WINDSOR CHARTER TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION

REGULAR MEETING – OCTOBER 10, 2007

MEETING ROOM – 7:00 PM

PROPOSED

Public hearing for TA Travel Center Special Use Permit was called to order by Chairperson Dave Kubicek.

Present: Kubicek, Borucki, Blair, Bredin, Burton, Johnson, Pray

Absent: none

Also present: Jim Foulds, CPS

Chairperson Kubicek explained that this is a Special Use Permit Hearing not a rezoning.  Foulds explained that even if the current truck stop had a SUP we would  still need to have this hearing as new facilities are being built.

Dave Schiele, Chris Winkle and Kyle Raymor were representing TA.  They explained that they have an option to purchase Don’s Truck stop after all of the permits, etc are in order.  They explained that they will keep everything operating while the construction takes place.  They will have a new building, single story, which will house the Country Pride restaurant and 3 fast foods to be determined.  Shared a picture.  They will then tear down the existing restaurant.

Everything will be done in phases and never shut down completely any part of the service.

They will have 6’ mounds around the edge with landscaping of trees.  The trucks will be 30’ from the mounds and kept separate from the cars.  There will be two curb cuts on Lansing Road and two curb cuts on Billwood.  The roadway into Pats Drive will be cut off.  There will be parking for 200 trucks and 125 cars which is the same as what is there now.

Gary Armitage 8842 Jacaranda stated that he will miss Quality Dairy.  Will they have a convenience store?  Yes with milk, pop, etc.  The building will also have a truckers lounge, TV, business center, laundry, showers, etc.  The building will be around 20000 square feet.

Gary Rutherford 6125 Brooks Landing asked if on city water?  No as not available.  Currently there are 5 wells and several of them will be capped and a new commercial well will be drilled.  Rutherford stated that some of the wells have been shut down by the county as unsafe.

Schiele stated that environmental studies have been started and that is a separate group of people from the company.  They will do complete studies prior to closing.  So far nothing has been found to alarm them.  There will new tanks brought in and the old ones will be removed.  They will have collection systems in the ground under the pumps.  They have done 18 soil borings and will monitor. 

Don Behrens 258 Cambridge asked when they thought they would be closing on the sale.  Probably in the month of November.  Construction on the new building could not start until April most likely.

Rutherford  asked about the repaving. They will use heavy duty asphalt and concrete in the heavy areas.  There will be a detention pond that will be at the far west end and pipes from the berms to the pond. 

April Orta 7291 Pats Drive asked to reconfirm that there will not be any direct access to Pats Drive.  Yes and the corner that they will own will not have anything on it at this time.  There will be mounds all around with 4-6' trees. They are combining all the parcels into one description.

Brenda Finch 7232 Pats Drive asked what affect the new wells would have on her well.  Should not have any and they will go as deep as they need to per the Health Department.  They will find the aquifer they need and remember they are capping several of the wells.

Rutherford asked about the state owned corner – they keep it but TA will give them access and he asked about hydrants.  None as on wells not public water.  They will put water stub on the building as they would like water as soon as it becomes available.

Armitage reconfirmed that the current restaurant building would not be coming down until the new one is done. Yes

Jim Spalding 7133 Pats Drive asked if Central Truck would be staying.  They are not sure what is happening.  He asked about sewer.  The entire truck stop is on the sewer system.   He asked if they would ever expand to more property in the area.  Not sure at this time as what they have meets their needs and area for green space.

Behrens asked about employees. They will have over 100 employees which is more that currently employed.  There is a team that comes in and goes through the needs and what they have in employees and what they will need additional.  Everyone is a TA employee. 

Closed the public hearing at 7:33 PM

Called the regular meeting to order.

No public present.

Minutes of previous meeting were approved as corrected (Idle Aire spelling).

Blair gave report from Township Board. 

Kubicek gave report from Board of Appeals.

Kubicek and Foulds gave update on Master Plan.

TA Travel Center Special Use Permit:

Kubicek stated that good questions were asked and they must have liked the answers as they all left.

Bredin stated that it definitely will be a property upgrade. 

Quality Dairy has 3 years on their lease from what people have heard.  Millisor will have to deal with this matter.

Kubicek stated that they have done a great job and their homework.  The berms look very good and he likes the paving being done in sections.

Foulds reviewed his report on the TA SUP and stated that they need MDOT, ECRC, Drain Commissioner, Public Safety and Board of Appeals for signs to grant

approval.  He would recommend the approval with 3 conditions stated on page 6 of his report.

Kubicek stated that this is an upgrade from current site and likes the idea of the spillage catchers.  TA has not found anything serious in the environmental area with the initial tests.  The State of Michigan will monitor what they do and how extensive.  The tanks will not be near residential areas or wells.

Borucki moved and Johnson seconded to recommend to the Township Board to issue the Special Use Permit for TA Travel Centers with 3 conditions:

1)      That the applicant meets the basic determination for SUP as outlined in 8.1.3 of the zoning ordinance based on finding of fact dated 10/4/07 and attached to these minutes.

2)      That the applicant has met the Permit Procedures, Data required, Planning Commission Review and Public hearing as outlined in 8.1.2 of the zoning ordinance.

3)      That the Special Use Permit uses meet the requirements of the B-2 Business District as outlined in the zoning ordinance.

Carried unanimously.

TA Travel Center Final Site Plan Approval:

Foulds reviewed his recommendation for the site plan review.  Kubicek stated that to clean up along Billwood will be good.  They will need ECRC commercial permits for these curb cuts.  The curb cuts on Lansing Road will be from MDOT.

Borucki moved and Burton seconded to grant final site plan approval for the TA Travel Center as submitted and with the following conditions:

1. Review and approval of Lansing Road vehicular access by MDOT.
2. Review and approval of Billwood Hwy access by ECRC.
3. Review and approval of the final site drainage plan by the EC Drain Commissioner.
4. Review and approval by the Board of Appeals on the sign variances as requested for this proposed project.
5. Submission of additional final site plan review fees/escrows as may be determined by the Township Board.

Carried unanimously.

With no further business Johnson moved and Blair seconded to adjourn the meeting.  Carried unanimously.  Adjourned at 8:13 PM.

                                                                                                Linda Towsley, Clerk