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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPLANNING MINUTES 2011-02-08MINUTES OF THE 1,005" REGULAR MEETING HELD BY THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LIVONIA On Tuesday, February 8, 2011, the City Planning Commission of the City of Livonia held its 1,005° Regular Meeting in the Livonia City Hall, 33000 Civic Center Drive, Livonia, Michigan. Mr. Lee Morrow, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Members present: Ashley Krueger Deborah McDermott R. Lee Morrow Lynda Scheel Carol A. Smiley Gerald Taylor Ian Wilshaw Members absent: None Mr. Mark Taormina, Planning Director, were also present Chairman Morrow informed the audience that if a petition on lonighfs agenda involves a rezoning request, this Commission makes a recommendation to the City Council who, in tum, will hold its own public hearing and make the final determination as to whether a pefifion is approved or denied. The Planning Commission holds the only public hearing on a request for preliminary plat and/or vacating petition. The Commission's recommendation is forwarded to the City Council for the final determination as to whether a plat is accepted or rejected. If a petition requesting a waiver of use or site plan approval is denied tonight, the petitioner has ten days in which to appeal the decision, in writing, to the City Council. Resolutions adopted by the City Planning Commission become effective seven (7) days after the date of adoption. The Planning Commission and the professional staff have reviewed each of these petitions upon their fling. The staff has furnished the Commission with both approving and denying resolutions, which the Commission may, or may not, use depending on the outcome of the proceedings tonight. ITEM #1 PETITION 2010-12-02-20 MANCINI MOTORS Ms. Scheel, Secretary, announced the next item on the agenda, Pefition 2010- 12-02-20 submitted by Richard Mancini requesting waiver use approval to operate a used auto dealership (Mancini Motors) with outdoor display of vehicles at 29074 Plymouth Road, located on the north side of Plymouth Road between Middlebelt Road and Camden Avenue in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 25. Mr. Morrow: I need a motion to remove the item from the table. February 8, 2011 25566 On a motion by McDermott, seconded by Smiley, and unanimously adopted, it was #02-05-2011 RESOLVED, that pursuant to a Public Hearing having been held by the City Planning Commission on January 25, 2011, on Petition 2010-12-02-20 submitted by Richard Mancini requesting waiver use approval to operate a used auto dealership (Mancini Motors) with outdoor display of vehicles at 29074 Plymouth Road, located on the north side of Plymouth Road between Middlebelt Road and Camden Avenue in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 25, which properly is zoned C-2, the Planning Commission does hereby remove this item from the table. Mr. Morrow, Chairman, declared the motion is carried and the foregoing resolution adopted. Mr. Morrow: Mr. Taormina, just to bring us up to speed. Mr. Taormina: I'll provide a little bit of background on the item. This was heard at our Iasi meeting on January 25, at which time the Planning Commission tabled the matter for additional information. The property is located on the northeast corner of Plymouth Road and Haller Avenue. This is properly that is about three-quarters of an acre in size. It includes roughly 150 feet of frontage on Plymouth Road and has a depth that varies with 140 feel along Haller Avenue and 260 feet on the east side of the property where it abuts a KFC restaurant. There's a medical supply building on the opposite side of Haller, and then various commeroial uses to the south across Plymouth Road. There's a combination of both multiple family as well as single family residential to the north, including the Lutheran Home Nursing and Rehabilitation Center that is to the north and east of this site. The petitioner, Mancini Motors, is requesting waiver use approval to utilize a portion of this site for a pre -owned automotive dealership. The petition would include occupying a majority of the building for this purpose. The building overall is about 6,400 square feel. Mancini Motors would occupy about 80 percent of that, or 5,200 square feel. That would be the easterly half or three quarters of the building. There's a unit about 1,200 square feel on the west end, adjacent to Haller, that is occupied by a company called REO Services. They're a janitorial supply company. The building that would be occupied by Mancini Motors would include an area where cars could be detailed. It has six (6) work bays currently. There are overhead doors both on the north side of the building where cars can gain access, and then matching overhead doors on the south side February 8, 2011 2556] where vehicles can exit. The easterly part of the structure that would be occupied by Mancini Motors would include the administrative offices and cars sales office. The additional area to the far east would be leased by the applicant for an indoor car showroom. There would be provisions made on the east side of the building for vehicles to be able to enter that part of the building to be used for display