October 13, 2009 Meeting Minutes

A special meeting/public hearing of the Planning Commission of Alexandria Township was held on the 13th day of October, 2009 at the Alexandria Township Conference Room, 610 Fillmore Street.

 

Roll Call: Commission members present were John Knowles, Julie Feuling, Larry Steidl and Lyle Hammerschmidt. Also present was Bonnie Fulghum, Deputy Clerk, and Ben Oleson, Township Zoning Admnistrator. As said members formed a quorum and the meeting was called to order by Chairman Knowles at 6:00 p.m.

 

Agenda: Hammerschmidt, seconded by Feuling, made a motion to approve the agenda as written. Motion carried unanimously.

 

Minutes: Steidl, seconded by Feuling, made a motion to approve the minutes of the 9/28/09 meeting as written. Motion carried unanimously.

 

Public Hearing: Amendment to the Zoning Ordinance (Interim Use Permits). Zoning Administrator Oleson explained the proposed changes. The commission discussed imposing a time limit for the interim use permits. The consensus was to require a five (5)-year time limit for all permits.

 

Under 3.a. “Termination of an Interim Use Permit”, the commission chose to delete numbers (3) [change in ownership of the property] and (4) [requirement of thirty (30) days or less notice for renewal.]

 

In the tables section under “Commercial Uses”:

  • the commission opted to include “wind towers/turbines” under the category, “Communications services and utility towers including cellular phone towers and other wireless telecommunications towers”
  • discussion regarding acreage being a determinant
  • under the category, “Mini-Storage”, the commission chose to leave this as a prohibited use in the RCR district

 

In the tables section under “Industrial Uses”:

  • under the category, “Temporary concrete/bituminous storage or recycling facilities related to a specific project lasting less than twelve (12) months”, the commission chose to change the use under the RR district from a CUP to an IUP
  • under the category, “Light manufacturing of parts and assembly”, the commission chose to leave this as a prohibited use in the RCR district
  • under the category, “Mining/Extraction of gravel or other materials”, the consensus was to change the RCR, RR, UR and RS districts to IUPs and leave the remaining districts as CUPs
  • under the categories for “Ready Mix Plant” and “Wholesale Business”, the consensus was to leave these as a prohibited use under the RCR district

 

Motion by Hammerschmidt, seconded by Steidl, to table the discussion on the interim use ordinance until the next meeting of October 26, 2009 in order to receive input from all planning commission members and to obtain further information from staff regarding acreage sizes for potential commercial and industrial uses in the rural residential areas. Motion carried.

 

New Business: Chairman Knowles discussed appropriate public hearing procedures and meeting rules of order.

 

Old Business: None

 

Zoning Administrator’s Report: None

 

Adjournment: Being no further business Steidl, seconded by Feuling, made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Meeting adjourned at 9 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted…

 

_______________________________

Bonnie Fulghum, Deputy Clerk

 

Approved this ____ day of ______________, 2009

 

_______________________________

John B. Knowles, Chairman