Planning
Commission Minutes
MINUTES
Cascade Charter Township Planning Commission
Monday, July 6, 2009
7:00 p.m.
ARTICLE 1. Chairman Robinson called the meeting to order at 7:00
p.m.
Members Present: Hammond, Lewis, McCarthy, Robinson, Sperla, Waalkes,
Pennington
Members Absent: Logue (excused), McDonald (excused).
Others Present: Township Planning Director Peterson, Recording
Secretary Hern and Members of the Public.
ARTICLE 2. Chairman Robinson led the Pledge of Allegiance to the
Flag.
ARTICLE 3. Approval of the Agenda for the July 6, 2009 Planning
Commission Meeting.
Chairman Robinson requested a motion for the approval of the July 6,
2009 Agenda.
Motion was made by Member Sperla and supported by Member Waalkes to
approve the Agenda as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
ARTICLE 4. Approval of the Minutes from the June 15, 2009 Meeting.
Chairman Robinson asked if there were any corrections to the June 15th
Minutes or requested a motion for approval.
Member Hammond noted on Page 4 in the third paragraph, his motion
should read as follows: "…a favorable recommendation to the
Township Board to allow a Type II Special Use Permit for a temporary
concrete batch plant located at…."
Member Sperla requested that the language in the First Condition
read as: "Appropriate traffic control signage indicating
construction traffic be installed on Patterson Avenue subject to
KCRC's approval."
Member McCarthy requested on Page 6 in the fourth paragraph that
the typo in her name be corrected.
Motion was made by Member Lewis and supported by Member Waalkes to
approve the June 15, 2009 Minutes as corrected. Motion carried
unanimously.
ARTICLE 5. Case # 09-2970: Verizon Wireless
(PUBLIC HEARING)
Address of Property: 8306 28th Street
Requested Action: The Applicant is requesting a Type I Special Use
Permit to co-locate two microwave dishes on the tower at 8306 28th
Street.
Planning Director Peterson referred to the site plan noting the
property is located on the south side of 28th Street just east of
Buttrick Avenue. The property is located behind the Buttrick Avenue
Fire Station.
These dishes are shown within the site plan and are smaller than
antennas. The Applicant has provided a site plan that shows what the
tower would look like with the new dishes.
Also included within the Planning Commissions' packets is the
Township Engineer's, Andy Felde's, report and he has found that the
structure is adequate to hold this addition. Engineer Felde has
indicated the tower will be at 73% (seventy-three percent) capacity
with this addition of the dish.
Staff is recommending Approval of the Type I Special Use Permit to
allow the co-location of the antenna at the tower at 3806 28th Street
as requested.
Applicant Bob Anders, representative for Verizon Wireless, said he
would be happy to answer any questions the Planning Commission might
have.
Member Sperla asked where the closest residence was to the site and
Planning Director Peterson noted to the north of the fire station,
over 1,000 feet. He noted the property is next to the landscape
company.
Chairman Robinson asked how long the tower has been up and Planning
Director Peterson said he is unsure of the exact year it was erected
but it is one of the older towers within the Township.
Member McCarthy asked if the co-location would add height to the
tower and Planning Director Peterson said it would not.
Chairman Robinson asked how it was determined that the tower would
be at seventy-three percent (73%) capacity with this addition.
Applicant Anders said that it was determined through a structural
analysis that was conducted by a licensed engineer in the State of
Michigan. He provided to the Township and the Township's Engineer a
signed and stamped copy of his calculations.
Member Waalkes asked what the purpose is of the microwave dishes
and if it was a new service. Applicant Anders said it is a type of
equipment that increases the site's capacity, as there are already
Verizon antennas on the tower. Planning Director Peterson noted that
Township Engineer Felde's report does indicate the top antenna as
Verizon's.
Motion was made by Member Lewis and supported by Member Waalkes to
open the Public Hearing. Motion carried unanimously.
Staff reported that no letters or phone calls were received at the
Township office regarding the case.
Motion was made by Member Waalkes and supported by Member Hammond
to close the Public Hearing. Motion carried unanimously.
Member Sperla asked where the site's access is and Planning
Director Peterson referred to the Site Plan Report indicating the
drive along the easterly side going out north onto 28th Street.
Basically the access is through the nursery.
Motion was made by Member Lewis and supported by Member McCarthy to
approve the Applicant's request for a Type I Special Use Permit to
co-locate two (2) microwave dishes on the guy wire tower at 8306 28th
Street.
ARTICLE 6. Case # 09-2971: Verizon Wireless
(PUBLIC HEARING)
Address of Property: 2950 Kraft Avenue
Requested Action: The Applicant is requesting a Type I Special Use
Permit to co-locate a microwave dish on the tower at 2950 Kraft
Avenue.
Planning Director Peterson indicated that the property is located
along Kraft Avenue at the RBC Ministries property and adjacent to
I-96.
One microwave dish is being attached to the tower.
Township Engineer Felde did the structural analysis and he has
found that the structure is adequate to hold this antenna. Adding this
dish brings the tower to 70% (seventy percent) capacity.
