(A) The site plan shall be referred after receipt by the Township Clerk to the Planning Commission for its review and evaluation at its next regularly scheduled and published meeting as long as submitted not less than 30 days prior to the meeting. A special meeting may be called at the request of the petitioner, in which case the petitioner shall reimburse the township for all costs connected therewith.
(B) An approved site plan shall meet the following standards:
(1) The location and design of driveways in relation to access streets and other driveways and in relation to pedestrian traffic, shall be designed to minimize turning conflicts, acceleration/deceleration problems and pedestrian/vehicle conflicts;
(2) The vehicular and pedestrian traffic circulation within the site and the location of automobile parking areas will be designed to promote safety and conveniences of both vehicular and pedestrian traffic, and the satisfactory and harmonious relations between the development on the site and the existing and prospective development of contiguous land and adjacent neighborhoods;
(3) The township will document the adequacy of essential public facilities and services, such as highways, streets, police and fire protection, drainage structures, refuse disposal, utilities and schools to serve the site;
(4) The site plan demonstrates the desirability and stability of the proposed development in order to assure that contiguous property will not be unreasonably affected;
(5) Adequate landscaping, fences and walls are provided to achieve the objectives of this chapter and assurances for the continued maintenance of any such facility to which they are appurtenant;
(6) Conformity with all state and local laws and ordinances is demonstrated;
(7) Protection of groundwater resources by assuring:
(a) Sites at which hazardous substances are stored, used or generated shall be designed to prevent spills and discharges to the air, surface of the ground, groundwater, lakes, streams, rivers or wetlands;
(b) Secondary containment for above-ground areas where hazardous substances are stored or used shall be provided with sufficient area to store the substance for the maximum anticipated period of time necessary for the recovery of any released substance;
(c) General purpose floor drains shall only be allowed if they are approved by the responsible agency for connection to a public sewer system, an on-site holding tank (not a septic system!), or regulated through a State of Michigan groundwater discharge permit; and
(d) State and federal agency requirements for storage, spill prevention, record keeping, emergency response, transport and disposal of hazardous substances shall be met. No discharge to groundwater, including direct and indirect discharges shall be allowed without required permits and approvals.
(8) To facilitate fire protection during site preparation and construction of buildings, the following shall be required:
(a) Water mains and fire hydrants shall be installed prior to construction above the foundation;
(b) Prior to construction of multiple residential buildings and other large structures, a hard and sufficient roadbed shall be provided to accommodate access of heavy firefighting equipment to the immediate job site at the start of construction and maintained until all construction is completed;
(c) Free access from the street to fire hydrants and to outside connections for standpipes, sprinklers, or other fire extinguishing equipment, whether permanent or temporary, shall be provided and maintained at all times;
(d) The contractor shall provide scheduled daily cleanup of scrap lumber, paper products, corrugated cardboard and other debris caused by his or her construction. If debris is stored in a pile, it shall be located at a distance well away from the structure; and
(e) Special attention should be given to temporary storage buildings and field offices because of combustible loading and generally poor housekeeping. Temporary buildings shall not be grouped together, and a reasonable separation shall be provided to minimize the fire exposure probability.
(C) The Planning Commission shall review and communicate its approval or recommended site plan modifications to the applicant and the Township Board within not more than 10 days after review of the site plan. In cases where modifications have been recommended, the applicant shall resubmit a site plan incorporating those modifications to the Planning Commission for its review.
(1) The Planning Commission shall approve a site plan only upon a finding that the proposed use will not, upon the facts known at the time of submission of the site plan, cause undue hardship, or create unsafe or hazardous health or safety conditions, or create a nuisance condition to the detriment of adjoining land users or the general public.
(2) Any required modification shall be directed to the specific elimination of unsafe or hazardous health or safety conditions or the prevention of nuisance conditions or nonconformity with provisions of this chapter and shall be so noted.
(D) Upon receipt of the modified site plan, the Township Planning Commission shall evaluate the changes which have been made and if deemed acceptable shall communicate its approval of the site plan to the applicant and the Township Board within not more than 30 days after receipt of the modified site plan.
(Ord. § 23.04, passed 5-22-1997)