FLUSHING PLANNING COMMISSION

 

MINUTES

 

FEBRUARY 7, 2005

 

A Regular Meeting of the Flushing Planning Commission was called to order by Chairperson   Robert Matsko on February 7, 2005 at 7:30 P.M. at City Hall.

 

Present:          Dennis Bueche

                        George Kozan

                        John Gault

                        Ron Johnson

                        Robert Matsko

                        Dan Borgerding

                        C Neil Blackmore

                        Jack Owens

                       

Absent:           John Olson  (Excused)

                       

 

 

Also Present: Dennis Bow, City Manager

                        Marlene C. Stone, Deputy Clerk

                       

 

Pledge of Allegiance:

 

Oath of Office:           Ron Johnson

                                    C. Neil Blackmore

                                    Jack Owens

 

Election of Officers:   CHAIRMAN, VICE CHAIRMAN AND SECRETARY

 

            MOTION by Gault, supported by Borgerding, to keep the existing officers:

                        Chairman – Robert Matsko

                        Vice Chairman – Ron Johnson

                        Secretary – Nancy G. Parks, Clerk/Treasurer

            Yea: 8

            Nay: 0

            Motion carried.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FLUSHING PLANNING COMMISSION

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Motion to excuse:

 

            MOTION by Blackmore, supported by Gault, to excuse John Olson from the

                        February 7, 2005 meeting.

           

            Yea: 8

            Nay: 0

            Motion carried.

           

 

Approval of Minutes:            JANUARY 4, 2005 (REGULAR MEETING)

 

            MOTION by Gault, supported by Kozan, to approve the minutes of

                        January 4, 2005 as written.

 

            Yea: 7

            Nay: 0

            Abstain: 1

            Motion carried.

 

           

 

Meeting open for public comments:

 

            Mrs. Elva Cook

            1459 Flushing Rd.

 

Meeting closed for public comments:

 

New Business:           PUBLIC HEARING – REQUEST TO REZONE 

                                                                                    241 LYNN ST

                                                                                      55-27-580-120

            MOTION by Gault, supported by Bueche, to recommend to City Council to

                        grant approval of the rezoning request for 241 Lynn Street from light

                        Industrial (LI) to Residential (R-3A).

            Yea: 8

            Nay: 0

            Motion carried.

 

 

 

 

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Discussion:

·        Mr. Brad Lockwood, Attorney representing the owners (Eastern Michigan Conference – Frances Henry Trust), spoke to the Commission regarding the land contract with Mr. Ronald Schor and his desire to obtain a mortgage and pay off his land contract.  He also stated that his clients, the owners, are in agreement with this request for rezoning.

·        Mr. Ronald K. Schor spoke to the Commission and explained that the lenders he has contacted do not want to finance a residential home in an Industrial zoning because of the restriction that the home could not be rebuilt as residential if it was more than 50% destroyed.

·        Mr. Bow advised the Committee that at present R-3A is the zoning recommended in the Master Plan, however; we will be looking at this entire area in our review of the Master Plan.  This will not be completed for several months and Mr. Schor needs to obtain financing as soon as possible.

·        The Commission discussed the need to find a better solution to address this lender/loan financing problem.  It hopes to eliminate the need for each residential homeowner to apply for a rezoning to satisfy the lenders concerns for rebuilding.

·        Mr. Bow said perhaps administration could look at some verbiage change to the non-conforming regulations in our ordinance for a solution.

 

 

Old Business:             SITE PLAN – 746 CHAMBERLAIN ST

                                                                        55-26-584-001

 

            MOTION by Johnson, supported by Bueche, to approve the Site Plan for

                        746 Chamberlain Street (Date stamped 1/28/05) as presented with the

                        following conditions:

1.      City Council approval of a proposed water runoff easement from

746 Chamberlain Street to the retention pond.

2.      Attach the owner’s seven-item response sheet to the site plan.

3.      Make sure the note “two story” is marked off of the site plan.

 

Yea: 6

Nay: 0

Abstain: 2

Motion carried.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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General Discussion:

           

            TRAFFIC LIGHT (MAPLE/MAIN)

 

·        Mr. Bow discussed possible changes to the Maple/Main intersection regarding a traffic light, moving the street location or changing traffic flow directions.  He suggested we should have some professional help in determining how any changes will impact the downtown area.

·        Mr. Bow said there is a grant available to help fund this proposed project.

·        Mr. Bow advised the Commission that the McKinley/Main traffic study was done at a cost of approximately $4,000.00 and that if we do a study of the entire downtown it would cost much more.

 

MOTION by Gault, supported by Blackmore, to postpone the traffic light (Maple/Main)

      item.

Yea: 8

Nay: 0

Motion carried

 

 

 

 

 

            FLUSHING AREA RECREATION PLAN (Information only)

 

·        This plan will need to be adopted jointly by City of Flushing, Flushing Township and the Schools.  Mr. Bow stated he is looking for any additional comments or recommendations to the Plan.

 

ACCESSORY BUILDING (SAMPLE ORDINANCE)

 

·        Mr. Bow discussed some sample ordinances from other cities.  The item #2 on the sample ordinance document seems to be a possibility for use as a direction for the City of Flushing’s accessory building ordinance. Also item # 5 with the “600 square feet maximum or 10% of the rear yard, whichever is greater.”

·        Some items to include in a draft for the new Accessory Building Ordinance would be:

1.      Allow an accessory building with a maximum of 600 square feet or 10% of the rear yard; whichever is greater.

2.      Maximum height of building to be 15 feet at the mean of the roofline.

3.      Place a maximum number of buildings?

 

 

 

 

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PRIVATE ROADS (DISCUSSION ONLY)

 

·        Mr. Bow discussed the application from residents on Golfside and Fairway East.  They are requesting the City accept their private streets as public.

·        Administration is presently working on another request from Scharrer Drive, to be accepted as a public street.

·        Mr. Borgerding asked if there was any benefit to the City to accept these streets into the public street system.  Mr. Bow explained that the City would receive gas taxes for road maintenance but there is not a real benefit to the City to accept these streets.

·        Mr. Johnson mentioned the need for these streets to be built or brought up to city standards (Thickness of asphalt, curb and gutter etc.) before the City could accept them as public streets.

·        Mr. Bow mentioned that the City could have a problem with snow plowing some of these streets without someplace to push the snow.

 

 

 

 

 

Adjournment:

 

            MOTION by Borgerding, supported by Bueche, to adjourn.

 

            Yea: 8

            Nay: 0

            Motion carried.  Meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.

 

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