purposes. They majority of the parking lot would be used for display of vehicles. There is a special requirement in the zoning ordinance stipulating that vehicles cannot be displayed any closer than 20 feet to a public right-of-way. The way the site is laid out, those vehicles, at the closest point, would be about 45 feel from the Plymouth Road right-of-way; thus, it would comply with that special provision of the ordinance. In terms of the number of vehicles he proposes to put on display outside, there would be a maximum 20 vehicles. That would leave the remaining 17 spaces that are on the site available for customers and for employees, which does comply with the Zoning Ordinance standard with respect to parking. Landscaping was an issue that we discussed. This evening the petitioner is going to present to you a revised landscape plan as it relates to the front or the Plymouth Road portion of the site. About 16.2 percent of the site overall is landscaped. Our ordinance requires 15 percent. A majority of the landscaping, as you can see from this plan, is actually located at the rear of the site leaving some smaller areas up front for landscaping. What we will see from the revised plan is a concentrated effort to improve the quality of the landscape material that is along Plymouth Road. One of the things you will see on the plan, and the petitioner has additional information this evening, shows how that area would be landscaped. What this plan shows is additional plantings being provided in the southeast comer of the site. There is an existing lawn area where the petitioner proposes to continue the PRDA slreetscape improvements. Immediately to the east on the site of the Kentucky Fried Chicken are two piers and a section of fencing. What the petitioner is proposing is to add another pier in line with the two existing piers on the KFC site to make it appear as a continuation of that streetscape improvement. In addition, he is showing an additional tree, shrubs and flowers. Also proposed are some planter boxes in the area between the building directly south of the overhead doors. This would still allow for an opening to Plymouth Road. This is a driveway approach to Plymouth Road from these overhead doors in the building. He would still maintain an area wide enough for vehicles to access Plymouth Road from that location. With that, Mr. Chairman, I'll answer any questions that the Commission may have. I have modified the resolutions for you. There were a couple other issues that we discussed. One was limiting the February 8, 2011 25568 waiver use to this proprietor only. So you'll notice on the prepared resolution that there is language to that effect. We also have restrictions on the lighting. There is nothing in terms of the hours of operation. I know that was an item we talked about briefly, but maybe there can be additional language provided that would restrict the hours if that's a concern of the Commission. Thank you. Mr. Morrow: Is there any additional correspondence? Mr. Taormina: There is no additional correspondence on this item. Mr. Morrow: Are there any quesfions of Mr. Taormina or comments? Seeing none, would the petitioner please come forward? Again, we'll need your name and address for the record. Richard Mancini, 31325 Morlock, Livonia, Michigan 48152. Good evening. Mr. Morrow: Is there anything you'd like to add to the presentation by Mr. Taormina? Mr. Mancini: I'd just like to say that we have addressed the landscaping issues that we've had. I think we've addressed them. I think some of the issues that were a problem were a need for my business in Livonia, and I think we'll address that in the meeting. I brought a couple customers from Livonia to speak on my behalf and the dealership's behalf. Mr. Morrow: We welcome them. One question I had before I go to the Commission, how many cars are going to be parked, not in the storage lot in the back, but in the parking lot for display? Mr. Mancini: If you look on the drawing that we've revised, the line of cars going all the way down, besides the first handicapped spot, we want to put cars pretty much all the way down on the east side of the properly. Mr. Morrow: How many will that be? Mr. Mancini: Can I walk over to the board? Do you mind? Mr. Morrow: Yes, go ahead. There's a microphone behind you. Mr. Mancini: Okay. The first six parking spaces are for display. We show three cars. I'm probably going to display two cars in this area here. Then the display is going all the way down the east side, which is 12 spaces. We have 12 spaces there. February 8, 2011 25569 Mr. Morrow: How many are within the fence? In other words, you're still going to retain that fence, correct? Mr. Mancini: We will retain the fence. Mr. Morrow: In other words, the fence will break it up so not all of them will be.... Mr. Mancini: No. There's only six cars before the fence. So we're talking eight cars up front. Mr. Morrow: That was my question. How many did you have except in the back display lot. Okay. Thank you. Are there any other questions of the petitioner? Ms. Smiley: Would you care to share your hours of operation? Mr. Mancini: Our hours of operation will be pretty much standard hours of operation of any normal dealership. It will be 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Mondays and Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. through the week. We're not open on the weekends. Ms. Smiley: I have one more question about the lighting. What kind of lighting are you going to have for security reasons around your vehicles? Mr. Mancini: The lighting that we propose to put up is going to be on the building, a couple of spotlights. It's been brought to my attention that sometimes lighting is offensive. So I think putting them on the building and pretty much shining them down on this area here. KFC is pretty lit up. I don't think I want to add any additional lighting other than just on the building to keep it to that 20 fool and below mark. Ms. Smiley: The Edison poles they were talking about, some big Edison poles in the back. Mr. Mancini: We removed a light that was up on a Edison pole, approximately about 30 days ago. Ms. Smiley: Okay. And you're not going to replace it? Mr. Mancini: I would not like to, no. Ms. Smiley: Okay. Thank you. February 8, 2011 255]0 Mr. W lshaw: Mr. Mancini, are you going to move those cars to the back when you close to keep them in the locked area, or are you just going to leave them out front when you're closed? Mr. Mancini: I pretty much think we're going to leave them out front when we're closed, and we'll probably park a car along here so no cars can drive through. Mr. Wilshaw: I see. That's a good idea. Okay. Thanks. Mr. Taylor: What do you use the south door for? Do you bring your cars in there and detail them? Mr. Mancini: What do we use the south door for? You're talking about these doors here? Mr. Taylor: Correct. Mr. Mancini: Well, we really dont have to use those doors. Mr. Taylor: I thought it was a function of whatever you wanted to do. Mr. Mancini: There's enough area. I need three detail bays. I actually have six bays in the shop. There's three on the north and three on the south. I'm going to utilize these three on the north. Mr. Taylor: So basically, you use the bays for detailing, changing oil and getting the car ready to show. Mr. Mancini: Yeah. We change oil, but we do an 80 point inspection on the car and it's mostly detailing. Like I said in the last meeting, we're going to send our cars down to Oval Repair. We have a contract situation with them. Mr. Taylor: Where do you gel most of your cars from? Mr. Mancini: Generally, I gel most of my cars from people like yourself. Mr. Taylor: You're in the Yellow Pages or something like that? You advertise? Mr. Mancini: Myself? Mr. Taylor: Yeah. The car dealership. Mr. Mancini: No, I'm not in the Yellow Pages. Mr. Taylor: What is it, word of mouth, where you gel your advertising? February8, 2011 255]1 Mr. Mancini: No. I've been selling my cars on the internet. Mr. Taylor: Oh. On the internet. Okay. That's where you do your business. Mr. Mancini: I'm sorry, Mr. Taylor, I thought you were asking me where I purchase them. Mr. Taylor: I thought maybe you went to auctions or something like that. Mr. Mancini: You know, I very rarely go to an auction because its hard to buy a car in 40 seconds, a good car. I sold over 100 cars Iasi year, and I didn't have one person bring one back. I actually did have one person ask for the money back, and it's one of the people that I asked to come here tonight, and I ended up selling them the car, just due to good service. Mr. Taylor: So you could have the whole back lot full of cars, possibly. Mr. Mancini: I don'tsee that happening. Mr. Taylor: You don't normally have that many cars? Mr. Mancini: No. Mr. Taylor: My concern is the car dealership on Plymouth Road in that particular area as I mentioned before, although I did mention also about restrictions on the site itself as far the waiver going with the land. If you are willing to sign that kind of a letter, I feel more comfortable with it. I know that. Mr. Mancini: This is the first i's been brought to my attention. Mr. Taylor: Thankyou. Mr. Mancini: But I do plan on being there hopefully for the rest of my life, so I don't think that would be an issue. Mr. Taylor: Yeah, I plan on living for another 20 years loo, but you know how that goes. Mr. Morrow: Anything else from the Commission? Is there anyone in the audience wishing to speak for or against the granting of this petition? We will need your name and address for the record. Craig Barczuk, 39084 Elsie, Livonia, Michigan. I bought a car from him. Actually, I didn't. My daughter did. She worked three jobs one summer and had to have a car. This car was beautiful. So she went and February 8, 2011 25572 paid cash for the car and we drove it around a little bit. The thing drove good. We get the car home, the blinker doesn't work. The windshield wipers don't go on. They worked at his shop. So I called him and I said, I want my money back. He said, okay, you can bring it back and gel your money back if you want. But then also he said, well, lel me fix it. So five seconds later we look the car back and the next day we picked it up. Fixed everything. Worked fine. She's still driving it to this day back and forth from Central, every weekend just about. Well, at least once a month when she needs money. But the car was absolutely gorgeous when we bought it. Just a few minor problems. He look care of them right away, and if you could see the car now, you'd never