Among the topics, Clark Lake took the stage at the meeting of the Columbia Charter Township Board last evening (Mon 6/17).
Montessori at Clark Lake
The Township Board unanimously passed the Planning Commission’s recommendations that allows the Montessori daycare at Clark Lake to move forward. After the meeting, Diane Smith said they plan to open in September.
The Planning Commission recommendation to the Board included two provisions – that the parking lot used by boaters be closed during hours of operation for child safety and any change in outside lighting be pointed downward to avoid light pollution. Those two addendums were authored by Mike McKay during the Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday, June 4th. During the board meeting last night, Supervisor Marsh ask Mike to restate those two points. The child safety concern was previously noted by Police Chief Jay Niles in a document at the Planning Commission meeting. To see Mike McKay make the motion at the June 4th Planning Commission meeting, please click here.
An irony lingers regarding the lot used by boaters to park trailers. The former church and soon to be Montessori daycare is zoned C-2 commercial. The parking lot to the north is zoned residential. When asked if the Montessori would fence the lot, Brad Smith, Diane Smith’s husband, said probably not. Based on setbacks required by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), the number of spaces would be reduced to about seven. The Smith’s do intend to post a no parking sign during school hours. Brad Smith seemed unsure about how no parking restrictions would play out or if the Smith’s would go back to the ZBA about using the lot for Montessori purposes.
Brad and Diane Smith in the Township Parking lot after the meeting
Hitt Farm Zoning Request
The Township Board confirmed the Planning Commission’s recommendation to rezone a small section of the Hitt Farms property from agricultural to residential suburban.
When this originally came before the Planning Commission in January, it drew a crowd. Some neighbors worried that the large size of the property could lead to the building of a subdivision. In turn, these new home owners could gain lake access on a community dock connected to another Hitt parcel that is lakefront. That set off alarm bells about possible funneling, a term used to define this kind of usage. At the January Planning Commission meeting, Mike McKay outlined a solution that would allay that fear while allowing some north shore residents to purchase a piece of it. About 1.09 acres could become backlots for lakefront owners for about 400 feet (109 feet deep) along North Shore.
Zoning Change for Two Other Parcels
The Township Board also ok’d rezoning of two other parcels near Grand Boulevard, North Lake, and Broadway. Zoning will change from residential suburban to residential rural. That will allow horses to be stabled on the parcels owned by Chris and Latisse Kudner.
Rentals at Clark Lake
Restricting rentals at Clark Lake was revisited yesterday evening at the Board meeting. During public comment, Lakeview West resident Gerald Burns spoke out on protecting the rights of residents through regulating short-term rentals. Currently, the zoning ordinance does not deal with rentals. Led by Supervisor Barry Marsh, the Board indicated that the Township zoning officer, Brittany Stein, should research options. See it happen in this video, edited for length.
To review what happened at last month’s meeting regarding rentals, please click here.
