Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

May I have a roll call, please? Uh, chairperson to vice chairperson Brown here. Uh, Commissioner Whitehead here. Commissioner Eiselman here. Commissioner Mlen here. Commissioner Selixson here. Commissioner Tatch. Commissioner Tungate here. Commissioner Walters Gill. We

have corn. Moving on to item three, approval of the agenda. Has everybody had an opportunity to review the agenda? Can I have a You need a motion. I move we approve the agenda as written. Second. All in favor? I

eyes have it. Moving on to items for a planning commission meetings from uh excuse me minutes from 113 of 28 25 excuse me. Um I wanted to say something before we approve that we have adjusted the the last meeting that we had on 113. a gentleman from the audience came up and told me that I had violated Robert's rules and the fact that we had a one of our council members one of our commissioners uh not give a vote but he had to for all of us to know if you choose to do that that has to be heard by the audience and that was not relayed so loud enough for the audience to Here the minutes have been does have what that reason was. You don't have to have details to the reason, but you have to say it loud enough for the audience to hear. And I took that as an educational opportunity. Now, can I have there's any changes in the minutes other than that?

Can I have a motion? So second. All in favor? I I have it. Communications. Administrative approval of Das Delo Service Course and Cafe 13631 West 11 Mile Road. Are you going to take us through it?

Yeah, sure. Um this is a new retail uh business providing bicycle sales repair parts as well as a special uh fitting and performance uh with a cafe. They're going to improve the building. Swinging in my mic is on. Mayor, mayor, your mic is on. Thank you. And the change of fuse required administrative approval

with a cafe. So it's a retail business with repair for bicycle and there is a corner for a cafe. It's just like serving coffee or drinks. Yeah. They're going to be like cupcakes or pastries. Yeah. Yes. No, it's approved.

Mhm.

Yeah. So, this is a simple also administrative uh approval. This is a new event rental uh business that they rent usually table, chairs, covers, tents for events and they uh moved I think from Ferndale to Oak Park. No, we did welcome them. No.

A proposed. You think I needed that? I said, "Did you think I needed that?" They thought you needed

Oh, okay. I'm sorry. Most folks can't hear me. I'll start again. Public hearing. I don't like my voice when it's that loud. Public hearing on to consider a proposed special land use for request submitted by Minda. Is that correct? Mind Cohen 14411 Vernon Vernon Avenue for expanding the current family daycare home. six or fewer children less than 24 hours per day or a group daycare home of 7 to 12 children less than 24 hours per day. Property ID is 52-25-19-43-015. I will open the public hearing. Is there any comment from anyone in the audience pertaining to this?

Did I see a hand go up? Yep. Please come up and give us your name and your address, please. Donald Jones, 24660 Westampton. And if the neighbors on either side of Miss Cohen approve, I think it's a great idea. Well, thank you. Can Miss Cohen come up and just explain why she's expanding? Miss Cohen, are you there? Would you would you like to come up and have a few words? Tell us why you're expanding. The mayor is requesting that we

turn on your um mic. Is it green? There. Okay. Um there have been multiple families that have called me and I am at my capacity and they really want to come and I can't help them. Um earlier the the beginning of the school year, there was a a center that closed and half of those families called me, texted me, and I right now have at least two families who would come in an instant if I could accept more and I would love to help them out. Mr. Chair, are we allowed to ask questions?

Of course. Thank you for being here. Um appreciate that. I have a question. So, are you aware on of the requirement um that allows the planning commission to reduce the distance requirement of these kinds of facilities as long as the dropping off and picking up of children shall not be allowed prior to 6:00 a.m. or after 10 p.m. And you're you're okay with that? Yes. Okay. That's way too far for my hours. Gotcha. Okay. Her hours. What What are your hours? Yeah. Um, right now it's 9:00 till 3 but possibly extended till 4. Thank you. Sure.

Thank you. I see another hand. Would you come up and give us your name and address for the record? I'm D'vorah Gold, 15110 Dartmouth Street in Oak Park. So, I came as a friend of Esther. I didn't realize Mindy would be here, but we're friends also. And I'm here as an Oak Park resident that has a home child care. Um, I've been licensed for quite a few years, and I'm servicing the Jewish community. And I'm here to to I'm here to stress the need for more child care. My enrollment for this upcoming school year 2026 27 is already full with the waiting list. And these are wonderful women, warm and kind, and it would be a tremendous asset to our community to allow for their zoning. Thank you.

Can you tell me when you say you're full, how many do you have? I I'm licensed for 14 children because I it's originally 12 and then after COVID because of the daycare shortage in the state I got an email saying because of the shortage if you qualify we could up your ratio. So I therefore am certifi licensed for 14 children. I have an assistant and it's been going well so far. I don't believe you've received any complaints. Very good. Very good. Did you have any questions, sir? You, Eric?

I actually do have one more. Um, so I'm I'm looking at the primary entrance exit and the egress and that is to the rear of the property. Um, there's just the one drive. Is that correct? And that's not I'm I'm sorry. I'm actually asking for a question. My apologies. Thank you. Thank you. Sorry. But I'm I'm actually curious. Is that one drive s is it sufficient sufficient sufficient for the pickup drop off or won't it be used for the pickup drop off even be most of the parents park right in front of my house and some do pull in? Okay. But it's a long drive also.

Okay. So it'll you utilize the the entire Okay. So the the kids will be let off in the rear of the property and then they'll be walking to the roadway or No, they The door, the entrance that I use is the back door. Okay? So, I don't let them go by themselves into the driveway. Okay? Um, so I will either wait in the front with all the kids or wait in the back with all the kids. Thank you. Anyone else? Close the public.

