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Opinion: Reflections on April 13 planning commission meeting

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By Elizabeth Jordan

Saturday, April 17, 2010

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The Flint Planning Commission approved site plans for a new Internal Revenue Service building on North Saginaw Street and recommended land be rezoned for a new Hamilton Health Clinic, also on North Saginaw Street.

The IRS is planning to build a new facility on Saginaw Street just north of Louisa Street. It would involve demolishing two existing buildings (this has already happened) and combining those parcels. There is another vacant parcel immediately behind those, extending to Chippewa Street that will also be part of the project. It is owned by the Genesee County Land Bank.

Commissioners asked a few questions, including clarifying the number of parking spaces, confirming that there will be disabled accessible curb cuts and noting that the driveway approaches must be concrete according to the city's ordinances. The site plans were approved with the condition that the driveway be surfaced with concrete.

The public hearing was on whether to rezone the block bounded by Saginaw, Leith, North and Dartmouth streets from E (heavy commercial, limited manufacturing) to D3 (community business). Hamilton Health Clinic wants to build a new health facility on that site. The facility would provide primary care to adults, pediatric services, dentistry, podiatry, pharmacy and an obstetrics and gynecology clinic.

The current building, near the Broome Center, is much smaller than the planned new building.

Two people spoke in opposition. In the first case, a man connected to a motorcycle club across the street wanted to be sure the club would not be affected. In the second case, a woman who owned a closed convenience store had the same concern.

I appreciated them both sharing their concerns because I have heard anecdotal stories of instances where rezoning in the past ultimately led to a sort of cascade of rezoning in that area, leading to significant change in the permitted uses over time. Usually, that seems to have involved a pocket of heavier use rezoning in a lighter zoned area, like a residential or light commercial area.

In this case, the proposed D3 zoning is consistent with adjoining uses, such as the convenience store, and is a much less intensive use than the current E zoning. Commissioners shared zoning maps with the two speakers highlighting the block in question and its position relative to the two properties they spoke about. That seemed to allay their concerns.

City Councilperson Bryant Nolden (Third Ward) spoke in favor of the rezoning request. He noted that he supports the kind of economic and community development in the Third Ward this represents.

During the commissioners' discussion of the request, I shared my thoughts that the unfortunate closure of the McCree North Health Center left a void for health services in the heart of Flint. I view the investment of Hamilton into expanding services in this area as very important even though Hamilton and McCree North offered different services and this step alone will not fill the gap.

The commission voted to recommend approval of the rezoning request. The case will now go to the Flint City Council for final review.

Commissioner Robert Jewell said the Community and Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Committee met March 23 and had submitted the final document to the federal government as planned. He also shared that the committee changed their schedule to meet at 2 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the month in the Mott Foundation Board Room. The committee is working on raising awareness about the potential of being a Google community and on preparing presentations to civic groups on the CEDS document.

As a follow-up to a prior inquiry about a vegetable growing project in Aldridge Park, Sharee Pierce, the staff person for the city's planning and zoning office, passed along an update from Steve Montle, the city's green projects director.

A commissioner had previously asked whether a project involving a farm garden in the park would be permitted under city ordinance. We got more context – the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality cited the city for violations in Aldridge Park. The leaves the city collected curbside for years had been dumped there and were now leaching into nearby Swartz Creek. One way or another, the city will have to remediate the site.

(Leaves that are picked up are now taken to part of Chevy in the Hole, where they are managed and turned into compost. This has the potential to be a revenue generator due to the demand for compost, and can also be a source of clean, healthy soil for urban food growers.)

As part of the abatement of Aldridge Park, there are plans to use the rich leaf material as the base for a public demonstration vegetable patch. It's being handled through the Parks and Recreation Department, and does not fall under the purview of the planning commission.

Because there is nothing on the agenda for a second meeting in April, the election of officers was bumped up to this meeting.

Robert Wesley and David Jackson were once again selected to serve as the chairman and secretary. Unexpectedly (at least to me), I was selected to serve as vice chairman.

We thanked Jerri Howell for her service during the last year.

I appreciate having a chance to become more familiar about that role by watching her carry it out.

Commissioner Patrick Ryals shared a flyer for a Fair Housing Summit sponsored by the Human Relations Commission. It will be at Sarvis from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 21. While the event is free, they do ask that you register by calling the Flint Human Relations Commission office.

Lastly, Wendy Johnson, the newly appointed director of Community and Economic Development, shared some updates. The budget the mayor is proposing for the 2010-11 fiscal year (which starts July 1) includes funding for a chief planning officer. However, the position is not budgeted to start until early 2011. Of course, the final budget has to be worked out with city council.

The next regularly scheduled meeting is April 27, but it is likely to be canceled because there are no pressing items on the agenda. Typically the planning commission meets at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month on the third floor of City Hall.

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Elizabeth Jordan is a lifelong Flint resident who represents the Ninth Ward on the Flint Planning Commission.  In addition to working in the nonprofit sector, she is involved with various community initiatives promoting social justice and peace.

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