Planning Commission Meeting

PLANNING COMMISSION 12-10-24 - 54 MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING OF THE CITY OF GROSSE POINTE WOODS HELD ON DECEMBER 10, 2024, IN THE COUNCIL-COURT ROOM OF THE ROBERT E. NOVITKE MUNICIPAL CENTER, 20025 MACK PLAZA, GROSSE POINTE WOODS, MICHIGAN. The meeting was called to order at 7:02 p.m. by Chair McNelis. Roll Call: Chair McNelis Commission Members: Fenton, Fuller, Hamborsky, Mackinnon, Vitale Absent: Gilezan, Marx, O’Keefe Also Present: City Planner, Brigitte Wolf Recording Secretary, Gretchen Miotto Council Representative Kenneth Gafa MOTION by Vitale, seconded by Fuller, to excuse Commission Members Gilezan, Marx, and O’Keefe from attendance at tonight’s meeting. Motion carried by the following vote: YES: Fenton, Fuller, Hamborsky, Mackinnon, McNelis, Vitale NO: None ABSENT: Gilezan, Marx, O’Keefe Chair McNelis recognized Council Representative Gafa and Council Member Vicki Granger. The Planning Commission, staff, and the public, Pledged Allegiance to the U. S. Flag. MOTION by Vitale, seconded by Fenton, to accept tonight’s agenda as presented. Motion carried by the following vote: YES: Fenton, Fuller, Hamborsky, Mackinnon, McNelis, Vitale NO: None ABSENT: Gilezan, Marx, O’Keefe Chair McNelis announced that there would be no decisions made tonight on New Business items A & B (rezoning & site plan review for 1670 Ford Ct. and 20030 Mack Avenue) due to lack of a quorum, but we will proceed with the Public Hearing. MOTION by Vitale, seconded by Mackinnon, that the November 19, 2024, Planning Commission meeting minutes be approved as presented.  PLANNING COMMISSION 12-10-24 – 55 Motion carried by the following vote: YES: Fenton, Fuller, Hamborsky, Mackinnon, McNelis, Vitale NO: None ABSENT: Gilezan, Marx, O’Keefe MOTION by Fuller, seconded by Fenton, to accept and place on file the Ford Court and Faircourt resident’s petitions in opposition to the 1670 Ford Court and 20030 Mack Avenue rezoning request. Motion carried by the following vote: YES: Fenton, Fuller, Hamborsky, Mackinnon, McNelis, Vitale NO: None ABSENT: Gilezan, Marx, O’Keefe The first item, under Public Hearings, was to Host a Public Hearing on the rezoning request of 1670 Ford Court and 20030 Mack Avenue to the C Commercial district for the addition of a surface parking lot. MOTION by Fenton, seconded by Fuller, to open the public hearing. Motion carried by the following vote: YES: Fenton, Fuller, Hamborsky, Mackinnon, McNelis, Vitale NO: None ABSENT: Gilezan, Marx, O’Keefe Chair McNelis opened the public hearing at 7:07 pm. Planner Wolf provided an overview of the hearing and stated that there are two parts: rezoning and site plan review. The petitioner was not represented. No one wished to speak in support of the request: The following spoke in opposition of the request: 1. Bill Bradley, former resident of 1670 Ford Ct. 2. Beth Baergen, 1600 Ford Ct. 3. Carrie Mead, 1575 Ford Ct. 4. Tambre Tedesco, 1665 Ford Ct. 5. John Klobuchar, 1675 Faircourt 6. Gary Herbertson, 1640 Ford Ct. 7. Bethann Bayus, 1615 Ford Ct. 8. Lisa Abbey, 1620 Faircourt 9. Melissa Kaczay, 1182 Edmundton, and former resident of 1650 Ford Ct. 10. Richard Carron, 1650 Ford Ct. 11. Anthony Toth, 1610 Ford Ct.  PLANNING COMMISSION 12-10-24 - 56 MOTION by Mackinnon, seconded by Fenton, to close the public hearing on the rezoning request of 1670 Ford Court and 20030 Mack Avenue to the C Commercial district for the addition of a surface parking lot. Motion carried by the following vote: YES: Fenton, Fuller, Hamborsky, Mackinnon, McNelis, Vitale NO: None ABSENT: Gilezan, Marx, O’Keefe Chair McNelis closed the public hearing at 7:43 pm. Chair McNelis stated that both he and Commissioner Vitale have recused themselves previously, when involved in any projects before the Commission, and will continue to do so. MOTION by Fuller, seconded by Fenton, to table the New Business Items A & B, 1670 Ford Court and 20030 Mack Avenue rezoning request and site plan review, until the January 2025 meeting. Motion carried by the following vote: YES: Fenton, Fuller, Hamborsky, Mackinnon, McNelis, Vitale NO: None ABSENT: Gilezan, Marx, O’Keefe The next item under New Business was Discussion on a Hotel Overlay Zoning District. Planner Wolf provided an overview on why this topic is under discussion: hotel use is not only a desired use that we heard from community members which was brought up during the Master Plan process, but there is an interested party in establishing a hotel, possibly 4 stories, along Mack Avenue. The expansion of the C 2 Commercial District is only recommended at the intersection of Mack Avenue & Vernier. Creating an overlay district is similar to re-zoning and other ordinance amendments, and would establish language and expectations, as