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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 21, 1998

CALL TO ORDER

Vice Chairperson James Rosen called the Regular Meeting to order at ‎

7‎:‎30 ‎p‎.‎m‎. ‎at Precinct No‎. ‎5‎, ‎1551 ‎East Auburn Rd‎.‎, Rochester Hills, MI ‎

48309‎.‎

ROLL CALL

Present PC‎: ‎Vice Chairperson James Rosen‎

William Boswell‎

Paul Corneliussen‎

John Gaber‎

Eugene Nowicki‎

Christian Ramanauskas‎

Audrey Ruggiero‎

Absent PC‎: ‎Chairperson Eric Kaiser‎

Paul Krupa‎

Quorum present‎

Also present‎: ‎Patricia Goodwin, Director‎

Todd Gary, Fire Department‎

Katherine Beebe, KBA, Inc‎.‎

Don Capobres, KBA, Inc‎.‎

Barry Murray, JJR, Inc‎.‎

Susanne Vergeldt, Recording Secretary‎

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

2000-1849

March ‎3‎, ‎1998 ‎Regular Meeting‎

Regular Meeting of March ‎3‎, ‎1998‎

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

3‎, ‎1998 ‎be accepted as printed‎.‎

Ayes‎:‎ All‎

Nays‎:‎ None‎

Absent‎:‎ Kaiser, Krupa ‎MOTION CARRIED‎.‎

Approved

COMMUNICATIONS

A‎.‎ Memo from Linda Blackerby regarding the Draft ‎1999‎ Capital ‎

Improvement Plan ‎(‎CIP‎) ‎

B‎.‎ Notice of postponement of Agenda Item IV‎.‎A‎. (‎Master Transportation ‎

Plan Public Hearing‎) ‎for Planning Commission of April ‎21‎, ‎1998‎

C‎.‎ Memo from Kenneth D‎. ‎Snell, Mayor to City Council dated ‎20‎ April ‎

1998‎ regarding Agenda Item IV‎.‎A‎.‎

D‎.‎ Letter dated ‎4-21-98‎ from Mrs‎. ‎Frederick Walter regarding the Master ‎

Transportation Plan Update‎

E‎.‎ Letter dated February ‎16‎, ‎1998‎ from Bob Stimetz regarding the Master ‎

Transportation Plan Update‎

F‎.‎ Ordinance Numbers ‎200-98‎, ‎200-99‎

G‎.‎ Planning & Zoning News, February ‎1998‎

H‎.‎ Letter from Foster Meadows and Boward P‎.‎C‎. ‎regarding Wildflower ‎

Subdivision‎

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

2000-1755

Approval of the Master Transportation Plan Update ‎

(‎Reference‎: ‎Staff Memo prepared by Patricia A‎. ‎Goodwin dated April ‎16‎, ‎1998 ‎has ‎

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

The following notice was posted at the City of Rochester Hills Municipal Offices on ‎

the front door and on the Planning Department counter as well as at the two entrances ‎

of the Precinct No‎. ‎5 ‎Building‎:‎

ATTENTION‎

Due to the response to tonight's planned agenda item No‎. ‎IV‎.‎a ‎- ‎

Master Transportation Plan Update‎, and limited space ‎

accommodations of Precinct #‎5 ‎due to renovations to the City ‎

Hall Auditorium, ‎this public hearing has been postponed‎. ‎If you ‎

would like to be notified by mail of the new date for this hearing ‎

please sign the attached sheet along with your address‎. ‎We ‎

apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, however, we ‎

wish to insure that all of the public's comments can be heard and ‎

be made a part of the official record on this matter‎. ‎You may ‎

also contact the Planning Department at ‎(‎248‎) ‎656‎-‎4660 ‎for ‎

further information regarding the scheduling of this item‎.‎

Vice‎-‎Chairperson Rosen announced that obviously from the notice on the door, the ‎

response to tonight's meeting has overwhelmed the capacity of the Precinct No‎. ‎5 ‎

building and has taken the Planning Commission members by surprise because there ‎

has been very little public input at the three previously held public hearings regarding ‎

the Master Transportation Plan Update‎. ‎It is clear from the number of residents ‎

present that the building, which has a capacity of ‎71 ‎persons, cannot accommodate ‎

everybody‎. ‎The Fire Marshall was present on the premises and was ready to enforce ‎

the building and parking capacities if necessary‎. ‎The administration has determined ‎

that the best thing to do is to not hold the public hearing on the Master Transportation ‎

