Planning Commission Minutes

Planning Commission members in attendance at the Oct. 3^rd meeting, except Member Greeno, met with Rog Faber on site at 3721 Northridge for Case #07-509 from 6:30 p.m. to 6:50 p.m. The topics discussed included proposed exterior building materials, buffering and visibility from public roadways.

Members Present: Chairman, J. Hickey, T. Greeno, C. Rypma, S. Versluis, and D. Brown. Absent: C. Gornowich, M. Ferris-Young, and M. Huizenga. Also Present: F. Wash, Planning Director, and P. Dlouhy, Planning Asst.

Chairman Hickey opened the meeting and Member Rypma gave the invocation.

Motion by D. Brown, supported by C. Rypma, to approve the September 19, 2007 minutes as printed. Motion carried.

Chairman Hickey read the application for site plan approval for a 47,407 sq. ft. multi-tenant light industrial building located at 3721 Northridge Dr., N.W.

Motion by S. Versluis, supported by T. Greeno, to remove this item from the table. Motion carried.

Planner Wash reviewed the staff report and the revised building elevation plans. Staff recommended permitting the vertical siding as shown on the plans for the north, west and east walls. Staff recommended four 4’x4’ north wall windows as previously noted by the planning commission, as this wall will eventually face an office or service building. Staff recommends the change to EIFS for all sides of the west and east wall building entrances as previously noted by the planning commission. These areas will be visible from North Ridge Drive. Wash related that a text note should be added to the plan stating that any ground sign will be limited to 6’ in height and 8’ in width with a 2’ masonry base showing the address numbers.

Wash related that the planning commission met this evening with Mr. Faber on site to visit Lot No. #1, which is already built, and to get a feel for what the proposed Lot #2 building will look like.

Wash referred to the proposed conditions of approval, including that a land division application must be received and approved plus formal acceptance of North Ridge Dr. as a public street by the City Commission as conditions of approval.

Wash indicated that the applicant must submit five (5) sealed site plans, plus digital copies of the final site plans in .PDF to the planning department prior to issuance of a building permit. The plans must contain all conditions of approval attached by the planning commission.

Roger Faber reviewed the elevation plans with EIFS on the sides of the west and east wall. He agrees to add 4 windows on the north end of the building that will be adjacent to a future office building development.

Mr. Faber indicated that he looked at the metal walls panels designed for horizontal installation, which ended up being cost prohibitive. He would like to use the same vertical metal panels used on the first building.

Mr. Faber reviewed the building material samples with the planning commission to their satisfaction.

Member Rypma stated, in looking at the building, he does not have a problem with having metal siding by the office entryways. Planner Wash stated that the office entryways are far from the road, and he doesn’t have a problem with it either.

Member Hickey felt that if Mr. Faber was in agreement with the end cap and windows on the north end, then he is ok with it. Mr. Faber agreed to the changes as discussed.

Member Brown stated that she drove into the North Wilson Commerce Park and realized that a lot of metal was used on those buildings in the park. If the EIFS and brick were utilized on the office, she felt that we should come to a happy medium. She stated that we don’t want to discourage industry. Brown felt that vertical siding is ok as long as it is pleasing to the eye.

Motion by C. Rypma, supported by S. Versluis, to approve the site plan dated 9-11-07 and Sheet A-2 dated 9-25-07 for Lot #2 of the Visser Bros. Inc. Fruit Ridge Industrial Park North, proposed for location at 3721 North Ridge Drive, as it does meet the standards set forth in the City of Walker Zoning Ordinance, with the following conditions of site plan approval:

Motion carried 5-0.

Chairman Hickey read the revised application requesting site plan approval for a 35,000 sq. ft. multi-tenant industrial spec. building located at 4337 – 3 Mile Rd., N.W.

Planner Wash reviewed the staff report and tabling conditions from the 9-19-07 meeting. He worked with Mr. Rosendall and Mr. Roy to increase masonry/block at the entrance points. Dean Rosendall has an aggregate application spray-on material for the metal panels to make the surfaces look like block. Planner Wash felt that the south and west building elevations have significantly approved in appearance and material quality since the initial application review and staff recommends conditional approval.

Mr. Rosendall reviewed the building material samples followed by a Q&A session with the planning commission. The commission was satisfied with the building material samples.

