[00:00:54]
BRIAN, ARE WE ALL SET TO GO? THUMBS UP.
[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
IT IS NOW TIME TO CALL INTO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION.FIRST THING I'M GOING TO DO IS CALL THE ROLL.
CALL] WE DON'T HAVE COMMISSIONER SNYDER HERE YET.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER SHE'S GOING TO BE HERE OR NOT, BUT WE CERTAINLY HAVE A QUORUM.
FIRST OF ALL, LET ME ASK, WE DO HAVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC PRESENT AT THE MEETING THIS EVENING.
[3. PUBLIC REMARKS]
I'D LIKE TO ASK IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON A GENERAL ISSUE BEFORE WE GET INTO THE SPECIFICS OF THE EVENING.NO? OKAY, SO NO PUBLIC COMMENT? WAS THERE? I'M SORRY. IS THERE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS OR IS IT ONLY.
NO, IT WOULD BE AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I THINK I'D LIKE TO SPEAK IN ADVANCE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SURE. WHY DON'T YOU GO ON UP TO THE PODIUM THERE? MOST OF US KNOW WHO YOU ARE, BUT FOR THE RECORD, COULD YOU TELL US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE? HI, IT'S LYNNE PAGE 3912 RALEIGH DRIVE IN OKEMOS AND I JUST HAVE SOME REMARKS TO MAKE REGARDING THE SUP 23-011 FOR HASLETT GALLERY.
I HAD SENT YOU SOME LATE CORRESPONDENCE.
IT'LL PROBABLY BE IN YOUR PACKET NEXT TIME, BUT I JUST WANT TO DISCUSS THE SUP APPLICATION AND FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A LONGTIME TOWNSHIP RESIDENT, I FEEL LIKE IF IT WERE ANY OTHER TYPE OF SUP, YOU WOULD HAVE A ROBUST DISCUSSION OF THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY IN ANY OTHER TYPE OF LAND USE DECISION NOT RELATING TO MARIJUANA COMMERCE.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE APPLICATION DOCUMENTS IN THE PACKET, IT SEEMS VERY MECHANICAL.
THE APPLICANT HASN'T REALLY MET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DOCUMENTING THE SUP STANDARDS. THOSE STANDARDS REQUIRE THE APPLICANTS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE PROJECT WILL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT OR BE HAZARDOUS TO NEIGHBORING USES AND IT WON'T BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE ECONOMIC WELFARE OF THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES OR THE COMMUNITY, AND THE EVIDENCE PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANT IS REALLY SUBJECTIVE AND OUTDATED AND NOT AND PRESENTED AS FACTS AND DOES NOT CONTAIN VERIFIABLE DATA.
I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT MARIJUANA COMMERCE IN OUR TOWNSHIP WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT CHILDREN.
MARIJUANA COMMERCE HAS SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY IMPLICATIONS.
ALSO, I HAVE PROVIDED SUBSTANTIVE DATA SUPPORTING THAT INFORMATION AND I THINK AS A PLANNING COMMISSION, KNOWING THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS RECEIVED SIX APPLICATIONS FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA PERMITS, I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE SOME INSTRUCTION FROM THE PLANNING STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION ABOUT AN
[00:05:09]
OVERVIEW IN CONTEXT OF THESE APPLICATIONS AND THE COMPLIANCE RULES RELATING TO THE SUBMISSION OF THE PERMIT APPLICATIONS AND THE SUBSEQUENT SPECIAL USE PERMITS AND OR BUILDING PERMITS.WHEN I LOOK AT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE PUBLIC IN THE PACKET, THE GREAT MAJORITY IS A TENANT LEASE APPLICATION AND THE STAFF REPORT ONLY HAS A FEW VERY SHORT SENTENCES ABOUT THE CONTENT OF THE APPLICATION, PARTICULARLY IN REGARD TO THE SAFETY AND ODOR CONTROL THAT'S BEING PROPOSED BY THE APPLICANT.
SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S ENOUGH INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO HAVE A ROBUST DISCUSSION OF WHAT THAT MIGHT BE, AND I THINK ULTIMATELY THE PLANNING COMMISSION SHOULD REALLY DISCUSS WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS APPLICATION.
THE TOWNSHIP APPROVED MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSING IN 2019 AND NO, THERE ARE NO HAVE BEEN NO ACTIVE PERMITS AND NO FACILITIES HAVE OPENED FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA.
SO IT SEEMS APPARENT THAT THESE FACILITIES ARE REALLY PLACEHOLDERS FOR RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA, AND I THINK THAT SHOULD BE MADE MORE TRANSPARENT TO THE PUBLIC AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF WHAT THAT MEANS IN TERMS OF THE TOWNSHIP'S ZONING AND CONSTRUCTION HAS TO BE DISCUSSED.
THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING MY INPUT.
ALL RIGHT, SO THERE ARE NO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME ? NO. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
SO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING.
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
SO IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU.ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. THERE IS NO OPPOSITION.
THE RECORD SHOULD ALSO REFLECT THAT COMMISSIONER SNYDER HAS JOINED US.
SHE WAS JUST TWO MINUTES LATE, SO.
[CHUCKLING] MY APOLOGIES. NOT A PROBLEM AT ALL.
THE NEXT ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING, WHICH WAS APRIL 10TH.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
SO MOVED. MOVED BY COMMISSIONER TREZISE.SECOND, COMMISSIONER MCCURTIS.
THAT DOESN'T TAKE A ROLL CALL. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THOSE MINUTES? FIRST OF ALL, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ANYBODY HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS TO THE MINUTES? YES. I NOTICED A VERY MINOR TYPO THAT I'VE SHARED WITH STAFF, BUT NOT CONTENT WISE.
ALL RIGHT, GOOD. SO THEN, YES, [INAUDIBLE] READ IT ON PAGE SIX IN OUR DISCUSSION OF THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY FOR THE FOURTH OR FIFTH PARAGRAPH IS QUESTIONING, NOT NECESSARILY WHETHER IT'S A HARD BOUNDARY OR UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS THAT BOUNDARY MIGHT BE RECONSIDERED, AND I'M DELIGHTED TO SEE THAT IN OUR DISCUSSION LATER ON.
SO WE DON'T NEED TO BELABOR THE POINT, BUT THAT WAS KIND OF MY POINT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE THERE.
VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
SO THEN ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING, SAY AYE.
THERE ARE NO COMMUNICATIONS ASIDE FROM THE ONE THAT WE RECEIVED AT THE LAST MINUTE.
[7A. SUP #23010 – MSU to Lake Lansing Pathway – Phase II]
A SPECIAL USE PERMIT 23-010 MSU TO LAKE LANSING PATHWAY.THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR SPECIAL USE NUMBER 23-010.
YOU SAW THE YOU HAD THE SUP FOR PHASE ONE LAST YEAR AND YOU GUYS EXPECTED TO SEE THIS.
[00:10:06]
THIS IS FOR FLOODPLAIN CROSSING.NO WETLANDS ARE IMPACTED BY THIS.
I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
SO THIS IS NOT A WETLAND PERMIT.
THIS IS STRICTLY FOR FLOODPLAIN.
ONE OF THE THINGS, IF YOU REMEMBER FROM FROM THE PREVIOUS THE SUP FOR PHASE ONE WAS THAT THE REQUIRED CUT AND FILL FOR THE WETLAND CROSSING, THERE WAS PART OF THIS APPLICATION AND THAT IS FULFILLED NOW.
AS FAR AS SUP STANDARDS GO, IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
FLOOD WATER IS FROM WHAT WE SEE FROM ENGINEERING, NOT MEANINGFULLY OBSTRUCTED.
NOW, TOWNSHIP ENGINEERING HAS APPLIED FOR THE LETTER OF FLOODPLAIN AMENDMENT FROM FEMA AND THEY'VE APPLIED TO THE MICHIGAN ENVIRONMENTAL GREAT LAKES ENERGY DEPARTMENT EGLE FOR THE STATE PERMIT FOR THIS FLOODPLAIN CROSSING, TOO.
BASED ON THE CALCULATIONS PROVIDED FROM ENGINEERING, THERE'S NO EXPECTED INCREASE IN FLOOD LEVEL, AND AS I SAID, THE REQUIRED COMPENSATING CUT IS INCLUDED AND WILL BE CONSTRUCTED AT THE TIME OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TRAIL.
IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD, VERY MUCH LIKE PHASE ONE.
IT DEPENDS ON THE LOCATION, THE MATERIAL, AND THERE'S I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHERE IT IS, BUT HAVING TALKED TO ENGINEERING STAFF, IT MIGHT CHANGE DEPENDING ON WHERE IT IS THAT THEY'RE PUTTING.
OKAY, BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO ASK, IS THAT IF TIMBER IS USED, IS IT LIKE THE KIND OF LIKE THE TWO BY FOUR TIMBER? IS IT WOOD CHIPS? NO, NO, NO.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, LIKE ON OKEMOS ROAD.
WHERE NECESSARY, THAT IS THE KIND OF CONSTRUCTION THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
YEAH, THAT GOES OVER THE WETLAND THERE.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDS. DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? COMMISSIONER RICHARDS. [INAUDIBLE].
OKAY, I HAVE KIND OF A LEGAL TECHNICAL QUESTION.
UNDER WHOSE AUTHORITY IS THIS BEING BUILT? IT'S THE TOWNSHIP'S AUTHORITY, BUT THEY REQUIRE THE STATE PERMIT FOR THE FLOODPLAIN CROSSING.
OKAY, ALL RIGHT, BASICALLY, MY QUESTION IS, WHY IS IT COMING BEFORE US? DO WE ACTUALLY HAVE ANY CONTROL? IT IS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT BECAUSE OF THE FLOODPLAIN CROSSING.
NOT BECAUSE OF THE THE TRAIL PER SE.
THE FLOODPLAIN CROSSING REQUIRES THAT.
YES. ALL RIGHT, YES, GO AHEAD.
WHEN DO YOU EXPECT CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN AND BE COMPLETED? IT'S GOING TO BE THIS YEAR.
YOU HOPE IT IS THEIR HOPE TO GET IT THIS YEAR.
THEY NEED TO GET THE LOCAL IN PLACE BEFORE THE EGLE GETS, YOU KNOW.
[CHUCKLING] WELL, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT, BUT TRUTH.
[INAUDIBLE] SO I DON'T KNOW HOW RAILROAD TRACKS ARE HANDLED, BUT THE CN RAILROAD IS RIGHT NEXT TO THERE.
IS THERE ANY. I'M JUST IS THERE ANY SAFETY CONCERNS AROUND LIKE PUTTING FENCING ALONG THE RAIL? NO. IT'LL LOOK LIKE THE INNER URBAN TRAIL ALONG THE RAILROAD IN THAT SECTION.
OKAY, ALL RIGHT, THAT IS FENCED, THOUGH.
I CAN GET TO THE RAILROAD IF I WANT TO.
YEAH, I WAS JUST THINKING, LIKE, I KNOW THERE'S MULTIPLE PLACES WHERE YOU CAN GET TO THE RAILROAD.
NOW YOU CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION IF YOU WANTED TO ASK THEM ABOUT THAT, BUT IT WOULD BE THERE IS NO PRECEDENT FOR THAT.
SO I WASN'T THINKING THAT A FENCE WAS NECESSARY, BUT I JUST CURIOUS.
[00:15:08]
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? YEAH. DO WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO COMMENT ON THIS ISSUE? YES. YES, SIR.[INAUDIBLE] I'M BRUCE [INAUDIBLE] 4932 SIOUX WAY IN OKEMOS.
I ACTUALLY MONITOR THREE VERNAL POOLS ALONG THIS PROPOSED PATHWAY, ONE OF WHICH IS ONLY ABOUT TEN FOOT OFF THE EXISTING TRAIL, AND I ASSUME THAT'S WHERE THE PROPOSED TRAIL IS GOING TO GO.
I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT, DURING CONSTRUCTION, MAINTAINING A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THOSE CRITICAL HABITATS AND MAKING SURE THAT IT'S NOT IMPACTED IN ANY WAY.
