OK. GOOD EVENING, I'LL CALL TO ORDER THE FEBRUARY 28TH, 2022 MEETING OF THE MERIDIAN
[00:00:09]
TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION.FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO CALL THE ROLL.
COMMISSIONER BLUMER IS NOT PRESENT TONIGHT.
TREZISE COMMISSIONERS HENDRICKSON, PRESIDENT RICHARDS, PRESENT.
WE HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS PRESENT THAT IS A QUORUM.
WE WILL ALSO NEED TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THERE WILL BE TWO OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO COMMENT TO THE BOARD TONIGHT.
WE DO NOT HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, SO THERE WILL NOT BE A THIRD OPTION.
WE HAVE PUBLIC REMARKS NOW ON ANY SUBJECT APPROPRIATE FOR THE BOARD TO HEAR AND THEN AT THE END OF THE MEETING, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WE DO NOT SEEM TO HAVE PUBLIC HERE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK.
SO WE'LL GO ON TO APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? MOVED BY COMMISSIONER.
CORDILL AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL.
[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER ]
IT'S A TOUGH DAY, HUH? ANY ADJUSTMENTS OR CHANGES TO THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED? SEEING NONE ALL IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THE PROPOSED AGENDA SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, AYE.OPPOSED, IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 14TH, 2022 MEETING.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES? MR. HENDERSON MOVES MR. RICHARDS SECOND.
ANY CHANGES OR CORRECTIONS? SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 14TH, 2022 MEETING SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, AYE.
OPPOSED AGAIN PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE HAVE NO COMMUNICATIONS AND NOW WE GO TO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
ITEM EIGHT IS UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
IT'S THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT 22-021 SILVERLEAF PUD DEVELOPMENT ON THE BENNETT ROAD
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA ]
PROPERTY. IT'S A FLOOD PLAIN FILLED SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND WE HAVE SOME COMMENTS FROM STAFF. SURE, THANK YOU.PLANNING COMMISSION DID HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS SPECIAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 22-021 TWO WEEKS AGO ON FEBRUARY 14TH.
WE HAD ONE RESIDENT WHO WAS IN ATTENDANCE WHO ASKED HIM QUESTIONS.
PLANNING COMMISSION EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT A LETTER THAT IT RECEIVED FROM THE INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE AND ASKED STAFF TO UPDATE THE RESOLUTION TO REFLECT
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
THAT CONSTRUCTION ON SILVERLEAF CANNOT PROCEED WITHOUT THAT OFFICE'S APPROVAL.THAT CONDITION HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE RESOLUTION, WITH CONDITION NUMBER THREE, THE STATE SPECIFICALLY THAT THE CONSTRUCTION CANNOT BEGIN WITHOUT THE DRAIN COMMISSIONERS APPROVAL BY EXTENSION AND SITE PLAN YOU KNOW, WON'T GO FORWARD AT THAT POINT AT THAT TIME EITHER.
STAFF WOULD THEREFORE LIKE TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW EXCAVATION OF FOURTEEN THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED CUBIC YARDS OF FILL INSTALLATION OF A TWENTY SEVEN INCH STORM PIPE AND PLACEMENT OF TWENTY NINE HUNDRED CUBIC YARDS OF FILL IN
[8A. Special Use Permit – 22-021 – Silverleaf PUD Development, vacant Bennett Road property – Floodplain fill ]
THE HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLAIN.ANY COMMENT? YES, IT'S PRETTY OUT.
WE WENT OVER HOW MUCH WOULD BE EXCAVATED AND HOW MUCH HOW MUCH INFILL I'M ASSUMING THAT IN BURYING THAT PIPE THAT THERE'S STILL A GREAT DEAL OF WATER CONTAINMENT AREA.
DO YOU MEAN THE DETENTION BASIN? YES. YEAH.
I DON'T HAVE THIS UP. BUT IF YOU RECALL, I THINK IT'S THE BIGGEST DETENTION BASIN ON THE ON THE ON THE SITE.
IT'S. CAN YOU REPEAT THAT LAST I'M SORRY? THIS IS A STORM PIPE.
YES. SO IT DOESN'T MEAN EVERY TIME IT RAINS, THE WATER IS GOING TO FLOW DOWN IT.
OK, THIS IS A RELEASE FOR THE TENSION BASIN.
THE TENSION BASIN IS GOING TO HOLD A NORMAL EVENT.
IS THAT ACCURATE? YEAH, THANK YOU.
YOU'RE WELCOME. ANYTHING FROM THE APPLICANT THAT YOU WISH TO ADD?
[00:05:05]
.MCCONNELL, SUPPORTED BY COMMISSIONER HENDERSON.
ANY DISCUSSION BY THE COMMISSION? YES, SIR. I'M GOING TO BE IN FAVOR OF THIS RESOLUTION THIS EVENING.
I'M PLEASED THAT WE GOT THE APPROVAL FROM THE DRAIN COMMISSION CONDITIONED AS A PART OF THIS. I THINK THAT OVERALL, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE CONCERNED RESIDENTS IN THIS AREA, ESPECIALLY IN THE NEIGHBORING SUBDIVISIONS.
BUT IT'S MY HOPE THAT THE EFFORTS OF THE DRAIN COMMISSION WILL HELP TO MITIGATE THE OVERFLOW AND THE RUNOFF THAT MIGHT COME FROM NEW BUILDS IN THIS AREA.
AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT OVERALL THIS IS GOING TO BE A NET WIN FOR THE TOWNSHIP AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THIS DEVELOPMENT AND HAVING IT DONE RIGHT IN THE COMING MONTHS.
I ALSO POINT OUT THAT IN THE LETTER WE DID RECEIVE FROM THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER, HE IS ALSO EXAMINING THE POSSIBILITY OF UPGRADING THE ENTIRE DRAINAGE SYSTEM THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS THERE AND POSSIBLY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RELIEF TO THE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES, AS WELL AS HANDLING THIS DRAIN.
SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OK. DO WE NEED A ROLL-CALL VOTE HERE? ONE MOMENT? YES.
WE'LL LET YOU. PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF, YOUR ADDRESS, AND YOU CAN HAVE THREE MINUTES.
WE ARE SINKING IN WATER RIGHT NOW, FRANKLY.
THEY WERE LATE. I DEAL WITH MY SON RIGHT NOW WHO HAS AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER, SO I COULDN'T GET EVERYTHING TOGETHER OR SEND LETTERS LIKE I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO.
