Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

order the um regularly scheduled meeting for the planning commission for the village of Franklin on Wednesday, October 15th, 2025. Um we'll uh do a roll call um starting from my right um in working left present. How present. Stuart Wers present. Lyndon Novak present. Quincy Harrison present. Paul Breman present. Welcome.

Okay. So, um I think we uh adoption of the agenda. I don't have any new business or things to change on the agenda, but um just wondering from if it there's any changes. I don't see any for me. So, so then can we um So, uh can I get a motion adopt the agenda for tonight? Motion to adopt the agenda for tonight as is. Second. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Okay.

All right. So, minutes for um adoption of the minutes from from regular the regular meeting of September 25th, 2025. I had one um point that I couldn't find in here um that I wanted to and maybe someone else saw and I missed it. Um during my um chairperson discussion, I talked about um uh the green space committee and joining and if any other members would like to be part of it. Um Paul, you mentioned you'd like to participate and so did you Pete.

I I didn't see um where that was um taken as a as a uh in the in the minutes. Um, so could we could we add that back in that after the request for members to be like part of it that um that that Paul and Pete be um added to uh as accepting as or offering to be part of that committee. Um so that'd be great. That was the only one I had. So

I guess I did have one on my um correction that I made. It was in the last minutes. The correction was actually in there, but it says um difficult to serve areas and uh it should be difficult to service areas. Which section? So it was um if you guys want Can you pass that to them so they have a Steuart? Oh, I got a physical copy. Makes it easier for you.

So it was uh under item four under item um Yeah, it's item four A. Yeah. So difficult to service space, right? Yeah. Is that a note you take, Evan for our minutes? Okay. So, yes. Is that you got that? Are we good? Okay. Great.

Thank you. Any other comments or modifications to the minutes? Okay. So, can I get a motion to accept the minutes as amended? I'll make a motion to accept the minutes as amended. Second. All in favor? I.

Any opposed? All right. So, um just as um the next item um don't have an email from um Trusty Sally, but we had the um I'll go ahead and move on to chairperson minutes. So on Monday we had the council meeting um and the council has um agreed to move forward for a first reading of the R3 district um um ordinance update that we recommended to them. Um they also um de postponed the um discussion on the nuisance ordinances. um they wanted another month to review the table to then come back to us um of areas of focus with regards to ordinances to either bolster or um relax some of the mostly bolster the nuisance ordinances that um that they see are a priority. Um so we'll find out more after their next council meeting on that aspect. Um and so right now you see tonight it's pretty light. That's partly what it is. Um we're going to be getting a lot more to go over in the next months to from now. Um the um but good work um to the HDC and to us as a body for um the recommended changes to the R3 uh district. So thank you for all your support and effort on that. Um those are the main points I wanted to to bring up tonight chairperson minutes so we can move on to commissioner discussions, commissioner reports. Um any updates from anyone?

I stretch the report aspect of the comments if that's allowed. But um I will say one thing I thought was pretty noteworthy. Mark Cooper, it's Cooper, right? The church, our church. Yeah.

Yeah. And I know Mikey mentioned this too, how how, you know, active he is and aggressive he is and, you know, really kind of taking that Main Street role, you know, to its highest um possibilities because it does have a lot of possibilities. It is the great the best way to get all the merchants and the village people involved in our main street. Um, but the one thing I thought was noteworthy is this this changing uh designation for the kitchen at the church

to make it a community center. Um, and that'll be having dinners there. I guess the the the Friendsgiving dinner. Um, it's planned for um Sunday the 23rd. All right. Yeah, that sounded like a really exciting thing. So I thought it was just quite quite noteworthy that you know to have a good working kitchen close to our green has tremendous possibilities. So thought that was noteworthy. Thanks Pete. And actually go ahead keep on. No I'm good.

Um actually thank you. I'm glad you brought brought that up. So, um I forgot um to mention that with regards to U Main Street, council would like us to um discuss with Main Street if there are ordinances that are restrictive to um uh to business owners um to be able to develop the downtown area. Um, so one of the things that we need to do or I re we we should consider doing is having a liaison go meet with Main Street and discuss with them um what they see as um impediments for new new business owners um coming downtown and what are things that are there are they ordinance reasons? Are they location? Are there things that we as a village that are consistent with the vision we have from the master plan um that are u that aren't aren't that are preventing us from re reaching the goals of our master plan um due to some ordinance or some restriction that we're we don't know is is happening. Um so um that would be that that would be um an opportunity for us to meet with with Main Street. I don't know if there's anyone would like to volunteer um time, Sarah. Okay.

