The site plan review requirements are intended to provide a consistent and uniform method of review of proposed development plans, to ensure full compliance with the regulations in this Ordinance, other applicable ordinances, and state and federal laws, to achieve efficient use of the land, to encourage innovative design solutions, to ensure safety for both internal and external vehicular and pedestrian users, to achieve innovative stormwater management solutions, and to prevent adverse impact on adjoining or nearby properties. It is the intent of these provisions to encourage cooperation and consultation between the City and the applicant to facilitate development in accordance with the City's land use objectives. Through the application of the following provisions, the attainment of the City's plans and goals will be ensured and the city will progress in an orderly fashion.

(Ord. No. 600, § 1, 1-8-2018)

A.

Site Plan Review. A site plan shall be submitted to the Planning Commission for approval of:

(1)

New single-family dwellings. For purposes of this section, a new single-family dwelling is a dwelling proposed for construction on a vacant lot or an existing dwelling where more than 50 percent of the existing floor area is being altered as determined by the City Building Official or his/her designee.

(2)

Additions to single-family dwellings except those additions which meet all of the following:

(a)

Are to the rear of the existing building;

(b)

Are no higher than the existing building;

(c)

Are no closer to the side lot lines than the existing building;

(d)

Are no larger than 50 percent of the floor area of the existing building;

(e)

Are of the same predominant exterior material and proportion as the existing building; and

(f)

Have windows on all elevations so that no elevation has a large expanse of blank wall.

(3)

Additions or alterations to nonconforming uses, buildings containing nonconforming uses and/or changes in the off-street parking connected therewith. Any addition or alteration to a nonconforming use or building containing a nonconforming use shall require approval of a variance by the Zoning Board of Appeals prior to submission of the site plan.

(4)

All residentially-related buildings and uses, such as, but not limited to: places of worship, schools, clubhouses, pubic facilities and additions thereto.

(5)

Nonresidential buildings and accessory buildings, and additions or alterations to nonresidential buildings and accessory buildings.

(6)

Off-street parking areas for three (3) or more vehicles in connection with subsections A(1) through (5) of this section.

(7)

Semicircular driveways.

(8)

Special land uses.

(9)

Notwithstanding the foregoing, site plan review by the Planning Commission shall not be required with respect to properties located within an historic district, or within a proposed historic district consistent with Public Act 169, as amended, MCL 399.214(3), but only if special land use approval is not required. The City Commission has provided that all applications for such properties be referred to the Historic District Commission.

(Ord. No. 600, § 1, 1-8-2018; Ord. No. 604, § 3, 4-10-2018)

Application for site plan review shall be made to the Zoning Administrator by submitting an application not less than thirty (30) days prior to the date of the regular meeting of the Planning Commission, at which the application for a preliminary site plan will be considered. The application shall contain the following:

A.

The applicant's name, address and telephone number.

B.

A signed statement that the applicant is the owner of the property or a signed statement from the owner that the applicant is officially acting on the owner's behalf, and whether there are any options on the property or liens against it.

C.

A boundary survey prepared by a registered land surveyor or civil engineer, including the following information:

(1)

Certification that lot corners have been found and staked.

(2)

Existing and proposed grades on the site and grades of adjacent properties.

(3)

The date of the drawing.

(4)

North arrow and scale (to be drawn at a minimum scale of one inch equals 20 feet).

(5)

Name, address and telephone number of the surveyor or civil engineer.

(6)

A site location map.

(7)

Street address and legal description of the property.

(8)

Property boundaries, dimensions and size (in square feet).

(9)

Location of existing buildings on the property including all dimensions.

(10)

Distances to lot lines and immediately adjacent buildings.

(11)

Front and side yard setbacks of buildings on either side of subject property.

(12)

Location of existing and proposed structures including air conditioners, swimming pools, decks, porches, patios, etc.

(13)

Location of driveways and parking areas on the property.

(14)

Existing roads and utility lines.

(15)

Trees, including trees to be removed and trees in the city's right-of-way.

D.

Architectural plans prepared by an architect or designer, including the following:

(1)

Name, address and telephone number of architect or designer.

(2)

A summary of pertinent facts about the plan (i.e., square feet of land, square feet of building, and percentage of lot coverage).

(3)

Elevations for the front, sides, and rear of the building including all dimensions and location of gutters and downspouts (to be drawn at a scale of one-fourth inch equals one foot).

(4)

Floor plans, including all dimensions (to be drawn at a scale of one-fourth inch equals one foot).

(5)

A roof plan, including pitch, (to be drawn at a minimum scale of one-eighth inch equals one foot).

(6)

Materials and colors to be used on existing and proposed buildings.

(7)

If the front elevation is changing, a drawing of the front elevation of the buildings on the site together with the elevations of the immediately adjacent buildings drawn to a minimum scale of one-eighth inch equals one foot.

(8)

For new buildings and semi-circular driveways, a landscaping plan, including trees, shrubs and other vegetation to be added (to be drawn at a minimum scale of one inch equals 20 feet).

(9)

Site Plan requirements for uses or development in any R1 District shall include:

(a)

All drawings are to have a title block, which shall have the name of the project and date of plans including revision dates.

(b)

All drawings are to have a northpoint and the scale of the drawing is to be indicated.

(c)

All lot and property lines.

(d)

Location of all proposed structures.

(e)

Existing and future right-of-way of adjacent streets, including centerlines and section lines where applicable.

(f)

Location of all fences, driveways, and sidewalks, on and adjacent to the site.

(g)

Setbacks and required yards.

(10)

In addition to the above, applications for site plan review for uses or development in RT, One and Two-family Attached District; TD, Transitional District; BD, Business District; and PRD, Parks and Recreation District shall include:

(a)

All drawings are to have a title block, which shall have the name of the project and date of plans including revision dates.

