City Council

Armada Township PLANNING COMMISSION 23121 E. Main Street, P.O. Box 578 Armada, Michigan 48005 Telephone: (586) 784-5200 Facsimile: (586)784-5211 MINUTES May 5, 2021 In Person & Virtual Meeting 7:00 p.m. Regular Meeting 1. Call to order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Roll Call 4. Approve/Amend Agenda 5. Approval of minutes: Regular Meeting February 3, 2021 6. Public Comments 7. Public Hearing: Krause Pet Crematoria 8. Reports & Correspondence 9. New Business: A.) Scoreboards for the Armada Township Park B.) Discussion of Minutes, Motions & Agenda Items C.) Support Letter for Blake’s Traffic & Road Safety Partnership D.) Question’s & Answer’s 10. Unfinished Business: 11. PC Projects: A.) Ordinance Updates- Administrative Site Plan Review, Agribusiness 55% to 50%; tents, small scale entertainment, second homes on property; seasonal worker clause, limit size of attachment on garages 12. Public Comments 13. Adjournment Next Scheduled Regular Meeting: June 2, 2021 Call to order: Chair Kehrig called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Pledge of Allegiance: Chair Kehrig led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll Call: Present: Finlay, Wieske, Jabara, Finn, Kehrig, Murray and Abercrombie. Also, present: Planner Laura Haw and Recording Secretary Christine White. Approve/Amend Agenda: Motion made by Kehrig, seconded by Abercrombie, to approve the agenda as amended by adding 9C. Support Letter for Blake’s Traffic & Road Safety Partnership and 9D. Question’s & Answer’s. All Ayes: Motion Carried. Approval of Minutes: Regular meeting minutes April 7, 2021. Motion made by Finn, seconded by Kehrig, to approve the minutes as presented. All Ayes: Motion Carried. Public Comments: None. Public Hearing: Krause Pet Crematoria: Chair Kehrig went over that the Public Hearing was tabled from last month and is still open. Monica Job asked when original application came in. She doesn’t believe that the review process was followed. Motion made by Finlay, seconded by Abercrombie, to table the Public Hearing for the month after the approval of the site plan. 2 Ayes: Finlay, Abercrombie. 5 Nays: Kehrig, Finn, Jabara, Wieske, Murray. Motion Failed. Public Hearing is open, waiting for applicant. Reports and Correspondence: Chair Kehrig noted email sent to Blake Farm’s in regard to landscaping. He also read a road report to the commission from a meeting about a traffic study and partnering with Blake Farm’s and the township. Motion made by Finlay, seconded by Abercrombie, to receive and file as presented. All Ayes: Motion Carried. New Business: A.) Scoreboards for the Armada Township Park: Park & Recreation director Gary Goetdel presented that three or four contractors have agreed to donate their time to install three scoreboards and are seeking approval from the commission to do so. Planner Haw went thru her review with the commission. The proposal is in harmony with the Parks & Recreation Master Plan and the township Master Plan. Based on the information submitted and reviewed the recommendation is that the commission approve the three scoreboard signs for the Township Park. Motion made by Abercrombie, seconded by Finn, to approve three scoreboard signs for the township park as recommended by the township planner. All Ayes: Motion Carried. B.) Discussion of Minutes, Motions & Agenda Items: Chair Kehrig shared his thoughts on how the meetings could run more smoothly with the following suggestions: Minutes, if there is a clerical mistake, call and request the change, it can be corrected and sent out to everyone. Watch the video and put time down and send an email with the change. Adding to the agenda, call and send background information. It is always easier if we have something in writing beforehand. Amending the agenda and adding things at the last minute is hard for everyone and not being transparent with the taxpayers. Make motions clear and concise, then pause. Give time for the motion to be written down. The chair will call for a second before discussion begins. The motion should be read back before the vote. In the past voting for minutes to be approved if absent was discussed and, it is acceptable to vote if you were not present, that shows confidence in the commission and the secretary. No Action Taken. C.) Support Letter for Blake’s Traffic & Road Safety Partnership: Chair Kehrig went over a draft letter he composed with the commission asking for input from them. Motion made by Jabara, seconded by Murray, to table support letter for the traffic and road safety until next month. All Ayes: Motion Carried. D.) Questions and Answers: Commissioner Finlay had questions for Chair Kehrig. Jabara asked about email passwords. No action taken. Unfinished Business: None. PC Projects: A.) Ordinance Updates: Administrative Site Plan Review, Agri-business 55% to 50%, tents, small scale entertainment, second homes on property; seasonal worker clause, limit size of attachment on garages: The township planner gave a clean copy of the Agri-business 55% to 50% to align with the GAMMP’s. It is ready for public hearing. Discussion of the Administrative Site Plan Review. Planner provided a copy which includes vice-chair and information from other communities. The commission discussed adding: 1.) changes to a structure or site required by the Building Inspector for safety considerations. 2.) waive the site plan submission requirements and approve a proposal when the proposed building or site change is minimal. 3.) a technical change is a minor revision to an approved site plan which does not change the character, nature, intent, or use of the original site plan. 4.) Building Official, Township Engineer and Township Planner, may waive, upon unanimous consent, the site plan submission requirement when the proposed building or site change is obviously minimal. 5.) changing 500 sq. ft. 6.) adding to section 4.04 1a.) and does not reduce the total amount of landscape on site. Tents: the planner provided all the sections that mention tents. She explained that on residential property the ordinance provides that if erected less than three days no permit is required. If more than three days it is considered a building. Input from the township Building Inspector was requested. Small Scale Entertainment: the ordinance is contradicting to the definition. It is only allowed in the AG district. The commission will consider different situations where this would apply and capacities. Second homes on property; seasonal worker clause is a discrepancy that the township attorney thinks should be cleared. The other amendments will be looked at in the future. Discrepancies between the rules of procedure and the zoning ordinance as it pertains to Public Hearings will be looked at. There are three different ways to do a Public Hearing. Planner stated for more of a business-friendly atmosphere that they are set prior to the planning commission meeting. The commission will look at the Special Land Uses required, then decide. The planner did say that a pre-meeting with the planning commission works well with the applicant. Accessory Structures will be added to the list of projects. Public Comments: Monica Job thanked the planner for a comment and said the planning commission should know what is in the ordinance. Adjournment: Motion made by Abercrombie, seconded by Finn, to adjourn at 9:16 p.m. All Ayes: Motion Carried. Respectfully submitted: Christine White, Recording Secretary Approved: DJ Kehrig, Chairperson_________________________________Date_____________________________