Catching up on the planning Commission

Motion by Commissioner Salloum, supported by Commissioner Juras, the planning commission approve the minutes of the planning commission meeting held on May 9, 2017, as presented.
Did we say Catch up ?,
City Hall has a policy of not publishing meeting minutes on the City web side  until the City Commissioners approve them. this is a violation of the open meetings act which says  draft minutes of an official meeting be  available to residents in 15 business days. Draft minutes may not be pretty but they will give you an idea of what was discuss and decided at the meetingby hoom.
Know your rights.You are not required  to attend meetings. The Governing body is required to tell   you with draft minutes what happened  in 15 days, Not three monthes.That is why they call it the
The  Michigan Open Meetings Act.





MEETING OF  AUGUST 7TH
CITY OF BLOOMFIELD HILLS OAKLAND COUNTY ____MICHIGAN August 8, 2017 The regular meeting of the planning commission was called to order with the Pledge of Allegiance led by Chairman Walter Cueter at 4:00 p.m. in the City Commission Room, 45 E. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Planning Commission Present: Walter Cueter Mary Kauper Connie Salloum Paul Lay City Manager David Hendrickson City Commissioner Sarah McClure Planning Commission Absent: Mayor Michael Coakley Will Hosler Mary Juras Staff Present: City Attorney Derk Beckerleg City Clerk Amy Burton Building Official Keith Woodcock 023-2017 Minutes Motion by Commissioner McClure, supported by Commissioner Salloum, the planning commission approve the minutes of the planning commission meeting held on July 11, 2017, as presented. Ayes-6 Nays-0 Absent-3 (Coakley, Hosler, Juras) Motion Adopted. 024-2017 295 Lone Pine Court – Pool and Pool Fence in Side Yard Ms. Jill Bahm, city planner, presented her review letter dated August 3, 2017. Ms. Bahm noted the applicant is  with a quaren meeting  meeting a quarrequesting approval to construct a pool and related pool fencing in the side yard at 295 Lone Pine Court. Mr. Keith Logsdon, architect with Michael Willoughby & Associates, presented the request on behalf of the property owner at 295 Lone Pine Court. Mr. Logsdon explained the shape of the lot doesn’t allow for the pool to be located in the rear yard. He explained the fencing proposed at the property line was modified to be an open design, 4 ft. in height instead of the originally proposed solid wood 6 ft. tall fence. Approved: September 12, 2017 Planning Commission 2 August 8, 2017 Commissioner Cueter suggested the applicant consider moving the fence location into the property to be closer to the pool and to allow for landscape screening on the outside of the fence to block it from neighboring property views. Mr. and Mrs. John & Julie Mazza, property owner at 351 Lone Pine Court, were in attendance to express opposition to the fence located so close to their property and in direct view from their property. Commissioner McClure noted the building envelope where the pool is proposed would technically allow for the primary residence to be built in this area. Stuart Sherr, city resident, spoke in support of the proposal and the property owner at 295 Lone Pine Court. Commissioner Cueter explained the placement of a pool in the side yard is the reason the request for a fence in the side yard is before the planning commission for approval. Mr. Cueter noted that the purpose for the fence is to secure the pool, and perhaps the fence should be brought in from the property line and closer to the pool the fence is intended to enclose. Commissioner Kauper agreed the fence on the north property line should be moved closer toward the pool and away from the property line. Commissioner McClure suggested the fence be positioned at the side yard setback location of 26ft. from the side lot line, with adequate landscaping to screen the views from the neighboring property owners. Property owner, Mr. Sam Shamie, was agreeable to the proposal of constructing the fence 26 ft. in from the property line as well as adding landscaping on the outside of the fence to monitor noise and the view of the fence and pool. Mr. Keith Logsdon suggested the applicant would work with James C. Scott & Associates, landscape architects, to create a natural planting plan to compliment the existing landscape and adequately screen the fence and pool from the off-site views. Motion by Commissioner Kauper, supported by Commissioner McClure, the planning commission approve the pool as presented and approve the fence plan as modified during the planning commission discussion to have the north fence moved to be no closer to the lot line than 26 ft. and the north and east fence shall be screened appropriately to fit into the landscape and the screening of the fence and the planting plan shall be developed by the applicant’s landscape architect and shall be reviewed by the City Manager. The landscape screening of the fence shall be on the outside of the fence so the fence is not visible from the neighboring property. The additional landscaping to screen the fence shall be natural to continue the look of the proposed planting plan for the rest of the site and this approval is subject to the conditions as set forth in the HRC letter dated August 3, 2017. Approved: September 12, 2017 Planning Commission