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Minutes for 02/27/2007APPROVED MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
OF THE KENTWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION
FEBRUARY 27, 2007, 7:30 P.M.
COMMISSION CHAMBERS
A. Chair McIntyre-Evenocheck called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
B. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Commissioner Artz.
C. Roll Call:
Members Present: Betsy Artz, Ray Poyner, Laurie Sheldon, Nancy McIntyre-Evenocheck, Ed Swanson, and Chris Winczewski.
Members Absent: Dan Holtrop, Frank Vander Hoff and Abed Itani
Others Present: City Attorney Jeff Sluggett, Community Development Director Terry Schweitzer, Planner Debargha Sengupta, Staff Secretary Monique Collier, the press and the applicants.
Motion by Poyner, supported by, Sheldon to excuse Holtrop, Itani and Vanderhoff from the February 27, 2007 meeting.
- Motion Carried (6-0) ?
- Holtrop, Itani and VanderHoff absent -
D. Approval of the Minutes and Findings of Fact
The following corrections were noted in section A. Chair should be McIntyre-Evenocheck instead of Bohn; and Page 3 under Winczewski?s comments it should say Winczewski stated that he is taking the Citzen Planner Instruction online and the training is excellent.
Motion by Poyner, supported by Sheldon to approve the Minutes of February 13, 2007 as corrected.
- Motion Carried (6-0) ?
- Holtrop, Itani and VanderHoff absent -
E. Approval of the Agenda
Motion by Artz, supported by Winczewski, to approve the agenda for the February 27, 2007 meeting.
- Motion Carried (6-0) ?
- Holtrop, Itani and VanderHoff absent -
F. Acknowledge visitors wishing to speak to non-agenda items.
There was no public comment.
G. Old Business
There is no Old Business.
H. Public Hearing
There were no public hearings
I. Work Session
Case # 3-07- Wedgwood Christian Services ? Preliminary Approval of a PUD Development Plan and Final Site Plan Approval of Phase 1 and Special Land Use for a Child Caring Institution ? located at 3227 ? 36th Street
Planner Sengupta introduced the request. He stated that the review is for a preliminary plan for the PUD, a final site plan review for the northern part of the property and a special land use for a child caring institution. He stated that the facility will be an unlocked facility for teenagers. Sengupta stated that some of the issues are that it is a child caring institution and the plans say that it is an adult facility. He stated that there will be 45 parking spaces for the entire facility and 11 for the northern phase. He stated that the parking area and the basketball courts for the northern part encroaches the perimeter setback. Sengupta suggested that since the site is a corner lot there may be some advantage to reconsider the front, rear and side yard designations. He stated that he asked them to change this so that they will have less of an encroachment on the perimeter setback and if they need to they can ask for a deviation under the PUD regulations. He stated that they will need three variances; for three different things parking count, parking setback and landscape buffer.
Applicant Paul Nydam, the Facilities Director at Wedgwood was present to represent the request. He stated that the facility will be used for non secured applications. He stated the residents that are proposed to live there are not severe, they attend public school, they have part time jobs and use public transportation and Wedgwood transportation. They do not have a driver?s license and they will not have any of their personal vehicles on site. He stated that they would like to house a maximum of twelve boys and twelve girls in an adjoined facility where the girls will live on one half and the boys would be in the other half and shared usage of the main floor recreation areas, and dining facilities.
Vice Chair Swanson inquired about the nature of the children who would occupy this facility. Mr. Nydam stated that the reasons vary and often the residents are placed with them as a result of parental neglect or abuse. The children usually need to be removed from their home environment for their own safety. He stated that there are counselors on staff that work with them on a day to day basis to try to correct their behaviors and help them deal with whatever issues they have to deal with. He stated that there will be therapists and counselors right in the facility. He stated that it will be a 4 to 1 resident/supervisor ratio 24/7. He stated that the children will be supervised 24 hours a day. Swanson?s concern was the material the building is made out of. Mr. Nydam stated that it will be framed construction with a drywall interior. Mr. Nydam stated that it will be more of a residential feel as opposed to an institution and that is why the facility is designed the way it is.
Secretary Winczewski?s asked was about the three100 year flood estimates portrayed on the site plan. He wanted to know if they are all 100 year boundaries. Mr. Stalsonburg stated that there is a 100 year floodway and a 100 year floodplain based on actual elevation from FEMA and the new and improved FEMA map. Winczewski asked if they are proposing to grade back the white area as opposed to the grey as indicated on the site plan. Mr. Stalsonburg indicated that in the area to the north there will be no grading to the floodplain and it will have no impact to any wetlands. That is why they are proposing to construct the northern building first. Mr. Stalsonburg stated that the three buildings to the south are going to require working with the DEQ floodplain and wetland. He stated in order to get the project started they decided to work on the north end first.
