Feb 13, 2023 Planning Commission

[00:00:35]

[INAUDIBLE] HERE IS THE STARTING TIME.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

THIS IS THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION, WHICH I AM CALLING TO ORDER.

THIS IS OUR FULL MEMBERSHIP.

FIRST OF ALL, DO THE ROLL CALL.

CALL].

ALL ARE PRESENT FOR THIS MEETING.

[3. PUBLIC REMARKS]

I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE MR. FEDORA HERE TODAY.

GREG FEDORA 7030 COLEMAN ROAD.

I'M REPRESENTING JERRY FUNERAL HOMES.

THIS IS FOR THE MASTER PLAN.

WE'RE FORMALLY REQUESTING A CHANGE IN ZONING.

I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PARCELS THAT 5921 AND 5929 OKEMOS ROAD.

CURRENTLY THEY'RE VACANT LOTS ARE CURRENTLY ZONED RXS, BOTH PARCELS, AND WE'RE REQUESTING THEM TO BE ZONED AS MULTIFAMILY.

THERE'S CURRENTLY AN [INAUDIBLE] EASEMENT THAT RUNS ALONG THE SIDE OF ONE PROPERTY AND OUR INTENTION IS TO ADD SOME ROW HOUSING.

WE FEEL LIKE IT'S A GOOD INFILL PROJECT.

IT REALLY WOULDN'T ADD TOO MANY UNITS AS FAR AS THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS.

THERE'S MULTIFAMILY ACROSS THE STREET AND WE HOPE TO HAVE YOUR CONSIDERATION.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

CAN YOU GIVE ME AN IDEA OF WHERE THIS IS LOCATED OTHER THAN THE ADDRESS? YES. SO IT'S NORTH OF HASLETT IN.

IT'S UP ON THE LEFT SIDE.

OKAY. YES.

CAN YOU REPEAT THE I GUESS IT WAS THE ADDRESS THAT YOU GAVE.

YOU REPEAT THAT? YES.

IT'S 5921 AND 5929.

THIS GIVEN DOCUMENTATION TO MR. SCHMITT ABOUT THIS, IS THAT CORRECT? WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT BRIEFLY IN THE PAST.

WE HAVEN'T HAD AN APPLICATION YET.

WELL, I'M NOT SURE YOU NEED AN APPLICATION, BUT YOU SHOULD PROBABLY LET HIM FORMALLY KNOW THAT YOU WOULD LIKE THIS CONSIDERED AS PART OF THE MASTER PLAN.

SO HE'S GOT A DOCUMENTED AND WE DON'T FORGET ABOUT IT.

OKAY. ANY OTHER.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? JUST FOR CLARIFICATION.

SURE. 59215929.

WHAT STREET IS THAT? JUST OPEN THIS ROAD. THANK YOU.

[00:05:02]

THOSE CONVERSATIONS. ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? NO. SO WE'LL CLOSE THE FIRST SET OF PUBLIC REMARKS.

AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR.

[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

IS THERE A MOTION SO MOVED BY COMMISSIONER TREZISE? IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED.

ALL IN FAVOR. ANY OPPOSITION? NO. TONIGHT'S AGENDA IS APPROVED.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 23 MEETING.

[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

SUPPORT SUPPORTED.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, ANY CORRECTIONS OR AMENDMENTS TO THE MINUTES? THAT'S A FIRST. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THOSE MINUTES? SAY I.

THE OPPOSITION, THERE IS NONE.

THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

[6. COMMUNICATIONS]

ANY COMMISSION MEMBERS WISH TO COMMENT ABOUT THAT LETTER? I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET AN IDEA OF WHERE COUNTRYSIDE ESTATES IS.

I GOT THE IDEA THAT IT WAS SOMEWHERE ALONG VANNATA.

I BELIEVE IF I COULD GET A BETTER IDEA OF WHERE THAT IS.

WE LOOKED IT UP. WELL, WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHOR OF THE LETTER HERE.

PERHAPS. PERHAPS THEY'RE WATCHING FROM HOME.

THEY CAN GIVE US THAT INFORMATION.

I CAN. I CAN LOOK INTO THAT.

I'M SURE THAT'LL COME UP IN CONVERSATION.

AGAIN, THEY ARE ASKING ABOUT THE USB, AND AT SOME POINT WE WILL BE DISCUSSING THAT.

BUT IF I CAN GET THAT HERE FROM HOLD ON A SECOND.

IF I'VE GOT THIS OPEN, I DON'T CARE.

I HAD I HAD THE MANUAL AND I APOLOGIZE.

GIVE ME ONE SECOND. IT.

DRIVING ME CRAZY.

THE LETTER ITSELF DESCRIBES IT AS VANNATTER ROAD, NEWMAN ROAD AND COUNTRY DRIVE AND NICE FOUR LANE SHIPPING LANES.

IT WAS THERE NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF NEWMAN ROAD.

I'M DRIVING AND I SEE THERE'S VAN AT.

THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S HASLETT.

IT'S. YEAH.

IT MAKES SENSE TO DISCUSS THIS MASTER PLAN.

THE AGENDA ITEM? YES.

PRESERVATION OF GREEN SPACE IS A MAJOR PART OF THE.

THIS IS. THIS IS HASLETT THEN.

AND I'M SORRY. WHERE DID YOU SAY IT'S BETWEEN VAN AND MERIDIAN? NEWMAN? YEAH. THIS IS CHIPPING CAMPDEN THAT'S OK THAT'S NEWMAN ROAD.

SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THIS AREA HERE.

I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A SUBDIVISION LAYER THERE.

I'LL SHOW YOU A COUNTRY SIDE.

I DO NOT DO, HOWEVER, HAVE THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY WHICH GOES ALONG HERE AND NOT TO THEN ADD A ROAD.

AGAIN. THANK YOU, SIR.

COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL, YOU HAD A COMMENT ABOUT JUST THAT? I THINK WE HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY DOWN IN OUR AGENDA, PROBABLY UNDER THE MASTER PLAN UPDATE SO.

VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? IT'S A VERY WELL WRITTEN LETTER.

I FIND IT VERY INSIGHTFUL AND IT IS WORTHY OF FURTHER DISCUSSION BY THE BOARD, I BELIEVE.

ALL RIGHT. ARE WE DISCUSSING IT NOW OR SHOULD WE WAIT UNTIL I AGREE WITH WITH COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL.

LET'S HOLD OFF UNTIL WE GET TO THE MASTER PLAN DISCUSSION.

THERE IS A SECOND LETTER FROM MICHAEL KIESELBACH.

IF YOU HAVE MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.

TO THE PUBLIC, THAT'S A REITERATION OF THE REQUEST TO CONSIDER A ZONING CHANGE ON PROPERTIES ON DOVIE ROAD NEAR THE FACES AND CHURCH.

WE DISCUSSED A COUPLE OF TIMES HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO US.

[00:10:01]

ALL RIGHT, VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT.

PUBLIC HEARINGS.

THERE ARE NONE LISTED.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

WE HAVE NONE LISTED.

SO YOU READY? OKAY. WE GOT AN EMAIL FROM A RESIDENT BY THE NAME OF JESSICA WARFEL.

[9.A. Email from Jessica Worful re: Potential Rezoning at 5677 Cade Street]

SHE OWNS A PROPERTY AT FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, SEVEN CADE STREET.

AND HERE WE GO.

THAT'S. LET'S SEE. SO I WILL SHOW YOU WHERE THAT IS.

IZZY IS HERE TO LOOK TO MY RIGHT.

THAT IS STRAIGHT AHEAD.

I'M ALSO GOING TO TURN ON THE ZONING LAYER AND I'LL ILLUSTRATE.

I THINK THIS IS THE EASIEST WAY TO ILLUSTRATE WHAT WERFEL IS SAYING.

THIS IS HER PROPERTY RIGHT HERE.

FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, SEVEN AT FRONTS ON CADE STREET.

IT'S IN THE P O ZONE.

THAT'S PROFESSIONAL OFFICE.

EVERYTHING TO THE SOUTH OF HER IS ALL ZONED RB RESIDENTIAL.

THAT'S WHAT SHE OR HER PROPERTY HAS SHOWN ON CURRENT LAND USE AS RESIDENTIAL.

IT'S BEING USED RESIDENTIALLY, NOT COMMERCIALLY AT ALL.

SHE WANTS TO DO IMPROVEMENTS.

WE CAN'T LET HER DO THE IMPROVEMENTS.

SHE'S A NON CONFORMING USE IN THE ZONING DISTRICT UNLESS SHE GETS TO RESIDENTIAL.

SO IF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AGREES WITH THE OWNER'S REQUEST, YOU DO HAVE A COMMUNICATION FROM HER WITH ATTACHMENTS.

WE WOULD RECOMMEND INITIATED AN ADMINISTRATIVE REZONING TO REZONE THE PROPERTY FROM PO TO RB.

QUITE FRANKLY, IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE ON AN OLD SCHOOL DRAWING WITH A WITH A PEN THAT WAS TOO THICK.

I MEAN, AS I WAS READING HER LETTER, I WAS TRYING TO THINK TO MYSELF, WHY DID IT GET ZONED THAT WAY IN THE FIRST PLACE? IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO MAKE ANY SENSE.

MY NEIGHBOR. EXCUSE ME.

COME ON UP. IF YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.

JESSICA WERFEL. 5677 CADE STREET.

I'M JUST OFF OF HASLETT ROAD, AND MY NEIGHBOR, I WOULD CALL MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, BUT HE FRONTS ON HASLETT ROAD, AND HE'S A CHIROPRACTOR, SO HE IS.

IT'S LIKE IT WAS BUILT, I'M SURE, AS A RESIDENTIAL HOME, BUT IT'S USED AS AN OFFICE.

AND HIS BROTHER, ONE BLOCK AWAY TO THE WEST IS IS A DENTIST.

AND SO THEY TO HAVE ON HASLETT ROAD PROFESSIONAL OFFICES.

BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I WAS GROUPED IN THERE BY ACCIDENT.

MY ACROSS THE STREET NEIGHBOR IS RAY.

SO SHE HAS A BIGGER LOT I GUESS.

AND THEN BUT EVERYBODY ELSE IN THAT AREA, MY CLOSEST NEIGHBORS ARE ALL RB.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT TYPE OF IMPROVEMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE TO THE PROPERTY? I'M LOOKING AT A HOME ADDITION.

I'M PROBABLY GOING TO BE BLENDING MY FAMILY AND I ALREADY LIVE IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD AS MY BROTHER AND HIS WIFE AND MY NIECE AND NEPHEW AND MY MOTHER AND MY STEPFATHER AND MY DAUGHTER'S DAD.

SO I WOULD NOT LIKE TO MOVE.

I'D LIKE TO ADD ON AND STAY WHERE I AM.

WILL THE PROPERTY AT ITS CURRENT SIZE SUPPORT SUCH ADDITIONS? I THINK SO. IT'S A 66 BY 131.

I'VE ALREADY GOT THE EIGHT FOOT ON ONE SIDE.

I BELIEVE IT'S THE LIKE FROM EITHER SIDE.

MY HOUSE IS 22, 22 FEET ACROSS, 24 FEET GOING BACK AND I'VE GOT TONS OF ROOM IN THE BACKYARD TO EXTEND PROPERTIES.

THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD FOR MR. SHARKEY WAS THE ONE THAT WE'LL JUST ASK IS IS A LOT LARGE ENOUGH SO THAT WE'RE NOT REZONING HER INTO A NON CONFORMING USE. SORRY, I DID LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THE LOT.

IT SEEMS OKAY FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE SETBACKS OR ANYTHING.

I UNDERSTAND THAT. I WAS JUST AFRAID THAT IT'S A LOT.

I DROVE BY IT AND A LOT OF.

BE SMALL, BUT IT WAS NARROW AND 66 ACROSS.

BUT MY HOUSE IS LIKE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THAT LOT.

EVEN IF I GO A LITTLE.

SO LET ME DEMONSTRATE IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN OUR PARTIAL VIEW, OR YOU CAN DO NIFTY THINGS LIKE THIS, I CAN COME UP HERE AND DO AN AREA MEASUREMENT AND MOVE IT TO SQUARE FEET AND THEN WONDER WHY THAT THING IS SO HUGE.

[00:15:05]

HMM. THAT'S CHEATING.

IT'S USEFUL.

SO IS 7747.

THAT'S A ROUGH MEASUREMENT WE'D HAVE TO GET, BUT THAT'S.

THAT'S CLOSE. IT IS IN CHARACTER WITH THE REST OF THE LOTS ON K STREET.

I UNDERSTAND THAT. YES, I AGREE.

SO I HAVE NO DISPUTES WITH MR. SHARKEY. COULD YOU STEP BACK, PLEASE? OH, I'M SORRY. WHAT IS THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THE BOARD'S PROCEDURE AT THIS POINT? IF YOU'RE AMENABLE TO HER REQUEST TO INITIATE AN ADMINISTRATIVE REZONING, I THINK YOU COULD DO THAT WITH A MOTION.

AND WE WOULD WORK WITH MS..

WERFEL AND BEGIN THE PROCESS.

