THE TV IS READY TO GIVE ME THE [INAUDIBLE].
[00:00:02]
SUPERVISOR STYKA THE MEETING IS YOURS ANY TIME YOU LIKE.YOU'VE GOT ABOUT 30 SECONDS BEFORE THE TOP OF THE HOUR.
CALL TO ORDER THE DECEMBER 8TH, 2020 REGULAR MEETING OF THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BOARD
[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
OF TRUSTEES.AND WITH THAT, WE NEED TO HAVE A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I'D RECOMMEND THAT MORE OR LESS YOU STAY MUTE AND I'LL RECITE.
OK, WE NOW HAVE TO HAVE A ROLL CALL FROM OUR NEW CLERK DEBORAH GUTHRIE.
SHE HAS SOME BIG ISSUES THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT THAT HAVE TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
WE WILL NOW GO ON TO PRESENTATIONS.
WE HAVE [INAUDIBLE] THEM TONIGHT.
SO WE'RE KIND OF BUSY WITH PRESENTATIONS.
AND THE FIRST ONE INVOLVES A NEW FIREFIGHTER.
IS THE CHIEF ON? MR. WALSH? YEAH, I DON'T SEE CHIEF HAMEL ON MY SCREEN.
SO I GUESS WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PRESENTATION.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER YOU WERE GOING TO FILL IN FOR HIM OR NOT.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR SECOND PRESENTATION, WHICH IS THE WOODWARD WAY TAX CREDIT FROM THE [INAUDIBLE].
CRAIG PATTERSON OF [INAUDIBLE] COMPANIES WAS GOING TO TALK TO US ABOUT THAT.
MR. DESCHAINE, DO YOU KNOW IF HE'S HERE? I DO NOT SEE ANYTHING.
I MEAN, DO YOU SEE CRAIG PATTERSON? ALL RIGHT.
WELL, WE'VE STRUCK OUT TWO TIMES.
TWO STRIKES, SO HOPEFULLY WE DON'T GET A THIRD ONE.
THE NEXT PRESENTATION IS THE TWENTY TWENTY ONE GOALS, TOWNSHIP GOALS AND ACTION
[4C. 2021 Township Goals and Action Plan Presentation]
PLAN PRESENTATION.I KNOW WE WON'T GET A STRIKE ON THIS ONE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, MR. SUPERVISOR, THE FIREFIGHTER IS IN THE WAITING ROOM.
IS THERE ANY WAY THAT, STEPHEN, YOU COULD HAVE HER COME FORWARD? DO YOU WANT TO PROCEED WITH THE GOALS AND HAVE HER COME FORWARD IN THE MEANTIME? SURE.
SURE, SO I KNOW THAT THE BOARD HAS BEEN THROUGH A COUPLE OF HOURS NOW.
AND THE GOAL SETTING AT OUR LAST MEETING, WE PRESENTED THE BACKGROUND FOR TWENTY TWENTY AND THE TWENTY TWENTY ONE GOALS, WHICH INCLUDE A NUMBER OF THINGS, ANYWHERE FROM LOCAL ROADS TO SOLAR, TO BROADBAND, TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
IT ALSO INCLUDES KEEPING OUR PROMISE THAT WE MADE IN 2017 REGARDING POLICE AND FIRE AND PENSION PAYMENTS AND INVOLVES NOT ONLY SOLAR, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES A PERCENTAGE OF WHAT OUR GOAL IS, THE METRICS FOR GETTING TO OUR SOLAR NEXT YEAR.
I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HITTING 60 PERCENT OF OUR USAGE NEXT YEAR WITH A THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR COMMIT TO SOLAR.
SO YOU HAVE THE LIST BEFORE YOU.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS ONCE NOW, AND WE WOULD ASK THAT IF YOU HAVE ANY
[00:05:04]
QUESTIONS AND LET US KNOW.I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THE LITANY OF 2020, BECAUSE WE'LL BE PROVIDING A ANNUAL REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY NEXT MONTH, WHICH WILL GO OVER ALL OF THIS IN DETAIL.
PLUS, ALL OF THIS IS AVAILABLE ONLINE.
I KNOW YOU HAVE A LENGTHY AGENDA TONIGHT.
I KNOW WE SPENT ABOUT 90 MINUTES ON THIS AT OUR LAST MEETING, SO I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
BUT JUST THE CHANCE TO KIND OF GIVE AN OVERVIEW TO THE PUBLIC.
[4D. 2021 Township Local Road Plan]
[INAUDIBLE] GO ON TWO OUT OF TWENTY TWENTY ONE TOWNSHIP LOCAL ROAD PLAN.I ASSUME MR. PERRY WILL BE TALKING TO US ABOUT THIS? IF THAT'S THE PLEASURE [INAUDIBLE].
APPRECIATE THE SUPERVISOR AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS.
I DO PLAN ON SHARING MY SCREEN.
SO WE'VE GOT SOME MAPS AND SOME GRAPHICS TO LOOK AT.
AS WE'RE SAYING, THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR OF OUR 10 YEAR PROGRAM.
AND JUST FOR BACKGROUND, FOR THOSE MAYBE WATCHING AT HOME, JUST UNDERSTAND THAT THE TOWNSHIP DOESN'T OWN ROADS.
ACTUALLY, THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, INGHAM COUNTY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE ROADS IN THE TOWNSHIP.
PUBLIC ACT FIFTY ONE, THAT IS HOW ROADS ARE FUNDED IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.
THAT'S THROUGH YOUR GAS TAXES AND YOUR VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEES.
AS A TOWNSHIP, WE RECEIVE ZERO DOLLARS DIRECTLY.
THROUGH THE INGHAM COUNTY, WHICH IS OUR LOCAL ROAD AGENCY, THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO ALLOCATE ABOUT ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS TOWARDS THE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD ROAD PROGRAM.
THEY SPEND MORE MONEY ON THE PRIMARY ROAD NETWORK AND OBVIOUSLY THEY TAKE CARE OF THE SNOWPLOWING AND TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND SIGNS.
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR OUR LOCAL ROAD NETWORK FROM THEM.
AND THEN OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO AN ALLOCATION FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
LAST YEAR WAS ABOUT A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS IN THE TWENTY TWENTY ONE BUDGET.
IT'S ABOUT TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF OUR VOTERS AND [INAUDIBLE] IN THE PLAN, THEY APPROVED A TEN YEAR, THIRTY FIVE MILLION DOLLAR BOND THAT ALLOWS US TO SPEND ABOUT THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS EACH YEAR ON THOSE LOCAL ROADS.
AS I STATED, WE HAVE ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY SEVEN MILES OF LOCAL ROADS.
THOSE ARE NOT LIKE OKEMOS OR GRAND RIVER.
THESE ARE MORE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS, ALTHOUGH ROADS LIKE CORNELL AND [INAUDIBLE], YOU WOULD THINK THOSE MIGHT BE CLASSIFIED AS A PRIMARY, BUT THOSE ARE LOCALS.
SO WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE THROUGH THE PROGRAM.
THE GOAL OF THE PLAN AT THE END OF 10 YEARS IS TO HAVE A PASER RATING, WHICH IS A PAVEMENT SURFACE EVALUATION RATING OF EIGHT.
10 IS CONSIDERED A NEW STREET.
ONE IS A STREET THAT'S COMPLETELY FAILED.
AND OUR GOAL IS EIGHT, WHICH IS A GOOD CONDITION FOR THE AVERAGE STREET IN OUR NETWORK.
AND WE UTILIZE ASSET MANAGEMENT.
SO WHEN WE'RE SELECTING STREETS, WE'RE LOOKING AT THEIR CONDITION RATING, BUT ALSO THE DRAINAGE THAT MAY BE NECESSARY TO DO REPAIRS, WHAT'S THE UNDERLYING UTILITIES THAT NEED TO BE ANY REPAIRS THAT NEED TO BE MADE? AND THERE ARE SOME FACTORS, SOME ROADS AROUND THE LAKE THAT WE KNOW WE HAVE TO DO SOME SEWER WORK.
SO WE'RE PUTTING OFF ANY ROADWORK IN THAT AREA UNTIL THAT'S COMPLETED.
SO I JUST WANT OUR RESIDENTS TO KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT PAVING A STREET WITH THE GOAL OF HAVING TO DIG IT UP TWO YEARS LATER TO REPLACE A WATER MAIN.
WE LOOK AT ALL THOSE AND TREAT THEM AS ONE COMPLETE ASSET.
THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM, AS I STATED, WAS TO GET TO AN EIGHT OVER THE 10 YEAR PROGRAM.
SO WE USE A MODEL, WE USE A SOFTWARE PROGRAM CALLED ROAD SOFT.
WE INPUT WHAT THE DOLLARS WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AVAILABLE FOR THE 10 YEAR PROGRAM.
AND IT HELPS US DECIDE WHICH TYPE OF TREATMENTS WE SHOULD BE DOING FOR OUR ROAD NETWORK.
AND THIS KIND OF SHOWS OVER THOSE 10 YEAR PERIOD HOW WE'RE GRADUALLY GOING TO CLIMB BACK UP TO OUR CONDITION OF EIGHT OVER THE 10 YEAR PERIOD.
TWENTY TWENTY ONE IS OUR GOAL FOR THIS YEAR.
NOTICE THAT THE PASER RATING, IF ALL GOES WELL AT THE END OF TWENTY TWENTY ONE, OUR GOAL WOULD BE FIVE POINT THREE SEVEN.
THE WORK I NEED TO CHANGE MY SCREEN NOW.
[00:10:01]
APOLOGIZE FOR US BEING A LITTLE CUMBERSOME, BUT DIDN'T WANT TO FORMAT POWERPOINT AS WELL.I WANT TO SHOW THE MAPS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT [INAUDIBLE].
THIS MAP IS WHAT WE'VE DONE SINCE 2014 THROUGH OUR MOST RECENT WORK IN TWENTY TWENTY.
THE YELLOW IS WHAT YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR AS FAR AS THE ROAD WORK THAT WAS COMPLETED LAST YEAR.
ONE OF THE REASONS WE WANT TO SHOW THIS IS THE LEVEL AND THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT'S OCCURRED OVER THE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS AND HOW WE REALLY TRIED TO SPREAD THE WORK OUT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
WE ARE ONE COMMUNITY AND THOSE DOLLARS, EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY IS PAYING DEDICATED ROAD MILLAGES.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE FEELS SOME IMPACT OF THAT.
AND ALL THESE MAPS WILL BE PUBLISHED ON THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE.
SO DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU GOT TO MEMORIZE IT.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHOW THAT OVERALL ACTIVITY.
IF YOU NOTICE, THERE'S A LOT OF YELLOW ON THAT MAP.
OBVIOUSLY, THE FIRST YEAR OF THE DEDICATED ROAD BONDS ALLOWED US TO DO QUITE A BIT OF ROAD WORK.
SO WHAT DID WE DO IN 2020? WE DID TEN POINT SEVEN MILES OF REHABILITATION OR RESURFACING WORK, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT THE END PRODUCT LOOKS LIKE.
WE ALSO DID SIXTEEN POINT SEVEN MILES OF PRESERVATION WORK, WHICH IS THE CRACKS.
WHAT THAT DOES IS THOSE CRACKS THAT START TO EXHIBIT THEMSELVES AFTER THREE OR FOUR YEARS , WE GO IN THERE, HIRE CONTRACTOR TO DO IT, FILL THAT FULL OF A RUBBER PRODUCT AND PREVENT WATER GETTING INTO THE BASE OF THOSE ROADS AND DESTROYING THEM OVER TIME.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR TWENTY TWENTY ONE, RIGHT? NEW YEAR.
WHAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING? THIS IS THE PLANNED WORK FOR TWENTY TWENTY ONE.
RED WILL BE THAT RESURFACING WORK THAT I SHOWED YOU ON THE SLIDE.
WE'RE ALSO PLANNING TO DO SOMETHING CALLED A CAPE SEAL, WHICH UTILIZES A CHIP SEAL AND THEN A SLURRY SEAL OVER IT.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING SOME MORE CRACK FILLING.
HERE'S WHAT THE MAP LOOKS LIKE.
THESE ARE THE STREETS THAT ARE SCHEDULED FOR THE REHAB RESURFACING WORK.
AGAIN, ALL OF THESE WILL BE LISTED ON THE WEBSITE.
HOPEFULLY YOU CAN SEE THOSE UP THERE, BUT THERE'S QUITE A FEW OF THOSE STREETS.
AND AGAIN, WE PLAN ON DOING EIGHT POINT EIGHT SEVEN MILES OF THAT RESURFACING WORK.
CAPE SEAL, WHERE WE HOPE TO DO A LOT MORE OF THIS IN THE UPCOMING YEARS, BUT FOR THE FIRST YEAR WE'RE GOING TO-- WE'VE SELECTED THREE NEIGHBORHOODS TO DO THAT WORK AND WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING ABOUT A MILE AND A HALF OF THAT.
THEY COME IN AND PUT DOWN A SMALL CHIP AND THEN YOU DO A SLURRY SEAL ON TOP OF THAT.
AGAIN, LOTS OF NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HIT WITH THOSE.
WE'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT SEVEN POINT SIX ONE MILES OF THAT.
AGAIN, WE WANT TO PRESERVE THOSE ROADS SO THEY DON'T DETERIORATE OVER TIME.
AND WE GET IN THE POSITION THAT WE'VE BEEN IN OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES WHERE WE JUST HAVE FAILED ROADS AND THEY'RE THE MOST EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE.
TOTAL RESURFACING, EIGHT POINT SEVEN MILES, ONE POINT FIVE MILES OF CAPE SEAL, SEVEN POINT SIX ONE MILES CRACK FILLING FOR A TOTAL ROADWORK AND TWENTY TWENTY ONE OF SEVENTEEN POINT NINE EIGHT MILES.
BUT THEY PASER RATING AT THE END OF FIVE POINT THREE SEVEN.
MR. PERRY? COULD YOU JUST QUICKLY RUN THROUGH FROM MAYBE THE NORTH PART OF THE TOWNSHIP DOWN TO THE SOUTH AND JUST GIVE A GENERAL AREA OF WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO DO WORK? JUST MAYBE BY NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SKYLINE, WHITE HILLS, EVERYTHING OVER
[00:15:04]
BY THE MAYFAIR AND THE [INAUDIBLE] AND JUST MAYBE RUN THROUGH IT REAL QUICKLY.SO STARTING IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE TOWNSHIP, YOU HAVE THE SKYLINE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHITE HILLS LAKES, GOING TO HAVE SOME WORK DONE IN IT.
SOME AREA ALONG WESTMINSTER WAY.
THE BLUEGILL GRILL, THAT WORK ALL STARTED LAST YEAR.
THAT'S A PROJECT WE'RE DOING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE GREEN OFFICE.
THAT'LL BE COMPLETED NEXT YEAR.
AND WORK UP THERE IN THE [INAUDIBLE] AREA.
SAPPHIRE LANE, THERE'S A SMALL LITTLE CONNECTOR THERE THAT'S CREATED.
YOU HAVE SOME AREA IN THE [INAUDIBLE] WOODS.
AND THEN THE AUTUMN WOOD, [INAUDIBLE] HILLS AREA.
THAT'S WHERE ALL THE RESURFACING REHAB WORK WILL BE OCCURRING IN THE TOWNSHIP.
AGAIN, THESE MAPS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.
THE BLUE IS ALL THE CRACK SEALING.
AND THOSE ARE AREAS THAT WE RESURFACED WITHIN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, AGAIN, TRYING TO PRESERVE THOSE.
AND THEN THE YELLOWS IS WHERE WE WOULD BE DOING THE CAPE SEALS.
TRYING TO DO SOME OF THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH WHERE WE'RE DOING SOME RESURFACING WORK TOO.
[INAUDIBLE] AND CLARIFY, WHEN YOU MENTIONED A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S NOT THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S JUST SOME PORTIONS OF IT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
ABSOLUTELY, AND THE STREETS ARE LISTED.
AS FAR AS SCHEDULE GOES, IS ONGOING, DESIGN IS UNDERWAY, AND WE ANTICIPATE BIDDING AT THE END OF FEBRUARY WITH ANTICIPATED CONSTRUCTION START IN MAY AND OUR SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION DATE WOULD BE THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
WELL, I SEE THAT THE FIRE CHIEF IS BACK FROM HELPING TO CHECK THIS OFF IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER AND IS AVAILABLE TO INTRODUCE HIS NEW FIRE FIGHTERS.
[4A. Introduction of New Firefighter-Angela Kohls]
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR STYKA AND BOARD A LITTLE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY, USER ERROR ON MY END.BUT AS YOU RECALL, ANGELA, SHE WAS SPONSORED TO LCC'S FIRE ACADEMY BACK IN AUGUST AND ACTUALLY WAS ONE OF THE LEADERS IN THE CLASS.
SHE GRADUATED WITH HONORS, NUMBER ONE STUDENT IN THE CLASS.
AS I TALKED TWO WEEKS AGO, I WANTED TO BRING HER BACK SO AT LEAST YOU GUYS COULD SEE HER FACE AND SEE WHO SHE WAS AND LET HER SAY THANK YOU AND HELLO.
AND SHE COMES TO US FROM JACKSON AND JUST EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN THAT'S GOING TO DO A GREAT JOB FOR US AND JUST VERY EXCITING.
SO, ANGELA, WHERE ARE YOU? WELL, BOTTOM LEFT OF MY SCREEN.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO WORK FOR MERIDIAN AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING ME IN TO BE PART OF THE TEAM.
IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, GO AHEAD.
I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I WILL CONGRATULATE YOU ON JOINING US.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOUR [INAUDIBLE] PERFORM FOR US.
THE CHIEF ALWAYS MAKES EXCELLENT DECISIONS, ALONG WITH THE MANAGER AND OTHERS IN HIS PERSONNEL.
AND WE KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE GOOD.
[INAUDIBLE] FOR ANGELA? ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO TELL US ABOUT IT? NO, I JUST WELCOME HER ABOARD AND LIKE I SAID, DO A GREAT JOB ALREADY AND WE'RE JUST GLAD TO HAVE HER.
AND SHE'S JUST A WEALTH OF ENERGY AND A BREATH OF FRESH AIR AND JUST A LOT OF FUN HAVING HER.
THANK YOU TO THE BOARD, I APPRECIATE IT.
OK, UNLESS MR. PATTERSON HAS SHOWN UP, WE WILL MOVE ON THEN TO OUR NEXT SECTION
[4B. Woodward Way Tax Credit from MSHDA-Craig Patterson, Woda Cooper Companies, Inc.]
OF AGENDA.OK, WE WILL GO BACK THEN TO OUR PRESENTATION OF THE WOODWARD WAY TAX CREDIT.
MR. CRAIG PATTERSON OF [INAUDIBLE] COMPANY IS HERE TO TALK TO US ABOUT IT.
MR. PATTERSON, I THINK WE WILL GET YOU UNMUTED AND YOU CAN GIVE US A LITTLE
[00:20:03]
PRESENTATION.YOU'RE STILL MUTED, MR. PATTERSON.
SORRY, MY SCREEN DISAPPEARED FOR A WHILE, SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WOODWARD WAY.
AS YOU REMEMBER, FORTY NINE UNITS IN SEVERAL BUILDINGS, TOWNHOME STYLE, FOUR BUILDINGS, ALONG WITH 16 UNITS THAT ARE STACKED FLAT.
WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS AMONG CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAM [INAUDIBLE] COOPER.
WE HAVE PART CIVIL [INAUDIBLE] ENGINEERING OUT OF SPRING LAKE, AND HE'S ALREADY DONE SOME OUTREACH TO YOUR CITY STAFF.
OUR ARCHITECT IS [INAUDIBLE] YOUNG.
WE HAD A CALL YESTERDAY INTERNALLY ON SITE PLAN.
THE EASEMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED.
IS THE CHIEF STILL ON? CHIEF, WE TALKED ABOUT FIRE HYDRANTS, JUST SO YOU KNOW.
WE TALKED ABOUT BOLLARDS BOULEVARD ON BOARD CLIP, WE TALKED ABOUT THE ELEVATION DIFFERENCES ON [INAUDIBLE] AND SOME OF THE COMMITMENTS WE NEED TO MAKE IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD CONNECTIVITY.
AND SO I THINK THE PROJECT IS MOVING ALONG IN TERMS OF THE INTERNAL REVIEWS NECESSARY TO GET SITE PLAN APPROVAL AND THEN MOVING TOWARD PERMITTING.
I THINK WE STILL WE ARE NOT TO 40 PERCENT LEVEL ON PLANS, HOWEVER, WE ARE PRETTY FAR ALONG ON OUR SCHEMATICS AND I BELIEVE WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK WE WILL HAVE SCHEMATICS THAT ARE READY TO REVIEW.
OTHERWISE, I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING AT THE MOMENT EXCEPT THAT WE DID GET OUR FULL FUNDING FROM [INAUDIBLE].
SO THERE'S NOTHING IN TERMS OF A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT THAT SURPRISED US.
AND SO WE'RE READY TO PUSH THE PEDAL TO THE METAL.
I THINK WHAT MR. DESCHAINE, THE TREASURER, SUGGESTED HAVING YOU OUT HERE FOR PRESENTATION, THE THOUGHT WAS THAT YOU WOULD EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT TOO ABOUT ONCE AGAIN FOR THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS US, WHAT THAT IS ALL ABOUT, WHAT YOUR PROJECT IS ALL ABOUT, TERMS OF [INAUDIBLE] FUNDING.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, [INAUDIBLE] THEY HAVE NOT SENT US THE CONFIRMATION OF FUNDING YET.
THEY GAVE US A VERBAL CONFIRMATION ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
I WAS TOLD BY [INAUDIBLE] TODAY THAT OUR FUNDING IS SECURE AND THE ACTUAL PAPERWORK IS BEING SENT TO OUR HEADQUARTERS IN COLUMBUS, OHIO, TODAY, MEANING IT WILL ARRIVE TOMORROW.
NOW, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WITH THAT FULLY FLEDGED CONFIRMATION, THERE ARE A FEW CONTINGENCIES THAT ARE REQUIRED THAT WE MUST WORK OUT INTERNALLY.
BUT FOR THE PUBLIC, THE FUNDING DID ASSURE THAT WE WOULD BE FULLY FUNDED WITH HOUSING TAX CREDITS NECESSARY TO FULLY BUILD OUT WHAT WAS PROPOSED AT BEFORE THE APPLICATION, WHICH WAS FORTY NINE UNITS OF HOUSING IN THOSE FOUR BUILDINGS, PLUS COMMUNITY SPACE, PLUS ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO BUILD ON THAT SITE BEHIND WHOLEFOODS.
AND THAT INCLUDES ALL THE UTILITIES REQUIRED THE STORM AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO I CAN GET IN MORE DETAILS IF NECESSARY, BUT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT AN D TRUSTEE DESCHAINE MAY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THAT HE HAS THAT HE MAY WANT TO OR ANYBODY ON THE TRUSTEE BOARD, THAT THINK I'M MISSING SOME PIECES HERE.
EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO RAISE UP RAISE, PLEASE.
HOW ABOUT THREE QUICK DATA POINTS FOR US.
WHAT'S THE TOTAL INVESTMENT AGAIN? WHEN DO YOU EXPECT TO BREAK GROUND?
[00:25:01]
AND WHEN DO YOU EXPECT TO MOVE YOUR FIRST FAMILIES IN? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE EXPECT TO BREAK GROUND SOMETIME BY APRIL.OWNERSHIP OF THE COMPANY HAS STATED THAT WE NEED TO BREAK GROUND BY THEN, ASSUMING THAT WE SATISFY ALL THE PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS.
ONCE WE BREAK GROUND, THEN IT USUALLY TAKES US ABOUT 10 MONTHS TO GET TO FINALIZE, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A BUILD OUT AND WE GET THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
AND NOW, ONCE AGAIN, THAT WILL BE DEPENDENT ON MEETING THE NEEDS OF YOUR BUILDING INSPECTOR NOW AND ALSO ALL THE OTHER APPROVING.
AND I'M TRYING TO GET YOU OUR UPDATED INVESTMENT RIGHT NOW.
WHILE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, THIS PROJECT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THIS COMMUNITY FOR MANY REASONS, ONE OF WHICH IS THE DIVERSITY OF HOUSING IT OFFERS.
ALSO, THIS BOARD HAS STRONG, STRONG, STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE [INAUDIBLE] NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE [INAUDIBLE] SCHOOL REOPENED OR CERTAINLY REPURPOSED FOR STUDENTS AND THESE FAMILIES THAT WE MOVED INTO, ALONG WITH OTHER YOUNG FAMILIES.
WE HOPE TO SEE YOU MOVING INTO THE TOWNSHIP IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO WILL BE THE IMPETUS FOR THE OKEMOS SCHOOL BOARD TO LOOK AT THAT QUESTION OF THE FUTURE OF [INAUDIBLE] AGAIN.
SO THIS IS A REALLY PRESSING AND IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR THE NEIGHBORS AROUND THERE.
NOT TO MENTION ANYONE WHO'S BEEN AROUND MERIDIAN LONG KNOWS WHAT USED TO EXIST ON THIS SITE.
AND WE CLEANED IT UP A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, BUT IT SAT VACANT FOR MANY YEARS.
SO THIS REPURPOSE TO PROVIDE TOP QUALITY HOUSING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR FAMILIES IS A WIN WIN WIN FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
BUT I APPRECIATE THAT SUMMARY.
TRUSTEE DESCHAINE, YOU KNOW, AND THAT THAT IS A REMINDER TO SOMETHING I DID NOT MENTION, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT HERE.
THIS IS WHAT WE CALL A GENERAL OCCUPANCY DEVELOPMENT.
BUT THAT MEANS SINGLES FAMILIES AND SENIORS WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO MOVE INTO THE FORTY NINE UNITS.
AND I'M LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW, THIS IS AN ELEVEN POINT THREE MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT ON THIS SITE, WHICH IS UP A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN I THINK WE HAD SHARED BEFORE.
AND ONE OF THE KEY THINGS I CAN GO OVER THE YEAR TO FIX AGAIN, IF THAT IS BENEFICIAL, BUT I MIGHT MENTION THAT SOME OF THESE UNITS, AS I PROMISED BEFORE, ARE GOING TO BE AT A HIGHER INCOME LEVEL THAN WHAT HAS BEEN BUILT IN THE TOWNSHIP IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
THEY WILL ALLOW TENANTS UP TO 80 PERCENT OF THE AREA, MEDIAN INCOME.
WHICH IS REALLY VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF STRETCHING, BROADENING THE NET, SO TO SPEAK, TO BRING IN SINGLES, FAMILIES AND SENIORS AT HIGHER INCOMES.
SO I AM TRYING TO GET THIS UNIT MIX AGAIN JUST TO REMIND ALL.
AND THERE IS A COMBINATION, AS YOU REMEMBER, OF FOUR OF OUR UNITS ARE THREE BEDROOM.
THE MAJORITY ARE GOING TO BE TWO BEDROOM AND WE HAVE EIGHT ONE BEDROOM UNITS.
SO ROUGHLY THIRTY SEVEN UNITS OR SO ARE TWO BEDROOMS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. PATTERSON.
MR. DESCHAINE, ANYTHING ELSE YOU NEEDED TO HEAR FROM HIM? NOTHING FOR ME.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THE FINAL SITE PLANS BEFORE THE BOARD IN THE COMING WEEKS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. PATTERSON? AND WE WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT, LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING ON ITS PATH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. PATTERSON.
WE WILL NOW GO ON TO CITIZENS ADDRESSING AGENDA, NON AGENDA ITEMS, AND I'M
[5. CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS*]
[00:30:02]
WONDERING IF MR. GEBES HAS ANY CITIZENS THAT ARE EITHER CALLING IN OR TUNING IN.WE HAVE MANY PEOPLE IN THE ATTENDEE AREA, AND I WILL REMIND PEOPLE THAT IF THEY WISH TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, THEY SIMPLY NEED TO USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE AND WE WILL ENABLE THEIR ABILITY TO SPEAK INSIDE THE MEETING ITSELF.
AND ALSO, WE CAN TAKE TELEPHONE CALLS AT FIVE ONE SEVEN THREE FOUR NINE ONE, TWO, THREE, TWO.
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING ON COMCAST, OF COURSE, WE NEED TO TURN THEIR TELEVISION DOWN IF THEY CHOOSE THAT OPTION.
AND WE DO HAVE AT LEAST ONE PERSON IN THE ATTENDEE AREA WHO'S RAISED THEIR HAND.
MR. SUPERVISOR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO OVER THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF PUBLIC COMMENT? AND I WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT BEFORE YOU CALL IN THE PERSON.
WE HAVE ACTUALLY TWO OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO MAKE COMMENTS.
THE OTHER ONE IS NEAR THE END OF THE MEETING.
WE ASK YOU TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AS A WHOLE, NOT INDIVIDUALS.
THAT YOU ONLY ADDRESS THE BOARD ARE NOT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC OR OTHERS.
THAT YOU DO SO WITH DECORUM AND POLITENESS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR COMMENTS.
YOU ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES AND WE WILL ASK YOU TO NAME YOUR-- GIVE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS, AND THEN WE WILL TIME YOU OUT AND LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR THREE MINUTES ARE OVER.
AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.
MR. CHUCK COLEMAN, ACTUALLY, CHUCK COLEMAN IN THE ATTENDEE AREA IS ENABLED TO SPEAK.
CHUCK COLEMAN, 1317 COOLIDGE ROAD.
VICE PRESIDENT, DTN MANAGEMENT.
THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT A PROJECT LATER ON THAT WE SUBMITTED FOR A REZONING REQUEST.
THE DOCUMENTS THAT WE PRESENTED SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, BUT I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THERE ARE CONDITIONS ON THIS THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT ON OUR REZONING REQUEST.
WE'VE LIMITED THE NUMBER OF DWELLING UNITS TO NO GREATER THAN 220 UNITS, WHICH THE REZONING REQUEST WOULD ALLOW UP TO EIGHT UNITS PER ACRE.
BUT THIS CONDITION HOLDS IT DOWN TO SIX POINT EIGHT UNITS PER ACRE.
