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1000 ‎Rochester Hills Dr‎. ‎

Rochester Hills, MI ‎

48309‎

(‎248‎) ‎656‎-‎4600‎

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Rochester Hills

Minutes

Planning Commission

7:00 PM

1000 Rochester Hills Drive

Tuesday, April 15, 1997

CALL TO ORDER

Chairperson Eric Kaiser called the Regular Meeting to order at ‎7‎:‎30 ‎p‎.‎m‎. ‎in ‎

the Auditorium‎.‎

ROLL CALL

Present PC‎: ‎Chairperson Eric Kaiser‎

William Boswell‎

John Gaber‎

Paul Krupa‎

Eugene Nowicki‎

Christian Ramanauskas‎

Gerald Robbins‎

James Rosen‎

Audrey Ruggiero‎

Absent PC‎: ‎None‎

Quorum present‎

Also present‎: ‎Patricia Goodwin, Planning Director‎

Paul Rizzardi, Planner‎

Susanne Vergeldt, Recording Secretary‎

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

2000-1723

March ‎4‎, ‎1997 ‎Regular Meeting‎

MOTION‎ by Boswell, seconded by Nowicki, that the Minutes dated March ‎

4‎, ‎1997 ‎be accepted as printed‎.‎

Ayes‎:‎ All‎

Nays‎:‎ None ‎MOTION CARRIED‎.‎

Approved

COMMUNICATIONS

A‎.‎ Letter from Linda Lemke dated April ‎10‎, ‎1997‎ regarding Agenda Item ‎

IV‎.‎A‎.‎

B‎.‎ Memo dated April ‎15‎, ‎1997‎ from Patricia Goodwin regarding the Historic ‎

Districts Commission to be considered under Any Other Business‎.‎

C‎.‎ Note dated April ‎15‎ regarding Agenda Item IV‎.‎A‎.‎

D‎.‎ Planning & Zoning News, March ‎1997‎

E‎.‎ Letter from SEMCOG regarding a Spring Workshop‎

F‎.‎ Agenda, April ‎10‎, ‎1997‎ Historic Districts Commission Meeting‎

G‎.‎ Letter dated March ‎12‎, ‎1997‎ from Edwin Boner regarding Agenda Item ‎

IV‎.‎A‎.‎

H‎.‎ Letter dated March ‎12‎, ‎1997‎ from Leonard and Hazel Raffler regarding ‎

Agenda Item IV‎.‎A‎.‎

I‎.‎ The Chair has received a letter from Mr‎. ‎Anthony Versaci, Multi‎-‎King, ‎

dated April ‎9‎, ‎1997‎ (‎File No‎. ‎95-003‎). ‎Copies will be supplied to all ‎

commissioners in the next packet‎.‎

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

2000-1491

Request for a Tree Removal Permit ‎- ‎File No‎. ‎79‎-‎951 ‎- ‎Islamic Mosque Parking ‎

Lot Addition, located on the easterly ‎550 ‎feet at ‎3111 ‎Livernois, south of Auburn, ‎

Parcel No‎. ‎15‎-‎34‎-‎101‎-‎016‎, zoned R‎-‎4‎, One Family Residential, Islamic ‎

Association of Greater Detroit, ‎879 ‎W‎. ‎Auburn Rd‎.‎, Rochester Hills, MI ‎48307‎, ‎

Applicant‎

(‎Reference‎: ‎Staff Report prepared by Paul Rizzardi dated April ‎2‎, ‎1997 ‎has been ‎

placed on file and by reference becomes part of the record hereof‎.)‎

Present for the applicant were Douglas Tull, attorney for the Islamic Association of ‎

