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HomeMy WebLinkAboutS080724 MinutesCITY OF LIVONIA – CITY COUNCIL MINUTES OF STUDY MEETING HELD AUGUST 7, 2024 Meeting was called to order at 8:42 p.m. by Council President McCullough. Present: Scott Morgan, Jim Jolly, Laura Toy, Vice President Martha Ptashnik,Rob Donovic, Carrie Budzinski, and President McCullough. Absent: None. Elected and appointed officials present: Carter Fisher, City Attorney;Mark Taormina, Planning and Economic Development Director; and Todd Zilincik, City Engineer. Councilmember Morgan led the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance. During Audience Communication Ben Tiseo, 19815 Farmington Road, thanked everyone for Livonia being a great city. President McCullough indicated there is new data on item #7. NEW BUSINESS REQUEST TO WAIVE THE CITY'S NOISE ORDINANCE: Nick Cornell, General Manager, Supernatural Spirits and Brewing LLC, re: to host the Wildwood Sourfest event on Saturday, August 31, 2024, from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. with live music on the property located at 36685 Plymouth Road. Nick Cornell, General Manager, presented the request to Council. Councilmember Jolly offered an approving motion for the Consent agenda. DIRECTIONAPPROVINGCONSENT BLOCK PARTY: Karen Werden, re: to be held Saturday, September 7, 2024, from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., on Flamingo Blvd. between St. Martins and Bretton Streets, with a rain date of Sunday, September 8, 2024. Karen Werden, 19651 Flamingo, presented the request to Council. Vice President Ptashnik offered an approving motion for the Consent agenda. DIRECTIONAPPROVINGCONSENT BLOCK PARTY: Deborah Lindlbauer, re: to be held Saturday, September 14, 2024, from 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., on Sussex Street between Sherwood and Fitzgerald Streets, with a rain date of Sunday, September 15, 2024. Deborah Lindlbauer, 15655 Sussex, presented the request to Council. Vice President Ptashnik offered an approving motion for the Consent agenda. DIRECTIONAPPROVINGCONSENT BLOCK PARTY: Rebecca Drzewicki, re: to be held Saturday, September 28, 2024, from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Parklane Street, between Clarita and Margareta Streets, with a rain date of Saturday, October 5, 2024. Rebecca Drzewicki, 18615 Parklane, presented the request to Council. Councilmember Jolly offered an approving motion for the Consent agenda. DIRECTIONAPPROVINGCONSENT WAIVER PETITION: Planning Commission, re: Petition 2024-06-02-11 submitted by Penske Automotive requesting waiver use approval to demolish the existing commercial buildings and use five (5) parcels totaling approximately 3.06 acres for the storage and display of vehicles in connection with an automobile dealership (Bill Brown Ford) at 32400, 32450, 32460, 32510, and 32516 Plymouth Road, located on the northwest corner of Plymouth Road and Hubbard Avenue in the Southwest ¼ of Section 27. Mark Taormina, Planning and Economic Development Director, presented the request to Council. Councilmember Donovic spoke about improvements on lighting. He verified that there won’t be any driveways on Plymouth Road, and they will be installing the traditional Plymouth Road Development Authority improvements. Councilmember Budzinski asked if there would be a barrier along Plymouth Road such as fencing. Mr. Taormina said there are security bollards that will be placed in front of each parking spot, brick piers and fencing on the outer corner that would match the ones on the other corner. He also indicated there will be improved landscaping. Councilmember Donovic asked for more clarification as to whether there will be more landscaping around the bollards. Councilmember Jolly asked if Penske would continue to do business as Bill Brown Ford. Jeff Anderson, Penske Automotive Group, indicated they will continue to carry on the name of Bill Brown Ford and will be investing heavily in the business. The bollards are typical and are there to avoid people driving cars off the lot. Their plan is to demolish the buildings on the property. Councilmember Donovic asked when they will start the work. Mr. Anderson said they received permits this week to cut off the sanitary line, are waiting for asbestos abatement, and hope to start demolition very soon. They would like it to be done before bad weather hits. He also indicated every current employee with stay with them. Councilmember Toy offered an approving motion for the Consent agenda. DIRECTIONAPPROVINGCONSENT WAIVER PETITION: Planning Commission, re: