(A) All standards of the State Department of Transportation and the County and Bay County Road Commissions, as applicable, shall be met prior to approval of an access application under this subchapter.
(B) Application, review and approval process applications for driveway or access approval shall be made on a form prescribed by and available at Charter Township, Kochville Township, Frankenlust Township and Monitor Township, the County or Bay County Road Commission, and/or the State Department of Transportation - Bay City Transportation Service Center.
(C) Saginaw Charter Township, Kochville Township, Frankenlust Township and Monitor Township, the Saginaw/Bay County Planning Department and the Saginaw/Bay County Road Commission and the State Department of Transportation shall meet at least twice each year, at the initiation of the MDOT, to ensure that there is appropriate coordination of the access management review process and outcomes.
(1) Applications shall be accompanied by clear, scaled drawings (minimum of 1 "=20') in triplicate showing the following items:
(a) Location and size of all structures proposed on the site;
(b) Size and arrangement of parking stalls on aisles;
(c) Proposed plan of routing vehicles entering and leaving the site (if passenger vehicles are to be separated from delivery trucks indicate this on the drawing);
(d) Driveway placement;
(e) Property lines;
(f) Intersecting roads, streets and driveways within 300 feet either side of the property on both sides of the street;
(g) Width of road surface;
(h) Type of surface and dimensions of driveway;
(i) Proposed inside and outside turning radii;
(j) Show all existing and proposed landscaping, signs and other structures or treatments within and adjacent to the right-of-way;
(k) Traffic analysis and trip generation survey results, obtained from a licensed traffic engineer for all developments with over 750 vehicle trips per day or 100 directional peak hour trips;
(l) Design dimensions and justification for any alternative or innovative access design;
(m) Dumpsters or other garbage containers; and
(n) Existing and proposed utility box placement.
(2) Applications are strongly encouraged to include the following sources for access designs, the National Access Management Manual, TRB, 2002 and the AASHTO Green Book. The following techniques are addressed in these guidebooks and are strongly encouraged to be used when designing access that includes:
(a) Not more than one driveway access per abutting road;
(b) Shared driveways;
(c) Service drives: front, rear and perpendicular;
(d) Parking lot connections with adjacent property(ies); and
(e) Other appropriate designs to limit access points on an arterial or collector road.
(3) Applications may be accompanied by an escrow fee for professional site plan and/or traffic analysis review to be determined by the township in which the project is located.
(D) Review and approval process. The following process shall be completed to obtain access approval.
(1) A site plan review access application meeting the requirements of this section shall be submitted to the Zoning Administrator, Clerk or other township designee of the township. MDOT form 2205, Driveway Permit, shall be submitted concurrently to the MDOT- Bay City Transportation Service Center.
(2) The completed application must be received by the Township Zoning Administrator at least 30 days prior to the Planning Commission meeting where the application will be reviewed.
(3) (a) The township in which the application is being made shall forward a copy of the access management application and the site plan to MDOT and the appropriate county road commission. MDOT and the Road Commission shall provide written comment to the township and discuss any outstanding issues with the township with the intent of reaching consensus on a recommendation for the access management application and site plan.
(b) In the event that consensus cannot be reached on access management issues, MDOT or the township shall call a meeting of the appropriate road agencies and municipal Planning Commission representatives prior to the Planning Commission meeting to review the document and reach consensus on the issue. Applications not forwarded to MDOT and the Road Commission shall not have completed the review process and may not be acted on by the Township Planning Commission.
(4) (a) The Planning Commission may obtain professional consultation prior to making a decision on the application.
(b) Costs for the review shall be the responsibility of the applicant provided the applicant is made aware of the costs prior to the application being considered by the Planning Commission.
(5) The Township Planning Commission in which the development is proposed shall review the application and make its determination regarding the driveway.
(6) The Zoning Administrator shall keep a record of each application that has been submitted, including the written disposition of each application. MDOT shall provide the township with a copy of the written permit or any other disposition of the permit for the township's records. This record shall be a public record.
(7) (a) Written approval of an application remains valid for a period of one year from the date it was authorized.
(b) If authorized construction is not initiated by the end of one year, the authorization is automatically null and void, unless the township specifically extends the time period during which the application remains valid by Planning Commission action.
(c) Any additional approvals that have been granted by the Planning Commission or the Zoning Board of Appeals, such as a special use permit or variance, also expire at the end of one year.
(8) (a) An approval may be extended for a period not to exceed six months. The extension must be requested, in writing, by the applicant before the expiration of the initial approval.
(b) The Zoning Administrator may approve extension of an authorization; provided, there are no deviations from the original approval present or planned, there are no violations of applicable ordinances and no development on abutting property has occurred with a driveway location that creates an unsafe condition.
(c) If there is any deviation or cause for question, the Zoning Administrator shall consult a representative of the Saginaw/Bay County Planning Commission staff, the Saginaw and/or Bay County Road Commission, as applicable, and the State Department of Transportation for input.
(9) Reissuance of an authorization that has expired requires a new access application form to be filled out and processed independently of any previous action.
(10) The applicant shall assume all responsibility for all maintenance of the driveway approaches from the right-of-way line to the edge of the traveled roadway.
(11) Where authorization has been granted for entrances to a parking facility, the facility shall not be altered or the plan of operation changed until a revised access application has been submitted and approved as specified in this section.
(12) Application to construct or reconstruct any driveway entrance and approach to a site requires a permit, but shall also address and achieve the reconstruction or closing of all non-conforming or unused entrances and approaches to the same site at the expense of the property owner.
(13) When a building permit is sought for the modification or reconstruction to the extent that a site plan is required in the municipality or by MDOT's requirements, all of the existing, as well as proposed driveway approaches and parking facilities shall comply, or be brought into compliance, with all design standards as set forth in this chapter and the adopted M-84 access management plan and map, prior to the issuance of a zoning or occupancy certificate and pursuant to the procedures of this section.
(14) (a) The State Department of Transportation, as applicable, shall require a performance bond or cash deposit in any sum of a minimum of $10,000 for each new or reconstructed approach or entrance to a commercial use, to ensure compliance with an approved application.
(b) The performance bond shall terminate and the deposit be returned to the applicant when the terms of approval have been met or when the authorization is cancelled or terminated.
(c) No performance bond is required for residential uses.
Review and Approval Process Flow Chart
(Ord. 06-14-Z, passed 10-3-2006; Ord. 06-14, passed 10-17-2006)