Plan Update this evening, but to postpone it until a suitable room can be found to ‎

accommodate all interested persons‎. ‎

Vice‎-‎Chairperson Rosen reminded all interested persons to be sure to sign the ‎

available sheet to be assured of receiving a notice when this item is scheduled‎.‎

MOTION‎ by Ruggiero, seconded by Nowicki, in the matter of the Master ‎

Transportation Plan Update and Public Hearing to ‎postpone ‎to a future date, ‎

tentatively June ‎2‎, ‎1998‎, until sufficient space can be reserved to accommodate the ‎

anticipated public attendance, with a sign up sheet provided for residents in attendance ‎

at tonight's meeting desiring to be notified when the future meeting is scheduled‎.‎

Ayes‎:‎ All‎

Nays‎:‎ None ‎

Absent‎:‎ Krupa ‎MOTION CARRIED‎.‎

(‎Ref‎: ‎Staff Memo prepared by Patricia A‎. ‎Goodwin dated April ‎16‎, ‎1998‎; Notice of ‎

postponement for Planning Commission of April ‎21‎, ‎1998‎; letter dated ‎4‎-‎21‎-‎98 ‎from ‎

Mrs‎. ‎Frederick Walter; letter dated February ‎16‎, ‎1998 ‎from Bob Stimetz; memo ‎

from Kenneth D‎. ‎Snell, Mayor to City Council dated ‎20 ‎April ‎1998‎; letter dated April ‎

8‎, ‎1998 ‎from BRW, Inc‎.‎; Pages ‎45‎, ‎49‎, ‎50‎, ‎51‎, ‎52‎, ‎53‎, ‎54‎, and ‎55 ‎from draft ‎

document illustrating requested revisions‎.)‎

___________________________‎

[ ‎Exit Gary ‎- ‎8:02‎ p‎.‎m‎. ]‎

Postponed

2000-1823

Master Land Use Plan Update ‎- ‎Preview of Workshops to be conducted on May ‎

1 ‎and May ‎2 ‎to discuss focus areas ‎1‎, ‎2‎, ‎3‎, ‎4 ‎and ‎5‎

(‎Reference‎: ‎Rochester Hills Master Plan Update Preview for Workshop‎--‎May ‎1 ‎and ‎

2‎, ‎1998 ‎and Draft of Community and Economic Analyses prepared by Katherine ‎

Beebe & Associates, Inc‎.)‎

Present were Katherine Beebe and Don Capobres of KBA, Inc‎. ‎and Barry Murray of ‎

JJR, Inc‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Goodwin reviewed the preparations made thus far to inform the community of the ‎

upcoming workshops, scheduled for the Older Persons Commission Center on ‎

Woodward, off Main Street, in Rochester‎. ‎On Friday, May ‎1‎, ‎1998 ‎the hours will ‎

be ‎1‎:‎00 ‎p‎.‎m‎. ‎to ‎4‎:‎00 ‎p‎.‎m‎.‎; on Saturday, May ‎2‎, ‎1998 ‎the hours will be ‎8‎:‎30 ‎a‎.‎m‎. ‎to ‎

Noon‎. ‎Following the Noon adjournment the Planning Commission will have a brief ‎

session to review the comments from the workshop sessions‎. ‎The Rochester Hills ‎

Quarterly, coming out next week, will contain an article about the Master Land Use ‎

Plan Update‎. ‎Press releases will be published in the Oakland Press, Rochester ‎

Clarion‎-‎Eccentric and Detroit Free Press‎-‎Oakland Section‎. ‎An announcement will be ‎

put on the City's WebPage as well as on the Cable channel‎. ‎Notices will also be ‎

mailed to persons on the compiled mailing list‎. ‎Announcements will also be mailed ‎

directly to all the boards and commissions‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎Goodwin and Ms‎. ‎Beebe plan to go ‎

over to the OPC ‎(‎Older Persons Center‎) ‎on Friday to make sure the room has the ‎

proper facilities to accommodate everyone‎. ‎

Ms‎. ‎Goodwin added that she and Ms‎. ‎Beebe would like to have a discussion of the ‎

policies, goals and objectives that were part of the ‎1992 ‎Master Land Use Plan ‎

