AGENDA

 

Spring Lake Village

October 4, 2004

7:30 P.M.

Barber School Meeting Room

102 West Exchange

Spring Lake, Michigan

 

I.  Call to Order

 

 

II.               Pledge of Allegiance

 

 

III.          Roll Call

 

A.Present:  Filber, Fischer, Hall, Holland, Keller, Palma & VanStrate.

 

IV.                                 Reports and Statements of Citizens: 

 

V.  Consent Agenda

 

A.Approved the payment of the bills in the amount of $              .

 

B.Approved the minutes of the September 8, 2004 regular council meeting and the September 20, 2004 special meeting.

 

C.Approved the First Baptist Church of Spring Lake closing Meridian Street from Exchange to Summit from September 29, 2004 to June 2005 on Wednesday nights from 4:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. This request was intended to prevent pedestrian street crossing accidents during their Youth Group program.

 

D.Approved a low bid from Gorno Ford of Woodhaven, Michigan in the amount of $24,720.00 for a replacement one- ton truck with salts spreader.  This item was budgeted for $40,000.  Gorno Ford received the state low bid for this year.

 

E. Set a public hearing on a Groundwater Use Ordinance for October 18, 2004 at 7:30 p.m.  This ordinance is necessary to ensure that the Burnside property will receive MDEQ permission to be sold for redevelopment.  Grand Haven and Muskegon passed similar ordinances recently.  Passage of this ordinance also ensures that the Village will receive the right to build Lakeside Trail over this incomplete section.  See attached letter.  Also attached is the Grand Haven ordinance that Spring Lake’s will be modeled after.) 

 

F.Consideration of a Motion to Set a Public Hearing on the Proposed Spring Lake Village Design Manual for October 18, 2004 at 7:30 PM, or shortly thereafter.  (This Design Manual was recommended by the CBDDA after review at two meetings. This goal is the CBDDA’s highest priority in the Downtown Master Plan.  Copies of the Manual were previously delivered to Council and will be made available to the public.  The Manual will apply to all of the community, but is only mandatory in the Core Downtown and in planned developments.)

 

 

G.Consideration of a Motion to Approve a Proclamation Naming October As Spinal Health Month and Authorizing Village President Keller and the Village Clerk-Treasurer to Execute. (This proclamation is requested by Westra Chiropractic in cooperation with Michigan Chiropractic Society and Governor Granholm.)

 

 

 

 

VI.                                   Report By the Village Clerk

 

 

A.  Consideration of a Public Hearing to Consider Conceptual Approval of a Planned Unit Development for Redstone Development (for the Property Commonly Known as 702 East Savidge Street) in Four Distinct Phases, including a Report and Contract Between the Village of Spring Lake and Redstone Development

 

Subject:  The Planning Commission unanimously approved this planned development Conceptual Plan on September 28, 2004.  This conceptual approval is a recommendation to Village Council.  Four subsequent phases will need Planning Commission site plan recommendations and eventual Council approval at a later date. 

 

Significant public input was received on potential residential traffic on Lake Avenue, including a petition.  The Planning Commission received this information and indicated a traffic analysis would be required prior to site plan approval of this phase.  Such analysis will build in potential traffic resulting from nearby redevelopments. 

 

The decision then became one of whether to leave seven-acre area zoned industrial or change it to residential or some other use in the long-term.  The Commission opted to accept the developer’s request to plan for residential.

 

Additional requirements were added to the Report and Contract to show the location of 12-inch trees and provide signage elevations.  Further, Village staff requested the rights to share the private parking for public purposes involving overflow from Central Park and that the design of Rotary Drive not detract, and potentially compliment, the Central Park entrance.  The Planning Commission added a provision requesting compliance with the Village’s Design Manual.

 

The final subject of conversation tonight is whether the Village would be wise to institute a maximum density into the Contract. Following last night’s meeting I discussed this matter with Village staff and the Developer.  I recommend that we include criteria from the Village’s Master Plan in the Contract.    Medium density is defined in the Master Plan as “residential development from 5 to 6.9 units per acre”. 

 

The condominium project just east of Tanglefoot Park is 24 units on 3 acres for a density of 8 per acre.  The new condominium project next to Shell is 24 units on 7 acres for about 4 per acre. 

 

Recommendation:  Following the public hearing, the Village Council may now consider a motion to approve the Planned Unit Development (for Redstone Development for the property commonly known as 702 East Savidge Street) in four distinct phases, including a Report and Contract Between the Village of Spring Lake and Redstone Development.