WE HAVE ANOTHER CONDITION, NO FEWER THAN TWENTY FIVE SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING UNITS.
THIS WOULD BE A MULTI-FAMILY ZONED PARCEL AND WE'RE INCLUDING SINGLE FAMILY UNITS SINCE YOU RECENTLY REVISED THAT ORDINANCE.
THERE WILL BE NO BUILDINGS GREATER THAN TWO STORIES.
WE ALSO HAVE THE CONDITION THAT EVERY UNIT WILL HAVE AN ENCLOSED GARAGE.
WE CONSIDER THIS PARTIAL AS SOMEWHAT OF A TRANSITIONAL PARCEL.
IT'S BOUNDED ON THE SOUTH AND WEST WITH COMMERCIAL.
THE NORTH IS A SENIOR FACILITY AND SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.
AND TO THE EAST IS A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.
SO THIS INCREASE IN DENSITY WOULD BE A GOOD TRANSITION FROM THE SINGLE FAMILY TO THE COMMERCIAL ZONING.
IT'S ALSO IN THE URBAN SERVICES BOUNDARY WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICES BOUNDARY.
WE'LL BE AVAILABLE DURING YOUR DISCUSSION, IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS.
AND AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE VERY MUCH HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS REZONING REQUEST.
DO WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER? WE DO, SIR.
[INAUDIBLE] IS GOING TO BE NEXT.
STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN.
[INAUDIBLE] MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE].
I'M AT SIXTY ONE THIRTY THREE COTTAGE DRIVE IN HASLETT, MICHIGAN.
I'M A PRINCIPAL OF DTN MANAGEMENT COMPANY AND I'M CALLING TO TALK ABOUT THE OKEMOS PROJECT [INAUDIBLE].
I KIND OF WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY ARE WE WORKING ON THIS PROJECT AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO THE TOWNSHIP AND WHAT IS DRIVING THIS TOWARDS.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS TO PROVIDE HOUSING FOR A NEW DEMOGRAPHIC THAT'S EXPANDING DRAMATICALLY AS THINGS ARE CHANGING AND WE CALL THIS DEMOGRAPHIC A RENTER BY CHOICE.
[00:35:01]
A RENTER BY CHOICE IS SOMEONE WHO IS TYPICALLY HIGHLY PAID.THEY ARE THE SAME IN TERMS OF [INAUDIBLE], BUT TYPICALLY THEY HAVE TO BRING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT ONE LONGEVITY IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE MARKET IS THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
WHERE IT USED TO BE THAT YOU USED TO THINK JOBS WERE IN TERMS OF FIVE, 10, 20 YEARS OR EVEN LONGER.
THEY'RE NOW A LITTLE SHORTER DURATION.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT IS DRIVEN A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN TERMS OF DEMOGRAPHICS, WHICH ARE PEOPLE ARE GETTING MARRIED A LITTLE BIT LATER IN LIFE AND AS MANY AS 80 PERCENT OF PEOPLE AREN'T EVEN MARRIED BY THE TIME THEY'RE 40 NATIONWIDE.
AND WHAT'S HAPPENED IS THIS DEMOGRAPHIC IS LOOKING FOR HOUSING, THE KIND OF FITS IN WITH THE NEEDS OF WHAT THESE GUYS ARE, WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND THIS NEW DEMOGRAPHIC IS SOMEONE WHO IS USUALLY AS THERE ARE USUALLY TWO PEOPLE LIVING IN A HOUSEHOLD OR WORKING IN A HOUSEHOLD.
IT WAS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
SO TWO PARENTS WORKING IN A HOUSEHOLD TO A COUPLE WORKING IN A HOUSEHOLD, SINGLE PARENTS THAT ARE WORKING IN A HOUSEHOLD, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND ANYWAY, SO THAT DEMOGRAPHIC HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
AND WE HAVE BUILT A FEW PROJECTS THAT ARE LOCALLY ADJACENT IN THE VICINITY OF THE LANSING AREA THAT HAVE ATTRACTED THIS DEMOGRAPHIC.
AND A LOT OF THIS GROUP HAS KIDS THAT GO TO SCHOOLS.
AS I WAS TELLING YOU BEFORE, WE BUILT ONE OF THESE PROJECTS IN DEWITT CALLED THE QUARRY.
AND WHEN WE BUILT THAT PROJECT, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY ONE HUNDRED KIDS GOING TO THEIR SCHOOLS FROM THIS PROJECT.
THE REAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS JUST THAT THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY WANTING TO SAVE FOR A DOWN PAYMENT OR THEY'RE WANTING TO FOLLOW EMPLOYMENT AS EMPLOYMENT MOVES, AS THE DURATION OF YOUR JOBS HAS BECOME SHORTER OVER TIME.
SO THAT'S THE FOCUS OF WHAT THIS DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WE'RE TRYING TO TARGET.
IT'S A WIDE RANGE OF PEOPLE FROM EMPTY NESTERS TO, LIKE I TOLD YOU, TO TWO PARENT FAMILIES AND SOMETIMES SINGLE FAMILY, SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES.
AND THERE ARE ALSO PEOPLE THAT ARE UP AND COMING.
WHAT'S DRIVEN THIS THING IS REALLY THAT THERE'S A HIGHE HOME COSTS HAVE OCCURRED.
AND AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED FOR BEING MORE [INAUDIBLE] FOR JOBS.
OUR COMPANIES HERE IN THE COMMUNITY--.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, SO PLEASE COME UP, PLEASE.
I KIND OF GOT A LITTLE DISTRACTED.
BUT THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT IS I'M HERE AVAILABLE TO TALK TO YOU GUYS.
IF YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS DEMOGRAPHIC, WE'RE TRYING TO SERVICE THIS NEED.
AND I COULD PROBABLY TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I'M SORRY ABOUT THE [INAUDIBLE].
DO WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER? MR. [INAUDIBLE] WILL BE FOLLOWED BY DAVID PEARSON.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD.
1142 SOUTH WASHINGTON AND LANSING.
I'M ALSO HERE ON BEHALF OF DTN ON THE SAME PROJECT.
AND I WON'T TAKE MY FULL THREE MINUTES.
FROM A PLANNING AND ZONING STANDPOINT, AS BOTH CHUCK AND [INAUDIBLE] SAID, THE PROJECT IS PLANNED AS A TRANSITION FROM THE HIGH DENSITY AND COMMERCIAL ON THE WEST TO GO TO LOWER DENSITY.
THE KIND OF HOUSING THAT DTN HAS BUILT INTO THE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT [INAUDIBLE] MENTIONED AND WOULD PLAN HERE IS EFFECTIVELY THE SAME PRODUCT AS WOULD BE FOR SALE.
SO EITHER THE SINGLE FAMILY OR IF IT'S CONNECTED, IT WOULD BE BY CONDO.
BUT THE QUALITY OF CONSTRUCTION AND THE TYPE OF HOUSING IS THE SAME.
IT'S REALLY THAT THE MARKET CALLS FOR IT TO BE RENTAL RATHER THAN BEING FOR SALE.
IN TERMS OF WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED, YOU HAVE THE CONDITIONS THAT CHUCK MENTIONED.
BUT I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT IS STAFF WILL EMPHASIZE TO YOU THAT THIS IS THE REZONING AND YOU SHOULD NOT BE LOOKING AT THE PLAN.
THE REASON WE'D LIKE YOU TO LOOK AT THE PLAN IS WE'LL BE BACK WITH ONE, WE HOPE.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, FROM YOUR ORDINANCE STANDPOINT, IN THE RD DISTRICT, THERE'S A SPECIAL USE PERMIT REQUIRED.
SO IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF HOUSING THAT'S GOING TO BE BUILT HERE, THIS PROJECT ISN'T DONE WITH THE BOARD ONCE IT'S ZONED.
IT HAS TO COME BACK TO YOU WITH A SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND WITH THE SITE PLAN THAT GOES WITH THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
SO WE'RE HOPING TO HEAR FROM YOU IN PART WITH RESPECT TO YOUR VIEWS ON THE CONCEPT AND HOW THE PLAN WOULD GO IN TERMS OF HOW THE HOUSING TRANSITIONS ACROSS THE SITE FROM THE WEST TO THE EAST, FROM DENSER TO THAT, THAT'S MORE SPREAD OUT SO THAT WE'RE SURE THAT WHAT COMES BACK TO YOU, IF YOU APPROVE THE REZONING, IS A SPECIAL
[00:40:03]
USE PERMIT AND A PLAN THAT YOU WOULD APPROVE.WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER, I BELIEVE.
WE HAVE A CALLER AT THIS TIME.
SIR, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD.
[INAUDIBLE] 1282 SILVERWOOD DRIVE.
WHAT WAS THE NAME AGAIN? COULD WE GET THE NAME ONE MORE TIME, PLEASE? OH, CHARLES [INAUDIBLE].
YES, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT IN REGARD TO THIS ZONING REQUEST.
I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WALK THIS PARCEL OF LAND SEVERAL TIMES, AND TO ME, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S NOT A GOOD FIT TO DEVELOP THIS PARCEL.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT THE TOWNSHIP CONSIDER PUTTING, IN A SENSE, THE LAND BANK.
THIS IS ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING PARCELS OF ITS TYPE ALONG POWELL ROAD, WHICH I BELIEVE IS DESIGNATED ACCORDING TO THE MASTER PLAN, AS THE NATURAL BEAUTY ROAD.
JUST FROM WALKING THIS PARCEL TO ME, IT APPEARS AS THOUGH AT LEAST 50 PERCENT OF THE LAND IS WETLANDS.
SO THAT IN ITSELF SEEMS TO BE A VERY LIMITING FACTOR FOR DEVELOPING THIS LAND.
BUT FROM LOOKING AT THE DIVERSE HABITATS THAT ARE PRESENT ON THIS PARCEL, TO ME, MAKE IT VERY UNIQUE, THAT ATTRACTS A WIDE VARIETY OF WILDLIFE.
I KNOW FROM WATCHING THERE'S NUMEROUS DEER TRAILS.
I SAW BUCK WALKING THROUGH THERE, THESE WILD TURKEYS IN THE SUMMERTIME.
THERE'S A WIDE VARIETY OF BIRD LIFE THAT USES DISPERSAL.
AND IT'S VERY UNIQUE AS FAR AS WHAT WE HAVE LEFT IN THE TOWNSHIP.
AND IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO SEE THIS DISAPPEAR.
SO I JUST DON'T SEE CRAMMING IN ALL THESE TRANSIENTS, RENTERS INTO THIS PARCEL, PEOPLE THAT REALLY WILL HAVE NO BUY IN WITH THE COMMUNITY, PEOPLE THAT WILL COME AND GO.
AND REALLY, IT WON'T BE LONG TERM CONTRIBUTORS TO THE COMMUNITY.
IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A GOOD FIT.
PLUS, I BELIEVE THERE WAS AN MDOT STUDY THAT WAS DONE AND IT WAS DISCUSSED DURING THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING THAT SHOW THAT THE INCREASE IN TRAFFIC, THEY SAID, WOULD OVERWHELM THE AREA.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE MDOT QUOTE, THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT WILL OVERWHELM THE AREA.
SO I THINK THESE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
NUMBER ONE, WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO TO POWELL ROAD.
NUMBER TWO, WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO TO THE TRAFFIC UP AND DOWN CENTRAL PARK DRIVE.
NUMBER THREE, WHAT IT'S BEEN DOING IS DESTROYING WILDLIFE HABITAT AND NATURAL BEAUTY IN THE AREA THAT WE ARE LOSING QUICKLY IN THE TOWNSHIP.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO TALK, APPRECIATE IT.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO SPEAK NOW DURING PUBLIC COMMENT? THERE ARE NO OTHER HANDS RAISED AT THIS TIME.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE READY TO MOVE ON WITH OUR AGENDA.
[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]
I BELIEVE OUR MANAGERS REPORT IS NEXT.THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. SUPERVISOR.
JUST A FEW THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
THE DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM UNDER THE DIRECTION OF OUR PARKS AND REC AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE'RE AT ONE FORTY NINE.
WE JUST GOT APPROVAL TODAY TO EXPAND THAT PROGRAM IN JANUARY.
AS THE BOARD KNOWS, WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND THAT WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN A SPECIALIZED [INAUDIBLE].
AND OUR GOAL IS TO GET TO THREE HUNDRED.
OUR HIGH IN THIS PROGRAM AND I THINK WE'RE IN OUR 10TH, 11TH YEAR AND I THINK OUR HIGH IS ONE FIFTY SIX.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE FEEL LIKE THE GOAL OF GETTING TO THREE HUNDRED IS CERTAINLY IN PLAY.
THE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN HAS WON A STATE AWARD FOR ITS DESIGN FROM [INAUDIBLE] PARKS.
OUR LADDER TRUCK, WE STILL VOTE WITH BOARD APPROVAL.
WE STILL HAVE NOT SIGNED ON THAT YET.
WE'RE WAITING FOR COUNCIL TO REVIEW THE AGREEMENT.
IT'S A MILLION DOLLAR PURCHASE AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE AGREEMENT WITH THE COMPANY IS IN LINE.
ONE THING I KNOW THAT THE BOARD HAS A LOT TO THINK ABOUT TONIGHT AND GOING FORWARD, BUT ONE THING TO PUT IN YOUR MIND FOR TWENTY TWENTY ONE IS THE CITIZEN
[00:45:04]
SURVEY.REMEMBER, IT'S EVERY THREE YEARS AND WE DID ONE IN 12, 15, 18, SO ON TWENTY TWENTY ONE.
IS IT TIME TO RETHINK [INAUDIBLE] THE WAY TO GO OR IS THERE A DIFFERENT WAY TO DO THAT SURVEY? WE'RE ALSO WORKING THROUGH THE FINANCE OFFICE IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE WORKING ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC HEALTH PAYROLL REIMBURSEMENT TO FOR TREASURY.
AND I WANT TO THANK TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.
HE'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN HELPING US MEANDER THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY AND DIRECTOR MADISON AND CHIEF HAMEL.
I MENTIONED THE ANNUAL REPORT BEFORE.
BOARD, YOU CAN EXPECT THAT OUT TO THE PUBLIC ON JANUARY 29TH.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A VERY DELICATE, TOUGH ISSUE RIGHT NOW WHETHER THEY HAVE A BUILDING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE GONE WITH A HYBRID APPROACH.
OUR BUILDING IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
YOU COME IN, WE HAVE A GREETER, AN AMBASSADOR THERE TO HELP YOU.
EVERYBODY THAT'S IN THE BUILDINGS HAVE THEIR TEMPERATURE TAKEN AND YOU'RE ASKED TO GO INTO THE TOWN HALL ROOM.
YOU DON'T ACCESS THE BUILDING, THE GENERAL BUILDING.
YOU ARRIVE AT THE TOWN HALL ROOM AND THE AMBASSADOR THERE THAT'S THERE TO HELP YOU SECURITY.
THEY WILL CALL AND GET YOU ASSISTANCE.
THE PLAN HAS WORKED EXTREMELY WELL.
WE'VE HAD OVER 50 PEOPLE BE SERVED IN THE TOWN HALL ROOM IN INDIVIDUAL TIMES IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS SINCE WE'VE REOPENED.
AND I WANT TO THANK OUR TEAM FOR PUTTING THAT ALL TOGETHER.
MR. PERRY, CONGRATULATIONS TO HIM.
HE'S BEEN NOMINATED FOR THE TOP ASSISTANT MANAGER IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.
HE'S ONE OF TWO FINALISTS FOR THAT PRESTIGIOUS AWARD AND ALSO.
THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR [INAUDIBLE] DEPARTMENT, WE JUST GOT WORD FROM THE DNR THAT WE RECEIVED, I THINK IT'S ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE OR ONE HUNDRED FORTY SEVEN THOUSAND SOMEWHERE THERE TO PURCHASE SOME PROPERTY IN FRONT OF THE SERVICE CENTER.
THE FUTURE USE, THAT'S UNDETERMINED RIGHT NOW.
THAT'LL BE UP TO THE PARK COMMISSION.
AND I HEAR WE MAY BE ABLE TO USE IT WITH THE MSU TO LAKE LANSING PATHWAY, BUT THAT'S YET TO BE DETERMINED AS IT WORKS ITS WAY THROUGH THE PARK COMMISSION.
WE'VE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD ANNOUNCEMENTS HERE IN THIS REALLY DIFFICULT TIME IN OUR COMMUNITY, IN OUR REGION AND OUR STATE AND OUR COUNTRY.
BUT IT'S BEEN A GOOD COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE MANAGER ON HIS REPORT? I DON'T SEE ANY HANDS.
I WILL RIDE TO THE BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND THE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
BOARD MEMBERS, ANY REPORT OF ACTIVITIES OR ANNOUNCEMENTS?
[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]
TREASURER DESCHAINE.WITH THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY, NOT AS MANY MEETINGS AS USUAL.
WE DID HAVE WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION MEETING ON THE 3RD, WHICH I ATTENDED WITH OUR BOARD LIAISON TRUSTEE SUNDLAND AND TRUSTEE JACKSON WAS THERE AS WELL AS MANAGER WALSH WAS ON THAT BOARD.
LOTS OF THINGS WERE DISCUSSED.
WE GOT AN UPDATE FROM THE MALL.
AND THERE ARE INITIAL SALES OR TRAFFIC AFTER FOR BLACK FRIDAY, THE TRAFFIC WAS ABOUT 50 PERCENT OF PAST YEARS.
WE KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO IMPACT THE MALL.
50 PERCENT IS BETTER THAN TWENTY FIVE PERCENT.
BUT CLEARLY, THE MALL WILL BE STRUGGLING.
AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO THE EDC TO KEEP THE MALL AS VIBRANT.
IT IS THE ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR THE ENTIRE TOWNSHIP.
MOST FIRST OF ALL, RESIDENTS SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED EITHER A TAX BILL FROM OUR OFFICE OR IF YOUR MORTGAGE COMPANY PAYS FOR YOU FROM YOUR ESCROW ACCOUNT, A TAX NOTICE.
THOSE WENT OUT ON NOVEMBER 30TH AND THEY ARRIVED LAST WEEK AND TAXES COULD BE PAID AS OF A WEEK AGO TODAY, THE 1ST OF DECEMBER.
I WANT TO THANK THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE TYPICALLY COME TO THE COUNTER.
INSTEAD, THEY'VE DROPPED IT OFF.
WE HAVE SPECIAL ENVELOPES FOR DROPPING THEM OFF THAT ALLOW YOU TO CHECK OFF A BOX AND WE'LL SEND YOU A RECEIPT OR EMAIL YOUR RECEIPT AND START OUR COUNTER.
TRAFFIC IS DOWN TO ABOUT 95 PERCENT.
THE MANAGER MENTIONED THOSE THAT DO COME IN WILL BE SERVED IN THE TOWN HALL ROOM.
SO WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC AND TO PROTECT OUR OWN EMPLOYEES.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE RESIDENTS WHO'VE DONE THAT AND WHO ARE WHILE BE MORE COMFORTABLE COMING TO THE COUNTER.
I'VE BEEN GOING TO SEE IT IN AN ENVELOPE AND LEAVE IT IN THE LOBBY IN OUR DROPBOX.
OKAY, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OR REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES? YES, CLERK GUTHRIE.
TOMORROW, ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9TH, WE WILL BE DOING AN AUDIT ON PRECINCT SIX.
FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, IT'S PRETTY STANDARD THAT THEY SELECT A PRECINCT TO DO AN AUDIT.
AND SO I MET WITH BETTY, THE DEPUTY CLERK, BETTY BIGSBY, AND REVIEWED ALL OF THE
[00:50:02]
MATERIALS THAT WERE NEEDED FOR THE AUDIT.AND THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE WILL BE SENDING TWO PEOPLE OVER HERE.
AND WE DID SHARE THE COVID FORUM WITH THEM SO THAT THEY CAN FILL THAT OUT PRIOR TO THEIR ARRIVAL.
THANK YOU, STEPHEN, FOR FORWARDING THAT TO ME.
SO WE'LL BE DOING THAT IN THE MORNING OVER IN THE [INAUDIBLE] ROOM AND THEN IN THE AFTERNOON, I'M EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT I WILL BE DOING MY FIRST ELECTION OFFICIALS [INAUDIBLE] WITH [INAUDIBLE].
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO REPORT.
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, ANY REPORTS? TRUSTEE JACKSON.
YES, THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR STYKA.
ON THE 1ST OF DECEMBER, I ATTENDED AS A REPRESENTATIVE TO THE TRI COUNTY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION, MY FIRST TRAFFIC SUMMIT SPONSORED BY [INAUDIBLE].
AND MEETING [INAUDIBLE] TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT THEY HAD COMPLETED DURING THE 2020 CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM AND BEGAN TO TALK ABOUT AND REVIEW BOTH THE FUNDING AND THE EXECUTION OF PROJECTS PLANNED FOR 2021 AND IN THE REGION.
AND TODAY I ATTENDED THE 2020 ANNUAL MEETING FOR THE LEAP BOARD, WHERE OF COURSE THEY TOO REVIEWED THEIR SUCCESSES FOR 2020 AND BEGAN TO TALK ABOUT AND PROJECT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OUTLOOK FOR TWENTY TWENTY ONE AND ON THE TWENTY TWENTY TWO.
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? I'M NOT-- OH, YES, TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.
YEAH, I WOULD JUST REPORT TO THE BOARD THAT THE [INAUDIBLE] BOARD DID APPROVE THE NEW ADVERTISING POLICY AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING THAT I'VE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED TO YOU ALL.
SO THE NEXT STEPS FOR [INAUDIBLE] WILL BE REACHING OUT TO THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS ON THE IMPACT THAT THAT WILL HAVE ON RIGHT OF WAY SIGNAGE AND WORKING WITH EACH JURISDICTION TO ADOPT AMENDMENTS, TO SIGN ORDINANCES WITH THE INPUT OF THOSE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS.
IN HOPES OF ALLOWING FOR THE ADVERTISING STATIONS THAT WOULD BE PLACED IN RIGHT OF WAYS.
SO MORE COMING ON THAT PROBABLY EARLY NEXT YEAR.
IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE THIS EVENING.
BOARD MEMBERS, ANYONE ELSE? OK.
ALL RIGHT, THEN WE'RE READY TO MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? DO NOT FOLLOW EACH OTHER.I MOVE THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
IS THERE A SECOND? SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.
AND YOU NEED TO REMOVE SOMETHING OR JUST CHANGE ANYTHING ON IT? ALL RIGHT, WE'RE READY TO VOTE.
WE'RE GOING TO TRUSTEE OPSOMMER AND THEN GO BACK.
IT SEEMS TO HAVE DISAPPEARED NOW FROM THE SCREEN, SO SHE MUST BE TRYING TO FIX HER PROBLEM, BUT WE HAVE ENOUGH VOTES.
HER HAND DID GO UP RIGHT BEFORE SHE WENT OFF.
SORRY, BECAUSE WISINSKI IS MISSING.
THE FIRST THING IS THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH CONSISTS OF COMMUNICATIONS,
[9. CONSENT AGENDA [SALMON]]
MINUTES FROM THE 17TH VIRTUAL REGULAR MEETING, THE BILLS AND FINALLY THE TWENTY TWENTY ONE PROPOSED VALUE D AND WEIGHT SCALE.MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA? TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.
I MOVE TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
[00:55:03]
SUPPORT.DO WE NEED TO REMOVE ANYTHING OR CHANGE ANYTHING HERE, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO MINUTES OR ANYTHING.
ALL RIGHT, THEN, WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE ON THIS.
ALL RIGHT, CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES YES.
TRUSTEE JACKSON DID SHE COME BACK.
MOTION CARRIES, OH I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WERE GOING TO CALL ON ME.
AND ONE IS NOT QUITE ON THE SCREEN.
OK, I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ATTORNEY, WHICH WE DO NOT HAVE THE ATTORNEY HERE.
I WILL JUST MENTION IN A BROAD SENSE THAT OUR PLAN IS EVEN THOUGH THE CURRENT LEGISLATION THAT WE'RE OPERATING UNDER WITH REGARD TO THE EXTENSION OF THE GOVERNOR'S AUTHORITY OR ORDER EFFECTIVELY ALLOWING US TO HAVE VIRTUAL MEETINGS WAS EXTENDED THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR.
THERE ARE OTHER PROVISIONS OF THE NEW LAW THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO CONTINUE AFTERWARD AS FULLY OUR INTENTION TO CONTINUE WITH VIRTUAL MEETINGS, AT LEAST UP TO THE BEGINNINGS OF NEXT YEAR.
SO PLAN THAT YOUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE VIRTUAL.
[11. HEARINGS (CANARY)]
WE NOW COME TO THE HEARINGS AND THE FIRST OR ONLY HEARING TODAY IS THE COMMERCIAL PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT #20-13034 MERIDIAN MALL LIMITED PARTNERSHIP.MR. MENSER, ARE YOU PRESENTING HERE? YES, I AM.
I'M THE PRINCIPAL PLANNER IN OUR DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
SO TONIGHT'S A PUBLIC HEARING FOR CPUD #20-13034.
IT'S AN AMENDMENT TO THE COMMERCIAL PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT FOR THE MERIDIAN MALL.
DO YOU REMEMBER IT WAS INITIALLY ESTABLISHED IN 2013 WHEN THE MALL CONSTRUCTED THE GORDMAN'S ADDITION SO THE WHOLE MALL PROPERTY WAS PUT UNDER A CPUD.
AND THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO THAT.
SO REALLY ACTUALLY BEFORE I START IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE MATERIALS FOR THIS, IT WAS NOT IN THE REGULAR PACKET THAT YOU MAY HAVE BEEN SENT.
IT'S ON THE BECAUSE DUE TO FILE SIZE.
SO IT'S ON THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE.
THERE'S A LINK ON THE MERIDIAN MALL STAFF MEMO IS TWO PARTS.
SO YOU'LL FIND THAT THERE THERE'S A PART ONE IN PART TWO, JUST UNDER WHERE THE LINK TO THE BOARD PACKET IS.
SO YOU'LL PROBABLY JUST WANT TO LOOK AT PART ONE.
THAT'S WHERE MOST OF THE INFORMATION IS.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF ATTACHMENTS, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC STUDIES AND THAT KIND OF THING.
JUST SO YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG AT HOME, THAT'S WHERE ALL THIS INFORMATION IS.
SO THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO CONSTRUCT A BANK BUILDING.
TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED SQUARE FOOT BANK WITH DRIVE UP ATMS ALTHOUGH THE TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED NOW.
WHAT I'M TOLD IS THEY CAN DRIVE UP AND YOU CAN TAKE MONEY OUT.
BUT YOU CAN ALSO SPEAK TO ANY POTENTIAL OFFICE MEMBER OF THE BANK.
SO THIS WOULD BE NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR BANKS.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD THEIR PUBLIC HEARING IN NOVEMBER AND AT THE FOLLOWING MEETING VOTED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST.
OUR COURT ORDER IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY CIA ALSO DISCUSSED THE PROJECT AT A RECENT MEETING AND VOICED THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE AMENDMENT TO THE CPUD.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF MATERIALS IN THE PACKAGE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT? THIS IS GOING TO BE TWICE ON YOUR AGENDA TONIGHT.
FIRST HERE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN AGAIN UNDER DISCUSSION.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US AND I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT IS ONLINE AS WELL.
OK, THEN I WILL CALL THE PUBLIC MEETING TO EXCUSE ME THE PUBLIC HEARING TO ORDER AT 6:57, AND IF SOMEONE WANTS TO SPEAK TO THIS PUBLIC HEARING, THEY SHOULD RAISE THEIR HAND, EITHER USING THE RAISED HAND FEATURE, OR IF THEY'RE CALLING IN GO THROUGH MR. GEBES AND LET US KNOW THEY WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS.
WE HAVE A HAND FROM BILL MCCONNELL.
BILL WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO FORWARD, PLEASE? YOU KNOW, WE KNOW LET US KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU LIVE.
THANK YOU, BILL MCCONNELL, 4376 MANITOU DRIVE HERE IN OKEMOS.
FULL DISCLOSURE, I AM HONORED TO SERVE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT I'M HERE THIS EVENING IN A PERSONAL CAPACITY AND NOT SPEAKING FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN ANY WAY.
I THINK LIKE MANY OF US, WHEN I SAW THE LANSING STATE JOURNAL ARTICLE ON 17TH OF NOVEMBER ANNOUNCING THAT CBL PROPERTIES, THE OWNER OF THE MALL, WAS UNDERTAKING VOLUNTARY BANKRUPTCY, I WAS DISMAYED, IF NOT SURPRISED.
[01:00:03]
BUT THERE WAS A SILVER LINING IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT.IT WAS QUOTED IN THE [INAUDIBLE] ARTICLE FROM THE CEO OF CBL PROPERTIES.
REGARDING TRANSFORMING ITS PROPERTIES FROM TRADITIONAL CLOSED MALLS TO SUBURBAN TOWN CENTERS.
AND I WAS REALLY INTRIGUED TO READ THAT, THAT THE OWNERSHIP OF THE COMPANY WAS DEDICATED TO TRANSFORMING THE CLOSED MALL FORMAT TO SOMETHING THAT SOUNDED A LOT TO ME, LIKE THE VISION THAT'S EXPRESSED IN THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR PLAN.
WHICH IS THE RESULT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OVER THE YEARS AND ADOPTED BY REFERENCE IN THE MASTER PLAN.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT SEEMS THAT THE APPLICATION FOR A STANDALONE BUILDING IN THE GREEN SPACE IN FRONT OF THE MALL IS GOING FORWARD DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE LEADERSHIP OF THE OWNER AND TOWNSHIP HAVE A COMMON VISION FOR A WALKABLE COMMUNITY.
AND FOR THAT REASON, I THINK IT'S REALLY UNFORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE A PROPOSAL COMING FORWARD AT A TIME WHEN THE APPLICANTS AND THE TOWNSHIP SEEM TO HAVE A SHARED VISION THAT DOESN'T, IN MY VIEW, ISN'T MET WITH THIS CONSTRUCTION.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
ARE THERE OTHERS WHO WANT TO SPEAK IN THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
THERE ARE NO CALLS AND OR RAISED HANDS AT THIS TIME, SIR.