Update‎. ‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe stated they have interviewed approximately ‎30 ‎people as part of the ‎

process and will send letters to them as well notifying them of the workshops‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe identified three areas for discussion‎:‎

First‎: ‎The workshop on Friday will start out with everyone altogether as one group ‎

for the introduction and community wide findings and overall community goals‎. ‎Then ‎

they will break into two groups that will focus on subgroup areas which have been ‎

discussed at previous meetings‎. ‎There will be at each subgroup setting an enlargement ‎

made on the city's GIS system of the small focus areas that have already been ‎

discussed so that people can see them in map form‎. ‎There will also be a series of ‎

photographs and plans that illustrate issues about those sites‎. ‎Each subgroup will be ‎

run like a focus session on alternatives and issues related to specific areas‎. ‎It is Ms‎. ‎

Beebe's experience that this format will be very beneficial in identifying alternatives‎. ‎

Regarding the previously discussed commercial corners, they will develop a prototype ‎

so that commissioners can see the alternative uses that might be possible‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Goodwin added that a staff member will be a part of each subgroup and will take ‎

notes‎. ‎Everyone's notes will then be compiled but will not be official minutes and will ‎

be distributed to commissioners‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎Beebe added that their goal is to make this ‎

extremely interactive; get every kind of opinion out on the table; decisions will not be ‎

made yet at this point; economics will be kept to a minimum‎. ‎It is important to have ‎

Planning Commission members present at each session and each subgroup‎. ‎She ‎

would encourage circulation at will between the subgroups‎.‎

Second‎: ‎Ms‎. ‎Beebe introduced Mr‎. ‎Don Capobres who works on economic ‎

analyses for communities‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Capobres has compiled some of the data that ‎

describes the population, land use and economic issues of the community‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎

Capobres summarized the charts that were distributed to commissioners as a way of ‎

introducing the topics‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Capobres explained that the only change from SEMCOG's ‎1992 ‎projections is ‎

that Rochester Hills seems to be growing a little faster than anticipated, at about ‎3 ‎

percent‎. ‎In terms of trends, Rochester Hills is in a more mature point in its life cycle ‎

where the population and household growth is slowing compared to what it did in the ‎

1980‎s‎. ‎Between ‎1990 ‎and ‎1995‎, which is the period of the last update, the ‎

community grew at a rate of ‎8‎.‎5 ‎percent; between ‎1995 ‎and ‎2000 ‎it is anticipated the ‎

growth rate will be only ‎2‎.‎4 ‎percent‎. ‎The total buildout figure is approximately ‎31‎,‎800 ‎

households‎. ‎It is anticipated that the community will reach that figure around Year ‎

2020‎, based on the last land use plan and current population estimates‎. ‎

As the population growth slows, the average age of the population increases‎. ‎The ‎

median age in ‎1990 ‎was ‎34 ‎years‎. ‎At the end of Mr‎. ‎Capobres' presentation he will ‎

show how all this information relates to land use and the recommendations that will be ‎

made‎. ‎Residual properties can be used to shift the tax burden from primarily ‎

residential to something else‎.‎

Continuing, Mr‎. ‎Capobres described that job growth is also slowing ‎-- ‎in ‎1990 ‎to ‎

1995 ‎it was at ‎27 ‎percent; in the next five years it will slow to ‎20 ‎percent‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Capobres discussed the chart labeled Jobs by Industrial Class and explained that ‎

the Services category includes professional as well as personal services, and it was not ‎

surprising that the biggest job generator in the community is Retail‎. ‎Benchmarks will ‎

be presented during the workshops‎.‎

Regarding Income Trends it was interesting to note that during the ‎1980‎s Rochester ‎

Hills experienced phenomenal growth as illustrated by the total aggregate income ‎

which jumped over ‎200 ‎percent‎. ‎Between ‎1990 ‎and ‎1996 ‎the total aggregate income ‎

increased only ‎52 ‎percent‎. ‎It is expected to decrease further in the future, which is ‎

merely an indication that the community is reaching maturity and is stabilizing‎.‎

The amount of existing retail acreage in the community that is supportable by the ‎

community is based on the population‎. ‎Based on Rochester Hills' population in ‎1995 ‎

the amount of retail space that the community could support is roughly ‎400 ‎acres‎. ‎

