AGENDA Augusta Charter Township Regular Planning Commission Meeting Township Hall January 18, 2006 6:30 PM 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call and Recognition of Visitors 3. Approval of Minutes 4. Approval of Agenda 5. Scheduled Public Hearings a. Medallion Homes Rezoning, AR to SR-1 (RZ-04-04 & RZ-04-05) b. Kensington Park PUD (PUD-05-04) c. Augusta on the Lake PUD (PUD-04-04) 6. Old Business a. Follow-Up re: Zoning Enforcement Complaint by Mr. Vercrusse b. Update re: Bunyea Farms and Trucking Site Plan (SP-05-01) c. Medallion Homes Tentative Preliminary Site Condominium (CON-04-03 & CON-04-04) 7. New Business a. Review Draft Fence Regulations Zoning Amendment 8. Open Discussion for Issues Not on the Agenda a. Correspondence Received b. Planning Commission Members c. Members of the Audience 9. Report of Township Board Representative 10. Report of Zoning Board of Appeals Representative 11. Report of Planning Consultant 12. Adjournment
Page 1 of 4, January 18, 2006 AUGUSTA CHARTER TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION JANUARY 18, 2006 MINUTES 1) CALL TO ORDER - The Regular Meeting of the Augusta Township Planning Commission was called to order on Wednesday, January 18, 2006 at 6:30 PM. 2) ROLL CALL Members present: Dugas, Keefe, Selter, Smith, Tobler, Woodside. Absent: Chie. Also present: Jeremy Lopatin and Engineer Kevin Murphy. A quorum was established. 3) APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion by Keefe, supported by Smith, to approve the minutes of the December meeting as presented. Vote was unanimous for approval. 4) APPROVAL OF AGENDA Motion by Tobler, supported by Dugas, to approve the agenda as presented. Vote was unanimous for approval. 5) SCHEDULED PUBLIC HEARINGS 5a) Medallion Homes Rezoning, AR to SR-1 (RZ-04-04 & RZ-04-05) Motion by Keefe, supported by Dugas, to open the Public Hearing. Allen Greene, Steven Karbol and Brian Galbraith were present. The application was to rezone about 35 acres on Willis Rd near McKean Rd from AR to SR1. The rezoning request was proposed by the applicant to be Conditional to allow a duplex residential housing project. The property is adjacent to Augusta Woods and Augusta Crossings. Sewer and Water are close enough to be available which will provide a loop for the utilities. The current proposal has incorporated much of the planner s comments to date, including a reduction of units from 140 to 136. The homes will have 2 car garages; driveway parking; parking on street for one side only; typically 2 story with basement, although most of the models shown appeared to be one story with cathedral ceilings or lofts. Price range from $180 to 220K. Comments from the public included: Keith Bruder: stick built (yes). Is there sewer capacity (yes). Few onsite facilities and no open space (applicant expects mostly empty nesters with no children). Concerned about utility trenching taking out trees along roadside. Tammy Holkin: will she have to tap into sewer or water? Just paid $12K for an engineered field and cannot afford expense (utilities will come from west; hopes for gravity sewer). What s local requirement for hooking up? Would have to sell home. States that area is wet. Basements have 3 feet of water in them. Wants wooded area behind home preserved. Can developer pay for any sewer and water taps that may be required? What about screening in back yard? (Allan Greene indicated that developer will work with neighbors regarding their individual needs). Concerned that it won t actually be empty nesters. Concerned about her animals (chickens and pygmy goats). Paul Sexton: concerned about overall density developing in area, and impact on traffic; no tornado warning sirens in the high density areas. Concerned about traffic on Bemis, and the Bemis/Rawsonville intersection. Kathy Jackson indicated that a signal is planned by 2010. Nancy Davidson: parking on one side, who is going to police it? (homeowner s association). How wide are the roads? (24 feet; 40 foot driveway will hold 4 cars on site) John Moscheck: traffic study is too local, does not determine effects far enough away. Wants the density of the Master Plan adhered to. Hugh Davidson: too over crowded.
