Members Present:        Phil Starr, Matthew Bonzo, Ralph Palmer, John VanderMeulen, Keith Bouwkamp, and Louise Yowtz

Members Absent:        Ron Bell

Guests Present:  Robert Hall

Public:             None

Meeting:

            A         Pledge of Allegiance

Meeting was called to order at 8:00 by Phil Starr.  Pledge of Allegiance was cited.

B.                 Roll Call: 

Ron Bell is absent

C.                Approval of Agenda

Starr presented the agenda for March 26^th, 2007.  Motion made (Yowtz) and supported (Bouwkamp) to approve the agenda. Motion carried.

D.                Approval of Minutes for February ‘077

Motion Made (Bouwkamp) and supported (VanderMeulen) to approve Minutes of February ’07 with the clarification that Ron Bell was absent under “Roll Call”.  Starr called for a vote, motion carried.

Public Hearing (Section 3.11(b) (2)) Deletion of same

Motion made (VanderMeulen) and supported (Bouwkamp) to go to the public hearing on the deletion of Section 3.11(b) (2).  Starr called for vote, all supported, motion carried.  Starr asked for comments

The Section reads: “In the R‑S and R‑L Districts, a detached accessory building shall not exceed six hundred and twenty four (624) square feet.  The combined area of two (2) detached accessory buildings shall not exceed seven hundred and forty four (744) square feet”

Yowtz requested clarification that if this section were to be deleted, then accessory buildings would be limited in size by the lot size.  Starr said the accessory building size would be governed by all remaining zoning ordinances and if they were met, they would no longer need to meet the restriction of 3.11(b) (2).

Zoning Administrator Hall reported that he did not receive any comments or correspondence of any kind relative to this issue. 

Motion made (Bonzo) and supported (Bouwkamp) to close public hearing.

Yowtz made motion and supported (Bouwkamp) to remove Section 3.11(b) (2).  Phil Starr called for a vote: Starr Aye, Bonzo, Aye, Vander Meulen Aye, Bouwkamp Aye, and Palmer Aye.  Motion passed.

Reports

A.                Correspondence Received

Starr Citizen Planner Curriculum and Registration brochure was received.  The Township Board will send three members of the Planning Commission, Starr, Palmer and Bouwkamp as week as the Zoning Administrator.  The Newaygo County Citizen Planner sessions begin April 17^th in Freemont.

The following correspondence was received;

·         Revised document entitled “State of Michigan, County of Newaygo, Township of Ensley, Land Division Ordinance” from the attorney.

·         The PC Report from the Zoning Administrator for February

·         March 22 Updates to the Zoning Ordinance – Michigan Zoning Enabling Act from LSL Planning, Inc.

·         E-mail from Sarah O’Donnell of LSL Planning containing examples for consideration for Lake District Language.

·         Text “VI. Section 4.0 Existing Lots of Record” form Hall

·         Census 200 Project: Michigan County Population Change Chart from Hall

·         Section 5 of the “Handbook of Michigan Township Zoning and Planning” and section 2 of “The need for a Zoning Ordinance” from Hall

B.                 Township Representative

John VanderMeulen gave the Planning Commission an update on the Township Board.

C.                Information and Inquiry

There has been enquiry for development at Conover Lake.  It looks like the development will have to go through the Special Land use process.

D.                Zoning Administrator

Robert Hall went over the Zoning Administrator Report for February 2007.

 Old Business

A.                Land Division Ordinance (Does not need public hearing)

The revised document labeled “Draft, 3/13/07” and titled “State of Michigan, County of Newaygo, Township of Ensley, Land Division Ordinance” was reviewed. 

Motion made (Yowtz) and approved (Bouwkamp) to recommend the document as written to the Township Board.  Phil Starr called for a vote: Starr Aye, Bonzo, Aye, Vander Meulen Aye, Bouwkamp Aye, and Palmer Aye.  Motion passed.

B.                       Michigan Zoning Enabling Act

The March 22^nd memo from LSL Planning, Inc is the final report or recommendations for changes.   Adoption of the changes will require (Hall) a public hearing.  Hall recommends that the changes be typed up and submitted for review to the PC prior to any public hearing.   Starr requested the final text be reviewed at the next PC meeting.  Subject tabled until next meeting. 

C.                      Non Conforming Lots/Zoning Changes

The e-mail from Sarah O’Donnell of LSL Planning containing examples for consideration for Lake District Language was reviewed as well as the text “VI. Section 4.0 Existing Lots of Record”.  Attention was given to the text in 9.08.B, “The rear and side yard set backs may be reduced by the lesser percentage that the differs from the required width or area requirements of the subject zoning district” and to the text in labeled Section 4.0 Existing Lots of Record, “The principal building on such a lot or parcel shall, however, be located such that the side yard setbacks on the lot or the parcel are at least 80% as wide as the side yard requirements …”

The PC is not sure where this language if adopted would be inserted into the ordinance.  It might belong in Section 3.0.  It should apply only for non conforming lots and not all lots or it would weaken the ordinance and create confusion that all lots/people might be eligible for “leeway” of the requirements.

Hall will look into where this should be written into the ordinance.  ThePC likes the idea of giving the ZA some leeway as long at the leeway is given to get a lot closer to compliance.  Hall likes the percentage method and thinks this could be a standard. Starr asked Hall to compose language to submit at the next meeting

New Business

A.                      Master Plan

Hall pointed out that the growth in Newaygo has been 25% between the years of 1990 – 2000 as shown in the chart he provided.

Per Starr, Fremont started joint township planning commission with the city and gave the example of a trailer park project.  This new entity or partnership could have just one trailer park area near city for example and not in each territory.

Section 5 of the “Handbook of Michigan Township Zoning and Planning” and section 2 of “The need for a Zoning Ordinance” from Hall was reviewed as there are questions on the legal basis for a Master Plan by PC members.

Yowtz submitted Chapter One for the Master plan and the Outline for review.  There were various changes.

Chapter Two postponed until next meeting.

Motion made by (Bonzo) and supported (Bouwkamp) to adjourn at 9:50 PM.  Motion carried.