May 22, 2023 Planning Commission

[00:01:03]

SPEAKERS].

ALL RIGHT, THE TIME NOW IS 6:30.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

OKAY, I'LL JUST USE MY PHONE CALLING THE MEETING OF THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION TO ORDER.

THE FIRST THING I'M GOING TO DO IS THE ROLL CALL.

THE NEXT THING IS, IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN ADDRESS TO THE BOARD BEFORE WE GET STARTED? ALL RIGHT, SO THE NEXT THING THEN, ITEM FOUR IS APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT IS APPROVED.

NEXT APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MAY 8TH MEETING.

[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS? ONE PIECE IN ITEM TEN A MASTER PLAN UPDATE BUILDOUT ANALYSIS.

SOMEWHERE IN THERE THERE WAS A DISCUSSION OF THE PROPORTION OF THE PROPERTIES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED THAT WERE INSIDE THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY AND OUTSIDE.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS WORTH TAKING.

I THINK COMMISSIONER SNYDER BROUGHT THAT UP AND SHE BEAT ME TO THE QUESTION.

SO I WAS HOPING THAT WOULD BE REFLECTED IN THE MINUTES.

CAN YOU GIVE ME AN IDEA WHERE I WASN'T AT AT THAT MEETING? DIRECTOR SCHMITT NOTED THAT THERE WERE ROUGHLY 375 RESIDENTIALLY ZONED PARCELS THAT ARE CURRENTLY VACANT.

AND IN THAT, IN RESPONSE, COMMISSIONER SNYDER ASKED IF WE HAD AN IDEA HOW MANY OF THOSE WERE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY, AND IT SOUNDED LIKE THAT WAS SOMETHING HE INTENDED TO DO.

SO THAT WAS IT.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES WITH THAT NOTATION SAY AYE.

AYE. NO OPPOSITION.

THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

ALL RIGHT. NOW WE HAVE COMMUNICATION THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE.

[6. COMMUNICATIONS]

APPARENTLY, THERE ARE NONE.

IS THAT STILL CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. VERY GOOD.

ALL RIGHT. SO NOW WE ARE IN ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, UNFINISHED BUSINESS, WHICH IS THE GREEN PEAK SKYMINT VACANT NORTHWIND PARCEL.

[8A. SUP #23013 – Green Peak Innovations (Skymint) – Vacant Northwind parcel]

I JUST GOT A QUESTION OF THE RESOLUTIONS THAT WERE IN THE PACKET.

WE HAD TWO LETTERS FROM STAFF.

THE FIRST ONE WAS FOR SPECIAL PERMIT NUMBER 23013 GREEN PEAK.

THE SECOND ONE IS, MY SCROLL IS A LITTLE SLOW.

[00:05:01]

AND THAT SAID GREEN PEAK AND I THINK ONE ONE IS THE THE THE HASLETT FACILITY. IS THAT CORRECT? THE PACKET IS PUT TOGETHER BY THE STAFF PEOPLE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE.

I THINK THAT'S JUST A NUMBERING ISSUE.

IT DOES SAY GREEN PEAK SKYMAN ON IT, CORRECT? YES. OKAY.

UM, I THINK YOU'RE CORRECT.

IT WAS A IT WAS JUST A TYPO ON THE ON THE SECOND.

OKAY. AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT'S CORRECT.

BUT YOU ARE. YOU ARE.

I'LL MAKE SURE THAT'S CORRECT.

THANK YOU. SURE.

I CAN'T EVEN FIND IT. OH, THERE IT IS.

OKAY. THE SECOND ONE.

ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, THIS IS THE FOLLOW UP TO YOUR MAY 8TH PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE GREEN PEAK SPECIAL USE PERMIT.

APPARENTLY 23013 GREEN PEAK INDUSTRIES TO ESTABLISH A COMMERCIAL MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROVISIONING CENTER ON A VACANT PARCEL LOCATED SOUTH OF GRAND RIVER AVENUE ON NORTHWIND DRIVE.

YOU HAVE THE PREVIOUS PACKET INCLUDED IN THIS PACKET, SO ALL THE INFORMATION YOU HAD TWO WEEKS AGO HAS BEEN PUT IN HERE AGAIN.

SO YOU HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION TO YOU.

YOU DID HAVE A FOLLOW UP.

APPARENTLY YOU WERE CONCERNED.

YOU ASKED ABOUT POSSIBLE POSSIBILITY OF A PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE.

STAFF DID REVIEW THAT QUESTION.

WE'VE NEVER SEEN A SCENARIO WHERE WE HAVE A PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE FOR THE ENTIRE SITE.

WE'VE HAD PERFORMANCE GUARANTEES FOR SPECIFIC THINGS LIKE SIDEWALKS OR LANDSCAPE OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT ENTIRE SITE SEEMED, STAFF DOESN'T RECOMMEND THE USE OF A PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE TO PUSH THE CONSTRUCTION ON THE SITE.