know it. I don't think there's a part of it that doesn't have a dent. But she's very happy with it and we're satisfied. As a matter of fad, I just called him, what, maybe a month ago, and asked him if he had any more because she's looking for another one. Mr. Morrow: We appreciate your input very much. Mr. Barczuk: All righty. Jim Craybur, 37569 Five Mile, Livonia, Michigan. I bought a car from Rick. I was in a situation where my lease was expiring. I'm a real estate broker, and we all know the condition real estate is in. I wasn't in a position to lease another car, and Rick was able to help me out. It's been fantastic, and it was nice having him to be able to go to. Again, it's a small shop. I told him where I was at. I told him the money I had to spend, and he found the car for me. I just want to lel you know I appreciate the man and what he's done. I think there's a real need for the community, particularly right now Mr. Morrow: So you would buy a car from this used car salesman? Mr. Craybur: Absolutely. Mr. Morrow: Any further questions or comments before I ask for a motion? A motion is in order. On a motion by Scheel, seconded by Smiley, and unanimously adopted, it was #02-06-2011 RESOLVED, that pursuant to a Public Hearing having been held by the City Planning Commission on January 25, 2011, on Petition 2010-12-02-20 submitted by Richard Mancini requesting waiver use approval to operate a used auto dealership (Mancini Motors) with outdoor display of vehicles at 29074 Plymouth Road, located on the north side of Plymouth February 8, 2011 255]3 Road between Middlebell Road and Camden Avenue in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 25, which properly is zoned G2, the Planning Commission does hereby recommend to the City Council that Petition 2010-12-02-20 be approved subject to the following conditions: 1. That the Site Plan received by the Planning Commission on December 17, 2010, is hereby approved and shall be adhered to; 2. That the landscaping shown on the above -referenced Site Plan, as well as the Plymouth Road Landscape Plan dated stamped February 1, 2011, are hereby approved and shall be adhered to, subject to the following stipulations: That all planted materials shall be installed to the satisfaction of the Inspection Department and thereafter permanently maintained in a healthy condition, and any existing plant material to remain or be relocated that is dead or dying shall be replaced with new plant material of the same variety or with a variety of equal quality and growth characteristics; That all disturbed lawn areas shall be sodded in lieu of hydroseeding; That all landscaped and sodded areas shall be provided with an automatic underground irrigation system; 3. That the issues specified in the Plymouth Road Development Authority (PRDA) Resolution #2011-04 shall be resolved to the satisfaction of the Planning Director; That the landscaped greenbelt along the north property line shown on the above -referenced Site Plan is hereby accepted and shall be substituted for the prolective wall required by Section 18.45 of the Zoning Ordinance. That any change of circumstances in the area containing the greenbelt resulting in a diminution of the greenbelt's effectiveness as a prolective barrier, the owner of the property shall be required to submit such changes to the Planning Commission for their review and approval or immediately construct the prolective wall; 5. That the number of vehicles on display outdoors be limited to twenty (20) within the areas shown on the site plan, and February 8, 2011 255]4 that no vehicles for sale shall be displayed closer than twenty feet (20') from the front lot line; 6. That there shall be no outdoor storage of auto parts, equipment, scrap material, waste petroleum products or other similar items in connection with the auto service facility, and the overhead doors, when not in use for vehicles entering or exiling the service facility, shall be closed at all times; 7. That all parking spaces shall be double striped, including the provision of barrier free parking with proper signage, marking and configuration, and all regular spaces shall be 10' by 20' in size as required; 8. That only conforming signage is approved with this petition, and any additional signage shall be separately submitted for review and approval by the Zoning Board of Appeals; 9. That no LED lightband or exposed neon shall be permitted on the site including, but not limited to, the building or around the windows; 10. That no loud speakers shall be used outside the building; 11. That the auto service facility shall not have more than three (3) bays or work stations; 12. That the entire site shall be cleaned up and all abandoned equipment, trailers and rubbish shall be removed; 13. That the hours of operation shall be Monday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; and closed on Saturday and Sunday; 14. That any lighting equipment added to the site, including fixtures mounted on the existing utility poles, shall be directed and shielded/hooded so as to minimize glare trespassing on adjacent properties and roadways, that the height of such equipment shall be limited to 20 feet where possible, and that all lights, except for low-level security lighting (i.e., 25OW or less) shall