HomeMy WebLinkAboutPLANNING MINUTES 1993-10-12 13064
MINUTES OF THE 672nd REGULAR MEETING AND PUBLIC HEARINGS
HELD BY THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
LIVONIA
On Tuesday, October 12, 1993, the City Planning Commission of the City of Livonia
held its 672nd Regular Meeting and Public Hearings in the Livonia City Hall, 33000
Civic Center Drive, Livonia, Michigan.
Mr. Jack Engebretson, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. , with
approximately 20 interested persons in the audience.
Members present: Jack Engebretson R. Lee Morrow James C. McCann
Brenda Lee Fandrei William LaPine Raymond W. Tent
Robert Alanskas
Messrs. John J. Nagy, Planning Director; H. G. Shane, Assistant Planning Director;
and Scott Miller, Planner I, were also present.
Mr. Engebretson informed the audience that if a petition on tonight's agenda
involves a rezoning request, this Commission only makes a recommendation to the
City Council who, in turn, will hold its own public hearing and decide the
question. If a petition involves a waiver of use request and the request is
denied, the petitioner has ten days in which to appeal the decision to the City
Council; otherwise the petition is terminated. The Planning Commission holds the
only public hearing on a preliminary plat and/or a vacating petition. Planning
Commission resolutions become effective seven days after the resolutions are
adopted. The Planning Commission has reviewed the petitions upon their filing and
siker Commission
been furnished by the staff with approving and denying resolutions. The
Commission may use them or not use them depending upon the outcome of the hearing
tonight.
Mr. McCann, Secretary, announced the first item on the agenda is Petition 93-9-2-23
by Home Quarters of Michigan, Inc. requesting waiver use approval to
operate a limited service restaurant in an existing building located on
the east side of Middlebelt Road between Schoolcraft and Plymouth Roads
in the Northwest 1/4 of Section 25.
Mr. Miller presented a map showing the property under petition plus the
existing zoning of the surrounding area.
Mr. Nagy: We have received a letter from the Engineering Department stating they
have no objections to this waiver use request. We have also received a
letter from the Ordinance Enforcement Division stating no deficiencies
or problems were found. We have received a letter from the Fire
Marshal's office stating they have no objection to this proposal.
However, the plans received provide insufficient information as to the
location and type of cooking appliances, hood and duct construction,
and suppression system. In a follow up letter they say their office has
reviewed additional plans submitted and have no objection to this
proposal. Lastly, we have received a letter from the Traffic Bureau
stating their department has no objection to the plan as submitted.
o..
13065
Mr. Engebretson: Would the petitioner please come forward and tell us why you are
making this request.
Charles Tangora, 33300 Five Mile Road, Livonia: I represent the petitioner, Home
`. Quarters. First I would like to thank the Chairman for moving this
hearing up. The petitioner absolutely appreciates it. They have a
grand opening coming up in a few short weeks and it was very
necessary that we have an early hearing. We really appreciate that
you set us on this agenda for tonight. The petition is a waiver
use for a limited service restaurant. I know you have reviewed the
plans. It is really a snack bar with four tables and four chairs.
It has a very limited menu consisting of hot dogs, barbecue beef
sandwich, chili, things of that nature. That is about the limit.
It is strictly used for the customers of Home Quarters and it
should have been on the original plans but it was overlooked so we
have to come back at a later date and seek your approval.
Mr. Engebretson: Mr. Tangora, I will inquire about what kind of signage there
might be on the exterior of the building, either on the walls or
within the parking lot, cart corrals, places like that. Do you
have any such plans?
Mr. Tangora: I am not aware of any. This is Mr. Moffett from Heckingers.
Mr. Moffett: I am not aware of any signs that would promote specifically the
snack bar other than our already approved signs, which would be the
monument sign and building signs.
Mr. Engebretson: Thank you sir. It wasn't meant to be a trick question. It was
to simply get on the table the matter of the fact that the
ordinance really prohibits that kind of signage but there have been
some instances in the past where that hasn't been clearly
understood and we just want to avoid getting into any kind of
misunderstanding. If you just said no you didn't have any plans,
we still would have made the comment to make you aware so that is
why we brought it up.
Mr. Moffett: I understand.
Mr. Morrow: Mr. Tangora, you indicated it was an oversight. Just for my
information, is this something new for Home Quarters or is it
pretty much on an every store basis and for some reason the
architect or whoever did it just fell on hard times?
Mr. Tangora: That is what I understand that the plans that were submitted here
should have had it. It was overlooked but all the other Home
Quarter stores that are being built in the metropolitan area have
the snack bar and they are part of the plans.
Mr. Morrow: Then it would appear it would be for the convenience of the
shoppers within the store as opposed to trying to draw from the
surrounding area.
Mr. Tangora: Absolutely. Such a limited menu, it is just something for the in
store shoppers.
`\r
13066
Mr. Alanskas: With this snack bar, do your customers eat on the way out or do
they grab something and go down the aisles and eat as far as
dropping refuse on the floor? Would you happen to know that?
Mr. Tangora: From what I know they have the tables and chairs there and they try
to keep it within that area. I know sometimes it may not be
possible. People may take potato chips and stuff like that out of
the snack area. It is like a patio effect. These tables have
umbrellas like you see on a patio and hopefully that is going to
entice them to stay in that area.
There was no one present wishing to be heard regarding this item and Mr.
Engebretson, Chairman, declared the public hearing on Petition 93-9-2-23 closed.
On a motion duly made by Mrs. Fandrei and seconded by Mr. Tent, it was
#10-188-93 RESOLVED that, pursuant to a Public Hearing having been held on October
12, 1993 on Petition 93-9-2-23 by Home Quarters of Michigan, Inc.
requesting waiver use approval to operate a limited service restaurant
in an existing building located on the east side of Middlebelt Road
between Schoolcraft and Plymouth Roads in the Northwest 1/4 of Section
25, the City Planning Commission does hereby recommend to the City
Council that Petition 93-9-2-23 be approved subject to the following
conditions:
1) That the total number of customer seats in the proposed limited
service restaurant shall not exceed 16 seats.
2) That there shall be no signage erected on the exterior of the
`. building or anywhere on the site advertising the proposed limited
service restaurant.
for the following reasons:
1) That the proposed use is in compliance with all of the special and
general waiver use standards and requirements as set forth in
Section 11.03 and 19.06 of the Zoning Ordinance ;543.
2) That the subject site has the capacity to accommodate the proposed
use.
3) That the proposed use is compatible to and in harmony with the
surrounding uses in the area.
FURTHER RESOLVED that, notice of the above hearing was given in
accordance with the provisions of Section 19.05 of Zoning Ordinance
x/543, as amended.