OTHER THAN THAT, WE'VE HAD NO OTHER COMMENTS OTHER THAN THE COMMUNICATION YOU SEE IN THE PACKET.

YOU MAY APPROVE, APPROVE THE CONDITIONS OR DENY, BUT WE DO RECOMMEND, WE DO RECOMMEND THAT YOU RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS AND MOVE IT FORWARD TO THE BOARD.

I GUESS I HAVE A QUESTION BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO THE BOARD.

I MEAN, ONE OF THE THERE IS ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE I GUESS THAT'S TO TABLE IT.

BUT IS THERE BECAUSE OF THE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FINANCE FINANCIAL WHEREWITHAL OF THE OF THE APPLICANT AND THE APPLICANT'S OTHER SITES.

SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF THAT ACTUALLY IS AN OPTION.

IS THERE A REQUIREMENT TO ACT ON THIS, I GUESS IS A QUESTION FOR STAFF IN A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME FROM THE TIME IT WAS APPLIED? UH, THERE IS A REQUIREMENT TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.

I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE SPECIFICS.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU I DON'T KNOW IF YOU RUN UP AGAINST THAT DEADLINE, IF YOU TABLE IT ONCE.

I DO NOTE IT'S THREE WEEKS BEFORE YOUR NEXT MEETING BECAUSE JUST THE WAY THE SCHEDULE WORKS.

BUT AS FAR AS THE ISSUE OF THEIR FINANCIAL ISSUES, THIS IS THE LAND USE YOU'RE LOOKING AT AND EVENTUALLY THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET THROUGH THEIR LICENSING ANYWAY.

THIS IS NOT THE LAST STEP IN THE PROCESS.

IF THEY STILL HAVE THAT FINANCIAL ISSUE, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A TOUGH TIME GETTING THEIR THEIR LICENSE TO OPERATE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

THIS IS A LAND USE QUESTION.

YOU DO HAVE THE OPTION TO TABLE, THOUGH.

I'D HAVE TO LOOK QUICK.

I'D HAVE TO PULL IT UP AND SEE WHAT YOUR TIMELINE IS, THOUGH, FOR WHAT YOUR REQUIREMENT IS FOR FOR DECISION.

I GUESS I DON'T SEE A PURPOSE IN TABLING IT SINCE THERE WILL BE A FINANCIAL REVIEW WHEN THEY GET THE FINAL LICENSE APPROVED.

IF THEY DO AND IF THIS DOESN'T GET BEYOND US AND THE BOARD, THEN I DON'T KNOW THAT THE NEXT STEP OF GOING FORWARD WITH LICENSURE AND REVIEWING THE FINANCE WILL OCCUR UNTIL THIS IS APPROVED.

AND SECONDLY, I'M NOT SURE WE CAN TABLE IT LONG ENOUGH TO GET THEIR FINANCES IN ORDER AND HAVE AN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION.

GOOD POINT. SO I THINK FROM A LAND USE STANDPOINT, WE WOULD GO FORWARD AND EITHER APPROVE OR DENY THIS AND LET THE SYSTEM CATCH IT DOWN THE ROAD AS MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE FROM THE APPLICANT.

COMMISSIONER RICHARDS YEAH, I GUESS I WOULD SAY THIS IS A VACANT PIECE OF LAND.

I GUESS I'D HAVE TO LOOK BACK, BUT I'M ASSUMING IT'S AN INDUSTRIAL ONE OF THE FEW INDUSTRIAL SITES WE HAVE.

CORRECT. THAT IS CORRECT.

SO I GUESS THE FACT THAT THIS GETS TIED UP, I MEAN, LET'S JUST SAY FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY DON'T GO FORWARD, YOU'RE TYING UP ONE OF THE FEW INDUSTRIAL PIECES OF

[00:10:09]

AND I GUESS I WOULD ARGUE THAT IT DOES HAVE, YOU KNOW, A POTENTIAL DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON THE TOWNSHIP IF IT IF THIS GETS SOMEHOW TIED UP IN A SITUATION WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S IN LITIGATION.

AND AND SO I GUESS, YOU KNOW, FROM THAT VANTAGE POINT, IF IT COMES TO A VOTE, I'LL BE VOTING NO TO RECOMMEND A CORRECTION.

I BELIEVE THIS IS A C TO COMMERCIAL.

SO BASED ON ON THAT, I'M GOING TO BE VOTING NO AS A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD.

I, I IS THERE IF WE VOTE TO DENY THIS, IS THERE AN APPELLATE PROCESS TO THIS? YOU WOULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO DENY ANOTHER WHOLE.

LOOK, I, I TEND TO IT DOESN'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN, BUT I TEND TO AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER RICHARDS.

I. THANKS FOR THE.

YEAH, I HAVE NO PROBLEM AT ALL WITH THE SALE OF OF MARIJUANA PRODUCTS.