I JUST HAVE TO ASK AND I'M GOING TO ASK IT AGAIN.
WHEN IS ENOUGH DEVELOPMENT ENOUGH DEVELOPMENT? WE ARE MORE THAN WILLING.
WE'RE LOOKING AT SPENDING $7 MILLION TO TAKE CARE OF A DOWNTOWN THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF, AND THIS LAND COULD HAVE BEEN BOUGHT UP OR EASILY TAKEN CARE OF AND PUT OVER INTO A PARKLAND INSTEAD OF WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW I'M NOT GOING TO FIGHT THIS.
THE HOW TO PUT IT, THE CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES ARE ALREADY THERE TO TAKE IT DOWN AND START GOING INTO IT AT THIS POINT RIGHT NOW.
BUT I SPENT A LOT OF TIME BACK THERE AND IT'S NOT A MATTER OF TIME.
IT'S A MATTER OF ESPECIALLY WHEN TODAY.
INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL ON CLIMATE CHANGE BASICALLY PUT DIRE WARNINGS, AND WE'RE GETTING READY TO ACTUALLY BASICALLY PUT ANOTHER WETLAND IN JEOPARDY AT THIS POINT.
RIGHT NOW, I KNOW IT'S SMALL, BUT AT SOME POINT YOUR DECISION RIGHT NOW, FORTY YEARS AGO, IS FORTY YEARS FROM NOW IS GOING TO SEEM TERRIBLE.
AND FRANKLY, I'LL TELL YOU WHY, BECAUSE I KNOW THE LAND I LIVE ON RIGHT NOW.
WHEN IT WAS BUILT, NOBODY SAID, HEY, WETLANDS, THEY'RE NOT A BIG THING OR NOBODY WORRIED ABOUT THEM. MY DEVELOPMENT WENT IN.
I KNOW I'M PART OF THE PROBLEM RIGHT NOW, BUT HERON CREEK IS FULL RIGHT NOW HERON CREEK IS FULL. IT CONTINUES TO BE FULL.
SO AT WHICH POINT RIGHT NOW I AM ASKING YOU TO TAKE A BREATH? JUST A LITTLE ONE AND SAY, MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK AT THIS JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE AND I KNOW YOU'VE LOOKED AT IT A LOT.
IT'S MORE THAN WE EVER WOULD HAVE IN THE PAST.
I KNOW THAT, BUT AT THIS POINT RIGHT NOW, AS RELATIVE TO THE COMMUNITY AND I APPRECIATE YOUR VOLUNTEERING FOR THE MOST PART TO BE HERE.
I CAN'T FIGHT CITY HALL AT THIS POINT RIGHT NOW.
BUT WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON THERE RIGHT NOW AND I LOOK WHAT'S GOING ON ACROSS THE REGION IN THE GREAT LAKES RIGHT NOW AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EVEN WATER STRESS WHEN IT COMES LIKE THERE WILL NOT BE ENOUGH WATER FOR OUR POPULATION IN THE GREAT LAKES, AND WE'RE ABOUT READY TO PUT SOMETHING ELSE INTO JEOPARDY.
AND I ASK YOU AGAIN, WHEN I'M LOOKING AT AREAS THAT NEED TO BE REDEVELOPED IN THIS COMMUNITY, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE ONE OF PROBABLY THE LAST RELATIVELY VIRGIN PIECES OF LAND IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
AND IT'S TRUE. AND YOU KNOW IT AND PUT ANOTHER HUNDRED AND FIFTY HOUSES THERE WITH FRANKLY UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCES, UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCES TO THE POINT WHERE WHEN I TALK WITH AND HE'S BEEN GREAT.
YOUR LIAISON ON CITY WITH THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, OH, WE'LL DEAL WITH TRAFFIC LATER WHEN THE EASTBOUND TRAFFIC GOING ON BENNETT WOODS RIGHT NOW IS BACKED UP.
WE ARE LOOKING AT SOUTH, SORRY, SOUTHBOUND BEING TAKEN CARE OF AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
THERE IS A LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT YOU'RE GETTING READY TO DO THAT COSTS US
[00:10:04]
MORE IN TAXES AND PROVIDE A MINIMAL INCREASE IN OUR PROPERTY VALUES.I DO NOT SEE THIS AS BEING SOMETHING THAT'S BENEFICIAL FOR THE COMMUNITY, AS DO MY NEIGHBORS. THANK YOU.
I WOULD POINT OUT THAT THE MOTION BEFORE US HAS TO DO WITH A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, NOT THE ZONING PERMIT THAT WAS GRANTED TWO YEARS AGO.
SO YEAH, I DON'T SEE ANY GREEN CARDS OUT THERE.
DO YOU HAVE SOME? TIM WOULD YOU JUST GIVE HIMM A PIECE OF PAPER AND GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION? GET THE INFORMATION FROM.
OK. THIS WILL BE A ROLL CALL VOTE COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. RICHARDS, RELUCTANTLY, YES.
COMMISSIONER CORDILL I'LL BE VOTING YES.
WHEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION CONSIDERS SUCH A SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR THE WETLANDS THEY TAKE IN, THEY HAVE CONSIDERATION OF DIFFERENT PERMITS BEING GRANTED FROM THE STATE AND FROM THE COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER.
THERE'S NOT THERE'S NOT A GREAT DEAL OF DISCRETION.
AS LONG AS THE BOXES ARE CHECKED OFF SO THAT IF THESE ENTITIES WITH THE ENGINEERING OFFICE AND SO FORTH RECOMMEND APPROVAL, WE WE DON'T HAVE.
FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO STAND ON TO OBJECT.
THANK YOU. AND COMMISSIONER WHEN IS THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? AT THE END OF THE MEETING AND I WILL VOTE.
YES, THAT'S EIGHT COMMISSIONERS VOTING YES ON THIS SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
OTHER BUSINESS TEXT AMENDMENT, DELETION OF THE TRIPLE R ZONING AND WE HAVE MR. SHORKEY. YES, THANK YOU.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MORE OF THIS COMING.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE LOOKING THROUGH THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND DOING SOME ANALYSIS OF IT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN ASKED TO DO IS LOOK AT OUR RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS.
WE HAVE NINE OR TEN OF THEM AND OUR MASTER PLAN SPEAKS TO CONSOLIDATING THEM AND MAKING FEWER NUMBERS OF ZONING DISTRICTS.
DURING THAT ANALYSIS, WE FOUND OUT THAT WE HAVE A TRIPLE R ZONING DISTRICT THAT TAKES UP SEVERAL PAGES OF TEXT.
