KMCPC Members: Neil Sikora - Chair, Vince Carahaly Vice Chair, Martin Janssen Secretary, John Gisler (Tracy Hall) - Commissioner Liaisons, Joel Amos, Charles Alexander, Sandra Bliesener, Steven Cook, Heather Ricketts, Barbara Sloan, Karl Westra KALAMAZOO METROPOLITAN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION (KMCPC) MEETING DATE: Thursday, December 7, 2017 PLACE OF MEETING: County Administration Building 201 West Kalamazoo Avenue, Room 207 Kalamazoo, Michigan 49007 TIME: 7:00 p.m. I. Call to Order AGENDA II. III. IV. Members Excused Approval of the Agenda Approval of Minutes: September 7, 2017 Meeting minutes unofficial no approval V. Citizens' Time (for items not on the agenda) VI. VII. VIII. IX. New Business 1. Kalamazoo County Master Plan Review and Action Item. 2. Oshtemo Township Master Plan Update 2017 Staff Review and Action Item Old Business 1. MPA Grant Award timing Parks Commission update SMPC (Southcentral Michigan Planning Council) update X. Other Business/discussion XI. XII. XIII. Correspondence Other Adjournment PLEASE CONFIRM YOUR ATTENDANCE OR ABSENCE BY EMAIL LMJARN@KALCOUNTY.COM OR PHONE 269-384-8115 Next scheduled KMCPC meeting: Thursday, October 5, 2017
Co/City/Vil/Twp Item Number Item Name Date Received KMCPC Review Date Vicksburg Village MP 2014-5 Notice of Intent to Update the Village of Vicksburg 04/23/2014 02/05/2015 Master Plan Ross Twp MP-2015-02 Master Plan Future Land Use map amendment 12/01/2014 01/08/2015 (mtg cancelled) Village of Richland MP-2015-03 Master Plan Future Land Use map amendment 01/27/2015 02/05/2015 Schoolcraft Twp 2015-04 Future Land Use Plan Map Amendment 04/20/2015 05/07/2015 City of Kalamazoo MP-2015-05 Notice of Intent: City of Kalamazoo Master Plan 07/06/2015 TBD Update Richland Township MP-2015-06 2035 Master Plan (Master Plan Update) 06/23/2015 08/06/2015 Climax Township MP-2015-07 Climax Township 2035 Master Plan 10/23/2015 11/05/2015 Comstock Twp MP-2016-01 Comstock Charter Township Vision 2025 Master 05/03/2016 06/02/2016 Plan Charleston Twp MP-2017-01 Notice of Intent: Land Use Plan Amendments 10/21/2016 TBD Cooper Twp MP-2017-02 Notice of Intent: Master Plan 02/07/2017 TBD Oshtemo Twp MP-2017-03 Notice of Intent: Master Plan Update 02/17/2017 TBD City of Kalamazoo MP-2017-04 Master Plan for the City of Kalamazoo 07/21/2017 08/03/2017 Comstock Township MP-2017-05 Notice of Intent & Distribution of Amendment to The 08/17/2017 09/07/2017 Vision 2025 Master Plan Kalamazoo County MP-2017-06 Kalamazoo County Master Plan Review 10/10/2017 12/07/2017
KMCPC Members: Neil Sikora, Chair Vince Carahaly, Vice-Chair Martin Janssen, Secretary John Gisler/Tracy Hall, Commissioner Liaison Charles Alexander Joel Amos Sandra Bliesener Steven Cook Heather Ricketts Barbara Sloan Karl Westra No quorum Unofficial Minutes Kalamazoo Metropolitan County Planning Commission (KMCPC) Meeting of Thursday, September 7, 2017 MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS EXCUSED/ ABSENT: OTHERS PRESENT: Sandra Bliesener, Vince Carahaly, Steve Cook, John Gisler, Neil Sikora Charles Alexander, Joel Amos, Martin Janssen, Heather Ricketts, Barbara Sloan, Karl Westra, Tracy Hall Lotta Jarnefelt, Director of County Planning Dept. I. Call to Order Chair Sikora called the meeting to order at 7:13 pm in Room 207A at the Kalamazoo County Administration Building at 201 W. Kalamazoo Ave, Kalamazoo MI 49007. II. Members Excused Chair declared no quorum since only 5 of the 11 members were present (6 needed for quorum) III. Approval of Agenda NA IV. Approval of Minutes Tabled until next meeting V. Citizens time No citizens present. VI. Old Business 1. County Master Plan update Second draft is being reviewed and edits will be submitted to consultant the week of Sept 12. Steering Committee will meet with consultant on September 18 to review revised draft. VII. New Business 1. Review of Comstock Township Planning Commission s Notice of Intent & Distribution 1
of Proposed Amendments to the Future Land Use Map in the Vision 2025 Master Plan. Ms. Jarnefelt presented staff reports regarding the proposed changes. The proposed changes were separated into 3 areas: 1. The area in the northwest corner south of Gull Road and west of Sprinkle Rd was seen as a simple cleanup with no objections from the KMCPC members who were in attendance. 2. Some of the areas in the Midlink business park that were proposed for changes caused some concern, especially the loss of a green area to the west of the Green Meadows Acres subdivision (Sennes Street, Claxton Street and Heath Avenue). If the proposed changes were to take place, the subdivision would be surrounded on all three sides by General Industrial future land use as opposed to the current Parks and Open Space to the west, Agriculture to the south, and Suburban Residential to the east. Also the loss of farmland to the south of the subdivision is of concern. The consensus was that the negative effect of the changes in this residential area would be significant should the proposed amendments be approved and the area was developed for industrial use. 3. The area west of 35 th Street and north of M-96 and East K Avenue also caused some concern. There had reportedly been some unintended changes in the recent version of the Future Land Use map. This corrective measure increases the area to be designated General Industrial considerably from what it was in the previous version of the Future Land Use map. The consensus was that rather than increase the amount of land in General Industrial in the future land use map, going back to what the previous version of the land use map showed would be preferable. No motions were presented as there was no quorum at the meeting. Staff was asked to send a letter to the Comstock Planning Commission with the unofficial comments from the meeting. VIII. Parks Commission liaison update Ms. Bliesener gave an update from the Parks Commission meeting. She provided a flier for a Parks Foundation fund raiser on September 22 in Augusta. Mr. Gisler mentioned that the County Fair had been a success, including revenues being slightly more than expenses. IX. SMPC (Southcentral Michigan Planning Council) update SMPC update was deferred to the next meeting. X. Other Business/Discussion Ms. Jarnefelt reported that KMCPC was awarded a $1,000 grant from the Michigan Association of Planning (MAP) to cover costs of training for KMCPC members. She will 2