Greater Detroit; Jack Hill and Jack Morris from Johnson Hill & Associates, landscape ‎

architects; Raj Khatri, civil engineer with RK Engineering‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Rizzardi briefly reviewed the staff report, referring to a displayed rendering ‎

provided by the applicant‎. ‎The submitted site plan is consistent with the plan ‎

submitted approximately one year ago for Conditional Land Use Approval and is ‎

identified as Scheme ‎4‎. ‎This scheme contains the highest amount of parking of all the ‎

submitted schemes‎. ‎In achieving Scheme ‎4 ‎some buffer modifications would be ‎

required‎. ‎The zoning ordinance requires a ‎25 ‎foot buffer along the property lines for a ‎

nonresidential use in a residential zoning‎. ‎The approved buffer for the existing building ‎

was approximately ‎10 ‎feet wide‎. ‎Where the addition comes in, additional buffer area ‎

is proposed but still falls short of ordinance requirements at a total of approximately ‎

15 ‎feet‎. ‎The applicant is proposing to meet the full buffer requirements requested by ‎

City Council, but would like some modifications in other areas‎. ‎Considering the total ‎

buffer areas proposed, the applicant is going above and beyond the requirements of ‎

the ordinance to help minimize any impacts of the proposed use on adjacent ‎

properties‎. ‎All residents who have expressed an interest in this project in the past, ‎

such as speaking at previous meetings, were notified of tonight‎’‎s meeting‎. ‎Also, all ‎

adjacent property owners were notified of the Tree Removal Permit request‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Tull explained the reasons for his belief that the dome and minaret are exempt ‎

from requirements of the ordinance‎. ‎The dome and minaret are analogous to a steeple ‎

on a church‎. ‎He shared pictures of domes and minarets from around the world‎. ‎The ‎

proposed dome is a prefabricated unit which is placed on the roof of the existing ‎

structure; it is not part of the building‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Tull referenced Sections ‎22‎.‎00‎.‎c‎. ‎and ‎

21‎.‎07 ‎of Zoning Ordinance ‎200 ‎as the basis for his argument‎. ‎The dome and minaret ‎

would be on a parcel that has already been granted special land use approval; ‎

therefore he would hope that this request would not need to go back to City Council‎. ‎

The applicants have reduced the size of the addition as much as possible to still retain ‎

the purpose for building it‎. ‎They could accept all the recommendations and conditions ‎

of Linda Lemke and the staff report, with the exception of going to City Council for ‎

the dome and minaret‎.‎

An error in the staff report was discussed, namely a wrong parcel number in City ‎

Council‎’‎s conditions for land use approval‎. ‎Parcel No‎. ‎15‎-‎34‎-‎101‎-‎024 ‎should read ‎

Lot ‎24‎.‎

The Chair invited comments from those in attendance at the meeting even though this ‎

was not a Public Hearing‎.‎

Rabia Asghar, ‎1636 ‎Black Maple, Rochester Hills ‎48309‎, spoke about ‎

the importance of mosque‎-‎centered activities in the lives of young people and the ‎

positive influence they have in the community as a whole‎.‎

Syed Arifuddin, ‎2029 ‎Reagan Drive, Rochester Hills ‎48309‎,‎ spoke ‎

about the goals of their organization of raising responsible and caring citizens who ‎

grow up with strong ethical and moral values and the importance of the mosque in ‎

accomplishing those goals with the proposed facilities‎.‎

Telephone call‎ received on April ‎15‎, ‎1997 ‎from ‎Mr‎. ‎and Mrs‎. ‎Theo ‎

Batchelor, ‎3171 ‎Livernois, ‎852‎-‎3596‎ ‎stating they do not want the pine trees that ‎

are between their property and the IAGD property cut down‎. ‎It‎’‎s OK to cut down ‎

the other trees, but the pine trees took a long time to grow‎.‎

Letter‎ dated March ‎12‎, ‎1997 ‎from ‎Edwin Boner, ‎819 ‎West Auburn ‎

Road, ‎810‎-‎852‎-‎4652‎,‎ which states he has no objection to the revised site plan dated ‎

February ‎28‎, ‎1997 ‎for the subject site which discloses plans for construction of a ‎

dome and a minaret, or to the request for a variance for the ‎17‎.‎5 ‎foot buffer‎.‎

