PLANNING COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING

MINUTES OF MEETING SEPTEMBER 17, 2007

 

CALL TO ORDER:

 

Chairman called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.

 

PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Don Bergwall, Ken Kraus, Pat Soller, Pete Griffin, John Cunningham.  Alan Seymour, Roger Yoder

 

OTHERS PRESENT:

 

Greg DeLong

 

ADMINISTRATION COMMENTS:  None

 

CITIZEN COMMENTS:  None

 

OLD BUSINESS:

 

Review Proposed language for Homeowner’s Associations (POA’s)

 

Mr. DeLong stated what he passed out tonight was the changes to the POA language that were discussed at the last special meeting.  This is a final draft which includes input from the City Engineer and the City Law Director. 

 

Mr. Seymour stated his thoughts are the general purpose is a little wordy.  Mr. Bergwall agreed. 

 

Mr. Kraus stated he thinks it is a decent statement on how the City would view a POA. 

 

Mr. Seymour stated this is legislation and the first statement doesn’t fit.

 

Mr. Bergwall stated from a matter of consistency, because it was in another code, we say something similar in the beginning of the PUD chapter.

 

Mr. Seymour stated on the second sentence, how does this preserve the architectural integrity.  Mr. Cunningham stated a lot of POA’s have paint restrictions and other deed restrictions.

 

Mr. Bergwall stated in the first sentence, I don’t want this to be confused and people to think that POA’s are only associated with PUD’s.  Mr. Cunningham stated he doesn’t think it would be confusing to the general public.

 

Mr. Yoder stated he would scratch everything every thing in the middle of “The POA is” and “ intended to promote”.

 

Commission agreed.

 

Mr. Griffin stated he likes having the statement there because it gives focus  on the fact that the POA is important in the community.

 

Mr. Seymour asked where it was left at the last meeting.  We are not requiring every development, right?  Mr. Bergwall stated it is something that we will have to discuss further in the text.  Mr. Cunningham stated how else are you going to take care of shared property.

 

Mr. Bergwall stated he stated out from if you are going to do a development that will have common properties, then you would have a POA.  It would be a shall.  That part was taken out.

 

Mr. Seymour stated it is something that we ask when every development comes before us. 

 

Mr. Cunningham stated you are creating an association that has no definition.  If I come in and it says this is what your POA has to be, and I say I don’t have a POA.  Then I could skirt the laws entirely. 

 

Mr. Kraus stated he doesn’t think that you can skirt them.  Mr. Cunningham stated if you claim that you don’t have one.  It doesn’t say anywhere that you have to have one.

 

Mr. Yoder stated he thinks it should be started as “The POA should provide a collective voice on matters of common concern …” 

 

Mr. Bergwall stated it needs to be kept in mind that the General Purpose statement is still intact as it was written in the original draft. 

 

Mr. Soller stated the City can only enforce the maintenance of common properties.  They can’t enforce anything that the deed restrictions say are reducing property value or not preserving the architectural value. 

 

Mr. Kraus stated he doesn’t think there is anything wrong with the General Purpose as stated.  Being broad like it is covers most of the sins.  The comment that was raised as to where in the code do we require POA’s.  The more I think about it, I don’t think we should require it but only encourage it.  I can live with the General Purpose as it is.

 

Mr. Seymour stated in 1110.02, the last sentence of the first paragraph states document should be submitted with the final plat.  He stated he thinks they should be submitted with the preliminary plat so it establishes the intent to have one. 

 

Mr. Griffin stated in 1110.02 a. he thinks it should be reworded a little and add to the end “that have common areas.”

 

Mr. DeLong asked the commission where they left 1110.01. 

 

Discussion held to reword 1110.01.  1110.01 language will be, “Property Owner’s Association represents the property owners of a planned community.  It is intended to be the vehicle for the community communication and for maintaining the common areas and services that exist for the benefit of each member of the association.”

 

Mr. Bergwall stated as we get into the next section, 1110.02, the point of confusion that I have is we begin with restricted open space then in b. we talk about common areas including restricted open space.  Then later we talk about all open space and on the next page we talk about common properties and easements.  We have a variety of things and have taken out common and services in the opening paragraph, but the way this is worded, restricted open space can be an easement on an individual lot.  I don’t think our intent was to legislate over that.

 

Mr. Seymour stated it sounds like there needs to be a definition. 

 

Mr. DeLong stated the commission received a letter from Phil Roush regarding adding easements to the language.  The commission agreed to it.

 

Mr. Kraus read Mr. Roush’s memo.

 

Mr. Bergwall stated what he takes Mr. Roush to mean is in Walker Meadow’s for instance, they have a reserve area on each side of the entrance way.  Along with the reserve area there are easements along the right of way adjacent to the reserves.  I wouldn’t think he would be talking about the utility easements in everyone’s yards. 

 

Discussion held regarding the interpretation of Mr. Roush’s memo.

 

Discussion held regarding defining items the POA should be responsible for and how it’s worded. 

 

Mr. Soller asked in 1110.02 what are the documents are they supposed to submit.  Mr. Cunningham stated it is in the text and the documents have to support what is being asked for.

 

Mr. Seymour asked if everyone is okay with 1110.03.  Commission stated yes.

 

Mr. Kraus stated in 1110.05 it should also reference1113.99. 

 

NEW BUSINESS:

 

Review of potential properties to rezone to GOV district

 

Mr. Kraus stated he has three properties in mind for the GOV district.  One is the county property on SR 4 N., second is the county/city/school properties on both sides of Amrine Mill Rd. and the third is the school property on SR 4 S. 

 

Mr. DeLong asked about the Reformatory property.  Mr. Kraus stated his question on that would be do they still do farming.   Mr. DeLong stated Agricultural is permitted.

 

Mr. Seymour stated if we were asked why do we see a need or desire to create a GOV district, what is the benefit in adding legislation.

 

Mr. Kraus stated the district is already created. 

 

Mr. Seymour stated he understands that, but why.

 

Mr. Soller stated it is to prevent the sale of government property to commercial developers with out it at least having to go through a zoning process first.

 

Mr. DeLong stated the school on SR 4 S. and county property on SR 4 N both currently have township zoning and we have nothing to enforce.  It needs to be changed to City zoning. 

 

Mr. Seymour asked about the City Hall building.  Mr. Kraus stated it is too small. 

 

Mr. Yoder stated it only requires 2 acres. 

 

Review Chapter 1137

 

Mr. DeLong stated he is not sure where they want to start on this.  Currently our code is based off of the 1987 SIC codes.  We are currently in the process of converting them to the NACIS.  He stated this will be a very tedious process. 

 

Mr. Kraus stated 1137.02 should be deleted.  There used to be a spreadsheet that had all of the district regulations on it.  That spreadsheet no longer exists and I don’t know if it is even possible to create one. 

PLANNING COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2007

PAGE 5

 

Discussion held regarding how to approach the district regulations.

 

INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONER COMMENTS:

 

Kraus-  None

Bergwall- None

Soller- None

Griffin- None

Cunningham- None

Yoder-  None

Seymour- None

 

ADJOURNMENT:

 

Meeting adjourned