Link

Social

Embed

Disable autoplay on embedded content?

Download

Download
Download Transcript

[00:04:57]

MIC] GOOD EVENING.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

[00:05:01]

WELCOME, EVERYONE. I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN, DECEMBER 7TH, 2022.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE IN PERSON, VIRTUAL.

HOWEVER IT MAY COME.

NOW IS THE FIRST TIME ON OUR AGENDA FOR PUBLIC REMARKS.

SEEING NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, WE'LL DISPENSE WITH THAT ITEM AND MOVE TO THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[3. CHANGES TO/APPROVAL OF AGENDA ]

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? SO MOVE. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NON ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE AGENDA PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED. THE AGENDA IS APPROVED.

[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

MOVING TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER 2ND, 2022 MEETING.

DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? I MOVE.

SO MOVED.

I'LL SECOND. THANK YOU.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THE DRAFT MINUTES CIRCULATED IN THE PACKET? YES, MR. CHAIR, AT THE END OF THE PARAGRAPH ON CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, IT APPEARS THAT THE LAST SENTENCE WAS CUT OFF, SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT WAS INTENDED THERE, BUT HARVEY WILL EXTEND FULL EDITING PRIVILEGES TO MAYBE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.

I DON'T KNOW. THAT SEEMS TO BE WHAT I RECOLLECT.

DOES THAT SOUND LIKE AN APPROPRIATE AMENDMENT TO THE MINUTES? GREAT. ANY OTHER GLITCHES? I REALLY LIKE THESE MINUTES.

I'M A BIG FAN OF MINUTES.

IN THE BOARD AND COMMITTEE UPDATES PARAGRAPH, THIRD, FOURTH SENTENCE, LAFFERTY REPORTS THAT THE FOOD TO COMPOST COMMITTEE WILL BE MEETING WITH PARKS ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES, EXPAND THE GLEANING INITIATIVE OKEMOS SCHOOLS FOR ABOUT A FOOD AUDIT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CURRICULA.

I COULD NOT PARSE THAT SENTENCE.

EXPAND THE GLEANING INITIATIVE AT OKEMOS SCHOOLS AND TALK ABOUT A FOOD AUDIT.

IS THAT WHAT WE'RE GOING FOR THERE? HMM. YEAH.

RIGHT. NEXT PARAGRAPH DOWN.

I THINK THEY'RE MEETING WITH OKEMOS SCHOOLS ABOUT THE GREENING INITIATIVE.

I DON'T THINK THERE IS ACTUALLY A START OF THE GREENING INITIATIVE AT OKEMOS SCHOOLS YET.

OKAY. SO IF STAFF CAN CLEAN UP THAT SENTENCE, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

ANY OTHER CHANGES, ADDITIONS, CORRECTIONS, SUPERLATIVES REGARDING THE MINUTES? [INAUDIBLE] NOT ALL IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THE MINUTES AS AMENDED PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED.

HEARING NONE THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

MOVING TO NEW BUSINESS MASTER PLAN, A DISCUSSION WITH SENIOR PLANNER SHORKEY.

[5. NEW BUSINESS]

I'D LIKE TO WELCOME SENIOR PLANNER SHORKEY BACK AMONGST US.

IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE THE PLANNING COMMISSION HERE AND EXCITED TO HEAR WHAT YOU GOT FOR US ABOUT THE MASTER PLAN.

GOOD EVENING. SOME OF YOU HAVE SEEN ONLINE, SOME OF YOU I HAVE NOT.

AGAIN, I AM BRIAN SHORKEY.

I'VE BEEN HERE A LITTLE OVER A YEAR.

I'M THE SENIOR PLANNER IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

I DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT FOR YOU TONIGHT.

JUST EXPLAINING THE WHAT THE MASTER PLAN IS, WHAT WE'RE DOING.

IT'S THE TIME FOR THE ANNUAL FIVE YEAR UPDATE AND OUR STAFF IS GOING TO ALL THE BOARDS AND COMMITTEES AND PERSONALLY DISCUSSING IT AND INTRODUCING IT.

THE FIVE YEAR UPDATE TO THE MASTER PLAN WAS INITIATED FORMALLY BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION BACK IN AUGUST, AND THEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION OCTOBER 24TH HELD A PUBLIC HEARING FORMALLY KICKING OFF THE MASTER PLAN UPDATE.

THE MASTER PLAN IS NOT AN ORDINANCE DOCUMENT.

