Nov 23, 2020 Planning Commission

ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR.

[00:00:02]

YEAH, THEN IT IS 7:01 AND WE WILL GO AHEAD AND CALL THE NOVEMBER 23RD REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO ORDER.

FIRST UP ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING IS PUBLIC REMARKS.

WE WILL HAVE TWO OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC REMARKS THIS EVENING.

ONE RIGHT NOW AND ONE AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ANY TOPIC IN FRONT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, YOU CAN DO SO BY RAISING YOUR HAND IF YOU ARE IN THE ZOOM MEETING OR IF YOU ARE CALLING IN FROM HOME, THERE IS A PHONE NUMBER AND I USUALLY USE THE ATTENDEE FROM IT AS A CHEAT SHEET FOR THE PHONE NUMBER. SO I'VE MISSED IT HERE.

BUT SOMEONE WILL HELP ME OUT WITH THAT ONCE I VAMP ENOUGH PETER DO YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE THE PHONE NUMBER BY CHANCE. YEP.

AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE IF SOMEONE FROM HOMTV CAN CONFIRM THAT SOMEONE IS MANNING.

OH, SORRY. MANNING THE PHONES.

I THOUGHT I JUST CLOSED OUT ZOOM.

[INAUDIBLE]. SO THE NUMBER TO DIAL IN DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS TONIGHT IS 517-349-1232.

THANK YOU, PETER. AND WE WILL REMIND YOU ANYONE WHO'S LOOKING TO SPEAK BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION, PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

SO GIVE PETER A MOMENT TO PROMOTE YOU TO A PANELIST SO YOU CAN SPEAK AND THEN YOUR THREE MINUTES WILL BEGIN ONCE YOU'VE GIVEN US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.

[2. PUBLIC REMARKS]

OK, JUST ONE SECOND, I'M MOVING SOME PEOPLE AROUND HERE.

MR. CHUCK HOLEMAN ON FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

CHUCK, YOU'RE ON WITH OUR PLANNING COMMISSION.

EVENING, CHUCK, IF YOU GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.

THANK YOU. CHUCK HOLEMAN, DTN MANAGEMENT.

MY ADDRESS IS 1317 COOLIDGE ROAD, EAST LANSING.

I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF CONSTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT FOR DTN.

AND I'D LIKE TO SPEAK WITH REGARD TO REZONING NUMBER 20050.

WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT.

I HAD SENT A LETTER TO PETER EARLIER TODAY, I'M SORRY I DIDN'T GET TO YOU FOLKS SOONER.

BUT HOPEFULLY YOU HAVE THAT LETTER, I'D JUST LIKE TO BRIEFLY COMMENT ON THE LETTER.

IT TRIES TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT CAME UP DURING THE NOVEMBER 9TH REZONING REQUEST THAT WE DISCUSSED.

WHAT I GATHERED FROM THE MEETING, THERE WERE BASICALLY THREE AREAS OF CONCERN.

ONE HAD TO DO WITH WHETHER THE REQUEST WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE TWENTY SEVENTEEN MASTER PLAN. IT ALSO HAD CONCERNS WITH REGARD TO THE DENSITY.

THAT WE WERE PROPOSING FOR THE PARCEL.

IT ALSO HAD SOME CONCERNS RELATED TO OUR TRAFFIC STUDY AND WHETHER THERE WAS A LARGE INCREASE IN TRAFFIC.

AS I SAY, I HOPEFULLY HAVE THE LETTER SO I DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO AND WON'T GO THROUGH IT, BUT I DO WANT TO SUMMARIZE THAT IN OUR LETTER WE SAY THAT WE BELIEVE THE REZONING HAS A SIGNIFICANT CONSISTENCY WITH THE NUMBER OF GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES INDICATED IN THE 2017 MASTER PLAN.

ACTUALLY, WE BELIEVE THAT WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED IS AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO DEAL WITH THE MISSING METAL TYPE OF HOUSING THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

WE BELIEVE THE PROPOSED DENSITY, AS CONDITIONED BY THE REQUEST, IS A RELATIVELY MINOR

[00:05:01]

AND THIRDLY, THE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC GENERATED FOR THE REZONING, WE BELIEVE, WILL NOT CREATE UNDUE BURDEN FOR THE EXISTING STREETS AND DOES NOT REPRESENT THE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE FROM THE TRAFFIC GENERATED BY THE EXISTING ZONING.

WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS, IF YOU HAVE ANY.

WE, AGAIN, GREATLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TONIGHT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH CHUCK. OK, THANKS, CHUCK, WE'VE GOT YOU, RAJI UPPAL ON OUR CALL HERE, SO RAJI YOU ARE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

DON'T FORGET TO UNMUTE RAJI.

THANKS. SORRY.

LET'S TRY AGAIN. AND I EVEN HAVE A TYPO THERE, THAT'S AN L AT THE END OF THAT.

SO IT'S RAJI UPPAL NOT THE APOSTROPHE HERE, BUT MY NAME IS RAJI UPPAL.

I WORK WITH DTN MANAGEMENT AND THE FOUNDER AS A PRINCIPLE OF DTN MANAGEMENT COMPANY AND LIVE HERE IN THE HASLETT COMMUNITY AT SIXTY ONE THIRTY THREE COTTAGE DRIVE.

I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT HOW DEMOGRAPHICS ARE QUICKLY CHANGING AND WHAT IS DRIVING THE NEED OF THIS PROJECT.

AS OF RIGHT NOW, CURRENTLY THIRTY NINE MILLION PEOPLE, WHICH IS THE HIGH TIME OF EVER THE UNITED STATES NEED APARTMENTS TO LIVE.

ONE IN EIGHT PEOPLE CALL APARTMENTS THEIR HOME.

EVERY YEAR 1.2 NEW RENTERS ARE NEEDED A YEAR.

THIS IS DRIVEN BY A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

ONE OF THEM BEING A RISING HOME COSTS OTHER THINGS BEING DIFFERENT NEEDS.

WE TALKED BEFORE THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE ABOUT JOBS USED TO BE FOREVER AND NOW JOBS ARE MAYBE NOT QUITE AS LONG IN DURATION.

COMMUNITIES NEED THE ABILITY TO ATTRACT RENTERS TO FULFILL THEIR EMPLOYMENT NEEDS, SUCH AS MICHIGAN STATE, DELTA [INAUDIBLE], JACKSON LITE, GM, I'M SURE I'M MISSING SOME, BUT THE POINT IS EMPLOYERS NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET GOOD PEOPLE AND TO GET GOOD PEOPLE, YOU NEED TO HAVE AN APARTMENT BASE.

PEOPLE OFTEN PREFER BECAUSE OF THEIR CHANGING LIFESTYLES, BOTH IN TERMS OF GETTING MARRIED LATER IN LIFE AND IN THE THINGS IN TERMS OF THIS, PREFER TO HAVE A MORTGAGE FREE LIVING, THE ABILITY TO FOLLOW THEIR WORK AS THINGS CHANGE.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD A COMMUNITY THAT ALLOWS THE AMENITIES THAT FIT THESE BUSY LIFESTYLE NEEDS.

PEOPLE USED TO GET MARRIED AND WE'RE OFTEN MARRIED EARLY WAY BEFORE THEIR 40S.

