Dec 21, 2022 Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

[00:00:04]

IT IS 6:31 P.M.

AND I WILL NOW CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.

THIS IS THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS FOR THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN.

AND I WILL START WITH A ROLL CALL SINCE WE ARE SLIM TODAY.

MEMBER KOENIG. MEMBER FIELD-FOSTER? I AM HERE. AND THE CHAIR IS HERE AND WE ARE HOPING TO HAVE ONE MORE.

SO WE DO.

I WILL. I WILL NOTE FOR OUR PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE AND WATCHING AT HOME AS THERE'S THREE OF US, WE DO NEED A QUORUM TO VOTE YES OR NO ON ANY VARIANCE OF ALL THREE OF US VOTING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

BUT WITH THE FOUR OF US, THEN THAT DOES CHANGE THAT DYNAMIC.

BUT WE WILL, AS ALWAYS, DO OUR BEST.

[2. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA]

SO MOVED. ALL RIGHT.

AND THIS IS A VOTE TO APPROVE TONIGHT'S AGENDA.

MEMBER KOENIG YES.

MEMBER FIELD-FOSTER YES.

AND THE CHAIR VOTES YES.

AND WE WILL MOVE ON THEN TO CORRECTIONS, APPROVAL AND RATIFICATION OF THE MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 19, 2022.

[3. CORRECTIONS, APPROVAL AND RATIFICATION OF MINUTES]

SO I WOULD MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 19TH SUPPORT VOTE BY THE CHAIR SUPPORTED BY MEMBER FIELD-FOSTER.

AND THIS IS A VOTE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

MEMBER KOENIG.

YES. MEMBER FIELD-FOSTER.

YES, AND THE CHAIR VOTES YES.

[4. COMMUNICATIONS]

WE HAD ONE COMMUNICATION IN OUR PACKET FROM MR. BRYAN WINN REGARDING TONIGHT'S NEW BUSINESS CASE.

AND READING THROUGH THAT, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING OF NOTE AT THIS MOMENT OTHER THAN THAT THAT WAS RECEIVED IN OUR PACKETS AND WE DID ALL ALL READ THAT GOING FORWARD AND THE AGENDA, THERE IS NO UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

[6.A. ZBA CASE NO. 22-12-21-1 (Newman Equity II, LLC), 2502 Lake Lansing Road, Suite C, Lansing, MI 48912]

WHICH BRINGS US TO ZBA CASE NUMBER 22-12-21-1 NEWMAN EQUITY II LLC.

AND WITH THAT I WILL PASS IT OVER TO MR. CHAPMAN FOR HIS PRESENTATION.

GOOD EVENING. SO THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE TO ALLOW A ROAD TO BE CONSTRUCTED IN THE WETLAND SETBACK ON THREE VACANT PARCELS THAT ARE LOCATED NORTH OF GRAND RIVER AVENUE AND BETWEEN CENTRAL PARK DRIVE AND POWELL ROAD.

THE PLAN HERE? SO THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO CONSTRUCT A 115 UNIT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL CONSIST OF 60 DUPLEXES AND 55 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.

PREVIOUSLY, THE PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVED A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW THE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL IN THE ZONING DISTRICT.

AND ALSO THIS MONTH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD APPROVED A SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR THE PROJECTS BECAUSE IT WAS GREATER THAN 25,000 SQUARE FEET T OTAL. TOTAL THE SITE IS 32.2 ACRES AND IS ZONED RD MULTIFAMILY.

EIGHT DWELLING UNITS PER ACRE.

SO THE WETLANDS THAT WERE ON SITE WERE DELINEATED IN 2018.

THIS DELINEATION WAS UPDATED IN AUGUST OF 2022.

IN TOTAL, THERE'S NINE WETLANDS LOCATED ON THE PROPERTY, THREE OF WHICH ARE REGULATED BY THE TOWNSHIP.

FORTH WETLAND WETLAND F IS SHOWN AS POTENTIALLY REGULATED BY THE TOWNSHIP, AND BECAUSE THE WETLAND IS GREATER THAN FIVE ACRES IN SIZE, IT IS REGULATED BY BOTH THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AND THE TOWNSHIP.

SO THE IMPACTED WETLAND BUFFER, WHICH CAN BE SEEN IN THIS AREA WHERE MY MOUTH IS, IS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A ROAD THAT'S ADJACENT TO THIS WETLAND THAT'S LABELED WETLAND E.

IN TOTAL, THAT WETLAND IS 3.15 ACRES IN SIZE AND IS SUBJECT TO BOTH STATE AND TOWNSHIP REGULATIONS.

THERE'S NO DIRECT IMPACT INSIDE OF THESE WETLANDS.

SO OUR ZONING ORDINANCE HAS A COUPLE OF WETLAND SETBACKS IN IT.

THERE'S A 40 FOOT AND A 20 FOOT.

THE 40 FOOT SETBACK PROHIBITS ANY STRUCTURES ARE CREATING AND THEN THE 20 FOOT WETLAND SETBACK, YOU CAN DO SELECTIVE PRUNING AND REMOVE CERTAIN THINGS SUBJECT TO NO MORE THAN 10% OF THE LENGTH OF A STRIP SHALL BE CLEARED OR CUT OR MOWED TO A DEPTH OF THE STRIP PATHWAYS.

[00:05:02]

SO AT ITS CLOSEST POINT, THE ROAD IS PROPOSED TO BE LOCATED ZERO FEET FROM THE WETLAND BOUNDARY, WHICH ENCROACHES 20 FEET INTO THE 20 FOOT NATURAL VEGETATION STRIP AND 40 FEET INTO THE 40 FOOT SETBACK.

SO A 20 FOOT VARIANCE IS REQUESTED AND A 40 FOOT VARIANCE IS REQUESTED.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, KEITH.

WITH THE APPLICANT OR THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE TO COME UP AND SPEAK ON THE CASE.

AND IF YOU COULD JUST GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD.

[INAUDIBLE] 3316 BIRCHWOOD AVENUE, TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN.

AS MR. CHAPMAN MENTIONED, IN FEBRUARY OF 2021, WE RECEIVED APPROVAL FROM THE TOWNSHIP BOARD FOR UP TO 220 UNITS OF DENSITY OR EIGHT UNITS TO THE ACRE.

HOWEVER, OUR PROJECT NOW CONSISTS OF ONLY 115 UNITS OR 3.57 UNITS TO THE ACRE.

ON NOVEMBER 14TH, YOUR PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD BY A 7 TO 1 MARGIN.

AND AT LAST WEEK'S BOARD MEETING, THE TRUSTEES UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE PROJECT.

SO WE'RE HERE THIS EVENING SEEKING A VARIANCE THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR A SMALL PORTION OF OUR ROAD AND CORRESPONDING SITE UTILITIES TO CROSS THROUGH THE 40 FOOT WETLAND GRADING SETBACK. WITHOUT THIS VARIANCE, 103 OF THE 115 UNITS WOULD HAVE INGRESS AND EGRESS FROM POWELL ROAD ONLY, AND THE OTHER 12 UNITS IN CLUBHOUSE WOULD BE ACCESSED SOLELY FROM CENTRAL PARK.

ADDITIONALLY, ALL OF THE SITE UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE WOULD BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED, INCLUDING AN INABILITY TO LOOP OUR WATER MAIN.

THE SANITARY SEWER ON THE WEST SIDE WOULD REQUIRE A PUMP STATION AND ALL THE STORMWATER WOULD NOT FOLLOW ITS NATURAL DRAINAGE COURSE.

PERHAPS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CONCERN IS THAT OF LIFE SAFETY, WITH EMERGENCY RESPONDERS NOT HAVING FULL CIRCULATION THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT THIS ROAD CONNECTION.

THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDED THAT WE PURSUE THIS VARIANCE AS THE BEST POSSIBLE POSSIBLE OPTION, AS OPPOSED TO OBTAINING A WETLAND PERMIT FOR WETLANDS THAT WE ARE NOT IMPACTING WITH OUR PROPOSED DESIGN.

THE BOARD AGREED WITH THAT APPROACH.

AS STATED, ALL OF THIS WORK WILL TAKE PLACE WITHIN YOUR WETLAND GRADING SETBACK AND THE WETLANDS WILL NOT BE IMPACTED.

WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED AND SATISFIED YOUR FIVE REVIEW CRITERIA AND ASK THAT YOU PLEASE GRANT THIS VARIANCE SO WE CAN FINALIZE OUR PROJECT DESIGN AND PURSUE ALL REQUIRED PERMITS AS IT IS.

OUR GOAL TO START THIS PROJECT IN 2023.

SO MATT DIFF AND OUR PROJECT ENGINEER IS HERE WITH US.

RAJI UPPAL, PARTNER AND OWNER OF DTN MANAGEMENT COMPANY.

THE DEVELOPERS AND PARTNERS OF GRAND RESERVE IS HERE AS WELL.

SO BETWEEN US, WE'RE HAPPY TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS THAT YOU HAVE.

GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND JUST SO THAT I AM SAYING IT PROPERLY, MR. MIC CREEK, MY JOE [INAUDIBLE].

THANK YOU. THAT'S OKAY. I KNEW I DIDN'T HEAR THAT RIGHT.

I APPRECIATE YOU.

NO PROBLEM. OKAY.

AND YEAH, NO.

HEY, YOU'RE HERE. THEY WERE HOPING TO HAVE FOUR FACES HERE.

SO WE HAVE FOUR FACES.

WELCOME TO MEMBER DESCHAINE , WHO'S JOINING US.

AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO STAY CLOSE BY, THAT'D BE GREAT.

OKAY. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN THIS CASE THIS EVENING? ANYBODY ELSE THAT HAS ANYTHING TO ADD? IF NOT, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET INTO OUR BOARD TIME.

FOR PEOPLE THAT LIVE [INAUDIBLE].

ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, ANY PUBLIC THAT WANTS TO SPEAK ON THIS CASE.

GO AHEAD. COME ON. STEP UP TO THE PODIUM THERE AND YOU CAN JUST GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND AND MAKE YOUR STATEMENT.

THANKS. MY NAME IS JOSH BURKETT.

I LIVE ON 4739 POWELL ROAD.

THANK YOU. THE DAY I GOT THE LETTER FOR THE FIRST MEETING ABOUT IT, I ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER THAT SAID TALKING ABOUT THE TOWNSHIP AND PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT AND WETLANDS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

I THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF IRONIC BECAUSE IT WAS I RECEIVED THE LETTER ABOUT THIS CONSTRUCTION AND THAT IN THE SAME DAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE RUINING THEM, BUT YET WE'RE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT THEM.

POWELL ROAD.

I'VE LIVED HERE MY ENTIRE LIFE.

I'M ALMOST 40.

I'VE BEEN IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIPS 90% OF IT.

I LIKE THE AREA. AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IT IS THE WETLANDS.

AND I'VE SEEN POWELL ROAD MY ENTIRE LIFE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.

IT'S IT'S DEGRADED A LOT.

AND I'M A MANUFACTURING ENGINEER, SO I, I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO PROGRESS AND MAKE THINGS AND DO STUFF.

[00:10:06]

AND I THINK THEY WERE AT THAT POINT WITH POWELL ROAD WHERE IF WE ADD THE MORE, MORE TRAFFIC, WHICH IS WHAT THIS WOULD BE AND IT'D BE RUINING MORE WETLANDS.

YOU KNOW, I JUST I, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE AGAINST THE BUILDERS, BUT IT'S I DON'T SEE A REASON TO PUT IT ON POWELL BECAUSE THEN IT'S GONE.

SO I GUESS THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.

I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT IT IS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YEAH. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.

YOUR YOUR COMMENT IS IS WELCOME AND IT'S NOTED ON THE PUBLIC RECORD.

AND WE APPRECIATE YOU FOR COMING IN AND CARING ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY.

ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS CASE DURING THE OPEN PUBLIC TIME HERE? IF NOT, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET INTO OUR BOARD TIME.

ALL RIGHT. IN THAT CASE, ANYBODY HAVE ANY PLACE THEY'D LIKE TO START? PHIL, DO YOU DO YOU NEED US TO BRING YOU BACK UP TO SPEED OR ARE YOU GOOD TO GO AHEAD WITH THE CASE AHEAD OF TIME.

I'M UP TO SPEED. FANTASTIC.

WELL, AND YOU SAID ON THE BOARD WHEN THIS IS PRESENTED AS WELL.

SO YOU PROBABLY HAVE SOME INSIGHT INTO THOSE DECISION MAKING PROCESSES THAT WE DON'T HAVE.

SO, YES, MEMBER FIELD-FOSTER GET STARTED.

I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHO TO ADDRESS THE QUESTION TO, SO I'M JUST GOING TO ASK IT.

LET'S SEE WHO ANSWERS. YEAH, I'M LIKE MAYBE MEMBER DESCHAINE MIGHT HAVE SOME INSIGHT ON THIS OR MAYBE THE DEVELOPER.

SO MAYBE I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.

AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE FACTS, PART OF THIS SAID THAT BOTH THE STATE AND THE TOWNSHIP HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THESE WETLANDS, BUT WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY IMPACTING THE WETLANDS.

SO I WONDER, HAVE WE HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE STATE ABOUT THIS PROJECT OR WAS THAT NOT NECESSARY? MR. CHAPMAN MIGHT HAVE A BETTER ANSWER BECAUSE THERE'S NO DIRECT IMPACT INSIDE OF THE WETLANDS.

THERE'S NO, I GUESS, WORKING WITH THE STATE.

SO THIS SETBACK IS STRICTLY TOWNSHIP REGULATION.

AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS IN MERIDIAN, WE HAVE A LOT OF FLOODING ON THE ROADS.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL BEEN DEALING WITH THE GRAND RIVER.

ISSUE FOREVER TO DEAL WITH THE FLOODING THAT IS ON THAT ROAD.

THERE'S A LOT OF FLOODING THAT GOES DOWN OKEMOS ROAD OVER BY WHERE THE PARK IS.

SO I'M CURIOUS IF WE'RE BASICALLY TAKING UP ALL OF THE.

I GUESS WHAT I WOULD THINK WOULD BE RUNOFF SPACE FROM THE WETLAND.

HOW ARE YOU DEALING WITH ANY TYPE OF OF WATER OR FLOODING THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY BE ON THE ROAD? IF YOU COULD SEARCH A STATE, YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD.

MATT [INAUDIBLE] THE CIVIL ENGINEER 24353 TARA DRIVE, SOUTH LYON, MICHIGAN.

SO THE SITE ANYWHERE IN INGHAM COUNTY, WHEN YOU BUILD A NEW SITE, YOU HAVE TO DETAIN THE STORMWATER ON SITE AND IT'S REDUCED TO A SIGNIFICANTLY WHAT WE CALL AN AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF RATE, WHICH IS BASICALLY THE SAME RUNOFF RATE THAT IT HAS AS IT'S UNDEVELOPED AS A FIELD.

SO THE WATER SITS THAT WE HAVE A POND TOWARDS THE SOUTH, MIDDLE OF THE SITE AND THE COUNTY HAS A REGIONAL DETENTION BASIN DIRECTLY SOUTH OF THIS POND THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN.

SO OUR POND WILL DETAIN IT.

