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[00:00:17]

THAT CLOCK IS ONE MINUTE SLOW.

SO I'M GOING TO START IT SHE'S GOING TO TEXT WHEN [INAUDIBLE].

I SEE. NO, SHE'S NOT GONNA BE THERE.

TODAY, SHE'S CELEBRATING HER ANNIVERSARY, I THINK.

YEAH, BUT SHE'S STILL YEAH. YEAH.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

TODAY IS MONDAY, OCTOBER 10TH.

I NOW CALL THIS MEETING OF THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION TO ORDER.

WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE ROLL CALL.

WE HAVE A QUORUM. THE RECORD SHOULD REFLECT THAT THERE ARE NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC PRESENT IN ORDER TO GIVE PUBLIC REMARKS.

SO WE ARE ON ITEM NUMBER FOR APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED. MOVED BY COMMISSIONER TREZISE.

A SECOND? SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SNYDER.

ALL IN FAVOR. AYE.

THERE ARE NO NAYS. THE AGENDA IS APPROVED.

NEXT IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 12 REGULAR MEETING OF THE COMMISSION.

[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MOVE APPROVAL.

ANY DISCUSSION? JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS CAUGHT MY EYE.

WONDERFUL MINUTES, AS ALWAYS.

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN ITEM FOUR, NINE AND FIVE, VICE CHAIR THAT'S THE MOST MINOR.

ON EIGHT, I THINK WE HAVE A WORD MISSING.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS. I THINK I MOVED TO ADOPT OR CHALLENGE TO ADOPT OR THE RESOLUTION TO RECOMMEND.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

OH, I'M SORRY. I APOLOGIZE.

GO AHEAD. IF YOU JUST SAID THIS, I'M SORRY.

I WAS LOOKING FOR THE OTHER THING [INAUDIBLE] OUT ON PAGE THREE.

EIGHT? IS THAT WHAT YOU JUST SAID? THERE'S A WORD MISSING.

OKAY, [INAUDIBLE] MAYBE I ORDAINED THAT WE ADOPT.

ALL RIGHT, THEN THOSE ARE FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS.

SO WITH THE AMENDMENTS, AS SUGGESTED, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL.

AYE. NO OPPOSITION.

THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

COMMUNICATIONS. DO WE HAVE ANY COMMUNICATIONS THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED WITH THE PACKAGE? WE HAVE NO ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATIONS.

THANK YOU. SO THEN WE ARE NOW ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN PUBLIC HEARINGS.

[7A. Text Amendment #2022-15 – Day Care Definitions Update]

IT APPEARS THAT THE ISSUE THERE IS THE DAY CARE DEFINITION UPDATE.

YEAH, BRIEFLY, THIS IS AS A RESULT OF RECENT STATE LAW CHANGES THAT ARE TRYING TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY TO THE HOME DAYCARE INDUSTRY.

SO THIS WOULD INCREASE PURSUANT TO THE LAW UNDER A FAMILY, CHILD, FAMILY, CHILD CARE HOME.

IT GOES FROM 6 TO 7 AND THEN A GROUP CHILD CARE HOME GOES FROM 6 TO 7 UP TO 14 FROM 12.

SO IT JUST CHANGES THE SCALE A LITTLE BIT, ADDS ONE KID IN THE SMALLER HOMES AND TWO KIDS IN THE LARGER HOMES.

AGAIN, THE SMALLER HOMES ARE EXEMPT FROM LOCAL REGULATION UNDER STATE LAW.

SO THE ONLY TIME THIS WOULD COME UP, REALLY, OTHER THAN IN THE DEFINITION, WOULD BE IF WE HAD A GROUP CHILD CARE HOME REQUEST.

THAT'S ALL WE HAVE ABOUT ON THIS.

BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, OTHERWISE WE'LL JUST SLOWLY START MOVING THIS THROUGH THE PROCESS.

IS THAT AN ISSUE THAT REQUIRES ANY ACTION BY THE BOARD? I THINK IT GOES STRAIGHT TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, DOESN'T IT? THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING.

WE WILL ASK YOU FOR A RECOMMENDATION AT THE NEXT MEETING AND THEN WE'LL TAKE IT TO THE BOARD LATER THIS YEAR.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE'VE ALREADY DONE A STRAW POLL ON THAT ONE.

I THINK WE DID LAST TIME, DIDN'T WE? IT FEELS LIKE IT.

[INAUDIBLE] PUBLIC HEARING. YEAH.

GO BACK. [INAUDIBLE] YEAH.

SIR, YOU WEREN'T HERE WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THE MEETING.

THERE IS A SLOT IN OUR SCHEDULE TO ALLOW SOMEONE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING OF GENERAL INTEREST THAT YOU'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT.

IF YOU'RE JUST HERE TO WATCH US DO OUR THING, THEN YOU CAN SIT THERE.

IT'S UP TO YOU. [INAUDIBLE] VERY GOOD.

[00:05:04]

WE'RE SORRY IF IT WAS [INAUDIBLE].

[LAUGHTER] MAKE IT FUN. ALL RIGHT, I THINK THEN THAT BRINGS US UP TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, WHICH IS THE MASTER PLAN UPDATE AND

[8A. 2021 Survey Results]

THE 2021 SURVEY OF THE TOWNSHIP.

YES. SO THIS IS SORT OF THE FIRST PIECE THAT WE WANTED TO BRING FORWARD IS BECAUSE THIS IS RELEVANT DATA THAT WAS GATHERED LAST YEAR, RELATIVELY RECENT.

NOT A LOT HAS CHANGED.

SO WE WANTED TO BRING THIS TO THE PLANNING QUESTIONS, ATTENTION, SORT OF SHARE WHAT WE GOT OUT OF IT, SEE IF THERE ARE OTHER ITEMS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN THEIR REVIEW OF THIS.

IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT JUMPED OUT AT YOU THAT WE SHOULD START TO INCORPORATE INTO THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES HERE.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE GETTING AT.

IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC THOUGHTS NOW, GREAT, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT ANY OF THESE ITEMS RIGHT NOW OR IF YOU TAKE IT HOME AND THINK ABOUT IT AND START TO PONDER THIS. THIS IS SORT OF JUST OUR FIRST KICK OFF AT SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BROUGHT UP.

