Saline Township Planning Commission
Regular Meeting, January 10, 2007

Members Present:
Richard Zahn, Neil Bohnett, Trudy Feldkamp, Keith Girbach, Laurie Leinbach, Chuck Rankin, Denny Zink

Members Absent:
None

Others Present:
Jim Marion (Supervisor), Dan Cabage, Don Pennington, Rodney Nanney, approximately 10 others

Meeting was called to order at 7:35 pm.

Roll was taken; all members present (Feldkamp arrived at 7:45); quorum established.

Pledge of Allegiance was led by Girbach.

Approval of Minutes December 13, 2006: motion by Rankin, supported by Bohnett; vote unanimous to approve.

Approval of Agenda, January 10, 2007: motion by Girbach to approve agenda, supported by Leinbach; vote unanimous to approve.

Announcements:
None.

Public Comments:
None.

New Business:

1. Board Issues
   1. Township Hall furnace, repair needed.
   2. DEQ public hearing on Biltmore wastewater treatment, scheduled for February 22.
   3. Dan Cabage, Lewis is dragging his feet on paying bill. Dan has also talked to the DEQ on the Lewis permit.
   4. PDR ordinance. Should we piggyback on the County's? Don isn't sure where the County is on creating their ordinance. He has worked with communities that have done both - with the County and doing their own ordinance. He will make sure that our zoning ordinance will be in line with the County requirements. The wording in our Plan will comply. Probably not necessary to bring in a County representative to discuss this. Don will contact the County for their status.
   5. Court date, February 12, 1:30 pm. Biltmore and the Township to appear in Sheldon's courtroom. Attorney Lucas would like the entire Board to attend.
      

Old Business:

1. Continued work on Plan update. Additional work is needed on the graphics.
   
   
2. For next meeting (January 25), parts 13 and 14 of the Plan for review. Next phase will be the graphics (maps, tables, etc.), hopefully for the February 14 meeting.
   
   
3. Recieved Articles 1, 2, 17, and 19; remainder left to receive, Definitions (Article 18), 6, 9, and 11.
   
   
4. Articles 1: sign change, move penalties to civil infraction from misdemeanor.
   
   
5. Article 2, section 17: changes due to state law.
   
   
6. Article 2, section 19: effective date stuff.
   
   
7. Article 7: have added and made changes. Key change is on 7-3, 7.06, tightened up flexibility. Shared parking requirements has been increased due to minimum required parking being reduced. Older ordinances had minimums too high. Paving requirements come from State. Column is an option. Handicapped spaces required by State law. 7-7 Restaurant carry-out change to "yes". 7-6, Funeral Parlor, change to "yes". Page 7-8, Storage - will clarify that paving is specified for visitor areas only, not area where storage (RV's, i.e.) is in open. Under Industrial uses, change all to "yes" (page 7-8).
   
   Parking standards, now concern is about over parking, so maximum parking standards have been added. Currently is set at 130% of minimum.
   
   Page 7-14, Section 7.13: County or State Road authority standards - basically saying that the more restrictive standards will supercede.
   
   Page 7-13, Section 7.11: Covers unanticipated uses. This is a safety valve to cover unforeseen requests or special situations. Provides a way for Planning Commission to approve rather than going through Zoning Board of Appeals.
   
   
8. Article 8: Substantially new. Pulls from various bits and pieces sprinkled throughout the Plan. Sets technical standards. For example: landscaping needs to be immediate, not wait for growth. Standard for replacing dead tree? (Girbach) Included on page 8-12.
   
   Primarily enforced through site plan review. Requiring healthy plants and requiring replacing dead material. Maintenance should be included in site plan.
   
   Page 8-2, Design Standards Section 8.03.A.4. New section. Comments? Will work on revising. Include plan for how watering will be done.
   
   Page 8-4, Section 8.04, Screening. Illustrations on page 8-14 & 15. Developer and Planning Commission can discuss which options for each specific development, depending on location, size, etc. Standards have been included.
   
   Transition strips, Section 8.06. Additional separation between two very unlike uses. Minimum is reduced because of existing setbacks, the transition strip is additional. 20 and 25 feet are substantial for commercial uses. But have strengthened the barrier requirements.
   
   
9. Article 10, all new to ordinance. Illustrations in back very helpful. Points out Section 10.04, page 10-3. Includes maximum height requirement. Covered pretty much last meeting. Most likely enforced through site plan review.
   
   
10. Question. Falling down buildings. Is there anything we can do? Some communities have a "blight" ordinance, stand alone type. Others have a property maintenance code, enforced by the building inspector.
    

Public Comments:
None

Bohnett moved for adjournment; Rankin support; meeting adjourned, 9:00 p.m. The next working session will be on January 25, 2007, at 7:30 p.m. at the Township hall.

Trudy Feldkamp
Saline Township Planning Commission, Secretary