Planning Commission Minutes

CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF BLOOMFIELD
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
Monday, June 4, 2007
Bloomfield Township Hall

I. ATTENDANCE:

PRESENT: Salz, Goldberg, Stefanes, Swoboda

ABSENT: Mintz, Reisinger, Stark

Staff Present: Patricia McCullough, Planning and Building Director, Leo Chartier, Fire Chief, Christopher Gruba, Assistant Planner, and Robin Carley, Development Coordinator

Mr. Dave Payne, Township Supervisor, was present in the audience.

II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Motion was made and was unanimously supported to approve the Planning Commission minutes of May 21, 2007 as amended, noting "no public comments" correction on page 7.

YEAS: Salz, Goldberg, Stefanes, Swoboda

NAYS: None

III. SITE PLAN REVIEW:

A. Westview Fire Station No. 2 – 1063 Westview Road – Additions / Renovations

Ms. McCullough introduced the proposal for additions and renovations to the existing Township Westview Fire Station, located on the north side of Westview Road, between Squirrel Road and Adams Road. The site plan, landscape plan, floor plan, and elevations were reviewed, along with the proposed lighting detail. The staff report was provided to the Commissioners and submitted to the file. Departmental comments were reviewed, along with the Design Review Board minutes. Ms. McCullough stated that two variances were required for the project, front and side setback encroachments, noting that the applicant had applied to the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Mr. Salz asked for questions or comments from the Commissioners to Ms. McCullough.

Ms. Stefanes noted that the variance to the east side of the structure was adjacent to the school property and not towards the existing residential homes.

Mr. Salz asked for the presentation from the applicant.

Mr. John Argenta, architect for the project, briefly reviewed the proposal, noting that the elevations were residential in nature and that the proposed additions would match the existing brick and shingles currently on the building. The number of parking spaces was increased from 5 spaces to 8 spaces, to accommodate additional staff on site, and that the landscaping was also being increased. Mr. Argenta noted that the building was currently non-conforming and that the variances were being sought into the Westview front setback and the easterly side setback.

Mr. Salz asked for questions or comments from the Commissioners to the applicant.

Ms. Stefanes noted that the variance to the front setback was needed due to the size of the firetrucks.

Mr. Salz commented that the existing building was currently non-conforming due to its encroachment into the Westview front setback.

Mr. Salz opened the public comment portion of the meeting.

Mr. Algis Barauskas, 3018 Patch Drive, across the street from the Fire Station, was concerned that the proposed additions would allow for additional trucks on the site, thus additional traffic. He noted that the height was being increased, along with the square footage of the building. Mr. Barauskas stated that he was pleased overall with having the Fire Station across the street, and that the firemen have been good neighbors for the past 23 years that he has lived in his home.

Mr. Argenta reviewed the elevations, noting that the additions would be constructed with brick to match the existing building and that the proposed roof would be covered with shingles to match the existing. The architecture was residential in nature and in keeping with the surrounding residential homes.

Chief Chartier noted that the additional square footage would provide for additional firemen, a fitness room, a storage room, and would also accommodate the election workers for all elections.

There were no additional public comments.

Mr. Salz closed the public comment portion of the meeting and called for a motion.

Motion was made by Stefanes, seconded by Swoboda and was unanimously supported to forward the proposal to the Township Board of Trustees with a recommendation for approval, subject to seeking the following two variances from the Zoning Board of Appeals:

YEAS: Salz, Goldberg, Stefanes, Swoboda

NAYS: None

IV. DISCUSSION ITEMS:

A. Proposed Parking Study – Restaurants / Shopping Centers

Ms. McCullough introduced to the Commission the most recent efforts relating to the parking study specific to parking requirements for restaurant uses along with shopping centers. She introduced Chris Gruba who reviewed the information that was provided to the Commissioners and submitted to the file.

Three shopping centers were used for comparison purposes:

A powerpoint presentation highlighted the current parking requirements for Bloomfield Township with comparisons made using the parking requirements of several other communities, including Auburn Hills, Farmington Hills, Novi, Rochester Hills, Troy, and West Bloomfield. The ITE (Institute of Transportation Engineers) standards were also provided. The requirements of the other communities were applied to the three comparison shopping centers, noting that in most cases, the Township’s shopping center parking requirements currently exceeded the other communities’ requirements.

A ratio of 1 parking space per 200 gross square feet of floor area was recommended, noting that this was the most commonly used ratio average of the other comparison communities.

Mr. Salz asked for comments or questions from the Commissioners to staff.

Mr. Salz questioned if using a 1:200 ratio would allow for the parking spaces within the existing shopping centers to be filled, or if there would still be excess parking spaces.

The Commission discussed the existing parking and traffic flow of the three Township shopping centers used for examples. It was noted that taking an average of the parking requirements of the surrounding communities, throwing out the high and low requirements, seemed to be the most logical approach in determining the Township’s parking requirements.

Ms. McCullough noted that the ITE standards were even more aggressive than the 1:200 ratio as provided to the Commissioners. The ITE standards were updated in 2004.

Ms. McCullough discussed the possibility of including "exceptions" for places of assembly, including fitness centers and health clubs, and theaters. She also commented on the need for the Commission to address shared parking as it relates to shared uses and times of operation. The establishment of a maximum restaurant use within a shopping center was also discussed.

The Commission noted that a shopping center owner would typically not want to create a parking deficiency within his shopping center, thus adversely affecting his business.

Discussion followed regarding what could be done with the existing parking lots within the Township that would have excess parking with adoption of less restrictive parking spaces. Additional landscaping requirements were discussed, along with land-banking options for future developments.

Ms. McCullough stated that she would return to the Commission with draft language for parking requirements, including landscaping provisions.

B. Items Not on the Agenda

Ms. Stefanes commented on the excessive amount of time and tax dollars wasted on the review of the Bloomfield Park proposal over several years, with incomplete plans and information still being provided by the applicant.

V. GENERAL BUSINESS:

A. Next Planning Commission Meeting

The next Commission Meeting was scheduled for Monday, June 18, 2007.

VI. ADJOURNMENT:

The Planning Commission Meeting of Monday, June 4, 2007 was adjourned at 7:55 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Patricia McCullough, Director

Planning and Building

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