The Lowell Planning Commission met for approximately one hour on Monday night to discuss two pieces of business: a site plan for the former Larkin’s Restaurant building and a future land use map for the city.
Chair Tony Ellis was absent so Vice Chair Mike Gadula ran the meeting, which happened to coincide with the fifth year anniversary of his appointment to the commission. All other commissioners were present.
Public Comments: Invasive Plants on Washington Street
During public comments, Peggy Covert spoke about a development that was approved for N. Washington Street during last month’s meeting. Covert lives just north of the development property.
She noted that the Planning Commission had placed a condition on their approval that there be no development on land in the floodplain. She noted that she has a significant amount of garlic mustard on her property and recently discovered oriental bittersweet as well. Both are invasive plants, and Covert worried that the condition placed on the site plan might prevent the removal of these plants if they are found south of her property.
“We wouldn’t consider the removal of invasive species to be development in the floodplain,” responded Andy Moore, a planning consultant to the city from firm Williams & Works.
Site Plan for Larkin’s Building Approved
Up next was Brent Slagell of BGR Investments who was there for approval of his plans to renovate the building at the corner of Main Street and N. Broadway. This property was long the home of Larkin’s Restaurant.
Slagell plans to remove an addition on the west side of the building and restore the property to its original footprint. A parking lot with nine spaces would be placed where the addition previously stood.
Inside, the ground floor would be used for retail space while the upper story would be converted to four apartments. Already, consignment shops Wear Forward and Milo’s have announced plans to move into the space in 2025.
Commissioner Marty Chambers noted that the shops tend to put displays on the sidewalk in front of their current locations. “I can’t see how they can do that and have a safe flow of pedestrians (in front of your building),” Chambers said. He wanted assurances from Slagell that no displays would be placed on the narrow sidewalk there.
“All I can say is that our tenants will follow city ordinances,” Slagell replied.
Moore noted that the city does have an ordinance about outdoor displays and how much room on the sidewalk must remain passable. Slagell said he would talk to the business owner about the matter.
Commissioner Nicki Holst asked about the parking lot and whether it would be available for customers. She noted that it was near a congested intersection and making turns out of it may be difficult.
Slagell said there would be designated spots for apartment tenants and possibly employees of the retail space. “It’s not going to be intended as general customer parking,” he said.
Chambers thought Slagell should look into getting a new waste hauler who would be able to back into the lot to empty the dumpster there. Slagell said that he switched out the dumpster when the building was briefly operating as Junction Bar, and the current dumpster can be easily pulled out to the road by a person. “I’m hoping to not even have a truck pulling in there,” he said.
At the conclusion of discussion, commissioners voted unanimously to approve the site plan with conditions such as approval from the Michigan Department of Transportation for a minor encroachment of the parking lot on the right of way.
Future Land Use Map Reviewed
The other piece of business on the agenda was a review of the future land use map to be included in the city’s new Master Plan.
Moore said the map was created by Williams & Works staff based on the company’s long experience working in the city and feedback received from city officials and residents. It creates three main residential zones – suburban residential, traditional residential and high-density residential – along with commercial, industrial, manufactured housing and public zones.
A new addition is a corridor mixed use zone for properties along Main Street where it has been deemed that either residential or commercial uses may be appropriate.
Commissioners noted some discrepancies on the map – such as a purple color for RiverView Flats and the 800 block of E. Main Street, which was not included in the legend. However, there were otherwise no concerns with the overall layout of the map.
The meeting adjourned at 7:57pm, and the Planning Commission will convene next on Monday, August 12, at 7pm in Lowell City Hall.
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