CURRENTLY NATIONWIDE, 80 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE ARE NOT EVEN MARRIED BY THE TIME THEY'RE 40. SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES ARE ALSO IN THIS EQUATION, AND SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR PLACES WHERE IT'S MAINTENANCE FREE, HASSLE FREE, BUT STILL HAVE THE AMENITIES AND AFFILIATION OF A HOME. WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS BUILDING HERE IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY SIMILAR TO A HOME. IT'S JUST BUILDING FOR RENT, A PRODUCT THAT IS FOR HOMES THAT WOULD BE VERY SIMILAR THEY ARE CONDOS.

THEY ARE TOWNHOMES.

THEY ARE HOMES.

THEY ARE JUST FOR RENT.

IT ALLOWS US TO TRACK THAT DEMOGRAPHIC.

CURRENTLY IN MICHIGAN, EIGHTY SEVEN PERCENT OF THE APARTMENTS WERE BUILT BEFORE THE YEAR TWO THOUSAND. WE HAVE AN OLD AGING STOCK.

MICHIGAN NEEDS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, OVER FOUR THOUSAND APARTMENTS A YEAR.

WE HERE IN LANSING HAVE ALSO AN OLDER APARTMENT STOCK.

F YOU THINK ABOUT MERIDIAN, WE HAVE AN OLDER APARTMENT STOCK.

I CAN'T REMEMBER TOO MANY BEING BUILT SINCE I'VE HERE.

30 SECONDS RAJI. ANYWAY, THE LONG OF IT IS CHANGING.

WE NEED GARAGES.

WE NEED MAINTENANCE FREE LIVING.

IT'S OFTEN STATED BY A LOT OF PEOPLE NOT IN OUR BACKYARD.

BUT WE WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT ABOUT THE MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT RENTERS AND WHAT DRIVES THEM. THEY ARE HIGHLY PAID.

THEY ARE THE SAME AS HOMEOWNERS.

THEY HAVE SCHOOLS THAT NEED KIDS.

THEY HAVE KIDS THAT NEED TO GO TO SCHOOL.

THEY HAVE EMPLOYERS THAT NEED THE TALENTS.

AND AGAIN, WE ARE LOSING OLDER STOCK TO OBSOLESCENCE.

SO MERIDIAN IN EVEN IN TRYING TO REWRITE THIS ORDINANCE WAS TRYING TO LOWER BARRIERS TO ALLOW APARTMENTS AS A WHOLE LIVING STYLE.

THAT'S TIME THANK YOU, RAJI.

I COULD TALK MORE IF YOU LIKE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT THIS TIME, IF YOU ARE IN THE ZOOM MEETING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, USE THE RAISED HAND FUNCTION, OR YOU CAN CALL US AT FIVE ONE SEVEN THREE FOUR NINE.

ONE, TWO, THREE, TWO.

DOES ANYONE ON THE PHONES KAMIK [INAUDIBLE] SORRY.

[00:10:03]

ALL RIGHT WITH THAT THEN WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC REMARKS AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA, THIS IS AGENDA ITEM THREE.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA THIS EVENING.

SO MOVED.

MOVED BY COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONERS SHREWSBURY.

ANY COMMENTS OR CHANGES ON THE AGENDA AS WE HAVE IT? SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. AYE.

ANY OPPOSED. ALL RIGHT, THE MOTION CARRIES.

WE'LL MOVE ON THEN TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

WE HAVE ONE SET OF MINUTES FOR US FROM THE NOVEMBER 9TH, 2020 REGULAR MEETING.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? MOVED BY COMMISSIONER RICHARDS, DO WE HAVE A SECOND.

SECOND. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER TREZISE, ANY CHANGES TO THE MINUTES? I HAVE ONE. THERE WAS OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE PUBLIC HEARING BETWEEN PUBLIC HEARING ONE AND TWO THAT WE DID LAST WEEK, AND I CLOSED THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING AT 8:19 P.M.

AND IT SAID THAT I OPENED THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING AT 8:10.

I BELIEVE THAT WAS A TYPO AND IT SHOULD READ 8:20 P.M.

OTHER THAN THAT EXCELLENT SET OF MINUTES, AS PER USUAL.

COMMISSIONER CORDILL. OH, HI, YES, THANK YOU.

I NOTICED IT IS, LET'S SEE.

ON THE MINUTES. IT WAS UNDER PLANNING COMMISSION DISCUSSION ON THE REZONING

[3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

IT WAS THE SECOND TO THE LAST BULLET POINT ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION DISCUSSIONS.

[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

YES. OKAY ALRIGHT.

ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE MINUTES? COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL.

AT THE RISK OF MY NITPICKER REPUTATION ON ITEM SIX B.

UNDER THE PLANNING COMMISSION DISCUSSION, THE FIRST LINE OF PAGE 4.

INGRESS AND EGRESS ARE ALREADY WITHIN THE MERIDIAN MALL PROPERTY, AND THERE WILL BE NO TRAFFIC FLOW ISSUES IMPACTING GRAND RIVER AVENUE.

I HAVE HEARD THAT POINT IS THERE WILL BE NO SUBSTANTIAL TRAFFIC FLOW ISSUES.

HOW'S THAT FOR NIT PICKING? SOUNDS GOOD.

ALL RIGHT, VERY GOOD.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES WITH THOSE ADDITIONS SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED.

SEEING NONE THE MOTION CARRIES.

NEXT UP, COMMUNICATIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, WE HAD, I BELIEVE, TWO THAT CAME IN AFTER THE PUBLISHING OF THE PACKET THAT WERE SENT OUT VIA EMAIL FROM PETER.

SO THANK YOU, PETER, FOR DOING THAT.

ITEM NUMBER SIX PUBLIC HEARINGS.

WE HAVE NONE. SO I MOVE ON THEN TO ITEM NUMBER 7 A UNFINISHED BUSINESS REZONING #20050 DTN 2013 LLC TO REZONE THREE PARCELS TOTALING THIRTY ONE POINT SIX THREE ACRES LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF CENTRAL PARK DRIVE, WEST OF POWELL ROAD AND NORTH OF GRAND RIVER AVENUE FROM RA SINGLE FAMILY MEDIUM DENSITY TO RD MULTIPLE FAMILY MAXIMUM EIGHT DWELLING UNITS PER ACRE. AND WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND RESOLUTION IN OUR PACKET FOR SOMEONE SO BOLD ENOUGH TO MAKE THAT MOTION.

IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

ALRIGHT COMMISSIONER TREZISE. AFTER THE WHEREASES THAT ARE LISTED THAT WOULD BE RESOLVED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN RECOMMENDS DENIAL OF REZONING REQUEST TWO ZERO ZERO FIVE ZERO TO REZONE THIRTY ONE POINT SIX THREE ACRES LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF CENTRAL PARK DRIVE, WEST OF POWELL ROAD, NORTH OF GRAND RIVER, INCLUDING PARCEL'S TWENTY TWO DASH TWO FIVE TWO DASH ZERO ZERO TWO, PARCEL TWENTY TWO, DASH TWO SEVEN SIX DASH ZERO ZERO NINE AND THE EASTERN PORTION OF PARCEL TWENTY TWO

[00:15:05]

[7A. Rezoning #20050 (DTN 2013 LLC), ]

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER TREZISE. YOU HAVE SUPPORT I SEE FROM COMMISSIONER BLUMER IT LOOKS LIKE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? COMMISSIONER BLUMER, I JUST WANT TO BE ON THE RECORD AS I WAS LAST MEETING, I THINK THE PLAN THAT THE DEVELOPERS HAVE PRESENTED IS AN OUTSTANDING PLAN, IT LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD FIT WELL WITHIN THE CONFINES OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, JUST NOT IN THAT LOCATION.