well as appropriate areas, and would allow developers to select a site they see fit for a hotel before they come to the Building Department, hold a Public Hearing and go through the approval process. The topics to discuss are: a) should there be a mixed-use requirement; b) should there be a maximum setback requirement; and c) should there be an increased height allowance. Discussion ensued on type of hotel to allow, and our ability to regulate design and architectural standards. With this type of built-out community, a hotel would have the potential to bring increased foot traffic to surrounding businesses and entice additional investment to abutting properties that would support hotel guests. With an overlay zoning district, we can encourage a specific development project for the appropriate parcel based on size and positioning, while managing the form. Overlays can hold the development to a higher design standard or allow for more expansion provisions than the stipulations of the base zoning district.  PLANNING COMMISSION 12-10-24 - 57 Setback requirements from residential zones were discussed related to 3 or 4 story buildings, along with parking requirements. Buffering from residential areas is a specific concern. The Planning Commission agreed we should explore this concept as the need is there. We could create an overlay district without identifying specific parcels. No action or motion was made on this discussion, other than it would be effective to have something in place when the potential applicant submits their application. The next item under Old Business was Discussion on Master Plan priorities and 2025 Goal Setting. MOTION by Mackinnon, seconded by Fuller, to accept and place on file the McKenna Memo, dated December 10, 2024, regarding Master Plan Priorities and Goal Setting as well as the 2020 Vision Plan document. Motion carried by the following vote: YES: Fenton, Fuller, Hamborsky, Mackinnon, McNelis, Vitale NO: None ABSENT: Gilezan, Marx, O’Keefe Planner Wolf provided an overview and reviewed the memo listing all priorities and their ranking based on the voting exercise completed by the Planning Commission. The following were determined to be 2025 priorities and the Planning Commission will determine 2-3 additional priorities in the January 2025 meeting to advance to City Council in a January/February 2025 COW: 1. Establish the best location for another crosswalk along with the cost; 2. Enhancing city “gateways” and corresponding cost; Planner Wolf will create a new survey for the Planning Commission to determine the next top 2-3 priorities and will update the memo, along with contacting AEW about cost estimates. The next item under Old Business was Discussion on Short Term Rental Ordinance. Planner Wolf provided a copy of Grosse Pointe Park’s draft ordinance on short-term rentals and differentiating between investor-owned, or owner-occupied short-term rentals. Discussion ensued on whether there is a need in our city to allow short-term rentals. Our current rental ordinance does not have language that defines short term rentals. Our language states that any time a rental tenant changes, the owner must be re-certified and inspected. The Planning Commission agreed that the ordinance should be amended to define rentals as having a minimum of 30 days. Planner Wolf will bring back language to clarify our rental ordinance, including where the local agent or owner must live (i.e., within local counties).  PLANNING COMMISSION 12-10-24 - 58 The next item was the Building Department Report, November to December, 2024. Planner Wolf provided an overview of current projects and permits. The next item was the City Council Reports for December. Commissioner Fenton spoke on the December 2 meeting. He will cover the December 16 meeting. Commissioner Fuller will cover the January 2025 meetings. The next item was Election of Chair and Vice Chair. Commissioner Vitale recommended that Commissioner Fenton be asked to be Chair, as current Vice Chair, O’Keefe, did not wish to be Chair. Commissioner Fenton agreed. Commissioner Vitale recommended that Commissioner Hamborsky be asked to be Vice Chair. Commissioner Hamborsky agreed. MOTION by Mackinnon, seconded by Vitale, to elect Fenton as Chair, and Hamborsky as Vice Chair for 2025. Motion carried by the following vote: YES: Fenton, Fuller, Hamborsky, Mackinnon, McNelis, Vitale NO: None ABSENT: Gilezan, Marx, O’Keefe Under Public Comment, no one wished to be heard: MOTION by Fenton, seconded by Fuller, to adjourn at 9:30 p.m. Motion carried by the following vote: YES: Fenton, Fuller, Hamborsky, Mackinnon, McNelis, Vitale NO: None ABSENT: Gilezan, Marx, O’Keefe Respectfully Submitted, Gretchen Miotto Clerk’s Confidential Administrative Assistant & Recording Secretary