 

 

B.  Consideration of a Motion to Approve Text Changes to the Zoning Code for the Purpose of Enabling Office Uses in the Public (P) Zones

 

Subject:  This text change was on the Planning Commission agenda for September 28th.  Their recommendation is denial on a 7-1 vote.  No public attended.  The primary concerns voiced were 1) Whether it is wise to sell Village property;   2) Whether this sale would generate the need to add onto the Municipal Services garage;  3)Whether this text change would result in office uses in Church buildings; and 4)Whether this change represented spot zoning similar to what former Councils turned down on the Masonic Temple building.   

 

I responded that this property is surplus as far as the Village’s future intended use and that an office is a higher and better use. Such an office would restore this historic landmark and place it back on the tax rolls.  The Municipal Services Garage already needs an expansion which re-sale of this property would help pay for (along with $100,000 leftover from the Village Hall project) on land currently owned.  In regard to the “public zone containing churches”, I said this was unusual and should be changed anyway with some of our upcoming zoning ordinance changes.  The Village Attorney confirmed that the requested action was not spot zoning.

 

The Municipal Services Garage expansion is needed because the crew currently  stores vehicles and equipment outside in the storage yard.  This equipment is difficult to thaw out and use in the winter.  There is no minimally-heated storage space available to the Village; it is expected some will be included in the expansion.  With the new anticipated equipment (snow blower this winter and leaf truck someday), we will additional indoor storage. 

 

The Council’s options are to:

1.  Accept the Planning Commission’s recommendation and deny this text change; 

2.  Request Planning Commission consideration of an alternative approach to re-zone this area to straight office; or

3.  Approve the text change due to the reasons given above.

 

If not approved in some fashion, the Village will need to return the bidders security deposit and budget for renovation of the building.  These expenditures would likely come from the expected TIF funds when TIF sunsets and would delay funding for street reconstruction or bike path projects.

 

Recommendation:  Following the public hearing, the Village Council may consider a motion to approve text changes to the Zoning Code for the purpose of enabling Office Uses in the Public (P) Zones.

 

 

VII.                              Report by the Village Manager

 

A.  Consideration of a Motion to Approve a Three-year Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Contract and Authorization to the Village President and Village Clerk-Treasurer to Execute

 

Subject:  This three-year contract would cost $2,595 from October 1, 2004 to September 30, 2005 and $2,652.25  and $2,708.9 in successive years.  The Chamber is instrumental in assisting the Village.  They helped conduct the Village Hall rededication process, the West End Redevelopment project grants, new Spring Lake Farm and Garden Market and the new grant for the “Village Place” east side redevelopment.  The Chamber is also leading the harbor dredging solution process.

 

Recommendation:  The Council may now consider a motion to approve a Three-year Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Contract and authorize the Village President and Village Clerk-Treasurer to execute the contract.

 

 

B.   Consideration of a Motion by the Village Council to Set Priorities for the Grand Haven Chamber in the Next Year

 

Subject:  Up to five priorities are requested.  The following ones are suggested:

 

1.                             Assist the Village with paperwork associated with the CDBG grant for the “Village Place” redevelopment;

2.                             Assist with redevelopment of the property bounded by Mill Point Park and Tanglefoot Park, south of Exchange Street;

3.                             Continue and grow the Spring Lake Farm and Garden Market success;

4.                             Support the Spring Lake Heritage Festival Board in potential new programs/linkages.

5.                             Assist in recruiting medical offices to the Village;

6.                             Assist in the permanent solution the Harbor Dredge/permanent compost siting needs.

 

Recommendation:  The Chamber staff is reviewing these priorities and, if agreeable, they are recommended to the Village Council to approve.

 

 

 

C.  Consideration of A Motion to Approve Annual Priorities for the Village of Spring Lake Manager

 

Summary: Attached is a list of priorities we ran out of time to discuss after our Annual Tour on September 20, 2004.

 

The completed projects can be removed and the active ones continued with, or without, amendments.

 

Recommendation:  The Village Council may now discuss the attached priorities and consider any amendments.

 

VIII.       Reports by the Village Council:

 

IX.                                    Statements of Citizens:   

                              

X.    Re-Convene the Work Session (if necessary)

 

XI.                 Executive Session to Discuss Potential Property Acquisition

 

XII.            Adjournment