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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, November 24, 1998

CALL TO ORDER

Chairperson Eric Kaiser called the Special Study Meeting to order at ‎7‎:‎30 ‎

p‎.‎m‎. ‎in the Auditorium‎.‎

ROLL CALL

Present PC‎: ‎Chairperson Eric Kaiser‎

William Boswell‎

Paul Corneliussen‎

John Gaber‎

Paul Krupa‎

Eugene Nowicki‎

Christian Ramanauskas‎

James Rosen‎

Audrey Ruggiero‎

Absent PC‎: ‎None‎

Quorum present‎

Also present‎: ‎Patricia Goodwin, Director of Planning‎

Penny Papke, Planning Technician‎

Katherin Beebe, Katherine Beebe & Associates‎

Barry Murray, JJR, Inc‎.‎

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

2000-1911

August ‎25‎, ‎1998 ‎Special Study Session‎

Special Study Session of August ‎25‎, ‎1998‎

‎ MOTION‎ by Nowicki, supported by Krupa, that the Minutes dated August ‎

25‎, ‎1998‎, be accepted as submitted‎.‎

Ayes‎:‎ All‎

Nays‎:‎ None ‎MOTION CARRIED‎.‎

Approved

COMMUNICATIONS

A‎.‎ Letter from Lawrence R‎. ‎Ternan, City Attorney, dated November ‎23‎, ‎

1998‎, regarding Walnut Brook Estates‎.‎

B‎.‎ SEMCOG Regional Update Report dated November ‎16‎, ‎1998‎.‎

C‎.‎ Announcement regarding the Charles Blessing Award which was ‎

bestowed by the American Institute of Architecture to Dr‎. ‎Katherine ‎

Ford Beebe on Friday, November ‎13‎, ‎1998‎.‎

D‎.‎ Letter from Mr‎. ‎& Mrs‎. ‎Fred Crosier who reside at ‎2901‎ Harrison ‎

Street, ‎

dated October ‎29‎, ‎1998 ‎in reference to the Master Land Use Plan ‎

Update‎.‎

E‎.‎ Letter from Mr‎. ‎Kevin Crosier who resides at ‎2930‎ Harrison Street, ‎

dated November ‎9‎, ‎1998‎ in reference to the Master Land Use Plan ‎

Update‎.‎

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

2000-1823

Master Land Use Plan Update ‎- ‎Discuss Residual Area Recommendations‎: ‎

Auburn‎/‎Adams and Olde Towne and Local Areas Report Discussion ‎

Mr‎. ‎Kaiser explained that the study meeting for this evening will consist of continued ‎

discussion in reference to the Master Land Use Plan and determining if it needs ‎

updating, change, etc‎. ‎The commission has been looking at a variety of policy issues ‎

throughout the course of the last ‎18 ‎months and specific geographical areas and the ‎

identification of specific opportunity and‎/‎or residual areas‎. ‎The study session will ‎

bring the commission up‎-‎to‎-‎date on the consultant‎’‎s most recent studies and the ‎

development of options for the Master Land Use Plan‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Kaiser reported that some time in the spring of ‎1999‎, the commission will be ‎

presented with a draft copy of the Master Land Use Plan Update document‎. ‎Two ‎

public hearings will then be held regarding the proposals that are put into the draft ‎

plan‎. ‎At this time a great amount of public input will be solicited and received by the ‎

Planning Commission‎. ‎

Auburn‎/‎Adams Residual Area Recommendations‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe reported that two separate meetings were held with the property owners ‎

for this residual area‎. ‎This area is bordered on the north by M‎-‎59‎, on the south by ‎

Auburn Road, on the east by Crooks and on the west by Adams‎. ‎The initial meetings ‎

with the property owners reviewed the existing conditions and issues in the area‎.‎

Issue Area ‎1‎

*‎Development Opportunity Area‎

*‎Zoned Industrial‎

*‎Opportunity with Crooks Widening‎

*‎Needs Access from Crooks‎

*‎Freeway Image‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe pointed out that one of the main issues deal with retail or commercial use ‎

on the Older‎/‎smaller lots that do not lend themselves to modern commercial ‎

development‎. ‎In almost every instance, there is a conflict between the rear portion of ‎

the commercial property and the residential area to the north‎. ‎The commercial uses ‎

on the south side at Adams were also reviewed‎. ‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe reported that smaller, start‎-‎up businesses can be located in these areas ‎

because it is less expensive‎. ‎The businesses in this area have longevity and they treat ‎

their exterior areas quite well and they are companionable with the adjacent residential ‎

zoning‎. ‎In other cases, there are issues with the intruding of parking areas on the ‎

residential and rear portions of some of the lots are used in ways that are not ‎

comfortable next to the single family residential‎. ‎There is also Older residential mixed ‎

-‎in with the commercial‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe indicated that the frontage on Auburn tends to be untidy in these areas and ‎

are not like the new business park areas‎. ‎This may be due to the fact that the road, ‎

not really having much attention from the state and not much investment in the ‎

right‎-‎of‎-‎way has led to an unattractiveness to the edge of this area‎. ‎This is a good ‎

area for the location of small businesses‎. ‎

To the north on Adams, there are single‎-‎family homes which have largely been ‎

converted to business use but some of them are still in single‎-‎family residential zoning‎. ‎

The industrial parks with entrances on Adams, between the railroad tracks and M‎-‎59‎, ‎

are the Older industrial park users which represent businesses which have been ‎

around a little longer with a more traditional light industrial park category as opposed ‎

to Research and Development or ORT zoning‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe reported that Adams Road will be improved with the new Adams ‎

interchange‎. ‎The properties along Adams closest to the future interchange will be ‎

more attractive for business development‎. ‎At Avalon, York and St‎. ‎Clair to the north ‎

on Auburn, is an area that is master planned and zoned for single‎-‎family residential‎. ‎

