[00:01:55]
SUPERVISOR STYKA, THE TIME IS SIX O'CLOCK AND YOU ARE READY TO TAKE THE MEETING LIVE ANY TIME YOU’D LIKE. THANK YOU.
I’D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE VIRTUAL MEETING OF JANUARY FIVE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF
[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
MERIDIAN. AND WITH THAT, WE WILL ASK FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.[2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/INTRODUCTIONS]
AND NOW WE HAVE A ROLL CALL FROM OUR CLERK, PLEASE.[3. ROLL CALL]
CALL] ALL RIGHT, GOOD.WE WILL NOW GO OUT TO OUR PRESENTATIONS OR WE HAVE SIX PRESENT—THERE HE IS.
ARE YOU HERE, MR. OPSOMMER? SORRY ABOUT THAT, MY VOLUME IS OFF.
I COULDN'T HEAR ANYBODY. WE CALLED THE ROLL.
WE ASKED FOR YOU. I AM PRESENT.
OK, WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO OUR PRESENTATIONS.
AND THE FIRST ONE WILL BE BY OUR POLICE CHIEF, INTRODUCTION OF NEW POLICE OFFICERS,
[4A. Introduction of New Police Officers-Sierra Alvarado & Megan Heinemann]
SIERRA ALVARADO AND MEGAN HEINEMANN.THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR STYKA, BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE AND INTRODUCE TWO OF OUR NEWEST OFFICERS.
THEY WERE SWORN IN IN THE SUMMER AFTER BOTH GRADUATING FROM THE MID-MICHIGAN POLICE ACADEMY. FIRST IS SIERRA ALVARADO.
SIERRA IS A MSU GRAD WITH A BACHELOR'S IN NUTRITION AND SCIENCE.
SHE'S ALSO A BLACK BELT IN KRAV MAGA WHICH IS A MARTIAL ART, WORKED FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE GOING TO THE ACADEMY AS ONE OF OUR CADETS, AND WAS WINNER OF SEVERAL AWARDS.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO SIERRA ALVARADO.
I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE [INAUDIBLE] VERY EXITED TO BE HERE [INAUDIBLE] A LONG CAREER.
NICE TO MEET ALL OF YOU [INAUDIBLE] AND THE NEXT IS OFFICER MEGAN HEINEMANN.
MEGAN GREW UP IN HASLETT. SHE'S A GRADUATE OF OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL, ALSO GRADUATE FROM MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY. SHE'S GOT A BACHELOR'S IN MEDIA AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT.
SHE WAS ON THE ARCHERY TEAM AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.
SHE ALSO WORKED WITH US HERE AT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AS A CADET AND IS WORKING ON LEARNING
[00:05:01]
TO SPEAK RUSSIAN. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OFFICER MEGAN HEINEMANN.HI, EVERYBODY, I'M EXCITED FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I’M EXCITED TO SEE WHERE THIS CAREER TAKES ME AND TO BE WITH MERIDIAN AGAIN AFTER THE ACADEMY. THANK YOU.
IS THAT IT, CHIEF PLAGA, OR DO YOU GOT MORE? THAT'S EVERYBODY AT THIS POINT, I WISH I HAD MORE, THAT BRINGS OUR TOTAL NUMBER TO THIRTY SIX SWORN OFFICERS AT THIS TIME.
WE HAVE THE COLE SISTERS THAT I'LL BE ATTENDING THE ACADEMY STARTING THURSDAY.
THIS IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE ACADEMY'S ORIENTATION.
AND THEN WE'VE ALSO CONDUCTED A COUPLE OF INTERVIEWS TODAY TO TRY AND GET US TO OUR FORTY ONE AUTHORIZED [INAUDILBLE].
WELCOME TO OFFICERS ALVARADO AND HEINEMANN.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU ON OUR FORCE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO MANY GOOD YEARS OF SERVICE FROM YOU. AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT.
ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SAY ANYTHING TO THE OFFICERS? I SEE SOME CLAPPING.
ALL RIGHT. NORMALLY, WE WOULD CLAP AND HAVE YOU SHAKE OUR HANDS, BUT WE'RE NOT IN THAT MODE RIGHT NOW, UNFORTUNATELY.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD, EITHER ONE OF YOU OR YOU'RE ALL DONE? ALL DONE. ANYTHING ELSE, CHIEF? [INAUDIBLE] BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOURSELF AND THE BOARD AND MANAGER WALSH FOR ALL THE SUPPORT YOU GUYS PROVIDE TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE REALLY FEEL IT AND APPRECIATE IT.
WE HAVE ANOTHER PRESENTATION, AND THIS ONE IS FROM SCOTT HENDRICKSON, WHO IS THE PLANNING
[4B. Form Based Code Initiative-Scott Hendrickson, Planning Commission Chair]
COMMISSION CHAIRPERSON, AND HE'S GOING TO HE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE FORM BASED CODE INITIATIVE, SCOTT.GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR STYKA MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TO PRESENT TO YOU ON THIS TOPIC.
IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME, I'M GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN AND I'VE GOT A BRIEF POWERPOINT PRESENTATION TO GO THROUGH AS I TALK AS WELL.
SO LET ME GO AHEAD AND PULL THAT UP.
CAN EVERYONE SEE MY SCREEN? YES. I SEE SOME NODDING HEADS, OK, SO I'M GOING TO GO OVER A COUPLE OF THINGS TONIGHT.
SO, JUST A VERY BRIEF PRIMER, AS I KNOW MOST OF YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH OR AT LEAST AWARE OF THE FORM BASED CODE AS IT'S MADE ITS WAY THROUGH MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
SO I'M GOING TO BE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF FORM BASED CODE.
AND TO GIVE US A LITTLE REFRESHER.
I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO ASK OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD IN TERMS OF A PATH FORWARD.
AND THEN I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE TODAY IN TERMS OF THE FEATURES THAT WE'VE BUILT INTO THE MERIDIAN FORM BASED CODE ORDINANCE THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT BE FULLY FAMILIAR WITH FORM BASED CODE, A FEW YEARS AGO WE HAD A DESIRE TO INVESTIGATE USING THE FORM BASED CODE HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
THERE WERE SOME CONSULTANTS THAT WERE BROUGHT IN TO EXPLORE AND WORK ON AN ORDINANCE THROUGH A GRANT THAT WAS PROCURED THROUGH CATA.
SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT IT WAS CALLED SHAPING THE AVENUE, AND IT WAS MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, EAST LANSING, LANSING AND A COUPLE OF OTHER COMMUNITIES, I BELIEVE THAT TOOK PART IN THAT SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
THERE WAS A DRAFT ORDINANCE THAT CAME OUT OF THAT WORK WITH THOSE CONSULTANTS.
AND I BELIEVE THE INTENT WAS FOR THAT ORDINANCE TO BE ADOPTABLE.
WHAT WE DISCOVERED AS WE WORKED THROUGH IT WAS THAT THAT WAS NOT EXACTLY THE CASE.
IT WAS PRETTY GENERAL AS COMPARED TO THE ORDINANCES THAT WE'VE COME TO EXPECT HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP. AND SO IN TWENTY NINETEEN, THE PLANNING COMMISSION ADOPTED AS ONE OF ITS GOALS TO WORK ON THE FORM BASED CODE ORDINANCE AS IT WAS PRESENTED TO US TO SORT OF MAKE IT FEEL MORE PERSONALIZED TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
AND SO WE WORKED ON THAT IN TWENTY NINETEEN AND IN TWENTY TWENTY IN FEBRUARY.
THEN PLANNING COMMISSION CHAIR KEN LANE CAME BEFORE THIS BODY AND GAVE YOU AN UPDATE AS TO WHERE WE HAD GOTTEN TO AND THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAD MADE ON GETTING THE ORDINANCE READY FOR TOWNSHIP REVIEW.
WE GOT YOUR FEEDBACK, WE TOOK IT TO HEART AND WE TOOK IT BACK TO MAKE SOME FURTHER UPDATES AND MODIFICATIONS.
AND SO WHAT IS FORM BASED CODE? [INAUDIBLE] WAS NOT FAMILIAR AT ALL WITH FORM BASED CODE.
[00:10:04]
VERY, VERY GENERALLY.IT IS A DEPARTURE FROM A TYPICAL ZONING ORDINANCE.
TYPICAL ZONING ORDINANCES, WHICH GENERALLY RELY ON DEMANDING SPECIFIC USES IN A GIVEN AREA AND FORM BASED CODE, INSTEAD FOCUSES ON THE FORM, THE LOOK AND FEEL THE DESIGN, AND GENERALLY SAYS THAT SO LONG AS YOU CONFORM TO THE LOOK AND FEEL OF THE ORDINANCE, WHAT'S BEING REQUIRED THAT YOU CAN USE WHATEVER USE YOU WANT.
THAT'S THAT IS FORM BASED CODE IN ITS DEFINITION.
RIGHT. IN ITS PUREST FORM AND FORM BASED CODE CAN LOOK A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS, AND SO IT MIGHT BE FOR RESIDENTIAL AREAS, IT MIGHT HAVE A TOWNHOUSE LOOK FOR COMMERCIAL AREAS, IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE YOU SEE IN THE LOWER RIGHT HAND CORNER HERE OR IN THE TOP AND BOTTOM IMAGES ON THE LEFT.
BUT ESSENTIALLY, IT'S WHAT IS A CERTAIN CHARACTER THAT THE MUNICIPALITY DEFINES THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR FROM THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT COME INTO THAT AREA.
AND SO WHAT ARE SOME BENEFITS OF FORM BASED CODE? WELL, WHEN WE MET WITH YOU LAST TIME, THERE WAS A CONCERN, I BELIEVE I'M GOING TO GENERALIZE HERE THAT THE DEVELOPERS WERE GETTING A LOT OF TOWNSHIP, WASN'T GETTING A WHOLE LOT BY ADOPTING FORM BASED CODE.
AND I ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT IT CAN BE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL FOR BOTH THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AND THE TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS, FOR THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND FOR OUR PLANNING STAFF. IT ALLOWS US TO SORT OF CRAFT A VISION FOR WHAT WE WANT TO SEE FROM A DEVELOPMENT IN A GIVEN AREA.
AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES THE PROJECT COMES BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE BOARD, AND IT MAY LOOK ENTIRELY DIFFERENT OR FEEL ENTIRELY DIFFERENT THAN THE PROPOSAL.
THAT'S A COUPLE OF DOORS DOWN.
AND SO THIS WOULD ALLOW AHEAD OF TIME THE TOWNSHIP TO SAY THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT THIS AREA TO LOOK LIKE.
THIS IS WHAT WE WANT THIS AREA TO FEEL LIKE.
WE WANT ALL THE PARKING IN THE BACK.
WE WANT ALL THE BUILDINGS TO BE OF A SPECIFIC HEIGHT, NO TALLER.
AND YOU CAN SET THOSE RULES OF THE ROAD AHEAD OF TIME AND LATER THEN IT WOULD REDUCE THE NEED FOR A FULL REVIEW OF INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AS THEY'RE COMING UP IN FRONT OF IN THIS AREA.
FOR RESIDENTS, THEY CAN EXPECT TO SEE BLIGHTED PROPERTIES TO SIT VACANT FOR LESS TIME.
THIS IS SPECIFICALLY RELATING TO THE INCREASED SPEED OF THE APPROVAL PROCESS FROM WHEN A PROJECT COMES FROM CONCEPT TO EXECUTION AT THE END OF THE DAY.
AND IT WOULD CREATE A UNIFIED LOOK AND FEEL, WHICH I BELIEVE AND I THINK THE PROPONENTS OF FORM BASED CODE BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD GENERATE A MORE COMMUNITY CENTRIC DEVELOPMENT.
EACH INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITY AREA IN A FORM DISTRICT HAVING ITS OWN LOOK AND FEEL AND BEING ABLE TO SORT OF BUILD THE CHARACTER OF THAT AREA.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, FOR THE DEVELOPERS, IT DOES LAY OUT THE RULES OF THE ROAD AHEAD OF TIME SO THAT BEFORE THEY SPEND MONEY ON DEVELOPING A PLAN AND A PROJECT ONLY TO HAVE IT COME BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR THE BOARD AND FIND OUT THAT IT DOESN'T MEET THE CHARACTER OF WHAT IT IS THAT'S EITHER THE COMMISSION OR THE BOARD OR LOOKING FOR.
IT GIVES THEM THE RULES OF THE ROAD AHEAD OF TIME, AND IT ALSO SHORTENS THE DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT CALENDARS AS CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE.
AND SO SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT FROM THE BOARD AFTER THE FEBRUARY 18TH MEETING OF LAST YEAR WAS THAT THE BOARD WASN'T ALL THAT EXCITED ABOUT ABDICATING AUTHORITY TO REVIEW THE USES OF THE PROJECTS AS THEY'RE PROPOSED, WHICH IS ENTIRELY REASONABLE.
RIGHT? I MEAN, THAT'S WE CERTAINLY YOU KNOW, I THINK A COUPLE OF MEMBERS BROUGHT UP, YOU KNOW, OUT OF CONTROL RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
THERE WAS SOME CONCERN OVER, I THINK, A PLASMA DONATION CENTER IN HASLETT, THAT WAS AN ISSUE AT THAT POINT.
AND SO WANTING TO HAVE A GREATER GRASP ON WHAT THE USES WERE ALLOWED IN THESE AREAS.
SO IT WASN'T A COMPLETE FREE FOR ALL THERE WAS.
IT WAS UNCLEAR WHAT THE TOWNSHIP GOT FROM THAT.
HOPEFULLY I CAN ADDRESSED A LITTLE BIT OF THAT ALREADY.
AND THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ABOUT THE STATE OF HEIGHTS AND OTHER FORM REQUIREMENTS IN
[00:15:05]
ADDITION TO RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT RUN AMUCK.AND SO I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE'VE GONE BACK TO THE ORDINANCE AFTER THAT AND WE'VE MADE SOME CHANGES, WHICH I THINK YOU'LL FIND APPEALING.
SO WHAT HAVE WE CHANGED SINCE THEN? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, APPROXIMATELY THREE WEEKS AFTER WE CAME BEFORE THE BOARD TO PRESENT OUR INITIAL ORDNANCE COVID-19 HIT, OF COURSE, WHICH GROUND A LOT OF OUR WORK TO A HALT.
BUT SHORTLY AFTER WE GOT BACK TOGETHER, WE BEGAN MEETING AGAIN AND GOT RIGHT BACK TO WORK ON THE FORM BASED CODE ORDINANCE.
AND WE DEVELOPED WHAT WE CALL A USE TABLE AND HONED THAT DOWN TO SOMETHING THAT WE BELIEVE TO BE PALATABLE.
AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MORE A LITTLE MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN A SECOND, AS WELL AS WHEN WE DID A FULL REVIEW OF THE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE, AGAIN, FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. AND THEN ABOUT LATE SUMMER OF THIS YEAR, WHAT WE DETERMINED IS THAT WE'VE TAKEN IT ABOUT AS FAR AS WE BELIEVE WE CAN WITHOUT GETTING ADDITIONAL BOARD INPUT.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING YOU FOR IN A MINUTE IS SOME ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM YOU AND POSSIBLY EVEN SOME COWORKING WITH YOU TO DEVELOP THIS ORDINANCE FURTHER AND HAVE IT REALLY READY FOR PRIME TIME IF IT'S THE BOARD'S DESIRE TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE SORT OF LOOKING AT HERE IS NOT FORM BASED CODE IN ITS PUREST FORMAT, RIGHT? FORM BASED CODE. LIKE I SAID, WE DON'T CARE ABOUT THE USES.
WE JUST CARE ABOUT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
THAT'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER HERE.
I'VE SORT OF CALLED IT VISION BASED CODE AS I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT MORE.
BUT ESSENTIALLY WHAT IT IS, IS WE'VE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB IN THIS COMMUNITY OF DRAFTING A GOOD MASTER PLAN, OF CREATING A LOT OF GOOD IDEAS ABOUT WHAT WE WANT THE COMMUNITY TO LOOK LIKE AND ESSENTIALLY CREATING THE VISION FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
AND WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THIS ORDINANCE IS SORT OF CREATE A VISION BASED CODE.
AND SO IT'S MORE OF A HYBRID BETWEEN THE TRADITIONAL ZONING ORDINANCE AND WHAT A PLANNING EXPERT WOULD CALL THE TRADITIONAL FORM BASED CODE.
SO WHAT'S OUR REQUEST? OUR REQUEST IS THAT WE'D LIKE TO TRANSMIT THE ORDINANCE TO YOU IN ITS DRAFT FORM AND EITHER SCHEDULED JOINT MEETINGS TO WORK TOGETHER ON THIS OR CREATE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF MEMBERS OF BOTH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE TOWNSHIP BOARD SO THAT WE CAN USHER THE ORDINANCE FORWARD TO A FINAL STATUS.
AND ALSO THIS IS SORT OF A LESSER CONCERN FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT A GREATER CONCERN FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT WHO'D LIKE TO MAKE THIS LOOK AND FEEL A LITTLE BIT BETTER. WE ARE HOPING TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE FROM A GRAPHIC DESIGN, SOMEONE WHO'S GOT SKILLS AND GRAPHIC DESIGN, AS I THINK SOME OF THE VISION AND FORM ASPECTS OF THIS CODE ARE GOING TO REQUIRE THAT.
ALL THAT BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT WE'VE INCLUDED IN HERE.
THERE'S FOUR TERMS THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT.
SO WITHIN THE FORM BASED CODE, WE HAVE WHAT ARE CALLED FORM DISTRICTS.
RIGHT NOW, WE ARE PROPOSING ONE FORM DISTRICT.
AND AS YOU MAY RECALL FROM OUR MEETING LAST YEAR, WE ARE PROPOSING FROM PARK LAKE TO BROOKFIELD ON GRAND RIVER.
THAT'S ON THE WESTERN END OF GRAND RIVER IN THE TOWNSHIP.
THE REGULATING PLAN IS THE MAP OF THAT AREA AND ESSENTIALLY SHOWING WHERE THE BUILDING FORM STANDARDS AND USE TABLES ARE TO BE USED.
THE USE TABLE, THAT'S WHAT USES CAN GO INTO THIS FORM DISTRICT AND THEN THE BUILDING FORM STANDARDS AND THAT SORT OF SETS THE RULES OF THE ROAD FOR BUILDING HEIGHTS WHERE THE PARKING IS, ET CETERA.
WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AS YOU LOOK THROUGH THE ORDINANCE ONCE WE TRANSMIT IT TO YOU HERE, IS IT'S SORT OF CONCENTRIC CIRCLES INTO ITSELF HERE, RIGHT? SO THERE'S THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ORDINANCE.
AND ANYTHING THAT'S NOT COVERED IN FORM BASED CODE REVERTS TO THE EXISTING ORDINANCE.
THERE'S THE GENERAL FORM BASED CODE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE, WHICH INCLUDES A USE TABLE AND FORM STANDARDS GENERALLY.
AND THEN THERE'S THE GRAND RIVER AVENUE FORM DISTRICT.
AND WITHIN THAT, YOU'VE GOT THE REGULATING PLAN.
ANY SPECIFIC USES THAT ARE DIFFERENT FROM THE GENERAL USE TABLE AND ANY CHANGES TO THE FORM STANDARDS. SO THE IDEA BEING IS THAT THIS IS AN EXTENSIBLE ORDINANCE SO THAT IF ONCE WE HAVE THE GRAND RIVER FORM DISTRICT WORK WELL FOR US, WE CAN CHOOSE ADDITIONAL AREAS.
[00:20:06]
AND IF THOSE REQUIRE DIFFERENT USES OR IF THEY HAVE DIFFERENT FORM STANDARDS THAT WE WANT IT TO INCORPORATE, WE CAN DO THAT ONE FROM DISTRICT TO THE NEXT.AND SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHAT KIND OF THING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE AREA THAT WE'RE DESCRIBING, ONE OF THE FORM STANDARDS SAYS THAT THERE'S A MAXIMUM THREE STOREY HEIGHT WITH A TWO STOREY BONUS, SO THE TALLEST BUILDING YOU'LL SEE IN THAT AREA IS FIVE STORIES. BUT AS WE GET CLOSER TO MERIDIAN MALL, AS WE GO FURTHER DOWN GRAND RIVER, WE DECIDE A SEVEN STOREYS IS FINE HERE.
JUST AN EXAMPLE. THEN WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT DIFFERENT FORM STANDARD INTO A DIFFERENT FORM DISTRICT SO THINGS CAN CHANGE AS YOU SHIFT FROM ONE DISTRICT TO THE OTHER.
THIS IS THE REGULATING PLAN, AND YOU'LL HAVE TO FORGIVE MY CRUDE DRAWING, THIS IS PART OF THE REASON WHY I'M SUGGESTING THAT PERHAPS WE GET A GRAPHIC DESIGNER BECAUSE MY DOODLES ON A GOOGLE MAP WILL NOT SUFFICE FOR THE ORDINANCE.
BUT THIS IS ESSENTIALLY THE AREA THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO WORK IN WITH THE GRAND RIVER FORM DISTRICT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH THE REGULATING PLAN HERE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS WE MOVE FORWARD IS YOU CAN DEFINE WHERE MANDATORY SERVICE DRIVES WILL BE.
YOU CAN DEFINE WHERE MANDATORY CURB CUTS MIGHT BE.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS DONE IN MUCH GREATER DETAIL SO THAT WE CAN SAY IF WE WANT TO HAVE A SERVICE DRIVE CONNECTING ALONG THE BACKSIDE OF ALL OF THESE PROPERTIES THAT RUN ON GRAND RIVER, WHICH IS ONE OF THE TENETS OF FORM BASED CODE, THEN WE CAN DRAW THAT IN.
AND WHEN DEVELOPERS COME IN AND BUILD AND REDEVELOP THESE PROPERTIES, THEY WILL BE REQUIRED TO INCORPORATE THE SERVICE DRIVES AND THE CURB CUTS AS WE DEFINE THEM.
AND THEN A COUPLE OF THE BUILDING FORM STANDARDS FROM THE GRAND RIVER FORUM DISTRICT, LIKE I SAID, MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF THREE STORIES TALL WITH THE ABILITY TO BONUS UP TO FIVE STORIES, THAT WOULD BE WITH THE INCORPORATION OF AMENITIES.
THIS IS SIMILAR TO OUR MUPUD ORDINANCE.
PLACEMENT OF BUILDINGS WOULD BE 20 FEET FROM THE RIGHT OF WAY ON GRAND RIVER AND TWENTY FIVE FEET FROM THE SIDE STREETS SIDE YARD SETBACKS BETWEEN BUILDINGS WOULD BE ZERO FEET, AS I BELIEVE IT'S A MINIMUM OF ZERO FEET.
AND REAR YARD SETBACKS WOULD BE TEN TO TWENTY FIVE FEET, DEPENDING ON WHETHER THERE'S A SHARED DRIVEWAY. AGAIN, MY THOUGHT IS LET'S HAVE A SHARED DRIVEWAY BECAUSE THAT'S SORT OF THAT'S ONE OF THE MAJOR POINTS OF INCORPORATING FORM BASED CODE.
ALSO, I KNOW THAT THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT FENESTRATION OR WINDOW WINDOW COVERAGE ON THOSE GROUND STORIES.
IT WOULD REQUIRE 40 TO 90 PERCENT FENESTRATION ON THAT GROUND LEVEL.
AND AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST SORT OF SNIPPETS THAT I'VE PULLED OUT OF HERE THAT SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, ONCE WE TRANSMIT THIS TO YOU, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH AND SEE ALL THE DETAILS. BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO JUST BRING UP A COUPLE OF THESE SO THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF SORT OF THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE HEADED.
AND THEN LASTLY, THE USE TABLE, SO THE USE TABLE LOOKS A LITTLE BIT LIKE THIS, AND WHAT I DID NOT INCLUDE IN THE USES DEFINITION AREA IS THAT THESE ALL REFER BACK TO OTHER LOCATIONS INCURRENT MERIDIAN ORDINANCE THAT ARE EXISTING AND HAVE OTHER DEFINITIONS THERE. BUT ESSENTIALLY, WE WOULD CREATE TWO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF USES, THOSE THAT WOULD BE ALLOWABLE BY RIGHTS AND THOSE WOULD BE ALLOWABLE THAT ARE CONDITIONAL.
NOW, ONE THING TO NOTE IS THAT WE DO NOT ALLOW IN OUR CURRENT DRAFT FOR RESIDENTIAL USES.
THAT WAS FEEDBACK THAT WAS POINT WELL TAKEN.
WE DO NOT INCLUDE THAT CURRENTLY IN THE GRAND RIVER FORM DISTRICT.
NOW, THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE WON'T EVENTUALLY HAVE THAT FOR OTHER AREAS OR WE COULD INCORPORATED IN THIS AREA IF THE BOARD SO CHOOSES.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE'VE EXCLUDED THAT FROM THE USE TABLE.
WE ALSO HAVE NOT DEFINED WHAT THE APPROVAL PROCESS IS FOR THE CONDITIONAL USES THAT COULD LOOK LIKE A TRADITIONAL SUP FOR SOME THINGS.
BUT AGAIN, WE ARE TRYING TO AVOID THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THE BENEFITS THAT THAT FORM BASED CODE OR VISION BASED CODE WOULD OFFER.
AND THEN THE LAST SIDE NOTE IS THAT ANYONE REQUESTING DRIVE THROUGHS IS WOULD STILL FOLLOW THE CURRENT SUP PROCESS THAT THE COMMISSION IDENTIFIED AS BEING SOMETHING THAT WE ARE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT AS WE PLAN FOR THE NEW DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO WE WANT TO RETAIN THAT.
[00:25:03]
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF POSSIBILITIES HERE, AND I THINK I'VE TRIED TO LAY THEM OUT AS MUCH AS WE CAN. WE'RE GOING TO TRANSMIT THE ORDINANCE TO YOU IN ITS CURRENT FORMAT.WE'D LIKE YOU TO REVIEW IT IN ITS ENTIRETY AND THEN TAKE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS.
EITHER YOU CAN TELL US THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE'RE INTERESTED IN PURSUING ANYMORE, AT WHICH POINT THAT'S OK.
WE CAN WE CAN GO AHEAD AND TABLE THIS.
YOU CAN TAKE IT ON YOUR OWN AND AMEND IT TO A DRAFT, AMEND THE DRAFT TO A FINAL STATE.
YOU CAN REFER IT BACK TO US WITH SUGGESTIONS IF YOU'VE GOT SOME DIRECTION THAT YOU'D LIKE TO GIVE. BUT THESE LAST TWO ARE THE TWO THAT I'M MOST INTERESTED IN PURSUING.
IF I COULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, WHICH IS THAT THAT WE WORK TOGETHER, THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE BOARD, TO UPDATE THE ORDINANCE, TO GET IT TO WHERE EVERYONE'S HAPPY WITH THE VISION PRESENTED.
AND WE CAN PASS THIS BOTH BODIES AND GET IT INTO OUR ORDINANCE SO THAT THOSE THAT'S MY PRESENTATION. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE OR IF THAT'S NOT APPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OFF-LINE AS WELL.
I KNOW THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS WORKED VERY HARD FOR A VERY LONG PERIOD OF TIME ON THIS, SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PUBLIC INPUT AS WELL, AND GLAD TO SEE THAT IT'S COME TO THE POINT WHERE IT [INAUDIBLE] BOARD MEMBERS ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS YOU HAVE AT THIS TIME.
MR. OPSOMMER. YES, SCOTT, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO PULL THE PRESENTATION BACK UP AND GO TO A COUPLE OF SPECIFIC SLIDES? ABSOLUTELY. GIVE ME JUST A MOMENT TO SHARE MY SCREEN FIRST WHEN I WAS THINKING WAS THE SIDE OR THE SLIDE DETAILING THE SETBACKS? YES.
SO WHAT DISCUSSIONS DID YOU GUYS HAVE IN ARRIVING AT THE TWENTY FIVE FOOT SETBACK FROM THE RIGHT OF WAY? SO THE 20 FOOT SETBACK FROM THE GRAND RIVER WAS THE ONE YOU'RE GOING TO ENCOUNTER MOST WITH THIS ORDINANCE.
TWENTY FIVE WOULD BE FROM I THINK NORTH WIND WAS AND BROOKFIELD, THOSE TWO STREETS.
YES. SORRY, I MEANT THE 20 FEET FROM THE GRAND RIVER.
SO THE 20 FEET IS AN AMALGAM OF SEVERAL FACTORS.
ONE BEING SOME GREEN SPACE FROM THE BACK OF THE ROAD, PLUS THE WIDTH OF THE SIDEWALK, PLUS THE WIDTH OF AN AWNING OR OVERHANG SPACE.
AND SO 20 FEET IS JUST THE COMPOSITE OF THAT.
BUT IT ACTUALLY DOES INCORPORATES BOTH GREEN SPACE AND SIDEWALK AND POTENTIAL PATIO SPACE AS WELL. OK.
SO JUST SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT ON ON THE SET BACK, I KNOW THAT WHEN WE WORKED WITH SOME CONSULTANTS THROUGH LIKE SHAPING THE AVENUE AND OTHER PARTIES THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THAT AND THE PLANNERS AND I THINK THIS MIGHT PREDATE YOUR TIME IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION, ONE CONCEPT WAS FOR MERIDIEN BECAUSE WE REQUIRE THESE SERVICE DRIVES ON THE FRONT OF THE EXISTING STOREFRONTS.
AND THOSE WHERE WE REQUIRE THOSE SERVICE DRIVES, THEY ALL LINE UP.
LIKE IF YOU LOOK AT GOOGLE EARTH AND ANY OF THE RECENT DEVELOPMENTS, THERE ARE SOME OUTLIERS IN THIS DISTRICT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
BUT THE DISTRICT TO REALLY LOOK AT IS LIKE BETWEEN MARSH AND OKEMOS ROAD ON GRAND RIVER, WHERE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF NEW DEVELOPMENT AND IT'S TAKING EFFECT.
AND YOU CAN YOU HAVE THOSE CONTIGUOUS SERVICE DRIVES.
AND SO ONE CONCEPT FROM THE PLANNERS THAT I THOUGHT MADE A LOT OF SENSE IS TO ACTUALLY YOU'D HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT DISTANCE IS.
BUT IT'S IN OUR ORDINANCE, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD MAKE A STREETSCAPE AND THAT SERVICE DRIVE AND THEN YOU WOULD PUT THE STOREFRONTS ON THAT.
AND IT WOULD WHETHER IT'S A PRIVATE SERVICE DRIVE OR WHETHER IT'S A PUBLIC ROAD.
IT ONLY REALLY MATTERS IN HOW IT GETS REPAIRED AND WHO FUNDS IT.
BUT THAT SERVICE DRIVE WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, DIAGONAL PARKING OR HORIZONTAL ON STREET PARKING CURBSIDE, BUT IT WOULD HAVE SOME KIND OF PARKING AND THE SERVICE DRIVE.
ONE THING THAT I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND, BECAUSE THE CONCEPT WAS LET'S GET THE TRAFFIC OFF AND ONTO A SIDE STREET, WHETHER IT'S PUBLIC OR PRIVATE, AND KEEP THE TRAFFIC FLOWING ON GRAND RIVER, THE DEAL, TURN IT OFF TO THAT IS TO BECOME EAST LANSING AND PUT A TON OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS ON.
THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE SMALLER SET BACK 20 FEET IS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY JUST THE STREETSCAPE.
THAT'S A PRETTY WIDE NICE STREETSCAPE WHERE YOU COULD PUT A GREEN BELT IN.
[00:30:03]
IF IT WOULD. WORK BECAUSE THE GRAND RIVER CORRIDOR HERE IS SO LONG, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A MAJOR CHANGE, BUT USING THE SERVICE DRIVES AND ACCOMPLISHING THE SAME THING, YOU CAN STILL HAVE THAT 18 OR 20 FOOT STREETSCAPE WITH TREES AND WHATNOT IN FRONT OF THE BUILDINGS. THE DIFFICULTY THAT WE RUN INTO WHICH WE FACE REGARDLESS, IS HOW LARGE SOME OF THESE PARCELS ARE IN THEIR LARGE SUBURBAN PARCELS OR THEIR COLLECTION OF SMALLER PARCELS THAT WERE DEVELOPED AS ONE CONTIGUOUS DEVELOPMENT LIKE HOBBY LOBBY.SO THAT'S JUST ONE THOUGHT BASED ON THE PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD ON SOME OF THE SPECIFIC METRICS.
AND THEN I DO LIKE THE CONCEPT OF REQUIRING A SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR DRIVE THROUGH.
YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT TO GO THIS ROUTE.
WE REALLY HAVE TO LIMIT THE DRIVE THROUGH AND WE HAVE TO REDUCE THE DRIVE THROUGH IS PRETTY SYSTEMICALLY. YOU CAN'T HAVE DRIVE THROUGHS REQUIRE MORE CURB CUTS.
THERE'S NO POINT IN HAVING A WALKABLE DESIGN MODEL WITH A FORM BASED CODE THAT DICTATES THAT EVERY PERSON WILL BE DESIGNED FOR OPTIMAL PEDESTRIAN, NON MOTORIZED BICYCLES, EVERYTHING, AND THEN STILL HAVING DRIVE THROUGHS AND CURB CUTS EVERYWHERE.
YOU KNOW, AND THAT CHANGES THE CORRIDOR, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE BANKS.
BANKS WON'T BE INTERESTED IF THEY'RE ON THE DRIVE THROUGH.
AND IT'S A IT'S A POINT OF CONTROVERSY FOR SOME.
SOME DON'T WANT TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THE CHICK FIL A'S AND THE BANKS LEAVE, BUT THEY'RE ONLY THERE BECAUSE OF THAT.
SO. THAT'S JUST KIND OF A LARGER THAN JUST THE THOUGHT TO PUT OUT THERE FOR EVERYBODY ON THE LARGER CONCEPT, BUT I LIKE THAT IT'S MOVING TOWARDS A HYBRID.
IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A TEST CASE.
I THINK WE'VE I THINK WE'VE PICKED A GOOD AREA BECAUSE IT'S ADJACENT TO EAST LANSING.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S MORE WORK TO DO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HEIGHT REQUIREMENT.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE FIFTH STORY.
I THINK WE SHOULD ALWAYS LOOK AT REASSESSING WHATEVER THE TOP STORY IS, BECAUSE IT SERVES AS AN AMENITY AND IT MAKES THOSE UNITS WORTH MORE ANYWAY, BECAUSE THEN YOU CREATE A BALCONY AND YOU ACTUALLY BASICALLY MAKE IT LOOK A STORY SHORTER THAN IT ACTUALLY IS.
SO I THINK THERE'S MORE WORK TO BE DONE HERE.
BUT THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS AND I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SCOTT, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I LIKE THE IDEA OF FORM BASED CODE.
I THINK IT FITS WITH OUR IDEA OF HAVING A MASTER PLAN.
AND TO ME, TO HAVE A MASTER PLAN WITHOUT FORM BASED CODE IS ONLY HALF THE JOB DONE BY LEAVING THE EVERY DECISION UP TO THE BOARD.
YOU DO GET PERHAPS MORE DEMOCRATIC APPROVAL PROCESS, BUT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY GET CONSISTENT PLANNING AND DESIGN BECAUSE BOARDS, NOT ALL BOARDS ARE AS WISE AND BALANCED AS THIS BOARD ARE, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO BUT EVERY BOARD HAS ITS OWN CHARACTERISTICS, ITS OWN PRO OR NO GROWTH ATTITUDE AND OUTLOOK FORM BASED CODE, TURNS IT BACK TO THE DATA POINT, TURNS IT BACK TO THE SCIENCE, IF YOU WILL, AND IT'S ONLY THE EXCEPTIONS THAT GET PUSHED BACK FOR FURTHER REVIEW.
SO IF WE REALLY DO WANT TO HAVE A MASTER PLAN AND HAVE A GLOBAL DESIGN FOR THE TOWNSHIP FORM, BASE CODE IS THE WAY TO ACHIEVE THAT.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE DRAFT FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS TO GET IT DONE.
AND I THINK THIS IS A WELCOME ADDITION TO THE TOOLS WE HAVE TO ALLOW FOR SMART, ATTRACTIVE, FUTURE BASED GROWTH.
ONE QUESTION I HAVE IS, DID YOU WORK CLOSELY AT ALL WITH THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY IN THIS INITIAL DRAFT? SO I SERVED AS THE LIAISON TO THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY FOR SOME TIME, AND THIS ISSUE CAME UP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND OUR DISCUSSIONS THERE CERTAINLY INFORMED THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAD ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I WAS HAPPY TO BRING THE INSIGHTS FROM THEM.
I BELIEVE THAT THEY WROTE A LETTER AT ONE POINT ENCOURAGING US TO CONTINUE FORWARD WITH THE FORM BASED CODE.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT AT THE TIME ECONOMIC DIRECTOR BUCK HAD SUGGESTED TO THEM THEY DIDN'T GET INTO THE NITTY GRITTY OF IT, OF THE CODE AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH IT. BUT AS I WAS DESCRIBING SORT OF THE DIRECTION THAT WE WERE MOVING WITH IT, THEY WERE ALL VERY SEEMINGLY VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE DIRECTION WE WERE HEADED.
[00:35:04]
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS THEY WANT TO EXPRESS? YES, I DO. I CAN'T SEE MANY PEOPLE BECAUSE I STILL HAVE THE SHARED SCREEN IN FRONT OF ME.THANK YOU, MR. HENDRICKSON, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I THINK WE'VE MADE SOME PROGRESS TOWARDS BRINGING FORM BASED CODE TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
HOW MUCH HAS YOUR DISCUSSION BEEN INFORMED BY THE FACT THAT GRAND RIVER AVENUE SPECIFICALLY IS VERY LARGELY OUT OF OUR HANDS IN TERMS OF THINGS LIKE CURB CUTS AND THE LIKE? THAT'S A MAJOR POINT OF DISCUSSION BETWEEN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND MDOT ON MANY OCCASIONS. SO I'M WONDERING IF, IN FACT, THAT HAS INFORMED YOUR DISCUSSIONS AND DESIGN PROPOSALS. OH, YEAH, SO THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON WHY WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS, WE INITIALLY FOCUSED ON THE SERVICE DRIVE CONNECTIONS BEING IN THE REAR THAT CONNECTED WHERE THE PARKING WAS, AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WAS PROPOSED BY TRUSTEE OPSOMMER A MOMENT AGO, BECAUSE WE WEREN'T ENTIRELY CERTAIN THAT WE COULD INTERACT WITH GRAND RIVER IN THE WAY THAT WE WOULD HAVE HOPED TO.
AND SO, YES, THAT ABSOLUTELY INFORMED THE DISCUSSION WHETHER OR NOT WE COULD CREATE THAT SORT OF FRONT THAT'S FRONT SIDE SERVICE DRIVE AS A POSSIBILITY.
BUT WE DID NOT HAVE ANY INTERACTIONS DIRECTLY WITH THEM, NOT ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO SPECIFICALLY MANIPULATE THAT, PARTIALLY BECAUSE WE FOCUSED ON ON HAVING THOSE SERVICE DRIVES BEHIND.
BUT AGAIN, THE SERVICE DRIVES WERE ONLY SORT OF PROPOSED AS A NOTION.
NOTHING WAS ADDED TO A REGULATING PLAN YET.
AND THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE STEPS THAT WE WOULD WE WOULD NEED TO DO TO PROGRESS WITH IF WE WERE GOING TO PUT TOGETHER A MORE FULL FLEDGED ORDINANCE.
OK, MY SECOND QUESTION IS WHEN ONCE YOU PREPARE TO SEND YOUR PROPOSAL OR YOUR YOUR DRAFT THUS FAR TO THE BOARD, WOULD YOU INCLUDE THE SUMMARY THAT IS THIS PRESENTATION.
YEAH, JUST ONE OTHER THOUGHT THAT MIGHT BE WORTH LOOKING AT.
TO PUT THE POLICY INTO PRACTICE, SO TO SPEAK, AND TEST IT, YOU KNOW, ONE CONCEPT COULD BE TO TAKE THE PAUL REVERE TAVERN TAKE THE ORDINANCE AND HAVE STAFF SHOW US WHAT AN O'REILLY AUTO PARTS STORE WOULD LOOK LIKE THERE AS AN EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW.
THE ORDINANCE ITSELF DOESN'T PRECLUDE AN AUTO PARTS DEALER FROM GOING IN.
THE AUTO ZONE JUST BUILT A NEW FACILITY A FEW YEARS BACK BY A USE BY RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, HOW IS IT GOING TO CONSTRAIN THEM FROM PUTTING PARKING ALL AROUND THEIR PROPERTY AND ACTUALLY GET US TO A PLACE WHERE YOU HAVE STOREFRONTS ADJOINING WITH ADJOINING WALLS AND SHARED PARKING IN THE REAR? SO JUST AN IDEA TO LOOK AT THE ACTUAL PRACTICE AND SEE DOES IT DOES IT ACTUALLY PRODUCE? YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE A FORMULA.
THE POLICY ITSELF, IN THE FORM BASED CODE AS AN ORDINANCE OR A COMPONENT OF THE ORDINANCE IS REALLY A FORMULA. IS THE OUTPUT WHAT WE DESIRE AND LOOK AT TO TEST OUT.
O'REILLY AUTO PARTS AS PRESENTED STUFF.
SO HOW WOULD IT CHANGE WHAT THEY PRESENTED? HOW WOULD IT FORCE CHANGE? THANK YOU. MS. WISINSKI.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. HENDRICKSON, I ALSO LIKE THIS VISION EITHER A HYBRID FORM BASED CODE THAT YOU'VE PRESENTED, I'LL SAY THAT I'M STILL GETTING UP TO SPEED ON HOW THIS MAY I CAN SEE CERTAINLY SEE THE BENEFITS.
IT'S STILL WORKING TO IDENTIFY WHAT MIGHT BE POTENTIAL NEGATIVES.
SO WORKING ON THAT, I DO THINK AND I THINK THE TREASURER TOUCHED ON THIS, BUT I THINK IT WILL AND COULD PREVENT THAT FRAGMENTATION OF THE BOARD IN SEEING THAT VISION, THAT OVERALL VISION OF THE MASTER PLAN, BECAUSE WE WHEN WE GET PROJECTS THAT COME TO US, THE
[00:40:05]
VERY PROJECT SPECIFIC.AND SO IT IS EASY TO LOSE VISION AND HARD TO STAY FOCUSED ON THAT.
SO I FEEL LIKE THIS COULD CERTAINLY ADD TO THAT.
ONE QUICK QUESTION FROM ME IS, CAN OR WILL THE PLANNING COMMISSION CONSIDER INCORPORATING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INTO THIS TYPE OF A CODE? SO IF WE WERE TO THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE COMPONENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, COULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THE TOWNSHIP, WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD BE OPEN TO AT LEAST HEARING FROM EITHER THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND OR BOARD MEMBERS? WELL, FROM THE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WE CERTAINLY WELCOME ANY INPUT FROM ANY SOURCE ON WAYS TO IMPROVE WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE, HOW IT WOULD FIT IN THERE, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT WITHOUT WITHOUT KNOWING THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT IT IS EXACTLY THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE INCLUDED A COUPLE OF ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY ITEMS IN THE AMENITIES FOR THE HEIGHT BONUS, SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SEE WITH THE MUPUD ORDINANCE. IF IT COULD BE AN EXTENSION OF THAT, I DON'T SEE WHY THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY REASON WE COULDN'T ADD THAT IF THAT WAS THE WILL OF THE BOARD.
BACK TO THE CIA FOR A MOMENT, THAT'S THE QUARTER IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY.
I SIT ON THAT. AND MR. ANDERSON, HENDRICKSON MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE SOME THERE WAS SOME INTERACTION, BUT NOT A LOT. I THINK THAT IT MIGHT BE WISE TO GO BACK NOW THAT YOU HAVE SOMETHING MORE CONCRETE AND CLOSER TO A FINISHED PRODUCT TO GO BACK TO THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITY AGAIN, MR. HENDRICKSON, AND TRY TO GET SOME GIVE IT TO HIM IN ADVANCE OF A MEETING SO THEY HAVE SOME TIME TO LOOK AT IT AND MAYBE GET SOME MORE INPUT.
AND I THINK THEY'RE ALL VERY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU'VE LAID OUT SO FAR, VERY CONSISTENT. I ALSO THINK THAT BASED ON WHAT I'VE SEEN AND AROUND THE STATE, THAT THE INNER DRIVE, SO TO SPEAK, THAT MR. OPSOMMER WAS ALLUDING TO IS SOMETHING THAT THE STATE HIGHWAY AND STATE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT WOULD NOT BE ADVERSE TO.
OK. ANYTHING ELSE? IF THAT WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND GIVING US THAT REPORT AND APPRECIATE ALL THE VERY, VERY HARD WORK THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS PUT IN SO FAR, AND WHAT'S YOUR NEXT STEP THAT YOU RECOMMEND TO US, MR. HENDRICKSON? WELL, WE'RE GOING TO TRANSMIT THE ORDINANCE TO YOU.
AND THEN WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS IF THE BOARD WISHES IT, THAT WE WOULD ORGANIZE A SUBCOMMITTEE WITH MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO WORK TOGETHER TO GET THIS A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE SHARED VISION THAT THAT WOULD BENEFIT EVERYONE. ALTERNATIVELY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE IT AND MAKE CHANGES AND PREPARE IT YOURSELF, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO DO SO AS WELL.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS THERE FOR A REASON USING THEIR EXPERTISE IS A SMART THING TO DO. SO WHY DON'T YOU.
YOU SAID YOU'RE GOING TO BE TRANSMITTED TO US AT THAT POINT AFTER WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT. WE'LL PUT IT ON ANOTHER OF OUR AGENDAS AND FIGURE OUT AS FAR AS THE SUBCOMMITTEE HOW WE'RE GOING TO GO.
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM ANYBODY BEFORE WE THANK HIM AGAIN? NO. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, SIR.
[4C. Redi-Ride Update]
I'LL COME TO THE REWRITE UPDATE, AND I KNOW WE HAVE MR. VAGNOZZI, WHO'S CHAIR OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION HERE, MR. VAGNOZZI. I AM HERE.YEAH, I'M JUST WAITING FOR FURTHER.
I STILL WAITING FOR MY PIC FROM MY FACE TO SHOW UP.
OH, IT'S A IT'S ON OUR SCREENS, OK.
I'M SEEING YOURS. I'M SEEING YOU VERY CLEARLY.
I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO GRAB SOMETHING TO SHARE.
CAN EVERYBODY SEE THIS? IT'S. SO IT SAYS MERIDIAN REDI-RIDE OVERVIEW, I HAVE IT ON MY SCREEN.
OK. THIS YOU'VE EARLIER MAY HAVE RECEIVED THE SAME MOST OF THE SAME DOCUMENT, I JUST REARRANGED THE ORDER OF THE PAGES TO MAKE THE
[00:45:03]
PRESENTATION WORK BETTER.SO THESE ARE JUST OVER THE PAST ROUGHLY YEAR AND A HALF.
SINCE THE UPDATE, SINCE SEPTEMBER OF 2019.
SINCE THEN, WE HAVE BASICALLY ADDED THREE HOURS OF REDI-RIDE SERVICE TO THE PRIOR SCHEDULE.
DURING THE PERIOD DURING THIS YEAR AND A HALF PERIOD, WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE DATA.
INITIALLY, WE ADDED AN HOUR AND A HALF IN THE MORNING.
AND AN HOUR AND A HALF IN THE EVENING.
AND WE LOOKED AT IT AND THE RIDERSHIP IN THE EVENING IS ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE LESS THAN IN THE MORNING. SO WE HAVE MOVED UP THE STARTING TIME AND IT IS CURRENTLY NOW 7:00 A.M..
SO WE ARE RUNNING NOW ON MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM SEVEN A.M.
TO SIX P.M.. THE OTHER MAJOR CHANGE IS THAT CATA HAS PUT MORE BUSSES INTO SUPPORTING REDI-RIDE.
FOR THE PERIOD OF TIME, ROUGHLY SIX MONTHS FROM SEPTEMBER 2019 TO FEBRUARY OF 2020.
THERE WAS AN AVERAGE OF NINETEEN HUNDRED AND THIRTY SEVEN TRIPS BOOKED MONTHLY.
IS THAT THERE WERE NO DENIALS BECAUSE OF LACK OF CAPACITY DURING THAT PERIOD.
THAT WAS THAT WAS ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION WAS TASKED WITH ADDRESSING. AS WITH EVERYTHING ELSE.
HAS RESULTED IN A STARK REDUCTION IN RIDERSHIP.
BOOKED RIDES HAVE AVERAGED DIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE PER MONTH.
OK, THAT IS THIRTY FIVE PERCENT OF NORMAL RIDERSHIP.
NOW, AS LOW AS THAT SOUNDS WE ARE ACTUALLY DOING SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER THAN THE FIXED ROUTES.
WHICH WHEN WE HAD OUR PRESENTATION FROM CATA, THEY SAY THEY'RE AVERAGING AROUND ONLY 15 PERCENT OF THEIR NORMAL RIDERSHIP.
CATA REPORTS THAT THEY HAVE NOT LOGGED ONE COMPLAINT SINCE WE INCREASED THE SERVICE HOURS AND THE. THIS IS A CHART BASICALLY SAYING SHOWING THE ACTUAL RIDES TAKEN.
AND YOU CAN SEE AND THIS GOES FURTHER BACK.
THIS IS ALL THE WAY BACK TO AUGUST OF 2017, I JUST HIGHLIGHTED OUR PEAK MONTH.
WHICH WAS JANUARY OF 2020, WE HE HAD NINETEEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY ACTUAL RIDES TAKEN.
OK, AND YOU CAN SEE YOU CAN SEE THE HIT STARTING IN MARCH.
OK, THERE WAS NO SERVICE IN APRIL.
AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT BETWEEN MAY AND OCTOBER, IT IS SLOWLY COMING BACK.
THE RIDERSHIP IS SLOWLY INCREASING.
THIS CHART I'M GOING TO TRY TO MOVE IT UP SO YOU CAN SEE THE ACTUAL CHART.
THIS GIVES YOU A SPLIT OR SHOWS YOU WHAT PERCENTAGE OF RIDERSHIP BELONGS TO WHAT CATEGORY. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ARE ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN HALF OF THE RIDERSHIP.
THE NEXT CHUNK IS YOUTH, ALTHOUGH WITH SINCE IN-PERSON LEARNING HAS BEEN REPLACED BY REMOTE LEARNING THAT YOUTH SLICE IS ACTUALLY SMALLER.
OK, REGULAR ADULT REDI-RIDES, THAT'S ADULTS THAT DON'T FIT ANY OF THESE OTHER CATEGORIES IS ABOUT NINE PERCENT.
[00:50:03]
AND THEN THERE'S TWO PERCENT IS FREE RIDERSHIP, AND THAT WOULD BE PRIMARILY YOUNG CHILDREN AND ALSO COMPANIONS TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, COMPANIONS RIDE FREE.IS SHOWING THE RIDERSHIP IN THE PERIODS OF TIME THAT PRIOR TO THE CHANGES, WE WERE HAVING A LOT OF DENIALS AND ISSUES OF PEOPLE NOT BEING ABLE TO GET A SLOT.
YOU CAN SEE THAT WAS THE PERIOD FROM SORRY, CATA OPERATES IN MILITARY TIME.
TWO P.M. TO FOUR P.M., OK, WHICH WAS THE PERIOD THAT SCHOOL THAT THE SCHOOL LET OUT.
AND WE DID HAVE SOME, BUT THIS IS A WHOLE PERIOD OF TIME.
OK, SO YOU'LL SEE HERE A DAILY AVERAGE OF 14 STUDENTS WERE PICKED UP AND ARE DROPPED OFF AT SCHOOL ON THE MERIDIAN REDI-RIDE DURING THIS TIME PERIOD.
OK, IF YOU LOOK HERE AT THE START OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR 20200 TO 2021, IT'S ONLY BEEN TWO STUDENTS PER DAY.
THIS IS AN ANALYSIS OF THE RIDERSHIP DURING THE HOURS WE ADD IT.
WE MADE THESE CHANGES, THE FIRST CHANGE WE MADE IS WE MOVED A HALF HOUR FROM THE EVENING TO THE MORNING, SO WE PUT THIS HALF HOUR BETWEEN SEVEN THIRTY AND EIGHT.
AND YOU'LL SEE HERE THAT WE ACTUALLY.
WE HAD SIX HUNDRED AND THIRTY NINE RIDES TAKEN DURING THAT HALF HOUR, OK, DURING THE NEXT HOUR, WHICH IS A WHOLE HOUR, EIGHT TO NINE.
WE HAD ABOUT 398, ABOUT FOUR HUNDRED.
NOW WE'RE REMEMBERING THIS SEVEN THIRTY TO EIGHT SERVICE WASN'T THERE FOR THE WHOLE PERIOD. AND STILL, IT HAS MORE RIDERSHIP.
IN THE AFTERNOONS FROM FIVE TO SIX, WE HAD ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY SIX RIDES TAKEN.
OK, AT THE POINT THIS CHART REFLECTS WHEN WE WERE RUNNING SEVEN THIRTY TO SIX THIRTY, AND YOU'LL SEE IN THAT LAST HALF HOUR, SIX TO SIX THIRTY, WE HAD SIX RIDES TAKEN.
OK, WHEN WE SAW THAT WE WORKED WITH CATA AND OUR CURRENT HOURS ARE NOW SEVEN O'CLOCK.
AND WE'RE PICKING UP, YOU KNOW.
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS, IT'S JUST ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE MORE PEOPLE USING THE SERVICE EARLY IN THE MORNING THAN IN THE EVENING.
SO WE HAVE YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ADJUSTED TO, YOU KNOW, PUT PUT THE PUT THE PUT THE BUSSES OUT THERE WHEN THE DEMAND IS HIGHEST.
THIS IS A VERY COMPLICATED CHART.
AND ALL I'M GOING TO DO WITH THIS IS GO DOWN TO THE HIGHLIGHTED SECTIONS, THERE'S A COLUMN CALLED CAPACITY, THAT IS THE PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T GET A RIDE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO CAPACITY TO TAKE THEM AT THE TIME THEY WANTED. STARTING IN SEPTEMBER OF 19, WE HAVE HAD NO CAPACITY DENIAL ALL THE WAY THROUGH OCTOBER OF 20.
OK, SO OBVIOUSLY THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE AND CAN HELP US WITH HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THE DESIRED OUTCOME, IT IS EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO GET RIDES WHEN THEY WANT.
THE LAST IS A BONUS, THE LAST PAGE, I'M GOING TO HOPE THAT YOU WILL GRANT ME A LITTLE FREEDOM HERE, OK? I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THE TOWNSHIP ARE AWARE OF THIS, ESPECIALLY OUR SENIORS LIVING IN COMPLEXES, BUT THERE IS A CATA SHOPPING BUS.
[00:55:06]
OK, THAT'S OPERATING IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.TWO DOLLAR ROUND TRIP FARE, IT'S RUN FROM SENIOR HOUSING COMPLEXES AND THE COMPLEXES THAT ARE SERVED ARE STRATFORD PLACE, BURCHCAM HILLS, [INAUDIBLE] ACRES AND MARSH POINT.
AND THE SHOPPING CENTERS THAT ARE SERVICED THERE, OKEMOS MEIJERS, KROGER, TARGET, WAL-MART AND MERIDIAN MALL.
AND THIS AVERAGE WAS COMPUTED SINCE THE RETURN OF NORMAL SERVICE IN MAY, THE END OF MAY OF 2020. AND THEN THIS JUST HERE IS SHOWING THAT THE AVERAGE MONTHLY RIDERSHIP.
IS THE SMALL RANGING FROM 20 AT BURCHAM HILLS TO A HIGH OF 68 AT STRATFORD.
OK, BUT THIS IS AGAIN ANOTHER ANOTHER SERVICE THAT CATA IS PROVIDING IN THE TOWNSHIP.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY MY MY PRESENTATION AND AN OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF.
I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS.
I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE MEMBERS OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION AND CATA AND WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE ON CATA MR. OPSOMMER, RIGHT NOW, ALTHOUGH HE'S CHANGING OFF OF THAT.
I CONGRATULATE ALL OF YOU BECAUSE A LOT OF THINGS JUST HAPPENED GOING BACK A FEW YEARS ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YEARS WHEN WE STARTED [INAUDIBLE] OF REDI-RIDE AND THE SERVICE THAT WAS PROVIDED TO THE TOWNSHIP IS THAT THERE'S BEEN A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT TO MATCH SERVICE AND DEMAND. AND IT'S BEEN DONE JOINTLY BETWEEN THIS TOWNSHIP AND A LOT OF IT THROUGH OUR TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION DIRECTLY WITH CATA AND CATA HAS BEEN EXTREMELY RESPONSIVE.
I THINK THAT'S BEEN A REAL POSITIVE FOR OUR CITIZENS AND SOMETHING WE SHOULD ALL BE GRATEFUL FOR OUR BOARD MEMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. VAGNOZZI? YES, SIR, I GOT ONE THING I'D LIKE TO ADD.
IF I COULD, I INTENDED TO COVER MY PRESENTATION, BUT ONE OF THE SNAGS THAT HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN WITH REDI-RIDE IS THAT YOU COULDN'T RESERVE A RIDE ON SUNDAYS.
OK, SO IT MEANT IF YOU WANTED TO RIDE MONDAY, YOU HAD TO CALL ON SATURDAY.
CATA HAS CHANGED AND YOU CAN NOW BOOK A REDI-RIDE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
NOW, I MEAN RESERVE A REDI-RIDE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
SO SUNDAY RESERVATION, YOU CAN MAKE A RESERVATION ON SUNDAY FOR MONDAY.
AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ALSO ONE OF THE ONE OF THE CONCERNS OF THE REDI-RIDE RIDERS.
ONCE AGAIN, MATCHING SERVICE IN THE SENSE OF THE SERVICE OF THE AVAILABILITY TO GET ALL OF THEM TO THE DEMAND, THE DEMAND OF THE CITIZEN.
MS. GUTHRIE, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP FIRST.
THANK YOU SUPERVISOR STYKA I APPRECIATE IT.
AND THANK YOU, STEVE, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS OUT OF CURIOSITY, DO YOU KNOW WHY OR WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PEOPLE IN THE MORNING? THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE MORNING WHO ARE USING THE SERVICE, BUT NOT IN THE EVENING OR LATE. DO YOU KNOW HOW THEY'RE GETTING HOME? IS THERE ANY DATA? THERE'S NO HARD DATA.
OK, BUT THE DEMAND WAS NOT THERE.
JUST OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, A COUPLE OF ASSUMPTIONS.
ONE, THEY COULD BE IF THEY START AT SEVEN, THEY MIGHT BE COMING HOME EARLIER THAN FIVE.
THE OTHER IS THEY MAY HAVE ALREADY HAVE A DIFFERENT WAY HOME IT'S JUST IN THE MORNING, THEY NEED THE TRANSPORTATION.
AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS.
THE TWO DOLLARS SERVICE ROUND TRIP FEE FOR GROCERY SHOPPING, DO YOU DO YOU.
HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT EXPANDING TO OTHER SENIORS IN THE COMMUNITY?
[01:00:04]
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A LARGE SENIOR COMMUNITY OUTSIDE OF THE AREAS THAT ARE RECEIVING THAT SERVICE.I GUESS THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO BE THE ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF, CATA IS RUNNING THAT WITH THE NORMAL LINEHAUL BUS.
OK, AND THERE ARE ROADS, THERE ARE ROADS IN THE TOWNSHIP WHERE.
THE BUS CANNOT BUS OF THAT SIZE CANNOT NAVIGATE.
YOU KNOW, REDI-RIDE IS OPEN TO EVERYBODY IN THE TOWNSHIP.
I THINK THE REASON FOR THE SHOPPING BUS IS THAT THERE'S SUCH A LARGE CONGREGATION OF SENIORS AT THESE COMPLEXES AND IT'S A WAY TO, YOU KNOW, PREDICTABLY SERVE THEM.
AND ALL THEY HAVE TO DO, IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE IT, IS JUST GET OUT THERE AND GET ON THE BUS. NOW, THE ROUND TRIP FARE FOR THAT IN REALITY IS.
THERE IS, YOU KNOW, IN THE SAME BALLPARK AS TAKING A ROUND TRIP REDI-RIDE.
ARE THERE, AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS, ARE THERE REDUCED SERVICES FEES FOR FAMILIES IN NEED MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
IS THERE A WAY THAT WE WORK WITH THEM AT ALL? WE DO WORK WITH THEM THROUGH MERIDIAN CARES.
OK, AND WE HAVE WORKED OUT AN ARRANGEMENT WHERE CATA SUPPLIES PASSES TO MERIDIAN, CARES AND MERIDIAN CARES THEN FOR FAMILIES IN NEED, CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH PASSES FOR CATA. THANK YOU, I WAS LOOKING FOR THAT INFORMATION FOR SOMEBODY, AND I COULDN'T FIND IT A FEW MONTHS AGO AND I WASN'T SURE IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE TOWNSHIP IS STILL WORKING ON.
YEAH, YOU CAN CHECK WITH MERIDIAN CARES.
THANK YOU. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS ANYTHING FOR MR. VAGNOZZI. OR GENERAL COMMENTS ABOUT THIS REPORT.
YOUR UNIT FELL AS A FOLLOW UP ON THE ISSUE OF FARE'S, WE DID INCREASE FARES WHEN WE EXPANDED SERVICE AS A WAY TO PARTIALLY PAY FOR IT.
AND FOR SENIORS THE FARES A DOLLAR AND A QUARTER.
BUT SENIORS CAN ALSO PURCHASE A CARD OF 10 RIDES FOR SIX DOLLARS, WHICH REDUCES THAT COST TO 60 CENTS. AND AS STEVE POINTED OUT, CATA PROVIDE AS MANY FREE PASSES AS WE ASK FOR BASED ON OUR MERIDIAN CARES DETERMINATION OF NEED.
SO THAT NO ONE IS BEING DENIED A REDI-RIDE OR A CATA RIDE FOR THAT MATTER, IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP THAT NEEDS IT.