I was pleased to see today when driving down Franklin Road, there's a sign in one of the windows coming soon. A new gallery. Oh, nice. That is great. Paul, did you are you volunteering, too? Oh, no. No. I'd like to, but they normally meet when I'm at work. Okay. So, I can Thursday. That's great, Sarah. I know at one time I had offered to do that. I mean, we can have more than one and tap in. Yeah, you you I I can back you up if needed. When do they meet? I think it's Thursday at like 10 in the morning. I think this week they're meeting Friday. I don't know where are they doing it now. Do you know? Was it used to be at the bank? Church.

Okay. Yeah. Do you know the time trust? 10 a.m. on Friday. This Friday. No. Thursday. This Thursday. I think I think this week it's Friday. usually at 10 a.m. Okay. So, after you want me to find out if you would you please and we can Can you just text it to me? Text. Yeah. Well, I mean, yeah, that would be great. So, thank you for being on my phone. Thanks, Pete, for reminding us. Yep. Any other commissioners um have a report or something that to share?

I have something to share. um the 63-day review period for the master plan has transpired and so um we did get comments from Oakland County. Uh they just came in um late this afternoon so I haven't had time to read them yet. Okay. So, um that the master plan should be on the agenda next month and uh for consideration of those comments and to consider setting a public hearing. Okay. Okay. All right. Thank you. Uh zoning. Uh no meeting. There is a meeting tomorrow night. So, you have a report next week then?

I'll have a report. Well, next month. Next month. Next month. Not next week. Next month. if you want, you know, I'll call you and you Yeah, you're more than welcome to do that. Thank you. I got two fun things. Okay, so let's move on to budget uh expense report. Um so we have some ketchup because it's been a while on budget and expenses. Actually, I don't have it in our packet. Um I was looking a minute ago. Um, so we do you have a budget report for us, Ev? Sorry, I don't know that I do.

Okay, that's fine. Um, so next month we'll we'll well then we'll move on and and skip this section. Um, next month let's review because we haven't I know that there were some issues with um updating the budget for the last three months. So um we all we're looking for is a table of totals um and we can just review those last three months next month then. Um, more than likely we're going to be within budget, so I'm not worried about that. All right. Um, so let's move on to public comments. Uh, um, at this time if you have a public comment that is related to the public hearing um, later in the agenda, um, you're more than welcome to comment now, but um, you'll be you'll also have time to be heard um, right after public comments in general. So, I don't know if there's anyone that has um any public comments to make. Actually, Trusty Sal, did you have a something you wanted to say for council leison before comments public comments?

Yeah, just an update on the nuisance abatement. Um we are currently what we're doing collectively is collecting comments from everyone on uh all of the trustees around prioritizing which within the nuisance abatements we would like the planning commission to prioritize uh and come back with for a proposal or to combine into a section around nuisance. Um and so again the goal with that is to provide as much direction to the planning commission as possible. We should that will be on the November agenda and should be ready for you all probably the following month for December because that'd be a tight turnaround otherwise. But other than that, no no other updates and again thank you for all your committed time.

So we'll turn the time over now for public comments. Anyone want to make public comments? All right. So we'll close public comments and open the public hearing. It is 7:12 um and we'll open the um public hearing to consider renovations and change of purpose by th place hospitality to the building adjacent to the Franklin Oyster Bar and Eery. Um, property address of 32750 and 32760 Franklin Road. And just to make it easy for everybody, um, anybody wants to have public comments, uh, if the applicant could wait till public finishes to respond as opposed the public should be addressing us, not each other in the gallery.