Petition 2024-06-02-12 submitted by Tiseo Architects, Inc., on behalf of The Rack, requesting waiver use approval to utilize a Class C liquor license (sale of beer, wine and spirits for consumption on the premises) in connection with the operation of the existing billiard hall at 28410 Joy Road, located on the north side of Joy Road between Floral and Harrison Avenues in the Southeast ¼ of Section 36. Mark Taormina, Planning and Economic Development Director, presented the request to Council. Councilmember Toy asked if they had reports from Fire and Police on this site. Mr. Taormina indicated the Council package should include that since they typically provide reports for this type of request. Mr. Taormina asked that Council consider working with the Law Department to fashion language in the resolution to restrict the license to the operation of the pool hall. Councilmember Donovic confirmed there was an attempt to bring a liquor license to this location back in the 1990’s which was met with objection from the neighborhood. He asked Mr. Tiseo what type of clientele gather there. Ben Tiseo, 19815 Farmington Road, indicated there are 15 pool tables with a small kitchen and sales area. They are looking to bring in alcohol because they are losing business to other establishments. He confirmed that the intent is for the alcoholic beverages to stay in the building. Issa Eadeh, 28410 Joy Road, indicated 95% of business is repeat customers who are there to play pool and would like to have alcohol available. There will be a 10-foot bar in the southeast area. Councilmember Donovic asked if the liquor license could be rescinded if they had violations. Mr. Taormina said they would need to work with the Law Department if they would like that to be a condition of the Waiver use. Councilmember Ptashnik asked for the hours of operation and if they would need additional staffing. Mr. Eadeh indicated they are open Monday through Wednesday from 2p.m. to midnight, Thursday through Saturday from 2p.m. to 2a.m. and they will need additional staff. She also asked if they would bring food and beverages to the pool table area. Mr. Eadeh said they will since there are small tables near the pool tables. Councilmember Morgan asked how long Mr. Eadeh has owned the pool hall. Mr. Eadeh said it will be 14 years in November, but it has been open for 60 years. Councilmember Morgan said he remembers being there a lot as an officer and wonders if they can keep control, so they don’t overtax the Police Department and have neighbor complaints. Mr. Eadeh indicated most of their patrons are older people. Mr. Tiseo said there are six dumpsters behind the building. He looked into putting them into an enclosure, but it is too costly and cannot happen. Vice President Ptashnik asked that screening the dumpsters be removed as a requirement for the waiver. Councilmember Jolly asked if they need all six dumpsters. Mr. Tiseo said there are ten tenants, and he doesn’t think they can consolidate them any further. President McCullough asked if they could put Arborvitaes in from the corner of the building to the alley side of the building. Mr. Tiseo said he thinks that could be done. Councilmember Donovic said he feels Arborvitaes are not the answer as they will be damaged and probably wouldn’t last more than two years. He also verified the motion would include the condition that the license would remain with the current owner. Councilmember Jolly offered an approving motion for the Consent agenda to include a condition that the liquor license remain with the current owner of the Rack. DIRECTIONAPPROVINGCONSENT SITE PLAN PETITION: Planning Commission, re: Petition 2024-06-08-02 submitted by Laurel Investment, L.L.C. requesting approval of all plans in connection with a proposal to demolish a portion of the existing Holiday Inn and construct three (3) new buildings including a five-story hotel (Home 2 Suites by Hilton), and two (2) freestanding full-service restaurants (Cooper’s Hawk and Capital Grille), at 17117 and 17123 Laurel Park Drive, located on the west side of Laurel Park between I-275 and Newburgh Road in the Southeast ¼ of Section 7. Mark Taormina, Planning and Economic Development Director, presented the request to Council. Councilmember Jolly commented that he usually doesn’t see more than a few parking spots in use at the current Holiday Inn and asked the petitioner if there is market demand for a second hotel. He also asked when we might see the restaurants go in. Jim Butler, PEA Group, indicated Laurel Investments has done research and feel there is a demand for additional