City Planners Approve Site Plan Extension for Mixed-Use Development

City planners granted conditional approval of a developer's request to extend the preliminary site plan approval for the mixed-use development at 1080 E Michigan Ave. - also known as Lot 20A.

The conditions are that the dates in the extension must not exceed the dates listed in the purchase and development agreement.

The preliminary site plan approval granted Feb. 26 was set to expire Aug. 24.

The plan calls for commercial development closer to Michigan Avenue and residential development on the south end of the parcel.

The residential portion will have to go through the approval process again.

"We're going to be approving an extention that exceeds the development agreement. So there's a problem," Planning Commissioner Dean Girbach said.

Chris Atkin, Community Development Director, said he thinks the developer had one year to begin  developing the commercial section of the property.

"I think that expires in December," Atkin said.

Atkin said they hoped to have the development open by spring.

"The plans they submitted are 100 percent done. They reworked their water system. It's there," Atkin said.

Girbach said he wants to the dates to line up.

"We've run into this problem before. I will not be supporting extending this unless the dates line up," Girbach said. "Not knowing what's going to happen, especially with a major election coming up, I want to make sure we are secure in what we're doing," Girbach said.

Girbach's motion for conditional approval was seconded by Brian Marl and approved unanimously by the commission.

Answering a question from Commissioner Dan Carrol, Atkin said the developer would be before planning commission in September with its commercial plans.

The rules allow up to a one-year extension of the preliminary site plan.

Cambridge Real Estate LLC bought Lot 20A from the city. The firn olans two 4,000-square-foot retail buildings, each with two units and a drive-through, as part of phase 1 of the project. Phase two would include five structures with three to five units, totaling 22 residential units on the back half of Lot 20A, and four residential structures with 14 units on Lot 13.

Downtown Gathering Space

The Kinley downtown gathering space issue was on the agenda without much news to report.

Marl did say he expected changes to the plan.

"I think there's a high likelihood there will be modifications to the design and plan with still a desire to move expeditiously to begin construction activity later this year but more likely in the spring," Marl said.

Council is expected to explore the issue during a work meeting Sept. 14.

"There should be some more clarity in about a month's time," Marl said.

Cheryl Hoeft

Planning Commission Chair Adrienne Young called attention to the service of Cheryl Hoeft, who served on the Planning Commission for many years. Marl noted she would be honored at the next Saline City Council meeting,.

660 E Michigan

Planning Commission spent time talking about redeveloping the Zax autowash from some kind of business that serves energy drinks, milkshakes and other beverages.

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