THANK YOU, MR. MCCONNELL.

BEFORE WE DO THAT, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO REMIND US OF SOME OF THE KEY TERMS ADMINISTRATIVE REZONING VERSUS WHAT OTHER KIND OF REZONING.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHANGING LAND USE DESIGNATION IN THE MASTER PLAN VERSUS A REZONING.

I'VE BEEN AT IT A WHILE AND I'M NOT ALL THAT CRYSTAL.

I KNOW WE'VE GOT SOME NEWER FOLKS AND MAYBE THIS IS NOT A FUTURE LAND USE MAP REQUEST.

THIS IS THIS IS THE CURRENT ZONING AND THE REGULATION, THE LAND USE REGULATION ON THE LAND.

FROM A MASTER PLAN PERSPECTIVE, I THINK SHE'S OK FROM A ZONING PERSPECTIVE.

SHE CAN'T DO AN ADDITION ONTO HER PROPERTY BECAUSE THE ZONING ORDINANCE SAYS SHE CAN'T BECAUSE SHE'S ZONED PROFESSIONAL OFFICE AND A RESIDENTIAL USE IN THAT IS A IS IS A NONCONFORMING USE. YOU CAN'T EXPAND A NONCONFORMING USE.

SO THAT'S THE THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.

THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP IS A 20 YEAR PLAN.

IT IS NOT A CODE.

IT'S NOT AN ORDINANCE.

THIS IS NOT THAT.

THIS IS A ZONING ORDINANCE.

THIS IS OUR DAY TO DAY BREAD AND BUTTER AND NUTS AND BOLTS.

I THINK THE QUESTION IS, ARE WE GOING TO SEE THIS AGAIN OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT THE STAFF CAN HANDLE AND I'M NOT GOING TO SEE AGAIN? NO, YOU WILL SEE IT AGAIN.

IT IS A REZONING.

IT IS IT'S WE'RE WE'RE ASKING THE REQUEST IS THAT IT BE INITIATED BY THE TOWNSHIP RATHER THAN AN APPLICATION FROM THE APPLICANT THAT SAVES A FEE FOR THE.

THIS IS CORRECT. THIS IS CORRECT.

WE WE AS STAFF SEE HER POINT THAT THIS THIS LOOKS LIKE A MAP ERROR AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST THAT JUST GOT CODIFIED COURTESY.

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS MORE OF A COMMENT.

IT'S MORE OF A COMMON THAN QUESTION, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.

IT SOMEHOW ENDED UP AS A PL ZONING.

IT SEEMS COMMON SENSE TO JUST MOVE IN AND REZONING AS IS IT A RB? RB BECAUSE ALL THE OTHER HOUSES I DROVE BY IT TOO.

ALL, ALL OF MY HOUSES JUST MAKES SENSE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S LIKE SHE SHE IS WORK WILL BE AN ISLAND OF PERCEPTION OF THE OTHER PROFESSIONAL STAFF SEES IT EXACTLY THE SAME WAY.

YES. MR. CURTIS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION ON THAT? SURE, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT I HOPE I STATED CORRECTLY.

MAKE A MOTION THAT THE COMMISSION APPROVE, INITIATE, INITIATE THE REZONING ZONING OF 5677 CADE STREET, 5677 CADE STREET, FROM PO TO RB POE TO RB.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE IT. GOOD SUPPORT.

SUPPORTIVE. I'LL TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE ON THERE.

NO, JUST. YOU'RE WELCOME.

I'LL BE IN TOUCH. ONE MORE QUESTION.

I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER. HE DID SAY SHOULD THE WORD ADMINISTRATIVE BE BEFORE THE REZONING INITIATE AN ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW? YES. I THINK THE MOTION TO BRING IT FORWARD ON BEHALF OF THE COMMISSION AMOUNTS TO AN ADMINISTRATIVE REZONING RATHER THAN AN APPLICATION FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER FOR A REASON. WE DON'T NEED A I THINK WE CAN DO IT BY VOICE FOR IS WILL COME BACK TO US.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? SAY I ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. OKAY.

I'LL BE IN TOUCH TOMORROW. THANK YOU.

GOOD SHOW. PUBLIC HEARINGS, UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

WE HAVE THE. ALL RIGHT.

[10.A. Public Comment Themes]

NO, THAT'S WHAT. SO MASTER PLAN, ITEM TEN, PUBLIC COMMENT.

NOT A PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT JUST OTHER MASTER PLAN UPDATE.

[00:20:03]

ONE IS A MEMO, KIND OF A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WE'RE AT WITH PUBLIC COMMENT THEMES.

THE OTHER ONE IS A MEMO DISCUSSING THE MASTER PLAN, UPDATE GOALS, AND THE MASTER PLAN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

IT'S EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW, AND WHAT WE'RE KIND OF HOPING IS TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DISCUSSION AND GET SOME DIRECTION.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M GOING TO POINT OUT ON THE MEMO ABOUT THE PUBLIC COMMENT THEMES, GREEN BURIAL.

SO LET ME LET ME TELL YOU WHY THAT SPURRED THIS A LITTLE BIT OF THIS CONVERSATION.

SO EVERY WEEK, ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS DOES A ENVIRONMENTALLY THEMED ZOOM CALL THAT I SIT IN ON 75% OF THE TIME.

I JUST LURK IN THE BACKGROUND.

THIS ENVIRONMENTAL, THIS ENVIRONMENTAL, THEY'RE PEOPLE THAT ARE RESIDENTS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THE ENVIRONMENT OR THEY'RE PEOPLE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION. IT'S A IT'S A MIX OF PEOPLE.

THE THEME OF GREEN BURIAL HAS COME UP A FEW TIMES, AND MOST RECENTLY IT CAME UP AND I SAID, WELL, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN COMMENTING, WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE MASTER PLAN PROCESS RIGHT NOW, AND HERE'S THE LINK TO OUR TO OUR COMMENT FORM.

I'VE DONE THIS BEFORE.

I'VE DONE OTHER ZOOM CALLS AND OTHER EMAILS, AND YOU SEE THE RESPONSE.

TEN PEOPLE TOOK THE TIME TO GO TO THAT WEBSITE AND SPECIFICALLY COMMENT.

THEY WANT THIS. SO TO EXTRAPOLATE THAT, THEN 20% OF OUR COMMENTS, GIVE OR TAKE, CAME BECAUSE OF A SPECIFIC SUBJECT.

YOU SEE THE MIX OF COMMENTS WHEN IT'S MORE OF AN OPEN ENDED FORUM.

WHAT WE'RE KIND OF HOPING TO GET AT IS WHAT ARE THE THEMES THAT YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED IN AT THIS POINT IN GETTING FURTHER INFORMATION ON? WE'LL WORK WITH COMMUNICATIONS TO UPDATE OUR WEBSITE AND WE'LL START GETTING MORE TARGETED QUESTIONS TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT SPECIFIC SUBJECTS.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? OK I FEEL LIKE THERE ARE PROBABLY A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT QUITE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THE MASTER PLAN IS.

AND SO I'M WONDERING IF IN COMMUNICATIONS THAT ARE DEVELOPED FOR SEEKING FURTHER COMMENT, IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO DO A ONE PARAGRAPH SORT OF DESCRIPTION OF THE MASTER PLAN GUIDES BLANK AND DOES BLANK.

AND IF YOU HAVE A THOUGHT ABOUT THAT ALREADY AND TOWNSHIP, GIVE US YOUR OPINION.

I FEEL LIKE IF YOU DON'T GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT, IT'S HARDER FOR PEOPLE.

I KNOW OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PUT OUT IN THE NEWSLETTER.

I'VE ASKED THEM TO SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS HERE, BUT I'M AFRAID THAT PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT YOU KNOW.

SO ANYTHING THAT THAT CAN BE MADE SORT OF USER FRIENDLY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT BE AS LOCALS WORK WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.

I THINK SORT OF WHAT WHAT CAN BE IMPROVED OR CHANGED BY GIVING INPUT OR TELL US THAT YOU LIKE WHAT IT IS NOW.

YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES KNOWING THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT UNHAPPY IS A GOOD THING TOO.

THEN WE KNOW THAT WE CHANGE ON THE MARGINS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING TOO DRAMATIC.

COMMISSIONER RICHARDS DID YOU HAVE A KIND OF.

YEAH, SORT OF RELATED, AT LEAST IN A WAY, THE REQUESTS WE GET TO CHANGE THE DENSITY OF PARTICULARLY RESIDENTIAL OR CHANGING SOMETHING TO COMMERCIAL THAT IMPACTS RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY.

I GUESS IF THERE'S A WAY TO ALERT THE NEIGHBORS THAT MIGHT BE AFFECTED BY THAT.

AND I GUESS WHAT THE THING THAT COMES TO MIND, AS WE'VE HEARD FROM THE FOLKS AT THE FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TIMES ABOUT CHANGING THAT PROPERTY AND THEN WE ALSO HAD A REZONING IT WASN'T A REZONING ACTUALLY, I THINK IT WAS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT RIGHT ADJACENT TO THAT AREA AND THAT AT LEAST PERCEPTUALLY THE FOLKS THAT ARE WEST OF THAT AREA WERE SINGLE FAMILY, HAD QUITE A BIT OF COMMENT ABOUT THAT DEVELOPMENT.

SO WHAT I DON'T WANT TO HAPPEN IS THE RESIDENTS THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THAT NOT REALLY KNOW THAT AND LET'S JUST ASSUME WE MAKE A CHANGE AND THEN HERE COMES A REZONING REQUEST.

THEN IT'S IT'S NOW THEY'RE ASKING FOR SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN CHANGED IN THE MASTER PLAN AND THEN THE FOLKS

[00:25:04]

YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AND REZONING REQUEST. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE ACTUALLY WOULD GO ABOUT IT, BUT MY CONCERN IS SORT OF OPENING UP A DOOR WITH THE FIRST STEP, WITHOUT THE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT HAVE SOME INPUT, NOT HAVING THE INPUT AND THEN KIND OF FEELING LIKE THEY THEY REALLY WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAD THEIR INPUT EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS.

SO THAT'S NUMBER ONE IN TERMS OF THINGS THAT I SEE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE WORTH LOOKING AT AND HOW WE ROLL IT INTO THE MASTER PLAN.

I SEE A LOT OF COMMERCIAL PARKING THAT'S BEING UNUSED AND I'M NOT REAL SURE WHETHER WE'VE ACTUALLY MADE THE CHANGE.

BUT DRIVING BY, PARTICULARLY THIS AREA, SEEING ALL THE PARKING SPACE NOT BEING USED IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE SHOULD BE ADDRESSING IN THE MASTER PLAN.

PARTICULARLY AND THEN I GUESS KIND OF THE SIDE LIKE THE MALL HAS BEEN LOOKED AT A NUMBER OF TIMES, BUT WE KNOW THAT IT'S ANOTHER FAIRLY LARGE STORE IS JUST GOING TO BE CLOSING HERE THIS YEAR, BED, BATH AND BEYOND.

SO I THINK FOR SURE WE SHOULD BE TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE THERE.

I MEAN, WE CAN WAIT FOR THE MALL OWNERS TO COME FORWARD.

BUT I THINK IF THE TOWNSHIP IS MORE PROACTIVE AND LOOKING AT OTHER COMMUNITIES AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH MALLS AND KIND OF FROM A MASTER PLAN STANDPOINT.

SO I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN TERMS OF GETTING FEEDBACK, BECAUSE I KNOW AT ONE TIME WE HAD A FAIRLY LARGE REQUIREMENT FOR PARKING SPACES PER SQUARE FOOT OF COMMERCIAL AREA.

ANOTHER THING THAT WE SAW COMMENT ABOUT IT TONIGHT, BUT URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY AND MOVING THAT, I THINK THAT'S A REAL HOT TOPIC THAT I THINK WE NEED WE COMMUNITY REACTION TO THAT I THINK SO THAT WE CAN WE'RE NOT JUST HEARING FROM..

WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY THERE.

I AGREE WITH A LOT OF WHAT WAS WRITTEN ABOUT THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY AND THE COMMUNICATION THERE, BUT I THINK THAT WE SHOULD GET SOME FEEDBACK IN THAT THAT WE THINK THAT'S THOSE ARE THE MAIN THINGS THAT I GUESS I WOULD ASK US TO GET INPUT ON.

THANK YOU. HOLD ON ONE SECOND.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE I FORGET, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN THE MASTER PLAN TO HAVE A SPECIFIC DEFINITION OF SECTION.

WE FREQUENTLY FALL BACK ON ABBREVIATIONS OR TERMS OF [INAUDIBLE] THAT WE'VE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC MAY NOT UNDERSTAND. LIKE PICA, FOR INSTANCE, THERE PROBABLY AREN'T TEN PEOPLE WHO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS, AND THAT INCLUDES THE BOARD MEMBERS.

SO MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO HAVE A SPECIFIC DEFINITIONAL SECTION THAT INCLUDES TERMS OF OUR AND ABBREVIATIONS THAT ARE COMMONLY USED IN THIS TYPE OF THING.

OKAY. YEAH.