IT GETS RELEASED VERY SLOWLY INTO THE COUNTY DRAIN DETENTION AREA, GETS DETAINED AGAIN, AND THEN IT GOES OUT.

AND ALSO WE'VE HAD MEETINGS WITH THE COUNTY AND WE'RE EVALUATING THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT AND LOOKING AT THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AS A DEVELOPER BECAUSE THAT REGIONAL DETENTION BASIN AND THE COUNTY DRAIN THAT'S DIRECTLY SOUTH OF THE SITE HASN'T BEEN MAINTAINED VERY WELL IN THE LAST 40 YEARS AND GOES BACK TO THE THE FLOODING ISSUES AND OTHER OTHER THINGS.

SO THE DEVELOPERS COMING TO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY DRAIN TO DO IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER AND THEY'LL GET REIMBURSED FROM THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT FOR DOING THOSE IMPROVEMENTS IF EVERYTHING GOES THROUGH.

SO THOSE ARE THE THOSE ARE THE ITEMS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

THAT'S HELPFUL. MORE QUESTIONING.

[00:15:01]

I'M GLAD TO ADDRESS THE BOARD DISCUSSION.

THIS PASSED THE BOARD LAST MEETING 7 TO 0.

THE BOARD LIKED THIS PROPOSAL BECAUSE IT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED IN DENSITY.

IT WAS CLEARLY ALMOST 200 UNITS TO BEGIN WITH.

AND WE ASKED THE DEVELOPER TO SCALE IT BACK.

THEY DID SIGNIFICANTLY.

AND THE GREEN SPACE IS NOW WELL OVER 60%.

AND INITIAL PROPOSALS THERE WERE IT WAS CLOSER TO HALF.

SO THE DEVELOPER REQUESTED THE DEVELOPER TO MAKE THIS MORE ECOLOGICALLY FRIENDLY AND LESS DENSITY.

HE CAME BACK TO A PROPOSAL.

THE BOARD WAS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE ISSUE OF POWELL ROAD, POWELL ROAD HAS BEEN A VERY NATURAL ROAD FOR MANY YEARS, AND IT IS CHANGING WITH THE DEVELOPMENTS ALONG THERE.

NONETHELESS, THIS PROJECT WHERE IT'S LOCATED IN ABUTTING TO CENTRAL PARK DRIVE, WILL ACTUALLY BE WHAT SOME OF US THINK OF AS INFILL DEVELOPMENT, SO THAT IT IS SUCH THAT YOU COULD WALK FROM THERE TO SOME OF THE COMMERCE AREAS THERE, WHICH IS REMARKABLE FOR THIS TOWNSHIP TO HAVE A NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS A WALKABLE OR BIKEABLE FEATURE.

ANYTHING THAT WAS OUTSIDE THE URBAN SERVICES BOUNDARY, WHICH WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE VANNATTER ROAD AND EAST, IT'D BE VERY DIFFERENT.

THE TOWNSHIP WOULD GIVE THAT A HARD STOP.

BUT POWELL ROAD IS NOT WITHIN THAT AREA.

POWELL ROAD IS THE AREA THAT IS MEANT BY OUR NORMAL ZONING REQUIREMENTS AND IS OPEN TO [INAUDIBLE].

IT WILL CHANGE. WE DON'T HAVE THAT MANY DEVELOPABLE LOTS LEFT IN THE TOWNSHIP, BUT THOSE THAT WE HAVE, WE NEED TO APPLY THE SAME RULES THAT WE'VE APPLIED TO THE ONES THAT WERE DEVELOPED TEN YEARS AGO, 20 YEARS AGO, SO FORTH.

I LIVE IN CORNELL WOODS NEIGHBORHOOD, AND FOUR YEARS AGO THAT WAS WOODS.

AND YOU DRIVE THROUGH THERE. NOW IT'S VERY DIFFERENT.

IT'S THE COST OF DEVELOPMENT.

SOME OF US HAVE PUT A LOT OF TREES IN TRYING TO, IF YOU WILL, RELIEF OR REINFORCE PART OF THE PART OF THE AREA.

BUT DEVELOPMENT AND A LARGER COMMUNITY LIKE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, WHICH HAS GROWN 10% OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS, DOES INCLUDE NATURAL AREAS THAT ARE DEGRADED THERE [INAUDIBLE] THAT ARE DEVELOPED.

BUT YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT POWELL ROAD IS ACCURATE IT HAS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY.

I THINK I WILL SAY AS JUST A COMMENT, NOT REALLY A QUESTION, BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THE THE BOARD WILL TAKE ITS TIME WITH THOSE KIND OF THINGS.

AND I KNOW THAT THIS WOULDN'T BE BROUGHT TO US UNLESS THE BOARD HAD TAKEN ITS TIME.

AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS HAS BEEN A DEVELOPMENT FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS.

SO I THINK THAT WE'RE GETTING TO A POINT WHERE THERE'S THERE'S LIKE THIS BRIDGE BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT AND WANTING TO PRESERVE THOSE THINGS.

AND THE IRONY THAT YOU SPEAK OF ABOUT RECEIVING THE LETTER ABOUT ECOLOGICAL PRESERVATION IN THE TOWNSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE TOWNSHIP, THEY HAVE TO COEXIST.

SO HOW DO WE MAKE THEM COEXIST IN A WAY THAT FUNCTIONS NOT ONLY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND PRESERVES THOSE WETLANDS AND NATURAL SPACES, BUT ALSO ALLOWS THE PEOPLE TO COME TO OUR TOWNSHIP THAT WANT TO BE HERE? BECAUSE THAT'S THE THING, RIGHT? WE'RE A DESIRABLE PLACE TO LIVE.

SO HOW DO WE STRIKE THAT BALANCE? I THINK THAT AND FROM FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, LOOKING AT THIS, THIS PLAN, IT FEELS LIKE THE TOWNSHIP HAS HAS STRUCK THAT BALANCE AS MUCH AS THEY COULD WITH THE DEVELOPER AND THE DEVELOPERS WORKED WITH THE TOWNSHIP ON THAT.

AND SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT IT IS FRUSTRATING WHEN YOU SEE LARGE, LARGE NATURAL AREAS START TO GO AWAY.

I DO LOOK AT THIS SITE SITE PLAN AND I SEE A LOT OF GREEN SPACE AND A LOT OF NATURAL AREAS PRESERVED.

AND I KNOW PEOPLE WANT THAT.

PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO MOVE INTO A HOUSE AND NOT HAVE ANY TREES OR OTHER NICE AREAS TO LOOK AT.

GREEN SPACE. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR NOW WHEN WE BUILD THESE DEVELOPMENTS.

SO IT IS IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT BALANCE TO STRIKE AND I DEFINITELY FEEL YOUR COMMENT ON THAT ONE.

BUT I THINK THAT I'M GETTING THE SENSE THAT WE'VE THEY'VE WORKED VERY, VERY HARD ON THIS, NOT ONLY THE DEVELOPER, BUT THE TOWNSHIP AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO COME UP WITH A PLAN THAT'S AS RESPECTFUL AS POSSIBLE TO THE NATURAL SURROUNDINGS THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITHIN.

THAT SAID, AND I THINK KIND OF IT'S IT'S VERY CLOSE TO MEMBER FIELD-FOSTER QUESTION, BUT JUST AS A NOTE OF ARE WE MEETING OUR MINIMUM ACTION HERE, COULD ONE OF YOU GENTLEMEN FROM THE DEVELOPMENT GROUP HERE WALK US THROUGH WHAT WOULD BECAUSE I KNOW YOU SAID IT IN YOUR OPENING STATEMENT, BUT WALK US THROUGH WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THAT IF WE DIDN'T OFFER THAT, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THOSE THOSE AREAS IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE THAT ROAD WITHOUT OBJECTION? YEAH. COME ON OVER TO THE PODIUM.