Letter‎ dated March ‎12‎, ‎1997 ‎from ‎Leonard and Hazel Raffler, ‎921 ‎West ‎

Auburn Road, ‎810‎-‎852‎-‎1808‎,‎ which states they have no objection to the revised site ‎

plan dated February ‎28‎, ‎1997 ‎for the subject site which discloses plans for ‎

construction of a dome and a minaret, or to the request for a variance for the ‎17‎.‎5 ‎

foot buffer‎.‎

Dr‎. ‎Mohammed Ansari‎, one of the trustees of the Islamic Association of ‎

Greater Detroit, responded to questions from commissioners‎. ‎There is no required ‎

height for a minaret‎. ‎It is a prefabricated unit built in proportion to the size of the ‎

building it is atop‎. ‎The proposed height of the subject minaret is ‎55 ‎feet, and it could ‎

be reduced if necessary‎. ‎The minaret is symbolic of Islamic culture‎. ‎It has no specific ‎

use‎. ‎The Prophet‎’‎s tomb in Medina has one, and it is copied throughout the world‎. ‎

Dr‎. ‎Ansari confirmed that there will be no loudspeaker to announce a call to prayer‎. ‎

They have assured this to the Planning Commission and City Council in the past‎. ‎

There will be no opening from inside the building to the inside of the dome‎. ‎They have ‎

shown drawings of the dome and minaret to the neighbors and have heard no ‎

objections‎. ‎

There were no further comments from the public‎.‎

To Member Robbins the heights of the dome and minaret were more acceptable than ‎

the height of a wireless communication tower‎.‎

Member Gaber stated City Council should have the opportunity to review the project ‎

again, particularly regarding the height issue and to maintain consistency with the way ‎

church steeples are considered‎. ‎He did not believe Council would have any ‎

objections, but that would be the proper action in light of the way the ordinance is ‎

written‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Tull pointed out that the subject property has been approved for conditional land ‎

use since ‎1979 ‎or earlier‎. ‎He did not see the necessity for returning to City Council in ‎

light of the fact that no limitations were placed on that approval‎. ‎In addition Council ‎

did not want to consider the concept plan as part of the conditional land use approval‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Rizzardi stated that there is general consensus among city staff that the minaret is ‎

exempt from the height limitations of the ordinance; there is no such consensus on the ‎

dome‎. ‎City staff have agreed on the following distinction‎: ‎if the dome is a readily ‎

demountable feature, i‎.‎e‎.‎, it can removed from and replaced back on the building, it ‎

probably would be exempt from the ordinance provisions of Section ‎22‎. ‎If it is ‎

possible to look up into the dome from inside the building, then it would be considered ‎

part of the building and would not be readily demountable‎. ‎Section ‎22 ‎also states that ‎

City Council may place height restrictions on exempt features‎. ‎The dome does meet ‎

the height limitation of the ordinance per Section ‎21‎.‎17‎, but the site would not meet ‎

ordinance requirements as designed‎. ‎Parking would be required to be moved farther ‎

away from the property line because parking is not permitted in setbacks‎.‎

Several commissioners compared the dome and minaret to the steeple, cross, or ‎

sanctuary of a church‎. ‎Commissioner Ramanauskas considered them architectural ‎

features‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Rizzardi provided the following reasoning‎. ‎Churches are allowed to be taller than ‎

other structures in residential zoning districts‎. ‎But as the height is increased, the ‎

setbacks must be increased‎. ‎Most religious institutions get the increased height ‎

approval as part of the conditional land use that is approved by City Council‎. ‎In the ‎

subject case the dome and minaret were added after the Conditional Land Use was ‎

approved; so they are new items that Council hasn‎’‎t seen before‎. ‎There are two ways ‎

to approach this‎: ‎provide greater setbacks to allow for the increased height, or ‎

request a conditional land use to go before City Council in the usual way‎. ‎However, ‎

providing greater setbacks would require the parking area to be moved out of the ‎

increased setback area; then the site would not meet the parking requirements‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Tull indicated that the applicants would have no objections to a condition of ‎

approval that the dome not be an integral part of the structure‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Rizzardi confirmed that a revised landscape cost estimate of $‎17‎, ‎125 ‎has been ‎

submitted‎.‎

Item ‎1‎. ‎Tree Removal Permit‎

MOTION‎ by Boswell, seconded by Robbins, in the matter of File No‎. ‎79‎-‎951 ‎

(‎Islamic Mosque‎)‎, that the Planning Commission ‎grant a Tree Removal Permit‎ ‎

incorporating all findings and conditions in the staff report dated April ‎2‎, ‎1997‎, Linda ‎