(b)

All drawings are to have a northpoint and the scale of the drawing is to be indicated.

(c)

All lot and property lines.

(d)

Location of all proposed structures.

(e)

Existing and future right-of-way of adjacent streets, including centerlines and section lines where applicable.

(f)

Location of all sidewalks, on and adjacent to the site.

(g)

The means by which stormwater detention will be provided.

(h)

Setbacks and required yards.

(i)

Parking areas, access drives, loading and unloading areas, and trash receptacles.

(j)

Greenbelts, landscape areas, other open space areas and screening walls.

(k)

The location of any existing driveways and streets within one hundred (100) feet of the subject property, including those across frontage streets.

(l)

The location of existing cross access easements on abutting properties and the location of proposed cross access or joint drive easements on the subject property.

(m)

Calculations for the following shall be included on the site plan:

1.

Gross and net (after rights-of-way) site area.

2.

Gross and net ("usable") building area.

3.

Required parking and statement of parking provided.

4.

Required landscape and open space area, and statement of intent for each.

E.

Zoning Administrator.

(1)

The Zoning Administrator may waive the submission of a site plan submittal requirement where such information is not material to the Planning Commission and/or the City Commission action.

(2)

The Zoning Administrator may require additional information or studies to assist in the review of a site plan where such information is material to the Planning Commission and/or the City Commission action.

(Ord. No. 600, § 1, 1-8-2018)

A.

Prior to review by the Planning Commission, the site plan application as required in Section 40-7.03 shall be reviewed, as applicable, by the Public Safety Director, the Zoning Administrator, the Director of Public Services, and the City's consulting engineer and City's consulting planner, for compliance with the City Code and the standards of the respective departments. The site plan will then be placed on a Planning Commission agenda for review.

B.

The petitioner and all property owners within 300 feet of the subject property will be notified by mail of the date, time and place of the Planning Commission meeting.

C.

In the event that permission for a Special Use is also required for the subject property, such Special Use shall be applied for and reviewed by the Planning Commission concurrent with review of the site plan.

D.

If an application to the Board of Zoning Appeals requires site plan approval by the Planning Commission pursuant to the provisions of this article, the applicant shall first receive site plan approval as set forth in this article.

E.

The site plan, staff comments and comments from the public shall become part of the permanent record. The Planning Commission shall state in the record all the grounds for the action taken upon the site plan submitted for its approval.

F.

Site plan review and approval by the Planning Commission is required prior to the issuance of a building permit.

G.

Approval of a site plan by the Planning Commission shall be valid for one (1) year from the date it is granted. Thirty (30) days prior to the expiration date, the applicant may make application to the Planning Commission for a six-month extension with no fee. The applicant shall explain in writing why the development has not proceeded, what the current timeframe is and why an extension should be granted. The Planning Commission will consider the reasons, and determine whether an extension should be granted.

H.

An applicant, having secured approval of a site plan, shall develop such site in complete conformity with the approved site plan. Any change to the approved site plan deemed significant by the Zoning Administrator, shall be submitted with fee to the Planning Commission for revised approval.

I.

For all new buildings, an "as-built" boundary survey prepared by a registered land surveyor or civil engineer certifying compliance with all approved grades, both existing and proposed, must be submitted prior to final inspection by the Building Official and prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.

(Ord. No. 600, § 1, 1-8-2018)

A site plan for which the Building Official has not issued a building permit, or the work authorized under an issued building permit has not been completed, may be amended by the Planning Commission. Any amendment to an approved site plan shall be made upon application and in accordance with the procedure provided under Section 40-7.04 of this Ordinance.

(Ord. No. 600, § 1, 1-8-2018)

A.

The Planning Commission shall grant approval to a site plan which meets all of the following standards:

(1)

The proposed use conforms to the uses permitted in that zoning district.

(2)

The dimensional arrangement of buildings and structures conform to the required yards, setbacks and height restrictions of this chapter.

(3)

The location, size and height of buildings, walls, fences and structures provides adequate landscaped open space, light, air and access to the subject property and to adjacent properties.

(4)

The development will not hinder the reasonable development of adjoining properties nor diminish the value thereof.

(5)

The proposed on-site buildings, structures and entryways are situated and designed to minimize adverse effects (upon owners and occupants of adjacent and surrounding properties) by providing for adequate design of ingress/egress, interior/exterior traffic flow, storm drainage, erosion, grading, lighting and parking.

(6)

The site plan and its relation to streets, driveways and sidewalks does not interfere with and is not hazardous to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

(7)

Natural features of the landscape are retained where they can enhance the development on the site, or where they furnish a barrier or buffer between the project and adjoining properties (used for dissimilar purposes) or where they assist in preserving the general safety, health and appearance of the neighborhood.

(8)

Adverse effects of the proposed development and activities upon adjoining residents or owners are minimized by appropriate shielding, screening, fencing, or landscaping.

(9)

All buildings and structures are accessible to emergency vehicles.

(10)

The site plan is consistent with and complies with the intent and purposes of this chapter, the Huntington Woods Master Plan and other statutorily-authorized and properly adopted city planning documents, other applicable ordinances, and state and federal statutes.

B.

In addition to the above, all site plans in Zone R-l A, R-1B, R-1C, R-1D, R-1E and RT, One and Two-family Attached District, shall comply with the Design Standards set forth in Section 40-5.14.

C.

Appeals. Any applicant for site plan review shall have the right to appeal a decision of the Planning Commission to the Zoning Board of Appeals as set forth in this chapter.

(Ord. No. 600, § 1, 1-8-2018)