Planner Wash reviewed the changes to the buildings elevations and materials as described by Mr. Rosendall. Dark gray "spray on stone" textured insulation panels in Arctic Ash, would be utilized to minimize the appearance of metal siding.

Rosendall felt that this product achieves the objectives of both the planning commission and the developer, which allows for the installation of a "quality" product that does not look like metal while staying within the project budget.

Motion by C. Rypma, supported by D. Brown, to approve the site plan dated 8-24-07 and the elevations provided to the Planning Commission on 10-3-07 for the First Companies industrial building at 4337 – 3 Mile Road, N.W. as it does meet the standards set forth in the City of Walker Zoning Ordinance, with the following conditions of site plan approval:

Motion carried 5-0.

Chairman Hickey read the request for site plan approval for a 10,400 sq. ft. distribution and outlet store located at 3738 Northridge Dr., N.W

Planner Wash reviewed the staff report and building elevation plans. He indicated that this 2-acre property is located immediately south of the Lot #1 Visser project at Fruit Ridge and North Ridge.

Wash related that Aunt Millie’s Bakery proposes to construct a 10,400 sq. ft. distribution center. The applicant has received a variance from the ZBA for limited retail thrift sales for 10% of the square footage or approximately 1,100 sq. ft. of the total building area.

Wash referred to the procedural aspects of the request. He also reviewed conditions of approval including: right of way lines should be clearly labeled; zoning labels for adjacent properties should be added; the hedge of 36" tall sea-green junipers which should be added along the west and north parking lot edges to buffer the lot from public view; (Wash sketched this hedge on the plans); and a note added to the plans stating that a cross access/shared driveway easement will be recorded and submitted to the City of Walker prior to issuance of a building permit. A land division application must be received and approved before site is developed. Five (5) sealed site plans, plus digital copies of the final site plan in .PDF. to the planning department prior to issuance of a building permit.

Planner Wash related that most of Scott Conners’ issues have been addressed, and the remainder would be handled via the storm water permit process.

Roger Faber, AIA – Visser Brothers, Inc., and Chris Pott, owner, was present.

Roger Faber stated that block would be such a minimum amount between those doors that it would be meaningless, or should have EIFS on the entire north wall.

Mr. Faber reviewed the building material samples, including color selections, with the planning commission.

In reviewing the architectural building elevation renderings, the Planning Commission required that EIFS would be utilized on the north wall to match the west elevation. Planner Wash felt that this truck wall is facing the public street and should not be metal. It was determined that a concrete wall would be utilized up to the base of the truck dock then EIFS running up to the roof. The west elevation will consist of a standing seam metal roof, remain as EIFS, glass and block materials.

Mr. Faber stated that they are hoping for approval tonight, as they would like to get the foundation permit rather quickly and hope to get that work done this fall.

Faber indicated that they could utilize 4-5’ EIFS panels above the garage doors.

Member Greeno asked if this facility was just a warehouse? Roger Faber stated no, a distribution warehouse and retail outlet. No baking will be done on site.

Chairman Hickey asked if the colors on the rendering were accurate? Faber stated yes.

Member Greeno asked how many trucks would be coming and going daily? Roger Faber stated 1 or 2 semi-trucks would be dropping off product a day, and the rest are box trucks.

Chairman Hickey asked where the dumpster would be located? Mr. Faber stated to the rear southeast corner of the building.

Mr. Faber stated that the sea green junipers will be added on the plans per direction and sketch example of Planner Wash.

Motion by C. Rypma, supported by T. Greeno, to approve the site plan dated

9-24-07 for Aunt Millie’s Bakery, proposed for location at 3738 North Ridge Drive, as it does meet the standards set forth in the City of Walker Zoning Ordinance, with the following conditions of site plan approval:

Motion carried 5-0.

Planner Wash related that the next meeting (October 17) is cancelled. He is attending a State Planning Conference on October 17, 18, and 19 for required continuing education credits.

Wash reviewed storm water permit plans to pave additional parking for the Walker Roadhouse on the vacant lot to the west of the bar/restaurant. Wash felt this should alleviate current parking shortages at peak times.

Motion by T. Greeno, supported by D. Brown, to adjourn at 8:05 p.m. Motion carried.

__________________________ _________________________

Administrative Approval Carol Gornowich, Secretary

Walker Planning Commission