Chikaming planners approve final site plan for event center

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Chikaming planners approve final site plan for event center

BY FRANCESCA SAGALA

Members of the Chikaming Township Planning Commission approved the final site plan and special land use (SLU) for Section House Hall 5896 Sawyer Road (formerly Sawyer Hardware and Lumber), as well as to recommend the plan to the Chikaming Township Board for final approval, at their Wednesday, Jan. 5, meeting.

Planners approved the initial site plan for the building, which will be changing use from retail to event center, at their December meeting.

Planners approved the site plan and SLU and their recommendation to the township board in a 4-0 vote (Doug Dow and Grace Rappe were absent and Bill Marske abstained due to sitting on the township board). The approval was made after a public hearing (in which no one spoke out regarding the project).

Rob Andrew of Merritt Midwest said that the existing large building will be turned into an event hall.

The area that is currently gravel around the building will mostly be paved and made into permanent organized parking, he said. Permanent underground drainage will be installed, which will be going to a detention basin at the rear of the property.

In response to comments made from the Planning Commission, Andrew said a few adjustments were made to the site plan.

Spot elevations were added to the site grading plan, and it was clarified that the existing overhead utilities on the site will remain. A large pine tree existing on the site will be retained, which was clarified on the final site plan. A couple “decent sized trees” and brush will remain on an area to the southwest of the building, Andrew said.

At the last meeting, there was a “lot of discussion to whether or not the landscaped trees for buffering and appearance were adequate,” he said. In response to the comments, Andrew said that 10 trees were added to the site plan in “roughly” locations where planner Grace Rappe suggested.

“We feel it’s pretty full and pretty well landscaped in this arrangement,” Andrew said.

Kelly Largent, township zoning administrator, said that, because of discussions that have taken place “about what was intended with the zoning ordinance,” she removed the restaurant in her final review of the site plan

because it had been determined that “the intent of the Planning Commission was not to have it as an accessory use in needing that restaurant area.” This resulted in the required parking calculation being decreased down to 49 spaces. The proposal included 80 parking spaces, and the original number of required spaces (with the restaurant) was 63. Planners heard an update on the ongoing improvements to Harbert. A view of the former Sawyer Hardware and Lumber in downtown Sawyer Planning Commission chair John Chipman said that the plan for the redesign of Harbert, which will include an area that will stretch from Harbert Community Park to just past the post office and deals with mainly the east side of Red Arrow Highway, is just being finalized.

Regarding the reconstruction of Sawyer Road that’s being worked on by the Berrien County Road Department, Chipman said the road is being surveyed by Abonmarche from Red Arrow Highway to Flynn Road and the drawings are currently being worked on and should be done in February. Plans are for the project to go to bid in mid-March. Last month, the Chikaming Township Board of Directors approved a recommendation from the Planning Commission to hire The Antero Group for the initial design for Sawyer Road. On Jan 5, Chipman said the township should be receiving a proposal from The Antero Group at the end of the week.