The meeting was called
to order by Chairman Wascher at 7:30 p.m.
Roll Call was taken by
Secretary Baker.
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Ronald Baker, Mike
Bruff, Gary Burk, Jack Davis, Janet Drews, Gregg Guetschow, Sue Osika,
Richard Snow, William Wascher
Note: Gregg Guetschow
is a new appointee to the Planning Commission
MEMBERS ABSENT:
John Greenway,
Robert Teich, one vacant position.
MINUTES:
It
was moved by Commissioner Snow and supported by Commissioner Osika to
approve the minutes of the meeting of February 28, 2005 with the
following changes:
1)
The City
Council never appointed Mike Compeau to the Planning Commission, and;
2) Correct
the minutes to include the request by Betty Coon, 1204 Palmer Street, to
have the proposed exit from Baker College onto Palmer Street curve to
the south to make it more difficult for traffic to make a right turn
onto Palmer Street.
AYES: All, Motion
Carried.
NAYS:
PUBLIC HEARINGS: None
COMMISSIONER/CITIZEN COMMENTS:
Betty Coon, 1204 Palmer Street, questioned whether Baker College’s
ingress-egress onto Palmer Street from the main campus is an
“accommodation” by the City versus the “letter of the law” of the Zoning
Ordinance. She also commended Baker College on their openness to the
Palmer Street residents during this expansion project. Community
Development Director Hathaway explained that the driveway access
provision of the ordinance was interpreted at the staff level as being
met by the Baker College egress plan and that it was not an
accommodation.
SITE PLANS:
Baker College Final
Site Plan Review
1301 S. Shiawassee Street
Murray Young of Morgan Construction, representing Baker College and Dr.
Denise Bannan, President of Baker College, Owosso Campus presented the
final site plan for the proposed welcome center and conference building
at the site of the vacant IGA supermarket. Their presentation showed the
landscape and lawn sprinkler plan, location of stop signs, the location
and detail of the “Detroit” style catch basin, the detail drawings of
the new entrance boulevard off M-52, the detail of the Palmer Street and
Collamer Drive intersection and the detail of their proposed new drive
onto Palmer Street from the main campus, they plan to install 25’ light
poles, with shoe box style fixtures, north of the proposed sidewalk. The
street right of ways are shown, Collamer Drive is moved to the north to
allow a walkway between the street and the lake, and the indented
parking area is moved westerly to flatter ground.
It
was moved by Commissioner Osika and supported by Commissioner Drews to
approve the final site plan of Baker College for a new entrance onto
Palmer Street from the main campus and the new Welcome and Conference
Center with the following additions:
1)
Correct
the site plan map to show the boulevard at the main entrance from M-52
stopping at the M-52 property line
2)
Correct
the map to show the curb continuing through the indented parking area
and the parking area draining to the curb
3)
The City
Arborist may alter the species of the street trees
4)
The light
poles—shoe box luminaire type--to be 140’ on center with those along the
new sidewalk area to illuminate mostly the sidewalk area, and
5)
That
portion of the site plan in Collamer Park is conditioned on the approved
revision of the park master plan
AYES: All, Motion Carried
NAYS:
ITEMS OF BUSINESS:
Parks and Recreation Plan
a)
Collamer Park
Phil Hathaway, the
Community Development Director, discussed the potential modifications
for the park master plan.
1) Remove
caretaker home
2) Remove
the barn
3) Insert
the existing cell tower and associated property (1.5 acres)
4) Show
new park entrance road and property transfer
The following are
still a part of the Master Plan:
East side lake
shore pier
1) New playground
parking
2) 5 Acre
Playfield
2)
Trail system
3)
Dredging area
4)
Land acquisition
5)
Park plantings
6)
Family pavilion/Parking/Campground
7)
Trail head parking with turn-around
8)
Fencing in selected boundary areas
An example of a play
ground structure was shown and a map of the proposed south end trail
system was handed out to the Commissioners.
Member Bruff asked
about the funding of the park improvements in the context of percentage
of city contributions to park development.
b)
Bennett Field.
Phil Hathaway
displayed a land survey and past master plans and handed out an
inventory list of the existing facilities, access, neighborhood and the
Planning Elements.
1) Limiting access to and from the park using Hoyt Street and
Lafayette Boulevard by creating cul de sacs at the end of these streets
was discussed and should be reflected as a long term plan provision.
2) Under the
Neighborhood section of the plan, reference to the “Private recreational
park to the west (Family Fun Park) was removed.
3) In the Planning Elements portion of the plan, the ice rink/roller
blading rink was removed because it was deemed not needed. Also the
open space development of a picnic, volleyball, playground area was
eliminated to reduce the park’s classification from a community park to
a neighborhood park.
4) The following
items have been completed since the last plan:
The addition
of a youth ball diamond
The sodding
and irrigation of the ball diamonds.
The
elimination of the Brook Street connection should not have been in the
plan; it is not connected.
These plan elements
were retained or discussed:
1)
The trail connector to King Street was endorsed.
2) There is
insufficient parking on the west side of the north ball diamond.
Ideally land would be acquired to add a 100 foot wide-buffer from the
left field line to the west.
3) The Youth Softball Association has requested plumbing upgrades to
the restroom—a maintenance request more than a plan element.
COMMISSIONER/CITIZEN COMMENTS:
Chairman Wascher asked about the Hotel schedule, Phil Hathaway said they
had the preconstruction meeting this morning, the contractor plans to
begin demolition on April 8, 2005.
ADJOURNMENT:
It
was moved by Commissioner Davis and supported by Commissioner Osika to
adjourn the meeting.
AYES: All, Motion
Carried
NAYS:
The meeting was
adjourned at 9:03 p.m.
Ronald Baker
Secretary