MY OBJECTION IS TO THE LOCATION NOT TO WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO DEVELOP.

THANK YOU. I SAW COMMISSIONER RICHARDS NEXT.

YOU KNOW, I'VE GIVEN THIS PROJECT SOME THOUGHT AND I INITIALLY WAS OPPOSED TO IT, BUT I THINK THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED SOME SOUND REASONS FOR CONSIDERING APPROVING IT.

SO I WILL BE VOTING IN OPPOSITION TO THE DENIAL MOTION.

OK, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CORDILL.

THANK YOU. YEAH, SOMETHING THAT I SAID LAST TIME THAT WE MET OVER THIS WAS NOT IN OPPOSITION TO THE PROJECT.

IT'S JUST NOT THE RIGHT PLACE.

IT DOESN'T MEET OR MATCH OUR MASTER PLAN OF FUTURE LAND USE MAP.

AND I ALSO HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE TRAFFIC.

BUT THAT'S IT IN A NUTSHELL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE] DISCUSSION COMMISSIONER TREZISE.

YEAH, I THINK THIS IS AN EXCELLENT PLAN ALSO, I'M NOT SURE THIS IS THE PLACE AND I'M NOT SURE THE DENSITY IS APPROPRIATE, EVEN IF THIS IS THE PLACE.

I THINK THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT IS A BOON AND SOMETHING THAT IS NEEDED IN THE TOWNSHIP.

IT'S JUST I'M NOT SURE THIS FITS THERE.

AND I DO I AM CONCERNED, AS IS COMMISSIONER CORDILL, ABOUT THE TRAFFIC, NOT SO MUCH ON CENTRAL PARK, BUT CERTAINLY THERE WOULD BE INCREASED TRAFFIC ON POWELL, WHICH IS A VERY RURAL ROAD. AND I'M NOT SURE THAT.

I'M NOT SURE THAT I CAN SUPPORT UPGRADING POWELL TO THE EXTENT THAT IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO SERVICE THIS AREA AT THE DENSITY PROPOSED.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER TREZISE, COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY.

I THINK I AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS MADE BY SEVERAL OF THE FOLKS BEFORE ME, PARTICULARLY COMMISSIONER BLUMER, THAT I'M NOT OPPOSED TO A PROJECT LIKE THIS.

I JUST HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT IT IN THE PARTICULAR AREA IN WHICH IT'S BEING PROPOSED, PARTICULARLY IF IT REQUIRES A ZONING TO DO IT.

BUT THE CONCEPT OF RENTAL HOMES AS SUCH AS THAT BEING PROPOSED IN OUR COMMUNITY, I THINK WOULD BE A GREAT FIT IF THEY CAN FIND THE RIGHT LOCATION.

THANKS. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS, OR COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL? THANKS. I'M ALSO REASSURED BY SOME OF THE ASPECTS OF THE RESPONSE ON THE TRAFFIC, ESPECIALLY ON THE CENTRAL PARK SIDE, ON THE POWELL ROADSIDE, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT HARDER FOR ME TO IMAGINE HOW THAT WORKS OUT WELL, AT HIGHER DENSITY.

LIKE MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS I THINK THE PROJECT TENDS TO SPEAK TO SOME IMPORTANT GOALS THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS SET ABOUT DENSIFYING WITHIN AN URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY.

AND IF THE MASTER PLAN REFLECTED THIS KIND OF DENSITY HERE, WE WOULDN'T EVEN BE HAVING THE CONVERSATION. SO IT COMES DOWN TO THAT ASPECT.

BUT I APPRECIATE THE APPLICANTS RESPONSIVENESS TO THOSE ISSUES.

THANK YOU. AND I TOO ECHO THE COMMENTS THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE MENTIONED, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD PROJECT AND I KNOW THAT I SAID THAT AT THE LAST MEETING AS WELL.

I DON'T YOU KNOW, I TRY TO VIEW THIS AS WE WERE INTENDED TO DO, SEPARATE FROM THE CONCEPT PLAN. BUT IS THIS REZONING APPROPRIATE IN THIS PLACE? AND I JUST YOU KNOW, WHILE I APPRECIATE SOME OF THE EXPLANATION GIVEN IN THE LETTER FROM THE APPLICANTS, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT GOT ME OVER THE LEDGE IN TERMS OF MOVING FROM MY POSITION OF OPPOSITION TO THIS PARTICULAR REZONING REQUEST.

AND SO I'LL BE SUPPORTING THE RESOLUTION THIS EVENING TO RECOMMEND A DENIAL OF THE

[00:20:07]

COMMISSIONER CORDILL.

YES. COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY.

YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDS.

NO. COMMISSIONER BLUMER.

YES. COMMISSIONER TREZISE.

YES. AND THE CHAIR VOTES YES, MOTION CARRIES.

OK, WE'LL THEN MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM SEVEN B COMMERCIAL PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT #20-13034 MERIDIAN MALL LIMITED PARTNERSHIP AMEND COMMERCIAL PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT APPROVAL TO CONSTRUCT TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED SQUARE FOOT BANK WITH THREE DRIVE UP ATMS AT NINETEEN EIGHTY TWO GRAND RIVER AVENUE.

AND PETER WAS KIND ENOUGH AGAIN TO GIVE US A MOTION LANGUAGE IN THE PACKET IF SOMEONE IS INTERESTED. PETER, OK, JUST A REAL BRIEF COMMENT.

HI, EVERYBODY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE THE POINT THAT THERE WERE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ABOUT BENCHES. AND SINCE THE LAST MEETING, THEY DID UPDATE THEIR PLAN TO INCLUDE THAT.

SO THERE'S A BENCH ALONG THAT TWO BENCHES ALONG THAT PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE PATHWAY CONNECTION FROM GRAND RIVER TO THE MALL [INAUDIBLE] ROAD.

AND THEN THERE ARE THE THREE U SHAPE BICYCLE RACKS NOW SHOWN ON THE BANK SITE.

THANK YOU. SO NOW WOULD BE THE TIME FOR A MOTION ON THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS PROVIDED.

COMMISSIONER RICHARDS. I MOVE THE APPROVAL MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF CPUD NUMBER #20-13034 TO CONSTRUCT A TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED SQUARE FOOT BANK ON A PROPOSED ONE POINT THIRTY SIX ACRE PARCEL ALONG

[7B. B. Commercial Planned Unit Development #20-13034 (Meridian Mall Limited Partnership),.]

THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE SUPPORT.

SUPPORTED BY COMMISSIONER BLUMER.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC? DON'T MAKE ME GO FIRST.

[LAUGHTER] COMMISSIONER CORDILL.

THANK YOU. OK, I'LL BE VOTING IN FAVOR OF THE RESOLUTION TO APPROVE.

I DO, HOWEVER, REGRET THE LOSS OF GREEN SPACE IN THE MERIDIAN MALL.

THERE IS UNDERUTILIZED PARKING, BUT THAT IT SEEMS THAT A NEW BANK COULD LOCATE IN THE UNDERUTILIZED PARKING.

BUT I WISH.

A BANK USE FITS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE MALL PROPERTY, SO I'M IN FAVOR OF THAT.

THANK YOU.

PETER THAT ACTUALLY RAISES A POINT THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THIS EVENING.

DO WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE APPLICANT HERE TODAY? I BELIEVE SO.

I THINK THERE'S SOMEONE HERE FROM KEBS AND THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE MALL IS ALSO HERE.

