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ANN ARBOR CHARTER TOWNSHIP
Present: Chairman Herbert Sloan, Vice Chair Norma Marshall, Commissioners Michael Moran, Diane O'Connell, James Snyder and Kris Olsson. Also Planner Carl Schmult, Attorney Sandra Sorini, Consultant Gene Jaworski, Zoning Administrator Gary Dresselhouse and Supervisor Elizabeth Langford. Absent: Secretary Jane Zimmerman. The special meeting was requested by Domino's Farms Land Development for the purpose of holding a public hearing on the proposed Zoning Change which would allow the construction of a private residential college for 1200 students in the OP District. The request includes amendment of the Area Plan, a Natural Features permit and a Wetlands permit. The two hour presentation on behalf of the applicant was made by the Harley Ellis firm and Smith Group JJR and was heard by about forty residents. A number of residents of the immediate area spoke against the zoning change, citing increases in traffic on evenings and weekends, noise from dormitories and athletic fields, general lighting of the area, loss of the existing landscape buffer between the neighborhood and the office complex, the resulting residential density. Several people who currently lease office space spoke in favor of the proposed project, stating that their employees could benefit from the proposed amenities such as the athletic facilities, the opportunity to participate in classes and the possibility of internships for enhancement of their businesses. After hearing all comment, Sloan closed the public hearing and asked for Planning Commission discussion. Schmult stated that the petition has two principal parts (a) a proposed amendment to the text of the OP zoning district and (b) a proposed amendment to the area plan of the approved OP district. The applications for preliminary site plan approval, a natural features permit and a wetland permit are not part of the rezoning petition and it is premature to discuss them at this time. He stated that the two parts of the petition are sequential and that the text amendments are essential to the proposed area plan amendment. Therefore, the text amendments should be reviewed first and the Commission should reach consensus on the disposition of this part of the petition prior to consideration of the area plan amendments. The applicant has petitioned for seven changes in the text and seven changes in the area plan. Schmult also pointed out that the 1983 approved area plan contains five elements which have been omitted from the current area plan proposal for seven changes, as follows: 1)
the farm character emphasized in the third paragraph, page 32 and this omission from the approved area plan must also be reviewed. He also pointed out that a petition for a text amendment is required to include a description of the reasons for the proposed changes and that this has not been done as well as other standards in the Zoning Ordinance which are listed in Section 25.05 for rezoning petitions in general and Section 10.05-1c for OP district amendments in particular. Schmult's report, dated September 7, 2001 and the attached 1983 Development Concept referenced above are both on file with the township. A short discussion by the Commissioners resulted in a motion by Moran to table which was supported by Snyder and passed 6-0. Meeting adjourned at 10:00 p.m. Recorded by Elizabeth Langford
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