City Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

All right, we'll call this meeting on Marquette City Planning Commission to order. It is Tuesday notil 1, it is April 7th at 6 pm. We'll begin with a roll call again. Jugger here. Margaret Rainer here. Jane Fin here, Alex Wilson here, here. Steve Lorie here, Nate here, and Kevin Kle is here. Um, do we have any additions or changes to our agenda? All right. See, no change. Um, can we get a motion to approve our agenda?

Motion to approve the agenda as presented. So, all right. First and second. All those in favor say I. I.

All oppose. Same sign. Motion passes 8 to zero. um minutes from our last meeting 3:24. I was not here but uh over anybody see anything that stand out. Looks good. All right, we can do that one by consensus. So, we'll move on. No changes. Um any conflicts of interest this evening? No. All right, moving on. Um we have no public hearings for this evening. Um our next agenda item is uh citizens wishing to address the commission on agenda items. If you will come forward to the podium, state your name and address. Um and then you are free to speak.

Hi, my name is Angela Palamei. I'm a dentist, a business owner, and a resident and taxpayer here in the city of Marquette. My practice is located in the savings bank building directly adjacent to the proposed parking structure and hotel project. My husband and I both grew up here in the area. I graduated from Marquette Senior High School and he from Westwood High School. After completing our education, we chose to return here to build our careers, raise our kids, and invest in this community. My practice has served thousands of patients from Marquette for nearly 20 years. And including the previous provider, patients have been coming here for almost 40 years. Many of my patients, including those with disabilities, rely on being able to park directly next to the building or being dropped off at the ADA accessible back entrance of the Saving Bank building. I want to make sure that this project does not require those same patients to navigate longer, more more difficult routes, especially during the winter months. That would directly affect patient safety and accessibility. My understanding is that the ADA accessible rear door and handicap parking is reportedly being planned as part of this project and I appreciate that. I am here to simply ask that this committee please give careful consideration to ensuring that the back entrance and the ADA compliant handicap parking spaces are clearly committed to and delivered on a timeline that protects access to our building before any disruption occurs. My patients include people with mobility limitations and under the ADA accessible um access to healthcare facility is a requirement. I would kindly ask the committee to please ensure that the ADA compliant back entrance and the handicap parking access to the savings bank building be maintained and kept open throughout the entire construction period. I also ask that the committee give thoughtful consideration to the broader impact of construction on the small businesses in

the area. Disruption to foot traffic, parking availability, noise, and general accessibility during a lengthy lengthy construction period can have a serious and lasting effect on locally owned businesses like mine. I hope the committee will work with the developer to put reasonable measures in place to minimize disruption to neighboring businesses throughout the construction. I have also serious concerns about the physical impact that excavation ex excavation and construction will have on the savings bank building and my ability to care for patients during business hours. Dental care requires a steady controlled environment. Ground vibration and shaking from excavation pile driving and heavy construction equipment can directly interfere with the precision work that my staff and I perform on patients every single day. Loud noises and structural vibrations can also cause significant distress to patients, many of whom are already anxious about dental procedures. I would ask that the committee please encourage the developer to work with neighboring businesses to identify construction scheduling solutions that minimize these impacts during business hours. On a matter of parking, I want to emphasize how important, adequate, and accessible downtown parking is. not just for my patients, but for everyone who works, shops, and seeks services in our downtown. I hope the committee will help ensure that this project delivers meaningful public parking that access and that access for the surrounding areas preserved during and after construction. I acknowledge that the savings bank building um and the proposed hotel development are separate land parcels and project. However, this matter is relevant as they share the same property owner and developer. It is important that the project is not prioritized over the established long-term small business owners of downtown Marquette, many of whom are resident taxpayers. It is my understanding that the project relies on Brownfield funding, which means future

tax revenue is being deferred for many years to support this development. So, as a taxpayer, I have to ask, is this appropriate to defer that future tax revenue for a project that primarily supports a private development with limited or uncertain public benefit? We are not opposed to private development. We support thoughtful growth in our community, but we do believe that future tax revenue should be used to support public priorities like our schools, our parks, and the shared spaces that benefit everyone, especially if the public return from a project is uncertain. My ask is simple. I hope this committee will help ensure that the ADA compliant back entrance and handicap parking access to the Savings Bank building is in place and maintained throughout construction, that neighboring small businesses are thoughtfully protected from disruption, and that the project delivers reliable public parking for our downtown community, so that my patients and the health care services this community has relied on for nearly 40 years are not left behind. Thank you for your time. Are there any other citizens wishing to address the agenda or committee on agenda items? Seeing none, uh we can move on. Um let's see. There's no old business to cover, which brings us to our new business. 01 SPR042619 South Lake Shore Boulevard site site plan review. Um, Dave or Andrea, you want to give us an overview?

I'm gonna start and then Okay.

Staff have reviewed the proposed site plan for the construction of a new commercial building with hotel and restaurant use, attached parking garage, balconies, parking lot, roof patio, dumpster enclosure, landscaping, lighting, and site improvements for 1119 South Boulevard have provided comments regarding the plan. Those comments were in the agenda packet. Uh on screen also we're showing the staff report, the application that was submitted. applicants responses to the staff comments. The area map parcels are outlined in blue. Block map parcels are outlined in blue. Photos of the site and the site plan set. staff recommends the following condition of approval if the planning commission does so that an amended plan is submitted to meet staff comments.

Okay. And I just want to say I I anticipate we have more of a audience tonight so to speak. Um but the planning commission's responsibility here is fairly narrow. Um site plan review by planning commission follows an administrative set of standards. um as dictated by state law, state building enabling act. Um our city staff actually reviews by far most of the site plans for new construction in the city without the planning commission being involved. Planning Commission level of review is when we're at a very high um floor area or footprint for building construction number of units for a multifamily housing project um and for special land use cases or for planned unit developments. So they have a very narrow scope of review. Um so we we do our review then planning commission is reviewing our review and asking us questions. But I want to say that you know this process is although it's limited it provides a lot of objectivity and integrity and predictability for everyone involved. And um there were some questions that um came up um this week that maybe not all the planning commissioners got to um see our responses to from some of the commissioners because uh we didn't get questions until today. And uh so I want to just address those real quick. So one of the planning commissioners asked some questions about um a few things and um

about the district standards. This is the of course in the you all read the report but this is general 3 subd district of the downtown market waterfront. Uh it's a form-based code. It's uh quite complex uh with the requirements for the architectural elements in particular design elements um much different from standard zoning district in that respect. Um, and as far as the uh the parking deck, um, the question was about the walls, um, and, um, if they meet the facade requirements along the RV. Well, those are part of the building and so as part of the building they meet the uh definition of a building and so yeah they will meet the requirements. There was a question about phasing of the project and how approval would be granted for the phasing. Um I think some of the suggestions staff report we we didn't talk about it though. Um

well right so when a site plan is submitted they must complete every project that's shown on that site plan on violation. So they're providing you a phasing that has to be done in order to meet performance code. So yes it's all tied together.