This area has approximately ‎33 ‎homes and is largely developed‎. ‎The street in the ‎

neighborhoods are not paved and there have been no public improvements in this area ‎

for a while‎. ‎One of the issues for the Auburn frontage in some of the Older areas that ‎

haven‎’‎t been improved is the Master Plan Update addressing these issues, the ‎

community needs to address these areas as an image issue on how the street edges ‎

are being treated‎. ‎On Leach Road, the former residential units are frequently ‎

converted to light industrial use‎. ‎The use type has been satisfied by a smaller sized ‎

business occupant, such as small contractors, landscape businesses and other kinds of ‎

businesses going into the existing homes‎. ‎It is area which is in transition from residential ‎

to industrial which consists of smaller users‎.‎

The Rochester Hills Executive Park contains more modern businesses in a landscape ‎

campus type of environment‎. ‎Moving east on Auburn is the mobile home park ‎

housing a lot of senior residents‎. ‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe pointed out that the meetings on these areas with the property owners ‎

were very well attended‎.‎

Listed below are the concerns which were expressed in reference to Issue Areas ‎1 ‎

through ‎7‎:‎

Area ‎1‎

Concern about the buffering between residential and industrial‎.‎

Separate circulation for residential and business‎. (‎Along Devondale‎)‎

General feeling of approval for the connection of residential roads‎.‎

Height control on buildings for any future business buildings‎.‎

Area ‎2‎

Concern about conflict between residential and commercial on Auburn frontage‎.‎

The need to pave the roads‎.‎

Turning commercial frontage to residential‎.‎

High participation in this area meeting from the residential homeowners‎.‎

Area ‎3‎

Leach Road area needs to be improved‎.‎

Area needs infrastructure investment‎.‎

Concerns about traffic impacts‎.‎

Areas ‎4‎ and ‎5‎

York and Avalon should not be a priority for industrial use, due to the fact that it is ‎

currently a strong, existing residential community‎.‎

Consider the frontage on Adams for business use‎.‎

Roads need paving‎.‎

Residential financing for improvements will be difficult, if zoned for non‎-‎residential use‎.‎

Plant nursery business is OK and is a friendly neighbor business‎.‎

Commercial area lacks appropriate infrastructure‎.‎

Some residents prefer converting commercial to residential‎.‎

Adams intersection is rough‎.‎

Don‎’‎t connect residential streets until roads are paved‎.‎

Auburn frontage offers opportunity for small businesses‎.‎

City should work with small businesses in improvements, including storm water ‎

control, access, parking, buffer to residential‎.‎

Concerns about putting more residential on Auburn‎.‎

Areas ‎6‎ and ‎7‎

Prefer business development here rather than existing residential‎.‎

Make it a priority to implement Leach Road area for industrial use‎.‎

________________‎

Mr‎. ‎Barry Murray then reviewed the alternative approaches developed for Areas ‎1 ‎

through ‎7‎.‎

Area ‎1‎ Alternatives‎

Low Intensity Land Use Alternative‎

Technology park ‎(‎32‎.‎1 ‎acres‎) ‎with freeway image, existing woods, wetland and a ‎

drain buffered ‎(‎50‎' foot setback‎)‎, access from continuation of road connecting to ‎

Crooks, environmental buffers enhance neighborhood edge to the south‎.‎

High Intensity Land Use Alternative‎

Business Park with freeway image, existing woods, wetland and drain buffered ‎(‎50‎' ‎

setback‎)‎, access from continuation of road connecting to Crooks, environmental ‎

buffers enhance neighborhood edge to the south‎.‎

Area ‎2‎ Alternative‎

This area would reclaim the commercial areas for residential use‎.‎

Low Intensity Land Use Alternative‎

Office ‎(‎1‎-‎2 ‎Story‎) ‎Capacity, Crooks Road image, setbacks to match adjacent ‎

parcels, parking in rear, rear yard setback buffers to the west, replatting of existing ‎

commercial lots fronting on Auburn Road and conversion to residential with Auburn as ‎

side and, image and circulation enhancement of existing multi‎-‎family, elimination of ‎

residential streets extending north, proposed intra‎-‎neighborhood linkage with an ‎

east‎/‎west road connecting existing north‎/‎south streets‎.‎

High Intensity Land Use Alternative‎

Office ‎(‎1‎-‎2 ‎Story‎) ‎Capacity, Crooks Road image, setbacks to match adjacent ‎

parcels, parking in rear, rear yard setback buffers to the west, image and circulation ‎

enhancement of existing commercial fronting Auburn Road, image and circulation ‎

enhancement of existing multi‎-‎family; business park to the north, proposed ‎

intra‎-‎neighborhood linkage with an east‎/‎west road connecting existing north‎/‎south ‎

streets‎.‎

Area ‎3‎ Alternative‎

This area needs to become part of the overall Rochester Hills Executive Park or the ‎

business park development running from the mobile home park to the neighborhood ‎

near the western district‎. ‎A possible connection to M‎-‎59 ‎should also be considered‎.‎

Low Intensity Land Use Alternative‎

Business Park, ‎(‎34‎.‎7 ‎acres‎) ‎developable with Auburn Road access, proposed ‎

east‎/‎west road linking to Rochester Hills Corporate Center and Rochester Hills ‎

Executive Park, proposed extension of north‎/‎south street to Adams Road Connector‎.‎

High Intensity Land Use Alternative‎

Business Park ‎(‎34‎.‎7 ‎acres‎) ‎developable with Auburn Road access, proposed ‎

east‎/‎west road linking to Rochester Hills Corporate Center and Rochester Hills ‎

Executive Park, proposed extension of north‎/‎south street to Adams Road connector‎.‎

Area ‎4‎ Alternative‎

Low Intensity Land Use Alternative‎

Commercial‎/‎Business Service at the corner of Auburn and Adams, replatting of ‎

remainder of existing commercial for residential with Auburn as side yard ‎(‎100‎' ‎

minimum lot width‎).‎

High Intensity Land Use Alternative‎

Commercial on the south side of Auburn Road, north side absorbed into business ‎

park‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Nowicki asked about Leach Road and the proposed connection to Adams Road‎. ‎

Are the properties in this area wide enough to handle a commercial road for industrial ‎

traffic? The area is currently very narrow and the traffic may be severely impacted‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Barry noted that parcels would have to be accumulated from the northern and ‎

southern areas but he feels that the traffic impacts would not be severely impacted‎.‎

Mrs‎. ‎Goodwin pointed out that Leach Road is a prime focus for the Local ‎

Development Finance Authority ‎(‎LDFA‎). ‎The LDFA has done quite a bit of work in ‎

planning for public improvements for this area‎. ‎There is currently an application ‎

before MDOT and the Transportation Economic Development Fund to pave Leach ‎

Road and to make the connection to Waterview from Rochester Hills Corporate ‎

Center‎. ‎However, making the connection into the Rochester Hills Executive Park ‎

would not be possible because their existing buildings and parking lots will encompass ‎

a grade differential that would make those properties non‎-‎conforming in terms in ‎

parking and this grade differential would make it difficult to construct a road through ‎

this area‎. ‎This has been reviewed in some detail and the alternative has been to ‎

connect Leach Road on the north side of the railroad where there is a railroad ‎

crossing at Leach and on the north side of the railroad connecting it to Technology ‎