COMMISSIONER TREZISE. YEAH, GOING THROUGH THE REPORT IT SEEMED LIKE FOR THE MOST PART, OUR CITIZENS THAT ANSWERED THE SURVEY WERE FAIRLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE ACTIVITY OF THE TOWNSHIP THROUGHOUT, WITH SOME CONCERNS OVER ROAD MAINTENANCE AND SOME OF THE WATER SEWER OR SOME OF THAT STUFF.

I WOULD POINT OUT THAT THE TOWNSHIP IS MOVING ON ROAD MAINTENANCE WITHIN THE SUBDIVISIONS AT A RELATIVELY QUICK CLIP, WHICH SHOWS THAT WE ARE RESPONDING TO THAT EVEN BEFORE IT CAME UP INTO THE SURVEY, AND SO I THINK OVERALL IT SUPPORTS WHAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS DONE WITH A COUPLE OF AREAS THAT COULD BE FOCUSED ON IN THE MASTER PLAN GOING FORWARD THAT WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THEY'RE INCLUDED.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS. I GOT THE SAME IMPRESSION THAT OVERALL, THE PEOPLE THAT RESPONDED TO THE SURVEY WERE GENERALLY PRETTY SATISFIED.

WE'VE GOT ABOVE THE STATE AVERAGE ON VIRTUALLY EVERY ISSUE.

SO MY QUESTION IS, THIS WAS A SURVEY DONE BEFORE WE STARTED HAVING THE ENTERTAINMENT AT THE WEDNESDAY MARKET.

SO THAT'S SOMEWHAT RESPONSIVE TO THAT ISSUE.

THE WEEKLY ENTERTAINMENT, MUSIC AND FOOD OFFERED, WHICH WE'VE AVAILED OURSELVES TO SEVERAL TIMES, AND I THINK THAT'S BEEN A GREAT ADDITION, A GOOD USE OF THE FACILITY, GOOD TURNOUT.

PEOPLE REALLY SEEM TO ENJOY IT.

SO I THINK IN THAT REGARD THAT'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW WE'RE TRYING TO BE RESPONSIVE TO WHAT OUR CITIZENS ARE ASKING FOR.

I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING, TOO, THAT THEY RATED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT VERY HIGHLY TOO .

MANY COMMUNITIES THAT IS THE TRAP, BUT THAT DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE THE CASE HERE.

THE OTHER THING THAT WAS INTERESTING IS, AS IT APPEARS WITH ALL PUBLIC BODIES NOWADAYS, COMMUNICATION IS A KEY ISSUE, AND FRANKLY, WITH THE BREAKDOWN OF SOME LOCAL NEWSPAPERS AND THE REPORTING, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO COMMUNICATE TO PEOPLE THAT AREN'T ONLINE, AND I KNOW THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS MADE STRIDES IN THAT DIRECTION TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION, AND I ENCOURAGE THAT TO CONTINUE.

COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. YEAH, I GUESS I COULD USE SOME HELP IN A COUPLE OF THE GRAPHS.

THERE'S A PAIR OF GRAPHS ON PAGE 12 AND 37 OF THE REPORT, WHICH IS PAGE 24 OF THE PDF THE FIRST ONE. SO IT'S TWO AXES.

ONE IS AVERAGE RATING, THE OTHER ONE IS RELATIONSHIP.

AND IN THE LOWER LEFT QUADRANT IS LOW IMPACT, LOW SATISFACTION WITH ECONOMY AND TRANSPORTATION DOWN THERE , AND I THINK WE KNOW THAT WHEN IT COMES TO ROADS, THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON SOMEBODY ELSE'S.

EVERYBODY'S ROADS ARE IN TERRIBLE SHAPE.

SO I GUESS THAT'S WHAT'S PULLING THE TRANSPORTATION DOWN SO LOW, BUT I DIDN'T DRILL IN TO SEE WHAT THE ECONOMY WHAT'S THE DISSATISFACTION WITH THE ECONOMY.

THAT SEEMS LIKE ONE THAT WE'D WANT TO UNDERSTAND BETTER AS WE TRY TO CRAFT POLICY.

[00:10:06]

WITH TRANSPORTATION DEALING WITH ROADS.

I HAD THE IMPRESSION IT WAS DEALING WITH BUS SERVICE, AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT TOO.

I THINK IT'S PROBABLY I ASSUME IT'S A MIX OF TRANSIT AND BIKE AND WALK AND ROADS AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF, AND ROADS ARE ALWAYS GOING TO [INAUDIBLE], ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW.

YEAH. GOODNESS GRACIOUS.

[CHUCKLING] IT'S HARD TO GET ANYWHERE.

IT'S EASIER TO RUN. YEAH, BUT YEAH, WE PUT FIRES OUT LIKE CRAZY, RIGHT? [CHUCKLING] QUICKLY.

YEAH, WE GET THERE IN A ZING.

YEAH. WE'LL FOLLOW UP AND DIG DOWN INTO THOSE AND SEE WHAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GLEAN FROM THAT.

I'LL HAVE DIRECTOR CLARK GET INTO THE RAW DATA A LITTLE MORE FOR US.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS ON THE SURVEY.

NO. THIS IS A GOOD JUMPING OFF POINT FOR US AS YOU GUYS ARE THINKING ABOUT THIS AND HAVE OTHER COMMENTS, PLEASE PASS THEM ALONG AND WE'RE GOING TO START MOLDING THINGS AS WE GO HERE.

ALL RIGHT, THEN LET'S TALK ABOUT ITEM NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS THE BYLAWS UPDATE.

[9A. Planning Commission – By-law Update]

PURSUANT TO THE BYLAWS, WE HAVE HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS.

THE CHANGES ARE IN YOUR PACKET THIS EVENING.

WE WOULD RECOMMEND ADOPTION OF THESE RELATIVELY MINOR CHANGES, AND JUST TO REITERATE, THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE CHANGE TO THE PUBLIC HEARING NOT ACTING AT THE SAME TIME AS THE PUBLIC HEARING.

THAT IS STILL A BYLAW OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

I DID NOTICE AT THE END OF THE BYLAWS, JUST A COUPLE OF EDITS THAT WILL PROBABLY NEED TO BE MADE.

I THINK MAYBE IT WAS JUST THE NUMBERING SEVEN WAS TAKEN OUT APPEALS AND THEN OBVIOUSLY EIGHT PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY NEEDS TO BE CHANGED TO SEVEN ETC..

ABSOLUTELY. IF I NEVER HAD TO GRADE ANOTHER ESSAY, I WOULDN'T BE SAD.

[CHUCKLING] DIRECTOR SCHMITT LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING ABOUT ITEM NUMBER, PARAGRAPH 5.1 OF THE PROPOSED BYLAWS.