Yeah we can get into a little more of the detail Mr. Paul addressing timelines. Um question about cur the curb cuts. Do they meet the the city standards? Uh, yes. But on Washington Street, yes. The actually there's two different there's there's a city code standard that requires curb cuts to be at least 25 ft apart and that's um measured from I guess the curb return to the curb returns and that's the for the actual curve curvature of those arcs coming the street. So, um, but the center line there's also in the land development code says they have to be 50 feet apart at least from center line to center line. I think the city code probably trumps that, but they're 65 to 70 ft apart on Washington Street. So, that it's not as clearly defined. Um and uh Main Street is going to have a different that there there is also a separate plan that is going to be developed site plan for the work in the right way including curves um that will be reviewed and approved through our engineering office and that is typical for something like that. Um and and that was the final question about you know the uh awareness of of is everybody aware of what's being proposed for the street layouts and of course the the city will you know come to a decision on the street layout proposals in consultation with the DDA and the developer uh at some point. So with that um give it back to you.

Oh sure the applicant like to come to the podium and tell us a little bit about the project. I'm sure we'll have questions for you so don't go too far. Um, all right. I'm Barry Bzen, 101 North Lakeshore Boulevard. Um, architect Jen, the owner developer is here. Owner related questions. Um, yes, as you see here, we're going to build a nice hotel. So, we're going to take the uh forloren parking lots that have been there for quite some time, but we had always planned to develop. Um, as we all know, development, construction, it's not a perfect world. And so, this thing has shifted and shaped, but uh so we're we're deciding to build this portion first of the entire development. And, uh, so it has a 80 room hotel. Uh, just so you know, it will be a uh unique hotel, but it will be part of Hilton's Tapestry line of hotels. So, it's still tied into Hilton, but it stands there with its own name, own identity, but it is part of their web site, all that kind of stuff. So, so it does have standards too that we have to meet. So, um, but it's a unique hotel for of course this site right here in Marquette. Um, um, we we love the farm base code. It's so it's like a giant puzzle. So we've we've knit it all together and this is the form that we get, you know. So right down to the the door at every 60 ft and the forms and you know, so it's fun and certainly the most of the work that I've done in the harbor area is I always give it a little historic flavor, right? to me it's this is just a historic place and so we don't want it just being number one a black building or or just

you know too crisp or modern you know so it just has a little sense of history to it um but using the you know again the code the forms and also the reality of cost of building too so it's all goes into the the mix and out comes this cake wave so um the the project laid out really simply on the site. So the hotel is 68 foot wide parallel to Lakes Shore Boulevard. You draw a line across the site. What's left all the way to the to the corner of one of the adjoining properties was 64 ft. Perfect for the parking. So uh they're two distinct uh structures. They don't actually touch. They don't bear on each other. That way when the car hits the brakes, it doesn't jiggle the hotel. So, uh, it also allows us to build them separately. Uh, they're both going to open to operate at the same time, but just the logistics of this, we'll be able to build the building, then come back and set up the the Tinker Toy or the pre-cast parking structure. So, uh, the parking structure is laid out. The first layer is at Lakeshore Boulevard. So uh in the plan uh there's a there's a port of a share there's an entry that comes in so the guests will come in and then they can park on that lowest level which will be an enclosed heated tempered parking and then the the level above that above that is actually open air and that level will be access from east Washington and east main literally drive right through it's just the same same level all the way across. So then the third level of the parking will be another 10 foot higher and that equals the grade on Washington Street at the back of the savings bank. So we're saving that third level to when we actually come and do the vault hotel project in the savings bank that still

will be built just at a later date. So that that the phasing of this will be such that that third level of parking goes on after the fact and that drive in will swing by the uh guest entrance of the city. Um the parking structure is it serves the the hotel requirements and hotel parking is perfect for mixing in downtown because the majority of the parking for the hotel is from 10 at night to about 7 in the morning. That's when the hotel is full. That's when all the spaces are needed. Uh the rest of the time they're cleared out. Go to any hotel parking lot and you'll see it every single day. Even when the hotels are filled, there's parking available during the day. So the idea here, this structure, the open air portions, even the lower portion, uh will be available for the public to use to shop downtown, potentially go to work, you know, it's it's going to be private, but it will it will function in that realm. So there'll be an agreement worked out between the the owner and the DEA as to you know signage and how things work. But uh so the parking does contribute to the parking downtown. The hotel includes 80 rooms. Uh there's five or onebedroom suites in it. Uh obviously fantastic views. Great location for a hotel. It's right downtown. It's it's putting 80 or up to like 120 150 fresh people downtown during the tourist seasons and it just it's a great location to support downtown businesses. Um it will have a

food and beverage component to it that is part of the Hilton requirement. So on the south corner of the of the building got a nice sidewalk space for the little bar restaurant. Then there'll be like a 100 person at the most. Probably more like 60 to 80 uh person event space on that level next to the restaurant. So it's a little mixed use. There's definitely going to be some street activity. Um we're we're paying homage to the history of Marquette Harbor. Um there were many trestles through this town. There was one right across this site that ran between the savings bank and the building to the south and it went out to the dock. So we dubbed it the trestle hotel and we actually have structural elements that we're exposing on the outside that are actually part of the structure but they will be trestle like formed maybe some big rivets. So that's That's kind of the whole the whole pitch. Um, yeah, there's a there's a few things we have to work out yet. We do have a meeting tomorrow morning with the DVDA regarding East Main Street. How we're going to reshape that. What we're proposing, what we're thinking is all the parking is on the north side of the street. Now, we're going to actually move it all to the to the south side and not lose any parking spots and then allow this driveway to have fewer access. Plus, it'll line up better with the traffic that runs on West M. Right now, it's kind of offset. It's real awkward intersection. So, this Yeah, look through that there. The question about the driveways on the slope is one of my least favorite sidewalks in Marquette is on the north side of East Washington where there's a drive that goes into the parking structure. And so it meets the car standard, but it gives you this god-awful slope for the

sidewalk as you run east from that driveway. So I really want to kind of work out something that compromises a little on the car and makes it a little easier on the street. The idea on this main street is with as well as moving the parking is to develop a wider sidewalk. So as you come downtown, you can have a a nice easier way to walk down to the to the waterfalls. So So that'll be part of putting back the sidewalk on the north side that just a little more pleasant experience. I think that's all I really have to say. I'm certainly wide open for questions.

Thank you, Mr. Um, can we get a I know that we want discussion. A motion to suspend the rules for discussion. Motion to suspend the rules for discussion. I'll second that motion. Commissioner will not with the second. All those in favor say I. I. All same sign. Motion passes eight to zero. Steve, you beforehand told me you had a long list. Let's start with you.

Okay. Um, and some of this I think may have already touched on the answers to, but in Dave's comments as well, but I was wondering if the number of on street parking spaces that need to be eliminated to accommodate proposed tri. Uh well, the intention is to to not lose any on Main Street. And we had already looked at um different combinations on East Washington. So, we might be able to get a few more spots like uh of course, you know, you remember years ago, we used to park angle on both sides of that street. Um had a little tiny drive lane. Uh we've looked at also angling on the south side. So, I think that's all up for discussion. The intention is to increase, not decrease.

Okay. Um, as far as during the construction process, um, is is there a a greater number that will need to be closed temporarily to accommodate the construction?