IT IS A MASTER PLAN, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

THEY'RE CALLED BY THE SAME DOCUMENT CALLED BY DIFFERENT NAMES.

I THINK WE TEND TO CALL IT A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

EITHER WAY, IT'S LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT AN ORDINANCE.

IT'S A GUIDING DOCUMENT.

IT IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW, WHAT IS THE FUTURE, WHAT IS THE TRENDS? ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR FEATURES OF A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP.

IN MY EXPERIENCE, PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT THAT IN PUBLIC HEARINGS AND GO, OH, THERE'S MY PROPERTY.

AND YOU SAY, I'M OKAY, I'M GOOD.

ANOTHER SECTION OF THE GOALS, ANOTHER SECTION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THOUGH, IS THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

AND THAT'S SPECIFICALLY WHAT I WANTED TO KIND OF FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION ON TONIGHT.

[00:10:03]

NOW, UNFORTUNATELY, IT CAME TO MY ATTENTION TODAY ON LEROY'S ZOOM CALL THAT I HAD.

I PUT THE WRONG GOAL AND OBJECTIVE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES IN YOUR PACKET.

MY MEMO CORRECTLY REFERS TO GOAL NUMBER TWO.

PRESERVE OPEN SPACE AND NATURAL AREAS.

SO AT THIS TIME, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME COPIES OUT THERE.

DOES ANYBODY NEED A COPY OF THIS? I HAVE MORE TO HAND OUT.

I THINK YOU HAVE IT AVAILABLE DIGITALLY AS WELL.

DO WE HAVE A WEALTH OF DIGITAL INFORMATION.

I KNOW, RIGHT? I DON'T AT THIS POINT.

WE AS STAFF DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING THAT WE ARE PROPOSING.

WE ARE COMPLETELY IN A DATA COLLECTION MODE.

SO IF YOU AS A BODY WANT TO DISCUSS GOALS, GOAL NUMBER TWO, PRESERVE OPEN SPACE AND NATURAL AREAS AND THE FIVE OBJECTIVES AND ASSORTED STRATEGIES THAT FOLLOW THAT, I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THAT DIALOGUE WITH YOU AND GET YOUR INPUT ON THAT.

IF YOU WANT TO ADDRESS US SINGULARLY, GO THROUGH THE WHOLE DOCUMENT.

WE WELCOME ANY AND ALL COMMENTS YOU HAVE.

THERE'S A LINK ON THE SECOND PARAGRAPH ON MY MEMO THAT REFERS TO THE FEEDBACK FORM ON OUR TOWNSHIP WEBSITE, AND WE'VE GOTTEN A NUMBER OF COMMENTS ALREADY SUBMITTED TO US BY RESIDENTS OFF THE WEBSITE.

LEROY, COULD YOU PUT MY MEMO UP ON THE SCREEN FOR A SECOND FOR A SMALL FEE? NO. THAT'S YOUR MINUTES.

THERE YOU GO. YEAH, THAT RIGHT THERE IN THE SECOND PARAGRAPH, MERIDIAN .MI.US/ABOUTUS/DEPARTMENTS/COMMUNITYDEVELOPMENT/MASTERPLAN ASSORTED HYPHENS IN THERE FOR PEOPLE AT HOME OR WATCHING.

BUT YOU SEE THE LINK THERE.

YOU EASILY FIND IT FROM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SECTION OF THE TOWNSHIP'S WEBSITE.

SO WITH THAT, THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE.

WHEN WE HAVE SOMETHING MORE SUBSTANTIAL TO ACTUALLY SHOW YOU, I'LL BE BACK AGAIN FOR SPECIFIC INPUT ON THINGS LIKE UPDATED GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

FUTURE LAND USE MAP.

I KNOW ONE THING THAT WE DISCUSSED EARLIER ON LEROY'S ZOOM, ENVIRONMENTAL ZOOM CALL, THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY, THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT AT THIS POINT WE DON'T HAVE ANY MAPS OR CHARTS OR ANYTHING TO PRESENT TO YOU.

AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE, JUST TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION AND HAVE THIS DIALOGUE IF YOU ARE WILLING AND WISH TO.

AND OTHERWISE, I'M JUST DIRECTING YOU TOWARD WHERE YOU CAN MAKE INPUT AND HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN SOON.

GREAT, THANKS. I'VE GOT A WHOLE TON, BUT I'LL GO AROUND THE TABLE.