Existing today in actual retail use is ‎504 ‎acres‎. ‎The community currently has more ‎

retail than it can support by itself but the level will be adequate at buildout‎. ‎Current ‎

retail occupancy rates are over ‎95 ‎percent‎. ‎Surrounding communities will also be ‎

developing retail uses in the near future, so that needs to be kept in mind‎. ‎Retail ‎

development probably does not need to be expanded‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe stated that vacant land in the community needs to be better defined to ‎

distinguish it from floodplains and wetlands, but historically those numbers have not ‎

been captured‎. ‎It also needs to be defined as buildable or not‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Capobres stated that the Office component seems to be growing in terms of the ‎

job classification and land use‎. ‎The total number is not large, but growth is evident‎. ‎

He has not made any interpretations as to why that is occurring, but it might be ‎

because of the change in commercial policy in the ‎1992 ‎Master Plan‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Capobres briefly discussed the Tax Levy page and noted the breakout of mills ‎

subject to special votes which must be voted on and approved by the residents, and ‎

those mills that can be counted on consistently for a source of revenue‎. ‎At the ‎

workshops he will have available similar information from other communities for ‎

comparison purposes‎. ‎It appears that the city depends a great deal on revenues from ‎

special millages‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Capobres discussed Assessed Real Property Values by Land Use Category ‎

including Percent Change in Assessed Value and Percent of Total Assessed Value‎. ‎

This page shows that the proportion of the tax base attributed to Commercial has ‎

decreased consistently from ‎15 ‎percent to ‎13 ‎percent from ‎1992 ‎to ‎1997‎; the ‎

Industrial component has remained fairly constant from ‎7‎.‎2 ‎percent to ‎7‎.‎3 ‎percent; the ‎

Residential component has consistently increased from ‎77‎.‎7 ‎percent to ‎79‎.‎6 ‎percent, ‎

which means it currently makes up almost ‎80 ‎percent of the existing tax base‎. ‎In ‎

comparison the city of Novi has ‎58 ‎percent of its tax base residential; Sterling Heights ‎

has ‎59 ‎percent residential; Troy is basically ‎50 ‎percent residential; Shelby Township, ‎

which is similar to Rochester Hills in terms of its makeup, is ‎84 ‎percent residential; ‎

Auburn Hills is ‎20 ‎percent residential‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Capobres complimented Kurt Dawson ‎

and the Assessing Department by saying their cooperation was phenomenal during this ‎

master plan process and in his experience is unparalleled‎. ‎

Next was the Change in Tax Base Calculations which attempts to show where the ‎

increase in assessment comes from ‎-- ‎an increase in the value of the property, or an ‎

increase in new development and construction‎. ‎Since the last master plan update in ‎

1992‎, ‎83 ‎percent of the entire tax base increase in that year was generated by new ‎

construction of new homes‎. ‎In succeeding years the proportion of new home ‎

construction as accountable for the tax base decreases to a ‎26 ‎percent increase in tax ‎

base in ‎1997‎. ‎The city will not be able to count on that increase in residential ‎

construction to fuel the tax base in future years‎. ‎It is really important to take into ‎

consideration that somebody is going to have to pick up the burden as the community ‎

reaches stabilization and gets closer to the buildout stage‎. ‎He has described the ‎

revenue side; there is also a matching expense side‎. ‎New industrial construction really ‎

has not changed much since the last master plan update in ‎1992‎, generating around ‎9 ‎

percent of the increase in tax base‎. ‎The bulk of the increase in the tax base has been ‎

residential driven, historically is based on new construction, has fallen more and more ‎

on increased assessments on homes; therefore, the tax burden is shifting increasingly ‎

toward residential‎.‎

Continuing, Mr‎. ‎Capobres mentioned another issue‎: ‎The current CIP indicates a need ‎

for improvements that cost roughly $‎164 ‎million in the year ‎2003‎. ‎Based on the ‎

information he has, currently over ‎72 ‎percent of that amount does not have any ‎

funding identified‎. ‎Local and major road improvements account for two of the biggest ‎

capital improvement categories that currently do not have funding sources identified‎. ‎