Um, there will be there will be times that we're going to disrupt the the streets. Uh, in fact, the first phase of the project uh includes moving the power that feeds all the buildings in that block. And so, we're rerouting the power uh over to Main Street and then up and then we're creating a new alley behind all the existing buildings which are it's on the private property, but it'll be an alley that serves all of the buildings, including the savings bank, which will include access to the back of the savings bank. Um, but there will be a time period when that work is done. We have to actually literally dig up half of Main Street, run the power lines, some other utilities at the same time, and then what we're putting back would be this new design. Um, so could the street parking be put on the other side? Depends on how much of the street we have to block. I I understand the need for, you know, a day or two closure for utility connections or whatever, but I I guess I was impressed by your comment that um you're going to wait until basically the the motel, the hotel structures up and then start parking behind. I presume that gives you work space to work on the hotel structure without occupying much of the street right away. Yeah, there there's always going to be some activity in the street. Glacial Boulevard will have, you know, for sure the sidewalk will be closed on that side. You know, there'll be work that has to be done on the side of the building. The way this building is built, the first floor is a is is structural steel, the deck and concrete, and then there's four stories of wood and so the wood's panelized as it comes in for walls and floors. So the having that space behind the uh where the parking will go, you know, gives you on-site space for cranes for some of that activity. Um the pre-cast itself

and that comes actually won't come until like next January. So that the crane will be a crane set on Maine to do some of it and then be some East Washington. So that will block the street off you know for potentially a week I think is the plan. So, but we are we are definitely trying to especially like for keep it open. It's a really narrow less than 22 feet per so a lot of forgiveness but yeah that is okay. Um, thank you. And then just looking at the the comments you submitted in in reply to um the staff comments, I guess part about streets. Um, but it does require a redesign for much of East Main Street and know that that's going to be a whole separate thing that we don't need to discuss tonight. Um, the indic again on the earth would not affect the adjacent properties because plan shows affecting main street. So um no um rerouting of public utilities required but actually power and communications and I couldn't tell for sure. Maybe natural gas do need to be rerouted. Um those are not typical of public works utilities city maintains but they are still public utilities. Um and it said no changes in the public sighting and um but as the parking changes as the streets are revealed to driveways um

there is a a component where city will have to do changes public signing and pavement directions and I mean often that's overlooked and having been the person that that fell to for many many years in the past. I guess I like just like to bring it up that that component does exist out there and um actually the city ordinance says that if city does have to do it later any of those changes required to facilitate the project can be build back to the project owner. I think that's worth discussing with the city ahead of time to make sure that there's a there is a a formal understanding that all parties understand who's going to be responsible for what process so that the city agrees to pick it up and do it on its own that's fine but it should be discussed that there will be costs involved with that. Y

um see they do uh for see a bit of a problem with snow storage and stoing over there. Obviously the as you mentioned lake shore is pretty narrow including the sidewalk area. It's not even as wide as you know the sidewalks on Washington and whatever that don't seem to have enough snow storage try to keep that se that block make sure open on the west side um it's going to require some pretty frequent story roll in that area as well. Yeah. Yeah. I think I think we've all learned that uh everybody needs a blower right snow removal. So uh we do we do actually plan a snow melt for that whole entry experience for the guests to share that would be snow melted along with the outside space.

Okay. But not not the public property. Um, and again, part of it would be whatever's on East Main Street future review, but also um I think there's a problem that we have to look at internally. I think uh in the future with our ordinance requirements we're in the farm based code we're requiring the building to be on the property line and we're requiring you to plant so many trees and yet we don't have space in the right way to plant the trees. So I mean we're providing a conflict without a sol resolution to it at this point. um your responses to the arbor's comment indicated that they'd eliminate a couple of trees there and and to the engineers's comment and eliminate the trees on Main Street. So, I need to know when we approve the site plan, do we have the authority to wave the provision on how many trees they have to provide or how how can we deal with that? Are there other options that uh we don't don't put it out there as you have to submit a plan a revised plan that meets the comments and then there isn't really a solution there. So there

so the revised plan to meet that comment is removing the trees that they asked for and they don't have to put them elsewhere. Okay. Is that what you're asking? Yeah. Do we have to make that as part of our motion though? Well enough that you're saying amended plan. So when we're saying remove them, we're not saying put them elsewhere or code gives the gives us discretion in the right of way. There's no room for it with abilities or any clear vision issues things like that and they aren't required. Okay. Thank you. I would say we did attempt to put all the trees that would be required if there was one. We put that on there. So there

and it's similar with the the screen for the electrical equipment, you know. Um, but you made the comment that BLP needs access. They actually have to open some pretty large access doors on that thing or took the covers over off of them. And I I know they have complained in the past about um access where city required screening and I don't know if there's bad mounted transformers there, but they needed open air flow to to cool property as well. So again, maybe our ordinance needs a little tweaking to uh to comply with some of the other requirements other than just aesthetics.

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, in fact, we won't plant woody shrubs and and or requires evergreen. So I don't know about crushable evergreen, but the grasses at least you can knock them down. So, but yeah, BP just did not have anything. Yeah. So, guess I'm addressing that staff as we go through the Right. So in our staff report we address you guys need to review your own

because you just really on that topic um those are on our private property but they do serve the whole block and so as you're considering the code ordinance but screening from the neighborhood is also the neighbors. Yes, that's right. I do understand. And then um if you are going to be working primarily from from the internal part of the block despite that it's much but I was concerned that on the traffic detours um that there's going to be a need for traffic pours during major harbor events especially 4th of July. That's something city needs to be working on plans for right now a couple months from now. So takes some coordination there. I don't even know if they would grant you a detour permit during that period, but if they if it's necessary, they have to they have to work out plans well ahead of time as probably the lasers. Well, we have selected Claus member construction representatives here tonight to uh just they're just very familiar with working downtown and we'll shut it all down for the fourth for sure. have a big party as well. Where are we at? Just here. The fire department sprinkler connection. It's projects off the wall building. Most of them that are in the downtown area project only a couple inches and problem. But when it's

projecting into the the sidewalk area like that, this one might require a baller protection or something so nobody pedestrians injured and it's not subject to damage from the slow equipment. Um that sidewalk is so narrow and we don't we're not proposing to move the curb lines at all and unlike Sh. So, we do have that those porches, the event porch and the dining porch for the restaurant where that could go recessed in that space. I guess we just need fire department to sign off. Okay. Um, your project plans show the hydrant at Lake Washington to be either on or behind the rightway line. And I'm wondering if the city needs an easement at this point. um to allow for future maintenance of that hydrant. You're not showing relocation. So um

there is an ement right now on that east Washington triangular 20

I don't think it is. So I guess you know survey work when the streets being reconstructed is rather rough compared to the light surveys that you done here and I can understand where it could end up on your property that the plans aren't that clear as to whether it's on private property or right on the line but in order to work on it does have to be dug up. It requires another couple of feet behind it. That's green area on your plans, but we believe the city should probably still ahead of time deal with that. So,

that's something that was probably the best time to work that out.

