City planners OK site plan for rest of Scott Jones’ shopping center

The area that used to hold Lakeview Tavern next to the Belleville Bridge in the city now is slated to become an outdoor area with a stage, triangle sunshades, a pair of kiosks, public restrooms, bike racks, and tables and benches in an open-air park.
Also, it will add 18 new parking spots and there will be a 42-inch railing around the area.
While developer Scott Jones was on the agenda to explain his plan for that area of his shopping center, he was not present at the March 9 meeting and his architect D. Scott Wright explained.
City building official Rick Rutherford said the city had approved the A and B site plans which now are built. Building C (Phase 2) has finally been determined, he said.
The vote was 6-1 to approve the site plan with commission vice-chairman Matthew Wagner voting no. He said the area seemed targeted for short-termed special events and then would be a negative environment.
Architect Wright said it would be an open-air park as a part of the city and right at the entrance. He said the pair of kiosks planned are modular and could be removed. Jones’ plan was to lease the buildings which could be used for ice cream or coffee.
The hard-surfaced area would be warmed to melt the snow, Wright said.
Commissioner John Juriga said there would have to be a 5-foot fence around the kiosk if it was serving alcohol and City Manager/Police Chief Dave Robinson said that wasn’t true. Chief Robinson said that area is a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) and people could enjoy their alcoholic beverages in designated cups from certified bars in the DORA.
Commissioner Juriga said he thought headlights in that area would shine into drivers’ eyes on Main Street/Belleville Road. Wright said they could make the railings solid to prevent that.
“It’s a seasonal thing,” Juriga said of the outdoor plans.
Wright said the stage is metal, fully wired and would be considered permanent, but removable. He said the size is a guess now.
Commissioner Julie Kissel spoke of the present traffic problems at the site where people walk across traffic from Benito’s and try to make left turns in and out of the shopping center.
Rutherford said the city has ordered “no left turn” signs to be erected there on Main Street.
Commissioner Kissel asked if there would be a button to push for pedestrians to cross there, but Chief Robinson said you can’t mess with the timing of the lights there, since all the light timings are connected all down Main Street. He said there is a crosswalk at Denton Road.
Chief Robinson said when there is a thriving downtown, then parking problems come up and the city has to look at providing other parking facilities.
Rutherford noted the commissioners had a one-page report he said was from Hennessey Engineers explaining the storm sewer management at the site, which Juriga has questioned.
“The storm water management system was designed for the complete development of the entire property holdings. The Water Quality Unit has been sized appropriately to convey the required capacity of the site prior to discharge into the city system within Liberty Street. The existing piping on the site was left in place and is being utilized as a storm water detention system in conjunction with oversizing the proposed piping that was placed throughout the site.” The unsigned statement was dated March 7 and was on stationery from Hardy Civil Design Services in Wayne.
When Juriga asked if the restrooms would be locked at night, he was told they would be and Wright said it could be done electronically.
Mark Davenport said the area will be a place for people to enjoy. Jones could rent the stage or use it himself to supply entertainment, he said.
Commission chairman Michael Hawkins said the plans are in tune with the Master Plan for that area and this promotes walkability.
“I would prefer it be open like this,” chairman Hawkins said.
Commissioner Kissel said while some referred to this plan as Jones’ “generosity,” she said this is an area to earn money.
There was a question about whether golf carts could make it to this area and Chief Robinson said they couldn’t get to this space because of the regulations on what streets can be crossed. He said there were nine golf carts certified for operation in the city.
Councilman Tom Fielder said from the audience that he was hoping for a great seafood restaurant at this site, but that didn’t happen. He was the kiosks could sell ice cream and lemonade. He said Doane’s Landing, across Liberty Street from the site, had been kind of hidden away and this could open it up again.
It was noted the DORA district did not include Doane’s Landing so alcoholic beverages couldn’t be carried there.
The commission then voted 6-1 to approve the site plan for Phase 2, with the required railing. Absent from the meeting were commissioners Mike Renaud and James O’Keefe.
Juriga said one of the businesses in the shopping center told him there were only five handicap parking spaces in the center and Mark Davenport said they were in compliance.
Steve Davenport said the final coat of asphalt is not on yet. He also said the trees that were scheduled to be put in some areas will not be put in because it would break up the traffic flow.
In other business at the 75-minute meeting, the commission:
• Held an 18-minute public hearing on the proposed amendments to the City of Belleville Zoning Ordinance, as necessicated by the citizen-initiated changes passed at the Nov. 8 election allowing medical marihuana establishments and facilities in the designed Industrial Overlay District. The commission then voted unanimously to recommend the change to the city council. When asked if this change would open up new applications for licenses, Chief Robinson said that all 22 licenses pertaining to marijuana are occupied and owned by one entity. He said the number is now in the charter and the only way to get more is to change the city charter. Also, charter changes could eliminate numbers. He said the entity now holding the licenses is 100% in compliance with all rules. He invited anyone with questions to talk to him and he would explain;
• Unanimously approved the site plan for the proposed residential development by Davenport Brothers at 515 Sumpter Rd. Chairman Hawkins said the commission doesn’t have written reports from the fire and police chiefs on the plans and Robinson said he would get the reports to them the next day. Kissel noted the road is 24-feet wide with no parking on the road. She asked about no-parking signs so people would know. She was told each unit will have a two-car garage and there is room for two cars in the drive. Kissel replied, “I know what happens to people’s garages”;
• Heard commissioner Randy Priest, who has spoken in support of better sidewalks in the city for years, say people wishing to walk from 515 Sumpter Rd. to the shopping center couldn’t do it since the sidewalks for that route are not available. He said the city is not walkable;
• Heard Commissioner Mark Kowalski say first there was the new bridge and now this at the shopping center, which both are “pretty cool.” He said Plymouth has ice sculptures and the new park could be used in the winter; and
• Heard Councilman Fielder say the new outdoor area enhances drivers’ first view of the city after coming over the bridge. He said thousands of new people will be coming to the city for the first time for the robotics competition March 16 and 17. He added he wished the city could “do it” on the other side of Main Street at the city’s entrance, as well.