NOBODY IN THE TOWNSHIPS ACTUALLY ZONED TRIPLE R.
THERE'S NO DIFFERENT LAND USES PERMITTED IN THE TRIPLE R DIFFERENT DISTRICTS THAN OTHER RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS.
IT'S NOT LIKE A SPECIAL DISTRICT OR ANYTHING, IT'S JUST DIFFERENT DIMENSIONAL REQUIREMENTS. AND PERSONALLY, I DON'T EVEN CONSIDER IT A LARGE LOT, YOU KNOW, LAND PRESERVATION TECHNIQUE BECAUSE IT'S AN EIGHTY THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT MINIMUM LOT SIZE THAT ISN'T EVEN TWO ACRES.
BASED ON THAT, WE'RE PROPOSING TO DELETE SECTION 86-369 THE TRIPLE R DISTRICT AND ALL
[9A. Text Amendment – Deletion of RRR zoning district ]
REFERENCES TO IT THROUGHOUT THE ORDINANCES THAT WOULD THAT DELETION WOULD HELP UNCOMPLICATE THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND COMPLY WITH ONE OF THE TWENTY SEVEN, EXCUSE ME, 2017 MASTER PLANS RECOMMENDATION, WHICH WAS TO SIMPLIFY AND CONSOLIDATE THE NINE ONE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS.DELETION OF THIS SECTION WOULD NOT HAVE ANY IMMEDIATE EFFECT BECAUSE, AS I SAID, NOBODY'S ZONED IT. IF YOU'RE OK WITH THIS, WE'D LIKE TO FINALIZE AN ACTUAL ORDINANCE.
THERE'S A FEW OTHER MINOR CHANGES REFERENCES TO THE TRIPLE R DISTRICT, IF YOU WILL, BUT YOU CAN GET THE IDEA OF IT ON THE ATTACHED DRAFT ORDINANCE.
YOU SEE WHERE IT'S ALL STRIKEOUT TEXT, SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
BUT IF YOU'RE OK WITH THIS, WE'D LIKE TO SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS RELATING TO THIS.
THE FIRST IS I NOTICE THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ALL OF THE STRIKEOUTS INTO SECTION ONE HERE.
[00:15:02]
IS THERE ANY NEED FOR SECTIONS TWO THROUGH FIVE IF SECTION ONE DOESN'T EXIST? I'M SORRY, I'M SEEING SECTION ONE, RIGHT, SO SECTION ONE'S GOT ALL THE STRIKEOUTS.OK. AND THEN TWO, THREE, FOUR AND FIVE.
MY QUESTION IS WHY WOULD WE LEAVE THOSE IF WE'RE STRIKING OUT ALL THE MEAT IN SECTION ONE? THEY ARE BOILERPLATE REFERENCES THAT WE, WE PLANNERS PUT IN THERE TO COVER OURSELVES. YOU KNOW, IT'S A VALIDITY AND SEVERABILITY, THE REPEAL OR CLAUSE.
THE SAVINGS CLAUSE IS STANDARD STANDARD CLAUSES THAT APPEAR IN THIS TEXT.
RIGHT. I GUESS MY RIGHT. SO RIGHT. THERE'S NOTHING THERE'S NOTHING TO BE SEPARABLE FROM IF SECTION ONE DOESN'T EXIST, RIGHT? I'M JUST TRYING TO I'VE HOUSEKEEPING.
I DISCUSSED THIS WITH MR. SCHMITT EARLIER, AND ALL OF THE VARIOUS RESIDENTIAL ZONING ARE IN SECTION SECTION ONE.
OK, SO THE SAVING CLAUSES IS TWO, THREE, FOUR OR WHATEVER THEY ARE THAT RELATE BACK TO THE OTHER ZONING CLASSIFICATIONS.
OKAY. TWO, THREE, FOUR AND FIVE HAVE TO BE THERE FOR EVERY SINGLE TEXT ORDINANCE WE WRITE, NO MATTER WHAT IT IS.
I UNDERSTAND, I GUESS, TO THE POINT, YES, IT'S ALL REFERENCING BACK TO OTHER SECTIONS.
SO SOMEWHERE THERE'S A SECTION 368 WITH A DIFFERENT RESIDENTIAL ZONING THAT THOSE OTHER SECTION TWO THROUGH FIVE APPLY TO, WHICH IS WHY WE KEEP THEM, DID THAT I ENCAPSULATE THAT CORRECTLY? YEAH, I THINK SO.
AND I THINK THAT WAS ALL I HAD.
YEAH. MR. MCCONNELL, I GUESS I HAD THAT SAME QUESTION, AND I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND THE RESPONSE.
I UNDERSTAND IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A SECTION 3691, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE ALL THE OTHER BITS. BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A 3691, WHAT ARE THE OTHER BITS DOING OTHER THAN CLUTTERING? I'M NOT FOLLOWING.
SORRY. WE'RE ACTUALLY REFERENCING APOLOGIES TO SENIOR PLANNER SHORKEY WHEN WE MAKE AN ORDINANCE CHANGE LIKE THIS, WE'RE ACTUALLY REFERENCING THE OVERALL TOWNSHIP ORDINANCE.
SO WE ARE STRIKING SECTION 369.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS STILL GOOD.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT EVERYTHING ELSE IS REFERRING TO.
ALL THE OTHER PIECES OF THE ORDINANCE.
AND SO THERE'S STILL EVEN IF THIS IS FOR SOME REASON OVERTURNED IN COURT, EVERYTHING ELSE IS STILL VALID, NO MATTER.
SECTIONS ALSO QUOTED UNDER THE OTHER.
IS THAT THE ONLY PLACE THOSE SECTIONS ARE QUOTED? SO IT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION, I'VE NEVER I'VE NEVER ACTUALLY HAD THIS, I'M TRYING TO IN REAL TIME BETTER EXPLAIN IT.
SO I'LL START FROM THE BOTTOM AND WORK MY WAY BACKWARDS, RIGHT? SECTION FIVE IN AN ORDINANCE IS ALWAYS ONE.
IT'S EFFECTIVE THAT HAS TO BE INCLUDED.
OTHERWISE, AN ORDINANCE DOESN'T BECOME EFFECTIVE BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE REQUIRES, YOU SAY, WHEN IT BECOMES EFFECTIVE. SECTION FOUR IS THE SAVINGS CLAUSE.