SO CATA DOES NOT PUT A CAP ON EITHER THE DISCOUNTED PASS CARDS, 60 CENTS A RIDE OR THE FREE PASSES. THEY'VE DETERMINED THAT UP LEFT UP TO US AND OUR DETERMINATION OF NEEDS.
SO THERE'S NO ONE BEING DENIED FOR LACK OF FUNDS.
OK, AND I DON'T SEE ANY HANDS.
THANK YOU, MR. VAGNOZZI, AND THANKS TO YOUR FELLOW TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEMBERS FOR US AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THEY'RE DOING.
THANK YOU. OK, WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO A CITIZENS ADDRESSING AGENDA AND NON AGENDA ITEMS,
[5. CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS]
MR. GEBES ARE YOU ON AND [INAUDIBLE] IN LINE? I AM HERE AND I KNOW WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE PERSON CALL INTO THE 517 349-1232 NUMBER TO MAKE A COMMENT.BUT ANYONE IN THE ATENDEE AREA CAN, OF COURSE, RAISE THEIR HAND AND WE WILL ENABLE THEM TO MAKE COMMENT THERE.
I'LL LET YOU EXPLAIN THE RULES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AS HANDS GO UP AND CALLS COME IN.
THANK YOU. AND YES, IF YOU DO WANT TO COMMENT, YOU'RE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES, YOU START OUT WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
WE ASK YOU TO BE RESPECTFUL, NOT TO ADDRESS INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS, BUT THE BOARD AS A WHOLE, NOT TO ADDRESS OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, BUT JUST THE BOARD.
AND HOPEFULLY, ALTHOUGH YOU'RE FREE TO GO ELSEWHERE, TO STICK TO THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT TODAY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY YET, MR. GEBES? WE ABSOLUTELY DO.
FIRST ON THE LIST, I SAW MR. DAVID PEARSON AND HE'S BEEN UNABLE TO SPEAK AND I SEE HE'S REMOVED HIS MUTE.
MR. PEARSON, COULD YOU START WITH YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE?
[01:05:05]
YES, THANK YOU, DAVID PEARSON.ELEVEN FORTY TWO SOUTH WASHINGTON IN LANSING.
AND I'M HERE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF DTN AND THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU FOR REZONING ON YOUR DISCUSSION AGENDA TONIGHT.
AS A REZONING, AS STAFF LIKES TO POINT OUT, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO FOCUS ON THE SITE PLAN OR THE PROJECT, BUT ADDITIONAL ZONING CAN MAKE THAT DIFFERENT.
IT CAN GIVE THE BOARD MUCH MORE CONTROL THAN SIMPLE REZONING FROM RA TO RD.
THE CONDITIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN OFFERED ARE NO MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY UNITS, NO FEWER THAN TWENTY FIVE SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS, NO BUILDINGS, GREATER THAN TWO STORIES IN ENCLOSED GARAGES FOR EVERY DWELLING UNIT.
THE APPLICANT PROPOSES ADDING AN ADDITIONAL CONDITION, WHICH WOULD BE THAT IT WOULD REQUIRE APPROVAL BY THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF A SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION FROM THE APPLICANT WITHIN TWO YEARS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE REZONING OR THE REZONING REVERTS TO R.A..
IN OTHER WORDS, ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT THE BOARD VERY MUCH HAS IS WHAT WOULD THIS THING ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE? AND WHAT IF IT SIMPLY WENT TO R.D.
AND WENT TO SOMEONE ELSE? WE OFFER THIS CONDITION BECAUSE WE THINK IT ANSWERS THAT CONCERN AND IT MAKES SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS PROJECT'S COMING BACK TO YOU AND YOU REALLY WILL KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
YOU'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT AND APPROVE IT, AND YOU'LL HAVE THE TIME TO DO THAT.
ONE THING THAT ALSO CAME UP AT THE EARLIER MEETING THAT WE WANTED TO ADDRESS IS SO THIS PROPERTY HAS LONG BEEN ZONED RA WHAT HAS CHANGED.
AND THE ANSWER, FRANKLY, IS IT'S HOW YOU CHANGED YOUR ORDINANCE, WHICH WAS TO RECENTLY AMEND THE RD DISTRICT TO PERMIT SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
WHAT THIS ALLOWS IS A PROJECT LIKE THIS WHICH PROVIDES A MIX OF DIFFERENT HOMES IN AN AREA WHERE THEY SHOULD BE.
THE MASTER PLAN IS MORE THAN JUST THE MAP.
YOUR MASTER PLAN GOAL NUMBER ONE IS TO ENCOURAGE CLUSTER DEVELOPMENTS AND OTHER COMPACT RESIDENTIAL CHOICES CLOSER TO SHOPPING, PUBLIC TRANSIT AND OTHER SERVICES TO ENSURE THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS A RANGE OF RESIDENTIAL DENSITIES THAT WILL RESULT IN A DIVERSITY OF HOUSING THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF VARIOUS INCOME LEVELS AND HOUSEHOLD TYPES.
THERE ARE OTHER PARTS OF YOUR MASTER PLAN, INCLUDING FOCUSING GROWTH WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY AND ENCOURAGING LAND PRESERVATION BY DENSIFYING DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE LAND PRESERVATION I'M SORRY, WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY BY HAVING A MIX OF HOUSING TYPES, WE THINK THAT'S WHAT THIS PROJECT DOES AND I ASK YOU TO LOOK AT IT.
WOULD BE GLAD TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
[INAUDIBLE] HERE IS HERE ALSO.
HE ALSO HAS A VERSION OF THE PLAN WHICH WAS REQUESTED BY A COUPLE OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD MEMBERS TO SHOW WHERE THE LINE WOULD FALL FOR SINGLE FAMILY.
AND WHAT IT DOES IS MARK OFF AN AREA OF 11 ACRES ON THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE PROPERTY, WHICH WOULD ONLY BE DEVELOPED FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
I THINK HE'LL GET A CHANCE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
AND HE AND I WILL BOTH BE HERE AND GLAD TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, THANK YOU.
NEXT, WE HAVE A CALLER, MS. VAUGHN, CAN YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD YOU'RE ON SPEAKERS] YES THIS IS PHYLLIS VAUGHN.
MY ADDRESS IS SIXTY ONE HUNDRED [INAUDIBLE] COURT IN HASLETT.
MY FIRST [INAUDIBLE] SORRY MY FIRST SUBJECT IS I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE BOARD CONSIDER CHANGING THE POLICY FOR PAYMENT FOR BOARD MEMBERS AND THAT PERHAPS YOU ARE ALLOWED LIKE ONE MEETING A YEAR AND AFTER THAT YOU DON'T GET PAID FOR IT.
SECONDLY, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP THE CAN OF WORMS OF RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.
AND I THINK THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO CONSIDER PASSING THAT, YOU NEED TO GIVE IT AS MUCH PUBLIC FORUM AS YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO PASS A MILLAGE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND LASTLY, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REFER TO DEBORAH'S QUESTION, THE READY RIDE AND THE PEOPLE THAT GO AT SEVEN A.M.
I CAN ALMOST GUARANTEE YOU THEY'RE GOING TO A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT AND THEY GET A RIDE HOME LIKE TWO HOURS LATER OR SOMETHING.
I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.
I WONDER IF THAT'S ON THE MASTER PLAN.
[01:10:01]
MY BIGGEST COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS IS THE BOARD AGREED TO HAVE MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND THE PEOPLE WERE SUPPOSED TO PROVE THAT THEIR ESTABLISHMENT COULD SUPPORT IT AND KIND OF GO BY HOW THEY RUN THEIR BUSINESS AS TO WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO OR YOU ARE GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.I SUGGEST YOU GET PROFESSIONALS LIKE SOCIAL WORKERS, POLICE OFFICERS AND PEOPLE LIKE THAT TO GIVE YOU FEEDBACK ON WHAT THEY'VE HAD EXPERIENCE IN OTHER AREAS.
BYE. THANK YOU MS. VAUGHN. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS.
YOU CERTAINLY DO. NEXT ON THE LIST, I SAW MR. UPPAL'S HAND GO UP.
IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S STILL MUTED IF HE UNMUTES HE WILL BE ABLE TO STATE HIS NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. YES, MY NAME IS RON UPPAL.
SIXTY ONE THIRTY THREE [INAUDIBLE] DRIVE IN HASLETT.
I'M TALKING REGARD TO A REZONING THIS EVENING.
MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP COMMISSION MCKENNA ASSOCIATES IN 2016 TO STUDY THE HOUSING NEEDS, WHICH WAS IDENTIFIED, A MISSING MIDDLE THAT EXISTED IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
THE PROPERTY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO REZONE IS DESIGNED TO TARGET THAT MISSING MIDDLE.
AND IT'S CONSISTENT IN OUR OPINION WITH THE MASTER PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE STUDY BY MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IN THE MOST RECENT UPDATES OF YOUR MULTIFAMILY ORDINANCE TO SHOW OR TO ALLOW FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
MOST COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ARE OVER SERVED BY A HOUSING TYPE OF OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM, LARGE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND LARGE MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS AND COMPLEXES. MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS ESPECIALLY DRAMATIC EXAMPLE OF THIS TREND, WITH OVER 80 PERCENT OF THE HOUSING UNITS COMING FROM ONE OF THOSE TWO CATEGORIES OF HOUSING TYPES, THE MIDDLE, SUCH AS TOWNHOMES, SMALL APARTMENT BUILDINGS, GARDEN BUNGALOWS AND OTHER FORMS OF THE HOUSINGS ARE UNDER SUPPLY AND ARE THEREFORE REFERRED TO AS THE MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING. WE'VE IDENTIFIED THIS PROPERTY AS THE ONLY ONE WE COULD FIND AVAILABLE IN THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP CAN SUPPORT THIS KIND OF MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING.
THIS TYPE OF HOUSING IS ESPECIALLY SUCCESSFUL IN HIGH DEMAND WHEN DEVELOPED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A WALKABLE URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD.
MCKINNEY STUDY STATED THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP CURRENTLY HAS SOME VERY SMALL AREAS THAT FIT THE TOPOLOGY NEAR OKEMOS AND HASLETT.
BUT IN ORDER TO ATTRACT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING, THE COMMUNITY SHOULD PLAN FOR ADDITIONAL DENSITY AND WALKABILITY IN SPECIFIC PLACES AS DETERMINED BY THE PLAN. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE BELIEVE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ENCOURAGE WHEN YOU RECENTLY UPDATED YOUR MULTIFAMILY ZONING CODE TO ALLOW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND THAT IS DO. WE HAVE BUILT TWO COMMUNITIES IN THE GREATER LANSING AREA, ASPEN LAKES AND HOLT AND THE QUARRY IN DEWITT THAT HAVE TARGETED THIS MISSING MIDDLE.
BOTH HAVE BEEN TREMENDOUSLY SUCCESSFUL IN SATISFYING THIS PENT UP DEMAND IN COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE BUILT THEM. WE WANT TO BRING SIMILAR NEIGHBORHOODS TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TO HELP SUPPORT OKEMOS SCHOOLS.
WE ANTICIPATE THIS HOUSING PROJECT STYLE, BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE OF QUARRY AND ASPEN LAKES, WILL ATTRACT MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED OF K1 THROUGH K12 STUDENTS TO THE OKEMOS SCHOOLS. WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD A COMMUNITY THAT'S WALKABLE AND SURROUNDED BY RETAIL AND AFFILIATED WITH THE OKEMOS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THIS ASPEN LAKES TYPE OF PROJECT TYPICALLY HAS ATTRACTED MORE FAMILIES THAN EMPTY NESTERS THAN YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, AS COMPARED TO MORE DENSE APARTMENT PROJECTS OR CONVENTIONAL STYLE APARTMENTS.
WE ARE ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING A MIXED USE PLAN THAT WILL ATTRACT THIS MISSING MIDDLE IN HASLETT AT NEWTON ROAD TO SUPPORT THE HASLETT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE'D LIKE TO DO THE SAME THING IN THE OKEMOS SCHOOL DISTRICT AND FAMILIES AND ATTRACT THOSE. WE FEEL THIS PROJECT IS APPROPRIATE TO DO SO.
CURRENTLY MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP HAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CONVENTIONAL THREE STORY HALLWAY STYLE RENTAL APARTMENTS.
IN OUR OPINION, WHAT IS LACKING IS AN AMENITIZED LUXURIOUS, WALKABLE COMMUNITY LIKE ASPEN LAKES AND THE OKEMOS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE BELIEVE TO ATTRACT THIS DEMOGRAPHIC IT WILL REQUIRE DIRECT ENTRY [INAUDIBLE] WITH ATTACHED GARAGES. WE BELIEVE THIS PROJECT WILL MEET THIS UNDERSERVED MISSING MIDDLE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP. WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR THE APPROPRIATE SITE FOR MORE THAN A DECADE FOR THIS TYPE OF COMMUNITY IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND OKEMOS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE HAVE NOT FOUND ONE THAT FITS THIS AND WE PERCEIVE IT.
THANK YOU MR. UPPAL YOUR TIME IS UP THANK YOU.
I ASSUME YOU WILL BE AROUND WHEN WE DISCUSS THIS DISCUSSION ITEM.
I TRY TO THANK YOU. FOR THREE MINUTES BUT I GOT A LITTLE LONG.
YEAH ALRIGHT ANYONE ELSE MR. GEBES. YES.
NEXT WE HAVE MR. STRAUB, IF HE CAN STATE HIS NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD, PLEASE.
GOOD EVENING. THIS IS DAVID STRAUB.
SIXTEEN FIFTY KENNEDALE BOULEVARD, EAST LANSING.
I'M HERE TO REPRESENT MAYBERRY HOMES FOR ITEM NUMBER THIRTEEN C THE POWELL ROAD PAVING PUBLIC ROAD SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT.
JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M HERE THIS EVENING AND AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE WHEN YOU GET TO THAT AGENDA ITEM.
THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE.
[01:15:04]
KARANA, IF HE CAN STATE HIS NAME FOR THE NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD PLEASE? HELLO, MY NAME IS MARVIN KARANA AT TWO NINE FIVE ZERO ZERO,[INAUDIBLE] SUITE 250 SOUTHFIELD, MICHIGAN, FOUR EIGHT ZERO THREE FOUR.I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A SAFE AND ENJOYABLE HOLIDAY BREAK.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT ADULT USE MARIJUANA.
I AM THE OWNER AND ALSO THE ATTORNEY OF DMV K2 WHO WAS CONDITIONALLY APPROVED TO OPERATE A PROVISIONAL CENTER AT SIXTEEN FOURTEEN WEST GRAND RIVER ROAD.
THIS IS A GROUND UP DEVELOPMENT.
I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT A FEW STATS HERE FROM THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.
AS THE RECREATIONAL MARKET CONTINUES TO GROW HERE IN THE STATE, THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS IS DROPPING AT A RAPID RATE.
I MADE A COMMENT AT THE NOVEMBER MEETING I MENTIONED IN INGHAM COUNTY THAT IN OCTOBER OF 2019, THERE WAS SIX THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED PATIENTS THAT HAD A MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARD IN THE COUNTY IN SEPTEMBER OF 2020, THAT NUMBER DROPPED TO TWO THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE A FEW MONTHS LATER NOW IN NOVEMBER, THAT NUMBER IS NOW AT TWENTY FOUR HUNDRED. SO JUST IN THAT TWO MONTHS, WE LOST OVER 300 PATIENTS.
EVENTUALLY THAT NUMBER IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO DECLINE UNTIL THERE'S JUST NO PATIENTS REMAINING IN THE STATE. AND FOR THAT REASON, IT'S BECAUSE MICHIGAN HAS ONE OF THE LOWEST EXCISE TAXES FOR ADULT USE SALES.
THERE'S NO REASON FOR PATIENTS TO RENEW THEIR CARDS AND GO THROUGH THE INCONVENIENCE OF MAKING A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT AND BEING RECORDED ON THE STATE DATABASE.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, AS A STORE OWNER, WE CAN'T OBTAIN MEDICAL MARIJUANA PRODUCT.
ALL THE VENDORS ARE CONVERTING TO RECREATIONAL.
THERE'S VERY LITTLE MEDICAL MARIJUANA PRODUCTS THAT A PROVISIONING CENTER COULD OBTAIN.
THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE IN OPERATIONS.
THAT'S THE SAME STORE SET UP IT'S EXACT SAME.
ONLY DIFFERENCE IS YOU PUSH A DIFFERENT BUTTON THE CASH REGISTER, OPTING FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA OR I'M SORRY, OPTING FOR ADULT USE WILL SPARK NEW EMPLOYMENT, NEW DEVELOPMENT OF TOWNSHIP DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC.
WE HAVE OPERATING STORE IN LAPEER MICHIGAN THAT WENT RECREATIONAL LAST MONTH AND WE TRIPLED OUR STAFF. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA IS ALREADY IN THE TOWNSHIP.
EAST LANSING AND LANSING ARE OPTING IN FOR ADULT USE SALES THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DELIVER TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP. THE EXCISE TAX IS NOT SHARED BY THE TOWNSHIP IT STAYS IN EAST LANSING AND LANSING. SO WHY NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND BRING THE JOBS TO THE TOWNSHIP FOR PROFIT SHARING OF THE EXCISE TAX, THE NEW DEVELOPMENT THIS IS GOING TO SPARK INSTEAD OF BENEFITING THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME THE BOARD MEMBERS AND I JUST RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS STRONGLY CONSIDER THE BENEFITS OF RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA OPT IN.
IT IS A TIME SENSITIVE MATTER FOR US AND I HOPE THE BOARD COMES TO A DECISION SOON.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS. MR. KARANA WILL BE FOLLOWED BY MR. SHAMOON, WHO IS READY TO GO IF HE CAN STATE HIS NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ALAN SHAMOON, ONE ZERO EIGHT SOUTH MAIN STREET STREET, SUITE A ROYAL OAK, MICHIGAN, FOUR EIGHT ZERO SIX SEVEN.
I AM THE ATTORNEY FOR THE CURE LEAF TC, WHICH IS A MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROVISIONING PERMIT HOLDER, I SUPPOSE WE ARE NOT OPERATIONAL YET.
WE HAVE A LICENSE OR [INAUDIBLE] LOCATION LOCATED AT 3520 OKEMOS ROAD.
AND TO RESONATE WHAT MR. KARANA SAID THE IMPORTANCE OF ADULT USE MARIJUANA IN THE TOWNSHIP LOOKING AT IT AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO A BUSINESS OPERATOR.
A LOT OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT GOES INTO THESE BUILDINGS, THESE BUSINESSES, THE EXPENSE THAT'S INCLUDED, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE TO THE PUBLIC GENERALLY THAT THESE PRODUCTS ARE NEARLY IDENTICAL. AS MR. KARANA SAID, IT'S THE DIFFERENCE OF PUSHING A BUTTON ON THE CASH REGISTER, IT'S SIMPLY A DIFFERENT TAG THAT THE STATE USES TO TRACK THAT INVENTORY.
IT'S THE SAME PLANTS FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, LITERALLY.
YOU CAN EVEN TRANSFER A MEDICAL PRODUCT TO ADULT USE IF YOU HAVE THE AVAILABLE LICENSES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STATE RULES.
SO FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, FROM A PUBLIC PERCEPTION PERSPECTIVE, THEY ARE THE EXACT SAME PRODUCT. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS THE FACT THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A MARIJUANA CARD.
YOU PAY A SLIGHTLY MORE OF A HIGHER TAX PERCENTAGE.
BUT THAT TAX REVENUE IS SHARED THROUGHOUT THE STATE, THROUGH THE COUNTY, THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP. SO ALL IT DOES TO THE TOWNSHIP, IT INCREASES THE TAX REVENUE THAT THEY RAISE.
FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT, THERE'S VIRTUALLY NO DIFFERENCE IN THE SECURITY THAT'S REQUIRED FOR THE FACILITIES. BUT FROM AN EMPLOYMENT PERSPECTIVE, IT ACTUALLY GENERALLY REQUIRES MORE EMPLOYEES BECAUSE YOU'RE A BUSIER STORE IF YOU ARE RECREATIONAL.
AS MR. KARANA HIGHLIGHTED, THE NUMBER OF CARDHOLDERS IN THE AREA IS REDUCING PRETTY RAPIDLY, WHEREAS FOR A RECREATIONAL CUSTOMER, ALL YOU HAVE TO BE IS TWENTY ONE OR OLDER,
[01:20:02]
WHICH IS YOU KNOW HAVING A MAJORITY OF THE PUBLIC THAT AVOIDS ANY CHILDREN FROM BEING [INAUDIBLE] OR COMING INTO THE FACILITY.AND ALL THE FACILITIES HAVE PROCEDURES TO PREVENT THAT FROM TAKING PLACE.
SO I JUST WANT TO STRESS TO HE TOWNSHIP HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO ALL THESE BUSINESS OWNERS WHO HAVE APPLIED AND SPENT THE MONEY AND TIME, YOU KNOW, GETTING THEIR BUSINESSES READY TO OPERATE IN YOUR TOWNSHIP.
THIS IS A LIFELINE TO THEM AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THAT LIFELINE TO BE THROWN.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GOOD HOLIDAY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING BUSINESS IN YOUR TOWN.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU WE HAVE A CALL COMING IN.
DO WE HAVE THAT CALL YET, MR. GEBES. THIS IS [INAUDIBLE] SIR, IF YOU CAN PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD.
MY NAME IS BENJAMIN JOEL FROM MY OFFICE IS LOCATED AT THREE THIRTY FOUR EAST WASHINGTON, ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN. I REPRESENT HASLETT GALLERY, ONE OF THE CONDITIONALLY APPROVED MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROVISIONING CENTERS IN THE TOWNSHIP.
AND I'D JUST LIKE TO ADOPT THE STATEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP BY THOSE OTHER CONDITIONALLY APPROVED APPLICANTS AND JUST ADD TO THEM THAT IT IS ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE TO ALLOW THESE PLACES TO BE RECREATIONAL.
AGAIN [INAUDIBLE] THE LAST PUBLIC COMMENT, I MENTIONED HOW RECREATIONAL ADULT USE RETAIL SALES, TAKE THESE TRANSACTIONS OUT OF PEOPLE'S BASEMENT, TAKE THESE TRANSACTIONS OUT OF PEOPLE'S GARAGES, AND THEY SHED LIGHT ON THEM.
THEY SHED SOME LIGHT ON THESE ACTIVITIES.
THEY ALLOW OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, ANY OF THOSE PEOPLE TO KNOW WHERE THESE PLACES ARE. AND IT BRINGS SAFETY AND SECURITY TO PATIENTS AND CLIENTS THAT VISIT THESE STORES. I WILL KEEP IT SHORT BASED ON THAT.
BUT THEY ALSO ADD JOBS WOULD BE MY SECOND POINT AND ADD TO ECONOMIC RELIEF, WHICH WE WILL NEED IN ALL OF OUR MUNICIPALITIES AND IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AS WE COME OUT OF OUR PANDEMIC AND OUR LOCK DOWN.
AS YOU HEARD FROM ONE OF THE EARLIER COMMENTATORS, THEY WERE ABLE TO TRIPLE THEIR STAFF AFTER GOING ADULT USE.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THOSE SAME TYPES OF THINGS HAPPEN AT MULTIPLE ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE TOWNSHIP, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS A WAY TO DO THAT.
SO, AGAIN, BY ALLOWING THESE PLACES, THESE ESTABLISHMENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ADULT USE RETAIL SALES, YOU'RE GOING TO CREATE MORE SECURITY IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
YOU'RE GOING TO FURTHER PROTECT YOUR CITIZENS AND YOU'RE GOING TO CREATE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, AND I APPRECIATE TO SEE HOW YOU RESPOND TO THE ISSUES.
THANK YOU DO WE HAVE ANY MORE SPEAKERS, MR. GEBES. THERE ARE AT THIS TIME, NO MORE CALLERS AND NO MORE PEOPLE WITH RAISED HANDS.
I'M GOING TO TURN THE MEETING BACK OVER TO YOU, SIR.
OK, I WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S REPORT.
[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR STYKA, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.I'LL BE BRIEF. OUR ENHANCED DEER CALL PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE MIDDLE OF JANUARY.
WE HAVE [INAUDIBLE] TO BEGIN THAT PROGRAM AT CERTAIN AREAS OF THE TOWNSHIP? RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX DEER, WHICH IS A RECORD FOR US.
AND [INAUDIBLE] WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO GET TO THREE HUNDRED.
THE SMALL BUSINESS GRANT RELIEF PROGRAM THAT THE BOARD APPROVED IN DECEMBER THE APPLICATION PERIOD THE DEADLINE WAS TODAY AT NOON WE RECEIVED ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY EIGHT APPLICATIONS. THE COMMITTEE THAT'S BEEN APPOINTED BY THE BOARD WILL VET THOSE APPLICATIONS THIS COMING FRIDAY.
THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS. THERE'S A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROJECT THURSDAY AT SIX O'CLOCK.
ALL THE INFORMATION'S ON THE WEBSITE.
OUR ANNUAL REPORT WILL BE OUT ON JANUARY 29TH.
DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY'S DEPARTMENT ASSISTED THE [INAUDIBLE] RAPIDS YESTERDAY WITH A MAJOR SEWER LINE ISSUE.
I'M GLAD TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR AND I WANT TO CONGRATULATE ROBIN FAUST.
ROBIN JOINED OUR TEAM IN 1989.
SHE'S BEEN WITH US WELL OVER 30 YEARS.
VERY VALUABLE MEMBER OF OUR DEPARTMENT.
SHE WAS PRESENTED THE AWARD OF THE ARCHIE VIRTUE EXCELLENCE AWARD THREE WEEKS AGO.
IT GOES TO THE TOP EMPLOYEE WHO SYMBOLIZES WHAT ARCHIE VIRTUE MEANT TO OUR ORGANIZATION, AND HE WAS WITH US FOR FIFTY FIVE YEARS.
FINALLY, I LIKE TO END EVERY REPORT WITH SOME APPRECIATION AND TONIGHT I WANT TO APPRECIATE AND ACKNOWLEDGE OUR CLERK, DEBORAH GUTHRIE.
YOU KNOW, DEBORAH WAS WITH OUR ORGANIZATION FOR TWENTY YEARS, LEFT FOR A YEAR AND SOUGHT OFFICE AS A CLERK AND WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THAT.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS YOU CAN WALK INTO AN ORGANIZATION, MANY DIFFERENT ATTITUDES, DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN APPROACH.
AND SHE'S APPROACHED IT AND REJOINING OUR TEAM.
IT'S BEEN VERY POSITIVE FOR ALL OF US.
AND I KNOW I SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE TEAM IN THANKING DEBORAH FOR HOW SHE'S APPROACHED HER
[01:25:01]
NEW POSITION, A NEW ROLE WITH THE TOWNSHIP.THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S IT.
MR. SUPERVISOR, UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.
OK ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE MANAGER.
I DON'T SEE ANY HANDS OR HEADS SHAKING.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, MR. WALSH, VERY MUCH. WE NOW MOVE ON TO BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.
ANY REPORTS FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS.
WOW, I GUESS THE HOLIDAYS WIPED US OUT.
[LAUGHTER] HOPEFULLY EVERYONE HAD A GREAT HOLIDAY, OK? WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
MR. OPSOMMER. I MOVE TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO ADD ITEM 13 E TO CONTINUE DISCUSSION ON ADULT USE AND RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY MS. JACKSON.
ANY DISCUSSION OR SHOULD WE JUST VOTE ON IT? ALL RIGHT WE NEED A VOTE.
MS. GUTHRIE TO ADD THIS ONTO THE AGENDA.
OK, NOW WE NEED A MOTION WITH REGARD TO THE [INAUDIBLE] AMENDMENT WITH REGARD TO THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.
SOMEONE WANT TO MAKE THE MOTION, MR. OPSOMMER. TREASURER DESCHAINE HAD HIS HAND UP FIRST.
I'M SORRY I DIDN'T SEE THAT, GO AHEAD.
I MOVE THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.
SUPPORTED BY MR. OPSOMMER OK? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
WELL, I GUESS WE WILL DO THE ROLL CALL SINCE WE'RE IN VIRTUAL.
ALL RIGHT, TREASURER DESCHAINE.
YES, AND CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES, YES.
THANK YOU. WE NOW COME TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA, THE FIRST ONE.
[9. CONSENT AGENDA]
WE HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS. THE FIRST ONE IS THE COMMUNICATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.NEXT, WE HAVE OUR MINUTES AND THIS IS ON SEVERAL [INAUDIBLE] SETS.
AND THE NOVEMBER TWENTY THREE VIRTUAL SPECIAL MEETING, THE DECEMBER 8TH VIRTUAL REGULAR MEETING AND THE DECEMBER 18 VIRTUAL SPECIAL MEETING.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE HAVE THE BILLS THAT NEED TO BE PAID.
I MOVE THE APPROVAL OF THE CONTENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY MS. WISINSKI.
DO WE NEED TO PULL ANYTHING OFF FOR LIKE ON THE MINUTES OR ANYTHING OR ARE WE'RE READY TO GO. MR. DESCHAINE. COMMENT ABOUT THE MINUTES, I WANT TO COMMEND THE NEW CLERK FOR THE MINUTES, THEY ARE A MUCH BETTER REFLECT A BALANCED APPROACH TO WHAT HAS HAPPENED RATHER THAN THE ARGUMENTATIVE SIDE THAT WE SAW IN THE PAST? THEY ARE A BIT LONG AND I WOULD HOPE YOU COULD CUT THEM BACK TO BE AS COGENT AS POSSIBLE.
THE MINUTES WE'VE HAD THESE DISCUSSIONS OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS.
THEY'RE NOT MEANT TO BE A TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING, BUT RATHER A HIGH, LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE MEETING BECAUSE THESE MEETINGS ARE ALL RECORDED ANYONE THAT WANTS TO SEE A WORD BY WORD BACK AND FORTH, HAS THAT ABILITY TO GO ONLINE AND SEE THOSE REVIEW, THE ENTIRE MEETING. YEAH I WAS HOPING BECAUSE SHE'S NEW, AND WANTED TO BE GRACIOUS.
I HAD A PHONE CALL WITH MS. GUTHRIE BEFORE THE MEETING. AND I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE I HAD NOT DISCUSSED THIS WITH HER BEFORE SHE HAD A CHANCE TO ACTUALLY PUT TOGETHER MINUTES.
SHE IS NOW VERY MUCH AWARE THAT WE WANT MUCH SHORTER MINUTES.
I THOUGHT THAT SHE DID DO AN EXCELLENT BALANCED JOB, BUT REDUCTION IS THE NEXT POINT OF ORDER SO AND SHE AGREED.
SO SHE WAS EXCITED ABOUT THAT, MAKING SURE.
ATTORNEY. SO HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOU EARLIER WAS VERY HELPFUL.
[01:30:01]
AND I KNOW ROBIN WILL BE VERY APPRECIATIVE TO SHORTEN THE LENGTH OF THE MINUTES.SO I APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK AND I REALLY DO.
AND WE WILL WORK ON THAT. WE WILL GET THERE.
JUST REMEMBER IN HISTORY LONG AGO, LAWYERS WERE PAID BY THE WORD, WHICH IS WHY LEGAL DOCUMENTS WERE ALL RIGHT NOW WE NEED A VOTE ON ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES, YES, AND TREASURER DESCHAINE.
