Planning
Commission Minutes
MINUTES
Cascade Charter Township Planning Commission
Monday, January 5, 2004
7:00 pm
ARTICLE 1. Chairman Richards called the meeting to order.
Members Present: Goldberg, Jones, Koessel, Lewis, Logue, MacAllister,
McDonald, Richards
Members Absent: Robinson (excused).
Others Present: Planning Director Peterson, Planner Deem, Admin.
Assistant Thompson and those listed on Supplement #1.
Chairman Richards welcomed new members Brian Logue and Claude
Robinson to the Commission.
ARTICLE 2. Chairman Richards led the Pledge of Allegiance to the
Flag.
ARTICLE 3. The agenda was approved on motion by Member Lewis and
supported by Member Koessel. The motion carried.
ARTICLE 4. A lengthy discussion of the motion on Page 14 of Case
#03-2603, took place and whether the word "and" in place of
the word "or" should be added to the sentence which reads:
"the bond would cover curb or vegetation, fence removal or
movement, whichever they choose, and to rebuild the service road or to
make it come up to service road specifications". After
discussion, the Minutes of the December 15, 2003 meeting were approved
as written on motion by Member Lewis and supported by Member McDonald.
The motion carried.
ARTICLE 5. The Township Board Minutes of November 19, 2003 were
received and filed.
ARTICLE 6. Presentation of Resolutions of Appreciation
Melissa Erickson and John Nuerenberg
Chairman Richards read the Resolution of Appreciation for Melissa
Erickson. He asked for a vote of those in favor of the resolution as
presented. The motion carried.
Chairman Richards then read the Resolution of Appreciation for John
Nuerenberg. Chairman Richards asked for a vote of those in favor of
the resolution as presented. The motion carried.
Chairman Richards thanked former members Erickson and Nuerenberg
for their service on the Planning Commission and the tremendous amount
of work they did in preparation and attendance at the meetings.
ARTICLE 7. Presentation and Discussion of 2004 Work Plan
Planning Director Peterson related the work plan is a list of items
to work on in 2004. The list is smaller than in years past.
Chairman Richards related all of the items are worthy goals. He
would like to continue in-house education for planning commissioners
whenever possible. He related some commissioners have attended
seminars in the past.
Planning Director Peterson related we have money in the budget to
send people to conferences. The township pays for conference if they
are related to our job here at Planning Commission. He suggested the
Commissioners attend local conferences held in evenings or afternoons
and are specifically designed for Planning Commissioners.
Member Lewis related he would like to discuss private roads and
public roads because that issue has come before us a number of times.
One of our goals should be to solve it one way or another. He would
like that added to the work plan.
Member Goldberg related he would like to see a comparison of our
private road and public road standard to other communities.
Member Lewis related he would like to address the philosophy of why
we even have such standards.
Planning Director Peterson related we will start with comparisons.
Member Goldberg recommended putting together a statement of purpose
and what we have and what we are trying to accomplish so we can be
consistent.
Member Lewis asked if urban sprawl could also be discussed.
Member Lewis related he is not too sure he agrees with the
community planning principles.
Planning Director Peterson related we used a lot of these
principles when developing the new subdivision ordinance. Our Master
Plan may not be consistent with every single one of these principles.
Planning Director Peterson related he is passing this on to make sure
everybody had a copy of these.
Chairman Richards suggested including as number five on the work
plan a review of the private road ordinance.
Chairman Richards asked what would you like to do with urban
sprawl?
Member McDonald related he would like to evaluate the farmland and
open space preservation and encourage preservation through the land
conservancy.
Member MacAllister related she would like to hear some type of
presentation on the facts of urban sprawl. She feels there are lots of
areas we could focus on for preservation.
Member McDonald suggested putting an article in the Township
newsletter with the process to go through if a citizen wants to
preserve their land.
Planning Director Peterson related we participate in the County PDR
program.
Member McDonald related he believes there is a lack of awareness of
what people can do and participate in. The Land Conservancy could do a
15 minute presentation for the Planning Commission.
Member Goldberg asked how does a presentation by the Conservancy
relate to what it is that we are being asked to do? It doesn't impact
our purpose here.
Member McDonald related our job here is to say what we see as good
things for the township. What areas do we deem important areas to be
preserved and what our options are and our role to educate ourselves
and others in the community.
Chairman Richards asked has any kind of a survey been done for
that? Planning Director Peterson related during the Subdivision
Ordinance process we went through and mapped out sensitive areas in
the township, such as wetlands and steep slopes. That provided the
frame work for the changes in the Subdivision Ordinance.
Chairman Richards related the topic of urban sprawl is a concern to
all of us. He would be happy to hear from the land conservancy and
their program. He would also like to hear from Staff about that as
well.
ARTICLE 8. Planning Principles
Planning Director Peterson related these Planning Principles were
adopted a couple of years ago and put into the packet to refresh your
memories.
Member Goldberg asked what does it mean to adopt this set of
principles? Planning Director Peterson related they are not binding in
any way. They define quality planning. The State planning body asked
communities to adopt the principles to provide a framework for their
own goals. Planning Director Peterson related he certainly does not
put the principles in the same category as the Master Plan. They do
provide frame work for our discussions.
Member Jones related he has some concern about adopting guidelines
such as these. Each community is in different stages of development.
Each community has different ideals than back in the 1800's. He would
like to see us study further and come up with specific principles for
Cascade Township.
Member MacAllister agreed, we should pull out the ones we think are
appropriate for us.
Planning Director Peterson related that is what the Master Plan is
- specific to Cascade Township. Some of these principles will apply to
us and some will not.
Member Koessel related our ordinance deals with these things. This
document just tells us we are considering the principles and not
implementing them.
Member Goldberg related he does not feel he needs to slaverishly
adhere to either one of documents.
Chairman Richards recalled the vote was to adopt the principles in
the sense we recognize it as a statement of principle and is
non-binding.
Member Goldberg related he would like to see the resolution that
adopted the principles.
Planning Director Peterson related he will put that on a future
agenda.
ARTICLE 9. Rules of Conduct - ExParte Communications
Chairman Richards encouraged every member to review these carefully
and keep them handy.
ARTICLE 10. Election of Officers
Member Lewis supported by Member McDonald moved to nominate the
following:
Chairman Eric Richards
Vice Chairman Jim Koessel
Secretary Fred Goldberg
There being no other nominations - the motion carried.
Member Koessel supported by Member McDonald moved to re-appoint
Jack Lewis as the Planning Commission representative to the Zoning
Board of Appeals. The motion carried.
Member Goldberg supported by Member McDonald moved to re-appoint
Lorissa MacAllister as the representative to the Village Design Review
Committee. The motion carried.
ARTICLE 11. Any Other Business
Member Lewis related in his reading recently he ran across a quote
from Eisenhower "may we know unity without conformity".
Chairman Richards related that is well taken. He has tried in his year
as chair to encourage open debate and discussion of matters and to
express differences without incivility and animosity. He looks forward
to another good year with the Planning Commission. There will often be
issues on which we will differ.
ARTICLE 12. Adjournment
Member Goldberg supported by Member MacAllister moved to adjourn.
The motion carried and the meeting was
adjourned at 7:54 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Fred Goldberg, Secretary
FG:MJT
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