Chairman Raterink opened the public hearing.
Susan Carney, 3278 Oak Street, Hudsonville, MI 49426 was present to discuss her application for a group day care home which allows for 7 to 12 children. She will have an assistant. It will typically be run during daytime hours. Traffic flow should be good.
Dan Strikwerda reviewed the general standards for a Special Use Permit. The home will remain primarily residential. To the north are multi-family buildings, to the east and south is commercial property and to the west is single family residential. It meets the single-family zoning. This is a spacious lot, 165’ x 165’. The home is served with public facilities and services. The special use does not create much in the way of adverse impact conditions. Some additional traffic will be created. The biggest impact is to the single-family lot to the west. No public cost is created and it is not much of a factor on the economic welfare of the community.
A group day care home is required to have a license by the Michigan Department of Social Services. There is ample activity space within the house. The larger lot results in a backyard that is close to double the 5,000 sq.ft. outdoor play area requirement. A safety concern is the adjacent creek. It is recommended to require a piece of fencing from the fence along the creek to the house to keep the kids from being able to run around the fence to the creek. There is a lot of child drop off occurring on Oak Street due to the schools and child care center to the west. This business will not have much of an impact on the overall traffic pattern.
After all present were given the opportunity to speak, Chairman Raterink closed the public hearing.
A motion was made by Luben, supported by Westrate, to approve the Special Use Permit for a group day care home with the following conditions:

1. Obtain the proper license from the Michigan Department of Social Services.
   
2. Complete the fencing along the creek to the house.
   
3. One employee is permitted.
   
4. Adequate client trips are permitted to allow for up to 12 kids during the day and up to 6 children during the evening and night.

Chairman Raterink opened the public hearing.

Doug Butterworth of Coldwell Banker Commercial was present to discuss the application from Gymnastiks Unlimited, 6673 Pine Ridge Ct., Jenison, MI 49428 to change the text of Section 5-20 E of the City of Hudsonville Zoning Ordinance to allow health and fitness, including a gymnastics facility by Special Use Permit in the I-2 Zoning District. The owners are hoping to use an industrial building at 3400 Highland Drive.
Rhonda Wynsma, owner of Gymnastiks Unlimited, stated that she is looking for a permanent facility in order to expand. They are currently renting space in Jenison. The majority of business will be after 5 p.m.
Dan Strikwerda advised that this application is a zoning text amendment in the I-2 Zoning District. If approval is recommended by the Planning Commission tonight it will be forwarded to the City Commission for approval in December. If the zoning amendment is approved they will apply for a Special Use Permit for 3400 Highland Drive. They need a larger building that is more suitable in an industrial area. The concern with allowing a health facility to locate in an industrial zone is that we need to give up an industrial building for a non-industrial use. The benefit of doing it by Special Use Permit is that we have control over whether or not to allow this non-industrial use to move into an industrial park. This does seem to be a good fit.
After all present were given the opportunity to speak, Chairman Raterink closed the public hearing.

VanDoeselaar – What would be the highest attendance on the busiest day?
Wynsma – Approximately 120.
Raterink – How long do they stay?
Wynsma – Usually there are 20 cars in the lot. Most will stay. Others will go to restaurants or stores in the area.
Leatherman – Does the special use last only for this business?
Strikwerda – It would carry on with this property.
TenHarmsel – Is the size adequate? Will this be large enough?
Wynsma – Yes. They are in a smaller temporary home now.

A motion was made by Leatherman, supported by VanDenBerg, to recommend approval to the City Commission of the Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment of Section 5-20 E to allow health & fitness including a gymnastics facility by Special Use Permit.

Chairman Raterink opened the public hearing.
Rick Pulaski of Nederveld gave a brief review of the Downtown Master Plan.
Dan Strikwerda stated that there would be some added information that is minor. He read the suggested resolution (copy attached) for the adoption of the Downtown Master Plan. If approved it will go to the City Commission for their endorsement on December 11, 2007.
VanDoeselaar – This new Master Plan has been in the works for over 2 years. Much thought and input went into the process. It is a fine product.
A motion was made by VanDoeselaar, supported by TenHarmsel, to approve the resolution for the adoption of the Downtown Master Plan allowing for some minor adjustments that will be seen in the final printing, Version 2.0.