I WANTED TO PICK UP ON [INAUDIBLE] FIRST POINT ABOUT LET'S MAKE SURE WE'RE THINKING ABOUT UNUSED PARKING AND PARTICULARLY FOCUSING ON THE MALL.

I THINK YOU'RE SPOT ON ON THOSE.

WE HAVE HEARD FROM PLANNING STAFF THEIR OWN INTEREST IN LOOKING INTO OUR PARKING ORDINANCES AND I THINK HAVE THAT ON SOME TO DO LISTS.

SO THIS IS GOING TO BE SEEING THAT.

BUT I WAS ALSO GOING TO MENTION THAT 2022 ANNUAL REPORT, THAT [INAUDIBLE] WAS SENT OUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, HAD SOME REALLY INTERESTING DISCUSSION ABOUT CONVERSATIONS THAT DIRECTOR CLARK AND DIRECTOR SCHMITT HAVE BEEN HAVING WITH THE OWNERSHIP OF THE MALL AND SOME OF THE PARCELING PARCELING CHANGES OF AND IT'D BE REALLY GOOD FOR US, I THINK, TO KIND OF FOCUS ON THAT AT SOME POINT, EITHER HEARING FROM THEM ON WHAT THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE, BECAUSE IN SOME WAYS YOU COULD ARGUE THAT THE EXISTING MASTER PLAN REALLY FOCUSED ON THOSE THREE PICAS, REALLY.

AND THE MALL WAS KIND OF WHAT WE HOPE AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.

IT DOES SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LIKE.

BUT IF THE NEW OWNERSHIP OF CBL IS REALLY COMMITTED TO THIS IDEA OF DOWNTOWN WALKABLE DOWNTOWNS RATHER THAN THE TRADITIONAL CLOSED [INAUDIBLE] AND, YOU KNOW, LET'S LET'S MAKE THAT PART OF OUR MASTER PLAN.

LET'S DECIDE HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THAT.

AND IF REDUCING PARKING IS ONE WAY TO GET THERE.

YEAH. I ALSO AGREE THAT EXCUSE ME, FIDDLING AROUND WITH THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARIES SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING WE

[00:30:10]

IT'S GOING TO BE A TRICKY ONE.

COMMENTS. I'M SORRY.

I'M CONFUSED ABOUT.

SO WHAT ARE WE OFFERING COMMENT ON AT THIS POINT? SO I'LL CATCH YOU UP A LITTLE BIT.

SINCE ABOUT THE LAST QUARTER OF LAST YEAR, WE'VE BEEN BRINGING SOME BACKGROUND REPORTS AS RELATED TO THE MASTER PLAN.

UPDATE THE MASTER PLAN, LIKE I DESCRIBED AS THE 20 YEAR 2030 YEAR FUTURE LAND USE, TALKS ABOUT HOW WHAT THE VISION OF THE COMMUNITY AND HOW THEY WANT THE COMMUNITY TO PROCEED IN THE FUTURE AS FAR AS LAND USE DEVELOPMENT GOES.

SO WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY IS SOME RECOMMENDED, SOME OF THE IMPORTANT TOPICS CALLED OUT IN A MEMO FROM ASSISTANT PLANNER CHAPMAN.

AND WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED YOU WITH THE EXISTING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FROM THE CURRENT 2017 MASTER PLAN.

SO THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES RELATE.

WHEN I LOOK AT THOSE ARE ONE OF THE THINGS I LOOK AT ON A REZONING REQUEST.

I LOOK AT THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP.

YES, BUT YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THIS FIT INTO OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES? WE HAD A RECENT REZONING IN ONE AND I CALLED OUT IN MY STAFF REPORT WE WE HAVE A WE CALL FOR INFILL DEVELOPMENT AND THAT THAT IS QUALIFIED AND I MENTIONED THAT IN MY REPORT THAT WE WERE FULFILLING A GOAL OF THE OF THE TOWNSHIP MASTER PLAN.

WHAT ARE THE GOALS THEN THAT YOU WANT TO PURSUE IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS? THAT'S THE KIND OF CONVERSATION I'M HAVING.

THE RIGHT KIND OF RECOMMENDATIONS I'M TRYING TO GET TO.

IS THIS CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW ALSO, ARE WE ALSO INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY THAT SENT THE LETTER ON THE USB.

YEAH. IS THAT PART OF THIS CONVERSATION? BECAUSE WE WANT BECAUSE THAT LETTER, IT DID CONCERN ME AND CONCERN ME BECAUSE OUR RESIDENTS MOVED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

YOU KNOW, WANTING A SPECIFIC ENVIRONMENT A SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, THE ESTHETICS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

AND THEN IF WE'RE I DON'T KNOW HOW THE TOWNSHIPS LOOK AT, BUT THEY FEEL LIKE THE TOWNSHIP OR WHAT HAVE YOU IS LOOKING TO ENCROACH UPON THAT BY HAVING THE GOING PAST.

I'M ASKING TO TURN WHAT THEY WERE AGAINST THE BOUNDARY THERE.

RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT. IS I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, GO INTO THIS WITH A I ALWAYS SAY WITH A SCALPEL AND NOT LIKE A SLEDGEHAMMER WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING THE LAND, THE LAND USE, BUT PROTECTING THE WILDLIFE, THE RURAL LIFE, WHAT HAVE YOU, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY PAID FOR ESSENTIALLY, AND ENCOURAGE MORE INFILL DEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, I DRIVE AROUND THE TOWNSHIP, I'M SEEING SOME BUSINESSES THAT ARE NO LONGER THERE.

AND YOU KNOW, TO KIND OF POINT IN THOSE PLACES FOR DEVELOPMENT WHERE WE HAVE SOME VACANCIES THROUGHOUT THE TOWNSHIP OPPOSED TO ENCROACHING ON THIS NATURAL, NATURAL SPACE THAT I THINK RESIDENTS PAID FOR.

AND INCIDENTALLY, THE CONCEPT OF THAT IS LIKE THIS SECOND.

THE SECOND IS THE HIGHEST MENTIONED NON SPECIFIC ITEM IN THE SURVEYS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.

AND VANNATTER ROAD HAS SPECIFICALLY BEEN CALLED OUT AS A SPECIAL AREA OF CONCERN BY THOSE BY A LOT OF THOSE COMMENTS.

ONE OTHER THING, IF I MAY, I DIDN'T REALIZE, YOU KNOW, EVEN GOING IMPROVING THE ROAD OR WHATEVER COULD KILL THE TREES OR COULD HARM THAT, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WOULD THAT THAT'S AN ISSUE OR IT WAS BROUGHT UP IN A LETTER.

SO YEAH NO, NO I GET IT IT CAN YOU TAKE A ROAD YOU PAVE IT. YOU'VE GOT TO YOU KNOW YOU'VE GOT TO BUILD IT UP OUTSIDE AND THE ROAD THE ROAD DEPARTMENT DOES HAVE JURISDICTION WITHIN THEIR RIGHT OF WAY.

AND I GET THAT THAT'S A AND THAT'S A POINT THAT I'VE HEARD A LOT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT PLACES I'VE BEEN HEY, LET'S COME IN AND PAVE YOUR GRAVEL ROAD AND YOU ACTUALLY GET

[00:35:05]

ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY.

SURE. UNDER NUMBER EIGHT IN YOUR LIST, INCREASE OF MIXED USES.

I THINK WE OUGHT TO EXPAND THAT TO ALSO INCLUDE PRESERVATION OF EXISTING MIXED USES.

WHAT CAN THE TOWNSHIP DO TO HAVE BUSINESSES STAY WHERE THEY ARE? AND I'LL GIVE YOU A PERSONAL EXAMPLE.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD I MOVED INTO WHEN I MOVED THERE HAD A PHARMACY AND A GROCERY STORE WITHIN 500 YARDS.

NEITHER ONE OF THOSE EXIST ANYMORE.

THEY ARE VACANT BUILDINGS THAT WE HAD A MIXED USE THAT DIED.

AND I THINK THERE OUGHT TO BE SOME KIND OF A MECHANISM FOR THE TOWNSHIP TO REVIEW THAT, TO TRY TO ENCOURAGE BUSINESSES TO STAY WHEN THEY ALREADY EXIST THAT AS PART OF THE DESIRE TO FOCUS ON PEOPLE AS OPPOSED TO NEW DEVELOPMENT IN URBAN AREAS.

AND I KNOW THAT OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, I KNOW THAT OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT DOES FOCUS ON THOSE AREAS AND TRYING TO GET PEOPLE IN.

IT'S A QUESTION OF HOW DO WE GET THEM? WHO'S INTERESTED? IT'S A FINANCIAL ISSUE.

I THINK WE OUGHT TO LOOK AT WHAT KIND OF INCENTIVES WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH AS A TOWNSHIP TO ENCOURAGE SOME OF THAT INFILL DEVELOPMENT, AS OPPOSED TO TEARING DOWN A BUILDING AND BUILDING A NEW ONE OR CHANGING THE ENTIRE USE.

I THINK THAT'S A LEGITIMATE PART OF THE LAND USE DETERMINATIONS THAT WE GET INTO.

BUT IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE TOWNSHIP IN AND OF ITSELF CAN DECREE.

WELL, NO, NO, YOU CAN'T.

FINANCIAL CONDITIONS PROHIBIT.

RIGHT. AND THAT'S THE OTHER THING WAS THE THE USB DETERMINATION WAS MADE ALL 15, 20 YEARS AGO TO ESTABLISH THE UTILITY SERVICE BOUNDARY IN HOPES OF PRESERVING THE EASTERN PART OF THE TOWNSHIP.

THAT IN OF ITSELF PLACES BURDENS ON THAT PROPERTY FOR PROPERTY OWNERS AND LIMITS TO WHAT THEY CAN DO OVER AND ABOVE THE ZONE. SO THERE IS A WEIGHING ON THAT.

BUT I THINK IF THE TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS AND NOT JUST THOSE THAT LIVE THERE, BUT THOSE IN THE TOWNSHIP AS A WHOLE SUPPORT THAT IS WORTH CONTINUING AND WE SHOULD DO THAT.

BUT IT ISN'T IT ISN'T A SLAM DUNK BECAUSE THERE ARE NEGATIVES TO A USB.

THERE ARE ALSO SOME SIGNIFICANT INCREASED COSTS FOR THE TOWNSHIP UTILITIES TO EXPAND BEYOND THAT BOUNDARY.

SO, I MEAN, THERE ARE A LOT OF PIECES TO WEIGH IN ON THAT.

BUT A TWEAK OR TWO MAY BE AN ORDER GIVEN THE RATHER STRANGE CONFIGURATION OF THE USB AT THIS POINT.

BUT NOTHING I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND A WHOLESALE ABANDONMENT OF IT.

FAIR ENOUGH. THANK YOU.

I'LL JUST JOIN IN ON THE PHILOSOPHICAL DISCUSSIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE HERE.

I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER CURTIS ABOUT NOT TAKING A SLEDGEHAMMER AND DEALING WITH THE URBAN SERVICES BOUNDARY ISSUES.

I'VE DEALT WITH THESE URBAN URBAN SERVICES, BOUNDARY ISSUES FROM ALL SIDES, FROM TRUSTEE S ON THIS BOARD BACK IN 2012 WHEN WE FIRST REALLY DELVED INTO THIS TO BE AN INGHAM COUNTY ROAD COMMISSIONER AND DEALING WITH THE TREES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

RIGHT. AND I DON'T SEE ANY EASY SOLUTIONS TO WHAT WE'RE FACED WITH HERE.

BUT MY QUESTION TO YOU WOULD BE HOW WAS THIS LIST DEVELOPED? IT SAYS THROUGH OUTREACH.

WHAT TYPE OF OUTREACH DEVELOPED THIS SPECIFIC LIST, BECAUSE I FIND IT STRANGE THAT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT SAGINAW HIGHWAY CORRIDOR IN WHICH THAT'S GOING TO BE THE AREA THAT'S GOING TO HAVE THE MOST IMPROVEMENTS IN MY MIND.

I THINK YOU'RE MAKING A VERY VALID POINT ABOUT THAT.

[00:40:01]

SO LET ME EXPLAIN HOW THIS HOW THIS CAME ABOUT.

WE SAT DOWN WITH COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT TO BUILD THE THE WEBSITE THAT IS BEING USED.

YOU'LL I'LL SHOW YOU RATHER THAN TRY TO EXPLAIN IT TO YOU.

LET'S SEE. NOT MASTERPLAN DOCUMENTS, PLANNING ZONING COMMISSION WHERE, MASTER PLAN PAGE.

SO THIS IS THIS IS FROM COMMUNITY PLANNING DEVELOPMENT STAFF IS LOOKING TO UPDATE THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP MASTER PLAN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MASTER PLAN AND SEND US YOUR FEEDBACK. VISIT THE MASTER PLAN PAGE.

AND THEN HERE'S SOME PARAGRAPHS ABOUT WHAT IT IS WE'RE LOOKING FOR WELCOME ANY AND ALL FEEDBACK.

HERE'S THE MASTER PLAN FORM AND THEN THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE ARE CLICKING ON ABOUT 50 TIMES SO FAR.

