Belleville Planners send library plans back to the drawing board

The Belleville Planning Commission was not in favor of the newly proposed cuts to the plans of the Belleville Area District Library to save money.
After more than 90 minutes of discussion at its regular meeting on Jan. 11, the commission advised the library representatives that while they were sympathetic to their need to cut costs from their construction budget, the proposed cuts won’t work.
Architect Dan Whisler said the library is $450,000 over budget and the rooftop screening being required is purely aesthetic and of little benefit to the users of the building. He said cutting the screening could save $70,000.
He said cutting the transformer screen on Roys Street would save $20,000 and if it’s not there it’s not the end of the world. Also, the dumpster enclosure was going to be clad in brick and now they will use some brick and decorative block instead to save some dollars.
“There are options, a few options,” said commission chairman Steve Jones, noting Whisler is stating it’s $70,000 or nothing. “You have a few options.”
“I’m not sure what this meeting is all about,” said vice-chairman Mike Hawkins. “We have no drawings … The only option you have is the $70,000 option is the way your presenting this.”
“We don’t have enough information to give a variance,” Jones agreed.
Commissioner Henry Kurczewski said when they presented the proposed plans last fall they said it would be a meeting place for the tri-community. Buildings in Belleville have to cover their roof equipment.
He said what Whisler is saying now is counter productive to what he said when he last was before the commission.
“We’re talking about visual effect for 50 years,” he said.
“You’re absolutely right,” Whisler said. “I have to hold my nose to ask you … If this is not acceptable, we’ll have to reduce the cost caused by $400,000 in poor soils on the site. We never got over that.
“I completely agree this will be here 50 to 100 years … with the roof a landing zone for the birds,” Whisler said.
He said at one point they were $1.8 million over budget and they reduced that by taking out the 2,500-square-foot basement planned and making other cuts.
But now they are back to a $400,000-$450,000 gap. He said they will identify alternatives to manage the costs when the bids come in.
Whisler said he showed the commission drawings in September.
Jones said they did get preliminary drawings, but Whistler said it wasn’t set in stone, that it was a design in process.
“It’s disingenuous of you to refer back to this,” Jones said, pointing to the old drawings. “We think this should be screened. We have nothing to vary.”
Hawkins said at this point in their project the commission has just three things to give to them: informal advice, a variance, or change the ordinance. That’s all they can do or they get in trouble, he said.
Whisler said in his 30 years as an architect, he’s never encountered needing 100% construction drawings at this point. He said Building Official Rick Rutherford suggested this meeting.
Rutherford said that was because he doesn’t have the authority to throw the city’s ordinance out like they wanted him to do.
Jones said the site plan approval the library received didn’t deal with the details of the building.
Rutherford said as long as they met local ordinances they were OK.
Commissioner Kelly Bates said, “I kinda’ feel we’re swirling around the drain.”
Library Building Committee Chairwoman Joy Cichewicz suggested the commission offer an informal opinion on the suggestions.
Commissioner John Juriga, who also serves as an elected member of the library board, said he wanted to stay quiet because of involvement on both sides.
He said architect Whisler has much experience and built 30 libraries with over $200 million in budgets.
“Almost every municipality requires rooftop screening,” Jones said.
“You’re correct,” Whisler replied. “Almost all ordinances require this and to omit it from the plans needs formal approval from the planning commission.
“This one’s hard to get around,” Jones said.
“You have to save money somewhere,” Whisler said.
Commissioner Matthew Wagner offered some options for the rooftop screening and Whisler said he thinks they have included the least expensive material.
“I’m trying to find alternatives, such as door screening, but we don’t want it to look like a poor man’s library,” Wagner said.
“We don’t have all the good ideas,” Whisler said, encouraging ideas from others. “It needs to be screened from view … We don’t have the liberty of being partially veiled. If it has to be there, it has to be there and we’ll march forward.”
Commissioner Mike Renaud said they could use a chain-link fence with vinyl on the dumpster and greenery on Roys Street.
“You have to remember, we’re building this for the tri-community,” Renaud said, suggesting a less fancy or ornate entryway. It would be a “less pretty building” if they did that. He said the high school got away without rooftop screening because the city had no say in the construction.
“We don’t want to be little Belleville who went along with no screening,” Renaud said. “I haven’t heard one valid argument why that item should be dropped.”
Library board chairwoman Sharon Peters explained that they were coming to the city now because it’s the financial time and they need to know how much load they need for the roof plans.