I AM A USER FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES AND I'M FRANKLY I'M A CUSTOMER OF SKYMINT, BUT I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH GIVING THEM CONTROL OVER A PIECE OF DEVELOPMENTAL DEVELOPMENTAL PROPERTY.

THAT'S NOT A WORD DEVELOPMENTAL, DEVELOPMENTAL SOMETHING PROPERTY THAT COULD GET TIED UP IN LITIGATION FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. THAT'S NOT GOING TO BENEFIT THE TOWNSHIP AT ALL.

AND IT'S ALSO REMARKABLY CLOSE TO THE GROCERY STORE THAT'S LYING HALF UNCONSTRUCTED THIS IS TRUE.

IT JUST WOULD CREATE A DEAD ZONE, I THINK, IN THE IN THE AREA FOR CONSTRUCTION PURPOSES.

SO MY INCLINATION IS TO VOTE AGAINST IT, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NO PROBLEM AT ALL WITH THE PRODUCT THAT THEY SELL.

SO I HAVE SIMILAR CONCERNS.

AND I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT WITH THE WARRANTY DEED THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE PACKET, GREEN PEAK INDUSTRIES, THEY ALREADY OWN THE PROPERTY.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF THEY DON'T GET APPROVAL ANYWAY, IT'LL PROBABLY JUST SIT THERE.

I ASSUME IT'S AN ASSET IN BANKRUPTCY IF THEY GO BANKRUPT.

WHAT'S THAT? IT'S AN ASSET IN BANKRUPTCY.

IF THEY GO BANKRUPT, IS THAT GOING TO WORK? THE SAME THING AS THE RECEIVERSHIP? YEAH, I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS, BUT YEAH, I GUESS THAT'S TRUE.

BUT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT LEASING THE PROPERTY FROM ANYBODY.

SO IF THINGS GO SOUTH, WOULD IT EVEN BE, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPED IN A DIFFERENT WAY? UM, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ONE OF MY CONCERNS.

BUT ALSO KIND OF ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT, JUST IN THE LAST WEEK, THEY SURRENDERED THEIR PROPERTY IN DIAMOND DALE TO SUMMIT ICE COMPLEX.

I HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT THIS TOO.

I JUST DON'T I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT ANSWER IS AS FAR AS MOVING FORWARD.

AND I SHARE IT'S IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE I AGREE WITH BOTH COMMISSIONERS WHO'VE SPOKEN ON THIS TOPIC AND AND I CAN RELATE TO BOTH THE CONCERNS AS WELL AS THE, YOU KNOW, JUST THE PERSONAL SIDE OF NOT HAVING ANY ISSUES WITH MARIJUANA ITSELF.

IT'S MORE THE FINANCIAL PIECE AND BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS, WHICH IS PROPERTY THAT'S DEVELOPED AND, YOU KNOW, ABLE TO BE FREQUENTED AS.

UM, AS A CLIENT OR SHOPPER, I GUESS JUST A QUESTION, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION.

SO I KNOW THAT OUR JOB IS TO LOOK AT THE LAND USE AND WE'RE ALSO CONSIDERING, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY GOING TO BE SOLVENT OR FINANCIALLY STABLE OR WHATEVER.

BUT OUR JOB IS LAND USE.

IF WE RECOMMEND.

IF WE RECOMMEND NO, THEN IT STILL MOVES FORWARD.

IT GOES TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

CORRECT. WE WOULD THEN CONSIDER OUR RECOMMENDATION AND THEN THEY CAN LOOK AT THE COMPLETE PICTURE.

CORRECT. SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFICATION SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO RECOMMENDATION.

RIGHT, RIGHT. I'D ALSO LIKE TO JUST ADD TO THAT AS THE BOARD IS IS LOOKING AT ALL OF THE INFORMATION, WHAT I MEAN, WILL THAT INCLUDE SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT'S JUST OUT THERE IN THE NEWS, YOU KNOW, TO BE DIGESTED BY THE PUBLIC OR HOW MUCH OF THAT FINANCIAL INFORMATION WILL BE CONSIDERED?

[00:15:05]

IF YOU DO DECIDE TO RECOMMEND DENIAL, YOU NEED TO GIVE REASONS, SO YOU'LL STATE YOUR REASONS.

THAT'S FIRST OF ALL.

SECOND OF ALL, UM, YOU KNOW, THE MINUTES TO THIS MEETING ARE GOING TO BE HANDED OVER THE SAME.

SO EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE SAYING IS GETTING RECORDED.

AND THIRD, NOT TO, NOT TO SOUND CHEEKY, THEY HAVE INTERNET ACCESS, TOO.

I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

I JUST WONDER IF THAT'S EVEN PART OF THE PROCESS FOR THE BOARD TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, YOU KNOW, ARTICLES THAT ARE IN THE NEWS VERSUS JUST WHATEVER'S IN THE OFFICIAL. BUT THAT IS THAT IS THAT IS A POINT I WANT TO MAKE.

IF YOU CAN YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION TO DENY.