IF ANYBODY HAS ANY SPECIFIC ISSUES THEY'D LIKE TO RAISE WITH PLANNER SHORKEY.

A GENERAL TYPE QUESTION.

PLEASE. CAN YOU TELL US, REMIND US WHAT THE TIMEFRAME IS FOR UPDATING THE PLAN.

SO WE WILL CONTINUE TAKING INPUT THROUGH EARLY NEXT YEAR.

WE ANTICIPATE SOMETIME IN THE SPRING BRINGINH LIKE A VERY ROUGH DRAFT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE'LL WORK THROUGH GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

SO SOMETIME NEXT YEAR WE'LL HAVE A DRAFT PLAN THAT WE'LL PRESENT TO EVERYBODY.

AND THEN ONCE THAT HAPPENS, JUST SO YOU KNOW HOW THIS ENDS.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION TAKES A LOOK AT IT, THEN WE SEND IT OUT FOR REVIEW TO SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES FOR 45 DAYS AND THEN IT COMES BACK. PLANNING COMMISSION THEN GIVES IT THE GO AHEAD.

IT GOES TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AT THAT POINT.

THIS IS NOT JUST YOU REALIZE THIS IS NOT I KNOW THE PROCESS THAT YOU WENT THROUGH FIVE YEARS AGO.

THIS IS NOT THAT.

THIS IS NOT A MAJOR OVERHAUL.

WE DON'T SEE THIS AS A MAJOR OVERHAUL.

WE DON'T THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE OVERHAULED.

WE JUST NEED. THIS IS THE REQUIRED UPDATE.

MICHIGAN REQUIRES US TO DO A FIVE YEAR UPDATE.

THIS IS THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAPPY TO UPDATE IT AS AS PEOPLE WANT TO SEE IT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THAT GIANT OVERHAUL YOU WENT THROUGH FIVE YEARS AGO.

YEAH, WELL.

I'M GOING TO BE HERE FOR A MINUTE.

YEAH. YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT.

SO, FIRST, OVERALL, I APPRECIATE FALLING ON YOUR SWORD ABOUT SENDING OTHER SECTIONS OF THE PLAN.

I'M HAPPY TO SEE THOSE OTHER SECTIONS BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOME REALLY PERTINENT STUFF FOR THIS COMMISSION IN THEM.

BUT WE CAN START WITH THE GOAL 2, AND MAYBE WORK THROUGH THAT A LITTLE BIT.

[00:15:03]

THE GOAL 2A IN THE EXISTING PLAN ABOUT ADOPTING POLICIES AND PROGRAMS, THE FIRST STRATEGY IS ABOUT DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING POLICIES REGARDING OPEN SPACE, LAND AND NATURAL AREAS VIA ZONING, ETC.

AND I WANTED TO JUST BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION TO MAYBE FOR SOME DISCUSSION HERE THAT ARE KIND OF EVOLVING DRAFT OF THE WATER SECTION OF OUR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN STARTS TO RAISE THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THE NO NET LOSS OF WETLANDS POLICY IS APPROPRIATE GOING FORWARD OR WHETHER THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES OR MEANS TO ENHANCE THAT IN THE POLICY SENSE SO THAT YOU COULD ACTUALLY SEE NET GAIN.

IN MY PERSONAL VIEW, THE POLICY THAT WE HAVE GENERALLY LEADS TO NET GAIN BECAUSE THE COMPENSATION FOR WETLAND IS TYPICALLY GREATER THAN THE IMPACT.

SO THE CURRENT DRAFT OF THE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN IS SAYING ARE THERE, IS THERE MORE THAT COULD BE DONE AND HOW COULD IT BE DONE? AND I'VE RAISED IN THIS GROUP AND OTHERS THE NOTION OF LOOKING AT HOW WE DO STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND WHAT THE DRAIN COMMISSIONERS OFFICE REQUIRES OF DEVELOPERS IN TERMS OF MANAGING STORMWATER TO LEAD TO ENHANCED STORMWATER MANAGEMENT FACILITIES THAT GO BEYOND STOPPING FLOODING BUT ACTUALLY PROVIDE OTHER ECOLOGICAL SERVICES SUCH AS FILTRATION OR EVAPORATION OR OTHER THINGS THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE. AND AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION LEVEL, WE'VE HAD SOME SUCCESS WITH APPLICANTS IN ENCOURAGING THEM TO GO BEYOND THE MINIMAL PLANTING OF A STORMWATER RETENTION OR DETENTION FACILITY, TO INCREASE THE BIODIVERSITY, TO INCREASE EVAPORATION, TO INCREASE FILTRATION AND THINGS.