A roll call vote on the foregoing resolution resulted in the following:
AYES: Tent, McCann, Alanskas, Engebretson, Morrow, Fandrei
NAYS: LaPine
ABSENT: None
Mr. Engebretson, Chairman, declared the motion is carried and the foregoing
``' resolution adopted.
13067
On a motion duly made by Mr. Tent and seconded by Mr. Alanskas, it was
#10-189-93 RESOLVED that, the City Planning Commission does hereby determine to
waive the provisions of Section 10 of Article VI of the Planning
Commission Rules of Procedure requesting the seven day period
concerning effectiveness of Planning Commission resolutions in
connection with Petition 93-9-2-23 by Home Quarters of Michigan, Inc.
requesting waiver use approval to operate a limited service restaurant
in an existing building located on the east side of Middlebelt Road
between Schoolcraft and Plymouth Roads in the Northwest 1/4 of Section
25.
A roll call vote on the foregoing resolution resulted in the following:
AYES: Tent, McCann, Alanskas, Engebretson, Morrow, Fandrei
NAYS: LaPine
ABSENT: None
Mr. Engebretson, Chairman, declared the motion is carried and the foregoing
resolution adopted.
Mr. Engebretson: Mr. Tangora, I want to do something I have never done since I
have been here. I am going to take a point of personal privilege
and recognize and congratulate you for having been honored by
approximately 1,000 people at the Laurel Manor Banquet Hall of
Livonia Columbus Day dinner on Sunday. It was an honor greatly
deserved and one that I enjoyed watching bestowed upon you, and in
addition to that I came to learn that you are the newly elected and
newly installed President of that club for the coming year. For
both of those honors I would like to personally congratulate you.
Mr. Tangora: Thank you very much.
Mr. Engebretson: That closes the public hearing portion of our agenda.
Mr. McCann, Secretary, announced the next item on the agenda is Petition 93-8-1-12
by Tri-West Development Corp. requesting to rezone property located on
the south side of Five Mile Road between Bainbridge Avenue and Henry
Ruff Road in the Northwest 1/4 of Section 23 from RUFA to R-l.
Mr. Engebretson: This item was a matter that we first heard at a public hearing on
September 28th. It was tabled for additional study and redefinition so
I need a motion to remove it from the table.
On a motion duly made by Mr. Morrow, seconded by Mr. Tent and unanimously approved,
it was
#10-190-93 RESOLVED that, Petition 93-8-1-12 by Tri-West Development Corp.
requesting to rezone property located on the south side of Five Mile
Road between Bainbridge Avenue and Henry Ruff Road in the Northwest 1/4
of Section 23 from RUFA to R-1 be taken from the table.
Mr. Engebretson, Chairman, declared the motion is carried and the foregoing
resolution adopted.
13068
Mr. Engebretson: Mr. Nagy, I understand that we have some new developments in this
matter.
Mr. Nagy: Our office on this date received three letters from adjoining or
Stn• contiguous property owners indicating that they now wish to join in
this rezoning proposal and provide for their property also to be
rezoned to R-1 in connection with the proposed development by
Tri-West. As a result of that expansion in the area under
petition, it will necessitate a new public hearing, new
notification to the surrounding residents of the area, and posting
of the property. For that reason we will have to schedule this for
an additional hearing. You may wish to pursue it to some extent
with the petitioner. I just wish to indicate to you and to the
audience that we will have to have another public hearing on this
matter.
Mr. Engebretson: Mr. Nagy, will this constitute an amendment to this petition or
will it come as a new petition, this revision that you are
referring to?
Mr. Nagy: It will be an amendment to this petition. They are joining with
Tri-West in this rezoning proposal.
Mr. Engebretson: So the public record that has been established to this point,
that body of information will remain intact even though some of it
may not necessarily be pertinent anymore. Is that correct?
Mr. Nagy: That is correct.
Mrs. Fandrei: Mr. Nagy, does the petitioner realize that this is going to slow
him down?
Mr. Nagy: He is fully aware of that. We advised him of that.
Mrs. Fandrei: Do you know why the neighbors are requesting this?
Mr. Nagy: I think they want to sell their property to this developer.
Mrs. Fandrei: Now this is properties with homes on them?
Mr. Nagy: It would be the undeveloped portions. The rear lot areas. I think
the petitioner indicated to the Commission at the initial public
hearing that they had approached some of the neighbors to acquire
some of their rear property area because of the extreme depth of
some of those lots.
Mr. Tent: Mr. Nagy, how many lots are we talking about?
Mr. Nagy: I have not seen a development plan on this revised site area.
Mr. Tent: It will be the same petitioner?
Mr. Nagy: Yes.
Mr. Tent: How long do you think it will take for us to amend the revised
,.� petition?
13069
Mr. Nagy: I think about a month. We will try to get it on our November
public hearing.
Mr. Tent: Then it will just be a continuation of what we have here now? In
other words, they will just continue their platting?
Mr. Nagy: Correct.
Mr. Engebretson: Then I guess I would just simply like to mention that for those
neighbors that are interested, the area at the corner of Flamingo
and Hoy has been now designated as two lots. I don't know if that
is going to change with this revision. They tell me it will stay
the same. That was a significant concession by the developer and a
significant improvement thanks to Mr. Nagy having resolved a sticky
issue there. If there is no one in the audience that is interested
in this item that would be troubled if we were to table this item
again until we can re-advertise and bring it out at our next public
hearing, we will not get into the details tonight because getting
into those details tonight may prove to be irrelevant if any of
these sales should happen to fail. On the other hand if there is
anyone in the audience that does want to be heard tonight, if there
are no objections, they will have the opportunity to do that.
Mr. Morrow: For a point of clarification on my part, it would appear that the
petition we have before us is moot at this time and that we are
going to have a new public hearing on the zoning that perhaps will
cause their thinking, as far as lots, to change. In my mind there
is no further action required on this petition if they are going to
come back with a new public hearing.
'to , Mr. Engebretson: I think you are right except for the fact that it will come under
the same petition number so I think the right action would be to
leave it on the table.
Mr. Morrow: That is what I am asking. Will it be a new petition or an amended
petition?
Mr. Nagy: It will be an amended petition.
Mr. McCann: At this point I think it would be counterproductive to try and go
into it or discuss it with the audience at this point since we
don't have the new petition before us. We could create more
problems than could be there. I would rather have the final
petition before us before we start discussing it in any depth
whatsoever. I suppose since I was one of the movers that we could,
do you want to move to put it back on the table or rescind the
previous action.
Mr. Nagy: Remove it from the table and direct us to re-advertise.
