HANDY TOWNSHIP
REGULAR PLANNING COMIISSION MEETING
JANUARY 24, 2008
The regular Handy Township Planning Commission meeting was called to order by Chairman Hummel at 7:30 p.m. in the Handy Township Board Room. Members Present: Colston, Redinger, Elliott, Krebs. Absent: None. Also Present: Zoning Administrator Anderson, Attorney Kehoe, Engineering Technologies-Cora Sauter, Dickinson Wright-Stephen Dawson, Boss Engineering-Thom Dumond, and residents Rita Hooley, Kevin Hooley, Deborah Gebhard, Barbara Keesler, Frank and Marilyn Davis, Frank & Gordon Munsell, Paul Kurtz, Michael Kelly, Margo Waldo, and a few residents whose signatures were not legible.
Approval of Agenda:
To Add Under New Business, Item D) Letter from Paul Harmon-Home Occupation
MOTION ELLIOTT SUPPORT REDINGER TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED. MOTION CARRIED.
PUBLIC HEARING:
Public Hearing for Special Use Permit
For Kennel
The Gee Group-Deborah Gebhard, Kerin Gee
7:30 p.m.
MOTION ELLIOTT SUPPORT COLSTON TO GO OUT OF REGULAR BUSINESS SESSION AND OPEN PUBLIC HEARING FOR SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR KENNEL, THE GEE GROUP, DEBORAH GEBHARD, KERIN GEE, AT 7:30 P.M. IN THE HANDY TOWNSHIP BOARD ROOM.
MOTION CARRIED.
Chairman Hummel read 2 letters received by the Clerk’s office into the official record.
Letters received from Frank and Marilyn Davis dated 1-20-08 and Thomas Higby, M.D. dated 1-11-08. Both letters were in opposition of the special use permit being granted.
Comments from the public included the following concerns:
Unsightly and noisy, danger of 8 dogs in the neighborhood, small children and elderly could be in danger, barking is annoying, everything makes them bark, will lower property values, why should renters be allowed to have that many dogs?, many of the neighbors yards are not fenced to keep dogs out if they became loose, 4 acres is not enough property should have 10 acres, no one present at the home to watch the dogs during working hours so, how could you keep them quiet and how would you train them?
Handy Township Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of 1-24-08
Page 2
(Gee Group Public Hearing for Special Use Permit, continued)
Response from the owner of the dogs-
They are trained show dogs. They only bark when they are expecting to be fed, if they see something foreign to them if they are outside, they are kenneled, if they get out they will not look to harm anyone they will look to find their owner, been raising them for 20 years without incident, will not lower the property value just plant grass seed and everything will look fine, the dogs do not try to dig their way out they want to be with owner, 4 acres is enough property as they are kenneled.
There was one lady present from Grand Ledge, Margo Waldo, who spoke on behalf of the applicant. She commented that she too has show dogs in her home and has never received complaints from the neighbors. She tried to assure the public that the dogs would not become a problem.
No other comments from the public.
MOTION ELLIOTT SUPPORT KREBS TO GO OUT OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE GEE GROUP-DEBORAH GEBHARD, KERIN GEE, SPECIAL USE PERMIT AT 8:13 P.M. AND RETURN TO REGULAR BUSINESS SESSION. MOTION CARRIED.
Matters Pertaining to the General Citizenry: No comments.
Business Session:
MOTION ELLIOTT SUPPORT REDINGER TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 8, 2007 AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED.
New Business:
Commissioners discussed the following concerns:
Attorney Kehoe recommended the commissioners concentrate on Chapters 16.3 and 16.4 of the Handy Township Zoning Ordinance when considering the special use permit.
The Commissioners also expressed interest in visiting the property before making any decisions.
Handy Township Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of 1-24-08
Page 3
(New Business, Item A) Gee Group Site Plan Approval, continued)
MOTION REDINGER SUPPORT KREBS TO POSTPONE ANY DECISION ON THE SITE PLAN APPROVAL AND SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR THE GEE GROUP-DEBORAH GEBHARD, KERIN GEE, UNTIL THE NEXT REGULAR PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 28, 2008. MOTION CARRIED.