SO THAT'S ONE PART WHERE WE MIGHT WANT TO WORK WITH THAT PARTICULAR STRATEGY IN THE REVISION OF THE MASTER PLAN. FURTHER ON IN THAT SECTION, STRATEGY 6 WAS DEVELOP A TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE, PROTECT SIGNIFICANT MATURE TREES.

AND I KNOW THAT'S A TOPIC THAT'S BEEN BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION BEFORE MY TIME AND DIDN'T, DID NOT RESULT IN A POLICY.

AND I'M WONDERING IF AFTER FIVE YEARS OF THIS MASTER PLAN IS THAT STILL SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO HAVE AS A STRATEGY WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE IF WE'RE NOT REALLY MAKING FORWARD PROGRESS ON IT? IF WE DO WANT TO MAKE PROGRESS ON IT, HOW WOULD WE DO THAT? WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE? CONTROLLING WHAT PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS DO WITH TREES ON THEIR OWN LAND IS REALLY TOUGH.

BUT THE BOARD HAS HAD SUCCESS IN CONVINCING THE ROAD DEPARTMENT TO INCORPORATE SIGNIFICANT TREES IN THEIR ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THOSE AREAS WHERE AND I KNOW THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR INCREASING TREE COVER ALONG SOME OF THE COUNTY ROADS.

SO WHETHER WE WANT TO KEEP THAT AS A STRATEGY OR NOT AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT A BIT? THE OTHER IS B AND C, I THINK ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON CONSERVING WETLANDS, FLOODPLAINS, OTHER WATER RETENTION, OPEN SPACES AND NATURAL AREAS.

I JUST WANTED TO FLAG THOSE FOR THE COMMISSION AS ISSUES THAT WE'VE KIND OF GRAPPLED WITH IN THE PAST AND WE MIGHT WANT TO PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO.

JUST A QUICK ASIDE ON YOUR TREE PRESERVATION ORDINANCE QUESTION.

I ACTUALLY WROTE ONE IN A BRIEF PART OF MY PAST HISTORY AS A CONSULTANCY FOR A TOWN IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

THEY ARE, THEY'RE TECHNICALLY MORE TECHNICAL THAN YOU THINK THEY ARE.

THEY'RE DIFFICULT TO COME UP WITH.

BUT IF THIS COMMISSION CHOOSES TO WANT TO LEAVE THAT IN THERE, IT'S WORTHY DISCUSSION.

IT IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR A LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE, WHICH WE ARE IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF LOOKING AT UPDATING IN OUR DEPARTMENT.

JUST SO YOU KNOW, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION.

IS IT POSSIBLE THAT LANDSCAPING ORDINANCE WOULD TALK ABOUT THE PRESERVATION OF SIGNIFICANT TREES AS PART OF A SITE PLAN EVALUATION/ WHAT WE HAVE NOW, I THINK YOU KNOW THIS.

WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS SIGNIFICANT TREES THAT ARE BEING PRESERVED OR TAGGED ON A SITE.

WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD MANDATE WHICH TREES ARE PRESERVED.

DO THAT AS SOME PART OF A LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE IS SOMETHING WE COULD LOOK AT.

THE QUESTION OF WHAT IS A SIGNIFICANT TREE IS ALSO A SOMEWHAT SUBJECTIVE QUESTION, DEPENDING ON YOUR COMMUNITY TOO.

[00:20:03]

SO WE HAVEN'T EVEN TALKED ABOUT THAT.

RIGHT. RIGHT.

IF I MIGHT INTERJECT ON THAT AS WELL.

AND MY MEMORY DOESN'T SERVE ME EXTREMELY WELL IN THIS CASE.

BUT AS I RECALL, WHEN I WAS WORKING FOR THE MICHIGAN TOWNSHIPS ASSOCIATION, CANTON CHARTER TOWNSHIP AND WAYNE COUNTY HAD A TREE ORDINANCE THAT WAS CHALLENGED IN COURT AND THEY LOST THAT FIGHT.

SO THERE MAY BE SOME LEGAL OBSTACLES FOR THE TOWNSHIP TO PURSUE THAT GOING FORWARD AS WELL. I'LL NOTE THAT.

THANK YOU. SURE.

ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THAT BEFORE WE TURN TO THE ERRANT BUT STILL VERY RELEVANT SECTION 7 OF THE.

IT'S ALWAYS HARD TO ASK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THE OPPOSITE HAD BEEN TRUE.

BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT.

IF WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE WRITING SUCH AN ORDINANCE, I'D RESEARCH WHAT COMMUNITIES HAVE THAT.

I DID MENTION THAT I WROTE ONE.

I HAVE NO IDEA IF THEY EVEN ADOPTED IT.

[LAUGHTER] SO BUT WE WOULD LOOK INTO THAT.

I DON'T KNOW, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD ANY THAT HAVE HAVE ONE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW, BUT I COULD GET THAT INFORMATION.

OKAY. THE OTHER SECTION THAT WAS INCLUDED IN OUR PACKET WAS GOAL NUMBER 7, WHICH WAS PROMOTE EFFICIENT AND SUSTAINABLE GROWTH PRACTICES. AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF THOSE ARE ABOUT ENERGY EFFICIENCY, ELECTRIC CHARGING STATIONS, LEAD REDEVELOPMENT, GREEN SPACE AND OTHER THINGS THAT I WAS WANTING TO FLAG THAT FOR OUR ENERGY TEAM AND MAKE SURE THAT THE GOALS, THE STRATEGIES WITHIN THAT EXISTING MASTER PLAN ARE STILL APPROPRIATE AND RELEVANT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

AND I KNOW THAT WE ALSO HAVE ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING, OR AT LEAST IN OUR PACKET ADDITIONAL MATERIALS WAS TOWNSHIP GOALS, WHICH WERE SET BY THE BOARD EARLIER THIS WEEK, LAST WEEK AT ITS LAST MEETING AND DISTRIBUTED BY MANAGER WALSH EARLIER.

THAT PRETTY MUCH TASKED US WITH DEVELOPING A POLICY AROUND EV CHARGING STATIONS.

AND I READ IT CORRECTLY, THE GOAL, THE COUNTRY GOAL.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO THAT, TRUSTEE WISINSKI? I'M NOT SURE I HAVE ALL THE INFO.

SORRY, CHAIR. YEAH, LIKE I SAY, WE HAVE THIS WEALTH OF, OF DIGITAL INFORMATION AT OUR FINGERTIPS.

AND OF COURSE THE PIECE THAT I WAS LOOKING FOR ISN'T FALLING TO MY FINGERTIPS EITHER, BUT.

I CAN LOOK FOR IT.

SEE IF I PUT IT HERE.

WOULD YOU BY ANY CHANCE HAVE THAT LAST PIECE THAT WAS ADDED TO THE PACKET THAT I'M NOT.

THE NUMBER 7.

GOAL NUMBER 7? NO, IT WAS. WELL, LET ME SEE.

THE TOWNSHIP GOALS FOR 2023? THAT'S RIGHT. IT WASN'T ADDED TO OUR PACKET.

MAYBE IT WAS JUST ADDED IN MY MIND.

MAYBE IT WAS A VIRTUAL ADDING IN MY OWN LITTLE BRAIN.

BUT I DID SEE A COPY OF IT.

I CAN GO FETCH IT. BUT IS THERE? I THINK I HAVE IT.

IS IT ON THE INTERNET OR ON THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PAGE OR.

I DON'T THINK SO. JUST ABOUT.

SO I GUESS I WAS ASKING YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STRATEGIES ON GOAL 7A? OR DO THOSE ALL SEEM STILL RELEVANT AND GERMANE, OR DO THEY NEED SOME UPDATING? I TOOK A QUICK LOOK AT THEM EARLIER TODAY AND I YOU KNOW, THEY DID SEEM STILL RELEVANT.

SO THAT WAS MY INITIAL IMPRESSION.

I THINK, THOUGH, THAT IT WOULD BE LIKE YOU SUGGESTED A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE THE ENERGY TEAM DISCUSS IT AT OUR NEXT MEETING.

OKAY. THAT'S GOOD.

[00:25:02]

ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS FOR PLANNER SHORKEY ON THE MASTER PLAN UPDATE PROCESS? GO AHEAD, COURTNEY.

I FOUND IT. SO IT'S OUR GOAL LETTER E WITHIN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, SUPPORT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO DEVELOP A TOWNSHIP, PLAN FOR THE TOWNSHIP TO CONSTRUCT AND INSTALL FIRST ELECTRONIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATION.

