Garfield Township planning commissioners will discuss a proposed new 108-unit apartment complex on Creekside Drive off Silver Lake Road, hold a public hearing on a new food truck ordinance, and consider a new wireless tower on North Long Lake Road at their 7pm meeting tonight (Wednesday).

Apartment Complex
Planning commissioners will hold a conceptual review – an early informal conversation with a developer to share feedback before a formal application is submitted – for a proposed new neighborhood called Creekside Apartment Homes next to the West YMCA off Silver Lake Road.

Developers Peter Faber and Kevin Einfeld of BDR Executive Custom Homes are looking to build a “thoughtfully designed, market-rate apartment community” on Creekside Drive, they wrote in their application. When the duo first appeared before planning commissioners last summer, they presented two potential layouts – one with 68 units, one with 72 units – on an 11-acre parcel. The apartment complex would be concentrated on just part of the site, since a large section of the parcel is unbuildable due to wetlands. Township staff received concerned emails about wetland impacts and noted wetland delineation would need to be completed before the project proceeded.

With that feedback in hand, the applicants updated their plans and recently submitted a special use permit (SUP) application for a 108-unit development. The neighborhood is now proposed to encompass 13.47 acres, including parts of neighboring parcels that weren’t in the original proposal. “The site’s distinctive topography defines both the project’s name and its layout,” Faber and Einfeld wrote of Creekside. They highlighted a “nature-oriented pedestrian connection” as one of the most unique aspects of the development, which would connect east to the nearby AMC Theatre and Buffalo Ridge Center.

“This walkway allows residents the option to walk rather than drive, providing a peaceful, scenic experience through preserved wetland areas,” the duo wrote. ‘The creeks and associated wetlands are well defined and valuable features of the property and will be preserved. Building placement and parking are concentrated on higher ground near Creekside Drive, minimizing environmental impact while highlighting the site’s natural character. This is a truly unique feature, to live in multi-family housing, walk a nature path with wetlands, creeks and then to a theatre or other shopping.”

The project calls for walk-up apartment buildings that will primarily feature two-bedroom units (pictured, example from BDR). A mix of 169 parking spaces is proposed, including both surface and garage parking. A centrally located park area and resident workshop – intended for bicycle cleaning, maintenance, and repair – are planned amenities. The developers stated that Garfield’s zoning allows up to 146 units on the 13.47 acres, with their 108 units representing only 74 percent of that allowed density. “Our team is committed to delivering a high-quality residential development that addresses a critical housing need while respecting the natural character of the site,” they wrote.

Township staff noted in their review that while the main Creekside parcel is zoned for the development, the neighboring parcel – once part of the Oleson buffalo farm that appears to have been “held for future expansion of the YMCA facility” – is not. It’s zoned agricultural and called to be eventually rezoned to public/semi-public under the township’s future land use designation. Staff also flagged potential access issues on the private road that would serve the new neighborhood, with updated easements required.

In response to the zoning issues, Faber and Einfeld said their goal tonight is to “share the overall concept for the property, outline our long-term vision, and receive feedback and guidance from the planning commission.” The developers then plan to return in June to seek approval of Phase 1, which would consist of developing the main site that’s zoned for the project. After that, the duo would “pursue rezoning of the Oleson parcel so it may be incorporated into the larger community plan,” they wrote. “If approved, we would then return to the planning commission to seek approval for Phase II.”

Food Truck Ordinance
Planning commissioners will hold a public hearing tonight on a proposed food truck ordinance, which has been in development for several months. The ordinance would allow food trucks as an “accessory” use to a main business, parked on a designated hard-surface location approved by Metro Fire. Units are subject to inspection and cannot have a drive-through. The township will also establish a licensing process for food trucks.

Bryan Roth, owner of Atomic Properties – the building on Cass Road that houses Seismoto Coffee Bar, Nocturnal Bloom Brewing, and Acorn Kitchen – expressed his support for the zoning changes in a letter but asked planning commissioners to consider one additional change. The ordinance as proposed only allows one food truck per site. Roth said many businesses can safely accommodate multiple trucks and that allowing those would help meet peak summer demand and supplement “undersized kitchens” like Acorn Kitchen.

Having multiple trucks on one site can allow residents to park once and enjoy various options, which “reduces overall vehicle trips between different sites and services the community more effectively,” Roth wrote. Atomic Marketplace was designed specifically to accommodate two food trucks, Roth added, asking that the township consider a capacity-based or square footage model to offer businesses flexibility while still maintaining “safety and aesthetic standards.” Any ordinance language approved by planning commissioners will next go to township trustees for final approval.

Wireless Tower
Planning commissioners tonight will also consider an application from Atlas Tower to install a wireless cell tower on the Oleson property complex at 3850 North Long Lake Road. That will require a major amendment to the site’s planned unit development (PUD), which is a zoning plan tailored to a specific property.

According to the application, the 120-foot tower can accommodate at least three wireless carriers – though the initial intent is to boost AT&T mobile network coverage. The tower is “being provided in an effort to alleviate current mobile network voice, data, and first responder issues in an area that is severely lacking reliable network coverage and capacity,” the application states. Planning commissioners could vote tonight to set a public hearing on the request for June 10.