SO, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS WHERE TO BRING THAT UP OR I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CONCERN.
BRUCE, I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE YOU OUT OF CONTEXT.
I ONLY MONITOR THREE IN THAT AREA.
THERE ARE SEVERAL POSSIBLE ONES THAT ARE LOCATED ON THE VERNAL POOLS PARTNERSHIP.
OKAY, GIS, SO I CAN SEND YOU THAT LINK.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I ALSO WALK THAT PATH FREQUENTLY AND LOOK AT THE VERNAL POOLS, SO I SECOND THAT CONCERN.
ALL RIGHT, I THINK AT THIS POINT, BRIAN, YOU NEED A STRAW VOTE FROM US.
OKAY, SO THE STRAW VOTE WILL BE ON WHETHER OR NOT TO APPROVE SPECIAL USE PERMIT 23-010.
CALL] ALL RIGHT, WE ARE NOW ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 7B SPECIAL USE PERMIT
[7B. SUP #23011 – Haslett Holdings (Herbana) 2119A Haslett Road]
23-011 HASLETT HOLDINGS.OKAY, SPECIAL USE PERMIT 23-011.
THERE WAS A TYPO AND IT WAS CORRECTED.
THE CORRECTED VERSION DOES APPEAR ONLINE.
BEFORE I GET INTO SPECIFICS, I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHERE THAT IS.
THIS IS A STRIP RETAIL CENTER, AND IT'S THIS ONE RIGHT HERE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO IT'S AN ALREADY CONSTRUCTED BUILDING.
SO THERE'S NO ANTICIPATED SITE PLAN THAT WILL FOLLOW THIS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES REQUIRES A SUCCESSFUL MARIJUANA APPLICANT TO APPLY FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT WITHIN 60 DAYS, AND THIS APPLICANT DID FULFILL THAT REQUIREMENT FOR THIS APPLICATION. THIS APPLICATION IS IDENTICAL TO ONE THAT THIS BODY APPROVED IN 2019.
CONSTRUCTION DID START, BUT STOPPED AFTER APPROVED AND IT EXPIRED BEFORE COVID-19 AFFECTED THE COMMUNITY. THE APPLICANT IS PLANNING ON FINISHING THE REMODEL TO THE EXISTING SUITE IN THE COMMERCIAL STRIP.
IT IS SHOWN ON OUR FUTURE LAND USE MAP AS COMMERCIAL.
AS FAR AS ANALYSIS GOES, IT IS WITHIN OUR DESIGNATED MEDICAL MARIJUANA OVERLAY, DISTRICT ONE.
THE DISPENSARY DOES CONFORM WITH OUR ZONING FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATIONS.
[00:20:03]
FROM A LAND USE PERSPECTIVE, IT IS A COMMERCIAL USE IN A COMMERCIAL DISTRICT ON A YOU KNOW, IN AN AREA SHOWN ON OUR FUTURE LAND USE MAP AS COMMERCIAL.THE MATERIAL ATTACHED TO THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA APPLICATION, NOW REMEMBER THEIR SUP FOLLOWED THE SUCCESSFUL MARIJUANA MEDICAL MARIJUANA APPLICATION. THAT HAS SOME DETAIL THAT ADMITTEDLY IS NOT A PUBLIC APPLICATION.
THERE'S PROPRIETARY DATA IN THAT, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO SHOW IS THAT THEY HAVE ADEQUATE SAFETY AND ODOR CONTROL, AND THAT IS PART OF OUR SUP REQUIREMENTS.
THEY HAVE PROVIDED THAT THIS IS ADEQUATELY SERVED BY SEWER AND WATER ALREADY.
SO NO EXTENSION OR EXPANSION OF OUR SYSTEM.
THE THEY DID DO A TRAFFIC ASSESSMENT.
THE EXISTING ROADS ARE CAPABLE OF HANDLING EXISTING TRAFFIC.
AGAIN, IT'S A COMMERCIAL TO A COMMERCIAL.
NO TRAFFIC STUDIES REQUIRED FOR THIS.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT LAND USE AND SUP REQUIREMENTS.
ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES. SO WHEN I READ IT, I SAW THAT, AND EVEN JUST NOW WHEN YOU SHOWED IT THIS SITE, I KNOW IT'S ALREADY CONSTRUCTED, BUT IT WILL BE BETWEEN TWO BUSINESSES, THE MARTIAL ARTS BUSINESS, AND I KNOW THERE'S A QUILT PLACE WHICH IS BEHIND IT, BUT IT'S ANOTHER BUSINESS IN FRONT OF THAT, I THINK.
BUSINESS OWNER'S NOT HERE, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING, WILL THE PRODUCTION OF MARIJUANA THERE CREATE LIKE THIS SMELL AND EVERYTHING THAT COULD INTERFERE WITH EITHER ONE OF THOSE BUSINESSES ON THE SIDE? YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE ENCROACH UPON.
IF IT DID TURN INTO A NUISANCE, IT WOULD BE A TOWNSHIP NUISANCE AND WE WOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT UP TO AND INCLUDING WE CAN PULL THE PERMIT.
THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY ABOUT THAT.
I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT WOULD LIKE TO HELP OUT.
GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD, BENJAMIN MY OFFICE IS LOCATED AT 334 EAST WASHINGTON IN ANN ARBOR.
JUST BECAUSE I HAVE ALREADY HEARD SOME THINGS ABOUT ODOR.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL NOT BE HAPPENING AT THIS SITE.
THERE'S NO CULTIVATION, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO HAVE IN OUR PLAN IS, IS WHAT YOU WILL SEE AT A LOT OF PLACES IS THEY DO WHAT THEY CALL DELI STYLE, WHERE THEY ACTUALLY TAKE IT OUT AND THEY WEIGH IT.
SO THERE'LL BE NO ODOR ESCAPING IN THOSE PARTICULAR WAY.
WE FIND THAT CUTS DOWN ON ANY ODOR EXPONENTIALLY.
CHRISTINA? I'M ALL SET. THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION? ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? JUST TO REMIND YOU, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THAT WILL GO TO THE BOARD FOR FINAL ACTION.
OKAY. YES? I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
I MEAN, I GUESS JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, SUP NUMBER 19-131 THAT WAS APPROVED IN 2019.
I'M KIND OF CURIOUS ABOUT THE DATE.
IS THAT LIKE JANUARY 2019 OR MANY MONTHS BEFORE THAT? I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE SPECIFIC DATE.
OKAY. ANTICIPATING THIS QUESTION, I JUST LOOKED IT UP.
ALL OF THE SUP APPLICATIONS FOR THE MARIJUANA LICENSES WERE IN MARCH AND APRIL AND MAY OF 2020.
SO THIS ONE WAS APPROVED ON MARCH 3RD OF 2020.
YOU'RE WELCOME. COMMISSIONER RICHARDS.
[00:25:05]
THE APPLICANT, THEN WE HEARD FROM A PUBLIC, AND THEN AS PLANNING COMMISSIONERS, WE DISCUSSED ANY QUESTIONS.SO I GUESS I WOULD PREFER THAT PROCESS.
SO IT'S HARD TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS MAY GET ANSWERED IN THE PROCESS OF HEARING FROM PARTICULARLY THE APPLICANT, BUT I GUESS I WOULD ASK THAT OUR PUBLIC HEARING FOLLOW WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING FOR A LONG TIME IN TERMS OF SAVING OUR QUESTIONS.
WELL, I THINK IT'S HELPFUL EVEN TO OUR ABILITY TO ASK QUESTIONS TO GET SOME OF THESE ANSWERS.
I THINK IT'S MORE CONDUCIVE TO DECISION MAKING.
OKAY, WELL, IF THE STAFF IS FINISHED MAKING ITS PRESENTATION.
YEAH, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE APPLICANT IF THEY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO TALK TO THE BOARD ABOUT? NO, WE DO BELIEVE THAT THE MATERIALS THAT WE PRESENTED TO STAFF NO, NOTHING TOO MUCH TO ADD. WE DO BELIEVE THAT THOSE MATERIALS THAT WE PRESENTED TO THE STAFF AND THE BOARD DO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES AND SPEAK TO THE QUALITY OF THE OPERATION, BUT WE ARE HERE, WE'RE REPRESENTED, AND WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
COMMISSIONER SCALES. I WAS REALLY HOPING HE WOULD WALK US THROUGH HIS APPLICATION.
WERE THERE ANY SPECIFIC PIECES OF THE APPLICATION THAT YOU'D LIKE ME TO TOUCH ON? I WANT YOU TO EDUCATE ME.
SO I MEAN, TO GO WITH SPECIFICS IS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
IT'S THEN MOVED TO THESE DISPENSARIES THROUGH A SECURE TRANSPORT OR VEHICLE, WHICH IS ANOTHER LICENSEE THAT CANNOT HAVE ANY INTEREST IN THE PROCESS OR THE CULTIVATION OR THE TESTING OPERATIONS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST THING ABOUT ALLOWING MARIJUANA CANNABIS INTO YOUR COMMUNITY IS I THINK THAT WE'RE ALL SMART ENOUGH HERE TO REALIZE THAT CANNABIS IS ALREADY IN YOUR COMMUNITY. CANNABIS IS ALREADY BEING SOLD IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S UNDER CAMERAS AT ALL TIMES.
THE INSIDE AND AT LEAST 20 FOOT SURROUNDING ALL OUTSIDE DOORS IS UNDER CAMERAS.
ANY PLACE WHERE THERE'S CANNABIS IN THESE FACILITIES IS UNDER CAMERA.
REALLY, WHAT I THINK THAT THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA FACILITIES LICENSING ACT AND THE RECENTLY PASSED WELL, IT'S NOT EVEN RECENT ANYMORE THE MRTMA.
WHAT THEY REALLY DO IS THEY GIVE MORE SAFETY FOR THOSE CONSUMERS OF CANNABIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO SOMEONE'S HOUSE, SOMEONE'S GARAGE, SOMEONE'S BASEMENT.
OUR OFFICERS DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
HERE, WHAT WE HAVE IS WE HAVE A PLACE THAT WE HAVE TESTED CANNABIS THAT MEETS ALL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, AND WHEN YOU GO TO PURCHASE IT, IT'S ALL UNDER VIDEO SURVEILLANCE.
WE PROVIDE SECURITY AT THIS PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT NOT JUST THE CANNABIS SECURED, BUT THE ENTIRE FACILITY IS SECURE, INCLUDING THE CUSTOMERS AND ANYBODY COMING IN THERE. RIGHT. SO SO THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT I BELIEVE THE MMFLA AND THE MRTMA HAS BROUGHT THIS OUT AND SHED LIGHT ON IT, AND WHEN YOU HAVE THESE LICENSE TYPE OF PLACES, WHAT YOU HAVE, AGAIN, IS THE ABILITY FOR YOUR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
IF YOU DO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE PROBLEMS. NOW, IN MY EXPERIENCE, WE HAVEN'T SEEN MUCH FOR PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY WITH MANY OF THE PLACES THAT WE'VE OPENED AND THE ONES THAT ARE OPERATED BY THIS PARTICULAR APPLICANT, BUT IF YOU WERE TO HAVE ANY PROBLEMS, IF YOU WERE TO HAVE ANY ISSUES, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT YOUR STATE POLICE COMING IN, YOU'VE GOT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT COMING IN.
THEY CAN COME IN AT ANY TIME THEY WANT.
THEY DO UNANNOUNCED VISITS WHERE THEY'LL LOOK AROUND AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, DOING ANYTHING WRONG, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE DIVERTING ANY PRODUCT INTO THE INTO THE BLACK MARKET.
THEY'RE MAKING SURE YOUR CAMERAS ARE STILL WORKING.
[00:30:06]
SO REALLY, I MEAN, I GUESS TO BREAK IT DOWN INTO A BROAD STROKES IS, AGAIN, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE BROUGHT SOMETHING WHERE THERE WAS CANNABIS IN MICHIGAN.WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE WAYS TO TEST IT.