YEAH. I JUST WANT JUST.

JUST SO WE'RE JUST SO WE'RE SURE.

YEAH. COME ON UP TO THE PODIUM AND JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND.

JUST FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD.

YES. WE APPRECIATE YOU.

RAJI UPPAL WITH DTN MANAGEMENT COMPANY, I LIVE ON CLARK ROAD IN QUARRY VILLAGE, A COMMUNITY LIKE THIS.

[00:20:06]

WE KNOW THAT ONE OF YOUR PROPERTIES, YOU.

I HAD A LONG DAY. YOU HAD A LONG DAY.

I SMELL LIKE SMOKE. I'VE HAD A LONG DAY.

[INAUDIBLE] TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE 35 FAMILIES THAT WERE DISPLACED.

AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE EFFORT TO BE HERE AS WELL.

ABSOLUTELY. IT'S OUR PLEASURE.

AND THAT'S WHO WE CARE ABOUT.

WE CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE. WE CARE ABOUT OUR RESIDENTS.

THEY ARE OUR FAMILY. I CAN'T TELL YOU THE IMPACT EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY THAT IT HAS ON NOT JUST THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IMPACTED, BUT ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPORTING US.

AND I AM SO PROUD OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND THE OTHER FIRE DEPARTMENTS THAT CAME IN HERE.

I'M SO PROUD OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON MY STAFF THAT DID THIS, THE RED CROSS, THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HELPING.

I MEAN, I'VE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE REACH OUT, THEY'RE LIKE, CAN WE GIVE THEM TOOTHBRUSHES? CAN WE GIVE THEM BECAUSE THEY REALLY HAVE NOTHING.

AND I WALKED IN THERE TODAY AND IT'S OVERWHELMING, RIGHT? I MEAN, YOUR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY BECOMES A LOT CLEAR.

SO IT WAS IT WAS A HARD DAY.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE MR. OPSOMMER REALLY WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO HELP DO SOME OF THESE THINGS TO PERSONALLY ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT I EVER WOULD HAVE EXPECTED.

AND I'M SURE IT'S THE WHOLE TOWNSHIP, BUT HE WAS THE VOICE OF IT.

I MEAN, HE'S GOING OUT LOOKING FOR DUFFEL BAGS TO TRY AND HELP THEM TODAY.

I MEAN, THESE AND WE MADE SURE THEY HAD FOOD.

WE MADE SURE THAT IN BED TOMORROW, IF THEY WANT TO LIVE IN ANOTHER PLACE WITHIN US, WE'RE GOING TO HELP THEM DO THAT THE BEST WE CAN.

AND AND, YOU KNOW, AND I EVEN FEEL SO BAD AS ANY CHILD SHOULD HAVE A GIFT ON CHRISTMAS.

AND IF, GOD FORBID, THEY DON'T BECAUSE OF THIS, WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO GIVE THEM A GIFT.

IN ALL HONESTY, I BELIEVE THE TOWNSHIP WILL WE'LL MAKE SURE WE'RE THERE, TOO.

AND WE'RE MATCHING AND WE'RE DOING THAT.

BUT THAT'S WHAT GOES THROUGH OUR HEAD AS OWNERS, AND WE TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY VERY SERIOUSLY.

IT'S NOT JUST THAT, HEY, YOU PAY US RENT, YOU ARE OUR YOU ARE NOT JUST OUR CUSTOMER.

YOU ARE YOU'RE PART OF OUR FAMILY.

AND IT FEELS AS SUCH.

AND YOU COULD FEEL IT TODAY IF YOU HAD BEEN AROUND THAT EXPERIENCE THAT THAT IT SHOWED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE STAFF.

BUT WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS IS THAT THERE ARE WAYS FOR US TO GET OFF THE WETLAND BUFFER.

BUT WHAT THE WHAT THE BOARD ASKED US TO DO SPECIFICALLY, I'M DRAWING A BLANK ON NAME, I JUST HAD A BAD DAY.

BUT BUT THE LONG AND THE SHORT, I'VE BEEN MORE PREPARED, IF I'M HONEST WITH YOU.

BUT THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT WAS THEY ASKED US NOT TO IMPACT THE WETLANDS AND MITIGATE IT ALL.

THE SOLUTION TO SOLVING THIS PROBLEM.

ANOTHER SOLUTION THAT WOULD WORK IS YOU COULD MITIGATE THESE WETLANDS AND MOVE THEM AWAY.

AND WE MADE THE BIGGEST EFFORT NOT TO.

SO WHEN THE QUESTION IS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE ROAD'S NOT THERE, IT BECOMES A LOT MORE DYSFUNCTIONAL WITHOUT A CONNECTION.

BUT THE SOLUTION TO THE CONNECTION REALLY IS THAT INSTEAD OF MITIGATING IT, WE DID WHAT THE BOARD ASKED US TO, SO AT LEAST WE THINK WE DID.

AND THEY CAME BACK AND TOLD US WE DID.

AND SO WE MADE A BIG EFFORT TO TRY AND NOT TOUCH THOSE WETLANDS.

AND THE WAY WE DIDN'T TOUCH THOSE WETLANDS IS WE DIDN'T MITIGATE THEM.

WE COULD MITIGATE THEM. WE HAVE ENOUGH LAND TO MITIGATE THEM.

AND THESE WETLANDS SPECIFICALLY ARE PRETTY DRY.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WETLANDS, THESE WETLANDS EXPANDED QUITE A BIT OVER A HISTORY OF THIS THING.

BUT WHEN THEY PUT IN THE SENIOR COMMUNITY THAT WAS ADJACENT TO IT, THEY BUILT A ROAD THERE.

AND THERE'S A GENTLEMAN WHO PASSED WHO OWN THE LAND.

HIS NAME WAS ROGER [INAUDIBLE].

BUT THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT, HE OWNS IT WITH MARTHA MERTZ.

ANYWAY, THAT'S NOT RELEVANT AS MUCH AS WHEN THEY DID THAT IF THEY HAD PUT A DRAIN PIPE IN THERE, THIS WOULD NOT BE A WETLAND TODAY AND SOMEONE MADE A MISTAKE.

AND NO ONE LIKES TO SAY THAT.

AND I'M NOT POINTING FINGERS AT ANYONE.

WE'RE JUST LIVING WITH WHAT THAT HAPPENED.

AND SO THERE ARE SOME WETLAND PLANTS, BUT IT'S NOT THIS FULL WATER BASIN.

YOU WOULD IT'S NOT A POND.

IT'S NOT A IT'S THERE'S A FEW PLANTS THAT CAME THROUGH HERE AS THAT HAPPENED.

AND IF I WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE ORIGINAL ONE AND THE WETLAND WAS UNDER A 10TH OF THIS PRIOR TO THAT ROAD GOING IN AND LET'S JUST SAY IT THAT WAY BECAUSE THEY HAD TO DO THOSE BOUNDARIES AND DESIGNATIONS AND THAT'S WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM.

BUT THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF THE ANSWER IS WE TRIED TO DO WHAT THE TOWNSHIP ASKED US TO DO, WHICH WAS DO NOT MITIGATE THIS.

AND SO WE MADE EVERY EFFORT THAT WE COULD TO NOT MITIGATE IT.

AND THAT'S WHY WE ENDED UP GOING ALONG THIS WETLAND BUFFER.

AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT HISTORY IS UNDERSTOOD.

HE'S GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT WILL HAPPEN.

YOU COULD DO A LOT BETTER JOB THAN THAT.

BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT'S THE HISTORY AND HOW WE GOT HERE, I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU OUR INTENT WAS TO DO WHAT THEY ASKED.

I MEAN, THEY ASKED FOR A LOT MORE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.