DID ANYONE FROM THE PROJECT ITSELF WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT IT WITH.
[INAUDIBLE] STEPHEN, COULD YOU PLEASE PROMOTE DAVID NEWHOFF? ABSOLUTELY.
I WON'T PUT JEFF KYES ON THE SPOT, BUT HE MAY BE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
MR. NEWHOFF HAS BEEN PROMOTED.
MR. NEWHOFF IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SPEAKING DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF THIS, NOW'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY.
PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS AND YOUR RELATIONSHIP.
HE EITHER DOES NOT WANT TO SPEAK OR IS MUTED.
HE IS MUTED AT THIS TIME, BUT.
APPRECIATE DAVID NEWHOFF 212 SHADY RIDGE LANE.
AND HERE ON BEHALF OF THE PROJECT.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TONIGHT AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS FROM THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER.
CERTAINLY WE'RE WE'RE HEARING YOU BUT WE'RE ALSO NOT HEARING YOU.
YEAH, SORRY, I'M GETTING FEEDBACK, I APOLOGIZE.
WE ARE OBVIOUSLY TRYING TO LOOK AT EVERY AVENUES TO LOOK AT REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, THOSE ARE LONG TERM PROJECTS, THERE'S A LOT OF PROPERTY AT THE MALL.
WE DO HAVE AN EXISTING AND A CURRENT OPPORTUNITY, TAKE ADVANTAGE, HOPEFULLY, OF ADDING COMMERCE ALONG GRAND RIVER.
THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE REQUEST OF THE IMMEDIATE APPLICATION THAT'S IN PLACE RIGHT NOW .
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AS THE SPEAKER BEFORE PRESENTED, TRYING TO REDEVELOP THE PROPERTY.
CERTAINLY A LOT GOES INTO THAT, BUT WE THINK THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO ADD TRAFFIC COMMERCE TO THE MALL PROPERTY AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR REVIEWING THIS TONIGHT.
ANY OTHER SPEAKERS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I'M NOT SEEING ANY, MR. GEBES MR. KYES HAS JUST RAISED HIS HAND, AND I'M GOING TO, BASED ON PETER'S COMMENT, PROMOTE HIM TO BE IN PANEL.
MR. KYES, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING?
[01:05:07]
YOU'RE CURRENTLY MUTED.ALL RIGHT, JEFF KYES KEBS INC.
TWO ONE ONE SIX HASLETT ROAD HASLETT MICHIGAN.
I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE UP FOR DISCUSSION.
AND I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
THIS IS A REDEVELOPMENT CAME ABOUT WHEN THE TRADE WAS MADE BETWEEN MERIDIAN MALL AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TO ALLOW FOR THE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN.
THE TOWNSHIP TRADED FOUR ACRES OF GREEN SPACE GOING OUT TOWARDS OKEMOS ROAD, WHICH ALLOWED FREED UP SOME LAND FOR US AND SOME OPEN SPACE TO DEVELOP THIS FRONT PARCEL.
SO WE'VE WORKED HARD PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, WORKING WITH WOLVERINE AS FAR AS THE PETROLEUM LINE, WORKING WITH EVERYONE AROUND, AND WE'RE SUBMITTING TO THE DRAIN OFFICE SOON, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS DURING THE DISCUSSION IF YOU HAVE ANY.
ANY OTHER SPEAKERS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I SEE NO HANDS, THERE ARE NO PHONE CALLS SIR.
ALL RIGHT, THEN I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 7:05 AND WE WILL CONTINUE WITH OUR AGENDA.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE WHO SPOKE.
[12A. Board and Commission Reappointments and Appointments]
WE NOW COME TO OUR ACTION AGENDA AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ACTION ITEMS TONIGHT.THE FIRST ONE IS THE BOARD AND COMMISSION RE APPOINTMENTS AND APPOINTMENTS.
AND WITH REGARD TO THIS, YOU RECEIVED A MEMORANDUM FROM ME THAT HAS A VERY LONG LIST OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SERVING US WELL FOR A LONG TIME, AND THEY WANT TO BE REAPPOINTED.
AND WE'RE VERY PLEASED THAT THAT'S THE CASE.
IN ADDITION, THERE'S A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ABOUT MAYBE A HALF A DOZEN OR SO THAT WISH TO BE APPOINTED TO FILL VARIOUS VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE.
AND I PRESENTED TO YOU, MY RECOMMENDATIONS.
A COUPLE OF THOSE ARE ACTUALLY MY APPOINTMENTS FOR YOU TO CONFIRM.
AND THE REST OF THEM ARE APPOINTMENTS FROM THIS BOARD COLLECTIVELY.
BUT I'VE INDICATED WHO BASED ON THE APPLICATIONS I THINK YOU SHOULD GIVE DUE CONSIDERATION TO.
AND THEN THE THIRD THING WHICH WE'LL GET TO AFTERWARD IS FOR VARIOUS BOARD MEMBERS TO SERVE IN THEIR CAPACITIES ON VARIOUS BOARDS, COMMISSIONS OR AS LIAISONS.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD ASK SOMEBODY TO LOOK AT THE MEMORANDUM AND THE MOTIONS.
AND I'M THINKING THAT IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, UNLESS THERE'S AN OBJECTION AND SOMEBODY WANTS TO TAKE ONE OFF SO WE CAN DISCUSS IT, MAYBE SOMEONE COULD MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT ALL THE MOTIONS FOR REAPPOINTMENT WITH MR. [INAUDIBLE] WITH OR WITHOUT AN EXCEPTION.
AND THEN WE COULD DEAL WITH THOSE COLLECTIVELY.
IT'S JUST A THOUGHT, TRUSTEE OPSOMMER.
I MOVE TO ADOPT SUPERVISOR STYKA'S RECOMMENDED APPOINTMENTS AND APPOINTMENTS AS PRESENTED ON AGENDA ITEM 12 A.
AND YOU'RE BOTH YOU'RE SAYING AS WRITTEN THAT YOU'RE NOT TAKING ANYBODY OFF OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT AT THIS POINT? IS THAT CORRECT MR. OPSOMMER.
YES, CORRECT, AS PRESENTED IN THE PACKET UNDER 12 A.
OK, ANY DISCUSSION? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK CLARK GUTHRIE AND SUPERVISOR STYKA FOR THE TIME THAT WENT INTO THIS AND FOR ALL OF THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY SERVING AND WHO HAVE COME FORWARD AND EXPRESSED INTEREST IN SERVING.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE WHO IS BEFORE US TONIGHT IN THE RECOMMENDED MOTIONS.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND SERVICE HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP.
I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE THAT AND THANKS TO OUR MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE WITH THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, THAT PROVIDE EXPERTISE AND REALLY GIVE THESE BOARDS OF COMMISSIONS SUBSTANCE AND DELIBERATION AND REALLY GREAT INPUT INTO THE DECISIONS THAT GO ON.
WE'RE VERY WELL SERVED BY OUR VOLUNTEERS.
WHILE WE'RE DISCUSSING THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER IF WE HAVE ANYTHING PLANNED IN THE YEAR TO THANK THESE BOARDS, AND COMMISSION MEMBERS.
I'LL SPEAK TO THAT AFTER WE VOTE AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT.
I APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTION, THOUGH.
ALL RIGHT THEN WE'LL NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE TO REAPPOINT AND APPOINT THE INDIVIDUALS LISTED IN 12 A.
THAT'S THE AMENDED VERSION OF 12 A THAT WAS YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED PRIOR TO TODAY'S MEETING.
THAT INCLUDED A COUPLE OF POSITIONS [INAUDIBLE] AS WELL.
[01:10:07]
CORRECT MR. OPSOMMER.INCLUDING TONYA PRATT TO THE LOCAL OFFICIALS [INAUDIBLE] BOARD AND PENSION BOARD.
OK, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WERE ON THE SAME PAGE.
WE NEED THAT VOTE MS. GUTHRIE.
DO WE HAVE TRUSTEE JACKSON BACK? NO MA'AM.
MR. DESCHAINE, DID YOU WANT TO ASK THAT QUESTION? YES.
TYPICALLY, THE MANAGER AND STAFF ORGANIZE A BIG EVENT, A THANK YOU EVENT FOR OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSION VOLUNTEERS DID IT LAST YEAR AT MERIDIAN SUN.
CLEARLY, WE COULDN'T DO THAT THIS YEAR.
I'D JUST LIKE TO ASK THE MANAGER WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO INSTEAD, FOR ARE MANY VOLUNTEERS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND.
EVERY YEAR FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, WE'VE HAD A VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION EVENT THIS YEAR, OBVIOUSLY NOT ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO WE GOT TOGETHER AS A TEAM AND FIGURED OUT WHAT CAN WE DO TO HONOR OUR ONE HUNDRED AND TEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY VOLUNTEERS.
AND DURING THIS COVID YEAR AND THE IDEA CAME UP OF A MASK, WHY NOT GIVE EVERYONE A MASK WITH A NICE LITTLE MERIDIAN LOGO? SO I WANT TO THANK BRANDIE YATES AND HER TEAM, THE COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT AND OTHERS.
AND I KNOW CLERK GUTHRIE WILL BE HAPPY BECAUSE IT MEETS THE BRAND STANDARDS.
IT'S A NICE, BEAUTIFUL MERIDIAN CARE AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP LOGO ON IT, AND THOSE WILL ALL BE MAILED OR I'M SORRY, THEY WERE GOING TO BE MAILED, BUT IN A COST SAVING EFFORT, CHIEF PLAGA HAS DECIDED TO HAVE HIS CADETS DROP THEM OFF AT THE HOMES OF ALL OF OUR HUNDRED AND SOME VOLUNTEERS.
AND YEAH, IT'S REALLY NICE AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THAT OUT.
I THINK EVERYONE WILL APPRECIATE THIS BEAUTY.
WE'RE READY TO TALK ABOUT THE OTHER ITEM OF THIS AGENDA ITEM, AND THAT IS THE VARIOUS BOARD MEMBERS AND WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO SERVE DURING THE COMING YEAR.
THIS WOULD ALL BE EFFECTIVE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, JANUARY ONE.
YOU WOULD STILL BE TILL THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW.
WE HAVE AN ELECTION COMMISSION AND I'VE DONE A LITTLE [INAUDIBLE].
AND I IT LOOKS LIKE THAT THE ELECTIONS COMMISSION, WHICH WOULD AUTOMATICALLY INCLUDE MS. GUTHRIE, ALSO WOULD INCLUDE MS. SUNDLAND AND MS. WISINSKI, I DON'T KNOW, IF IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO'S INTERESTED OR HAS A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW ON IT.
I'M GLAD WE GOT OUR REAPPOINTMENTS DONE, BUT COULD I SUGGEST THAT THIS BOARD PUT OFF THIS DISCUSSION UNTIL OUR FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY? I JUST THINK WE'VE ALL BEEN REALLY BUSY WITH COVID PREPARATION.
AND THESE APPOINTMENTS ARE GOING TO LIKELY LAST FOUR YEARS.
AND I KNOW AS A BOARD MEMBER MYSELF AND REVALUATING WHICH COMMISSIONS I WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS AND I THINK OTHER BOARD MEMBERS MIGHT FEEL THE SAME WAY.
IS THERE ANY HARM IN PUTTING THIS OFF UNTIL OUR FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY? NO THE ONLY POTENTIAL HARM WOULD BE, I BELIEVE THE DBA MEETS THE DAY BEFORE, WE DO, BUT I SERVE ON THAT AS THE SUPERVISOR AND SO THAT WILL NOT CHANGE ANYWAY.
SO I THINK WE WOULD STILL BE IN TIME FOR THE PEOPLE TO TAKE THEIR NEW POSITIONS FOR THE FIRST MEETING, IN JANUARY.
SO IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, THAT'S FINE WITH ME.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT.
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE SHORT TWO MEMBERS AT THE MOMENT, BUT I HAD THE SAME CONCERN EARLIER, BUT I KNOW THAT SUPERVISOR STYKA TOOK THE BETTER PART OF THE DAY TO GET INPUT, I WOULD ASK THE SUPERVISOR IF HE HAS INPUT FROM EVERYONE AND IF MAYBE WE COULD JUST BUMP THIS.
WELL, I GUESS THE AGENDA'S ALREADY SET, SO IT'S A LITTLE LATE FOR THAT, BUT, MR. SUPERVISOR, HAVE YOU TAKEN INPUT FROM EVERYONE, INCLUDING TRUSTEES, WHO ARE CURRENTLY ABSENT? I HAVE I HAD THE INPUT OF MS. WISINSKI HOWEVER, MS. JACKSON I DID NOT HAVE INPUT FROM I DID HAVE INPUT FROM EVERYBODY ELSE.
AND IRONICALLY, MS. JACKSON, WHO WAS ON THIS MEETING HAD TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, AND IS NOT HERE NOW.
SO I DON'T OBJECT TO US WAITING TILL THE JANUARY MEETING.
WHAT I CAN DO IN THE MEANTIME IS I CAN SEND OUT THE RESULTS OF MY INPUT FOR
[01:15:06]
PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT.AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST INITIAL INPUT.
PEOPLE MAY FEEL DIFFERENTLY AND THEY MAY FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THE POSITION.
AND THE IDEA IS NOT TO FORCE ANYBODY ANYPLACE, BUT TO RATHER PUT THE BEST, NOT WITH THE BEST [INAUDIBLE] THAT FITS THEM.
SO I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THIS GO ON, MR. OPSOMMER.
TREASURER OK, I THINK ON THIS ONE WE COULD JUST PUT OUR HANDS IN FRONT OF OUR FACES, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF TABLING.
WE WILL TABLE THAT ASPECT UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING AND I WILL SAVE THAT THERE OK.
OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS THE FOURTH QUARTER BUDGET AMENDMENTS, AND I KNOW WE
[12B. 4th Quarter Budget Amendments]
HAVE OUR ESTEEMED BUDGET DIRECTOR HERE, MS. MATTISON.WALSH ARE YOU STARTING THIS OR IS SHE? I BELIEVE DIRECTOR MATTISON WILL BE HANDLING THIS.
AND THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING, BOARD, WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS OUR FOURTH QUARTER OR YEAR END BUDGET AMENDMENTS AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER AMENDMENT IS TO ADD BACK TO THE FUND BALANCE ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY THREE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS.
WITH ALL THE PRIOR BUDGET AMENDMENTS, THE FIRST AND THIRD BUDGET AMENDMENTS, WE HAVE A PROJECTED ENDING FUND BALANCE OF TWO MILLION EIGHTY EIGHT THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY DOLLARS.
OR USE OF THE FUND BALANCE I'M SORRY, THE USE OF IT IS TWO MILLION EIGHTY EIGHT 190 WITH A ENDING FUND BALANCE OF EIGHT MILLION FOUR HUNDRED AND FOUR THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY NINE.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL THAT THERE'S TWO PAGES OF LINE ITEMS THAT WERE ATTACHED.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE LINE ITEMS, BUT THE THE HIGHLIGHTS ARE THE BIG POINTS OF WHAT'S ON THERE.
BUT WE'RE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR SOME LEGAL FEES.
ALSO THE COVID-19 SUPPLIES, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE BOARD, JUST ASKING JUST TO MAKE THE BUDGET WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.
AND THE OTHER TWO BIG ITEMS WOULD BE THE PENSION INCREASES FOR THE POLICE AND FIRE AND THOSE TWO PENSION INCREASES ARE DUE TO THE PROMISE THAT WE MADE TO OUR CITIZENS THAT WE WOULD PUT FOUR POINT ONE MILLION DOLLARS INTO OUR PENSION.
SO THOSE INCREASES ARE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP OUR PROMISE TO PAY THAT MUCH INTO OUR MERS PENSION.
SOME OF THE TAKEAWAYS WHY IT'S ACTUALLY ADDING BACK TO THE FUND BALANCE IS THERE ARE SOME REDUCTION IN SALARIES FOR BOTH THE POLICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO THERE'S SOME BIG ADD BACKS TO THE FUND BALANCE FOR THAT.
THAT'S THE GENERAL FUND AND THEN FOR THE OTHER SPECIAL FUNDS, WE'RE ASKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL FUND FOR THE PARK MILLAGE OF ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY TWO THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED TO COVER ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
THAT'S AN OVERVIEW FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
JUST REAL QUICK, MR. SUPERVISOR AND BOARD THE ONE IMPORTANT NUMBER THERE IS THAT DECEMBER 31 THIS YEAR, WE EXPECT THE FUND BALANCE TO BE AT EIGHT POINT FOUR MILLION.
JUST ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND, THAT INCLUDES THE SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT'S ASSIGNED OR EARMARKED FOR THE MERIDIAN REDEVELOPMENT FUND.
SO THAT LEAVES A FUND BALANCE UNASSIGNED OF ABOUT SEVEN POINT SEVEN MILLION.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FOURTH QUARTER 2020 BUDGET AMENDMENTS WITH AN INCREASE IN BUDGETED FUND BALANCE FOR THE GENERAL FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY THREE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS PROJECTS A USE FUND BALANCE OF TWO MILLION EIGHTY EIGHT THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY BASED ON TWENTY NINETEEN RESULTS THE PROJECTED FUND BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31ST.
2020 WILL BE EIGHT MILLION FOUR HUNDRED AND FOUR THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY NINE DOLLARS.
ALRIGHT ANY DISCUSSION, WE HAD EXPLANATION'S ANY DISCUSSION BY BOARD MEMBERS.
I WOULD ASK I'LL CHANNELS SOME PAST MEMBERS THAT ARE NO LONGER HERE.
CAN YOU TELL ME QUICKLY MR. WALSH LEGAL FEES, WHY THEY WERE HIGHER? I THINK I KNOW, BUT I'M JUST ASKING FOR THE PUBLIC.
[01:20:02]
YEAH, WE HAD SOME HR SOME LABOR ISSUES COME UP PRETTY STRONG, WHICH WE HAD SOME TAX APPEALS COME UP.WE HAD THE WALNUT HILLS DEMOLITION ISSUES.
WE HAD SOME BROWNFIELD ISSUES TO GET THROUGH.
WHAT'S INTERESTING IS HOW SPORADIC THAT LEGAL BILL IS I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME.
I'M WORKING OFF ONE DEVICE RIGHT NOW, BUT THE LEGAL BILL THIS MONTH WAS AROUND TWELVE THOUSAND.
SO IT JUST SHOWS YOU IF YOU HAVE WE HAD SOME GRIEVANCES THAT WE DEALT WITH IN THE COUPLE OF DEPARTMENTS.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE HIGHER COSTS FOR THE LEGAL BILL FOR THIS MONTH, FOR THE LAST MONTH AND THIS MONTH IT'S DOWN I THINK IT'S DOWN 40 OR 60 PERCENT.
I KNOW IT VARIES RADICALLY ANYONE ELSE QUESTIONS MR. OPSOMMER.
SPEAKING OF THE FUND BALANCE AND ONE OF THE INNOVATIVE THINGS THAT WE DID LAST YEAR WITH THE COVID-19 BUSINESS GRANTS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS UNIQUE ABOUT OUR APPROACH WAS WE WAITED FOR THE STATE TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE TO APPROPRIATE THE FUNDS THROUGH [INAUDIBLE] AND OTHER LOCAL PARTNERS AND TO AWARD THOSE GRANTS.
AND THEN WE KIND OF FILLED IN THE GAPS AND ONE OF OUR QUALIFIERS FOR THOSE GRANTS WAS WHETHER OR NOT YOU RECEIVED THOSE FEDERAL AND STATE DOLLARS THROUGH LEAP.
AND THERE IS A NEW ROUND OF HERE, IN MICHIGAN SMALL BUSINESS RELIEF GRANTS GOING OUT 10 MILLION CUMULATIVELY ACROSS THE STATE.
AND THAT WINDOW OPENS DECEMBER 15TH AND THE GRANT RECIPIENTS WILL BE NOTIFIED EARLY NEXT YEAR.
SO JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT WITH OUR FUND BALANCE AND WHERE WE'RE AT WITH OUR FOURTH QUARTER AMENDMENT, AND I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO INITIATE ANOTHER ROUND OF GRANTS.
AND ONCE WE KNOW WHO THOSE RECIPIENTS ARE IN MERIDIAN TO HELP FILL IN THE GAPS FOR THE BUSINESSES THAT NEED IT JUST AS MUCH, BUT DON'T RECEIVE THE ASSISTANCE JUST DUE TO THE, YOU KNOW, THE FISCAL REALITY OF HAVING 10 MILLION ACROSS THE STATE.
AND THOSE GRANTS GOING OUT AT THE STATE LEVEL AWARD UP TO FIFTEEN THOUSAND FOR BUSINESSES.
AND THEN THERE'S A NONPROFIT COMPONENT AS WELL.
SO I WOULD REALLY THINK WE OUGHT TO LOOK AT BRINGING THAT BACK IN EARLY JANUARY ONCE WE KIND OF HAVE A BETTER PICTURE AND WE ALREADY HAVE THE FRAMEWORK.
THANKS TO KEN LANE OUR FORMER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR FOR AMBER CLARK AND THE TEAM TO KIND OF PICK UP AND RUN WITH.
SO JUST A THOUGHT AND NO QUESTIONS.
EXCELLENT POINT, VERY, VERY SERIOUS SITUATION, AND WE DEFINITELY SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THAT JANUARY.
YES, I WANT TO THANK THE MANAGER FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE FULFILLED OUR PROMISE ON PAYING AHEAD ON OUR PENSIONS, BUT WITH THE 200 THOUSAND DOLLARS IN POLICE SALARIES RECEIVED AND 50 THOUSAND FIRE SALARIES, I WANT TO GIVE HIM A CHANCE TO CLARIFY BUT THIS WAS NOT A DELIBERATE ATTEMPT TO SAVE ON SALARIES, BUT RATHER FRUSTRATION BEING REACHING FULL STAFFING LEVELS DUE TO RECRUITING ISSUES OF FINDING GOOD CANDIDATES.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT, YEAH, WE HAVE BUDGETED 32 FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDICS AND FORTY ONE POLICE AND WE ARE BATTLING WITH EVERY COMMUNITY EVERY DAY TO FILL THOSE SPOTS.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT WE HAVE FIVE INTERVIEWS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW IN POLICE, WE HAVE TWO COMING OUT OF THE ACADEMY RIGHT NOW AND WE HAVE TWO.
THE TWINS THAT OUR CADETS ARE ENTERING THE ACADEMY AND THEY'LL BE OUT, I THINK, IN APRIL.
AND SO, YES, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN.
THE CHIEF HAMEL'S MADE SOME PROGRESS.
I THINK HE'S BACK UP TO 30 NOW.
SO WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET THOSE NUMBERS BACK UP.
AND OTHER DISCUSSION ON THESE BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
THEN WE'RE READY FOR A VOTE, MS. GUTHRIE.
YES AND TRUSTEE JACKSON HAS RETURNED.
WELCOME BACK, TRUSTEE JACKSON.
YES, I WOULD NOTE THAT I DON'T HAVE ANY VIDEO.
[01:25:01]
OK, SO MY VOTE IS YES.[12C. Loan Transfer from General Fund to Parks Fund]
WE NOW ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ACTION ITEM WHICH IS THE LOAN TRANSFER FROM GENERAL FUND TO THE PARKS FUND.AND MR. ROSS I SEE MS. MAISNER IS ALSO HERE.
DIRECTOR MAISNER AND DIRECTOR MATTISON ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT A SHORT TERM LOAN FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO THE PARKS FUND.
AND I'D ASK MS. MAISNER TO ADDRESS THAT.
GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR STYKA AND TRUSTEES.
THIS YEAR WE SPENT A TOTAL OF THREE POINT SIX MILLION DOLLARS ON THE FOLLOWING PARK PROJECTS, THE GATEWAY FOOTBRIDGE AND RESTROOM IN THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE, THE CENTRAL MERIDIAN REGIONAL TRAIL CONNECTOR PROJECT, WHICH IS A PAVED TRAIL THROUGH CENTRAL PARK WITH SOME BOARDWALK AN A FISHING OVERLOOK DOCK IN THE CENTRAL PARK SOUTH POND PAVILION AND RESTROOM PROJECT AT THE HERITAGE NATURE CENTER AND OF COURSE, MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN.
ALL THESE PROJECTS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MARKETPLACE, WE'RE ALL FUNDED IN PART BY STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS.
THESE GRANT PROGRAMS REQUIRE COMMUNITIES TO PAY ALL THE UPFRONT COSTS AND THEN SUBMIT FOR REIMBURSEMENT.
AND SO AT THIS POINT ON, ALL OF THESE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN BUDGETED FOR THIS YEAR.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE CAUGHT IN A TIMING ISSUE OF NOT RECEIVING OUR GRANT REIMBURSEMENTS BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR.
SO WE HAVE A TOTAL OF FIVE HUNDRED AND TWENTY TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS IN REIMBURSEMENTS DUE TO US AND.
LET'S SEE HERE AND THEN ALSO AS WE LOOK TO NEXT YEAR, OUR REVENUES OVER EXPENSES FOR PARK MILLAGE ARE ABOUT THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
SO IN EARLY, 2021 WE WILL RECEIVE THE GRANT FUNDS.
WE'LL HAVE OUR MONIES TO WORK WITH TWENTY TWENTY ONE.
BUT IN THE SHORT TERM, TO GET US THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR, WE ARE REQUESTING SOME SHORT TERM FUNDING ASSISTANCE FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
I THINK YOU'VE SUMMARIZED IT WELL AND LIKE DIRECTOR MAISNER SAID, IT'S JUST SHORT TERM, WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED TODAY SOME OF THE GRANT FUNDING FOR THE REGIONAL TRAIL CONNECTOR, SO WE RECEIVED ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS TODAY.
SO IT'S JUST A TIMING ISSUE OF YOU KNOW THE MONEY HAS TO GO OUT BEFORE THEY'LL REIMBURSE US.
SO IN PART OF IT, TOO, IS WHAT WE CALL LIKE THE FUND ACCOUNTING OR THE ACCOUNTING METHODS OF WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE ALL THOSE COSTS ON OUR BOOKS THIS YEAR BECAUSE ALL OF THAT HAS BEEN EXPENSED.
WE WILL BE RECEIVING AS PEOPLE PAY THEIR TAXES THAT MILLAGE MONEY IS COMING IN.
SO WE DON'T REALLY NECESSARILY THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A CASH ISSUE.
IT'S MORE OF A FUND BALANCE ISSUE.
WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN A DEFICIT SITUATION AT YEAR END.
SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
YES, I MOVE TO TRANSFER UP TO 700,000 TO THE PARK MILLAGE FUND FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO COVER A TEMPORARY BUDGET SHORTFALL IN 2020 YEAR DUE TO DELAYED GRANT REIMBURSEMENTS TOTALING FIVE HUNDRED TWENTY TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS, ADDITIONAL EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH CONSTRUCTION OF MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN.
THESE FUNDS WILL BE RETURNED TO THE GENERAL FUND IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2021.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION I WOULD JUST MENTION THAT ITS BECAUSE OF THE SOUND FISCAL MANAGEMENT OF OUR MANAGER AND OUR BUDGET DIRECTOR, AS WELL AS THIS BOARD COLLECTIVELY, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THIS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A GOOD, HEALTHY FUND BALANCE.
SO WHEN WE HAVE A SITUATION LIKE THIS WHERE WE NEED TO KIND OF TAKE A SEMI EMERGENCY ACTION, SO TO SPEAK, WE CAN DO IT.
ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANT TO BRING UP? YES.
I WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR MAISNER AND HER STAFF FOR SECURING THESE GRANTS, AS WELL AS THE PARK COMMISSION FOR ACTIVELY PURSUING THEM.
FIVE HUNDRED AND TWENTY TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS IN GRANTS IS SOMETHING AND ALSO OUR RESIDENTS, BECAUSE IF THE PARK MILLAGE PARK FUNDS HADN'T BEEN PASSED IN 2015, WE WOULDN'T BE IN THE GAME.
WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE MATCHING FUNDS OF THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND.
SO WE'RE GETTING A HUGE RETURN, ABOUT ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY PERCENT ON THIS PARK MILLAGE FUNDS BECAUSE OF THE ADEPT AND GOOD WORK OF OUR PARK STAFF.
AND SO THANK YOU TO DIRECTOR MAISNER AND YOUR STAFF, YOU REALLY HIT IT OUT OF THE
[01:30:02]
PARK WITH THESE THREE GRANTS THIS YEAR.OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, YES, CLERK GUTHRIE.
I, TOO, WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR MAISNER AND HER STAFF, IT'S BEAUTIFUL OVER THERE, IT'S NOT ONLY BEAUTIFUL, BUT THE FORMER PATHWAY THAT LED YOU FROM THE FARMER'S MARKET TO THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE WAS IN SUCH DISARRAY, YOU COULD BARELY WALK ON IT IF YOU HAD A CANE OR IF YOU WERE IN A WHEELCHAIR.
AND I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THIS UPGRADE AND HAVING THIS RESTROOM IN THE AREA AND HAVING A PAVED TRAIL CONNECTOR IN CENTRAL PARK, SOMEPLACE WHERE, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WHO HAS ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT SO I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THESE UPGRADES TO OUR PARKS THEY ARE FANTASTIC.
AND WE ARE SLOWLY BUT SURELY, YOU KNOW, THAT MILLAGE THAT TREASURER DESCHAINE MENTIONED IN THE VARIOUS PROJECTS THAT HAVE COME ABOUT THROUGH OUR PARK COMMISSION AND MS. MAISNER THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING, SOME OF THE BEST PARKS IN THE WHOLE STATE, LET ALONE THE CENTRAL AREA.
OK, READY TO VOTE? WE NEED A VOTE.
AND BY THE WAY, SINCE MS. JACKSON DOESN'T HAVE A PICTURE, I WILL EXPECT HER TO USE HER WONDERFUL VOICE TO SPEAK UP WHEN SHE WANTS TO SPEAK ON ANY ISSUE.
I CAN'T SEE YOU RAISE YOUR HAND.