WE DIDN'T HAVE TESTING REQUIREMENTS AT THAT TIME.
THIS IS WHEN WE FIRST HAD MEDICAL MARIJUANA.
WE DIDN'T HAVE SAFE ACCESS FOR PEOPLE TO GET IT IN WELL, I DON'T WANT TO SAY SAFE ACCESS BECAUSE WHAT WE HAD WAS WE HAD A CAREGIVER SYSTEM WHERE YOU HAD ONE PERSON THAT COULD TAKE CARE OF, I BELIEVE IT WAS UP TO SIX PATIENTS.
THEY COULD GROW 12 PLANTS PER PATIENT.
THESE PEOPLE WERE GROWING THEN, 72 PLANTS ALL OVER AND THEY WERE HAVING OVERAGES.
SO THEN THEY WERE SELLING IT ON CRAIGSLIST AND THEY WERE SELLING IT TO OTHER PEOPLE THAT WEREN'T WEREN'T CARDS AND WHATNOT, AND THEN YOU HAD PROVISIONING CENTERS START TO POP UP AND THOSE WERE UNLICENSED OR LICENSED BY A MUNICIPALITY, BUT STILL, AFTER A SUPREME COURT DECISION, THEY WERE ILLEGAL UNDER MICHIGAN LAW.
THE AT THE TIME, I BELIEVE IT WAS BMMR, WHICH WAS A BUREAU OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA REGULATION.
SO THEY CAME OUT WITH OUR ADMINISTRATIVE RULE SET, WHICH WAS ABOUT 100 PAGES LONG, OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TO COMPLY WITH IN ORDER TO BE IN THIS INDUSTRY, THAT INCLUDES SECURITY MEASURES, THAT INCLUDES INSPECTIONS, THAT INCLUDES TESTING, AND THAT HAPPENED IN ABOUT 2016 OR 17 IS WHEN WE GOT THAT RULE SET.
THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED TO APPLY.
THAT'S WHEN THESE THINGS HAVE STARTED TO GO INTO PLACE.
SO NOW WE STARTED TO SEE AN INDUSTRY THAT STARTED TO MATURE A LITTLE BIT, AND WE'VE GONE THROUGH DIFFERENT ITERATIONS OF WHAT TESTING NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE, WHAT THE ACTION LIMITS ARE FOR CERTAIN THINGS MOLD, MILDEW, HEAVY METALS, THINGS OF THOSE NATURE.
THEY'RE DOING CLONES, BUT AGAIN, THIS IS WHY I WAS SAYING I COULD GO ON AND INTO IT AND IT COULD GO EVERY WHICH DIRECTION, BUT REALLY THE MAIN TAKEAWAY HERE IS WHAT THE MMFLA AND LATER THE MRTMA DID WAS MOVE A GRAY/BLACK MARKET INDUSTRY INTO THE LIGHT, INTO THE SUNSHINE AND PROVIDED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE CONSUMERS AND CUSTOMERS THAT WANTED TO GET THIS PRODUCT.
I GOT A QUESTION. COULD YOU EXPLAIN HOW YOU CONTROL ACCESS TO THE FACILITY AND WHO GETS IN AND WHO IS ALLOWED TO BUY? ABSOLUTELY, EVERY CUSTOMER IS ID'D BEFORE THEY ARE GIVEN ACCESS TO THE FLOOR AREA, THE SPACE AREA WHERE THE CANNABIS IS SOLD.
ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT HAS COME UP IN OUR RECENT DISCUSSIONS OF THE OVERLAYS IN WHICH THESE KINDS OF FACILITIES ARE ALLOWED IS THE QUESTION OF VOLATILITY, ESPECIALLY IN OUR INDUSTRIAL ZONES, WHERE THERE IS A CONCERN THAT A HIGH PAYING CLIENT COULD COME AND SET UP IN A ZONE BUT GIVEN THE VOLATILITY OF THE INDUSTRY, PULL UP AND LEAVE AND A LONGER STANDING INDUSTRIAL USER MIGHT BE DISADVANTAGED IN THAT WAY.
IT CERTAINLY SEEMS LIKE SOME OF OUR BIGGER PROVIDERS IN THE REGION ARE SEEING SOME OF THAT VOLATILITY AND RECEIVERSHIP AND SUCH , AND I WONDER IF YOU COULD SAY SOMETHING ABOUT WHERE YOU SEE THE INDUSTRY IN TERMS OF ITS MATURING AND THAT KIND OF ENTRY AND LEAVING OF THE INDUSTRY? YEAH.
YOU KNOW, WITHOUT USING TOO MANY SPECIFICS OR NAMES OF SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'VE SEEN GO INTO RECEIVERSHIP, I THINK WHAT YOU'VE SEEN IS YOU'VE SEEN SOMEWHAT OF A RUSH TO GET INTO THIS INDUSTRY WITHOUT AS GOOD OF BUSINESS PLANNING.
YOU'RE NOT JUST ABLE TO WALK IN AND BUY A FACTORY THAT'S SET UP FOR THIS.
WELL, NOW I SAY THAT, BUT NOWADAYS YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO START SEEING MORE OF THAT.
RIGHT, AND THIS ALSO GOES TO MORE OF THE PRODUCTION CAPABILITY, THE CULTIVATION AND THE PROCESSING MORE THAN IT DOES GO TO THE PROVISIONING CENTERS, WHICH WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY, BUT I DO THINK YOU'VE SEEN THAT, AND, YOU KNOW, I DO HAVE CLIENTS THAT ARE FACING THAT THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE CLIENTS BUT I'LL USE SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN OUT ACTUALLY IN THE PUBLIC EYE.
SO THOSE ARE ONE OF THE REASONS WHY YOU'RE SEEING THOSE THINGS.
[00:35:07]
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO KEEP GOING KIND OF ON WHERE I SEE THESE THINGS OR? WHEN IS THE DUST GOING TO SETTLE? [CHUCKLING] I THINK WE'VE GOT A BIT TO GO THERE WITH THE DUST SETTLING.I THINK YOU'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO SEE SOME WINNERS AND LOSERS HERE.
I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE THAT HAD THE BUSINESS ACUMEN TO MAKE IT THROUGH, TO MAKE THE CORRECT DECISIONS THAT WEREN'T RELYING ON THOSE HIGH INTEREST RATES THAT MADE CAUTIOUS, PLANNED EXPANSIONS, THAT DID THEIR MARKET ANALYSIS THAT LOOKED TO SOME OF THESE OTHER STATES.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YEARS AGO WE WERE LOOKING AT 4 TO $5000 A POUND FOR THE LEGALLY PRODUCED CANNABIS.
NOW WE'RE DOWN TO LIKE 6 TO 800.
WELL, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN, AND AGAIN, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT DEBT SERVICE AND YOUR PROJECTIONS THAT USE $3,500 A POUND AND NOW YOU'RE DOWN, YOU KNOW, TO 18% OF THAT, YOUR METRICS AREN'T GOING TO WORK ANYMORE, YOUR CALCULATIONS BASICALLY ARE GOING TO BE OFF AND YOU'RE GOING TO GO.
SO, I MEAN, I THINK AS WE SEE MORE OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN, I DO THINK WE'RE STARTING TO SEE SOMEWHAT OF A PRICE LEVELING, BUT WE'RE STILL HAVING ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION FACILITIES COME ONLINE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT WILL TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO SORT ITSELF OUT, BUT I THINK YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE IT MORE AND MORE, AND I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY NOT GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE SEE GO ON FOR FIVE YEARS.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE A DIP AND THEN THE LEVEL.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RICHARDS.
ONE, CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND THE INTERACTION BETWEEN STATE APPROVALS AND LOCAL APPROVALS SO YOU GET THE STATE APPROVAL FIRST OR DO YOU GET THIS FIRST, AND THEN YOU GO TO THE STATE.
CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND THAT? WELL, TO BE QUITE HONEST WITH YOU, IT'S DIFFERENT IN EACH EACH AND EVERY MUNICIPALITY, RIGHT? THE MAIN THING THAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE MRTMA AND THE MMFLA IS THE LOCALITY HAS BROAD POWER OVER OVER HOW AND WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO APPROVE THESE THINGS IF THEY'RE GOING TO LET THEM IN THE COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, MERIDIAN HAS ALREADY DECIDED THEY'RE GOING TO LET THESE MEDICAL PROVISIONING CENTERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW YOU GUYS HAD THE VOTE ON THAT.
I KNOW THEY VOTED DOWN TO HAVE TO HAVE A RESOLUTION THAT SAID WE WOULDN'T HAVE ADULT USE HERE NOW, BUT TO GET TO THE HEART OF YOUR QUESTION SO YOU GET PREQUALIFIED AT THE STATE.
SOME WON'T EVEN ALLOW YOU TO APPLY.
SO LET'S JUST SAY THOSE THINGS ARE DONE.
I WOULD HAVE PREQUALIFICATION AT THE STATE LEVEL.
I WOULD WORK WITH THE MUNICIPALITY.
IF I NEED A LAND USE IN THE MUNICIPALITY, OBVIOUSLY I HAVE TO GET THROUGH THAT.
ONCE I GET THAT LAND USE, USUALLY I'M ABLE TO MAKE AN APPLICATION TO THE LOCALITY, RIGHT? I MAKE THAT APPLICATION AT THE LOCALITY AND THIS IS WHERE IT AGAIN GOES BACK TO ORDINANCES OF EACH MUNICIPALITIES.
I MAKE THE APPLICATION TO YOU GUYS.
YOU CAN'T OPEN UP UNTIL YOU GET YOUR STATE LICENSE, AND ONCE YOU GET YOUR STATE LICENSE, THEN WE'LL GIVE YOU YOUR FULL LICENSE, RIGHT? BUT DURING THAT PROCESS, THROUGH THE MMFLA OR THE MRTMA, REGARDLESS OF WHICH CATEGORY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, I THEN MAKE AN APPLICATION TO THE STATE FOR THE MEDICAL ONE.
YOU GUYS SIGN OFF AND SAY, YES, THEY ARE IN COMPLIANCE, RIGHT? THAT WOULD BE AFTER AGAIN, I'VE BEEN THROUGH THE APPLICATION WITH YOU.
NOW, THE WEIRD THING IS, AND I KNOW WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ADULT USE AGAIN HERE TODAY, I CAN GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS THROUGH ADULT USE AND THEN AT ADULT USE WHEN THE STATE IS READY TO HAND ME THE LICENSE, THEN THEY REACH OUT TO THE MUNICIPALITY AND THEY SAY, HEY, DOES THIS GUY MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS? AND THEY DO THAT BY PHONE.
THEY DO THAT BY EMAIL, AND YOU GUYS WRITE BACK AND YOU SAY, YES, THEY DO OR NO, THEY DON'T.
IF YOU GUYS SAY YES, THEN THE STATE ISSUES THAT LICENSE.
CAN YOUR CLERK SIGN THIS? AND THEN YOU GUYS GO THROUGH YOUR RECORDS AND SAY, OKAY, THESE GUYS WERE APPROVED AND THEY MEET OUR CONDITIONS.
WHEREAS ON THE ADULT USE SIDE, THEY'RE BASICALLY JUST FOLLOWING IN AFTER I'VE MADE THAT APPLICATION.
NOW, JUST FOR ONE CAVEAT, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE THAT SIGNED PIECE OF PAPER FROM YOU GUYS FOR THE MEDICAL ONE, THEY STILL DO FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR CLERK, WITH THE STAFF HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT IS STILL CORRECT AND IN PLACE.
SO IF I UNDERSTAND THAT RIGHT.
[00:40:01]
THE HERE YOU WILL GET THE APPROVAL AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AND THEN GO TO THE STATE.A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE RUNNING THE PROCESS IN PARALLEL.
OKAY, MY SECOND QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH THE ACTUAL OPERATION.
SO YOU'RE REPRESENTING PEOPLE THAT WILL RUN THE OPERATION OR ARE YOU AN OWNER IN THE OPERATION? NO, I REPRESENT PEOPLE THAT WILL RUN THE OPERATION.