Jason VanderKodde of Nederveld gave an introduction to the site for the proposed Summer Creek Condominiums located at the current Summer Green Golf Links, 3441 New Holland St., Hudsonville, MI 49426. It is a 30.8 acre parcel, zoned R-3 which allows multi-family housing. Proposed are 160 units including 3 different types of buildings; adequate parking is provided for residents and visitors. There would be a pedestrian pathway. The landscaping plan will be consistent with R-3 regulations. Existing trees and vegetation along Buttermilk Creek will be preserved to the greatest extent possible. The project would be completed in 3 phases. There are 5 proposed deviations:

1. Private road width required 24’; proposed 20’
2. Private road to adjoining parcel setback required 20’; proposed 7’
3. Building-to-building rear setback required 80’; proposed 50’
4. Temporary extension to maximum cul-de-sac length required 800’; proposed 1664’
5. Turn-around device required 40’; proposed cul-de-sac Hammer-Head

Dan Strikwerda reviewed the benefits as stated in the application from Todd Ponstein, Georgetown Development Co., LLC, 6601 Wilshere Drive, Jenison, MI 49428. The decision goes into a Statement of Findings and Recommendations. The golf course would remain open in 2008.

Raterink – He has some serious concerns related to water; there have been many problems over the years.
VanDenBerg – What makes you think you can handle the water?
VanderKodde – He is a licensed engineer; there are State requirements to be met; the Ottawa County Drain Commission is updating a flood plain study with more restrictions that we are meeting.
VanDoeselaar – How deep are the retention ponds?
VanderKodde – 12’ to 14’.
Luben – Will you raise the elevation of any buildings?
VanderKodde – Yes.
Leatherman – How much of the wetlands will be disturbed?
VanderKodde – Estimates ½ to ¾ acre; he will check and advise.
Westrate – How close will this be to existing condominiums?
VanderKodde – Their closest building is 13’ and others are 20’ – 25’. Ours will be, at closest, 40’ to sun porch or deck.
VanDoeselaar – Asked about the 24’ road.
VanderKodde – More asphalt would produce higher speeds and there would not be a lot to show for it.
Leatherman – Is there professional information available?
Discussion continued on open space, guest parking, and the ability to guarantee it won’t flood and the ability to provide funding if it does.
Strikwerda – For next month’s meeting, it has been requested to provide information for water modeling and more data on the relationship between road width and traffic speed.
Leatherman – Prefers to see paperwork and statistics/studies prior to public hearing.

A motion was made by Westrate, supported by VanDenBerg, for the Statement of Findings and Recommendations: to provide data on water modeling and for more data on the relationship between road width and traffic speed and to present it next month in informal session.

West Michigan Community Bank, 5367 School Avenue, Hudsonville, MI 49426, has applied for a PUD Amendment to eliminate the landscape buffer along proposed new lot lines, allowing them to split off and sell property.
Strikwerda – West Michigan Community Bank owns both buildings north of Central Boulevard between School and Plaza Avenues along with some vacant property leading up to Chicago Drive. The applicant wants to split this property into 3 pieces to allow for the sale of the building on Parcel “2”. This property is a PUD, so in order to allow for a split through the parking lot without a landscape buffer it needs to be done as a PUD Amendment rather than by obtaining variances. The split will allow for the property to be sold. A benefit is to allow for a joint parking lot with shared driveways. If this is going to be approved, a condition is for ingress/egress easements along the proposed lot lines.
A motion was made by VanDenBerg, supported by TenHarmsel, to approve the PUD Amendment to eliminate the landscape buffer along the new lot lines, allowing for the lot split. There will be a public hearing at the December 19, 2007 Planning Commission meeting.

Dan Strikwerda, AICP
Planning/Zoning Administrator