SEVEN ZERO. OK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE DON'T HAVE OUR ATTORNEY TODAY, SO I ASSUME THERE'S NO QUESTIONS FOR THE ATTORNEY.
WE NOW HAVE WE DON'T HAVE ANY HEARINGS TODAY, WE'LL MOVE ONTO ITEM CATEGORY 12, WHICH IS OUR ACTION ITEMS.
[12A. Township Board Liaisons to Boards and Commissions]
AND THE FIRST ONE IS THE TOWNSHIP BOARD LIAISONS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.I HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DIFFERENT MEMBERS, LOOKED AT WHO WAS SERVING WHERE AND HAVE MADE A RECOMMENDATION.
AND YOU CAN EITHER I MOVE TO APPROVE THE BOARD MEMBER ASSIGNMENTS AMONG THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MADE BY SUPERVISOR STYKA.
SUPPORT.[INAUDIBLE] SUPPORTED BY MS. WISINSKI. ARE THERE ANY COMMENT, MS. JACKSON, BEFORE WE GO FORWARD ABOUT.
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IN MANY CASES, BOARD MEMBERS ARE RETURNING TO ORGANIZATIONS AND BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT THEY'VE WORKED WITH BEFORE.
AND I'M SURE THAT THIS WILL BE ATTACHED TO THE MINUTES.
JUST A QUICK THANK YOU TO SUPERVISOR STYKA FOR ALL THE TIME INVESTED IN BOTH THESE APPOINTMENTS AND ALL THE APPOINTMENTS TO OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, WHICH WE TACKLED AT THE LAST MEETING AND THE CLERK GUTHRIE AND HER STAFF, IT'S OBVIOUSLY VERY TIME CONSUMING AND THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS.
BUT I APPRECIATE ALL THE DUE DILIGENCE.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE, THIS BEING A SMOOTHER PROCESS, CLERK GUTHRIE HAS ALREADY PROMISED ME THAT SHE'S PUTTING INTO PLACE A LOT OF SYSTEMS THAT WILL MAKE IT A LOT EASIER FOR ME AND ALL OF US.
TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. YES. TRUSTEE WISINSKI. YES.
YES. CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES, YES.
WE'RE NOW COME TO 12B, WHICH IS THE
[12B. Proposed Zoning Amendment for Car Dealerships]
TRUSTEE OPSOMMER. I MOVED TO INITIATE A REZONING AMENDMENT TO SECTION EIGHT SIX, DASH FOUR ZERO FOUR C2 COMMERCIAL DISTRICT AN SECTION EIGHT SIX, DASH FOUR ZERO FIVE C3 COMMERCIAL DISTRICT REQUIRING A SPECIAL USE PERMIT SUBJECT TO TOWNSHIP BOARD APPROVAL AND REFER THE PROPOSED ZONING AMENDMENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON IT MR. OPSOMMER. ALL RIGHT, YEAH, I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY RUNNING LATE INTO THE EVENING. BUT OBVIOUSLY, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT SPAWNED IT WAS A ZONING AMENDMENT THAT SPAWNED OUT OF THE PROPOSED AUTO DEALERSHIP AT POWELL AND GRAND RIVER.
AND IN TRACING BACK THE HISTORY OF THAT, I DISCOVERED IN WORKING WITH MARK AND PETER AND COMMUNITY AND PLANNING DEVELOPMENT, THE ORIGIN OF THE C2 SPECIAL USE, PERMIT PERMITTING DEALERSHIPS. AND THAT WAS KIND OF A ONE OFF CASE.
AND THIS SEEKS TO PROVIDE GREATER OVERSIGHT OF THAT RATHER THAN ELIMINATE THE PROSPECT ENTIRELY FOR AN AUTO DEALERSHIP IN THE C2.
BUT ALSO, I WOULD REQUIRE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR C THREE DISTRICTS, LARGELY DUE TO THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE. C THREE IS PREDOMINANTLY THE COMMERCIAL AREA ENCOMPASSING THE MALL AND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE MALL.
ACTUALLY, IF ANYTHING, I ACTUALLY DON'T BELIEVE ANY DEALERSHIP SHOULD GO IN C THREE BASED
[01:35:03]
ON THAT LOCATION. I WOULDN'T LIKE TO SEE A DEALERSHIP TAKE OVER THE MALL, BUT THIS GIVES US THE FLEXIBILITY TO AT LEAST VET THOSE OBVIOUSLY BACK IN THE DAY.WE WANTED THAT INTENSIVE USE IN THAT INTENSIVE COMMERCIAL AREA TODAY WITH THE NEW MASTER PLAN, IT'S A MUCH DIFFERENT CONCEPT.
SO THIS GIVES US FLEXIBILITY AND MUCH GREATER OVERSIGHT INTO THE FUTURE.
ANY ANYONE ELSE WANT TO ARGUE THIS OR TALK ABOUT IT? LOOKS LIKE IT'S A NO BRAINER.
CLERK GUTHRIE VOTES, YES. TREASURER DESCHAINE.
THAT'S 7 0. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OK, OUR NEXT AND LAST ACTION ITEM FOR TODAY IS THE APPOINTMENT OF A SUPERVISOR PRO TEM,
[12C. Appointment of Supervisor Pro-Tem]
I'LL GIVE A LITTLE HISTORY OF THAT BEFORE WE DO IT BACK.ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, UNDER THE PRIOR SUPERVISOR, DURING HER LAST YEAR, SHE WAS HAVING SOME HEALTH ISSUES AND SHE WAS MISSING A NUMBER OF MEETINGS.
SO WE HAD AN UNUSUAL NUMBER OF MEETINGS WHERE WE HAD TO HAVE A SUPERVISOR PRO TEM APPOINTED.
THE ACTUAL LEGAL PROCESS THAT SET FORTH FOUR TOWNSHIPS IS AT THE MEETING WHERE THE SUPERVISOR IS NOT THERE, THE CLERK TAKES OVER LONG ENOUGH TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF HAVING SOMEONE BE NOMINATED AND APPROVED THROUGH A VOTE TO BE THE PRO TEM FOR THAT MEETING. AND WE ENDED UP WHERE MULTIPLE PEOPLE WANTED TO DO IT.
SO WE ENDED UP WITH SOME STICKY MEETINGS, WITH SOME ILL FEELINGS, ET CETERA.
SO WHEN I BECAME SUPERVISOR THE SUBSEQUENT YEAR, I THOUGHT, WELL, MAYBE WE COULD SHORT CIRCUIT THIS A LITTLE BIT BY NAMING SOMEBODY, AT LEAST FOR A YEAR AT A TIME AHEAD OF TIME. SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND IT SEEMED TO WORK OUT WELL.
MS. JACKSON WAS THE FIRST ONE.
SHE DID IT ACTUALLY FOR TWO YEARS SO THE FIRST YEAR SHE NEVER EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO CHAIR A MEETING. IN THE SECOND YEAR SHE DID.
BUT THEN WE MOVED OVER TO MR. OPSOMMER WHO'S DONE IT FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
THE IDEA ORIGINALLY THAT I PROPOSED WAS ROTATING AMONG THE TRUSTEES.
IT HASN'T QUITE HAPPENED THAT WAY.
BUT THAT'S THE BACKGROUND FOR WHERE WE'RE AT.
THE POSITION ACTUALLY DOESN'T HAVE ANY LEGAL STANDING FOR TOWNSHIPS, UNLIKE, SAY, A CITY OR SOMEPLACE THAT HAS IT IN THEIR CHARTER.
IT'S MORE OF JUST A WAY OF STREAMLINING HOW WE APPOINT SOMEBODY WHEN THE SUPERVISOR IS ABSENT. SO WITH THAT IS THERE A MOTION.
MS. WISINSKI. [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPOINT THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2021 TRUSTEE OPSOMMER TO ACT AS SUPERVISOR PRO TEM AT ANY MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD WHEREIN THE SUPERVISOR IS ABSENT. IS THERE SUPPORT. SUPPORT. OKAY SUPPORTED BY THE CLERK.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? SEEING NONE LET'S DO A VOTE.
GO AHEAD MS. GUTHRIE WE'RE VOTING ON PUTTING MR. OPSOMMER FOR THE POSITION. OK, THANK YOU.
TRUSTEE OPSOMMER. YES. TRUSTEE SUNDLAND. YES.
YES. MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO.
THANK YOU. WE NOW MOVE ON TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS, THE FIRST ONE IS
[13A. 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)]
REZONING #20050 WHICH IS (DTN 2013 LLC) REZONE 31.63 ACRES EAST [INAUDIBLE] AND NORTH OF GRAND OVER AVENUE FROM RA SINGLE FAMILY MEDIUM DENSITY TO RD MULTIPLE FAMILY, MAXIMUM EIGHT UNITS PER ACRE.STAFF YOU WANT TO TELL US ABOUT IT.
MR. KIESELBACH OR MR. MENSER, WHICHEVER IS THE APPROPRIATE ONE.
[INAUDIBLE] EVERYBODY, THIS IS PETER MENSER, PRINCIPAL PLANNER, DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT. I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE A BRIEF INTRODUCTION ON THIS OR DISCUSS THE TOPIC [INAUDIBLE] DECEMBER EIGHT BEFORE THE HOLIDAY.
[01:40:01]
SO THE CONCLUSION WAS TO DISCUSS IT FURTHER AT TONIGHT'S MEETING.SO IN YOUR PACKET AND IF YOU'RE FOLLOWING ALONG, IT'S ON PAGE ONE HUNDRED OF THE PACKET IN THE PDF, AT LEAST ON THE WEBSITE.
THE ONLY REALLY NEW THING THAT WE'VE ADDED IS THE PART OF HOUSING ANALYSIS STUDY THAT WAS PART OF THE TWENTY SEVENTEEN MASTER PLAN.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THAT'S IN HERE REALLY THAT TALKS ABOUT THIS MISSING MIDDLE AND INDICATES THAT THERE IS A DEMAND FOR THAT TYPE OF HOUSING IN THE TOWNSHIP.
AND THE CONSULTANT THAT DID THE REPORT, WHICH WAS MCKENNA AND ASSOCIATES, RECOMMENDED THE TOWNSHIP TO LOOK INTO ACCOMMODATING THOSE TYPES OF HOUSING.
AS YOU KNOW FROM EARLIER PUBLIC COMMENT, THE APPLICANT SEVERAL OF THEM ARE HERE ON THE CALL AS WELL TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE AND AS WELL AS DIRECTOR KIESELBACH AND I. THANK YOU. TRUSTEE JACKSON.
AS I REMEMBER FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, MR. PEARSON, I BELIEVE, SUGGESTED THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL CONDITION THAT THE APPLICANTS WANTED TO OFFER IN THIS CASE.
MR. MENSER. YEAH, THAT WAS I HEARD THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME AS WELL.
IT SOUNDED LIKE THEY WANTED TO ADD A TIMED COMPONENT TO THE REZONING AND I THOUGHT HE SAID TWO YEARS. SO BASICALLY AND WE CAN ASK MR. PEARSON FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW THEY WANT TO WORD IT.
BUT THE ORDINANCE OF THE STATE LAW DOES ALLOW FOR AN APPLICANT TO OFFER CONDITIONS RELATED TO PLANNING. SO IF THEY WERE TO PLACE THE CONDITION OF, SAY, TWO YEARS ON IT, WHETHER THAT WOULD BE A PROJECT HAS TO BE SUBMITTED WITHIN TWO YEARS OR WHETHER IT NEEDS TO BE APPROVED IN TWO YEARS, I THINK WE SHOULD CLARIFY THAT.
BUT THAT WOULD BE A NEW CONDITION ADDED TO THE REZONING TO GO FOR THAT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY OFFERED.
LAST TIME WE HAD SOME MIXED FEELINGS ON THE BOARD.
BOARD MEMBERS YOU WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS OF THE PROPOSALS OR DISCUSSION IN GENERAL, THIS WHOLE ITEM. TREASURER.
LIKE I SAID AT THE DECEMBER MEETING, I LIKE THIS PROPOSAL, I THINK IT'S A GOOD USE OF THIS LAND AND I'LL LIKELY SUPPORT THE REZONING REQUEST.
WE DO HAVE THE MISSING MIDDLE IN THIS TOWNSHIP, AND I THINK WE'VE SEEN FROM DTN PROJECTS IN DEWITT AND IN HOLT THAT THEY RUN AN EXCELLENT, LUXURIOUS COMMUNITY AND THEY DO BUILD COMMUNITY AMONG THEIR DEVELOPMENTS.
WE DID HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE NEED TO, IF YOU WILL, REFOREST PARTS OF THIS TO GET BACK TO THE NATURAL FEEL IT HAD BEFORE THE CAR DEALERSHIP CAME IN AND WIPED OUT THE OTHER SIDE OF POWELL ROAD, BUT DID SOME SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
AND ALSO, WE DO HAVE SOME WETLANDS ON HERE.
AND I WANTED TO GET CLARIFICATION FROM STAFF IN TERMS OF WHERE WE ARE WITH THE WETLANDS SETBACKS. AND IS THIS GOING TO REQUIRE ADDITIONAL WORK TO WORK WITHIN OUR WETLAND ORDINANCE. MR. MENSER, YOU OR OK. YEAH, THANK YOU SO SURE ON WETLANDS WE ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT TODAY WITH A COUPLE OF BOARD MEMBERS AND WITH OUR TOWNSHIP CONSULTANT.
SO WHAT YOU GOT WHAT YOU'VE SEEN SO FAR IS A CONCEPT PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROPERTY. THERE ARE SEVERAL WETLANDS ON THE SITE.
SOME OF THEM REGULATED, SOME OF THEM NOT, AND SOME OF THEM WITH VARYING DEGREES OF SETBACK. SO THE TOWNSHIP EITHER REQUIRES A 20 FOOT OR 40 FOOT SET BACK FROM THE DELINEATED BOUNDARY OF A WETLAND EDGE.
SO THIS PROJECT WOULD REQUIRE THAT SETBACK WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN A CONCEPT PLAN AND WHAT'S BEEN DESCRIBED BY THE APPLICANT IS THEY WOULD LIKELY BE PURSUING A WETLAND USE PERMIT. SO WHETHER THAT WOULD BE FILLING PART OF WETLANDS, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY REARRANGING BOUNDARY OR DIRECTING STORMWATER TO A WETLAND, BOTH OF THOSE ACTIVITIES WOULD REQUIRE A WETLAND USE PERMIT.
THAT WOULD COME ALONG DURING THE DEVELOPMENT PHASE OF THE PROCESS OF THE REZONING IS APPROVED. AND THEY SUBMIT A DEVELOPMENT PLAN, WHICH IN THIS CASE WOULD BE FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THIS MULTIPLE FAMILY DISTRICT WOULD REQUIRE FOR DEVELOPMENT, ANYTHING OVER THREE UNITS.
SO THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT WOULD GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, A WETLAND USE PERMIT WOULD RUN CONCURRENTLY WITH THAT AND BE DECIDED ULTIMATELY BY THE BOARD BECAUSE THE SIZE OF THE DEVELOPMENT BEING OVER TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND SQUARE FEET REQUIRE TOWNSHIP BOARD APPROVAL.
THANK YOU. AGAIN, REMEMBER, THIS IS A ZONING NOW BECAUSE IT'S CONDITIONAL.
WE CAN'T BE LOOKING AT THESE CONDITIONS AS PART OF HOW WE COME ABOUT TO EITHER APPROVE OR
[01:45:02]
DISAPPROVE IT. BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE ZONING ASPECTS OF IT.BUT THE CONDITIONS HERE OBVIOUSLY ARE VERY PRETTY IMPORTANT.
MR. MENSER, YOU WANT TO SUMMARIZE WHAT ALL THOSE CONDITIONS ARE VERY QUICKLY? INCLUDING THE NEW ONE TODAY.
YES, SIR. I HAVEN'T SEEN THE NEW ONE EXACTLY HOW IT'D BE PHRASED, SO WE MIGHT WANT TO CALL ON THE APPLICANT FOR THAT.
BUT THE CORE CONDITIONS OFFERED THUS FAR ARE LIMITING THE NUMBER OF DWELLING UNITS TO NO MORE THAN 220 UNITS, NO FEWER THAN TWENTY FIVE SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING UNITS IN A FUTURE PROJECT, NO BUILDINGS GREATER THAN TWO STORY'S.
AND THEN ENCLOSED GARAGES WILL BE PROVIDED FOR EVERY DWELLING UNIT.
SO CONDITIONS [INAUDIBLE] WITH THE LAND.
SO WHETHER THIS PROJECT IS DEVELOPED BY DTN OR SOMEONE ELSE, THESE WOULD STAY WITH THE LAND. AND THEN IF THERE IS THE ADDITIONAL CONDITION MR. PEARSON OFFERED EARLIER, THAT WOULD BE ADDED TO THIS AND ALSO ALONG WITH THE LAND.
DID WE HEAR OF A SIXTH ONE AS WELL TODAY, SOMETHING HAVING TO DO WITH THE SECTION THAT WOULD BE SINGLE FAMILY TYPE STRUCTURES RATHER THAN MULTIPLE.
I DIDN'T FOLLOW UP IF THAT WAS AN ACTUAL CONDITION OR IF THAT WAS JUST SPEAKERS], I GUESS I THOUGHT I HEARD MR. UPPAL SAY SO. MR. PEARSON, YOU WANT TO COMMENT? YOU ARE MUTED, MR. PEARSON.
TO ADDRESS TRUSTEE JACKSON'S QUESTION AND TO TRY AND CLARIFY THAT WITH RESPECT TO THE CONDITION IT IS, THAT IT WOULD BE CONDITIONED UPON APPROVAL OF A SPECIAL USE PERMIT BY THE BOARD WITHIN TWO YEARS.
SO ONE OF THE CONCERNS HAS BEEN THAT YOU REZONE IT TO RD AND IT GOES SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND WHERE YOU'RE RELYING IN PART, I THINK, ON WHAT DTN HAS DONE AND WHAT WE'VE TOLD YOU AND WHAT YOU'VE SEEN, IT WOULD BE BY THIS APPLICANT, IT IS TWO YEARS TO APPROVAL.
I GUESS TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, IF WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN YOU TO APPROVE SOMETHING WITHIN TWO YEARS, WE SHOULD PROBABLY ALL WIND IT UP AND BE DONE.
SO IT WOULD NOT BE THAT WE WOULD APPLY WITHIN TWO YEARS.
AND THAT ALSO ADDRESSES SOME OF THESE OTHER CONDITIONS, WHICH ARE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE CAN SHOW YOU SOMETHING WITH RESPECT TO HOW THE REFORESTATION ALONG POWELL ROAD HAPPENS IN ORDER TO TRY AND PRESERVE OR RECREATE THAT CORRIDOR THAT'S THERE THAT EVERYBODY REMEMBERS AND LIKED SO WELL.
BUT WE NEED TO GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF DETAIL IN ORDER TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING ON PAPER, WHICH, FRANKLY, YOU CAN HOLD US TO AND WHICH MEETS WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
WITH RESPECT TO THE LINE FOR THE SINGLE FAMILY.
YES SIR. WE HAVE A DRAWING AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THAT LAND IN A PARTICULAR PLACE.
BUT AS I SAID, AS IT'S CURRENTLY DRAWN IN ON A PLAN THAT WE WOULD SUBMIT TO YOU, WHICH I BELIEVE COULD BE ADDED AS A CONDITION, IT WOULD SHOW, IN ESSENCE, THE EASTERN ACTUALLY MORE THAN A THIRD OF THE PROPERTY WOULD BE DEVOTED TO AND RESERVED FOR SINGLE FAMILY.
BOARD MEMBERS FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANTS.
SO, MR. OPSOMMER. SO MR. UPPAL AND MR. PEARSON.
THAT SITE PLAN OR A REVISED PROSPECTIVE SITE PLAN IS STILL IN THE WORKS, CORRECT? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE STATING? YES.
OKAY. SO IN REGARDS TO THE REFORESTATION AND THAT THERE'S NOTHING NEW TO SHARE THIS EVENING, I DON'T KNOW IF RAJI CAN SHARE HIS SCREEN.
WE DID GET A RENDERING TO, IN ESSENCE, SHOW WHAT A COMBINATION OF EVERGREENS IN ORDER TO GET IMMEDIATE SCREENING AND DECIDUOUS BECAUSE THERE AREN'T REALLY ANY NATIVE EVERGREENS IN THIS AREA, WE WANT IT TO LOOK DECIDUOUS, BUT WE ALSO DON'T WANT IT TO DISAPPEAR EVERY WINTER AND THAT'S VERY MUCH WHAT'S ALONG POWELL ROAD.
PEOPLE HAVE PLANTED EVERGREENS ALONG THE WAY BECAUSE THEY WANT SCREENING OR JUST BECAUSE THEY LIKE THEM. BUT WE CAN SHOW YOU SOME MIX, BUT WE DON'T HAVE AN ACTUAL PLANTING PLAN TO OFFER, WHICH IS REALLY WHAT'S NEEDED.
AND PROBABLY IN COMBINATION WITH THERE MAY BE A NEED FOR SOME BERM THERE DEPENDING UPON WHAT THE GRADES ARE.
ONE OF THE ISSUES WE HAVE IS, OF COURSE, WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO GRADE LEVELS, WE'RE AT A LEVEL OF ENGINEERING WHERE WE'VE REALLY GOT TO DO A LOT MORE WORK TO WORK OUT THOSE SORT
[01:50:02]
OF SPECIFIC PLANS.BUT WHAT WE CAN COMMIT TO IS THE SORT OF BUFFER THAT YOU WERE DISCUSSING AT THE LAST MEETING, TRUSTEE OPSOMMER, TO GET THAT LOOK, ALONG POWELL ROAD BUT AGAIN, WE ALSO FACE THE ISSUE OF THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION, ROAD DEPARTMENT AND WHAT WE CAN DO WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY. CERTAINLY, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THAT MOST RECENTLY, I SUPPOSE, FOR TREE PLANTING.
WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE GAS STATION AT THE CORNER OF HASLETT AND MARSH. SO MR. UPPAL LIVES IN THAT AREA AND WE DID GET THEIR APPROVAL TO PLANT STREET TREES, YOU KNOW, RIGHT UP AGAINST THE ROAD FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE ON A STREETSCAPE. SO I DO THINK ONCE WE GET TO THAT POINT, THAT'S A MUCH LATTER POINT.
DEREK PERRY AND OTHER TOWNSHIP STAFF WOULD BE ABLE TO ASSIST IN HAVING THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ROAD COMMISSION. AND ONE THING WE'RE WORKING THROUGH IS, FOR EXAMPLE, JEFF KYES SAID HE'S CHECKING WITH THE ROAD DEPARTMENT BECAUSE FROM WHAT HE'S SEEING ALONG SILVERSTONE ESTATES, IT MAY BE THAT THE RIGHT OF WAY IS NOT 50 FEET EXPAND TO EXPAND TO 50 FEET. IT MAY BE FORTY FIVE.
AND EVERY FEW FEET WE CAN PICK UP WILL ASSIST IN GETTING THAT BUFFER, OR A BERM OR COMBINATION EXPANDED TO WHERE IT CAN DO THE MOST GOOD.
YEAH, BUT EVEN IF YOU GO TO THE MORE NATURAL AREAS TO THE NORTH, CLOSER TIHART, THERE ARE EXISTING TREES.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S DIFFICULT TO HAVE AN EXISTING TREE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
BUT IF ANY COMMUNITY IS KNOWN FOR HAVING THESE BATTLES, WHETHER IT'S PRESERVING THE TREES, OR PLANTING THE TREES IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
WE'VE BEEN THROUGH IT A NUMBER OF TIMES ON CORNELL VAN ATTA HASLETT ROAD, YOU KNOW.
DEREK PERRY AND DIRECTOR KIESELBACH AND PRINCIPAL PLANNER MENSER HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN HELPING TO ACQUIESCE THAT SO.
SO, I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT THE GREEN SPACE PLAN DESIGNATING THAT ROAD, YOU KNOW, IT'S SIMILAR.
THE GREEN SPACE PLAN WAS PART OF THE MASTER PLAN, JUST AS THE PATHWAY MASTER PLAN IS A COMPONENT OF IT. SO IF WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A DISTINCTION FOR A PATHWAY OR A SHOULDER ON A ROAD TO GO IN, WE WOULD REQUIRE IT UPON DEVELOPMENT.
AND HERE I THINK IT'S NECESSARY TO INCORPORATE THAT COMPONENT OF THE GREEN SPACE PLAN.
SO I APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT'S GOING INTO THAT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE CONCEPT PLAN FOR THE PLANTING AND WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE AS IT MATURES.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT TREASURER DESCHAINE SPOKE TO WITH THE WETLANDS AND YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE CONDITIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN FRONT OF US, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT COMPETING PRESSURES.
SO THE ZONING BEING REQUESTED IS ABOVE WHAT THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP CALLS FOR, WITHIN OUR MASTER PLAN. BUT I'M STILL WILLING TO CONSIDER THE PROJECT BECAUSE I DO THINK IT'S BRINGING PEOPLE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE TO COMMERCIAL THAT NEEDS SUPPORT, AND I THINK THERE'S VERY FEW PROJECTS WHERE WE CAN REALLY ADD MORE PEOPLE NEAR THESE KEY COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS THAT ARE STRUGGLING.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WITH THE REQUIREMENT OF HAVING A LIMIT OF TWO STORIES AND THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE IN THE WETLANDS, THE PROTECTED WETLANDS ON SITE, WE ARE GETTING INTO ISSUES WHERE THE SITE PLAN RIGHT NOW DOESN'T SHOW THAT IT'S FEASIBLE TO PROTECT THE WETLANDS, BUILD THAT MANY UNITS AND KEEP IT AT TWO STORIES.
SO I WOULD LIKE THE COMFORT OF KNOWING EVEN IF THE REZONING I UNDERSTAND THAT IT WOULD REVERT. THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING IN TWO YEARS, IF THERE'S NOT AN APPROVED PLAN, IT'S WORTH HAVING IT WORK NOW.
THOSE THREE THINGS SHOULD ALL WORK.
WE SHOULDN'T BE TRYING TO MAKE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, PUSH A SQUARE INTO A ROUND HOLE WHERE LATER ON WE GO, OK, WELL, WE CAN'T GET THAT MANY UNITS AND PROTECT THE WETLANDS WITHOUT GOING ABOVE TWO STORIES.
THAT'S THEN WE'VE JUST GOT TO COME BACK AND REVISIT THE REZONING IF THAT WAS THE APPLICANT'S DESIRE.
SO SINCE THERE IS A CONCEPT PLAN ON THE TABLE, I THINK IT BEHOOVES BOTH SIDES TO SEE IF IT WORKS. NOW, BEFORE WE GET TO THAT POINT, OTHERWISE WE'RE IN THE PLACE WHERE WE HAVE TO AMEND THE REZONING.
AND LIKE I SAID LAST TIME, I THINK THERE'S LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM THE REZONING AT NEWTON POINT, WHICH YOU GUYS WERE OBVIOUSLY THE APPLICANT FOR AS WELL.
[01:55:04]
IF I COULD ASK ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE WANT TO KNOW FROM BOARD MEMBERS, AND I THINK, TRUSTEE OPSOMMER, YOU HAD SAID LAST TIME, I BELIEVE THAT YOU WERE INTERESTED IN MORE STORIES ALONG CENTRAL PARK DRIVE IN ORDER TO SHIFT THE DENSITY TO THE WEST OR PRESERVE THE DENSITY ON THE WEST SIDE.REALLY, THAT THE TWO STORY CONDITION, AS MUCH AS ANYTHING ELSE, IS DRIVEN BY DTN'S VISION OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, WHAT THIS COMMUNITY IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE, AND THE KIND OF HOUSING THEY'RE BUILDING WHERE YOU HAVE ENCLOSED GARAGES FOR EVERY UNIT DOESN'T FIT WITH WHAT'S REALLY BEEN DONE WITH THREE STORIES WHERE YOU GET THERE BY A HALLWAY, FRANKLY, WHICH IS WHAT THEY HAVEN'T BUILT EITHER IN DEWWITT OR IN HOLT.
BUT IF, IN FACT, IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO THE BOARD GENERALLY TO PUSH THAT TO THE WEST, THEN THAT TELLS US TO LOOK HARDER AT HOW MANY STORIES ARE THERE ON THE WESTERN EDGE IN ORDER TO BUILD THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT, FRANKLY, MAKES THE PROJECT FEASIBLE.
BUT IT'S AND IT'S NOT JUST THIS BODY, BUT I MEAN, THE ALTERNATIVE TO IF WE KEEP IT A TWO STORIES, THEN THE ALTERNATIVE IS EITHER THE UNITS DECREASE OR THE WETLANDS GET BUILT ON THE PROTECTED WETLANDS.
SO AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY SUPPORT FOR BUILDING ON WETLAND E ON THIS BOARD.
AND I DON'T THINK THERE WOULD BE ON THE ZBA EITHER.
SO THAT'S RIGHT, WE DO HAVE THAT IN MIND.
WE KNOW. WE KNOW WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD HANDICAP IDEA OF HOW FAR BUILDING ON TOO MANY WETLANDS IS GOING TO GO.
SO WE VERY MUCH HAVE THAT IN MIND.
MS. JACKSON. I'M JUST TRYING TO CLARIFY, AGAIN, THE 220 UNITS CONDITION IS A MINIMUM OR MAXIMUM.
IT'S A MAXIMUM. OK, SO ONE WAY OF ADDRESSING THE KINDS OF CONCERNS THAT MR. OPSOMMER IS TALKING ABOUT IS REDUCING THE NUMBER OF UNITS.
TO MAKE EVERYTHING FIT WITHOUT ABUSING THE WETLANDS.
THAT IS THE PART OF THE CONDITION.
BUT. SO THE MAXIMUM IS THE CONDITION, THE MINIMUM IS FOR RAJI AND HIS PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT ACTUALLY WORKS SO THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY BUILD THE PROJECT BECAUSE THERE ARE ENOUGH UNITS TO SUPPORT THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THE SITE TO BUILD IT.
SO PROBABLY SOME SOMETHING LESS THAN 220.
AND IN FACT, THE CONCEPT PLAN THAT YOU HAD AT THE LAST MEETING AND THE ONE WE WERE REWORKING WAS LESS THAN 220.
YES. AND I THINK WE NEED TO BRING BACK TO YOU IS SO WHAT CAN WE GET, BEARING IN MIND ALL OF THE CONSTRAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DENSITY AND YET WE'VE GOT A GOOD SIZED WETLAND RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SITE, SO IT'S NOT AS THOUGH WE'RE JUST SPREADING DENSITY ALL ACROSS IT.
AND THEN THERE ARE ALSO THE AMENITIES THAT ARE PLANNED, THE SWIMMING POOL, THE RECREATION AREA AND PLAYGROUND.
THOSE SORTS OF THINGS REALLY ARE REQUIRED.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE MOVING AROUND AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN FIT AND STILL MAKE THE PROJECT GO.
HELLO, SORRY I MISSED THE LAST MEETING, I'VE BEEN WORKING HARD TO CATCH UP WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN OUR LAST BOARD MEETING AND HAD SOME COMMUNICATION WITH RAJI.