[12D. 2021 Township Goals and Action Plan]
ALL RIGHTY.NOW MOVING ONTO 2021 TOWNSHIP GOALS AND ACTION PLAN.
WE'VE HEARD ABOUT IT EARLIER IN THE HEARING WE DISCUSSED AT THE LAST MEETING, WE HAVE THE FORMAL ADOPTION NOW IN FRONT OF US.
SO THESE GOALS AND THE ACTION PLAN.
I MOVE TO ADOPT THE ATTACHED 2021 MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ACTION PLAN.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS IT MS. SUNDLAND.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF THOUGHT PUT INTO THIS AND WE DISCUSSED IT EXTENSIVELY.
AND I'M JUST PROUD TO SHOW THAT ALL THESE GOALS ARE JUST SO IMPORTANT TO US AND THEY ARE MEANINGFUL GOALS.
SO I JUST WANT TO PUT THE MOTION IN.
ANYONE ELSE THERE ALSO AND ALSO GOALS THAT WE CAN MEASURE, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT AS WELL.
[INAUDIBLE] ABOUT THAT STUFF, RIGHT, KATHY? YES, [LAUGHTER].
AMONG THE I BELIEVE IT'S 10 GOALS THAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE A NEW ONE, WHICH I AM VERY EXCITED TO SEE US TACKLE.
IT HAS TO DO WITH TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO FACILITATE ACCESS TO BROADBAND THROUGHOUT THE TOWNSHIP.
AND A ANOTHER NEW ONE HAS TO DO WITH THE UPGRADES AND R DESIGN OF THE COMMUNICATIONS PORTAL FOR THE TOWNSHIP AND ITS RESIDENTS, AND I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF ALL OF THE GOALS THAT WE'VE SET OUT.
I'LL JUST MENTION QUICKLY IN A SUMMARY FORM WHAT THEY ARE.
WE'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN OUR UNPARALLELED CUSTOMER SERVICE, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF COVID-19.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE ON TOWARDS OUR SUSTAINABILITY PLAN OF 100 PERCENT RENEWABLE ENERGY.
AND THAT'S BY SPENDING THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND ON MORE SOLAR AS WELL AS OTHER THINGS.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OUR DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION PLAN.
WE'RE GOING TO CULMINATE DECADE LONG EFFORT TO DEVELOP REDEVELOP DOWNTOWN OKEMOS TO HASLETT WITH CONSTRUCTION BEGINNING, WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT THE SECOND YEAR OF OUR LOCAL ROAD ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER IN THE MEETING WITH 15 MILES OF ROADS, WE'RE GOING TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE
[01:35:02]
PLAN, FACILITATE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE BROADBAND, AS WAS JUST MENTIONED BY TRUSTEE JACKSON.WE'RE GOING TO COMPLETE PHASE ONE OR TWO OF THE MSU TO LAKE LANSING PATHWAY ON THE PATHWAY MASTER PLAN.
WE'RE GOING TO FURTHER OUR BRANDING EFFORTS BY HAVING WELCOME TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP SIGNS THAT ARE AT IMPORTANT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE EDGES OF A COMMUNITY.
WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH GRANICUS TO UPGRADE THE DESIGN OF OUR TOWNSHIP WEBSITE TO PROVE ITS FUNCTIONALITY.
AND FINALLY, WE'RE GOING TO FULFILL OUR PROMISES TO VOTERS THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE PAYING UP ON OUR PENSIONS TO MERS AND OTHERS SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT 100 PERCENT FUNDED WITHIN 7 OR SO YEARS.
JUST QUICKLY, MR. SUPERVISOR, I THINK IT'S WORTH NOTING, WELL, IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THROUGH THE WORK OF THE TREASURER AND DIRECTOR MATTISON, WE PUT IN THE EXTRA MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS ON A DAY THAT THE MARKET WAS EIGHTEEN THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED BECAUSE WE HAD HIGH HOPES THAT IT WAS GOING TO TAKE OFF FROM THERE IT WAS DURING THE DOWNTURN THAT WE SUBMITTED THOSE FUNDS.
SO I THINK THAT WAS GOOD WORK ON BEHALF OF THE TOWNSHIP.
ALL RIGHT, READY TO VOTE, MR. TREASURER? YES, SIR.
I'M GLAD TRUSTEE JACKSON NOTED THE BROADBAND INITIATIVE AND INTERESTING HOW THIS PACKET SORT OF ECHOES BACK AND FORTH UP IN THE CORRESPONDENCE.
WE HAVE A LETTER FROM COMCAST EXPLAINING WHY THEY'RE INCREASING RATES ACROSS THE TOWNSHIPS.
SOME OF THEM ARE 25 AND 30 PERCENT INCREASES.
OK, JUST FOR THE RECORD, COMCAST MADE FORTY ONE POINT TWO DOLLARS BILLION LAST YEAR.
AND WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY CHOICES WHEN IT COMES TO BROADBAND IN THIS TOWNSHIP RIGHT NOW.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD LOVE TO CUT THE CORD, BUT WE DON'T HAVE [INAUDIBLE] SO WE GET THIS LETTER FROM COMCAST TELLING US HOW THEY'RE GOING TO JUMP OUR RATES AND WE REALLY HAVE NO CHOICE.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE PURSUE THIS BROADBAND INITIATIVE.
SO WE GIVE OUR RESIDENTS A CHOICE ON SERVICES AND WE DON'T GET HELD UP FOR ANOTHER YEAR BY COMCAST UNCOMPETITIVE MARKET PLACE.
AND OF COURSE, IN A PANDEMIC SITUATION WITH THE SCHOOL KIDS LEARNING FROM HOME, ET CETERA, IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR STYKA, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK MANAGER WALSH AND DIRECTOR PERRY, FOR INDULGING ME ON GOAL B AND PUTTING THE METRICS IN THIS YEAR.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT WENT INTO THAT.
AND IT'S A GREAT THING TO MEASURE AGAINST QUANTITATIVELY LOOKING FORWARD.
I JUST HAD ONE QUICK QUESTION FOR DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY.
SO SINCE YOU AND I LAST DISCUSSED THESE METRICS, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE FORECASTING WELL AHEAD OF WHAT WE LAST DISCUSSED.
I'M GUESSING THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE LATEST DATA THAT YOU HAD ON THE HVAC PROJECT.
SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN SHARE WITH US HOW WE'VE SO FAR PROJECTED TOWARD THE 60 PERCENT, BECAUSE WE WERE PRODUCING ABOUT 10 PERCENT OF OUR ENERGY ON THAT FIRST SOLAR INSTALLATION, WHICH WE'VE SINCE DONE AN ADDITIONAL EIGHT TIMES THAT AMOUNT IN SOLAR, THAT WE COULD JUST OVERVIEW THAT QUICKLY FOR US.
SO IT REALLY BOILS DOWN TO IN THE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, THE PLAN DOESN'T CALL FOR US TO BE ONE HUNDRED PERCENT PRODUCING OUR OWN ENERGY IN THE PLAN, OR WE WILL BE UTILIZING RENEWABLE ENERGY THAT WE'VE PURCHASED FROM OUR ENERGY PROVIDERS LIKE CONSUMERS ENERGY.
SO IN THE PLAN, WHAT IT LOOKS AT IS WHAT IS THAT PERCENTAGE THAT WE NEED TO DO ON OUR OWN END AS FAR AS SOLAR PANEL PRODUCTION, IN CONJUNCTION WITH PURCHASING RENEWABLE ENERGY, ESSENTIALLY CREDITS FROM CONSUMER ENERGY AND THEN ALSO OUR EFFICIENCY PROJECTS THAT WE DO IN THE TOWNSHIP.
SO THAT'S WHERE YOU GET THESE METRICS NOW THAT IF WE ARE ABLE TO GET THAT ADDITIONAL THREE HUNDRED KILOWATTS WORTH OF SOLAR PANELS CONSTRUCTED IN THE TOWNSHIP AND THOSE OTHER METRICS FALL IN LINE, THAT'S WHERE WE'LL MEET THAT GOAL.
IF WE WANTED TO PURCHASE ALL OF IT WITH OUR OWN PANELS.
I THINK THAT APPROACH IS MORE LIKE THE THREE POINT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE WOULD NEED TO INVEST.
AND JUST TO STATE IT, WE'RE CURRENTLY PROJECTED AT 60 PERCENT AFTER THE UPCOMING INSTALLATION IS COMPLETE.
AND THEN I ALSO JUST WANTED TO SPEAK BRIEFLY TO THE BROADBAND GOAL THAT TRUSTEE JACKSON AND TREASURER DESCHAINE SPOKE TO.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU CRUNCH NUMBERS, EVEN REGARDLESS OF RATES GOING UP OR NOT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE AVERAGE HOME IS PAYING FOR BROADBAND ANNUALLY, IT'S ANYWHERE FROM NINE HUNDRED TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
SO IF YOU WERE TO TAKE A HOME WORTH TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THE
[01:40:02]
TOWNSHIP, THAT WOULD BE LIKE LEVYING NINE TO 10 MILLS ON THAT, WHICH IS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MILLS ESSENTIALLY THAT WE LEVY IN THE TOWNSHIP.SO I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE TO MILLAGE RATES, WHICH I ALWAYS LIKE TO DO, AND I'VE ALWAYS FOUND CABLE AND BROADCAST PROVIDERS TO BE A GREAT CONTRAST.
SO AS WE LOOK AT THIS, I MEAN, IT'S.
WE COULD LITERALLY REDUCE RATES FOR EVERYONE, EVEN IF YOU'RE LIVING IN A FOUR MILLION DOLLAR HOME IN WHITE HILLS LAKES, WE COULD REDUCE COST.
THERE HAS TO BE A WAY GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO ROADS FOR TWO MILLS AND WE'RE EFFECTIVELY PAYING NINE TO 10 MILLS FOR BROADBAND RIGHT NOW BASED ON THE MARKET RATES, IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE.
AND THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THE GOALS.
EXCELLENT POINTS AND ANYONE ELSE.
AND WE'RE READY TO ADOPT THESE GOALS.
CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES YES, TREASURER DESCHAINE.
WE'LL NOW MOVE ONTO THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND AS
[12E. 2020 Township Manager Performance Review]
BACKGROUND, I WILL JUST SAY WE HAD A CLOSED SESSION AT THE END OF OUR LAST MEETING WHERE WE WENT THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S PERFORMANCE DURING THE 2020 YEAR AND EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION BASED ON TEN DIFFERENT CRITERIA.AND IN EVERY SINGLE CASE, WE FOUND HIM TO PERFORMING EXCELLENTLY.
AND WE TRULY APPRECIATE VERY MUCH FROM THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD.
I PUT TOGETHER A ONE AND A HALF PAGE MEMORANDUM SUMMARIZING OUR CONVERSATION AND HIS RATING IT'S A HALF A PAGE SHORTER THAN LAST TIME.
SO I'M GETTING BETTER AT SHORTENING IT UP.
AND I WOULD ASK THAT WE ADOPT THE MANAGER'S PERFORMANCE REVIEW.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE 2020 MANAGERS PERFORMANCE REVIEW AS PRESENTED, THE REVIEW DOCUMENT SHALL BE FORWARDED TO THE HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE FOR PROPER FILING.
OK, YOU JUST BEAT SUNDLAND TO THE PUNCH ALRIGHT, JACKSON SUPPORTS.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR ANYONE HAVE ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS? ANY COMMENTS YOU WANT TO MAKE? TREASURER.
WHILE YOUR COMMENTS WERE SHORTER THAN LAST YEAR, OUR PRAISE AND APPRECIATION FOR THE WORK OF THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER WAS NOT SHORTER THAN LAST YEAR.
WE AGAIN POINTED OUT THE MANY WAYS HE SERVED THIS TOWNSHIP VERY WELL AND HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE THE GOOD WORK AND THE LONG HOURS HE PUTS IN FOR THE TOWNSHIP, PARTICULARLY THIS PAST YEAR, HAVING TO SHUT DOWN TOWN HALL, OPEN IT BACK UP, SHUT IT BACK DOWN AGAIN, PARTIALLY OPEN IT BACK UP.
THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF HIS AMAZING AND UNDYING WORK HE DOES FOR THE RESIDENTS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
WE ARE VERY WELL SERVED BY TOWNSHIP MANAGER.
ALONG WITH THAT, THERE'S ONE SENTENCE IN HERE THAT KIND OF SUMMARIZED YOU JUST SAID IT'S COVID-19 PANDEMIC CREATED MANY UNIQUE CHALLENGES TO WHICH MR. WALSH QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY RESPONDED.
AND I FIND THAT VERY, VERY SOLID PERFORMANCE FOR OUR CITIZENS.
I WOULD ECHO TREASURER DESCHAINE'S COMMENTS, AND I WOULD ALSO JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING OUR GOAL SETTING AND WE'RE REVIEWING OUR GOALS AND THE PROGRESS OF THE [INAUDIBLE] TEAM AND ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS AND STAFF WITHIN THEM.
YOU KNOW, FRANK OFTEN COMPARES THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE QUANTITATIVELY AND QUALITATIVELY TO OTHER COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY THE BENCHMARK IN OUR PEERS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE ACCUMULATED.
YOU KNOW THEY STAND UP AND RANK BETTER THAN ANY OTHER COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
AND IT'S A CREDIT TO FRANK AND THE TEAM THAT HE'S PUT IN PLACE [INAUDIBLE] TEAM AND EVERYBODY IN THE TOWNSHIP FROM THE BOARD AND ON OUR STAFF.
AND SO I JUST I THANK HIM FOR ALL THE TIME AND ENERGY THAT HE PUTS INTO HIS JOB.
[01:45:04]
AND FRANK IS TRULY AMONG THE BEST, IF NOT THE BEST IN HIS PROFESSION IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.ANYONE ELSE WANT TO ADD? ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A VOTE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. WALSH, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY.
YEAH, I KNOW IT'S A LONG AGENDA, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER QUOTED [INAUDIBLE] BECKLER BEFORE, BUT I WILL TONIGHT, THE TEAM, THE TEAM, THE TEAM.
YOU KNOW, I GET TO WORK WITH A SUPERVISOR WHO HAS 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE AS AN ATTORNEY GENERAL AND 30 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE, A CLERK WHO I HAVE AN EXCELLENT PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH.
AND SHE BUILT OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.
A TREASURER WHO DOES GREAT THINGS WITH [INAUDIBLE] AN OKEMOS AND DOES SO MANY THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY.
TRUSTEE OPSOMMER AND WISINSKI AND JACKSON WHO ARE JUST DOING GREAT WORK WITH DIVERSITY AND EQUITY, INCLUSION AND WHAT AN IMPORTANT THING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND TRUSTEE SUNDLAND FOR HER WORK WITH OUR HR.
AND I OFTEN USE HER FOR OUR SEARCHES THAT WE DO BECAUSE OF HER HR EXPERIENCE AT THE STATE .
DIRECTOR KIESELBACH AND PLANNER MENSER THE ABILITY THAT THEY HAVE TO WORK WITH THE DEVELOPERS.
AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS YES, THEY HAVE THAT ABILITY TO TELL PEOPLE NO AND HAVE THEM SMILE AND WALK AWAY.
TO CHIEF PLAGA AND CHIEF HAMIL FOR THEIR EXCELLENT LEADERSHIP AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE FINEST PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES AND THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE PAY THEIR TAXES FOR.
AND WE HAVE TWO OF THE BEST PEOPLE LEADING THAT IN THE STATE TO DIRECTOR MAISNER.
YOU KNOW, TAKE A LOOK AT OUR PARKS SYSTEM, OUR TRAIL SYSTEM, THE MARKETPLACE.
TODAY, WE ANNOUNCED A GRANT AND AWARD IN OUR [INAUDIBLE] PROGRAM BEING SUCCESSFUL WITH THE PARKS COMMISSION.
THEY DO GREAT WORK AND [INAUDIBLE] WITH THE BUDGETS AND AUDITING.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, THERE'S SOMEONE WHO WATCHES EVERY DIME AND TO DIRECTOR GEBES A LOYALTY AND DEDICATION.
THE HOMETOWN PERSON, HE KEEPS OUR IT DEPARTMENT FLOWING.
AND TO MR. PERRY, YOU KNOW, WE WORKED IN ST. JOE TOGETHER.
AND IT'S JUST THE BEST RELATIONSHIP IN THE STATE.
TO ACCESSOR LEE EAST LANSING HIRED A GREAT ASSESSOR.
WE COULDN'T HAVE A BETTER ONE.
TO DIRECTOR TITHOF ABBY IS JUST OUTSTANDING.
SHE BRINGS SUCH POSITIVITY TO OUR ORGANIZATION AND WE'RE BETTER BECAUSE SHE'S HERE.
AND TO DIRECTOR CLARK, AMBER BRINGS ENERGY AND BRILLIANCE TO OUR ORGANIZATION.
WE HAVE GOTTEN MUCH BETTER WITH THE ADDITION OF THESE TWO WOMEN IN OUR ORGANIZATION TO MANAGER YATES TO BRANDIE, WHO MANAGES OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.
SHE'S PICKED RIGHT OFF AND OF COURSE, UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF DIRECTOR GUTHRIE, WHO LED THAT DEPARTMENT.
AND TO MICHELLE PRINZ, MY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, WHO KEEPS ME ORGANIZED.
AND SHE'S JUST A GREAT PARTNER TO HAVE IN THIS BUSINESS.
I'M VERY FORTUNATE IN TONIGHT'S REFLECTION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE KINDNESS VERY MUCH.
AND IT'S REALLY A REFLECTION OF THE ENTIRE TEAM BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM TONIGHT, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
THANK YOU, AND YOU DESERVE EVERYTHING WE SAID POSITIVE ABOUT YOU, APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH.
OK, READY TO MOVE ON TO THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT?
[12F. Township Manager Employment Agreement]
YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN OLD SAYING YOU CAN'T HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER.WELL, WE'VE DONE THE REVIEW AND THE MAN RATED VERY HIGHLY.
AND NOW HE'S HERE WITH HIS REQUEST THAT WE UPDATE HIS CONTRACT, A RATHER SMALL REQUEST.
AND PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT HIGHLIGHTED IN MY VERSION I'M GONNA MISS SOME OF THEM.
BUT IT'S A VERY MODEST SALARY INCREASE.
IS THAT RIGHT, MR. WALSH? YEAH HE'S SHAKING HIS HEAD.
AND A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT ARE RELATED TO THAT, SUCH AS SOME ADDITIONAL DAYS THAT HE CAN SAVE UP FROM VACATION, IS THAT RIGHT? AND SOME ADDITIONAL, IF HE RETIRES WHEN HE RETIRES, HE COULD GET PAID OR GET MONEY TOWARDS HIS HEALTH CARE AND THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT HE CAN WORK ON HIS OTHER PROJECTS, WHICH ARE NEVER HAVE CONFLICTED WITH HIS WORK HERE, AND THAT IS HELPING OTHER COMMUNITIES FIND OUTSTANDING MANAGERS, TAKING IT FROM 6 TO 10 IS 10 ENOUGH, MR. WALSH.
AND DID I MISS SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU ASKED FOR A CHANGE ON.
IT'S A ONE YEAR EXTENSION, TWO PERCENT INCREASE VACATION FROM 50 CASH OUT TO
[01:50:02]
60 AND A SIX PERCENT HSA PAYMENT UPON RETIREMENT.YEP VERY, VERY WELL, VERY MODEST, IN MY OPINION.
BUT I'M ONLY ONE OF THE SEVEN BOARD MEMBERS.
WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO THE CONTRACT.
I MOVE TO APPROVE EXTENDING THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S CONTRACT AS PRESENTED THIS EVENING.
I SUPPORT THAT JACKSON, OK, JACKSON, AND SUNDLAND FOUGHT IT OUT AGAIN THIS TIME [LAUGHTER] IF WE HAD YOUR PICTURE, YOU MIGHT HAV WON THAT ONE JACKSON.
TO BE CLEAR, THAT WAS SECONDED BY SUNLAND, WAS THAT CORRECT? YES.
TREASURER AND THEN MR. OPSOMMER.
FIRST OF ALL, REGARDING THE TWO PERCENT, SALARY, I APPRECIATE YOUR MODESTY MANAGER, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE IT REALLY DIFFICULT SOMEDAY, HOPEFULLY A LONG TIME FROM NOW WHEN YOU LEAVE, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE'RE PAYING YOU SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN COMPARABLE TOWNSHIP MANAGERS ARE MAKING NONE THE LESS.
REGARDING SECTION F ON VACATION, IT SAYS YOU'RE REQUIRED TO TAKE 15 DAYS A YEAR.
IS THAT SELF REPORTING OR DOES SOMEONE KEEP TRACK OF THAT? BECAUSE I THINK I'VE COUNTED ABOUT MAYBE FIVE OR SIX DAYS YOU'VE TAKEN OFF THIS YEAR.
YEAH, ACTUALLY, I HAVE TO REPORT, LIKE ANY OTHER EMPLOYEE, EVERYTHING GETS REPORTED TO H.R.
AND IT WAS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 17 AND 19 DAYS.
I WAS ABLE TO GET TO FLORIDA TWICE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HIT.
OKAY MR. OPSOMMER YOU WERE NEXT.
YES, AND GIVE ME JUST A MINUTE, MAKE SURE THESE ARE NOT [INAUDIBLE] PAGES.
ON THE SECOND PAGE OF THE CONTRACT, UNDER ITEM [INAUDIBLE] OTHER ACTIVITIES.
THE SECOND TO LAST SENTENCE, WHICH READS THE TOWNSHIP BOARD ACKNOWLEDGES THAT ACKNOWLEDGES THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER IS AUTHORIZED TO CONDUCT UP TO SIX MANAGERIAL SEARCHES PER CALENDAR YEAR AND IT'S AMENDED TO TEN.
I WOULD MOVE TO STRIKE UP TO 10.
YOU WANT TO MAKE IT UNLIMITED, IN OTHER WORDS.
YES, BUT STILL REQUIRE THAT THE MANAGER INFORM THE SUPERVISOR.
ALRIGHT ARE YOU DOING IT AS A MOTION OR FOR JUST DISCUSSION FIRST.
IT IS A MOTION SO I'M LOOKING FOR A SECOND.
OK, YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN YOURSELF, MR. OPSOMMER.
YEAH, THIS IS AN ITEM THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY AMENDED A NUMBER OF TIMES, INCREASING IT.
I BELIEVE IT BEGAN AT 2 MANAGERIAL SEARCHES THROUGHOUT THE CALENDAR YEAR.
ANYBODY ON STAFF OR ASSOCIATED WITH THE TOWNSHIP ON OUR VOLUNTEER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS KNOWS THAT MANAGER WALSH IS AVAILABLE AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND IN FACT, IS TOO AVAILABLE AND DOES NOT EVEN CHECK OUT ON HIS VACATION TIME.
SO I HAVE NO CONCERN OVER THE NUMBER OF SEARCHES.
WE DISCUSSED THIS, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY ORIGINALLY PROPOSED BY TRUSTEE JACKSON BACK IN THE FALL AND WE LAST PROPOSED THE INCREASE FROM SIX TO 10, WHICH WE DID ADOPT.
AND SO IT APPEARS THAT IT JUST DIDN'T LIKE GET CODIFIED AT THAT TIME.
SO I WOULD JUST PROPOSE THAT WE STRIKE THE NUMBER.
I MADE THE POINT BACK IN THE FALL.
AND ACTUALLY, CLERK DREYFUS ALSO CONCURRED THAT IF ANYTHING, WE'RE INSULATING OUR OWN TOWN HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP FOR EVERY SEARCH THAT HE DOES DO.
SO AS LONG AS HE'S DOING THEM RESPONSIBLY, I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY A GOOD CREDIT TO THE TOWNSHIP IN TERMS OF OUR RETENTION, AND IT'S A GREAT SERVICE TO COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE.
AND FOR THAT REASON, I WOULD JUST KEEP THAT LANGUAGE IN THERE REQUIRING THAT THE MANAGER NOTIFY THE SUPERVISOR.
ALL RIGHT, SO THE AMENDMENT MOTION IS TO CHANGE THE SENTENCE THAT SAYS THE TOWNSHIP BOARD ACKNOWLEDGES TOWNSHIP MANAGER IS AUTHORIZED TO CONDUCT UP TO 10 MANAGER SEARCHES PER CALENDAR YEAR TO JUST SAY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD ACKNOWLEDGES THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER, IS AUTHORIZED TO CONDUCT MANAGERIAL SEARCHES PERIOD.
IS THERE IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE WHO FAVOR THE AMENDMENT SAY, AYE.
OR NO I GUESS WE CAN'T DO THAT, WE HAVE TO GUTHRIE CALL US.
YES, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING BECAUSE THEY'RE VACUUMING OUTSIDE MY DOOR, SO.
[01:55:03]
DID YOU SAY, YES, THIS IS FOR THE AMENDMENT? YES, IT IS.CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES YES, TREASURER DESCHAINE.
OK, NOW WE'RE BACK TO THE CONTRACT AS A WHOLE WITH THE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE PROPOSED BY THE MANAGER AND ME AND NOW AS CHANGED BY THAT LAST MOTION.
SO IT'S THE SALARY INCREASE THE VACATION DATE TODAY CHANGED THE HEALTH CARE PAYMENT AT THE END AND THEN ITS ABILITY TO DO MANAGERIAL SERVICES.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE NEED A VOTE ON THE WHOLE THING CLERK.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S START WITH YOU THEN, SUPERVISOR STYKA.
YES, MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU ANY FINAL COMMENTS, MR. WALSH.
YES, I WANT TO REALLY THANK THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY KIND AND VERY TRUSTWORTHY, WHAT YOU JUST DID, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO ASSURE YOU AND THE TEAM AND THE RESIDENTS THAT I WILL NOT DO MORE THAN 10.
I THINK THAT MY COMMITMENT IS TO THE TOWNSHIP AND TOWNSHIP ALONE.
AND I DO THIS ON THE SIDE AND I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A CEILING TO IT.
BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TRUST THAT YOU PUT IN ME BY MAKING THAT AMENDMENT.
[13A. Commercial Planned Unit Development #20-13034 (Meridian Mall Limited Partnership)]
THEN WERE READY TO MOVE ON TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS. AND A DISCUSSION ITEM IS COMMERCIAL PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT NUMBER TWO ZERO DASH ONE THREE ZERO THREE FOUR THE MERIDIAN MALL LIMITED PARTNERSHIP.MR. MENSER, YOU'RE GOING TO START THIS OFF WITH US PLEASE.
I DON'T HAVE A LOT TO ADD FROM THE PUBLIC HEARING AGAIN, THE INFORMATION IN OUR STAFF MEMO IS TO BE FOUND SEPARATELY ON THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE.
TONIGHT'S WE HAD THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND WHEREVER THIS GOES, WE CAN HAVE A RESOLUTION PREPARED FOR YOU AT YOUR NEXT MEETING.
BOARD MEMBERS TIME TO DISCUSS.
I THINK I MISSED THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS SUBJECT AND I HAD REALLY ONE WELL, AT LEAST ONE QUESTION.
I WANTED TO KNOW IF THE ISSUE OF THE PASS THROUGH DRIVE LANE WAS DISCUSSED DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING OR IF ANYTHING HAS CHANGED ABOUT THAT BEING A WAIVER POSSIBILITY.
THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS BASICALLY A LITTLE SUMMARY OF WHAT THE PROPOSAL IS.
THERE WAS ONE CITIZEN WHO WAS CONCERNED, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THERE'S NO OTHER CHANGES.
SO GO AHEAD, DISCUSS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.
WELL, I ACTUALLY AS I READ THE MATERIAL THAT THE REQUEST IS FOR THREE DRIVE THRU LANES AND NO PASS THROUGH LANES FOR THE BANK.
AND I'M ACTUALLY KIND OF CONFUSED ABOUT THAT POSSIBILITY, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WE ALWAYS REQUIRED A PASS THRU LANE IN THOSE DRIVE THROUGH SITUATIONS.
I BELIEVE MR. MENSER WANTS TO ANSWER YOU.
SO TRUSTEE JACKSON, IT IS THIS IS A CPUD.
SO AS PART OF THE REQUEST, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A WAIVER FOR THAT BYPASS LANE.
THEY ARE NOT PROPOSING TO PROVIDE THAT BYPASS LANE.
AND THEY MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME JUSTIFICATION FOR THAT IF YOU WANT TO GET THEM ON THE CALL HERE.
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR JUSTIFICATION.
STEPHEN, IT'S DAVID NEWHOFF AND JEFF KYES.
WHILE WE ARE WAITING, MR. OPSOMMER DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING DIFFERENT YOU WANTED TO HEAR FROM THEM AS WELL? YOU'RE MUTED SIR.
[02:00:03]
YES, I DO.AND IT LEADS TO QUESTIONS FOR MR. NEWHOFF IN PARTICULAR.
DO WE WANT TO CONTINUE PUTTING QUESTIONS TOWARDS HIM? AND IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S IN [INAUDIBLE] HE'S HERE NOW SO LET'S HAVE HIM ANSWER MS. JACKSON FIRST.
DAVID, DO YOU WANT ME TO TAKE THAT ONE.
YEP THIS IS JEFF KYES FROM KEBS TALK ABOUT THE BYPASS LANE ITSELF.
I WAS EXPLAINING AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT I WOULD CALL THIS, A NON TYPICAL BANK, TYPICALLY WHAT A BANK SETUP IS, IS YOU'RE DRIVING AROUND THE BACK OF THE BUILDING AND YOU COME AROUND THE SIDE FOR YOUR DRIVE THRU LANES AND YOU DEFINITELY WOULD NEED A WAY TO GET OUT IF THAT WAS THE CASE.
THIS ONE YOU'RE PULLING IN RIGHT TO THE DRIVE THRU LANES.
A BYPASS LANE WORKS FANTASTIC FOR CERTAIN DRIVE THRUS FAST FOOD.
IF YOU DECIDE NOT TO, YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO PULL OUT OF THE LANE.
WHEN YOU HAVE MULTIPLE LANES ON A BANK THE ONLY LANE THAT WOULD BENEFIT WOULD BE THE OUTSIDE LANE.
