Unapproved minutes
Lakewood Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting
Tuesday, May 27, 2008, at 7:00 PM
Lakewood Town Hall
Call to Order: Chair Wolfe called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM.
Present: Chair Bob Wolfe, Inese Holte, Ann Cutts, Chris Roningen, Dick Bodine, Peter Miller, Diane Holliday-Welsh, Jim Levang, Zoning Administrator Brennan Mears, and Recorder David Gerhart. Cutts and Mears had to leave the meeting early. All members present were voting members. Three other citizens were present (see attached register).
Pledge of Allegiance: The Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America was recited by all present.
Approval of minutes from April 29. Holte liked the format of the April 29 minutes and moved to approve. Second by Holliday-Welsh. The minutes were approved unanimously.
Selection of representative to Town Board meeting of June 4 – Chris Roningen.
Election of P&Z representative to Board of Adjustment – Ann Cutts.
Lipe Bros.: Wolfe stated that Lipe Bros. Construction has elected to sue the Township in District Court regarding the terms of its recently approved Conditional Use Permit (CUP). Wolfe reminded P&Z members not to discuss the Lipe Bros. CUP with anyone.
Public Comment: Jerome Norick, commenting on the proposed new Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP), said he would like to see paragraphs #1 and #8 of the Introduction to the current CLUP included in the new CLUP. Wolfe said that this should be mentioned at the public hearing on June 16.
CLUP Steering Committee Report: Holte mentioned the Open House to be held on Saturday June 7 from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Tuesday June 10 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at the Town Hall. The public is invited to ask questions and review the draft CLUP on these dates. In addition, P&Z will hold a public hearing on the CLUP on Monday June 16 at 7:00 PM that will also allow for public comment and input.
Jeff Denny, a member of the CLUP Steering Committee, said that he agreed with comments by Mr. Norick about including statements from the Introduction of the current CLUP in the new CLUP.
Unfinished Business:
Cell Tower Ordinance: Wolfe said that the ordinance needs some fine-tuning but that the matter is not urgent.
Signage Ordinance: Holte will strive to present a proposal prior to the June P&Z meeting.
Emailing of minutes: Bob Wolfe, Chris Roningen, and Ann Cutts would like to continue to receive paper copies of all pertinent documents in a mailed packet prior to P&Z meetings.
Fill Importation Language for Ordinance: Mears stated that a committee of about five people will meet next week to consider this issue.
Zoning Administrator's Report - Mears: Three permits were issued since the last meeting, and these were passed around for members to read. July 1st will be Mears' last day as Zoning Administrator assuming the Township is able to find a replacement. There is a variance hearing on Wednesday the 11th of June that concerns the road centerline setback requirement. Several other variances have been approved since the last meeting, one involving a wording clarification and one involving a wetlands issue. A variance was also approved for Loren Johnston that has significance for P&Z. Mears believes that P&Z should clarify language in the Ordinance regarding driveways, cartways, and the requirement that only two homes can be served by a single driveway. For example, if an established driveway/cartway is wider than 32 feet, then it seems that more than two homes could be served by a single road. Clarification of these issues should be under New Business.
Other items mentioned included progress on the Martinson property, the auto repair shop, current Ordinance language regarding nonconforming lots, and cutting and clearing on Lester River Road.
New Business:
Wolfe discussed aspects of the Town Board minutes from May and urged members to be cautious about emails. When emails are necessary, they should be directed to the Town Clerk.
A 10-minute recess was taken at about 8:00 PM.
Discussion of Draft Comprehensive Land Use Plan
Chapter 1. Introduction.
Holte suggested adding language from the current CLUP to page 1 of the draft CLUP as follows:
After the first paragraph on page 1 describing the Purpose of the Plan (sentence ending in "to achieve that vision."), the following sentences shall be inserted:
"A comprehensive land use plan is an official public document, adopted by a local unit of government, which acts as a policy guide to future decisions about the physical growth and development of the community. The plan sets forth the objectives, policies and standards that will guide future public and private development.
The Comprehensive Plan provides the broad policy guidelines that are implemented in part through the zoning ordinance. This relationship is strengthened by the legal requirement that the zoning ordinance conform to the comprehensive plan."
Chapter 2. Where We Are Now and Who We Are Now.
Miller suggested that alternatives to mound septic systems should be encouraged in the CLUP and that language should be included that states that new roads should guide development in the township. Wolfe suggested that these issues might better be addressed in Chapter 3.
Holte noted a typo on page 12 (middle): "According to 200 Census data" should be "According to 2000 Census data."
Chapter 3. Vision For Lakewood.
To address Miller's suggestion (above), Wolfe proposed that on page 15, third paragraph from the bottom, the paragraph read as follows:
"New housing has occurred throughout the Township. All new housing promotes the community's rural character and sustainable development practices using new and emerging technologies."
Typo on page 16, second paragraph from bottom: Change "pubic" to "public."
Page 16, fourth paragraph, change "The Town continues its sustainable development practices help to maintain maintaining its resources..." to "The Town continues its sustainable development practices to help maintain its resources..."
Page 17, third paragraph from bottom, omit first sentence: "The road system has changed very little in the last 20 years." This paragraph should read as follows:
"New road building and road paving have been kept to the minimum, but as population density has increased, some planned expansion of the road system has been necessary to guide development. Existing roads are well maintained. Moderate speed limits compatible with the recreational use of the roads are enforced."
Motion by Miller, second by Levang to continue the meeting beyond the usual 9:00 PM adjournment time. Carried.
The Concept Areas described on pages 18-20 were discussed. Miller suggested a commercial core near the Lakewood School and Community Center. Roningen felt that the Concept Area 7/8 existed only to slow development of interior parcels and was a red herring. Holte said more information was needed as to why these lands were "fragile." Others stressed stream water hydrology in these areas, and Jeff Denny cited government mandates to clean up impaired waters with excessive turbidity. Wolfe said the CLUP committee should include in an appendix the information that was used to formulate the wording for the Concept Areas.
Wolfe said that on page 25, the information on Concept Area 6 (Light Industrial Areas) was out of place and should be removed and placed on page 23. It was agreed to move the material on the Light Industrial Areas on pages 25 and 26 back to page 23 as part of Goal 3.
Wolfe then asked for a motion to accept by consensus the changes to the new CLUP that had been agreed upon. Motion by Miller, second by Bodine, to accept the changes. Carried unanimously.
Motion by Holte, second by Levang, to have Bob Wolfe present the changes to the Town Board and the CLUP Steering Committee. Carried unanimously.
Motion by Bodine to adjourn. Second inaudible. Carried unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at about 10:00 PM.
The next regular Planning and Zoning Commission meeting is June 24th, 2008, at 7:00 PM at Lakewood Town hall.
Respectfully submitted,
David Gerhart