SOMEONE FROM THE MALL WOULD BE TERRIFIC IF I COULD SPEAK WITH THEM AND ASK THEM A QUESTION OR TWO. YES. DAVID AND KEVIN, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, I'M GOING TO PUT YOU BOTH ON SPEAK.

SO HOPEFULLY YOU'RE OK WITH THAT.

PLANNING COMMISSION. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, PETER.

AND KEVIN, YOU ARE FROM KEBS OR YOU ARE FROM THE MALL? I AM FROM KEBS. OK, DAVID.

THAT'S RIGHT, THIS IS DAVID.

ALL RIGHT. SO I'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR DAVID.

AND THE QUESTION IS THIS.

AT THE LAST MEETING, WE TALKED ABOUT BRIEFLY THE ISSUE THAT COMMISSIONER CORDILL JUST RAISED ABOUT GREEN SPACE.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK I HAD MENTIONED AS WELL ABOUT THE POTENTIAL USE OF THE PARKING DIRECTLY ACROSS THE [INAUDIBLE] DRIVE THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, FAR AWAY FROM WHERE THE CURRENT MACY'S IS AND, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION MADE ABOUT THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY HARD TO GET THE ANCHOR TENANTS OF THE MALL TO SIGN OFF ON THAT KIND OF NEW DEVELOPMENT. SO MY QUESTION IS THIS.

CAN YOU DETAIL FOR ME WHAT EFFORTS WERE MADE TO NEGOTIATE THAT WITH MACY'S?

[00:25:02]

THIS IS JUST BASED OFF OF PAST DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THEM AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT HERE.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH, YEAH.

THANK YOU. AND SOME HISTORY OF SOME OTHER PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM AND THE CONSTRAINTS THAT THEY'RE UNDER.

AGAIN, WITH VISIBILITY, IT'S WITH PARKING.

WE TRY TO WORK WITH THEM AND THEY TRY TO WORK WITH US, WE BELIEVE ME, WE ARE CONSTANTLY WORKING BACK AND FORTH WITH THEM ON THINGS THAT WE CAN TRY TO DO TO IMPLEMENT CERTAIN PLANS. THIS ONE WOULD BE SITTING SQUARE IN THEIR FRONT DOOR.

AND WHEN YOU GET TO THAT CLOSE OF IT, IT JUST BECOMES THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO GET.

THERE ARE RIGHTS THAT ARE WITHIN THOSE DOCUMENTS.

SOMETIMES WE CAN WORK AROUND THOSE.

SOMETIMES THEY HOLD THE LINE.

AND AND IT'S JUST REALLY DIFFICULT TO DO THAT.

SO I GUESS WHAT I WAS INTERESTED BY, IN ADDITION TO JUST THE GENERAL THOUGHT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LET'S TRY TO PRESERVE SOME GREEN SPACE IN THIS PAVED OVER WORLD, IS THAT YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALSO WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF RESTAURANTS.

WE'VE GOT A BANK, WE'VE GOT THE STUDIO C OVER ON THE OTHER SIDE.

I SEE IN THE DIAGRAM, PROVIDED THERE'S A FUTURE, SOMETHING LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE.

IT SEEMS TO BE IN A PARKING LOT AREA AS WELL.

AND SORRY NOT THE SOUTH SIDE, THE NORTHEAST CORNER BACK BEHIND WHERE OLIVE GARDEN AND CHILI'S ARE. THERE'S A AND, YOU KNOW, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A FUTURE LOCATION, BEING IN THE PARKING AREA WHERE HIGH CALIBER KARTING AND DICK'S IS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE MALL, I'M KIND OF SURPRISED TO FIND THAT SIMILAR CONSIDERATION WASN'T GIVEN TO THIS PROJECT ON THE SOUTH SIDE. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT? I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION.

ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT WHEN THOSE DEALS WERE MADE, HOW THOSE ENDED UP WHERE THEY ARE? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? WELL, I'M SAYING THAT YOU'RE CLEARLY THINKING ABOUT THE THE PARCEL ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE MALL, IN THE PARKING LOT THERE AS A POTENTIAL FUTURE AREA FOR DEVELOPMENT. AND THAT IS IN WHAT WOULD BE THE PARKING FOR BOTH DICK'S AND HIGH CALIBER KARTING. AND SO IF YOU'RE WILLING TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS AND IN FACT, GO SO FAR AS TO INCLUDE THEM ON YOUR PLANS, THEN WHY IS IT THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS WERE NOT HAD WITH MACY'S ON THE SOUTH SIDE? I THINK AND I WASN'T THERE EXACTLY WHEN THAT LAST PLAN WAS DONE, BUT I THINK THAT WAS KIND OF A HOLDER, IF YOU WILL, PLACE HOLDER FOR A POTENTIAL PAD, WHETHER THAT EVER GETS BUILT OR NOT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY BASED ON THE LAYOUT OF WHERE IT IS.

BUT I THINK IT WAS INCLUDED IN PART OF THE PUD PREVIOUSLY.

OBVIOUSLY, THAT AREA THERE IS NOT REALLY AFFECTING ANYBODY'S PARKING VISIBILITY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT ON THAT SIDE.

I THINK AS YOU CAN SEE IT ON THE SITE PLAN, I'M NOT LOOKING AT IT AS WE SPEAK, BUT I'VE SEEN IT ENOUGH THAT IT'S REALLY KIND OF OUT OF THE WAY.

AND AGAIN, IT'S LIKELY THAT THAT NEVER GETS DEVELOPED AND REMAINS PARKING.

SO ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I'D LIKE TO ALSO MENTION IS PREVIOUSLY, WE WERE TRYING TO DEVELOP ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE ENTRY.

THAT PARTICULAR PARCEL WILL REMAIN GREEN SPACE INSTEAD OF BEING DEVELOPED, SO WE BASICALLY ARE FLIPPING WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO DO ON THE WEST SIDE, TO THE EAST SIDE OF THE LOT.

AND IT'S A DIFFERENT USE AS WELL.

IT'S A LITTLE LESS IMPACTFUL, I THINK, BUT THAT WILL REMAIN GREEN SPACE INSTEAD OF

[00:30:02]

OK. MY NEXT QUESTION THEN WOULD BE FOR KEVIN.

CAN YOU I'M LOOKING AT THE I SHOULD HAVE DRIVEN BY AGAIN TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THIS IS.

BUT I'M LOOKING AT YOUR NEW PROPOSED DIAGRAM WITH THE BENCHES AND THE BIKE RACKS.

AND I APPRECIATE YOUR UPDATING THAT.

CAN YOU TELL ME WHERE ABOUTS RELATIVE TO THE TWO WALKWAYS THAT GO UP TO THE SIDEWALK ON GRAND RIVER, THE CATA BUS STATION IS OR MAYBE IF SOMEONE ELSE IN THE COMMISSION KNOWS THE ANSWER TO THAT, THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TOO.

WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF IS WHEREABOUTS, HOW CLOSE THAT BENCH ENDED UP TO WHERE THE BUS STOP IS. I REALLY DO NOT KNOW WHERE THAT BUS STOP ON GRAND RIVER IS LOCATED. OKAY. COMMISSIONER RICHARDS.

YOU KNOW, THERE IS A BUS STOP THAT'S BASICALLY IN FRONT OF MCDONALD'S, I'M NOT AWARE THAT THERE'S ANOTHER BUS STOP BECAUSE THE FACT IS THAT THE WEST SIDE OF THE MALL IS BASICALLY A BUS STOP. AND I WAS INVOLVED WHEN WE ACTUALLY SET THAT UP AND MOVED IT FROM ONE SIDE OF THE MALL, WAS, I BELIEVE, ORIGINALLY ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE MALL AND THEN MOVED IT TO THE WEST SIDE.

