Housing Projects, Zoning Changes, Stormwater Ordinance on Garfield Agendas This Week

Garfield Township planning commissioners will hold public hearings Wednesday on a proposed 10-unit duplex development on Boardman Lake and a master plan amendment to create an “airport gateway” district. They’ll also consider a rezoning request on Duell Road to create a two-unit duplex in a building last used for a dog grooming business. Also in Garfield Township, trustees tonight (Tuesday) will hold public hearings on an updated stormwater ordinance and creating a new mixed-use neighborhood zoning district.

Planning Commission Wednesday (7pm at Garfield Township Hall)
Planning commissioners will host a public hearing Wednesday on a proposed 10-unit housing development on 1.79 acres of land at 3350 Wysong Road overlooking Boardman Lake.

Michael Orden of Boardman Triple J LLC said the property, which is currently vacant, was used in the past for both residential and commercial purposes. Orden’s proposed neighborhood, called Swan Lake, would feature for-sale units incorporated into a condominium association.  “The structures are composed primarily of side-by-side duplex units,” Orden wrote. “These units will contain 2 to 4 bedrooms each. Units 9 and 10 will be stacked vertically. Each unit will also have an attached garage.” Existing public sewer, water, electric, and gas are available along Wysong Road, according to Orden.

“The proposed development will preserve the existing shoreline, which will be designated as a commons area to be accessed by the unit owners,” he wrote. “This shoreline area is well known for birdwatching and beautiful views of Boardman Lake and the popular TART Trail. The relatively low-to-moderate impact of the project will seek to sustain this natural character while allowing for reasonable development.”

If comfortable with the application, planning commissioners could direct staff to prepare a findings-of-fact report and then vote on the project at an upcoming meeting. Staff noted several issues developers still need to address, including an engineering review, a riparian vegetative buffer added to the site plan, and an updated lighting plan.

Planning commissioners will also host a public hearing on an amendment to the township’s master plan to create an “airport gateway” zoning district. The concept came up this summer during board discussion about a potential hotel for business travelers at the southwest corner of South Airport and Townline roads. Planning commissioners discussed updating the township’s master plan and zoning to allow for airport-related services in the area, wanting to take a holistic look at the corridor overall rather than just the few parcels proposed for the hotel.

The airport gateway district “aims to function as a hub for travel-related businesses that support the airport, such as lodging, meeting facilities, and food services,” according to the amendment description. “As a gateway to the region, this center, through building design, amenities, and infrastructure upgrades, emphasizes its role as a first impression for visitors.” Mixed uses such as hotels, restaurants, offices, and meeting facilities are encouraged, with high-density residential also potentially allowed.

Auto-focused uses like drive-thrus, gas stations, and car washes are not considered appropriate to avoid congestion at the airport intersection. The district encourages connectivity like sidewalks and trails and calls for site design that promotes a “safe and attractive neighborhood.” The township’s future land use map and non-motorized plan would also be updated to reflect the amendment. If supported by planning commissioners, the amendment would next head to trustees for final approval.

Planning commissioners will also vote Wednesday to approve a rezoning request that would allow a former dog grooming business to be converted into a duplex rental unit at 931 Duell Road. The site, located next to a separate planned 20-unit apartment building, would be conditionally rezoned from I-G (general industrial) to C-G (general commercial). The owner plans to build two 924-square-foot, two-bedroom apartments on the site.

Board of Trustees Tuesday (6pm at Garfield Township Hall)
Township trustees will have their first meeting of the year this week, with an agenda tonight (Tuesday) that includes approving an updated stormwater ordinance and a zoning ordinance amendment to a create a new mixed-use neighborhood district.

According to Zoning Administrator Michael Green, while the updated stormwater ordinance under consideration tonight has “similar provisions” as the existing ordinance, some “key changes” are proposed. The current ordinance has one set of submittal requirements for all projects, but the new ordinance has different standards for smaller versus larger projects. Engineering design standards have also been updated, along with changes to the administration and enforcement of the ordinance. That includes having township trustees handle appeals instead of the construction board of appeals.

According to a report from the township’s planning department, the updated ordinance “will help the township follow best practices for stormwater management, establish stormwater permit review processes and fees based on the scale of the review (e.g., determination, minor, major), collect sufficient escrows for stormwater reviews conducted by the township engineer, and ensure that stormwater permits are accessible or can be produced by a recipient upon request.” Staff said the changes help meet a master plan goal to “establish requirements for stormwater management to reduce flooding, protect people and property, and support healthy streams and rivers.” The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay submitted an extensive memo on the proposed ordinance flagging areas where it believed more clarity is needed, which trustees could discuss as part of tonight’s review.

Trustees will also consider approving an update to the township zoning ordinance. The township’s master plan calls for designating “mixed-use” neighborhoods and centers – areas with a high concentration of commercial, residential, and public/semi-public uses that have the “potential to convey a strong sense of place.” To start implementing the master plan, officials are looking to update the zoning ordinance to create mixed-use neighborhoods in a handful of areas. The airport gateway district considered by planning commissioners is one example of a mixed-use neighborhood. The zoning amendment considered by trustees tonight will focus on the Rennie Hill/Veterans Drive area as another mixed-use neighborhood. Trustees will hold a public hearing and then vote on adopting the amendment tonight.