THAT'S FINE. BUT YOU NEED TO STATE WHAT YOUR REASONS ARE.

I MEAN, I'M SORRY I DIDN'T HAVE MY HAND RAISED.

SOMEBODY ELSE I JUST RECOGNIZED.

OKAY. SO IF WE.

SO I DON'T MEAN TO GET REAL, LIKE, DRILLED DOWN.

AND I'M JUST ASKING EVERYONE HERE.

IF WE SAY IF WE DENY AND WE HAVE TO GIVE A REASON AND OUR REASON IS NOT REALLY A LAND USE, I GUESS TECHNICALLY IT COULD BE A LAND USE ISSUE. YES, IT COULD BE A LAND USE.

YES, IT COULD BE LAND USE.

BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT IF THEY'RE NOT VIABLE OR WHATEVER.

OKAY. BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO BECAUSE MY QUESTION WAS GOING TO BE THEN IS OUR WHAT OUR REASONING BE VALID FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER BEING THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT STRICTLY LAND USE.

BUT THAT IS PART OF IT'S ANOTHER I'M SURE THEY'LL CONSIDER WHATEVER REASON YOU GIVE.

I'M JUST SIMPLY STATING YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO LOOK AT THE LAND USE THAT'S COMING.

THAT IS A TELEVISION WITH THE FINANCIAL THING AND THAT'S WHY I WANT TO MAKE SURE.

SURE, SURE.

COMMISSIONER BROOKS, I GUESS I JUST, I, I THINK THAT.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK. THE STAFF ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.

AND THEN YOU, THE STAFF ALSO NOTATED THAT YOU WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THE USE OF A PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE TO PUSH CONSTRUCTION ON THE SITE.

NOT NOT ON A SITE BASIS.

IF YOU HAD A SPECIFIC THING ON THE SITE, LIKE DURING LIKE IF THEY CAME TO YOU, THEY THEY WOULD IF THEY HAD A SITE PLAN IN FRONT OF YOU AND YOU WANTED A PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE TO TO ENSURE THAT THE THE SIGN OR THE SIDEWALK IS GOING TO GO IN LIKE IT'S SHOWN ON THE PLAN.

THAT'S A THAT'S A SPECIFIC THING.

BUT TO SAY A PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE FOR THE ENTIRE SITE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SAYING ANYWAY.

OKAY. SORRY.

SO THEN I MEAN, I THINK THE POINT ABOUT THE WE DON'T WANT ANOTHER VACANT LOT THERE IS LIKE THE TRADER JOE'S THING THAT'S HAPPENING.

AND I ALSO THINK IT'S TIMELY THAT THE THE PUBLIC BIKE PATH IS CURRENTLY GETTING BUILT RIGHT THERE.

RIGHT. YEAH.

AND THE LAST THING THAT I WOULD WANT FROM A PLANNING PERSPECTIVE IS TO HAVE TWO VACANT LOTS RIGHT THERE.

UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S LIKE A VALID REASON.

WELL, TRADER JOE'S IS NOT PULLED OUT.

THAT'S NOT TECHNICALLY A VACANT LOT.

IT'S NOT VACANT, BUT.

NO, NO, NO. THEY HAVEN'T PULLED OUT.

I DON'T MEAN TO SAY THAT.

THAT. THAT. THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.

OKAY. SORRY.

MY MISTAKE.

I RETRACT THAT STATEMENT FROM THE RECORD.

UM, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT.

SO I GUESS I'M JUST.

I'M SO.

I'M ASKING STAFF WHAT THE.

WHAT THE CONNECTION IS BETWEEN OUR ADHERENCE TO THE MASTER PLAN AND TRYING TO HELP FACILITATE LAND USE THAT'S APPROPRIATE TO THAT PLAN AND ACTUALLY MAINTAIN OUR CONNECTION TO THOSE LAND USE ORDINANCES THAT DECIDE THOSE THINGS AS AS WAS I WAS CORRECTED EARLIER. THIS IS AC2 SITE.

THIS IS A THE OF THE THREE COMMERCIAL CATEGORIES WE HAVE.

THIS IS THE SECOND MOST INTENSE ONE.

AND THIS IS ONE OF THE DESIGNATED LANDING AREAS FOR A MEDICAL MARIJUANA AREA.

THIS IS IN CONFORMANCE WITH OUR ZONING AND OUR AND OUR FUTURE LAND USE MAP.

IF THIS WERE NOT MARIJUANA, THIS WOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE.

WELL, I MEAN, NO, I MEAN, LET ME REPHRASE THAT.

[00:20:03]

THAT THAT THAT'S A THAT'S A SIDE.

SO MAYBE THAT WOULD STILL BE COMING UP.

BUT, UM, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THIS IS A LAND USE THAT'S IN CONFORMANCE WITH OUR ORDINANCES AND OUR MASTER PLAN.

I WILL ALSO POINT OUT YOU GUYS DID A STRAW POLL THAT IN THE MINUTES SAYS, I WASN'T HERE AT THE MEETING, BUT THE MINUTES SAY YOU UNANIMOUSLY THOUGHT IT WAS GOOD TO GO.

THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE APPROVAL ON ON THE RESOLUTION.

THAT'S COMMISSIONER SCALES.

YOU HAD YOU ARE NOT BOUND BY STRAW POLLS.

I'M JUST POINTING OUT AND MEANT TO POINT THAT OUT EARLIER.

THAT WAS IN THE MINISTRY.

I WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO THE PERFORMANCE BOND REQUIRING A PERFORMANCE BOND IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

IF YOU WANT TO OPEN UP A LANDFILL, YOU HAVE TO PUT UP A PERFORMANCE BOND TO SHOW THAT YOU HAVE THE FINANCIAL ABILITY TO CLOSE THAT LANDFILL ONCE IT BECOMES FULL.

SO THIS IS A LONG THOUGHT OUT PROCESS.

WHY CAN WE NOT REQUIRE THEM TO PUT UP A PERFORMANCE BOND THAT SAYS SOMETHING SIMILAR TO IF YOU ARE AUTHORIZED AND GRANTED THE PERMIT TO CONDUCT THIS BUSINESS, THAT IT MUST BE UP AND RUNNING WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.

SO THE PERMIT IS GRANTED.

HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WOULD TAKE THEM TO GET STARTED AND WHY CAN'T WE REQUIRE THEM TO BE ABLE TO GET STARTED? WE HAVE A TWO YEAR CLOCK THAT RUNS THE MOMENT THEY GET AN ANY ESSER HAS A HAS A TWO YEAR CLOCK THAT STARTS ON THE DATE OF APPROVAL. SO YOU HAVE THAT MECHANISM, OKAY? THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO COME IN AND ASK FOR A ONE YEAR EXTENSION.

YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO GIVE THAT EXTENSION.

WHEN THEY BEGIN CONSTRUCTION, THEY THEN HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.

I THINK IT'S A YEAR TO COMPLETE THAT CONSTRUCTION.

SO THERE ARE MECHANISMS IN PLACE THAT FORCE THEM TO MOVE OR THEY LOSE THEIR SHOP.

SO WITH THAT INFORMATION, I CAN SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION.

COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY I WAS GOING TO SAY, AND THIS IS ONE THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD, THEIR TIME RAN OUT AND THEY'RE REAPPLYING NOW.

SO THAT IS CORRECT.

I GUESS I WOULD NOT WANT TO REQUIRE THEM TO BUILD SOMETHING THERE BECAUSE IF FOR SOME REASON THIS DOESN'T, THEY DON'T GET THE PERMITTING. I DON'T WANT THIS SPACE TO BE THERE.

I'D LIKE IT TO BE A DEVELOPABLE SPACE FOR ANOTHER VIABLE COMMERCIAL BUSINESS IN THAT SITE.

SO I THINK I THINK WHAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO DECIDE IS, IS THIS A VALID USE, A VALID BUSINESS USE IN THIS SPOT? AND THE REASON THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIAL LAND USE PERMIT IS BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF BUSINESS THAT IT IS.

AND I, I TRUST OUR STAFF.

WHEN YOU TELL US THAT THERE ARE OTHER SAFEGUARDS, THAT THAT'S NOT OUR JOB IS NOT TO DETERMINE WHETHER THIS APPLICANT IS FINANCIALLY VIABLE. THAT COMES AT A DIFFERENT POINT IN THE PROCESS THROUGH DIFFERENT.

BUT BUT YOU'RE ASSURING US THAT THERE ARE CHECKS AND BALANCES AND I TRUST AND BELIEVE YOU.

SO I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THIS LAND USE.

I THINK I VOTED FOR IT LAST TIME.

I VOTE FOR IT AGAIN, BUT I WOULD NOT WANT THEM TO MOVE FORWARD IF THEY ARE NOT FINANCIALLY VIABLE.

AND THAT'S WHERE I'M TRUSTING THE PROCESS TO CATCH THAT AT THE AT THE APPROPRIATE POINT.

SURE, SURE.

LIKE, LIKE I SAID, THEY STILL HAVE TO GET THEIR THEIR MARIJUANA LICENSE FROM THE STATE.

THEY STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SHOW FINANCIAL VIABILITY AT THAT LEVEL.

THEY STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH FULL SITE PLAN APPROVAL WITH US.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION, BUT WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING DURING THAT TOWARD THE TOWARD THE END OF THAT OF THAT PROCESS.

THERE ARE THERE ARE FURTHER REVIEWS THAT INCLUDE THE I'M SORRY, THE AREA.

IT INCLUDES THE FINANCIAL.

I MEAN, THAT'S PART OF THE APPLICATION FOR THEIR MARIJUANA PERMIT, RIGHT? THAT THEY HAVE RIGHT.