Lemke‎’‎s letter dated April ‎10‎, ‎1997‎, and requiring a landscape bond‎.‎

CONDITIONS‎:‎

1‎.‎ The tree removal and tree replacement plans are also approved by Linda Lemke ‎

& Associates‎.‎

2‎.‎ The applicant provide a landscape plan guarantee in the form of a bond, letter of ‎

credit or surety in the amount of ‎$17,125‎.‎

Discussion on the Motion‎:‎

Mr‎. ‎Rosen confirmed with Mr‎. ‎Rizzardi that the majority of the trees to be removed ‎

are in the detention pond area, and the majority of the replacement trees will be ‎

placed in the detention area‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Morris confirmed that the pine trees bordering the Batchelors‎’ ‎property would ‎

not be affected by any construction, and no pine trees are listed on the tree list‎.‎

Ayes‎:‎ All‎

Nays‎:‎ None ‎MOTION CARRIED‎

Granted

2000-1492

Request for Buffer Modification ‎- ‎File No‎. ‎79‎-‎951 ‎- ‎Islamic Mosque Parking Lot ‎

Addition‎

MOTION‎ by Robbins, seconded by Boswell, in the matter of File No‎. ‎79‎-‎951 ‎

(‎Islamic Mosque‎)‎, that the Planning Commission ‎approve ‎the Buffer Modification ‎

with the four findings and two conditions in the staff report dated April ‎2‎, ‎1997‎, ‎

consistent with the plans dated received April ‎1‎, ‎1997‎.‎

FINDINGS‎:‎

1‎.‎ The property is extremely narrow, and in some portions the required buffer ‎

encompasses ‎25‎ percent of the property width‎.‎

2‎.‎ Requiring the complete buffer width would result in less available parking on the ‎

property‎. ‎Currently during Friday worship, ample parking does not seem to ‎

exist on the site‎. ‎Providing additional parking would help resolve this parking ‎

problem‎.‎

3‎.‎ In exchange for the requested buffer width reduction, the applicant is proposing to ‎

place additional plant materials within the buffer yards‎.‎

4‎.‎ Although the buffer yards do not meet the full ‎25‎ feet of width, the buffer yards ‎

are of sufficient width to provide plantings which can flourish‎.‎

CONDITIONS‎:‎

1‎.‎ The applicant is required to retain the existing vegetation along the property lines ‎

adjacent to the existing building and proposed addition‎.‎

2‎.‎ If the existing vegetation thins out or dies, the buffer yard will be supplemented ‎

with evergreen planting materials‎.‎

Discussion on the Motion‎:‎

Mr‎. ‎Rosen suggested replacing Finding No‎. ‎2 ‎with the following‎: "‎There is adequate ‎

existing vegetation on site to achieve the purposes of the ordinance‎." ‎

COMPLETE MOTION AS AMENDED‎:‎

MOTION‎ by Robbins, seconded by Boswell, in the matter of File No‎. ‎79‎-‎951 ‎

(‎Islamic Mosque‎)‎, that the Planning Commission ‎approve ‎the Buffer Modification ‎

including Finding Nos‎. ‎1‎, ‎3‎, and ‎4 ‎plus the two conditions in the staff report dated ‎

April ‎2‎, ‎1997‎, plus a new Finding No‎. ‎2‎, consistent with the plans dated received ‎