On a motion duly made by Mr. McCann, seconded by Mr. Tent and unanimously approved,
it was
13070
#10-191-93 RESOLVED that, pursuant to a Public Hearing having been held on
September 28, 1993 on Petition 93-8-1-12 by Tri-West Development Corp.
requesting to rezone property located on the south side of Five Mile
Road between Bainbridge Avenue and Henry Ruff Road in the Northwest 1/4
of Section 23 from RUFA to R-1, the City Planning Commission does hereby
direct the City Planning Department to re-advertise amended Petition
93-8-1-12 for the purpose of holding a new public hearing on said
Petition.
FURTHER RESOLVED that, notice of the above hearing was given in
accordance with the provisions of Section 23.05 of Zoning Ordinance
#543, as amended.
Mr. Engebretson, Chairman, declared the motion is carried and the foregoing
resolution adopted.
Mr. McCann, Secretary, announced the next item on the agenda is letter dated August
31, 1993 from Modern Moving Company requesting permission to amend
Petition 93-2-2-7 by Al Rice requesting waiver use approval for outdoor
parking of moving and storage trucks on property located on the south
side of Eight Mile Road between Merriman Road and Osmus Avenue in the
Northeast 1/4 of Section 3, to also allow marked vehicles with the Ryder
Truck Rental logo.
Mr. Engebretson: Is the petitioner present? You were going to take care of some
issues? You were going to remove a sign and a boat and some things
like that?
Mr. Rice: Yes we had the sign removed and the boat is going out this weekend.
(41m. Mr. Engebretson: The proposal here is to amend an approved waiver use having to do
with outside storage of moving and storage trucks to more
specifically now include four Ryder rental trucks not to exceed 24
feet in length. Is that basically a fair statement?
Mr. Rice: Correct.
Mr. Engebretson: Is there anything you want to add to that sir?
Mr. Rice: No.
Mr. Morrow: I missed part of the study session. As I recall the parking spots
along the fence that goes along Eight Mile Road were to be for
customer parking as opposed to truck parking. Was that correct?
Mr. Engebretson: I am not sure that I recall that detail.
Mr. Morrow: Does it not preclude trucks from being parked along the fence?
Mr. Nagy: It does not. They were allowed to have parking perpendicular to
the west property line along that fence all the way down to the
storage area.
Mr. Morrow: I am talking about the north property line.
Mr. Nagy: The Eight Mile Road right-of-way moving south along the west fence.
13071
Mr. Morrow: But not east along the fence?
Mr. Nagy: Not east along the fence.
Mr. Shane: The designated area on the site plan did not include Eight Mile
'Norm• frontage.
Mr. Morrow: Right but that is where they are currently parking the Ryder
trucks. That is the point I am trying to make. There was not to
be any truck parking along the Eight Mile Road line as opposed to
going south along the property line.
Mr. Engebretson: I recall it that way too Mr. Morrow that the truck bays that were
lined up were all parallel to Eight Mile Road and I have also
observed that the trucks are parked just helter skelter in there.
Is that the way you plan to operate sir, leave those trucks up
front or are you going to put them in a line that you indicated
originally?
Mr. Rice: Originally when we laid out the layout for the trucks we tried to
make it accommodating for traffic in and out to be the most
accommodating for the people coming in and the customers. What
happens a lot of times when someone returns a truck, they will park
it up front and it sits there and then we turn them around and move
it. When most people come in, they park right next to the building
where the original parking was and then they pull in the lot and
swing around and park off to the side.
Mr. Engebretson: So it would be your normal intent if a customer would do that,
that you would move the vehicle.
`v
Mr. Rice: Yes we usually move the vehicle into the corner or in a straight
line alongside the west lot line.
Mr. Engebretson: That is my recollection of what was approved for your outdoor
storage of vehicles. We would hope that is the way it works.
Mr. Morrow: The only comment I would make Mr. Chairman is I go by that several
times a day and those trucks are constantly in that area. It is
not like a customer has put them there and they subsequently move
them. It appears to me that is their normal parking spot to gain
the highest visibility on Eight Mile Road. That is my observation.
It seems to be different than the petitioner's observation. That
is the only comment I want to make.
Mr. LaPine: Mr. Morrow, you know the trucks you are referring to that are
parked at an angle. Are they the 24 footers?
Mr. Morrow: They are the Ryder trucks. I don't know what their sizes are.
Mr. LaPine: What is the size of those trucks that you have parked there most of
the time?
Mr. Rice: Those trucks are 15 footers.
13072
Mr. LaPine: The long one that was parked there the other day is a 24 footer?
Mr. Rice: There could have been a 24 footer there. I don't know.
Mr. Alanskas: You said you took the sign down. Is the sign going to stay down?
Now
Mr. Rice: Yes. As a matter of fact, we informed Ryder of it going down and
we took it down and it will stay down.
Mr. Alanskas: So if this petition is approved, you will not have a sign on
the building.
Mr. Rice: No we won't put a sign on the building. If we want additional
signage, we will apply for a variance or a permit for a sign.
Mr. Tent: Just to follow up on Mr. Morrow's question about the parking
situation, could that be one of the conditions also that when the
trucks are dropped off then they will be there for just a certain
period of time until they are relocated to the proper position if
that be the case, or Mr. Rice could agree to that. You are the one
that brought it up about the parking situation and Mr. LaPine
indicated too that they seem to park them out there for the
advertisement because they are facing Eight Mile. If they would
park where they are supposed to park and that would be the final
resting place for them, then I could go along with the trucks being
dropped off while someone waits to put them in their position but
if they are going to be parked up along Eight Mile out of the
designated area, I think that could create a problem and should be
a condition.
Nor Mr. Engebretson: I would observe Mr. Tent that the trucks that are parked up there
like that on a regular basis are probably parked in violation of
the approved waiver use that they were given earlier. I guess he
could say he is going to pay better attention to that. I can
understand that if I were to rent one of those trucks, if I were to
return the truck I wouldn't want to back it into one of those
spaces and I doubt that he would want me to but if he can get them
in there in a reasonable amount of time. Right now they are parked
out there at nice angles and I doubt if they were dropped off there
by customers. They were positioned there by employees.
Mr. Tent: If they would go ahead and do that, that is fine. If they don't,
then we can issue our violations and let them take care of it.
Mr. LaPine: At our study session the subject came up when did you get your
lease with Ryder and if it was prior to when we heard this case,
and I asked if you would bring in a copy of your lease. Did you
bring the lease?
Mr. Rice: Yes I did. (He showed the lease to Mr. LaPine)
Mr. LaPine: January of 1993 was when you had your lease with Ryder? I know
there was a truck there the other day from another moving company.