SO MY QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH WHETHER ALL THE TRANSACTIONS ARE GOING TO OCCUR WITHIN THE FACILITY OR IF THERE'S TRANSACTIONS OF ANY KIND THAT WILL HAPPEN OUTSIDE THE FACILITY IN THE PARKING LOT.
SO ALL TRANSACTIONS HAVE TO BE RECORDED IN METRIC.
I DON'T BELIEVE WE MADE AN APPLICATION THAT ASKED FOR CURBSIDE SERVICE AND I DO NOT RECALL OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD IF YOUR ORDINANCE EVEN ALLOWS FOR CURBSIDE SERVICE, IF YOUR ORDINANCE ALLOWS FOR CURBSIDE SERVICE, THEY'LL THEY'LL LOOK AT THAT TO SEE IF THAT'S A VIABLE OPTION FOR THEM.
IF YOUR ORDINANCE DOESN'T ALLOW FOR CURBSIDE SERVICE, THEN ABSOLUTELY NOT.
OKAY, AND THE REASON WHY I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE EARLY ON IN THE WHOLE DISCUSSION HERE, I HAPPENED TO VISIT A SITE IN LANSING AND THEY HAD AN ARMED GUARD IN THE PARKING LOT. I DON'T THINK MOST PEOPLE WHO CONSIDER WANTING TO HAVE THIS KIND OF OPERATION IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ACTUALLY WANT AN ARMED GUARD IN A PARKING LOT.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD KNOW IN TERMS OF OPERATION BEFORE WE APPROVE OR RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF A SUP.
YEAH, JUST BRIEFLY ON THAT TOPIC, YOU MAY RECALL THAT SPECIFICALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MEDICAL HERE.
OUR MEDICAL ORDINANCE WAS WRITTEN BEFORE THE STATE EVEN STARTED ALLOWING CURBSIDE.
SO OUR ORDINANCE DOES NOT ALLOW CURBSIDE.
SO THEY WILL NOT BE DOING CURBSIDE UNDER A MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSE APPROVAL.
THANK YOU. IT'S JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
THIS IS STRICTLY FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES.
SO, IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADULT USE? IS THAT LIKE RECREATIONAL THEN OR.
YEAH, SO TO BE MEDICAL, YOU'VE GOT TO BE CERTIFIED BY A PHYSICIAN THAT YOU NEED IT.
YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A STATE ISSUED MEDICAL CARD, YOU'VE GOT TO BE 18 YEARS AND UP.
UNLESS THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN THING THAT I'VE KIND OF GONE THROUGH EARLIER.
FOR ADULT USE, YOU HAVE TO BE 21 YEARS OLD, BUT YOUR FACILITY IS STRICTLY FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA.
THANK YOU. JUST TO CLARIFY, THOUGH, ONE OF THE THINGS I HEARD YOU SAY, THOUGH, THAT THE PROCESS FROM A STATEWIDE IS WHAT I HEARD WAS IF YOU GET A MEDICAL THE PROCESS FOR GETTING A APPROVAL FOR ADULT USE IS A WHOLE LOT SIMPLER.
I THINK I WAS JUST TRYING TO EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THERE'S AN ATTESTATION FOR MEDICAL USE THAT THE MUNICIPALITY WILL SIGN AND THAT GOES IN WITH THE APPLICATION TO THE STATE AND THEN THEY WILL CALL AND VERIFY TO MAKE SURE THAT'S CORRECT.
WHEREAS WITH THE ADULT USE, I DON'T HAVE YOU SIGN THAT ATTESTATION FIRST, BUT THEN THEY'RE GOING TO STILL CALL EMAIL AND VERIFY THAT IT'S CORRECT THAT I'VE BEEN PROPERLY PERMITTED HERE.
DOES THAT ANSWER THE QUESTION? I GUESS AT SOME POINT I'M GOING TO WANT THE STAFF.
I WOULD PREFER TO HEAR OUR STAFF TALK ABOUT OUR ORDINANCES AND WHERE YOU KNOW, HOW THE TWO AND I THINK THIS IS PART OF AN EDUCATION FOR US IN TERMS OF MEDICAL ADULT USE.
WHAT DO WE KNOW? WHAT DON'T WE KNOW WHAT'S STILL UP IN THE AIR? BECAUSE I THINK THAT THIS IS THE FIRST APPLICATION THAT'S COME TO US SINCE THE THE ADULT USE HAS BEEN APPROVED, IF I UNDERSTAND IT.
RIGHT. SO ANYWAY, LONG STORY SHORT, I'D LIKE TO AT SOME POINT HEAR KIND OF HOW THE TWO DOVETAIL, WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES ARE AND, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF NUMBERS OF PERMITS AND THAT WHOLE THING.
YEAH, SO TO BE CLEAR, THIS HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH ADULT USE.
HOW THE TWO INTERACT, WE WILL NOT KNOW UNTIL THE BOARD TAKES DEFINITIVE ACTION ON THE ORDINANCE AND THEN ESTABLISHES THE GUIDELINES FOR HOW THEY ARE GOING TO PROVIDE.
SO THIS APPLICATION IS LOOKED AT ON ITS OWN UNDER THE MEDICAL, AND THEN ONCE WE KNOW MORE DETAILS OF HOW ADULT USE WILL COME IN, WE WILL ABSOLUTELY SHARE THAT WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
[00:45:04]
TOGETHER? YES.OKAY, SO I THINK WE SHOULD KNOW THAT AND WHAT THE POSSIBLE OUTCOMES OF THAT LITIGATION IS IN TERMS OF IMPACTING US AND ANY OTHER PLACE THAT HAS APPROVED THE WE AS A TOWNSHIP HAVE APPROVED THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSATION.
WE HAVEN'T TECHNICALLY YET WITHOUT AN ORDINANCE IN PLACE, APPROVED ADULT USE.
I THINK WE NEED TO KNOW AT LEAST I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THIS PENDING LITIGATION AND WHAT THE POTENTIAL IS FOR THE TWO SORT OF OVERLAP OR TO BE JOINED TOGETHER OR AUTOMATICALLY THINGS HAPPEN.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY HAPPEN.
THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY IS WORKING WITH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AND INFORMING THEM AS TO THE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS OF HOW DO WE MOVE THESE TWO FORWARD IN TANDEM, AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE ESTABLISHING THE ORDINANCE.
COMMISSIONER SCALES. IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE HAD THIS ISSUE UNDER MY VIEWPOINTS. WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR LOTTERY, OUR ASSIGNMENT BY LOTTERY, AND HOW DOES THIS SUP CORRESPOND TO THAT? SO CONSISTENT WITH THE ORDINANCE, REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSING STAFF OPENED A WINDOW FOR THE LOTTERY ON THE SECOND TUESDAY OF JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, WE RECEIVED FOUR APPLICANTS, FIVE APPLICANTS.
THEY WERE THE FIVE APPLICANTS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY SELECTED.
SO A LOTTERY WAS NOT REQUIRED TO BE HELD THIS YEAR.
YOU'RE WELCOME. ANY OTHER BOARD QUESTIONS? PUBLIC COMMENT.
YEAH. YEAH. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, SIR.
THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? MS. PAGE. MS. PAGE, I'LL LET YOU KNOW BEFORE YOU START SPEAKING.
I'LL GIVE YOU FIVE MINUTES AND THAT'S IT, OKAY? OH, I DON'T NEED THAT LONG.
LYNNE PAGE 3912 RALEIGH DR IN OKEMOS.
JUST TO ADDRESS THE APPLICATION PACKET, I NOTICED THAT THE TRAFFIC STUDY INCLUDED FOR THE SUP WAS FROM 2019.
IS THAT A CURRENT TRAFFIC STUDY AND IS THAT ACCEPTABLE FOR THE SUP PURPOSES? AND ALSO JUST ONE COMMENT REGARDING THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVES STATEMENT THAT THE MARIJUANA DISPENSED IN THIS FACILITY WOULD BE PREPACKAGED.
THAT'S NOT A BINDING REQUIREMENT ON THEM.
I HAVE ATTENDED MANY OF THESE PUBLIC HEARINGS WHERE AN APPLICANT SAID THAT SOMETHING WAS GOING TO OCCUR UNDER A CERTAIN SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND THEY CAN SAY WHATEVER THEY WANT, BUT IT'S NOT REQUIRED BY LAW THAT IT BE PREPACKAGED, AND IF THEY SHOULD DECIDE NOT TO ABIDE BY THAT AND TO PACKAGE AND DISTURB THE PRODUCT IN THE PREMISES, THEY ARE ALLOWED TO DO THAT.
PERHAPS STAFF COULD LOOK INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDING SOMETHING CONCERNING THE PACKAGING OF THE PRODUCT AND WE CAN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO MAKE THAT PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE CONCERN ABOUT PACKAGING OR HAVING IT PREPACKAGED WOULD BE TO MITIGATE OR REDUCE ANY ODOR, BUT THERE'S ALREADY A REQUIREMENT THAT THERE NOT BE ODOR. SO I WHICH IS ENFORCEABLE BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE ORDINANCE.
I'M NOT NECESSARILY THE WILL OF THE BOARD IS THAT WE HAVE THAT REQUIREMENT THERE.
THAT'S GOOD. I'D BE CONCERNED TO ADD THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL TO A BUSINESS OPERATION FOR A LEGALLY PERMITTED BUSINESS IN THE TOWNSHIP WITHOUT A VERY GOOD REASON, AND MAKING SURE THAT IT WAS PRECEDENT SETTING THAT IF WE DID IT FOR THEM, WE WOULD DO IT FOR ANYBODY, ANY OTHER BUSINESS ENTITY WITH THIS
[00:50:03]
SORT OF THING. SO I THINK IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE.I'D BE A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT GOING.
I AGREE WITH YOU. IT'S JUST THAT THE ISSUE WAS RAISED AND I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO SEE A POSSIBILITY WE CAN ULTIMATELY VOTE ON IT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, WHETHER WE WANT TO INCLUDE IT IN THE FINAL PACKAGE.
WHAT I'LL DO WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I GUESS I'M GOING TO BRING A RESOLUTION TO YOUR NEXT MEETING.
I'LL ATTACH THAT AS AN ADDENDUM.
FRANKLY, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY THAT IT WOULD BE FIRST OF ALL, IT'S PROBABLY FUNCTIONALLY REDUNDANT WITH THE ODOR PORTION THAT'S ALREADY PART OF THE PACKAGE.
IN ADDITION, IT MIGHT INTERFERE WITH THE PROPER BUSINESS FLOW IF, FOR INSTANCE, WE'RE DEALING WITH DIFFERENT PACKAGE SIZES, THINGS LIKE THAT, IT COULD BE UNWIELDY AND ALMOST UNENFORCEABLE, BUT AT LEAST WE CAN MAKE AN EFFORT TO SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WILL FUNCTION.
I JUST I WOULD HAVE TO AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY ON THIS ISSUE, AND ALSO, I FEEL LIKE IF WE'RE GOING TO WAIT UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING TO DISCUSS THIS, WE'RE JUST KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
CAN WE JUST HAVE THE DISCUSSION NOW ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE EVEN NEED AN ADDENDUM? MY PERSONAL FEELINGS ON THIS ARE JUST THAT IT SEEMS VERY UNDUE AND BURDENSOME.
I MEAN, IF I GO TO GET MY HAIR CUT AT A SALON THAT IS NEXT DOOR TO A SUBWAY, IT SMELLS LIKE SUBWAY IN THE HAIR SALON, ARE WE GOING TO START ASKING SUBWAY TO PACKAGE THEIR SUBS IN AIRTIGHT CONTAINERS.
[CHUCKLING] IT JUST SEEMS VERY EXCESSIVE.
I HAVE LIKE A GOVERNANCE QUESTION.
