September 27, 2022 Planning Commission Minutes

Kimball Township Planning Commission

Kimball Township Municipal Office

2160 Wadhams Rd., Kimball Michigan

Public Hearing/Regular Meeting

September 27, 2022

6:30 P.M.

Orr opened the meeting at 6:30 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Roll Call of Members: Orr, Barrett, Hoffman, Miller, Henry and Tuttle.

Absent: Howard.

Also Present:
Neil Erickson, Building Inspector and Ordinance Enforcer

also Rob Usakowski, Supervisor.

1. Approval of Agenda: Public Hearing/Regular Meeting
   

Barrett motioned to approve the agenda with the addition of receipt of Master Plan supported by Hoffman. Motion Carried.

1. Approval of the Minutes:
   
   1. Public Hearing/Regular Meeting August 23, 2022
      

   Barrett motioned to approve the minutes of August 23, 2022 as presented supported by Tuttle. Motion Carried.
   

2. New Business
   
   1. Public Hearing: Special Exception Use 74-25-002-3001-000, 5078 Lapeer Rd. Child Care
      

      Orr opened the Public Meeting at 6:34 p.m.
      

   Ashley Latch, 8467 County Park Drive, Goodells: My sister-in-law Amanda and I would like to start a daycare in the building behind the Angry Bull. There is a barn style building with four different bays in it and we would like to use one of the bays and turn it into a daycare.
   

   Barrett: Is this considered a warehouse/garage?
   

   Erickson: Correct. There are many stipulations that the state requires along with building and fire departments. This is our first step.
   

   Orr: Will that have to be a sprinkler resident?
   

   Erickson: There are designs that have to be met. Must have applications with inspections. Also need to have a number of exits and at least 1200 square feet. They would have to give us a blue print.
   

   Orr: Is it just the two of you that going to do this?
   

   Ashley: Yes.
   

   Barrett: What kind of license are you requesting right now from DHHS?
   

   Ashley: We couldn’t get any applications until we made sure we could get the building.
   

   Hoffman: How many kids are you planning on having?
   

   Ashley: 24.
   

   Hoffman: Will it be indoors and outdoors?
   

   Ashley: We have to have an outdoors area that will be fenced in.
   

   Orr: Will there be enough parking for both the Assisted Living and Daycare?
   

   Erickson: If not they have plenty of room to add spaces.
   

   Orr: What about signage, will it be the same size that is there?
   

   Erickson: That depends on the Planning Commission. This is just for the Childcare Application and it still has to go through our Planning and Engineering to get the parking and lighting setup.
   

   Barrett: There is no site plan so where are we at?
   

   Erickson: We are just trying to get your approval so we can get an architect involved.
   

   Discussion.
   

   1. PUBLIC HEARING: Special Exception Use 74-25-002-3001-000, 5078 Lapeer Rd. Assisted Living Facility
      
      

   Erickson: This is the old Angry Bull/Darryl’s Steakhouse building that has been empty for two years and Hammar’s bought it.
   

   Tim Hammer, 817 Wadhams Road: Assisted Living in Architecture stage of main building. It is 11,000 square foot and all of the resident rooms will be on the perimeter of the building because there are windows there. Need 24 rooms and a state license is required. My daughter is going to be in charge of the building because she is a Hospice Nurse at McLaren Hospital. She is looking at Hospice Care, Assisted Living, and End of Life Care. We aren’t sure how many rooms and sizes we can have.
   

   Barrett: You will need a Special Use Permit and the Site Plan is contingent.
   

Hammer: Not a problem.

Erickson: It is a permitted use in C-1 and under Special Assessment it is in C-2.

Hoffman: Is there any questions or concerns from Chief Gratz?

Erickson: No concerns. It is on a major thoroughfare road.

Barrett motioned to close the Public Hearing at 6:48 supported by Henry.

Motion Carried.

Barrett: I want to see a Site Plan.

Orr: We need a Site Plan and then bring it back to the next meeting.

Hoffman motioned to approve both Special Exceptions on the condition of presenting a Site Plan supported by Henry. Motion Carried.

1. Master Plan Update
   

Usakowski: We need to update the Master Plan. There are two ways we can do this. We can issue a RFP or use Metro Planning.

Barrett: Will they charge us?

Usakowski: Yes. RFP will want to meet with the Planning Commission and get some feedback as well as the other board members. It would be a rewrite and updates.

Orr: Can we get a copy of the old Master Plan to compare to the new one?

Usakowski: Yes, Christine can probably get you one. October 20^th is the submission deadline.

1. 
   Old Business
   

   Medical Marijuana Ordinance – Metro Planning Review
   

Barrett: Can the board make changes when it is ratified and approved? Do we need to have another Public Hearing because we are making changes?

Usakowski: We can ask that question.

Discussion.

    Usakowski: Do you want the township board to handle it?

    Orr: Let the township board handle it.

1. Audience Participation
   

   David Paulson, 707 Scott Road: Kathy Simon who lives on Scott Road had informed him that she signed a lease with DTE to put in a Solar Farm. We are concerned about this. Do we have any say in this matter and do you know anything about this?
   

   Erickson: We haven’t been contacted about it from DTE but all the neighbors have been commenting on it.
   

Usakowski: They can sign a lease agreement. The township regulates land use.

Discussion.

Erickson: Edison on Smiths Creek Road. Nothing has been hooked up. The lawyers are working on it but it will take a while.

Usakowski: A government liaison has been brought in to help with this.

Erickson: The school district has a purchase agreement with the same company. They did everything that they asked for. The school will keep the lagoon.

Usakowski: I talked with the County Road Commission about starting the work on Sparling Road. They said it will be this week or next week depending on the weather.

The township board is applying for funding for Sunnyside to Griswold for next year.

Orr: What about the Covid Relief money? Has that been spent?

Usakowski: No. The first monies will be spent on finishing Sparling Road which will be $250,000.

Orr: I was also wondering about the canoe/kayak park.

Usakowski: We met with County Parks last week about purchasing some land at North and Wadhams Roads I can’t guarantee anything there.

1. Reports
   
   1. Bill Orr, Zoning Board of Appeals
      

      Update on Variances that were approved.
      

   2. Erik Hoffman, Kimball Township Board of Trustees
      

      No report.
      

   3. Adjournment
      

      Henry motioned to adjourn the meeting at 7:22 p.m. supported by Miller.
      

      Motion Carried.
      

      Meeting adjourned at 7:22 p.m.
      

      Submitted by Bill Orr, Chairman