Commissioner Sheldon asked was the landscape plan. She wanted to know what it is going to look like along Shaffer Avenue. Mr. Stalsonsburg stated that there are no landscape plans yet. He stated that they intended to provide it at a later date and have them approved by staff. Sheldon stated that is something that she would like to have for the public hearing, a general idea of what will be seen from Shaffer Ave. Sheldon was concerned about the security within the building. Mr. Nydam stated that they are subject to staff monitoring at all times. Staff is on duty 24/7. Sheldon?s other concern was whether or not the neighbors will be able to come and use the basketball courts. Mr. Nydam stated that the facility is strictly for Wedgwood use only.
Secretary Winczewski?s asked about the availability of public transportation. He stated that he wants to make sure that it is available. He wanted to know if we knew where the nearest transportation would be. Sengupta stated that it is at 32nd Street. Schweitzer stated that there may be some changes to the service. For example he, stated that the 44th Street cross town will go to Woodland Shopping Center instead of going to the airport.
Commissioner Poyner asked if the applicants are aware of the change in the bus route. Mr. Nydam stated that he assumes that some of the program staff is aware. Poyner stated that they should be aware of it. Mr. Nydam stated that the majority of the transportation takes place with a van on site that is owned and operated by Wedgwood staff. Poyner?s other concern was about the variance on the north end. He wondered if the applicant tried to make it work; but were not able to meet the zoning requirements. Mr. Stalsonburg stated that they have looked at it, but given the number of parking spaces that are required they will not be able to get the full 20 feet for the landscape buffer. Poyner asked what the requirement is. Sengupta stated that it is 45 feet from the edge of the parking spaces and a 20 foot landscaped buffer from the edge of the paved areas to the property line. Poyner asked if they have contacted the community of the surrounding neighbors, so they are aware of what they are looking to do. Stalsonsburg stated that there were plans to contact the neighbor to the north since they will be the most impacted. Poyner stated that he thinks this is a good program, but it is important that the people in the apartments are aware of the public hearing. Poyner stated that he would like to hear more detail on how he tried to make it work on the north end and how he can?t make it work. He stated that he would also like to see the overall landscaping plan. Stalsonsburg stated that the major factor that limits them from moving to comply with the sideyard setback is the floodplain, it is very close to the back of the building. He stated they could slide the building 4ft closer to Shaffer, but they can?t move it directly south because of the floodplain. Swanson stated that if they flip the building and put it on the north end of the site the parking lot could be moved to the south provided it was allowed to encroach into some of the floodplain. Mr. Stalsonburg stated that any occupation of the floodplain would require a DEQ permit and the other issue would be to gain access to the parking lot with the building flipped with the parking. Mr. Stalsonburg thinks it would be a problem. He stated that he doesn?t think that it will work very well, but they will take a look at it.
Commissioner Artz stated that she thinks it would be good if they contacted the neighbors and had some discussion with them before the public hearing.
Chair McIntyre-Evenocheck asked the average length of stay for the residents. Mr. Nydam stated that it generally ranges from six months to a year and sometimes a little over a year. McIntyre-Evenocheck stated that there are three variances: the parking setback; the landscape buffer on the north; and the parking count. McIntyre-Evenocheck recapped the concerns: the bus route goes past Wedgwood; to see a landscaping plan; to contact the neighbors to the north; and buffer on the north with the possibility of flipping the building on the site.
Vice Chair Swanson stated that he would also like to see why this is a viable asset to the community. Mr. Nydam stated that they will make sure that someone from the program will be at the work session.
Commissioner Sheldon?s asked whether this was a new program. Mr. Nydam stated that this program is a transfer from their existing program from their Wyoming campus. He stated that the programs have existed for about 30 years. He stated that they are moving from Wyoming because their Board of Directors decided to sell the campus and consolidate the operations to Kentwood. He stated that this facility will be far more efficient and will incorporate all the physical things they need in a building compared to their existing programming. Sengupta stated that the landscaping that the planning commission wants to evaluate is only for phase one.
J. New Business
There is no New Business.
K. Other Business
1. Commissioners? Comments
Winczewski asked about the Capital Improvements Plan (CIP). Schweitzer indicated that the CIP will come before the planning commission and then to the city commission.
Poyner asked about the latest plan on Kalamazoo Ave. Schwietzer stated that they are gearing up for reconstruction for spring of 2008. Discussion ensued regarding the reconstruction. Swanson asked Schweitzer to bring a draft to the next planning commission meeting.
2. Staff?s Comments
Schweitzer stated the Kentwood made application for a Design Charrette along the Division Ave. corridor and the grant was approved and staff is working to preparing for early April study involving Kentwood, Wyoming and the ITP to look at that area to provide opportunity for the planning commission and city commissioner and citizens to take part. He stated that once staff gets more detail they will report back and give more of an update to the commissioners.
L. Adjournment
Motion by Winczewski, supported by Artz to adjourn the meeting.
- Motion Carried (6-0) ?
- Holtrop, Itani and VanderHoff absent -
Meeting adjourned at 8:15pm
Respectfully submitted,
Chris Winczewski, Secretary
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