Bad Monday Night In Rochester Hills

5 to 1 vote City Council votes for a new 4,116 square feet, two stories tall... Liquor Party Store to be built on land zoned single family residential. Greg Hooper, Ravi Yalamanchi, Mark Tisdel, Michael Webber, Nathan Klomp yes votes... Adam Kochenderfer a no vote... thanks Adam, and James Rosen, absent. Hooper, Yalamanchi, Tisdel, Webber, Klomp vote yes for a Liquor Party Store against the wishes of many residents in the auditorium who don't want a Liquor Party Store in their neighborhood. Ravi Yalamanchi... eight years on City Council and Nathan Klomp... four years on City Council, both -- there last meeting still did not no how to listen to resident concerns. Hooper, Yalamanchi, Tisdel, Webber, Klomp vote yes for a new development that will have only one handicap space for two stores... guess they don't give a darn about our residents confined to wheelchairs. Hooper, Yalamanchi, Tisdel, Webber, Klomp vote yes for a site plan; if someone is parked in the loading zone a City Fire Truck will not be able to drive through the parking lot... is this not a safety issue?... guess they don't understand our Fire Department safety. Hooper, Yalamanchi, Tisdel, Webber, Klomp vote yes for a site plan where one store only has one door... don’t we need fire escape doors for both retail spaces... guess they don't understand public safety. Hooper, Yalamanchi, Tisdel, Webber, Klomp vote yes for signs on the building that are too big, 160 square feet facing John R., 100 square feet facing Avon Rd. and 36 square feet ground monument sign on Avon Rd. -- and they going to allow the party store owner to keep them turned on dusk-to-dawn... guess they don't give a blank about bright neon signs that say Liquor, Beer and Wine shining all night long into our residents windows. Hooper, Yalamanchi, Tisdel, Webber, Klomp vote yes for awnings that surround this building... will there be advertising on the awnings? They did not vote to restrict that use. Hooper, Yalamanchi, Tisdel, Webber, Klomp vote yes for a wooden fence on the west side of the property... the only protection the residents will have from this development. Hooper, Yalamanchi, Tisdel, Webber, Klomp... did not listen to resident concerns... bad Monday night in Rochester Hills. :( I personally asked our Mayor does he support a Liquor Party Store at this corner... he sat there and said nothing.

Now why would our Mayor say nothing... because that would go against the wishes of his Master Land Use Plan. You see our Mayor wants a Liquor Party Store within approximately a 1½ mile distance of every house in Rochester Hills... please read these quotes from our Master Land Use Plan that you paid for with your property tax dollars.

Retail Development Master Land Use Plan

"Commercial land use as a percentage of the overall community has remained relatively stable since the 1991 land use survey. While the overall land area devoted to commercial use has remained relatively stable, there has been continued infill commercial development since 1991. A good example of such development is the Village of Rochester Hills. However, most commercial centers do not currently have excessive vacancy rates, and the City is increasingly pressured to develop additional commercial areas. This indicates that Rochester Hills may want to consider allocating additional commercial land area or intensifying existing commercial developments in the City."

Master Land Use Plan page 33

"The City currently provides retail businesses beyond that necessary for the neighborhood and community scale shopping needs of City residents. However, additional retail development is required as the City continues to grow, if retailing is to maintain its present proportions. The following retail objectives should be evaluated:

1. Each neighborhood area should have convenience goods and services available at a convenience or neighborhood scale retail shopping areas within approximately a 1½ mile distance.
2. Each neighborhood area should have comparison goods and services available at a community scale retail shopping area within a 3 to 5 mile distance.
3. Neighborhood and community scale retail shopping areas should primarily serve a Rochester Hills trade area, but trade areas may extend into adjacent communities only when there is adequate road capacity.
4. Regional scale retail shopping areas should be located only in close proximity the freeway access."

Master Land Use Plan page 97


And our Mayor wants to destroy your neighborhood... :( please read these quotes from our Master Land Use Plan that you paid for with your property tax dollars.

Residential Development Master Land Use Plan...

There are over 18 Neighborhoods in the Master Land Use Plan targeted for more intense development, two redevelopment examples...

1. "Christian Hills... – The Christian Hills area contains many older homes on lots that are larger than the minimum lot area required in the underlying zoning district. Two adjoining lots could be assembled and split into three new lots."

2. "Avon Circle... – Many long, narrow lots are located along Avon Circle. These lots could also be assembled and further developed. Alternately, the rear portion of the lots could be sold for development."

Master Land Use Plan page 51

"Over the next 20 years, residential development would require more land than there is existing undeveloped land in the City. The current residential land development pattern is unsustainable. If the City is to continue to grow in population and housing, higher density, more compact forms of development will be required. The City should encourage townhouses and attached condos."

Master Land Use Plan page 97

City Council continues... meeting after meeting not to listen to residents in the auditorium. :( Why? ... please post comments and tell us why?