IT'S LEGALLY USED. IT'S INCLUDED BECAUSE TO ENSURE THAT IF SOMETHING WEIRD HAPPENS AND SOMEONE CHALLENGES IT, THIS IS STILL YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THAT THE ORDINANCE IS STILL VALID. THE REPEAL CLAUSE BASICALLY SAYS THAT WHEN YOU ARE REPEALING SO YOU'RE ONLY REPEALING TO THE EXTENT NECESSARY TO ENFORCE WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
YOU'RE NOT. NOTHING ELSE IS IMPLIED AS A RESULT OF THIS REPEAL, AND THE VALIDITY AND SEVERABILITY ARE ESSENTIALLY THAT IF FOR SOME REASON THIS WAS OVERTURNED, IT DOESN'T OVERTURN THE OVERALL ORDINANCE.
NORMALLY, THIS STUFF GETS INCLUDED BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING SOME BIG, CONSEQUENTIAL THING, WHEREAS HERE WE'RE DOING A STRIKEOUT.
SO IT'S A PRETTY SIMPLE ONE, BUT IT'S LANGUAGE THAT WE HAVE TO INCLUDE, AND WE COULD FOLLOW UP WITH OUR ATTORNEYS TO CONFIRM THAT.
BUT IT'S LANGUAGE WE HAVE TO INCLUDE IN EVERY ORDINANCE CHANGE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE DOING IT IN A LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE FASHION CONSENT.
NO, SO THESE SECTIONS ARE NOT ACTUALLY IN THE ORDINANCE.
THE SECTIONS ARE THE OVERALL ZONING ORDINANCES NUMBERED 369 37 371 A AND ALL THAT.
THIS SECTION ONE, SECTION TWO, SECTION THREE, SECTION FOUR, SECTION FIVE, THE SIGN ORDINANCE WILL HAVE UP TO SECTION THIRTY SEVEN.
THESE ARE THE INDIVIDUAL PIECES OF THIS ORDINANCE THAT YOU'RE REVIEWING.
SO THE LAST, FOR NO MATTER WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE, ARE GOING TO BE VALIDITY OF REPEAL OR SAVINGS AND EFFECTIVE DATE.
BUT IF IF THERE'S NO LONGER YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT EXPLAINING YOURSELF VERY WELL.
LET ME SEE IF I CAN TAKE A STAB AT THIS.
IF THEY PASS THIS AMENDED ORDINANCE, IT WILL STRIKE SECTION ONE.
[00:20:07]
BUT AS YOU PASS THAT ORDINANCE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE TWO, THREE, FOUR AND FIVE TO PROVE TO IN CASE THERE'S SOMEONE CHALLENGING THE STRIKING, THAT IS A FAIR WAY OF PUTTING IT AS WELL.I'M SORRY, I JUST LOOK AT IT IN THE ORDINANCE.
THIS IS A PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
YES. YES, RIGHT? SECTION ONE IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE ARE STRIKING OUT MOST OF SECTION ALL OF SECTION 369.
YEAH. NOW THERE ARE OTHER THINGS IN THE LEGISLATION THAT WE ARE ENACTING, ESSENTIALLY TO SAY WHAT WE'RE DOING IN SECTION ONE.
WE CAN'T FALLS UNDER, YOU KNOW, HAS THESE THINGS RELATING TO IT, RIGHT? AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
THE EFFECTIVE DATE IS GOING TO BE WHENEVER WE WHENEVER IT'S PASSED.
THIS THIS ORDINANCE AND THE REST OF WHAT TIM EXPLAINED A MOMENT AGO IS THAT CLOSE? WHAT SECTION TWO THROUGH FIVE SAY IS THAT WHATEVER YOU DO IN SECTION ONE, WHICH IS THE DELETION OF SECTION 369 OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE DOESN'T AFFECT THE REST OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE THAT IT STILL STANDS.
SO SECTIONS TWO, THREE, FIVE LISTED ON THIS DOCUMENT, RIGHT, NEVER APPEAR IN THE TOWNSHIP ORDINANCE. THAT'S CORRECT.
SIMPLY FOR THE PURPOSES OF US PASSING THIS.
YES. THE REST OF IT, SEVERABILITY.
SO, OK. SO IS THE FIRST PART OF SECTION ONE NOT BEING STRICKEN OUT.
NO, THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S THE ACTION SECTION 369 TRIPLE R DISTRICT ONE FAMILY RURAL RESIDENTIAL LOW LOW DENSITY DISTRICT IS HEREBY AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS.
OH, AND THEN STRIKE OUT TAX IS WHAT APPEARS IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE, EXCEPT STRUCK OUT.
OK, THEN SECTION TWO SAYS THAT THIS THAT THE PART THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THE ORDINANCE ARE SEVERABLE, THAT YOU CAN AGAIN BE CONSIDERED INDEPENDENTLY.
THIS CAN BE CONSIDERED INDEPENDENTLY.
AND IF THIS IS INVALIDATED FOR SOME REASON, I DON'T IMAGINE WHY IT WOULD.
LIKE I SAID, NOBODY'S ZONED IT, THEN IT DOESN'T AFFECT THE REST OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
NO, NO, NO. IT WILL COME BACK FOR A PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE WE BROUGHT IT ON.
SO FOR TRUSTEES, I THINK MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE IF ONE, WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION FOR AN ACTUAL ADOPTION.
IF WE COULD SEE THE EXISTING LANGUAGE OF THE ORDINANCE AND UNDERSTAND HOW THE AMENDMENT FITS WITH THE LANGUAGE THAT'S IN THE ORDINANCE, I THINK THAT'LL HELP A LOT OF US GET OUR HEADS AROUND WHAT WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED.
BEAR IN MIND THAT THE EXISTING LANGUAGE IS THE LANGUAGE YOU SEE WITHOUT STRIKEOUT TEXT, BUT I CAN DO THAT. I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT.
IT'S JUST I CAN'T FIND IT EASILY.
IF YOU COULD MAKE IT EASIER TO FIND, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
CONTEXT. OK, I'LL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A BETTER HAVE THIS PRESENTED IN A READABLE WAY.
YEAH. I GUESS ALL THE DISCUSSION WAS GOING ON.
I LOOKED THERE IS NO OTHER LANGUAGE IN THIS OR [INAUDIBLE] EXCEPT WITH STROKE.
THERE'S NO OTHER SECTIONS OR SUBSECTIONS, CORRECT? SO THAT IS WHAT'S BEING STRUCK.