Do you have moving companies bring in things and then you transfer
things?
13073
Mr. Rice: Not usually. We have different trucks that we have that we bought
from companies or agents.
Mr. LaPine: It had a big "B" on the side of it.
\r. Mr. Rice: If we can't afford a new truck, from time to time we will buy a
used truck and then we eventually have it painted with our logo on
it.
Mr. LaPine: We gave you 18 trucks and now you have 4 Ryders so that leaves you
14 trucks but at this time you would never get 18 trucks on that
property at one time anyways because you have so much wood back
there and logs that have not been processed. How long will that be
for all that wood?
Mr. Rice: Well we are getting into that season now. We are processing and
starting to pile them now for the season. As soon as that comes in
we process that as fast as we possibly can.
Mr. LaPine: Do people come in there to buy the wood or do people go out selling
the wood?
Mr. Rice: Most of that is a delivered type of service that we offer. We
process it and deliver it to people.
Mr. Alanskas: Mr. Rice, you said you had that contract since January 1. From
January 1 until this evening, what percent of your business is the
rental of Ryder Trucks, roughly?
Mr. Rice: I really couldn't answer that.
Mr. Alanskas: Let's put it this way, how many trucks do you rent a week?
Mr. Rice: In the early part when we were renting trucks ourselves, we rented
a certain percentage for our own consumption and then as far as the
consumer.
Mr. Alanskas: I mean as far as renting Ryder trucks to the public.
Mr. Rice: We probably do between five and eight rentals a week.
Mr. Alanskas: My point is if you were allowed to have a total of 18 trucks and 4
Ryders and it has only been a ten-month venture with Ryder, if you
start getting busier and busier, you will be having more and more
trucks brought back to that facility.
Mr. Rice: When the trucks come back to us, we don't actually have the control
when the trucks come in. The main office will rent a truck, say
you were in Florida and moving to Michigan, they would tell you
where they wanted you to drop the truck and if they drop the truck
at my location and I had too many trucks, what my dispatcher would
do is have us deliver the trucks someplace or they would have
someone come and pick it up.
13074
Mr. Alanskas: My concern is if you would have 18 of your trucks there now and
your business with Ryder grows and you have ten in one day, then
you have 28 trucks sitting there.
Mr. Rice: Originally when we came to the Council we came up with that number.
`r It wasn't a number that we just picked out of the sky, it was a
number that we brought up originally and it was the number you
allowed us to have.
Mr. Alanskas: Correct because with the size of your lot you couldn't have more
than 18 trucks in there in the first place. I am just concerned if
you have 15 or 20 or 30 at one time, you have a problem.
Mr. Rice: That shouldn't happen.
Mr. Morrow: I don't recall under the original petition any discussion about
Ryder trucks being stored there. If my memory serves me correctly,
your agreement with Ryder was in January of 1993 and your petition
was somewhere around February or March of 1993 but yet Ryder never
came out in the discussion.
Mr. Rice: What happened with that, again that was an oversight on my part.
When I signed for the variance waiver, I had trucks in the lot and
when the lot was looked at I just took it for granted that they saw
the trucks there and nobody mentioned anything about the Ryders and
the Ryder issue didn't come up.
Mr. Morrow: I remember the Modern but I don't remember the Ryder.
Mr. Rice: Right and it didn't come up about the Ryder issue at the earlier
`rrr meetings.
Mr. Engebretson: I don't want to belabor the point sir but I was there at least
four times in the original process and never saw a Ryder truck and
now every time I go by there, there are two or three or four Ryder
trucks.
Mr. Rice: Well I did bring my Ryder rep with me and he can verify that there
were Ryder trucks in there prior to January. What happens is you
get peaks and lows in the truck business and when you are driving
by at a certain time, you might not see anything and then you might
see a whole bunch on Saturday night or Monday morning. It just
depends on what the clientele happens to do. For two to three
months during the summer, we probably had no trucks there at all
because they weren't available and Ryder had a shortage of
vehicles.
Mr. Alanskas: One question I would like to put on the public record. Now you are
selling propane, you are selling wood, you have your own
moving/storage trucks and you have Ryder. Do you have any other
plans in the future that you want to have any other business
ventures at this place?
Mr. Rice: No sir.
13075
Mr. Alanskas: Are you sure.
Mr. Rice: Yes sir.
On a motion duly made by Mr. Alanskas and seconded by Mrs. Fandrei, it was
#10-192-93 RESOLVED that the City Planning Commission does hereby recommend to the
City Council that condition number 2 of City Council Resolution #518-19
in connection with Petition 93-2-2-7 be modified as follows: (new
language is underlined)
2) That the total number of trucks to be parked or stored on the
subject site at any one time shall not exceed 18 trucks; provided
however, that no more than four (4) such trucks may be affixed with
the Ryder Truck Rental logo with the remaining trucks being affixed
with the Modern Moving Co. logo; and provided further, that such
Ryder Trucks shall not exceed 24 feet in length.
and subject to the following condition:
1) That the Ryder Truck logo shall not be displayed anywhere on the
premises.
for the following reason:
1) That the adoption of the modified condition will not add to the
intensity of the waiver use granted for the subject property.
A roll call vote on the foregoing resolution resulted in the following:
L. AYES: Tent, Fandrei, LaPine, Alanskas, McCann
NAYS: Morrow, Engebretson
ABSENT: None
Mr. Engebretson, Chairman, declared the motion is carried and the foregoing
resolution adopted.
Mr. McCann, Secretary, announced the next item on the agenda is approval of the
minutes of the 671st Regular Meeting & Public Hearings held on September
28, 1993.
On a motion duly made by Mr. LaPine, seconded by Mr. Alanskas, and unanimously
approved, it was
#10-193-93 RESOLVED that, the minutes of the 671st Regular Meeting & Public
Hearings held on September 28, 1993 are hereby approved.
Mr. Engebretson, Chairman, declared the motion is carried and the foregoing
resolution adopted.
Mr. McCann, Secretary, announced the next item on the agenda is Petition 93-9-8-19
by Crestwood Lounge requesting approval of all plans required by Section
18.42 of Zoning Ordinance #543 in connection with a proposal to install
a satellite dish antenna to the rear elevation of the building located
at 27885 Plymouth Road in Section 36.
13076
Mr. Miller: This is located on the south side of Plymouth Road between Deering
and Inkster Roads. The petitioner is requesting to install a
satellite dish to the rear elevation of their building, which faces
the parking lot of the lounge. The satellite dish will be 10 feet
`. in diameter and will be positioned on a 17 1/2 foot pole, which
would render the satellite dish just over the top of the building.