IF YOU'RE UP NEAR THE BUILDING, YOU CAN'T CROSS TWO OTHER LANE TO GET OUT, SO THE BYPASS LANE WOULD ONLY BENEFIT ONE.
IN THIS SITUATION THOUGH WHEN YOU'RE PULLING IN, YOU HAVE THE CHOICE TO GO THROUGH THE DRIVE THRU OR GO AROUND TO THE PARKING AND GO INTO THE BANK.
SO IT'S KIND OF A BACKWARD SETUP AND THESE ACTUALLY GO WEST TO EAST.
SO THE DRIVER IS AWAY FROM THE BUILDING ON THESE BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL VIDEO SETUP AND THEY'RE REMOTE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE ASKED FOR A WAIVER.
WHY PUT IN ANOTHER PAVED LANE FOR SOMETHING AT THIS POINT? REALLY, IT'S JUST NOT USABLE FOR THIS SITUATION AND THIS BANK.
HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION TRUSTEE JACKSON.
SO, YES, SO THE THE ENTRY TO THE BANK.
FIRST QUESTION, WHERE IS THE FRONT OF THE BANK IS IT FACING GRAND RIVER.
THE FRONT AS FAR AS THE FRONT ENTRANCE MAIN ENTRANCE AREA WOULD BE GRAND RIVER.
BUT THE DRIVE ACCESS LANES ARE COMING FROM THE RING ROAD TO THE MALL, SO THERE'S NO ESSENTIALLY IS THE BACK OF THE BUILDING.
AND SO A CUSTOMER HAS AN OPTION OF TAKING ONE DRIVE TO USE THE DRIVE THROUGH.
WHICH EVERYONE ELSE IS USING BOTH TO COME IN AND GO OUT.
THEY ARE, BOTH TWO WAY DRIVES AT THIS POINT.
SO IF SOMEONE HAPPENS TO COME IN THE EAST SIDE, DRIVE OFF THE RING ROAD, THEY WOULD END UP DRIVING AROUND THE BUILDING TO GET IN LANE FOR THE DRIVE THROUGH ITSELF.
IF YOU COME IN ON THE WEST SIDE, YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO GO RIGHT INTO THE DRIVE THRU OR CONTINUE ON TO THE BANK PARKING.
MR. OPSOMMER, YOU SAID YOU HAD SOME QUESTIONS.
YES, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR DAVID.
MR. NEWHOFF, I'M WONDERING IF CBL AND [INAUDIBLE] THE MALL MANAGEMENT HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO MACY'S ABOUT THEIR AGREEMENT AS IT RELATES TO PARKING AND ANY OTHER POSSIBLE LOCATIONS ON THE UNUSED SURFACE, PARKING AT THE MALL FOR A LOCATION FOR SUCH A PROJECT.
AND YOU ARE MUTED IN CASE YOUR.
MR. KYES OR MR. NEWHOFF WHO WAS ASKED OR IF HE ANSWERED, MR. KYES, WHY DON'T YOU ANSWER? I'M NOT SURE THE ANSWER TO THAT ONE, IF THEY HAVE CONTACTED MACY'S, I KNOW IT'S NOT AN EASY PROCESS TO WORK THROUGH THEM.
AS FAR AS THERE IS A [INAUDIBLE] STRIP THAT'S OWNED BY MACY'S AND THE PARKING AGREEMENTS THAT COVER THIS, WE RAN INTO IT JUST TRYING TO WORK WITH MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN GETTING ALL THE TENANTS TO SIGN OFF ON IT.
BUT I CANNOT RESPOND AS FAR AS CBL APPROACHING MACY'S ITSELF.
OK, WHILE WE WAIT ON MR. NEWHOFF, I'M JUST GOING TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS ON THE PROJECT OVERALL.
MY NUMBER ONE CONCERN IS THE LIMITED GREEN SPACE THAT WE HAVE LEFT IN THE GREEN BELT
[02:05:03]
ON THE CORNER, I THINK IS VALUABLE.AND I DON'T SEE A NEED TO PUT MORE IMPERVIOUS DEVELOPMENT ON THAT GREEN SPACE WHEN WE HAVE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY THROUGHOUT THE MALL TO EVEN IF MACY'S ISN'T A VIABLE OPTION DUE TO THEIR AGREEMENT WITH THE MALL IT WOULD JUST.
I WOULD BE SOMEWHAT SHOCKED IF THERE ISN'T A LOCATION ON THE MALL'S SURFACE PARKING LOT SOMEWHERE THAT HAS VISIBILITY ON CENTRAL PARK, MARSH OR GRAND RIVER WHERE THERE ISN'T SOME AGREEMENT RESTRICTING IT OR IF IT CAN'T BE NEGOTIATED, I'M NOT INCLINED TO SUPPORT DEVELOPING ON THE LIMITED GREEN SPACE THAT WE HAVE LEFT.
THE FARMERS MARKET WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPROVED IF WE COULD HAVE BUILT THE FARMER'S MARKET ON SURFACE PARKING AND CUT THAT GREEN BELT IN FRONT OF IT, BUT WE RAN INTO THE SAME ISSUES AND AT SOME POINT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS IT.
AND THEN MY OTHER CONCERN IS THE MASTER PLAN, WE DID HAVE A PLANNING COMMISSIONER WHO SPOKE AND I DID WATCH THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S MEETING ON THIS, YOU KNOW, THE MASTER PLAN.
WE ADOPTED THE CORRIDOR PLAN REGIONALLY BY REFERENCE IN OUR MASTER PLAN.
AND THIS IS THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING TO INFILL THIS AREA, WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO INFILL WITH DRIVE THROUGHS WE'RE LOOKING TO FILL IT WITH A MIX OF RESIDENTIAL THAT MIGHT SERVE AS PEOPLE WHO WOULD PATRONIZE THE MALL JUST DUE TO PROXIMITY, LIVING IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT IN A WALKABLE FASHION TO THE MALL WOULD HELP ACTUALLY CREATE IMPULSE BUYERS AND WOULD BRING A LOT MORE REVENUE, EITHER THROUGH A ONE TIME SALE OF THE LAND OR THROUGH OPERATING THAT RESIDENTIAL.
RESIDENTIAL COMES WITH A LOT LESS VOLATILITY.
RELATIVE TO WHAT WE'RE SEEING WITH COMMERCIAL USES, AND MALLS IN PARTICULAR LIKE THIS.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE INFILL THAT WOULD HELP SUSTAIN THE MALL AND SUPPORT THE MALL LONG TERM.
I DON'T SEE HOW A DRIVE THRU BANK WHERE VERY FEW PATRONS ARE EVEN GOING TO GET OUT OF THEIR CAR.
WE'LL DRIVE ANY TRAFFIC, FOOT TRAFFIC INTO THE MALL.
I JUST DON'T SEE THIS AS A GOOD PROJECT, GIVEN WHAT LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE HERE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE MALL GET MORE CREATIVE WITH THEIR PARKING SITUATION AND INFILL DEVELOPMENT.
SO THOSE ARE MY INITIAL THOUGHTS ON THIS PROJECT.
MR. [INAUDIBLE] IS NO LONGER MUTED DOES HE WANT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION REGARDING CONTACTING MACY'S OR OTHERS ABOUT PARKING AND POSSIBLY USING ALREADY IMPERVIOUS SITES.
YEAH HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS CAN HEAR ME SORRY ABOUT THAT.
WE HAVE SPOKE TO MACY'S IN THE PAST ON OTHER TYPES OF SCENARIOS AND REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'VE TAKEN A LOOK AT, WE ACTUALLY LOOKED AT ONE TIME DEVELOPING THE WEST SIDE OF THE MALL ENTRY OFF OF GRANDE RIVER HAD SOMETHING TEE'D UP THERE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT SITE OVER THERE IS NOT DEVELOPABLE BECAUSE OF THE SOILS THERE.
YOU KNOW THERE ARE AGREEMENTS THAT ARE IN PLACE AND RESTRICTIONS, CONCERNS TAKING OVER CERTAIN PARKING THAT'S IN PLACE RIGHT NOW, IF YOU PUT IT IN THERE, IT ALSO WOULD RESTRICT YOU FROM POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WHOLE GOING FORWARD WITH THE REST OF THE MALL, WE ARE, LIKE I SAID IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT DIFFERENT SCENARIOS AND USES TO BRING INTO THE MALL TO REDEVELOP IT.
WE THINK THERE WILL BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT IN THE FUTURE.
PUTTING THE BANK ON THE FRONT OF THE PARCEL ON GRAND RIVER IS A VERY, YOU KNOW, I THINK VERY.
GRANDE RIVER HAS A LOT OF ACTIVITY ON IT.
IT'S VISIBLE, IT'S PRETTY MINIMAL, IMPACTFUL WITH THE FOOTPRINT THAT IT'S PUTTING ON.
IT'S LESS THAN AN ACRE AND A HALF, I THINK.
I JUST THINK WE ARE TRYING TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO BRING IN NEW USES TO BRING IN COMMERCE THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE SUSTAINABLE, I THINK IT'S A GOOD FIT FOR IT.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE MALL ITSELF AND
[02:10:01]
THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL TIMES THAT I'M SURE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO THESE OTHER ANCHORS THAT HAVE RIGHTS AND NEGOTIATE THOSE AS WE GO FORWARD.WE JUST FELT LIKE IN THE IMMEDIATE OPPORTUNITY THAT WAS IN FRONT OF US, IT SEEMED LIKE IT FIT THE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES ALONG GRAND RIVER AND THE OTHER COMMERCE THAT WAS GOING FORWARD.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO WORK THROUGH THE RIGHTS THAT SOME OF THESE ANCHOR STORES HAVE.
AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T JUST IT'S NOT A NEGOTIATION SPECIFIC TO THIS SITE.
SOMETIMES IT CAN GET BROADER WITH OTHER PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE IN PLAY WITH THEM.
SO IT MAY SEEM LIKE IT IT'S UNUSED THAT THE PARKING IT WOULD FIT GREAT THERE.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT FURTHER OFF OF GRAND RIVER.
YOU DON'T GET THE SAME EFFECT OF VISIBILITY LIKE THE REST OF THE BUILDINGS ALONG GRAND RIVER YET.
AND SO WE FELT THIS WAS AMENABLE AND WE FELT IT WAS WITHIN THE CORRIDOR ITSELF WITH WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING, THAT'S WHY WE'RE REQUESTING THIS TODAY.
MR. NEWHOFF, DID YOU HAVE A MEETING WITH MACY'S? AS WE HAVE TALKED TO THEM IN THE PAST.
BASED ON THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD BEFORE, WE KIND OF KNEW WHAT THE ANSWER WAS GOING TO BE.
OK, JUST TO THE OTHER POINT ABOUT VISIBILITY FOR BANKS, THE PATRONS WHO BANK WITH THAT LOCATION ARE GOING TO KNOW WHERE THE LOCATION IS GIVEN TT'S SET BACK ON THE CORNER OF THAT GREENBELT.
I KNOW WHERE EVERY CASE IN MSUFCU BRANCH LOCATION IS IN THE REGION BECAUSE I DO ALL MY BANKING WITH THOSE INSTITUTIONS.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE BANKS RELY ON IMPULSE TRAFFIC GOING BY ON GRAND RIVER.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE REST OF THE BOARD.
AND AT LEAST INQUIRE ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY NOT ONLY IN FRONT OF MACY'S, BUT OTHER LOCATIONS ON SURFACE PARKING AROUND THE MALL.
MR. NEWHOFF, THIS IS TREASURER DESCHAINE SPEAKING I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE HERE FOR THE EARLIER PART OF THE MEETING WHEN I MENTIONED THE MALL AND I REFERENCE YOU AS THE ECONOMIC DRIVER OF OUR TOWNSHIP, AND YOU HAVE BEEN THAT SINCE YOU WERE BUILT IN THE 60S AND 70S AND YOU REMAIN THAT.
SO THIS TOWNSHIP BOARD, CERTAINLY THIS TREASURER, RESPECT HOW IMPORTANT YOU ARE TO OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND FUTURE.
WE'VE INCLUDED YOU IN OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION [INAUDIBLE].
AND WILL WE BELIEVE WE TAX YOU AS FAIRLY AS POSSIBLE BASED ON SALES, WHICH THEN REFLECTS GOOD YEARS AND BAD YEARS.
AND SO WE'VE TRIED TO BE A REALLY FAIR PARTNER WITH YOU AND WE THINK YOU HAVE BEEN WITH US AS WELL, WITH THE EXCHANGE OF THE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN PROPERTY, WHICH WE THINK WORKED WELL FOR BOTH PARTIES.
I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS PROPOSAL EITHER.
I THINK BY SELLING OFF THIS OUTLOT, YOU'RE LIKE A SOFTWARE COMPANY SELLING OFF ITS PRODUCTS AND EVENTUALLY YOU'RE GOING TO RUN OUT OF PRODUCTS TO SELL OFF.
BUT WHAT YOU'RE TRADING OFF IS THIS GREEN SPACE THAT MAKES THE MALL AN ATTRACTIVE PROPERTY.
IF YOU GO TO A NICE MALL, YOU KNOW THIS BETTER THAT FAR BETTER THAN WE DO.
OWNING ONE HUNDRED PLUS MALLS.
THE NICEST MALLS ARE SIT AMIDST A SEA OF GREEN 12 OAKS MALL SUMMERSET MALL HERE IN MICHIGAN.
YOU DRIVE ON THOSE PROPERTIES AND YOU JUST FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ON A LUXURY RESORT, NOT IN A MALL PARKING LOT.
IF I CAN SHARE THE SCREEN HERE, STEPHEN.
YOU ARE ABLE TO SHARE THE SCREEN, SIR.
AND YOU CAN SEE HERE THIS SPOT, THIS IS OFF YOUR PACKET IN THE FRONT OF GRAND RIVER AND YOU LOOK BACK AND 90 PERCENT BEHIND IT IS THIS SEA OF PARKING THAT TRUSTEE OPSOMMER IS TALKING ABOUT.
AND TO TAKE THIS REALLY ATTRACTIVE GREEN SPACE IN FRONT OF THE MALL AND TURN INTO A BIG MALL OR A BANK PARKING LOT WITH DRIVE THROUGH WITH THIS, IT'S LIKE CREATING A SALT WATER PLANT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN.
I MEAN, WE'VE GOT LOTS OF ASPHALT AND PARKING, AND IT SEEMS EMINENTLY REASONABLE TO FIND MACY'S OR SOMEONE IN THE MALL THAT MIGHT GIVE UP SOME OF THEIR ASPHALT FOR THIS MALL LOCATION.
SO YOU CAN KEEP THIS GREEN SPACE AROUND THE MALL AND CONTINUE TO MAKE IT A CLASS
[02:15:06]
B OR EVEN A CLASS A MALL.AND WHAT YOU'LL GET THERE WITH GREEN SPACE AND WITH OUR SUPERVISOR IS PART OF OUR CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY IN A PREVIOUS PLANNING COMMISSION, TALKED ABOUT THAT AS WELL, THAT THIS IS NOT PART OF OUR FUTURE PLAN.
TO ME, THIS WOULD HAVE MADE SENSE IN 1980 OR 1990 FOR THE MALL, BUT NOT FOR OUR VISION IN I'M GLAD YOU WANT TO PUT A BANK ON YOUR PROPERTY.
THERE'S A REAL MARKET DEMAND FOR THAT.
BUT THIS JUST SEEMS TO BE A WASTE OF GREEN SPACE AND A CORRUPTION OF OUR PLAN FOR THE CORRIDOR TO PUT IT RIGHT THERE AND CONTINUE THIS AUTOMOBILE ONLY NO WALKING ALLOWED KIND OF CULTURE THAT WE'VE GONE.
WE'VE TRIED FOR MANY DECADES IN THIS TOWNSHIP AND IN THE STATE.
AND IT'S NOW COME BACK TO HURT US WITH THIS PARKING WE HAVE WITH THE MALL RIGHT NOW.
I'M GLAD YOU'RE BRINGING US NEW DEVELOPMENT IDEAS.
I JUST DON'T THINK THIS IS THE BEST LOCATION FOR IT.
I THINK THE TRADE OFFS FOR IT ARE ENORMOUS.
AND I THINK IT'S ONE YOU WILL REGRET LATER ON, HAVING GIVEN UP THIS PRIME GREEN FRONTAGE TO THE MALL, WHICH MAKES IT A VERY WELCOMING PROPERTY TO COME INTO A BANK WITH THREE DRIVE THRU BAYS WOULD HAVE THE OPPOSITE IMPRESSION FOR SOMEONE COMING TO THE MALL.
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WERE IN DISCUSSION MODE RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH THIS, SO I NEED TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE.
IF NO ONE IS NO ONE ELSE HAS ANY COMMENT THERE.
TRUSTEE DESCHAINE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE FEEL LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN AN EXCELLENT PARTNER IN OUR OWNERSHIP TIME THERE.
I'LL DIGRESS FOR JUST A SECOND.
THE COMMENTS TO MANAGER WALSH AS WELL EARLIER, WE'VE HAD GREAT DISCUSSIONS WITH HIM.
HE IS AN EXCELLENT ASSET TO YOUR GUYS COMMUNITY, SO KUDOS TO HIM.
THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES OVER TIME TO REDEVELOP THIS PROPERTY, WE SEE THAT WE'RE TALKING TO PEOPLE.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING CONCRETE TODAY.
WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS PUT SOMETHING LIKE.
FOR INSTANCE, THIS BANK IN A SITUATION WHERE IT WOULD INHIBIT A GRANDER SCALE REDEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD INCLUDE GREEN SPACE EVENTUALLY, THAT WOULD INCLUDE SOME OTHER AMENITIES WITHIN THE PROPERTY, IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF PROPERTY AND PARKING OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S HOW A LOT OF PROPERTIES WERE BUILT BACK IN THE DAY.
IT'S OUR CHALLENGE AND IT'S OUR GOAL EVENTUALLY TO BRING NEW USES, TO BRING GREEN SPACE, TO BRING WALKABILITY.
WE'RE ADDING A NEW SIDEWALK TO CONNECT FROM GRAND RIVER TO THE RING ROAD.
WE'RE ADDING A BIKE, A COUPLE OF BIKE RACKS ONTO THE BANK.
WE JUST DON'T SEE THAT THAT IS THAT IMPACTFUL ON THE FRONT YET IT STILL LEAVES US FLEXIBILITY TO DEAL WITH POTENTIALLY BIGGER REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE MALL SPACE, SO THAT'S A COMMENT.
IT'S OUR DISCUSSION TIME, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THIS.
SO FAR, I'VE HAD TWO NEGATIVE COMMENTS.
IS ANYONE GOING TO SPEAK ON THE OTHER SIDE HERE? MS. GUTHRIE ANY COMMENTS? I'LL PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
I'VE ACTUALLY SEEN QUITE A FEW MALLS THAT HAVE THE SURROUNDING INNER MALL PROPERTY ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE MALL SURROUNDING IT.
THEY HAVE, AND I THINK, 12 OAKS MALL IS ONE OF THEM, WHERE THEY HAVE SEVERAL RESTAURANTS SURROUNDING THE MALL, EVEN 12 OAKS HAS A HOTEL WITH A FANTASTIC RESTAURANT LOCATED AT THE HOTEL.
[02:20:01]
IT ATTRACTS TONS OF PEOPLE FROM MEETINGS.IN MY MIND, I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED WHY THE MERIDIAN MALL HAS NEVER HAD THAT, AND IN PART, I THINK IT'S DUE TO THE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE ISSUES, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PAVEMENT AT THAT MALL, MORE PAVEMENT THAN I SEE IN MOST MALLS.
SO I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO DAN'S POINT ABOUT THE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE, BECAUSE I TOO, HAVE THAT CONCERN AND THE GREEN SPACE LOSING THE GREEN SPACE, BECAUSE IF THERE WAS A WAY TO WORK WITH MACY'S OR SOME OF THE OTHER TENANTS.
YOU KNOW, I WANT TO SEE THE MALL, THRIVE JUST JUST AS MUCH AS THE NEXT PERSON, BUT A BANK RIGHT THERE, I'M NOT SO SURE.
MS. SUNDLAND ANY COMMENTS? OH, NOT AT THIS TIME, I'M BUSY LISTENING, THANK YOU.
I WOULD JUST ADD THAT I, TOO, AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE LIMITED GREEN SPACE AROUND THIS MALL AND THAT THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSAL JUST LIMITS IT EVEN MORE, EVEN THOUGH I THINK THE NUMBERS ON THE PLANS, THERE'S A SLIGHT DECREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS PERCENTAGE OF IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE, AND I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND HOW THAT HAPPENED, BUT I CERTAINLY WOULD BE MORE FAVORABLE TO A PLAN THAT BOTH REDUCED SOME OF THE IMPERVIOUS PARKING AROUND THE MALL AT SOMEPLACE AND AN INCREASE IN AND EVEN AN INCREASE IN GREEN SPACE IF THAT CAN HAPPEN.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT HIGHLY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL BECAUSE OF THAT KIND OF IMPACT AND EXCHANGE IN PERVIOUS VERSUS IMPERVIOUS.
TRUSTEE OPSOMMER YOUR HAND IS UP.
YEAH, AND I JUST WANT TO ANSWER TRUSTEE JACKSON'S QUESTION, BECAUSE I HAD THE SAME QUESTION.
I HAPPENED TO WATCH THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, AND IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT WHEN WE DID THE LAND TRANSFER, I DIDN'T DO ALL THE MATH ON THE ACREAGE SWAP AND WE ACTUALLY GAVE THEM ENOUGH ACREAGE TO COMPENSATE THIS BANK, IN EFFECT WHEN WE DID THE LAND SWAP.
SO THAT'S WHY THEIR IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE, WOULD ACTUALLY SLIGHTLY IMPROVED.
BUT TECHNICALLY, IT'S STILL REDUCING IT FROM TODAY'S CURRENT STATUS.
SO [INAUDIBLE] LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, THEY'RE STILL PROPOSING TO BUILD ESSENTIALLY AT ONE POINT FIVE ACRE BANK, REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU LOOK AT IT.
BUT WE GAVE THEM SOME EXTRA LAND IN THAT LAND TRANSFER BECAUSE THEY WERE RIGHT UP AGAINST THEIR PERVIOUS IMPERVIOUS TO THE 70 30 IN THIS CASE THRESHOLD.
SO THAT'S WHY THAT'S EXPLAINED.
AND I DON'T FAULT THE BANK ENTIRELY FOR THE PARKING SITUATION, BECAUSE OUR PARKING SCHEDULE, WHEN IT WAS BUILT, REQUIRED THEM TO HAVE THESE SPOTS WITHIN A MINIMUM AND A MAXIMUM RANGE.
AND THAT WAS THE NATURE OF IT.
I WOULD GUESS THAT MACY'S DOESN'T ENJOY THIS MUCH PARKING IT IN MANY OF THEIR OTHER LOCATIONS.
SAME WITH THE OTHER ANCHOR STORES, WHICH HAVE OBVIOUSLY CHANGED TENANTS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, ANCHOR STORES AT MALLS TYPICALLY DON'T ENJOY THIS MUCH PARKING PER ONE THOUSAND SQUARE FEET OR WHICHEVER METRIC YOU WANT TO USE TO COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES, BUT.
ABOVE ALL, I ALSO WANT TO ECHO TREASURER DESCHAINE'S COMMENTS ON SUPPORTING THE MALL, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE RESIDENTIAL AND TYPICALLY OUR RESIDENTS ARE OPPOSED TO TURNING COMMERCIAL AREAS THAT EVERYONE ENJOYS IN THE TOWNSHIP INTO THE RESIDENTIAL, BUT IN THIS CASE WITH THE ECONOMIC FACTORS, YOU NEED PEOPLE LIVING ADJACENT TO BECOME IMPULSE BUYERS.
YOU HAVE TO PUT MORE DEMAND INTO THE COMMERCIAL.
AND OBVIOUSLY RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN UNIQUE TIMES WITH THE COVID PANDEMIC, BUT ULTIMATELY YOU NEED PEOPLE LIVING IN PROXIMITY TO THE MALL TO CREATE MORE IMPULSE BUYERS.
IF YOU LIVE NEXT TO IT, MAYBE YOU WILL CHOOSE DIFFERENTLY BETWEEN SHOPPING
[02:25:02]
ON AMAZON AND JUST WALKING OUT YOUR FRONT DOOR AND, YOU KNOW, 100 FEET ACROSS THE PARKING LOT TO GET TO THE MALL.AND YOU WOULD CREATE A LOT OF IMPULSE BUYERS EXERCISE AND WALK AROUND THE MALL DURING THE FALL AND WINTER WEATHER.
AND, YOU KNOW, I WANT THE MALL TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
BUT FOR THE LIFE OF ME, I'M HAVING THE MOST DIFFICULT TIME UNDERSTANDING HOW A BANK DOES ANYTHING TO HELP THE ECONOMIC VIABILITY OTHER THAN THE ONE TIME INFUSION FROM THE SALE.
I DON'T COMMENT THAT I'M GLAD I DON'T OWN A MALL RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, MALLS WERE IN MANY WAYS A REAL GODSEND TO THIS COUNTRY.
I MEAN, IT'S WONDER YOU LOOK BACK TO THE 60S WHEN THEY WERE ALL BEING DEVELOPED AND AFTER IT WAS JUST THEY WERE AMAZING THINGS.
SO WE ALL ENJOYED THEM VERY MUCH.
PEOPLE LITERALLY GREW UP IN MALLS.
IT'S A SHAME THAT WE'VE GONE IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION AS A COUNTRY AND AS AN ECONOMY.
BUT WE HAVE TO FIND WAYS FOR THIS TOWNSHIP TO SAVE THIS MALL, TOO, BECAUSE IT IS IN MANY WAYS OUR HEART.
I MEAN, IT'S LOCATED NEAR THE CENTER OF THE TOWNSHIP FOR A REASON.
IT'S MERIDIAN MALL FOR A REASON.
OUR ECONOMY, IN TERMS OF OUR TAX BASE AND EVERYTHING ELSE, REVOLVES AROUND THIS MALL TO A GREAT EXTENT.
AND WE TRULY, TRULY APPRECIATE IT.
AND I THINK MR. NEWHOFF KNOWS THAT.
I WAS A LITTLE DISMAYED BY THIS.
IN FACT, AS A MEMBER OF THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY, I DID NOT VOTE IN FAVOR OF THEIR LETTER.
I ABSTAINED FROM IT ON THE EXCUSE THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO BE DECIDING HERE.
THEIR LETTER THAT ENDORSED THE PROJECT, THEY ENDORSED IT FOR THE REASONS THAT THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT SAVING THE MALL.
AND ALTHOUGH THEY HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT GREEN SPACE, THAT OUTWEIGHED ANY OF THAT DISCUSSION IN THEIR MINDS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY SENT A LETTER ENDORSING THE PROJECT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AS PART OF THIS PROCESS.
AT THIS POINT, I HAVE VERY, VERY TOUGH, MIXED EMOTIONS.
I WANT TO SAY YES, BECAUSE I WANT TO DO THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO HELP THE MALL.
BUT I ALSO AM VERY STRONG ON THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE AN AWFUL LOT OF PARKING THERE, THAT WE FORCED ON MACY'S AN THE MALL AND EVERYONE ELSE BACK IN THE OLD DAYS THAT WE REALLY DON'T NEED IT ANYMORE.
I MEAN, EVEN EVEN AT CHRISTMAS BOOMER OR IF THERE WAS ONE WE COULDN'T HAVE ONE THIS YEAR, BUT A TRUE BLACK FRIDAY YOU ARE STILL NOT GOING TO FILL ALL THESE SPOTS THE WAY WE USED TO LONG AGO.
IT'S JUST THE NATURE OF AMAZON AND EVERYTHING ELSE BEING OUT THERE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS BE GREEN, BUT I DON'T WANT TO HURT THE CHANCES OF THE MALL GOING ON.
ON THE OTHER HAND, I FULLY ENDORSE MANY OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD FROM TRUSTEE OPSOMMER TREASURER DESCHAINE I CAN'T REALLY GET MY [INAUDIBLE] I NEED TO PONDER IT A LITTLE MORE.
ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A SOLUTION AT THIS POINT.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE AN ANSWER, DOES THIS COME BACK FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION HOW DOES THIS COME BACK.
I WOULD ASK REITERATE WHAT TRUSTEE OPSOMMER HAS ASKED OF THE APPLICANT TO HAVE A FORMAL DISCUSSION WITH MACY'S AND SEE WHAT COULD BE WORKED OUT RATHER THAN VOTING THIS DOWN OR NOT BRINGING THIS BACK FOR LACK OF SUPPORT.
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THE APPLICANT ANOTHER CHANCE TO BRING THIS BACK, AT LEAST MAKING A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO WORK WITH MACY'S.
EXPLAIN TO THEM THE SITUATION AND THE POSITION OF THIS BOARD AND COME BACK TO US AND LET US KNOW HOW THAT DISCUSSION WITH THAT FORMAL DISCUSSION WITH MACY'S GOES.
I'VE GOT TO BELIEVE THAT JUST AS THE MARKETPLACE IN THE GREEN CAN BENEFIT THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE MALL, A BANK IN THE EXISTING MACY'S PARKING LOT AREA COULD BENEFIT THE NORTH.
EXCUSE ME, I'VE GOT NORTH AND SOUTH [INAUDIBLE] THIS WILL BE THE SOUTH SIDE, THAT THIS BANK COULD BENEFIT THE SOUTH SIDE JUST AS THE MARKETPLACE WILL BENEFIT THE NORTH SIDE.
SO I WOULD ASK THE APPLICANT TO AT LEAST HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AND COME BACK TO THIS BOARD.
AND IF YOU GET AN ABSOLUTE NO WAY, GET OUT OF HERE, ANSWER FROM MACY'S WELL AT LEAST SHARE THAT WITH THE BOARD.
BUT WE WOULD ASK OF YOU TO AT LEAST TO TRY AND WORK SOMETHING OUT WITH MACY'S.
IT'S REALLY A DOUBLE DISCUSSION, THOUGH, BECAUSE THEY ALSO HAVE TO TALK TO THE POTENTIAL BANK HIS TENANT AS TO BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT.
