City of Fremont

Planning Commission

Minutes of the Regular Meeting

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Fremont City Hall

A regular meeting of the City of Fremont Planning Commission was held in the Council Chambers at the Fremont City Hall on Tuesday, November 27, 2007.  The meeting was called to order at 3:21 p.m.

Present: Chair Dale Hansen and Commissioners Jack Butterick, Jane Drake, Don Henry, Peg May, and Lon Vredeveld

Note:  David Crosley resigned from the Fremont Planning Commission on November 27, 2007.

Absent:  Dennis Caplis

City Officials Present:     Michele Ribant, Fremont Zoning Administrator

Approval of Minutes

A motion was made by Jane Drake, seconded by Peg May and carried to approve the minutes from the  September 25, 2007 Fremont Planning Commission meeting.   

Note:  There was no Planning Commission meeting held in October 2007.

Lon Vredeveld joined the meeting after the approval of the minutes.

Housekeeping Matters

Chair Hansen announced that Jane Drake has been re-appointed to the Planning Commission as an ex-officio member for a one year term ending in November 2008.

The Planning Commissioners were provided with a copy of their attendance record and a copy of their educational requirements record. 

Newaygo County Credit Union Facility – Requested Departures from the Zoning Ordinance

Chair Hansen indicated that the petitioner, the Newaygo County Service Employees Credit Union, is removing the structure from its existing site located at 115 S. Stone Road, and they are constructing a new 4,680 sq. ft. building in its current location.  Michele Ribant reported that the subject site is located in the West Main District, which is a form-based District.  She explained that under the new hybrid form-based zoning ordinance, the petitioner only has to come before the Planning Commission for approval if he/she is requesting departures from the Code requirements.  She indicated that staff has conducted a site plan review and that it appears the petitioner will be able to satisfy the Code requirements, but she said there were a few issues that still needed to be addressed.  However, she indicated it is appropriate for the Commission to vote on the requested departures to the Code at this meeting.

Don Swiftney, architect with Hooker DeJong, presented the requested departures from the Code requirements to the Planning Commission on behalf of the petitioner.  He requested departures for the interior height, the front façade, the window sills, the window openings and the sidewalks as outlined in the staff report.  He indicated that he could modify the window openings to eliminate the horizontal muntin on the middle window in each set of three windows, which he felt could help create the look of having the windows taller than they are wide.

A motion was made by Jane Drake, seconded by Lon Vredeveld and carried to approve the following departures from the Fremont Hybrid Form-Based Code including the modification to the window openings as presented to the Commission at the meeting and also outlined below:

• Interior Height:  The ground story shall have at least 12 feet of clear interior height (floor to ceiling) contiguous to the RBL frontage for at least a depth of 12 feet. The interior height may be as low as 8’8” in some areas of the building. Therefore, the petitioner is requesting a departure of up to 3’4”, which has been approved.

• Front Façade:  New buildings whose façade exceeds 40 feet in linear width shall be divided into multiple bays or shall create the impression of multiple storefronts. The ground level façade should be designed to include the elements that make up a traditional storefront including:

• A base panel between the sidewalk and display windows
• Display windows and an entry framed by piers/pilasters
• A sign band

The front façade does not divide into multiple bays nor are the elements characteristic of a traditional storefront.  The petitioner is seeking a departure so that the façade does not need to be varied as outlined above, and the request has been approved.

• Window Sills:  Ground floor window sills shall not be higher above grade than 2 feet above the fronting sidewalk.  The ground floor window sills are 3 feet above the fronting sidewalk.  The petitioner is requesting and is being granted a one foot departure from this regulation. 
• Window Openings:  Window openings and window panes shall be taller than they are wide or divided into segments that are taller than they are wide.  The segments on the front façade are 5’8” tall and 9’4” wide.  These windows which are wider than they are tall, have been approved. The petitioner also agreed to eliminate the horizontal muntin on the middle window in each set of three windows, which he felt could help create the look of having the windows taller than they are wide.
• Sidewalks:  A minimum combined sidewalk and parkway dimension of 10 feet is required for the width of the lot; this requirement has been satisfied.  A minimum sidewalk width of 8 feet is required adjacent to storefronts.  Currently no sidewalk is shown directly adjacent to the storefront. There is a 5 foot sidewalk along Stone Road.  The petitioner is requesting and is being granted a departure from the sidewalk requirement adjacent to the storefront.  In lieu of the sidewalk adjacent to the storefront, the petitioner is providing landscaping.

Next Meeting

It was announced that there were no projects slated for a vote by the Fremont Planning Commission for the December meeting; therefore, the December meeting is cancelled.  The next meeting will be on January 22, 2008 at 3:15 p.m. at City Hall.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 4:01 p.m.

                                                                          ____________________________________

                                                                          Dale Hansen, Planning Commission Chair

                                                                          ____________________________________

                                                                          Michele Ribant

                                                                          Fremont Zoning Administrator