Drive‎. ‎There would be a loop and then there would be a connection to Waterview ‎

instead of a connection to the east side of Leach Road‎. ‎

Continuing, Mrs‎. ‎Goodwin also reported that at this time Leach Road is planned as a ‎

70 ‎foot industrial right‎-‎of‎-‎way at this time and all of the properties that have come in ‎

for site plan approval have been required to sit back off of this right‎-‎of‎-‎way line‎. ‎

There are not a great deal of property owners left on Leach Road‎. ‎Most of the ‎

properties are owned by absentee landlords or the owners no longer live on Leach ‎

Road or they are in business ownership‎. ‎It has taken more than ‎25 ‎years for this area ‎

to convert from the planned use to the current planned and zoned use‎.‎

In establishing the LDFA a revenue stream was created using tax increment financing ‎

to pay for the improvements that will accelerate this transition‎. ‎This change will also ‎

provide for a connection of Leach Road with the Rochester Hills Executive Park and ‎

the Corporate Center because most of the tax revenues are being generated by these ‎

two parks‎. ‎In order to use these funds there had to be a physical road connection ‎

and this is why the plan proposes to establish a link on the north side of the railroad in ‎

anticipation of the M‎-‎59‎/‎Adams Road interchange coming in at some time in the ‎

future‎.‎

Area ‎5‎ Alternatives‎

Low Intensity Land Use Alternative‎

Enhancement of existing residential, proposed intra‎-‎neighborhood linkage with an ‎

east‎/‎west road connecting existing north‎/‎south streets, potential rail‎-‎to‎-‎trail greenway ‎

linkage‎.‎

High Intensity Land Use Alternative‎

Business Park ‎(‎38‎.‎5 ‎acres‎) ‎1 ‎and ‎2 ‎story, Adams Road access, linkage to existing ‎

business parks to the east‎.‎

Area ‎6‎ Alternatives‎

Low Intensity Land Use Alternative‎

Business Park ‎(‎70 ‎acres‎)‎, Adams Road and Adams Road connector linkage and ‎

image‎.‎

High Intensity Land Use Alternative‎

Business Park ‎(‎70 ‎acres‎)‎, Adams Road and Adams Road Connector linkage and ‎

image‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Kaiser ascertained that the proposals being considered for this area will put a lot ‎

more pressure on the residents that are currently in the area‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Kaiser does not see ‎

where this proposal will improve the quality of life in this area‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Kaiser feels that ‎

this question needs to be dealt with‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Murray added that the proposals are really a combination of a light industrial and ‎

low technology park‎. ‎They are not really the high end campus type technology parks ‎

nor are they regular industrial parks‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe pointed out that this concern is one of the main questions in the whole ‎

master plan update process with a lot of arguments on both sides‎. ‎One of the things ‎

that makes it difficult is that the process works with the blunt instrument of a master ‎

plan which is a very clumsy tool‎. ‎It is very easy that the best interest of this area be ‎

planned for business development whether it is called technology, commerce or R&D, ‎

given the heavy reliance on the residential use for the tax base‎. ‎What complicates this ‎

is unlike other communities which have the ability to go in and create land parcels and ‎

move forward with implementation so that the transition process for the residents is ‎

not available as a tool today‎. ‎The city needs to seek some way in order to not repeat ‎

the same pattern which has occurred along Leach Road‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe noted that there are very few strategic places in the community that are ‎

worthy of investment‎. ‎However, there are a few places where a real strategic ‎

investment might make a difference it may be thought of in more of economic ‎

development terms‎. ‎The nature of doing business has also changed throughout the ‎

years‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Nowicki pointed out that ‎25 ‎years ago when the railroad was going through the ‎

city, the city was concentrating on the industrial along the railroad and now that the ‎

railroad is going to be abandoned, the city is looking at a different picture altogether‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Krupa asked if any other uses are being considered for Area ‎7 ‎other than office, ‎

considering that there is already a lot office use currently in this vicinity such as ‎

entertainment, lodging or food service‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Krupa feels that there is a convenient ‎

road path to facilitate these particular uses‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Murray indicated that the area is currently master planned for Office, Research ‎

and Technology and is zoned Industrial‎. ‎From a marketing perspective it may be too ‎

far away from the events that are going on around I‎-‎75 ‎and M‎-‎59‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎Beebe added ‎

that the freeway visible uses probably should be considered‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Rosen noted that the Office, Research and Technology does allow hotels‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe then reviewed the tax base analysis report for Areas ‎1 ‎to ‎7 ‎comparing the ‎

tax impacts using both alternatives for each area‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎Beebe then asked for a ‎

discussion on the timing for master plan changes versus rezonings‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Kaiser asked for an explanation on the differences between Technology Park, ‎

Industrial Park and a Business Park in the tax base analysis report‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe said that she will create a separate set of definitions for the master plan‎. ‎

The areas are defined at their lowest level‎. ‎Every community really has their own set ‎

of definitions‎. ‎The levels are warehouse and distribution ‎(‎outside storage‎/‎truck ‎

access‎)‎, business park ‎(‎buildings used for light manufacturing in assemblies and related ‎

to an office use‎)‎, the highest level is described as technology parks ‎(‎larger scale ‎

corporate users ‎(‎e‎.‎g‎.‎, Parke Davis in Ann Arbor and Trico‎).‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe then asked for responses from the commissioners‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Gaber thought that in earlier discussions it has been indicated that this portion of ‎

the city is the most likely candidate for industrial‎/‎technology use‎. ‎Could the areas ‎

which include Devondale, Grant, Midvale, etc‎.‎, be considered for some type of park ‎

use also as opposed to residential?‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe said that this was considered and it is still a possibility‎. ‎However, when ‎

this is combined with the mobile home park, you have more of a major concentration ‎

of residential because it doesn‎’‎t have the same kind of pressures on it‎. ‎It is not as an ‎

attractive of a location and because it is really related to the mobile home park a ‎

decision was made not to take a look at this although it is something that could be ‎

done‎.‎

Given the proximity to the mobile home park and what is located to the north and ‎

east‎

the residential area can be adequately buffered and none of the other improvements ‎

will be a detriment to this particular area‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe also indicated that the update has a shelf life of five to eight years and that ‎

the area in question will become more attractive over the next five to eight years‎. ‎This ‎

may also be the case for the Avalon‎/‎York area‎.‎

In reference to the Auburn‎/‎Adams interchange, Mr‎. ‎Gaber asked if the existing ‎