CONDITION FIVE APPROVAL IS SUBJECT TO THE APPLICANT RECEIVING FINAL APPROVAL FOR A MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSE FROM THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SHOW AND AGAIN, THESE ARE THESE

[00:25:04]

IF I COULD GO BACK TO THE POINT STAFF WAS MAKING EARLIER ABOUT IF WE WERE TO APPROVE A MOTION RECOMMENDING DENIAL OF THIS ESSER TO THE BOARD, WE WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE REASONS FOR THAT.

AND SINCE THE APPLICATION WAS PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED, ACCEPTED.

GRANTED, I THINK IT WOULD BE INCUMBENT ON US TO DEMONSTRATE THAT SOMETHING SUBSTANTIAL HAS CHANGED SINCE THE LAST APPROVAL OF THIS APPLICATION.

AND I BELIEVE OUR ORDINANCE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, STIPULATES THE CONDITIONS THAT WE'RE TO USE IN CONSIDERING A SPECIAL USE PERMIT THERE. YES, THAT'S TRUE.

DOES THE FINANCIAL VIABILITY OF THE FIRM OR IS THERE ONE OF THOSE CRITERIA UNDER WHICH WE COULD MAKE A CASE TO THE BOARD THAT THEY ARE NO LONGER MEETING THE CRITERIA WHILE THEY WERE LAST TIME AROUND? I'M NOT SURE THAT ARGUING THAT TRADER JOE'S IS STALLED AND THEREFORE THIS IS A WHOLE NEW PROJECT WITH DANGEROUS IMPLICATIONS IS GOING TO FLY.

I DON'T SEE THE ECONOMIC. YEAH, YEAH.

SO I THINK IF WE DO WANT TO RECOMMEND DENIAL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND A CRITERION ON WHICH REVIEW CRITERIA.

HERE WE GO. THANK YOU.

LYNN PAGE. SO I HAVE UP IN FRONT OF YOU, HERE ARE THE REVIEW CRITERIA FOR AN SOP CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENTS AND PURPOSE OF THIS CHAPTER.

WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT APPLICABLE LAND USE POLICIES, DESIGN, CONSTRUCT, OPERATE AND MAINTAINED HARMONIOUS APPROPRIATE.

THAT'S A SITE PLAN ISSUE THAT WILL COME UP.

I THINK YOU'VE GOT DRAWINGS IN YOUR PACKET.

I SO NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT OR HAZARDOUS TO EXISTING NEIGHBORING USES.

YOU SEE YOU SEE, I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THEM ALL, BUT YOU SEE WHAT THEY ARE.

SO ON THAT BASIS, I'D LIKE TO MOVE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THIS APPLICATION TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, SUPPORT ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION.

ON THE MOTION? YEAH.

SO I GUESS. GO AHEAD.

YEAH. IT'S A CONVERSATION ABOUT, WELL, THIS WAS APPROVED ONCE, SO IT SHOULD BE APPROVED AGAIN.

CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE CHANGED.

IT'S VERY CLEAR IN THE ORDINANCE THAT A PERMIT MUST NOT BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE ECONOMIC WELFARE OF SURROUNDING PROPERTIES OR THE COMMUNITY.

THE POTENTIAL IS THERE.

SO IN TERMS OF HAVING A LEG TO STAND ON, I WOULD SAY IN A IN A IN TERMS OF VOTING NO ON THIS MOTION AND VOTING YES ON A MOTION TO RECOMMEND DENIAL, I THINK WE HAVE REASON TO DO THAT.

I GUESS THE ONLY THING I'LL SAY, GENERALLY SPEAKING, IS I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THE STAFF'S PROMOTING PROJECTS OR IN THIS CASE, BASED ON EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST.

ANYWAY, STAFF PRESENTS THE INFORMATION.

IT'S UP TO THE GOVERNING BODIES PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE BOARD TO BE DETERMINED WHETHER IT MEETS OR DOESN'T MEET, AT LEAST IN MY VIEW.

AND I'LL JUST GIVE YOU MY VIEW.

SO I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED BECAUSE I, HAVING SAT HERE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, I'M NOT SURE I'VE EVER COME ACROSS ONE THAT THEY DIDN'T RECOMMEND APPROVAL FOR. SO IF THAT BOTHERS ME, THAT'S JUST I GUESS THAT'S MORE OF AN EDITORIAL COMMENT THAN A REASON FOR VOTING NO. I JUST WANT TO TAKE A TURN.

THE ISSUE OF THEM PREVIOUSLY HAVING BEEN APPROVED, REMEMBER THAT APPROVAL WAS CULMINATED IN 2019.

OH, YEAH. THIS IS NOW EASILY THREE YEARS LATER.

AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT APPROVAL MAY HAVE STARTED IN 2018.

THE THE THC MARIJUANA MARKET HAS DRAMATICALLY CHANGED IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, CORRECT? I MEAN, NOT A LITTLE BIT. A WHOLE BUNCH.

[00:30:02]

NOW IT'S SOMETHING LIKE $60 A POUND.