WE PUT SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.

THEY ASKED FOR A LOWER DENSITY.

WE PUT LOWER DENSITY IN HERE.

THE INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSION CAME TO US AND SAID, PLEASE RETAIN ALL YOUR WATER ON YOUR SITE.

WE FIGURED OUT WAYS TO DO THAT AND IN DOING THAT WE REDUCE THE DENSITY QUITE A BIT.

WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THESE COMMUNITIES BEAUTIFUL.

WE I LIVE IN ONE RIGHT NOW AT QUARRY VILLAGE IN DEWITT.

WE BUILT ANOTHER ONE IN ASPEN AND WE'D LIKE TO BRING THIS TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

I HAVE LIVED IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP MOST OF MY LIFE, MOVED AWAY FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS WHEN I WAS OUT IN LOS ANGELES WHEN I HAD THESE DREAMS OF BEING A ROCKET SCIENTIST.

BUT RATHER THAN ALL THAT.

I'VE COME BACK AND HAVE BEEN HERE UNTIL RECENTLY AND I NOW LIVE IN ONE OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS AND I MOVED OFF A HOUSE THAT'S ON LAKE LANSING.

[00:25:03]

AND I DON'T MEAN THAT IN A MEAN WAY AT ALL.

AS MUCH AS I MOVE INTO THESE COMMUNITIES, SOMETIMES I TRY NOT TO TELL EVERYONE, BUT I MOVE INTO IT BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE THEM BETTER FOR OUR CUSTOMER AND OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR FAMILY, IN MY OPINION, WHO'S OUR FAMILY, WHICH IS REALLY HIT HOME TODAY.

SO I APPRECIATE THE TIME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND WE'RE VERY THANKFUL YOU'RE HERE TODAY, DESPITE WHAT IT ALL HAPPENED EARLIER TODAY.

WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

COME ON UP, MR. [INAUDIBLE].

FINISH THAT ANSWER FOR US.

SO AS STATED, WE COULD GO GET A WETLAND PERMIT RIGHT FROM THE TOWNSHIP IN THE STATE, AND IT WOULDN'T BE A LARGE PERMIT TO PUT A ROAD THROUGH IN THE UTILITIES, BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T WE STILL WOULDN'T BE DISTURBING THAT MUCH OF THE WETLAND, BUT WE MADE THE EFFORT TO NOT DISTURB IT AT ALL.

SO THEN WE GET TO THIS RULE OF THE 40 FEET AND YOUR PLANNER CAN TELL YOU THAT MOST COMMUNITIES IN MICHIGAN, ONE EITHER DON'T HAVE A GRADING SETBACK.

IT'S NO BIG DEAL THAT YOU DO.

IT'S A GOOD THING TO HAVE.

IT HAS A LOT OF BENEFITS FOR IT.

A LOT OF THE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT DO HAVE GRADING SETBACKS, THEY ARE ONLY 20 FEET OR 25 FEET.

YOURS IS PROBABLY THE LARGEST OUT OF ALL OF THEM THAT I'VE EVER SEEN.

BUT IF WE GET RID OF THE ROAD, WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING IS, YOU KNOW, CARRIAGEWAY IS SET UP TO HANDLE MORE TRAFFIC THAN POWELL.

POWELL IS MEANT TO BE A NATURAL ROAD CENTRAL PARKWAY I KEEP CALLING IT CARRIAGEWAY.

YEAH. CENTRAL PARKWAY IS SET UP BOTH WITH THE UTILITIES THAT ARE ON IT AND THE SIZE OF THE ROAD TO CARRY MORE TRAFFIC, WHETHER THAT'S CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC, PEOPLE LIVING THERE THE WHOLE NINE YARDS.

SO THE TOWNSHIP IS MASTER PLAN FOR ANYTHING IN THIS AREA WOULD BE TO ROUTE MOST OF THE TRAFFIC AND THE SEWAGE, THE WATER MAINS.

WE HAVE TO LOOP THEM FOR FIRE SUPPRESSION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO FROM A ROADWAY STANDPOINT, JUST THE ROAD, YOU SHIFT THE TRAFFIC OVER TO POWELL, WHICH IS NOT WHAT ANYONE WANTS, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE EMERGENCY ACCESS FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE, WHICH CAUSES OTHER ISSUES.

SO THAT'S JUST THE ROAD ASPECT.

BUT THEN YOU GET INTO THE SANITARY SEWER.

THIS SITE IS IN ONE OF THOSE AREAS WHERE IT'S AT THE END OF TWO DIFFERENT ENDS OF THE GRAVITY MAIN.

AND SO IT STARTS GETTING REALLY SHALLOW.

SO WE'RE SERVICE FROM ONE SIDE OF THE SITE, FROM THE NORTH AND THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SITE FROM CENTRAL PARKWAY ON THE ON THE WEST.

AND IF YOU CAN'T, I NEED A 20 FOOT EASEMENT AND I'VE ONLY GOT TEN FEET FROM THE PROPERTY LINE TO THE EDGE OF THE SETBACK.

AND IF I CAN'T PUT A GRAVITY SEWER THROUGH THERE, I HAVE TO PUT A PUMP STATION IN TO PUMP IT ALL THE WAY OUT TO POWELL ROAD AGAIN, WHICH IS NOT WHAT'S SET UP IN YOUR UTILITY PLANS TO TAKE THAT SEWAGE.

AND THE SAME THING WITH THE WATER MAIN.

I NEED A 20 FOOT EASEMENT FOR THE WATER MAIN.

IT HAS TO BE TEN FOOT OFF THE SANITARY SEWER.

NOW I'M 40 FEET AND THEN I GOT A STORM SEWER, WHICH IF I DON'T PUT THE STORM SEWER THROUGH THERE AND IT NEEDS TO BE TEN FEET OFF AND ALL THOSE OTHER UTILITIES, THEN THE DRAINAGE THAT'S SUPPOSED TO GO TO THE COUNTY DRAIN AT THE SOUTH OF THE PROPERTY WOULD NOW HAVE TO GO OUT TO CENTRAL PARKWAY.

WE'RE NOT INTENDED DESIGNED TO GO.

AND SO THOSE ARE THE HARDSHIPS WE HAVE JUST OVER THIS 40 FOOT OF AREA.

THAT AND THE THING TO REMEMBER, TOO, IS WE'RE DISTURBING IT, BUT WE'RE PUTTING A 28 FOOT ROAD IN OUT OF THAT 40 FEET, BUT THEN WE'RE RESTORING IT BACK.

SO YOU'VE ONLY GOT 20 FOOT EIGHT FEET OUT OF THE 40 THAT WERE DISTURBING TO GET THESE THINGS THROUGH.

AND ONCE THEY'RE THROUGH, IT'S IT'LL GO BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS.

AND WE'RE NOT DUMPING ANY WATER THAT WAY OR ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO MESS UP THAT WETLAND.

SO HE SAID THOSE ARE THE HARDSHIPS THAT WE HAVE.

I APPRECIATE THAT EXPLANATION.

I THINK THAT THAT IS HELPFUL FOR EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND AS FAR AS WHY WHY THIS IS DESIGNED THE WAY IT'S DESIGNED.

AND WHAT WE CAN DO AS FAR AS MINIMUM ACTION IS IS CONCERNED.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANT TO ADD OR ARE WE READY TO GET INTO CRITERIA? MEMBER KOENIG, GO IT.

JUST ONE QUICK COMMENT. YES, I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO ASK THAT QUESTION AND HAVE THEM PUT THAT ON THE RECORD AND [INAUDIBLE].

SO YOU EXPLAINED IT WELL. AND I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE DEVELOPMENT AND AGREE WITH WHAT MEMBER DESCHAINE SAID ABOUT GOING THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AND WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR.

THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY QUESTION IS, WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU CUT THAT ROAD OFF AND YOU EXPLAIN IT VERY WELL? I DO. MY COMMENT WAS TO THE MEMBER FROM THE PUBLIC.

I GREATLY APPRECIATE WHEN PEOPLE FROM A PUBLIC COMMENT TO THESE THINGS AND GIVE US THEIR THOUGHTS.

IT'S NOT VERY OFTEN SOMETIMES IN SOME AREAS THAT PEOPLE DO.

SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT PEOPLE STILL OUT THERE CARE ABOUT DEVELOPMENT AND THINGS LIKE WETLANDS.

I THOUGHT MEMBER DESCHAINE EXPLAINED IT WELL, UNFORTUNATELY FOR WHAT YOU WERE COMING TO TALK ABOUT.

HOPEFULLY NOW YOU HAVE THE FACTS ON WHY THIS IS BEING DISTURBED AND THE WAY IT IS.

JUST BECAUSE GOING TO THE BOARD AND GO THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND ALL THAT, PROBABLY WELL BEFORE YOU GOT INVOLVED AND REALIZE, HEY, IF SOMEONE'S GOING THERE AND

[00:30:07]

YOU GOT THE OTHER LETTER SAYING PRESERVE THIS STUFF.

BUT THEN YOU SEE THIS AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? BUT WE THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THAT.

BUT I DO AGREE WITH YOU, MADAM CHAIR, THAT TO ME, I DON'T I DON'T SEE AN ISSUE WITH THIS.

I SEE THIS AS BEING THE MINIMUM ERROR VARIANCE THAT COULD BE REQUESTED JUST BASED ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

AND I WOULD MORE LIKELY SUPPORT THIS.

SO THAT'S IT. THANK YOU.

MEMBER KOENIG. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? OTHERWISE, I'M GOING TO GET STARTED ON CRITERIA.

WELL, IN THAT CASE, I WILL GET STARTED.

WE DO HAVE THE FIVE CRITERIA THAT MUST BE MET IN ORDER TO APPROVE OR DENY A REQUEST.

AND IF WE CAN'T MEET ALL FIVE, THEN WE HAVE TO DENY.

SO I WILL READ THROUGH THOSE.

AND I BELIEVE THAT I CAN MEET ALL FIVE.

I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANY THAT ARE REALLY CHALLENGING TO ME WITH THIS CASE IN PARTICULAR.

BUT IF YOU DO, PLEASE SPEAK UP AS I READ, I HAVE CRITERIA NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES EXIST THAT ARE PECULIAR TO THE LAND OR STRUCTURE THAT ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO OTHER LAND OR STRUCTURES IN THE SAME ZONING DISTRICT.

AND THESE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE NOT SELF CREATED.

I CAN MAKE THAT. I THINK THAT LOOKING AT AGAIN, GOING THROUGH THE HISTORY, GOING THROUGH THE THE HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT, THE HISTORY OF THE PARCEL, THE HISTORY OF THESE WETLAND AREAS IN PARTICULAR, AND THE HISTORY WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE BOARD, I CAN MEET THE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT EASILY.

ANYBODY QUESTION THAT ONE? ALL RIGHT. CRITERIA NUMBER TWO WOULD BE STRICT INTERPRETATION.

ENFORCEMENT OF THE LITERAL TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER WOULD RESULT IN PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES THAT WILL PREVENT THE OWNER FROM USING THE PROPERTY FOR A PERMITTED PURPOSE.

I THIS AGAIN, I CAN I CAN MEET.

I DON'T FIND THAT WITH WITHOUT THIS.

YES. CAN WE COULD COULD WE FORCE THEM INTO GETTING A WETLAND PERMIT? WE COULD. THAT COULD BE.

YOU KNOW, WHERE I COULD SEE SOME GRAY AREA AND CRITERIA NUMBER TWO.

BUT, YOU KNOW, GRANTING THE VARIANCE, I THINK, DOES HELP THEM REACH THE GET THROUGH THOSE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES AND NEEDING THIS. AND NOW WE UNDERSTAND WITH GREAT DETAIL WHY THIS IS A NECESSARY VARIANCE REQUEST.

SO I THINK THAT I CAN EASILY MEET NUMBER TWO FOR PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES.

CRITERIA NUMBER THREE WOULD BE GRANTING THE VARIANCES THE MINIMUM ACTION NECESSARY THAT WOULD CARRY OUT THE SPIRIT OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE, SECURE PUBLIC SAFETY AND PROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL JUSTICE.

AND I THINK THAT WE'VE HEARD AT LENGTH WHY THIS IS THE MINIMUM ACTION.

AND I ALSO THINK IN LIGHT OF TODAY WITH WITH OUR.

THE UNFORTUNATE SITUATION AT KNOB HILL, WE UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS EVEN MORE NECESSARY, DESPITE THE ALL OF THE SEWER LINES AND DRAINS AND THINGS THAT NEED TO GO IN, JUST HAVING THAT ACCESS IN GENERAL, WHILE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.

AND I CAN DEFINITELY.

MEET THAT CRITERIA.

CRITERIA NUMBER FOUR. BE GRANTING THE VARIANCE WILL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT ADJACENT LAND OR THE ESSENTIAL CHARACTER OF THE IN THE VICINITY OF THE PROPERTY.

AND I WOULD GO BACK TO WHAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBER HERE SAID, AND I THINK THAT WE WERE IT'S HARD TO SEE THAT CHANGE, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE'LL STILL HAVE AS MUCH OF THAT NATURAL ELEMENT THERE.

THAT THEY'RE WORKING AND DOING THEIR BEST TO PRESERVE AS MUCH OF THOSE NATURAL ASPECTS.

THEY'RE STILL STRIKING THAT BALANCE BETWEEN AND I DO SEE IT LOOKS LIKE I KNOW THAT IN THE IN THE PACKET THERE WAS MORE WETLANDS LISTED.

I DO SEE H I E AND F VERY CLEARLY ON THIS.

SO THERE IS QUITE A LOT OF WETLAND SPACE HERE THAT IS NOT BEING TOUCHED AND THAT IS STILL BEING RESPECTED.

AND AS THE TOWNSHIP GROWS, IT'S GOING TO BE HARDER AND HARDER TO FIND THOSE NATURAL SPACES.

AND I DO HOPE THAT WE AS A TOWNSHIP CAN GET TO AREAS THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN AND PRESERVE AND PROTECT IN THAT WAY.

AND I KNOW THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD IS SENSITIVE TO THAT AS WELL.

SO I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE SENSITIVE AND AWARE OF, TOO.

SO I HOPE THAT THAT'S OUR GOING FORWARD WITH OUR MASTER PLAN.

THAT IS PART OF THAT MASTER PLAN.

BUT MOVING ON TO CRITERIA NUMBER FIVE, GRANTING THE VARIANCE WILL BE GENERALLY CONSISTENT WITH PUBLIC INTEREST AND THE PURPOSES AND INTENT OF THIS CHAPTER.

AND I CAN ALSO MEET THAT CRITERIA.

SO I AM IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS VARIANCE, YES.

MEMBER FIELD-FOSTER.

SO I THINK I'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO NUMBER TWO AND JUST PUT SOME MORE MEAT BEHIND IT.

[00:35:05]

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, I MEAN, AS I WAS READING OVER IT, IT WAS THE PREVENT FROM THE OWNER FROM USING THE PROPERTY FOR PERMITTED PURPOSE. AND SO AS YOU WERE GOING THROUGH EVERYTHING, I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT IS PREVENTING THEM FROM USING IT AS A. PERMITTED PURPOSE.