This facility also has an existing 10 foot satellite dish located
towards the front of the building towards Plymouth Road.
Mr. Engebretson: I see the petitioner is at the podium. Would you give us your
name and address and make whatever comments are appropriate.
Sam Bushamie, 27885 Plymouth Road: With me is Mr. Harbin of Satellite Services.
Basically you know what I would like to do. I would like to erect
a satellite dish, the purpose being to give our patrons, my
customers, the variety of programs that they would like to see.
Mr. Harbin: Also we have decreased the size of the dish to a 7 foot dish.
Mr. Morrow: Do we now have two dishes on the bar?
Mr. Engebretson: We will have if this is successful. There is one at the front
and this is being proposed at the rear.
Mr. Morrow: Then you want to have two now.
Mr. Engebretson: Yes this is not to replace the one.
Mr. Morrow: What is the need for two satellite dishes? I have never seen this
before.
Mr. Bushamie: It is unique. It is just to have that ability to give that
individual that comes into the establishment if he requests a
certain program when our cable is in use, our present satellite is
in use, regular TV is in use, to be able to give that one
individual the ability to watch the program of his choice. That is
why we would like to have that second dish.
Mr. Morrow: So you have multiple sets and you can pick up multiple stations?
Mr. Bushamie: Right.
Mr. Harbin: The dish now can only point at one satellite at a time.
Mr. Engebretson: What color will this dish be if you are successful?
Mr. Harbin: We can make it pretty much any color that you want.
Mr. Engebretson: What color would make it the least noticeable in your
professional opinion?
Mr. Harbin: Probably a light gray.
Mr. Engebretson: If we were to paint that dish a light gray, would it be possible
to paint the existing dish a light gray also?
``.
13077
Mr. Harbin: Yes.
Mr. Alanskas: To the petitioner, you said what you wanted to have the dish for.
Now is that to get more additional business in the facility or just
``. for what you have there now?
Mr. Bushamie: Not having two dishes in the past, it would hopefully increase the
business and just hopefully satisfy my present customers.
Mr. Alanskas: I' ll tell you why I asked because I have been by your place in the
last week at various different hours and that facility is so packed
with parking that they are even parking at the side. It is just
jammed. I don't see how you could take care of any more business
by putting in another dish, number one. Number two, you have a
dish there now at the top of your building and just a few doors
going east there is a motel and they have a satellite dish on top
of their building and then we would have another one and that would
be three right in a row on Plymouth Road. I know you said we could
possibly screen those. At the study session you made the remark
you couldn't put it on top of the roof because the roof is too
weak, is that true?
Mr. Bushamie: I believe it is. Yes I think the roof is too weak.
Mr. Harbin: We also feel by putting it far to the back of the building, it
won't be seen from Plymouth Road as much.
Mr. Alanskas: So it is not that the roof is too weak, it is just you feel it is a
better spot on the pole?
Mr. Harbin: It would be a lot harder to see it. There is quite a bit of
shrubbery along the back of the parking lot so there is really not
a whole lot back there.
Mr. Bushamie: It is at such an angle where he wants to put the dish that when you
are driving down Plymouth Road it is going to be pretty difficult
to see that satellite dish.
Mr. Alanskas: My only concern is I could see if you were granted this, all of a
sudden there would be maybe umpteen businesses in Livonia wanting
to have another satellite dish.
Mr. Bushamie: I don't think that would happen.
Mr. Alanskas: We don't know that. It is an assumption. It could go either way.
I, as one Commissioner, I really don't think two dishes are needed
to keep that facility going because it looks like you are doing
very well with one dish right now and from what you are saying that
is true.
Mr. Bushamie: Again, it is to satisfy that one individual that comes into my
establishment to be able to give him that program that he would
like to see whether it leads to additional business or not.
13078
Mr. Tent: To the petitioner, I was there today too. In fact, the last couple
of days. I observed the parking situation that you do have around
your building and I have to agree with my fellow Commissioner over
here that I don't see how you can put any more people in there.
They were parked across the yellow lines parallel to the building,
'glow and I looked at your parking lot and I could see that looks like it
belongs in the war zone. What are you going to do with that? Do
people really park there? I did see cars there but how do they get
in and out?
Mr. Bushamie: You mean because of the number of cars there?
Mr. Tent: No, it isn't paved. There are potholes in there. There is no
sense or reason to put a car. They are parked helter skelter all
over. The only thing I want to compliment you on is your building.
Did you just recently paint it?
Mr. Bushamie: Yes.
Mr. Tent: It looks very nice.
Mr. Bushamie: Thank you. We are constantly doing improvements.
Mr. Tent: Do you intend to do any improvements to the parking lot?
Mr. Bushamie: If I owned the parking lot, believe me I would.
Mr. Tent: Then you are saying you just lease the building?
Mr. Bushamie: All the improvements I have made, I don't own the building, just
the business. I have made over $100,000 worth of improvements in
the last year.
Mr. Tent: You couldn't squeeze in a few more to fix up that parking lot then?
Mr. Bushamie: The parking lot would cost $30,000, at least. That is what has
been told to me. It is not my building and it is not my property.
Mr. Tent: The final question I have is we discussed screening if this
petition were successful. Do you intend to screen the roof line?
Mr. Bushamie: It would be no problem to us if a screen would be less of an
eyesore or more of an improvement we would do it, but screening the
existing dish, some of you gentlemen have been out and we have
looked at it together, seems to be more of an eyesore but if you
would like us to do it, we will do it.
Mr. Tent: Let me go back to my second or third question about paving that
parking lot. You have been at that location for how many years?
Mr. Bushamie: Nine years.
Mr. Tent: I am sure you are paying your rent on time and the people that own
this property are pretty happy with your being there?
13079
Mr. Bushamie: Correct.
Mr. Tent: How do they feel about that improvement that you need to continue
your business at that location? He is the landlord and he can take
care of that back parking lot and spruce it up. Would he be
willing to do that? Have you ever discussed it with him?
Mr. Bushamie: Knowing the owner, I just wouldn't even try to. Having talked
about it in the past, it would take someone more than me to be able
to get the present owner of the property to pave that lot.
Mr. Tent: Here we have an opportunity to upgrade the property if we could,
which I, as one Commissioner, would like to see happen because it
is an eyesore back there.
Mr. Bushamie: So would I.