businesses were kept in this area, would it be beneficial to look at the depth of the lots ‎

in this area‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe feels that the depth of the lots would need to be reviewed‎. ‎If the northern ‎

side was converted to a business park type of use, then it would remain a business ‎

park, not commercial‎. ‎If residential use remains, then the commercial use should ‎

remain as it is‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Gaber asked about the rationale of converting the bottom corner and the area ‎

near Grant and Midvale to residential‎. ‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe indicated that this conversion would improve the area for the adjacent ‎

residential to the north‎. ‎The residents also communicated that Auburn Road is not ‎

really the best place to have a residential unit‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎Beebe communicated that she is ‎

still not really comfortable with the proposal for this area‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Murray added that it also related to the policy of how commercial development is ‎

occurring and whether or not there should be additional commercial development‎. ‎A ‎

possible focus of the current commercial maybe should be reclaimed‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Gaber likes the idea of looking at the commercial areas and replanning some of ‎

the ideas‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Gaber also asked if any type of focus should be made on this area ‎

relative to the LDFA plan and what is coming proposed that would help to better ‎

understand the options and what might unfold‎.‎

Mrs‎. ‎Goodwin reported that the LDFA has six projects in the current portfolio; three ‎

which were described previously; the connection of Leach Road to Technology Drive, ‎

the connection of Waterview and the largest project is the realignment of Adams ‎

Road, however, this is dependent entirely on the timing of the interchange ‎

improvement‎. ‎The latest information indicates that MDOT has put this project on ‎

hold, they will build at M‎-‎59 ‎and Squirrel, they have shifted monies over to rebuild the ‎

bridge at M‎-‎59 ‎and Crooks which is now funded through construction from north of ‎

M‎-‎59‎, south through the intersection of Auburn and Crooks‎. ‎The thought now is that ‎

they don‎’‎t have to build M‎-‎59 ‎and Adams right away because of the new Hamlin ‎

Parkway‎. ‎MDOT does not really have a definitive plan at this time‎. ‎The relocation of ‎

Adams Road is now uncertain and it is the largest part of the LDFA‎’‎s portfolio‎. ‎

However, the LDFA has promised the people on Leach Road that something would ‎

be done‎. ‎

Mrs‎. ‎Goodwin also pointed out that an additional project is the storm water ‎

management plan‎. ‎The reason that the heavy industrial has not redeveloped on its ‎

own is because there is a lack of adequate storm sewer in the area and there is no ‎

outlet‎. ‎The LDFA spent money preparing a storm water plan prepared and they will ‎

be pursuing a regional detention facility in conjunction with the interchange whenever it ‎

is built‎. ‎This major facility would then allow storm drainage to occur in this area‎.‎

(‎The commission recessed at ‎9:20‎ p‎.‎m‎. ‎and reconvened at ‎9:33‎ p‎.‎m‎.)‎

Mr‎. ‎Gaber in reference to the tax analysis, pointed out that this is only part of the ‎

picture because the report only talks about the revenue being generated but it doesn‎’‎t ‎

talk about the cost of the uses to the city‎. ‎If you were to review the actual cost ‎

benefit, residential areas cost the city more then business areas and some of the ‎

disparities in the report would be even greater‎. ‎Essentially, when you talk about the ‎

infrastructure and the utilities, city services, emergency services, schools, roads, ‎

residential users tend to use these items to a greater extent then the commercial areas‎. ‎

As a result of this, this costs the city more as a residential use‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe said that it is not really a greater cost, it is really greater in net terms‎. ‎

There is a greater impact between the cost and the revenues‎. ‎There may be a greater ‎

utility demand from a business park then from the same area if it were in residential ‎

use‎.‎

Area ‎7‎ Alternatives‎

Low Intensity Land Use Alternative‎

Technology Park, two developable parcels ‎(‎39‎.‎8 ‎acres and ‎38‎.‎3 ‎acres‎)‎, developable ‎

with freeway image, existing woods, wetland and drain buffered ‎(‎50‎' setback‎)‎, access ‎

and image from Adams Road connector‎.‎

High Intensity Land Use Alternative‎

Business Park, excluding infill at existing business park site, freeway image, existing ‎

woods, wetland and drain buffered ‎(‎50‎' setback‎)‎, access and image from Adams ‎

Road Connector‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Kaiser inquired about citizen feedback from the residents or the owners of the ‎

mobile home park‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Kaiser noted that this is obviously a significant part of the ‎

community and a significant opportunity area‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe reported that there was some conversation with the residents that were in ‎

attendance from the other parts of the community and discussion ensued if the ‎

northern portion of the mobile home park which is freeway visible be converted to ‎

business development and if it should be treated as one piece of ownership‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Kaiser pointed out that if the mobile home park did not exist and the residential ‎

homes were eliminated, the decision would be easy‎. ‎The area is already intense and ‎

the mobile home park and the residential homes are not going to be eliminated‎. ‎How ‎

can the quality of life be maintained for the residents currently living in the area and yet ‎

improve not only the residential areas but also make this section more commercially or ‎

commerce attractive‎. ‎At this time Mr‎. ‎Kaiser prefers the lower intensity alternative for ‎

this section‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe said that some of these opportunities relate to what is done strategically in ‎

the city‎. ‎The issues that the commission is dealing with point to economic ‎

development or capital improvement and because of the master plan policies will not ‎

be looked at all the same for capital improvement investment‎.‎

-‎Mrs‎. ‎Ruggiero commented that she prefers the lower intensity land use alternative‎. ‎

Ms‎. ‎Ruggiero would like to see the connection of the business‎/‎technology parks and ‎

isolation of the three residential areas by looping the roads and making them their own ‎

little communities‎. ‎The city could also help them enhance their entrances into the ‎

neighborhoods‎. ‎The connections may also improve their quality of life in not having all ‎

of the traffic on Auburn Road running past the three residential areas‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Kaiser then asked about connecting the three residential streets with the mobile ‎

home community‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe indicated that the streets in the mobile home park are private‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎Beebe ‎

would like to see a mid‎-‎level street connector‎. ‎This is an area where if there was a ‎

mid‎-‎section, east‎/‎west connector it be better for everyone‎. ‎The mobile home park ‎

currently only has one entrance and is set‎-‎up around the privately owned roads‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Gaber, defining the term ‎“‎private‎” ‎roads, means that the city wouldn‎’‎t really have ‎

any right to connect to a private street‎. ‎It would be up to the discretion of the owner ‎

of the property if they choose to do this; today it is not really probable‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Kaiser suggested master planning the area by taking a pro‎-‎active approach in ‎

making it happen versus planning for an impossibility‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Nowicki added that the road standards in the mobile park are not even near to ‎

the standards for the city roads‎. ‎The road in the mobile park would have to be ‎

brought up to the city standards which you couldn‎’‎t do in the mobile park due to the ‎

setbacks and the right‎-‎of‎-‎way‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe said that the main obstacle is that the decision is entirely up to the ‎

discretion of the property owner of the mobile home park and if they want to open ‎

their roads up to the public‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Gaber indicated that there is also the issue about whether or not this would ‎

create a neighborhood community‎. ‎There are two very different residential ‎

neighborhoods in the mobile park community and in the residential area to the east‎. ‎