I THINK IT WAS [INAUDIBLE] TO MR. NEWHOFF EARLIER.
THEY WANT TO BE RIGHT THERE ON THE STREET WHERE THEY ARE SEEN.
AND THEY COULD BE ON PERHAPS THE MARSH SIDE, BUT NOT NECESSARILY ON THE GRAND
[02:30:03]
RIVER SIDE IF WE'RE GOING TO KEEP EVERYTHING GREEN THERE.BUT I HEAR YOU WANT YOU WANT TO SEE FOR THE DISCUSSION THE MALL CAN HAVE WITH REGARD TO THIS POTENTIAL PROJECT.
MR. NEWHOFF DO YOU ANY COMMENT ON IT? I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM GOING BACK TO MACY'S.
THIS IS REALLY GOING TO BE A DECISION ON THE END USER, WHETHER THEY WANT TO OR NOT.
AND I WON'T HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH MACY'S UNTIL I KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THEY'D BE WILLING TO DO.
YES MR. KYES JUST A LITTLE MORE HISTORY ON THE TRADE FOR THE MARKETPLACE.
OUR APPROVED CPUD BEFORE THE TRADE WAS MADE HAD TWO FUTURE BUILDINGS WHERE THE MARKETPLACE WAS SHOWN ON THE PLAN AND APPROVED, SO WE HAD APPROXIMATELY I'M GOING BY MEMORY, I BELIEVE IT WAS 18000 SQUARE FEET THERE WITH FULL PARKING, TAKING UP THAT GREEN SPACE.
AND WE STILL DO SHOW ONE SMALL FUTURE BUILDING.
IT'S BEHIND CHILI'S AND OLIVE GARDEN.
THERE'S A VACANT AREA THERE THAT WAS PART OF THE ANNEX.
SO AS PART OF THE INCREASE IN THE PERVIOUS, I HEARD WHAT WAS SAID.
IT WASN'T JUST THE FOUR ACRE TRADE THAT DECREASED OUR IMPERVIOUS NUMBER.
IT WAS ALSO THE FACT THAT WE REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF POTENTIAL BUILDING THAT WE HAD APPROVED ORIGINALLY ON THE MARKETPLACE PORTION, PLUS WE LOST THAT PARKING AND I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT OUR PARKING RATIO DID GO DOWN.
THAT WAS A WAIVER GRANTED, THE TOWNSHIP ACTUALLY REQUIRES FIVE PER THOUSAND OF GROSS, SQUARE FOOT FEET ON THE MALL.
AND WE'RE AT FOUR POINT FOUR TWO, I BELIEVE IT, OR FIVE TWO.
SO WE HAVE REDUCED IT A LITTLE BIT MORE FROM WHAT THE RATIO WAS APPROVED AS FAR AS A WAIVER.
BUT I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THAT, YES, WE ARE TAKING UP WHAT'S GREEN OUT FRONT, BUT THE OVERALL IMPERVIOUS PERCENTAGE ACTUALLY WENT DOWN DUE TO THE FACT OF WHAT THE MALL GAVE UP WHEN THEY TRADED OFF FOR THE MARKETPLACE.
WELL, OK, WE'LL BRING THIS BACK FOR DISCUSSION.
AND HOPEFULLY SOMETHING ELSE, SOME GOOD NEWS WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE WAY.
LET'S HOPE THAT WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR ALL OF US.
BUT AT THIS POINT, YOU'RE NOT HEARING A NO, WE'RE JUST ASKING YOU TO LOOK A LITTLE HARDER AND A LITTLE BIT FURTHER MR. NEWHOFF.
WE'LL GO ONTO OUR NEXT DISCUSSION ITEM, WHICH IS THE REZONING #20050 (DTN
[13B. Rezoning #20050 (DTN 2013 LLC) rezone 31.63 acres east of Central Park Drive and north of Grand River Avenue from RA (Single Family-Medium Density) to RD (Multiple Family-maximum eight units per acre).]
2013 LLC) REZONE THIRTY ONE POINT SIXTY THREE ACRES EAST OF CENTRAL PARK DRIVE, AND NORTH OF GRAND RIVER AVENUE, FROM RA SINGLE FAMILY MEDIAN DENSITY TO RD MULTIPLE FAMILY MAXIMUM EIGHT UNITS PER ACRE.WHO WANTS TO START THIS DISCUSSION, MR. MENSER ARE YOU GOING TO START IT FOR US.
I'LL JUST GIVE A VERY BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THIS TOPIC.
SINCE WE DO HAVE SUCH A LONG PACKET TO PAGE EIGHTY SEVEN IN OUR PACKET.
THAT'S WHERE THE STAFF MEMO ON THIS ITEM BEGINS.
THE AS THE SUPERVISOR SAID, THE REZONING FROM RA TO RD THERE ARE FOUR CONDITIONS IN THE MEMO NOTED AS VOLUNTARILY OFFERED BY THE APPLICANT.
THAT'S TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF DWELLING UNITS NO GREATER THAN TWO HUNDRED TWENTY UNITS, NO FEWER THAN TWENTY FIVE SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING UNITS IN THE PROJECT FOR A FUTURE PROJECT.
NO BUILDINGS GREATER THAN TWO STORIES.
AN ENCLOSED GARAGES WILL BE PROVIDED FOR EVERY DWELLING UNIT.
SO THE PLANNING COMMISSION DISCUSSED THIS PROJECT IN NOVEMBER, ULTIMATELY RECOMMENDED DENIAL FOR THE REASONS LISTED IN THE STAFF MEMO.
EVERYTHING IS IN YOUR MEETING PACKET, INCLUDING THE MATERIALS THE PLANNING COMMISSION SAW ALONG WITH THEIR RESOLUTION AND MINUTES FROM THE MEETINGS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I AM HERE TO ANSWER ANYTHING YOU MIGHT NEED, AND I BELIEVE THE APPLICANTS ARE STILL ON THE LINE TONIGHT.
WHO WANT TO START THIS DISCUSSION.
I'M LOOKING AT MY SCREEN SEEING NO HANDS.
MS. JACKSON, I CAN'T SEE HER HAND, IS IT UP? I HAVEN'T RAISED IT YET.
I TRIED TO TRICK YOU THERE UNSUCCESSFULLY.
YEAH, I'M WAITING FOR A MAP TO LOAD FOR SOME OF MY ADDITIONAL RESEARCH ON THIS
[02:35:03]
I WANTED TO LOOK AT [INAUDIBLE] PLAN, BUT WHILE I DO THAT, I DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANTS.IF THEY'RE AVAILABLE, WE'LL LET THEM DECIDE WHO THEY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO IT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THIS SITE AND WE ALL TALKED ABOUT IT WHEN DTN CAME BEFORE US WITH A CONCEPT PLAN FOR THIS REZONING PRIOR TO THIS REZONING FOR THE SAME PROSPECTIVE DEVELOPMENT.
AND I THINK THAT WAS ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO NOW.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THE VERY UNIQUE NATURE OF CENTRAL PARK AND POWELL ROAD.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THAT EASTERN THIRD ELEMENT WHERE WE WANT TO KEEP THAT RURAL CHARACTER AND AESTHETIC HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP ALONG POWELL ROAD.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT CENTRAL PARK, WHICH BORDERS ON OUR C THREE OUR MOST INTENSIVE COMMERCIAL USE IN THE TOWNSHIP WITH ALL THE COMMERCIAL USE THAT CENTRALIZED AT THE MALL, WHICH WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, SO VERY FEW PROJECTS HAVE SUCH A UNIQUE SPAN.
AND THAT WAS KIND OF THE CENTERPIECE OF OUR FOCUS.
I TOOK THE TIME TO GO OUT AND DRIVE THE SITE AND I EVEN WENT THROUGH THE NEW NEIGHBORHOOD BEING BUILT ON POWELL ROAD, WHICH WAS REZONED BEFORE MY TIME ON THE BOARD AND PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND ONE THING THAT STUCK OUT TO ME, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE ON POWELL ROAD TO THE NORTHERN SECTION, CLOSER TO [INAUDIBLE] ROAD, YOU KNOW, THE TREE CANOPIES CONSUME THE STREET AND IT REALLY HAS THAT NATURAL BEAUTY ROAD FEEL, WHICH VANATTA AND CORNELL ARE DESIGNATED NATURAL BEAUTY ROADS.
I BELIEVE THEY'RE THE FINAL TWO IN INGHAM COUNTY.
BUT THIS ROAD REALLY HAS THAT FEEL.
BUT ON THE SOUTHERN PORTION, IT DOESN'T IT'S PRETTY BARREN ON THE FRONTAGE ON POWELL ROAD FOR THE PROJECT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO ONE OF MY QUESTIONS TO THE APPLICANT WOULD BE, CAN YOU LOOK AT INCREASING THE EIGHTY FIVE FOOT BUFFER RIGHT NOW FROM THE EDGE OF THE BUILDINGS TO THAT RIGHT OF WAY ON POWELL ROAD AND LOOK AT SOME KIND OF REFORESTING PLAN, NOT JUST A BERM WITH CONIFERS THAT WE USE FOR SCREENING AND BUFFERING BETWEEN USES, BUT LITERALLY IN TIME TO CREATE THAT RURAL BEAUTY FEEL.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WHERE WE MISSED OUT ON WAS CENTRAL PARK ESTATES AND HOW THAT ULTIMATELY WAS BUILT OUT IS THE SUBDIVISION WAS PUSHED BACK ALONG POWELL ROAD, BUT IT HAS NATURAL FEATURES ALONG CENTRAL PARK.
AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS COUNTERINTUITIVE.
IF YOU HAD TO PICK WHICH SIDE TO PUT THE NATURAL FEATURES, YOU KNOW, THEY REALLY SHOULD BE ON THE POWELL ROAD SIDE OF THINGS.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO LEARN FROM THAT.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF SOMEONE WITH DTN CAN SPEAK TO IF THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE DOABLE ULTIMATELY IN THIS PROJECT TO MANAGE THOSE AESTHETICS.
THIS IS [INAUDIBLE] SPEAKING, I CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT, BUT I KNOW JEFF KYES IS ALSO ON HERE AND HE WOULD HAVE PROBABLY MORE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SETBACKS IN SOME OF THE QUESTIONS YOU SPECIFICALLY ASKED.
FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE IN TERMS OF THIS COMMUNITY AND PUTTING A BUFFER THERE WE'RE SUPPORTIVE OF PUTTING A BUFFER THERE IN TERMS OF TRYING TO KEEP THE BACKSIDE OF THE PROPERTY LOW DENSITY.
WE'RE ALSO IN FAVOR OF DOING THE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ALONG THE BUFFER OF POWELL ROAD TO TRY AND SMOOTH THAT TRANSITION.
IN REGARD TO FROM AN ECONOMIC STANDPOINT, FOR THIS PROJECT TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND TO BE SOMETHING LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING OUT AT THE QUARRY OUT IN DEWITT OR ESTIMATES IN [INAUDIBLE].
WE NEED TO BE NORTH OF ABOUT TWO HUNDRED APARTMENT HOMES OR HOMES, RENTAL HOMES.
AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THIS PROPERTY IS WE'RE TRYING TO PUT SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, TOWN HOMES, AND WHAT I WOULD CALL [INAUDIBLE] FLAT CONDOS ALL WITHIN THIS AREA HERE TO TRY AND GET TO THAT 200 UNITS.
STILL GIVING THAT LOWER DENSITY.
DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE WETLAND IT'S A LITTLE TIGHT AND WOULD HAVE TO DEFER A LITTLE BIT TO IT.
BUT WE DID TRY TO DO SOME SITE PLANS TO LOOK AT DOING THIS.
AND IT DOES PUSH A LITTLE BIT UP AGAINST THE WETLAND AS WE TRY TO DO THIS.
AND THERE MAY BE SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT MAY BE REQUIRED TO GIVE THAT BUFFER, BUT IT'S NOT FROM A STANDPOINT THAT WE'RE NOT OPPOSED TO DOING THAT BUFFER.
MAYBE JEFF COULD SPEAK TO IT BETTER IF HE'S HERE.
THIS IS JEFF KYES AGAIN, FIRST OFF, THE SET BACK, THE REQUIRED SET BACK WOULD BE FROM THE CENTERLINE, THE EIGHTY FIVE FEET.
SO THERE'S 33 FEET OF RIGHT OF WAY EXISTING RIGHT NOW.
[02:40:05]
THE ROAD DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO REQUIRE US TO BUMP THAT TO 50, POSSIBLY 45, 50, SO.YOU KNOW, ORIGINALLY YOU COULD PUT A BUILDING UP TO 35 FEET FROM OR ACTUALLY 85 [INAUDIBLE].
IT WOULD BE 52 FEET FROM THE RIGHT OF WAY.
WHAT WE LOOKED AT WERE POTENTIALLY WITH OUR NEW LAYOUT IS CREATING A HUNDRED FEET FOOT SET BACK FROM THE CENTER LINE.
SO I BELIEVE WE CAN DEFINITELY GET AT LEAST 50 FEET, WHICH WOULD BE A BUFFER AS FAR AS PLANTINGS.
I'M NOT A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT.
I UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF NOT JUST NOT RUNNING PINE TREES AND CONIFERS UP THROUGH THERE, BUT WE WOULD DEFER TO A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT.
BUT I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S DEFINITELY A POSSIBILITY WITH 50 FEET TO DO SOME TYPE OF REFORESTATION OR SOMETHING WITH DECIDUOUS TREES IN THERE.
SO MR. KYES A CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
SO WHEN YOU SAY THE EXAMPLE OF THE POSSIBLE 100 FOOT BUFFER FROM THE CENTER LANE, YOU SAID IT LEAVES YOU 50 FEET FROM THE EDGE OF THE ROAD.
FROM THE RIGHT OF WAY ITSELF, AND.
BUT YOUR CENTER LANE YOUR SETBACKS FOR A FRONT YARD ARE FROM THE STREETS CENTERLINE UNLESS THEY'RE IN A PLATTED SUBDIVISION SO THAT EIGHTY FIVE FEET IS FROM THE ACTUAL SECTION LANE CENTER LANE OF THAT ROAD.
AND I HADN'T THOUGHT OF THE ONGOING ISSUES THAT WE FACE WITH THE COUNTY, BUT WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN CORNELL ROAD NOT WITH PLANNING BUT WITH PRESERVING AND OTHER PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE TOWNSHIP.
50 FEET GIVES US A LOT OF ROOM TO PLAY WITH.
BUT REALLY TO GET THAT NATURAL BEAUTY ROLE, TO FEEL A AESTHETIC FEEL, YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW GO PRETTY TIGHT UP TO THE ROAD, WHICH THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION WITH THE COUNTY.
DONE LIKE THIS HOW MANY FAMILIES WITH K-12 PUPILS DO YOU FIND TYPICALLY MOVE IN.
OBVIOUSLY WITH PROPOSAL A IN 1994 ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE FACE IS OUR STATE FUNDING FOR K-12 EDUCATION IS PREDICATED ON THE NUMBER OF PUPILS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND SO IT STAGNATES OR REDUCES.
WE END UP HAVING TO CLOSE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS LIKE WARDCLIFF AND YOU'RE IN THE OKEMOS SCHOOL DISTRICT WHICH WARDCLIFF IS IN.
I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT KIND OF DYNAMICS YOU SEE WITH YOUR TENANTS AND K-12 PUPILS.
AND LET'S SEE IF I CAN HELP ANSWER THAT THE BEST I CAN HERE.
BASICALLY, WHEN WE BUILD THESE TYPES OF MIXED USE COMMUNITIES WHERE YOU HAVE THESE TYPES OF HOUSING SAYING EARLIER, A WIDE VARIETY OF GROUPS.
SOME OF THEM RANGE FROM EMPTY NESTERS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, FAMILY AND SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLDS OR PEOPLE IN TRANSITION ARE TYPICALLY THE TYPE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING THERE.
THEIR MEDIAN INCOMES ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF ABOUT EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH.
SO THEIR RELATIVELY HIGHLY COMPENSATED AS FAMILIES GO.
AND IN TERMS OF FAMILIES, I SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO QUARRY BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I CHECKED SOME DATA ALONG THESE LINES.
I CAN GIVE YOU SOME GENERALIZATIONS.
WE HAVE TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY SEVEN UNITS IN QUARRY WHERE WE BUILT MOSTLY THESE CONDOS THAT WERE FLATS, WHICH IS A BIG PORTION OF IT'S PROBABLY ONE HUNDRED TO ONE HUNDRED TEN SOMEWHERE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WHEN WE DID THAT AND WE BUILT THE HOUSES WE WERE GETTING FOR THOSE TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY UNITS ONE HUNDRED, I'M GOING TO CALL THEM PRE-K THROUGH 12 KIDS THAT ARE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO MY GUESS, IF THIS IS AROUND TWO HUNDRED, IT WOULD BE IN THE 60.
I'M JUST TAKING TWO THIRDS OF IT.
SO YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO GET IN THE SEVENTY TO SEVENTY FIVE KIDS THAT ARE IN PRE-K TO 12TH GRADE RANGE.
WITH THAT, WE OFTEN GET SINGLE PARENTS WHO ARE LIVING IN THESE PLACES THAT DUE TO UNFORTUNATELY DIVORCE THAT OCCURS IN TODAY'S SOCIETY, WE'RE GETTING SINGLE PARENTS THAT HAVE JUST CHOSEN TO BE SINGLE PARENTS.
WE GET PARENTS THAT ARE TOGETHER THAT ARE DOING THIS TOO THEY ARE BOTH WORKING AND THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES.
SO THAT KIND OF GIVES YOU A SENSE AT LEAST OF THE MIX.
BUT IT'S A VARIETY OF PEOPLE THAT COMES IN HERE.
[02:45:02]
AND WHAT MAKES THIS PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES REALLY EXCITING, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IS THE SOCIAL ELEMENT THAT GOES TOGETHER.YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TEACHING THEM WISDOM AND IT FELT LIKE AN OLD NEIGHBORHOOD SOMETIMES SO THERE IS A VERY SOCIAL ELEMENT THAT WE DIDN'T EXPECT WHEN WE FIRST BUILT THE ONE AT ASPEN LAKES TO WHAT WE SEE.
THERE'S A TREMENDOUS SOCIAL ELEMENT WHERE THERE'S AN INTERACTION FROM THAT.
BUT IN TERMS OF SPECIFICALLY YOUR QUESTION, I WOULD TELL YOU 70 IS THE SHORT ANSWER IS MY BEST GUESS AT THE MOMENT.
AND THEN MY FINAL QUESTION, AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SITE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE TO BREAK IT OUT ROUGHLY EAST WEST, THAT WESTERN OR THAT EASTERN 15 OR 16 MOST ACRES, DO YOU GUYS KNOW MR. KYES, WHAT THE DENSITY IS OVER THERE WITH THE THERE'S A COUPLE FOURPLEXES AND A SIX PLEX, I THINK, SURROUNDED BY A SINGLE FAMILY.
HOW MANY UNITS PER ACRE ARE WE LOOKING AT THEIR ALONG POWELL ROAD.
WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT THREE TO THREE AND A HALF, I BET, ON THAT EASTERN ONE THIRD.
EASTERN ONE THIRD OR THE EASTERN HALF.
UP TO ABOUT THE WETLANDS, I'M SURE WE'RE GOING TO BE IN YOU KNOW, WE'RE PROBABLY IN A THREE TO FOUR UNITS PER ACRE ON THE EASTERN PORTION WHERE THE SINGLE FAMILY IS IN SOME [INAUDIBLE].
OK, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IF YOU LOOKED AT JUST THE SINGLE FAMILY, IT'S LESS THAN THAT.
BUT BECAUSE WE HAD SOME ON THE PROPOSED SITE PLAN WITH SIX AND FOURPLEX IS THAT'S WHAT ADDED TO IT TO MAKE IT LOWER THE DENSITY ALL ALONG POWELL ROAD TO BE MORE CONSISTENT WITH THAT SINGLE FAMILY HOME, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HELPS ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
IT DOES SO, IN ADDITION, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WITH THIS REZONING.
YOU KNOW, THE UNIQUE CHARACTERISTIC OF CENTRAL PARK ROAD FRONTAGE AND POWELL ROAD FRONTAGE.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DENSITY COME DOWN MORE, EVEN IF THAT'S SHIFTING DENSITY TOWARDS THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE SITE.
BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT THE REASONING THAT OCCURRED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF POWELL ROAD, IT WAS A LIMITATION OF ONE UNIT PER ACRE, PROJECT LIKE THIS IS NOT GOING TO MEET THAT THRESHOLD EVER.
SO I SUPPOSE THAT THAT WAS OUR OBJECTIVE OR OUR GOAL.
WE SHOULD HAVE EXPRESSED THAT AT THE CONCEPT PLAN.
THAT ISN'T NECESSARILY MY INTENT, BUT I WANT TO SEE US BRIDGE THAT GAP AND HAVE AN EVER DECREASING DENSITY RANGE.
AND I'D LIKE TO SEE US GET IT DOWN OVER THERE, POSSIBLY BY ELIMINATING THE SIX PLEXES AND THE FOURPLEX THAT'S KIND OF WRAPPED AND SURROUNDED BY THE SINGLE FAMILY.
WHEN YOU COME BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING, I'D BE INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT THAT DENSITY IS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT ACREAGE SPECIFICALLY OF THE SINGLE FAMILY IN THE ISLAND OF THREE SIX PLEXES AND ONE FOURPLEX.
ALSO IF THAT HELPS THIS PROCESS.
THAT WOULD HELP, IN MY OPINION.
I'LL TURN IT OVER, MR. SUPERVISOR.
EXCUSE ME, TREASURER DESCHAINE.
APPRECIATE THE APPLICANT COMING BEFORE US AND THE REAL-ESTATE THAT THEY'VE PROVIDED US WITH.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE OVERALL AREA AND TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY WITH THIS AREA.
I'M GLAD DIRECTOR KIESELBACH IS THERE JUST FOR THOSE WHO MAY HAVE JUST MOVED THE TOWNSHIP, IF YOU WOULD BRING THE PEOPLE UP TO SPEED AS TO WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE TO THIS AREA OF THE SOUTH, THE LA FONTAINE PROPERTY THAT WAS FORMERLY WOODED.
LA FONTAINE CHOSE AT THIS POINT, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO MOVE AHEAD WITH THE DEALERSHIP.
THE DEALERSHIP, THOUGH, WAS GRANTED A SPECIAL USE PERMIT SPECIAL USE PERMITS ARE
[02:50:01]
VALID FOR A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS.SO THE SUP OR THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT GOES TO THE PROPERTY SO IT COULD BE DEVELOPED WITH ANOTHER DEALERSHIP SUBJECT TO THOSE CONDITIONS THAT WERE PLACED ON IT.
THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AS WELL, BUT LA FONTAINE DID START CORRECT AND THEY ESSENTIALLY CLEAR CUT THIS PROPERTY, THEY HAD RIGHT.
THEY HAD ALL THEIR APPROVALS SITE PLANNED THEY WERE READY TO MOVE AHEAD WITH THE GETTING THE SITE CLEARED, UTILITIES GOING, AND THAT'S WHEN THEY STOPPED.
SO WE'VE HEARD SOME ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS ABOUT THIS PROPERTY.
AND I THINK PART OF THAT IS RESIDUAL FROM NEIGHBORS TO THE SOUTH IN THE FOREST HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD AND OTHER SURROUNDING ONES CONCERNED THAT WE COULD END UP WITH ANOTHER CLEAR CUT OF WHAT IS A NATURALLY WOODED AREA.
SO, [INAUDIBLE], I THINK THAT'S PART OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE IS CONCERNED BECAUSE WE'RE AS A TOWNSHIP, WE VALUE OUR GREEN SPACE.
OUR WOODED SPACE SPACES VERY MUCH.
AND WE'VE HAD A PROPERTY OWNER COME IN AND CLEAR THE FOREST AND THEN WALK AWAY FROM THE DEVELOPMENT.
WE LOST THE NATURALLY WOODED AREA AND THERE'S NO DEVELOPMENT THERE.
NONE THE LESS I AGREE WITH THE TRUSTEE OPSOMMER THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE YOU MAKE A SERIOUS, CONCERTED EFFORT NOT JUST A BERM, BUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE SOME REFORESTATION THROUGH THERE.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO SEE US BRING DOWN THE DENSITY A BIT.
CLEARLY, THIS IS MORE DENSITY THAN YOU'RE GOING TO FIND IN THE NORTH WITH THE CENTRAL PARK ESTATES.
BUT AND TO APPROVE THIS IN SOME FORM, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE HIGHER DENSITY.
BUT I THINK WE CAN WORK TO BRING THAT DENSITY DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND STILL PROVIDE YOU WITH THE KIND OF COMMUNITY YOU'RE TRYING TO DEVELOP.
IT WAS A COMMENT EARLIER ABOUT RENTAL HOUSING AN THE COMMENT WAS THAT WE ARE BRINGING IN TRANSIENT PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO INVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY, AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE PREVIOUS BOARD MEMBER MADE THAT COMMENT AS WELL.
AND I FOUND IT OFFENSIVE THEN AND I FOUND IT OFFENSIVE TONIGHT.
PEOPLE CHOOSE TO RENT OUT OF CHOICE, NOT OUT OF ECONOMIC NECESSITY OR NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE DESPERATE.
THEY DO IT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO HAVE CHOICES.
MY GROWING UP, FOUR OF THE FIVE OF MY SIBLINGS, WE ALL OWNED A HOUSE BY AGE 30 THEY WEREN'T GREAT HOUSES.
WE OWNED A HOUSE AND WE BOUGHT MORE HOUSES OVER WITH THE TIME.
MY THREE CHILDREN, TWO OUT OF THE THREE DO NOT OWN HOUSES AND THE ONE THAT DOES OWNS A TOWNHOUSE.
OK, SO THE MARKET HAS CHANGED.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US AS WE EMBRACE DIVERSITY, NOT TO BRING OUR, IF YOU WILL, BABY BOOMER VALUES AND SAY EVERYBODY TO BE SUCCESSFUL HAS TO LIVE ON A QUARTER ACRE PROPERTY WITH A BIG TWO STORY CENTER HALL COLONIAL.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO HAVE HERE IN MERIDIAN.
ANYTHING ELSE BEYOND THAT? YOU KNOW, GO ELSEWHERE.
WE NEED TO EMBRACE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOUSING DIVERSITY.
RENTAL LIVING CAN BE UPSCALE LIVING.
IF YOU'VE BEEN TO DTN'S ASPEN LAKES PROPERTY, IN HOLT, IT IS AN UPSCALE COMMUNITY.
NOT ONLY THAT, THEY'VE DONE A LOT TO DEVELOP COMMUNITY THERE'S, A VERY ACTIVE COMMUNITY CENTER, LOTS OF PARTIES AND EVENTS THERE, IN NON COVID TIMES, OF COURSE.
BUT SO WE ALSO TEND TO THINK, WELL, ONLY NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE COMMUNITY, ONLY NEIGHBORHOODS STAY TOGETHER.
WELL, IF A PROPERTY IS RUN RIGHT, A RENTAL COMMUNITY, A RENTAL HOMES AND FAMILIES LIVING THERE CAN HAVE AN EQUALLY HIGH LEVEL OF COMMUNITY CONNECTION AND DEVELOPMENT.
SO I REALLY WANT US TO BE WARY OF LABELING RENTERS AS TRANSIENTS OR AN PEOPLE WHO DON'T MAKE A COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY AND AS TRUSTEE OPSOMMER POINTED OUT THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WILL ALLOW US TO POSSIBLY REOPEN WARDCLIFF AND KEEP OUR SCHOOLS HEALTHY AND VIBRANT HERE IN OKEMOS, AS WELL AS IN HASLETT ALL THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP.
SO THESE RENTAL COMMUNITIES WE'VE GOT TO TAKE THE DEROGATORY CONNOTATION OFF THAT WORD BECAUSE IT'S THE REALITY IS PEOPLE CHOOSE NOT TO BUY.
THAT SITUATION GOT EVEN MORE PRONOUNCED TWO YEARS AGO WHEN THE INCOME TAX LAWS CHANGED AND THE PERSONAL EXEMPTION WAS DOUBLED.
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO USED TO ITEMIZE AND THEREFORE WANTED TO HAVE A MORTGAGE TO HELP REDUCE THEIR TAXES LOST THAT INCENTIVE AS WELL.
SO THESE ARE CHANGING ECONOMIC TIMES AND WE NEED TO EMBRACE THEM AND REALIZE WE NEED A DIVERSITY OF HOUSING.
TRASHING THIS PROPERTY BECAUSE IT INVOLVES REAL COMMUNITIES, I THINK IS REALLY WRONG, AND I APPRECIATE SOME OF THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION THAT
[02:55:01]
THE APPLICANTS PROVIDE US ON THE CHANGING NATURE OF RENTAL HOUSING AND THE FACT THESE ARE RENTAL HOMES THAT ARE FULLY HOUSED AND NOURISHED, WHOLE FAMILIES THAT LIVE THERE BY CHOICE.SO THANK YOU FOR HELPING US UNDERSTAND THAT OUR REGION WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS DIVERSITY AND HOUSING OPTIONS AS WELL.
BUT GETTING THAT INDIVIDUAL POINT, I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE AGREEABLE TO ADDING SOME SIGNIFICANT FORESTRY FORCED BOUNDARY BETWEEN POWELL WROTE IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND THAT YOU'RE OPEN TO TO REDUCING THE DENSITY AS WELL.
A COUPLE OF SUPERVISORS HAD COMMENTS, AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CONTROVERSY ABOUT THIS, BUT THIS IS A REZONING, NOT AN ACTUAL PLAN THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS JUST SOME THINGS ON PAPER THAT COULD GO AWAY TOMORROW.
THE ZONING ONCE WE CHANGE IT IT'S CHANGED AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE WHAT THEY'RE TELLING US.
IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE THIS OWNER IT CAN BE SOMEONE ELSE.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE FOUR POINTS THAT WERE RAISED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE ANSWERS TO THOSE IN A WAY THAT CHANGES THE RESULT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
ONE OF THE THINGS THEY SAID WAS THAT THE APPLICANT HAS NOT ADEQUATELY DEMONSTRATED WHY THE REQUEST TO REZONING TO RD IS APPROPRIATE AND WHY THE CURRENT RA ZONING.