IT SAYS THAT WORK SESSION SHALL COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

SHOULDN'T WE ALSO, IN THAT SAME SENTENCE, SAY, AND THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT? [INAUDIBLE] THE SAME ACT.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION IS A SEPARATE LAW.

YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE.

YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE [INAUDIBLE] IT'S PICKED UP IN ALL THE OTHER ONES.

WE CAN ABSOLUTELY INCLUDE THAT.

YEAH. BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT CREATES A FALSE IMPRESSION.

ABSOLUTELY, AND THERE'S SOME DISCUSSION ON THAT ISSUE NOW IN THE COURTS.

YEAH. REVISING [INAUDIBLE] MEETING, ACTUALLY, NOW THAT YOU RAISED THAT, IT SURPRISES ME THAT IT SAYS FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

I THINK IT PROBABLY SHOULD BE OPEN MEETINGS BECAUSE FOIA WOULD BE MORE LIKE TO THE TOWNSHIP TO RELEASE INFORMATION.

ALL OF OUR DOCUMENTS ARE PUBLIC, BUT THEY'RE PUBLIC NOT TO THE COMMISSION BUT TO THE TO THE TOWNSHIP, I WOULD THINK.

YOU'RE ACTUALLY PROBABLY RIGHT HERE THAT THIS WAS A BAD REFERENCE THAT EXISTS CURRENTLY AND WE DIDN'T CATCH IT.

5.1 DEALS WITH RECORDS, NOT THE MEETING ITSELF.

IT DOES? IT'S TITLED RECORDS.

I SUSPECTED IT WAS A 5.10 RECORDS.

YES, 5.1 MEETINGS SHOULD BE OMA.

YEAH. YEAH, WE'LL MAKE THAT CHANGE, BUT THE POINT OF A WORK SESSION OFTEN IS THAT YOU DON'T NEED THAT. YOU DON'T NEED TO BEAT THAT REQUIREMENT.

SO AS LONG AS YOU'RE UNDER A QUORUM, THEN YOU'RE NOT SUBJECT TO OPEN MEETINGS, YOU'RE STILL SUBJECT TO IT.

YOU JUST DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO HAVE AN OPEN MEETING.

IF YOU'RE NOT IN A QUORUM, YOU'RE ALWAYS AS A PUBLIC BODY, YOU'RE ALWAYS SUBJECT TO OMA.

YOU MAY JUST NOT HIT THE THRESHOLD OF REQUIRING POSTING.

YEAH, RIGHT, BUT YOU ALSO CAN'T REACH ANY DECISIONS.

RIGHT. YEAH. YEAH.

[INAUDIBLE] ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THESE ISSUES? ASIDE FROM THAT, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT WENT INTO THAT.

IT READS PRETTY SMOOTHLY.

THANK YOU. I'M PLEASED WITH IT.

[00:15:01]

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OF THE PROPOSED BYLAWS? ALL RIGHT, WE'LL TAKE A MOTION IF YOU ARE READY TO MAKE ONE.

ALL RIGHT, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BYLAWS WITH THE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE DISCUSSED TODAY? SO MOVED.

MOVED BY COMMISSIONER PREMOE. IS THERE A SECOND? SUPPORT.

SUPPORTED BY COMMISSIONER TREZISE.

I THINK WE NEED A ROLL CALL ON THIS VOTE.

ALL RIGHT, AND THE BYLAWS ARE APPROVED WITH THE AMENDMENTS DISCUSSED TODAY.

OOPS, I DIDN'T MEAN TO DO THAT.

OKAY, ALL RIGHT, SO WE ARE NOW THEN ON ITEM TEN, RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA DISCUSSION.

[10A. Recreational Marijuana – Discussion]

SO. JUST BRIEFLY, THE AUGUST ELECTION OCCURRED AND THE VOTE TO BAN RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA FAILED BY A SLIM MARGIN.

THE BOARD AT THIS POINT HAS DIRECTED STAFF TO BEGIN WORKING ON A LICENSING SCHEME WITH THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY AND HAS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION POTENTIAL CHANGES TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE TO IMPLEMENT RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.

SO JUST BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, THE EXISTING MEDICAL MARIJUANA ORDINANCE IS, FROM A ZONING PERSPECTIVE, FRANKLY, PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.

IT'S AN OVERLAY.

THERE ARE SEVEN DISTRICTS SET UP THAT ALLOW VARIOUS DIFFERENT USES UNDER THE MEDICAL ORDINANCE WITH A CERTAIN SETBACK FROM VARIOUS OTHER LAND USES THAT ARE DEEMED INCOMPATIBLE SPECIAL USE PERMITS REQUIRED FOR ANYTHING UNDER THIS PROVISION.

THE LICENSING ORDINANCE IS SUBSTANTIALLY MORE COMPLICATED AND IS NOT UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE WILL BE WORKING ON WITH THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY SEPARATELY.

OUR INITIAL THOUGHTS ON THIS IS WE REALIZE WE CAN UTILIZE THE EXISTING STRUCTURE OF THE ORDINANCE TO KEEP THIS AS STRAIGHTFORWARD AS POSSIBLE, AND FOR A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT REASONS.

ONE, AS SENIOR PLANNER SHORKEY AND I HAVE DONE THIS YEAR, WE'RE TRYING TO CUT ORDINANCE DISTRICTS AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

SO ADDING ANOTHER ONE IS ANTITHETICAL TO THAT.

TWO, WE HAVE NOT HAD A REQUEST FOR ANY OTHER TYPE OF BUSINESS UNDER THE ORDINANCE, AND SO THAT TELLS US THERE IS NOT A HUGE DEMAND OUT THERE FOR ANYTHING THAT'S NOT ALREADY IN THE ORDINANCE, AND THIRD, THERE HASN'T BEEN MUCH OF A DEMAND FOR EXPANDING THE AREAS EITHER, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT ALL SEVEN AREAS DID NOT EVEN HAVE AN ORIGINAL APPROVAL UNDER THE MEDICAL ORDINANCE, AND SO CERTAINLY THERE'S PROBABLY SOME LOGICAL AREAS TO ACTUALLY POTENTIALLY TAKE OUT.

SO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD HAS REFERRED THIS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND FUNCTIONALLY, THERE'S TWO QUESTIONS THE PLANNING QUESTION NEEDS TO PROVIDE INPUT ON SO THAT STAFF CAN DRAFT SOMETHING UP AND GET IT BACK TO YOU.