Staff recommends approval of the Type I Special Use Permit to allow
the co-location of the antenna at the tower at 2950 Kraft Avenue as
requested.
Member Waalkes asked if Clearwire recently requested a co-location
on this tower and asked if their antenna has been completed and if the
Township Engineer included this co-location in his report? Applicant
Anders noted that the signed and stamped report does include
Clearwire's antenna that has not been installed yet.
Chairman Robinson asked if the Township has a copy of the
structural analysis and Applicant Anders said it has been submitted to
the Township.
Member Lewis asked if the dish would help eliminate dead zones and
Applicant Anders said the dish is to help route the signal traffic and
will not eliminate dead zones.
Motion was made by Member Lewis and supported by Member McCarthy to
open the Public Hearing. Motion carried unanimously.
Planning Director Peterson said no letters or phone calls were
received at the Township.
Motion was made by Member Hammond and supported by Member
Pennington to close the Public Hearing. Motion carried unanimously.
Member Sperla asked if other communities are experiencing increased
requests for co-locations and Planning Director Peterson noted the
Township probably receives fewer requests for towers and co-locations
due to the airport.
Member Hammond asked if there is a map or drawing showing coverage
of these towers and antennas. Planning Director Peterson said that
service providers have a specific map for their signal. The Township
Engineer also provided a map for tower locations to assist with new
tower requests.
Motion was made by Member Sperla and supported by Member Lewis to
approve the Applicant's request for a Type I Special Use Permit to
co-locate a microwave dish on the tower at 2950 Kraft Ave.
ARTICLE 7. Discussion of Zoning Ordinance Audit
Planning Director Peterson said Lynee Wells has completed the audit of
the Zoning Ordinance. This report should be viewed as a guide, which
the Township can use to make changes to the Zoning Ordinance in the
future.
Staff suggests that a standing committee of the Planning Commission
to review these changes as well as the others that both Lynee and
Staff are working on. The committee can be used to come up with the
draft language before it is presenting to the full Planning
Commission.
Member Sperla noted that some areas of the audit interest him and
others do not. The Planning Commission is composed of volunteers and
there are a lot of items to be reviewed in the audit and would take a
lot of time. He thought that each Commissioner could volunteer for a
specific area to help distribute the work.
Chairman Robinson suggested that as the topics come up, that the
Planning Commission be notified to see if they are interested in
meeting regarding a given subject. Planning Director Peterson said he
favors this suggestion but the sub-committees cannot consist of more
than four (4) members. He supported the development of sub-committees
to review ideas and concerns. Once the sub-committees have reviewed
the reports and developed the language, the information would be
brought before the entire Planning Commission for discussion.
Member Sperla suggested that Staff report at the end of each
Planning Commission Meeting of any upcoming meetings and the
Commission could decide the attendees at the meeting.
Chairman Robinson said he would like to sit in on all of the
meetings so he is aware of all the developments.
Member Lewis said that as he read the audit he has become concerned
over the interpretation of the Master Plan and though it is a ten (10)
year program, some feel they must do everything within the first six
(6) months. He is concerned about some of the terminology and how
quick they suggested we go somewhere and misinterpret the idea in the
Master Plan and the concern of our natural resources and does not mean
the Township will go as far as what is noted in the memorandum within
the Commissioners' packets. He hopes that the Master Plan is not an
opportunity to instill some things that the Township may not be
welcome to see the changes within their ordinance.
Member Sperla noted his concern with "sustainability" and
the trade offs suggested in the areas of setbacks heights and reduce
lot sizes. All the safeguards that the Township puts in place would be
thrown away for a trade off for wind turbines and LEED Certification,
etc.
Member Hammond noted this is an opportunity to review what
surrounding cities and townships have attempted and succeeded at.
Sustainability is often a nebulous subject and believes the Township
needs to look at "sustainability" in a logical way.
Member Waalkes noted that the memorandum looked at the entire
Zoning Ordinance in light of the new Master Plan. The Planning
Commission will develop the Work Plan for each year and prioritize the
items and items such as Sustainability might not come onto a Work Plan
for another nine (9) years.
Planning Director Peterson said any changes in the Zoning Ordinance
would be based upon the Master Plan.
ARTICLE 8. Any Other Business.
Planning Director Peterson reported that we have been received a lot
of interest in the Farmland Preservation program since our letters
went out informing the property owners of their eligibility because of
the new Master Plan.
ARTICLE 9. Adjournment
Chairman Robinson requested a motion for adjournment.
Motion was made by Member Hammond and supported by Member Sperla to
adjourn. Motion carried unanimously and the meeting was adjourned at
7:46 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
John Sperla, Secretary
Lisa Hern, Recording Secretary
Government
~ Departments ~
Community
Business ~
Reference Desk ~
What's Happening
Help ~
Home ~ Search ~ Site Map
Comments? Feedback? Questions? Click here to send an email.
Site Use Policy
This page last modified
06/08/04.
All information © 2003-2004Cascade Township, Michigan
|
Site
Design/Development by
 |
|