DO WE HAPPEN TO HAVE THAT? CAN WE GET THAT? AND THE OTHER ONE WAS THE SUBJECT PROPERLY COULD BE DEVELOPED AS CURRENTLY ZONED, WHICH IS FOR A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, MOST OF IT, NOT ALL OF IT.
ACROSS THE STREET IS TO THE NORTH IS YOU KNOW, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THAT AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A REZONING HERE.
ANY BOARD MEMBERS WANT TO COMMENT, OTHER THAN THAT, SOMEBODY [INAUDIBLE] OPEN ALREADY, IF THAT WE WILL GO TO MR. DESCHAINE.
GO AHEAD PHIL TO ANSWER YOUR SECOND QUESTION.
I THINK IF NOT THIS APPLICANT, ANOTHER APPLICANT COULD DEVELOP THIS MUCH AS IT'S DEVELOPED TO THE NORTH CENTRAL PARK ESTATES.
THE QUESTION IS, DO WE AS A BOARD WANT TO HAVE THAT KIND OF MONO OR LACK OF DIVERSE HOUSING OPTIONS, OR DO WE WANT TO OPEN UP THIS TOWNSHIP TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY, HIGH END RENTAL HOUSING, AS WELL AS SINGLE FAMILY TRADITIONAL HOUSING.
AND THE APPLICANT HAS GIVEN US THAT OPTION.
SO RATHER THAN TO TURN THE ARGUMENTS ON HIS HEAD RATHER THAN BEING A DETRIMENT TO IT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE SAME AS THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
IT DOES PROVIDE SOME DIVERSITY IN HOUSING, WHICH IN MANY WAYS IS LACKING IN MUCH OF THE TOWNSHIP.
ON THE FIRST PASS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I'M ACTUALLY INTRIGUED BY THE POSSIBILITY OF MIXED HOUSING TYPES ON A SITE, BUT I AM FUNDAMENTALLY OPPOSED TO THE IDEA OF REZONING THIS PROPERTY FROM SINGLE FAMILY SINGLE RA SINGLE FAMILY TO RD WHICH HOLDS THE POTENTIAL OF 16 UNITS PER ACRE TO GET THIS DIVERSITY OF HOUSING.
I AM NOT SURE WHETHER THERE IS ANOTHER WAY TO PROVIDE THE MIXED HOUSING TYPES WITHOUT THE LEVEL OF DENSITY THAT IS BEING PROPOSED ON IN THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
TO GO FROM SINGLE FAMILY TO 16 UNITS PER ACRE IS A HUGE JUMP AND IS HERE A JUMP PROPOSED NOT BECAUSE OF CHANGING CONDITIONS AROUND THE PROPERTY OR IN THE AREA.
I'M NOT SURE WHY THAT KIND OF DENSITY IS BEING PROPOSED IN THIS SITUATION.
I'M SORRY, [INAUDIBLE] CORRECT TRUSTEE JACKSON RD ZONING WOULD ALLOW FOR A MAXIMUM OF EIGHT, NOT 16 UNITS.
IN THE STAFF REPORT, THIS IS JUST OVER A LITTLE BIT OVER SIX UNITS PER ACRE PROPOSED ON WHAT THEY'RE SHOWING YOU.
[03:00:03]
YES, GO AHEAD, I WOULD ALSO NOTE THAT IT IS A CONDITIONAL REZONING.WHICH REQUIRES NO GREATER THAN TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY UNITS AND SPECIFICALLY CALLS FOR, IN THE CONDITION, 25 SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING UNITS.
SO IN THOSE TERMS, I GUESS TO TRY AND ANSWER TRUSTEE JACKSON'S QUESTIONS, WE WOULD AGREE THAT SIMPLY GOING TO RD WOULD ALLOW ANYBODY TO DO THOSE THINGS.
THAT'S WHY WE PRESENTED IT AS A CONDITIONAL ZONING TO PUT THOSE LIMITS INTO IT IF YOU WERE TO ADOPT IT AND TRY AND PIN THAT DOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE SO THAT YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE SIMPLY HAND IT OFF TO AN APARTMENT DEVELOPER WHO COULD DO COME IN AND SAY, I'M ENTITLED TO EIGHT UNITS PER ACRE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF BOARD MEMBERS.
CAN WE HERE FROM THOSE WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM.
I SHARE SEVERAL OF THE SENTIMENTS THAT TRUSTEE JACKSON DOES AS WELL IN REGARDS TO OPPOSING THIS REZONING.
I LOVE THIS PROJECT, I LOVE THE CONCEPT AND THE IDEA I'M NOT IN LOVE WITH THE LOCATION OF IT, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT OUR CURRENT HOUSING STOCK IS, WHAT OUR RENTAL STOCK IS, WHAT THE NEED IS TO HAVE RENTAL PROPERTY IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
I AGREE WITH DESCHAINE'S COMMENT IN REGARDS TO THE TYPE OF RHETORIC USED FOR PEOPLE WHO RENT.
I'VE ALSO HEARD PEOPLE SAY THAT RENTERS DON'T REALLY INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY.
MY MOTHER'S BEEN A RENTER FOR, I DON'T KNOW, 30 YEARS.
SHE'S LIVED IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SHE'S HIGHLY INVESTED IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I KNOW SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE ARE.
AND MY HUSBAND AND I WOULD PROBABLY LOVE TO SELL OUR THREE THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT HOME AND DOWNSIZE TO SOMETHING WE DON'T HAVE TO MOW THE LAWN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO I TOTALLY GET THE CONCEPT AND I LOVE THIS CONCEPT.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS IN AN AREA THAT IS MORE WALKABLE WHEN I THINK ABOUT OKEMOS SCHOOLS AND I THINK ABOUT WARDCLIFF AND I THINK ABOUT EDGEWOOD AND I THINK ABOUT CORNELL WOODS AND BENNETT WOODS.
AND HIAWATHA, I THINK THOSE SCHOOLS ARE LOCATED IN NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY ARE WALKABLE.
THOSE KIDS CAN WALK TO THOSE SCHOOLS, PARENTS CAN WALK, THEIR CHILDREN CAN BIKE THERE.
AND THE PROJECT THAT'S BEING BUILT OVER [INAUDIBLE] IS A FANTASTIC PROJECT AND FULLY SUPPORTS WALKABILITY AND BIKE ABILITY AND LESS GAS EMISSIONS.
AND SO I HAVE A REALLY HARD TIME WITH THIS PROJECT AND THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION.
AND I AM CONCERNED AND I DON'T KNOW I'M THE NEWEST BOARD MEMBER AND I DON'T KNOW.
AND HAVE A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIRECTION OF WHERE THE BOARD WANTS TO GO IN REGARDS TO THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP AND THE MASTER PLAN AND HOW MUCH WETLANDS OR GREEN SPACE IS OUT THERE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BUILD UPON.
AND SO I'M CONFUSED BY THAT, AND I, TOO, I WALKED THE PROPERTY THIS WEEKEND I WALKED IT FOR OVER AN HOUR AND WENT BACK THERE.
I'M NOT A SUPER BIG NATURE GIRL, SO IT TOOK A LOT FOR ME TO ACTUALLY WALK AMONG THE TREES AND INTO THE WOODS.
AND I MEAN ITS NOT REALLY WOODS BUT PART OF IT IS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A DEEP APPRECIATION FOR HABITAT AND WILDLIFE.
AND I BELIEVE THIS TOWNSHIP STILL HAS THAT APPRECIATION AS WELL.
AND I FEEL AS IF THIS TOWNSHIP HAS A LOT OF EMPTY STOCK THAT I WISH THIS TYPE
[03:05:07]
OF PROJECT.I'M NOT A DEVELOPER OF THIS TYPE OF PROJECT COULD TAKE UP THAT SPACE OR GO TO THE MALL AND TAKE UP THAT YOUNGER SPACE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT AGAIN, IT ALSO GOES BACK TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE, AND I COULD SAY THE SAME THING FOR HASLETT AS WELL AND THE WALKABILITY FOR FAMILIES AND HAVING THIS FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD FOR AROUND THE SCHOOLS.
BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVEN'T BEEN HEARD FROM YET.
WE DON'T HAVE MS. WISINSKI HERE, SO I THINK WE'VE HEARD FROM EVERYBODY.
IF I COULD GO BACK TO SHARING MY SCREEN AGAIN.
TO THE CLERK'S COMMENT, IN SOME WAYS, THIS IS A WALKABLE COMMUNITY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP HERE, WE'VE GOT FIRST OF ALL, OKEMOS PUBLIC SCHOOLS OWNS THIS LAND TO THE EAST AND FOR A FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS ANY SPECIFIC PLANS TO BUILD A SCHOOL NOW, BUT TO WITHIN A QUARTER MILE OF HERE IS CORNELL WOODS ELEMENTARY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THAT SCHOOL IS A WONDERFUL SCHOOL, BUT IT'S BUSTING AT THE SEAMS RIGHT NOW.
AND SO YOU WOULD HAVE WALKABILITY HERE.
YOU'VE GOT A DEPARTMENT STORE, YOU'VE GOT A FURNITURE STORE, YOU'VE GOT A HARDWARE STORE, YOU'VE GOT A CAR DEALERSHIP, YOU'VE GOT A QUALITY DAIRY.
YOU'VE GOT CHINESE FOOD [INAUDIBLE], HIGHLY WALKABLE AREAS ALL AROUND HERE.
I DIDN'T LITERALLY SEE IT AT THIS WAY AT FIRST, BUT THIS REALLY IS THE KIND OF INFILL DEVELOPMENT WE ARE HOPING TO HAVE TO GIVE THE DENSITY THAT THE MALL NEEDS AND THAT THE [INAUDIBLE] IS GOING TO NEED AND KROGER'S IS GOING TO NEED TO STAY VIABLE IN THIS VERY, VERY COMPETITIVE AND DIFFICULT RETAIL ENVIRONMENT.
SO WITH THE WAY WE BUILD BIKE PATHS AND REQUIRE BIKE PATHS THROUGHOUT THE TOWNSHIP, WE KNOW THIS WILL BE WALKABLE.
WE KNOW WE'LL HAVE PLENTY OF SPACES FOR BIKES AND PEDESTRIANS THROUGHOUT HERE.
SO WITHIN A QUARTER MILE OF THESE APARTMENT HOMES, THOSE CAN BE AN AWFUL LOT OF AREAS THAT PEOPLE COULD WALK TO, EVEN WHEN THE WEATHER IS IDEAL, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ASKING THEM TO WALK A MILE OR TWO.
SO WE DO HAVE A WALKABLE AREA HERE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE THE TOP GRAPHICAL VIEW OF THIS AREA, CENTRAL PARK IS DEVELOPING THE WAY I THINK WE EXPECTED IT TO 20 YEARS AGO WHEN IT WAS FIRST DEVELOPED.
SO I THINK WE DO ACHIEVE SOME OF THE WALKABILITY THAT YOU SPOKE OF CLERK GUTHRIE WITH WHAT CURRENTLY EXISTS.
SOMEONE WHO'S SIGNATURE, MAY HAVE APPEARED ON A DEED FOR THAT PROPERTY, TOO OKEMOS SCHOOLS.
I COULD TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO PLANS WHATSOEVER AS THE LIAISON TO THE DISTRICT TO BUILD ON THAT.
BUT THEY HAVEN'T LET GO OF IT YET, JUST IN CASE.
WE HAD A SIMILAR PROPERTY WE BOUGHT ABOUT THE SAME TIME SOUTH OF THE FREEWAY THAT ONE THEY DID LET GO OF.
BETTER I'M SORRY TO INTERJECT.
THAT WOULD MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE TO ME BECAUSE I DON'T SEE FAMILIES WALKING ACROSS GRAND RIVER TO GO TO [INAUDIBLE] OR ANYTHING.
I WENT TO CORNELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHEN I WAS A KID.
YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T WALK TO CORNELL.
I TOOK THE BUS AND I JUST DON'T SEE FAMILIES WALKING THEIR KIDS TO THE CORNELL OR GO CROSSING GRAND RIVER TO GO PLAY AT THE PLAYGROUND OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, AND I UNDERSTAND THIS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT HAS THOSE THINGS IN MIND AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND LIKE I SAID, I REALLY DO LOVE THIS PROJECT AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS REGARDING WALKABILITY, BIKEABILITY.
ON THE PLUS SIDE, WHAT I SEE HERE IS A TRANSITIONAL THAT'S BEEN MENTIONED EARLIER THIS EVENING, BUT AS YOU KNOW, FOR HAVING SINGLE FAMILY FREE-STANDING TYPE UNITS ALONG THE POWELL ROAD SIDE AND ONLY SLOWLY GRADUATING TO THE MULTI FAMILY TYPE STRUCTURES AT THE CENTRAL PARK SIDE, I THINK THAT'S AN ADVANTAGE, THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOOD PLANNING.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, OUR LONG RANGE PLAN CALLS FOR THIS TO BE SINGLE FAMILY.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE ADOPTED JUST AS RECENTLY AS, YOU KNOW, THREE YEARS AGO.
[03:10:02]
KEEP THAT IN MIND.YES, I THINK I REMEMBER EARLIER IN THIS DISCUSSION YOU RAISED A QUESTION THAT HAD COME FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION ABOUT.
WHY WE NEED THIS KIND OF DEVELOPMENT OF RENTAL PROPERTY IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYONE ADDRESS THAT QUESTION DIRECTLY.
I THINK TREASURER [INAUDIBLE] APPLICANT HAS THAT'S FOR SURE.
WELL, YES, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE SCHOOLS NEEDING MORE STUDENTS AND.
WELL YOU GET MORE STUDENTS FROM [INAUDIBLE] FAMILY HOMES THAN YOU WOULD FROM THIS PROJECT, BECAUSE FROM BASED ON STATISTICS, APARTMENTS ONLY PROVIDE SOMETHING LIKE SIX STUDENTS PER UNIT, WHEREAS HOUSING PROVIDES CLOSER TO TWO.
BUT THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER SUBJECT.
AND SO STILL THE QUESTION IS STILL LAYING OUT THERE, LOOKING FOR A GOOD ANSWER.
WELL, I'D BE GLAD TO TAKE A SWING AT IT.
YES, I THINK RAJE STARTED THAT DISCUSSION AT THE BEGINNING IN HIS PUBLIC COMMENT, WHICH IS TO SAY WHAT THEY'RE FINDING AT THE COMMUNITIES THEY'VE BUILT IN HOLT AND DEWITT, ASPEN LAKES AND THE QUARRY IS THAT THEY'RE GETTING THE KINDS OF NUMBERS OF KIDS WHICH ARE DIFFERENT THAN MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXPECTED IN THE PAST TO GO TO SCHOOLS.
AND THEY'RE GETTING A DIFFERENT FAMILY THAN WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST THAT WOULD EXPECT TO GO TO RENTAL HOMES.
AND I USE THE TERM RENTAL HOMES ADVISEDLY BECAUSE THIS ISN'T AN APARTMENT PROJECT AND IT'S NOT INTENDED TO BE AS TRUSTEE OPSOMMER SAID, IT TAKES ACCOUNT OF AND LOOKS AT.
YOU HAVE A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT RUNS FROM CENTRAL PARK DRIVE WHERE YOU HAVE COMMERCIAL ZONING AND YOU HAVE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
AND OUR VIEW IS, IS THAT THE LAST THING THAT YOU NEED ALONG THIS RIGHT HERE IS MORE RETAIL.
THERE'S PLENTY OF RETAIL AND FRANKLY, IT'S STRUGGLING IN MANY CASES.
WHAT THAT RETAIL CAN USE IS ADDITIONAL CUSTOMERS.
SO IF IF WE TAKE THE INTENSE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S ALREADY THERE ALONG CENTRAL PARK DRIVE AND TRY AND TRANSITION IT ACROSS THE SITE SO THAT IT BECOMES LESS AND LESS DENSE AND BECOMES A SINGLE FAMILY, ESSENTIALLY EQUIVALENT TO OR LESS THAN WHAT COULD BE DONE IN RA, THE SITE CAN BE DEVELOPED IN A WAY THAT CREATES A TRANSITION EXACTLY THE WAY THE ACTUAL DEVELOPMENT SHOULD TRANSITION.
AS TO THE NEED, THE NEED IS WHERE THIS HAS BEEN BUILT IN SIMILAR COMMUNITIES WHERE YOU'VE GOT NEARBY COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IS YOU HAVE TREMENDOUS DEMAND FOR EXACTLY THIS PRODUCT, WHICH IS, AS I SAID, ALSO AT PUBLIC COMMENT TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION, WHICH COULD BE SOLD, BUT WHICH IS INSTEAD BEING OFFERED FOR RENT.
THESE SAME BUILDINGS MIGHT BE BUILT AND EITHER SOLD TO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES OR AS CONDOS.
BUT THERE ARE MANY, MANY PEOPLE, AS THE TREASURER SAID, WHO WANT TO BE ABLE TO RENT GOOD QUALITY, HIGH END HOUSING.
THEY HAVE THE INCOME TO AFFORD IT, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO MAKE THE DOWN PAYMENT.
THEY DO STAY LONG TERM AND THEY DO REALLY BUILD COMMUNITY.
AND THAT IN ITSELF HAS A REAL ATTRACTION.
AND I THINK IT REALLY IS THE CASE THAT CERTAINLY AS A BABY BOOMER MYSELF, I BRING MY OWN SIMILAR PREJUDICE TO IT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS BOUGHT A HOUSE.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO PREFER NOT TO.
AND THAT'S REALLY THE REASON FOR DOING THIS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
AND THAT CREATES A DIFFERENT KIND OF HOUSING, WHICH REALLY ISN'T AVAILABLE IN
[03:15:04]
THE TOWNSHIP AS TO WHERE IT SHOULD GO WE'VE LOOKED AROUND THE TOWNSHIP AND CAN'T, FRANKLY, TO BE HONEST, THINK OF A BETTER PLACE TO PUT THIS.IT IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE COMMERCIAL CORE OF THE TOWNSHIP, THE EARLIER DISCUSSION WITH THE MERIDIAN MALL, WHERE WE'RE JUST TRYING TO SAVE AN ACRE AND A HALF IN FRONT OF THE MALL BECAUSE THE REST IS COMPLETELY CARPETED WITH PARKING AND ALL UP AND DOWN CENTRAL PARK DRIVE.
ALL OF THAT DEVELOPMENT IS THERE.
THIS IS A PLACE TO PUT CUSTOMERS FOR THOSE BUSINESSES.
THIS IS A PLACE TO PUT PEOPLE WHO CAN WALK THERE BUT ALSO HAVE THEIR OWN AMENITIES RIGHT THERE.
SO, YES, EVERYBODY DOESN'T WANT TO HAVE TO TAKE A FOUR YEAR OLD AND RUN ACROSS GRAND RIVER.
BUT THAT'S PART OF THE COMMUNITY HERE IS TO TAKE THE EXISTING WETLAND, WHICH PRESERVES MUCH OF THE PROPERTY, WHICH CREATES AN INNER GREEN SPACE THAT'S ALREADY THERE, TRY TO REFOREST THE POWELL ROAD SIDE WITH SOME COMBINATION OF DECIDUOUS AND CONIFERS SO THAT YOU'LL HAVE SOME IMMEDIATE SCREENING.
BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO LOOK LIKE THAT THING WHERE IT JUST LOOKS LIKE SCREENING TO GIVE THE DECIDUOUS TREES A CHANCE TO BUILD UP.
AND, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, DTN HAS DONE THAT IN THE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT THEY'VE BUILT.
AND OVER THE YEARS THAT HAS GROWN IN SUCCESSFULLY FOR THOSE REASONS, WE THINK THIS IS EXACTLY THE RIGHT PLACE TO PUT IT.
TO BE FAIR, TRUSTEE JACKSON, I'VE GOT TO TRY AND COME UP WITH A BETTER ANSWER FOR YOU FOR WHY WOULD YOU CHANGE THIS FROM RA WHEN THAT'S THE WAY IT'S SHOWN ON THE MASTER PLAN? THAT'S SORT OF THIS WAS SORT OF A MORE GENERAL RUN AT IT.
BUT I'LL TRY AND BE MORE SPECIFIC AND BRING THAT BACK TO YOU.
I WILL MAKE ONE FINAL ONE, I WOULD FEEL BETTER IF THE VOLUNTARY CONDITIONS INCLUDED A LITTLE STRONGER LANGUAGE ON THE NO FEWER THAN 25 SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING UNITS INDICATING THEIR LOCATION BEING THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE PROPERTY.
I ALSO LOOKED AT OTHER SITES ACROSS THE TOWNSHIP, AND I THINK WE ALL HAVE AT SOME POINT IN TIME, AND I THINK MY OPINION, YOU KNOW, THIS POWELL ROAD AREA REALLY IS THE HARD STOP ON THE GRAND RIVER FRONTAGE TO THE RURAL CHARACTER OF THE TOWNSHIP.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE GREEN SPACE PLAN.
WHILE POWELL ROAD IS NOT A NATURAL BEAUTY ROAD, WE DO HAVE IN OUR GREENSPACE PLAN THE INTENT OF PRESERVING AND ENHANCING THE SCENIC ROAD CORRIDOR ON POWELL ROAD.
THE LAND IN QUESTION, THOUGH, WE HAVE NOT DETERMINED.
YOU KNOW, AS A PRIORITY FOR CONSERVATION IN THE FUTURE, THERE'S NO PRIORITY CORRIDOR OR ANYWHERE REALLY IN THE VICINITY OTHER THAN THE EASTERN SIDE OF POWELL ROAD.
SO I'M WILLING TO FURTHER THE CONVERSATION ON THIS AND KEEP DISCUSSING IT.
ONE THOUGHT THAT I HAVE RELATIVE TO SUPERVISOR STYKA'S COMMENT.
YOU KNOW, WITH THE LAND THAT NEWTON POINT WAS PROPOSED AT NEWTON AND SAGGINAW HIGHWAY, THAT WAS A REZONING THAT CAME WITH FOUR DIFFERENT REGIONS THAT WERE CODIFIED INTO A REZONING OF THAT LAND BACK IN THE MID 2000'S.
AND SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT THE APPLICANT MIGHT LOOK AT AND GLEAN FROM THAT SPECIFIC REZONING.
BECAUSE REALLY HERE WE DON'T HAVE FOUR UNIQUE AREAS, I THINK HERE WE HAVE TWO VERY DISTINCT AREAS.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT LAND UP ALONG CENTRAL PARK REALLY NEEDS TO BE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL HOUSING, THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE PRETTY UNIQUE.
THERE ISN'T ANY SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL HOUSING ALONG CENTRAL PARK.
CENTRAL PARK ESTATES HAS A HUGE WOODLAND BUFFER BETWEEN CENTRAL PARK AND IT.
SO THIS KIND OF DEVELOPMENT IS ACTUALLY MORE FITTING ON CENTRAL PARK, BUT IT HAS NO
[03:20:04]
PLACE ON POWELL ROAD AND WHEN IF YOU VISIT THE SITE TODAY, THERE JUST ISN'T ANYWHERE NEAR THE KIND OF SCREENING THERE.SO THIS PLAN, EVEN WITH SCALING DOWN, MAKES ME VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AND I DON'T THINK WOULD BE FITTING AT ALL.
BUT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONFORMING TO THE GREENSPACE PLAN, WHICH WAS ADOPTED IN THE MASTER PLAN, AND REFORESTING TO PROVIDE THAT SCENIC ROAD AESTHETIC WHICH WE HAVE CODIFIED, AND IF THERE COULD BE ZONES CREATED SIMILAR TO OTHER REZONINGS TO CAPTURE THE UNIQUE AESTHETIC OF THESE TWO VASTLY DIFFERENT AREAS, I'M CERTAINLY WILLING TO FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS.
AND ANY DEVELOPMENT IN OKEMOS SCHOOLS, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IS WORTH LOOKING AT.
THE LAST I SPOKE TO OKEMOS THEY WERE ANYWHERE FROM TWO HUNDRED TO TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY PUPILS FROM REOPENING.
WE DO HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD GOING IN NEXT TO BENNETT ELEMENTARY AND THE TOWNHOMES FOR [INAUDIBLE] THAT WE DISCUSSED EARLIER THIS EVENING, ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ATTRACTS YOUNG PUPILS MIGHT GET US VERY CLOSE TO HAVING ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS OPEN IN THE TOWNSHIP, WHICH WOULD BE AN ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO I'M NOT WRITING THIS PROJECT OFF.
IT IS A VERY DELICATE AREA AND I'M NOT WILLING TO JEOPARDIZE THE RURAL AESTHETIC OF POWELL ROAD.
BUT THIS CERTAINLY IS A UNIQUE AREA BECAUSE IT ALSO BORDERS OUR MOST INTENSIVE COMMERCIAL AREA OF THE ENTIRE TOWNSHIP AND THE C THREE CATEGORY.
SO IT'S DEFINITELY A VERY FIRM BOUNDARY IN THE SAND AND A DIFFICULT PROJECT.
BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH HAVING SOME FURTHER DISCUSSION ON.
AND THOSE ARE JUST SOME HISTORICAL THINGS THAT COME TO MIND AS WE LOOK AT THIS.
ALRIGHT I FULLY INTEND TO HAVE THIS COME BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND, YOU KNOW, YOU EXPRESS A DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, MY THOUGHTS WERE FIRST ABOUT THE TRANSITIONAL FLOW FROM SINGLE FAMILY ALONG POWELL ROAD AND THEN THE [INAUDIBLE] CENTRAL PARK [INAUDIBLE] DOING IT BY A DISTRICT THAT FITS FINE.
I WAS CONCERNED THAT WE HAVE SOME SORT OF SOLID COMMITMENT IN TERMS OF A CONDITION THAT THE SINGLE FAMILY STUFF WOULD BE ALONG WITH MAYBE TWO OR THREE [INAUDIBLE] ALONG POWELL ROAD SO THAT IT FITS THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE ALREADY THERE OR THAT ARE GOING IN.
MR. DESCHAINE ARE WE ABOUT READY TO WRAP THIS UP.
WE ARE TRUSTEE JACKSON DID ASK A GOOD QUESTION.
WHY MAKE ANY CHANGE AT ALL FROM THE CURRENT ZONING? AND TO ME THE ANSWER IS TWOFOLD.
ONE IS DIVERSITY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
IF THIS AREA IS DEVELOPED AS A ZONE NOW, WHAT WILL BE DEVELOPED BE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND ALL THE ECONOMIC DATA IN OUR TOWNSHIP AND NATIONWIDE IS THAT THE HOMES THAT ARE BEING BUILT NOW, SELL FOR BETWEEN THREE FIFTY CLOSER TO FOUR AND THOUSAND AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
THAT'S WHAT'S BEING DEVELOPED NEAR BENNETT WOODS.
THAT'S THE GEORGETOWN ESTATES.
THAT'S A HEFTY MONTHLY PAYMENT, THREE, FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH IN MANY CASES.
SO YOU WILL ATTRACT FAMILIES, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE YOUNG FAMILIES.
YOU'RE GOING TO ATTRACT FAMILIES AND MAYBE STILL HAVE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS, MORE LIKELY COLLEGE KIDS.
THIS WOULD BE THEIR SECOND OR THIRD HOME.
SO THE IDEA OF ATTRACTING YOUNG FAMILIES WITH MORE SINGLE FAMILY DEVELOPMENT WITH THE CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS JUST ISN'T PRAGMATIC.
DEVELOPERS AREN'T BUILDING QUARTER MILLION DOLLAR HOUSES IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP OR ANYWHERE RIGHT NOW.
SO IF WE WANT TO HAVE DIVERSITY, WE WANT TO ATTRACT YOUNG FAMILIES.
TRULY, THE ONLY OPTION WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PROVIDE A HIGH QUALITY RENTAL HOUSING COMMUNITY SUCH AS THIS ONE, BECAUSE NO ONE'S BUILDING THE AFFORDABLE ENTRY LEVEL HOMES ANYMORE.
ALL RIGHT, AND WE'LL HAVE US BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND WE'LL SEE WHAT KIND OF LITTLE CHANGES MAY OCCUR HERE, MR. [INAUDIBLE].
MR. KYES, WHOEVER ELSE IS STILL OUT THERE, MR. WE APPRECIATE IT.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS PROPOSED ZONING AMENDMENT FOR CAR DEALERSHIPS, AND THIS IS A
[13C. Proposed Zoning Amendment for Car Dealerships]
PROPOSAL THAT WAS ALTHOUGH I JOINED [INAUDIBLE] MERELY SPEARHEADED BY OUR TRUSTEE OPSOMMER AND THE STAFF TOOK IT AND RAN WITH IT.AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE DAN INTRODUCE IT.
SO AFTER THE REZONING OF THE LA FONTAINE SITE, AT GRAND RIVER AND POWELL ROAD,
[03:25:01]
WHICH WAS DISCUSSED A BIT DURING THE PREVIOUS AGENDA ITEM, I HAD A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS CONTACT ME AND INQUIRE.AND THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY IT WAS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT THAT WAS GRANTED TO ALLOW FONTAINE THAT DID NOT COME BEFORE THE BOARD, SO I HAD TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON WHAT THE YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR ORDINANCE ZONING ORDINANCE PRETENDED ON THAT.
AND WHAT I FOUND WAS THAT BACK IN 2007, THE BOARD WAS CONTEMPLATING A REZONING REQUEST THAT WAS BEFORE IT FOR THE AUTO COLLECTION, WHICH IS THE AUTO DEALERSHIP, ON JOLLY ROAD, JUST EAST OF OKEMOS ROAD.
WE ACTUALLY HAD AN APPLICATION BEFORE US RECENTLY FROM THEM.
SO AT THAT TIME, THEY WERE LOOKING TO EXPAND THEIR DEALERSHIP.
THE BOARD DID NOT SUPPORT EXPANDING THAT SPECIFIC DEALERSHIPS OR THEY WERE LOOKING TO UP ZONE THE ADJACENT PARCEL TO EXPAND THEIR DEALERSHIP.