Unless the community reaches a stabilization period, there will not be the new growth ‎

to fuel the construction of the roads, and it won't be there to count on to maintain the ‎

roads‎. ‎

The purpose of all these charts and data is to attempt to identify a way of shifting the ‎

tax burden, such as from the residential component to another component, for ‎

example, the identified residual properties‎. ‎The question to ask is, what can be done ‎

in terms of alternative uses on residual properties from an economic and tax base ‎

viewpoint‎. ‎He has worked with the Assessing Department in terms of identifying the ‎

types of impacts certain land uses might have on assessed values and residual ‎

properties‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe explained that the workshops will focus more on the residual parcels ‎

rather than the economic aspects of land use planning‎. ‎The economics must be ‎

included, however, in order to make a complete report‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Goodwin commented since the commercial component is very healthy, that could ‎

leave three other components ‎-- ‎office‎/‎industrial, special purpose, and senior housing ‎

and possibly multi‎-‎housing‎. ‎

Based on the demographics, Mr‎. ‎Capobres sees an opportunity for senior housing as ‎

the population ages as well as options for younger families generated by the ‎

employment explosion of Chrysler at the nearby Technology Park, and those who ‎

have grown up in the community may want to raise their own children here‎.‎

Vice‎-‎Chairperson Rosen stated that is how the community grew around the GM Tech ‎

Center in Warren‎. ‎As people moved upscale, they moved to Rochester Hills, and ‎

younger families moved in‎. ‎And the cycle continues‎. ‎It sounds like the consultants are ‎

saying the city must shift the burden of the tax base away from residential‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe stated there is no optimum model for a tax base‎. ‎Tax abatements were ‎

given to industry years ago to encouraging business to locate here‎. ‎The abatements ‎

are beginning to expire, and industry is moving out in favor of other communities that ‎

are continuing their tax abatements, such as Auburn Hills‎. ‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe explained how tax abatements relate to the master plan update‎. ‎We're ‎

talking about the community that will be built out in ‎20 ‎years no matter what is done ‎

now‎. ‎The land in the city is an asset, and the decisions that are made now about the ‎

future planning and use of that asset should be made with an understanding of the ‎

impact‎. ‎we're bring all this up because we feel that the amount of land left for ‎

development is pretty precious so you should think real hard about where it goes in ‎

the future‎. ‎The Planning Commission needs to value their decisions and alternatives as ‎

they look at the residual parcels‎. ‎There are values to associate with property ‎- ‎a tax ‎

value, environmental value, residential amenity value‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎Beebe advised the Planning ‎

Commission to consider all those values before rushing to judgment‎. ‎This amount of ‎

detail will not be presented at the workshops, but they wanted to bring these issues up ‎

so they can be considered‎. ‎No value judgments are being made yet‎.‎

‎

Third‎: ‎Discussion turned to the Policies section of the Master Plan, referencing the last ‎

two pages of the handout‎. ‎The consultants have reviewed the narrative portions of the ‎

1992 ‎Master Plan to determine what changes need to be made, what shifts in focus ‎

are needed, and areas that require elaboration‎. ‎The consultants propose to generally ‎

follow the layout of the current ‎1992 ‎plan and change only the content where ‎

necessary‎. ‎Citizen participation will be emphasized in the update, and the city mission ‎

statement will be included‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Murray discussed the recreation and open space policies; he would clarify the ‎

discussion on open spaces and strengthen the environmental discussion‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎

Goodwin added that originally the open space concept was intended to provide ‎

amenities to neighborhoods in the form of parks and playlots‎. ‎As it turned out, ‎

homeowners did not want to assume liability for that, so the concept never developed ‎

as envisioned‎. ‎Member Nowicki added that the concept of open space may change ‎

because the hard‎-‎to‎-‎develop land or marginal lots may become open spaces‎. ‎The ‎

city may have to examine the viability of that option‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Murray commented on the inter‎-‎related system of facilities that shows up in the ‎

master plan and recreation plan, and he would assume that would continue in the ‎

update‎. ‎He recommended strengthening or broadening the environmental category as ‎

it relates to the inter‎-‎related system of facilities‎. ‎The categories of Intergovernmental ‎

Cooperation in Planning Recreation Facilities and Cooperation with School Districts ‎

appear to be a good combination‎. ‎Their interviews with the school districts revealed ‎

that the school districts were quite enthused about the use of their facilities for other ‎

kinds of recreational purposes‎. ‎The Rochester Avon Recreational Authority ‎(‎RARA‎) ‎

appears to be a primary force in providing coordination between governmental units‎. ‎

Public Access to rivers and streams and Open Space Preservation should be ‎

preserved and expanded‎. ‎

Regarding the Property Purchase Program it appears from discussions he had with the ‎

recreation department that the city has bought all the property they plan to buy‎. ‎The ‎

consultants question whether this should continue to be included as a policy‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎

Goodwin added that City Council will research that through the strategic planning ‎

process‎. ‎Since it has been suggested to invite City Council members to the ‎

workshops, that might be an appropriate time to discuss it‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎Goodwin identified ‎

another aspect of the property purchase program‎. ‎In the proposed PUD Ordinance ‎

there are provisions regarding off‎-‎site contributions as an inducement for the city to ‎

allow a particular project to utilize the PUD option‎. ‎This might be a way to use ‎

private funds to purchase sensitive lands for the benefit of the public‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎Beebe ‎

added that this is the role of the master plan ‎- ‎to point out the areas you want to focus ‎

on no matter what the means are‎. ‎The Parks and Forestry Department has pointed ‎

out specific parcels they are interested in; some have been acquired and some have ‎

not‎. ‎They think there is a good distribution of park property, and the acreage exceeds ‎

national standards‎. ‎There are also many park facilities nearby‎. ‎Ninety‎-‎five percent of ‎

people surveyed in the city view the parks as excellent or very good‎. ‎

Moving on to the Transportation Policies section, the consultants were not sure how ‎

to proceed in light of the postponement of the Master Transportation Plan Update ‎

Approval‎. ‎Member Nowicki recommended eliminating the discussion on collector ‎

roads from the plan as they no longer function as originally intended‎. ‎The collector ‎

roads have actually encouraged cut‎-‎through traffic‎. ‎Since the community is almost ‎

built out, there is little opportunity to implement the design anymore‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Murray noted that the existing transportation policies are being pursued, and it ‎

was obvious that residents are interested in transportation issues, judging from the ‎

turnout for the Master Transportation Plan discussion that had to be postponed this ‎

evening because the building was not large to accommodate the crowd‎. ‎

Mr‎. ‎Murray related the cut‎-‎through traffic to Acceptance of a Lower Level of Traffic ‎

Service, which is a combination of not being able to have collector roads and also not ‎

desiring to widen every road‎. ‎This is related to the quality of life of residents and also ‎

impacts other communities‎. ‎Vice‎-‎Chairperson Rosen added that the city has not fully ‎

grappled with this issue yet, but it truly is a trade‎-‎off‎. ‎He welcomed any insight the ‎

consultants could provide‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎Beebe added that it sounded like it was a decision ‎

and policy made on the basis of what was thought to be a good trade‎-‎off, but now ‎

you have been living it, and the living of it is more difficult‎. ‎The city has not changed ‎

much physically since the last master plan with respect to the roads; it's the ‎

neighboring communities that have changed‎. ‎There does not seem to be much ‎

opportunity for road widening except for the abandoned railroad‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Murray felt a number of the Thoroughfare Aesthetics issues would be better ‎

grouped into an urban design category, or something dealing with appearance issues‎. ‎

A discussion of the gateways would be included‎. ‎

Turning to Housing Policies, Ms‎. ‎Beebe would strengthen the section on Housing ‎

Choice, identifying a range of housing choices from singles to seniors as the city goes ‎

through the aging process‎. ‎Since the whole idea of neighborhood identity doesn‎’‎t ‎

really exist beyond a subdivision, she did not see any kind of focus moving forward to ‎

further enhance identity as an issue‎. ‎The whole issue of providing residential amenities ‎

is important at this point in the community's development‎. ‎The issue even at total ‎

buildout is how to constantly improve the environment for the residential stock‎. ‎The ‎

way to retain the residential quality is to treat the adjacent areas, parks and open ‎

spaces, and the facilities that serve residential areas‎. ‎Future improvement of ‎

residential does not mean adding a whole lot, rather improving the environment‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎

Beebe would like to address the Amenities for High Density Housing as a form of ‎

amenities for residential‎. ‎

The consultants will recommend that the update contain a separate section on ‎

Redevelopment of Land Fill Areas‎. ‎This topic will be discussed in depth at the ‎

workshops‎.‎

The consultants will be reviewing Senior Housing ‎-- ‎as opposed to housing for the ‎

elderly ‎-- ‎in the areas of definition and special purpose, and other opportunities for ‎

multi‎-‎family or continuing care‎.‎

Ms‎. ‎Beebe discussed ‎Restore, Reinforce, and Restructure‎ as a conceptual way of ‎

looking at all residential areas and areas that need to be restored for historic ‎

preservation, areas that need reinforcement or need to be better supported such as the ‎

entire Northwest section, amenities that would help to reinforce certain areas, areas ‎

that need restructuring such as Auburn Road and south‎. ‎It is her observation of other ‎

communities that it is the residential areas that suffer if amenities and traffic are not ‎

given attention‎. ‎

Regarding Commercial Development Policies, Ms‎. ‎Beebe stated that the city is now ‎

beyond buildout for commercial and basically needs a maintenance policy‎. ‎She ‎

concurs with the current policy of limiting commercial development to what is ‎

supportable by the existing population plus that projected at build‎-‎out‎. ‎Rochester ‎

