Saline Township Planning Commission
Public Hearing/Regular Meeting, March 14, 2007

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

Members Absent:
Denny Zink

Others Present:
Jim Marion (Supervisor), Orman Roehm, Donna Roehm, Don Pennington, Rodney Nanney, approximately 8 others

Meeting was called to order at 7:40 pm.

Roll was taken; quorum established.

Pledge of Allegiance was led by Girbach.

Approval of Minutes, February 14, 2007: motion by Leinbach, supported by Bohnett; vote unanimous to approve.

Approval of Agenda, March 14, 2007: motion by Leinbach to approve agenda, supported by Girbach; vote unanimous to approve.

Announcements:

1. Board of Review, J. Marion, Jedele property on US12, some complaints; berm on Niethammers, water issue and rats in yard. Need to address in ordinance.
2. Denny Zink has resigned from the Planning Commission.

Public Comments:
None.

Public Hearing:
Called to order at 7:50.

Fiber Tower application for special use permit to co-locate one antenna on Case Road tower and add one 4 foot x 4 foot equipment cabinet. Letter from Dan Cabbage, addressing height, capacity/weight and driveway culvert.

Girbach - motion to approve application with the condition that item #3 (culvert) in letter is completed and a final inspection is conducted. Leinbach, support. Vote - unanimous in favor of motion.

Public Hearing concluded 7:55.

New Business:

1. Items from the Board
   1. Road Commission attended monthly meeting. Discussed truck routes, making Macon Road a primary road and dust control.
   2. Biltmore has pulled their application with the Department of Environmental Quality.
   3. Fire board, Township Board felt our share was too high.
   4. Recycling, people are abusing with garbage and such being included with approved items.
   5. The Township Board will meet with Fred Lucas and Don Pennington on Thursday, prior to court date, March 19.
   6. Cemetery cleanup on April 21.

Old Business:
Continued work on Plan/Ordinance update.

Discussed Article 11-Special Developments Provisions.

Section 11.01- Residential Open Space Dev. Option is required by State. Benefit to Township is it helps to preserve open space, buffers agriculture from residential. Who maintains the open space? Metes and bounds, maintained by property owner. If a project, the home owners association; or donated to private charity or as public parkland. If a project, covered in site plan.
Page 11-3 - Conservation Easement. Permanent, goes with the property. Yearly inspections.

Section 11.02 - Wireless Communication Facilities. Will make approval an administrative process. Page 11-16.

Section 11.02.I - Standards, location; J-addresses antennae on structures, i.e., silos, barns, etc.; K- added "Ham" radio equipment. By Federal law, must be included. Would be administrative approval.

Section 11.03 - Development Agreement. Expanded; enforcement tool.

Section 11.04 - Water and Sewer Facilities. Should look at a stand-alone ordinance.

Section 11.05 - Natural Features. Preserving groundwater recharge areas. Will draft language for preserving woodlands in developments only.

Section 11.06 - Wind Energy Conversion Systems. Washtenaw County is researching, perhaps for private individuals. Standards included for both private and commercial uses. These regulations are stricter than what the State is considering.

Section 11.07 - Illustrations. Showing various standards.

Article 9 - Signs.
Page 9-5. Table of sign size depending on location. Numbers came from current ordinance.
Page 9-10. Table of modifiers, changes/depending on where located.

Section 9.07 - New billboards are not permitted.

Section 9.12 - Exceptions. Guidelines for Zoning Board of Appeals. Lots of illustrations.

Article 6 - Miscellaneous. Few changes from current ordinance. Added basic language for fences.

Question on Ponds. Ponds are treated as a use and is included in section 5.

Accessory uses. In residential/single family home. Change.

Section 6.101.A.5.c - add to apply to ½ acre lots.

Section 6.207 - Performance Standards, updated.

One section missing. Dumping. Still advise to create a stand-alone ordinance. Would help take care of existing situations. For derelict buildings, county building codes may need to be brought in. A "regulatory" ordinance.

Completes document. Intent to prepare revised document. Will try to have ready for April 11 meeting. Will then schedule a meeting with the Township Board and the Planning Commission.

Public Comments:
None

Rankin moved for adjournment, Leinbach support; meeting adjourned, 9:00 p.m. Next meeting is April 11, 7:30 p.m. at the Township hall.

Trudy Feldkamp
Saline Township Planning Commission, Secretary