ONE THE LOCATION QUESTION.

AS I MENTIONED, THERE ARE CURRENTLY SEVEN AREAS TOWNSHIP BOARD MEMBERS INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE NO CONCERN STRIKING TOWNER RD AND DAWN AVENUE AND THAT THERE IS POTENTIAL POSSIBLY SHRINK SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS.

STAFF HAS STARTED LOOKING INTO THAT.

WE HAVE SOME IDEAS IF THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO INDULGE THAT, AND THEN SECONDLY, THE TYPES OF LICENSES, THE TYPES OF LICENSES BETWEEN MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA ARE SIMILAR.

THERE'S SOME NUANCED DIFFERENCES, AND PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT'S DIFFERENT IN RECREATIONAL IS IT HAS THE ABILITY TO HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A MICRO BUSINESS ORDINANCE OR A MICRO BUSINESS FACILITY SIMILAR TO A MICROBREWERY IS THE CONCEPT.

SO THAT COULD BE ADDED IN.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN TALKING TO PEOPLE THAT I KNOW PERSONALLY THAT ARE RELATED TO THE INDUSTRY THERE, I THINK IS ONLY ONE IN THE STATE. THERE HAS JUST BEEN NO UPTAKE FOR THAT KIND OF BUSINESS, GIVEN THE WAY THE INDUSTRY IS CURRENTLY SHAKING OUT IN TERMS OF COST.

SO WE COULD CERTAINLY CONSIDER IT, ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I WOULD CONSIDER A HIGH PRIORITY AT THIS TIME, AND SO REALLY THE QUESTION IS, DO WE FOCUS SIMPLY ON THE DISPENSARY SIDE OR DO WE CONTINUE TO ALLOW GROWING, PROCESSING, TESTING,

[00:20:05]

TRANSPORTING STAFF WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH OUR RECOMMENDATION ON THAT AFTER WE'VE GOTTEN YOUR INPUT.

A COUPLE OF THE THOUGHTS THAT I JUST WANT TO TOUCH BRIEFLY ON, THERE WAS CONVERSATION ABOUT REPEALING THE MEDICAL ORDINANCE SORT OF IMMEDIATELY BEFORE WE DO ANYTHING.

WE WOULD VERY MUCH ENCOURAGE CAUTION ON THAT, AND AS PART OF ANY ACTION, THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS ADDITIONALLY MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON HOW TO ADDRESS THE MEDICAL ORDINANCE GOING FORWARD.

CERTAINLY, IF WE AMEND THE ZONING ORDINANCE TO BE MORE ALL INCLUSIVE, THE ISSUE IS REALLY GOING TO THEN BECOME TOTAL NUMBER OF LICENSES AND OR TOTAL NUMBER OF FACILITIES THAT MAY HAVE JOINT LICENSES.

SO IF WE CAN GET INTO THIS NUANCE FURTHER, IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT IF THE ANSWER IS FIVE DISTRICTS, FIVE LICENSES MAX, WHAT WE'D PROBABLY RECOMMEND IS WE GO TO FIVE FACILITIES, MAX, BECAUSE IN MANY CASES.

THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INTO MEDICAL NOW ARE IN MANY CASES TRYING TO CONTINUE THAT FOR THE CLIENTS WHILE ALSO DOING RECREATIONAL.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE YOU GO IN AND HALF THE BUILDING IS RECREATIONAL AND HALF MEDICAL AND YOU HAVE TO STAY ON ONE SIDE OF THE LINE OR THE OTHER.

THEY ARE PERMITTED TO CARRY BOTH LICENSES AND FUNCTIONALLY IT DOESN'T REALLY ADD ANYTHING TO THE FACILITY.

WHAT IT DOES IS IT GIVES PEOPLE THE ABILITY TO HAVE CARDS TO NOT PAY THE EXCISE TAX.

SO IT'S A BENEFIT TO THE CARD HOLDER, AND SO WE WOULD RECOMMEND NOT JUST IMMEDIATELY REPEALING ANYTHING.

RIGHT NOW, LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK FIRST.

SECONDLY, WE DID DIVE INTO AT THE REQUEST OF THE BOARD, THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION TO TRY AND SEE IF THERE IS SOME SORT OF GEOGRAPHIC PATTERN THAT WOULD HELP US OUT HERE, AND WE CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE IS NOT.

WHEN AN ELECTION IS DECIDED BY SIX VOTES, YOU'RE NATURALLY GOING TO HAVE VERY CLOSE PRECINCTS.

AND ALTHOUGH THERE ARE A COUPLE IN OKEMOS THAT VOTED AGAINST IT BY HIGH DOUBLE DIGITS, THERE ARE A COUPLE IN HASLETT THAT VOTED AGAINST IT BY LOW TRIPLE DIGITS.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A NORTH-SOUTH, IT'S NOT A THIS SIDE OF GRAND RIVER, THAT SIDE OF GRAND RIVER.

THERE ARE YES TO BANNING IN HASLETT AND THERE ARE NO TO BANNING IN OKEMOS, AND SO REALLY, AS A TOWNSHIP, I THINK THE ELECTION SHOWED THAT IT'S A TIGHT SPLIT AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS CLOSELY, BUT THAT THERE ARE NOT THERE'S NOT DATA IN THERE THAT WOULD HELP US MAKE THIS DECISION, IS I THINK OUR POINT.

SO WE'D BE HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT THIS HOWEVER YOU'D LIKE, BUT WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR IS INPUT ON THE LOCATION AND TYPES SO WE CAN TRY AND FINISH A DRAFT FOR YOUR MORE FORMAL DISCUSSION.

COMMISSIONER PREMOE.

I'M CURIOUS, DID YOU GET ANY FEEDBACK FROM VOTERS OR BOARD MEMBERS OR COMMISSION MEMBERS ABOUT HOW THE AMBIGUITY OF THE WORDING OF THE PROPOSAL MAY HAVE IMPACTED THE RESULTS? I THINK THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS GENERALLY WHICHEVER SIDE YOU'RE ON, YOU THINK THAT IT NEGATIVELY IMPACTED YOUR SIDE, AND RIGHTFULLY SO.

IT WAS A CONFUSING QUESTION AND SO--WELL, IT WASN'T JUST A CONFUSING QUESTION, AND I'LL STATE THIS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. IT WAS CONFUSINGLY WRITTEN.

