Belleville Planners set public hearing Dec. 8 on 2-story requirement

Steve Davenport of Davenport Brothers Construction wasn’t on the agenda of the Sept. 8 meeting of the Belleville Planning Commission, but his proposal to build a single-story building at 337 Main Street took up most of the meeting.
The problem is the city requires two-story buildings in B-2 zoning.
Davenport said he made an offer to buy the property and has a tenant which is a financial group and a retail tenant.
“The timeframe is critical,” Davenport said. “I’ve got tenants who would like to occupy the new building … We may lose these tenants.”
At the end of the meeting, after much discussion, planning commission chairman Steve Jones set up a subcommittee to look into the city’s two-story requirement, plus the requirement for retail stores.
Volunteers from the planning commission for the subcommittee were Jessie Marcotte, Michael Hawkins, and Matthew Wagner, with John Juriga as an alternate. Jones said he would ask the city council to furnish two more members and the Downtown Development Authority to furnish three members.
Councilman Tom Fielder said from the audience that there are ways to make this faster.
“The subcommittee is a more compact time frame and can make changes faster than the usual eight months,” Jones said. “We can’t do it too fast and make a mistake.”
At the Nov. 10 meeting of the planning commission, it was announced the city council and DDA did not furnish volunteers to serve on the subcommittee, but the planning commission subcommittee met and gave a report.
After discussion, commission chairman Steve Jones said, “In an effort to move forward, we could have a public hearing on a recommendation to change the two-story requirement.” He proposed it to be held at the next planning commission meeting at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 8.
Commissioner Marcotte made the motion and Commissioner Hawkins seconded and it passed unanimously.
City Manager Diana Kollmeyer said the commission could take action and then it would go to the city council for two meetings.
At the beginning of the Nov. 10 meeting Marcotte said, “We don’t want to review the master plan whenever a developer proposes something… but a single-story building may make sense.”
He discussed the master plan for the City of Clawson, which has a Pizza Hut downtown.
Hawkins said at the second meeting of the subcommittee they agreed that the requirement of a second story in the downtown area may not make sense.
DPW Director Rick Rutherford said the build up and not out model is for built-out towns.
Jones said maybe it should be single story in some parts of town, like South Street, and two story in the central part.
“Voters approved two stories for a library,” Jones said, adding if they don’t factor that into the mix and allow a one story that may cause a problem.
City Manager Kollmeyer said they could develop district within the city.
Marcotte said there is a sign welcoming people to downtown on the lake, but nothing to remind them of the lake. He said the library may be a catalyst.
“We just went through a lot a make it consistent,” Commissioner Mike Renaud said of the zoning to B1 downtown.
“Davenport wants to build a single story in the heart of downtown,” Renaud said. “There’s been nothing built in 15 years … Maybe we should go more in terms of variable use.”
“We have 50% retail required per block,” said Jones. “Restaurants and bars need foot traffic to survive. At 4 or 5 p.m. when all the law offices and insurance companies close, there’s nothing to do.”
Commissioner Henry Kurczewski said that they are pretty close to having to redo the city’s master plan and this could be considered part of the new master plan.
“We’re circumventing 10 years vacant because of its size and shape,” Juriga said.
“Yes, very little can be done with it,” Rutherford said.
Rutherford noted, “Downtown Belleville is one of the most walkable places in the area.”
“But they’re walking around looking for other things to do after 5 p.m.,” Jones said, offering there is Frosty Boy [in season].
“Could we give a special land use permit” to Davenport, Hawkins asked and Rutherford replied that is one way to do it.
Rutherford said people come to the downtown for business and could stop for a drink or dinner.
Juriga pointed out that voters just approved a new library. He said 122,000 people a year make it a destination point. With the new building, he foresees 250,000 a year.
Juriga asked the subcommittee members what they think the commission should do.
Hawkins said he thinks they agreed to do away with the second floor.
There was discussion on franchises and how they determine what kind of building to build and few have two story.
“We don’t want franchises downtown, according to our rules,” Renaud pointed out.
“Cookie-cutter buildings,” Hawkins said.
“That’s the beauty of our town,” Hawkins said. “It’s not a cookie-cutter town … if we’re trying to create that, I’m against it.”
“I don’t think we want a variance for one building,” Renaud said. “We’d look pretty sad after what we did to that young lady down the street.” He referred to the former Chesley Odom Design building.
Marcotte discussed the difference between the franchises in Van Buren Township and what they want for Belleville.
“Van Buren is a different field, more corporate,” Marcotte said. “The question is how do we keep the hometown feel?”
Juriga made a motion to grant Davenport a special use permit for a one-story building. There was no second.
Jones said that was not on the agenda and the applicant wasn’t there.
City Manager Kollmeyer said the city council asked the planner to review the height requirement and the 50% retail.
“The city council could overturn us,” Juriga said and Kollmeyer said it could.
Jones said he would like to have one meeting with the DDA since this is their downtown district.
“They refuse to meet,” Hawkins said.
Kollmeyer said she was trying not to be means but the planners asked for a couple member of council and couple members of the DDA to meet with them, but it’s hard to get them together, plus her and DDA Coordinator Carol Thompson.
Councilman Tom Fielder said it was best for the planning commission to make a recommendation because it has the knowledge.
“We’re going to do something,” he said. “Let us know what you think about it … If a single story is built … it’s more important than having a rule for two stories … What if a mid-level grocery store wants to come in? Make a recommendation and the DDA can come to the hearing.”