I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR INPUT AND HELPING US WITH THAT.
SO. MY UNDERSTANDING, AND THIS MIGHT BE REPETITIVE, I APOLOGIZE BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION PRIOR TO THIS, BUT I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT I DO REALLY ENCOURAGE THIS TYPE OF A DEVELOPMENT FOR SURE.
I HAVE MULTIPLE FRIENDS THAT LIVE IN ASPEN LAKES.
I'VE BEEN THERE MULTIPLE TIMES.
THAT'S A COMMUNITY OF ALL AGES, OF ALL DEMOGRAPHICS.
[02:00:02]
IT REALLY DOES HAVE THIS SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND ALL THOSE AMENITIES THAT MR. PEARSON YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS WHAT HELPS THAT TYPE OF PROJECT SURVIVE.AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SO, SO GREAT.
SO I DO WANT TO SAY THAT RIGHT UP FRONT THAT WHOMEVER WAS IN CHARGE OF THAT PROJECT IS FANTASTIC, AND SHOULD GET A VERY BIG KUDOS.
YOU KNOW, I'VE LOOKED MORE AND MORE AT THIS THAN AND I AM STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I REALLY LIKE THE PROJECT, I'M JUST NOT CONVINCED OF THE LOCATION FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
ONE OF THEM IS THAT WE'RE RIGHT ON THAT THAT CUSP OF WHAT WE CONSIDER OUR NATURAL COMPONENT OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
SO THAT EASTERN ONE THIRD WHERE I LIVE IN THIS AREA ALREADY AND I REALLY DO TREASURE IT.
I TREASURE CORNELL ROAD I TREASURE POWELL ROAD.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT REMIND ME OF MY SMALL TOWN THAT I GREW UP IN THAT REALLY MAKE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP REALLY QUITE UNIQUE IN THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT ALL OF THIS DIVERSE TYPE OF ECOLOGY.
HOWEVER, I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT IT SITS RIGHT UP TO CENTRAL PARK, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR MAIN COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS. AND I SEE THAT AS CERTAINLY SOMETHING TO CONSIDER ON, YOU KNOW, ENSURING THE VIABILITY OF OUR CURRENT ECONOMIC BUSINESSES, THE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF OUR BUSINESSES. YOU KNOW, I REALLY AM STRUGGLING WITH THE DENSITY, NOT SO MUCH AS A RESULT OF MAYBE TRAFFIC OR EVEN THE NATURAL COMPONENT OF POWELL ROAD.
BUT I'M REALLY STUCK ON THE WETLAND COMPONENTS.
WE DID MEET WITH OUR WETLAND CONSULTANT TODAY IN OUR OUR BUILDING AND COMMUNITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT. AND I MEAN, QUITE HONESTLY, IT JUST IT DOESN'T I CAN'T SEEM TO MAKE IT FIT WITH THE AMOUNT OF UNITS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO BE VIABLE ON YOUR END WITH THE AMOUNT OF WETLANDS WE HAVE THERE.
I MEAN, WE'VE GOT THERE'S EIGHT TOTAL WETLANDS, FOUR OF WHICH ARE REGULATED THAT ARE ON AVERAGE ABOUT FOUR POINT EIGHT ACRES.
OF THOSE WETLAND E, WHICH IS OUR MOST PRISTINE AND MOST IMPORTANT WETLAND BECAUSE IT IS EMERGENT. IT'S GOT SCRUB SCRUB IN, IT'S FORESTED.
WE'VE GOT TWO BIG BUILDINGS BUILT RIGHT WITHIN THAT WETLAND.
AND TWO OTHER FOURPLEXES WITHIN THE 40 FOOT SETBACK OF THAT.
AND IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MOVING EITHER UP AND OR OVER TO THE WEST, I JUST DON'T SEE HOW WE CAN DO THAT. THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH ROOM BECAUSE OF THAT WETLAND.
I DO APPRECIATE, THOUGH, THAT THE OTHER WETLANDS I, H, AND F ARE ALL WITHIN 40 FOOT SET BACKS WHICH AREN'T EVEN REQUIRED.
A 20 FOOT SETBACK IS REQUIRED FOR THAT SIZE OF WETLAND.
BUT I'M REALLY JUST STRUGGLING WITH, YOU KNOW, THIS WHOLE AREA HAS VERY LOW TOPOGRAPHY ANYWAYS. WE HAVE A LOT OF FLOODING THAT HAPPENS THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES ARE FULL OF WETLANDS. IF WE WERE TO TAKE THIS MAIN WETLAND AND COMPROMISE AT ALL, I REALLY DON'T SEE THAT BEING IN THE BEST BENEFIT OF THIS AREA AND THIS PROJECT.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THE MASTER PLAN AND I THINK THIS, AGAIN, RESIDENTIAL AN THIS DIVERSE RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY, I THINK IS REALLY UNIQUE.
AND I THINK IT REALLY WOULD SUFFICE MERIDIAN, ESPECIALLY OKEMOS AS YOU HAD MENTIONED, WE HAVE ONE IN HASLETT, WE HAVE ONE IN HOLT AND WORKING TOWARDS EAST LANSING.
I JUST I THINK, YOU KNOW, OUR MASTER PLAN ALSO IS TO PRESERVE NATURAL AND OPEN SPACE.
IT'S TOO IMPORTANT TO PROTECT OUR GROUNDWATER, RECHARGE, WHICH ARE OUR WETLANDS ARE IMPERATIVE TO AND IN CONSERVING WETLANDS.
SO I JUST I'M REALLY STRUGGLING WITH THIS COMPONENT THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS PARTICULAR PARCEL OR MULTIPLE PARCELS JUST ISN'T CONDUCIVE TO THIS TYPE OF PROJECT BASED ON THAT.
AND AS I SAID, THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO ADDRESS IN ORDER TO WORK THROUGH AND AS YOU SAY THE NUMBER OF UNITS AND [INAUDIBLE] THERE AND HOW THAT CAN WORK, THAT NEEDS AN ANSWER.
AND I TAKE TRUSTEE OPSOMMER'S COMMENT AS IMPORTANT, WHICH IS IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO SIGN OFF IF IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A CONCEPT, BUT IT'S ONLY IN OUR HEADS.
[02:05:01]
IT NEEDS TO BE MORE THAN A THEORETICAL PLAN.YOU NEED TO SEE SOMETHING THAT WOULD SAY THAT IT COULD WORK.
THANK YOU. WHICH BRINGS US TO SHOULD WE BE MAKING A ZONING DECISION IF IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK ANYWAY? I MEAN, IT'S A CART AND HORSE TYPE SITUATION.
I DO WANT TO JUST SAY ON A POSITIVE NOTE, I MEAN, THE BOARD HAS ASKED FOR THIS TYPE OF HOUSING MANY TIMES, AND DTN IS ACTUALLY THE ONLY COMPANY THAT HAS DELIVERED ON IT IN CONCEPT. THAT'S TRUE.
AND THEN NOW THIS PROPOSAL, IDEALLY, YOU KNOW, THE MASTER PLAN AND THE RESEARCH THAT MCKENNA CONDUCTED AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR MASTER PLAN REALLY FOCUSED ON THE PEAK AREAS. BUT I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CORE AREA AROUND THE MALL AND THE THREE PICAS IS CHALLENGING BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT IT'S ALL PRIVATELY OWNED AND THOSE COMMERCIAL OUTLETS TRYING TO PROTECT THEIR PARKING AT ALL COSTS, EVEN WHEN IT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE ANY SENSE TO IT BECAUSE IT'S UNDERUTILIZED.
BUT SO I DO COMMEND DTN FOR PROPOSING A TYPE OF HOUSING THAT'S ENTIRELY UNIQUE AND IS NOT COOKIE CUTTER.
AND MY PUSHBACK IS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO BALANCE THE TWO SIDES AND SO THE WETLAND PROTECTION OUTWEIGHS THE UNIQUE TYPE OF HOUSING IN SO MUCH AS, YOU KNOW, TO THE EXTENT THAT IT'S NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE WETLANDS.
SO, I MEAN, WE'RE NOT ENCOURAGING, I'M NOT ENCOURAGING, YOU KNOW OR DISCOURAGING THE HOUSING TYPE OF DIRECT ACCESS AND DIRECT ENTRY IN GARAGES.
IT'S JUST THAT AT THAT UNIT COUNT, YOU CAN'T MAKE IT WORK.
SO I THINK IT'S UP TO THE APPLICANT TO DECIDE WHICH APPROACH YOU TAKE TO IT.
BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE HOUSING PRODUCT BEING PRESENTED BECAUSE IT IS UNIQUE.
AND I DO THINK THERE'S VALUE THERE AND, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A NEED TO SUPPORT OUR COMMERCIAL AND OUR PROFESSIONAL [INAUDIBLE] VACANCY RATES BEFORE COVID WERE ALREADY PROBLEMATIC AND THEY'RE GROWING MORE DRAMATIC BY THE DAY, YOU KNOW, IN OUR COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR WAS REALLY SUPPORTED BY A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL INTO THE TOWNSHIP TO DO SHOPPING. YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST OUR RESIDENTS THAT SUPPORT THE MALL AREA AND ALL OF OUR COMMERCIAL SECTOR. IT'S PEOPLE THAT DRIVE FROM ACROSS THE REGION AND THAT'S REDUCING DUE TO ONLINE RETAIL. AND IT'S GOING TO STAY THAT WAY.
SO I DO TAKE, YOU KNOW, THE POINT THAT THERE'S REALLY WHEN I LOOK AT IT, THERE AREN'T ANY OTHER PARCELS WHERE YOU COULD DO THIS KIND OF PROJECT.
SO I'M INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH THE APPLICANT MORE BECAUSE I DON'T SEE THE ONLY OTHER PARCEL I COULD SEE THIS WORKING ON WOULD BE [INAUDIBLE] CORNER TO NEWTON POINT AT SAGINAW AND NEWTON ROAD.
THE OLD CINEMA SITE AS A LARGE PARCEL.
BUT THEN THEY'D BE COMPETING WITH THEIR OWN PROJECT, [INAUDIBLE] CORNER.
SO AND I KNOW THAT THAT SITE HAS BEEN LOOKING AT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, SO.
JUST SOME THOUGHTS, AND I DO APPRECIATE THE APPLICANTS ALLOWING US TO KEEP LOOKING AT THIS. THANK YOU.
APPLICANT, RAJI, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP A COUPLE OF TIMES.
YEAH, I WAS JUST GOING TO SHARE YOU KNOW AT ASPEN LAKES IF YOU LOOK AT IT, THERE ARE LAKES THROUGHOUT THERE AND WE DID MITIGATE A FEW WETLANDS THROUGH THERE.
BUT WHAT WE DID IS WE CREATED A BUNCH OF PONDS.
AND WETLANDS THAT ARE NOT REGULATED.
IF I'M SAYING IT RIGHT AND, I COULD BE SAYING A LITTLE WRONG BECAUSE MY EXPERTISE ISN'T EXACTLY THIS. BUT WE CREATED LAKES AND PONDS THAT WERE USABLE AND PRESENTABLE AND BEING AROUND IT. PART OF THE REASONS WE EVEN LIKE THE LOCATION THAT IS HERE IS THE GREEN SPACE.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO PACK INTO A REALLY TIGHT SPACE.
WE ARE TRYING TO GET WHERE IT'S GREEN SPACE WHERE YOU CAN WALK AROUND, ENJOY AND EMBRACE THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF IT.
IT WILL REQUIRE SOME MINIMAL MITIGATION IN CERTAIN SPOTS.
AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, AS WE TALK TO THE WETLAND EXPERTS THAT WERE OURS, THAT WEREN'T MERIDIAN TOWNSHIPS THAT LED ME TO BELIEVE WE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS, EVEN [INAUDIBLE].
IS THAT THERE ARE A MIX OF UPLAND AND WETLAND PLANTS THROUGHOUT SOME OF THESE WETLANDS DUE TO IT BEING RELATIVELY RECENT WETLAND.
AND WHAT ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT I THINK WE COULD ENHANCE THE WETLANDS AND MAKE THEM BETTER THAN WHAT THEY ARE TODAY IF DONE RIGHT AND ASPEN LAKES WE'VE HAD TREMENDOUS SUCCESS THERE . IN TERMS OF SHADING, WHICH I KNOW MR. OPSOMMER HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT. WE HAVE PUT SOME NICE VIEWS.
AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO, I CAN SHOW YOU SOME OF OUR RENDERINGS THAT WILL SHOW THAT I THINK IT'S GOING TO GIVE A GOOD STREETSCAPE AND YOU'RE GOING TO FEEL GOOD GOING DOWN POWELL ROAD.
[02:10:02]
IT'S IN OUR INTERESTS NOT ONLY TO DO THAT FOR THE CITIZENS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, BUT IN THE INTEREST OF EVERY RESIDENT THAT IS SITTING THERE AND FOR EXAMPLE, AT ASPEN LAKES, WHICH IS ONE OF THE CENTERS WE ARE EMULATING.WE ARE ADJACENT TO A COMMERCIAL CENTER AND WE HAVE PINE TREE ROWS WHICH ARE A LITTLE LESS DIVERSE THAN WHAT YOU HAVE HERE AND YOU WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW YOU'RE NEXT TO IT [INAUDIBLE] IN FACT, I LIVE THERE AND I REMEMBER SPEAKING TO MY WIFE WHEN WE MOVED IN I SAID, I CAN'T EVEN TELL THEY ARE THERE. I'M SURPRISED.
YOU KNOW IT TOOK A FEW YEARS TO GROW IT.
I'M [INAUDIBLE] DAY ONE [INAUDIBLE] FAST BUT FIVE TO 10 YEARS LATER, YOU CAN'T EVEN TELL IT IS THERE. AND WE THINK THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING THAT WILL RESPECT THE ENVIRONMENT AND RESPECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE LAND AND BUILD SOMETHING THAT'S NEEDED FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP. I SAW A HAND EARLIER, MS. WISINSKI. YOU'RE MUTED.
THERE YOU GO. TWENTY TWENTY ONE, YOU'D THINK I'D BE DONE WITH THAT? I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND I AM GLAD THAT YOU HAVE THOSE AND I HAVE BEEN TO ASPEN LAKES AGAIN, MY CONCERN WITH WETLANDS ISN'T JUST THE ESTHETICS OF THEM, THOUGH, THAT THERE IS A LARGE PURPOSE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, SPECIFICALLY TO GROUNDWATER AND SPECIFICALLY IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TO GROUNDWATER.
AND I SIT ON THE GROUND WATER MANAGEMENT BOARD AS WELL.
AND THERE IS A LARGE NEED IN MICHIGAN TO MAKE SURE WE PRESERVE THESE WETLANDS, BECAUSE MOST OF ALL OF OUR DRINKING WATER IS COMING FROM GROUNDWATER.
SO MITIGATION IS IMPERATIVE, RIGHT.
AND IT'S NECESSARY IN CERTAIN CASES.
BUT IF THERE IS EVEN AN OUNCE OF POSSIBILITY THAT WE CAN SAVE A WETLAND THAT ALREADY HAS NATURAL SPECIES IS ALREADY PERCOLATING AS OPPOSED TO THE REASON THAT THERE'S NEW ONES IS BECAUSE WE HAVE INCREASED SURFACE WATER.
SO THERE IS SOME NEWER ONES THERE THAT AREN'T AS THE OTHER FOUR, BUT AS I GUESS I FORGET THE WORD SHE USED, BUT THEY'RE NOT AS IMPERATIVE BECAUSE THEY'RE NEWER.
RIGHT. SO THAT IS A RESULT OF INCREASED SURFACE WATER AS A RESULT OF INCREASED DEVELOPMENT. SO THESE LARGER WETLANDS ARE REALLY IMPERATIVE TO THAT YOU KNOW, THE ECOSYSTEM OF MERIDIAN.
I THINK THEY'RE LIKE TRUSTEE OPSOMMER SAID THERE'S POSSIBLY A WAY WE CAN DO THIS.
I JUST DON'T THINK WITH THE DENSITY WE HAVE AN THE WETLANDS THAT ARE THERE, WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH ANOTHER I GUESS IDEA.
TREASURER DESCHAINE. YES, MR. PEARSON, MR. UPPAL, I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND AGAIN, I LIKE THIS PROPOSAL, I THINK YOU CREATED A WALKABLE COMMUNITY WITHIN A SUBURBAN TOWNSHIP, WHICH IS NOT AN EASY THING TO DO.
AND IT IS CLOSE TO OUR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS THERE IS GROCERY.
THERE'S HARDWARE, THERE'S CLOTHING, THERE'S LOTS OF COMMERCE CLOSE BY.
AND SO YOU'RE GOING TO ACHIEVE THAT.
BUT THIS WETLANDS ISSUE IS A REALLY SERIOUS ONE HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
BUT I THINK THIS BOARD IS BEING BALANCED ABOUT IT.
MAYBE SOME OF YOU WERE AROUND THERE WERE WARS GOING ON ABOUT WETLANDS AND IN THIS TOWNSHIP BECAUSE WE DO RESPECT THE WETLANDS HERE.
AND WE CAN'T DIMINISH THEM WITH JUST A MITIGATION HERE.
BUT AS TRUSTEE WISINSKI SPOKE OF, THEY DO SERVE A PURPOSE.
THEY SERVE A VERY SPECIFIC PURPOSE FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
ALL OF OUR WATER COMES FROM 39 WELLS THROUGHOUT EAST LANSING AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
I'M HOPEFUL WE CAN FIND A WAY TO MOVE FORWARD.
IT'S A GOOD PROPOSAL, BUT WE'VE GOT TO BE VERY RESPECTFUL OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT THAT IS BEING BUILT UPON.
AND IF WE CAN DO THAT, I THINK WE COULD HAVE A VIABLE NEW DEVELOPMENT HERE.
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO RESPECT THESE WETLANDS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, WELL, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I GUESS IT COMES DOWN TO ARE WE GOING TO HAVE THIS ON FOR ACTION NEXT TIME OR NOT? YOU KNOW, WE CAN ALWAYS DISCUSS IT AGAIN, BUT WE CAN DISCUSS THINGS TO DEATH ALSO.
SO IT SEEMS TO ME THAT AT THIS POINT WE TALKED ABOUT THIS TWICE.
THEY'VE COME UP WITH A NUMBER OF CONDITIONS AND IT'S TIME FOR US TO DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AT OUR NEXT MEETING. I SEE NO DISAGREEMENT SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
THANK YOU, MR. PEARSON. THANK YOU, MR. UPPAL. THANK YOU.
[02:15:07]
WE NOW GO ONTO OUR PROCUREMENT POLICY I ASSUME THAT MS.[13B. Procurement Policy]
MATTISON IS GOING TO TALK TO US ABOUT THAT.I'M EXCITED TO PRESENT TO YOU OUR PROCUREMENT POLICY DRAFT.
THE LAST TIME THIS POLICY WAS UPDATED WAS IN 2002.
SO IT NEEDED TO BE BROUGHT UP TO DATE.
AND I THINK MANAGER WALSH FOR PUSHING ME TO GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF.
SO THIS POLICY IS BASICALLY SETTING A TRANSPARENCY AND ESTABLISHING GUIDELINES FOR OUR PROCUREMENT POLICY.
AND IT ALSO SETS A POLICY TO ENSURE THAT THE TOWNSHIP IS GETTING THE BEST OVERALL VALUE FOR ALL OF ITS PURCHASES AND ALSO SETS A STANDARD OF WHAT WE SHOULD DO FOR DISPOSAL OF ANY OF OUR SURPLUS OR PERSONAL PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO IMMENSE DETAIL ON ALL THE PAGES, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO I BELIEVE IT'S LIKE YOUR FOURTH PAGE IN THE PACKET.
IT'S CHAPTER ONE AND IT'S A QUICK REFERENCE CHART.
AND THIS CHART JUST SPELLS OUT WHERE EACH PURCHASE FALLS AND WHAT'S REQUIRED OF THE INDIVIDUAL THAT'S DOING THE PURCHASING.
THE BIGGEST CHANGE IN THE POLICY IS SETTING THESE DIFFERENT LIMITS OUR OLD POLICY, HAD A TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLAR LIMIT WHERE ANYTHING UNDER TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS YOU COULD GO OUT AND BUY. IT WAS KIND OF SMALL AND A LOT OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS WERE HAVING ISSUES IN TRYING TO DO THAT.
ANYTHING OVER TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO GET THREE BIDS.
SO THIS CHANGES IT TO WHERE ANYTHING UP TO NINE HUNDRED AND NINETY NINE DOLLARS THEY CAN GO OUT AND PURCHASE AND THEN ANYTHING BETWEEN A THOUSAND AND FOUR THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND NINETY NINE WE JUST ARE REQUESTING TWO VERBAL QUOTES WHICH CAN BE EMAILS, AND THEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE A FORM THAT THEY WOULD FILL OUT AND ATTACH TO IT.
ANYTHING FROM FIVE THOUSAND TO TWENTY FOUR THOUSAND NINE NINETY NINE, WE WOULD GET THREE WRITTEN QUOTES AND THEN TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND AND ABOVE, WE WOULD ACTUALLY GO OUT FOR AN RFP FOR THOSE.
AND THEN THERE'S SOME EXCEPTIONS TO THOSE WHICH YOU CAN BE IN A JOINT PURCHASING LIKE A COOPERATIVE. THIS IS HOW, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW WE'RE BUYING OUR FIRE TRUCK.
WE ARE THROUGH [INAUDIBLE] AND WE'RE USING THAT AS A COOPERATIVE BID OR A LOT OF TIMES WE PURCHASE QUITE A FEW OF OUR ITEMS THROUGH THE [INAUDIBLE] PROGRAM.
WE CAN SOLE SOURCE IT IF IT'S THE ONLY VENDOR AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO THEY CAN'T GO OUT AND GET BIDS, THAT'S THE ONLY THING THEY CAN DO.
OR IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY THAT NEEDS TO BE HAPPENING AND THEY JUST HAVE TO GET IT FIXED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE TOWNSHIP OR ANYTHING IN THAT MATTER.
THERE'S AN EMERGENCY QUALIFICATIONS AND THEN IT BREAKS IT DOWN ON WHAT'S REQUIRED OF EACH OF THESE THINGS AND WHAT'S THE APPROVAL REQUIREMENT OF ALL OF THAT STUFF.
SO THAT KIND OF BREAKS IT DOWN.
THAT'S JUST THE BIGGEST CHANGE IS THE CHANGE IN APPROVAL LEVELS OF WHERE WE WERE IN 2002.
I'D BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS ANY OF IT AND IN ANY FURTHER DETAIL, IF YOU'D LIKE, OR IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I HAVE A QUESTION BEFORE WE GET TO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.
DID WE CONSULT WITH OUR ACCOUNTANTS OR PUBLIC ACCOUNTS CONCERNING THIS AS FAR AS THESE LIMITS, THESE DOLLAR AMOUNTS, OR I SHOULDN'T SAY LIMITS, THIS FLOORS IN A WAY IN TERMS OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE 999, ET CETERA.
ARE THESE CONSIDERED REASONABLE AMOUNTS AT THIS TIME GENERALLY FOR GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES? OH, I DID NOT CONSULT WITH OUR AUDITORS, BUT WE WE DID OUR RESEARCH ON HOW MANY PURCHASES FELL WITHIN THE NINE HUNDRED AND NINETY NINE AND MOST OF THE EVERYDAY PURCHASES WHERE IF YOU'RE GOING OUT TO A HOME DEPOT AND YOU NEED TO GET SOME SCREWS TO FINISH THE PROJECT OR THINGS LIKE THAT, THERE'S A LARGE CHUNK OF THAT STUFF WOULD FALL WITHIN THOSE LIMITS AND THEN ANYTHING ABOVE THAT, WHICH WOULD BE A HIGHER DOLLAR, 1000 TO 5000.
THOSE WOULD JUST REQUIRE THE VERBAL AND MOST OF OUR PURCHASES FELL WITHIN THOSE TWO CATEGORIES. BUT NO, I DIDN'T DOUBLE CHECK WITH OUR AUDITORS SAYING YOU SHOULD HAVE I'M JUST ASK THE QUESTION.
MANAGER WALSH. THANK YOU, MR. SUPERVISOR. ONE OTHER THING DIRECTOR MATTISON DID 95 PERCENT OF WORK ON THIS.
THE SMALL PART THAT I DID WAS CHECK ON WHAT OTHER COMMITTEES ARE DOING IN MICHIGAN, WHICH
[02:20:02]
IS, I THINK, SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT,[INAUDIBLE] RESIDENT WHO WORKED FOR MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET AND HAD A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL POSITION THERE UPON HER RETIREMENT AND ASKED HER TO LOOK AT THE POLICY BECAUSE SHE DID A LOT OF PURCHASING. I THINK SHE HANDLED ALL OF THE PURCHASING FOR THE MICHIGAN STATE POLICE AND FOR THE FLEET AND ALL OF THAT.AND SHE SAID IT'S A REALLY WELL DONE POLICY.
SO WE DID NOT BOUNCE IT OFF SO MUCH, THE ACCOUNTANTS, BUT WE DID BOUNCE IT OFF SOME PEOPLE WHO HAD A CAREER DOING PURCHASING AT THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AND REALLY SUPPORTED THE POLICY. SO KUDOS TO DIRECTOR MATTISON FOR PUTTING TOGETHER A POLICY THAT OTHERS SAY WILL WORK FOR US. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO LISTENING SESSIONS EVERY THREE YEARS OR TWO YEARS. WE SIT DOWN WITH ALL THE BARGAINING GROUPS AND TALK.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S COME UP EVERY TIME IS OUR PURCHASING POLICY AND THE LOW LIMITS AND HOW CUMBERSOME IT IS.
SO I'M GLAD TO SEE US GETTING TO THIS POINT.
YES, TREASURER. YES, I WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR MATTISON FOR THIS DOCUMENT AS WELL, I THINK IT'S A GOOD ONE BEING ONE OF TWO PEOPLE WITH CLERK GUTHRIE THAT SIGNS THE CHECKS FOR ALL THESE. IS IT GOOD TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A STRONG DOCUMENT BEHIND IT.
REGARDING THE LAST COLUMN, DEPARTMENTAL DIRECTOR APPROVAL, AND THAT'S GOING TO APPLY TO ALL PURCHASES. CORRECT, SO THAT NOTHING GETS PURCHASED WITHOUT A MANAGER'S APPROVING THAT PURCHASE. CORRECT. CORRECT.
AND THAT'S THE POLICY RIGHT NOW.
ALL INVOICES HAVE TO HAVE A DIRECTOR LEVEL OF PURCHASE.
SO EVEN IF IT'S A CREDIT CARD, THAT'S A CURRENT POLICY THAT WE'RE DOING.
SO THAT'S JUST KEEPING INFORMED WITH OUR CURRENT POLICY.
OKAY. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, YES CLERK GUTHRIE . I WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR MATTISON FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THIS, AND I KNOW AS A FORMER STAFF MEMBER THE TREMENDOUS IMPORTANCE THAT THIS HAS FOR MOSTLY ALL STAFF AT THE TOWNSHIP IN SAVING TIME AND THE SEVERAL ITEMS THAT ARE NEEDED TO OPERATE THE TOWNSHIP ON A REGULAR BASIS, FROM PAPER TO, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE A TIRE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THAT WAS JUST REALLY TIME CONSUMING FOR STAFF AND REALLY CRIPPLED STAFF TO GET THE JOB DONE THAT THEY NEEDED TO GET DONE.
SO I WANT TO COMMEND YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THIS POLICY.
I READ IT THOROUGHLY AND I WAS EXCITED TO READ IT.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANYONE ELSE? YES, TRUSTEE JACKSON.
MIRIAM IS THE NEXT STEP FOR THE BOARD TO ADOPT, OFFICIALLY ADOPT THE POLICY FOR THE TOWNSHIP. YES, IF YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE ANY RECOMMENDED CHANGES OR IF YOU DO HAVE RECOMMENDED CHANGES, WE CAN CHANGE THIS.
THIS IS JUST IN A DRAFT POLICY RIGHT NOW FOR YOU GUYS TO REVIEW.
AND IF YOU APPROVE, OR WE CAN MOVE THIS UP FOR APPROVAL FOR THE NEXT MEETING OR WHENEVER.
OK. I MUTED MYSELF AND FORGOT.
THANK YOU RON. SO JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION AS IT RELATES TO THE CURRENT POLICY DIRECTOR MATTISON, YOU MAY HAVE SAID THIS.
I MAY HAVE MISSED IT. SO FOR THE RFPS.
SPECIFICALLY IN THE POLICY RFP'S ARE FOR ANYTHING IN EXCESS OF TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND, AND IT DOESN'T REQUIRE MANAGER APPROVAL, HOW ARE WE CURRENTLY HANDLING THOSE? WHAT'S THE THRESHOLD IN TERMS OF VALUE AND IS THERE MANAGER APPROVAL CURRENTLY.
OUR CURRENT POLICY SAYS ANYTHING OVER 5000 REQUIRES AN RFP, WHICH IS COMPLETELY OUT OF SKEW WITH WHAT AN RFP SHOULD BE.
AND THAT WOULD GO THROUGH THE FORMAL PROCESS OF DOING SEALED BIDS AND OPENING THEM AND TRYING TO GET THE BEST, BID, BUT NOT NECESSARILY HOLDING EVERYBODY TO THAT, THAT'S NOT REALLY A GOOD THRESHOLD.
SO THIS MOVES IT UP TO A TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND FOR OR THAT.
[02:25:05]
AND THE MANAGER APPROVAL DO WE CURRENTLY REQUIRE THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER'S APPROVAL ON RFP'S.HE WOULD PROBABLY BE INVOLVED IN THE DISCUSSION ON ANY RFP THAT'S GOING ON.
HE DOESN'T FORMALLY APPROVE THEM.
WE CAN HAVE HIM OR HE CAN DELEGATE ANY PERSON HE CAN DELEGATE THAT TO EITHER THE DIRECTOR THAT'S AND HEAD OF THAT OR EVEN MYSELF.
A LOT OF TIMES HE DIRECTS THAT TO ME.
ALL PURCHASE ORDERS COME THROUGH MY DESK AND I ULTIMATELY APPROVE ALL OF THEM.
SO AT THIS POINT, HE DELEGATES THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO THE FINANCE DIRECTOR.
OK, I JUST SEE THAT THE MANAGER APPROVAL CHECKBOX ISN'T THERE.
BUT RIGHT NOW, A DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR, EVEN UNDER THIS POLICY, THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR WOULD SIGN OFF AND THEN IT WOULD GO TO [INAUDIBLE].
EVERY PURCHASE ORDER, EVERY PURCHASE THAT FLOWS THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP I ULTIMATELY APPROVE, NO MATTER WHAT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS, I SEE EVERY PURCHASE.
THAT'S VERY HELPFUL. MANAGER WALSH, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING AS IT RELATES TO THAT? NO, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
I DO GET INVOLVED IN THE LARGE TICKET ITEMS, FOR INSTANCE, THE LADDER TRUCK AND OTHER THINGS, I DO GET INVOLVED IN THE DAY TO DAY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THOSE, BUT ULTIMATELY DIRECTOR MATTISON'S CORRECT? I ABDICATE THAT ROLE TO HER AND SHE DOES VERY WELL AT IT.
