HOLLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION 

Regular Meeting 

September 7, 2010 

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Hoeve at 7:00 p.m. 

Present:           Chairman Marion Hoeve, Vice-Chrmn/Secretary Jack VanderMeulen and Members LaVerne Johnson, Ken Bosma, Dennis Gebben and Willis Driesenga.  Also present were Zoning Administrator Jon Mersman, Assistant Zoning Administrator Meghann Reynolds and Recording Secretary Susan Working. 

Absent:            Member Arlan Hossink. 

Mr. Hoeve explained the hearing and meeting procedures to the assembled audience. 

The minutes of the meeting of August 10, 2010 were approved as printed. 

Mr. Hoeve opened the public hearing to consider a request submitted by Josh and Krissy Holtrop for permission to operate a beauty salon as a Home Occupation in an R-2 Residential zone.  The property is located at 1259 Summerwood Lane. 

The business will be operated part-time each day Monday thru Friday with some Saturday hours possible.  Hours will be by appointment only and will most likely not extend beyond 8:00 p.m.  There is sufficient room for parking in the driveway. 

In response to a question from Mr. Driesenga, Mr. Holtrop stated that had talked to a couple of the immediate neighbors and they did not have a problem with the request. 

There was no one present to ask questions or object to the request. 

It was moved by Mr. Johnson and supported by Mr. Driesenga to close the public hearing.  Motion carried. 

It was moved by Mr. Bosma and supported by Mr. Gebben to approve the special use request as submitted and presented.  Motion carried. 

Commission Members next reviewed the final development plan for the proposed Barnabas Ministries PUD.  Present for this consideration were Lori Jo Schepers, President of Barnabas Ministries, Robert McFarlane from Lakewood Construction, Travis Vruggink from GMB Architecture and Engineering and Randy Rapp from Exxel Engineering. 

Mrs. Schepers briefly reviewed the background and purpose of Barnabas Ministries and their goals for this project. 

Mr. McFarlane reviewed the overall project and noted the changes made since review of the preliminary plan.  Barnabas House will include a full-time residence which Mrs. Schepers and her family will live in.  After reviewing proposed activities, maintenance and dust control, it was decided to pave the loop road in addition to the parking lots.  There will be some lighting installed around the loop road in addition to the parking lot lighting.  At the Township’s request the proposed 6” water main will be increased to an 8” main and will be looped from 112th Avenue to Quincy Street.  Dumpster enclosures have been determined.  The old pond/manure pit on the west of the property which was of some concern to neighbors will be filled in. 

Mr. McFarlane also noted they have provided a paved walkway to the parking lot at Noordeloos Church.  They have worked out an agreement with the church to provide for overflow parking when they have functions needing the extra parking spaces. 

Mr. Rapp reported on progress with the design and location of the septic systems for the project. 

Mr. Vruggink detailed the storm water plans for the site, noting that they will be grading so that the flow continues its normal course to the northeast of the site. 

Mr. Bosma asked how trash and mail will be handled in the future when the cabins are erected. 

Mrs. Schepers stated that the trash from the cabins will be placed in the dumpsters located at the office and Barnabas House.  The do not plan to have receptacles for each cabin.  Mail will most likely be delivered to the office and they will distribute it from there.  They are not planning to provide a mailbox kiosk for the cabins. 

Mr. Bosma asked if a future easement for bike path/sidewalk construction could be included for 112th Avenue and Quincy Street.  Mr. McFarlane felt that could be accommodated. 

Mr. VanderMeulen asked if the facility will have a centralized kitchen. 

Mrs. Schepers stated that Barnabas House will have a kitchen and central eating area for those residents.  Each cabin will have its own kitchen and those residents will be responsible for preparing their own meals as part of their work in learning to be self-sufficient. 

Mr. Driesenga asked about security.  Mrs. Schepers stated that this is not a locked facility.  Youth who need to be in a lockdown environment will be at other locations, like the Fillmore Complex.  There will be 24-hour staffing of the facility so that security issues can be handled if they arise. 

In response to other questions from Commission Members, Mrs. Schepers gave a more detailed overview of the ministries’ operations. 

Commission Members also discussed the width of the proposed loop road.  As planned, the pavement will be 30 feet wide, which will allow for parallel parking in front of the cabin area.  Commission Members felt a paved width of 24 feet would be sufficient.  Future bump outs for parking by the cabins could also be provided. 

Commission Members reviewed a report and recommendation which the attorney had already prepared. 

It was moved by Mr. Bosma and supported by Mr. Driesenga to adopt the prepared report, with the inclusion of language for a future easement for bike path/sidewalk construction, and to recommend to the Township Board that approval be given to the Barnabas Ministries PUD.  Motion carried. 

Commission Members reviewed language to revise the dredge site PUD to take care of materials removal issues.  A public hearing will be scheduled for next month. 

Mr. Mersman presented an overview of current ordinances regarding non-conforming structures and detailed alternate methods of dealing with them that he learned at the planner’s conference he attended.  The Commission may want to explore some of this further to see if some of these ideas could be implemented here. 

The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m. 

Respectfully submitted, 

Susan Working
Recording Secretary