HOPEFULLY IT LOADS FASTER FOR THEM THAN IT IS HERE AT THE MOMENT.

BUT THEN BUT THEN IT'S AN OPEN ENDED FORM WHERE PEOPLE CAN GIVE THEIR NAME, THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS AND GIVE US THEIR COMMENTS.

THOSE COMMENTS ARE SUMMARIZED ON THIS MEMO.

THAT'S WHERE THIS LIST COMES FROM.

SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, IT'S WORTH MENTIONING WETLAND, OPEN SPACE, NATURAL AREA PRESERVATION.

I KIND OF LUMPED ALL THOSE TOGETHER.

THAT'S BEEN MENTIONED SIX TIMES.

NON-MOTORIZED TRANSPORTATION, VIABILITY AND SAFETY.

THAT'S COME UP MULTIPLE TIMES.

LAKE LANSING MARSH HASLETT IMPROVEMENTS THAT HASLETT CORE AREA THAT'S COME UP MULTIPLE TIMES.

REDEVELOPMENT OF MERIDIAN MALL THAT'S COME UP MULTIPLE TIMES.

AND THEN YOU SEE FROM THERE IT GOES TWOS AND ONES AND ONE MENTION TWO MENTIONS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THIS IS THE I SWEAR IT WORKED FROM MY DESK YESTERDAY.

THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE MASTER PLAN FORM AND WHERE YOU WOULD FILL THAT OUT.

COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY.

I BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE VERY UPDATES ARE NOTICES IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP EMAILS AND COMMUNICATION INVITING.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE SOMEBODY HAS TO KNOW WHERE TO GO AND LIKE THAT.

BUT I JUST I DON'T KNOW WHEN I LIVED IN LANSING, SOME PLANNING BOARD, WE WERE DOING A PRETTY MAJOR REVISION OF THE MASTER PLAN THEN, AND WE HELD A WHOLE BUNCH OF COMMUNITY CHARADES AND WE HAD PEOPLE AT TABLES DOING ALL SORTS OF THINGS AND, AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE DOING THAT KIND OF A REVISION RIGHT NOW AT THIS PLAN.

SO I'M NOT SURE THAT MULTIPLE COMMUNITY MEETINGS ARE ADVISED RIGHT NOW, BUT I'M WONDERING IF THERE IS ANY IF WE COULD SET ASIDE TIME AT A FUTURE MEETING WHERE WE DID SOME OF THAT SORT OF OUTREACH TO PUSH TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON, TELL US WHAT YOU THINK, OR I'M NOT SURE PUBLIC HEARING IS THE RIGHT THING, BUT A SORT OF A COMMUNITY FORUM FOR LISTENING OR TALKING.

AND IT MAY GENERATE THE SAME PEOPLE WE'VE HEARD FROM ALREADY, OR IT MAY GET SOME MEDIA INTEREST PERHAPS, OF PUTTING IT OUT, NOT JUST IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PUBLICATIONS. SO YOU'RE REACHING THE PEOPLE THAT YOU ALREADY REACH, BUT TRYING TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE, SOMETHING BEFORE WE HAVE A DRAFT THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY PRESENTING. SAY, HERE'S OUR PLAN, OKAY? THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS.

HERE'S THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT WE'RE KIND OF WANTING TO HEAR FROM YOU ABOUT SO THAT THEY'RE NOT COMING AND TELLING US SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY ABILITY TO CHANGE OR THAT ISN'T PART OF THE MASTER PLAN.

BUT SORT OF I'M JUST THINKING A LITTLE BIT MORE ACTIVE PROMOTION MAY HELP A LITTLE BIT IF OUR FELLOW COMMISSIONERS WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HEARING THAT SORT OF THING.

AND IT MIGHT ALSO GENERATE MORE WRITTEN FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE WHO AREN'T ABLE TO COME.

BUT IF IF IT'S PROMOTED MORE BROADLY THAN JUST THE NORMAL CHANNELS.

AND THAT'S THE OTHER SIDE OF, OF THIS, I EXPLAINED WHERE THE WEBSITE CAME ON, BUT COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY IS RIGHT.

IT DOES GO OUT IN TOWNSHIP COMMUNICATIONS, THE LINK HAS BEEN PUSHED OUT IN VARIOUS FORMATS.

I SAID I'VE PUSHED IT, I'VE PUT IT OUT IN THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATIONS I'VE HAD WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

AGAIN, THAT'S HOW WE GOT SOME OF THE COMMENTS ABOUT GREEN BURIALS.

YOU CAN LINK THAT IN WITH OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION TECHNIQUE CONCERNS.

SO THE CHALLENGE IS GETTING THAT WORD OUT.

WE WANT TO TWEAK THIS NOW AND MAKE MAKE THIS MORE SPECIFIC.

JUST CAN I GET A REMINDER OF HOW FREQUENTLY THE REVISIONS ARE OCCURRING? AND THEN ALSO JUST A REMINDER TO THE BOARD OF THIS ONE I KNOW WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SMALLER SCALE, ISN'T IT EVERY OTHER.

BUT HOW MANY HOW MANY YEARS FROM NOW WILL WE BE DOING THE NEXT ONE? FIVE YEARS.

WE ARE REQUIRED BY MICHIGAN PLANNING LAW TO LOOK AT OUR MASTER PLAN EVERY FIVE YEARS.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO MAKE CHANGES.

[00:45:01]

AND THAT'S WHY THIS ISN'T AS BIG OF AN UPDATE AS IT WAS THE LAST TIME WE WENT THROUGH THIS.

I MEAN, SO IT'S NOT JUST LIKE TRADITIONALLY IT'S EVERY OTHER IT'S NOT AS BIG.

OR IS THAT JUST.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHERE OUR DEVELOPMENT IS GONE.

EVENTUALLY I'M GOING TO BE PRESENTING DEMOGRAPHIC DATA AND INFORMATION TO YOU, WE'VE HAD INCREASES IN POPULATION, WE'VE HAD INCREASES IN HOUSING, WE'VE HAD INCREASES IN DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE'RE STILL NOT AT PRE-RECESSION LEVELS.

AND CERTAINLY COVID DIDN'T HELP.

SO LOOKING AT THE LAST FIVE YEARS, THE FEELING IS THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY CHANGED CHARACTER IN FIVE YEARS.

WE HAVE THINGS TO TO UPDATE I'M SORRY.

PRE-RECESSION 2008 OR TO SORRY, YOU SAID PRERECESSION NUMBERS.

DOES THAT MEAN 2008 RECESSION OR DOES THAT MEAN THE 2020 RECESSION? 2008. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. THAT'S THE ONE.

I LOST MY HOUSE. AND SO THAT'S THE ONE [LAUGHTER].

SO WE HAVEN'T RETURNED TO WHAT THOSE PRE-RECESSION LEVELS WERE.

NO, THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S AN ACCURATE STATEMENT.

IT WOULD PROBABLY BE HELPFUL TO THE PUBLIC AND MAYBE TO THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION TO HAVE SORT OF A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MASTER PLAN, A ZONING CODE.

AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, A MASTER PLAN IS 15,000 FEET.

THIS IS LOOKING AT PROJECTIONS, WISHES, HOPES AND HOW IT GETS DEVELOPED IS INTO THE ORDINANCES DEVELOPED FOR PARKING, WHATEVER THEY ARE, THE SIGN ORDINANCE.

ALL OF THAT STUFF IS CORRECT OF WHAT YOU CARRY OUT UNDER THE TERMS OR UNDER THE GENERAL PAYROLL OF THE MASTER PLAN.

THE MASTER PLAN GAVE A RECOMMENDATION IN ONE OF ITS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES TO CONSOLIDATE OUR RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS.

BASED ON THAT, WE BROUGHT TWO ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS TO YOU LAST YEAR, ONE OF WHICH INCLUDED SEVEN REZONING'S AND SUCCESSFULLY ELIMINATED TWO RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS FROM OUR FROM FROM OUR ORDINANCE.

IT WAS VERY POSITIVE FEEDBACK AND WAS VERY WELL DONE, AND WE ACHIEVED A GOAL OF THE MASTER PLAN.

SO YEAH, THE GOAL SET US IN IN ACTION WITH SPECIFIC ACTIONS AND THEN THOSE ACTIONS HAVE THE RULE OF LAW.

IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, AND I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE MASTER PLAN IS NOT SELF ENFORCING, IT'S SIMPLY GUIDANCE.

THIS IS CORRECT. IT IS SUGGESTIONS ABOUT WHERE WE OUGHT TO BE GOING AND WHAT OUR INTENDED GOALS ARE.

RIGHT. BUT IT'S NOT AN ENFORCEABLE.

[INAUDIBLE] RIGHT? RIGHT. NO, NO, I'M SERIOUS.

I'M SORRY. YES, YOU'RE RIGHT. AND I THINK THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT WHAT THIS IS LIKE WAS SAID HERE.

IT'S A 15,000 FOOT OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE WANT OUR TOWNSHIP TO BE, BUT IT'S NOT SELF ENFORCING AND IT'S NOT AN ENFORCEABLE ZONING.

AND IT GOES THE OTHER WAY, TOO.

LIKE SOMETIMES A COMMUNITY WILL MAKE A FUTURE LAND USE AN AREA A CERTAIN WAY OR A BIG PIECE OF PARCEL, A BIG PROPERTY LIKE A LIKE, LIKE A PIECE OF PROPERTY MIGHT GET FUTURE LAND USED FOR MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT.

HAVING SPENT SOME TIME IN THE REAL ESTATE WORLD, THEN THE REALTORS GET EXCITED, HEY, THIS IS GOING TO WE CAN SELL THIS AS MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT, BUT YOU HAVEN'T ZONED THE PROPERTY YET AND YOU HAVEN'T GONE THROUGH THE LEGAL STEP TO MAKE ALLOW IT TO BE.

SO YEAH, IT DOESN'T AGAIN, LIKE YOU SAID, IT DOESN'T CARRY THE RULE OF LAW WITH IT.

IT'S JUST WE THINK THIS IS WHERE IT SHOULD GO AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.

COMMISSIONER CURTIS.

THIS IS PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF WHAT YOU WERE JUST DISCUSSING JUST NOW, BUT STILL, ONE OF THE THINGS IN HERE, WHEN I WAS READING THIS OVER THE WEEKEND, IT TALKED ABOUT ENSURING THAT NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS ARE SAFE AND THAT SORT OF THING.

AND THEY HAVE LIST HERE.

I'M LOOKING AT THE PAGE NOW WHEN I DRIVE AROUND THE TOWNSHIP OR RIDING MY BIKE AROUND DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS, I THINK THERE ARE SOME NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE DARK. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SAFETY OR WALKABLE, THERE ARE SOME NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE DARK AND THAT DON'T HAVE SIDEWALKS.

I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WALK WITH THEIR FLASHLIGHT IN THEIR SUBDIVISION AND THAT SORT OF THING.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ADD TO OUR.

ABSOLUTELY, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE STREET LIGHTS IN SOME NEIGHBORHOODS, SOME NEIGHBORHOODS ARE JUST DARK.

YOU DON'T HAVE STREETLIGHTS AND THEN SIDEWALKS.

[00:50:01]

SOME HAD STREETLIGHTS AND SIDEWALK, BUT THE OTHER HALF DIDN'T HAVE ANY OF IT.

YEAH, AND IT CREATES I MEAN, EVEN FOR ESPECIALLY FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, TOO, OR CREATES A A RISK RISK.

NO, I THINK THAT'S A WORTHY, WORTHY THING TO FOR US TO LOOK AT.

WHERE POSSIBLE INSTALL STREETLIGHTS FOR FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.

THE QUESTION OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT IS THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED LATER.

BUT THE GOAL BUT THE GOAL OF THE TOWNSHIP IS TO INCREASE SAFETY BY INCREASINGLY I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD POINT.

AND NOT JUST FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT IN TERMS OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, IS A SUBDIVISION BUT EXISTING, CORRECT? CORRECT. OKAY. [INAUDIBLE] I WAS GOING TO ASK LISTENING TO THE DISCUSSIONS THAT I'M HEARING, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT AS WE BUILD INTO THIS.

THAT WE FIRST MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE'RE DOING.

AND I WAS WONDERING, IS THIS THE LATEST COPY OF THIS BOOK? AND DOES EVERYBODY HAVE THIS FROM THE TOWNSHIP ASSOCIATION? THE NAME OF THE BOOK IS THE TOWNSHIP GUIDE TO PLANNING AND ZONING.

IT'S A VERY THOROUGH DOCUMENT THAT IS I FOUND EXTREMELY HELPFUL.

AND THE OTHER ONE THAT I FOUND EXTREMELY HELPFUL IS PLANNING AND ZONING ESSENTIALS, WHICH IS ALSO PUT OUT BY THE MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION.

THIS IS PUT OUT BY THE MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION OF PLANNING.

IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE HAD SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE WAS USING TO DRAW FROM SO THAT WE'D HAVE THE SAME UNDERSTANDING OF SOME OF THE TERMS I HEARD SOMEBODY ELSE MENTIONED THAT EARLIER.