YES. SO YOU DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU'RE NO VOTE? I MEAN, IT WASN'T CLEAR IN MY OPINION AND WHILE I'M GLAD WE HAD THE VOTE AND I SAY WE ACCEPT, YOU KNOW, THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE, OF COURSE, BUT THERE IS THAT QUESTION IN MY MIND ABOUT BEING TAKING CARE IN THE WAY WE WRITE OUR PROPOSALS SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THEY'RE CLEARER THAN THIS ONE WAS.

THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SAY ABOUT THAT.

YEAH, I THINK THE REASONING FOR THAT IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PASS AN ORDINANCE WITH A NEGATIVE IN IT AND YOU HAVE TO VOTE YES TO PASS THE ORDINANCE, BUT THE ORDINANCE SAYS, NO, YOU CAN'T DO IT.

SO THAT'S WHY THE LANGUAGE WAS WRITTEN THE WAY IT IS.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF IF THEY HAD WRITTEN AN ORDINANCE THAT SAID WE WANT TO ALLOW--I FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I STILL THINK THEY COULD HAVE WORDED IT IN A WAY THAT MADE IT THAT VERY POINT MORE UNDERSTANDABLE, AND I THINK THAT WAS

[00:25:08]

SUPPORTED BY THE PETITIONERS, NOT BY THE TOWNSHIP.

WELL, I DON'T CARE WHO WORDED.

YEAH, THAT'S TRUE.

YOU KNOW, THE FACT IS IT WAS ON THE BALLOT AND PEOPLE NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND IT FULLY.

COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL.

YEAH TO THE DIRECTOR'S SPECIFIC POINTS, THE NUMBER OF DISTRICTS AND YOUR MEMO INDICATES THAT YOU'VE HEARD SOME SUPPORT FOR REDUCING THE NUMBER OF DISTRICTS, INCLUDING POTENTIALLY THE TOWNER RD AND DAWN AVENUE OVERLAYS, AND I HAVEN'T BEEN FOLLOWING THAT CONVERSATION CLOSELY AND ANY FURTHER DETAIL ON THAT YOU COULD PROVIDE WOULD BE USEFUL. I MEAN, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, DAWN AVENUE IS ONE OF OUR FEW INDUSTRIAL ZONES THAT IS INCLUDED IN AND I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT THE SORT OF MICRO PROCESSING IS A SUPER FIT WITH THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING IN THERE.

SO I'M INTERESTED IN ANY BACKGROUND YOU CAN GIVE ON ON THAT.

YEAH, I MEAN, I CAN TELL YOU THAT DIRECTOR CLARK AND I HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION EXTENSIVELY.

TOWNER RD AND THE DAWN AVENUE SITES ARE TWO OF THE ONLY INDUSTRIAL ZONE PROPERTIES IN THE TOWNSHIP, AND SHE IS SHE WOULD SAY THAT THE WE NEED TO WORK ON MAINTAINING AND KEEPING THE BUSINESSES WE HAVE BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH A LIMITED AMOUNT OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY, AND WE FOUND THAT OUT WITH THE MIDWEST POWER WHEN SPARROW PURCHASED THEIR SITE, MIDWEST POWER COULDN'T FIND A SITE REALLY IN THE TOWNSHIP BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY A COUPLE OF INDUSTRIAL ZONE PROPERTIES LEFT, AND SO I THINK OUR POINT FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE IS GOING TO BE THAT WE THINK THAT WE NEED TO TRY AND MAINTAIN THAT FOR THE BUSINESSES THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE TRYING TO EXPAND, AND THERE'S NO REASON TO HUNT DOWN ANOTHER INDUSTRY TO FILL THAT SPACE.

CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE, IF THERE IS ONE, FOR DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN THE EXISTING MEDICAL MAP AND A POTENTIAL RECREATIONAL MAP, WHY SHOULD THERE BE ANY DIFFERENCE? STAFF WOULD AGREE, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE ARE GOING TO RECOMMEND IS THAT THIS BECOMES, INSTEAD OF BEING CALLED THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA OVERLAY DISTRICT, I BELIEVE IT'S CALLED, IT WILL SIMPLY BE THE MARIJUANA OVERLAY DISTRICT.

THAT IS WHERE THAT IS WHERE WE ARE LEANING RIGHT NOW.

THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEYS HAVE GIVEN US NO PUSHBACK ON THAT.

THEY THINK FROM A ZONING PERSPECTIVE, IT PROBABLY DOES MAKE SENSE TO SIMPLIFY THINGS.

WE JUST HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE LICENSING SEPARATE BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE TWO ACTS ARE STRUCTURED.

IS THERE A RATIONALE BEING PRESENTED FOR DIFFERENTIATING? I MEAN, IN MY OWN MIND I CAN THINK OF IF YOU CAN GO THERE TO GET A PRESCRIPTION FILLED, WHY CAN'T YOU GO THERE TO BUY IT? BUT IS THERE AN ARGUMENT BEING MADE FOR THE OTHER SIDE? NO ONE'S BROUGHT AN ARGUMENT TO MY ATTENTION TO KEEP THEM SEPARATE.

COMMISSIONER TREZISE. I'D LIKE TO SEE THE MAP AND THE PARTICULAR USES PERMITTED IN THE OVERLAY DISTRICT.

IT'S BEEN TWO THREE YEARS SINCE I LAST LOOKED AT IT.

I BELIEVE THE TOWNER RD AND THE DAWN AVENUE ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT PROVIDE FOR PROCESSING.

GROWING THE INDUSTRIAL PIECE OF IT, AND WE'VE HAD NO BITES ON THOSE.

SO I DON'T KNOW THAT KEEPING THAT IS NECESSARILY IN OUR BEST INTERESTS.

IT COULD ALWAYS BE AMENDED TO ADD THAT BACK IN IF WE WISHED.

SO WE'RE LOOKING PRIMARILY AT DISPENSARIES AGAIN, UNLESS THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT REASON TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE DISPENSARY TYPE OPERATION, I DON'T SEE A REASON TO DO SO.

THERE MAY BE SOME.

SUGGESTION THAT CERTAIN OF THOSE AREAS MAY BE RESTRICTED ONLY TO MEDICAL BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE AREA AND THE TRAFFIC VOLUME OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT ON THE SURFACE, I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT TYPE OF PHYSICAL RESTRICTION THAT WOULD WOULD JUSTIFY DIFFERENTIATING THE DISTRICTS. I AGREE IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE A REFRESHER WHAT'S ALLOWED WHERE , BUT EXCUSE ME, I JUST WANT TO COMPLIMENT THE TOWNSHIP ON.