There may not be any compelling reasons to join the neighborhoods‎. ‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe said that it may also be beneficial to mitigate some of the traffic across four ‎

accesses to Auburn instead of having just one access road‎. ‎The traffic would then be ‎

spread across the area and into the three residential areas‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Rosen pointed out that this is the first time in eight years sitting on the Planning ‎

Commission where he has seen this area looked at so closely‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Rosen is struck by ‎

the opportunity for the development of large scale, high‎-‎tech, high dollar kinds of ‎

business operations that every community desires‎. ‎There is currently an opportunity to ‎

make this area much more attractive for the future‎. ‎In addition, the comparison of the ‎

low and high intensity uses really illustrates the concept of areas under pressure and in ‎

particular, the residential areas‎. ‎This points out the concept of really thinking through ‎

the support for the existing residential areas‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Corneillusen, inquired about an overlay that combines both elements of the low ‎

and high intensity land use alternatives for Area ‎5‎. ‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe said that this approach could work; it would be considered as another ‎

option‎. ‎

Mrs‎. ‎Goodwin suggested that it should be kept in mind that the alignment of the ‎

relocated Adams Road is not cast in stone at this point‎. ‎It is possible that the ‎

alignment would require more right‎-‎of‎-‎way which could also obliterate the area‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Kaiser then asked about the status of the Grand Trunk Railroad‎. ‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe said that the report that she received two weeks ago is that the Grand ‎

Trunk property may be returned back to the communities if they would want to take it ‎

as a right of refusal‎. ‎Three businesses along the right‎-‎of‎-‎way of the track have said ‎

that they want to keep it open‎. ‎A hearing will be held now for the three businesses to ‎

determine if they are still going to vacate the track‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Kaiser pointed out that if the Grand Trunk right‎-‎of‎-‎way is vacated to the city and ‎

you look at the Adams Road realignment, it would seem like they could realign the ‎

area some more and come right down the right‎-‎of‎-‎way versus having an entire new ‎

road built‎. ‎This would not preclude still having a bike or pedestrian path as part of the ‎

overall design plan‎.‎

Mrs‎. ‎Goodwin suggested that if the Planning Commission desires this type of a design ‎

a strong statement should be made at some point‎. ‎There are currently all kinds of ‎

proposals and ideas being generated about what should happen to the right‎-‎of‎-‎way‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Gaber indicated that there has been a proposal to City Council indicating that ‎

there is a group that wants to use the railway as some type of historical railway ‎

museum tied into an actual museum to be built in Auburn Hills‎. ‎This group is opposing ‎

the abandonment of the right‎-‎of‎-‎way because they want to use it as a railspur for a ‎

demonstration historical train‎. ‎When you look at the possible uses for the ‎

right‎-‎of‎-‎way, the commission should keep in mind that this potential use is being ‎

considered‎.‎

Continuing, Mr‎. ‎Gaber said that if you look at the potential changes in this area when ‎

you are referring to cluster sections which require the assemblage of parcels, from an ‎

implementation standpoint, what tools are being used to accomplish this‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Gaber ‎

feels that this is something that needs to be focused on in addition to the end use of the ‎

plan‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Gaber is concerned about how the city gets there‎. ‎If the corner is changed ‎

to some type of business, commercial or technological use, then who can say that the ‎

area may develop just like Leach Road did‎. ‎If the tools are not available to encourage ‎

some type of assemblage, how to get from where the plan currently is to what the final ‎

plan is‎. ‎The commission needs to keep in mind what the possible implementation ‎

strategies are going to be in order to reach the end objectives‎. ‎If there is no way of ‎

reaching the end objective to insure that a similar situation doesn‎’‎t occur, then does it ‎

make any sense to make a change‎.‎

Mrs‎. ‎Goodwin responded that when the city made a decision to establish the zoning ‎

for the seven industrial parks in the late ‎1970‎'s and early ‎1980‎'s, it went further in ‎

establishing an economic development corporation‎. ‎At that time, there were industrial ‎

revenue bonds, tax abatements; financial incentives that the city offered to insure that ‎

major development would be induced to come in‎. ‎Other cities have used techniques ‎

with a strong economic development approach which is an entire program geared ‎

towards business attraction with a variety of financial and business type tools up to ‎

and including property acquisition‎. ‎These types of authorities ‎(‎i‎.‎e‎.‎, DDA, LDFA, etc‎.) ‎

have the statutory authority to acquire property, package it, reassemble it and offer it ‎

for sale‎. ‎This then becomes a policy decision for the legislative body with the tool or ‎

the vehicle being the strategic plan process‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Nowicki, referring to Leach Road, noted that as this area has been discussed ‎

over the years, there has always been the comment that the city was trying to drive out ‎

the small industrial companies‎. ‎The city tried to put the small industrial companies in ‎

the area of Leach Road as an area where they could locate and be service companies ‎

for the community‎. ‎In the meantime, the companies that chose to locate in this area ‎

were so small that a larger industrial piece of property could not be assembled‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎

Nowicki then raised the question regarding either one of the two plans and if the plan ‎

on the north side of Auburn will put pressure on the south side of Auburn Road, which ‎

is predominantly residential ‎(‎R‎-‎4‎)‎, with the exception of a couple small areas of ‎

commercial‎. ‎With this in mind, will there be requests coming in for rezoning types as ‎

compared to residential‎. ‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe feels that the south side of Auburn Road all the way east and west across ‎

the community is basically a residential community; almost ‎100 ‎percent with the ‎

rebuilding coming up from South Boulevard being residential so that there aren‎’‎t the ‎

kind of M‎-‎59 ‎pressures coming down from the north into the northern section‎. ‎If ‎

there are land use policies that will assure that the residential area it will remain this ‎

way‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Murray added that the two industrial parks were used as examples in the ‎

discussions with a number of the residential groups about how an image can be ‎

created from a physical design perspective as well‎. ‎This is very positive in terms of ‎

the berming, signage and the landscape plantings items which are complimentary to the ‎

residential uses across the street‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Nowicki indicated that based on this, the area would be addressed from the ‎

standpoint to have control‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎Beebe said that this is correct‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Ramanauskas said that he prefers the presentation on the low intensity land use ‎

alternative‎. ‎In the area north of the residential, Mr‎. ‎Ramanauskas would like to see ‎

some of the Areas ‎7 ‎and ‎1 ‎looked into‎. ‎It was suggested that maybe something ‎

should be looked at on a larger scale versus a combination of the smaller parcels‎. ‎A ‎

larger complex might offer more character which would allow for a design of the ‎

natural features, access to M‎-‎59‎, would require a less intense infrastructure versus or ‎

smaller parcel‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Ramanauskas would like to look at both of these concepts very ‎

carefully‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Kaiser then asked what would have to be done to the lower option in Area ‎1 ‎to ‎

master plan and then proactively bring about one large user‎.‎

Discussed

Mr‎. ‎Murray indicated that there would be zoning changes with the development of a ‎

single corporate presence with a written category that is more restrictive then what the ‎

city currently has in order to define the area to encourage someone that would like to ‎

build a corporate headquarters in this section of the city‎. ‎The zoning ordinance could ‎

then be rewritten and upheld with specific design guidelines‎. ‎It is possible that the city ‎

and the county‎’‎s economic development professionals would be able to market the ‎

property through the state‎’‎s job commission fairly quickly‎. ‎The Department of ‎

Environmental Quality could also be petitioned about the road access issues‎. ‎The ‎

DEQ is amenable to crossings as long as mitigation would occur for whatever ‎

wetlands are lost‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe added that the master land use plan document would focus on the types of ‎

uses in the area as opposed to the one color across everything‎.‎

Mrs‎. ‎Goodwin pointed out that the Research Office ‎(‎R‎-‎O‎) ‎zoning is the closest to ‎

what might drive this scenario‎. ‎The only area where R‎-‎O zoning is located, which ‎

requires a minimum of ‎40 ‎acres, is FANUC Robotics‎. ‎During this time, the zoning ‎

was created to restrict the use of the land because it was adjacent to residential‎. ‎The ‎

collector road in the area was planned in the ‎1986 ‎plan‎. ‎The reason it has not ‎

developed is because of the wetland and because of the cost of the road which would ‎

have to be paid for by the developer of the property and would be a very significant ‎

investment for one property‎. ‎The city has had no financial incentives to put on the ‎

table for this issue‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe reported that in other communities where they make a public investment ‎

you could look at the expected tax return this would probably get paid for in a ‎

relatively short amount of time and from then on the city would enjoy the tax income‎.‎

In the industrial‎/‎technology section of the master plan the areas are more specific in ‎

how the areas are categorized‎. ‎Specific implementation steps will be in the report for ‎

the Auburn‎/‎Adams area‎. ‎This will address the more specific steps‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎Beebe does ‎

not feel that the implementation steps should be discussed for a separate property in ‎

the master plan; this would not be appropriate‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Kaiser added that part of the effort should be to try and generate some tax ‎

revenue with the master planning which may involve some initial spending by the ‎

taxpayers‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe noted that it is not unusual in communities that are in the same stage of ‎

development to have to suddenly be addressing this type of an issue‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Kaiser then inquired about the northern portion of Area ‎7‎; which is master ‎

planned ORT and zoned heavy industrial‎. ‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe said that there would be a set of steps to follow and the city needs control ‎

of the section to determine what should be done‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎Beebe added that this area ‎

needs to be studied more and it is obvious that something needs to be done‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎

Beebe is not prepared at this time to make a recommendation for Area ‎7‎. ‎Something ‎

must be done to rationalize the master plan and the zoning in his area‎. ‎

Mrs‎. ‎Ruggiero asked for more specific language standards in the development of ‎

Leach Road‎. ‎The commission recently reviewed a site plan for Leach Road and it ‎

was difficult to define the requirements for the business owner so that he could ‎

enhance his parcel and make it more attractive‎. ‎The area seems to keep attracting ‎

smaller businesses without any enforcement available to upgrade the sites‎. ‎Mrs‎. ‎

Ruggiero added that this may evolve on its own if it is connected to the north, east and ‎

west‎. ‎When the site plan was reviewed, there was an opportunity to make this a ‎

nicer area and it was difficult to accomplish this with the current language standards‎. ‎

This change may also improve the quality of life in this area‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe said that she recognizes this concern and she will try to work on the ‎

language standards around Leach Road‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Boswell noted that if the city was successful in developing the low intensity land ‎

use alternative for Area ‎1 ‎and Area ‎7‎, how would this affect Area ‎5‎? Would the ‎

changes put additional pressure for change on Area ‎5‎?‎

Mr‎. ‎Murray indicated that this is hard to predict until there is an understanding on what ‎

type of user would be going on the properties‎. ‎However, you would be able to help ‎

shape the quality of the use and the type of structure that would be built and how it ‎

would fit into the landscape‎. ‎

This area would also require the necessary traffic studies and other issues to make ‎

sure that they are accommodating‎. ‎The connector currently being built is a connector ‎

to an interstate highway which is a major road and will accommodate the traffic‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe added that changes in Area ‎7 ‎would make Area ‎5 ‎more attractive to ‎

change and for investors to package an appeal for a similar kind of use‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Boswell indicated that he was looking at Leach Road being connected to the two ‎

industrial parks and directly to the east of the three residential streets and directly to ‎

the north you have all of the corporate development going on‎. ‎Will the three streets in ‎

the residential area eventually be pressured into change?‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe said that there would be pressures but what would it look like and what is ‎

likely to happen in the future if there is not a real effort to make it work in the best ‎

way‎. ‎There are pressures but the pressures don‎’‎t necessarily produce what is being ‎

proposed‎.‎

______________‎

Olde Towne Residual Area Recommendations‎

Existing Uses‎: ‎The Olde Town District is in the southeastern corner of the city‎. ‎The ‎

area is centered on Auburn Road between Culbertson Road and the County line ‎

(‎Dequindre Road‎). ‎The majority of the frontage along Auburn Road is general ‎

business, commercial and automotive commercial‎. ‎This area has become the home of ‎

many contractors and construction support businesses‎. ‎There are several professional ‎

offices, several churches and Reuther Middle School‎. ‎The areas north and south of ‎