THANK YOU AND I KNOW YOU'VE WEIGHED IN ON EVEN THE SOURCES AND HOW WE GET CREATIVE, AND OBVIOUSLY DIRECTOR MAISNER OR FORMER DIRECTOR GUTHRIE HAVE GOTTEN CREATIVE ON HOW WE FUND EVENTS LIKE CELEBRATE MERIDIAN AND SHIFT SOME OF THOSE COSTS TO PRIVATE INVESTMENT AND SPONSORSHIPS TO KEEP IT OFF THE TAXPAYERS.
I THINK THE POLICY IS IN GOOD ORDER.
I WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CONSIDER SUSPENDING OUR RULES TO TAKE IT UP FOR CONSIDERATION THIS EVENING.
DO YOU NEED IT RIGHT NOW OR SHOULD WE JUST GO AHEAD WITH THIS INTO THE NEXT MEETING, MS. MATTISON? IT'S COMPLETELY UP TO YOU IF YOU APPROVE IT TONIGHT, THEN I CAN ROLL THIS OUT TO THE STAFF AND WE CAN IMPLEMENT THE NEW PURCHASING GUIDELINES.
TREASURER. I WOULD SUPPORT THAT TRUSTEE OPSOMMER'S MOTION, IT'S THE START OF THE YEAR, IT'S JUST THE SECOND BUSINESS DAY OF THE YEAR, I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO PASS THIS NOW AND HAVE IT IN PLACE FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR.
OK, SO MOTION IN FRONT OF US IS EXCUSE ME, I'M DRY HERE.
IS TO SUSPEND THE RULES, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR JUST PUT THEIR HAND IN FRONT OF THEIR FACE.
OK, SO NOW THE MOTION IS MR. OPSOMMER. YES, GIVE ME ONE SECOND JUST TO GET BACK TO THE COVER MEMORANDUM.
DIGITAL PACKETS ARE WONDERFUL.
IT'S WHY [INAUDIBLE] MOVE TO IMPROVE THE PROCUREMENT POLICY AS PRESENTED IN THE BOARD PACKET DATED JANUARY 5, 2021.
ALL RIGHT, NOW WE NEED A VOTE.
I THINK WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED IT.
ALL RIGHT. GO TO IT, MS. MATTISON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[13C. Powell Road Paving Public Road Improvement SAD]
WE NOW COME TO THE POWELL ROAD PAVING PUBLIC ROAD IMPROVEMENT SAD AND OUR FAVORITE PERSON WITH SAD, IS HERE TODAY, MR. PERRY. THE EVENING SUPERVISOR, AS MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS AS A DISCUSSION ITEM, AS THE MEMO INDICATES, IN TWENTY EIGHTEEN, THE DEVELOPER OF SILVERSTONE'S ESTATES, MAYBERRY HOMES, RECEIVED THEIR TENTATIVE PRELIMINARY PLAT APPROVAL. AS PART OF THAT, ONE OF THE CONDITIONS WAS THEY NEEDED TO PAVE POWELL ROAD FROM GRAND RIVER ABOUT SIXTEEN HUNDRED FEET NORTH TO THEIR NORTHERN PLAT LINE.AND THIS IS ONE WAY THAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO HELP ACCOMPLISH THAT.
ESSENTIALLY, THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT WILL BE PUT TOGETHER.
IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT. NORMALLY THROUGH A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT WE ARE THE ONES
[02:30:05]
WHO GO OUT AND DO THE ENGINEERING, GET THE BIDS, CONSTRUCT THE PROJECT AND THEN PAY THE VENDORS AND THEN DO THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICTS.THIS WAY, THE WAY THIS ONE SET UP, THE DEVELOPER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PAVING OF THE ROAD IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT.
THE ROAD DEPARTMENT SIGNED OFF ON THE ROAD SPECIFICATIONS.
THEY WOULD FRONT THOSE COSTS AND THEN A PORTION OF THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT WOULD HELP REIMBURSE A PORTION OF THOSE COSTS.
SO THE TOTAL ROAD ESTIMATE RIGHT NOW IS ABOUT FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND THEY'D BE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF A LITTLE OVER HALF.
WELL, TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OF THAT.
SO THAT'S HOW THIS ONE'S SET UP.
AGAIN, IT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT THIS IS A WAY FOR US TO GET POWELL ROAD PAVED ABOUT 1600 FEET NORTH OF GRAND RIVER.
I'LL ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
OK, QUESTIONS FOR MR. PERRY. ANYONE HAVE COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM.
WELL, WE'VE REALLY GOT TO TRUST YOU, ON THESE SAD THINGS HAVEN'T WE.
[INAUDIBLE] WELL AS THE BOARD KNOWS, IT'S FIVE RESOLUTIONS, TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS, AND THE PUBLIC OBVIOUSLY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE THEIR EITHER SUPPORT OR NONSUPPORT TO THESE.
SO IF THIS GOES TO ACTION AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, THAT WOULD BE RESOLUTION ONE AND TWO . TWO ESSENTIALLY SENDS OUT THOSE NOTICES TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE START TO HEAR FROM BOTH.
OK, SOUNDS LIKE AT THAT TIME WE'LL HAVE THINGS TO TALK ABOUT.
WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR NON-DISCRIMINATION AND FAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES POLICY.
[13D. Non-Discrimination and Fair Employment Practices Policy]
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS BEING WORKED OUT BY TRUSTEES WISINSKI AND OPSOMMER SOME TIME AGO. AND THEY WANTED TO BRING IT BACK IN FRONT OF US.AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD TIME FOR US TO LOOK AT IT BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
SO WHO WANTS TO START THIS DISCUSSION? MS. WISINSKI. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR.
YES, SO WE DID HAVE THIS DISCUSSION A FEW MONTHS BACK, BUT WE'VE HAD SOME, YOU KNOW, PERTINENT ISSUES, COVID AND WE HAD A CHANGE IN STAFF.
AND WE'VE RECENTLY HIRED OUR NEW H.R.
DIRECTOR TITHOF WHO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WAS WELL INFORMED AND HAD A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR INPUT BEFORE WE BROUGHT THIS BACK TO THE BOARD TO TALK ABOUT IT FURTHER.
BUT WE CALL THIS OUR NONDISCRIMINATION AND FAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES POLICY.
AND WHERE OTHER FOLKS MAY KNOW IT AS BAN THE BOX.
SO THE IDEA AN THE PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY IS TO REMOVE THE ON OUR CURRENT APPLICATION IT'S CALLED THE HAVE YOU EVER BEEN CONVICTED OF A CRIME.
REMOVING THAT FROM THE APPLICATION ITSELF.
THAT CREATES FAIR OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS SPECIFICALLY THAT HAVE HAD PRIOR CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, AND WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE WITH SOME OF SOME OF THESE ACTIVITIES CERTAINLY FACE DISCRIMINATION IN MANY AREAS OF LIFE, BUT EMPLOYMENT BEING ONE.
SO WE REALLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE PEOPLE A FAIR OPPORTUNITY BASED ON THEIR SKILLS AND THEIR EDUCATION AND THEIR EXPERIENCE TO APPLY TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TO SERVE THE PUBLIC.
WE ALSO WANT TO ENCOURAGE DIVERSITY.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF THESE POPULATIONS ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED TO OUR MINORITY POPULATION.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS DIVERSITY, NOT IMPEDING FOLKS FROM APPLYING AND OR WORKING FOR US.
AND WHAT I WANT TO PUT OUT A CAVEAT, BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS A QUESTION THAT CONTINUES TO COME UP, EVEN THOUGH WE PROPOSE TO TAKE THIS PARTICULAR QUESTION OFF THE APPLICATION.
THIS DOES NOT SUPERSEDE ANY CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR THAT PARTICULAR POSITION.
SO IF ONCE A PERSON BECOMES A CANDIDATE FOR A POSITION, THE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK APPROPRIATE FOR THAT POSITION WOULD STILL BE CERTAINLY ENCOURAGED AND ALLOWABLE.
WE DO KNOW THAT IF WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS THAT MAY HAVE SOME MINOR CRIMINAL
[02:35:02]
ACTIVITY OR BACKGROUND THAT'S LONG TERM OR, YOU KNOW, MANY YEARS AGO, WE REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO, YOU KNOW, TO WORK FOR OUR TOWNSHIP.AND WE KNOW THAT IT REDUCES RECIDIVISM AND IT STRENGTHENS FAMILIES AND IMPROVES CONFIDENCE AND IT PROVIDES STRENGTH TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AN A SAFER COMMUNITY.
I DON'T KNOW. SUPERVISOR, IS IT TIME FOR ME TO POSE A MOTION FOR DISCUSSION OR HOW SHOULD I GO ABOUT THAT? SORRY.
SUPERVISOR STYKA YOU ARE ON MUTE.
BECAUSE I'M COUGHING A BIT, I KEEP MUTING MYSELF AND THEN I FORGET I HAVE DONE IT.
NORMALLY, WE WOULD HAVE THE MOTION NOW PRESENTED AT OUR NEXT MEETING AFTER WE'VE DISCUSSED IT THIS TIME.
OK. UNLESS WE WANT TO SUSPEND THE RULES FOR SOME REASON TO DO THIS RIGHT AWAY.
LOOKING FOR DISCUSSION AT THIS POINT.
WE'LL GET BACK TO THAT. ANYONE BESIDES MS. WISINSKI WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS? YEAH, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT IN OUR MOST RECENT MEETING WITH MANAGER WALSH DEPUTY MANAGER PERRY AND DIRECTOR TITHOF, WE ALSO IDENTIFIED, I BELIEVE IT WAS ABBY THAT IDENTIFIED IT.
ABBY, OR COURTNEY THE QUESTION THAT'S CURRENTLY ON THE APPLICATION REGARDING VETERANS, IT ASKS IF THEY WERE IF THEY HAD ANY DISCHARGE OTHER THAN HONORABLE.
AND SO AS PART OF THAT MEETING, WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT CHANGING, INVERTING THAT QUESTION FROM A NEGATIVE CONNOTATION TO SIMPLY ASKING, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU A VETERAN AND DID YOU SERVE IN ONE OF THE THREE BRANCHES OF OUR ARMED SERVICE.
OBVIOUSLY, MANY, MANY VETERANS STRUGGLE TO FIND EMPLOYMENT.
SO RATHER THAN TRYING TO DISCARD APPLICATIONS, UTILIZING THAT QUESTION, WE DISCUSSED CONVERTING IT TO A POSITIVE CONNOTATION SO THAT WE CAN TRY TO FIND VETERANS EMPLOYMENT.
ONE THING THAT I WOULD NOTE, OBVIOUSLY, THE MEMO TALKS ABOUT THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE DONE THIS AND THE FACT THAT THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ADOPTED A SIMILAR POLICY UNDER GOVERNOR SNYDER IN TWENTY EIGHTEEN, MANY REFORMS HAVE ALSO BEEN PASSED AT THE STATE LEVEL AND IN THE PAST YEAR AND IN TWO YEARS TIME, ONCE IT'S SET UP, THERE'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE AUTOMATIC EXPUNGEMENT FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF CRIMES AND OFFENSES.
SO IF IT DID NOT CAUSE PHYSICAL HARM TO SOMEONE, IF IT'S NOT AN OWI, MANY OFFENSES ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE EXPUNGED AUTOMATICALLY.
THERE WILL STILL BE CERTAIN OFFENSES THAT YOU HAVE TO GO BEFORE A JUDGE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE APPLICANTS THAT HAVE EXPUNGED RECORDS MANY MORE APPLICANTS THAT HAVE EXPUNGED RECORDS.
MANAGER WALSH DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THIS? I DON'T, EXCEPT FOR WHEN THIS FIRST CAME UP, IT TOOK ME SOME TIME TO GET MY ARMS AROUND IT AND UNDERSTAND PURPOSE AND MEANING BEHIND IT AND THE END GOAL.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT THE TRUSTEES HAVE PROVIDED TO US.
I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IS WE'VE HAD A CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATION IN THE H.R. DEPARTMENT.
AND I WANT A CREDIT DIRECTOR TITHOF.
SHE'S BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING ME PERSONALLY UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING OR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.
SO I THINK TIME HAS ALLOWED A NUMBER OF US TO UNDERSTAND THE GOAL HERE.
AND AS A STAFF, WE'RE FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE GOAL HERE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
TITHOF HAVE YOU HAD EXPERIENCE WITH THIS IN YOUR PRIOR EMPLOYMENT.
WHAT'S IT BEEN LIKE? WELL, YEAH, IN MY MANY DECADES WITH THE STATE JUDICIAL BRANCH, I'VE WORKED WITH EMPLOYMENT AND HIRING PRACTICES AND EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT THE TEAM HAS BROUGHT FORWARD, THAT WE MET ABOUT ALIGNS WITH MY PRIOR PRACTICE AND MY FORMER SERVICE IN H.R..
MS. SUNDLAND, DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE OF THIS AREA? [LAUGHTER] I DO. I WORKED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY HUMAN RESOURCES FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND IT WAS KIND OF DISCRETIONARY BECAUSE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY IS HANDS ON WITH MONEY. IT WAS KIND OF DISCRETIONARY, WHETHER THE CRIME.
[02:40:07]
A FINANCIAL LIKE IF SOMEBODY WAS HANDS ON TOUCHING MONEY EVERY DAY WAS KIND OF DISCRETIONARY AS TO WHETHER THE CRIME THAT THEY HAD ON THE RECORD.WHETHER THEY WOULD BE HANDLING MONEY.
I'M NOT SURE HOW IT WOULD BE WORDED, BUT JUST CAUTION THAT IF SOMEBODY IS HANDLING MONEY ON A DAILY BASIS, WE DID RUN IN.
I MEAN, PROBABLY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, WE ENDED UP HIRING PEOPLE THAT WERE HANDLING MONEY WITH TREASURY AND USUALLY HAVING TO FIRE AT LEAST ONE PERSON KIND OF ON AN ANNUAL BASIS BECAUSE THEY WERE STEALING MONEY OR HIDING MONEY.
SO THAT'S ALL I WOULD CAUTION US ABOUT.
I WAS GOING TO DEFER TO MANAGER WALSH, BUT I WILL SPEAK TO THAT TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.
WE APPRECIATE THAT. AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF THOUGHT GIVEN TO THAT WITHIN PART OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT WERE INCLUDED.
THAT'S EXACTLY PART OF WHAT WILL BE DELINEATED.
SO IT SAYS HERE THAT THE TOWNSHIP SHALL CONSIDER THE JOB RELATED CONVICTIONS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AND THE LENGTH OF TIME SINCE THAT OFFENSE HAS OCCURRED.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT THE DISCUSSIONS HAD LED TO US LEAVING THAT UP TO MANAGER WALSH AND H.R. DIRECTOR TITHOF, AS THEY ARE THE EXPERTS AS YOU WERE IN YOUR POSITION.
BUT THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
SO WHAT TYPE OF JOB? WHAT WAS THE OFFENSE? HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN? SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS WILL BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
OK, OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, YES, THE CLERK.
I HAVE JUST A FEW QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR TITHOF, IF I MAY, WHAT I'M HEARING AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IS THAT THE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS WOULD STILL CONTINUE AS THEY WERE BEFORE, IT'S JUST IN A DIFFERENT ORDER.
SO ONLY IF IT'S A CONTINGENT JOB OFFER.
OK, AND THE PROCESS FOR THOSE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS ARE THE SAME.
AND THEN ONE OTHER QUESTION FOR YOU OR TWO, I'M SORRY, DO YOU FORESEE THIS LESSENING STAFF TIME FOR THE PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS? OBVIOUSLY, IT COSTS MONEY TO DO ALL THESE BACKGROUND CHECKS ON ALL THESE APPLICATIONS.
IN MY EXPERIENCE, SINCE I'VE ARRIVED AT THE TOWNSHIP, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF TIME SAVED.
BUT AS COURTNEY WAS SAYING, IT'S PART OF OUR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.
YOU KNOW, IT IS A MORE WELCOMING FACTOR IN PUTTING OUR JOB APPLICATIONS OUT THERE.
SO IT REALLY HAS MORE TO DO WITH HOW WE'RE BRINGING FOLKS IN AND INVITING PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR POSITIONS THAT THEY ARE QUALIFIED FOR.
AND DO YOU HAVE FROM YOUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE AND YOUR BACKGROUND AND KNOWLEDGE OF THIS.
DO YOU FORESEE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE DIVERSITY OF APPLICATIONS OR AN INCREASE AT ALL.
COVID HAS CHANGED THE GAME FOR EVERYTHING? SO I THINK FOR GOING FORWARD, I'LL BE VERY INTERESTED IN HOW THINGS LOOK ONCE WE'RE APPLYING FOR JOBS AGAIN, ONCE WE HAVE POSITIONS AVAILABLE.
I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO FINDING WHAT OUR NUMBERS ARE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE JOBS ARE, WHAT THE APPLICANT POOL IS LIKE FOR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE TOWNSHIP. YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT COMES AVAILABLE.
I'M JUST HOPING I THINK IT IS OUR INTENTION TO BE WELCOMING, YOU KNOW, AS A COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, WANTING TO REMOVE THE BARRIERS THAT WOULD MAKE ANYBODY RELUCTANT TO APPLY FOR A POSITION THAT THEY'RE QUALIFIED FOR AND THAT WE'RE WELCOMING THEM TO JOIN.
AND THEN I'M SORRY, ONE LAST THING DID I HEAR, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS FOR TRUSTEE
[02:45:03]
OPSOMMER, DID I HEAR YOU SAY THE REPHRASING OF THE VETERAN QUESTION WAS HAPPENING? IT'S NOT PART OF THE POLICY, BUT IT WAS A DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT STAFF IS GOING IN.IT'S IMMEDIATELY BELOW THE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND OR THE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND QUESTION ON THE APPLICATION. SO THAT WAS, I BELIEVE, HOW DIRECTOR TITHOF KIND OF RAN INTO IT AS WE WERE DISCUSSING THE POLICY AS IT RELATES TO THE APPLICATION.
RIGHT? SO FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT REPHRASED, AS YOU MENTIONED IT EARLIER. THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS.
I THINK IF WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT THAT'S STAFF IS GOING TO WORK ON WE DON'T NEED TO INCLUDE IT IN THE POLICY DIRECTLY.
I THANK TRUSTEES OF OPSOMMER AND WISINSKI FOR THEIR WORK ON [INAUDIBLE] I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS.
I THINK THIS NOTION OF BANNING THE BOX IS A GOOD ONE.
OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE TRIED IT AND IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING FOR THEM.
AND THIS CHANGE IN OUR HIRING POLICY IT VERY MUCH FITS WITH THOSE GOALS OF BEING MORE DIVERSE, MORE INCLUSIVE.
OK, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT, MR. OPSOMMER. YEAH, JUST ONE OTHER FINAL PIECE OF CONTEXT THAT I THINK SPEAKS TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CLERK GUTHRIE HAD AS WELL.
SO, I MEAN, REALLY, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS IN PRACTICAL TERMS, IN THE REAL WORLD, IF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO CHECK THAT BOX ON THE INITIAL APPLICATION, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF JOBS THAT HAVE VERY GOOD BENEFITS.
WE STILL PAY 100 PERCENT OF THE PREMIUMS. WE GET A CONSIDERABLE, AMOUNT OF APPLICATIONS FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF POSITIONS.
SO IF YOU'RE SITTING ON TOO MANY APPLICATIONS YOU HAVE TO LOOK FOR SOME REASON TO DISCARD APPLICATIONS. SO IN THE REAL WORLD SENSE, WHAT THIS DOES IS GIVES THAT APPLICANT OR APPLICANTS THE ABILITY TO IF THEY HAVE THE EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND THE REQUISITE EXPERIENCE TO GET TO THE INTERVIEW AND TO SPEAK TO THAT EXPERIENCE BEFORE THEY KIND OF HAVE THAT ADDENDUM DISCUSSION WITH THE DIRECTOR OR THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER OR WHOEVER'S PRESIDING [INAUDIBLE]. SO, I MEAN, THAT CONVERSATION STILL OCCURS.
BUT AT THAT POINT, THEN THE DIRECTOR OR THE MANAGER OR IF IT'S A SEARCH COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, THEN IT'S A MATTER OF BALANCING THAT ADDENDUM OR THAT ISSUE WITH WHAT KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK TO AND PRESENT.
IF YOU NEVER GET PAST THAT INITIAL PHASE OR SELDOM DO YOU KNOW WHAT CHANCE TO YOU REALLY HAVE? SO AND LIKE I SAID, JUST AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, THE EXPUNGEMENT REFORMS THAT MICHIGAN JUST PASSED AND IT WAS ACTUALLY LED BY THE REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED HOUSE AND SENATE, IT WAS BIPARTISAN.
BUT I MEAN, IT'S AMONG THE MOST SWEEPING REFORMS. AND SO THERE ARE GOING TO BE APPLICANTS THAT WILL HAVE CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS THAT WE WON'T KNOW ABOUT. THAT MAY OR MAY NOT RELATE TO THE JOB.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW. IN QUESTION, SO IT'S GOING TO BE KIND OF A NEW WORLD IN THAT SENSE, BUT IT'S REALLY GIVING THAT APPLICANT THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE.
ALL RIGHT, I THINK WE'LL HAVE THIS UP FOR ACTION NEXT TIME.
NEXT WE COME TO THE ADDED ITEM, WHICH IS THE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA THAT MR.
[Additional Item]
OPSOMMER ASKED TO BE ADDED ONTO THE AGENDA, AND YOU WANT TO GO FORWARD AND EXPLAIN WHY YOU WANTED IT ON THERE AND WHAT'S [INAUDIBLE].YES, ABSOLUTELY. SO WE OBVIOUSLY HAD THIS ON AT OUR LAST MEETING IN NOVEMBER, GIVEN THE WAY THAT THE CALENDAR FELL AND COVID AND EVERYTHING, WE CANCELED OUR SECOND MEETING IN DECEMBER AND WE DID HAVE AN ABSENCE.
TRUSTEE WISINSKI WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE THAT FINAL MEETING IN DECEMBER.
SO WE DID NOT HAVE THIS ON THE AGENDA.
BUT I FELT WE SHOULD CONTINUE THE BOARD'S OPEN DISCUSSION ON OPTING IN.
AS WE HEARD AT THE MEETING IN NOVEMBER.
AND AS WE HEARD DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITIES ARE CONTINUOUSLY OPTING IN ACROSS THE STATE. SOME HAVE OPTED OUT LIKE WE DID BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE AN ORDINANCE IN PLACE. AND THEN CONTINUOUSLY THERE'S THIS KIND OF SLOW CHURN OF COMMUNITIES OPTING IN.
AND SO THESE FACILITY TYPES OR THESE BUSINESSES ARE MAKING A CHOICE AND THEY HAVE THE
[02:50:03]
OPTION TO INVEST IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE REC AND MEDICAL.AND THEN THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES TO INVEST IN COMMUNITIES, WITH ONLY MEDICAL.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE INDUSTRY IS MEDICAL IS ABOUT 10 TO 15 PERCENT OF THE INDUSTRY.
SO FOR THESE BUSINESSES, THEY'RE LOOKING AT INVESTING IN FIXED COSTS, THAT IS EITHER BUILDING A NEW FACILITY OR RENOVATING A STRIP MALL UNIT FOR TWO OF THE PERMIT HOLDERS, AND THEY CAN EITHER INVEST THAT FIXED COST HERE OR IN ANOTHER COMMUNITY.
AND SO FOR PRACTICAL PURPOSES, IF WE CHOOSE TO REMAIN OPTED OUT, I THINK WHAT WE'LL FIND IS THAT WE WON'T SEE AND EXPERIENCE THE INDUSTRY, WHICH IS WHAT I'VE HEARD SOME BOARD MEMBERS WISH TO DO.
AND I JUST DON'T THINK THAT WILL BE A PRAGMATIC REALITY DUE TO THE TIMING.
AND I WOULD JUST REMIND EVERYONE.
SO WE OPTED IN, I BELIEVE, IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR, WELL, ACTUALLY, OF TWENTY NINETEEN NOW AND HELD OUR LOTTERY IN SEPTEMBER, SEPTEMBER, TWENTY THIRD OF 2019.
YOU KNOW, BY THE TIME THEY HAD APPLIED FOR THEIR SPECIAL USE PERMIT SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER THE LOTTERY, LARA WAS ROLLING OUT THE RECREATIONAL INDUSTRY RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE VOTER INITIATED ACT THAT PASSED IN TWENTY EIGHTEEN.
SO ESSENTIALLY REC OCCURRED SIMULTANEOUSLY AS OUR ORDINANCE FINALLY EXISTED IN REALITY.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE TIME CONSTRAINT HERE.
WE DIDN'T OPT IN ON MEDICAL IN TIME FOR THERE TO BE A MEDICAL ONLY MARKETPLACE, THAT WAS NEVER REALLY THE CASE BECAUSE REC CAME INTO PLACE JUST AS WE CREATED A MEDICAL FRAMEWORK.
I DO THINK, AS WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE ILLICIT MARKET, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE CAREGIVERS GROWING IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND I THINK FROM A NUISANCE STANDPOINT, BRINGING IT OUT INTO STOREFRONTS WILL HELP ADDRESS THAT.
AND I THINK WHAT WE'VE LEARNED FROM OTHER STATES, WASHINGTON AND OREGON ON THE FIRST TWO, TO OPT IN ON ADULT YEARS, IS THAT, IF ANYTHING, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PEER REVIEWED RESEARCH, WE SEE A DECLINE, A SMALL DECLINE IN YOUTH USE AND REALLY NEGLIGIBLE OR NO DIFFERENCE AMONG IMPAIRED USE OR IMPAIRED DRIVING.
SO I DO THINK IT'S TIME TO OPT IN, AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE BOARD MEMBERS, FOR FURTHER COMMENT.
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
TREASURER DESCHAINE. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR.
REGARDING OPTING IN, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS A BIG CHANGE, WHAT WE DISCUSSED FOR A YEAR IN 2018, AND 2019 WAS A MEDICAL MARIJUANA ORDINANCE.
AND WE TALK ABOUT IT IN TERMS OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA.
AND WE VOTED ON RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.
IT WAS SEVEN ZERO AGAINST AND WE WANTED SOME REAL TIME EXPERIENCE ON MEDICAL BEFORE IT MOVED FORWARD, BECAUSE WE KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO POTENTIALLY IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY, WE WANTED DATA FROM THE SCHOOLS WE WANTED DATA FROM THE POLICE, DATA FROM HEALTH OFFICIALS.
AND WE'RE GETTING NONE OF THAT BECAUSE THE MARKETS CHANGED.
AND I DON'T DOUBT THAT THE MARKET HAS CHANGED.
BUT THE FACT IS, THE WORK WE DID ORIGINALLY IS KIND OF BEING INVALIDATED BY THE FACT THE MARKETS CHANGED. SO IF WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS, WE NEED TO DO IT RIGHT.
WE SPENT A YEAR ON MEDICAL AND MAYBE WE NEED TO SPEND A YEAR ON RECREATIONAL TO GET IT RIGHT, BECAUSE IT'S TOO IMPORTANT NOT TO GET IT RIGHT.
I KNOW THESE PROVIDERS WANT TO GET THEIR SHOVELS IN THE GROUND AND GET BUILT IN THE SPRING, BUT IS THAT WHAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS IS OUR COMMUNITY IN A BIG HURRY? WE KNOW THE PROVIDERS WANT TO DO IT BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE A GREAT MARKETPLACE FOR THEM. BUT WE ALSO HAVE GREAT SCHOOLS AND GREAT NEIGHBORS AND GREAT NETWORKS OF FAMILIES THAT THIS COULD IMPACT SIGNIFICANTLY.
SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO TAKE OUR TIME IN DISCUSSING THIS.
WE NEED TO TAKE WEEKS IF WE NEED TO, AND MONTHS IF WE NEED TO, AN A WHOLE YEAR IF WE NEED TO. IT'S DIFFICULT TO DO THIS NOW BECAUSE WE DISCUSSED MEDICAL IN 2018 PEOPLE COULD COME TO OUR BOARD MEETINGS AND THEY COULD SPEAK.
THEY'VE GOT TO HAVE ACCESS TO A COMPUTER, THEY'VE GOT TO HAVE THE SOPHISTICATION TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO JOIN THE ZOOM CALL AND TALK ON A ZOOM CALL.
AND THAT'S A DIFFERENT SITUATION THAN SHOWING UP AT A COMMUNITY MEETING ROOM AND SAYING WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY.
IT IS NOT AS AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE AS WE MIGHT THINK IT IS BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN DOING IT
[02:55:01]
NOW FOR NINE MONTHS.SO THERE'S GOING TO BE REAL BARRIERS TO GET THAT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
BUT WE HAVE TO GET THAT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK BECAUSE THIS COULD SEVERELY IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY. THERE'S A HUGE UPSIDE FOR THE PROVIDERS.
AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE CALLING IN FROM SOUTHFIELD AN ANN ARBOR AND WHEREVER TONIGHT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO SELL MARIJUANA IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
BUT IS THAT THE BEST THING FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP? IS THAT WHAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS? NOW, PEOPLE WILL SAY [INAUDIBLE] COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR BOTH RECREATIONAL AND MEDICAL MARIJUANA, THE BALLOT AND I AGREE, AND THEY DID AND BY LARGE MAJORITIES.
IS THAT THEORETICAL SUPPORT FOR A STATEWIDE INITIATIVE, THE SAME AS SUPPORT FOR FOUR OR SIX GOOD SIZED MEDICAL OR RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA STORES IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP? IT COULD BE, BUT IT MIGHT NOT BE.
AND WE NEED TO TAKE THE TIME TO FIND OUT HOW OUR COMMUNITY FEELS ABOUT IT.
THERE IS A PROPOSED MEDICAL MARIJUANA STORE ON OKEMOS ROAD THAT WE PUT BEFORE THE VOTERS AND THE VOTERS TURNED IT DOWN RESOUNDINGLY.
I THINK IT WAS THE OLD KINDERCARE PLACE ALONG OKEMOS ROAD.
SO WE NEED TO TAKE THE TIME TO FIND OUT HOW THE COMMUNITY FEELS ABOUT THIS AND WE NEED TO BE PATIENT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T JUST SHOW UP AT A MEETING LIKE I COULD A YEAR AND A HALF AGO TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS.
SO IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ALLOWING FOR COMMUNITY INPUT.
AND I WOULD SUGGEST A COMMUNITY FORUM WHERE WE SPEND WE ALLOW FOR SEVERAL HOURS OF TIME TO HAVE PEOPLE COME AND SPEAK TO US ON THIS ISSUE TO FIND OUT WHERE THE COMMUNITY IS ON THIS.
AND IF THERE'S STRONG COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR IT IT'LL BE AN EASY DECISION FOR US.
IF THERE'S MIXED SUPPORT FOR IT.
IT'S GOING TO BE A TOUGHER DECISION, BUT WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE HEARING FROM ALL ASPECTS OF THE COMMUNITY. SO FAR WE'VE JUST HEARD FROM BUT WE HAD ONE RESIDENT AT THE START OF THIS CALL. BUT MOST OF WE'VE HEARD FROM THE PROVIDERS, THE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SELL MARIJUANA IN MERIDIAN, AND THEY CAN'T WAIT TO SELL MARIJUANA IN MERIDIAN BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE A GREAT MARKETPLACE FOR THEM.