REFERENCED STREETLIGHTS.

WE HAVE SOME ISSUES WITH STREETLIGHTS.

I MEAN, WE HAVE A PROCESS AND A PROCEDURE IN GAINING STREETLIGHTS WHERE YOU HAVE TO HAVE 50% PLUS ONE RESIDENCE WITHIN A SUBDIVISION TO AGREE TO HAVE STREETLIGHTS.

WE HAVE RESIDENTS THAT DON'T WANT STREETLIGHTS.

THEY CONSIDER IT LIGHT POLLUTION.

I MEAN, WE HAVE TO TAKE THESE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION.

SO I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO GET TO A LEVEL AS A GROUP THAT EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME SAME PAGE, THE SAME UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE'RE AT CURRENTLY, SO THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHERE WE WANT TO GO FOR THE FUTURE.

SO I BELIEVE WE DEFINITELY NEED TO HAVE SOME SHARED BASELINE DATA.

COMMISSIONER BROOKS.

REMIND MY NAME. SO I JUST HAVE A REALLY BASIC QUESTION.

SO THE MISSION WHAT IS THE MISSION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN RELATION TO THIS DOCUMENT? LIKE ONCE IT'S INSTITUTED.

ONCE IT'S INSTITUTED, ONCE IT'S THERE.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS THE PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEW SITE PLANS.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION [INAUDIBLE] REVIEWS SPECIAL USE PERMITS IN THE MAJORITY OF CASES IS THE ACTUAL APPROVAL BODY FOR THOSE.

SOMETIMES IN CERTAIN CASES IT'S IT GIVES A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS ON ZONING CHANGES AND LAND USE CHANGES LIKE THOSE ARE ALL REVIEWED IN LIGHT OF THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND FUTURE LAND USE MAP AS APPLICABLE FROM THE ADOPTED MASTER PLAN.

THE MASTER PLAN IS THE THE THE CREATION WRITING OF THE MASTER PLAN IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

YOU WILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.

IT WILL GO TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

THIS IS PART OF MICHIGAN PLANNING LAW.

THAT'S THE BASIC PROCESS.

BUT YOU YOU'RE THE BODY CHARGED WITH CREATION OF THE MASTER PLAN, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE COMING TO YOU AND SAYING, HOW DO YOU LIKE IT SO FAR AND WHAT YOU WANT US TO DO? YEAH. OKAY.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY SUPER BASIC QUESTION.

NO, NO MEANS BY ALL MEANS.

NO, NO. SO AS I WAS SO SO I'VE READ THE THE LAST FIVE YEAR PLAN AND THEN I SO AND I READ THROUGH ALL THE REQUESTS AND THE COMMENTS THAT YOU THAT YOU GUYS PUT TOGETHER AND THE THING THAT I KEEP COMING BACK TO AS I'M READING THIS AND THINKING ABOUT THE GOALS AND STRATEGIES THAT WE WANT TO HAVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN RELATION TO WHAT'S BEEN SET OUT BEFORE IS, IS..

[00:55:11]

THOSE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT PEOPLE WANT.

THAT'S ONE THING. OR LIKE REDUCING PARKING LOTS, THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE.

BUT THE THE GOALS THAT I THINK ABOUT WITH THE TOWNSHIP ARE LIKE, DO I WANT AN ENGAGED COMMUNITY OR DO I WANT A COMMUNITY THAT'S GOING TO BE LIKE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING WITH ONE ANOTHER AND AN ACTUAL COMMUNITY? AND THEN I THINK ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES OF DOING THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

AND SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET INPUT FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

AND THAT'S REALLY DIFFICULT, RIGHT, BECAUSE PEOPLE JUST DON'T HAVE TIME.

AND AND, BUT IF WE HAD A MORE ENGAGED COMMUNITY, THEN THEN THEY WOULD ACTUALLY PROBABLY BE MORE LIKELY TO PARTICIPATE.

AND SO IF WE THINK ABOUT POTENTIAL GOALS.

AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING AN OVERHAUL OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE.

BUT IF WE THINK ABOUT GOALS LIKE JUST SPITBALLING HERE, BUT.

DEVELOPING A PROCESS FOR OR LIKE, NO, I DON'T WANT TO GO THERE.

CREATING BETTER ENGAGEMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY OR CROSS COLLABORATION BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOODS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT MIGHT LEAD TO THESE OTHER LARGER THINGS THAT WE'RE SORT OF TALKING ABOUT.

WHAT WAS THE SECOND ONE YOU SAID? CROSS. CROSS COLLABORATION.

COLLABORATION. THANK YOU.

SO SO AS YOU GUYS WERE TALKING ABOUT AND I'M GOING TO SHUT UP HERE IN JUST A SECOND, WHEN YOU WHEN YOU ALL WERE TALKING ABOUT WHY ARE CERTAIN PROPERTIES NOT GETTING DEVELOPED? THAT KIND OF MADE ME THINK ABOUT IN THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS THAT WE POTENTIALLY NEED A GOAL OR VISION OR OBJECTIVE THAT SAYS, LIKE IF SOMETHING IS BEGINNING TO DETERIORATE, THEN THAT SHOULD INITIATE A PROCESS OF EVALUATION OF THAT PROPERTY THAT THEN LEADS TO REFINEMENT, ESSENTIALLY.

SO AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS THAT THE HASLETT OR THE MALL, THE MALL.

SO LIKE AS THE MALL STARTED DETERIORATE, THEN WE NEEDED TO SAY WHY THEN WHAT'S THIS POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS FOR THOSE THINGS? AND THEN HOW DO WE ACTUALLY BUILD THAT INTO A STRATEGIC PLAN SO THAT WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT DOES OCCUR, WHICH IT'S GOING TO, THEN THAT KICKS OFF AN INITIATIVE THAT THEN STRATEGICALLY REALIGNS THAT PROPERTY WITH THE GOALS OF THE TOWNSHIP.

I'M GOING TO STOP NOW.

SO I'M NOT I'M WONDERING IF AS WE LOOK AT THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND THEN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP IN PUBLIC COMMENTS COMBINED WITH SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD HERE, I'M WONDERING IN THE MASTER PLAN, IS THERE A PLACE TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION? LIKE IS THERE A PLACE IN THE PLAN FOR THAT TO BE INTENTIONAL WITH THAT KIND OF LANGUAGE? I THINK THAT BUILDS ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

I ALSO THINK THAT THAT GETS A LITTLE BIT TO THE HEART OF WHY THE FEEDBACK WE'RE RECEIVING IS 20% ABOUT GREEN BURIALS.

THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THAT'S NOT AN IMPORTANT TOPIC, BUT WHEN THE ONLY PLACE WHERE CITIZENS CAN ACCESS THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE INPUT IS JUST ONLINE AND MAYBE THEY'RE GETTING OPPORTUNITIES VIA EMAIL, THAT'S JUST ONE PLACE.

HOW MANY OF US JUST IGNORE THE EMAILS? YOU KNOW, LIKE OUR EMAIL JUST OVERFLOWS.

SO EVEN IF YOU ARE SOMEBODY WHO WOULD CONSIDER YOURSELF AN ENGAGED CITIZEN OR COMMUNITY MEMBER, IT'S VERY EASY TO JUST MISS THAT STUFF.

SO I WAS LOOKING AT SOME OF THE INTENTIONALITY IN OTHER COMMUNITIES BEHIND DI INITIATIVES AND ONE OF THE WAYS THAT INFORMATION WAS GATHERED.

BUT COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY WAS MENTIONING IN LANSING, WHERE IT'S LIKE PHYSICALLY PEOPLE ARE PRESENT GATHERING INPUT AT PLACES LIKE FARMERS MARKETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE, YOU KNOW, INTEREST CAN BE BUILT IN OTHER WAYS THAT ARE IN PERSON RATHER THAN JUST IN THESE ONLINE SPACES.

[01:00:06]

SO THINGS LIKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING HERE, POTENTIALLY THE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS.

PARK PRESERVATION GROCERY STORE NEAR NEAR JOLLY AND MARSH.

IS THAT A FOOD DESERT SITUATION? SO I JUST THOUGHT THIS MIGHT BE THE TIME TO AT LEAST BRING THAT UP AND SEE HOW THAT COULD FIT IN.

THANK YOU. I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT OUR AREA OF EXPERTISE IS SUPPOSED TO BE, WHICH IS LAND USE, PRESERVATION, DEVELOPMENT.

AND WHILE I AGREE WITH MANY OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE, I'M NOT SURE THAT THOSE TYPES OF EFFORTS COME OUT OF A DOCUMENT DEVELOPED BY A PLANNING COMMISSION AS OPPOSED TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD IN GENERAL, WHICH IS WHERE I THINK IT BELONGS.

BUT THERE ARE ELEMENTS THAT WE COULD FROM A LAND USE STANDPOINT THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT SOMETHING LIKE PUSHING OR ENCOURAGING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ENCOURAGING MAINTENANCE OF BUILDINGS, ENCOURAGING MULTI USE OR MULTIPLE USE OF AREAS, THAT STUFF CAN FIT IN THERE WITHOUT GOING BEYOND THE LAND USE, WHICH IS OUR AREA OF OPERATION. CAN I JUST RESPOND TO THAT REALLY QUICKLY? I DON'T I DON'T MEAN FOR THE THE COMMENTARY ABOUT DI TO BE PIE IN THE SKY IDEALISM.

I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE MASTER PLAN AS THEY ALREADY EXIST AND THEY ARE PRETTY BROAD.

THE 15,000 FOOT VIEW AND I'M TALKING TO ME, LANGUAGE IS SO IMPORTANT AND SO JUST TWEAKS TO OUR LANGUAGE TO DIRECT WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE AS A GUIDE FOR HOW WE WANT, HOW WE WANT TO OPERATE AS A TOWNSHIP IS ALL I, I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT I THINK THAT THERE IS SPACE, THOUGH, IN OUR MASTER PLAN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES TO JUST BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE LANGUAGE WE USE AND ABOUT SURVEYING RESIDENTS ACROSS A WIDE DEMOGRAPHIC.

AND, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH YOU, AND I DIDN'T MEAN TO IMPLY THAT THOSE AREN'T IMPORTANT GOALS.

I'M JUST THINKING THEY HAVE TO BE INCORPORATED OR THEY SHOULD BE INCORPORATED IN SUCH A WAY THAT APPLIES TO LAND USE.

AND WE CAN'T GET TOO BROAD BECAUSE THE MASTER PLAN IS NOT GOING TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES THAT THEY SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN THE APPROPRIATE AREA.

BUT I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH WITH INCLUDING INTENTIONAL LANGUAGE AS TO THAT TYPE OF AREA AND DI AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

A NUMBER OF THOSE THINGS ARE ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE.

WHAT I'M JUST SAYING IS WE CAN'T FOCUS ON THOSE AS OPPOSED TO THE LAND USE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE'RE INVOLVED IN.

I'M DELIGHTED TO HEAR MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS TALK ABOUT BROADENING AND DIVERSIFYING THE INPUT THAT WE GET ON THE ON THE PLAN.

I'M WHOLEHEARTEDLY IN FAVOR OF IT.

I WAS NOTING THAT THERE IS A DISCUSSION PLAN FOR MARCH 7TH.

I THINK HERE KIND OF FOCUSING ON ONE OF OUR PICAS AND THAT SEEMS TO ME LIKE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET FOLKS WHO ARE THINKING AND PARTICIPATING TO HAVE SOME INPUT ON THE MASTER PLAN WOULD BE GREAT IF THERE WAS A SIMILAR EVENT IN HASLETT.

I MEAN, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF STUFF GOING ON IN HASLETT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION AND STUFF AND I'D BE GREAT TO SOMEHOW, I DON'T KNOW, RIBBON CUTTING OR WHATEVER IT IS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LOOK BACK AND SEE WHAT THE PLAN SAID AND WHAT'S GETTING BUILT, BECAUSE IT LOOKS A LOT LIKE WHAT THE PLAN SAID.

NOT SO MUCH IN FOUR CORNERS YET, BUT IT WILL GO ON THERE.

BUT AND I ALSO AGREE THAT THE OTHER CORRIDORS, LIKE THE SAGINAW CORRIDOR AND THE MALL, ARE NOT ADDRESSED IN OUR CURRENT PLAN.

AND I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THEY NEED MORE EMPHASIS THAN THEY CURRENTLY.

THAT THEY GOT LAST TIME AROUND.

JUST A PRACTICAL SOLUTION, MAYBE THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU WERE SAYING AT THAT EVENT OR AT FARMERS MARKETS OR THINGS LIKE THAT, IF IT WAS POSSIBLE TO PUT TOGETHER A FLYER OF SOME

[01:05:03]

YOU KNOW, I HATE TO SUGGEST TACTICS BECAUSE THERE'S ALL SORTS OF NO, NO, NO.

BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO GET THINGS AT EVENTS, IT'S SOMETIMES EASIER TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN DO IMMEDIATELY, EITHER TAKE WITH THEM LIKE A CARD OR SOMETHING THAT SAYS, THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT. AND SIMILARLY, I WAS THINKING TOO PERHAPS QR CODES AT THE BUS STOPS, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.