AND IF I UNDERSTAND IT RIGHT, WHEN THIS IS PASSED OR SOMETHING IS PASSED, THE ORDINANCE WILL JUST NOT HAVE THAT LANGUAGE.
AND THAT'S IT. IT DOESN'T ADD THOSE TWO, THREE, FOUR AND FIVE, ISN'T IT, RIGHT? YES, THAT'S ALL BOILERPLATE, LEGISLATIVE BOILERPLATE, THAT'S LEGISLATIVE BOILERPLATE, BUT IT DOESN'T SHOW UP AS PART OF ANY OF THE ORDINANCE.
YEAH. WELL, THIS IS AN ORDINANCE BY ITSELF TO MAKE THE AMENDMENT.
THE CODE OF ORDINANCES TAKES THE LANGUAGE THAT IS EITHER ADDED OR SUBTRACTED AND MAKES A CHANGES, BUT DOESN'T ADD THOSE THINGS.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT EXPLAINS MAKES IT A LITTLE CLEARER THAT'S SIX EXPLANATIONS OF IT.
I THINK I'M GETTING THE CONSENSUS FROM THE COMMISSION THAT WE DON'T HAVE AN OBJECTION TO WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING.
WE'RE JUST UNSURE OF WHAT SOME OF THAT LANGUAGE MEANS.
OK. SO IF YOU CLARIFY THAT TO US, I'M SURE WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE, OK, IF I'M READING THIS CORRECTLY, I I THINK I'M HEARING THAT AND I THINK I CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
COMMISSIONER CORDILL I'M GOING TO SAY SINCE YOU DID NOT FIND A PARCEL WITH THAT ZONING DESIGNATION AND THERE'S NOT A COMPELLING REASON TO OFFER IT, THEN IT DOESN'T SEEM NECESSARY TO KEEP THE TRIPLE R ZONING DISTRICT.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THAT.
YES, AS I SAID, THE MASTER PLAN SPEAKS TO UNCLUTTERING OUR RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS.
THIS IS A REALLY EASY WAY OF DOING IT WITHOUT HAVING TO REZONE ANYBODY.
[00:25:04]
THERE'S MORE SUGGESTIONS COMING, BUT THIS WAS IMMEDIATE AND EASY TO DO TO ACHIEVE RELATIVELY.UNTIL WE STARTED ASKING YOU QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. SURE, I'LL SAID, I THINK YOU HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION FOR ALL OF US.
AGENDA ITEM TEN, TOWNSHIP BOARD REPORT.
I WILL BE BRIEF, I ONLY HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS BECAUSE WE THE PLANNING COMMISSION HASN'T SENT A LOT FORWARD. WE'RE GETTING READY TO WE'RE GETTING READY TO BOMBARD THEM.
BUT THE FROM THE TOP FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION PERSPECTIVE, THE MERIDIAN COMPANY BUILDING WAS INTRODUCED IN THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.
WE'LL BE TAKING THAT UP FOR A DECISION IN THE FUTURE.
AND STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING ON A MINOR AMENDMENT THAT IS NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT REGARDING FIRE DEPARTMENT STANDARDIZING THE HOSE CONNECTION FOR FIRE TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WHEN WORK IS DONE, SO WE CAN MODERNIZE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ALL THE CONNECTIONS ARE THE SAME. THEY FOUND ONE IN THE PAST YEAR THAT WAS NOT THAT CAUSED A BIT OF A DELAY IN GETTING THE FIREFIGHTING.
SO WE'RE WE'RE CODIFYING THAT IN AN ORDINANCE.
SO IT'S NO QUESTION GOING FORWARD.
OBVIOUSLY, THE BIG NEWS IN THE TOWNSHIP RIGHT NOW FROM THE TOWNSHIP BOARD PERSPECTIVE IS WE DO HAVE TWO OPEN TOWNSHIP BOARD SEATS WITH WITH TRUSTEE OPSOMMER NOW BECOMING ASSISTANT TOWNSHIP MANAGER OPSOMMER ALONG WITH HIS SECONDARY TITLE, WHICH IS DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
I BELIEVE MY TITLE IS REALLY LONG, SO I HAVE A HARD ENOUGH TIME REMEMBERING MINE AND WITH
[10A. Township Board update. ]
THE UNFORTUNATE PASSING OF SUPERVISORS STYKA.TRUSTEE PATRICK HENRY JACKSON WAS WAS APPOINTED BY THE BOARD TO SUPERVISOR, AND SO WE ARE LEFT WITH TWO OPEN BOARD SEATS.
SO IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY OR YOU WOULD LIKE TO SERVE YOURSELF, THE APPLICATION IS ONLINE.
IT'S THROUGH THE HR OFFICE AND THE TOWNSHIP BOARD WILL BE HAVING ESSENTIALLY A SPECIAL MEETING TO REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS AND THEN DETERMINE WHO TO INTERVIEW FOR THE SEATS.
THAT'S ROUGHLY WHAT I HAVE ON TOWNSHIP BOARD UPDATE AT THIS POINT.
YES, SIR. YES, MA'AM. WELL, MS. JACKSON THEN CARRY OUT THE REMAINDER OF SUPERVISOR STYKA TERM.
SHE WILL HAVE TO RUN FOR ELECTION THIS FALL, AS WILL BOTH OF THE APPOINTED TRUSTEES UNDER UNDER STATE LAW. THE WAY THE CALENDAR HAS FALLEN, THEY WILL RUN IN AUGUST AND NOVEMBER AUGUST IF NECESSARY, IN NOVEMBER, FOR SURE.
SO IT'S IT'S YOU'RE SAYING IT'S A PORTION OF THE REMAINING TERM, CORRECT? OH, ANYONE THAT'S APPOINTED AT THIS POINT UNDER STATE LAW WILL HAVE TO RUN THIS FALL TO FILL OUT THE REMAINDER OF THE TERM.
IT'S JUST THE NATURE OF THE CALENDAR.
YES. SO I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT I'VE SEEN REPORTS IN THE MEDIA ABOUT OUR FAVORITE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS PROJECT.
MM HMM. CAN YOU GIVE US A BIT OF A RECAP OF WHERE THAT'S AT WITH REGARD TO WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING OF THE VARIOUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS? YEAH, I CAN TELL YOU THERE'S ESSENTIALLY THREE PIECES.
THEY'RE CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW.
THE SITE PLAN WE ISSUED INITIAL INITIAL COMMENTS ON THE SITE PLAN REVIEW THIS MORNING.
