Developers of a proposed funeral home in Springfield Township have the green light to proceed, but it is a very light shade of green.
A motion at the May 12 township board meeting had a long list of conditions, and passed by a 4-3 vote.
The issue concerns a 4.2-acre parcel on the southwest side of Dixie Highway near Softwater Lake. Marcie Harrington of Clarkston proposes to build a funeral home at the site, with a possible 6,720-square-foot office building in the future.
Trustees previously tabled the issue to allow the petitioner to revise plans based on concerns voiced at an April 14 public hearing. The hearing was required because of the special land use and because the property is in the Dixie Highway ‘overlay? zoning district.
On May 12, builder Chris Hertz and engineer Jim Scharl explained several revisions to the plan, but the board said the verbal explanation was not matched with adequate revisions on the written plan.
Hertz outlined several revised plans, including the relocation of the funeral home’s footprint an additional 10 feet back from the roadway, the reduction in parking spaces from 96 to 66 to allow for better ‘stacking? of cars in funeral processions, and a berm and additional screening from an adjacent residential area.
Several board members noted revisions on a site plan drawing were not accompanied by revisions in the written ‘narrative,? and some said the plan still lacked needed detail.
‘You must get enough detail for us to determine that special land use items have been taken care of. I don’t think we have it,? said Supervisor Collin Walls. ‘The fact that the narrative didn’t even get changed made it difficult to prepare for this evening’s meeting.?
‘I realize this is a concept, but I was looking for something beyond the basic,? Clerk Nancy Strole said, noting lack of details for a patio area behind the funeral home and inadequate screening from the adjacent property. ‘To me, screening is critical.?
Trustee David Hopper said the lighting plan had not been revised since the last meeting.
‘I don’t know if it meets the ordinance,? Hopper said.
In addition to screening and parking, board members asked for more detail concerning the plan’s two ‘community features? required by the Dixie Highway overlay district zoning to enhance pedestrian traffic. The petitioner proposed a seating area in front of the funeral home just off the required safety path and the patio area to the rear of the funeral home.
Walls expressed doubt that the rear patio would qualify as a ‘community? feature.
Scharl, noting the need to go to the planning commission for additional approvals, protested the board’s detailed questioning.
‘I was under the impression we were here for a special use permit,? Scharl said. ‘I’m sitting here like this is a site plan review.?
Walls said he understood the objection, but said board members are entitled to offer ‘opinions? on the proposal.
‘You haven’t met the first basic test yet of what’s required in the Dixie Highway overlay district with what’s presented,? Walls said.
With a consensus that many details were lacking, board members debated whether to again table the request or to pass a ‘detailed? conditional approval.
Walls offered the motion to approve the special use permit, with the wording that the submitted plans ‘do not currently, but could? meet the township ordinance.
The motion included seven detailed conditions dealing with issues such as screening, parking, lighting, the ‘community features? and relocation of overhead utility lines.
Even though he made the motion, Walls joined Strole and Trustee Roger Lamont in voting against the motion.
Trustee Marc Cooper summed up the feelings of the four who voted yes.
‘We need to give them a chance,? Cooper said. ‘If we’re going to approve it when they make these changes, at least they can keep going forward so they’re not losing another month.?