Mr. Engebretson: I would like to follow up on a couple of points made here
regarding the screening issue. I agree with you that if that front
dish were to be screened, it would most likely become more of a
problem than the dish itself is but I think the point made earlier
that there is some natural screening that exists as you come
eastbound on Plymouth Road, the bank structure right across the
street certainly will be screening the rear dish. It doesn't
screen the front one as well as we would like but the rear dish
wouldn't be very visible until you were right on top of it. You
would have to be looking for it. If you were paying attention to
where you are going I don't think you would see it. If your
customers see it as they are coming in from the rear parking lot,
that isn't any particular concern of mine. I think the issue of
the precedent set by having a second dish erected does raise a
legitimate concern. On the other hand I think that the issues that
we deal with, whether this is approved or not, are almost always
determined based on the aesthetic impact in the neighborhood. We
are getting off in some other areas here tonight but most of the
time we deal strictly with those aesthetic issues and I don't think
that is necessarily much of an issue here in this particular case
provided that both dishes were painted the gray color, which if
this were approved I would ask that that be a condition of the
approval. As you know Mr. LaPine and I visited your facility about
noon on Saturday, it wasn't necessarily busy at that time, but it
was my impression that your customers are kind of regulars. It was
like a "Cheers" for that neighborhood. It seemed like everybody
knew everybody and they certainly all knew you and you knew all of
them by name. I am just wondering who are your customers and could
you just give us a brief comment on who it is you serve and you
want to provide all these television sets for?
Mr. Bushamie: We are open seven days a week. Customers come from all over. They
come from Southfield, Troy, Dearborn, downriver. They come from
all over. During the week during lunch we cater to a lot of your
business executives. Between 5:00, 6:00, 7:00, late at night, we
cater just to people who come from all over. Just good people.
Mr. Engebretson: Why would somebody track from downriver just to have a beer? I
ti.. don't understand.
13080
Mr. Bushamie: At one point Crestwood Lounge was primarily known as the watering
hole but we erected a sign on the side of the building, on which we
were able to put up our food specials. Now to be able to sell a
pound and a half whole live lobster for $7.50 is pretty remarkable.
To be able to sell a 12 ounce New York strip steak with all the
trimmings, sauteed mushrooms, chef's salad, baked potato, garlic
bread and vegetables for $3.75 is pretty startling. To be able to
sell a whole slab of baby back barbecued ribs for $4.75 is
staggering. When I post this on the side of the building, it
catches people's eyes. That little sign right there has made it
possible for me to draw all these people in.
Mr. Engebretson: Good answer.
Mrs. Fandrei: You gentlemen missed it. I can tell you why they come from all
over the state to go to his establishment. I have been there,
outside once, inside once with my husband and driven by. I have
given this a lot of scrutiny but when I went inside, it is just as
sharp if not sharper on the inside. It is like a restaurant. It
had a very nice atmosphere. It wasn't dark and dingy and smoky.
The food is outstanding. We were impressed. I almost couldn't
order because of the scantily-clad young woman that waited on me.
For a woman to be faced with that, that is difficult.
Mr. Bushamie: It being a sports lounge, the girls wear aerobic outfits.
Sometimes they wear a two-piece outfit.
Mrs. Fandrei: Beyond that, I was impressed Sam. It was a very nice
establishment. You have done very well with it inside and out.
Thinking and talking about your screening of the rooftop, I was
concerned not just with the satellite dish but all of your rooftop
was very obvious coming from the west. It fust kind of glared out.
You were saying about your roof probably not being able to hold a
second antenna, it probably wouldn't be able to hold the screening,
would it?
Mr. Harbin: The screening would probably be a little lighter than the mount.
Mrs. Fandrei: I wouldn't mind seeing a compromise. Something not as high as your
front dish because that would not be attractive to the building,
but if you could cover part of it and some of the rooftop, I think
that would make a difference.
Mr. Harbin: The dish could be moved to the rear of the building.
Mrs. Fandrei: Where though? That is my other question. Where Sam showed us on
the back between the door and the two windows going east, you have
pole mounted lights, you have electrical wires, etc.
Mr. Harbin: The pole is actually going to be in the ground.
Mrs. Fandrei: The pole for the satellite dish?
Mr. Harbin: Right. Maybe six inches from the building.
rte,
13081
Mrs. Fandrei: That I didn't understand. That makes more sense. Then you are
also saying that if we approve this satellite dish with the
condition that the back parking lot be surfaced, you don't think
that would happen?
`\.
Mr. Bushamie: No it wouldn't. You have to understand.
Mrs. Fandrei: I do. I understand you completely. I heard what you said but I
had to ask just for the record and for our knowledge. He is not
going to cooperate. The other thing, you are not talking about
adding more TV's. You had three programs when we had a late lunch
Monday. So you are saying you want to be able to add a fourth
channel on the existing TV's that you have now?
Mr. Bushamie: Yes.
Mrs. Fandrei: You also can paint the existing satellite dish on the front which
would help it not be so obvious.
Mr. Harbin: I think a lighter gray. A lighter color. Black really does stick
out.
Mrs. Fandrei: It does. It sticks out like a sore thumb. The gray sounds good.
As I was coming west from Inkster Road the background was the sky
and I would agree with you that wouldn't be as obvious. I don't
see that this is an absolute need for enhancing the business. Sam
already has a tremendous business but I really don't have a major
problem with it.
Mr. Engebretson: Did I hear you say you could move the front dish to the rear
also?
Mr. Harbin: Yes. It would be the same thing on the other side.
Mrs. Fandrei: That would be good.
Mr. Engebretson: That would sure be an improvement.
Mr. Harbin: It would definitely make both of them shielded more from Plymouth
Road.
Mr. Engebretson: John, would it be possible to tie that altogether or does that
force him through this long process again?
Mr. Nagy: You could make that a condition.
Mr. LaPine: I don't think moving that dish from the roof, you would have to put
it on the west side of the building. To me that is a residential
area south of there and that dish would be seen up and down the
road there. I think it should stay on the roof because it really
can't be seen that well from Plymouth Road.
Mrs. Fandrei: I wouldn't have a problem with that with it staying closer to the
front, being painted and partially screened. Randy, how high a
screening might we be talking? Not to totally screen that front
*au. antenna but part of the rooftop?
13082
Mr. Harbin: Probably four or five feet. I can also cut the pole that it is on
now and move it a little closer to the roof.
Mrs. Fandrei: A little cooperation. That plus a little screening sounds good.
Mr. LaPine: John, is there any pressure that the City can put on the owner of
that property to do something about that parking lot? I don't know
but I would assume that parcel back there that is being used for
parking is a separate parcel because the gentleman told me and the
Chairman that part of his lease agreement with the owner, he had to
pave the parking lot. Well he paved the parking lot the building
is on. That is why I assume the lot behind him is being used for
parking at that facility. It seems there should be something we
can do to put some pressure on him to get him to pave that because
it is being used by the establishment he is renting. I don't know
what that is zoned. It might be a residential lot for all I know.
