April 11, 2016 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes

Meeting Archive

Meeting Highlights: April 11, 2016

A meeting of the Village of Riverlea Planning Commission was held April 11, 2016 at the Evening Street Elementary School. Members present were Carolee Noonan (Planning Commissioner), Janet Brown, Robert Davis, Taylor Surface, and Paul Unrue. Also present were Steven Schmidt and Don Campbell. Joshua C. Mehling served as Clerk. The Planning Commissioner called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.

1. The Clerk-Treasurer explained that the previously approved January minutes had been distributed to all Commission members, rather than the February minutes, so these February minutes would need to be distributed and approved at a later date. The Planning Commissioner asked the members if they would prefer to go ahead and schedule a meeting for May, regardless of any application requests, at which the February and April minutes could be approved, or if they would prefer to approve these at the next meeting with an application, which may be at a later date. Davis stated that he would strongly prefer not to schedule a meeting with the express purpose of approving these minutes. Unrue inquired whether these minutes could be approved by email and the Clerk-Treasurer responded that these would have to be approved at a meeting that is open to the public. The other members of the Commission agreed that they did not feel the need for such a meeting. The Planning Commissioner stated that there would not be a special meeting held to approve these minutes, but that they would be approved at the next regular meeting in which there was an application.
2. An application for a Certificate of Appropriateness by Steven Schmidt at 316 Frontenac Pl to add fence along the north side of his backyard. There are currently fences along the east and west sides of the backyard, this fence would enclose the entire yard. The homeowner stated that this fence would be made of cedar pickets and would be about 48 inches tall, with a scallop design.The homeowner stated that he had received a written approval from the Statmillers, whose property runs along the planned fence. Don Campbell, the owner of property on the west side of the property in question, inquired whether anything would be added on the east or west sides. The homeowner responded that he was putting in runs on these sides within his property lines, but that he would not put a run in along the back side. He stated that the fence would be well inside the tree line that exists between the properties.

   The Planning Commissioner reminded the Commission members that according to the ordinances, fences under 4 feet would not require a variance and that they would need to approve the materials used for the fence. Davis asked Campbell if he was comfortable with the design of the fence as submitted and Campbell replied that he was. Brown moved to approve the materials used for the fence due to the fact that it was a solid fence and Davis seconded this motion. The following vote was recorded on the motion: Yea: 5, Brown, Davis, Noonan, Surface, and Unrue: Nay, None. The Motion carried 5-0.

Davis moved and Brown seconded a motion to adjourn. The motion was approved unanimously (5-0).
The meeting was adjourned at 7:10 pm.