BERRIEN TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION

MEETING MINUTES FOR

January 18, 2010

CALL TO ORDER

The Berrien Township Planning Commission met on Monday, January 18, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.

for a regular meeting.  Vice-Chairman Ron Harner called the meeting to order and opened with

The Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.

ROLL CALL

Planning Commission Members Present:  Vice-Chairman Ron Harner, Secretary Doug Shelton, Dave Riedlinger, Robert Norris and Karen O’Dell.

Members Absent:  Chairman Dale Sherwood and Ross Rogien. 

Others Present:  H. Ralph Cripps, William Strunk and recording secretary Rebecca Downey.

NEXT MEETING

The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 15, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.  Due to members not able to attend, the meeting will be changed to Monday, February 22, 2010.

MINUTES

Motion by Robert Norris, supported by Dave Riedlinger, to approve the minutes from the December 14, 2009 meeting.  All ayes, none opposed.   Motion carried.

BUILDING PERMITS

The Building Permit Report along with the Electrical Permit Report was presented by Vice-Chairman Harner.  In December; four (4) Building Permits were issued $6,200.00 with fees of $105.00.  Accumulated totals for the 2009 year were $3,157,420.00 with fees collected of $6,592.80.  Three (3) Electrical Permits were issued with fees collected of $1,493.00.  Total Electrical Permit fees for the 2009 year were $6,882.00. 

OLD BUSINESS

Mike Clark of Williams and Works did not attend the meeting.  He would like the Planning Commission to further discuss provisions regarding Special Land Uses before proceeding to a finalized draft of the ordinance.  It would be beneficial to have the chairman, as well as supervisor in attendance. 

NEW BUSINESS

H. Ralph Cripps representing Park Ridge Manor addressed the Planning Commission.  He is the developer of Park Ridge Preserve on Smith Road.  It is an upscale, single family development with a nature preserve and trails.  There are 52 total sites with a minimum of 2 acres per site.  Currently there are only 8 lots available for sale.

He would like to implement changes to the existing development, Park Ridge Manor that would make it similar to Park Ridge Preserve.  He feels that these modifications would benefit all parties involved. 

Park Ridge Manor currently has 1 home that has been built along with 2 four-plex apartment units.  There were a total of 7 apartment units approved for the development.  Mr. Cripps would like to keep the existing house and 2 apartment buildings and convert the remaining space to three (3) 1-acre lots similar to Park Ridge Preserve. 

This change would eliminate the traffic that the extra apartments would generate.  It would also bring in families that would establish themselves within the township, rather than an apartment resident which would only be temporary resident.  These modifications would create no change outside of the boundaries of the development, only within the interior. 

There were questions from the commission regarding driveway space.  It would include 3 driveways off of Smith Road.  There was also a question concerning the common area and the lots maintaining the appropriate amount of space required by the ordinance.  Mr. Cripps had preliminary drawings and answered the questions of the Planning Commission members.

He asked the Planning Commission to consider adding a statement to the new ordinance that would address a P.U.D. that is not complete under the previous ordinance.  His suggestions were wording such as “any previously approved, not finalized, yet in progress P.U.D. can be modified under the previous ordinance.”  His other suggestion was to provide a 1 year overlap of each ordinance. 

He thanked the board for allowing him to make his presentation and asked them to give consideration to his thoughts.

William Strunk, a resident of Park Ridge Preserve, stated that he would much rather have residents of homes presiding in the area than apartment renters. 

Mr. Cripps was instructed that in order to make a change to a previously approved  P.U.D.  he would need to go through a re-recording process.  He would need to present complete drawings.  He was also urged to contact the Berrien County Road Commission to confirm that 3 additional driveways on Smith Road would be feasible.  Mr. Cripps indicated that he hopes to proceed in a timely manner. 

MISCELLANEOUS

The board felt that Mr. Cripps request was reasonable.  There was also discussion if the new ordinance provides for this type of situation with an existing P.U.D.  The township has a few P.U.D.s that are currently unfinished.  Mike Clark of Williams and Work will be contacted and asked to provide this information at the next meeting. 

ADJOURNMENT

Motion by David Reidlinger, supported by Doug Shelton, to adjourn meeting.  All ayes, none opposed.   Motion carried.  The meeting adjourned at 7:47 p.m.

Minutes as recorded by Rebecca Downey, Planning Commission Recording Secretary and approved by:

_______________________________________

Doug Shelton, Planning Commission - Secretary