80.62 Site Plans.

Intent: It is the intent of this section to establish procedures and standards for the review and approval of site plan applications and to ensure proper relationships between the development features as they relate to the standards outlined in this section. This section is further intended to ensure that developments are compatible with adjacent uses of land and promote the use of land in a desirable manner that does not impair the surrounding uses by the erection of structures, additions, alterations, or site improvements that may negatively impact surrounding development, while providing for the orderly development of the City of Marquette.
Uses subject to site plan review:

A. Conditional Uses;

B. Planned Unit Developments;

C. Any earthwork greater than 40,000 square feet in size;

D. New construction, additions, alterations, or site improvements of any nonresidential building or buildings, including nonresidential accessory buildings or structures;

E. Conversion of an existing building or part thereof from a residential use to a nonresidential use, including site improvements that result from a change in the use of the building or part thereof from residential use to nonresidential use;

F. New construction, additions, alterations, or site improvements for multifamily residential units that contain or will contain three (3) or more unit dwellings;

G. Any expansion or change in an existing land use if more parking in addition to that already provided is required;

H. Site improvements that include landscaping, lighting, parking, and site access.

3. Uses exempt from site plan review: The following uses shall be exempt from site plan review:

A. Single family dwellings and their accessory facilities on individual parcels;

B. Two family dwellings and their accessory facilities on individual parcels;

C. Interior remodeling or interior construction;

D. Landscaping that is less than 25 percent of the parcel size or 5,000 square feet,

whichever is less. 4 Site plan review procedures:

A. No zoning compliance or conditional use permit shall be issued for any uses subject to site plan review except in accordance with a site plan approved by the Planning Commission or Zoning Administrator, except as herein provided.

B. Preliminary sketches of proposed site plans may be submitted for review to the Planning Commission prior to submission for final approval. Submission of preliminary sketch plans shall be made no later than six (6) days prior to the meeting at which the review is to take place. The Planning Commission shall advise the applicant as to the general acceptability of the proposed plan, but shall not be bound by any statements or indications of acceptance to the plan. The Zoning Administrator shall determine the number of plans to be submitted. Sketch plans should include at a minimum:

(1): Identification of project;

(2): Existing features

(3): Proposed construction

i. indication of street right of way, and pavement widths;

ii. access points;

iii. location of pedestrian paths.

C. Applications for final site plan approval shall be submitted to the Zoning Administrator at least twenty (20) business days prior to the meeting at which the review is to take place.

D. The site plan review application materials shall include all the following information, unless theZoning Administrator determines that some of the required information is not reasonably necessary for consideration of the plan.

(1): Current proof of ownership or evidence of a contractual ability to acquire such land, such as an option or purchase agreement or a written statement from the property owner indicating permission for the filing of the application.
(2): Twelve copies of plan sheet(s) providing the information listed below. Sheet size of submitted drawings shall be at least 24-inches by 36-inches, with graphics at an engineers scale of one (1) inch equals twenty (20) feet for sites of 20 acres or less; and one (1) inch equals fifty (50) feet for sites over 20 acres. The surrounding area drawing may be in a scale of one (1) inch equals one-hundred (100). Individual site plan requirements may be waived if deemed unnecessary by the Zoning Administrator.

a. Identification of the project i The applicant’s name; ii Name of the development; iii The preparer’s name and professional seal of architect, engineer,

surveyor or landscape architect indicating license in the State of

Michigan; iv Date of preparation and any revisions; v North arrow; vi Complete and current legal description and size of property in acres.

b. Existing features i Property lines and dimensions; ii Zoning and current land use of applicant’s property and all abutting

properties and of properties across any public or private street from the site; iii Lot lines and all structures on the property and within one-hundred (100) feet if the site’s property lines iv Locations of all significant natural features;

v Location of any access points on both sides of the street within one-hundred (100) feet of the site along streets where access to the site is proposed;

vi Existing topography at a minimum of two (2) foot contour intervals.

c. Proposed construction

i Building footprints, setbacks, and elevations showing height for all proposed structures with the acreage allotted to each use. Floor area and ground coverage ratios shall be provided for residential structures;

ii Proposed locations of utility services (with sizes), including storm drainage, retention or detention ponds, fire hydrants, and any public or private easements;

iii Proposed topography with a site grading plan with topography at a

maximum of two (2) foot contour intervals;

iv Location and method of screening for all waste dumpsters;

v Location and dimensions of parking spaces;

vi A landscaping plan indicating proposed plant locations with common

plant name, number, and size at installation. Berms, retaining walls or fences shall be shown with elevations from the surrounding average grade;

vii Details of exterior lighting including locations, height, and method of shielding;

viii The location of all permanent or temporary signs, existing or proposed, including their area, size, height, illumination, and the type of construction;

ix Details of site circulation and access design, including:

(a): Indication of street right-of-way and pavement widths and pavement type;
(b): Street horizontal and vertical dimensions, including curve radii;
(c): Dimensions of access points including distance from adjacent driveways or intersecting streets, including those across a street;
(d): Identification of width and material to be used for pedestrian paths;
(e): Name and location of abutting public streets, proposed access driveways and parking areas, and existing and proposed pedestrian/bicycle paths;
(f): Written verification of access easements or agreements, if applicable.

x If the application is related to property scheduled for phased development, the proposed layout for the total projected development shall be indicated, and the projected scope and time period shall be estimated for each additional phase;

xi Any other information necessary to establish compliance with this and other ordinances; xii A completed application form, supplied by the Zoning Administrator, and an application fee.

E. The Planning Commission or the Zoning Administrator, prior to granting approval of a site plan, may request from the applicant any additional graphics or written materials, prepared by a qualified person or person(s), to assist in determining the appropriateness of the site plan. Such material may include, but is not limited to, photographs, estimated impact on public schools and utilities, and traffic impacts.

