MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE LEE TOWNSHIP

PLANNING COMMISSION, WHICH TOOK PLACE ON TUESDAY,

SEPTEMBER 5, 2006,

LEE TOWNSHIP HALL, MIDLAND, MICHIGAN

 

 

PRESENT:  Commissioners –   Carol Alexander, Toney Kerns, Darla Rippee, Dale Wolfgang, and Tom York

ABSENT:  None

OTHERS PRESENT:  Tim Smith, Township Enforcement Officer

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. by Chair Tom York.

 

It was moved by Darla Rippee, seconded by Dale Wolfgang, that the minutes of the meeting of August 1, 2006, be approved as written.  Motion carried.

 

CORRESPONDENCE:  Carol said she had received from McKenna Associates a copy of a cost estimate for Zoning Ordinance updates.  The estimate for work over and above that in the original contract is 8 to 14 hours at a cost of between $660 and $1080.  This information was also sent by McKenna to the Township Supervisor, for action by the Board.  Carol said she will contact Donna Kripps at McKenna and ask when the revised draft of the Ordinance will be sent to the Planning Commission.  It is expected that McKenna will not send the completed draft until the Board signs and returns the contract for the additional services.

 

PUBLIC COMMENTS:  There were none.

 

Dale noted that the old double-wide which has been sitting on property on the east side of South Eight Mile Road between the river and Miller Road is in the process of being demolished.  The old mobile home on Gordonville Road which the owner said was being used as a ceramic shop, is also being demolished. 

 

Parrish Communication is installing new poles in Lee Township for their cable system.

 

Tom said it was his understanding that, at the recent joint meeting with the Board, they advised that Tim Smith can make inspections of properties without a complaint.  Dale said that if Tim sees a violation on which no complaint has been received, he must contact a Board member and receive their OK before investigating the situation.  It was the consensus of the Board that Tim should have the authority to investigate a violation without having to contact the Board first.  That is what he was hired to do, and that is what he should be doing.

 

Tom said he visited Greg Maloney at the site of his pole barn under construction on Paul Road.  Tom asked him about the delay in progress.  Greg explained that he has been working a lot of overtime, and is now back to only working 40 hours a week.  He wants to get the building finished as soon as he can, because he has jobs waiting.  Darla asked if Greg had requested an extension of the approval of his site plan.  Tom said he had not.

 

Tom spoke with Mike Glynn today about the rental housing forms he had volunteered to take to Jerry Davis of the Township Code Authority for review.  Mike said he had not yet done that.

 

Carol questioned the use of a garage on the north side of M-20 west of Nine Mile Road.  Tim has investigated it before, because it appears to be used for a business, either mechanic or a body shop.  There are always several cars in the yard, and if the garage doors are open, there are vehicles inside which appear to have someone working on them. 

 

Tim said that the owner of this garage buys cars at auction, fixes them up, and resells them at auction.  He does not buy or sell from the property, and so it would not be considered a home occupation.

 

With regard to 2224 West Isabella Road, Tim said that Judge Hart issued an order that, as of the 7th of  September, the Township can clean the property up, if the residents haven’t done so by then.

 

The owner of 900 West Gordonville was given 30 days to clean the property up.  He has not done a thing.  Tim will call the lawyer to set a show cause hearing.

 

The Judge gave a three-week extension for cleanup of the demolished double-wide on South Eight Mile Road.  There is a court date scheduled if the cleanup is not finished by the end of the extension.

 

Both mobile homes are in the process of demolition at 799 West Gordonville Road.

 

Tim will write out another ticket for Ed Schultz for the north side of West Stewart between 7 and 8 Mile Roads. 

 

Dale advised that a public hearing on the solid waste disposal is scheduled for 7:00 on Wednesday, September 6.  He said there is a little campaign going on to get people to call the Board to support keeping the compactor site open. 

 

Darla mentioned a proposed new restaurant in Lee Township.  Tom said it will be where the Country Lounge is now located.  The owners were advised to contact the Township Clerk and apply for a site plan review. 

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Carol Alexander

Secretary