321 Amelia St Plymouth, MI 48170-1202

rezoning or PUD be cross-referenced in this Article as well as in Article XXIV - Planned Unit Development. Pivot Section 78-385 to a Description of Planning Commission Powers Section 78-385 - Planning Commission Approval describes the abilities of the Planning Commission to investigate, require information from applicants, place conditions, and the time limitation of their approvals. Only item (e) places limits on the Planning Commission’s abilities. We recommend that the requirements for information from applicants, the Planning Commission’s ability to investigate, require information, place conditions and the time limitation of their approval be woven into updated regulations for site plan, special land use and nonconformance approvals, so it is explicit what the Planning Commission’s abilities are in each instance. We recommend that this section is combined with Section 78-379 to describe where the Planning Commission is enabled in state law, its duties and responsibilities. Consider Eliminating Use Variances Best planning practices call for the elimination of use variances. The Zoning Board of Appeals can compromise a municipality’s ability to implement its Master Plan through use variances. We recommend changing the uses via amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map instead. Move Parks and Open Space District to Article close to other Zoning Districts If the Zoning Ordinance is rewritten, the Parks and Open Space District should be grouped with other zoning district articles. Also, we recommend considering yard setbacks and lot coverage for buildings. Update Inconsistent or Improper Terms The following term needs to be used consistently: 26 • “Special land use” instead of “special use” To be consistent with state regulations and federal law, the following terms should be used: • “Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy” or “EGLE” instead of “Michigan Department of Environmental Quality” or “MDEQ” • “Religious institution” or “house of worship” instead of “church” To be consistent with current City practices, the following term should be used: • “Community Development Director” instead of "Building Official”. There may be a few instances when the Building Official is the appropriate person, such as issuing building permits or certificates of occupancy. Update Definitions The following actions should be taken regarding definitions: • Review all definitions for consistent usage. For instance, “Average Grade” and “Usable Floor Area” are used in a number of different contexts.