I'm going to close the first public. Any other comment out there? I'm going close the first Did you see another hand? No. Okay. I'm going close that first public hearing. Can we take a vote on the Do I have a motion? So moved. So move. Who's anyone second? Second. May I have a roll call, please? Vice Chairperson Brown. Yes. Commissioner Whitehead, yes. Commissioner Eiselman, yes. Commissioner Mlen, yes. Commissioner Celixen, yes.

Commissioner Tungate, yes. Motion carries. Moving on to item B. The next

Okay. C, I'm sorry. Public hearing to consider a proposed special land use request submitted by Esther. Is that Bona Green 26041 Marlo Place for operating a group daycare home for 7 to 12 children has less than 24 hours per day. Property ID 52-25-19-179-21. That public hearing is now open. Do I have any people to comment? Come up. Please may I have your name and address?

My name is from El Conan. I live at 25911 Stratford Place for the last 38 years. It's not far from where they live. And what I'll say is I know her since she's a young girl. In fact, her younger sister who just got married is a classmate to mine, youngest daughter. And the whole family is exemplary. Their father who is an esteemed rabbi with the coal institute is also an administrator works with people and she's grown up in the same way having a very wonderful you back in my m

having a very wonderful ability to communicate not just with older people as she's been extremely nice whenever she's called me up but with younger children as well. She has four children of her own. She's living in an area that, as you're all aware, is the Orthodox community in Oak Park that has had an influx of tremendous amount of new faces, new families that have come in in the last couple years. The tax roles show it just based on the houses that have been purchased. And it's a desperate need really for more, especially in today's world where you have to have a two family income. the parents can't always be with their children as much as they want and so it's extremely necessary that there should be more just as she has said before and I don't remember your name I'm sorry it's something really needed and when you have good people doing it the children benefit because they're not latch key waiting but they're people that are interested in them the parents benefit that they're able to support their families because they can and the community benefits because they're going to be the future children that grow up to buy the houses and be here and be the next generation that's going to populate Oak Park to the better. So, my feeling is it's a wonderful idea carried out by wonderful people and it's something that I think would be extremely beneficial to Oak Park. Thank you.

Thank you. Any other comments? That's a hard one to follow up to. Yeah, please.

There really is only one additional comment that's needed, which is if Mrs. Gold, who already has a dayare, oh, sorry, Naki Soloff, I live actually in Southfield. Please don't uh throw me out for that. But um if Mrs. Gold who already has a daycare is stating that there's a desperate need for more. That's all we need to know. We need more of them. They're great people. I've known them for quite some time and they really, really are great people. I would have loved to send my kid to to it. Unfortunately, he's too old now, but uh you know, grandchildren maybe. Well, you can have more. I I just

She'll be open for business. Any other comments from the audience? If not, we're going once, twice. I I do have a question, Mr. Chair. Do we have a representative here? Can I Can I ask you the same question I asked the previous applicant? Um, you have to come to the microphone. Sorry. Um, what what are your operating hours?

So, I don't work right now. I am working through the state of Michigan to proceed with my license. I need to get zoning in order to continue with my process to receive my license and um I would love to continue with my process. I live at 26041 Marlo Place. I'm a mom of four and I always love working with children and I see a big need in my community um for needed for dayc carees and homes and that's why I'm here today. Let me rephrase my question. Thank you for being here by the way. What do you presume your hours will be?

Um it seems to be 9:00 a.m. to 300 p.m. Okay. So very similar. Okay. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Thank you. You were you were mumbling. I did. Okay. Was that satisfactory? Yes. Can Can I close that public hearing? That public hearing is closed. May I have a motion? So moved. It's been moved. Second. It's been second twice. May I have a roll call, please? Commissioner Whitehead. Yes. Commissioner Eiselman. Yes. Commissioner McCullen. Yes. Commissioner Celixson. Yes.

Commissioner Tungate. Yes. Uh, Vice Chairperson Brown. Yes. Let's move. Congratulations. That's done. Now that I did C, do we do D also? D. That was D. Okay. planning commission regarding the purpose. That was D. Okay. Very good. Matters consideration old business. There is none. There is one. Okay.

May I have it? Yeah. So, it's a master plan update for the bid award. Uh as we promised you, we were going to continue coming uh to update you about the master plan update process. So in November uh 17 uh at the city council meeting, they awarded uh the uh bid for GEL's Webster to uh update the master plan to start for the updating master plan with us. Did they say how long it was going to take to me update? It's 12 months. 12 months to update it. Yes. Okay. Any other information for us?

Not at this time. We'll be reaching out to schedule a meeting with the planning commission and them. Okay. Moving on to number eight, planning commission matters for discussion from the members. I don't see anybody. I just want to say happy holidays to all of our planning commission members and all of our attendees tonight. What holiday? You mean a holiday we just passed or the next one coming up? All of the above, sir.

Any other discussion? just um Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday just because we have so much to be grateful for and it's not a holiday with gifts. It's a holiday with gratitude. So there is a lot to be said for that and let's carry the gratitude on to the next set of holidays. Thank you and good night. And item nine, public comment on items not scheduled for public hearing. I will ask anyone in the audience who would like to make a comment. I don't see any hands or any heads. Oh,

I'm still Donald Jones living on 24660 West Hampton. We moved into Oak Park eight years ago and it's been a to rent and things were so great that we bought in November. So, that's a $200,000 investment in the community. I want to thank the planning commission because I don't know what you do but I'm sure you're doing the right things because somehow there's an event hub coming and Junth is here and great. So I want to thank you very much for all your efforts and u look for oakpark laborday.com. Thank you very much.

Thank you. We appreciate any of new neighbors, old neighbors. We try the best to do what we do best. And with that, I will adjourn.