BUT I DON'T RECALL THAT THERE IS ANYTHING CLOSER THAN THE BUS STOP NEAR IN FRONT OF MCDONALD'S. I SAW COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL'S HAND AND THEN PETER, I THINK HE HAD.

THERE IS ACTUALLY A BUS STOP FOR THE OUTBOUND NUMBER ONE HEADING TO THE MALL, STOPS ON GRAND RIVER BETWEEN MARSH AND THE ENTRANCE TO THE MALL.

THERE'S NO SHELTER THERE. THERE IS A BUS STOP, I WOULD SAY IT'S ABOUT HALFWAY BETWEEN THOSE TWO PINPOINTS.

IT'S NOT HEAVILY USED, BUT IT IS USED.

DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW, COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL, WHERE THAT IS IN RELATION TO THE PROPOSED SITE PLAN HERE? I HAVEN'T TRIED TO MEASURE IT OUT, BUT I'D SAY IT'S PRETTY DARN CLOSE.

OK, AND JUST TO THE EAST, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT I HAD THE MAP.

I HAVE THE LUXURY OF HAVING THE MAP PULLED UP.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S JUST TO THE EAST OF THE BANK SITE.

OK, WELL, THAT WOULD PUT IT PRETTY CLOSE TO THE BENCHES AND THE PROPOSED WALKWAY, WHICH IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE GENERALLY TO SEE IS THAT IT'S THIS CLOSE TO THE BUS STOP AS POSSIBLE.

SO ANYWAY, THAT'S EXCELLENT TO HEAR.

THANK YOU. AND WITH THAT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND YIELD BACK TO THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS FOR THEIR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. THANKS.

I THOUGHT CHAIR WAS GOING TO MAYBE ASK MR. NEWHOFF A DIFFERENT QUESTION.

IT WAS A NEWS STORY THIS WEEK ABOUT RESTRUCTURING AT CBL AND I NOTICED IN THE STATEMENT THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN [INAUDIBLE] A QUOTE IT SAID, CBL WILL CONTINUE TO OWN AND OPERATE A PORTFOLIO MARKET DOMINANCE SHOPPING CENTERS WITH A VISION TO TRANSFORM OUR PROPERTIES FROM TRADITIONAL ENCLOSED MALLS TO SUBURBAN TOWN CENTERS.

AND I WAS DELIGHTED TO HEAR THAT FROM CBL CORPORATE UNDER RESTRUCTURING.

AND I'M CURIOUS HOW THE APPLICANT SEES THE CURRENT PROPOSALS BEFORE US AS FITTING INTO THE SORT OF FUTURE STRATEGY OF CBL WHICH TO MY MIND SOUNDS A LOT LIKE THE CAPITAL CORRIDOR VISION THAT WAS ADOPTED BY REFERENCE IN THE MASTER PLAN.

I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION WE HAVE BEEN HONESTLY, OVER THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS, MIC] YONKERS VACATING.

IS NOT ONLY WITH PROPERTIES IN THE PORTFOLIO THAT WAS MENTIONED IN THAT ANNOUNCEMENT, WE ARE ALWAYS SEEKING WAYS TO ADD VALUE, TO ADD SUSTAINABILITY, TO ADD VIBRANCY TO EACH OF OUR PROPERTIES. AND WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES HERE, WE HAVE NOT QUITE GOT THERE YET, BUT WE'VE GOT SEVERAL PLANS THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT, THIS PARTICULAR ADDITION THAT WE'RE DOING TODAY IS REALLY JUST

[00:35:02]

IT'S A GREAT LOCATION.

EVERYBODY KNOWS GRAND RIVER IS.

BUT WE DO HAVE IDEAS AND THOUGHTS OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE HOPE TO BRING TO THE TOWNSHIP SOON FOR THE PROPERTY OVERALL.

OK, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

YEAH, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE TOWNSHIP CONTINUING TO PURSUE THIS VISION SPEAKERS]. IT'S A LONG PROCESS.

THANK YOU. I DID HAVE A SEPARATE POINT I WANTED TO RAISE I LOOKED AT THE SITE A LITTLE BIT MORE CAREFULLY, AND IF I DONE MY CALCULATIONS CORRECTLY WITHIN ABOUT A MILE RADIUS OF THE SITE, I COUNTED 17 ATM LOCATIONS.

INCLUDING TWO THAT SEEMED TO BELONG TO HUNTINGTON BANK, WHICH I TAKE IT AS THE CLIENT THAT'S BEING SOUGHT FOR THIS PROPERTY, AND I'M JUST AMAZED AT THE NUMBER OF DRIVE UP BANKING FACILITIES IN THIS TIGHT CLUSTER.

SO I'M NO MARKETING EXPERT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THE QUESTION IS, IS THERE A HUNTINGTON'S BRANCH THAT'S GOING TO CLOSE WHEN THIS ONE OPENS OR IS THERE REALLY THAT MUCH DEMAND FOR MAYBE [INAUDIBLE]. I DON'T KNOW, THAT'S A QUESTION THAT STRUCK ME TODAY.

YEAH, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR HUNTINGTON AND THEIR BUSINESS, THIS IS WHAT THE PLAN IS THAT THEY'VE ASKED US TO TRY TO MAKE A DEAL HERE AND I JUST CAN'T SPEAK TO THEIR BUSINESS NOW.

OK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I GUESS AS A SORT OF A FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL'S QUESTION, IS THE PROPOSAL THAT YOU'VE LAID OUT HERE FOR THE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT CONTINGENT ON THE PARTICULAR [INAUDIBLE]? NO, IT'S CONTINGENT ON APPROVAL OF THE PUD.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM PLANNING COMMISSIONERS AT THIS TIME? SEE SOME SHAKING HEADS, I DON'T SEE ANY RAISING OF HANDS, SO WE WILL GO AHEAD AND GO ON THEN TO OUR ROLL CALL VOTE.

ALL RIGHT. AND WE'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL.

I'M AFRAID I HAVE RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE PROJECT, AND I'M NOT ABLE TO SUPPORT IT THIS EVENING, SO I'M GONNA ABSTAIN FROM VOTING.

I THINK PETER THAT UNLESS YOU HAVE A FINANCIAL INTEREST OR SOME OTHER REASON THAT YOU CAN'T VOTE AGAINST THIS OR THAT YOU CAN'T VOTE FOR IT, THEN ABSTAINING IS NOT REALLY AN OPTION IN THIS CASE. SO, I MEAN, WE CAN ALWAYS COME BACK TO IT IN A FUTURE MEETING, BUT I GUESS IF YOU DON'T SUPPORT IT, I WOULD SUGGEST YOU VOTE AGAINST IT RATHER THAN ABSTAIN.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY OTHER PEOPLE FEEL THAT WAY.

I'M SORRY, MY INTERNET CONNECTION IS UNSTABLE, I MISSED THAT, BUT I'LL WAIT FOR A RESPONSE. OK, WHAT I UNDERSTAND ABOUT VOTING AND I'M PROBABLY NOT GOING TO EXPLAIN IT WELL RIGHT NOW, WAS THAT IF YOU DON'T SUPPORT THE PROJECT, REALLY THE ONLY TIME ABSTAINING COMES INTO PLAY IS IF THERE'S YOU HAVE SOME SORT OF INTEREST IN YOU KNOW YOU HAVE WHAT IS THE WORD.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR SOME OTHER SORT OF SITUATION.