SO IT'S TALKING ABOUT TOWNSHIP OWNED PROPERTIES OR ARE YOU ARE WE TALKING ABOUT.

WE'LL TALK TO YOUR ASSISTANT MANAGER [LAUGHHTER] IF YOU WANT.

I DIDN'T MEAN TO CALL YOU OUT.

HE HAS EVERYTHING UP HERE FOR YOU.

TRUSTEE WISINSKI, COULD YOU FIRST CLARIFY WHICH DOCUMENT YOU'RE REFERENCING? THE TOWNSHIP GOALS FOR 2023.

2023. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

YEAH, SO WE DID, WE'VE ALREADY LOOKED AT THE ELECTRICAL PANELS FOR THIS BUILDING AND FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING OR THE POLICE BUILDING.

IF YOU'RE UNFAMILIAR WITH OUR TERMINOLOGY, WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH SERVICE ON OUR PANELS TODAY TO ACCOMMODATE VERY MANY EV CHARGERS.

SO WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO BRING IN A NEW SERVICE FROM THE RIGHT OF WAY ON MARSH ROAD.

SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS PLAN IN 2023 AND COME UP WITH AN ACTUAL PLAN FOR THE FIRST INSTALLATION OF THE CHARGERS.

WHERE DO WE WANT IT TO GO? WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BORE A LOT OF UNDERGROUND CONDUIT.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE THINK THROUGH THE LOGISTICS ON THIS AND WHERE WE WANT THE CONDUIT STUBBED OFF, WHERE WE COULD BUILD OFF IN THE FUTURE, THAT KIND OF THING.

SO WE'RE GOING TO PLAN IT IN 2023.

AND DEPENDING ON HOW LONG THAT PLANNING TAKES, WE MAY OR MAY NOT LOOK AT IT AT DOING THE RFP IN THE NEXT YEAR.

WITH CONSTRUCTION PROBABLY IN THE SPRING OF 2024.

EXCELLENT. THANK YOU.

SO, YEAH, DEVELOP A PLAN FOR THE TOWNSHIP TO CONSTRUCT AND INSTALL ITS FIRST VEHICLE ELECTRIC CHARGING STATION.

THE ONE BEFORE THAT WAS WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, DEVELOP A PLAN FOR THE TOWNSHIP TO ACHIEVE ITS GOAL OF 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY BY 2035.

THE REPORTS I HAVE SEEN SUGGEST THAT THE TOWNSHIP IS CURRENTLY ON TRACK TO MEET THAT GOAL AND THAT THERE'S A PRETTY GOOD PLAN IN PLACE, INCLUDING WHAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT.

SO THAT THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT THING TO BE TASKED WITH DOING SINCE IT'S ALREADY ON THE PATH TO GETTING DONE.

AND THEN ANOTHER WAS WORK WITH ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO CONTINUE EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING OUR WETLANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES IN THE TOWNSHIP'S WETLAND PROTECTION ORDINANCE.

AGAIN, SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING ON AND OVERSEE AND ADMINISTER THE 2023 GREEN GRANTS INITIATIVE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE SO GOOD AT MEETING ALL OF THE GOALS ASSIGNED TO US BY THE TOWNSHIP, RIGHT, BECAUSE THEY'RE ONLY GOING.

ANYTHING ELSE ON MASTER PLAN.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. ONCE AGAIN YOU KNOW WHERE I LIVE.

YOU HAVE THE LINK. ANYTHING COMES TO YOU, JUST SUBMIT IT DIGITALLY.

WE ALL SEE IT. I'VE BEEN SAVING THEM AND WE'LL LOOK AT THEM ALL AT ONCE AND SEE WHAT TRENDS WE COME UP WITH WHEN WE HAVE SOMETHING ACTUAL TO PRESENT TO YOU.

I'LL BE BACK AGAIN. THANKS.

THANK YOU. YEAH.

YEAH. OKAY.

SO I'M TOLD EVERYONE WOULD LIKE AN UPDATE ON THE VERY DISRUPTIVE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE TOWNSHIP.

SO I'LL START WITH OKEMOS AND GREEN RIVER, THE INTERSECTION AND THINK OF THE GRAND RIVER PROJECT, AT LEAST IN TERMS OF THIS YEAR.

THERE'S THE MILLING AND RESURFACING FROM THE MARSH ROAD INTERSECTION EAST THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED FOR SOME TIME NOW.

SO NO MORE ORANGE BARRELS EAST OF MARSH ROAD.