THAT'S WHY THEY'RE IN FINANCIAL TROUBLE, BECAUSE THEY ENTERED INTO ALL KINDS OF CONTRACTS AT THE TIME AT WHAT IS NOW CONSIDERED A SKY HIGH BASELESS RATE.

SO THERE IS A DRAMATIC CHANGE IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WOULD WOULD WOULD JUSTIFY US TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE 2019 APPLICATION AND WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY. SURE.

AND IN ADDITION, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER RICHARDS THAT SECTION, SUBSECTION FIVE OF THE OF THE APPROPRIATE ORDINANCE SAYS THE PRODUCT SHALL SHOULD THAT THE PROJECT SHOULD NOT BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE ECONOMIC WELFARE OF SURROUNDING PROPERTIES OR THE COMMUNITY.

I THINK IT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE ECONOMIC WELFARE IF WE APPROVE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PIECE OF PROPERTY WHICH IS OWNED BY A COMPANY WHICH UNQUESTIONABLY IS IN THE PROCESS OF GOING BANKRUPT.

I MEAN, THEY'RE IN RECEIVERSHIP.

THEY OWE, ACCORDING TO THE NEWS MEDIA, THEY OWE IN EXCESS OF $125 MILLION.

AND I THINK THAT IF WE APPROVE THAT, WE ARE BURYING THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY FOR THE FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS AT LEAST WHILE IT WORKS ITS WAY THROUGH COURT.

SO THAT THAT WOULD BE THE BASIS OF MY OBJECTION TO THIS PROJECT.

YES, I'D ARGUE THAT IF THEY ARE THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY, OUR ACTIONS OR THE BOARD'S OUR RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD AND THE BOARD'S ACTION MAY BE MOOT.

IT REALLY WILL.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT PROPERTY AT THIS POINT IS NOT CONTINGENT ON THIS DECISION, AND THE DECISION TO LET THEM GO FORWARD MAY ACTUALLY AND I'M NOT HERE TO PROMOTE A BUSINESS BUT MAY ACTUALLY ASSIST THEM IN BEING MORE VIABLE BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT A LOCATION THAT THEY'LL HAVE TO DEVELOP IT.

BUT BUT IF WE IF THEY OWN PROPERTY THAT WE DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO DEVELOP IN THE WAY THAT THEY HAD INTENDED, WE COULD BE DOING THAT PROPERTY TO BEING CAUGHT UP IN IN LEGAL MUMBO JUMBO.

JUST AN ALTERNATIVE PERSPECTIVE HERE, MR. SCALES I'M JUST FINDING IT A LITTLE FUNNY THAT I SAT HERE A FEW WEEKS AGO AND I WAS CAUTIONING AGAINST TAKING A STRAW POLL, BUT ONE WAS TAKEN ANYWAY.

AND AND NOW LOOK AT WHERE WE'RE AT.

THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ARGUING.

YES. ARE ARGUING NO.

SO THINGS CHANGE.

I UNDERSTAND THAT. AND WE DEAL WITH INFORMATION AS IT CHANGES.

EVEN THOUGH I AM SUPPORTING THIS RESOLUTION, I HAVE TO ARGUE AGAINST THE FACT WHERE IT WAS STATED WHAT HAS. CHANGE.

I CAN TELL YOU WHAT HAS CHANGED.

33% OF THIS BOARD IS DIFFERENT THAN THAT VOTED FOR IT BEFORE OR THIS COMMISSION.

SO THAT'S A HUGE CHANGE.

WE CAN HANG OUR HAT ON THAT.

WE HAVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE SITTING HERE TAKING A VOTE TODAY.

YET I DON'T BELIEVE WE AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION, SHOULD STAND IN THE WAY OF MOVING THIS TO THE NEXT STEP THROUGH A RECOMMENDATION.

WE'RE NOT APPROVING ANYTHING.

THIS VOTE APPROVES ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

WHAT THIS VOTE SAYS IS WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO THE BOARD THAT THEY APPROVE IT AND WE HAVE A BASIS IN FACT TO MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION.

I CAN GIVE YOU MORE REASONS THROUGH THIS LIST OF WHY WE SHOULD SAY YES.

THEN YOU CAN GIVE ME WHY WE SHOULD SAY NO.

OKAY. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE RECOMMEND IF WE AS A BOARD RECOMMEND TO DENY IT STILL MOVES FORWARD.

OH YEAH. SO EVEN SO, RECOMMENDATION YAY OR NAY, IT STILL MOVES FORWARD.

WE'RE JUST SENDING A MESSAGE SAYING THIS IS THE REASON WHY WE ARE SAYING YOU SHOULD DENY IT, RIGHT? THEY CAN TAKE IT FOR WHATEVER THEY WANT, RIGHT? SO THAT'S THE THAT'S THE FIRST POINT THAT I WANTED TO MAKE.

AND THE SECOND POINT I SHOULD HAVE WRITTEN DOWN.