Jones said they can offer the one story with stipulations to the public and ask them, “What do you want your downtown to look like?”
“Don’t abdicate your responsible to make decisions,” Councilman Fielder said.
Rutherford said there was a proposal for a train car diner on that spot, but when the person found out the cost of the site plan, he didn’t come back. The process scares people off, he said.
“We need to encourage our DDA to work with these people,” Jones said. “Carol [Thompson] can help them through the scary stuff.”
Background
At a recent city council meeting, Mayor Kerreen Conley surprised fellow council members by suggesting the council ask the planning commission to look at possible revisions of the requirement for two-story buildings on Main Street.
The council went along with the idea and the offer to pay for a planning consultant to meet with the planning commission to determine if the two-story rule was still valid. Council members also suggested the planners look at the rule for 50% retail per block.
On Sept. 8, planning consultant Jill Baum was present. She announced that her company clearzoning had joined Giffels Webster Engineering and now clearzoning is Giffels Webster’s planning department.
Commissioner Renaud said he missed the council meeting where this was brought up and wanted to know what the concerns were.
City Manager Kollmeyer said that people have come in an asked for requirements for new development. When they learned the height requirement they said they can’t do that. She said some were franchise companies that have standard plans.
Kollmeyer said the appraiser on the city hall corner said a height requirement would prevent a developer from buying the property.
Planning consultant Baum worked on Belleville’s 2007 Master Plan and the vision for rejuvenating downtown. She said they wanted to put people on the street and there would be window displays and signage not blocking windows.
She said there was the idea of creating extra mass with two-story buildings. She said a street wall blocks the public space and open space is not as comfortable as spaces with blockages.
Baum said many communities have put restrictions on office space, putting them in back or on the side of buildings and on second floors. She said Belleville doesn’t have that many two-story buildings.
She said over the last 15 years some communities have stuck with their restrictions and others have relaxed them.
For example, she said, Clawson considered adding office spaces to its downtown and decided not to do so. She said Clawson has a lot of new businesses and restaurants. They do not have a two-story requirement.
The commission discussed a variety of ideas for encouraging development downtown, including incentives to have second and third floors.
Jones said other communities are “building up” and this is the first time he’s heard building up was cost-prohibitive.
“In Chicago they are building three stories on 25-foot lots,” Jones said.
Baum said as far as parking, in a downtown area it is expected to use public parking. Parking can be an issue, but not downtown, she said.
Kollmeyer encouraged the planners saying, “You’ll get there. This is the first meeting after the council asked.”
“It’s really critical to get the public involved,” Baum said. “What do they want? Do they want a Walgreen’s on this corner?”
Davenport said the reason he would not like to build two stories is that there is plenty of competition on places to live in Belleville, Van Buren, and Sumpter.
“Why live above a store?” he asked.
“It’s the convenience of living in a city,” Jones said. “You can walk to get a hair cut, dry cleaning, to eat, to go to a bar. You don’t have to drive your car.”
“You have a lot of development across the freeway,” Davenport said. “We haven’t built a new building on Main Street in 15 years.”
“It’s a perfect community,” Baum said, naming off downtown buildings, an active arts community, a lot of attention paid to the community, a big lake.
“You’d rather be on the lake than looking out over Main Street,” Davenport said. “Jet’s Pizza moved off Main Street. People living above the store and parking was a real problem. That mixed use wasn’t good mixed use.
“Maybe you could move the offices upstairs, but Century 21 has a beautiful upstairs and it’s empty,” Davenport said.
“I know you want retail, but there are not people waiting in line for retail,” he said.
He said the problem is a second story and 50% retail. He said the quick drawing by architect Wayde Hoppe has the building tall in front to meet the 14-foot requirement.
“Davenport wants to build a new building on Main Street,” he said. “We’re at a standstill with the ordinance…
“There must be a reason there has been no building in 15 years,” Davenport said. “It’s a bad economy, but I developed off Savage Road, not Main Street. Why would I not go across I-94 to build?
Commissioner Juriga asked Davenport what he pays to the city in taxes and he wasn’t sure but guessed around $150,000.
“The ordinance is preventing us from moving forward,” Davenport said. He said his lot is 83’x 163’ and he plans to build from property line to property line.
“Belleville has a problem,” Davenport said. “Van Buren has done a good job of attracting businesses … Why hasn’t Belleville done anything in 15 years? … I’m all for the retail. I’d love to build retail.”
Baum said other communities have been struggling over the past 15 years.
Commissioner Matthew Wagner said, “There’s a big boom in Van Buren Township because they want to be Canton.” He said Belleville has a transient community and they have to key into the socioeconomic factors. He said the two-story rule isn’t working and the sign ordinance isn’t working.
“Yes. You need to fill up the downtown before you start going up,” Wagner said. He said the VBT Hall was completed with the feasibility of putting a second story on.
Jones suggested putting business incubator space on South Street and work hand in hand with local developers and local financial groups, with everybody working together with the help of the DDA.
“There are so many things you could be dong,” Baum said. “I don’t know what programs the DDA offers … but a business incubator is a great example … Downtown is more than an ordinance … We can figure out one floor or two floors. It’s more than just that.”
“Maybe it’s time to change a little, build a little,” Jones said.
Baum said the subcommittee will be doing the fact finding and then later they can put a larger plan together.
“Find out what the residents want,” Baum said. “Maybe they want the chain stores that are in VBT so they don’t have to drive over the bridge. I don’t think there are any easy answers.”