Mr. Nagy: I believe it is zoned for parking as well. We certainly can have
our Inspection Department go out.
On a motion duly made by Mr. LaPine and seconded by Mrs. Fandrei, it was
RESOLVED that, the City Planning Commission does hereby approve Petition
93-9-8-19 by Crestwood Lounge requesting approval of all plans required
by Section 18.42 of Zoning Ordinance ##543 in connection with a proposal
to install a satellite dish antenna to the rear elevation of the
building located at 27885 Plymouth Road in Section 36, subject to the
following conditions:
1) That the Site Plan by Crestwood Lounge, received by the Livonia
Planning Commission on 9/27/93, is hereby approved and shall be
adhered to; with the condition the size of the satellite dish shall
be reduced to 7 feet.
2) That both satellite dishes shall be painted gray.
3) That the roof shall be screened to a height of at least four feet
or that the satellite dish shall be removed from the roof and
placed in the rear of the building.
4) That the storage of vehicles shall not be permitted and all such
vehicles shall be removed;
5) That no permit shall be issued until each of the above conditions
are met to the satisfaction of the City's Departments of
Engineering and Inspection.
for the following reason:
1) That the proposed satellite dish antenna location is such that it
will have no detrimental aesthetic impact on the neighboring
properties.
Mr. McCann: To the owner of the bar, I like what you are doing with the
location and I see what you are trying to do with this, but I have
13083
a problem with it. I just don't find there is an overwhelming need
to have a second satellite dish. Cable provides several channels.
You have the first satellite dish. We have numerous taverns in the
City, numerous sport bars, and it sets up an example saying if one
can do it, the others can do it and the City just can't afford to
have that many satellite dishes. I am going to have to vote no
against it and I wanted you to understand why. I think what you
are trying to do is alright but I don't think it has compelling
enough reason to set up a situation where we are going to allow two
satellite dishes, possibly three per location.
A roll call vote on the foregoing resolution resulted in the following:
AYES: Fandrei, LaPine, Engebretson
NAYS: Tent, Morrow, Alanskas, McCann
ABSENT: None
Mr. Engebretson, Chairman, declared the motion failed.
On a motion duly made by Mr. Alanskas and seconded by Mr. Morrow, it was
#10-194-93 RESOLVED that, the City Planning Commission does hereby deny Petition
93-9-8-19 by Crestwood Lounge requesting approval of all plans required
by Section 18.42 of Zoning Ordinance #543 in connection with a proposal
to install a satellite dish antenna to the rear elevation of the
building located at 27885 Plymouth Road in Section 36 for the following
reason:
1) That due to its size and location, this dish antenna would be
detrimental to the aesthetic quality and beauty of the neighborhood
by presenting a visual blight that could jeopardize the property
values in the area as set forth in the comprehensive plan of the
Zoning Ordinance.
A roll call vote on the foregoing resolution resulted in the following:
AYES: Tent, Morrow, Alanskas, McCann
NAYS: Fandrei, LaPine, Engebretson
ABSENT: None
Mr. Engebretson, Chairman, declared the motion is carried and the foregoing
resolution adopted.
Mr. Bushamie: I would like to say what we are trying to do is somewhat
progressive, something that would help the City of Livonia in some
small way. Like I say we bring in people from all over.
Mr. McCann, Secretary, announced the next item on the agenda is Sign Permit
Application by Jan Signs requesting approval for a ground sign for the
property located at 28760 Plymouth Road in Section 25.
Mr. Miller: This is located on the north side of Plymouth Road between Hartel
and Middlebelt Road. They are proposing to erect a ground sign
that will be 30 square feet. They were just recently granted a
13084
variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals for unequal tenant
distribution on the sign, it must be equal, and setback. They only
have six foot setback and they need ten. So they have a variance
for those two nonconformities. With the variance it is a
conforming sign. It will be located on the left hand side as you
``w enter off Plymouth Road.
Mr. Engebretson: I think we told the petitioner since this sign conformed that he
didn't have to be present tonight.
Mrs. Fandrei: Scott, I went by this several times and I find it hard to believe
that there is room for this sign where that tree is setting. That
tree seems to be in the way. Has anyone from the staff been out to
look at this?
Mr. Miller: I was out there.
Mrs. Fandrei: And you see room for this sign?
Mr. Miller: Yes. You have the other restaurant located next to it with their
sign. It is going to be approximately the same distance from the
sidewalk.
Mrs. Fandrei: They are basically going to be blocking one another no matter which
direction you come from, aren't they?
Mr. Miller: That is why I think they want it there. If it were set back
further, they would be losing more.
Mrs. Fandrei: But this tree seems to be in the way. I just didn't see room for
it. Did you measure it?
Mr. Miller: No I didn't measure it.
Mr. Engebretson: Brenda, did you measure it?
Mrs. Fandrei: Just visually and it didn't look like it would fit to me.
Mr. LaPine: Brenda, I didn't measure it either but when Jack and I were out
there it looked to me like there is enough room to put that sign
in. That was the first thing that came to me that this sign was
going to be in almost the exact location as the Mimi's sign but it
is far enough to the west where it will be visible, and I think
there is enough room between that tree and the sidewalk to get that
sign in.
On a motion duly made by Mrs. Fandrei, seconded by Mr. Tent and unanimously
approved, it was
##10-195-93 RESOLVED that, the City Planning Commission does hereby recommend to the
City Council that Sign Permit Application by Jan Signs requesting
approval for a ground sign for the property located at 28760 Plymouth
Road in Section 25, be approved subject to the following conditions:
'a.
13085
1) That the Sign Package by Jan Signs, received by the Livonia
Planning Commission on 9/29/93, is hereby approved and shall be
adhered to.
2) That the window signage shall not exceed 20% of the window area.
'`.
Mr. Engebretson, Chairman, declared the motion is carried and the foregoing
resolution adopted.
Mr. McCann, Secretary, announced the next item on the agenda is Sign Permit
Application by American Signs requesting approval for one wall sign for
the building located at 11500 Middlebelt Road in Section 36.
Mr. Miller: This is located on the corner of Plymouth Road and Middlebelt in
the Livonia Crossroads Shopping Center. This unit is located next
to the Family Buggy Restaurant. They are allowed to have a 50
square foot wall sign and they are asking for a 48 square foot wall
sign so it is a conforming wall sign.
Mr. Engebretson: Is the petitioner here?
William Smiddy, 17220 Louise, Livonia: I represent Club Golf of Livonia at 3700
Telegraph Road, Suite 3674, Bingham Farms, MI 48025. I was asked to
appear in front of the Commission to answer any concerns you might
have about the type of business going into this location. We have
applied for and been approved for building permits and also
Certificate of Occupancy. If there are any questions, I will be
more than happy to answer them for you.
