LAFAYETTE TOWNSHIP ZONING COMMISSION

Organizational Meeting and Regular Meeting

6776 Wedgewood Road, Medina, Ohio

January 6, 2009 @ 7:00 p.m.

Organizational Meeting

The Zoning Secretary Marlene Oiler called the organizational meeting to order at 7:15 p.m. (delayed due to inclement weather). Roll call indicated four members of the Zoning Commission were present: Dianne Wenslow, Mike Biskup, Sherri Meinke and Peggy Folk (alternate). Karen Schoonover and Russ Green were absent because of the weather. Others present included: Mike Cavey (Medina Country Club, 5588 Wedgewood Road), Ray Hanley (Medina Country Club), David A. Lewis (Lewis Land Professionals, Wadsworth) and Jason S. Brenner (Lewis Land Professionals).

Mike Biskup made a motion to table the election of officers and the rest of the organizational meeting procedures until the Lafayette Township Trustees would name any new members or reappointments to the board. Sherri Meinke seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously passed.

Regular Meeting

Vice Chair Sherri Meinke called the regular meeting to order at 7:18 p.m. Roll call indicated four members of the Zoning Commission were present: Dianne Wenslow, Mike Biskup, Sherri Meinke and Peggy Folk (alternate). Karen Schoonover and Russ Green were absent. Others present included the same individuals present as for the organizational meeting.

Minutes

The December 2, 2008, meeting minutes will be considered at the next meeting.

Correspondence

The secretary distributed a flyer listing the 2009 Zoning Workshop Series dates (January – May) put on by the Medina County Department of Planning Services. All workshops will be held at the University of Akron, Medina County Campus, 6300 Technology Lane, Room 309, Lafayette Township and commence at 6:30 p.m.

Old Business

An Application for Site Plan Review and Preliminary Plan for Wedgewood Villas PUD Subdivision was reviewed at the December 2, 2008, regular meeting and was tabled subject to the approval of the Medina County Planning Commission, which met Wednesday, December 3, 2008. At the MCPC meeting, the matter was tabled to their January 7, 2009, meeting to allow the applicants to get additional information.

Tonight the updated (revised) Preliminary Plan and Site Plan for the Country Club Villas PUD Subdivision (previously reviewed as Wedgewood Villas PUD Subdivision), which includes the landscaping plan, will be reviewed. The Department of Planning Services Staff Reports (draft 1/7/09) for the Subdivision and the Site Plan were distributed for review.

Ray Hanley – The housing layout did not change and nothing changed as far as the roads but what changed was the 94 acres. We have taken out the country club buildings – they are not part of the 94 acres.

Jason Brenner – Originally the first plan followed property lines (as pointed out on the map). Subsequent to the comments from the Planning Commission, we revised the site plan. The street layout, the number of lots, width of the lots, the utilities – none of that changed. What changed was basically the configuration of the open space.

Wenslow – What about that corner lot?

Brenner – The corner lot did not change.

Meinke – So the size of the open space is still the same, it’s just the way it is laid out.

Brenner – That is correct.

Mike Cavey – They didn’t want the buildings in the open space for tax reasons etc.

Hanley – The Planning Commission had concerns with future ownership of these buildings, the maintenance, the homeowners involved, who was going to do this, who was going to do that, encumbering of the properties, taxes, all that.

Cavey – If the buildings are in open space, they are of no value because they can’t ever be used for anything else. Consequently there is no tax value on that – they would like to keep the tax values on that so they wanted us to reconfigure this.

Hanley – Jason and I met with Susan and Patrice (MCDPS) as to the Homeowners Association (HOA) clarifying who was going to own what property. The Medina Country Club is going to own all the property and they are always going to maintain it. That way it doesn’t put any burden on the 47 housing property owners. The Planning Department liked that better because even if the golf course is sold to another golf course entity, it still has to be a golf course or go back to fallow land. If it goes back to fallow land there is still a 47-property owner encumbrance. So we will always own the land but we will encumber it with a 99-year in perpetuity easement saying that will be open space and it will either be a golf course or fallow land.