Auburn are almost exclusively single‎-‎family detached residential‎. ‎

During the study sessions local residents and businesses commented on the ‎

proliferation of liquor stores, convenience commercial and gas stations along Auburn ‎

Road as a problem‎. ‎It was also felt that there has been the investment on the public ‎

side that would allow improvements in support of the district‎. ‎

There are many underdeveloped sites along Auburn Road‎. ‎There are also significant ‎

disparities in the quality of development along the Auburn Road frontage‎. ‎

Architectural styles, building scales and facade treatments are disorganized‎. ‎Auburn ‎

Road frontage also contains vacant lots and poorly screened storage areas and ‎

parking difficulties‎.‎

1992 ‎Master Plan‎: ‎ ‎The master plan calls for Auburn Road to become exclusively ‎

auto‎-‎oriented and convenience commercial‎. ‎There is currently a pattern of more ‎

contemporary commercial developments extending from Dequindre Road west into ‎

the District‎. ‎Recently developed commercial on the east side of Dequindre Road ‎

(‎Macomb County‎) ‎is largely vacant‎.‎

Alternative Approach ‎1‎: ‎“‎Two Centers‎” ‎- ‎The concept of creating two high intensity ‎

nodes of activity; one at each end of Olde Towne along Auburn Road‎. ‎New ‎

development would be encouraged to cluster around the existing school at Culbertson ‎

and at Dequindre‎. ‎Lower intensity uses, including town homes, were proposed to fill ‎

in between the two nodes‎.‎

Alternative Approach ‎2‎: ‎“‎The Commercial Strip‎” ‎- ‎The Auburn Road frontage ‎

would become auto‎-‎oriented commercial for the entire length through Olde Towne‎. ‎

The alleys would be eliminated and residential lots immediately adjacent to alleys ‎

would be acquired to provide adequate land area for contemporary commercial ‎

development‎. ‎Each development would be required to provide sufficient off‎-‎street ‎

parking individually on each site‎.‎

Alternative Approach ‎3‎:‎ ‎“‎One Center‎” ‎- ‎This alternative uses the existing core of ‎

commercial and business structures as a precedent for future development‎. ‎It creates ‎

a higher intensity ‎“‎village center‎” ‎near Auburn and Eastern, preserving existing ‎

structures, with infill and a zero front yard setback‎. ‎The parking strategy would not ‎

require individual developments to fulfill their individual parking requirements on site‎. ‎

An accessible reservoir of off‎-‎street parking would compliment on‎-‎street parallel ‎

parking to supplement parking needs‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Kaiser pointed out that there seems to be a premise in this area that in order for ‎

businesses to operate successfully something needs to be done‎. ‎Are there businesses ‎

in this area that are not operating successfully for very long and then they disappear‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Murray indicated that there are a number of businesses that have been in this area ‎

for a long time‎. ‎The stakehholders are having the same difficulty with being able to ‎

make the modifications that they would like to because they run into the city‎’‎s ‎

regulatory process which probably doesn‎’‎t respond very well to the situations in the ‎

Olde Towne District‎. ‎This causes a great deal of frustration‎. ‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe reported that the stakeholders did indicate that they would make ‎

additional investments if they could see improvements along Auburn Road and if they ‎

could work within a set of rules that would apply more to the size and types of ‎

businesses‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎Beebe was also impressed by the strength of the residential ‎

community and the business community‎. ‎There is a lot of potential in this area if there ‎

can be agreement on a plan and a staged level of investment or activity so that there ‎

could be incremental improvements where everyone invest and participate more‎. ‎The ‎

only difficult thing is whether or not the commission would be willing to increase the ‎

center area to allow larger parking and making the area larger and deeper areas by ‎

converting six lots to commercial use‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Kaiser indicated that in the event this is not accomplished whether it is the entire ‎

length of the area or at the ends, what is the future of this area in terms of the ‎

commercial business‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Murray said that other than leaving the area commercial if the business owners ‎

cannot expand their businesses they will probably look at other places to do business ‎

in the community or elsewhere‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Kaiser also noted that Macomb and Oakland County, including Rochester Hills ‎

have identified Dequindre as a residential boulevard‎. ‎It was also the thought of the ‎

Planning Commission and the Transportation Plan which was recently approved was ‎

to expand Dequindre sufficiently to attract traffic so that it wouldn‎’‎t cross through the ‎

city at Tienken, Avon or Hamlin but it would drive the traffic down to M‎-‎59‎. ‎Driving ‎

the traffic down to M‎-‎59 ‎at each of the cross streets‎. ‎If the area is not improved ‎

consistent with the change, the area will be depressed even more‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe suggested that if there are only a few policy changes and some strategic ‎

planning in steps, there could be some large changes over a period of time‎. ‎There ‎

could be a big impact for the relative amount of investment‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Nowicki said that the presentation was terrific, however, over the last ‎25 ‎years ‎

that he has been involved with the city there has been a problem‎. ‎The problem is that ‎

the road belongs to the State of Michigan‎. ‎Anything that has been suggested this ‎

evening would be an upgrade of the road and the State of Michigan is not going to ‎

take care of it‎. ‎For the local government to take it, the cost is prohibitive, it is not ‎

feasible‎. ‎It addition to this, the land would have to be expanded to the north or south ‎

and this would again be very expensive‎.‎

Continuing, Mr‎. ‎Nowicki also indicated that years ago the city did try to revitalize the ‎

business district‎. ‎A commercial improvement district was even set‎-‎up to allow for this ‎

type of development and it didn‎’‎t happen‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Nowicki feels that the commission ‎

should still future plan for this area but he doesn‎’‎t feel the proposals are possible‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe added that with a policy change in terms of master plan and zoning you ‎

wouldn‎’‎t have to get into land acquisition over a period of time‎. ‎It is not like putting ‎

together ‎30 ‎parcels‎. ‎If someone wanted to sell, then the adjacent commercial could ‎

acquire land and they could at that point sell their parcels when the residential owners ‎

want to move‎. ‎In reference to the road issue, MDOT would have to be willing to ‎

make an investment in this area if it was identified as a strong priority for the ‎

community‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Murray noted that the TEDF could provide funding in addition to T‎-‎21 ‎monies ‎

from the Federal Government‎. ‎It was also noted that all of the stakeholders believe ‎

that if the Auburn Road problem could be solved this would allow them to under‎-‎

stand how the area could work‎. ‎The next important priorities would then be ironing ‎

out the alleys and the parking behind the area‎. ‎A plan needs to be detailed out that ‎

would define the issues of continuing to provide fire safety with reasonable buffers ‎

between the commercial and the residential neighbors‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe reported that all of the businesses and adjacent residential areas prefer to ‎

see the alleys in parking or buffer use which are items which can be addressed by ‎

policies with the master plan‎.‎

Mrs‎. ‎Ruggiero asked if the ‎‘‎fix‎-‎up‎” ‎plan could be designed as Phase I of obtaining the ‎

ultimate plan for the central district in the area or is the design significantly different‎.‎