No, one lake shore in Washington. Southwest corner. And two other things here on the traffic flow where one of the requirements we're supposed to review in particular is the traffic flow for pedestrians and for vehicles and at your hotel entrance um off of Washington. I can see where that would be rather confusing to some drivers going in there and having to make the counterclockwise circle. And I don't know if it's within our curfew or not. Suggest that if we can require payment markings to be put down there just for public safety so it's very clear to drivers what you're supposed to do on each other. Just go right.

Yeah. I know there'll be some signage that has to be done to for sure there'll be guests that been driving for 12 hours and they'll go in the wrong way. There'll be uh there'll be staff that lives there to greet you and tell you take care of safety question just looking at plans. Will guests in the uh the bar restaurant area who go to use the restroom basically have full access to the all the corridors of the hotel? Ju just on that first floor.

Yeah, the the elevators will be coded the rest the stairs will be be locked this way as well. So that's kind of the standard issue now that you know guest rooms and you you want the first floor to be open for the public on the door but um but you need guests. So okay, thank you. tonight. Quite impressed with spitting an awful lot to a site and definitely um doing it quite efficiently. Thank you. Are there any other commissioners questions? Mr. Ger,

I just want to follow up a little bit on the third level of the parking deck and what's getting built and what's not on on the walls that are going down the street there. Can you maybe show me on the uh elevations? So, as I understand it, that the third floor of that deck is not getting built until the vault project gets done. Correct. That's right. Yeah. So, so this level will be built. These these facades won't be constructed until the third level is put up. So, there will be no facades on that back portion there until the third level gets done.

That's right. That's right. So, and what you're going to see is it'll just be at the surface of the of the street level as it comes down. So, there'll be sort of this big gap between the back of the buildings and the hotel visually there. So, let me go back to staff. Does that meet that requirement then for the amount of percentage of pan? Again, it's all as what's considered as what they're showing us and people can our code does allow it to be phased. So, they have to complete the phased project. So they start the first phase but they have to complete the at some point they have to complete

otherwise they're in violation of their site plan and they be in violation of code and then we enforcement. Interesting. I mean what if the the vault project proves to be financially unfeasible you know five years down the road and they decide they're not going to do that and don't want to add the third level. She said situation. Okay. They're gonna have to come up with some kind of solution to make. Okay.

All right. Then uh just sort of a followup on that and to tag on to that snow removal question. Uh you had mentioned that the third level will have snow melt on it to address the but will the second level then have snow melt on it when before the third level I'm sorry the parking won't have any snow on it but the I was referring to there's a there's a a guest patio roof patio on the second floor of the hotel. It's that green area.

Okay that that's where there's a hot tub and a sauna and fire stuff inside there. So then how are you addressing snow removal and storage on that parking deck?

Oh well the well the with the midle there there are corners that have snow storage on it. So the the 8 foot parking setback line you know prohibits us from parking there. So we're using those eight foot pieces as as snow storage. Um, and then when the third level goes on, we've actually cut out the corners of that upper deck, so it's open down to those those green areas or the snow storage areas. So, it requires a blower for sure. And it's just going to require hauling snow. I mean, you know, the one thing about the the worst parts of the winter this time of year, um, you know, the hotel's occupancy is lower. You know, obviously we have the vents. when you're going to fill the hotel, you're going to pay all the snow because you want everybody. So, you know, it's sort of, you know, it's just a matter of business at that point. But

we have um 110 rooms that are in downtown Hton and have to haul snow quite frequently out of downtown. It's just part of our everyday routine like Yeah, snow is definitely part of the UV experience. Yeah. Yeah. So those little green areas actually won't probably be very green much. We love all kinds of plants that die to the ground and then crack on them back up again little flowers.

Okay. Okay. Uh the other question I have is regarding HVAC equipment. Um, what kind of HVAC equipment do you anticipate having on the roof of this building and are you planning to screen it?

Uh, we will have um couple of rooftop units that will serve the uh the restaurant public spaces on the first floor. There's shafts that run through the building and there's also a dosas. It's a dedicated outdoor air system that sits on the roof and that basically feeds all the hallways with dehumidified and then tempered air. So that's those are typically requirements. So So there will be uh several rooftop units. Um there'll be a couple erv So there will be several units that will be lined up right down the middle of the roof. Um certainly depending on where you are, if you're up on the range bank parking deck, you'll see them. If you're down on the street, you won't see. So they're all set right down the middle over the corridor essentially. The shafts all up along the corridor. Okay. All right. Uh sure, you have a question for staff. Um kind of question for both. Um so first question I guess is for you Mr. Pson. Um regarding street tree requirements um you identify in the application that there's 16 street trees required I believe. Um, but then in response to staff comments, you say that you'll delete or you'll remove trees on Main Street because of the water mane and trees on Washington Street due to the parking access points. Um, how do you plan to meet the street tree requirements or is that something you're asking us for leniency on?

Yeah. So, for the code, if you can't meet street tree requirements because of the issues that we have, they don't have to put those. Okay. Okay. Um, great. Um, and then I guess my question for staff is can we are we allowed to request that they um use more native species um in their landscaping. When looking at our landscaping standards in general in the code in our planting requirements, we say in the summary that um it should emphasize native plants. Um, of the species identified, only one of them is a cultivar of a native species. The rest are non-native. We can we require they're allowed to supply whatever the existing code language says they're allowed to supply.

So, uh, are you saying that they supply stuff that isn't in our existing code language? Um, yes. Some of the some of the species aren't listed as like suggested or prohibited. Um, but a couple of them I'm like there are a couple like for example the grass is it's like a Asian European hybrid grass that's like a tall ornamental perennial grass. We have native tall or uh native tall ornamental grasses that could do well in that space as well. Um similarly, you know, there's um like a small like a shrub version of a cyprress that is Russian um that could be replaced with, you know, a native um shrub that could work well in that area and just support, you know, then go and support the wildlife in that area. But not something that we can require, but just something that I would appreciate if it would be considered in the plan. I I would say that you know a lot of communities have actually gone to that just requiring we have these are kind of our go-to plant in these situations like I mentioned the plants that will die off to the ground so the Russian cypress does that so but it has a real nice purple flower so they're they're quite profuse too and the carl forester grass is like that it just grows like crazy and grows high now there are some natives that they don't get quite as high and they're not they're a little fussier too so but We have switched all these plants to native up native and I say that um so in other communities has done that. So they just don't these are like a stellar performing landscape landscape treat plants but but you want to change that you know all for it. Yeah.

Thank you. Yeah, that would require changes. Right now we have a list of prohibited plants that suggested a lot of plants are pretty species that are proven to be pretty hardy and that's I guess one of the things pretty hardy plants conditions especially near the streets and parking lots. One final question on that same subject. Um, the Columner Norway maple that is planned to be used. Do you know, I'm struggling to find on the internet, but do you know if that is a tree that is sterile or if it will reproduce in the area? Um, just asking because Norway maple, not that not necessarily that cultivar, but regular Norway maple is an invasive species. Yeah, this um it's actually it's it's a it's a urban street tree is what it is. So it's not it's not I don't know what the term would be, but it's not a spread basically. Okay.