SO ARE WE ALLOWED AS A PLANNING COMMISSION TO SET STIPULATIONS LIKE THAT INTO AN SUP? ABSOLUTELY, SPECIAL USE PERMIT, BY ITS NATURE ARE USES THAT POTENTIALLY HAVE A NEGATIVE EXTERNALITY OR A CONCERN WITH RESPECT TO THE LOCATION, AND SO AS LONG AS YOU'RE CONDITION, I BELIEVE HAS A RATIONAL NEXUS TO THE TO THE APPLICATION AT H AND THE CONCERN THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS.
THERE HAS TO BE A NEXUS BETWEEN THE CONDITION AND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SOLVE, BUT YES, ESPECIALLY WITH AN SUP WE CAN RECOMMEND IN THIS CASE OR IN OTHER CASES IMPOSE DIRECTLY CONDITIONS UPON AN APPLICATION TO ADDRESS CONCERNS.
QUESTION ABOUT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE.
DO THE APPLICANTS HAVE ABILITY TO TRANSFER LICENSE? I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME VOLATILITY, AND SO WHAT CONTROLS THE ABILITY FOR THE PERSON, THE ORGANIZATION, THE OWNERS, WHATEVER, TO TRANSFER A LICENSE? YEAH, SO THAT IS SEPARATE FROM THE SUP, BUT TO YOUR POINT, THE ORDINANCE DOES NOT HAVE A TRANSFER PROVISION AT THIS TIME, SO IT'S ONLY GOOD FOR THE APPLICANT.
CORRECT. OKAY, AND THEN I GUESS I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE WHOLE THE THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE THAT THE APPLICANT SUBMITTED DOCUMENTATION ON THEIR VENTILATION SYSTEM, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, IN TERMS OF CONTROLLING ODOR, AND MY GUESS THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE ACTUALLY SEEN ONE OF THESE FROM A STAFF STANDPOINT.
DO WE ARE WE GOING TO HAVE OUR SOMEBODY THAT REPRESENTS THE TOWNSHIP LOOK AT THE DATA KIND OF SIMILAR TO A TRAFFIC STUDY AND SAY, OKAY, YEAH, IT'S THE AIRFLOW WITH THE CHANGE, AND AGAIN, I THINK THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AT LEAST IN MY VIEW, BETWEEN A STANDALONE BUILDING AND A BUILDING THAT HAS ONE ROOF, BUT MULTIPLE TENANTS AND YOU'VE GOT SPACE ABOVE, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THESE ARE CONSTRUCTED WITH, YOU KNOW, SOME SPACE IN THERE AND MAYBE THERE'S A FIREWALL OR NOT, BUT IS IT ODOR PERMEABLE, THAT SORT OF THING.
[00:55:07]
EXPERT LOOK AT THE AIRFLOW JUST TO SEE THAT IT IS WHAT THEY SAY IT IS.YES. OUR MECHANICAL INSPECTOR WILL REVIEW THIS IF IT DOES GET TO THE BUILDING PERMIT.
OKAY, I JUST HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING, THOUGH, IS SO THIS PERMIT, THEY HAVE APPROVAL FOR IF THEY MEET OUR ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS AND ARE SUBMITTING THIS APPLICATION AND THE STAFF ARE SAYING THAT EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD.
THIS IS THE SAME PERMIT THAT WAS APPROVED IN 2020.
CAN I JUST MAKE A GENERAL COMMENT? I REALLY JUST BASED ON THE LIMITED DISCUSSIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED DURING MY TIME ON THE COMMISSION, I REALLY FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE A STRONG OPPOSITION TO DISPENSARIES, I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO A DISPENSARY, WALK INSIDE OF ONE, SEE WHAT IT IS LIKE. IT DOESN'T EVEN REALLY SMELL LIKE MARIJUANA INSIDE OF THE DISPENSARY.
IT'S A DISPENSARY AND THE MERCHANDISE COMES PREPACKAGED AND IT'S BEHIND GLASS CASES.
I'VE BEEN IN SEVERAL BECAUSE MY CURIOSITY DROVE ME TO DO IT.
PRIOR TO THAT, I KIND OF WAS LIKE, I DON'T REALLY CARE EITHER WAY WHAT BECOMES OF THIS RECREATIONAL STUFF, BUT I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND BETTER. IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN INSIDE OF ONE, YOU ABSOLUTELY OWE YOURSELF THAT GO IN ONE.
THE PEOPLE I HAVE MET INSIDE OF THESE PLACES OF BUSINESS HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY PROFESSIONAL.
JUST GO TO ONE AND LOOK AROUND.
I THINK IT WOULD CALM SO MUCH ANXIETY FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.
THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY.
THE SAME THING, BUT YOU GOT THERE FIRST.
I'VE BEEN IN A COUPLE OF THESE.
YOU CANNOT SMELL THEM WHEN YOU PULL INTO THE PARKING LOT AND PARK NEXT TO THE BUILDING, AND LIKE YOU SAID, WHEN YOU WALK IN THE SECURITY, YOU MAY AS WELL-- I'VE BEEN IN JACKSON PRISON, [CHUCKLING] NOT AS AN INMATE, BUT I'VE GOTTEN, AND THE SECURITY IS SIMILAR.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH A LOCKED DOOR AFTER YOU SHOW YOUR ID WHEN YOU GET INSIDE.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING, BUT THERE IS NO SMELL EVEN WHEN YOU'RE INSIDE THE DISPENSARY.
SO IT'S REALLY AN ISSUE THAT IS, I THINK, BEING BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION, LIKE YOU SAY, AND MY EXPOSURE TO THESE PLACES IS THAT THEY ARE VERY PROFESSIONALLY RUN, MUCH MORE PROFESSIONALLY RUN THAN MANY OTHER INSTITUTIONS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THERE INSTEAD.
ANY OTHER COMMENT OR QUESTION? COMMISSIONER SCOTT I'M NOT CONFESSING TO BEING IN PRISON, [CHUCKLING] BUT I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS MAKING SURE THAT IF WE DO HAVE THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, THAT IT IS DEFINITELY RUN AS PROFESSIONALLY AS YOU ALL ARE SPEAKING OF THEM RUNNING, AND I THINK THAT CAUSES FOR DUE CARE AND CONSIDERATION OVER THE APPLICATIONS, AND DIRECTOR SCHMITT SENT US SOME INFORMATION TODAY AND I DEFINITELY WANT TO HAVE TIME TO GO THROUGH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT I WAS UNABLE TO GO THROUGH DUE TO THE HOUR OF THE RECEIPT OF THE INFORMATION.
SO I DO NOT WANT TO MAKE ANY SNAP DECISIONS.
I WANT TO MAKE A CAREFUL DECISION BECAUSE THE DECISION THAT WE MAKE ON THIS SUP WILL BE SETTING THE FUTURE DECISIONS, THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE FUTURE, DECISIONS OF OTHER SUPS THAT WILL EVENTUALLY COME BEFORE US.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.
OKAY, COULD I ASK THE APPLICANT IF YOU KNOW HOW MANY OTHER FACILITIES, DISPENSARIES DOES THIS COMPANY HAVE? EXCUSE ME. I BELIEVE AT THIS TIME THEY'RE RUNNING EXCUSE ME.
AT LEAST FOUR ADDITIONAL IF THEY HAD ANY LICENSING OR COMPLIANCE PROBLEMS? NO. OKAY, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. CAN I FOLLOW UP ON THAT? CAN YOU GIVE US THE LOCATIONS OF THOSE?
[01:00:02]
SO MAYBE IF ANYONE HERE IS INTERESTED, WE CAN GO AND LOOK AT ONE OF THEIR FACILITIES TO SEE HOW THEY OPERATE.ABSOLUTELY, AND ONE OF THEM IS LOCATED IN LANSING, 2001.
PARDON? I BELIEVE IT'S 2001 WEST SAGINAW, AND THE NAME OF IT IS HERBANA (H-E-R-B-A-N-A).
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE PANEL? I'M SORRY TO MAKE YOU GET UP AGAIN, [CHUCKLING] BUT WOULD YOU MIND MAYBE TALKING A LITTLE BIT JUST BRIEFLY ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MEDICINAL USES FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA THAT THE INDUSTRY OR THAT HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO BE BENEFICIAL TO PEOPLE? COULD YOU TALK ON THAT FOR A MOMENT? I COULD, NUT I WILL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW YOU ARE TALKING TO THE WRONG GUY.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY, VERY, VERY WELL EDUCATED ON THIS THING THAT HAVE REALLY MADE IT A LIFE'S WORK, A PASSION FOR THEMSELVES.
IF YOU DO LOOK AT THE MMFLA OR YES, THE MMFLA, YOU'LL SEE A LIST OF QUALIFYING CONDITIONS.
I MEAN, THIS IS CANCER, EPILEPSY, PTSD, RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS.
I'M TRYING TO THINK OF--CROHN'S DISEASE.
I MEAN, IF YOU GO THROUGH IT, YOU'LL SEE IT'S LITERALLY A LAUNDRY LIST OF THINGS.
FORTUNATELY ENOUGH, I HAVEN'T HAD THOSE ISSUES, SO I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW IT DEALS WITH THOSE ISSUES.
I DO KNOW THAT I'VE USED CERTAIN PRODUCTS WHEN I SCREWED UP MY KNEE AND WHEN I'VE SCREWED UP OTHER MUSCLES, I'VE USED TOPICAL RUBS, I'VE USED SOME OTHER THINGS AND THOSE HAVE SEEMED TO HELP ME THROUGH THAT.
OR MAYBE IT WAS TIME THAT HEALS, BUT EITHER WAY, IT GAVE ME THE CONFIDENCE THAT IT WAS HELPING AND I DID FEEL LIKE IT WAS HELPING, BUT THE USES FOR CANNABIS AND CANNABIS PRODUCTS HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE USEFUL FOR MANY DIFFERENT CONDITIONS, AND I THINK WITH THE LIMITED STUDY THAT WE'VE HAD OF THIS PRODUCT, BECAUSE OF THE PROHIBITION FOR THE LAST 85 YEARS SINCE SINCE THAT TIME, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT BEHIND IN THAT RESEARCH, BUT YOU ARE STARTING TO SEE IT CATCH UP AND YOU ARE STARTING TO SEE IT BE USED FOR MULTIPLE CONDITIONS AND I THINK WE'VE ALL SEEN THE TESTIMONIES AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS AS A STATE OF MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE FOUND A USE FOR IT TO HELP EITHER THEIR CHILD TO THEIR GRANDMOTHER, YOU KNOW, SO WE'VE SEEN IT REALLY RUN THE WHOLE SPECTRUM WHEN IT COMES TO HELPING PEOPLE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, MR. SCHMITT. DO YOU WANT TO HAVE A ROUGH VOTE FROM THE COMMITTEE? A STRAW VOTE. STRAW VOTE IS ENTIRELY AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIR AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT STAFF NEEDS, BUT IT CERTAINLY PROVIDES US WITH DIRECTION.
IF YOU DECIDE IT MAY BE HELPFUL TO LET YOU KNOW WHERE OUR THINKING IS.
YEAH, I THINK AS THE CHAIR, I'M GOING TO CALL FOR A STRAW VOTE.
SO THE VOTE WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THIS SUP.
WHAT WAS THE NUMBER ON THAT? 21-011? 23-011. ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S DO IT THIS WAY.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDS, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS POINT BASED ON THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED, I'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PARTICULARLY THE TIE BETWEEN THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND THE RECREATIONAL AND LAWSUITS.
SO I'M NOT PREPARED, I SHOULD SAY, AT THIS POINT, I'M NOT PREPARED TO VOTE.
ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER SNYDER.
BASED ON PRIOR APPROVAL SUPPORT.
COMMISSIONER BROOKS. SUPPORT COMMISSIONER SCALES, I GUESS I WASN'T HER WHEN I SPOKE EARLIER.
I HAVE DOCUMENTATION THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME TODAY THAT I WANT TO REVIEW BEFORE I MAKE A POSITION AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN I CAST MY VOTE THAT MY VOTE IS DOING THE RIGHT THING THE FIRST TIME.
SO NO, I AM NOT PREPARED TO EVEN VOTE OR TAKE A STRAW POLL TODAY.
COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION.
SUPPORT. COMMISSIONER TREZISE SUPPORT AND THE CHAIR SUPPORTS ON THE STRAW VOTE.
[01:05:06]
OKAY, SO WE ARE NOW ON ITEM EIGHT UNFINISHED BUSINESS.I'M SORRY, DID I CUT ANYBODY OFF WHO WANTED TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE? NO. OKAY, I'M SORRY.
[8A. SUP #23004 – Schultz Veterinary Clinic Expansion]
THIS IS THE FOLLOW UP TO THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT YOU HELD ON APRIL 10TH FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT 23-004 SCHULTZ VETERINARY CLINIC FOR A EXPANSION OF THE EXISTING BUSINESS AT THEIR PROPERTY ON [INAUDIBLE]. THE ONLY THING THAT YOU HAD US LOOK YOU HAD US LOOK INTO THE PATHWAY A LITTLE BIT.SO I TALKED TO TOWNSHIP ENGINEERING STAFF ABOUT THAT.
I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THEY HAVE FULFILLED THEIR OBLIGATION.
THEY HAVE PAID IN LIEU OF CONSTRUCTION THERE.
THEY HAVE MET THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE PATHWAY.
IT, THEREFORE, BY TOWNSHIP STANDARDS, DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY RAIL TO BE CONSTRUCTED.
IT IS KNOWN THEY DO FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WILL SEE THE WETLAND PERMIT APPLICATION THAT WILL BE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE FOR THAT PATHWAY BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO GO INTO A WETLAND.
THEY ARE PLANNING FOR THE REQUIRED WETLAND MITIGATION.
YOU'LL SEE ALL OF THAT AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, BUT AS FAR AS THE APPLICATION GOES, I HAVE NO FURTHER COMMENT ON THE EXPANSION OF THE BUSINESS.
AS FAR AS WE'RE CONCERNED, THEY'VE MET THE STANDARDS OF OUR ORDINANCE.
YEAH, I'D LIKE TO THANK STAFF FOR THAT AND MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING SPECIAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 23-004 TO CONSTRUCT 650 SQUARE FOOT ADDITION ON THE EXISTING BUSINESS AT 2770 BENNETT ROAD.
IS THERE A SECOND? SUPPORT. OKAY, ANY DISCUSSION BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE? COMMISSIONER BROOKS.
[INAUDIBLE] HOLD ON A MINUTE TILL HE COMES BACK.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO HOLD OFF ON THE VOTE TILL COMMISSIONER BROOKS RETURNS.
OH, OKAY, IF YOU COULD JUST SING US A SONG, A LITTLE DANCE.
[CHUCKLING] ONCE UPON A MIDNIGHT [INAUDIBLE] [CHUCKLING].
[INAUDIBLE] I'M THINKING [INAUDIBLE]AND THE SIMPSONS.
[CHUCKLING] HE JUST WALKED IN.
COMMISSIONER BROOKS. WE ARE ABOUT TO HOLD A VOTE ON WHETHER [INAUDIBLE].
OKAY, ALL RIGHT, SO LET ME TAKE THIS OUT OF ORDER, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE ALWAYS HAVE TO GO FIRST.
SO THE CHAIR IS GOING TO VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THE RESOLUTION.
ALL RIGHT, THE RESOLUTION PASSES.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR [INAUDIBLE] COME BACK AGAIN SOON.
ONE QUESTION, DOES MARIJUANA HAVE ANY VETERINARY APPLICATIONS? NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.
[CHUCKLING] A LOT OF PEOPLE USING THE LIQUIDS FOR THEIR DOGS, FOR SEIZURES, FOR DOGS, FOR OTHER MEDICAL PROBLEMS. THERE ARE VETERINARY APPLICATIONS.
VERY GOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ALL RIGHT, OTHER BUSINESS? NONE.
[10A. Goals and Objectives]
BASED ON OUR FEEDBACK AND DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD WITH RESIDENTS AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION.[01:10:06]
I AM JUST HERE TO HEAR OR TO SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO CHANGE, ADD, DELETE, ET CETERA.WE ARE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO HAVING A DRAFT TO PRESENT TO YOU.
WE'RE NOT THERE YET, BUT WE'RE VERY CLOSE.
ENGAGING WITH NEIGHBORHOODS, ENGAGING WITH THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY, LOOKING AT THE M78 CORRIDOR, LINKING WITH THE MSU LAND USE PLAN, UPDATING THE GREEN SPACE PLAN USING THE LAND PRESERVATION FUND, CONSIDERING USING LAND PRESERVATION FUND FOR PURCHASE OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS, WOODLAND ORDINANCE, ALL THAT STUFF IS RIGHT.
THE KIND OF STUFF I'D LIKE TO SEE.
THERE WAS ONE COMMENT ABOUT COORDINATING WITH CATA, ABOUT THE LOCATION OF STOPS AND I HOPE THAT CAN BE BROADENED TO WORKING WITH CATA TO CONSIDER WHERE THE FIXED ROUTES RUN IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WHETHER THEY ARE SERVING OUR RESIDENTS AS BEST AS THEY POSSIBLY COULD.
WAS THAT LET'S SEE, CAN YOU CAN YOU POINT ME? I'LL SEE IF I CAN.
I'LL JUST READ THE NOTE. YEAH.
YOU WANT CATA TO EVALUATE ALL OF THEIR ROUTES, NOT JUST THE FIX? YES. OKAY, I'D LIKE THE TOWNSHIP TO WORK WITH SERVICES SECTION.
THE THIRD BULLET UNDER PUBLIC SERVICES.
I THINK IT DESERVES THAT SPECIAL CATEGORIZATION, AND I AGREE WITH THAT.
I THOUGHT THERE WERE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS IN THERE OR BULLETS IN THERE ABOUT LOOKING AT MINIMUM HOUSE SIZE AND ENCOURAGING AFFORDABILITY OF HOUSING AS AND ALSO THE MIDDLE MIDDLE COST HOUSING, WHICH I THINK ARE VERY GOOD GOALS FOR THIS TOWNSHIP AS WE GROW.
THANK YOU. I ALSO APPRECIATED SEVERAL REFERENCES TO IMPROVING BICYCLE AND FOOT TRAFFIC IN NEIGHBORHOOD WALKING THAT I THINK ARE VERY GOOD.
TO ME THEY'VE ALL BEEN APARTMENT BASICALLY SO I'M NOT SURE THAT MIXED USE IS ACTUALLY STRENGTHEN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, AT LEAST IN MY OPINION.
THEY BASICALLY HAVE ADDED TO OUR RENTAL UNITS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, HAVE THEIR OWN.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THEM, THAT'S FOR SURE, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE ABOUT SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL AS OPPOSED TO NEW MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS, AT LEAST IN TERMS OF PRESERVING AND STRENGTHENING RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
I MEAN, THAT MAY BE UNDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR SOME OTHER THING, BUT AND THEN THE OTHER THING I WOULD LOOKING AT THIS, THERE WAS SOME THERE WAS A LINE ITEM HERE OR TWO ABOUT THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY, AND IT MORE OR LESS, IF YOU READ AT LEAST WHEN I READ BETWEEN THE LINES, IT'S LIKE IT'S A MOVING TARGET KIND OF THING, AND IT HASN'T NECESSARILY BEEN THAT WAY.
I MEAN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TWEAKING IT A LITTLE BIT TO MAKE IT, BUT AT LEAST SOMEWHERE IN HERE I SAW A STATEMENT THAT MORE OR LESS IMPLIED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO MOVE OVER TIME, AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S THAT WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF HAVING THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY.
I'LL LOOK, I THINK WE HAD SOME LANGUAGE ABOUT TRYING TO COME UP WITH A PROCESS.
WHAT WE'VE RUN INTO IS SOME DEVELOPERS THAT HAVE COME IN AND WE'VE SAID, OH, YOU'RE NOT IN THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY, AND THEY'VE SAID, WELL, WHAT DO WE GOT TO DO TO ASK FOR THAT? THAT'S NOT ADVOCATING TO CHANGE IT.
NO, BUT AS SOON AS YOU SET UP A PROCESS,
[01:15:05]
I MEAN, YOU CAN SET UP A PROCESS SAYS HERE'S A ONE ON THING.YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY NEEDS UTILITY AND IT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, BUT WHEN YOU WHEN YOU IMPLY THAT THERE'S A PROCESS, YOU'RE IMPLYING THAT YOU WANT YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO YOU'RE GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT THAT IT'S GOING TO MOVE, AND I GUESS WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT THAT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY IN TERMS OF DO WE REALLY WANT TO BE PUTTING UP A PROCESS FOR SOMETHING THAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT WANT TO SEE MOVE UNLESS THE PROCESS IS REALLY LIMITED TO, YOU KNOW, ONE PIECE OF PROPERTY OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT IS KIND OF SOMETHING THAT BEGS FOR A SOLUTION. OKAY, OPPOSED TO A BIG SUBDIVISION.
WE'LL LOOK AT THAT. NO PROBLEM.
THERE IS A PROCESS FOR CHANGING THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY, AND THAT'S TO GET SOMEONE TO INTRODUCE AN ORDINANCE CHANGE AT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD AND THEY CAN CHANGE THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY THAT WAY, BUT IT'S NOT AN ORGANIZED.
I'D LIKE TO RESPOND TO SOMETHING THAT COMMISSIONER RICHARDS SAID ABOUT THE MULTI-PURPOSE.
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE THAT I'VE SEEN SO FAR IN MY INVOLVEMENT IN TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT.
THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE THAT IT'S AT THE WILL OF THE DEVELOPERS.
THE TOWNSHIP HAS A MULTI USE PROGRAM AND THEY GIVE A PERMIT TO THE DEVELOPER WHO ABOUT A YEAR LATER, SAYS IT TURNED OUT TO BE TOO EXPENSIVE. I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT, AND THEN THE TOWNSHIP SAYS, WELL, OKAY, WHAT CAN YOU DO? BY THE TIME THEY'RE DONE, IT'S NOTHING BUT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.
IF THE TOWNSHIP WOULD ENFORCE THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU PUT THAT INTO A MASTER PLAN, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE CONCEPT ITSELF IS VIABLE , AND I'VE BEEN IN COMMUNITIES WHERE MULTI-USE HAS BEEN FULLY DEVELOPED AND IT WORKS.
THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE LIKE WITH THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, IT WAS ORIGINALLY AN MUPUD AND OVER THE SPACE OF 3 OR 4 YEARS OR THREE YEARS DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE BUILDERS JUST FELL APART AND THE PROJECT ENDED UP BEING NOTHING MORE THAN A PARKING LOT WITH AN APARTMENT COMPLEX ATTACHED TO IT, AND I THINK THE PROBLEM IS A LACK OF ENFORCEMENT OF THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT ONCE IT'S BEEN APPROVED.
I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT FITS INTO A MASTER PLAN, BUT THAT SEEMS TO BE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SOME CASES.
YES. SO I REALLY APPRECIATED A COUPLE OF THINGS HERE.
I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT BUT ALSO I WAS HAPPY TO SEE UNDER THE MAINTAINING OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVICES, THE WORKING TO ENSURE THAT PLANNING AND LAND USE DECISIONS CONSIDER EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
THEN WHEN I REREAD THE STATEMENT, I KIND OF WONDERED IF MAYBE THAT BULLET SHOULD BE MOVED MAYBE TO MIGRATE ON OVER TO THE PRESERVING AND STRENGTHENING RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, BECAUSE I WOULD, IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE CONSIDERATIONS FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, ALL OF THAT COULD SHOULD BE IN THAT CATEGORY BECAUSE THOSE THINGS DO STRENGTHEN NEIGHBORHOODS.
OKAY, HOWEVER, AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK THAT IF THAT WERE TO BE MOVED TO THAT OTHER CATEGORY, PERHAPS REPLACING UNDER MAINTAINING OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVICES, REPLACING THAT WITH SOMETHING TO ADDRESS IN OUR PUBLIC SERVICES, MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS ACCESSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES.
