(A) Site plan application requirements. An application for site plan review shall be submitted on a form provided by the village with the required items presented in the table below. Required items shall be demonstrated on the site plan drawings, written narrative/submitted documentation, or both as indicated in the table.
(1) Upon the recommendation of the Zoning Administrator, the Planning Commission may waive any of the above required items based upon a finding that it is not applicable.
(2) The Planning Commission, Zoning Administrator or other party authorized by the village may request any additional information it deems necessary in the review of submitted site plan.
(3) (a) Evidence the plan has been submitted for review to all affected jurisdictions, including but not limited to the County Road Commission, the Village Department of Public Works, Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and Michigan Department of Energy, Great Lakes, and Environment (MDEGLE).
(b) If an applicable review is not submitted, statement of a date certain for submission or the reason why their review is not applicable must be provided.
(4) A certificate of appropriateness from the Historic District Commission shall be submitted as part of any site plan review application for properties within the Civic and Commercial Historic Overlay District.
(5) All site plan drawings shall be submitted on one set of sheets 24 inches by 36 inches and in digital PDF format.
(B) Site plan application review procedures.
(1) Pre-application conceptual review. An applicant may request a pre-application conceptual review with the Zoning Administrator or Planning Commission to discuss in general the substantive requirements for the application prior to formal submittal of a site plan review application. The purpose is to gather feedback on the proposed land use and potential requirements by the village. Feedback provided by the Zoning Administrator or Planning Commission under a pre-application conceptual review is non-binding, subject to change and is not to be construed as a guarantee for approval. A pre-application conceptual review does not include a completeness or technical review by the Zoning Administrator.
(2) Completeness review. All required application materials shall be presented to the Zoning Administrator’s office by the property owner or their designated agent at least 21 days prior to the Planning Commission meeting where the site plan will be considered. The Zoning Administrator shall review the application for completeness to determine if the application has been properly submitted and the applicant has corrected all deficiencies. Completeness reviews are solely for the purpose of determining whether the preliminary information required for submission of the application is sufficient to allow further processing and shall not constitute a decision as to whether an application complies with the provisions of this subchapter. Once deemed complete, the Zoning Administrator will begin the technical review.
(3) Technical review. An application determined to be complete will undergo a technical review by the Zoning Administrator or village designee to determine compliance with applicable standards. This review may include distributing the plan to other local agencies or departments with jurisdiction for comment on any problems the plans might pose and shall result in a report submitted to the Planning Commission with the site plan review application. Once the technical review is complete, the application will be placed on the next regularly scheduled Planning Commission meeting.
(4) Administrative review. The Zoning Administrator may review and make a determination on a site plan review application that meets all the standards for administrative review eligibility. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the applicant or Zoning Administrator from requesting the site plan review application be submitted to the Planning Commission for determination. The standards for administrative review eligibility shall be:
(a) The use is permitted by right in the established zoning district;
(b) Will result in less than 1,500 square feet of new building and/or impervious area; and
(c) Will generate less than 500 trip ends per day as determined by the proposed land use activity based on the most recent edition of the Trip Generation Manual published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers.
(5) Planning Commission review. All other uses requiring a site plan shall be reviewed by the Planning Commission for a determination.
(C) Site plan application determinations. The Zoning Administrator or Planning Commission shall review the application and make a determination to approve the application, require any conditions it may find necessary or deny the application.
(1) Approval. The site plan shall be approved upon determination that it is in compliance with the standards of this subchapter, other village planning documents, other applicable ordinances and state and federal statutes.
(2) Conditional approval. The Planning Commission may approve a site plan, subject to any conditions to address necessary modifications, obtain variances or approvals from other agencies. Conditions imposed shall meet each of the following objectives:
(a) Be designed to protect natural resources, the health, safety and welfare, as well as the social and economic well-being of those who will use the land use or activity under consideration, residents and landowners immediately adjacent to the proposed land use or activity, and the community as a whole;
(b) Be related to the valid exercise of the police power and purposes which are affected by the proposed use or activity; and
(c) Be necessary to meet the intent and purpose of the zoning requirements, be related to the standards established in the chapter for the land use or activity under consideration and be necessary to ensure compliance with those standards.
(3) Denial. If the Planning Commission determines that a proposed site plan does not meet the standards of this subchapter, or otherwise will tend to be injurious to the public health, safety, welfare or orderly development of the village, it shall deny the application by a written endorsement which clearly sets forth the reason for such denial.
(Ord. 160, passed 4-21-2022)