Page 2 of 4, January 18, 2006 Isabel Duk: wants support from Planning Commission to retain rural area; schools too overcrowded. Wants higher scale development. (The process of Master Planning was explained to the audience; a place for all legal uses has to be provided by statute and case law. School overcrowding has been disallowed by the courts as a consideration). Paul Sexton: wants the Master Plan to be adhered to. (Original plan was 8 per acre, and has been reduced to 4.5 per acre). Completion date? Housing bubble? (won t start construction for at least one year). Wants the Master Plan adhered to. Tammie Holkin: land originally was affordable vacant land because it didn t perk. Doesn t believe the proposed homes are suitable to empty nesters because of steps. Thinks it will result in full-family community or rental. Roy Smith: would like to see a 10 acre park included. Motion by Smith, supported by Keefe, to close the Public Hearing. Planner Lopatin reviewed the submitted set of conditions. He stated that he would like to review the new plans before any decision is made, and reminded the Planning Commission that the rezoning is tied to the Site Condominium. Lopatin urged caution, and would seek advice from the Township Attorney before a recommendation is made to the Board. Wants re-reviews by planner and engineer. Allen Green suggested that the Planning Commission table the application to allow the additional reviews to occur and to consider the citizen s comments. Motion by Keefe, supported by Dugas, to table the application for rezoning until the March meeting to allow re-reviews from the attorney, engineer and planner. Vote was unanimous for approval. 5b) Kensington Park PUD (PUD-05-04) Motion by Dugas, supported by Smith, to open the Public Hearing. Andy Milia presented the application for a joint application with Lombardo properties and Franklin properties. Strong team of consultants. 1.49 units per acre overall. Adjacent to Belle Mead and Paint Creek development. Wants to tie the developments together with shared infrastructures and a comprehensive plan. High quality development. Regulated forested wetlands preserved. Internal sidewalks and connections to adjacent developments. 80 foot wide lots. Rural viewshed along Willis Rd. Significant park space (in flood plain). Traffic study has been completed and will be provided. Isabel Duk: concerned about congestion along Willis Rd and the wonderful homes that already exist. What about help for the school district? (can t be considered as part of local planning process by case law). Bill Borgstadt: when start and stop? (start in 2007 and 4 years to build out). Housing bubble has busted. Bruce Lundquist: concern about schools and school taxes. Nancy Davidson: concerned about needed road improvements. (widening and acceleration/deceleration lanes; traffic control at Whittaker/Willis. Joe Keefe: spoke about impact fees imposed in other states. Motion by Dugas, supported by Keefe, to close the Public Hearing. Vote was unanimous for approval. Lopatin presented the highlights of his review from Dec 15, 2005. Comments from the SAC (for Feb 9) should be included. Results of Traffic Study are pending. In the southwest corner, the significant wooded areas should be retained as much as possible to create a view break. Enhancements along Riparian corridor. Innovative stormwater management practices. Need to see revised plans. Discussion about stormwater management and Drain Commission s standards. BelleMead was targeted at $259K and so far the homes have been $279K to $450K. Motion by Keefe, supported by Dugas, to table to the March meeting to allow input from the SAC, the Road Study, and the developer to address the planner s suggestions. Vote was unanimous for approval.