AND SO THEY HAVE THOSE AND WE'LL BE RESPONDING TO.
THE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY HAS TAKEN AN INITIAL LOOK AT THE BROWNFIELD PLAN THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW BY THE TOWNSHIP'S THIRD PARTY [INAUDIBLE] AND THE BROWNFIELD AUTHORITY WILL BE REVIEWING THAT AGAIN AT THEIR NEXT MEETING.
AND THE THIRD PART IS A REQUEST TO THE MERIDIAN REDEVELOPMENT FUND, WHICH WILL BE DISCUSSED IN DEPTH TOMORROW MORNING AT SPECIAL ABC MEETING, WHICH THEY WILL OF THE DOLLARS AND CENTS BEHIND THAT.
SO IT'S THE THREE PART REQUEST SITE PLAN.
IT WILL BE ADMINISTRATIVE, BUT THE OTHER TWO ITEMS WILL BE HEARD BE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE SUBSEQUENT FROM THEIR BOARDS AND SUBSEQUENTLY GO TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD FOR FINAL DECISION AND ACTION.
CAN YOU GIVE US A SENSE SINCE YOU JUST WORKED ON THE SITE PLAN RECENTLY OF JUST TOP LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHAT IT IS WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW BECAUSE IT'S CHANGED THREE OR FOUR TIMES? YEAH, I MEAN, FUNCTIONALLY, IT'S THE SAME.
IT'S THE SAME AS WHAT I WALKED INTO WHEN I STARTED HERE.
TWO HUNDRED UNITS, FOUR STORY'S COMMERCIAL AT THE CORNERS OF HAMILTON AND OKEMOS ROAD AND DOWN HAMILTON ROAD, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE STARTING GETTING INTO THE NITTY GRITTY NOW, RIGHT? AND SO THERE'S THERE'S A SMALL ROOFTOP AREA FOR FOUR OF THE UNITS AND THE CORNER UNITS, RIGHT? THERE'S SOME DAYLIGHT AND BASEMENT SPACE ALONG OKEMOS ROAD THAT'S GOING TO HAVE A FITNESS CENTER AND IT SORT OF GET SOME ACTIVITY ON THAT STREET NOW THAT THEY'VE SEEN THE
[00:30:02]
GRADING AND CAN, THEY KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE IT FROM HERE TO THERE.SO BUT IT'S FUNCTIONALLY THE SAME PROJECT AS AS WE WENT THROUGH THE THE MAJOR REVIEW LAST JULY ON WHETHER OR NOT IT CHANGES AGAIN.
I CAN'T TELL YOU, BUT THIS APPEARS TO BE THE PATH THEY'RE TAKING.
THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, GREAT LAKES AND ENERGY.
I ALWAYS FORGET WHICH E GOES FIRST HAS PRELIMINARILY INDICATED THEY'LL BE EXTENDING THE GRANT LOAN THE TOWNSHIP HAS WITH THEM FOR THREE MONTHS TO CONTINUE TO KEEP THE PRESSURE ON MOVING THIS PROJECT FORWARD.
THERE IS AN ASK INTO THE MEDC FOR THE GAP FUNDING THE MEDC WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TALK TO THE MEDC ABOUT TIMING BECAUSE IT APPEARS AS THOUGH NOW THAT THE MEDC IS, WE HAVE NEW CAT TEAM PERSON REGENT SEVEN.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE PREVIOUS ONE JUST KIND OF HANDED IT OFF AND REALLY DIDN'T DO MUCH WITH IT. SO WE'RE BACK TO SQUARE ONE AGAIN.
SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS, BUT THOSE ARE REALLY THE NEXT COUPLE OF THINGS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ARE THE THE BROWNFIELD IN THE MRF ARE THE BIG ONES.
FROM A SITE PLANNING PERSPECTIVE, THEIR NEXT BIG THINGS ARE THEY'VE STARTED CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER AND THE COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION, THE ROAD DEPARTMENT.
NOW APOLOGIES AND ARE GOING TO.
THEIR NEXT BIG THING IS TO WORK WITH DRAINS AND GET THINGS FIGURED OUT WITH THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE BEFORE THEY RESUBMIT TO US.
HAVE THEY INDICATED TO YOU ANY UPDATE TO THEIR TIMELINE? CONSTRUCTION IS STILL EXPECTED TO START THIS YEAR.
ABOUT THIRTY FOUR THIRTY TWO THOUSAND SQUARE FEET.
IS THAT ALL ON THE FIRST FLOOR? YES. NOT WELL.
THERE IS SOME. THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN THAT AREA AT ARDMORE AND HAMILTON THAT WAS SORT OF BASEMENT LEVEL AND THERE'S SOME DOWN THERE, BUT NOT MUCH.
THAT AREA HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN LIKE DOUGLAS J.
SALON. THEY WERE GOING TO MOVE THE BASEMENT BECAUSE SALONS DO THAT FOR SOME REASON, AND THAT SEEMS TO HAVE GONE AWAY.
THEY'VE REDUCED THAT SPACE PRETTY SUBSTANTIALLY.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF IT'S ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
I'M NOT. I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU IT'S ALL BECAUSE IT'S NOT.
THE CORNERS ARE GOING TO BE RESTAURANTS ON BOTH SIDES? THAT IS THE GOAL. WELL, FASCINATED BY THE IDEA OF DAYLIGHT IN BASEMENTS AND CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT, THAT SEEMS REALLY INTERESTING.
ALSO ON THE DRAINS IF THE DISCUSSION EVER TURNS TOWARDS RAIN GARDENS IN THE FRONTAGE.
THAT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL THING TO SEE.
IT WILL BE. I MEAN, IT'S IT'S ON THE TABLE.
I THINK THE QUESTION NOW IS DESIGN AND WHAT IS GOING TO HOW DO THEY DO ENOUGH TO SATISFY AN URBAN PROJECT IN A MORE SUBURBAN TYPE SETTING? YEAH, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'VE GOT A BUSY INTERSECTION AND THOSE KINDS OF RAIN GARDENS CAN PROVIDE PROTECTION FOR THAT SIDEWALK SPACE.
THAT'S ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY.
ABSOLUTELY. ANYTHING ELSE, ANY OTHER REPORTS BY COMMISSION MEMBERS? PRETTY MUCH JUST TOLD YOU A LOT OF THE INFORMATION WE GOT AT THE THE VRA MEETING, BASICALLY, WE GOT A REPORT ON THE SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR AND A LOT OF THAT HAD TO DO WITH CONTAINMENT AND REMEDIATION OF POTENTIAL, EXCUSE ME, ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS.