[INAUDIBLE] SO YOU WANT LANGUAGE IN BOTH PLACES ESSENTIALLY? I THINK THAT WOULD BE REASONABLE BUT I DID APPRECIATE THAT BEING BEING IN THE MASTER PLAN DRAFT HERE.
I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT IT THAT WAY UNTIL YOU JUST RAISED IT, BUT I WONDER IF THERE MIGHT BE CERTAIN SORT OF PRINCIPLES OR GOALS THAT KIND OF ELEVATE AS AN OPENING STATEMENT, LIKE THE SUPPORT FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION ACROSS EVERYTHING AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU THEN REITERATE IT WITHIN THE AND I'M NOT SURE HOW IF THIS IS SORT OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO USE TO KIND OF PUSH FORWARD AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO BE
[01:20:06]
IF THIS IS A VISION AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A PRINTED DOCUMENT, THEN MAYBE IT DOESN'T MATTER AS MUCH, BUT IF IT IS GOING TO BE SORT OF USED AS A BASIS FOR SOMETHING THAT ENDS UP BEING PRINTED IN THAT FORMAT, THEN MAYBE THERE ARE SOME GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT SORT OF ARE OVER AND ABOVE ALL OF THESE AREAS.ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT A MISSION STATEMENT? PERHAPS, YEAH, YOU KNOW, JUST SORT OF A VALUE STATEMENT OF ALL OF THESE GOALS THROUGH PUBLIC SERVICE, THROUGH HOUSING, THROUGH THIS, THAT, WE WANT TO LOOK AT THROUGH A LENS OF EQUITY ACROSS A NUMBER OF VARIABLES, YOU KNOW, EQUITY AND ABILITY EQUITY IN INCOME LEVELS, EQUITY IN A WIDE RANGE OF DIVERSE POPULATIONS IN THE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND IF THAT COMPLICATES IT TOO MUCH, IT WAS JUST AN IDEA THAT CAME TO ME AS I WAS LISTENING TO COMMISSIONER [INAUDIBLE] TALK.
SO I HAVEN'T FULLY LOOKED AT WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IN THIS DOCUMENT.
WELL, WE'LL LOOK AT THE FORMATTING.
I'LL TALK TO DIRECTOR SCHMITT ABOUT IT AND MAYBE WE'LL COME UP.
WE'LL TAKE A STAB AT SOMETHING AND SEE HOW YOU LIKE IT.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE GETTING.
I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THAT THOUGH, AND [INAUDIBLE] FIVE TIMES AND FIVE DIFFERENT SECTIONS, IT MIGHT BE EASIER TO ELEVATE IT UP TO THE TOP, BUT WE'VE GOT REDUNDANCIES, PULL THEM OUT AND SAY, OKAY, YEP, I GET THAT.
OTHERWISE I REALLY LIKE WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH.
CAN I GET A SECOND BITE AT THE APPLE? I'D LIKE TO DOUBLE DOWN ON COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY'S SUGGESTION THERE.
ONE THING THAT I'VE MENTIONED IN PASSING IN THE PAST I THINK IT'S WORTH CONSIDERING IS AN INCLUSION OF A LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT IN OUR MAIN LAND USE PLANNING DOCUMENT THAT REMINDS US OF WHO WAS HERE BEFORE THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT WAS AND HOW HE CAME TO BE IN THIS PLACE AND HOW THAT INFLUENCES HOW WE PLAN FOR ITS FUTURE.
I'VE HAD INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS WITH FOLKS NEXT DOOR.
IT'S AN OKEMOS CENTER AND IT'S SOMETHING, A PRACTICE THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT MANY UNITS AT MSU USE, SOMETIMES IN A PROVISIONAL SENSE, SO IT CAN THEORETICALLY BE A THORNY ISSUE, AS IT WERE, BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH CONSIDERING.
OKAY, AND IT WOULDN'T FIT IN ANY OF THE SECTIONS.
IT WOULD BE A STANDALONE SECTION.
YEAH. OKAY, I'LL LOOK INTO THAT.
THAT'S A GOOD POINT. THERE IS A HISTORY TOWNSHIP HISTORY IN THIS.
BUT I MEAN, I DON'T MEAN THAT I MEAN IN THE DOCUMENT IN THE LAND USE ISN'T THERE SOMETHING, A DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWNSHIP AND MAY NOT BE HISTORICAL BUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD BE INCORPORATED INTO A DESCRIPTION OF THIS IS MARINE TOWNSHIP.
THIS IS WHERE WE COME FROM, WHATEVER, AND GO FORWARD WITH THE BULLET POINTS SEPARATELY.
SURE. IT WOULD BE SORT OF AN INTRODUCTION TO THE WHOLE CONCEPT, THE WHOLE DOCUMENT.
OKAY, I'VE GOT 2 OR 3 BOOKS THAT HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
I FOUND A MEMORANDUM FROM 2013 BACK WHEN WE CALLED IT THE URBAN SERVICES DISTRICT, AND WE TRIED TO IMPLEMENT THIS, AND MY FILE THAT I FOUND IS GOING TO TAKE ME JUST A LITTLE WHILE TO GO THROUGH THIS, BUT IT'S A LOT OF HISTORY THAT'S PACKED IN HERE, AND SOME OF THE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE IN THE PAST AND THAT RESULTED TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AND I JUST AM JUST TRYING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO GO THROUGH THAT AND REVIEW IT.
ONE IS I'M GOING TO SAY THIS ON THE RECORD JUST BECAUSE I LOVE THE SHOW SO MUCH.
SO LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER DID A SHOW ON HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS AND IT WAS FANTASTIC.
[01:25:05]
THAT BEING SET ASIDE, IT MADE ME THINK ABOUT THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND SPECIFICALLY HOW THEY'RE DEPLOYED AS SORT OF A PLANNING TOOL TO BUILD OUT NEIGHBORHOODS AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY CREATE DISADVANTAGES OR ADVANTAGES FOR RESIDENTS, AND SO ONE THING I WAS THINKING ABOUT IS IF WE COULD I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE QUESTION IS HERE, BUT WHAT WHAT ORDINANCES DO WE HAVE ON HOAS AND THEN HOW DO THEY FIT INTO OUR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PLAN? WE HAVE LANGUAGE IN HERE ABOUT TRYING TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNICATION BETWEEN US AND NEIGHBORHOODS? HOA REGULATIONS ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR JURISDICTION, RIGHT? YEAH. SO WHAT WE END UP TELLING PEOPLE IS THE MORE STRINGENT REGULATION COUNTS.THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO ENFORCE THAT, YOU SEE.
THE HOA IS SET UP AT THE DISCRETION OF THE DEVELOPER.
WE DON'T HAVE A MECHANISM TO SAY THOU SHALT CREATE AN HOA.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'M ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, IF I'M GETTING OR IF THERE'S SOMEWHERE ELSE YOU WANT TO GO WITH THIS? YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO. SO ONE OF THE NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF HOA WAS THAT THEY WERE CAUSING THEY WOULD CAUSE ISSUES FOR RESIDENTS WHERE RESIDENTS ARE LOSING THEIR HOMES OR THEY'RE GETTING ASSESSED FEES BY HOA FEES, AND THEY WERE COMPLETELY OUTSIDE OF THE PURVIEW OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, BASICALLY BECAUSE THE HOA BECOMES THIS SORT OF HIGHER LEVEL AUTHORITY ALMOST AND SO WHAT THE THIS CONCERNED ME ABOUT WAS WHETHER OR NOT THERE WERE HOAS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, WHERE WE ACCEPT THEIR DEVELOPMENT IN A NEW PIECE OF LAND, BUT THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS, IS THERE'S A NEGATIVE RAMIFICATION ON THE PUBLIC IN THOSE SPACES, AND I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THOSE QUESTIONS.
I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THEM IN TERMS OF OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING AND HOW WE DEPLOY OR WORK WITH DEVELOPERS IN TERMS OF ALLOWING THEM TO CREATE THESE KINDS OF NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE BASICALLY WE'RE GIVING UP OUR AUTHORITY FROM A GOVERNING PERSPECTIVE.
OKAY, EVALUATE NEW POTENTIAL HOAS TO ENSURE COMPATIBILITY WITH OUR ORDINANCES.
YES, THAT'S WHAT I'M. OKAY, YES, EXACTLY.
SO FROM A PLANNING COMMISSION, I'M TRYING TO TAKE EVERYONE'S COMMENTS TO HEART THAT SAYS LIKE, WHAT CAN WE DO AS A PLANNING COMMISSION? AND THIS SEEMS LIKE ONE WHERE WE CAN MANDATE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IN ANY SORT OF COMMISSION DOCUMENTS OR WHATEVER THAT WOULD LEAD TO THESE KINDS OF PRACTICES NOT HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
OKAY, SETTING LIMITS OF SOME KIND OR YEAH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
WELL, HE CAME UP WITH EXAMPLES.
THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION ENDED UP BUYING THE HOUSE FOR $5.
YEAH, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT LIKE THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, A DEVELOPER COMES IN AND THEY WANT TO BUILD 25 HOUSES AND WE'RE LIKE, OH, THAT SOUNDS GREAT , BUT THEN THERE'S THIS OTHER THING THAT'S ATTACHED TO IT THAT WE AND NOT ALL DEVELOPMENTS ARE HOAS.
CORRECT, BUT YOUR POINT HOLDS THE OPPOSITE IS, IS MORE IN MY EXPERIENCE AND WE GET CALLS FOR AN HOA WENT DEFUNCT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T COLLECT ENOUGH AND THEY STOP OPERATING RIGHT AND THEY HAVE PRIVATE ROADS AND THEIR PRIVATE ROADS STOP OPERATING EFFICIENTLY AND THEN THEY CALL THE TOWNSHIP AND SAY THAT HASN'T HAPPENED TO ME HERE, BUT THAT HAS HAPPENED A LOT OVER MY CAREER, AND THEY SAY, WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR US? AND WE SAY, NOT A THING.
YEAH, I THINK OUR HOAS GENERALLY ARE STRONGER THAN THAT.
I DID HAVE ONE OTHER COMMENT, BUT UNLESS YOU'RE--MINE'S RELATED TO THE HOA, I JUST WANT TO MAKE THE DISTINCTION THAT I THINK EXISTS BETWEEN AN HOA, WHICH IS SORT OF A LOOSE ORGANIZATION AND WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF CONDO DEVELOPMENTS, INCLUDING THE ONE WHERE I LIVE, WHERE IT IS A CONDO ASSOCIATION THAT'S GOVERNED BY STATE CONDO.
[01:30:01]
YES, IT'S A DIFFERENT AND CORRECT, QUITE OFTEN CONFUSED.I HEAR OUR CONDO BOARD REFERRED TO AS AN HOA, QUITE OFTEN BY PEOPLE WHO AND UNFORTUNATELY REALTORS SELL PEOPLE, CONDOS AND CONDO DEVELOPMENTS WITHOUT REALLY EDUCATING THEM ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONDO LIVING BECAUSE THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, IN OUR UNIT, IT CAN BE VERY CONFUSING, AND SO I JUST DON'T WANT TO PERPETUATE THAT CONFUSION BECAUSE THERE IS QUITE A DISTINCTION, BUT THAT'S CONTROLLED BY STATE LAW.
YEAH, WELL, CONDO BOARDS CAN DO THAT TOO.
[CHUCKLING] BUT THERE'S A STATE LAW ON TOP OF THAT, RIGHT.
THAT'S A VIOLATION OF OUR COLOR STANDARD.
YOU KNOW, THEY JUST THEY REALLY ADHERE TO THE POWER THAT THEY DEVELOP, AND I'VE SEEN IT.
YES. ON THE HOA THEME, WHILE WE DON'T, AS FAR AS I KNOW, HAVE ANY MECHANISM FOR REQUIRING THE CREATION OF AN ASSOCIATION, WHEN A SUBDIVISION IS BUILT EFFECTIVELY, WE CREATE THAT NEED WITH OUR REQUIREMENTS FOR AVOIDING DEVELOPMENT IN SENSITIVE AREAS, ESPECIALLY WETLANDS.