be turned off each night within one (1) hour after the business closes; 15. That only minor repairs and maintenance work on vehicles be conducted at this site, and that repair work shall not include collision repair; and February8, 2011 255]5 16. That the specific plans referenced in this approving resolution shall be submitted to the Inspection Department at the time the building permits are applied for. Subject to the preceding conditions, this petition is approved for the following reasons: 1. That the proposed use complies with all of the general waiver use standards and requirements as set forth in Section 19.06 of the Zoning Ordinance #543; 2. That the subject site has the capacity to accommodate the proposed use; and 3. That the proposed use is compatible to and in harmony with the surrounding uses in the area. Further, the Planning Commission recommends the approval of a Conditional Agreement limiting this waiver use to this user only, with the provision to extend this waiver use approval to a new user only upon approval of the new user by the City Council. Mr. Morrow: Is there any discussion? Mr. Taormina: If the maker of the motion would accept the elimination of Condition #13 related to the compliance with the Storm Water Management Ordinance. It really does not apply in this case. This is just a re -occupancy of the existing building. I don't want to be implied that he has to make any modifications to the site for compliance with that section when there is no need to. Ms. Scheel: Okay. I'm agreeable to that. Mr. Morrow: To delete it. Ms. Smiley? Ms. Smiley: Absolutely Mr. Morrow: Would the maker of the motion consider including the hours of operation? Ms. Scheel: Yes, we can include the hours of operation. I'm agreeable to that. Mr. Morrow: What was it? February 8, 2011 255]6 Ms. Scheel: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday and Thursday, and 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Is that correct'? Ms. Smiley: That's fine. Mr. Morrow: Is there any discussion before I ask for the vole? I'm going to pass the gavel to my co-chairman here. Last week I voted against this particular petition, and it subsequently got tabled. During the ensuing couple of weeks, I rethought it. I revisited the site. Basically, it gets down to this. The petitioner has developed a site plan just about as well as he can do it and has gone along with about every recommendation that the Commission and staff had recommended. So that leaves it up to the waiver of use. I think the Iasi thing in the word, my initial thought, was to turn Plymouth Road into some kind of a used car alley. But having looked at this particular site, it's not the typical used car lot. We have very few cars being displayed close to Plymouth Road. It's a building that has been fixed up in order to accommodate this usage. There will not be a lot of lights or signs or that type of promotional material on the site. It fills a void that I think is necessary for, as the gentleman explained tonight relative to intermediate priced cars, I think the petitioner said somewhere in the $10,000.00 plus or minus range, which is good for primary used cars, secondary used cars and young people just getting started. So it is for those reasons that I am going to change my vole from last week and vote in favor of this petition. Thank you. Mr. Wlshaw: Thank you, Mr. Morrow. Is there anybody else that wants to speak? Mr. Taylor: I had the same feelings that Mr. Morrow did, especially with the waiver use approval, that going on with someone else on that particular site because I think this gentleman actually is planning on doing a very good job there, but you never know what else you're going to gel in if he happens to go out of business for one reason or another. With that wavier use being waived for a new user, I'm going to support the petition. Mr. Wilshaw: Thank you, Mr. Taylor. Is there anybody else? If not, would the Secretary please call the roll on the motion to approve. Mr. Wlshaw, Vice Chairman, declared the motion is carried and the foregoing resolution adopted. I will return the gavel to Chairman Morrow. Mr. Morrow: This resolution will be sent to the City Council with an approving recommendation, and they will be in touch with you when its placed on their agenda. February 8, 2011 25 77 ITEM #2 APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1,000 Public Hearings and Regular Meeting Ms. Scheel, Secretary, announced the next item on the agenda, Approval of the Minutes of the 1,004" Public Hearings and Regular Meeting held on January 25, 2011. On a motion by Taylor, seconded by Wilshaw, and adopted, 0 was #02-07-2011 RESOLVED, that the Minutes of 1,004" Public Hearings and Regular Meeting held by the Planning Commission on January 25, 2011, are hereby approved. A roll call vole on the foregoing resolution resulted in the following AYES: Taylor, Wilshaw, McDermott, Smiley, Krueger, Morrow NAYS: None ABSTAIN: Scheel ABSENT: None Mr. Morrow, Chairman, declared the motion is carried and the foregoing resolution adopted. On a motion duly made, seconded and unanimously adopted, the 1,005th Regular Meeting held on February 8, 2011, was adjourned at 7:30 p.m. CITY PLANNING COMMISSION Lynda L. Scheel, Secretary ATTEST: R. Lee Morrow, Chairman