Cavey – We tried to do a couple of neat things. We tried to put as much of the creek in here as possible. As to the people who came up and voiced concerns in the past, we put the buffer here so this will never be developed. We protected their concerns because this now becomes green (open) space area so it can’t be developed around them.

Wenslow – That was a concern when you said that of the HOA – they are going to be responsible for maintaining?

Hanley – They will do nothing any more.

David Lewis – As long as it is a golf course, the golf course operator will maintain it as a golf course.

Biskup – The HOA is responsible for maintaining their 47 properties and their envelopes but what about the landscaping in the entranceway etc.?

Hanley – We’re going to handle all those now.

Brenner – They wanted blocks – everything from a, b, c up to h blocks.

Cavey – So it’s like, alright, we’ll take it over. So the only burden the HOA will have is to negotiate with someone to take care of all the driveways (snow), all the yards and that is their main function as a HOA. But we have that burden until a certain percentage of the lots are sold and then this is encumbered forever as green (open) space.

Hanley – The HOA documents are generic enough to cover the blocks in general. Our attorney has been in conference with the prosecutor and Susan and Patrice (MCDPS) so they will be modified to incorporate the final A – H blocks, whatever we finally do.

Brenner – But before the ones get recorded with the final plat, they will be tweaked as needed.

Wenslow – Well, actually it’s really better that way.

Meinke – It’s better to take care of – and you’re happy.

Cavey – We put an extra buffer here to protect the development up the side here. We don’t have any designs on developing back there so hopefully it will eliminate those concerns and fears.

Biskup – And it works out well for you guys too.

Cavey – It works out well for us and it works out good for the County. I want to cover just the snowplowing part – you see like there is nothing there (pointing out on map). A snowplow can push the snow out there as nobody is on the golf course that time of year so there should not be a problem.

Meinke – What’s going to happen to all that snow if there are mounds of it and it starts to melt?

Cavey – It’s going to go down hill and hopefully into this lake and I’m going to use it for irrigation.

Hanley – We want all the water we can get so it could go into a retention pond.

Wenslow – So it benefits you as well.

Biskup – That road is a public road, correct?

Cavey – That’s all public road, yes. But it’s wide so it’s really going to be an easy clean for plowing.

Review of Subdivision Plan (as to changes) and MCDPS Staff Report (draft 1/7/09)

Jason Brenner – Highway Engineer comments on the boulevard and cul-de-sac islands – we have received approval and were granted a variance request. Our surveyors have located the gas line and we will be working on that as we develop the property itself. We acknowledge that we are responsible for the sidewalks in the open space. Through the engineering review we will analyze the impacts on adjoining property and will work with the engineers relative to the walkout basements on sublots 1-7. We will get a SWP3 and storm water permit as required by the Ohio EPA and will follow those rules and regulations.

Tax Maps comments say that the new road name (Granite Golf Drive) and new subdivision name (Country Club Villas) are okay. The comment about the road being dedicated in SR162 – we’ve had situations where we have dedicated the road to ODOT and we’ve had situations where we have not. In either case it’s not a problem and we will do whichever one they want to do on this particular site. The comment about Block F (20.95 acres) and the school district - that basically is a typo as it should have been Block G (59.93 acres), which will be corrected tomorrow night at the PC meeting. Block G is the Cloverleaf School District and Block F is the Medina School District. The comment about Block G being landlocked (it’s open space), I think such was noted because it cannot be transferred without the PC review. The comment about site location map, she probably is just referring to the location map, which should not be an issue.

ODOT’s comments indicate that the traffic impact study was completed and approved by their office for both sides of the road. There is only an eastbound left turn lane into the north side warranted, nothing on the south side. We had a variance request for the distance from our street intersection that was approved by them. A copy of those letters has been given to the PC. It is pointed out that the minimum bike path width permitted within the state highway right-of-way is 10 feet.