SO IF YOU DON'T SUPPORT IT, THEN I THINK YOU'RE BETTER OFF VOTING AGAINST IT RATHER THAN ABSTAINING. THANK YOU. I VOTE NO.

COMMISSIONER CORDILL, AGAIN, I REGRET THE LOSS OF GREEN SPACE, I WOULD HOPE THAT A CREATIVE DESIGN WOULD WORK TO USE EXISTING PARKING FOR THE LOT, BUT IN SPITE OF THAT, I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR APPROVAL.

OK, COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY.

I VOTE YES.

COMMISSIONER RICHARDS. YES.

COMMISSIONER BLUMER.

YES. COMMISSIONER TREZISE.

YES. AND THE CHAIR VOTES, YES, MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO THE APPLICANT AND THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM KEBS FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING. AND WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON THEN TO AGENDA ITEM EIGHT, OTHER BUSINESS, NONE.

WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NINE A TOWNSHIP BOARD UPDATES.

WE'LL TURN THINGS OVER TO PRINCIPAL PLANNER MENSER.

HI EVERYBODY, SO THE BOARD MET ON NOVEMBER 17TH SO THE LAST TOWN PLANNING COMMISSION MET WAS THE 9TH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD MET ON THE 17TH.

[00:40:03]

SO THAT PRECEDED OUR MEETING.

I DID NOT ATTEND THAT MEETING, BUT ON THE 17TH, THERE WERE NO MAJOR PLANNING COMMISSION ITEMS, THEY DID, IT WAS CLERK DREYFUS' LAST MEETING, SO HE WILL NO LONGER BE ON THE BOARD. AND AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW NEW CLERK ELECT DEBORAH GUTHRIE OR CLERK GUTHRIE, AS WE SHOULD NOW CALL HER, WILL BE IN OFFICE.

THE TOWNSHIP BOARD DID PROVIDE ANOTHER UPDATE ON WALNUT HILLS, AND I THINK I MENTIONED IT LAST TIME, THAT A FAMILY DID BUY THAT PROPERTY THAT DID CLOSE.

SO IT'S OFFICIAL AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT BUILDING THREE OR FOUR HOMES, THERE LONG TERM, BUT GOING TO START WITH ONE IN THE APPROXIMATE LOCATION OF THE CLUBHOUSE.

SO THAT CLUBHOUSE WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE PROPERTY AND THEY WOULD BUILD A HOME THERE AND POSSIBLY A SECOND HOME AS WELL.

AND OUR ORDINANCE OF THE PROPERTY IS 50 ACRES OR LARGER, DOESN'T ALLOW FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SECOND HOME PROPERTY WITHOUT DOING A LAND DIVISION.

AND THEN THAT TOWNSHIP BOARD DID TALK ABOUT AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT POSSIBLY MOVING TOWARDS RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA INSTEAD OF JUST THE MEDICAL PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE NOW, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE AWARE.

[9A. Township Board update.]

I THINK FIVE OF WHICH HAVE GOTTEN A SPECIAL USE PERMITS, AND THE LAST ONE HAS NOT.

SO THAT CONTINUES TO KIND OF UNROLL HERE.

THE BOARD IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN AT AN UPCOMING MEETING.

AND I'LL DO MY BEST TO KEEP YOU IN THE LOOP ON WHEREVER THEY GO WITH THAT.

IF THEY DO CHOOSE TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION I DON'T KNOW ALL THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THAT DECISION AS IT PERTAINS TO EXISTING OPERATORS AND FUTURE ORDINANCE REVISIONS.

SO YOU MAY SEE IT COME BACK TO YOU.

EXCUSE ME, THE TOWNSHIP ALREADY APPROVES WAREHOUSING OF MARIJUANA, IS THAT CORRECT? WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS RETAILING.

WELL, RIGHT, SO WE ALLOW ALL FIVE DIFFERENT TYPES, SO BY WAREHOUSING, YOU MEAN GROWING.

GROWING AND STORAGE, BUT NOT RETAIL, NOT PUBLIC RETAIL.

WE DO ALLOW MEDICAL PROVISIONING CENTERS RIGHT NOW.

WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY OPEN, BUT WE DO ALLOW THEM.

WE ALLOW ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES IN DIFFERENT AREAS.

SO THAT'S IT THE [INAUDIBLE] THEY CANCELED THEIR DECEMBER ONE MEETING AND WILL HOLD THEIR MEETING ON DECEMBER EIGHT AND THEN THAT WOULD BE IT FOR THE YEAR.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR PETER? OH, ALL RIGHT, THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO LIAISON COMMITTEE UPDATES.

ANYONE HAVE ANY EXCITING LIAISON COMMITTEES THAT THEY WERE ATTENDING IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS? COMMISSIONER CORDILL.

YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE OF THIS, BUT LAST WEDNESDAY, I ATTENDED THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY AND A LETTER WAS FORWARDED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR SUPPORT OF THE MALL PROPERTY.

YES, INDEED. THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE, COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL? I HAD A QUESTION FOR COMMISSIONER CORDILL ABOUT THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY MEETING. I NOTICED IN THE COURT THE RESPONSE FROM MDOT TO THE LETTER FROM THE CIA AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.

THERE WAS SOME OPENNESS TO DOING SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ROADWAY THAT HAD BEEN REQUESTED, BUT [INAUDIBLE] SUGGESTED THAT THERE MIGHT BE A NEED FOR LOCAL MATCH.

AND I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S A TOPIC THAT THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY COULD BE USEFUL IN. PERHAPS THAT WASN'T DISCUSSED AT THE LAST MEETING.

OK, YEAH.

THANKS. SURE.

CERTAINLY FEELS LIKE SOMETHING THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD WOULD HAVE TO BUDGET FOR.

AND SO THERE WOULD NEED TO BE SOME ADDITIONAL LIAISING BETWEEN THOSE COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS AND THE BOARD SO THAT THEY KNOW TO INCLUDE THAT.

[9B. Liaison reports.]

ANY OTHER LIAISON UPDATE'S.

OK, SEEING NONE WE WILL GO ON TO AGENDA ITEM 9 C FOR PROJECT UPDATES.

PETER. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SO I WAS ASKED TO PROVIDE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT UPDATES AND WHICH I'M HAPPY TO DO, AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK ME QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY.

AND I HOPEFULLY WON'T FORGET WHAT YOU ASKED ABOUT.

ONE OF THOSE WAS I'LL START WITH THE HASLETT VILLAGE SQUARE PROJECT.

[00:45:04]

AS YOU KNOW, THAT PROJECT MADE IT THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AND WAS APPROVED, THE MUPUD FOR PINE VILLAGE, SO THAT'S THE DEMOLITION OF THAT WESTERNMOST BUILDING AT HASLETT VILLAGE SQUARE AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SENIOR APARTMENT BUILDING WITH COMMERCIAL SPACE ON THE GROUND FLOOR. SO THAT IS PROCEEDING ALONG.

THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING WITH THE TENANTS TO RELOCATE INTO NEW SPACES.

AND I CAN TELL YOU, FOR EXAMPLE, MR. R'S, DRIVING SCHOOL THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME IS GOING TO BE MOVING OVER TO SHOP TOWN THE OTHER SHOPPING CENTER IN HASLETT ON THE EAST SIDE OF MARSH ROAD.