“I’m not sure this is a negotiable item to be taken away,” Jones said. “This would be a huge exception … Most require the screening … and I’m hesitant to take that away.”
“That’s why we’re here,” said construction manager Matt Razow of O’Neal Contruction.
Hawkins said the planning commission has no control over the building code and this meeting is confusing to him.
Rutherford said he told them to bring it up now.
“They were aware of the ordinance,” Rutherford said.
When asked by Commissioner Bates how high the library would be, Whisler said it was 34 feet to the top of the parapet and the two-story homes along Charles Street were 18 feet tall.
Bates said she would like the commission to take into consideration that this is a local group doing the construction.
“We have ordinances we have to follow. Sorry, Kelly,” Renaud said.
“We have to be defensive for the people in the library district,” said Commissioner Kurczewski. “We’re the smallest cog in the 72-square-mile district.”
“We’re all in this together, trying to find our way” Whisler said. “We heard you loud and clear on the roof and the options to screen the dumpster and transformer.”
Then Brian Barrick of Beckett and Raeder proposed reducing the size of the storm water management underground detention because this was a special site less than 300 feet from Belleville Lake.
He said Belleville Lake is an impoundment of the Huron River and a giant detention pond.
“The quantity treatment is less important. More important is the quality treatment,” Barrick said, asking the commission to consider reducing the quantity of water they’re storing. They have a large vegetative swale and mechanical treatment. He asked for a variance to reduce the quantity.
Rutherford was irritated at this request, saying when they had the meeting at a city level this was not mentioned at the meeting. He said without the city engineer present it shouldn’t be discussed.
“I don’t think storm water management should come to the planning commission,” Rutherford stated. “Engineers should discuss this. This is not the appropriate place, not without our engineer here.”
“This does not fall under the zoning ordinance,” Jones agreed, directing the library to bring back amendments approved by the engineer.
Barrick said Hennessey Engineers, the city’s consultant, said what there is, is what’s in the ordinance. He said the committee is open to discussing alternatives.
Rutherford replied, “With all due respect, that’s not for the planning commission to decide.”
Jones mentioned a parking lot that has a lake in front of a business.
“I’m very reluctant to go there and possibly have a failed system,” Jones said. “I don’t want to have people say it’s a swimming pool when they go to the library.”
Barrick said the proposal would be below Wayne County rules.
Rutherford insisted they not present details here because it is not proper for the planning commission.
“I asked you guys to write a letter with everything you wanted and this wasn’t in the letter,” Rutherford said.
“The city engineer was reluctant to do anything less than county standards,” Whisler said. He said they are increasing the imperviousness of the site by 1,600 square feet. “Can we reduce the storage component?”
He said during construction they have to dig 10 feet deep, 10 feet from the present library.
Razow said there are constructability problems and the dig would interfere with the handicap access to the present library.
“If you convince the engineers, this would work,” Hawkins said.
“We won’t go against our engineers,” Jones agreed.
Razow asked for permission to meet with the engineers and an exasperated Rutherford told him that he has Rutherford’s email to set up meetings.
Commissioner Juriga spoke up again, this time saying the Mayor of Belleville wrote the Wayne County standards when she worked for the county.
“We have to follow the Wayne County standards,” Jones said.
Whisler said they could make some allowances.
In a loud voice, Juriga stated, “Belleville’s got its own personality because it’s got the lake!”
Barrick stated, “It’s so close to the water body. If near the water body, it makes sense to move the water through.”
“Have a meeting and see what they say,” Renaud said. “If it meets Wayne County standards…”
Rutherford said they could do their construction steps in a different order if it undermines the footings. It’s something they could sit down and talk about.
Hawkins asked who said the city has to follow the Wayne County standards?
Rutherford said it was the engineer and partially himself
“We take the recommendation of our engineers on the standards,” Rutherford said.
At the beginning of the meeting there was a heated discussion and at the end of the meeting Razow said, “Maybe we misunderstood the process. We apologize if we have it out of order … We’re not trying to pull something over on anybody.”
“We all agreed we want this project to go … But we have our responsibilities,” Jones said.
“That’s the answer we wanted to hear,” Razow said.
“There are standards,” Renaud emphasized.
“I think there’s been some confusion,” Hawkins said.
“We need more interaction with the city,” Razow said and Jones said Rutherford is on line to help with that.
“He’s been very good with us,” Jones said of Rutherford, who brings subjects to the planners regularly as needed.
“Thank you for hearing us,” Razow said, and the library representatives left the meeting.