Page 3 of 4, January 18, 2006 5c) Augusta on the Lake PUD (PUD-04-04) Motion by Dugas, supported by Keefe, to open the Public Hearing. Andy Milia presented the application. He explained the 4 year history of the proposal. A public hearing was held originally in 2004 and was tabled to consider comments received from the neighbors and township officials. The current proposal includes 97 single family homes on 53 acres (instead of multifamily condominiums). Bruce Homes will be the builder. High quality homes. The site includes 9 acres of Lake Lenore and the Conservation easement, and Swan Creek drain. The proposal protects the conservation easement, Swan Creek, and included wetlands. A new sewage pump station will benefit other township properties. The current proposal does not provide access to Lake Lenore except for one home on Bunton Road, which could be made separate from the subdivision development. Walkout basements. Conservation easement enhanced with additional land. Density about 2 units per acre. Terry Copley: raising grade on development may shed water onto her property (grades will be raised in front yards only; not in rear yards; stormwater control on the subdivision may actually improve the drainage on the adjacent lands). What kinds of barriers? Wants to protect privacy and her farm animals along her fenceline (developer will work with homeowners). John Moschek: additional buffer along Lake Lenore? (will add land north of existing conservation easement). What is density? (2.1 per acre). Why more dense? (Andy Milia showed Master Plan from County showing density of 4 units per acre; this drawing is not the official map and is in error; official map shows 1-2 dua). Augusta on the Lake is more expensive to build than Kensington. The detention pond is oversized as they preferred to create a water feature than recreational area. Paul Sexton: Will the lakefront lot be separate? (yes, but only if included in same application). Can there be less lots on Bunton Rd (yes; 1 less lot on Bunton and 1 less along Lake Lenore). What kind of fencing along Lake Lenore? (chain link weaving thru wooded area). April Wilson: had horse farm on McKean. No privacy from back; also has pond. Concerned about trespass. Wants some kind of consideration. (will talk with all neighbors to try to work out issues). Long discussion regarding fence design and placement. Motion by Smith, supported by Dugas, to close the public hearing. Vote was unanimous for approval. Lopatin discussed summary points from his review from November 1, 2005. This included buffering along Swan Creek, and enhanced stormwater management; consideration of transition to neighboring properties; and road issues. Kevin Murphy spoke of joint meeting with Road and Drain Commission. The RC is still concerned with the number of curb cuts, which has been reduced from 9 to 3. Lopatin raised the possibility of safety paths. Milia responded they would look at this, and might accommodate if it doesn t interfere with the private road requirements. Motion by Smith, supported by Tobler, to table until next meeting to allow some of the remaining issues to be resolved. Vote was unanimous for approval. Dugas and Smith to form a subcommittee to help discuss and address the issues. 6) OLD BUSINESS 6a) Follow-Up re: Zoning Enforcement Complaint by Mr. Vercrusse rescheduled to February per request from Mr. Vercrusse due to illness. 6b) Update on Bunyea Farms Trucking Site Plan (SP-05-01) Lopatin indicated that he had received communications from the building department that they had no further issues with the diesel fuel tank. Also, a communication was received from the Road Commission which apparently specifies a single 50 foot access drive. The plans for parking and the access drive need to be shown on the plans. Mrs. Bunyea was instructed that she could mark the plans to provide the access drive shown as approved by the Road Commission, and also indicate the parking arrangements. Twelve copies should be provided to the township for review.
Page 4 of 4, January 18, 2006 6c) Medallion Homes Tentative Preliminary Site Condominium (CON-04-03 & CON-04-04) Tabled due to the tabling of the rezoning request in agenda item 5a. 7) NEW BUSINESS 7a) Review Draft Fence Regulations Zoning Amendment Tobler presented a few comments on the draft ordinance. In particular, paragraph 3a states fences and walls located on property zoned or used for residential purposes shall. This language might be unclear in establishing whether a property in mixed residential and farm use is regulated or not. The proposed language needs to be more clear and not ambiguous. Lopatin to reconsider language and consult with the township attorney. 8) OPEN DISCUSSION FOR ISSUES NOT ON THE AGENDA 8a) Correspondence Received from Sylvia Taylor: concerns regarding wastewater and stormwater discharged into Swan Creek from Autumn Park and Augusta on the Lake. 8b) Planning Commission Members none 8c) Members of the Audience none 9) REPORT OF TOWNSHIP BOARD REPRESENTATIVE none 10) REPORT OF ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS REPRESENTATIVE none 11) REPORT OF THE PLANNING CONSULTANT none 12) ADJOURNMENT Motion by Smith, supported by Dugas, to adjourn. Vote was unanimous for approval. Meeting adjourned at 10:32PM. Respectfully submitted, William E Tobler, Secretary Planning Commission