Yeah. And and it but it is a nice tidy little tree. Doesn't get too broad just and it's easy to keep. Great. Thank you. One one question for staff. Um, I noticed the assessor's office asked if the two parcels that the hotel and the parking deck sit on could be combined. Is that something that that we should put into our motion or is that something that

No, as long as your motion states that the site plan everything shall meet staff comments, they have to meet that com which means that they'll have to report a deed that description. Okay. I discussed that with her today and that would be our preference as well because otherwise we're getting multiple tax ID cards.

Yeah, seems like that would make sense for you too. Yeah. Okay. All right. Thank you. Questions just one word wonder if one of you could address um this for Dr. Belly's comments on what type of access can maintain her. Um, as I mentioned with the that that alley that we're going to create, um, that will you'll be able to drive down the alley. Um, actually access Frank Still's property too, which is the building south of the savings bank and then get into the existing s parking lot down there. Now, there will be a time frame where they have to build a retaining wall. This is the west ball of parking and then the power lines happen and then then the in place and then that'll be in place during the whole construction. But we we currently we added a uh an accessible ramp to the front of the savings bank which actually is is actually a true accessible route. It's you know Pete Buzz had added that little elevator in the building and that that bottom door that she's speaking of. It's not an accessible route whatsoever. I mean, the grades are real steep and stuff, but it's been usable through the years. It's actually would be easier just to turn the corner on East Washington while you're still high at the corner and you really have just no go right on the ramp without going up hill. It's just the grades work just right. It's just a matter of getting a spot right there where you could stop your car and not worry about ticket or something just to let somebody out that way. But yeah, that's actually a much more accessible route.

It meets the code if sign off on it. So we know might suggest um speaking with the police department traffic and parking committee and see if they could relocate a handicap space to that point at least temporarily during the construction process or whatever. There is a a handicap spot just down the street which is kind of silly but but if it were right up there by the corner it would it would literally would be accessible. have a comment about that just for the 20 years. Not at this point. Um, all right.

Can I can I add a little bit to what Steve just said about the accessibility part of this? Um, for our site plan review, we like it when the developer shows handicapped spaces and the parking that they're required to provide, but we don't enforce the actual placement of those spaces on the property. that is the responsibility of building codes, state building codes. So that's one of the reasons you guys don't really have any specific code requirements that you have to, you know, pay attention to as far as those accessibilities.

Yeah, I would just like to also give the comment that we are building a brand new parking deck on the property that will be able to be used by the businesses. So hopefully we'll be better parking for all of the businesses. This is about um just over a year long project when it comes to from the time that goes away to when it comes back. So um there may be some shuffling in that time frame, but then as soon as next summer hits, we'll all be using again.

Um question on that. Um, so you noted that the parking lots would be like publicly accessible, but private lots in regards to the parking that could be made available for neighboring businesses. Would it be paid parking or how would that look for people who are trying to park in there? Yeah. So, it is paid parking, but we're working with the DDA on what that agreement is. So, we've offered a couple different things along the lines of the same pricing that the PDA uses already in the surrounding area uh and different parts of that agreement, but I've been working really closely with Tara there on how they would like to see that. Okay, great. Thank you. Yeah,

um and then addressing um Miss Palaki's comments about the scheduling of the construction. Um, do you guys have anything um, regarding the schedule of the construction to try and alleviate the pressure on neighboring businesses or

Yeah, let all the businesses and tenants know that we'll release that schedule as soon as it's set in stone. So, there's a couple factors uh, including tonight's decision and then uh, upcoming commission decision and then we'll be able to release the schedule from there. Any other commission comments, questions? All right, now the fun part. Um, we're going to go through line by line for site plan review standards. Um, I'll look for consensus on whether this project meets or does not meet the standards. Um, number one, public health, safety, and welfare. The uses proposed will not harm the public health, safety, or welfare. All elements of the site plan should be designed to take into account the site's topography, the character of adjoining property, and the type and size of buildings. The site shall be developed so as not to impede normal and ordinary development or improvement of surrounding property for uses permitted in this ordinance. I see no dissent on that one. All right. Uh safe and efficient traffic operations. Safe, convenient, uncongested, and well-defined vehicular and pedestrian circulation within and to the site shall be provided. Drives, streets, and other elements such as walkways shall be designed to promote safe and efficient traffic operations within the site and at its access points. Yes, Commissioner.

I would just refer to the comment I made about the the drop off at the hotel entrance perhaps using parkings to clarify noted any other issues. No. All right. Um vehicular and pedestrian circulation. This is a little bit redundant, but the arrangement of public and con or commonways for vehicular and pedestrian circulation shall be connected to existing or planned street and pedestrian or bicycle pathways in the area. There shall be provided a pedestrian circulation system which is separated from the vehicular circulation system. In order to ensure public safety, special pedestrian measures such as crosswalks, crossing signals, and other such facilities may be required in the vicinity of schools, playgrounds, shopping centers, and other uses which generate a considerable amount of pedestrian traffic. I believe this one meets that section. All right. Um, topography and landscaping. The landscape shall be preserved in its natural state in so far as practical by removing only those areas of vegetation or making those alterations of to the topography which are reasonably necessary to develop the site in accordance with the requirements of this ordinance. Landscaping shall be preserved and or provided to ensure the proposed uses will be adequately buffered from one another and from surrounding property. We had some questions about this one, but largely they are seem to be changing things in a manner that meets our requirements. So, we need to include something in our motion at some point here regarding this issue, right?

That you're you are agreeing with the proposal and you're modifying the way we're

waving the requirement agreements. Okay. All right. Um, storm water management. Appropriate measures shall be taken to ensure that removal of surface waters will not adversely affect neighboring properties or the public storm drain drainage system. Service water and all paved areas shall be collected so that it will not obstruct the flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic or create standing water. I'm seeing consensus on this one. All right. Um, emergency vehicle access. All buildings or groups of buildings shall be arranged so as to permit emergency vehicle access as required by the fire department and police department. Police and fire had uh things to say that we're in agreement. So, I think we're good on that one. Uh, outdoor storage and loading and unloading area. All outside storage areas, including refuge storage stations, shall be screened from the view of the street and or adjacent residentially zoned properties. All loading and unloading areas shall be reasonably screened for residentially zoned properties. I saw screening good. All right. Lighting. Exterior laying shall be arranged so that it deflected away from the adjacent properties and bodies of water so it does not impede the vision of traffic along adjacent streets or impair navigation on the waterway. Flashing or intermittent lights shall not be prohibited no problems on behalf. All right. Um nine location of building addresses for consistency in areas where adjoining properties face the street. The plan commission may require that primary structure shall be oriented so that the main entrance faces the street upon which the lot runs. If the development is on a corner lot, the main entrance

may be oriented to either street or to the corner. Good. All right. Nuisances. No noise, vibration, dust, fumes, or other nuisance shall leave the property in a manner that affects the surrounding area. It's a hotel, not a construction site. So it will be a construction site for a while but that is temporary and city Marquette engineering design and construction standards. The site plan must comply with the city of Marquette engineering design and construction standards seems to to me. All right by that count it meets our 11 standards of site and review. Um, I guess at this point we are looking for a motion on this issue.

I'll start, I guess, make an attempt. All right.

