

Golder indicated that in recent months she updated draft language relating to a number of land use issues and policies that had either been addressed in the 2005 Master Plan update or represented new or emerging issues, in advance of this meeting she provided the planning commission with updated draft language and graphics relating to the Patterson Farm and Patterson Avenue (Dermody) industrial sub areas.

 

Golder began her presentation by reviewing the current text and graphics relating to the Patterson Farm. She also displayed graphics of alternate Section 13 land use scenarios that had been developed by Mainstreet Planning in the 1990’s as well as a land use scenario and text that had been developed by former staff planner Debargha Sengupta as an outgrowth of the 2005 Master Plan Update.

 

The commission discussed the relative merits of the three scenarios noting the common elements in terms of development process and the desire to pressure the natural features found in this sub area. Drawing upon elements of the three land use scenarios the commission identified a number of guiding principles that would be emphasized for the Patterson Farm sub area. The guiding principles include: preservation of the existing wetlands and floodplain; encouragement of a mixture of uses throughout the sub area; the desirability of developing the area under Planned Unit Development zoning in order to accommodate the mixture of uses and connectivity between the uses; non-motorized trail access; flexibility in the mixture of land uses and the desire to avoid big box/strip retail development in the Patterson corridor.

 

VanderHoff stated he would like to see the 3 plans adopted into the Master Plan and development can decide what happens and go from there.

 

Sheldon stated she agrees that we should adopt the 3 plans.

 

Holtrop stated he is in favor of the ideas with guiding principles because we don’t know what the market will be like, but we will have some guidelines for them of what we would like to see; limited access and maintain the floodplain and wetlands. Holtrop stated we should add something about historical preservation. Golder stated it is mentioned in the principles about preserving the farming heritage that would apply to section 34 and 13.

 

-          Motion Carried (8-0) –

-          Yokom absent

 

Golder reviewed the text and graphics relating to the Patterson Avenue (Dermody) Industrial Sub Area. The commission concluded that it was still desirable to project industrial use of this area bounded by 52^nd Street, Patterson Avenue and Broadmoor. Interim recreational and/or farming uses of this sub area were longer considered worth mention in the text.

 

3.                  Commissioners’ Comments

 

Sheldon asked about the article in the Advance Newspaper regarding the City earning money for a survey. Schweitzer stated Liberty Mutual has a competition going where if you answer the survey the City may qualify for the $10,000 contribution towards the 4^th of July festivities. Schweitzer stated staff will forward the information to the commissioners and they can distribute it out.

 

Holtrop asked about the Year End Reports. Schweitzer stated we will put them together in advance of the next meeting.

 

Holtrop asked if there was there feedback concerning the installation of the digital billboard along I-96. Schweitzer stated there were conversations with property owners on the east side of the expressway and Sabal Pointe. He stated staff  made trips over there as well. Sabal Pointes spokesperson Don Oosterhouse, stated as far as Sable Point was concerned all of the landscaping can be devoted to the East side of the expressway. Schweitzer stated he didn’t think they are not affected by the billboard as they thought they would be. Schweitzer stated we want to still initiate discussion with 5^th Third concerning their plans, it any to develop their property that currently buffers the condos from the billboard and expressway. Schweitzer noted that a landscape plan had been agreed upon between CBS Outdoor and the homeowners on the east side of the expressway. Installation is pending.

 

4.                  Staff’s Comments

 

Schweitzer expressed an intent to do a better job of advising the Commission when the meeting packets are distributed electronically rather than hand delivered hard copies.

 

L.                 Adjournment  

 

-          Motion Carried (8-0) –

-          Yokom absent -

 

Meeting adjourned at 8:50p.m.

 

 

                                                            Respectfully submitted,

 

                                                            Laurie Sheldon, Vice-Chair