So, there was a letter that was sent And I don't know if anyone would like to stand up now for public hearing. Please welcome. Are you're welcome to. Otherwise, I can I can read this into the minutes and then you can I'm open either way. But so let me read this in and then I'll let you stand up for public comments. Um so we received this this um village to receive this this morning. Um uh I received a letter regarding a public hearing regarding the building of 2 32750 Franklin Road, formerly known as Deéja Vu Resale. I'm concerned about the vitality of the Franklin Village. I lived in the village since the 70s. This is this village has a wonderful history. It had the most wonderful shops, even a tea room. As recently as 2013, the village was booming with various retail stores, a market, restaurant, coffee shop, and various other businesses. The majority of these businesses are gone, replaced by services or left vacant. The village no longer has much to offer to residents and visitors. I was downtown Franklin on a recent Saturday morning when the cider mill visitors were coming into the town town to explore. There was nothing for them to see or do besides the park area. There's nowhere in the village even to get a cup of coffee. The building at 32750 Franklin is an integral part of the downtown area. Many residents were looking forward to pastries, coffee, and to-go meals this business was planning to offer. Deliberately shuttering a beautiful public building on the main street of Franklin when the town already suffering from multiple vacancies should not be allowed. There are only two so there are only so many buildings and that building is in a prime location. Please do not allow the building to be changed from a business that is open to the public to a storage building. We need a vibrant village back and this will only deter more from that happening. Thank you. I think this this letter was um so it's addressed to Evan Milin um

by it was written by Elaine Swinsson Swinson I think it's 26656 West 14 mile road right um just for background is is Evan Milin a resident or someone involved in the Evan our clerk it was addressed to Evan and their clerk yes all right so that's how we got it um sorry about Okay. So, anyway, that's I'll read that into the minutes. Um, thank you for sending that to us to read in. Um, but now open to Can I make a comment on this? Oh, let's make can we make our comments after the public hearing and then because we'll have a chance to talk after public hearing.

Sure. Questions or comments? Okay. Please come up. No, I I just got an answer from Mark. Meeting is Friday at 10. I just Yeah. U and I I'm just waiting to hear back from Frank because he believes it's at the church. He's texting Mark right now to

Okay. All right. We can we can confirm this after the after the public hearing. So, um thank you. Uh so, we'll close the public hearing. Um uh no other comments. Um, so now we can open up to new business. Um, Chris, is there anything else that um there's no additional information other than what we've received from the business owners? Um, do you want me to review my letter? Uh, yes, please. Just for the minute, just for the Okay.

Um, well, my letter is dated September 10th, 2025. Uh the site plan calls for renovation of the adjacent building located south of the new Franklin Oist Bar and Eery to house various food preparation funions and storage for the restaurant. The restaurant and the adjacent building are located on the same parcel and according to the uh zoning ordinance, accessory buildings customarily incidental to the principal permitted use on the site are allowed subject to site plan and special use approval. Now the second part of my letter talks about the site plan and special use review requirements. Basically a uh public hearing is required which we just had and um the planning commission is a recommending body to the uh village council in both the site plan and the special land use. The historic uh district commission review uh also may be required, but I think uh the discussion at the September meeting uh we decided that since there are no exterior uh improvements proposed that the historic district commission review probably is not required in this case. So um our review comments are as follows. According to the site plan, the accessory building has two stories with 919 square feet on the first floor and 496 square feet on the proposed storage of proposed storage on the second floor. On the first floor, three food preparation areas will be developed um along with an ice room and a unisex express room. One new exterior door will be

constructed in the rear providing entry into prep area 3. Uh we next talk about the required information in section 1268.30 subsection C which lists the minimum information required on all site plans. And we listed seven pieces of information that are missing on the that were was missing in the site plan application initially and um um since then all of that information has been supplied um to the village. So um you can ignore my comments about required information. and all that information has been submitted. In terms of the site plan and special approval considerations, um we've gone through all the standards in section uh 1268.30 uh subsection E and 1268.32 subsection D. And our findings are listed on the bottom of page two of our letter. and we find that the um development of the accessory building is in compliance with the zoning regulations and the schedule regulations. In our opinion, it's uh uh development as a food preparation location would not be detrimental to the orderly development of the commercial district provided that the historical comp appearance of the front facade is maintained in good condition in perpetuity. Uh secondly, um with respect to impact on vehicular and pedestrian traffic, our only concern there was uh with respect to loading and unloading operations

