It is the intent of this article to require site plan review approval prior to issuance of a building permit for certain buildings, structures, and uses that can be expected to have a significant impact on natural resources, traffic patterns, adjacent parcels, and the character of future development, and for all special land uses, to ensure that all such buildings, structures, and uses are in conformity with the provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. of 10-6-03)

Site plan review shall be conducted by the planning commission with the assistance of the building official and administrative, consulting and technical personnel as may be deemed necessary to properly evaluate a proposed plan. A site plan shall be submitted for review in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and such other rules and procedures established by the city.

(Ord. of 10-6-03)

A site plan shall be submitted to the city for approval of:

(1)

Any development, except single-family and two-family residential, for which off-street parking areas are provided as required in section 78-271. In those instances where a change in use is proposed that does not require an increase in parking demand, such use shall only require the review of the building official provided, however, the building official may request the review of the planning commission.

(2)

Any use in an RM, OS, B, I or P district lying contiguous to, or across a street from, a single-family residential district.

(3)

Any use or change of use, except single-family or two-family residential.

(4)

All residentially related uses permitted in a single-family district such as, but not limited to, churches, schools and public facilities.

(5)

Site plans for all subdivisions, site condominiums, cluster housing and multiple-family developments involving more than one building.

(6)

Special land uses in all zoning districts.

(7)

Wireless communication towers.

(8)

Any proposal to build, expand, or decrease an off-street parking lot.

(9)

Any request to add a use on an existing site, including expansion in area, volume or intensity of an existing use.

(10)

Any other change in use or development that could affect compliance with the standards set forth in this chapter.

(11)

All uses not otherwise included within a specific use district.

The building official shall not issue a building permit for construction of, addition to, any one of the above listed buildings or structures until a final site plan therefore has been approved and is in effect. A use, not involving a building or structure, as above listed, shall not be commenced, or expanded nor shall the building official issue a certificate of occupancy for such use, until a final site plan has been approved and is in effect.

No grading, removal of trees or other vegetation, land filling, or construction of improvements shall be commence for any development for which site plan approval is required until a final site plan is approved and is in effect, except as otherwise provided in this article.

For changes of use and site alterations or building expansions, the Planning Commission shall determine the extent of improvement required in relation to the extent of change proposed. In particular the Planning Commission may require changes to improve public safety, closure or redesign of driveways, redesign or resurfacing of parking and loading areas, installation of curbing, replacement or additions to landscaping or screening, upgrades to lighting, relocation and enclosure of waste receptacles, and upgrades to the building exterior.

Site alterations shall rectify or eliminate existing nonconforming site features such as nonconforming landscaping, parking, lighting, drainage, etc. However, the elimination of nonconformities shall be restricted to those areas of the site proposed for alteration and not necessarily the entire site.

(Ord. of 10-6-03; Ord. No. 2012-02, § 3, 1-3-12; Ord. No. 2012-04, § 11, 11-5-12)

(a)

No permit shall be issued for any construction, reconstruction, erection, and/or expansion except in accordance with a site plan approved by the planning commission, except as hereafter provided. A site plan approved by the planning commission shall not be necessary for issuing permits in the following circumstances:

(1)

Construction, reconstruction, erection and/or expansion of a single- or two- family dwelling on a parcel zoned solely for residential purposes.

(2)

All developments regulated by the Subdivision Control Act of 1967, as amended (MCLA 560.101 et seq.) and the City of Plymouth Subdivision Control Ordinance.

(3)

Construction solely on the building interior that does not increase usable floor area or increase on site parking requirements.

(4)

Construction or erection of signs; retaining walls; fences; buffer walls; refuse storage stations; sidewalks; antennas; lights; poles; and cooling, heating, or other mechanical equipment when located on a building or occupying a ground area of less than 100 square feet.

(b)

Site plans not required to be reviewed by the planning commission shall be reviewed by the building official. The building official shall review such plans in accordance with the same procedures, requirements, and standards used by the planning commission.

(Ord. of 10-6-03)

Site plans shall be required for planned unit developments, site condominiums and condominium subdivisions and shall be subject to the provisions of this article.

(Ord. of 10-6-03)

(a)

An application provided on a form provided by the city, along with the required fee and 14 copies of the site plan shall be submitted to the building official.

(b)

Planning commission review. The planning commission, city staff and consultants shall review the site plan and provide comments on its compliance with the site plan approval standards and other sections of this chapter.