work out details regarding the training with MAP and report back to KMCPC before plans are finalized. Ms. Jarnefelt also provided a copy of a newsletter published by the County Planning and Community Development Department in 2005. Plans to have KMPC publish a newsletter will be discussed at a later date. XI. Correspondence No correspondence to report. XII. Other No reports. XIII. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 pm. Respectfully submitted by L. Jarnefelt. Next KMCPC Meeting is scheduled for October 5, 2017. 3
KALAMAZOO COUNTY PLANNING STAFF REVIEW Oshtemo Township Master Plan Update 2017 Case No. MP 2017-3 December 7, 2017 KMCPC review OSHTEMO TOWNSHIP MASTER PLAN UPDATE 2017 The primary focus of the Oshtemo Twp Master Plan Update is to document trends influencing land use planning and development on the local level prepare a new Rural Character Preservation Strategy prepare a new sub-area plan for Maple Hill Drive South outline minor modifications to the Future Land Use Plan and Map. Each item is covered in a separate chapter. First three supplement the original 2011 Master Plan. The fourth chapter replaces Chapter 8 from the 2011 Master Plan. POPULATION UPDATE Population in the US is on the rise, 317 million in 2013 and projected to pass 400 million by 2051. At the local level, Oshtemo Twp has almost doubled between 1980 and 2010, from 10,958 to 21,705. Projections in the Master Plan expect that the township population will increase steadily, to reach over 33,000 by 2040. Projections from the 2011 plan are dated but consistent with more recent data sources like Esri s Demographic and Income Profile. At both national and local level, trend is toward increasing diversity. Within Oshtemo Twp, based on the above Esri studies, the white population will be reduced from 80% in 2010 to 76% in 2021. Minority races will increase during the same period. Median age trends and estimates show an aging population. Median age increased from 32.3 years in 2010 to 33.6 years in 2016. Median age is expected to increase further to 35.6 years by 2021. The Plan draws data conclusions from each of the subjects discussed, such as the need to meet the expectations of a changing population when it comes to the housing and service needs, the various age groups preferences and lifestyles and the needs for amenities in the township. COMMUNITY ELEMENTS AND VISION Changes in demographics result in changing needs for housing and other services. A new economic development strategy for the township and the larger region will focus on high quality of life, business districts, neighborhoods, educational and cultural institutions, public school system, natural amenities and access to recreational and outdoor amenities. The concept of Placemaking is central to this strategy. A second general focus is the development of a Rural Character Preservation Strategy. In the Plan, detailed studies by the W.E. Upjohn Centre for the Study of GIS and Geographical Change at Western Michigan University are cited regarding the western area of Oshtemo that is defined as the Study Area. Identifying and preserving cherished rural characteristics of the township were rated high in community input that was received during the Master Plan Update process. MAPLE HILL DRIVE SOUTH SUB-AREA PLAN As part of this Master Plan Update, this sub-area plan is being incorporated into the Master Plan. The area is currently mainly an existing golf course and smaller adjacent properties. A study has been done to define where preferred development character can be identified, consistent with community goals and market demand. Development recommendations envision the allowable
land uses to be community open space, retail/office/technology, town center and mixedresidential. This would drastically change the character of the current use as golf course and have major consequences in many ways, including the traffic on both Drake Road and West Main Street. NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES The neighboring municipalities are Alamo Twp to the north, Kalamazoo Twp and City to the east, Texas Twp to the south and Almena Twp in Van Buren County to the west. FUTURE LAND USE MAP Reviewing the land use classifications in the Future Land Use Map, there are only a few minor changes from the previous version along the edges, bordering the neighboring townships. One area on the east edge is changed from Transitional Mixed Use to Public/Government. A second area along 9 th street bordering the south edge of the township is changed from Transitional Mixed Use to Research Office. The future land uses are in general compatible along the borders to all the neighboring units, with the eastern boundary having the most variety and bordering partially the City and Township of Kalamazoo. In the west the township borders Almena Township in Van Buren County, which shows the future land use of Agriculture/Very Low Density residential in the northern part, and the remaining part as Agriculture Medium Density Residential. Both uses are compatible with the Rural Residential future land use on the Oshtemo Township side. RECOMMENDATION The Oshtemo Township Master Plan Update 2017 has a wealth of information and analysis in it. It has reached out to the community to get its input. The major change, which would affect the whole region, is the Maple Hill Drive South Sub-area Plan. A change from a golf course to a mixed use area with such allowed uses as community open space, retail/office/technology, town center and mixed-residential will change the character of the area and should be given careful consideration. Based on the above comments and review, staff recommends that the requested Township Master Plan be considered CONSISTENT with the planning and zoning of the neighboring units.