and uh the revised documents that they submitted indicate that they're going to maintain uh the existing loading unloading uh uh operations that they've got in place right now. Number three, uh we found uh that there are no undesirable impacts from excessive noise, vibration, odor, light, glare, heat or electromagnet magnetic radiation from the accessory building. Number four, the location and height of the accessing existing accessory building will not change as a result of the proposal. So the impact on adjacent land due to location or height of the building is not a concern. Number five, the development of the accessory building will not affect the natural assets of the village. And number six, the proposed development is not expected to have a positive or negative impact on the social or uh natural environment. It will have a positive impact on the uh economy of the uh village since it will support the increasingly successful restaurant project will also have a positive impact on the constructed environment making use of a building that is presently vacant. And then uh finally number seven screening requirements according to section 1268.29 screening is not required for the accessory building because it does not abot a residential district. I went through all those seven criteria because as you know with a special approval use it's important to make your findings a fact as a part of your condition of approval.

So our recommendation is that with respect to the special approval based on the findings presented in our letter, we recommend that the planning commission recommend approval of the pro proposed accessory use uh provided that the historical appearance of the front facade is maintained in good condition in perpetuity. And then we recommend that you make a separate motion uh with respect to the site plan again recommending uh that the planning commission recommend approval of the site plan. Thank you. Thank you comments. Um Pete, you had a mention you wanted to make. Sure.

Public hearing.

Yeah. Um, so this is something, you know, um, that Linda brought up at our last meeting about how this, you know, originally we were under the understanding that this would be turned into, you know, Poly Bakers, the uh that would have a food service there and be somewhat someplace that people could go inside of and get food. Um, you know, I'm very conflicted on this because obviously we want a restaurant to do well. Um, but we do this, you know, it's an incredible historic building. I It may be the earliest house like early 1830s. Um, there are, you know, timber structures in the building, which to me, and I'd love to get clarification on this more. Um, you know, I I did look into, you know, what can you do on the interior of a building in a historic district? And in general, interiors are um given free rain for the most part. But I do think this is a an especially unique feature. The trees that were hued from the forest here to build that structure are still visible in the basement. Um I I feel that that's a worthy thing to consider. Um you know, perhaps someone can can speak to this. um uh it would certainly create more comfort for me at least knowing some of these things. But I do think that um you know the the the one provision in 126830 that talks about the social change to the village and it speaks to the letter that was written. Um, you know, I do think it will have a negative social impact on the village to the extent that you're, you know, it's kind of going to be a, you know, manufacturing plant of sorts and I understand its importance to the restaurant. Um, but I guess I I just do I do have

concerns. It's it's, you know, very unfortunate that it's not able to be something that people can uh go into and appreciate. So, um, yeah, specifically to the to the internal parts of the building, do you know if, uh, you know, how much of the how many of the floor joists are going to get ripped out, that kind of thing? So, um, I very much so understand your concern. Um, I think stuff like that is extremely cool. you uh your name for

uh my name is Nick Gtoos and I am the uh chef and one of the partners over at the Franklin Oyster Bar Neery. So we do not have any intent whatsoever to remove or hinder or damage those timbers whatsoever. I don't believe we're really doing much at all in the basement, but we clean we just want to clean it up. Clean it up. And you know I I could see us maybe some to-go boxes down there, like some paper goods maybe.

Um, but we have no no intent whatsoever to turn the basement into a production facility or refrigeration or bring extra electrical or anything like that. We one one of the coolest things and one of the first things I noticed about that building were the timbers up in the roof and I was like, "Wow, how how cool is that?" And I was actually last night at like 10 o'clock last night, I took somebody down there and I was like, "Check this out." You know, right?

So, we we think that's super cool. Um, that's, you know, that whole historic factor is a huge part of the reason why we're we we wanted to come here to Franklin, uh, and do our, you know, pursue our projects here. Um, and the other part is I also very much so understand your concern about um, you know, at first it was slated to be a, you know, a coffee shop bakery. We we had some other cool ideas of things we want to do in there and we we we want to we still want to do those things. Um, I just after once we got into the restaurant and started working, There's a couple of things that are super important to us as operators and it's like quality, safety, doing things the right way and with our current constraints especially like I think through the winter time it probably won't be as bad but through the summertime when we had a full patio upstairs downstairs because it's two-level restaurant that was we're we're making everything from scratch from the pasta to the bread. We're bringing oysters fresh dropping them by hand every day going through close to 3,000 oysters a week. So with that said, one thing that you know where this ties in is safety and doing things the right way. So we want to make sure that we have the proper storage for our food product. We want to make sure that we have the proper infrastructure to prepare our food so that people aren't working on top of each other um and that so that things can be done safely and done the right way. So that's the reason why we we switched or we pivoted our uh our plan here. Um but in no way do we intend to not follow through with our um coffee shop bakery idea. We've got some