Road will be discussed in depth during the workshops‎. ‎The three commercial nodes ‎

including two residual areas will be included‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎Beebe recommends that Rochester ‎

Road be called out as a commercial area with appropriate treatments prescribed‎. ‎The ‎

same will apply to the revitalization of Auburn Road commercial areas‎. ‎The Walton ‎

Boulevard commercial development will be discussed at the workshops‎. ‎

The consultants will clarify where the research‎/‎office development may occur and to ‎

discuss possible areas where it would be suitable but not allowable at present‎. ‎Rather ‎

than using research‎/‎office development as a buffer between industrial or commercial ‎

areas and nearby residential areas, it should be a policy that office belongs in a specific ‎

area for specific reasons‎.‎

Mixed Use Development in strategic areas is working quite well‎.‎

Turning to Community Facilities Policies, Ms‎. ‎Beebe recommended that they can be ‎

shown in map form, but they would like to add to that other kinds of amenities such as ‎

recreational facilities and other amenities which are really public purpose lands‎. ‎She ‎

questioned where to include the school bus garage‎. ‎Mr‎. ‎Murray suggested categories ‎

such as City Services and School Services which could include EMS‎. ‎The issue ‎

would be the use, not whether it is public or private‎. ‎There really is not much ‎

discussion about basic services such as fire because they are already well established‎. ‎

The consultants would like to incorporate research and development into industrial ‎

development so that tax base issues can be addressed‎.‎

Mr‎. ‎Murray indicated that the Historic Preservation Policies are clearly stated‎. ‎Ms‎. ‎

Goodwin added that an historic preservation plan is in the works‎.‎

Member Nowicki suggested identifying the ‎"‎Other‎" ‎category if it is included‎.‎

The consultants recommend including Landfills as a separate item; this topic will be ‎

discussed heavily in the workshops‎. ‎There are roughly ‎500 ‎acres of landfill in the city‎.‎

The Vice‎-‎Chairperson invited comments from those in attendance at the meeting even ‎

though this was not a Public Hearing‎.‎

[ ‎Exit Ruggiero ‎- ‎9:40‎ p‎.‎m‎. ]‎

(‎Reference‎: ‎Rochester Hills Master Plan Update, Preview for Workshop‎--‎May ‎1 ‎and ‎

2‎, ‎1998‎, including Draft Community and Economic Analyses, prepared by Katherine ‎

Beebe & Associates, Inc‎.)‎

Discussed

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

2000-1733

1999 ‎Capital Improvement Plan ‎(‎CIP‎) ‎Update‎

Ms‎. ‎Goodwin stated the Public Hearing on the CIP is planned for May ‎19‎, ‎1998‎. ‎

Two changes are proposed‎: ‎Include pictures of Planning Commission members, and ‎

the letter of transmittal come from the Planning Commission rather than the Mayor ‎

since the CIP is a Planning Commission document‎.‎

[ ‎Exit Beebe, Capobres, Murray ‎- ‎9:44‎ p‎.‎m‎. ]‎

(‎Reference‎: ‎Memo from Linda Blackerby dated April ‎21‎, ‎1998 ‎including Draft Letter ‎

of Transmittal and Proposed Resolution‎)‎

Discussed

NEXT MEETING DATE

Vice‎-‎Chairperson Rosen reminded Commissioners that the next meeting is a ‎

SPECIAL Meeting scheduled for April ‎28‎, ‎1998 ‎at the Precinct No‎. ‎5 ‎Building at ‎

1551 ‎East Auburn Road‎.‎

ADJOURNMENT

Hearing no further business to come before the Planning Commission, ‎

Vice‎-‎Chairperson Rosen adjourned the regular meeting at ‎9‎:‎47 ‎p‎.‎m‎. ‎Michigan time‎.‎