YES. AND IT'S A HARD ONE.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THIS IS A DEVELOPMENT WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE LIVING.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK THE PUBLIC SAFETY ASPECT OF HAVING THE ROAD IN THAT LOCATION TO MAKE SURE ONCE YOU'RE YOU'RE KEEPING THE TRAFFIC AND A SAFE, I GUESS, PATHWAY THAT YOU'VE GOT THE SEWAGE, YOU'VE GOT THE UTILITIES, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THAT YOU'VE GOT THE ACCESS TO THE DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS IN THOSE HOMES BY EMERGENCY SERVICES.

SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A DEVELOPER THAT IS BUILDING HOMES FOR DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS, THERE'S A RESPONSIBILITY ON THE PART OF THAT DEVELOPER TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE PUTTING TOGETHER A SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD, A SAFE DEVELOPMENT.

AND I THINK NOT HAVING THAT ROAD REALLY DOES IMPACT THEIR ABILITY TO USE THE PROPERTY FOR THE PERMITTED PURPOSE, BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THE BOARD OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD WANT A DEVELOPMENT WHERE WE WOULD SEE I MEAN, WHETHER IT'S A SITUATION LIKE WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH TODAY OR SOMETHING ELSE, WHERE WE HAVE LIVES LOST BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO REACH HOMES IN A SAFE AND EFFICIENT MANNER. SO I WOULD ADD THAT TO NUMBER TWO, JUST TO, YOU KNOW AS WELL AS NUMBER THREE, TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT WE WE DID NOT CONSIDER THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT.

THAT FACTOR. YEAH, I AGREE WITH THAT.

THANK YOU. MEMBER FIELD-FOSTER.

I WOULD ALSO SAY TO THAT THAT GOING BACK TO THE THE ISSUE OF ROAD ALSO AS EXPLAINED WITH CENTRAL PARK BEING A MORE OF AN ARTERY ROAD, A MORE HEAVILY TRAFFICKED ROAD AND NOT HAVING ALL OF THAT TRAFFIC BE DIRECTLY AND ONLY ON THE ROAD IS IS HELPFUL FOR TWO AND THREE AS FAR AS PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES AND MINIMUM ACTION.

SO YES, WHAT ARE WE IN ACCORDANCE WITH WHAT MEMBER FIELD-FOSTER IS SAYING IS ONE OF THE OBJECTIVES OF THE BOARD IS NEW DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE INTERCONNECTED TO THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENTS AND NOT CUL DE SAC OFF AS MANY NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOME DEVELOPMENTS AREA.

AND WITH ACCESS TO POWELL ROAD, WE PROVIDE PUBLIC SAFETY AS WELL AS WALKABILITY, BIKE ABILITY AND OTHER CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ADJOINING NEIGHBORHOODS.

POWELL ROAD BEING ESSENTIALLY UNDEVELOPED ALLOWS FOR THAT [INAUDIBLE] WE MIGHT GET SOME PUSHBACK FROM THAT THIS IS A CHANCE TO DO IT BEFORE THERE IS THAT AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE CONNECT TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

WE DON'T HAVE THEM COMING UP TO BLOCK OUR ROAD OFF.

PEOPLE APPRECIATE CONNECTIVITY ONCE IT'S THERE, AND THIS WOULD PROVIDE FOR THAT WITH THE ACCESS TO TO TO POWELL ROAD.

ALL RIGHT. IN THAT CASE, IS ANYBODY HAVE A MOTION OR I KNOW [INAUDIBLE] THE FRONT OF THE PACKET.

SORRY. [INAUDIBLE] THE PAPER IN FRONT OF US.

WE NEED NUMBERS.

I DON'T EVEN THINK I WROTE IT ON MY.

NO, I DIDN'T KNOW.

I DIDN'T HEAR ME. OKAY, THERE IT IS.

ALL RIGHT. GOT IT.

WE'RE GETTING USED TO OUR NEW SCREENS HERE, SO NONE OF US HAVE PAPER PACKETS.

[INAUDIBLE] THAT HAS ONE LOOKS LIKE.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, YOU COULD HAVE SAVED US.

ALL RIGHT, MEMBER FIELD-FOSTER.

GO FOR IT. ALL RIGHT, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVES ZBA CASE NUMBER 22-12-21-1 NEWMAN EQUITY II LLC.

VARIANCE TO CONSTRUCT A NEW ROAD IN THE WETLAND SETBACK ON THREE VACANT PARCELS.

TAX ID 22-252-002, 22-276-009 AND 2 2-252-005 BBETWEEN CENTRAL PARK DRIVE AND POWELL ROAD.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE?

[00:40:03]

MEMBER KOENIG. THIS IS A MOTION TO APPROVE THE VARIANCE REQUEST.

MEMBER FIELD-FOSTER? YES.

MEMBER DESCHAINE.

YES. AND THE CHAIR VOTES YES.

THE VARIANCE HAS BEEN APPROVED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GENTLEMEN.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS ON THIS PROJECT AND WISHING ALL THE BEST TO ALL THE FAMILIES AT KNOB HILL.

OH, THERE IS A IT'S CALLED FREE TALE IN THE LANSING MALL.

AND THEY HAVE A BUNCH OF TOYS AND CLOTHES AND THINGS THAT THEY GIVE AWAY FOR FREE.

SO IN THE EVENT THAT SOME OF THE RESIDENTS WOULD BE ABLE TO USE THOSE SERVICES THERE, I MEAN, THEY'VE GOT A TON OF STUFF. I WAS JUST ENVISIONING MY TEN YEAR OLD OR MY 12 AND 14 YEAR OLD AND WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN TO THEM.

AND I SAW SOME KIDS THAT WERE YOUNGER.

YES. YEAH.

THERE'S A. NOT THAT EVERYONE DOESN'T [INAUDIBLE].

OH, ABSOLUTELY. YEAH.

THERE'S A TOY STORE THAT DONATED A BUNCH OF TOYS TO THAT SHOP, SO WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THEY [INAUDIBLE] CHRISTMAS GIFT [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU.

THAT'S GREAT. NOTE.

[7.A. 2023 Meeting Calendar]

WE WILL GO TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH WOULD BE APPROVAL OF THE 2023 MEETING SCHEDULE.

DO WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE TO APPROVE IT OR WHAT DO WE.

JUST DO A ROLL CALL VOTE. NOTHING'S CHANGED FROM [INAUDIBLE].

IT LOOKS. SO IT'S THE SAME FORMAT.

OKAY, SO THIRD WEDNESDAY.

ALL RIGHT. THIS WOULD BE A VOTE TO APPROVE THE 2023 MEETING SCHEDULE.

SO I DO HAVE A QUESTION [INAUDIBLE] BEFORE I GO ON.

WE'VE GONE FROM TWICE A MONTH MEETINGS TO ONCE A MONTH.

I MEAN WHEN WAS THAT CHANGE MADE IN THE ZBA? THAT WAS LAST YEAR. YEAH.

SO THIS WAS OUR FIRST YEAR, JUST ONCE A MONTH.

WOULD YOU FIND MANY APPLICANTS FRUSTRATED BY THE FACT THAT.

NO, NOBODY.

YEAH, IT MAKES FOR A COUPLE LONG MEETINGS, BUT YEAH, THAT WAS ONE OF OUR, ONE OF OUR HESITANCE TO CHANGING TO THE ONCE A MONTH MEETING.

BUT WE FIGURED TO KIND OF SLIMMED IT DOWN AND MADE IT MORE HOPEFULLY MORE ACCESSIBLE TO MORE PEOPLE.

SO YEAH, AND I THINK WE HAD ONE OR TWO THIS YEAR THAT WERE LONGER.

BUT STILL I THINK WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP IT TO UNDER 2 HOURS EVEN WITH MULTIPLE CASES.

SO BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE REALLY HAD MORE THAN THREE.

