Dick Carlisle of Carlisle & Wortman will develop a ‘special land use? plan for 90 N. Main Street, after input from city planners.
Clarkston Planning Commission members said they want a plan with ‘teeth,? to enforce Historic District ordinance.
‘I want to make sure everything is there black and white to protect the village ? I’m not representing a business or anybody else,? said Commissioner Thomas Goldner, Jan. 20. ‘I want to see the government here be safeguarded because litigation of the past has drained our treasury.?
Special-use permit would give the city more authority to attach conditions, Carlisle said.
‘Those conditions have to be reasonably related to the health safety and welfare so you could as a special land use legally establish conditions on the property,? he said.
The property would still be under the Historic Overlay District, but it would allow use of the property under residential zoning.
Commissioner Robert Hahn wasn’t so certain about the control granted through special-use permit.
‘How much control do we want? We’re not communist. We want these guys to make a living. They want to turn a profit on the building,? Hahn said. ‘I’d even like to see it loosened up even a little bit more.?
Goldner said it’s up the owners to make a living off the building and the commission to set the ‘ground rules? for what’s allowed and not allowed.
Jeff Leib, attorney representing building owner Bob Roth and Ed Adler said the last thing his client’s want is litigation.
‘We wanted to come up with a development plan that made sense for them, made sense for the community and was not confrontational with the community,? Lieb said.
Roth said the meeting went well.
‘There were a lot of concerns, but over all I think we’re moving ahead,? he said after the meeting. ‘The process sometimes takes a long time and it’s the only thing I’m concerned about. It’s already been over two years, but they at least had a meeting and we finally talked about it.?
Previously Adler and Roth said they saw the building being used for architects or engineer offices, or studios of some sort.
Carlisle said he would try and get the plan to city council prior to their Feb. 7 regular meeting.