other like little twist. We're looking at some other um real estate um to house that project potentially. So we think that's a great idea. We think that's something that would be cool for the village to have. Um, and uh, you know, so we're not planning on not doing it. We're just taking a different angle at it. So, appreciate that.

So, you know, that that has been a concern. I can't tell you how many times a week people will say, you know, gee, let's meet and have a cup of coffee in Franklin. Well, I'd love to do that, but you got to come to my house. Um, and I I think of everybody being so accepting of the plan was also I mean that the coffee shop has been a huge concept and I think it's wonderful that you are playing down the road on opening a coffee shop pastry whatever but I'm wondering if there isn't a compromise that could be made to kind of hold your feet to the fire so to speak and have you do a walk up coffee and until such time that you open an location that's a brick and mortar in Franklin.

Okay. Well, we do work with an exclusive uh coffee roaster and so we when we were opening the Franklin, we we coffee is important to us. We all love coffee. Um so we found somebody that that does a great job. We're working with them and we have our coffee available and we make great lattes Saturday and Sunday mornings for brunch. Um, and we have homemade sticky buns, fresh every single day. Well, for brunch. Fresh for brunch. Baked that morning. I I'm looking at your plan and I see a prep area right close to the front.

Any chance? I'm just nothing to think about grandma's door. We we've kicked we've kicked around this idea and I'm not here to Um I I'm here to be honest with you guys and I don't think as an operator of of a space I don't the first question when we asked was can we do both and in that that is a small building and I don't think we can do both I don't think we can do both properly the way to our to our standard um

so I I went to culinary school and so this is sort of my past life um is hospitality. Um and I think as we look at sort of this new vitality of downtown that we're seeking and this economic development, we also have to support the businesses in order for them to be able to grow, I think, and be able to be like this is a place where business owner operators want to be.

Um in order for us to keep building on that momentum, I think and I know is doing a great job sort of trying to revitalize that in itself. Um I look at it as someone who knows like prep space is like gold in a kitchen and safety is a concern and then but when you're talking about I think the practical use of it it's then goes back to supporting that social economic piece that we are trying to build anyway in the master plan in the community as a social spot and I think once we start to give back a little and meet a little bit more in the middle and be get there to a point that like it's easy to work with together and be collaborative. I think those other pieces will come easier. And so I appreciate you guys always coming to the table and explaining, you know, exactly what your mindset is and being honest because I would be really frustrated if you said one thing and then did another. Um, and I do hope that you've seen that we are, you know, trying to move things along and work with you guys too in order to keep developing sort of that economic heart in our downtown.

I will say this put to um to in as far as like social and economic development. Franklin Grill saw about 3 to 500 guests a week. We're seeing about 1,300 a week. So, I think we're socially and economically an asset to your village. Are you you utilizing the um pavilion uh regularly? Um we're using it as like a uh like a little event space u just for like strolling little parties and stuff like that right now. Just kind of like more like overflow from the patio.

In future years, do you see it being open in the summertime? I mean, it was an open venue, but no nothing around the walls. Yeah. You know, and we haven't even we haven't dropped the plastic uh covers down yet. Well, we we did one time to test them and clean them and then we rolled them back up, but we haven't used them. Um so, well, and through the summertime too, we were seating in there. Um you know, like I said, overflow for the patio. So, because that was a high demand area. There were people who would, you know, were raving about it, how great it is to have this pavilion. Yeah.