Site Plan was reviewed with Commissioners for 2 soccer and 2 softball fields including gravel driveway, gravel parking lot, no lighting on fields, no sewers, no water, some screening with existing vegetation along Grand River & Gregory Roads. Will need to add vegetation to the north as well. The driveway onto Gregory Road will not be gated. Driveway approval from the County has been granted.
Engineering concerns were discussed and included problems with drainage, portable restrooms to be brought in, zoning is wrong on site plan, site plan needs to indicate approval of soccer and ball fields only (too confusing the way it was submitted), should have a revised plan, parking needs clarifying, culverts need to be covered, and remove the building expansion from the site plan. See letter of Engineering Technologies concerns dated 1-16-08, items #2,5,10,11,12,14,15,16,20, & 21.
The Planning Commission thought it would be best if the plan was more in compliance with the engineers concerns before final approval was given.
MOTION KREBS SUPPORT REDINGER TO POSTPONE ANY DECISION ON THE FINAL SITE PLAN FOR UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH UNTIL THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 28, 2008 FOR THE REASONS AS STATED BY THE ENGINEER AND TO ALLOW APPLICANT ENOUGH TIME TO CLARIFY THE SITE PLAN.
MOTION CARRIED.
Fowlerville Proving Grounds explained they altered part of the site plan for phase 3 by mistake. They became concerned with visual screening and made modifications to various berm heights throughout the facility. They also added a loop road. They apologized for not obtaining permission before modifications were completed but explained that they were very concerned with internal security and the testing of products. A berm that was originally approved for 8 feet in height was modified to 26 feet in height. They do not plan to plant any trees on the berm.
Handy Township Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of 1-24-08
Page 4
(New Business, Item C) Fowlerville Proving Grounds, Phase 3, continued)
Neighboring residents, Gordon & Frank Munsell, expressed concerns with the height of the berm at 26 feet. It may interfere with the crop dusting plane during the growing season. Now the plane would have to take off from the Maple Grove airport rather than his own farm land resulting in the additional fee of $10.00 per acre. They asked the Commissioners to consider the height of the berms as they are not reasonable. The water shed from the berms makes it hard to farm all of the tillable ground on their farm.
Township Engineer, Cora Sauter, referred to her letter dated 1-16-08, Fowlerville Proving Grounds, Phase III Site Plan Amendments, specifically items #4 & #15 dealing with the grading of berms and extended storm sewers.
Discussion followed with Commissioners expressing their concerns about the berm being located only 10 feet off property line and whether the drains had been upgraded and replaced at the facility.
MOTION ELLIOTT SUPPORT REDINGER TO POSTPONE ANY DECISION ON THE FOWLERVILLE PROVING GROUNDS, PHASE 3, SITE PLAN AMENDMENTS UNTIL THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 28, 2008 FOR THE REASON TO ALLOW THE APPLICANT TIME TO ADDRESS THE ENGINEERS CONCERNS AS STATED IN THEIR LETTER DATED 1-16-08. MOTION CARRIED.
Commissioners read and discussed the letter submitted by Harmon Real Estate, LLC, dated 1-20-08, in regard to home occupations. The Handy Township Zoning Ordinance currently does not allow any business operations to be conducted in unattached barns and garages. Further discussion at next regular board meeting.
Communications
Reports
Call to the Public:
Resident, Frank Munsell, continued to express his concerns over the 26 foot berm that was constructed on the Proving Grounds property and the problems that his family has been having with farming since that time. He also questioned what good the company has done for the community and then addressed the drain issue once again. He and his brother invited the Commissioners out to see the water drainage problems they now have with their farm since the Proving Grounds was constructed.
Handy Township Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of 1-24-08
Page 5
(Call to the Public, continued)
No further comments from the public.
MOTION ELLIOTT SUPPORT COLSTON TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 10:03 P.M. MOTION CARRIED.
Laura A. Eisele
Handy Township Clerk