Staff Comments points out that zoning approval is needed. The comments also point out the open space blocks with acres and description of where they are. The HOA documents were submitted and updated copies resubmitted December 23^rd pointing out what maintenance wise should be considered. I believe we have already discussed the other items.

Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends Approval with four modifications. ODOT is saying that conceptually we are permitted to do what we want to do and now we have to proceed with the detailed engineering plans before they will actually give us a permit to allow us to do that; we are working towards that end. We are here tonight for zoning review/approval. Relative to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers we are working with the wetland consultants and other agencies; we have the letter saying that no wetlands are on the golf course area proposed for this development (the physical improvements which will take place, the streets, the lots).

Review of Site Plan (as to changes) and MCDPS Staff Report (draft 1/7/09)

Jason Brenner – Staff Comments: Most of that didn’t change from the last time it was presented. We did include the landscaping in the plan. Item 1 states that the site plan has to be approved before the preliminary plan; we are working on them concurrently. Item 2 says that it should establish open space and protect sensitive areas which we discussed trying to keep the creek corridor in open space to protect those areas. Item 3 says the minimum is 40% open space; we show 81.2 acres exceeding the minimum of 37.6 acres required. Item 4 points out that it can be a golf course or fallow land. Item 5 says the HOA documents have been submitted and are under review and that the documents indicate that all of the open space blocks will be maintained by the Medina Country Club, LTD or its successors. Item 6 talks about the landscaping plan, which is part of the site plan. Item 7 refers to the sidewalks. Item 8 refers to the north side of Wedgewood Road (not this subdivision/site plan) and the bike path. Item 9 points out that the existing parking lot is within 100’ of the subject property and requested that we designate that distance.

Staff Recommendation: Approval subject to a dimension for the setback of the existing parking area to the subdivision boundary (estimated at 50’).

Hanley – That parking area is going to be landscaped and trees around it and lights will not be shining into the back of the homes. It will be screened.

Cavey – We already have the some nice size trees there. We are talking about putting a shrub or something that can up to a certain height to help block the view of the cars. Whether we are going to mound it or just put bushes in, I don’t really know yet.

Brenner – Typically there will be additional planting of trees on the sublots that would help buffer those areas there.

Biskup – I’m good with it.

Meinke – I don’t have any questions.

Wenslow – I think it’s a very nice improvement. It will fit well. I don’t have a problem with it.

Folk – I have no questions or comments.

It was discussed that the Board would need someone to speak relative to this matter at the Planning Commission meeting Wednesday night (1/7/09). Sherri Meinke volunteered to attend the meeting on behalf of the Board. It is anticipated that Zoning Inspector Alliss Strogin would also be at that meeting on behalf of the township. There was discussion whether the Board could approve this tonight or wait until the official review of the Planning Commission tomorrow night. The process would be to receive the approval of the Planning Commission, and then this Board could review and recommend approval to the Lafayette Township Board of Township Trustees. It was suggested that the Zoning Commission could hold a special meeting next week to do their review (after receiving the approval of the PC) in order to make the recommendation to the trustees to consider at the next trustee meeting scheduled for Tuesday, January 20, 2009.

Mike Biskup made a motion that the revised site plan and subdivision plan were reviewed and the GCPUD zoning has been met, subject to the approval of the County Planning Commission, and that this be tabled further until the approval is received.

Sherri Meinke seconded the motion. Roll call vote indicated unanimous approval of the motion.

The secretary was asked to contact Chair Karen Schoonover relative to the scheduling of a special meeting. (Note: Special meeting to be held Thursday, January 15, 2009, at

7:00 p.m. at the town hall.)

New Business

There was no new business.

Announcements

- The next regular meeting of the Zoning Commission will be Tuesday, February 3, 2009, at 7 p.m. at the town hall.

Adjournment

Upon motion by Sherri Meinke, duly seconded by Mike Biskup, it was unanimous that the meeting be adjourned. Adjourned at 8:00 p.m.

Marlene L. Oiler, Certified PP, PLS

Lafayette Township Zoning Commission Secretary

(Note: Minutes approved on 2/3/09.)