I wasn't sure if you had the same um, you know, setup that Jim and Ruth had. We are, um, for the most part right now, yes, we have about the same setup. Um, we don't have plumbing out there, um, drainage or anything like that. We are tossing some ideas around about like whether or not we want to invest in the infrastructure for plumbing and things like that to put a more permanent bar out there um for maybe next year or the year after. How how about the existing courtyard? Do you use that for tables and seating and all? The courtyard behind the

the courtyard which part Oh yeah, that's we we have like uh four depending on how we set it up. We have four to six lounge seating areas. We put some u like nice patio furniture, com comfortable chairs and couches out there with coffee tables. Um we actually have people using that pretty regularly. So

our whole patio, I mean up until like yesterday like we opened our patio but nobody wanted to sit out there. It was a little chilly. Um when I used to work in Birmingham, people would sit out on the patio like it would be freezing outside and I'm like people. So but um so you know we opened it last night but nobody really wanted to sit out there but um you know we're we're we're going to have it accessible for for all all the the comfortable evenings that that we have. I guess, you know, to what Linda was saying, I could see how a service window at the back of that building that would allow someone to come buy some coffee and sit in these areas, uh, you know, it's the kind of thing that Franklin would love to have it. It be wonderful. I, you know, obviously you're running your business and you got to do what makes sense, but you know, the social aspect of it, it would provide something that really we're missing right now and we've had it in the past and uh, could be a wonderful thing.

Does your coffee company that you're using have any trucks? No. Like carts or I I I don't know. I work with a hippie in a car. He shows up with flower shirts. Got it. He's the happiest coffee roaster on the planet. He's got his facility down in Ham Tramik and he just brings the beans to us. It was just a fun thing.

So would you I know you mentioned maybe possibly having a smaller location elsewhere for the pastries and coffee. Would this location then be able to support that with various baking prep work to allow to meet whatever demand you meet there so you don't run into a similar issue. This space expanded to help not really expanded but multi-use to help additional stores that you open up. Yes. Yes. I I if depending on the space. If if if space A works out, we won't need to to do that because it'll actually be four times size, three times the size of this building. Now you're 1300. It's

bringing in a substantial I think you've kind of done your part to boost the economy here. We need to have some of these other hopefully get some other people come invest some of these other Yeah. buildings. You've gone above and beyond how what you potentially even expected you might do. So, um it's a great problem to have. Yeah. And Paul, after we we talked, I um we got these like holographic actually like the same stop signs like you guys have in the middle of the road for pedestrians. We bought two of those, one for each side of the, you know, coming in either way. Um so to keep it safe for people crossing the the drive. Good. So, and it's been effective for us so far.

Wonderful. want to try that before we started buying speed bumps. Yeah. Yeah, I agree. But I like the speed bump. The speed bump. I'm telling you, there used to be a speed bump there. Don't know what happened to it. Yeah.

But there's a bigger plan, right? I mean, there's a plan for potentially a coffee shop and bakery. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Any other comments?

Um, no. I think um, you know, similar sentiments that Bank Express for me is it would be nice to to move forward on something like like a coffee shop or bakery downtown, but um, we also uh need to be cognizant of the businesses we do have and support support their needs to within within the scope of the master plan. Um, and I don't feel like um I don't feel like rejecting this uh site plan would um would help the master plan nor help the business. So I think it for me I think it's consistent with um even though we are changing the use case of a building and no longer making it a retail space but making it a prep space and we are losing that square footage downtown I still feel that um by supporting a company that's brought in four times the amount of business that um previously was existing. That's that's part of the development we're looking for. Um ideally, um we can ideally every company that's down up and down Franklin would receive that type of increase in in um in patronage. Um that would be that would be great for our village in our downtown. I think people would want to come into the village if they see the success that you're having and see that they could have something similar based on their their n their niche um retail. Um that would be good for us. So um do we want to can you get a motion to make a recommendation or do you want to

do two things real quick? I think we have another comment from the audience. Uh if you make you're all so you can sit down. I'm all good. Yeah. If you want to come up make your comment if you can just state your name. Yeah. But one comment I also want. So So during public hearing you're more than welcome to have come up. That was the normal process. Shy. Oh you're fine. Yeah. I don't even like talking in front of you now but this is a very sensitive issue for me. They may have four times. Can you state your name? My name is Ela Spson. I wrote that. Oh thank you. Thank good.