THAT BOARD CHOSE NOT TO SUPPORT THE REZONING, HOWEVER, AND I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS.
I JUST KNOW WHAT I WAS ABLE TO GLEAN AND DISCERN FROM MARK AND PETER INSTEAD OF CHANGING THE ZONING FROM C TWO TO C THREE ON THAT ADJACENT PARCEL THAT WAS PROPOSED.
THEY AMENDED THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
AND SO THEY FOR THE FIRST TIME ALLOWED AUTO DEALERSHIPS IN C2 NOT JUST C THREE.
SO THAT WAS WHAT SPARKED OR CREATED THE ABILITY TO CREATE AN AUTO DEALERSHIP IN C2 LIKE THE PARCEL AT POWELL ROAD IN GRAND RIVER, AND OBVIOUSLY IF YOU LOOK AT THE ZONING MAP, C TWO PARCELS ARE MUCH MORE PREVALENT THROUGHOUT THE TOWNSHIP.
THEY'RE LESS INTENSIVE, MORE RESTRICTIVE COMMERCIAL USE.
AND IN DOING THAT RESEARCH, I FOUND IT A LITTLE STRANGE AND PERPLEXING THAT.
IT SEEMED LIKE THE AMENDMENT WAS KIND OF A ONE OFF, THEY WERE DEALING WITH AN ISSUE, A SPECIFIC REZONING BEFORE THEN.
AND INSTEAD OF NARROWLY, NARROWLY HANDLING THAT REZONING REQUEST, THEY AMENDED THE ZONING ACT AND CREATED BROADLY EXPANDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEALERSHIPS.
REALLY, WHAT MY ZONING ORDINANCE THAT'S BEFORE YOU, YOU KNOW, THE REAL QUESTION THAT IT POSES IS DO DEALERSHIPS REQUIRE SPECIAL CARE? AND WHAT I'VE PROPOSED IS THAT THEY DO, NAMELY BECAUSE THEY BUILD OUT AT THE MAXIMUM IMPERVIOUS THRESHOLD ALLOWED UNDER THE ZONING IN ALMOST EVERY INSTANCE VERSUS PROJECTS LIKE ANDEV OKEMOS ELEVATION NEWTON POINT AND MANY OF THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT COME BEFORE THE BOARD OF A SIMILAR SIZE AND SCALE, THOSE TEND TO BE IN THE 50 TO 60 RANGE FOR PERVIOUS TO IMPERVIOUS.
THEY ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, APPROACHING THAT 70 PERCENT THRESHOLD, WHICH WILLIAMS AUTO WORLD, I BELIEVE WAS OUR LEAST WAS OUR BEST ACTOR.
AND THEN THEY RECENTLY JUST CAME BACK AND WANTED TO EXPAND THEIR SHOWROOM AND ARE NOW AT 70 PERCENT, ESSENTIALLY LIKE THE OTHERS.
SO I DO THINK THERE SHOULD BE SPECIAL CARE WHEN DEALING WITH AUTO DEALERSHIPS AND THEIR SITE PLANS AND THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT REVIEW.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT APPROACHES WE COULD TAKE, BUT THIS WAS MY APPROACH REQUIRING BOARD REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF THESE PROJECTS.
AND MOST OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE REVIEW ARE BECAUSE THEY ARE TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND SQUARE FEET OR GREATER AUTO DEALERSHIPS ARE UNIQUE.
THEY HAVE SMALL SHOWROOMS, HUGE PARKING LOTS, BUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF AN AUTO DEALERSHIP IS NOT UNLIKE A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD OTHERWISE COME BEFORE US.
THAT'S THE NATURE OF THE AMENDMENT.
AND I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK.
NO ONE BESIDES DAN AND I [LAUGHTER] ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS ON THIS.
IS IT AGREED WITH OPPOSED MS. JACKSON ANY THOUGHTS.
I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AN SUP REVIEW WOULD ALLOW US TO.
HOW WOULD IT ALLOW US TO IMPACT AN ISSUE LIKE THE IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE?
[03:30:06]
LEGALLY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, UNLIKE A REZONING WHICH HAS MUCH STRICTER LEGAL STANDARDS UNDER STATE LAW, WE CAN DENY A SPECIAL USE PERMIT LEGALLY AND NOT FACE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS FOR ANY REASON, PETER AND MARK.CAN YOU ELABORATE ON WHAT OUR ORDINANCE ENCOURAGES US TO LOOK AT FOR THE SUP'S.
INTENDED FOR ALLOWING THOSE UNIQUE TYPE OF USES IN A DISTRICT WHERE THEY MAY BE APPROPRIATE IN ONE LOCATION AND NOT APPROPRIATE IN ANOTHER LOCATION.
SO THAT REVIEW OF THOSE PROJECTS TO MAKE SURE IT'S APPROPRIATE IN THE CRITERIA THAT CAN BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT APPROVAL IS GOES WITH THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY.
A DRIVE THROUGH RESTAURANT NEXT TO A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE WHERE IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF AND SURROUNDED BY OTHER COMMERCIAL USES, IT'S APPROPRIATE.
SO IT'S THOSE UNIQUENESS OF CHARACTER.
DOES THIS SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND AS TRUSTEE OPSOMMER INDICATED RIGHT NOW, IN C2 ZONING AND IT'S ONLY A NEW CAR DEALERSHIP IS ALLOWED BY SPECIAL USE PERMIT SUBJECT TO PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVAL.
CURRENTLY, CAR DEALERSHIPS ARE NEW OR USED ARE ALLOWED BY RIGHT IN A C THREE.
THIS WOULD GIVE THE BOARD THE OPPORTUNITY WHETHER THE DEALERSHIP WAS IN C 2 OR C 3 THE FINAL REVIEW AND DETERMINATION IF A SPECIAL USE PERMIT SHOULD BE GRANTED.
AND I CHOSE TO LEAVE, I CHOSE TO APPLY THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO C THREE BECAUSE I GET HISTORICALLY WHY WE WOULD HAVE WANTED TO FORCE AUTO DEALERSHIPS TO C THREE.
THAT WAS OUR INTENSE COMMERCIAL USE AND IT WAS SUBURBAN IN NATURE.
AND THERE WAS NO INTENT OF TRANSFORMING IT IN ANY WAY.
BUT TODAY, IT'S ALMOST COUNTERINTUITIVE.
I DON'T TO MARK'S POINT ABOUT HOW THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT PROCESS IS DISCRETIONARY.
SO THE MALL IS C3 DO WE WANT THE MALL A THIRD OF THE MALL TO BE REPLACED BY AN AUTO DEALERSHIP? I DON'T THINK SO.
SO WE DON'T IT'S TOUGH TO SAY.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS ANOTHER SITE WHERE I WOULD APPROVE AN AUTO DEALERSHIP.
SO I KIND OF CRAFTED THE AMENDMENT TO BE FLEXIBLE AND JUST HAVING THEM COME BEFORE THE BOARD.
BUT I DON'T THINK FORCING THEM BACK TO C THREE, BASICALLY REPEALING THAT 2007 AMENDMENT, SAYING ONLY AT C THREE IS A GOOD SOLUTION, BECAUSE I THINK OUR MASTER PLAN NOW PORTENDS A VERY DIFFERENT FUTURE OF MORE OF A TOWN CENTER STYLE FOR THOSE C3 PROPERTIES WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ZONING MAP AND CONVERSELY C2 A LOT OF THEM ARE PRETTY CLOSE TO NEIGHBORHOODS OR ON THE CORNER OF A VERY, YOU KNOW, A PRISTINE CORNER LIKE POWELL ROAD AND GRAND RIVER.
AND WE LOST IT BECAUSE IT WAS YOU KNOW, WE LOST ALL THOSE TREES AND THE BOARD DIDN'T GET ANY SAY IN REVIEWING THAT.
A LOT OF C2 IS ADJACENT TO NEIGHBORHOODS OR NOT ADJACENT, BUT VERY CLOSE TO SINGLE FAMILY.
IT'S TOUGH AND YOU KNOW I THINK IT IS UNIQUE, AND THAT'S WHY I THOUGHT THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT PROCESS WOULD BE BEST IN BOTH CASES.
YES, I WANT TO THANK THE TRUSTEE OPSOMMER AND DIRECTOR KIESELBACH FOR BRINGING THIS BEFORE THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION.
I THINK THERE ARE TIMES WE NEED TO BE PROACTIVE IN OUR ZONING AND LOOKING AHEAD TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE KIND OF DEVELOPMENT THAT WE HOPE FOR IN THIS TOWNSHIP.
AND WHAT WE CALL THE LA FONTAINE FIASCO IS REALLY STILL THAT TASTE IS STILL BITTER IN OUR MOUTHS ABOUT THAT ONE.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD WAY TO LOOK AHEAD AND TO MAKE SURE WE ARE CAREFULLY ZONING ANY CAR DEALERSHIPS.
BECAUSE CAR DEALERSHIPS, LIKE LARGE MALLS HAVE A HUGE LIKE ANY MALL, IF YOU WILL, A LARGE STRIP MALL HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY.
AND THIS BOARD SHOULD SEE THOSE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS BEFORE THEY GET BUILT OR PARTIALLY BUILT AND THEN ABANDONED.
SO THANKS AGAIN FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING IT UP FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
I THINK IF WE AREN'T REALLY READY FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION IS GOING TO COME BACK FOR
[03:35:09]
FIRST ACTION WOULD BE THE TWO STEP PROCESS TO ADOPT.SO NEXT TIME WOULD BE A ADOPTION OF INTRODUCTION CORRECT MARK.
BECAUSE THIS IS A ZONING AMENDMENT, THE BOARD CERTAINLY HAS THE RIGHT TO INITIATE IT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO REFER TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
OH IT'S GOTTA GO TO PLANNING COMMISSION.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SAY DAN.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A THREE MONTH PROCESS.
SO, YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT, I FORGOT ABOUT THE PLANNING COMMISSION BEING INVOLVED.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE WANTED TO GET IT MOVING.
BUT EITHER WAY, IT'S GOING TO TAKE AT LEAST TWO MONTHS BETWEEN THE BOARD, TWO AND A HALF MONTHS.
SO IF WE WANTED TO MOVE IT DOWN NOW.
TONIGHT, WE COULD IF WE SUSPENDED THE RULES.
BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT TWO AND A HALF TO THREE MONTHS.
SO MARK OUR NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO HAVE IT COME BACK FOR US TO REFER IT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, IS THAT RIGHT? UNLESS YOU WANT TO DO IT TONIGHT, YOU COULD VOTE TO REFER TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION.
THE OTHER FACTOR THERE IS THE QUICKER WE ADOPT IT, LA FONTAINE DOES GET AN EXTENSION AT THIS POINT, IF THEY WANTED TO PROCEED WITH THEIR SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND IF WE ADOPT THIS, THEIR EXTENSION COMES BEFORE THIS BODY FOR APPROVAL.
SO WE WOULD ACTUALLY GET A SAY WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THIS ADOPTED.
THE ISSUE IS WHETHER WE WANT TO DO THIS TONIGHT OR PUT IT OFF FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
NOBODY MOVES TO DO IT TONIGHT.
NEXT ITEM IS TOWNSHIP CONTRACTS WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS.
[13D. Township Contracts with Community Groups]
MS. MIRIAM OR WHO'S GOING TO DISCUSS THIS WITH US.I CAN INTRODUCE THIS OR NOT, UNLESS FRANK WANTS TO JUMP IN.
OK, SO WE HAVE OUR LEGAL COUNSEL AND OUR AUDITORS RECOMMENDED THAT WE ADOPT AN AGREEMENT OR A CONTRACT WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT WE MAKE DONATIONS TO.
SO THERE'S THREE COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT I'VE DRAFTED AN AGREEMENT WITH.
IT'S THE COMMUNITY GARDENS, THE COMMUNITY BAND AND ALSO THE MEALS ON WHEELS, WHICH ARE ALL BUDGETED AND IMPROVED.
SO WHAT YOU HAVE IS A SERVICE AGREEMENT FOR EACH OF THESE INDIVIDUAL GROUPS.
JUST DRAFTED UP FOR [INAUDIBLE] TO REVIEW.
YEAH, I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR MIRIAM.
HAVE WE ASKED MEALS ON WHEELS SPECIFICALLY IF THEY'RE IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL SUPPORT DURING THESE TIMES WITH COVID, OR HAVE THEY PERHAPS HAD, YOU KNOW, A GROUNDSWELL OF SUPPORT ALREADY AND ARE NOT? I ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO MEALS ON WHEELS WHEN I WAS DRAFTING UP THE CONTRACT BECAUSE THEY NOT GIVEN US AN INVOICE FOR PAYMENT AND THEY GOT BACK WITH ME FAIRLY QUICKLY.
AND I CAN RE-READ THE LETTER OF HOW MUCH THEY CONTRIBUTE? SO THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A BIG NEED FOR THE MEALS ON WHEELS, AND I THINK LAST TIME THEY HAD ASKED IF WE COULD BUMP IT UP TO FIVE THOUSAND VERSUS THE 4000 THAT WE WERE DONATING.
SO THEY SERVE I BELIEVE IT WAS LIKE SIXTY NINE INDIVIDUALS IN OUR TOWNSHIP.
BUT THE COST OF THE MEALS ARE KIND OF GOING UP FOR THEM.
SO THEY ASKED FOR FIVE THOUSAND A YEAR AGO OR THIS TIME AROUND.
THIS TIME AROUND, SO WE HAD BUDGETED 4000, BUT THEY HAD REQUESTED IF WE COULD BUMP IT UP TO FIVE THOUSAND.
MANAGER WALSH YOU HAD SOME COMMENTS.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, JUST FOR THE BOARD'S INFORMATION ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO, THE MEALS ON WHEELS, WE ARE OUR ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION WAS AROUND TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AT THAT TIME, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN FIVE YEARS AGO.
BUT I THINK IT WAS MORE LIKE SIX OR SEVEN BUMPED IT DOUBLED IT TO FOUR THOUSAND SEVERAL YEARS AGO, OBVIOUSLY BOARD CAN GO DOWN WHATEVER PATH THEY WANT.
I JUST WANTED YOU TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
BUT IT IS A FINITE MIRIAM, IT'S A FINITE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE SERVING.
THEY'RE JUST LOOKING AT THE FIXED COST OF SERVING THAT FINITE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
[03:40:03]
GOING UP.YEAH, WELL, AND THERE'S QUALIFICATIONS THAT YOU CAN APPLY IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
BUT IN THEIR LETTER, WAS IT SIXTY SEVEN OR SIXTY NINE INDIVIDUALS.
BUT THEN THEY ALSO GAVE ME HOW MUCH IT COST.
BUT IF I LOOKED AT WHAT THE LETTER THAT THEY GAVE ME LAST YEAR WHAT THEIR LETTER SAYS.
THE COST OF THE MEALS HAD GONE UP.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT INFLATION OF THE PRODUCTS THAT IT TAKES TO SERVE THOSE PEOPLE.
THEY'RE SAYING THEY NEED FIVE THOUSAND.
I WOULD FULLY SUPPORT DOING THAT.
I JUST ASKED SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THE OTHER TWO AREN'T DEALING WITH UNIQUE CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW LIKE THIS.
OK, I CAN CHANGE THE CONTRACT TO SHOW FIVE THOUSAND.
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD DO TONIGHT, MIRIAM, BECAUSE OF THE TIMING OF IT? I MEAN, IT'S TOTALLY UP TO YOU IF THE BOARD IS COMFORTABLE WITH THE AGREEMENTS THAT ARE BEFORE YOU.
OK, I MEAN, AS I LOOK AT THESE AGREEMENTS, IT'S LIKE WE APPROVED THEM TONIGHT AND THE IDEA IS THAT THE MONEY IS BEING PAID OUT BASED ON THE YEAR THAT STARTS JANUARY ONE.
SO I'M WONDERING IF THIS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE APPROVING TONIGHT.
SOME OF THEM ARE BASED ON JANUARY ONE, LIKE THE BAND I THINK IS JANUARY ONE AND ALSO THE FOOD BANK.
MR. WALSH, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP.
YEAH, MY SUGGESTION IS THAT SO THIS DOESN'T GET LOST IN THE SHUFFLE AND WE FORGET ABOUT IT IF THE BOARD WANTS TO CHANGE THE BUDGETED AMOUNT.
IT'D BE A GOOD IDEA TO DO IT TONIGHT.
WE CAN SEND THE CORRECT LETTER OUT THE WAY YOU WANT IT TO BE SO IT HAS THE PROPER AMOUNT IN IT.
[INAUDIBLE] PROBABLY APPRECIATE KNOWING WHAT THEIR DOLLAR AMOUNT IS GOING TO BE, WHAT THE BOARD SETS IT AT.
I WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH WHATEVER NUMBER THE BOARD'S GOING TO DO TONIGHT.
AND WE WOULD NEED A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES, TO MOVE THESE FORWARD WITH THE ONE CHANGE OF THE 4000 TO 5000 MR. OPSOMMER.
MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES SO THAT AGENDA ITEM 13 D COULD BE TAKEN UP FOR CONSIDERATION THIS EVENING.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR RAISE YOUR HAND PUT IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE.
JACKSON, YES OR NO? MY HANDS UP, ALL RIGHT.
GOOD [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER] GUTHRIE.
OK, NOW WE GOT I NEED A MOTION.
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONTRACTS PROVIDING FOR PUBLIC BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY GARDENS IN THE AMOUNT OF FIVE THOUSAND COMMUNITY BAND IN THE AMOUNT OF ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AN MEALS ON WHEELS IN THE AMOUNT OF FIVE THOUSAND.
ARE THESE THE ONLY GROUPS FOR WHICH THESE CONTRACTUAL THESE KINDS OF CONTRACTS WOULD.
ARE THESE THE ONLY GROUPS THAT WE MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TO YEARLY THAT SIMILAR KINDS OF CONTRACTS WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
ARE THERE OTHERS? I THINK WE GOT IT.
THE ONLY OTHER ONE I CAN THINK OF AND WE'RE PONDERING THIS WITH COUNSEL RIGHT NOW, WHETHER THEY NEED TO BE INCLUDED OR NOT WOULD BE THE LAKE LANSING WATERSHED.
THERE'S TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT GOES TO THAT.
BUT THERE'S A QUESTION OF WHETHER WE NEED TO HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM.
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER GROUPS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE NEED TO BRING FORTH SUCH A CONTRACT.
AND I HAVE A QUESTION AS WELL, MIRIAM.
IF THEY HIT THIS FIVE THOUSAND THRESHOLD, DO THEY TURN PEOPLE AWAY.
WHAT HAPPENS OR IS IT MORE FLUID WHERE WE DON'T DO THAT, WE DON'T TURN PEOPLE AWAY WHO NEED IT.
YES, SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MEALS ON WHEELS?
[03:45:01]
YEAH, YEAH, THE MEALS ON WHEELS.NO, I THINK WE'RE JUST COMMITTING FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO HELP WITH OUR TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS.
THEIR FUNDING IS THROUGH OTHER SOURCES ALSO.
SO ONCE THEY'VE LIKE I SAID, ONCE THEY HIT THAT THRESHOLD, THEY DON'T STOP GIVING TO THE RESIDENTS.
YEAH, THEY GET STATE FUNDING AS WELL AS COUNTY FUNDING, THEY GET A VARIETY OF SOURCES.
I USED TO WORK WITH THE STATE FUNDING ASPECT MR. DESCHAINE.
AND THEY ALSO UTILIZED VOLUNTEERS TO DELIVER THESE MEALS.
YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, 70, 70 SENIORS RECEIVING A MEAL ONCE OR SOME CASES FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
THEY DO IT VIRTUALLY ALL WEEK [INAUDIBLE].
THAT'S WELL NORTH OF 200 MEALS A YEAR THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING OUR RESIDENTS.
WE ARE NOT COVERING ALL THE COST WITH 5,000 BELIEVE ME.
NOW, THE LETTER FROM LAST YEAR SHOWS THAT THIS IS LAST YEAR, SO THIS WAS TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN.
I HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME LIKE THEY SERVED ONE HUNDRED AND THREE ADULTS LAST YEAR AND THAT TOTALED TO BE ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
SO I THINK THEY SERVED LESS ADULTS IN TWENTY TWENTY.
BUT I THINK THE DOLLAR AMOUNT WAS LIKE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THE OTHER THING THEY DO IS THEY PROVIDE CONTACT WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD FOR ALL OF THESE SENIORS AND OFTEN THAT PERSON BRINGING THAT MEAL TO THEIR HOME IS OFTEN THE ONLY CONTACT THEY HAVE.
AND AS CHIEF PLAGA CAN TELL US BECAUSE THEIR PROGRAM, MAKING SURE SENIORS STAY IN CONTACT, THE OUTSIDE WORLD IS A VERY VALUABLE GOAL TO ACHIEVE, TO KEEP THAT PERSON HEALTHY AND SAFE.
IT'S PROBABLY 30 YEARS, BUT I DID THIS ONCE, SO I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE AND YOU GOT TO BE READY TO JUST TALK FOR AT LEAST A FEW MINUTES.
YOU'VE GOT TO BE VERY CAREFUL HOW YOU LEAVE TOO SO THEY DON'T THINK YOU'RE BRUSHING THEM OFF.
IT'S VERY BUT IT'S VERY, VERY FULFILLING.
I JUST HAD ONE TECHNICAL QUESTION FOR MANAGER WALSH AND DIRECTOR MATTISON.
SO IS THIS THE ACT OF FORMALLY MEMORIALIZING THE PUBLIC BENEFITS IN WRITING IS THIS SOMETHING THAT OUR ATTORNEYS, CAUGHT, OR DOES THIS STEM FROM PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND THE BOARD ON CHINESE NEW YEAR, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY SEPARATE FUNDS WITHIN THE EDC AND THESE VARIOUS AGREEMENTS OF PUBLIC BENEFIT THAT WE HAVE? YEAH GOOD QUESTION.
NO IT CAME FROM EVERY AT THE END OF EVERY AUDIT DIRECTOR MATTISON AND I SIT DOWN AND DISCUSS THINGS WITH THE AUDITOR, THINGS WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR, WAYS WE COULD DO THINGS BETTER.
AND ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, THEY SUGGESTED THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THESE DONATIONS, THESE PUBLIC DONATIONS, YOU SHOULD HAVE A CONTRACT.
AND THEN WE ASK MR. [INAUDIBLE] ABOUT IT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE GETTING TO IT, TO GET THESE DONE FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
THEY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH BOARD DISCUSSIONS AT ALL, WHICH THE AUDITOR WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PRIVY TO.
BUT THE OTHER PART OF THAT QUESTION IS, SHOULD WE BE LOOKING AT THAT FOR SOME OF THE OTHER ISSUES THAT DID COME UP AT BOARD DISCUSSION IN THE PAST? SHOULD WE BE DOING CONTRACTS WITH THOSE? SOMETHING TO LOOK, SOMETHING TO LOOK INTO, MR. WALSH.
I'M NOT OH, YOU MEAN LIKE FOR THE CHINESE NEW YEAR.
TO ELIMINATE ANY ARGUMENT THAT WE HAD HEARD IN THE PAST.
I THINK BACK TO BOTH TRUSTEE'S QUESTIONS JACKSON AND OPSOMMER.
YEAH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR GROUPS THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING THIS WITH AND WE WILL BOUNCE IT OFF THE AUDITORS BEFORE WE BRING IT TO THE BOARD.
OKAY, I THINK WE'RE READY MS. GUTHRIE FOR A VOTE.
YOU'VE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB TODAY, ONE MORE TIME HERE.
HE SHOOK HIS HEAD, YES, BUT HE WAS MUTED.
WE ARE NOW TO THE POINT OF COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
IF MR. GEBES COULD HEAR US, DOES HE HAVE ANY PUBLIC WITH US? WE STILL HAVE SOME PUBLIC HERE, OF COURSE, IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN THE ATTENDEE AREA THEY CAN RAISE THEIR HAND.
AND WE HAVE THAT TELEPHONE NUMBER IF YOUR VIEWING FROM COMCAST CHANNEL 21 HOMTV
[03:50:06]
517-349-1232.I SEE NO HANDS GOING UP AND I'LL PAUSE FOR ABOUT FIVE SECONDS TO SEE IF WE HAVE THE PHONE RINGING.
AND I'M HEARING NO PHONE, SIR.
I WILL STALL JUST A LITTLE LONGER IN CASE SOMEBODY IS SLOW AT DIALING.
OK, IF YOU'VE HEARD NOTHING MORE THAN WE WILL GO ON TO OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD
[15. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]
MEMBER FINAL COMMENTS.JUST A REMINDER, THE TAX BILLS ARE OUT AND WE WILL BE OPEN, SINCE WE'RE NOT GOING TO MEET AGAIN FOR THE END OF THE YEAR, WE WILL BE CLOSED NEW YEAR'S EVE, BUT WE WILL BE OPEN THE 28TH, THE 29TH AND THE 30TH.
OTHER COMMENT I WANT TO MAKE IS JUST TO ENCOURAGE OUR RESIDENTS TO BE STRONG DURING THIS TIME.
THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT TIME FOR OUR COMMUNITY, FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, FOR THE WHOLE WORLD.
AND THIS IS A VERY GENEROUS AND KIND OF COMMUNITY.
PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR NEIGHBORS AND OTHERS WE CAN'T VISIT IN PERSON, BUT WE CAN CALL AND WE CAN DO OTHER WAYS, OTHER THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY STAYS WHOLE AND HEALTHY.
IT'S A REALLY CHALLENGING TIME FOR MANY PEOPLE AND WE SHOULD ALL DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO HELP EACH OTHER GET THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT COVID PANDEMIC.
YES, AND IN ADDITION TO TREASURER DESCHAINE'S, COMMENTS, I WOULD LIKE TO WISH AND HOPE THAT EVERYONE HAS A VERY POSITIVE AND JOYFUL HOLIDAY UNDER THE CONDITIONS THAT WE LIVE THESE DAYS AND THAT THEY TRY THEIR BEST TO STAY SAFE AND WELL.
I WOULD ECHO TRUSTEE JACKSON AND TREASURER DESCHAINE COMMENTS, BUT I ALSO JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO THE PRESENTATIONS FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.
I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO THANK DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY, MANAGER WALSH AND THE ENTIRE TEAM IN PUBLIC WORKS AN ENGINEERING FOR ALL THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THE POST 2021 ROAD PROJECTS.
WE'VE OBVIOUSLY ASKED THIS DEPARTMENT TO TAKE ON A VERY BIG TASK OF CARING FOR ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY SEVEN MILES OF TOWNSHIP ROADS, AND THEY'RE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB.
I'VE PERSONALLY VISITED EACH OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE DONE DURING MY TIME ON THE BOARD, AND THE OVERSIGHT AND CARE WITH WHICH THEY OVERSEE THOSE PROJECTS IS VERY THOROUGH AND THE PROJECTS ARE DONE, YOU KNOW VERY WELL.
AND I THINK THAT'S A CREDIT THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD RESIDENTIAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT OUR ROAD PROJECTS.
WE'VE SEEN SOME ON COUNTY PROJECTS, BUT NOT ON TOWNSHIP PROJECTS SO KUDOS TO DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY AND YOUR ENTIRE DEPARTMENT FOR DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB THROUGH THE EARLY ONE FIFTH OF OUR TEN YEAR ROAD PLAN.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM BOARD MEMBERS? YES, CLERK [INAUDIBLE] GUTHRIE YOU'RE STILL MUTED.
EARLIER I THINK IT WAS TRUSTEE OPSOMMER HAD EXPRESSED GRATITUDE FOR THE BOARD AND COMMISSION LISTS BEING PUT TOGETHER.
AND I WANT TO SEND THAT TO MICHELLE PRINZ'S WAY AND TO [INAUDIBLE] FOR WORKING ON THAT TIRELESSLY TO PUTTING THAT LIST TOGETHER SO THE CLERKS DEPARTMENT CAN START KEEPING TRACK OF THAT.
SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THEM AND GIVE THEM KUDOS FOR DOING THAT.
YES, I PERSONALLY DO WANT TO GIVE THAT SHOUT OUT, SINCE I'M THE ONE WHO ENDED UP WORKING WITH IT AND OFTENTIMES GOT MY RESULTS LATE.
THEY HAD TO MAKE LATE CHANGES AND AMENDMENTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE BECAUSE IT TAKES TIME TO GET PEOPLE AND LINE THEM UP AND HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
I JUST WANT TO REFLECT ON TONIGHT, REFLECT ON THE PAST YEAR AND JUST REAL QUICKLY, YOU KNOW, I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO GET THROUGH ALL THIS IS WITH POSITIVITY.
[03:55:01]
THAT'S WHY PEOPLE LIKE ABBY TITHOF COMING ON BOARD HAVE BROUGHT SO MUCH TO THE ORGANIZATION.BUT I SIT HERE AND WATCH THIS BOARD MEETING FOR THE LAST NEARLY FOUR HOURS.
A LOT OF REALLY TOUGH ISSUES, REALLY DIFFICULT ISSUES.
AND IT STRUCK ME AND OTHERS WHO HAVE TEXT ME THAT JUST THE CORDIAL PROFESSIONAL APPROACH BY THE BOARD.
AND YOU'RE GOING THROUGH SOME VERY DIFFICULT ISSUES AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE AS A BOARD AND TO WATCH YOU INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER, YOU ARE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO AGREE, NOR SHOULD YOU.
BUT IT WAS A REALLY REFRESHING I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF, BUT I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR THE WHOLE TEAM TO WATCH YOU SUPERVISOR STYKA AND THE BOARD INTERACT TONIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS, AND I WANT TO JOIN IN THE THOUGHTS THAT THIS HAS BEEN A VERY NICE FUN FILLED BUT [INAUDIBLE] LIKE AN ACCOMPLISHING TYPE MEETING.
WE NEED A MOTION TO GET OUT OF HERE.
MOVED BY TREASURER AND SUPPORTED BY OPSOMMER.
[LAUGHTER] KUDOS TO TRUSTEE JACKSON FOR THE COMEDIC RELIEF THERE AT THE END AND KUDOS FOR HER FINDING A WAY TO BE PART OF THIS MEETING.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.