BUT IS IT THE RIGHT THING FOR MERIDIAN, WE DON'T KNOW THAT YET.
WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE WE TAKE A LOT OF TIME TO DO THIS RIGHT AND HEAR FROM OUR RESIDENTS HEAR FROM OUR EDUCATORS HERE, FROM OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE HEAR FROM OUR COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH PEOPLE ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO IMPACT A LOT OF ASPECTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. I MEAN, THIS IS LIKE GOING FROM A DRY COMMUNITY THAT DIDN'T SELL ALCOHOL TO A WET COMMUNITY.
WE'RE NOW GOING TO PROVIDE STORES THAT PROVIDE THAT WILL SELL MARIJUANA AND INCREASE THE VOLUME OF MARIJUANA IN THE COMMUNITY.
MAYBE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS.
AND IF WE HEAR THAT FROM OUR RESIDENTS AND IT'LL BE AN EASY DECISION FOR US.
BUT WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING YET EXCEPT FROM THE PROVIDERS.
SO WE NEED TO TAKE THAT TIME TO HEAR FROM THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
SO I HOPE WE CAN TALK TONIGHT JUST ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AND LEAVE THE ACTUAL DISCUSSIONS OF THE MERITS OF THE PROPOSAL TO A FUTURE MEETING WHEN WE'VE GOT MORE TIME AND IT'S NOT NINE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT AND WE'RE ALL THREE HOURS INTO THIS MEETING. THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF.
IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A LOT OF OUR ATTENTION AND A LOT OF EFFORT ON OUR PART.
I DON'T WANT TO CRAM INTO AN END OF A MEETING OR ANY TIME BECAUSE IT REQUIRES SERIOUS CONSIDERATION. THERE'S A BIG UPSIDE FOR THE PROVIDERS.
NO ONE HAS CONVINCED ME THERE'S A HUGE UPSIDE FOR OUR RESIDENTS RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE LOTS OF ACCESS TO THE WEST OF OUR COMMUNITY ALONG MERIT ROAD WE HAVE IN THE SOUTH OF OUR COMMUNITY, ALONG IN ALAIEDON TOWNSHIP.
SO FOR THOSE THAT ARE PROMOTING THIS, I HOPE YOU CAN HAVE A COMPELLING ARGUMENT THAT THE UPSIDE FOR RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA IS AS STRONG AS THE POTENTIAL DOWNSIDE, BECAUSE THERE IS A DOWNSIDE TO THIS AND WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT THAT IS.
WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT THE EXPERIENCE THAT IS OF OTHER COMMUNITIES TRUSTEE OPSOMMER SPOKE ABOUT DATA FROM COLORADO AND OTHER STATES THAT HAVE LEGALIZED IT.
WE NEED TO SEE HOW IT HAS IMPACTED THEM AND MAKE A REALLY SMART DECISION BASED ON THE DATA, BASED ON THE EVIDENCE THAT WE HAVE, SO THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH A JUDICIOUS VOICE AND ONE BASED ON SCIENCE AND THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE GONE THIS ROUTE. THIS IS A BIG STEP AND I WANT US TO BE CAREFUL.
I WANT US TO MAKE SURE WE HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY BEFORE WE MAKE ANY CHANGES TO OUR ORDINANCE. THANK YOU.
I ECHO A LOT OF THE THOUGHTS OF THE TREASURER.
I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT EVENTUALLY WE'RE GOING TO OPT IN, BUT IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS THAT.
WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME FIGURING OUT HOW MANY AND WHERE.
AND THAT SAME ISSUE ARISES WITH RECREATIONAL AS IT DOES WITH MEDICAL, BUT WITH A WHOLE
[03:00:01]
DIFFERENT SET OF PARAMETERS.WITH MEDICAL WE WORRIED ABOUT AVAILABILITY TO PEOPLE WHO NEEDED IT, SO LOCATIONS BECAME IMPORTANT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
RECREATIONAL? WELL, THERE MAY BE A MEDICAL COMPONENT WITHIN IT.
WE'VE BEEN HEARING HOW THAT'S DIMINISHING AND RECREATIONAL IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
MAYBE WE ONLY NEED A FEW OR A COUPLE.
MAYBE IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT APPROACH.
I DON'T KNOW. BUT I AGREE THAT WE NEED MORE COMMUNITY INPUT AND WE NEED TO SPEND SOME TIME THINKING ABOUT THIS AS TO HOW WE DO IT.
I HAVE LITTLE DOUBT THAT WE'LL EVENTUALLY GET THERE, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO OVERNIGHT. AND IT'S SIMPLY NOT A MATTER OF, OK, YOU HAVE AUTHORITY RIGHT NOW TO DO MEDICAL YOU CAN NOW DO RECREATIONAL.
I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE FAIR TO OUR CITIZENS.
THAT'S NOT US USING OUR BRAINPOWER AND OUR JUDGMENT THE WAY WE SHOULD.
MS. JACKSON. I WOULD ASK YOU TO ALSO CONSIDER THAT IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, WE HAVE ALREADY AN AWFUL LOT OF TIME, EFFORT AND ENERGY INVESTED IN THE MARIJUANA INDUSTRY.
I THINK WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER A COMMENDABLE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OVERSIGHT AND REGULATION AND PARTICIPATION.
AND SO THOUGH I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THE CALLS FOR ADDITIONAL PUBLIC INPUT.
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE TENDENCY TO PUT IT OFF, PUT IT OFF AND PUT OFF AND CONTINUE TO PUT OFF THE DISCUSSION AND DECISION MAKING WITH ADDED PUBLIC INPUT, BECAUSE AS THE CALLERS AND I THINK THERE WERE AT LEAST TWO OF THEM AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR MEETING SUGGESTED THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY WHICH WE FOCUSED ON IN THE BEGINNING IS ESSENTIALLY DYING. AND SO TO A GREAT EXTENT THAT INVESTMENT AND ALL OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE DID AT THE BEGINNING IS GOING TO DISAPPEAR CERTAINLY IN THE NEXT YEAR WITHOUT CERTAINLY SOME CONSIDERATION OF THIS ISSUE OF INCLUDING ADULT USE MARIJUANA.
IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN HERE, IT IS ALWAYS HERE, AND IT'S NEVER GOING TO GO AWAY.
THE BLACK MARKET IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.
YEAH, I DON'T SEE US DELAYING THIS UNNECESSARILY, BUT I ALSO DON'T SEE RUSHING TO THE FINISH LINE EITHER. I MEAN, WE COULD SCHEDULE SOMETHING WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO TO GET THIS THING MOVING.
MS. SUNDLAND YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP.
YES, AND THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR STYKA.
I WANT TO PARALLEL TRUSTEE JACKSON'S COMMENTS THAT I THINK THAT SOME OF THE FACILITIES KIND OF WENT INTO IT THINKING THAT THERE WOULD BE A RECREATIONAL ASPECT.
AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE AT IF WE DON'T OPEN UP MARKET, SO IT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.
MR. OPSOMMER. FORGIVE ME MY KEYBOARD WAS GLITCHING.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE DRAFTING THE MEDICAL ORDINANCE, OBVIOUSLY THE VOTER INITIATIVE HAD ALREADY BEEN APPROVED IN NOVEMBER OF TWENTY EIGHTEEN, I GUESS IT WAS NOT OVERTLY DISCUSSED, BUT THE CONCEPT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE DECIDING ON HOW MANY LICENSE TYPES FOR THE RETAIL, THE PROVISIONING.
IN MY MIND, I KNEW THAT WE WOULD ALWAYS APPROVE REC IF WE WERE GOING TO OPT IN ON REC.
THEN WE WOULD ALWAYS APPROVE REC LICENSING TO THOSE PROVISIONING CENTERS THAT EXISTED FOR MEDICAL, OTHERWISE YOU'RE BASICALLY JUST SAYING, OK, THERE'S RIGHT NOW THERE'S FIVE FACILITIES FOUR APPROVED SPECIAL USE PERMITS, ONE FACILITY THAT'S STILL WORKING ON IT.
[03:05:03]
IT'S REALLY WE HAVE FOUR FACILITIES THAT ARE THROUGH THE SUP PROCESS FOR MEDICAL.FOR US TO SIT HERE AND PICK, WHICH WOULD GET REC AND WHICH WOULDN'T.
I THINK THAT NOTION IS A FALLACY, WE KIND OF DEALT WITH THAT WHEN SOME BOARD MEMBERS WANTED TO TAKE OUT THE HAGADORN OVERLAY AND THE PROPERTY OWNER GOT VERY UPSET, WHICH DIDN'T SURPRISE ME AFTER 12 MONTHS OF BEING IN AN OVERLAY TO HAVE THE CARPET PULLED OUT FROM UNDER OR TO HAVE THE RUG PULLED OUT FROM UNDER YOU IS GOING TO MAKE YOU UPSET.
SO IF WE DO OPT IN, THERE'S REALLY ONLY ONE WAY TO GO ABOUT IT, AND THAT'S TO GIVE THE PERMIT HOLDERS THAT EXIST FOR MEDICAL REC PRIVILEGES.
OTHERWISE, IT'S SOME ARBITRARY PICKING AND CHOOSING OF WINNERS AND LOSERS AND THAT, YOU KNOW. IT JUST KIND OF BLOWS MY MIND THAT ANYONE WOULD THINK THAT WE WOULD GIVE OR THAT WE WOULD CREATE THE MEDICAL FACILITIES AND THEN CHOOSE WHICH ONES GOT REC.
THERE WAS NO PURPOSE TO PUTTING THOSE SIX MEDICAL FACILITIES IN THE TOWNSHIP.
THEY WERE OBVIOUSLY GOING TO DIE IF THEY WERE NOT GIVEN REC AND OTHERS WERE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS, THAT IS UNIQUE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE RETAIL SECTOR ACROSS THE TOWNSHIP AND THE NATION, RETAIL JOBS DO NOT PAY WELL.
THIS INDUSTRY JOBS DO START OFF AT 16 TO 18 DOLLARS AN HOUR WITH BENEFITS PACKAGES 401K'A DENTAL AND HEALTH CARE. SO IT'S COMPLETELY UNIQUE IN THAT REGARD.
BUT I THINK TO THE SUPERVISORS POINT, WHEN WE DISCUSSED THE REASON TO OPT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST IN IT, IT'S REALLY THE QUALITY CONTROL OF THE PRODUCT AND THE TESTING OF THE POTENCY AND ALSO THE EDIBLES AND OILS.
SO IF YOU'RE A SENIOR CITIZEN AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU PARTAKE IN FROM ADULT USE FOR AN ADULT USE STANDPOINT OR MEDICAL, REGARDLESS, YOU'RE LIKELY GOING TO WANT AN EDIBLE OR AN OIL PRODUCT.
AND YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO FIND THAT IN A RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT GOVERNED BY LARA AND YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO KNOW THE POTENCY IF IT IS A RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT GOVERNED BY LARA.
IF YOU GO TO A CAREGIVER, IT'S GOING TO BE A SMOKEABLE PRODUCT AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE BUYING. IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GROWN IN THEIR HOUSE AND THAT'S PERMITTED UNDER THE LAW, UNDER THE CAREGIVING ELEMENT OF THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA ACT.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S A GOOD SOLUTION OR GOOD OUTCOME FOR FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO BUY THE PRODUCT AND CONSUME THE PRODUCT.
SO THE QUALITY CONTROL AND THE TESTING AND THE TRANSPARENCY AND THE POTENCY IS OF PUBLIC INTEREST. AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER.
MR. DESCHAINE. I DIDN'T HAVE THE IMPRESSION WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING MEDICAL THAT IT WAS AN AUTOMATIC DECISION TO GO TO RECREATIONAL, AND I WISH WE IF THAT WAS THE IMPLICIT DISCUSSION, WE'D BEEN MORE EXPLICIT ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY, VERY DIFFERENT DISCUSSION IN MY MIND.
AND IN FACT, WE VOTED IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS NOT TO OPT IN TO RECREATIONAL.
SO WE TOOK A REAL DELIBERATE STEP RIGHT AFTERWARDS TO SAY THIS IS MEDICAL ONLY, NOT RECREATIONAL. AND I JUST DISAGREE THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING BOTH AT THE SAME TIME BACK THEN. I AGREE WITH TRUSTEE OPSOMMER THAT THE QUALITY CONTROL AT THESE STORES PROVIDED IS VALUABLE AND THE EDIBLES.
AND I AGREE THAT MARIJUANA CAN BE THERAPEUTIC FOR MANY, MANY PEOPLE.
AND I BELIEVE IN THE RIGHT TO LEGALIZE IT.
AND I THINK PEOPLE HAVE AN ACCESS TO IT.
AND IT'S NOT THE DEMON DRUG THAT HAS BEEN MADE OUT TO BE OVER THE YEARS.
IT'S A DRUG OF CHOICE FOR PEOPLE.
I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A BIG UPSIDE FOR US OPTING IN TO COMPETE WITH EAST LANSING AND ALAIEDON AND BATH TOWNSHIP, OTHER PLACES IN LANSING THAT WANT TO SELL IT.
WE'VE GOT TO THEN REGULATE THEM SO THE 5000 A YEAR WE GET FROM THEM WE WILL BURN THROUGH THAT IN THE FIRST QUARTER.
THEN WE'VE GOT TO HAVE ADDITIONAL POLICE MONITORING THESE BECAUSE THEY'RE A CASH ONLY OPERATIONS. SO THE COST FOR THESE IS GOING TO BE FAR EXCEED THE BENEFIT OF THE FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR A YEAR AND THERE WILL BE SOME EXCISE MONEY THERE.
WE DON'T APPROVE NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE IT'S GOOD FOR OUR TAX BASE.
SO THE MONEY ARGUMENT IS SPECIOUS TO BEGIN WITH.
SO IF WE ALLOW THESE FOUR OR FIVE, SIX STORES IN THE TOWNSHIP, WE'RE TAKING ON A TON OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR MONITORING THEM, FOR POLICING THEM AND WE'RE PROVIDING ACCESS THAT ALREADY EXISTS WITHIN FIVE MINUTES IN ANY DIRECTION FROM THE TOWNSHIP EAST WEST OR NORTH TO OUR TOWNSHIP, SO IS THERE A REAL PUBLIC BENEFIT WITH COMPETING WITH SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES TO PROVIDE THESE STORES?
[03:10:01]
THERE'S A BIG LIABILITY TO IT.I'M JUST NOT CONVINCED YET OF THE BENEFIT OF BEING THE HOST FOR THESE STORES.
I THINK WHAT THE CORRECT APPROACH AT THIS POINT WOULD BE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF A PUBLIC FORUM OR PUBLIC INPUT OPPORTUNITY SO WE CAN GET THESE THINGS ANSWERED AND AT THAT SAME TIME GET EXPERTISE IN IN TERMS OF ANSWERING QUESTIONS LIKE WHAT EFFECT HAS IT HAD IN OTHER COMMUNITIES? IS THERE BEEN A COST TO LEASE OR WHATEVER? BECAUSE MAYBE THESE THINGS ARE MINIMAL OR NOT THERE? WE DON'T KNOW. WE'RE ALL SPECULATING ON BOTH SIDES.
AND JUST AS AN ASIDE, WHEN I CONSIDERED MEDICAL, I DID NOT CONSIDER RECREATIONAL AT THE SAME TIME, IN SPITE OF WHAT WAS INDICATED.
BUT BACK TO THAT MY PROPOSAL WOULD BE THAT WE PUT SOMETHING FORWARD WHERE WE HAVE A PUBLIC FORUM AND WE ALSO AND MAYBE WHAT WE SHOULD DO IS HAVE A STUDY SESSION WITH PUBLIC ADVERTISE IT. SO THE PUBLIC COULD COME OUT THROUGH THE VIRTUAL MEANS, OBVIOUSLY, TO OUR STUDY SESSION AND GIVE THEIR INPUT.
AND AT THAT STUDY SESSION HAVE SOME EXPERTISE WITH REGARD TO ALL THE OTHER POTENTIAL ISSUES THAT ARE BEING RAISED HERE.
MR. DESCHAINE. I LIKE THE IDEA OF A STUDY SESSION THAT WE INVITE THE PUBLIC TO BECAUSE WE ARE STUDYING THE ISSUE AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR IMPACT FROM THEM.
I WOULD SUGGEST FEBRUARY 9TH OR 16TH EITHER HAVE IT REPLACE THE MEETING ON THE 16TH OR A SPECIAL MEETING ON FEBRUARY 9TH.
THAT WOULD GIVE THE PUBLIC A GOOD MONTH TO BE INFORMED OF THIS.
AND WE CAN LINE UP A PUBLIC HEALTH AND OTHER EXPERTS TO COME IN AND DISCUSS IT AND PROVIDE A CHANCE TO CONNECT WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, TALK WITH OUR PTA LEADERS AND OTHER PEOPLE THAT MIGHT WANT TO WEIGH IN ON THIS, TALK TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND GET INPUT FROM MEMBERS OF [INAUDIBLE] AND OTHER GROUPS ON THIS.
THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS DECISION AND WE'LL GIVE THEM ALL A CHANCE TO SPEAK AND GIVE IT A GOOD TWO OR THREE HOURS OF TIME SO THAT WE CAN STUDY IT AND WE CAN GET LOTS OF FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE THAT WE LOOK AT MID FEBRUARY THE 9TH OR THE 16TH FOR THAT PUBLIC SESSION.
WELL IT WON'T BE THE 9TH BECAUSE I HAVE A SURGERY THAT DAY A MINOR SURGERY.
BUT I WAS GOING TO PROPOSE THE TWENTY THIRD.
WE COULD DO THE 16TH AND MOVE THE 16TH TO TWENTY THIRD, OR WE COULD JUST DO IT ON THE TWENTY THIRD. CAN WE HAVE EVERY BOARD MEMBER SPEAK.
SO WE HAVE AN IDEA IF THERE IS A CONSENSUS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
I'M WAITING FOR HANDS TO COME UP.
MR. OPSOMMER. YES MS. GUTHRIE. THANK YOU SUPERVISOR STYKA.
IN REGARDS TO STUDY SESSION VERSUS PUBLIC FORUM VERSUS PUBLIC HEARING, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THE DIFFERENCE OR BENEFIT WOULD BE OF A PUBLIC FORUM OVER A STUDY SESSION OR VICE VERSA? SO IF I WOULD UNDERSTAND AT A PUBLIC FORUM, WHICH IS BASICALLY THE PUBLIC COMING IN, GIVING THEIR INPUT AFTER GETTING A SHORT PRESENTATION OF THE OVERALL ISSUE.
WHEREAS A STUDY SESSION, WE TRY TO GET INTO IT AS A BOARD IN DEPTH.
AND OF COURSE, THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO THAT.
AND AT THE END. AT THE END, WHICHEVER WAY WE WANT TO DO IT.
THE PUBLIC CAN GIVE THEIR INPUT IN DETAIL, BUT WE WOULD ALSO GO BEYOND JUST HAVING PUBLIC INPUT. WE'D HAVE WHATEVER EXPERTISE MAYBE THE STAFF WOULD HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH FOR US, PUT TOGETHER SOME MATERIALS FOR US THAT SORT OF THING.
SO I'M MORE INTERESTED IN A PUBLIC FORUM TYPE OF THING AS THE NEXT STEP OVER A STUDY SESSION. THAT'S JUST MY MY OPINION ON THAT MATTER.
OK. MS. WISINSKI. THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR.
I'LL ECHO THAT YOU KNOW WHAT INITIAL OF THE DISCUSSIONS IS WHEN I WAS FIRST APPOINTED, SO I JUMPED INTO MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND READY RIDE AT THE FIRST MEETING.
I'M AN ADVOCATE. I THINK THAT THERE'S THE BENEFITS FAR OUTWEIGH THE RISKS.
HOWEVER, AT THAT TIME, TO ME AS A PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONAL, IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE WE DID GO SLOWLY INTO THIS AND THAT WE DID DO SOME SURVEILLANCE TO SEE WHAT EXACTLY WERE THE EFFECTS ON A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT MANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE MENTIONED. BUT ON CRIME, ON PUBLIC HEALTH, ON TEACHING, ON TEENS.
[03:15:01]
SO THOSE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.AND I KNOW NOW WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT PLACE.
WE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WE TOOK SOME TIME WELL-DESERVED TO OPT INTO MEDICAL MARIJUANA.
AND IN THE MEANTIME, OTHER COMMUNITIES WERE ALREADY DOING THAT AND FACILITATING THAT TYPE OF BUSINESS. AND THEN COVID HAPPENED.
AND THEN WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE THE TIME.
SO WE'RE KIND OF IN THIS ODD PLACE OF I WOULD STILL REALLY LIKE TO SEE SOME SURVEILLANCE.
UNIQUE TO MERIDIAN, BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE IS SOME DATA OUT THERE FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES AND I'VE BEEN READING AND I THINK THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME INPUT FROM THOSE OTHER COMMUNITIES. AND UNLIKE CLERK GUTHRIE, I THINK MAYBE A STUDY SESSION WOULD BE HELPFUL. AND I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF WORK ON EVERYBODY'S PART, BUT NOT JUST INPUT.
I THINK WE AS A BOARD ARE REALLY NOT TO A CONSENSUS YET, AND IT MIGHT DESERVE SOME ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION.
SO JUST TO SAY I'M CERTAINLY AN ADVOCATE, BUT I'D LIKE TO DO IT VERY INTENTIONAL AND TAKE, YOU KNOW, TAKE THE RIGHT STEPS TO MAKE SURE IT'S SUCCESSFUL.
AND AGAIN, A STUDY SESSION CAN INCLUDE THE PUBLIC GIVING THEIR INPUT.
OK, [INAUDIBLE] AT LEAST TWO INDICATING A STUDY SESSION IDEA.
MS. JACKSON. I WILL LEND MY SUPPORT TO THE STUDY SESSION IDEA.
AND INCLUDED IN THAT IS THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC STUDY ALONG WITH US. OH, YEAH.
TO INFORM OUR PUBLIC FORUM WHENEVER THAT HAPPENS.
SO FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE AGAIN, WE'RE AMENDING A ZONING ORDINANCE, ACTUALLY, TWO ZONING ORDINANCES, WHICH IS ALREADY THE MOST DELIBERATE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE.
WE JUST SET A ZONING ORDINANCE TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION TONIGHT.
AND AS PART OF THAT STATE LAW REQUIRES UNDER THE ZONING ENABLING ACT, A PUBLIC HEARING AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION LEVEL, I'D BE FINE WITH HOLDING A PUBLIC HEARING AT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD LEVEL IF WE WANT TO JUST ADD A SECOND PUBLIC HEARING, BUT TO COMMISSION AND TO SCHEDULE AN ENTIRE PUBLIC FORUM ON THE TOPIC, WHAT IF NOBODY WERE TO COME AND WEIGH IN ON IT, WHICH I THINK IS WHAT TREASURER DESCHAINE WAS ALLUDING TO.
BUT IF IT'S PART OF THE TRADITIONAL BOARD MEETING, I'M OPEN TO IT.
BUT I WOULD PREFER A STUDY SESSION THE SAME AS TRUSTEE WISINSKI AND TRUSTEE JACKSON.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE MEDICAL ORDINANCE, WE HAD A SLEW OF VERY CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES FROM WALNUT HILLS TO CREEKWOOD LANE TO THE PRESERVE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ADJACENT TO IT COMING OUT.
AND AT EACH OF THOSE MEETINGS, WE HAD THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA ORDINANCE ON OUR AGENDA, AND THAT WAS BACK PRE COVID.
THE PUBLIC WOULD ACTUALLY STAY BECAUSE THEY WOULD WANT TO ADDRESS THEIR AGENDA ITEM DURING THE CLOSING PUBLIC COMMENT AND THAT WAS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF JUST THE COMMUNITY.
YOU HAD DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS GEOGRAPHICALLY SPREAD OUT.
WE'D HAVE, YOU KNOW, 60 PLUS PEOPLE FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD COME OUT.
SO IT'S JUST LIKE A RANDOM CADRE OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP CITIZENRY.
THEY WOULD SIT THERE AND LISTEN AND OBSERVE TO HOW WE CRAFTED THE ORDINANCE.
AND THERE WASN'T A SINGLE OCCASION WHERE THEY HAD A CONCERN WITH IT.
SO FOR ME, WE'VE ALREADY STRUCTURED THE ORDINANCE IN A WAY THAT REALLY ADDRESSED FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS WHO SAT IN AND WE NEVER GET ATTENDANCE LIKE THAT IN PERSON WHERE THERE'S THAT MANY EYEBALLS SITTING THERE AND WATCHING VERY ATTENTIVELY AS WE CRAFTED THAT. AND IT'S ONLY 9:17.
WHEN WE WERE DOING THAT, IT WAS 11:17.
I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHY WE HAD A BOARD MEMBER WHO PUSHED THE AGENDA IN EACH ITEM SO LONG THAT BY THE TIME WE EVEN GOT AROUND TO DRAFTING THAT IT WAS 11 O'CLOCK.
AND WE WERE STARTING A 10:00, MAYBE ON A GOOD NIGHT.
SO CRAFTING AN ORDINANCE, WE ALWAYS PUT IT AT THE END, BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO DRAFT AN ORDINANCE, WE DON'T WANT TO HOLD UP AN APPLICANT, MAKE THE APPLICANTS SIT AND WAIT FOR US. SO IT'S ALWAYS AT THE END IN TERMS OF THE LOGISTICS OF DRAFTING IT TO TREASURER DESCHAINE'S POINT. SO I WOULD BE FINE WITH A STUDY SESSION.
I GUESS WHERE I'M YOU KNOW, WE REALLY JUST NEED TO BOARD MEMBERS, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO OPT IN, THERE AREN'T GOING TO BE YOU KNOW OUR
[03:20:03]
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS ARE NOT GOING TO COME IN AND WEIGH IN ON THIS ISSUE, IT'S CONTROVERSIAL. SO I DON'T KNOW WHO WE WOULD GET TO COME IN AND SPEAK TO US.WE REALLY HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO OPT IN AT SOME POINT.
THERE'S NOT A LOT TO DISCUSS AT A WORK GROUP UNTIL WE DECIDE IF WE DO BEFORE WE DECIDE THAT AND REACH THE CONSENSUS AND PUT A DRAFT ORDINANCE IN FRONT OF US TO BEGIN AMENDING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE REALLY DISCUSSING.
AND THAT'S HOW WE APPROACHED IT WITH MEDICAL, WE HAD WE DID HAVE A WORK SESSION TO DISCUSS IF WE WANTED TO OPT IN, BUT WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT AT THE BOARD MEETING, SO.
MAYBE A STRAW POLL ON IS THERE A DESIRE TO WORK ON AN ORDINANCE TO OPT IN? BEFORE WE STUDY SESSION AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN WORK WITH STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO THOROUGHLY VET THE WHOLE THING THAT EVENING IS AS FAR AS IT'S POSSIBLE TO GO IN ONE EVENING.
AND WOULD THIS BE IN JANUARY. QUESTION? NO I SAID FEBRUARY.
OKAY. ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY INPUT ON THIS? KATHY OH, YES, MS. GUTHRIE. SO IN REGARDS TO THE STUDY SESSION, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'M LESS INTERESTED IN A STUDY SESSION AS OPPOSED TO A PUBLIC HEARING OR A PUBLIC FORUM OR IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING IN REGARDS AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG WHAT I'M HEARING IN REGARDS TO A STUDY SESSION IS, YES, EDUCATIONAL.
BUT IN PART IT SOUNDS AS IF IT'S BEING USED TO SORT OF DRAG OUT THE PROCESS AND TO MAKE THE DECISION THAT THE BOARD ULTIMATELY MAKES IN THE END AND WHETHER IT'S OPTING IN OR OPTING OUT TAKE A REALLY LONG TIME.
THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING AND I'M NOT INTERESTED IN TAKING A BUNCH OF STAFF TIME ON THIS, I THINK STAFF HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB ON THE MEDICAL COMPONENT.
I THINK THE TOWNSHIP BOARD HAS SPENT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME ON THE MEDICAL COMPONENT AND HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB ON IT.
AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT THERE.
I THINK THIS BOARD HAS ALWAYS DONE DUE DILIGENCE.
AND I WANT TO DO DUE DILIGENCE WITH THIS, BUT I'M NOT INTERESTED AND IN DOING A LET'S DO A STUDY SESSION IN FEBRUARY AND THEN LET'S DO ONE IN MARCH AND THEN, OK, NOW WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ON CHANGING WHAT THE ORDINANCE IS AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. I'M REALLY NOT INTERESTED IN DRAGGING THAT ON FOR A YEAR OR SO.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I SAID I WASN'T REALLY INTERESTED IN A STUDY SESSION.
ANYONE ELSE YES MR. DESCHAINE. I UNDERSTAND THE CLERK'S CONCERN THAT A STUDY SESSION OR PUBLIC INPUT SESSION COULD BE A GUISE FOR DRAGGING IT OUT.
IT'S NOT MY INTENTION TO SUGGEST NEITHER ONE OF THOSE.
I THINK IT'S A BIG CHANGE TO OUR ORDINANCE.
IT'S A BIG CHANGE TO WHAT WE'RE ALLOWING IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
[INAUDIBLE] PART OF DRAGGING THE PROCESS OUT IS ALSO OPENING UP THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO COMMENT.
WE'RE IN A LOCKDOWN RIGHT NOW.
ESSENTIALLY, OUR TOWN HALL SENDS HALF OF ITS EMPLOYEES HOME EVERY DAY TO WORK FROM HOME EVERY DAY BECAUSE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WHICH IS STILL A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH RISK, NOT AN IDEAL TIME FOR THE PUBLIC TO GET OUT THEIR PEN AND WRITE US A LETTER ABOUT THIS.
IT'S NOT AN IDEAL TIME FOR PEOPLE TO ATTEND A ZOOM MEETING WHEN THEY'RE EXHAUSTED FROM TEACHING THEIR KIDS ALL DAY IN SCHOOL.
SO IF WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS THIS NOW.
WE'VE GOT TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO HAVE MORE TIME TO COMMUNICATE WITH US. AND IT MIGHT IF IT WERE NORMAL TIMES, THESE ARE NOT NORMAL TIMES.
WE MAY NEED TO TAKE AN EXTRA FEW WEEKS OR A MONTH TO ALLOW FOR THE FACT THAT WE'RE DOING THIS IN THE MIDST OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
THAT'S A HUGE RISK TO PUBLIC HEALTH RIGHT NOW.
IT'S NOT MEANT TO DRAG IT OUT.
IT'S MEANT TO ALLOW MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO GIVE US INPUT AT A TIME THAT'S NOT EASY FOR THE PUBLIC TO FOCUS ON THIS ISSUE WHEN THEY'VE GOT OTHER MAJOR ISSUES THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
[03:25:01]
IT WOULD BE MY VIEW AND MY HOPE THAT AT THE END OF THAT STUDY SESSION, THE STAFF WOULD KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS, WE WANT THEM TO PRESENT US AT THE FOLLOWING MEETING SO WE COULD THEN MOVE FORWARD FROM THAT.MR. OPSOMMER. WHY CAN'T THE STUDY SESSION BE IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY OR WHY COULDN'T IT JUST BE ON THE NEXT BOARD AGENDA? WHEN I LOOK AT THE AGENDA, OUR AGENDA IS GOING TO BE EVEN SHORTER NEXT TIME.