hotels in Livonia. He indicated the plan is to get permits this fall and break ground in the spring. Councilmember Toy asked for details about Cooper’s Hawk. Jennifer Lucina, Coopers Hawk, indicated this will be their fifth Michigan location. They are a winery and restaurant that will have a wine of the month club and wine tasting. They also have facilities for wedding and baby showers. They plan to have outdoor seating that will be open for three seasons. Councilmember Donovic asked about the MDOT easement along the property and if they would clean that area up. He also asked about the material used for signs and if all building will be constructed at different times. Mr. Butler indicated they cannot do anything with the MDOT easement. He explained the signs and said both restaurants and the hotel will be built at the same time. He said there will be demolition of the conference center and there is an underground retention that will be removed and replaced. Art McIntosh, Architect for Capital Grill, said they are a destination steak house that has eighty restaurants throughout the United States. President McCullough asked that they consider EV charging stations. Councilmember Toy offered an approving motion for the Consent agenda. DIRECTIONAPPROVINGCONSENT SITE PLAN PETITION: Planning Commission, re: Petition 2024-06-08-03 submitted by TRUE Credit Union requesting approval of all plans in connection with a proposal to demolish the existing building and construct a new TRUE Credit Union building with drive-thru operations, at 36525 Plymouth Road, located on the south side of Plymouth Road between Raleigh Avenue and Levan Road in the Northwest ¼ of Section 32. Mark Taormina, Planning and Economic Development Director, presented the request to Council. Vice President asked if they why they are moving the drive thru lanes. Woody Issacs, Landscape Architect, said the traffic flow is the motivator for the change. Councilmember Donovic asked if there is a dumpster enclosure. Mr. Issacs said they don’t have a need for a dumpster but would be putting trash out for regular pick up on Plymouth Road. Councilmember Donovic offered an approving motion for the Consent agenda. DIRECTIONAPPROVINGCONSENT REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION OF A PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT: Housing Commission and Planning Department, re: to amend Chapter 3.12, Senior Citizens Housing Tax Exemption. Mark Taormina, Planning and Economic Development Director, presented the request to Council. Councilmember Budzinski clarified that the Felician Sisters don’t pay taxes on the Mother House. Councilmember Jolly asked for an explanation of the Felician Sisters status which allows them to not be subject to site plan approval as others are within the community. Mr. Taormina said the religious institution and educational component aren’t required to go through Zoning for site plan reviews. It is treated the same as a residential facility. They will continue to be treated the same going forward. Only the pilot project will require City Council review. Councilmember Toy offered an approving motion for a First Read on the Consent agenda. DIRECTIONAPPROVING FOR FIRST READCONSENT REQUEST TO AMEND CONTRACT WITH HYDRO-CORP: Department of Public Works, re: for the Cross-Connection Inspection Program, to include the testing of the City of Livonia owned backflow devices, from budgeted funds. (CR-139-24) Ryan Ferrell, Assistant Director of Public Works, presented the request to Council. Councilmember Morgan offered an approving motion for the Consent agenda. DIRECTIONAPPROVINGCONSENT REQUEST TO ACCEPT STORM WATER FACILITIES MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT: Engineering Division, re: from Livonia Land Partnership, LLC, in conjunction with the construction of Haggerty Square Phase II, located at 19750 Haggerty Road in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 6. Todd Zilincik, City Engineer, presented the request to Council. Councilmember Morgan offered an approving motion for the Consent agenda. DIRECTIONAPPROVINGCONSENT REQUEST TO RELEASE DEVELOPMENT BONDS: Engineering Division, re: for Heritage Square Site Condominium, located east of Newburgh Road, south of Six Mile Road in the N.W. 1/4 of Section 17. (CR 403-18) Todd Zilincik, City Engineer, presented the request to Council. Councilmember Donovic offered an approving motion for the Consent agenda. DIRECTIONAPPROVINGCONSENT There was no Audience Communication. Meeting adjourned at 10:22 p.m. For the Regular Meeting of August 26, 2024. LORI L. MILLER, CITY CLERK