YEAH. AND IN A NIGHT.

SO IT'S STILL ABOUT THE SAME.

RIGHT. SO I YEAH, IT SEEMS, IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING WELL AND I THINK THAT WE SEEM TO BE WITH OUR NEW CRITERIA TO WORKING OUT PRETTY WELL AS FAR AS KEEPING MEETINGS MORE BRIEF.

YES, THE NEW CRITERIA DEFINITELY HELPS.

YES. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE TO APPROVE THE THE 2023 CALENDAR.

MEMBER KOENIG. YES.

MEMBER FIELD-FOSTER.

YES. MEMBER DESCHAINE.

YES. AND THE CHAIR VOTES YES.

SO THE CALENDAR FOR 2023 IS APPROVED, AND I JUST NEED TO SIGN IT BEFORE WE GO.

RIGHT.

SO I'LL SEND IT TO ME AND I'LL SIGN IT AND SEND IT BACK.

GOT IT. OKAY.

[7.B. 2022 Meridian Township Mater Plan Update]

WELL, ONE OF THE LAST ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA IS THE 2022 MASTER PLAN UPDATE.

SO I WILL JUST GO AHEAD AND READ THIS INTO RECORD.

IN AUGUST, THE PLANNING COMMISSION ASKED STAFF TO ISSUE THE NOTICE OF INTENT TO PLAN FOR THE 2022 MASTER PLAN UPDATE.

THIS IS AN UPDATE TO THE 2017 PLAN, WHICH WAS COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE OF THE LONG RANGE PLANNING IN THE TOWNSHIP.

PRIOR TO THAT, THE PLAN HAD NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2005.

THE UPDATE WAS FORMALLY LAUNCHED WITH A PUBLIC HEARING HELD AT THE OCTOBER 24TH PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.

PLANNING STAFF IS LETTING THE ZBA KNOW ABOUT THE 2022 MASTER PLAN UPDATE NOW.

COMMUNICATIONS STAFF HAS CREATED A WEBSITE FOR THE MASTER PLAN, WHICH IS INCLUDES MASTER PLAN, FEEDBACK FORM AND CAN BE FOUND AT THE FOLLOWING WEB ADDRESS.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION WELCOMES THE INPUT OF THE ZBA TO HELP GUIDE THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE NEXT NEXT FIVE YEARS, AND ALL COMMENTS ARE WELCOME AT THIS TIME.

SO ANY AND ALL OF US ARE ENCOURAGED TO READ THROUGH THE MASTER PLAN, GIVE FEEDBACK, WHAT WE WANT TO ADD AND TAKEAWAY.

AND ALSO THE ENCOURAGEMENT IS FOR THE PUBLIC TO ALSO LOOK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE MASTER PLAN AND ADD THEIR FEEDBACK AS WELL.

SO ON OUR KIND OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE SHARE WITH OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

PASS ALONG ANY INTERESTED PARTIES.

THEY WANT AS MUCH FEEDBACK AS POSSIBLE.

SO AND PART OF IT IS GETTING GETTING THE WORD OUT THAT THAT EXISTS.

SO LET'S DO OUR BEST TO GET THAT MASTER PLAN LOOKED AT AND SUPPORTED.

AND YES, ONE THING I JUST WANT TO SAY REAL QUICK IS TO THANK STAFF.

I KNOW BY LAW, WHENEVER THE LOCAL AGENCIES ARE SUPPOSED TO OR WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING TO UPDATE THEIR MASTER.

THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO SEND A NOTICE OF INTENT TO THE REGIONAL PLANNING AGENCIES.

THAT'S TRI COUNTY REGIONAL PLANNING, WHICH I'M AN EMPLOYEE OF.

[00:45:01]

SO WE WILL PROBABLY REVIEW IT AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL AND SOME COMMENTS BACK, EVEN IF THEY'RE VERY MINOR, JUST BASED ON SOME VERY HIGH LEVEL THINGS.

BUT I APPRECIATE CITY STAFF AND THE PLANNING COMMISSIONER, BOARD MEMBER WHO IS NOT HERE RIGHT NOW, BUT APPRECIATE HIM SENDING THAT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.

ALL RIGHT. JUST FOR EDUCATION.

AND MEMBER PREMOE, HE HAS STEPPED DOWN, RESIGNED AFTER SIX YEARS IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND LIKELY WOULD BE IF HE'S STEPPED DOWN FROM THIS BOARD YET, BUT HE IS LIKELY TO IN THE FUTURE. I WOULD GUESS SO.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS LED TO UNDERSTAND, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE WHEN YOU DIDN'T GET TO GET A CHANCE GOODBYE.

BUT I THINK KEITH, CAN YOU BRING BACK UP THE TOP OF THAT? I THINK WE'VE HIT THE BOTTOM OF OUR AGENDA.

WE NOT. OKAY. WE'VE HIT THE BOTTOM OF THE AGENDA.

AND THAT NOTE, I WILL GO TO PUBLIC REMARKS.

AND AS I CAN SEE, THERE'S NOBODY LEFT HERE TO GIVE A PUBLIC REMARKS.

WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND GO INTO BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS, WHICH I HAVE A COUPLE WHICH THE FIRST WOULD BE OUR OUR THANKS TO MEMBER

[9. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]

AND AS I DON'T KNOW THAT HE'LL WANT TO STAY ON, I'M ASSUMING HE COULD BE APPOINTED AS A MEMBER, BUT OR AN ALTERNATE MEMBER, I SHOULD SAY. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY OPEN SPOTS FOR A FULL MEMBER, BUT WE WELCOME HIM BACK IF HE'D LIKE TO JOIN US.

AND THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO NOTE WOULD BE REGARDING THE KNOB HILL FIRE EARLIER TODAY.

DAN OPSOMMER WAS IN EARLIER BEFORE WE GOT STARTED AND DID MAKE NOTE THAT DONATIONS CAN GO TO MERIDIAN CARES FOR THE KNOB HILL RESIDENTS AND THEY, THROUGH MERIDIAN CARES, WILL BE TAKING CARE OF CHRISTMAS GIFTS.

SO ANY ANY COMMUNITY MEMBER, ANYONE IN GENERAL CAN GO TO THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WEBSITE PAGE, GO TO THE MERIDIAN CARES DESIGNATION AND YOU CAN MAKE A DONATION FOR KNOB HILL.

I DO KNOW ALSO OKEMOS SCHOOLS HAS 13 FAMILIES THAT THEY'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED THAT WERE DIRECTLY AFFECTED.

OKEMOS SCHOOLS IS TAKING DONATIONS THAT WILL DIRECTLY GO TO THOSE FAMILIES.

DONATIONS CAN BE MADE TO THE THE COUNSELOR AT CHIPPEWA, REBECCA FREDERICO, AND THAT CAN ALL BE FOUND VERY EASILY ON ON FACEBOOK OR ANY SOCIAL MEDIA SITE WHERE OKEMOS SCHOOLS HAS HAS DENOTED THAT.

SO I KNOW THAT THIS IS THIS IS AN AWFUL TIME OF YEAR TO HAVE HAD THIS KIND OF TRAGIC.

THANKFULLY. NO, NO LIVES ARE LOST AND NO MAJOR INJURIES.

SO WE CAN BE THANKFUL FOR THAT.

BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE WITHOUT HOMES.

SO LET'S DO OUR BEST AS A COMMUNITY TO LIFT THEM UP AND TAKE CARE OF THEM.

AND THAT'S ME OFF MY SOAPBOX FOR THE EVENING.

AND WITH THAT I WILL TELL EVERYBODY, HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND SEE YOU NEXT YEAR.

AND THIS MEETING IS OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU, CHAIR. ALL RIGHT, VERY MUCH.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.