Board of Zoning Appeals Minutes

CITY OF NORTHVILLE
Board of Zoning Appeals
February 4, 2004 – Approved (Amended – March 3-2004)
Northville City Hall – Council Chambers

1. CALL TO ORDER:

Commissioner called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M.

2. ROLL CALL:

Commissioners:

Present:
Carol Maise
Connie Cronin
Chris Gazlay
Bill Lokey
James Bress
Larry Jensen

Absent:
Rolland Stapleton - excu.
James Haveraneck – excu.
Charles Ayers – excu
John Rae – excu.
Luke Durst – excu

Also Present:
Richard Starling, Building Official

Motion by Cronin, supported by Gazlay to approve the agenda. Voice Vote: Ayes: All. Nays: None.

4. MINUTES:

Motion by Lokey, supported by Jensen to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of December 3, 2004 with one minor correction. Voice Vote: Ayes: All. Nays: None. Motion Unanimously Carried.

Commissioner Maise stated that the Grounds for Appeal should be changed from ERROR in the decision to UNDUE HARDSHIP.

Sue Dillon representing Graphic Visions and Little Italy Village stated that two decisions are being appealed.

The first hardship (Section 21.01, e2) addresses the number of signs per site. A business site is only allowed one ground sign per site. She stated that Little Italy and Bacchus Bar (227 Hutton St.) share the same address and the Hutton Street Market (219 Hutton) has a separate address. The businesses have their own Tax ID numbers. However, she interpreted the ordinance as allowing one ground sign for each business identity. The businesses share a parking lot but have separate addresses and three entrances. She asked that the original small / directional, 5 SQ. ft. sign, at the parking lot entrance, and the current ground sign (3.8 sq ft.) for Little Italy, at the pedestrian entrance, remain for "way finding" purposes. A new multi-tenant ground sign, combining the three businesses under one identity (Little Italy Village), at the busy driveway entrance, is proposed. Because the buildings have separate entrances, defined by the customer’s means of transportation (driving or walking), the applicant is creating an efficient and user friendly "way finding" system for the traffic.

The second hardship (Section 21.01, b.4) addresses the Message Units. She asked for one free standing, multi tenant, ground sign for the three businesses; Little Italy Ristorante, Bacchus Bar, and Hutton Street Market. The businesses are three separate entities with different paint colors. The proposed ground sign will be one two sided, 25 sq.ft, 8’ high and set back 10’ from the sidewalk with 11 message units. This sign exceeds the message units by one. The Little Italy Village sign will help to avoid confusion at the driveway entrance. It also creates a clean uncluttered sign without showing all three business logos. It is attractive, easy to read, and directs the vehicle traffic into the parking area.

The placement of the signs creates vehicular, corner, clearance issues. One of the current signs could also be used ad a building wall sign.

Motion by Cronin, supported by Lokey to grant the variance for a free standing sign. Roll Call Vote: Ayes: Maise, Bress, Lokey, and Jensen.. Nays: Cronin, and Gazlay. Motion Failed.

Motion by Cronin, supported by Lokey to grant the variance for the multi tenant sign. Roll Call Vote:

Ayes: Maise, Bress, Jensen, and Lokey. Nays: Cronin and Gazlay. Motion Failed. (Amended to reflect that Bress voted yes, and Cronin voted no. 3-2-2004.

CASE #04-02
John Soad
510 S. Main Street
Northville, Michigan 48167

No one was present to represent the applicant. The grounds for appeal were UNDUE HARDSHIP.

The applicant’s statement read, "the existing building can not accommodate for a handicap bathroom due to the small floor area of 488 sq. ft. The existing floor elevation is about 18" higher than the paved parking area making the entering into the building very inconvenient, hazardous especially for the senior citizens. The owner and employee have to leave their work station to help the senior entering and exiting the door. Please note that the existing building boundary is built on the same set back line."

Building Official Starling stated that there may have been some procedural confusion on the applicant’s part. The Clark Station needs a Special Use permit from the Planning Commission and then the variance.

Motion by Gazlay, supported by Lokey to refer the application back to the applicant. After review by the Planning Commission, the applicant may reschedule with this board without paying an additional fee.

Commissioner Gazlay and Planning Commissioner Liaison reported that at the 2-3-2004 the OLV Public Hearing adjourned at 11: 40 PM. The public hearing was not closed. OLV’s intent is to obtain a Special Land Use Permit and receive site plan approval without any variances. The continuation of the Public Hearing will occur on 3-2-04 at 7:30 PM at Hillside school in the auditorium.

Commissioner Bress noted that the sidewalk at the Clark Service Station on S. Main Street has never been cleared from snow.

Motion by Cronin, supported by Lokey to adjourn at 8:20 PM. Voice vote: Ayes: All: Nays: None. Motion Unanimously Carried.

Respectfully submitted,

P S Howard
Recording Secretary