TO GO AND FORGOT IT WAS HERE UNTIL JUST NOW, BUT ON THE WEBSITE, THE MAP VIEWER IS AMAZING THAT I WAS ABLE TO PULL IT UP AND CLICK ON MEDICAL

[00:30:08]

MARIJUANA DISTRICTS ON THE WEBSITE INSTANTLY, AND I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WAS THERE.

I WAS GOING TO GOOGLE IT AND FOUND IT ON.

SO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN WE SAY WE NEED MORE COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPARENCY, I THINK IT'S SOMETIMES WE FORGET THAT IT'S THERE.

WE JUST HAVEN'T GONE TO LOOK FOR IT.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THIS IS TO THE STAFF THAT PUT THAT TOGETHER.

IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT--HISTORICALLY HAD GOOD JAZZ PEOPLE.

YEAH, THERE'S A LOT THERE BEYOND THIS THAT I THINK IS REALLY HELPFUL TO WETLANDS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO JUST A SHOUT OUT TO THE STAFF.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ISSUE? I GUESS SIMILAR TO A REFRESHER FOR ME, IT WOULD NOT BE A REFRESHER.

IT WOULD BE JUST [INAUDIBLE] I WOULD APPRECIATE HAVING ABOUT THE OVERLAY DISTRICTS, THE TYPES OF LICENSES THE TOWNSHIP WOULD CONSIDER.

I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE I NEED A LOT OF INFORMATION ON THAT BECAUSE I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS TOPIC.

SO I GUESS ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE PERTINENT THERE.

IF I'M HEARING EVERYBODY CORRECTLY, WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO REINVENT THE WHEEL.

JUST START OVER WITH A WHOLE SEPARATE ORDINANCE ON THIS IF WE COULD AVOID THAT.

THERE MAY BE SOME NEED FOR DIFFERENTIATION IN HERE, BUT TO START OVER AGAIN WITH WITH ANOTHER TEN PAGE ORDINANCE [INAUDIBLE] SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO PROBABLY BE AT THE SAME LOCATION DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE.

THAT'S WHAT WE WERE HOPING TO HEAR.

I'M ALSO KIND OF RELIEVED TO FIND THAT IT WOULD BE VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO ADJUST THE LOCATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONCENTRATION OF THE VOTE.

I HEARD SEVERAL PEOPLE WHOSE NAMES SHALL NOT BE REPEATED HERE SUGGEST THAT, AND TO ME, THAT SOUNDS MORE LIKE VINDICTIVE GOVERNMENT, AND I'D HATE TO SEE US FALL INTO A TRAP LIKE THAT.

YEAH, AND I'LL BRING MY HAND-DRAWN MAP WHERE I WENT THROUGH AND LAID IT OUT.

IT REALLY IS THROUGHOUT THE TOWNSHIP A MIX.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF CONCENTRATED AREAS, MAKE NO MISTAKE, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE A LANDSLIDE IN ANY AREA.

I THINK THE HIGHEST DISTRICT WAS TAKING OUT THE ONES THAT ONLY HAD LIKE 30 VOTERS.

I WANT TO SAY THE HIGHEST WAS MAYBE 69 AGAINST.

BUT I'LL BRING THAT DATA AS WELL JUST TO SHARE IT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS? I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ASKING THE STAFF TOO MUCH, BUT AS PART OF THAT REVIEW, LOOKING AT THE LICENSES THAT HAVE BEEN ISSUED AND THEIR STATUS, I THINK THEY'VE ALL EXPIRED, BUT , AND REFLECTIONS ON SORRY FORFEITED TO BE CLEAR, AND [INAUDIBLE] WHEN WORKING WITH THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DETERMINED THAT THOSE LICENSES WERE FORFEITED PRIOR TO MY EVEN BEING HERE.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.

NO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

SO SPECULATING ON IT WITHOUT KNOWING THE APPLICANTS OR THEIR MOTIVATIONS FOR ENDING UP IN A SITUATION WHERE THE LICENSE WAS FORFEITED, I THINK THERE'S KIND OF A BROAD ASSUMPTION THAT THOSE APPLICANTS HAD BEEN HOPING THAT RECREATIONAL WOULD BE ALLOWED.

I DON'T KNOW HOW WE GO ABOUT INFERRING THAT, BUT THAT WAS KIND OF THEIR SORT OF HOPE AND THAT PLAYED INTO THE FACT THAT NONE OF THOSE LICENSES WERE WHAT, ACTUALIZED.

I THINK YOU'RE SEEING TWO THINGS.

I THINK YOU'RE SEEING THAT, AND I THINK YOU'RE SEEING THE FACT THAT THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY SINCE JUST BEFORE COVID HIT.

MOST OF THOSE LICENSES WERE APPROVED.

RIGHT, RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF COVID, AND THINGS JUST HAVE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.

I MEAN, THERE'S CONVERSATION OUT THERE THAT WHETHER OR NOT THE MEDICAL WILL JUST BE ABSORBED INTO RECREATIONAL WITHIN THE NEXT 5 TO 10 YEARS JUST BECAUSE IT'S CHANGED THAT MUCH. THE NUMBER OF CARDHOLDERS IS DOWN PRETTY DRAMATICALLY.

SO OUTSIDE OF THOSE AREAS OF CONCENTRATION, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE AS MUCH SENSE ANYMORE, BUT IT'S A RELATIVELY IF YOU'RE GETTING THE RECREATIONAL LICENSE, IT'S NOT GENERALLY THAT MUCH MORE TO DO THE MEDICAL LICENSE, AND IT DOES ATTRACT THE CROWD THAT DOESN'T WANT TO PAY THE EXCISE TAX, AND SO THAT'S FAIR.

VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THIS.

WE WILL PUT ALL THIS TOGETHER AND TRY TO GET YOU GUYS A DRAFT HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE AS WE GO FORWARD.

VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT, THEN WE ARE NOW AT TOWNSHIP BOARD UPDATE.

[11A. Township Board update.]

[00:35:04]

I SEE THAT YOU INCLUDED THAT ENFORCEMENT CHART.

YEAH, WE'RE TRYING TO REMEMBER TO GET YOU GUYS THAT EVERY EVERY MONTH.

THIS IS ROUGHLY WHAT SEPTEMBER LOOKED LIKE FOR US.