I DON'T KNOW. SO I JUST WANT TO COMMENT ON I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW TO PRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME.

[INAUDIBLE] COMMISSIONER TREZISE COMMENT.

SO THAT'S WHAT SO WHAT'S CONFUSING ME IS A LITTLE BIT IS THE IS THAT YOU SAID THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON LAND USE AND ZONING, BUT THEN WHEN I HEAR THE IDEA THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE TOWNSHIP, THEN IT SEEMS BROADER THAN ZONING AND PLANNING.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'M CONFUSED ABOUT.

SO MAYBE SOMEBODY CAN.

I THINK THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ARE WITHIN THE AREA OF LAND USE, ZONING AND MAINTENANCE, IF NOTHING ELSE, AS A PLANNING COMMISSION.

THAT'S OUR AREA OF EXPERTISE AND OUR AREA OF AUTHORITY.

THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT COULD GO INTO A TOWNSHIP STRATEGIC PLAN WELL BEYOND LAND USE ISSUES AND SHOULD. BUT I THINK THIS IS NOT A STRATEGIC PLAN ON A BROAD STANCE FOR THE TOWNSHIP.

IT'S A STRATEGIC PLAN AND A MASTER PLAN FOR PROJECTIONS AND DESIRES AS FAR AS LAND USE FOR THE NEXT 5, 20, 15 YEARS, WHATEVER.

ONE THING I WOULD THROW OUT THERE IS SOMETHING WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK INTO IS BECAUSE THE MALL IS AN IMPORTANT CENTER OF OUR TOWNSHIP, AND ONE OF OUR PICAS IS AT LEAST IF IT GOES THROUGH IT, HASLETT IS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO NEED THE PIQUA DESIGNATION IN THE FUTURE.

WHETHER WE WANT TO LOOK AT MAKING THE MALL A THIRD PICA.

TO GIVE US SOME FLEXIBILITY AND ENCOURAGEMENT THERE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LAW IS REQUIRING THERE, WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO, BUT I MEAN, THAT IS AN AREA I THINK WE SHOULD MAINTAIN.

THE ONE UP IN NORTH WEST.

CARRIAGE HILL'S, CARRIAGE HILL'S CARRIAGE HILLS WILL STAY IN PLACE.

THE HASLETT PICA IS PROBABLY GOING TO THE BORDERS WILL CHANGE, BUT IT WILL STAY IN PLACE.

AS FAR AS VILLAGE OF OKEMOS GOES, WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR SITE PLAN.

YEAH, BUT I WOULD THINK THAT I WOULD THINK MOST OF THE HASLETT ONE MAY NOT PICA BECAUSE IT'S IT'S IT'S GETTING CLOSE EARLY IN THE DEVELOPMENT.

EARLY IN THIS PROCESS, THERE WAS A LAND USE SUBCOMMITTEE THAT WE HAD A MEETING WITH.

AND ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT MEETING, THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING UP WITH THIS.

I'M NOT JUST MAKING THAT UP.

WAS THAT THAT HASLETT PICA WOULD CHANGE, BUT NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO GO AWAY AND IT MAY GO FURTHER UP HASLETT ROAD.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT. WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT WHEN THE TIME COMES.

BUT THAT'S THAT'S THE KIND OF CONVERSATION THAT THEY [INAUDIBLE].

OK SO OK SO NOT CONTINUING ON THIS LINE, BUT SO DOES THE TOWNSHIP HAVE A DO WE HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE MASTER PLAN? THE BOARD CERTAIN THE TOWNSHIP BOARD ADOPTS GOALS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, AND THE TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATION ALSO HAS DEPARTMENTAL GOALS THAT ARE VERY EXPLICIT.

AND WHERE ARE THOSE ALL DERIVED FROM? WHERE DO THEY START FROM? THOSE ARE INTERNAL TO THE BOARD AND TO THE TOWNSHIP DEPARTMENTS, RIGHT? I MEAN, THE THE BOARD SETS THOSE POLICIES AND THE BOARD.

THEY GET FEEDBACK FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS.

YES. SO THEY SET ANNUAL GOALS, THOUGH, SO THAT THE BOARD SETS ANNUAL GOALS.

AND SO HOW DO THEY DETERMINE THOSE? AMONGST THEMSELVES. THESE ARE THE BASIS FOR EVALUATING STAFF ALL THE WAY UP AND DOWN THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION.

[01:10:02]

THE NEXT ONE WAS 2017.

THERE, THE 2005 WAS A CARRYOVER ALL THE WAY UP TO 2017 BECAUSE THERE WAS A FAILURE TO MAKE TOTAL AGREEMENT IN MAKING ANY CHANGES.

AND SO THEY WERE FOCUSED ON WHAT WAS HAPPENING NOW.

AT THAT TIME, HASLETT HAD ISSUES RIGHT IN WHAT THEY NOW CALL A PICA HERE IN [INAUDIBLE] AND THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS.

AND NOW IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US, INSTEAD OF JUST FOCUSING ON THE PRESENT, IS TO REALLY DO A CHANGE TO THE MASTER PLAN THAT IS MORE FORWARD THINKING.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE'S TRYING TO GET US TO.

BUT IT'S JUST GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO GET THERE.

BUT I REALLY LOVE THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE BECAUSE IT SHOWS YOUR LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT.

I APPRECIATE HEARING.

I WOULD POINT OUT THAT THERE'S ALSO A TOWNSHIP PATHWAY MASTER PLAN.

THERE'S A PARK MASTER PARKS PLAN.

SO SEVERAL BODIES WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP ALSO DO LONGER RANGE PLANNING.

OUR FOCUS IS ON THE LAND USE PARKS, IS ON PARKS, ETC..

YEAH, NO, I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND I THINK I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND LIKE THE HIERARCHICAL NATURE OF THE PLANS IN TERMS OF WHAT ROLLS UP TO WHAT.

AND SO WHAT I'M I GUESS I'M LIKE, SO I JUST FEEL LIKE THE MASTER PLAN DOES LIKE THE PARKS AND REC GROUP PULL FROM THE MASTER PLAN AND THE MASTER PLAN.

AND I'M SORRY, WE WILL WE'VE BEEN ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IS GO TO ALL THE DIFFERENT BOARDS WE HAVE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT BOARDS AND COMMITTEES.

WE'VE DIFFERENT STAFF MEMBERS HAVE GONE TO ALL OF THOSE AT DIFFERENT PARTS OF THIS PROCESS.

WE'LL GO BACK AGAIN.

TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION IS HAVING A SPECIAL MEETING NEXT WEEK, AND IT'S NOT THE POINT OF IT, BUT THE SECOND THE SECOND OF TWO ITEMS ARE TALKING ABOUT IS I'LL BE BRINGING THIS BACK FOR THEIR THIS DISCUSSION WITH THEM.

IN TURN THEN THE MASTER PLAN WILL REFER TO THE PARKS PLAN, THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, THE NON-MOTORIZED PLAN.

IT'LL REFER. SO THERE IS AN INTERCONNECTIVITY.

YES. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. COMMENTS.

QUESTIONS. SO CERTAINLY.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE US TO HEAR? IS IT PERFECT? I'VE GOT A LOT OF FEEDBACK AND I'M VERY PLEASED WITH THIS CONVERSATION.

THANK YOU. I GUESS I FEEL LIKE I'M ALSO STILL A LITTLE CONFUSED AS TO SOME OF THE JUST SOME OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE CURRENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES IN THE MASTER PLAN.

BECAUSE IF THE IF THE FOCUS IS IT WAS A BROADER FOCUSES ON LAND, LAND USE ISSUES AND PERMITS AND ALL OF THAT ADMINISTRATIVE TYPE STUFF.

AND JUST FOLLOWING THE LETTER OF THE LAW, YOU KNOW, THE MICHIGAN ZONING AND ENABLING ACT AND ALL OF THAT AND MAKING SURE WE'RE ALIGNED WITH THAT.

BUT THERE'S THINGS IN HERE LIKE LIKE FIVE MAINTAIN ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICES, FIVE C MAINTAIN QUALITY LIBRARY SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

FIVE B MAINTAIN POLICE, FIRE AND AMBULANCE SERVICE TO ALL AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY LIKE THIS.

YEAH, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE LIBRARIES.

WE DON'T YOU KNOW, I GET IT.

THERE ARE SOME COMMENTS LIKE THAT AND YOU YOU FIND THAT IN A LOT OF MASTER PLANS.

I'M NOT GOING TO PRETEND OTHERWISE, BUT YEAH.

SO I'M JUST SAYING THAT BECAUSE I THINK PERHAPS AT LEAST FOR ME, SOME OF THE CONFUSION MIGHT COME FROM LOOKING AT HOW THE DOCUMENT ALREADY EXISTS, SEEING THAT LANGUAGE AND THINKING MAYBE IT'S MORE BROAD THAN THAN IT ACTUALLY INTENDS TO BE, I DON'T KNOW.

WELL, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GO THROUGH A MASTER JUST SPEAKING FOR MY OWN EXPERIENCE.

YOU GO THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS OF GETTING ALL THIS PUBLIC INPUT, AND THEN IF YOU'RE LUCKY, YOU GET A FEW HUNDRED SURVEYS.

IF THE LIBRARY KEEPS COMING UP, YOU BETTER MENTION IT.

I'M JUST SAYING YOU BETTER, YOU KNOW.

BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE HAVE LAND USE CONTROL OVER THE LIBRARY SO WE CAN OR WE CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

BUT YOU'RE BETTER IF TWO DOZEN PEOPLE TAKE THE TIME TO MENTION YOUR LIBRARIES, YOU BETTER BRING IT UP.

I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE MEMO FROM ASSISTANT PLANNER CHAPMAN, THE KIND OF I THINK THEY'RE CALLING MOST IMPORTANT TOPICS ARE PRETTY MUCH THOSE THAT ARE MOST DIRECTLY RELATED TO PLANNING.

[01:15:04]

SO IN SOME WAYS I FEEL LIKE THAT MEMO IS RECOMMENDING AN ABRIDGED VERSION OF THE PLAN.

AS A SUBSET OF THE 2017 GOALS AND SAYING THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WE PUT IN BOLD WOULD MAKE FOR A MUCH SMALLER DOCUMENT AND MUCH SMALLER IN SCOPE AND MUCH SMALLER IN LENGTH THAN AND STUFF.

SO JUST AT THIS POINT IN TERMS OF FEEDBACK TO STAFF, IS ARE WE INTERESTED IN SOMETHING THAT'S THAT COGENT OR SOMETHING IN BETWEEN THAT SHORT LIST, AND ARE THERE BITS AND PIECES IN THE EXISTING MASTER PLAN THAT ARE ON THAT LIST THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE? I GUESS I THIS SAYS THAT THIS REFLECTS THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF STAFF FROM THE THINGS THAT YOU BELIEVE TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT MOVING FORWARD. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY INSIGHT YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH US ABOUT WHY THAT SUBSET OF THINGS WAS SELECTED AS OPPOSED TO SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS ON THE 2017 LIST THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR US TO MAKE THAT DECISION OR SAY, I THINK THIS OUGHT TO BE PULLED UP INTO THERE, TOO.

AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED TO DO IT TONIGHT COMPLETELY.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND AND I THINK WE'VE SHARED THESE WITH YOU, THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER SURVEY, PUBLIC SURVEY DOCUMENTS DONE.

I KNOW I THINK IN 2021, THE TOWNSHIP WENT IT WAS PREVIOUS TO MY TIME HERE ANYWAY, TOWNSHIP WENT THROUGH A STRATEGIC PLAN WITH A BIG PUBLIC INPUT.

WE HAVE ALL THE SURVEY DATA FROM THAT.

WE HAVE THE INPUT THAT WE HAVE.

WE HAVE WE WENT THROUGH THE BICYCLE, THE BICYCLE FRIENDLY APPLICATION LAST YEAR THAT WE GOT THE HONORABLE MENTION FOR THERE WAS A THERE WAS A LARGE SURVEY EFFORT BEHIND THAT.

SO WE HAVE DATA AND A LOT OF THAT I THINK WE'VE SHARED WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN THE PAST, WE'LL DO IT AGAIN.

SOME OF THAT COMES OUT OF THOSE DOCUMENTS AND THEN SOME OF THIS COMES FROM WHAT'S GOOD IN THE 2017 PLAN THAT WE CAN BRING FORWARD.

AND THROUGH THE COMBINATION OF OF THOSE SOURCES, ASSISTANT PLANNER CHAPMAN AND DIRECTOR SCHMITT CAME UP WITH THIS.

NOW, I'M NOT TRYING TO PASS THE BUCK I WASN'T DIRECTLY INVOLVED [INAUDIBLE].

SO I CAN I CANNOT GIVE YOU MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT THAT, BUT I KNOW THE SOURCES OF THE DATA AND WHERE THERE ARE CONCLUSIONS FROM.

THANK YOU. COULD I PUT A VERY FINE POINT ON TWO OF THEM? SO I LOOK AT CHAPTER SEVEN OF THE EXISTING PLAN AND I CAN SEE THAT IN SECTION A IMPLEMENT SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, ETC.