April ‎1‎, ‎1997‎.‎

FINDINGS‎:‎

1‎.‎ The property is extremely narrow, and in some portions the required buffer ‎

encompasses ‎25‎ percent of the property width‎.‎

2‎.‎ There is adequate existing vegetation on site to achieve the purposes of the ‎

ordinance‎.‎

3‎.‎ In exchange for the requested buffer width reduction, the applicant is proposing to ‎

place additional plant materials within the buffer yards‎.‎

4‎.‎ Although the buffer yards do not meet the full ‎25‎ feet of width, the buffer yards ‎

are of sufficient width to provide plantings which can flourish‎.‎

CONDITIONS‎:‎

1‎.‎ The applicant is required to retain the existing vegetation along the property lines ‎

adjacent to the existing building and proposed addition‎.‎

2‎.‎ If the existing vegetation thins out or dies, the buffer yard will be supplemented ‎

with evergreen planting materials‎.‎

Ayes‎:‎ All‎

Nays‎:‎ None ‎MOTION CARRIED‎.‎

Approved

2000-1724

Request for Site Plan Approval ‎- ‎file No‎. ‎79‎-‎951 ‎- ‎Islamic Mosque, a ‎39‎,‎200 ‎

square‎-‎foot addition to the existing ‎7‎,‎700 ‎square‎-‎foot mosque on ‎6‎.‎0 ‎acres, ‎

located on the south side of Auburn, east of Livernois, Parcel No‎. ‎

15‎-‎34‎-‎101‎-‎032‎, zoned R‎-‎4‎, One Family Residential, Islamic Association of ‎

Greater Detroit, ‎875 ‎West Auburn Rd‎.‎, Rochester Hills, Mi ‎48307‎, Applicant‎

The Chair and Member Ramanauskas discussed with Mr‎. ‎Khatri the possibility of ‎

relocating some of the handicap parking spaces from the eastern or western property ‎

lines to the rearmost entry on the southern side of the proposed addition, near the ‎

relocated tool shed‎. ‎From their proposed locations along the property lines ‎

handicappers would be required to cross a roadway in order to enter the facility‎. ‎

After discussion Mr‎. ‎Khatri will consider the following changes‎: ‎Parking spaces ‎

numbered ‎162‎, ‎163‎, ‎164‎, ‎165 ‎along the eastern property line will be moved farther ‎

south to spaces numbered ‎151‎, ‎152‎, ‎153‎, ‎154 ‎so they will be closer to the proposed ‎

side door entrance on the east side of the proposed addition‎. ‎The handicap spaces on ‎

the west side of the building will remain‎. ‎Two additional handicap spaces will be ‎

provided in spaces numbered ‎28 ‎and ‎29‎; parking space number ‎40 ‎will be removed ‎

to allow for the required widening of numbers ‎28 ‎and ‎29‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Rizzardi clarified that the existing building contains one floor; the proposed ‎

changes include a second floor on the existing building plus a two‎-‎story addition‎. ‎

Parking requirements are based on the prayer area only‎. ‎The prayer area is on the ‎

existing first floor and the proposed second floor addition‎. ‎The gymnasium and ‎

classrooms and other areas are not included in the parking calculations‎. ‎The basic ‎

assumption is that not all uses will be active at the same time; the greatest use will be ‎

the prayer areas‎.‎

In reviewing the dumpster location further, Mr‎. ‎Rizzardi recommended angling the ‎

dumpster so that it would be parallel with the adjacent parking spaces‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Khatri ‎

agreed‎.‎

MOTION‎ by Robbins, seconded by Boswell, in the matter of File No‎. ‎79‎-‎951 ‎

(‎Islamic Mosque‎)‎, to ‎grant Site Plan Approval ‎ incorporating the findings and one ‎

condition in the staff report dated April ‎2‎, ‎1997 ‎plus three additional conditions‎.‎

FINDINGS‎:‎

1‎.‎ If the buffer modification is granted, the site plan indicates that all ordinances can ‎

be met‎.‎

2‎.‎ The addition to the Mosque is proposed to be designed to be compatible with the ‎

existing building‎. ‎The residents adjacent to where the building expansion is ‎

proposed have knowledge of and support the addition to the Mosque‎.‎

3‎.‎ The site plan indicates that ‎26‎ additional parking spaces will be provided‎. ‎The ‎

parking lot is laid out in a manner to provide effective vehicular access to the ‎

spaces‎.‎

4‎.‎ The site requires only one access point on Auburn, and the proposed location can ‎

provide safe ingress to and egress from the site‎.‎

5‎.‎ The development is not expected to have any harmful effects on natural features ‎

and characteristics of the site as documented in the applicant‎’‎s Environmental ‎

