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The regular monthly meeting of the Ann Arbor Charter Township Planning
Commission was called to order by Chairman Kris Olsson at 7:35 p.m. at
Ann Arbor Township, 3792 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF DECEMBER 1, 2003 COMMUNICATIONS PUBLIC HEARING Signage in Public Lands where there are ten or more occupied buildings
under one ownership. The public hearing on the proposed changes was opened, but no public comments were made and the public hearing was closed. Commission members asked why the proposal applied to settings where there were ten buildings. Moran stated that the current signage provisions were adequate where there are only a few buildings, but when the campus got much larger with many buildings, it became more difficult to identify the appropriate building and to get sufficient information from the size of signs currently permitted. The number "ten" was chosen because it represented an estimate of the number of buildings that would generate a way-finding problem, but was not a scientific choice. Allison moved that the Planning Commission recommend approval of the proposed changes to the Board of Trustees, with the following amendment-add "building" before "entrance signs" in paragraph D6, second line. Basch seconded the motion and the motion carried. OLD BUSINESS None. NEW BUSINESS Toyota Technical Center-Parking Expansion-SP-235-03. Planner Schmult stated that he had no comments regarding whether the
proposed changes were major or minor. Allison moved that the Planning Commission consider the proposed changes "minor." Mitchell seconded the motion and the motion carried. Planner Schmult stated that he reviewed the plan as a preliminary and final site plan. He indicated that the plan meets all requirements except for the design standard that would require that the parking islands be 10 feet wide. The two additional islands on the plan are proposed to be 7 feet and 5 feet. In response, Toyota indicated that because of the constraints of the ring road, there was not enough space to design 10 foot islands. Schmult indicated that the 10 foot requirement was a design standard and not an ordinance provision, so it could be waived by the Planning Commission. During the discussion it was determined that an existing island on the site was between 7 and 8 feet. Schmult indicated that that island pre-dated the 10 foot design standard. Basch indicated that the space constraints and the existing of smaller islands on site indicated that the smaller islands shown on the plan should be approved. Engineer Freece stated that her report showed a number of items that needed correction, but that they were largely minor items. She noted that additional lighting was proposed and that the Commission should decide whether they wanted the lighting consultant to evaluate the photometric plan. Inspector Dresselhouse indicated that the proposed parking spaces were 18 feet instead of 19 feet. He stated that the existing spaces are 18 feet. He stated that the proposal was for 12 barrier-free spaces and that with 762 spaces there should be 15 barrier-free spaces, 2 of which should be barrier-free van spaces. Toyota stated that they would comply with that directive. Basch moved approval of the plan as a preliminary site plan, permitting 18 foot parking spaces and the smaller width islands as indicated on the plan, contingent upon meeting the consultants' comments, and without needing to submit the plan to the lighting consultant. Allison seconded the motion and the motion carried. The Commission inquired whether the approval only as a preliminary site plan would compromise the construction plans of the petitioner. Toyota indicated that they would not. Allison noted that with this additional parking, the site would contain more than 33% impervious surface and that this would be the most impervious surface in the township on a similar site. He said that the Township should accelerate its efforts to define the maximum impervious surface that would be tolerated for the benefit of the Township and in fairness to petitioners like Toyota. Allison moved to permit Toyota an additional week for submission of a final site plan for consideration, given the small number of items involved. Basch seconded the motion and the motion carried. Chair Olsson stated that she had a copy of a plan that had information
regarding other jurisdictions' ordinances with maximum impervious surface
criteria and distributed it to the members. None ADJOURNED Prepared by Michael Moran
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