AND THEY ACTUALLY, COINCIDENTALLY, ARE MANAGED ALSO BY MARTIN COMMERCIAL WAS ALSO ONE OF THE OWNERS OF THE SHOPPING CENTER.

BUT THE LTG HASLETT, THERE'S AN LLC THAT OWNS IT, BUT HE'S ONE OF THE MEMBERS.

SO THAT'S GOOD NEWS THAT THEY'RE STAYING.

SOME OF THOSE BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO BE STAYING NOT ONLY IN HASLETT BUT IN THE TOWNSHIP.

SO THE NEXT STEP IN THAT PROCESS IS, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE APPROVED FOR A BROWNFIELD PLAN.

SO THERE WERE SOME INCENTIVES TIED TO THEIR REDEVELOPMENT FUND.

[9C. Project updates]

I'M MIXING UP MY PROJECTS, BUT THERE WERE SOME FINANCIAL DEADLINES RELATED TO DEMOLISHING THE BUILDING PART OF THE REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THEIR BROWNFIELD PLAN. SO THEY'RE WORKING TOWARDS GETTING DEMO STARTED.

SO THE PLAN IS TO HAVE THOSE DEMO'D EARLY SPRING SO THEY CAN START CONSTRUCTION OR BE READY FOR CONSTRUCTION SEASON.

SO WHAT'S BEING DEMO'D WAS THAT WHOLE ENTIRE WESTERN BUILDING AND THEN I THINK A PORTION OF WHAT USED TO BE THE L&L GROCERY STORE.

SO DOWNTOWN OKEMOS OR WE CALL IT THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS THERE IS A MEETING TOMORROW THAT I SENT YOU ALL THE ZOOM INFO FOR.

I KNOW IT'S AT 12:15, WHICH CAN BE A CHALLENGING TIME TO GET TO A MEETING, BUT THERE WILL BE OTHER UPDATES AFTER THIS.

BUT THERE IS A GROUP THAT KIND OF EVOLVED OUT OF THE INITIAL DISCUSSIONS CALLED THE FOUR CORNERS ALLIANCE.

AND I THINK THEY STARTED AS A NEXT DOOR GROUP OR MAYBE A FACEBOOK GROUP.

SO THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM IS GOING TO BE HOLDING A ZOOM MEETING TOMORROW, JUST PROVIDING SOME UPDATES.

WHAT YOU'LL HEAR TOMORROW.

AND I GUESS I'LL BREAK THE NEWS THERE'S NOT ANY NEWS TO BREAK.

BUT EVERYTHING REMAINS GENERALLY ON SCHEDULE.

THEY'RE GOING TO PROCEED WITH DEMOLITION IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY.

SO THAT WOULD BE THE TRAVELERS CLUB, THE OLD DEPENDING ON HOW LONG YOU'VE LIVED HERE, WHAT YOU MIGHT KNOW IT AS IT WAS A RITE AID WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE.

I THINK IT WAS ORIGINALLY THE POST OFFICE OR [INAUDIBLE] BROTHERS MUSIC AND THEN ACE HARDWARE AND BOTTOMS UP AND THEN THE MARC BUILDING.

SO THOSE WOULD ALL BE DEMOED DOWN FLAT GRADED.

SO THAT IT LOOKS BETTER BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THOSE BUILDINGS ARE NOT IN GREAT SHAPE.

AND SO IT'S READY FOR WHEN THEY ARE READY TO PULL THE TRIGGER ON THE DEVELOPMENT.

THERE WAS ONE MORE PROJECTS, MR. CHAIR DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT THAT WAS YOU'D ASK FOR AN UPDATE ON.

I BELIEVE IT WAS IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE LAFONTAINE PROJECT THAT WE HEARD ABOUT AT THE MEETING LAST TIME AROUND, THAT THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT SORT OF FALLING BY THE WAYSIDE. YEAH.

SO IF YOU REMEMBER BACK TO WAS IT I THINK IT WAS JUST LAST MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE FALL BEFORE LAST. RIGHT. THE LAFONTAINE PROJECT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED FOR BOTH THE NORTHWEST AND NORTHEAST PARTNERS OF GRAND RIVER AVENUE AND POWELL.

THEY WERE GOING TO A DEALERSHIP ON BOTH SIDES.

THE ONE ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE WAS GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER THAN THE ONE ON THE NORTHEAST, AND BOTH OF THOSE WOULD CARRY DIFFERENT BRANDS OF VEHICLES OR WHATEVER DEALERSHIPS DO. AND UNFORTUNATELY, BOTH OF THOSE HAD FELL OFF THE RADAR, THEY'VE TOLD US THAT THEY'RE NOT PURSUING ANYTHING ON THE SITE.

THEY DO OWN THOSE PROPERTIES.

THEY DID BUY THEM. AND OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU PROBABLY SAW, THEY DID GRADE THEM, WHICH WAS CHALLENGING. AND JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THAT.

YOU KNOW, AS ONE OF THE I'M RIGHT IN THE THICK OF THESE PROJECTS AND WE REALLY CONDITION ANY PROJECT APPROVALS ON WHEN WE DO SITE PLAN REVIEW, WHICH IS THE PROCESS THAT FOLLOWS THE PROCESS HERE IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND SOMETIMES THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

WE CONDITION OUR APPROVAL ON GETTING ALL PERMITS BEFORE YOU CAN START CLEARING, BECAUSE IN THE PAST, THE TOWNSHIP HAS BEEN BURNED PRETTY BAD ON THAT KIND OF THING, BECAUSE NOT ALL PROJECTS, AS WE SEE, ARE NOT, [INAUDIBLE] THEY SAY, THEY ARE A GO BUT THERE CAN ALWAYS BE ISSUES ALONG THE WAY.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE APPLIED FOR A BUILDING PERMIT PAID A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT FEE WENT THROUGH ALL THE RIGMAROLE THAT IS INVOLVED WITH THAT AND THEN REALLY JUST KIND OF FELL APART.

SO DESPITE OUR BEST EFFORTS TO KIND OF KEEP THE SITE IN ITS NATURAL STATE BEFORE FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE, THAT IS STILL WHAT ENDED UP BEING CLEARED FOR THE PROJECT AND MOVE AHEAD. SO THAT'S OFF THE RADAR FOR NOW.

[00:50:03]

OH, YEAH LOOKS LIKE.

HOLLY HAS A QUESTION.

SURE I DO.

THE OKEMOS VILLAGE IS KIND OF AN IMPORTANT CORNER WITH THE DEMOLITION OF THOSE BUILDINGS, I IMAGINE THERE'LL BE FENCING ALONG IT BECAUSE THERE'LL BE SOME PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION. IT'LL PROBABLY BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET.

BUT WILL THERE BE AN ATTEMPT TO HAVE PROJECT SIGNS, KIND OF LIKE SITE BEAUTIFICATION UNTIL WE GET GOING SO WE DON'T HAVE TO LOOK AT AN EMPTY LOT? YES, PART OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU'VE SEEN A COUPLE RISE UP IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS THAT JUST SAY I THINK THEY SAY GROW WITH US OR SOMETHING.

SO THERE'S THAT.

ONCE EVERYTHING'S CLEARED, I DON'T THINK WE'LL HAVE ANY SIGNAGE.

BUT IF AND WHEN THEY DO START, IT'S MORE OF A WHEN, NOT IF.

WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU'LL SEE CONSTRUCTION FENCING WITH SIGNS ON THE FENCING JOINED, WHETHER IT'S RENDERINGS OF THE PROJECT OR MESSAGES ABOUT STATUS.

SO WE HAVE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT DOING THAT KIND OF THING.

YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE SOMETHING SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE THAT THE BEAUTIFUL PROJECT THAT THEY'LL BE EXPERIENCING IN THE FUTURE.

I SAW COMMISSIONER BLUMER AND THEN COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL.

AM I REMEMBERING CORRECTLY, WAS WAS THERE AN ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP ISSUE AT THAT SITE? THERE WERE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT ONE AND IT'S NOT OVER YET.

I WAS GOING TO ASK, HAS IT BEEN RESOLVED? PART OF IT'S BEEN RESOLVED.

SO I'LL JUST ENCAPSULATE AS BEST AS I CAN TO TRY TO GIVE A SHORT ANSWER.

THEY THEY WERE ISSUED OR GRANTED AND BOTH A GRANT AND A LOAN THROUGH EAGLE.

AND PART OF THAT, EVEN BEFORE THAT, THERE WAS CONTAMINATION ON THE SITE THAT WAS BAD ENOUGH, THAT EAGLE CAME IN AND ACTUALLY DUG A BIG HOLE THAT'S STILL ON THE PROPERTY NOW TO ELIMINATE SOME INITIAL CONTAMINATION.

SO THAT'S BEEN DONE. WHAT THE LOAN WILL COVER IS THE REST OF THE WORK ON THE PROPERTY.

THERE'S A LOT CONTAMINATED.

SOIL AND THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT GO INTO THAT AND VAPOR BARRIERS AND THAT KIND OF THING THAT WILL HAPPEN. THERE'S ALSO AT SOME POINT GOING TO BE A BROWNFIELD PLAN FOR THE PROPERTY. SO THEY'RE STILL AT THE VERY BEGINNING STAGES OF SOME OF THOSE.

IN FACT, THE GRANT LOAN HAS ITS FINALIZED AND APPROVED THROUGH THE STATE.

THERE'S STILL SOME STEPS THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS TO TAKE.

BUT YOU MAY HEAR ABOUT IT ON THE CALL TOMORROW, BUT THAT WILL BE FORTHCOMING HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS AS THIS PROJECT RAMPS UP.

SO A LOT OF MORE ENVIRONMENTAL WORK TO DO.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL.

NO, I WAS JUST GIVING A THUMBS UP FOR COMMISSIONER CORDILL'S IDEA OF SITE BEAUTIFICATION, AND I HAVE SEEN MANY PROJECTS IN EUROPE THAT ARE 10 STORY BUILDINGS THAT ARE BEING CLEANED AND THE ARTWORK ON THE CLADDING AROUND THE SCAFFOLDING IS JUST IT'S GREAT.

COULD NEED MAYBE A CROWDSOURCING. MAYBE WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT TOMORROW, BUT [INAUDIBLE].

I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS.

DID SO WHEN I THINK WHEN THE LAST TIME WE GOT AN UPDATE ON THIS, THERE WAS SOME [INAUDIBLE] ISSUES THAT THEY HAD RUN INTO.

DO YOU KNOW, ARE THOSE MORE OR LESS IN THE STAGES OF RESOLUTION, NOT JUST THE GRANT AND THE LOAN, BUT FOR THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION? YEAH, I THINK THE PROJECT FINANCING IS BEING PUT TOGETHER STILL.

WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE NEXT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO ANNOUNCE, I THINK PARTIALLY TOMORROW IS A LITTLE BIT OF A CHANGE IN THE COMPOSITION OF THE PROJECT ITSELF.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE REMOVING ABOUT HALF OF THE COMMERCIAL SPACE AND ADDING SOME RESIDENTIAL UNITS. AND I UNDERSTAND PART OF THOSE CHANGES ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO AVAILABILITY OF FINANCING, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, FINANCING COMMERCIAL PROJECTS SPECIFICALLY IS CHALLENGING. SO PART OF THAT WAS CHANGED TO ADDRESS MARKET CONDITIONS COVID, BUT ALL THE REALITIES, I GUESS, OF COMMERCIAL FINANCING AT THIS TIME.

SO THOSE WILL BE DETAILED, I DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS ON THAT, BUT THEY'LL BE, I THINK, PARTIALLY ANNOUNCED TOMORROW AND THEN WE'LL ACTUALLY HAVE PLANS SUBMITTED.

THE WAY IT'S BEEN TOLD TO US SO FAR WILL LIKELY FOLLOW SOME MINOR AMENDMENTS TO THEIR MUPUD SO THAT WILL BE DONE AT THE STAFF LEVEL.

WE'LL STILL HAVE TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING.

SO BUT THEY'LL BE WIDELY DISTRIBUTED PLANS WHEN THEY ARE SUBMITTED.

OK, AND THEN I KNOW THAT THERE WERE TWO OTHER DISCUSSIONS THAT WERE SORT OF ONGOING THAT WERE I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ANCILLARY, BUT THEY WERE GOING ALONG WITH THE THRUST OF THE

[00:55:04]

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE I THINK THEY'RE STILL UNDER DISCUSSION.

PART OF THAT, THEY'RE GOING TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS RELATED TO THAT TOMORROW.

I DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS ON THOSE YET.

SORRY. THAT'S FINE.

AS IF I CAN JUMP AWAY FOR LUNCH TO GO LISTEN IN.

IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT, THEY ARE GOING TO RECORD THE MEETING TOMORROW AND I'LL BE SURE TO FORWARD WHEREVER THAT IS STORED OUT THERE.

BUT I CAN ALSO PRETTY MUCH GUARANTEE THIS IS NOT THE END OF THIS.

I MEAN, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE I'M SURE THERE'S GOING TO BE ROAD SHOWS LIKE THIS IN OTHER VENUES, WHETHER IT'S THE PLANNING COMMISSIONER OF THE TOWNSHIP OR WHEREVER THIS ENDS UP.

OK, THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTION FOR PETER.

ALL RIGHT, SEEING NONE THEN.

THANK YOU. OH THANK YOU.

WE'LL GO ON TO AGENDA ITEM 10.

WE'VE GOT NEW APPLICATIONS, NONE.

SITE PLANS RECEIVED, NONE.

AND SITE PLANS APPROVED. NONE.

SO THAT BRINGS US TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 11, WHICH IS PUBLIC REMARKS.

SO IF YOU ARE JOINING US IN THE ZOOM MEETING, GO AHEAD AND PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE. IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO CALL IN ON THE PHONE, YOU CAN REACH US AT 517-349-1232.

REMEMBER THAT PUBLIC REMARKS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES.

AND PLEASE GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR TIME.

ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK WITH US THIS EVENING.

YOU'VE GOT THREE CLOSED CAPTIONERS AND A COUPLE OF FOLKS.

ANYONE ON THE PHONES? NO ONE ON THE PHONES ALRIGHTY, VERY GOOD, THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE PUBLIC REMARKS AND AT THIS TIME WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

MOVED BY COMMISSIONER CORDILL.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BLUMER.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNMENT SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED.

AND WE STAND ADJOURNED AT 7:58 AND WE'VE GOT A LIGHT MEETING NEXT TIME.

SO WE'LL HEAR FROM OUR SUBCOMMITTEE AND THAT'LL BE ABOUT IT.

SO. WE'LL COAST INTO THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME EVERYONE. HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE.

HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY. STAY SAFE.

[11. PUBLIC REMARKS]