Impact Statement‎.‎

CONDITION‎:‎

1‎.‎ The applicant meets any additional comments of Linda Lemke & Associates‎.‎

2‎.‎ The applicant provide a landscape plan guarantee in the form of a bond, letter of ‎

credit or surety in the amount of ‎$37,894‎.‎

3‎.‎ The handicap parking spaces on the east side of the property be moved further ‎

south as discussed to be in closer proximity to the proposed new side ‎

entrance of the proposed addition‎. ‎Two additional handicap parking spaces ‎

be added on the south side of the building‎.‎

4‎.‎ The dumpster pad be angled to be consistent with the flow of traffic on the east ‎

side of the property‎.‎

[ ‎Enter Lois Golden, Vice‎-‎Chairperson of the Historic Districts Commission‎

9‎:‎10 ‎p‎.‎m‎. ]‎

Discussion on the Motion‎:‎

Member Rosen stated he would agree with Member Gaber regarding returning this ‎

item to City Council for consideration of the dome and minaret‎. ‎He thought they ‎

should be approved as architectural features with a condition that if City Council ‎

chooses to review it, it be subject to their approval‎. ‎Member Gaber did not think ‎

Council would have a problem approving them; the ordinance requires them to give ‎

City Council to opportunity to review them‎.‎

‎

Roll call vote‎:‎

Ayes‎:‎ Boswell, Kaiser, Krupa, Nowicki, Ramanauskas, Robbins, Rosen, Ruggiero‎

Nays‎:‎ Gaber ‎MOTION CARRIED‎.‎

The Chair recognized the president of the IAGD who came forward and, on behalf of ‎

the entire community, expressed appreciation for the board‎’‎s patience, kind support ‎

and fairness in looking at all the relevant issues‎. ‎He assured the board that whatever ‎

they do will be in the best interests of the community and the environment‎.‎

(‎Reference‎: ‎Site Plan dated received by the City of Rochester Hills Planning ‎

Department on April ‎1‎, ‎1997 ‎prepared by RK Engineering and Surveying; reference ‎

sheets dated received by the City of Rochester Hills Planning Department on April ‎1‎, ‎

1997‎; landscape plans prepared by Johnson Hill & Associates dated received by the ‎

City of Rochester Hills Planning Department on April ‎1‎, ‎1997‎; Staff Report prepared ‎

by Paul Rizzardi dated April ‎2‎, ‎1997‎; letter from Linda Lemke & Associates dated ‎

April ‎10‎, ‎1997‎.)‎

_________________________________‎

[‎Recess ‎9:25‎ p‎.‎m‎. - ‎9:35‎ p‎.‎m‎.]‎

Approved

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

2000-1725

Historic Districts Commission, Tree Conservation Ordinance, Updates‎

A‎.‎ Historic Districts Commission‎

(‎Reference‎: ‎Discussion Paper to Planning Commission prepared by Patricia A‎. ‎

Goodwin dated April ‎15‎, ‎1997 ‎has been placed on file and by reference becomes ‎

part of the record hereof‎.)‎

Ms‎. ‎Goodwin discussed the staff‎’‎s analysis of the issues presented in HDC Chairman ‎

John Dzuirman‎’‎s letter dated ‎3‎/‎13‎/‎97 ‎regarding the City Master Plan update, ‎

referencing her discussion paper dated April ‎15‎, ‎1997‎.‎

As redevelopment of existing sites becomes more commonplace in the City, it may be ‎

prudent to explore whether there is a need to more definitively plan for the ‎

preservation of historic sites and resources‎. ‎The Planning Department is ‎

recommending the following actions in this regard at this time‎:‎

1‎.‎ Update the current noncontinuous historic districts inventory to include parcel ‎

numbers and street addresses and an index of whether it is a historic district, ‎

resource, structure or site‎.‎

2‎.‎ Map the current noncontiguous sites location‎.‎

3‎.‎ Update and inventory the potential historic districts, sites, buildings, and resources ‎