F. The Zoning Administrator, engineering department, fire department, and planning staff will review application materials to determine if they are in proper form, all of the required information is present, and the site plan is in compliance with applicable city ordinances and each will submit a report to the Zoning Administrator.

G. If the site plan is determined to not be in compliance with the ordinances the Zoning Administrator shall deny approval of the site plan.

H. The Zoning Administrator may approve or conditionally approve minor site plans which include additions, alterations, and renovations that are less than 20% of the size of the original building footprint or less than 2000 square feet, site improvements that are less than 20% of the site area or less than 2000 square feet (which ever is less), and all buildings less than 2000 square feet. All other site plans must be reviewed by the Planning Commission.

I. Except as noted above, the Planning Commission shall approve, approve with conditions, or deny the site plan based on the compliance of the plan with city ordinances and the review standards of this ordinance. If conditional approval is granted, the conditions shall be stated specifically so that the Zoning Administrator or other reviewing departments can determine compliance with the conditions and grant approval following submission of revised plans; said review not to exceed ten (10) days.

K. The Planning Commission Chair and the applicant shall sign two (2) copies of the approved site plan, one of which is kept by the Zoning Administrator, the other by the applicant.

L. Zoning Compliance shall not be issued until the Planning Commission or the Zoning Administrator has approved the plan.

5. Approval of a site plan, including conditions made as part of the approval, is attached to the property described as part of the application and not to the owner of such property.

A. Review Standards

(1) Each site plan shall be designed to ensure that:

a.: The uses proposed will not harm the public health, safety, or welfare. All elements of the site plan shall be designed to take into account the site’s topography, the character of adjoining property, and the type and size of buildings. The site shall be developed so as not to impede the normal and ordinary development or improvement of surrounding property for uses permitted in this ordinance.
b.: Safe, convenient, uncongested, and well-defined vehicular and pedestrian circulation within and to the site shall be provided. Drives, streets, and other elements shall be designed to promote safe and efficient traffic operations within the site and at its access points.
c.: The arrangement of public or common ways for vehicular and pedestrian circulation shall be connected to existing or planned street and pedestrian or bicycle pathways in the area. There shall be provided a pedestrian circulation system which is separated from the vehicular circulation system. In order to ensure public safety, special pedestrian measures, such as crosswalks, crossing signals and other such facilities may be required in the vicinity of schools, playgrounds, shopping centers, and other uses which generate a considerable amount of pedestrian traffic.
d.: The landscape shall be preserved in its natural state, insofar as practical, by removing only those areas of vegetation or making those alterations to the topography which are reasonably necessary to develop the site in

accordance with the requirements of this ordinance. Landscaping shall be preserved and/or provided to ensure that proposed uses will be adequately buffered from one another and from surrounding property.

e.: Appropriate measures shall be taken to ensure that removal of surface waters will not adversely affect neighboring properties or the public storm drainage system. Surface water on all paved areas shall be collected so that it will not obstruct the flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic or create standing water.
f.: All buildings or groups of buildings shall be arranged so as to permit emergency vehicle access as required by the Fire Department and Police Department.
g.: All outside storage areas, including refuse storage stations, shall be screened from the view of the street and/or adjacent residentially zoned properties. All loading and unloading areas shall be reasonably screened for residentially zoned properties.
h.: Exterior lighting shall be arranged so that it is deflected away from adjacent properties and bodies of water so that it does not impede the vision of traffic along adjacent streets or impair navigation on the waterway. Flashing or intermittent lights shall not be permitted.
i.: For consistency in areas where adjoining properties face the street, the Planning Commission may require that primary structures shall be oriented so that their main entrance faces the street upon which the lot fronts. If the development is on a corner lot, the main entrance may be oriented to either street or to the corner.
j.: No noise, vibration, dust, fumes, or other nuisance shall leave the property in a manner that affects the surrounding area.

6. Amendments

A. No changes, erasures, modifications, or revisions shall be allowed for any approved site plan without prior approval by the Zoning Administrator, or the Planning Commission.

B. The ability to approve any changes shall remain consistent with the ability to approve or deny an original site plan.

7. Validity of Approved Site Plans

A. Site plan approval shall expire one (1) year from the date of approval except for phased projects that are required to follow a project timeline.

B. When work on a project is halted for a minimum of two months, except during winter conditions, the Zoning Administrator or designee shall inform the Planning Commission which may revoke the approval if the conditions warrant.

C. The Planning Commission may grant a one time extension to the expiration deadline not to exceed one (1) year provided:

(1) The request is submitted at least 45 days prior to the expiration of the site plan approval.

a.: The approved plan conforms to zoning at the time the extension is granted
b.: Any and all Federal and State approvals and permits are current.

D. Site plans whose approval has expired shall require resubmission as an initial application.

8. Compliance Guarantees:

A. Prior to construction, the Zoning Administrator shall require that the property boundaries be staked by a licensed surveyor. At any time during construction, the Zoning Administrator may inspect the site to determine compliance with the approved site plan. If the Zoning Administrator determines that the construction is not in accordance with the approved site plan, the Zoning Administrator shall issue a stop work order and take action to ensure compliance with the approved site plan.

9. Appeals of Site Plans

A. Any person aggrieved by the decision of the Planning Commission or Zoning Administrator with respect to an approval or denial of a site plan shall have the right of an appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals. The appeal shall be filed in writing within thirty (30) business days of the decision.

B. The filing of such an appeal shall act to stay the issuance of any permit.

C. No new evidence may be submitted to the Board of Zoning Appeals.