(c)

Any applicants for site plan review may elect to submit a preliminary and final site plan concurrently in accordance with the requirements and procedures of this article.

(Ord. of 10-6-03)

Every site plan submitted to the city shall be in accordance with the requirements of this chapter and the city's rules and procedures for site plan submittal and review. No site plan shall be approved until same has been reviewed by the building official and administrative and technical personnel for compliance with the standards of this chapter and other requirements of the city.

(Ord. of 10-6-03)

The following information shall be included on the site plan in addition to those items specified in the application for site plan review:

(1)

A scale of not less than one inch equals 50 feet if the subject property is less than three acres, and one inch equals 100 feet if three acres or more.

(2)

Date, north point and scale.

(3)

The dimensions of all lot and property lines showing the relationship of the subject property to abutting properties.

(4)

The location of all existing and proposed structures on the subject property and all existing structures within 100 feet of the subject property.

(5)

The location of all existing and proposed drives and parking areas.

(6)

The location and right-of-way widths of all abutting streets and alleys.

(7)

The names and addresses of the architect, planner, designer, engineer or person responsible for the preparation of the site plan.

(8)

All requirements of the city's application for site plan review, dated August 1989 shall be complied with including the following site plan review checklist below.

(Ord. of 10-6-03)

*Where property line surveys, topography, sewer, water or storm drains are shown, the name of the registered engineer or land surveyor preparing such elements of the plan shall be indicated on the plan.

(Ord. of 10-6-03)

In the process of reviewing the site plan, the following shall be considered:

(1)

The location and design of driveways providing vehicular ingress to and egress from the site, in relation to streets giving access to the site, and in relation to pedestrian traffic.

(2)

The traffic circulation features within the site and location of automobile parking areas; and may make such requirements with respect to any matters as will assure:

a.

Safety and convenience of both vehicular and pedestrian traffic both within the site and in relation to access streets.

b.

Satisfactory and harmonious relationships between the development on the site and the existing and prospective development of contiguous land and adjacent neighborhoods.

(3)

The planning commission may further require landscaping, fences and walls in pursuance of these objectives and same shall be provided and maintained as a condition of the establishment and the continued maintenance of any use to which they are appurtenant.

(4)

In those instances where an excessive number of ingress and/or egress points may occur with relation to major or secondary thoroughfares, thereby diminishing the carrying capacity of the thoroughfare, the planning commission may require marginal access drives. For a narrow frontage, which will require a single outlet, the planning commission may require that money be placed in escrow with the city so as to provide for a marginal service drive equal in length to the frontage of the property involved. Occupancy permits shall not be issued until the improvement is physically provided, or monies have been deposited with the city treasurer.

(Ord. of 10-6-03)

All site plan approvals granted by the planning commission, pursuant to the requirements of this section, shall be for a period of one year from the date of approval. The building official shall not issue a building permit for any type of construction on the basis of the approved site plan after such approval has expired.

(Ord. of 10-6-03)

The city may approve minor site development plan applications when the change will have no effect on the movement of automobiles and persons to and from the property and will not require additional parking spaces, subject to concurrence of the city engineer, chairperson of the planning commission and the city planner. A minor site plan may be applied for any of the following site modifications:

(1)

The proposed addition constitutes less than 1,000 square feet or not more than 20 percent of the existing floor area.

(2)

The building modification or change of use does not require additional off-street parking.

(3)

The building or site modification does not encroach upon an existing parking lot or require the purchase of parking space credits.

(4)

The building or site modification is not adjacent to single-family (R-1) zoned properties.

(5)

A building or site modification will not have a significant impact upon adjoining land uses.

(Ord. of 10-6-03)

Upon request, the building official may permit, when justifiable conditions are found to exist, and after preliminary site plan approval has been given, the movement of soil, the layout of footings and the construction of foundation walls prior to site plan approval, provided:

(1)

A grading plan, drawn to local specifications and when necessary to county specifications, has been reviewed and approved.

(2)

A soil erosion permit, when required, has been secured.

(3)

Footing and foundation design plans have been approved by all applicable state, county, local departments and consultants.

(4)

A resolution absolving the city of any liability has been submitted by the applicant and approved by the city.

(Ord. of 10-6-03)

Fees for review of expired site plan will be waived in those instances where no substantial change in conditions of the site plan or abutting uses has taken place or a change in zoning standards has been adopted since approval of the site plan. In those instances where conditions have changed, the fee for review of expired site plans or new site plans shall be the same as for the initial submittal.

(Ord. of 10-6-03)