AND THEN THE OTHER TWO THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT IS THE INTERSECTION OF OKEMOS ROAD AND THEN THE CORNER SECTION OR THE SECTION IN FRONT OF PLAYMAKERS.

BOTH OF THOSE SECTIONS ARE BEING RAISED A LITTLE OVER TWO FEET TO ALLEVIATE THE FLOODING.

WE DID THE OFFSETTING CUT, IF YOU RECALL, BEHIND THE CENTRAL FIRE STATION.

EVEN IF YOU DRIVE BACK THERE ON JUST THE SERVICE DRIVER ON THE BACK, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE A HUGE MOUND FROM WHERE THE OFFSETTING CUT WAS MADE BEHIND THERE.

OKEMOS AND THE OKEMOS ROAD AND GRAND RIVER INTERSECTION WILL PROBABLY BE, TOMORROW IT WILL BE REOPENED IN TERMS OF THE FIVE LANES ON GRAND RIVER IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.

SO TWO THROUGH LANES EAST AND WESTBOUND CENTER OFF TURN LANE ALL FULLY REOPENED.

IF YOU LEAVE HERE RIGHT NOW AND YOU ARE GOING TRAVELING EASTBOUND, YOU DO HAVE TWO THROUGH LANES, EASTBOUND CENTER TURN LANE THROUGH THE INTERSECTION.

SO EFFECTIVELY EVERYTHING EAST, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY THING THAT WILL BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT THAT POINT WILL BE THE NAKOMA SECTION.

HOWEVER, THE SIGNAL WON'T BE TURNED ON UNTIL PROBABLY WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY OF NEXT WEEK.

THEN THE TURN MOVEMENT ONTO OKEMOS ROAD NORTH AND SOUTHBOUND AT THE INTERSECTION WILL RESUME AGAIN WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY OF NEXT WEEK.

WE WERE HOPING THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT SOONER, BUT WE JUST HAD A WATER MAIN BREAK DOWN AT HAMILTON AND OKEMOS AND SO WE DON'T WANT TO SEND A BUNCH OF TRAFFIC THAT WAY WHILE WE

[00:30:08]

HAVE CONCRETE CURING DOWN THERE AND SOME LANE CLOSURES DUE TO THAT.

THEN THE NAKOMA SECTION IS BEING FINISHED UP.

SO THAT'S THE PLAYMAKER SECTION.

ALL THE CONCRETE IS IN AT THIS POINT, THEY'RE MOSTLY DOING PAVEMENT MARKINGS, SAW CUTS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

WE HOPE THAT THAT WILL REOPEN END OF NEXT WEEK TO THE MIDDLE OF THE FOLLOWING WEEK.

SO SOMETIME NEXT FRIDAY TO THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY.

OKEMOS ROAD BRIDGE WILL BE THE LAST PROJECT COMPLETED AND WE'RE LOOKING ROUGHLY AT END OF, I WOULD SAY, FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY TO THE LAST WEEK OF JANUARY.

RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE GETTING EVERYTHING IN ON THE BEAMS. WE DON'T HAVE A DATE YET ON WHEN THEY WILL POUR THE BRIDGE DECK FOR THE OTHER THREE LANES.

THE BRIDGE WAS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED AT THE END OF NOVEMBER.

IT'S NOT LOOKING LIKE THE END OF JANUARY, SO IT APPEARS THAT THERE ARE ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS BEHIND.

I WILL GIVE THE CONTRACTOR CREDIT.

THERE ARE ABOUT FOUR WEEKS BEHIND.

AT THE VERY OUTSET OF THE PROJECT.

IT STARTED FEBRUARY 14TH.

THEY DID NOT ACTUALLY, WERE NOT ABLE TO ACTUALLY START CONSTRUCTION UNTIL MARCH 14TH.

THEY LOST A MONTH DUE TO AT&T RELOCATING FIBER AND THEIR CABLES ON THE OLD SOUTHBOUND BRIDGE.

SO THE VERY OUTSET THEY WERE BASICALLY PUSHED TO THE END OF DECEMBER.

THEY'RE AROUND ABOUT 2 TO 4 WEEKS BEHIND AT THIS POINT, WHICH OVERALL ISN'T TERRIBLE GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE PROJECT.

HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS.

MY UNDERSTANDING, ONE OF MY FAVORITE BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT IS THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS, AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY'VE GOT THE CURB CUTS.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.