Mr. Engebretson: Are you one of the owners or are you an attorney representing
`, them?
Mr. Smiddy: No sir, I am one of the owners.
Mr. Engebretson: Mr. Tent, I think you were interested in the type of business, if
I recall correctly. I think it was you.
Mr. Tent: What is the function of this particular operation? Is it new to
the area?
Mr. Smiddy: Yes it is a new concept. It has been tried out west very
successfully. There are a few places active now in Ohio. It is a
training center for golfers.
Mr. Tent: Is it a computerized operation?
Mr. Smiddy: We do have computers. We have a simulator. We have another
machine that is a computer swing analyzer. We will have hitting
bays in the area. We have just closed a deal with Jim Ballard who
is a teaching professional in Florida, who has taught some of the
great golfers. We will send our instructors down to Florida to be
taught by him so all our instructors will have the consistent
training. It is a new technique. He gets rid of all the
underlying garbage that a lot of the pro's try to teach. It is a
13086
basic swing and he utilizes your own body movements and he has been
very successful. We have one store right now in Farmington Hills
and we plan on opening the Livonia store on November 1st.
Mr. Tent: Will you be selling memberships in the club?
Oar.
Mr. Smiddy: Yes it will be a membership based program. We will also be
offering one-day passes so people can come in and see it but it
will be a three-month, six-month membership program.
Mr. Tent: So then you will set it up by appointments only?
Mr. Smiddy: Yes sir. There will be walk-ins but only if it isn't being
utilized by members.
Mr. Tent: How many bays are you going to have?
Mr. Smiddy: We are looking at approximately 15 bays right now.
Mr. Tent: Will there be any coin-operated machinery in there?
Mr. Smiddy: No sir.
Mr. Tent: As far as the operation is concerned, this will be the first one in
this area?
Mr. Smiddy: Yes, as I mentioned earlier there is an existing store in
Farmington Hills. He has been operating since June of last year.
He is doing relatively well at his location. That is located at
Orchard Lake and Fourteen Mile Road in Farmington Hills. We had
`, another facility in Northville Township, where it was very
successful but unfortunately we were unaware of some problems with
the building owner and the problem with the City. The City and our
organization work very well together. The Building Department, the
City Council, the Planning Commission, we work very well together
but we got into a situation with the property owner, I don't know
if you are familiar with Seven Mile Road and Haggerty, Northville
Plaza, but the property owner let the property just fall apart.
The roof was leaking and we went in thinking we would be able to
obtain more space. We weren't aware of the problems with the City
so we ended up having to move. In fact that is what we are doing,
relocating our existing membership to our Livonia store.
Mr. Tent: How many members do you have?
Mr. Smiddy: We have about 315 members at this point.
Mr. Tent: At this location, you have a lease I am sure?
Mr. Smiddy: Yes sir.
Mr. Tent: For how long?
Mr. Smiddy: It is a five-year lease.
Mr. Tent: Which is renewable?
13087
Mr. Smiddy: Yes sir.
Mrs. Fandrei: Seven Mile by Big Lots? A long time problem. Welcome to Livonia.
Mr. Smiddy: I spent $6,000 on an awning out there that I just had to leave.
fir. $35,000 in leasehold improvements. The building looked like a
country club. It still does inside but I had to leave it. I
couldn't do anything with it.
Mrs. Fandrei: I am sorry you went through that but welcome to Livonia.
Mr. Smiddy: Thank you. I enjoy Livonia. I have been here four years as a
resident.
Mr. Alanskas: Is this a seven day a week operation?
Mr. Smiddy: We look at it as being seven days a week right now.
Mr. Alanskas: What are the hours?
Mr. Smiddy: The hours would be from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 or 7:00 at night
depending on the membership. It may fluctuate until 8:00 at night.
Mr. Alanskas: Your sign will only be on during your hours of operation?
Mr. Smiddy: Yes sir.
Mr. Engebretson: Mr. Tent raised the analogy to the health club type of
environment and I was curious with these memberships that you will
be selling and the memberships that you sold out at Northville,
what will happen to those memberships in Northville now that that
store has been closed?
Mr. Smiddy: We will honor the memberships. Both stores will honor the
Northville memberships so now they will be able to go to either the
Farmington Hills location or the Livonia location.
Mr. Engebretson: I am curious about the period of time from when you close the
Northville store until the time you open the Livonia store, that
period of months, will that be added on?
Mr. Smiddy: The memberships will be extended for the period of time that we
were down, which works out well for the members because most of
them weren't utilizing it during the summer months anyways. It
worked out quite well for them.
Mr. Engebretson: You are talking to one that didn't work out well and I was a
member of that club and that happens to be right between my house
and the club where I play at, and I was planning to stop and
utilize that in the summertime and I was disappointed to see that
you found it necessary to close it down.
Mr. Smiddy: We were very disappointed. We tried to work out everything we
could with the building owner and it just got to a point where we
couldn't stay in that building any longer.
13088
Mr. Engebretson: I can certainly give testimony to the fact that you did run a
first-class operation there and I think that Northville's loss is
certainly our gain and I would like to add my welcome to your
business here in Livonia.
oa"' Mr. LaPine: The sign will that go up on the mansard where the old sign used to
be?
Mr. Smiddy: Yes sir. It will conform with the other sign.
Mr. Engebretson: Did you say when you plan to open?
Mr. Smiddy: We are going to open November 1st if everything falls into place.
Mr. Engebretson: Mr. LaPine and I were there over the weekend and we looked in and
it looked like you were having a lot of equipment being moved into
position and that you are well under way preparing for that
opening.
Mr. Smiddy: We are very close.
On a motion duly made by Mr. Tent, seconded by Mr. LaPine and unanimously approved,
it was
#10-196-93 RESOLVED that, the City Planning Commission does hereby recommend to the
City Council that Sign Permit Application by American Signs requesting
approval for one wall sign for the building located at 11500 Middlebelt
Road in Section 36, be approved subject to the following condition:
1) That the Sign Package by American Signs & Design, received by the
`► Livonia Planning Commission on 9/28/93, is hereby approved and
shall be adhered to.
Mr. Engebretson, Chairman, declared the motion is carried and the foregoing
resolution adopted.
On a motion duly made, seconded and unanimously adopted, the 672nd Regular Meeting
& Public Hearings held on October 12, 1993 was adjourned at 8:52 p.m.
CITY PLANNING COMMISSION
11 9 James C. McCann, Secretary
T: NC- 4'( i- Ll
ATTES (� G �1 1
Jack Engebreton, C airman
Jg