You're welcome. But I did it because this is a very sensitive issue for me. I want to know how many people from Franklin can readily frequent Franklin. How many people can walk in and enjoy themselves on a regular basis? The bar is one that welcomes people to sit around it as a grill did. It's not open till later in the day. And residents, I don't know how many residents from Franklin walk into this new Franklin. I think it's a great destination restaurant. I think it's bringing a lot of people in like all the other Birmingham restaurants are bringing in, but I don't think this restaurant is sensitive to the village of Franklin and I am. Thank you.

Thank you. Um and before we can move on, the only uh thing I want to mention under the recommendation where it says under the special approval portion uh provided that historical appearance of the front facade maintain good condition perpetuity. Uh, why not? Why not the full facade of the building? Why not the whole building? Don't they mean to add a door? Does that count? Just maintain just maintain the entire exterior. That's what I mean. The full facade of the building, not just the front because I don't want that loophole getting out of hand. Yeah, that's a great point. Chris, was there a specific reason why that was worded that way in your letter? No, I think that's a good addition,

right? Because I do think that's the case with the HTC is that you really can't change the appearance of the building. Period. And I mean, you can, but you need their approval. Yeah. Yeah. And I guess that that would be a question. I have you been in front of the HTC yet. Yes. No. was was that recommended from Bill? I believe so. Okay.

I guess the um you know, I would think Bill should at least talk to to Gary and the historic district commission about it. I mean, I don't know for a fact that you know, there are places where there are ordinances that you can't in change certain, you know, historically significant interior items. No. Um and I don't know for a fact that we don't have an ordinance like that. It might be worth investigating. I think it might be dual because the bank had a full remodel and the interior but the exterior stayed the same completely.

So they were allowed to get away with it because I because that was my first question when I walked in there was like what happened to all the nice, you know, oak that was in here? I guess the uh it's it's you know what they say that 50 buildings that are over 50 years old can be considered historic. you know, it's kind of generous, but I agree with that. But we're talking something, you know, it's 180 years old. Um, it's a, you know, it's like a touchstone to the people who came out here and made our village, you know, what it is. So, you know, I guess, uh, if there's any language about sacred objects on interiors of buildings that, you know, this would qualify.

Yeah. No, I'm full agreement. It's a very important building to the village. Um, I was actually telling chef when we were speaking that was actually the first place I shoplifted when it was the village barn. Um, so I was I was four the first four. So, um, yeah. No, I get it. But, you know, as time goes on, things change and at least we have people wanting to come in and at least some people wanting to come in and actually appreciate and go through the motions with the historic commission, with our councils and at least do something. So, you want to make a motion or

uh yeah, I'll make a motion with the amendment of full instead of front facade uh changed out uh to make approval for Mr. Council. Well, let me just clarify that there should be two motions. One should be the special land use and one should be the site plan. So, separate motions. I'll make a motion. My first motion is what? Which one? The special land use. The special land use. I'll make a motion for the special land use. Uh the presented council as we're with the addition of full facade. Yes. Yeah. Second. All in favor? I. Any opposed?

Motion carries. Um and then the second motion for this um the site plan. I'll make a motion to approve the site plan and send it to council for approval. Second. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Thank you.

Just to clarify on the historic district commission, I'm reading uh section 1230.04 under historic district commission subsection. Let's see here. Which subsection? I'm just reading it. Uh It says, "The commission shall review and act upon only exterior features of the resource and shall not review and act upon interior arrangements unless specifically authorized to do so by the village council or unless interior work shall cause visible changes to the exterior of the historic resource." Thank you, Chris. Because as I would say, perhaps that could be drawn to the council's attention. You're obviously here

that, you know, depending on it's something worth considering. I I mean, I do think that most people don't know that, you know, unless you've been in the basement down there and looked up and and seen that kind of thing that, you know, I think it might be something that should be considered by the council. Chris, in your memo, could you include that section of historic responsibilities? Um, we can bring it up when we make a recommendation. Appreciate that. Yeah. Okay. Um, so that would be that ends new business um for the planning commission. Um, our next scheduled meeting will be November 19th, 2025 at 7 p.m. Um, we can have a motion to adjurnn. Can I make one comment too?

Um, or is it too late? Okay. Party's over. Regards to what? Oh, I was going to say something about the letter. Oh, it's kind of a I can wait till next week, next month. Motion to adjurnn. Second. All in favor? Any opposed? Thank you.