NUMBERS THREE, FIVE AND SIX ARE ON THE HOT LIST.

NUMBER SEVEN IS IS BASICALLY THE ONE THAT COMMISSIONER RICHARDS WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER.

EXPLORE METHODS THROUGH ORDINANCES OR BY PROVIDING INCENTIVES FOR THEM TO UPGRADE THEIR PARKING LOTS AND LANDSCAPE TO INCREASE TREE COVER, ETC.

ETC. AND THEN ON IN SECTION B, DEVELOP TOWNSHIP POLICIES TO BALANCE AND MANAGE GROWTH.

THE SECOND ONE THERE, THE SELF ASSESSMENT TOOLKIT, IS WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US DO.

SO THERE ARE BITS AND PIECES IN THERE THAT ARE WORTH LOOKING AT AND SAYING IS THAT AMONG OUR TOP PRIORITIES, OR HOW WOULD WE IMPLEMENT IT KIND OF THING.

I HAVE ONE COMMENT JUST AND IT'S A PLANNING COMMENT.

AS I WAS LOOKING AT THE GRANT, THE CORRIDOR, THE GRAND RIVER CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AREA AND THINKING ABOUT THAT, I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AS A WHOLE AND I WAS LIKE, I WOULD I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S EVER BEEN A PURSUIT OF LIKE AN OKEMOS ROAD OR A MARSH ROAD CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT.

BUT THE REASON I'M ASKING ABOUT IT IS BECAUSE THERE'S THERE'S THE MAJOR HASLETT [INAUDIBLE] VILLAGE AND THEN THERE'S THE OKEMOS VILLAGE, AND THEN THERE'S THE JOLLY ROAD AND OKEMOS INTERSECTION DOWN THERE.

AND THAT'S A MAIN CORRIDOR THAT CONNECTS A LOT OF LOCAL BUSINESSES WITH THE RESIDENTS.

[01:20:07]

THAT'S LIKE THERE'S THAT HUGE CORRIDOR BASICALLY WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING NORTH, SOUTH AND.

NO, I THINK THAT'S A I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.

AND THAT'S THE KIND OF THING WE'D LIKE TO SEE THAT'S ACTIONABLE.

WE CAN WE CAN DO IT AND MEASURE THAT.

YEAH. KEEP IN MIND, THE SOUTH SIDE OF JOLLY ROAD IS [INAUDIBLE].

YEAH, THAT IS TRUE.

ALL RIGHT, WELL.

THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE THE BORDERS MEMORIZED YET.

SOMETHING ELSE I SAW IN THE ANNUAL REPORT, I BELIEVE, WAS DISCUSSION OF A TIF CAPABILITY FOR OUR CURRENT CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY.

I THINK THE BOARD TOOK ACTION ON THAT RECENTLY.

SO AGAIN, A NICE PIECE FOR US TO CONSIDER WHEN WE'RE THINKING WHICH CORRIDORS AND HOW IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WELL INFORMED OF WHAT THAT IS AND HOW IT WORKS AND WHAT CAPABILITIES THAT GIVES THE CIA IN TERMS OF DOING THINGS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THE MASTER PLAN IS SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO GET DONE WITH THAT.

GOOD POINT, COMMISSIONER CURTIS.

NO, I'M ALL SET.

THANK YOU. PART OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE FACING IS THAT THE MASTER PLAN HAS TO BE, BY ITS NATURE, SOMEWHAT INDEPENDENT. OF CURRENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS.

AND WE'VE JUST GONE THROUGH A MAJOR BLOW TO ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, WHICH SET EVERYTHING BACK.

BUT THAT SHOULDN'T CHANGE THE ULTIMATE GOAL, WHICH IS WHAT'S PRODUCED IN THE MASTER PLAN.

AND I THINK PEOPLE CAN GET SIDETRACKED THINKING, WELL, HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THIS BUSINESS IN THIS CORNER HERE WHEN THE REAL GOAL IS HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET ANY BUSINESS UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES TO DEVELOP IN THIS AREA? THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MASTER PLAN AND A SPECIFIC GOAL FOR A SPECIFIC LOCATION.

AND I THINK WE HAVE TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS THE ULTIMATE SET OF GOALS.

SO I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THAT.

AND THAT'S WHERE MY QUESTIONS WERE COMING FROM AS WELL, BECAUSE I WAS THINKING ABOUT SO AS COVID HAPPENED, DID IT HOW MUCH DID IT I MEAN, IT RESHAPED THE WORKFORCE. SO LIKE, I'M REMOTE, I WORK REMOTELY AND LIVE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

AND SO I'M I'M CURIOUS, LIKE WHAT HOW LARGE IS THAT POPULATION NOW WITH THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ONLY REQUIRING STAFF TO COME IN TO THE OFFICE ON SO MANY DAYS OF THE WEEK.

SO I WILL REPORT THAT NUMBER TO YOU WHEN I READ THE DEMOGRAPHICS.

IT'S YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

IT'S THAT FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE OUR OUR DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY ESSENTIALLY, LIKE IF WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE LIKE THAT.

I THINK THE QUESTION I WOULD ASK YOU IS, DO YOU THINK THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS OR ARE WE EVENTUALLY? THAT'S THE QUESTION.

THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF QUESTIONS.

BUT WHAT THAT MIGHT TIE INTO IS A PART OF THE MASTER PLAN THAT WOULD, FOR INSTANCE, INCREASE ACCESS TO INTERNET COMMUNICATION.

CORRECT? IT MIGHT ALSO ENCOURAGE SOME MODIFICATION OF THE ZONING LAWS SO THAT YOU HAVE MORE CHOICES IN AN AREA IT ISN'T ALL PROFESSIONAL OFFICES, COULD BE THE MULTI USE TYPE OPERATION IN A ZONING AREA SO THAT YOU HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE OFFICE SPACE, YOU CAN RELATIVELY EASILY WITHOUT GOING THROUGH A WHOLE ZONING CHANGE, CHANGE IT TO A DIFFERENT USE, WHICH COULD MAKE US MORE FLEXIBLE, SHALL WE SAY, IN THE FUTURE.

ARE YOU ARE YOU PARTLY GETTING AT THE IDEA OF LIKE WHAT MAKES A COMMUNITY A PREFERRED COMMUNITY FOR SOMEBODY WHO CAN WORK FROM HOME AND LIVE ANYWHERE? IS THAT KIND OF ALSO WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT? I'M SORRY, I'M JUST TRYING TO CLARIFY.

YEAH, THAT'S FINE. YEAH.

NO, I'M JUST TRYING TO.

I'M JUST THINKING OUT LOUD BASICALLY.

THAT'S RELEVANT. BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, A LOT OF PEOPLE SUDDENLY ARE WORKING FROM HOME.

I MEAN, THAT WAS A VERY SUDDEN SHIFT IN AMERICAN SOCIETY WHERE IT USED TO BE THAT YOU GOT A JOB AND THEN YOU FOUND A HOME NEAR YOUR JOB WITHIN A REASONABLE COMMUTE. BUT NOW, I MEAN, YOU CAN LIVE ANYWHERE IN A LOT OF FIELDS.

[01:25:05]

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A REAL CONSIDERATION IN TERMS OF KEEPING THIS A PRIME COMMUNITY THAT PEOPLE WILL CHOOSE TO LIVE IN EVEN WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE TO, BECAUSE THEY CAN LIVE LITERALLY ANYWHERE BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING FROM THE DESK IN THEIR HOME.

YEAH SO THAT THAT MAKES ME THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ALSO COMMENTED ON WAS.

SO IF WE TAKE THE THE WOMAN EARLIER WHO WHO WANTED TO REZONE HER RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY FROM BUSINESS, FROM OFFICE TO PROFESSIONAL.

YEAH. SO, SO IN A FLEXIBLE ZONING ENVIRONMENT, I MEAN SO IF YOU'RE IF THE POPULATION IS MORE FLEXIBLE IN THE FUTURE WHERE PEOPLE ARE REMOTE OR THEY'RE WORKING ANOTHER JOB, MAYBE THEY HAVE THEIR OWN BUSINESS AT THEIR HOUSE, ARE THERE OPTIONS FOR THAT WITHIN THE ZONING LAWS SO THAT PEOPLE COULD OPEN A BUSINESS OUT OF THEIR HOUSE AND WORK REMOTELY OR ETC.? MAYBE IT'S LIKE THE SIZE OF A BUSINESS MATTERS.

OR IT COULD ALSO BE THAT IT'S NOT AN OPEN.

YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT HERE, BUT TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS TO ALLOW A DIFFERENT USE IN THERE RATHER THAN GOING THROUGH A FULL ORDINANCE CHANGE AND AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING CODE.

YEAH, JUST TO PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY AND EASE FOR THE PERSON THAT OWNS THE PROPERTY WITHIN REASONABLE LIMITATIONS.

I MEAN, THAT'S PART OF THE THE GOAL OF SOME OF THE FORM BASED CODE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON TO ALLOW FLEXIBILITY.

THE BUILDING HAS TO BE CERTAIN SPECIFICATIONS IN GENERAL, BUT THE UTILIZATION IS NOT CONTROLLED.

SO YOU HAVE APARTMENTS, YOU CAN HAVE BUSINESSES, YOU COULD HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT USES WITHIN THAT FORM BASED CODE.

AS LONG AS THE BUILDINGS MET, THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CODE ITSELF.

[INAUDIBLE] YOU LOOKED LIKE YOU WERE ABOUT TO SAY SOMETHING.

I'M SORRY. OKAY.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

IT'S A GOOD CONVERSATION. I APPRECIATE THAT.

RIGHT. MASTER PLAN.

IS THERE ANY ANYTHING ELSE UNDER ITEM TEN MASTER PLAN UPDATE THAT WE WISH TO DISCUSS.

ALL RIGHT, THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER ELEVEN REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.

[11.A. Township Board update]

THE ONLY THING I'LL MENTION IS THAT THE MR. MCCONNELL MENTIONED ABOUT ON MARCH 7TH, ABOUT VILLAGE OF ALCHEMIST, THAT IS A TOWNSHIP BOARD DISCUSSION AT 6:00 WITH RESIDENTS WHO HAVE CONTACTED THE BOARD.

THAT'S THAT'S IT'S NOT JUST AN OPEN FORUM.

IT IS IT'S A BOARD MEETING.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, WE HAVE A FEW THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP AND I'M SURE YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT IT MORE SPECIFICALLY IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

I HAPPENED TO ATTEND THE FEBRUARY 7TH MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WAS ON THEIR AGENDA.

AT THAT MEETING THEY DID TAKE UP THE ISSUE OF THE RECREATIONAL RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA ORDINANCE AS A DISCUSSION ITEM.

IT HASN'T BEEN FORMALLY INTRODUCED.

IT'S PLENTY OF STEPS AND THINGS.

BUT THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY WAS WAS PRESENT FOR THAT DISCUSSION.

AND SO THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE LICENSING ARRANGEMENTS AND IT'S MUCH MORE DETAILED THAN WE GOT INTO HERE.

BUT AT ONE POINT THERE WAS DISCUSSION OF THE DRIVE THROUGH PROHIBITION AND THE DEGREE TO WHICH THAT WOULD OR WOULD NOT IMPACT SORT OF CURBSIDE SERVICE, THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD HAD.

AND IT SOUNDED TO ME LIKE THE MAYBE THE THINKING HAD CHANGED OR DEFINITIONS HAD CHANGED, BUT THEY WERE SUGGESTING THAT THE BOARD CONSIDER ONLY IN STORE ACCESS.

AND I FELT LIKE WE CAME TO A DIFFERENT CONCLUSION.

SO I WAS JUST HOPING I'D THINK WHAT WAS OUR DISCUSSION WAS WHETHER THIS PROHIBITED CURBSIDE DELIVERY FROM THERE, NOT WHETHER IT I MEAN, IT WAS IT WAS WHETHER THAT COULD STILL BE DONE.

AND WE THOUGHT. BASED ON THE EXISTING RULES, IT COULD BE IF THE BOARD CHOOSES TO MAKE IT IN HOUSE OR INSIDE ONLY THAT'S THEIR

[01:30:02]

BUT I DON'T I DID SEE THE MEETING, SO I DON'T KNOW.

HOW DOES THAT AFFECT PEOPLE THAT ARE INCAPACITATED AND CAN'T GET OUT OF A VEHICLE TO GO INTO [INAUDIBLE]? THAT WAS THE POINT THAT THE CLERK WAS MAKING IN THAT DISCUSSION, AND IT SOUNDED LIKE THE ANSWER WAS NO, THE DRIVE THE THE WAY IT WAS.

MAYBE IT'S BEST TO WAIT UNTIL THE MINUTES OF THAT MEETING.

YES. I WAS HAVING TROUBLE MAKING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN HOW OUR DISCUSSION WAS WAS PRESENTED AND THE DISCUSSION THAT WAS BEING HAD THERE. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE OTHER COMMISSIONERS, IF THEY'RE INTERESTED, TO PEEK AT THE VIDEO.