Uh, let's see. After review of the site plan and the supplemental documentation dated 31026 and the staff report for 01- SPR-04-26, the planning commission finds substantial compliance with the city of market land development code, the site plan review standards in section 54.1402E and hereby approves the site plan uh as presented. with the following conditions. Uh that the site plan uh must be modified to meet all staff recommendations. Uh and that the uh uh the planning commission waves the requirements of the uh landscaping. Um that is I'm not quite sure how to put that

the electrical equipment screen that the waves are requirements for the electrical screening uh landscape. Um I think that should do it. All right. Motion on the floor. Do we have a second? Second. All right. Commissioner Wilson with the second. All those in favor say I. I. All oppose same sign. Motion passes. zero.

All right. Are there citizens wishing to address the commission on nonaggenda? just before they leave, I like to uh make them aware of that maybe spend some time trying to investigate. Um back in the 1990s, I was contacted by Dr. Barbe was trying to empty cipher problem. He was a commanding corner of the parking lot right on Washington and Lake Shore. There was a sewer collapse, whatever. We uh I worked with them for quite some time desting all of the other uh buildings on Washington uh Jackson cut alley all through there drains and sanitary sewers. There was an old sewer that followed the Jackson cut when it went underneath Front Street and it ran through this property down to the harbor. Um, nobody was left tied to it that we could find. Um, all all of the buildings have been located in other sewers constructed, but there's probably still remnants of that pipe underneath that parking lot. And uh I do note that on on the city's block plan that they've got in here, there was some additional work done there in 2013 and 2014. That's after I left city. So I don't really know what that involved, but um just there's there's some it's the oldest part of town. There's going to be some things you find that you're not expecting. That's one that I did have

some information about. That's interesting. We u we just yesterday we dug test holes trying to find if there was any foundations from the old trust that went through. So we we dug up along that line and so we didn't find any any sort any remnants of that. Okay, I think that's good. You know, we didn't at that time didn't seem to go very far. We couldn't, you know, put a rod or anything into it, but there was couple pieces of pipe in there. There was still ground water and something coming through, but it was sewage from the adjacent buildings. All right. Thank you.

Yes.

I just like to add for benefit here. I know there were staff responses to all of those standards that weren't discussed here. Those are in the agenda that's printed that's available online and the the planning commission has absolutely nothing to do with the brown field funding completely separate. So like I said their focus the focus of this is very narrow is all about land development code. All right. So, um, our next item is citizens wishing to address the commission on non-aggenda items. Seeing none, um, we move on. We have no correspondence, reports, minutes or other boards or committees, no training. And then we have section number eight, a work session on reports, plans, ordinance, plan development code amendments. You all are not gonna want to say that.

We're really boring.

I will say this, it's one of the best zoning for land around. I always tell other cities that It encourages development, but it does it in a really sensible way. Good work.

See the project forward. Thank you. Sorry. Okay.

All right. So, for the first one, uh, we are proposing to fix article 14. We have site plans that we administratively review and sometimes it take more than one year to submit a revised site plan read on it. So our proposal is to kind of split it up like for planning question review.

Oops, sorry. Okay. And we work with uh the city attorney on this as well. So kind of splitting up. So for the planning commission review, if the site plan is approved with conditions from the planning commission, right, that requires revisions to the site plan like tonight, the applicant must make the required revisions and submit the revised plans to the state zoning office prior to the expiration date. Now the expiration date will be one year after the planning commission review unless they act on the planning commission ask for an extension. Failure to submit revised plan shall result in the expiration of the approval. One question. Do we notify the people that of the time frame so that they know they need to get their act together or

I do through email and I um right now I babysit a lot of people and I'm constantly contacting them like you're still on my board. I don't have your things and it it expires in you know three months. So they are being notified. So we diligence in that regard more than we should. Okay. I mean really just a memo that approves where they get after the case goes through the planning commission or the approved site plan they get a memo saying you were approved and this is you know we found one we I I'm sure we're very fair that's not I just wanted you're curious yeah okay thank you

but this is kind of where moving along it is going to change um what we're asking to change so now for the administrator ative review side of it. So when we review it administratively, the applicant shall submit revised plans to address the staff comments within a reasonable period not to exceed one year. Now in this that we're added also this next section where if an applicant fails to respond to the city's zoning office for staff and review comments for a period of six months, now we're going to issue a written notice. So, I'm not babysitting them anymore. I'm just doing this one thing. I'm sending it to them and they have to follow this. They don't, then it expires basically. And like again, the city attorney, we worked on it. Um, and kind of discussed what was fair and like that came up with. Uh, after reviewing this, did you guys have any issues?

No. Commissioner, is there any conflict between the one year deadline and the basically seven months of the notice until one month? It seemed they were referring to different deadlines, but I um they just

they just have to respond, right? So, we're just asking them to tell us a response. So, if they tell us, "Yep, we're working on it." Blah, blah, blah. Then we say, "Okay, here's your still here's your one-year deadline date." It's just that they have to provide what's taken on because the six months also is going to give us a window if they say, "Okay, we can't get this to you. We need to ask for an extension." That gives them enough time to get that extension paperwork into you guys before it expires and then also for us too. Okay. I thought it was seemed two different,

you know, you are right. It's one year that is definitely going to expire, but we have a six-month timeline that they basically they need to keep talking to us. If they stop talking to us for six months, then then I contact and say, "Hey, what's going on? You still haven't heard." Okay. Thank you.

Question on the like phased projects talks about following a project timeline in here. Is that like a formal project timeline that gets drawn up or is that more informal? Well, for instance, they gave you a phase timeline in the the site plan set. So, they have to do that. So, it that's the timeline that I'm following. But when we're talking about this though, they can't even start working till they get approval. They haven't even finished approval yet. So, they don't have a zoning permit. That's the problem. I've been sitting on a site plan waiting to get a zoning permit and it's close to a year now. and another site plan that's closer to two a year now that I haven't been able to issue a zoning permit because I haven't gotten through site plans and we're getting to the point that we shouldn't be sitting on these for that long it needs to be closed out and we need something just make it very plain to people this is and make it fair with noticing and kind of spell out that policy basically to um make sure that you know the next person after me is al doesn't has written guidelines of what they follow and that the outcome is aware of that as well.

So that's the idea. Okay.

Okay. So we discussed that um last week, not last week, last meeting that we are working on amendments for the site condominium because of the conflict with B and H. Um and with working with the city attorney, this is kind of what we came up with that after the city commission approval, then they submit master D and deed restrictions to city staff for us review. basically um instead of them paying because all most of the money with site condominiums is in with hiring an attorney for the master deed and the deed restrictions compared to the survey and everything. So the idea is if they get approval from the city commission then they can go and spend that the extra money even with the PUGs not until they get preliminary approval from the city commission do we require the master de as well. So this is all in the same time. Um and then the here in H it references where after the city commission approval then you're going to submit that and we're going to review it and um provide comments. Did you guys have any issues with that one?

I just is there a certain timeline they have after the recognition by the administrative review that approval to submit that draft master or is that going to be hanging out there? You're right. No, there's not. But I don't it can't get zoning approval without it. So, does the other provision that we just talked about kicking or is this this would be separate? Separate, right? You might want to attach a timeline. That's a good idea.