throughout the community‎.‎

4‎.‎ Prepare a map detailing the location and type of potential sites‎.‎

5‎.‎ Prepare a report for the Planning Commission and Historic Districts Commission ‎

to review jointly‎. ‎The purpose of the joint review will be to decide whether a ‎

preservation plan is needed and if so how best to incorporate the preparation ‎

of it into the Master Plan update process‎.‎

6‎.‎ Establish a subcommittee made up of up to ‎3‎ members of the HDC to serve with ‎

up to ‎3‎ members of the Planning Commission to review with staff preservation ‎

issues and concerns regarding current development projects as well as the ‎

policy planning process‎.‎

Member Nowicki suggested a tour of the historic sites for the Planning Commission ‎

members so they know what they are talking about‎. ‎None of the historic sites are so ‎

identified‎.‎

Member Gaber asked for clarification of the definition of ‎"‎historic resource‎"‎, ‎"‎historic ‎

structure‎"‎, or ‎"‎historic site‎"‎; and how that determination is made and by whom‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎

Goodwin responded that the definitions are contained in the ordinance, and the State ‎

of Michigan has established guidelines that the HDC follows‎. ‎The HDC makes ‎

recommendations for historic designations to City Council which makes the ultimate ‎

decision‎. ‎She cited Section ‎4‎-‎06‎.‎05‎.‎05‎.‎C‎. ‎and D‎. ‎regarding maintaining a roster of ‎

potential historic properties‎. ‎

In response to questioning by Member Rosen Ms‎. ‎Goodwin stated there definitely are ‎

implications on redevelopment in the City, not necessarily negative‎. ‎A potential ‎

developer or purchaser should have knowledge that a particular site has historic ‎

significance‎. ‎An historic designation of a parcel or structure would be similar to a ‎

wetland determination in that it could apply to any parcel in the city in any zoning ‎

district yet is not a zoning classification‎. ‎It would not replace a zoning classification or ‎

land use‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Goodwin reiterated that there is not an inventory of potential historic sites at the ‎

current time; there is an inventory of designated historic sites included in the Historic ‎

Districts Ordinance‎.‎

There was general agreement with the six recommendations of the Planning ‎

Department as stated by Ms‎. ‎Goodwin‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Goodwin will communicate the comments made this evening and the desire for a ‎

tour of contiguous and noncontiguous historic sites to the Historic Districts ‎

Commission‎. ‎

(‎Reference‎: ‎Discussion Paper to Planning Commission prepared by Patricia A‎. ‎

Goodwin dated April ‎15‎, ‎1997‎; letter from John Dziurman, Chair, Historic Districts ‎

Commission, to Pat Goodwin dated ‎3‎/‎13‎/‎97‎; Chapter ‎4‎-‎06 ‎Historic Districts of the ‎

Code of Ordinances as amended November ‎1995‎.) ‎

B‎.‎ Tree Conservation Ordinance‎

Ms‎. ‎Goodwin reported on the staff preparation of a report concerning problems and ‎

issues involved in the administration and enforcement of the Tree Conservation ‎

Ordinance‎.‎

C‎.‎ Updates‎

Ms‎. ‎Goodwin attended the Auburn Hills Special City Council Meeting at which it was ‎

announced that Taubman Mall, ‎1‎.‎7 ‎million square feet of retail space, is proposed at ‎

Joslyn and Baldwin, with an expected opening date of Fall ‎1998‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Rizzardi reminded commissioners to forward their comments regarding wireless ‎

communication facilities to him as soon as possible so they can be considered for a ‎

possible ordinance amendment‎.‎

Discussed

NEXT MEETING DATE

Chairperson Kaiser reminded Commissioners that the next meeting will be a ‎

SPECIAL‎ Meeting scheduled for April ‎29‎, ‎1997‎.‎

ADJOURNMENT

Hearing no further business to come before the Planning Commission, Chairperson ‎

Kaiser adjourned the regular meeting at ‎10‎:‎30 ‎p‎.‎m‎. ‎Michigan time‎.‎