WATER BODIES AND OTHERS AND OPEN SPACE REQUIREMENTS WHEN WE DO PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENTS.
SO WE'RE CREATING PUBLIC BUT NOT TOWNSHIP LAND THAT NEEDS TO BE GOVERNED BY SOMETHING.
SOME SUBDIVISIONS IN THE TOWNSHIP HAVE DISSOLVED THEIR HOA.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROPERTY AND THEY DECIDED THEY DIDN'T NEED TO.
NOT TO [INAUDIBLE], YOUR CONVERSATION THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THIS TOWNSHIP.
WE HAD A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT I'VE HAD LIKE HALF A DOZEN PHONE CALLS ON.
IT SHOWED UP ON ZILLOW AS A FOR SALE PIECE OF PROPERTY AT A GOOD PRICE, AND IT TURNS OUT TO BE PROTECTED LAND WITH NO DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS ON IT.
OKAY, UNLESS THERE'S NO OTHER HOA COMMENTS, WHICH I'M GLAD THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
SORRY, I DON'T MEAN TO. NO, IT'S ALL RIGHT.
MY SECOND RECOMMENDATION SLASH IDEA ABOUT THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES IS RELATED TO WALKABILITY.
SO THIS YEAR I'VE BEEN MAKING AN EFFORT TO WALK AS MANY PLACES AS I CAN, AND IN TERMS OF HOW WE PLAN NEW BUSINESSES, SO HERE'S WHAT MY VISION IS SO OR WHAT MY STRUGGLE IS.
SO WHEN YOU'RE WALKING AROUND IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, THERE'S NOT ALWAYS A SIDEWALK THAT GOES FROM THE MAIN ACCESS ROAD UP TO THE ACTUAL BUSINESS.
IT'S ALMOST ALWAYS YOU HAVE TO WALK THROUGH A DRIVE, YOU HAVE TO WALK SOME SORT OF DRIVEWAY AND IT'S AN ACCESSIBILITY ISSUE, BUT IT'S ALSO JUST A WALKABILITY ISSUE, AND I, FOR ONE, WOULD BE REALLY INTERESTED IN THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE DEVELOP A PLANNING REQUIREMENT FOR SIDEWALK ACCESSIBILITY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING WITHIN A SITE LIKE THE MALL, FOR INSTANCE.
I MEAN, IT'S LIKE THAT IN [INAUDIBLE], LIKE YOU CAN'T WALK.
YOU CAN'T REALLY WALK UP TO [INAUDIBLE] FROM GRAND RIVER.
YOU HAVE TO, LIKE GO THROUGH A BUNCH OF PARKING LOTS.
GET A HANDICAP STICKER AND PARK CLOSER.
[CHUCKLING] ANY OTHER COMMENTS? IN ADDITION TO WHAT COMMISSIONER BROOKS SAID, I THINK I MEAN, I BROUGHT THIS UP A FEW MEETINGS BACK, BUT EVEN WITHIN SUBDIVISIONS, TOO, THAT'S WALKABILITY IS AN ISSUE.
A LOT OF THEM I DON'T NEED TO REPEAT THAT BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE, BUT THAT'S A GOOD POINT WITH BUSINESSES AND WITH RESIDENCES, TOO, BECAUSE IT CAN BECOME, LIKE I SAID, A ACCESSIBILITY ISSUE.
[01:35:02]
IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE.FEEL FREE TO PIGGYBACK ON MY COMMENTS ANYTIME.
[CHUCKLING] ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ISSUES ABOUT THE MASTER PLAN PORTION OF THE AGENDA? NO. OH, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION.
SURE, GO AHEAD. SO THERE'S A LOT ON HERE, A LOT OF GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
IS THERE GOING TO BE SOME SORT OF PRUNING PROCESS OR PRUNING PROCESS LIKE TRIMMING DOWN THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES? OR ARE WE JUST LIKE, THIS IS YOUR DRAFT LIST? IF THERE'S STUFF ON HERE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOES NOT WANT ON HERE, NOW IS THE TIME TO TELL US, OR RATHER, BETWEEN NOW AND APPROVAL, YOU'RE ON THE CLOCK, I GUESS IS A BETTER WAY TO SAY IT.
OKAY, ALL RIGHT, AND IS THERE SOMETHING SPECIFIC THAT YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT? NO, NO, NO. I GUESS I FEEL LIKE WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS JUST ADDING AND ADDING AND ADDING, AND THERE HASN'T BEEN THIS SORT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT LIKE, DOES IT MAKE SENSE THAT WE HAVE ALL 50 OF THESE OR WHATEVER THEY ARE AS AS PRIORITIES.
A LOT OF THESE ARE REORGANIZED AND REWORDED FROM WHAT'S EXISTING.
SOME OF THESE ARE NEW AND BASED ON CONVERSATIONS THAT I THINK THAT'S WHY WE FOLLOW UP WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX THAT'S NEW TO THIS DISCUSSION. WE DON'T HAVE THAT IN THE EXISTING MASTER PLAN TO KIND OF GUIDE, WELL, WHAT IS ALL THIS REALLY WANT US TO DO? WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN YOUR AGREEMENT WITH THAT.
IF THERE'S OTHER TASKS THAT YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
COMMISSIONER SCALES. I'LL WORK MY WAY BACK.
I SEE THIS PROCESS JUST STARTING TO MERGE, THROWING THESE THINGS UP ON THE WALL AND EVENTUALLY YOU'LL LOOK AND SEE THAT THIS AND THIS IS SAYING THE SAME THING AND THAT, AND YOU, YOU CONTINUE TO BRING THEM TOGETHER AND YOU LESS IS MORE.
YOU GET IT TO A POINT WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET SOMETHING ACCOMPLISHED AND YOU MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY, SO TO SPEAK, AND TO THAT POINT, YOU WILL SEE THIS AGAIN, LIKE I SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS CONVERSATION, WE'RE REALLY CLOSE TO HAVING A DRAFT TO PRESENT TO YOU, AT LEAST AT LEAST TEXT WISE, A DRAFT, YES, AND THAT'S JUST PART OF THE PROCESS.
YOU'LL GET MORE CHANCE AT THIS.
COMMISSIONER MCCURTIS, DID YOU HAVE AN ISSUE? NO.
YEAH, I WAS PIGGYBACKING ON COMMISSIONER BROOKS, THE IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX, WHICH WILL INCLUDE THE [INAUDIBLE] ITEMS ALONG THE TIME FRAMES LOOKING, AND ADDITIONALLY, THIS MATRIX WILL ACT AS A SORT OF ROADMAP FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S WORK OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO DO SOME OF THAT.
HAVING SAID THAT, I LIKE THE PIECES THAT ARE GIVEN THERE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX.
IT'LL BE EASIER TO DIGEST WHEN WE HAVE A GOAL AND WE HAVE AN IMPLEMENTATION ACTION ITEM THAT MATCHES IT AND WE CAN PRIORITIZE AND STAFF IS GOING TO HAVE TO PRIORITIZE AND THE COMMISSION IS GOING TO HAVE TO PRIORITIZE WHICH OF THOSE THINGS WE WANT TO WORK ON FIRST, BUT A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING ON THE COMMISSION SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE WAS STUFF THAT WAS IN THE PRIOR MASTER PLAN SIMPLIFYING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.
ET CETERA. ET CETERA. SIGN ORDINANCE AND THINGS.
SO IT IS KIND OF THE BROAD ROAD MAP, AND THEN WE GET INTO PRIORITIZING AT SOME POINT.
THANK YOU. WE ARE NOW AT CONVERSATION ITEM NUMBER 11, THE AGENDA REPORTS TOWNSHIP BOARD UPDATE.
[11A. Township Board update.]
I JUST HAVE ONE MORE THING AND JUST I'M LOOKING AT THE 2005 MASTER PLAN AND I SEE A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS IN HERE, AND HE SAID MANY OF THEM ARE RESTATEMENTS OF THE ORIGINAL OF THE LAST PLAN.JUST REALLY QUICK, I HAVE A COUPLE OF NOTES.
EXPECTED TO BE APPROVED TOMORROW.
THE CADE STREET REZONING IS COMING BACK IN TWO WEEKS FOR FINAL ADOPTION.
THAT'S WHAT I HAVE ON THE BOARD.
THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO SIT DOWN NOW.
ALL RIGHT, HOW ABOUT LIAISON REPORTS?
[11B. Liaison reports.]
ANYONE ATTEND ANY MEETINGS? YEAH, I DID. LAST WEEK, I ATTENDED THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS.[01:40:01]
ONE APPLICATION INVOLVING A SIGN ON ONE OF THE BUILDINGS FOR SPARROW CLINIC.WE APPROVED THAT, AND THEN I ATTENDED THE BROWNFIELD MEETING THE WEEK BEFORE, AND ONE OF THE ISSUES WAS A TENTATIVE CONTRACT TO BE PRESENTED TO THE HASLETT VILLAGE WITH REGARD TO THEIR HAZARDOUS WASTE REMOVAL THAT HAS TO BE AGREED TO PRIOR TO APPLYING TO THE STATE FOR THEIR FUNDING FOR BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT. SO THAT WAS ON THE AGENDA THERE.
ONE THING ON THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS.
I THINK THEY'RE IN DIRE NEED OF ALTERNATES FOR THAT BOARD.
YOU MIGHT WANT TO COMMENT ON THAT.
WE HAVE FIVE MEMBERS, WHICH I BELIEVE IS WHAT'S APPROVED.
TWO OF US, THE TREASURER AND MYSELF, ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO HOLD OFFICE ON THAT BY STATE LAW.
SO AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT PROVISION THE TOWNSHIP HAS FOR ALTERNATIVES TO SERVE ON THAT, BUT IF THERE ARE PEOPLE INTERESTED, THAT WOULD LIKE TO APPLY.
THEY CAN DO THAT THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP APPLICATION.
THERE'S AN APPLICATION FORM THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP AND THEY CAN SUBMIT THAT, AND IF ANYBODY'S WATCHING ON TV THAT HAS AN INTEREST THAT THEY SHOULD LOOK INTO THAT AND IF ANY OF US KNOW ANYBODY THAT MIGHT HAVE AN INTEREST, BECAUSE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT WHEN YOU'RE NOT GETTING A QUORUM ON AN IMPORTANT BOARD LIKE THAT.
ANY OTHER LIAISONS? VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT, PROJECT UPDATES.
PROJECT REPORTS. WE HAD NO CHANGES AT THE TIME OF THE PRINTING.
[12A. Project Report]
I WILL SAY THAT THE PROJECT REPORT WILL BE PROVIDED AT YOUR NEXT MEETING.THE TOWNSHIP BOARD IS GOING TO BE TAKING UP AN ISSUE TOMORROW ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, NEEDING ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER TRAINING.
APPARENTLY THERE HAVE BEEN SOME COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN SENT BACK TO THE BOARD.
FROM WHAT I SAW, A NOTE FROM THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER WENT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ASKING THEM, SHOULD WE HIRE A FACILITATOR OR SHOULD WE DO IT IN-HOUSE, BUT PROVIDE TRAINING FOR THE MULTIPLE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ON ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER? BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE ARE WATCHING US ON TV AND THEY'RE NOT HAPPY THAT WE'RE HAVING OPEN CONVERSATIONS AND NOT FOLLOWING ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.
ANY UPDATE ON TRADER JOE'S? NO, NOT AT THIS TIME.
WAITING FOR THAT ONE. THANK YOU.
SORRY. NO, THAT'S OKAY, NOT YOUR FAULT.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, NO MORE PROJECT REPORT.
SO THE LAST THING IS PUBLIC REMARKS.
MISS PAGE IS THE ONLY ONE HERE, AND SHE'S ALREADY DONE IT, SO.
ALL RIGHT, THEN, WE ARE AT ADJOURNMENT.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.