What do you feel like a timeline should be? What makes your life easiest? Well, I'm wondering um

if you're using a motherly agreement or something that I have a feeling most of them were pretty custom written quite a bit. And we um we have had some that we have reviewed at least six times of not meeting um the condo act and things like that uh with um condominiums. So yeah, it is kind of tough. Would you want to stick with the one-year timeline same kind of like the site plan review? Seems like sense.

And then uh do you want me to bring back the language showing that uh for the next meeting or Y?

Okay. So the next one um we had discussed before but after discussion um it was clear that some more amendments need to be made. So adding a crew lot drawing as a new figure eight updating the existing drawings for figure six and seven and updating the front rear and sideyard definitions. So this um I gave you the lot types. You guys had already reviewed this with the the uh typo type of change here, but I gave you that so you can look at what the ordinance states, right?

And then these are the proposed amendments to the front yard and and explaining how the designations are. Um spelling that out a little bit more both for the front and the rear. And then These propose showing that if you can meet that these could be how you could apply the yards and then how the through lot is applied. Did you guys have any issues with those amendments?

Seems like it cleans it up. So the next one we have had questions from people for small scale instructional studios and where does that fall? So we were looking at um does it fall under indoor recreation which requires a lot of parking and which is more for assembly type uses or should it be falling falling under the service establishment and then looking at that we think this it should smallcale instructional studio should fall under the service establishment but we need to revise the definition. So this is what we're proposing. So the first one is showing the existing definition. The second one is showing you the pose showing the markup. And then the third one is a clean copy post. So hopefully that met what you were looking for with the explaining. Cool. Right. Yay. Um so did you guys, you know, what are your thoughts on that? Do you think it needs anything that you think should be added? How do you feel about it? What about would it make sense to put some kind of a limit on number of people define what small scale is?

We talked about that. I don't know if we want to pigeon hole that. We kind of we we're reviewing an example um a real a real application we're dealing with or a question we're dealing with about somebody's relocating from the uh now kind of defunct Westwood Mall trying to find a new location for their studio. Um they have said about 40 people that you know when you compare that number to what you have for the definition of outdoor recreation which is here

indoor recreation or indoor recreation 40 seems like small to me when indoor recreation can be could even include sports stadiums. So, an assembly uses in dance dance halls. I don't know if we should keep that term. And we have a dance hall in the city market. It is high school.

People go to drink,

but we're kind of coming to the conclusion that yeah, it's all kind of relative. Um, so like the indoor recreation, I have it on the screen here. it for parking requirements. They talk about occupancy because you're really looking at more assembly type uses and then service goes by square footage. So, we've kind of we were been back and forth on should we define small scale with the number of occupants or not?

We were kind of thinking 100 people seems still small compared to what you have with maybe a sports stadium or a theater. theater or other event venues where you have you'd have hundreds of people at a reception mall for example for a wedding. 500 800 people would be unusual if you had a facility to accommodate that like northern center whatever those facilities accommodate several hundred people thousands maybe. Yeah. But if you think about it, you know, like a photo studio, you're probably only going to have a couple of people parking their cars, right? If you have a uh a service establishment such as professional services, uh you know, an engineer working out of his garage or surveyor or something, at most they're going to have a couple of vehicles. uh a barber shop, you know, unless you have a really big one, it's probably only going to be a couple of vehicles at a time. You have a yoga class of 40 people, you're going to have 40 cars or at least 30 probably. Um that's a whole different kind of animal it seems like to me. Well, you might. But on North Third Street, there are no parking requirements and we have a lot of those facilities and a lot of people probably bike and walk. nicer seasons. So,

and the yoga would be there for like an hour, maybe two.

I don't know. So, I don't know if we have a real consensus on defining what small scale versus large is, but that term is a little troublesome, I think. And that we talked about whether or not we should modify the term or try to define it. But every time you try to define something that becomes there be merit to using the uh we use for administrative versus planning commission 40,000 square feet or something. Oh, you mean to kick that into indoor recreation?

Well, to say a small service establishment is is 40,000 square meters per square. So, one of the examples we look at is indoor recreation is the advantage. Advantage on Mullen Avenue near the fleet supply place. That building is 67,000. It's old chunk furniture building,

but they may not actually have that many people in there at any given time for, you know, they they do golf. They arch maybe. No, no, golfing is gone. So, they have a basketball court in there. They have um they do personal training in there, but they also have kids coming in an open gym type thing. They also do training for kids, training for um NMU students. Usually the parking lot is full with the spaces that they have. Um but that has we have defined that essential recreation because it has it's not just training it's also open opens

and it is mainly recreation oriented. So you get it can be all over the place with the people a lot of people and size of space between these two categories we're looking at. It's just it's really hard to pin down what's typical. The only other thing is do you look at maybe a small have like indoor recreation but have it in two categories where your your parking requirements are different or do just depending on like say if you have um a gymnastic studio those kids most of them aren't driving so but you're going to have occupants in there you may have 40 kids in there but who's who how many cars are be there. But often times you also have parents if they're little kids

staying sometimes you don't if they're a little bit older you sometimes don't right it or have a hard time we have I see that you got to be focused though the focus got to be on what it is it instructional is it recreation I mean try to sus that out because that's really the difference between these And a studio, a dance studio is clearly instructional. Yoga or gymnastics studio is basically instructional. It's not you want to go in there for recreation. It's building upation, right?

Yeah. So, if it doesn't involve like um like you may have a a gymnastic studio that you have instruction, but then you may have an open period where all these kids and all these people can use it. Then that kind of falls more into the indoor recreation category. Not many of those do it that way though. They don't do it like that anymore. No, I don't see that as much. Okay. They used to do that when I was a kid. Yeah, I think liability would people just kind of in there on their own.

Ah, okay. So maybe we remove the small scale tax and it just becomes if whether you're it's an instructional studio or not. I'm kind of with you. I think it's hard to put parameters because it just gets you in more trouble if you say more than 40 or less than 40 or whatever. We don't have to say this tonight. We all can think and ponder a little bit more on it. Do we need to put it through rest?

I think so. So, the next one we're not going to discuss tonight, the mobile food vending units. Okay. And we'll come back to you on that. That's on top of that was the last one on the the agenda, right? Okay.

Yeah. Yep. That brings us to commission staff comments. Commissioner, uh, I'd just like to bring up again the issue of data centers and potential zing issues related to that. And did we ever get any response from the city manager to the letter that wrote to her?

Yeah. No. Um, so one that happens. You brought that up. I realized it was sitting in drafts and my that memo was still sitting in the draft form. Send it to Dennis after the last meeting. He sent it to Karen.

So, but typically this things we're not going to get an immediate response from the city manager. It's going to I mean I just typically that kind of thing is not going to be a high priority but you're right to keep open. Um is there any way we could be proactive and start looking at some wording for sound ordinance related to that? I agree

because that's really the one item that's more under our purview. We really have no control over the electrical or the water um and and you know as far as putting up buildings as long as they you know they mean our zoning ordinance then then that's fine. But we don't really have anything in our zoning ordinance regarding uh trying to prevent the noise from being an issue that I'm aware of. So you're um asking about regulations regarding noise to put in the code.