IT'S GETTING READY TO CHANGE FROM TALL GRASS TO SNOW AND ICE, AS IT DOES EVERY YEAR, BUT JUST BRIEFLY, IN TERMS OF TOWNSHIP BOARD, THE BIG THING THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION PROBABLY MOST WANTS TO BE AWARE OF IS THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD DID APPROVE THE BROWNFIELD AND THE COMMERCIAL REHABILITATION ACT REQUEST FOR HASLETT VILLAGE SQUARE, AND SO THAT IS MOVING FORWARD SLOWLY BUT SURELY, ACTUALLY NOT SLOWLY.

I WAS GOING TO SAY IT'S NOT SLOW.

IT'S GOING VERY QUICKLY.

IT'S VERY STEADY.

WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AND THEY'RE TRYING TO NOW FIGURE OUT CLOSING OUR LOANS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THIS IS VERY MUCH A LIVE PROJECT COMING DOWN THE PATH.

THOSE HAVE BEEN THE REAL BIG THINGS THAT HAVE OCCURRED.

OBVIOUSLY, THE TOWNSHIP BUDGET WAS APPROVED, AMONG OTHER THINGS, AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT I HAVE THIS EVENING.

DIRECTOR. JUST A QUICK QUESTION ON THIS CHART.

IN MY OTHER LIFE, I WAS A MAGISTRATE AND I SAW THESE CASES BEING.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THESE ARE ACTUALLY LITIGATED OR ARE THESE JUST ISSUED COMPLAINTS? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, WE HAD ABOUT 190, AND I WOULD SAY THAT WE PROBABLY ONLY GOT TO COURT ON 3 TO 5% MAX.

IT'S GENERALLY THE NUISANCES, AND THOSE ARE OUR CATCH ALL THAT WE USE, AND A LOT OF THE STUFF IN THE WINSLOW THAT WE HAD WAS A NUISANCE. WE DO THE MOTOR VEHICLE ONE WOULD BE THE OTHER ONE THAT'S ABANDONED, AN UNLICENSED INOPERABLE VEHICLE THAT THOSE TEND TO DRAG OUT AND OFTEN REQUIRE THE MAGISTRATE'S ATTENTION, BUT MOST OF THE STUFF IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.

ONCE PEOPLE ARE MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE, THEY ARE COMPLIANT.

I WAS JUST WONDERING, BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THESE IN FRONT OF ME, BUT NOT 90 OF THEM.

YEAH. NO, WE DO NOT LITIGATE A LOT OF THEM, BUT WE HAD ONE THIS WEEK, YOU KNOW, SO WE'LL HAVE, WE USUALLY HAVE, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY ONE A WEEK OR ONE EVERY OTHER WEEK, PROBABLY, WINSLOW ASIDE.

OKAY, ANY OTHER COMMENT ON THIS ELEMENT OF THE AGENDA? ALL RIGHT, ARE YOU FINISHED WITH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD UPDATE? YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT, LIAISON REPORTS.

[11B. Liaison reports.]

THIS ISN'T A LIAISON REPORT, BUT I HAD THE INTERESTING EXPERIENCE.

I'VE SERVED AS SECRETARY ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ALL THAT TIME, I ACTUALLY HAD A DOCUMENT TO SIGN [CHUCKLING].

BRIAN EMAILED ME AND SAID, COULD YOU COME IN? AND I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT THE DOCUMENT WAS [CHUCKLING], BUT IT WAS LIKE, OH MY GOODNESS, SECRETARIES REALLY DO DO SOMETHING [CHUCKLING].

I CAN REPORT THAT THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY IS HAVING PROBLEMS. THIS IS THE SECOND MEETING IN A ROW WHERE THEIR DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR CLARK, SPECIFICALLY SAID, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU GET HERE BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING THROUGH SOME OF THIS STUFF, AND THIS IS THE SECOND MEETING IN A ROW WHERE THEY DIDN'T HAVE A FUNCTIONAL QUORUM.

SO IT IS A PROBLEM, BUT BEING DIRECTOR CLARK, AND BEING THE EXTRAORDINARILY EFFICIENT ADMINISTRATOR THAT SHE IS, SHE PUT TOGETHER THIS HUGE DOCUMENT THAT I GOT A COPY OF.

IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED, THIS IS THE LATEST EVENTS OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

I DROUGHT IT IN SO YOU COULD LOOK AT IT.

I WOULD JUST ALSO ADD SPEAKING OF THE GREATNESS OF DIRECTOR CLARK, IF YOU HADN'T NOTICED, SHE WAS AWARDED ONE OF THE TEN OVER THE NEXT TEN AWARDEES ON THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

SHE JOINS A FUN LITTLE GROUP THAT IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THERE ARE NOW THREE STAFF MEMBERS HERE THAT HAVE WON THAT AWARD.

I CAN'T BALANCE MY CHECKBOOK, AND SHE'S BALANCING 11 OR 12 OF THEM.

SO I'M IMPRESSED.

SHE'S PRETTY AWESOME. YEAH.

ANY OTHER LIAISON REPORTS? I ATTENDED THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING.

WHAT WAS IT? END OF SEPTEMBER HERE, AND WOW, THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON WITH THE ROADS, AS IF YOU ALL DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW THAT, BUT ONE OF THE

[00:40:03]

PROJECTS THAT HAD BEEN HAS BEEN IN DISCUSSION FOR QUITE SOME TIME IS THE LAKE LANSING ROAD AND TOWER AVENUE, THAT WHOLE INTERSECTION.

SO AT THE MEETING THERE WAS AN ENGINEER PRESENT FROM THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT GAVE A PRESENTATION.

IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE EVERYTHING.

SO I WOULD RECOMMEND FINDING POWERPOINT ONLINE IF YOU WANT THE DETAILS, BUT THE ROAD IS GOING TO BE BROUGHT DOWN FROM THE FOUR LANES TO THREE WITH A TURN LANE IN THE MIDDLE AND THEN PAVED PATHWAYS ON EACH SIDE, AND THEN CERTAINLY IT'LL BE MORE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY AS FAR AS THE DIFFERENT CROSSING AREAS ARE CONCERNED, AND THEN THAT IS A PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO TAKE ABOUT 12 WEEKS NEXT YEAR, I THINK NEXT SUMMER.

SO I TALKED ABOUT THAT.

THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION ALSO SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION TO BE HOPEFULLY APPROVED AS BICYCLE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY, AND I THINK DECEMBER IS WHEN THEY'LL RECEIVE WORD ON WHETHER OR NOT WE QUALIFY, AND A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS.

OH, I THOUGHT THIS WAS REALLY INTERESTING.