Mrs‎. ‎Ruggiero feels that this would be a good initial start for improving this area and ‎

any elimination of curb cuts would also be beneficial in order to further define the ‎

“‎blocks‎” ‎in this section of the city‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Murray said that if the stakeholders were confident that the road was going to be ‎

improved, it would be considered as a reasonable first step for change in the area‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Rosen asked about using one‎-‎way streets to help with the circulation of traffic ‎

without creating problems getting back into the neighborhood and eliminating conflict ‎

getting out onto Auburn Road‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Murray indicated that he is not a big advocate of one‎-‎way streets except in very ‎

large cities where there are huge traffic problems‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Murray mentioned that this is ‎

an area where additional guidance will be provided regarding details where some of ‎

the roads would need to be closed and how things will look when they are added to ‎

the report on this area‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe feels comfortable about the direction that the plan is taking, however, they ‎

are not in favor of the two‎-‎node approach because it is not good economically‎. ‎The ‎

power of the plan should be put into the two blocks in the middle of the area and ‎

letting it go out‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎Beebe would be pursuing the central concept and this would be ‎

a good time to pursue a public‎/‎private partnership‎.‎

Mrs‎. ‎Goodwin reported that one of the major breakdowns having worked on this ‎

project pretty closely was the issue of on street parking and how to finance the public ‎

improvements that the plans have called for over the years‎. ‎This is a similar scenario ‎

to the ones which were talked about in the previous layouts for Auburn and Adams‎. ‎If ‎

you don‎’‎t have a vehicle for making it happen, how reasonable is it to suggest it‎. ‎The ‎

conclusion is that really without a DDA or some sort of umbrella organization nothing ‎

is going to fundamentally change‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Kaiser ascertained that the design defining the ‎“‎central node‎” ‎is the plan that ‎

should be studied and considered for the Master Land Use Plan Update‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Kevin Crosier‎, who resides at ‎2930 ‎Harrison Street, Rochester Hills, ‎

Michigan ‎48307‎, expressed his concern about not being in favor of the plan for a ‎

central district‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Crosier would like to see the current proposal revised so that it ‎

does not include any private residential owners land‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Crosier is also representing ‎

his parents ‎Fred C‎. ‎Crosier and Dolores M‎. ‎Crosier ‎who live at ‎2901 ‎Harrison ‎

Street, Rochester Hills, Michigan ‎48307‎ ‎who were unable to attend the meeting ‎

this evening‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Crosier pointed out that a portion of the land along the center of the hub or core ‎

is slated for a parking lot which overlaps the land of Fred C‎. ‎Crosier and Dolores M‎. ‎

Crosier‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Crosier indicated that his parents are not willing to sell their home or to ‎

be relocated‎. ‎They should not have to worry about someone acquiring their land at ‎

this stage in their lives‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Crosier wants the Planning Commission to take a good ‎

look at the priorities in the plan which have been presented‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Crosier also ‎

expressed his concern about the possibility of decreased property values within this ‎

area and the increased traffic flow along Harrison Street and a convenient gathering ‎

place for individuals during all hours of the night‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Crosier does not want to see a ‎

parking lot outside his front door‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Crosier feels that there are other alternative ‎

options and solutions available to alleviate the parking along Auburn Road‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe then distributed the Local Areas Report and asked for the commissioner‎’‎s ‎

comments at a later date‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Murray pointed out that his report reviews all of the infrastructure issues, road ‎

improvements and the water and sewer improvements, deficiencies in the storm water ‎

management system and sewer constraints in order to determine how some of the ‎

proposed changes to the parcels might impact some of the municipal systems that ‎

serve these parcels‎. ‎Primarily, there are two systems that pose some constraints to ‎

the kinds of changes which are being proposed for the opportunity areas or for any ‎

new development in the community‎. ‎The sanitary sewer system is a constraint based ‎

on the purchase capacity that the city has from the Detroit water and sewer ‎

department and through the Oakland‎/‎Clinton organization that the city belongs to‎. ‎In ‎

some cases there may be a constraint in terms of the condition or capacity of a pipe in ‎

the vicinity of a particular site, however, the bigger concern is that all of the capacity ‎

that was purchased, was purchased according to the zoning which is currently in ‎

place‎. ‎Therefore, every time something is changed from single family to senior housing ‎

at ‎8‎-‎10 ‎units per acre, because of the constraints on the purchase capacity you end up ‎

robbing from another site in order make changes‎. ‎In most cases there is sewer service ‎

available the city is well covered‎. ‎In the Older areas, south of M‎-‎59‎, often has more ‎

problems then the new part of the city and engineering is working to improve the ‎

systems as they can‎. ‎There is no way of increasing this capacity at this point and time‎.‎

In reference to the storm water management, Mr‎. ‎Murray reported that engineering ‎

has been doing improvements this area‎. ‎There is also a plan in place for a number of ‎

improvements in the community to make the storm water management plan work ‎

better‎. ‎There are a couple of places which are being looked at where regional storm ‎

water basins are involved one is in place and one will need to be added‎. ‎Water ‎

service in the city does not appear to be a constraint at this time‎.‎

Discussed

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Mrs‎. ‎Goodwin passed out the City of Rochester Hills Economic Development ‎

Community Profile brochure which was a joint project with Detroit Edison and the ‎

City of Rochester Hills‎. ‎This publication is directed at the business residents and the ‎

corporate citizens in the City both existing and perspective‎. ‎This brochure will be part ‎

of the package that the county is using for economic development‎.‎

Mrs‎. ‎Goodwin informed the commission that Butler Ridge and East Hampton will be ‎

back in front of the board on December ‎1‎, ‎1998‎.‎

Mrs‎. ‎Goodwin updated the commission on the sign at Oakland University and ‎

Meadowbrook Mall‎.‎

NEXT MEETING DATE

The commission members were informed that the next Regular meeting will take place ‎

on December ‎1‎, ‎1998‎.‎

ADJOURNMENT

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

Kaiser adjourned the Special Study Session at ‎11‎:‎40 ‎p‎.‎m‎. ‎Michigan time‎.‎