THE OTHER THING THAT THERE, WITHIN THE ARCHITECTURE IS THERE WILL BE A ALMOST LIKE A TUNNEL PASS THROUGH FROM.
SO THAT FROM THE BACK THROUGH TO THE FRONT, THAT WHERE YOU WON'T HAVE TO PASS THROUGH THE BUILDING, IT'LL BE AN OPEN AREA.
THERE'S THE SYSTEM FOR REMEDIATING IS GOING TO BE A SYSTEM THAT SENDS IT UP RATHER THAN TOWARDS THE RIVER.
AND AND I I DON'T I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE MECHANICS OF IT, BUT IT GO AHEAD.
IT'S AN ACTIVE VAPOR MITIGATION SYSTEM.
[10B. Liaison reports. ]
SO THESE VAPOR MITIGATION THE STATE IS MOVING TOWARDS ACTIVE ON ALL PROJECTS.IT'S NOT IDEAL, BUT IT'S THE SITUATION WE FIND OURSELVES IN IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN WITH
[00:35:04]
THE AMOUNT OF SOIL CONTAMINATION WE HAVE FROM [INAUDIBLE].BUT ESSENTIALLY, THE UNDERGROUND SPACE WILL BE QUOTE UNQUOTE WRAPPED TO PREVENT ACTIVE INFILTRATION, AND THERE WILL BE PIPING AND ACTIVE MITIGATION TO TAKE ANY SOIL GAS UP AND DISCHARGE IT. THE OTHER THING IS THERE THE THE STORM SYSTEM IS GOING TO BE PUT IN WITH RETAINING WALLS ON EITHER SIDE TO PREVENT IF IF THERE'S ANY, THE STORM SYSTEM THAT'S THERE NOW IS IS OLDER THAN ALL OF US.
AND AND WHEN THEY REPLACE THAT, THEY'RE GOING TO PUT IN RETAINING WALLS SO THAT IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF FAILURE IN THE SYSTEM ITSELF, THE RETAINING WALL WILL BLOCK IT FROM GOING ANY FURTHER.
WOW. YES, IT'S A CONTAINMENT SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, SO AND THE STATE IS THERE ARE SOURCES OF FUNDING FROM THE STATE, FROM FROM THE TOWNSHIP THROUGH THE VRA AND THERE'S ONE OR TWO OTHERS.
BUT AND IT'S IT'S A VERY COMPLEX PROJECT.
THE PERSON THAT GAVE THE REPORT THAT'S HIS SPECIALTY IN DEALING WITH ENVIRONMENTALLY COMPLEX PROJECTS AND YOU KNOW, JUMPING THROUGH ALL THE RIGHT HOOPS AND MAKING SURE THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, MAXIMUM SAFE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND AND ALL OF THAT.
AND SOMEBODY ASKED IF THIS WAS THE MOST COMPLICATED PROJECT HE'S EVER DEALT WITH, AND HE SAID, NOT EVEN CLOSE.
SO YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, AND THEN HE CITED SOME REAL NIGHTMARES.
SO IT WAS IT WAS AN INTERESTING REPORT.
AND IF I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A REPORT THAT THOSE ARE REPORTS THAT GET RECORDED, BUT IF IF, IF THERE'S A WAY TO GET ACCESS TO THAT, IT WOULD BE WORTH LISTENING TO IF YOU HAVE THAT KIND OF INTEREST.
THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION THAT THE 17TH AND SO MUCH OF THEIR DISCUSSION REVOLVED AROUND THE MDOT AND 43 PROJECT, AND IT'S GOING TO BE BUSY ALL ALONG THERE.
SO MOST OF THEIR DISCUSSION WAS CONCERNS ABOUT PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AND THERE REALLY AREN'T ANY CLEAR SOLUTIONS.
SO BASICALLY, FROM PARK LAKE TO MARSH, THERE AREN'T GOING TO BE ANY TURNS.
THERE WILL BE SERVICE DRIVES, BUT IT'S JUST GOING TO BE IT'S GOING TO BE ONE LANE OF TRAFFIC IN EITHER DIRECTION, JUST CONSTANTLY MOVING AGAIN SERVICE DRIVES TO GET TO THE BUSINESSES, BUT THAT MEANS THAT SIDEWALKS ARE GOING TO BE GONE.
SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY A CONCERN FOR PEDESTRIANS THAT THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION EXPRESSED AND ALSO SPECIFICALLY THE HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH PEDESTRIANS WHO ARE ALWAYS ALREADY CROSSING OVER GRAND RIVER FROM THERE TO MCDONALD'S? WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP THEM SAFELY GET ACROSS? AND THERE JUST WEREN'T ANY CLEAR SOLUTIONS BECAUSE THE ROAD WILL CONSTANTLY BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION. THERE'S NOWHERE TO PUT LIKE A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE OR ANYTHING, SO IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED.
STILL, AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I CAME AWAY FROM THAT MEETING WITH.
AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL IS THERE, TOO.
SO FEEL FREE TO ADD ON IF YOU'D LIKE.
THIS WILL BE THE PROJECT IS GOING TO BEGIN WITH THE DRAIN PROJECT, WHICH WE ALL ARE AWARE OF. AND THEN IT'LL JUST CONTINUE ON FROM THERE.
I DON'T I DIDN'T WRITE DOWN THE TIMELINE, BUT I KNOW IT'S A BIT OF A LENGTHY ONE.
SO WE WILL HAVE MORE TO SHARE ON THE TIMELINE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.
OK. ASIDE FROM THAT PROJECT, THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT APPLYING TO BE A BICYCLE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY WITH THE LEAGUE OF MICHIGAN BICYCLE BICYCLISTS, SO I WAS EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THAT, AND THE MSU LAKE LANSING PROJECT SHOULD BE DONE THIS YEAR, THE TRAIL.
SO. THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY MET THE DAY BEFORE THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, THE 16TH, AND I'LL JUST SHARE QUICKLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEIR
[00:40:06]
2022 CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY GOALS, THERE ARE THREE OF THEM.THE FIRST ONE IS PURSUE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A TAX INCREMENT FINANCING PLAN TO SUPPORT REDEVELOPMENT OF THE MERIDIAN MALL.