Yeah. the decibel level and I've seen it done other places that have been and that's helped protect things like this because the decibel level was too high closer to residential areas especially. So timeline um yeah Dave and I have been talking we try to get the um LDC amendments to you so then it's approved before you know the summer rush of development but you know um we are having a hard time this year getting them done by because usually we want to be done by April by the end of April. I think we're only doing it in May. But I don't think for the data center that is going to fall under these LC amendments. I think that's going to be at a later time because we don't even have enough time to get the items that we are trying to work on.

Right. Right. Right. Yeah. I didn't anticipate that that would be super quick. Yeah. But I just wanted to kind of tell you guys where we're at. things. Yeah. So, go into our list, but um we'll talk with Dennis about it. See what things go on our list possibilities. Did the moratorum get passed in Lancing because that was up for consideration, a moratorum on not allowing any more votes to go in. I don't think so.

And they were talking about a year's time frame. I think it was sitting on somebody's desk, but I don't know where it went. And that was statewide. Yeah. I don't think it ever got out of committee. Okay.

Okay. Um, I got a couple of things. Um, I'm wondering why the building for that hotel is allowed to be so many stories. Um, I feel like that's one of the like tallest buildings allowed to be built in Marquette right now under code. I could be totally wrong, but I feel like five stories. No, we haven't sto

I thought that when we were looking at or well, I guess yeah, I guess I'm my thinking is restricted to residential buildings, I think, because we were looking at heights last year and it was like top height 44 feet, but I feel like But I noticed in the form based code it's like the fivetory allowance is like specific to that block and I'm just wondering lower elevation the idea um I'm saying on public record but I say don't quote me on this from my understanding because I wasn't here when it was written but the idea with the elevation change is that they didn't want a building to be too much higher in the Oregon right

so they didn't want these ones to taller and then they said that the fire what was that no higher I mean that was the limit they specified the city the limit on that but that's a different district next to like where that one building is that a lot of people but that's why this this part this part of the between L and French street is allowed the additional two is because the elevation changes. Okay, it's lower and it allows for that not to break that.

Okay, great. Um, thank you. Um, and then just thinking I think a lot about exterior lighting because when in the first few years that I lived here, I always noticed that like especially in the winter, the sky is oddly like light gray at night and I can walk around at night in town without needing a flashlight. And I was always like, what is that? There's no way the city of Marquette has enough sky glow to like cause that. But I think that it is like the light pollution from the city because you can see it.

Um, and I know that our code said like has an a section about exterior lighting that says like it has to point towards the ground. It has to not go on in neighboring properties. I'm wondering if we feel that that is as effective as that can be. If that's a question that I can ask you right now.

Well, I will say so that's in the land development code now. are writing stuff only previously. So a lot of things you're talking about may be non-conforming to our code now that is why and eventually you know they re people redo things they have to fix it but our code always said that they had have to cut off and then had to be faced down but we never um had requirements where you couldn't do like the wall tack rates like we do now things like that

and that only applies to commercial that's stuff that we approve through site plans and other permits related the commercial and multif family residential buildings which are considered commercial. Um, and so when Jake was talking about this, um, possible sound ordinance, I was thinking about the fact that I was reading, um, the I think it's MSU extension put out um, a guide for light ordinances.

I think it's MXU extension just in the last couple years. And I was looking at it and I I talked to Dennis about possibility of starting to work on a light ordinance and what that would do is basically the way they the way it's proposed that they other communities have done this under the scheme is that create zones where certain light levels are permitted. So you in residential zones you'd have a maximum light level per minute and then in commercial zones would be different. Industrial zones would be different. So that's a lot different than what we do now, right? We don't really just basically are property by property. So it's something we can possibly try to to tackle. Um

yeah, I think that it'd be good for us to try to look at reducing light pollution in the city as much as we have the purview to be able to. So if that's something that we can look into whether it's this round of amendments or next year this round, not this round. That's a big project. That's actually that's what you know Dennis, you know, and I both concluded the opposite. It's It's a good idea. It's a big project though.

Um cool. Um and then the last thing is um last year we looked at landscaping uh plant standards and did a great job like prohibiting invasive species and putting more native species on the suggested planting list. Um, I realized that those changes didn't extend to street trees, um, the street tree planting list and that that Columnar Norway maple, which I'm a Norway maple hater because they fill my backyard. I have no trees on my property that are native to the United States. Um, and that is frustrating. But anyway, um, I would like to take a look at the street tree planting list. I noticed that there's different lists for regular street trees versus in the waterfront district. So yeah,

and so that's something we would have to work out with the arborist because they're going to have their preferred thing. They're the ones and that person's name is Dan. Okay, cool. Sweet. I have his email. So

thanks. That's all. Yeah, I'm happy to hear about this hotel and um the parking plans that they're working with the city on that. So, it wouldn't be dedicated just solely for the hotel itself. So, that's great to see. Um I Yeah, I'm curious about the lighting. Um, as she brought that up, I haven't really thought about it before, but has I I live in East Mara area and I notice a lot of the lighting comes from Northern um NMU and I'm curious how we work with them when it comes to those types of requirements. They are exempt from zoning,

right? So that is how to any way we could work with them because I can identify multiple lights that come from the property that I can see at my house and um it contributes to like pollution. So curious if there's any way we might be able to work with them as well as we're trying to um make it better for ourselves in the city. Thank you. Um, I was going to suggest one more quick LBC amendment that um, showed up in in today's packet. If you go to page 21 of the packet, I think it's one that we can just agree on tonight if it's not too late. But um in the uh paragraph B2 it says uh 20 dwelling units or lodging rooms. And then in the chart right below figure 64 it just mentions dwelling units. It doesn't mention lodging rooms. So just for consistency rooms in the chart

and we did we already bring proposals on this bigger to you guys yet? No. Okay. I have proposals that we'll be bringing to you guys on this. So I will add that too.

Thank you. And we appreciate everyone coming up with my thank you for your patience. wanted to bring up a county event that's upcoming. County is updating its master plan and is going to be doing some community input events um by region. Um so city market is part of the borealis beach region with Marquette township and chocolate township and there's going to be an event at barrel and beam on May 7th at 6 p.m. So should be love to see everyone there.

Um what about our next meeting? Uh the next meeting is just overclock.

Okay. Um I wanted to echo uh distributors data center poking but I'll leave it at that. Um and then I wanted to lament I'm glad to see where the development is happening in downtown but there are two capital trees that are on the lot that are going to be taken out um by the building of this hotel. Um, I got gallons of applesauce out of these trees. And I think that it might be possible if it's possible Dave I already talked to you about this if for ornamental trees not street trees if we can incentivize planting for food trees

um in some way maybe if I know they cost more pain but to deal with but if say the lot requires four or five of them if you make them food trees then you can get away with three or four instead of a higher amount. I know there's a lot of people that when um going gets tough, you look for food wherever you can. So I think that's an opportunity for us. That's all I You're asking for the um under the landscaping section for ornamental trees add this language in there.

Yeah, if that's possible and I know that this might be a long time off. Certainly a next year thing is fine, but I want to see if we can incentivize um growing fruit bearing or um trees, not just So how many would be agreeing to add that to the list for future? Cool. All right, cool. Um, with that we can adjourn this meeting at 7:47.