I'M JUST ASSUMING THERE'S GOING TO BE TIME NEEDED IN ORDER TO PUT TOGETHER THE VARIOUS INPUTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED.
MR. WALSH YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT ON THAT.
WE CAN DO WHATEVER THE BOARD DESIRES.
IT WILL TAKE US SOME TIME TO PROPERLY NOTIFY AND LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING ON.
I GUESS MY ONLY OBSERVATION IN ALL OF THIS IS IF YOU'RE ON THE POSITION OF SUPPORTING THIS, YOU MUST THINK THAT THE COMMUNITY IS STRONGLY BEHIND YOU.
AND IF YOU'RE OUT OF THE POSITION THAT YOU DON'T SUPPORT THIS, YOU MUST THINK THE COMMUNITY IS REALLY BEHIND YOU, THAT THEY DO NOT WANT THIS.
SO BOTH OF THE SIDES OF THE BOARD MUST THINK THAT THE COMMUNITY IS BEHIND THEM BECAUSE YOU'RE ELECTED TO VOTE HOW THE PUBLIC WOULD WANT YOU LEGISLATION, HOW THEY WOULD WANT YOU TO SUPPORT IT. SO TAKING A LITTLE BIT OF TIME AND TRYING TO REALLY GARNER WHAT THE PUBLIC . BECAUSE THERE IS POTENTIALLY A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, YEAH, I SUPPORT THE ISSUE, BUT DO I WANT SIX LOCATIONS IN THE TOWNSHIP? A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SAY, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEDICAL AND RECREATIONAL? SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S AN ABILITY TO SET SOMETHING UP IN FOUR OR FIVE WEEKS, SET IT UP IN FEBRUARY.
AND AS THE SUPERVISOR SAID, HAVE AND WHETHER YOU CALL IT A PUBLIC HEARING, A STUDY SESSION IS ETHER EITHER TO ME THAT IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER.
YOU'RE HAVING A MEETING TO LEARN AND TO FINALIZE WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THIS AND TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC. SO HOW ARE YOU COUCH IT AS A PUBLIC HEARING OR STUDY SESSION IS REALLY SOMEWHAT IRRELEVANT.
I DO THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO DO IT ON A SEPARATE NIGHT.
IT GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO START AND TOTALLY FOCUS.
AND WE'VE DONE THIS ON ISSUES BEFORE WHERE WE'VE TOTALLY FOCUSED ON THAT ONE ISSUE.
AND I THINK THE TRACK RECORD OF THE SUB REVIEW, ALTHOUGH IT'S A BRIEF TENURE, I THINK THAT YOU HAVE THE ABILITY OR THE PROFESSIONAL ABILITY TO WORK THROUGH THIS ISSUE IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A LOT OF GRANDSTANDING.
THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A PERSON TRYING TO USURP THE WHOLE MEETING.
I THINK YOU'LL GET THROUGH THIS AND SAY, OK, THE TARGET'S GOING TO BE MID-FEBRUARY.
BY MID-FEBRUARY, WE'RE GOING TO DECIDE HOW WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS ISSUE BASED ON WHAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLIC.
THAT'S HOW I WOULD SUGGEST TO MOVE FORWARD.
THAT'S WHAT I WOULD MOVE FORWARD.
BECAUSE IF I'M SITTING HERE TODAY AND I'M VERY MUCH PRO RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA, I THINK 70 PERCENT OR SIXTY FIVE PERCENT OF THE PUBLIC AGREES WITH ME.
AND IF I WERE ON THE OTHER SIDE, I THINK SIXTY FIVE PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE DON'T WANT IT.
SO I THINK WE OUGHT TO TRY TO REALLY FIND OUT WHAT THE PUBLIC THINKS ON THIS ISSUE AND WHAT'S FOUR WEEKS TO REALLY DO THAT.
WELL, I THINK WE HAVE A CONSENSUS WITH WHATEVER WE WANT TO CALL IT, A SESSION THAT'S DEDICATED TOTALLY TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA BASED ON THE CALENDAR THAT, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT IT, YOU KNOW, WE ALREADY HAVE MEETINGS THE 19TH AND 26TH OF JANUARY AND THEN WE HAVE A MEETING ON THE FEBRUARY 2ND.
I HAVE A MINOR SURGERY FEBRUARY 9TH, 16TH IS A MEETING.
SO WE CAN CERTAINLY AIM FOR THE 16TH AND SUBSTITUTE THIS FOR THE 16TH MEETING.
MR. OPSOMMER. FOR THE SAKE OF THE DISCUSSION THAT WILL OCCUR AT THAT MEETING, I WOULD MOVE THAT IN THE MATERIALS THAT STAFF PREPARE THERE IS A DRAFT ORDINANCE TO OPT US IN SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AND REVIEW THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE AND DISCUSS THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE.
WITHOUT THAT IN THERE IT LIMITS THE DISCUSSION ON A SPECIFIC NATURE.
IT, EXCEPT I'M NOT SURE IF THE STAFF KNOWS WHAT TO DRAFT UNTIL WE'VE DISCUSSED IT AND COME TO A CONSENSUS, BUT THEY COULD CERTAINLY TRY THEIR HAND AT SOMETHING.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE REQUEST.
IS IT POSSIBLE? YEAH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HEAR FROM MR. KIESELBACH.
OK. HE'S A LEADER AND HE RUNS THAT DEPARTMENT.
AND SO, MR. KIESELBACH, IS IT TRUE? AND ONE OF THE THINGS TO LOOK AT IN ALL OF THIS IS MY UNDERSTANDING IS, AND THIS IS WHERE WE NEED TO COME TO SOME WE PROBABLY NEED TO WORK WITH OUR ATTORNEYS.
[03:30:03]
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS AND IT COULD BE INCORRECT THAT YOU CAN'T SIMPLY JUST.WELL, THE QUESTION IS, AND MAYBE IT'S GOING TO GO UNANSWERED TONIGHT, BUT I'VE HEARD THIS THING ABOUT WE CAN JUST THE SIX PEOPLE WHO ARE APPROVED CAN JUST HAVE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA AND WE'LL JUST PUT THEM ON THOSE SITES.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA CANNOT BE DONE AGAIN I COULD BE WRONG.
I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON THIS SUBJECT, BUT IT CANNOT BE DONE THROUGH A LOTTERY.
IT HAS TO BE DONE THROUGH A SCORING SYSTEM.
AND IF THAT IS TRUE, THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A WHOLE NEW, AS I UNDERSTAND, A WHOLE NEW PROCESS.
SO MY POINT IS, WHAT DO WE PUT INTO AN ORDINANCE? BECAUSE IF WE CAN'T HAVE A LOTTERY FOR RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA, THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SOMEWHAT START OVER.
AND WHAT IS STARTING OVER? SO IT MAY BE THAT [INAUDIBLE] MR. KIESELBACH YOU KNOW, THE ANSWER TO THAT.
IT'S SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CRITERIA OR SCORING AND PUT THE AD IN THE ORDINANCE.
THE OTHER ISSUE IS, ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS SIMILAR TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA WHERE WE HAD TO DO A ZONING AMENDMENT BECAUSE WE REQUIRED THOSE BY SPECIAL USE PERMIT? YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE STANDALONE GENERAL ORDINANCE FOR THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA, THEN WE ADDED THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT SECTION FOR THE ZONING.
SO IT WAS TWO SEPARATE ORDINANCES.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT ON PROCESSING.
YOU KNOW, WHY DON'T WE A SUGGESTION, MR. SUPERVISOR, IS I CAN CONTACT A NUMBER OF MANAGERS ACROSS THE STATE FOR THOSE THAT HAVE OPTED IN AND I'LL GET A COUPLE OF COPIES OF ORDINANCES FOR COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE OPTED IN AND I'LL GET THOSE. AND THOSE CAN BE PART OF THE INFORMATION THAT GOES OUT TO THE BOARD, IF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WRITE OUR OWN BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY.
MR. OPSOMMER. YEAH, I WAS WONDERING, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE EXPERTS ON THE ATTENDEE LIST THAT COULD ANSWER THIS QUESTION FOR US RIGHT NOW ON THE PROCESS FOR GRANDFATHERING.
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO PROMOTE VINCE BROWN FROM THE ATTENDEES SECTION, SO THAT HE CAN ANSWER THE PROCESS THAT EAST LANSING AND OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE GONE THROUGH TO GRANDFATHER MEDICAL PERMIT HOLDERS AND GRANT THEM ADULT USE? AND WHO IS BEFORE WE DO THAT? I REALIZE PEOPLE SPOKE BUT WHO IS MR. VINCE BROWN. I LET THEM SPEAK TO WHO HE REPRESENTS.
I MEAN IS HE AN ATTORNEY? IS HE AN ENTREPRENEUR? WHO IS HE? NO GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR SOME OF THEM.
HE MIGHT ACTUALLY NOT BE THERE LET ME CHECK.
VINCE ARE YOU WITH US. CAUSE YOU KNOW IS HE THERE. GO AHEAD.
GO AHEAD. WE OFTEN ASK QUESTIONS OF THE.
I UNDERSTAND. I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHO.
WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE TALKING TO SCREENS WITH EARS ON THEM.
I'M HERE, DAN, SORRY ABOUT THAT.
THANK YOU. SO THE QUESTION WAS, LEGALLY, UNDER THE ADULT USE VOTER INITIATED ACT CAN COMMUNITIES GRANDFATHER EXISTING MEDICAL FACILITY HOLDERS REC PERMITTING OR PRIVILEGES.
AND THEN THERE'S AN ISSUE OR A QUESTION CONCERNING CAN RECREATIONAL FACILITIES BE CHOSEN BY A LOTTERY OR ONLY THROUGH A POINT SCORING SYSTEM? SO AS YOU WERE STATING ABOUT ANOTHER COMMUNITY THAT HAS DONE THAT, FERNDALE JUST GRANDFATHERED IN THEIR STORES.
THAT DOESN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION.
THE QUESTION IS BROWN, COULD YOU GIVE ME YOUR BACKGROUND SO I KNOW? YEAH, SURE. I USED TO WORK AT THE CAPITOL AND I'M A LOBBYIST AND CONSULTANT MAINLY IN THE MARIJUANA INDUSTRY. ARE YOU AN ATTORNEY ALSO.
ALL RIGHT. MORE THAN HAPPY TO PROVIDE ANY DOCUMENTATION TO ALL OF YOU.
WE HAVE AN ATTORNEY WE CAN ALWAYS ASK THEM THE QUESTION.
GO AHEAD, SIR. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO PROVIDE ANY DOCUMENTATION FROM SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS THE STATE TO HELP CLEAR THAT UP AND LET YOU GUYS SEE IT FOR YOURSELF. BUT VINCE SO COMMUNITIES LIKE EAST LANSING OBVIOUSLY OPTED IN UNDER MEDICAL AND APPROVED FACILITIES LIKE SKYMINT UP ON COOLIDGE FOR MEDICAL AND THEN GRANDFATHERED, I BELIEVE EAST LANSING GRANDFATHERED THE SKYMINT AND THEIR OTHER
[03:35:01]
FACILITIES FOR REC.CORRECT. THEY DID SO DID ANN ARBOR.
AND IF THOSE MEDICAL FACILITIES WERE ORIGINALLY CHOSEN BY A LOTTERY, THAT DOESN'T PRECLUDE A COMMUNITY FROM GRANDFATHERING.
YOU'RE CORRECT. THERE'S NUMEROUS OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE DONE THAT.
YEAH, I MEAN, I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW OF ANY COMMUNITIES THAT HAVEN'T DONE THAT BECAUSE OF THE CONTROVERSY IT CREATES.
WELL, THE BOTTOM LINE IS, DAN, WE CAN JUST ASK OUR ATTORNEY, GET AN ANSWER, YES OR NO.
IT'S VERY SIMPLE. SO WE CAN DO THAT.
IN THE MEANTIME, I THINK THE IDEA OF HAVING ORDINANCES FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS AVAILABLE TO US, A COUPLE OF THEM, THREE OF THEM, WHATEVER, FOR OUR MEETING WOULD BE HELPFUL.
SO WE HAD THAT IN ADVANCE THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS DRAFTSMANSHIP OF SOMETHING THERE WE LIKE OR MOST OF IT WE LIKE THAT TAKES US DOWN THE ROAD IN TERMS OF DRAFTING.
AND I THINK THAT SHOULD BE A ROLE OF THE STAFF BECAUSE WE'RE NOT PRO OR CON ON THE ISSUE.
OUR JOB IS TO GATHER INFORMATION FOR YOU.
AND SO WE'LL GATHERING THEM JUST FROM THREE COMMUNITIES IN MICHIGAN.
I KNOW DIRECTOR CLARK WORKED IN JACKSON.
AND JACKSON, I BELIEVE, HAS A RECREATIONAL ORDINANCE.
AND WE'LL START THERE AND WE WILL GATHER THREE FOR YOU AND YOU CAN TAKE IT FROM THERE.
BUT I BELIEVE I STILL BELIEVE THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IS, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW WE GOT THERE. BUT I BELIEVE MY ASSESSMENT IS CORRECT, THAT YOU CANNOT HOLD A LOTTERY FOR RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.
AND OUR COUNSEL CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION, YOU CAN ASK THEM TOMORROW FOR US.
OKAY ALL RIGHT. MS. GUTHRIE. COULD YOU OR SOMEONE ELSE SUMMARIZE WHAT THAT NEXT MEETING WILL BE, AM I HEARING THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE ATTORNEY CLARIFICATION, THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE THREE ORDINANCES PRESENTED? AM I HEARING THAT STAFF IS GOING TO PUT TOGETHER MATERIALS, MATERIALS THAT EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RECREATIONAL AND MEDICAL OR IT? I'M JUST TRYING TO CLARIFY WHAT WILL BE PRESENTED.
WELL, YOU KNOW, THE CLARIFICATION WILL HAPPEN, AS THEY PUT IT TOGETHER.
I MEAN, IT'S GOING TO BE WHATEVER DOCUMENTATION CAN BE PUT TOGETHER TO HELP US UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE AND KNOW WHERE WE SHOULD GO.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE PEOPLE THEIR INTEREST IS, WHAT EFFECT DOES IT HAVE IN TERMS OF COMMUNITIES AND COSTS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS, ET CETERA? THERE'S MATERIAL OUT THERE.
WE JUST NEED TO HAVE THAT PUT TOGETHER FOR US SO WE CAN ANSWER THOSE THINGS.
ANOTHER POINT OF CLARIFICATION IS THAT THE INFORMATION WE SHOULD EXPECT FOR OUR NEXT MEETING OR FOR THE FEBRUARY 16TH.
SUPERVISOR, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT TO AS A COMPONENT OF WHAT WE PROVIDE FOR THE 16TH, IT SHOULD BE OUT AT LEAST 10 TO 14 DAYS IN ADVANCE.
AND IT SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE A STEP BY STEP FROM YOUR COUNCIL ABOUT WHAT STEPS IF YOU'RE GOING TO ENACT THIS, TO MAKE SURE IT'S DONE LEGALLY.
SO WE'LL HAVE AN OPINION FROM OUR ATTORNEY ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD DO THAT.
SO THAT THE STEPS YOU TAKE ARE STEPS THAT THEY'RE SUPPORTING AND NOT SOMEONE FROM ROYAL OAK OR FERNDALE. I AGREE.
OK, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE COMMENTS FROM PUBLIC THEN.
[14. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC]
ONCE AGAIN, WE CAN TAKE TELEPHONE COMMENTS AT FIVE ONE SEVEN THREE FOUR NINE ONE, TWO, THREE, TWO, OR IF YOU ARE IN THE ATTENDEE AREA, WE CAN OF COURSE SIMPLY PROMOTE OR GIVE YOU THE ABILITY TO MAKE YOUR COMMENT THERE.AND I'M NOT SEEING ANY HANDS GO UP IMMEDIATELY.
I'M NOT HEARING ANY PHONE CALLS.
WE'LL WAIT AS LONG AS YOU LIKE TO, SIR.
THERE WE HAVE A HAND. YOU SAY YOU HAVE A HAND.
YES, SIR, MR. SHAMOON, ONCE AGAIN, CAN YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD? GOOD EVENING. YES, ALAN SHAMOON, ONE ZERO EIGHT SOUTH MAIN STREET SUITE A ROYAL OAK, MICHIGAN, FOUR EIGHT ZERO SIX SEVEN.
I JUST WANT TO KIND OF ADDRESS SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE DISCUSSED FOR THE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA PORTION.
AS MR. DESCHAINE STATED, THE RESIDENTS DID VOTE FOR IT NATIONWIDE, STATEWIDE, LOCAL
[03:40:07]
MUNICIPALITY WIDE. THERE'S BEEN DEFINITELY A MOVE TOWARDS RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.AND IT SEEMS EVEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL BE LIKELY ADOPTING SOMETHING RELATIVELY SOON WITH THE SHIFT IN THE POLITICAL PARTIES.
THERE WAS A QUESTION OR ISSUE RAISED ON THE POLICING MATTER.
THESE ARE ISSUES THAT I KNOW THE TOWNSHIP HAS ADDRESSED OR DISCUSSED FROM THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA PORTION. AND I DO REPRESENT TO STATE AGAIN, ONE OF THE CURRENT SPECIAL LAND USE PERMIT HOLDERS, THE CURE LEAF T.C.
THESE ARE ITEMS THAT WERE ADDRESSED AT THAT TIME.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING HAS CHANGED POLICING WISE FOR THESE SAME FACILITIES.
TO THE POINT THAT MR. OPSOMMER MADE IF THESE FACILITIES, THE EXISTING MEDICAL FACILITIES, ARE GIVEN RECREATIONAL LICENSES AS WELL, HOWEVER, THE LICENSING HAPPENS TO TAKE PLACE, YOU'RE THEN GETTING TEN THOUSAND FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR EACH LICENSE, AND THAT'S THE SAME FACILITIES YOU'D BEEN POLICING. SO IT'S NO ADDITIONAL POLICING FROM THE SIX OR SEVEN FACILITIES THAT WILL BE OPEN FOR RETAIL FACILITIES, WHETHER IT'S MEDICAL OR ADULT USE.
ANOTHER ITEM TO ADDRESS TO ANSWER MR. WALSH'S QUESTION, BECAUSE I AM AN ATTORNEY AND I HAVE DEALT ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY IN MARIJUANA FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
IN YEARS AGO. THERE IS LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT IT CANNOT BE A LOTTERY, IT MUST BE A COMPETITIVE PROCESS.
WHAT THAT COMPETITIVE PROCESS IS NOT DEFINED AT ALL IN THE ORDINANCE.
FOR MANY MUNICIPALITIES, AS MR. BROWN SAID, AS OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ARE RAISED FERNDALE, ANN ARBOR, EAST LANSING, THEY ESSENTIALLY HAVE A ONE QUESTION TEST, MORE OR LESS.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY ANN ARBOR HAS A ONE QUESTION TEST DID YOU HAVE MEDICAL IN OUR CITY.
THAT'S THEIR COMPETITIVE PROCESS.
FERNDALE HAD A MORE THOROUGH ORDINANCE, BUT ONE OF THE SECTIONS FOR THE SCORING WAS THAT THEY'RE AUTOMATICALLY GIVEN PREFERENCE FOR THE MEDICAL FACILITIES.
SO EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE CHOSEN ORIGINALLY, WELL, FERNDALE WASN'T A LOTTERY, BUT YOUR TOWNSHIP WAS A LOTTERY THAT HAS NO IMPACT ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY CAN BE LICENSED FOR A PREFERENCE FOR RECREATIONAL OR ADULT USE.
SO THOSE ARE THE ITEMS I WANTED TO RAISE TO SOMEWHAT ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
I'M SURE YOU'LL SPEAK TO YOUR ATTORNEY.
THE LAST THING I KIND OF WANT TO SAY IS THAT A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE ADOPTED ORDINANCES AT THE SAME TIME FOR MEDICAL AND REC ARE AT A SIGNIFICANT DISADVANTAGE ON THEIR ABILITY OR THEIR ATTEMPTS TO SELECT WHO THOSE WINNERS ARE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY LEGAL CHALLENGES. I THINK MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION TO BASICALLY SELECT THE WINNERS BASED ON WHO HAS BEEN SELECTED BEFOREHAND.
I KNOW I REPRESENT SOMEBODY WHO IS IN THAT POOL, BUT IF YOU TAKE A LOOK OR ASK YOUR ATTORNEYS ACROSS THE STATE WHO'S IN A BETTER POSITION, LITIGATION WISE, IT'S DEFINITELY THE TOWNSHIPS THAT HAVE CHOSEN TO GO MEDICAL FIRST AND THEN PREFER THOSE TO GET THE ADULT USE LICENSES. SO THAT'S ALL I'D LIKE TO SAY TONIGHT.
I HOPE YOU GUYS HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
IT'S ALREADY NINE FORTY. I DON'T WANT TO KEEP YOU ANY LONGER.
MS. VAUGHN. CAN YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD? YES, I CAN. MY NAME IS PHYLLIS VAUGHN I LIVE AT 6100 [INAUDIBLE] COURT IN HASLETT.
I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT YOU HAVE A LOBBYIST FOR THE [INAUDIBLE] WHEN THIS WASN'T EVEN AN AGENDA ITEM TONIGHT.
I WOULD SAY THAT SOMEONE GAVE SOMEONE A HEADS UP ON THIS.
I SEE THAT SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE GREAT POINTS AND I RESPECT DAN AND HIS OPINIONS VERY MUCH.
BUT ON THIS ONE, I JUST IT'S JUST NOT A GOOD THING.
MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WAS VOTED OR OKEMOS EXCUSE ME, THE NUMBER ONE PLACE TO LIVE.
AND I DON'T THINK YOU NEED MAYBE SOME PEOPLE WANT IT.
AND I'M SURE THERE IS A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT THINK THIS IS A GREAT CHANCE.
BUT I DON'T THINK MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP NEEDS RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.
AND ONE OF YOUR PREVIOUS BOARD MEMBERS SAID, OH, IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE A DENTAL OFFICE.
WELL, IF THEY'RE GOING TO INCREASE ALL THEIR EMPLOYEES BY SO MUCH, THEN I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE A DENTAL OFFICE.
IF YOU GO VISIT OR SIT BY ONE IN LANSING, YOU WILL SEE THAT.
THE ONE THAT WE HAD OPERATING ILLEGALLY FOR QUITE SOME TIME ON OKEMOS ROAD DID A PRETTY HOT BUSINESS ABOUT EIGHT O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.
EVERYBODY THAT THINKS THIS IS A GREAT IDEA, WOULD YOU WANT IT NEXT DOOR TO YOU? WOULD YOU WANT YOUR CHILDREN WALKING PAST THIS ON THEIR WAY TO SCHOOL, ON THEIR WAY HOME FROM SCHOOL? MAYBE THEY'RE NOT OLD ENOUGH TO BUY IT, BUT FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY, THEY CAN CERTAINLY FIND SOMEONE TO GET IT FOR THEM.
I WAS ALL FOR THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND WHO GUARANTEES THESE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, YOU GET A
[03:45:03]
MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSE AND WE'RE GOING TO GUARANTEE YOU SUCCESS AND LET YOU HAVE A RECREATIONAL LICENSE.YOU CAN DO WHAT'S ETHICALLY OR LEGALLY OR MORALLY RIGHT? IT MIGHT BE LEGAL, BUT IT'S NOT MORAL.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKERS? YES, NEXT WE HAVE BEN.
HE'S UNMUTED HIMSELF, AND HE'LL NEED TO STATE HIS FULL NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. THIS IS BENJAMIN JOEL.
I SPOKE EARLIER. MY ADDRESS IS THREE THIRTY FOUR E WASHINGTON, STREET ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, FOUR EIGHT, ONE, ZERO, FOUR.
I DO WANT TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE RECREATIONAL, BUT INSTEAD I'D LIKE TO ADD I AM AN ATTORNEY AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THE FIELD FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
WHEN IT COMES TO [INAUDIBLE]. YOU ARE CORRECT.
THAT CANNOT BE BASED ON A LOTTERY.
IT MUST BE BASED ON AN APPLICANT'S ABILITY TO OPERATE.
AND ACTUALLY WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IN YOUR ORIGINAL MEDICAL ORDINANCE HAS, IN MY OPINION, MADE THAT MUCH EASIER BECAUSE AN APPLICANT'S ABILITY TO OPERATE CAN DEPEND ON IF THEY ARE ABLE TO SECURE A PARCEL OF LAND THAT IS ZONED CORRECTLY FOR THE USE.
THERE ARE ALREADY SIX PARCELS, IF I'M CORRECT, THAT ARE ZONED CORRECTLY FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA USE. AND IT WOULD BE VERY EASY TO ALSO SAY THAT ZONING WOULD APPLY TO A MEDICAL MARIJUANA OR A MARIJUANA ACTIVITY IN THE RECREATIONAL SORT.
BUT AGAIN, I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD RELY ON YOUR ATTORNEY TO LOOK INTO THOSE COUPLE OF THINGS. AND I DID WANT TO RESPOND JUST VERY QUICKLY TO THE COMMENTER BEFORE ME'S COMMENTS THAT SHE IS CORRECT, THAT WHEN WE WERE GIVING A MEDICAL MARIJUANA CONDITIONAL APPROVAL, IT DID NOT GUARANTEE THAT WE WOULD SUCCEED.
BUT IF YOU DO NOT PASS RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA FOR THESE BUSINESSES AND THESE FACILITIES IN YOUR COMMUNITY, YOU WILL BASICALLY GUARANTEE THAT THEY WILL FAIL.
SO IT IS A LONG NIGHT AND WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE] NEXT, WE HAVE A CALLER.
SIR, CAN YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD? TIMOTHY HAMMOND, 1801 NORTH HAGADORN ROAD EAST LANSING MICHIGAN FOUR EIGHT EIGHT TWO THREE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THERE AREN'T ANY OPENINGS ON THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, CAUSE YOU GUYS SEEM TO HAVE A LOT OF FUN AND I'M LOOKING FOR ANYTHING I CAN DO FOR THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AND FOR THE MEETING BECAUSE YOU ARE THE GREATEST.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS SIR, I CAN GET YOU SOME INFORMATION OFFLINE.
THE BOARD DOESN'T REALLY ENGAGE IN DIALOG HERE.
[INAUDIBLE] OH, STAND BY PLEASE.
I HAVE NO MORE HANDS AND NO MORE CALLS SIR SO, I'LL TURN THE MEETING OVER TO YOU WHILE I TALK TO THIS GENTLEMAN VERY BRIEFLY.
THANK YOU. OTHER MATTERS FROM THE BOARD BOARD MEMBERS.
[15. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]
MR. OPSOMMER.A I THOUGHT THAT WAS A LOVELY CONCLUSION TO THE MEETING.
I ALSO JUST WANT TO SAY ONE THING IN CONTEXT HERE, AND I WANT TO END ON A POSITIVE NOTE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION OUT THERE.
JUST TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE ABOUT DOWNTOWN OKEMOS ON WHAT IS OR ISN'T HAPPENING.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY ON THIS CALL RIGHT NOW WAS FULLY APPRIZED OF THE ACTUAL FACTS, UNDERSTANDS, YOU KNOW, THE DISSERVICE THAT MISINFORMATION DOES, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN IT SPREADS.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT TWO DIFFERENT FACILITIES THAT WERE REFERENCED TONIGHT.
I BELIEVE IT WAS JUST A MEDICAL PRACTICE THAT WAS ISSUING MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARDS AND THERE WAS A VOTER INITIATIVE TO OVERTURN THAT REZONING AND GET RID OF THAT FACILITY TYPE.
THAT WAS NOT A FACILITY SITE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.
IT WAS NOT IT'S NOT GOVERNED AND REGULATED BY LARA AND THE STATE THE WAY THAT THE FACILITY TYPES THAT WE ARE.
SAME WITH THE FACILITY ON OKEMOS ROAD, OUR OWN TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPARTMENT, SHUT IT DOWN.
SO TO PRETEND LIKE THAT IS THE SAME FACILITY TYPE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS A DISSERVICE AND IT CAUSES MISINFORMATION.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A STATE REGULATED FACILITY VERSUS A STORE THAT, YOU KNOW, RIGHTFULLY WAS CLOSED FOR DEALING IN ILLEGAL DISTRIBUTION OF DRUGS.
MS. JACKSON. YES, BEFORE WE CLOSE TONIGHT, I JUST LIKE TO
[03:50:03]
REMIND ANYONE WHO IS STILL INTERESTED IN THE DETAILS AND FOLLOWING PROGRESS IN DOWNTOWN OKEMOS THAT ON THURSDAY NIGHT THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING TO ADDRESS A MINOR AMENDMENT TO THE MUPUD IN THIS AREA, THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS PROJECT.THE AMENDMENT IS CALLING FOR A REDUCTION IN THE SQUARE FOOTAGE USED AS LABELED AS COMMERCIAL, AN INCREASE IN THE SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT IS REGULATED AS RESIDENTIAL AND A CHANGE IN THE PARKING PROFILE.
THAT PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD THURSDAY NIGHT, VIRTUALLY, OF COURSE, AT 6:00 P.M.
AND SO IF ANYONE IS STILL INTERESTED AND FOLLOWING THAT, I ENCOURAGE THEM TO PARTICIPATE, TO READ THE MATERIALS AND FIND OUT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT HOW THESE CHANGES ARE BEING PROPOSED AND WHY.
I WAS GOING TO MENTION THAT I'M GLAD YOU DID, YEAH, THERE'S GOING TO BE A PUBLIC FORUM.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS., PLEASE ATTEND OR TUNE IN, I GUESS WOULD BE ANOTHER WAY OF LOOKING AT IT.
THERE IS A LOT OF MISINFORMATION OUT THERE, AS MR. OPSOMMER MENTIONED EARLIER, ABOUT THE PROJECTS.
AND IT'D BE BEST TO HEAR DIRECTLY WHAT THE ACTUALITY IS TO KNOW THAT THIS IS A PROJECT THAT IS MOVING FORWARD AND WILL BE BETTER FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN THE LONG RUN.
MS. SUNDLAND. YEAH, SO I'M JUST WONDERING.
IS THAT THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP CODE'S ACCESS TO THAT MEETING OR.
I'M SORRY, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHICH MEETING, KATHY.
THE MEETING ON THURSDAY NIGHT AT 6:00 OK, I'M JUST WONDERING IF IT'S THE SAME CODES THAT WE GOT IN THE THREE ONE EIGHT OH YOU MEAN THE ZOOM CODES.
MS. JACKSON. YOU HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT.
YES, AT THE CURRENTLY ON THE WEBSITE, THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WEBSITE AND ON ITS CALENDAR IS QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION, INCLUDING CODES NECESSARY TO ATTEND OR PARTICIPATE IN THIS MEETING. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
ANYTHING ELSE FROM BOARD MEMBERS, FINAL COMMENTS? WE NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY THE TREASURER.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PUT YOUR HAND IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE.
ALL RIGHT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.