IT'S REALLY EASY TO GET TO HOMTV AND THE AGENDAS THERE AND YOU POKE ON THAT ITEM AND THERE YOU GO.

YOU WANT A BOWL OF POPCORN, YOU KNOW.

SO IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOU CORRECTLY, THE CONCERN FOR YOU, THOUGH, IS THAT PLEASE TELL ME IF I'M NOT GETTING THIS RIGHT HERE.

BUT WHAT I'M HEARING IS YOUR CONCERN IS THAT PERHAPS THAT IS AN ISSUE THAT IS WORTHY OF MORE DISCUSSION BY THE BOARD BEFORE A DECISION IS MADE.

AND TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE INCAPACITATED OR, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM CHRONIC PAIN UTILIZE MARIJUANA AS A FORM OF MEDICINE.

IT'S FAR MORE SAFE THAN OPIATES.

SO I PERSONALLY FIND THAT CONCERNING.

AND IF THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, NEEDS TO HEAR THAT, I DON'T SEE WHY THAT CAN'T BE VOICED HERE.

SO I WOULD I WOULD ALSO BE CONCERNED BY JUST KIND OF AN OUTRIGHT THE ORDINANCE BEING WRITTEN IN A MANNER THAT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR CURBSIDE DELIVERY, FOR EXAMPLE, DRIVE THRUS ARE DIFFERENT.

AS LONG AS A PERSON CAN GET ACCESS TO WHAT THEY NEED IF IT'S CURBSIDE.

I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S WORTH BEING HEARD.

SO I DON'T KNOW. WAS I UNDERSTANDING YOUR CONCERNS CORRECTLY, THOUGH? SORRY, I KNOW I GAVE ALL MY OPINIONS.

I THINK YOU'VE GOT IT. AND I'M PRETTY CERTAIN THAT THEY WILL HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.

[INAUDIBLE] YEAH, YEAH.

HOW ABOUT LIAISON REPORTS?

[11.B. Liaison reports]

SO I FIGURED I'D GO FOR MY LAST MEETING.

IT WAS A VERY INTERESTING ONE.

THEY DID BRING UP THE POSSIBILITY AND THEY DID, I BELIEVE, PASS A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AREA GET SOME LEVEL OF AUTHORITY, WHICH WOULD ALSO SORT OF MASSAGE THE CORRIDOR ITSELF A LITTLE BIT, AND THAT WOULD GO TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, ALTHOUGH HAD THEY TAKEN THAT UP OR IT'S JUST A DISCUSSION, DO YOU KNOW? I DON'T THINK IT'S BEEN TAKEN UP YET.

AT LEAST THERE'S FINAL APPROVAL, BUT I DON'T KNOW.

THE OTHER THING IS WE GOT A REPORT BACK FROM FROM OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

AND FOR CLARK, AS FAR AS THE NEED TO RECERTIFY THE AND GET APPROVAL FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE REDEVELOPMENT READY COMMUNITY DESIGNATION FROM THE STATE.

THERE'S A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS, CHANGES, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT HAVE TO BE INCORPORATED, SOME OF WHICH WILL INVOLVE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND POSSIBLY THE MASTER PLAN ELEMENTS IN THERE.

SO YOU'LL HEAR MORE FROM THEM.

BUT THAT'S IN THE PROCESS OF BEING RENEWED.

OTHER THAN THAT, IT WAS A GOOD MEETING.

I ATTENDED THE MOST RECENT EFFORT TO HAVE A MEETING OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

THEY ARE HAVING A GREAT DEAL OF DIFFICULTY PUTTING TOGETHER VOTING NUMBER OF MEMBERS, SO IT WAS RATHER AN INFORMAL MEETING.

MISS CLARK CONTINUES TO AMAZE ME WITH HER ABILITY TO BRING ISSUES UP.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'RE JUST HAVING A TERRIBLE TIME PUTTING TOGETHER A VOTING MAJORITY.

THEY'VE BEEN HAVING INFORMAL MEETINGS FOR THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS, I THINK.

SO THEY'VE GOT TO CORRECT THAT.

ANY OTHER LIAISON'S.

[12.A. Project Report]

I APOLOGIZE.

WE ARE DOING AN UPDATE TO IT, MAKING SURE THAT IT'S CURRENT WITH PROJECTS AND I DIDN'T HAVE IT READY FOR THIS

[01:35:09]

WELL, I'M SORRY, MR. SCALES, JUST ONE QUESTION.

I DON'T KNOW. WAS THIS A TYPO IN THE BACK OF THE AGENDA? IS THIS THESE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS? ARE THEY FOR TENTATIVE FEBRUARY 27TH? SO THE PROJECT REPORT IS AN ACTUAL DOCUMENT THAT WE ARE TRYING TO PROVIDE SOMEWHAT TIMELY BASIS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON CURRENT AND ON DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED IN THEIR STATUS.

THAT'S NOT A TYPO.

YOUR NEXT MEETING, YOU HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR TWO SPECIAL EXPERIMENTS.

THAT IS CORRECT. FOR THIS MEETING.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING.

OH, NO, IT SHOULDN'T.

I'M SORRY [INAUDIBLE] THIS HEADING WAS AN UPDATE OK GUIDE.

NO, THAT'S. THAT'S. THAT'S IN TWO WEEKS.

SORRY ABOUT THAT.

YEAH IT SAYS JANUARY 23RD AT THE TOP ALSO.

YEAH. THAT DIDN'T CHANGE.

YEP. I WILL MAKE NOTE OF THAT.

NO, IT'S OKAY.

I THINK WE STILL HAVE A FEW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HERE.

MAY I ACTUALLY ASK A QUESTION REAL QUICK? WE WERE DOING A LITTLE BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING AND DIRECTOR SCHMITT'S OFFICE.

WE CAME UP WITH A USB.

HE THOUGHT THIS BELONGED TO ONE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSIONERS.

IT MIGHT BE MINE.

I CAN GET RID OF THIS CLUNKY MOUSE.

I'M DONE.

[13. PUBLIC REMARKS]

YES. HELLO. MY NAME IS CECELIA CRAMER.

4560 OKEMOS EXCUSE ME, OAKWOOD ROAD HERE IN OKEMOS.

AND I JUST WANTED TO JUST A BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING HERE TOO.

ON YOUR AGENDA IN YOUR PACKET DOCUMENTS THIS EVENING, YOU GOT A COPY OF A LETTER FROM OUR COUNCIL PRESIDENT [INAUDIBLE] WHO WAS SITTING OVER HERE.

AND THAT LETTER ALSO HAD AN ACCOMPANIMENT OF OF OUR LETTER OF FROM THE FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH, WHICH WAS SENT TO YOU DECEMBER, IN DECEMBER.

MANY OF YOU SOME OF YOU WERE NOT ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT THAT TIME AND MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THAT DECEMBER DOCUMENT, WHICH WE THOUGHT KIND OF EXPLAINED OUR ISSUE FOR FAITH LUTHERAN AND THE THE DENSITY ISSUE IN THE MASTER PLAN. SOME OF YOU MANY OF YOU WEREN'T EVEN ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION WHEN THIS CAME UP A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. AND HERE WE ARE STILL TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THE PROCESS TO DEAL WITH THE DENSITY ISSUE ON THAT PARCEL. SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL WERE AWARE THAT YOU NOW HAVE PASSED OUT TO YOU EARLIER THIS EVENING, THE SECOND AND THIRD PAGES OF THAT DOCUMENT AS YOUR AS A HANDOUT, A SPECIAL HANDOUT TONIGHT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THIS IS NOT RELATED TO THE LAST COMMENT, BUT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT SOMETHING, AT LEAST HISTORICALLY, THAT HAS BEEN AN OPERATING PROCEDURE.

I GUESS THAT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE FOLLOWED.

AND I THINK WE JUST NEED TO IN THE MOST RECENT PAST YEAR, AND THAT IS WHEN UNDER PUBLIC COMMENTS, PUBLIC REMARKS WHERE ANSWERING QUESTIONS OF THE PERSON WHO WAS MAKING THE PUBLIC REMARKS.

NOW, THAT'S FINE WHEN YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF A CONGENIAL THING, BUT I'VE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE TOWNSHIP LONG ENOUGH THAT WHEN WE START DOING THAT, THEN AND QUESTIONS COME UP IN THE FUTURE THAT ARE KIND OF POINTED QUESTIONS, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO FIND OURSELVES OBLIGATED TO ANSWER THOSE

[01:40:09]

BUT AS IN TERMS OF THOSE OF US WHO ARE PART OF THE COMMISSION, WE DON'T COMMENT ON THEIR COMMENTS AND EVEN CLARIFICATIONS THAT IT JUST OPENS UP.

AND AGAIN, IT CAN CHANGE.

I MEAN, IF WE WANT TO DO THAT, I THINK YOU JUST HAVE TO BE AWARE THAT WHEN YOU GET INTO LAND USE ISSUES WHERE THERE ARE MULTIPLE SIDES AND SOME QUITE AN EMOTION GETS INTO THINGS.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST FOR THE SAKE OF KEEPING THINGS TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND FOR US AS THE FOR THE COMMISSION TO DISCUSS THE PUBLIC COMMENT, THAT'S FINE AFTER PUBLIC COMMENTS END.

AND IF THE ISSUE THAT IS BEING THE PUBLIC COMMENT IS MADE ABOUT IS ON THE AGENDA OR AFTER ALL THE AGENDA ITEMS FOR US TO TALK ABOUT IT, THAT'S FINE.

BUT AT LEAST IN THE PAST, THAT'S BEEN THE THAT'S THE STANDARD GUIDELINE THAT MOVES THE MEETING ALONG.

AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN AFTERWARD WE CAN'T INDIVIDUALLY TALK TO THE PERSON THAT MADE THE COMMENT TO CLARIFY A POINT.

BUT IN SOME CASES IN THE PAST THE STAFF WOULD SAY, WELL, IF THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE, THE STAFF CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION AFTER THE FACT, THAT SORT OF THING WHERE WE SAY, WE'LL GET WITH THE STAFF, THEY HAVE THE ANSWER AND THEY WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTION FOR YOU.

JUST I GUESS I FELT OBLIGATED TO MAKE THE COMMENT.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ISSUES THAT THE PANEL WISHES TO RAISE? ALL RIGHT. SO THE LAST THING THAT I'M SO SORRY, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION, BECAUSE THIS IS WE'VE GOTTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS BEFORE.

IS IT OKAY TO ASK I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE EARLIER TONIGHT, THE THE REQUEST FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REZONING VERSUS IS THIS DIFFERENT? I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND PROCEDURE HERE.

SO BECAUSE THE THE REQUEST TO CHANGE THE DENSITY WITH FOR WITH REGARD TO THE PARCEL, I THINK IT'S NEXT TO FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH OR IT SAYS THE ENTIRE PARCEL ANYWAY.

WHAT FAITH LUTHERAN IS ASKING FOR IS A CHANGE TO THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP THAT IN TURN WOULD JUSTIFY THE REZONING THAT THEY HAVE PREVIOUSLY ASKED FOR AND WAS DENIED BY BASIS OF THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP, NOT AGREEING WITH THE CHANGE.

THANK YOU. CAN YOU REPEAT THAT AGAIN? RIGHT. THE RESIDENT ASKED FOR A CHANGE IN THE ZONING SO THAT IT WOULD IMMEDIATELY AFFECT WHAT SHE COULD AND COULDN'T DO WITH HER LAND USE.

WHAT FAITH LUTHERAN IS ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER IS A CHANGE TO THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP IN THE MASTER PLAN THAT DOES NOT HAVE A POWER ORDINANCE.

HOWEVER, THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND THIS IS THIS IS PLANNING LAW.

THE ZONING ORDINANCE HAS TO BE BASED ON THE MASTER PLAN.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT A REZONING, THE FIRST THING WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT IS THE MASTER IS THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP IN 2020-2021.

BEFORE MY TIME HERE, FAITH LUTHERAN APPLIED FOR REZONING.

THAT REZONING WAS DENIED AND THE REASON GIVEN WAS THAT THE REZONING WAS DENSER THAN THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP CALLED FOR WHAT THEY'RE ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER WHEN WE GET TO THE POINT THAT WE ARE MAKING FUTURE LAND USE MAP CHANGES THAT YOU THAT YOU CONSIDER CHANGING THEIR PROPERTY TO A DIFFERENT DESIGNATION THAT WOULD SUPPORT THEIR REQUEST OF REZONING.

OKAY. OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. THANKS.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? [INAUDIBLE] I HAVE A COMMENT.

WHOEVER SENT OUT THE LIST OF MEETING DISCUSSIONS AND THE VIDEO TIMES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

IF THAT WAS YOU, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU.

THAT WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL INFORMATION.

I KNOW I ASKED FOR IT AND I APPRECIATED IT BEING DONE.

THAT PARTICULAR TASK WAS DIRECTOR SCHMITT.

I'LL PASS YOUR APPRECIATION ALONG TO HIM.

THANK YOU FOR.

[01:45:01]

IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED, SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR AYE, AYE.

THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. HAVE A GOOD EVENING.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.