The Plymouth Planning Commission met Thursday evening for a public hearing on the City of Plymouth Design Guidelines. The Guidelines are specific to the downtown area, and were presented by Paula Daneluk, the City’s Community Development Director. Staff have been working on drafting the Design Guidelines for the past few months, as well as bringing each section of the draft Design Guidelines to the planning commission for review and comment upon completion. Proposed amendments to the guidelines include: a map outlining the Downtown Area, which will be affected by the adoption of the Design guidelines; no longer processing building and demolition permits  through the Site Plan Review process; and portions specific to signage, landscape, site planning, and architectural character.

The Commission recommended the adoption of the Downtown Design Guidelines to the Plymouth City Council. Also on the agenda was the General Plan Update, which focused on Safety, Transportation, and Public Facilities. Staff has been working on drafting the Public Safety Element of the City’s General Plan for months, and has composed a list consisting of goals, policies, and recommended actions for the City. The sections presented under the Public Facilities element Thursday evening included: General Safety, Emergency Preparedness, Geological/Seismic Hazards, Flood Hazards, Fire Hazards, Air Quality, and Hazardous Materials. The stated goals of the Safety Element Update included providing a safe and hazard free environment for the citizens of the City, and the prevention of loss of life, injury, and property damage due to natural and man made hazards.