NUMBER TWO ACTIVELY PURSUE THE RECERTIFICATION STATUS AS A REDEVELOPMENT READY COMMUNITY THAT CAME. THERE WAS DISCUSSION A WHILE AGO WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION ABOUT REDEVELOPMENT READY COMMUNITIES, AND THE THIRD GOAL WAS SUPPORT THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY THROUGH THE OKEMOS BRIDGE AND M43 GRAND RIVER RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
AND MUCH OF THE DISCUSSION AT LAST WEEK'S CIA MEETING WAS ABOUT THE PRESENTATION ON THE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION, AND THERE'S INTENDED TO BE MORE DISCUSSION NEXT MONTH AT THE CIA MEETING.
I LOVE THE ACRONYMS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I ATTENDED THE EDC MEETING IN JANUARY, AND THE ISSUE ON THAT ONE WAS THE REQUEST FOR $3 MILLION FROM THE DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR BASICALLY INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AROUND THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS.
NOW THAT NUMBER EXCEEDS THE NUMBER IN THE ENTIRE FUND BY ABOUT 50 PERCENT AND WOULD SPEND IT ALL IN ONE AREA AND IGNORED THE PICA AND HASLETT AND SOME OTHER AREAS.
SO BUT THE APPLICATION WAS APPROPRIATE.
SO WHAT THE BOARD DID WAS REFER IT ON.
THEY JUST BASICALLY RULED THAT THE APPLICATION WAS APPROPRIATE AND THEN IT WILL GO TO A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE EDC AND THE TOWNSHIP TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION OF WHAT MIGHT BE RECOMMENDED TO THE TOWNSHIP FOR EXPENDITURE FROM THAT FUND TO SUPPORT THIS DEVELOPMENT, AND THE NEXT EDC MEETING IS, I BELIEVE, THURSDAY THIS WEEK.
YOU MAY HAVE ONE TOMORROW FOR THE SUBCOMMITTEE.
THURSDAY MORNING IS THE EASY MEETING THIS WEEK AND WE'LL SEE WHERE THEY GO WITH THAT.
IF THEY GO ANYWHERE AT THIS POINT, SO.
OTHERS? OK WE GO ON TO ITEM ELEVEN ON THE AGENDA.
PROJECT UPDATES, WE HAVE NO NEW APPLICATIONS SITE PLANS RECEIVE FOR DOUGLAS J.
WE NOW HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC REMARKS IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK AGAIN.
AGAIN, PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS.
MY NAME IS DR. DEAN MCFARLANE PARROTT.
4324 AZTEC WAY. FIRST, I'D LIKE TO APOLOGIZE FOR COMING IN LATE AND KIND OF BREAKING STUFF UP HERE. I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS GOES.
I'M A DOCTOR TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF MY KIDS, STAYING HOME, DOING STUFF DURING COVID.
I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND HERE AT ALL.
IT'S BEEN A BIT OF A LEARNING CURVE OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, JUST FINDING OUT WHAT [INAUDIBLE] HAS BEEN UP TO, FRANKLY.
AND I JUST KNOW WHAT I'M SEEING AROUND LITERALLY OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED AND I KNOW IT'S SPRING, BUT I'VE BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE COMMUNITY FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS, LIVED DIRECTLY AND ACCURATELY IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS. WHAT I KNOW IS THAT MY LIFE GETTING AROUND AND DOING THINGS HERE IS DIAMETRICALLY DIFFERENT THAN 10 YEARS AGO AND A WHOLE HECK OF A LOT DIFFERENT THAN 20 YEARS AGO.
AND I'M NOT SURE IN THE GOOD WAY.
EVERY TIME THAT WE SEEM TO DO THINGS ON PROGRESS, IT ENDS UP BEING ANOTHER ASSESSMENT FOR
[11. PROJECT UPDATES ]
DRAINS, TAXES OR OTHERWISE OR MORE DIFFICULTY GETTING AROUND IN THIS COMMUNITY.AND THAT IS WHY WE'RE HERE IS BECAUSE IT WAS EASY TO GET TO MAYA.
IT'S EASY TO GET TO THESE PLACES.
BUT I WILL SAY AGAIN ON BENNET ROAD WITH WHAT IS GOING ON AND WE CAN DO IT RETROACTIVELY,
[12. PUBLIC REMARKS ]
BUT TO LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY MORE UNITS GOING IN AS WELL.PLUS THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT THAT THAT PLACE IS GOING TO DO, AND I KNOW I LIVE IN SUNDANCE. IT WAS DONE IN THE LATE 80S, EARLY 90S WE'RE A PART OF THE PROBLEM, NOT THE SOLUTION, BUT THE ISSUE I HAVE RIGHT NOW IS IF WHEN IS ENOUGH DEVELOPMENT ENOUGH? AND I APPRECIATE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO DOWNTOWN BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO REDEVELOP AREAS THAT ARE ALREADY THERE AND WE CAN GET BACK.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU IS NORTH OF BENNETT ROAD, WE WILL NOT GET THAT BACK.
WE MAY QUOTE UNQUOTE PRESERVE THE WETLANDS, BUT RIGHT NOW, WITH THE NORTH POINT DEVELOPMENT, IT IS FILLED EVERYTHING UP AND I KNOW THAT'S A PART OF LANCING CITY.
[00:45:05]
BUT THAT DRAIN IS FULL, AND THAT'S WHAT I KNOW.FURTHER THAN THAT, AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, EAGLE HAS LET US DOWN.
THEY HAD A CHOICE, MAYBERRY DID, TO DO WHAT WE COULD PULL A WETLAND PERMIT.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S APPROPRIATE.
I DON'T KNOW OR WHAT THEY DID, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY KIND OF PUTTING STUFF INTO A BROWNFIELD AREA AS WELL.
AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THEY'RE PUTTING MORE RETENTION PONDS AND THINGS.
BUT AT THAT POINT THEN THROUGH EAGLE, THERE WAS NO WAY TO TELL WHETHER OR NOT THAT PERMIT WAS. IT WAS NOT PUBLIC.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PUBLIC THROUGH EAGLE.
IT'S JUST A VERY INTERESTING THING.
WHAT I ASK MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE TONIGHT IS JUST TAKE THAT FORWARD AS YOU'RE APPROVING OR NOT APPROVING THESE THINGS.
THE CONSTRUCTION IS THERE ALREADY.
THEY'RE GOING TO START WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK, NO DOUBT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE DRAIN COMMISSION GOING. BUT MY MY CONCERN IS WHAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE? THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
FROM MR. PREMOE AND SECONDED BY MR. RICHARDS. ALL IN FAVOR AYE, AYE.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.