THE TOWNSHIP IS CONSIDERING A PILOT ROAD MURAL AT THE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN.

I DON'T REALLY KNOW MUCH ABOUT THAT, BUT I WAS DEFINITELY INTRIGUED.

I'D LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT, AND THEN THE TRAIL BETWEEN MSU AND LAKE LANSING, SPECIFICALLY THE SEGMENT FROM CAMPUS HILL TO OKEMOS ROAD.

I DON'T KNOW IF THE CONTRACT HAS BEEN SECURED YET, BUT THEY WERE HOPING TO HAVE IT SECURED BY OCTOBER WITH CONSTRUCTION NEXT YEAR.

I BELIEVE IT IS NOW.

I KNOW THAT THE BIDS ARE BACK AND I BELIEVE IT'S IN PLACE, BUT YES, THEY ARE PLANNING ON CONSTRUCTION NEXT YEAR.

MORE CONSTRUCTION. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER LIAISON REPORTS? ALL RIGHT, AND THAT BRINGS US UP TO ITEM 12.

[12. PROJECT UPDATES]

PROJECT UPDATES. DO WE HAVE ANY, YOU KNOW, NOTHING NEW THAT'S COME IN SINCE WE SENT THIS OUT, BUT I WILL POINT OUT IT'S JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS IN TERMS OF CONSTRUCTION, AS EVERYONE'S AWARE OR HAVE PROBABLY SEEN IF YOU'VE GONE PAST SIERRA RIDGE, PHASE FOUR IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN SIERRA RIDGE.

THAT SUBDIVISION IS LONG GESTATING OUT AT NEWTON AND ESSENTIALLY AM 78.

THE PROJECT TO THE NORTH, WHICH IS THE DTN PROJECT, YOU ARE LIKELY TO START SEEING GROUND BROKE THERE VERY SOON.

THEY FINALLY APPEAR TO HAVE THE FINAL APPROVALS FROM THE JOINT COMMISSION AND THE ROAD DEPARTMENT, MDOT, AND THEY'RE MOVING FULL STEAM NOW, IT LOOKS LIKE.

SO ANOTHER LONG GESTATING PROJECT APPEARS TO BE GETTING READY TO START CONSTRUCTION.

DO WE HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON WHEN TRADER JOE'S IS GOING TO START ABOVE GROUND CONSTRUCTION? YEAH, SO I'M HOPING TO GET A REVISED SCHEDULE FOR THEM IN THE NEXT WEEK OR S HERE.

THEIR STEEL DID NOT ARRIVE ON TIME, OBVIOUSLY ORIGINALLY, AND THEY LOST THEIR INSTALLER SCHEDULE AND SO THEY ARE WORKING ON RE SLOTTING IT WITH NOW THAT THEY KNOW STEEL IS PRODUCED AND CAN BE DELIVERED.

IF YOU'VE DRIVEN PAST YOU SEE THAT THERE IS ACTUALLY INSULATION ON SITE BECAUSE IN THE TIME WHEN THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLING INSULATION IT SHOWED UP ON SITE AND SO THEY'RE IN A TIGHT SPOT. WHEN THEY LOST THEIR WINDOW.

THEY'RE TRYING TO SCRAMBLE NOW.

WHAT'S THE STATUS ON THE [INAUDIBLE] WE APPROVED AT THE HOBBY LOBBY LOT.

CONSUMERS CREDIT UNION HAD A LENGTHY REVIEW AT THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE APPEARS TO HAVE FINALLY GOTTEN OVER THAT HURDLE AND IS NOW TRYING TO GET THE ROAD DEPARTMENT TO SIGN OFF SO THEY CAN START CONSTRUCTION.

CAN I JUST DO A QUICK STAFF SHOUTOUT IF I HAVE A SHOT OF THIS ONE FROM THE TREE TALKS BEFORE WHEN THE PAUL REVERE SITE GOT REDEVELOPED AS A CAR WASH AND THERE WAS A SMATTERING OF HOPE THAT SOMEHOW THAT SIDEWALK THAT WAS RIGHT BEHIND THE CURB COULD BE DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH, AND SOMEHOW THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT PULLED A RABBIT OUT OF THEIR HAT AND THAT SIDEWALK IS FANTASTIC.

SO KUDOS TO THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT FOR PULLING THAT ONE OFF.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE WORST SECTIONS OF OUR TOWNSHIP'S PATHWAY SYSTEM.

I WOULD AGREE. I WOULD GIVE ALL THE CREDIT TO THE CONTRACTOR AS WELL.

THEY DID A GREAT JOB THERE.

THAT SITE LOOKS REALLY GOOD ACTUALLY, AND I CAN'T SAY THAT I EXPECTED THAT.

YEAH, BUT HAVING BEEN A STUDENT AT MSU IN THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES, I MISS PAUL REVERE.

I'VE HEARD THAT A LOT. YOU KNOW, IT OCCURS TO ME THE DIFFICULTIES, FOR INSTANCE, WITH TRADER JOE.

[00:45:04]

I WONDER IF THE BUILDING INDUSTRY IS GOING TO GET HAMMERED BECAUSE OF DIVERTING ALL THEIR RESOURCES DOWN TO FLORIDA.

THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS RIGHT NOW.

I MEAN, INTEREST RATES ARE CHANGING.

THE SUPPLY CHAIN IS STARTING TO CATCH BACK UP IN CERTAIN AREAS.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE HEARING OF PRICES GOING DOWN IN CERTAIN PRODUCTS, WHICH IS, I THINK PART OF THE REASON THAT THE PINE VILLAGE PROJECT IS FINALLY COMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD THAT THEY WEREN'T SEEING CONTINUAL INCREASES ANYMORE.

SO I'M NOT SURE IT'S GOING TO BE I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTING WINNER FOR THIS PROJECT THAT CAN CONTINUE.

THEY'RE GOING TO DO WELL.

ALL RIGHT, NOTHING ELSE UNDER ITEM 12 PROJECT UPDATES.

VERY GOOD.

WE ARE NOW AT WHAT'S KNOWN AS THE SECOND PUBLIC REMARKS SECTION.

YOU JUST DON'T TELL US WHO WE ARE, BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE] PUBLIC REMARKS [LAUGHTER] YOU'D HAVE TO TELL US WHO WE ARE.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING IN. WE APPRECIATE HAVING YOU HERE.

ALL RIGHT, THEN. I THINK AT THIS POINT, WE ARE READY TO ADJOURN.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.