KIMBALL TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION
2160 WADHAMS ROAD, KIMBALL, MI 48074
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
May 27, 2025
6:30 P.M.
Orr opened the meeting at 6:30 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL OF OFFICERS: Orr, Barrett, Lokers, Henry, Howard, and Tuttle.
Absent: Miller.
I. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA:
Add under New Business letter C. Newfies Kennel Animal Control.
Barrett motioned to approve the agenda as amended, supported by Howard.
Motion carried
Barrett motioned to approve April 22, 2025, minutes as presented supported by Howard. Motion carried.
Item A under new business, Atkins Meadows, tabled until June 24, 2025 meeting. Motion made by Barrett, second by Howard. All ayes no nays.
Motion Carried
Mr. John Monte with PCE came to the podium to speak on behalf of SSK Ground Development 2025. He stated that Tetra Tech had given its approval for the project as well as approval by the Fire Department (apart from pre-construction meetings still needed). Storage part of the project to be a separate and split project from the Apartments.
Barrett asked if Mr. Monte agrees with revoking the old site plan and special use attached to the old (SSK Ground Development 2023) site plan?
Mr. Monte stated that they agree with that statement.
Mr. Barrett then made a distinction between the old project to the new project. SSK Ground Development 2023 site plan was to be the old site plan, and the new site plan was to be called SSK Ground Development 2025. And if approved, there will be an additional 12 months for construction.
Mr. Barrett did comment that there was no date on the Tetra Tech Letter to which Mr. Erickson did some investigation and the date of the letter was May 2, 2025.
Mr Barrett moved to approve the 2025 SSK Ground Development site plan that had been revised in April 29, 2025 with condition not limited to Tetra tech letter approving site plan dated May 2, 2025 along with the fire department letter dated May 15, 2025 agreeing with the Fires Safety Consultants letter dated May 7, 2025. The special use approval in 2023 and special assessment correspondence.
Motion seconded by Mr. Lokers. Roll Call Vote, all yes, no no’s and Mr. Miller Absent.
Motion Carried.
Mr. Barrett moved to revoke the 2023 SSK Ground Development old site plan with the attached Special Exception. Mr. Howard seconded. Roll Call vote, all yes, no no’s. Mr. Miller is absent. Motion Carried.
Ms. Tricia Bence, located at 1350 N. Pine River Rd, Kimball, asked the Planning Commission board for permission to keep her Kennel open. This spring Animal Control revoked her license. She was told Animal Control stated that they would reconsider the closing of her kennel with input from the Planning Commission of Kimball township since they are the ones that permitted her to have a kennel and apply for a license to operate one in the first place.
Mr. Barrett first thanked the Clerk’s department for all of the paperwork given to the members of this board on the history of the kennel. He stated that one of the conditions was that she was to comply with all the Animal Control conditions. He also wanted to make sure the record states that Kimball Township is not responsible for reinstating a license. He then asked Ms. Bence how this happened in the first place.
Ms. Bence stated that a family member had had major medical issues and there had been a need to have someone else care for her dogs for a couple months here and there. Unfortunately, the caregiver that came was not aware of dogs wandering off the property that had been let out the front door. There is no fence currently in the front yard. There is a double fence in the back yard with the kennel to prevent this with dogs in the kennel. She stated that she likes to keep a few dogs in the home and rotate with the kennel dogs so they get some one-on-one time with the family.
Mr. Orr asked if Ms. Bence has 9 kennel dogs, and if the entire yard was fenced. She said yes, and that they have 6 in the kennel and 3 in front (in the home) and that only the back yard was double fenced and no fence in the front yard.
Mr. Barrett mentioned that there was a kennel that the Twp had okayed to operate at 1414 N. Pine River rd. as well and if that was still in operation?
Ms. Bence stated that no, they had sold the property, and to her knowledge the kennel license did not follow this sale.
Mr. Barrett explained that the license was granted to the property and stays on the property and would need to be revoked from property if the sale had happened and there was no kennel.
Mr. Tuttle asked for more explanation on dogs and kennels.
Per Article 4, 20.402 #6 (Because it is a special exception use permit) there will need to be a special hearing (if there are any changes) for 1350 and 1414 N. Pine River Rd first to cancel the kennel license that is associated with 1414 address and secondly to allow the residents to have a say on the township possibly reissuing the ability to have a kennel located at 1350 N. Pine River Rd.
Motion made by Mr. Barrett to place a Special Hearing, at the cost of the township, on the June 24, 2025 planning commission meeting. Second by Mr. Tuttle, roll call vote, all yes, no nays Mr. Miller absent.
Motion carries
Mr. Barrett made a motion to receive and file the letters received by Mr. Wiley (letter dated 5-22-2025) and letter from Mr. Jowett (dated 5-22-2025) agreed to their property to be recognized on the Master Plan to be labeled Future land use. Seconded by Mr. Lokers. Roll call vote. All ayes and no nays, Mr. Miller absent. Motion carries.
Mr. Barrett moved to adopt Resolution No. PC 2025-01 This would be a resolution to approve the Master Plan (reviewed by the PC board on April 22, 2025) and recommend adoption with resolution numbered 2025-28 to the township board. Seconded by Ms Henry. Roll Call Vote, all yes, no nays, Mr. Miller absent.
Motion carried.
Old business: Discussion of Sparlingville Baptist Church located at 5230 Griswold Road.
Mr. Barrett moved to have Sparlingville Baptist Church, located at 5230 Griswold Road to be placed on the next Agenda and present a modified site plan to accommodate the retention pond they have and have it reviewed by the township engineer with a letter from the engineer.
Mr. Tuttle asked what changed that they didn’t need a retention pond before?
Mr. Erickson explained that the parking lot was not draining properly when they extended the sewer line, so they put the retention pond in and that both he and the DPW were okay with how the catch basin was put in to drain the parking lot.
Mr. Barrett explained that the twp had already given them an additional year to complete their project and stated that it may not be in the best interest of the township to just allow this to go without having the twp engineers professionals review the retention pond so to protect the residents of the twp.
Motion by Mr. Barrett is still on the floor. Second by Mr. Tuttle.
Discussion: Barrett wants review to save the twp and to do the boards due diligence Tuttle, what would we do for any other resident? Barrett stated that they asked this also of the Dollar General as well as the Fire Department when it was built.
Roll call vote. All yes, no nays, Mr miller was absent.
Motion carries
ZBA Update:
Mr. Orr said there had been a zoning meeting and a temporary housing exception was permitted.
Kimball Township Board Update:
Mr. Lokers explained to the PC that the twp was considering a Brownfield board/project specifically for the property at the corner of Griswold and Wadhams rd.
Mr. Barrett explained some more to the board as he has dealt with different Brownfield boards. Mr Barrett thanked Mr. Lokers for filling them in.
Mr. Barrett asked if the project, Timber Meadows, had made a change to their site plan in regard to the Brownsfield? Would they need to come back before the PC? This was a point of discussion, He then moved to place timber meadows site plan on the Agenda for June 24, 2025. Ms. Henry seconded motion. All ayes, no nays,
motion carried
Audience participation:
Mr Erickson stated that there was a property that wanted to build onto their barn, however, the project would make the barn larger than the home. The property is zoned C-1 for residential use and has a class A designation. How should the property owner proceed? It was decided that the property owner did not need to go to PC but instead go to the Zoning Board to ask for a special exception use permit for the building of addition. (Article #6 of 20.600) He thanked the board.
Meeting Adjourned at 7:46pm motion by Mr. Barrett, seconded by Mr. Tuttle
Minutes by Deputy Clerk, Michele Erdman