BUT THE SECOND POINT, IF I IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IS IT'S ALMOST A CATCH 22, BECAUSE IF THEY ARE OR THEY'RE THE OWNERS OF THE LAND.

YES. OKAY. SO THEY OWN IT.

I MEAN, IT CAN STILL SIT THERE WHETHER WE SAY YES OR NO.

SO BUT IT'S IT'S THE PRINCIPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON AND WHAT WE SEND TO THE BOARD.

IT'S A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE.

WHETHER IT'S YES OR NO, IT'S A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE.

[00:35:01]

WELL, AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE AND AS A BODY OF, YOU KNOW, AS A PLANNING COMMISSION, WE GIVE OUR REASONING.

SO I JUST WANTED TO STATE THAT POINT.

JUST A QUESTION FOR STAFF.

ISN'T IT CORRECT THAT BEFORE A LICENSE CAN BE GRANTED IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS, THEY HAVE TO HAVE A STRUCTURE, A BUILT IN? I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.

I DON'T KNOW THE STATE LICENSING PROCEDURE.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE A BUILDING OR AN APPROVED SITE PLAN.

I THINK THE TOWNSHIP PROCESS WOULD WANT TO LOOK AT THE SITE AS BUILT OUT BEFORE THEY GIVE THE FINAL APPROVAL.

BUT I HAD A COMMENT ANYWAY.

I DON'T THINK THAT PARAGRAPH FIVE APPLIES TO THIS TYPE OF SITUATION.

THE LANGUAGE IS THE PROJECT WILL NOT BE DETRIMENTAL TO MY MIND.

THAT ASSUMES THE PROJECT WILL BE BUILT AND THAT THIS COMMISSION HAS DETERMINED IT WILL NOT BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE LAND USE AROUND IT.

I BELIEVE FITTING IN WITH THE OVERLAY DISTRICT, THE KEY TO ALL OF THAT, I BELIEVE BASED ON THE LAND USE AND OUR ORDINANCE, IT DOES MEET THE REQUIREMENT THAT IT WILL NOT BE DETRIMENTAL.

IT IS A VACANT LOT NOW.

IT COULD REMAIN A VACANT LOT.

THEIR TENTATIVE LICENSE IS ONLY GOOD FOR A YEAR UNTIL IT GETS RENEWED AND THEY HAVE TO MAKE PROGRESS ON THAT.

AND THEN THEY HAVE TO SHOW FINANCIAL.

WELL, I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF WE APPROVE IT AND THE BOARD APPROVES IT, BUT THEY HAVE THE FINANCIAL WHEREWITHAL BASED ON WHAT WE'RE READING, TO BUILD THE FACILITY ANYWAY.

BUT FROM A STRICTLY LAND USE STANDPOINT, I BELIEVE THIS QUALIFIES AND I'LL VOTE FOR THE RESOLUTION AS PROPOSED.

DO THE DO THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY HAVE TO PAY PROPERTY TAXES? SURE. SITTING THERE? YEAH. IS IT WHEN IT'S JUST LIKE ANY VACANT LOT? YEAH. YEAH. I'M JUST CURIOUS.

IS THERE, LIKE, A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PROPERTY TAX THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY IF IT'S AN UNDEVELOPED OR IN DEVELOPMENT? YEAH. WELL, HIGHER.

THE LAND USE VALUE. YEAH, BUT I'M SAYING IN DEVELOPMENT IN THE PROCESS.

I'M NOT A I'M NOT AN ASSESSOR.

I'D HAVE TO, I'D HAVE TO ASK.

UM, I JUST, JUST ANYWAYS, UM, SO I'M, I'M SO I SUPPORT, I, I, I CAN SEE THE ARGUMENTS BEING MADE FOR THE DETRIMENTAL TO THE ECONOMIC WELFARE OF SURROUNDING PROPERTIES OR, OR THE COMMUNITY.

BUT I THINK THAT LARGELY THIS IS, IT'S UP TO THE COMPANY IF THEY WANT TO KEEP BUILDING OR NOT, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY OWN THE PROPERTY.

BUT THE THE SECOND COMMENT I WANTED TO MAKE IS THAT, UM, I JUST WANT TO SUPPORT STAFF AND THAT JUST BECAUSE STAFF ARE SUBMITTING THINGS THAT THEY RECOMMEND FOR OUR APPROVAL MAY MEAN THAT THE THINGS THAT THEY DON'T RECOMMEND DON'T ACTUALLY GET TO THE BOARD.

UM, AND SO THAT THERE ARE MANY PROJECTS THAT ARE PROBABLY GOING THROUGH THAT JUST WE JUST DON'T EVER SEE.

UM, SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO ON THIS STUFF.

UM, BUT I THINK THIS IS A, IT'S UP TO THE BUSINESS IF THEY WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY AND DEVELOP THIS PROPERTY.

LET ME JUST ASK A PROCEDURAL THING BEFORE I ACTUALLY VOTE.

IF A PERSON VOTES AGAINST IT, IS THAT THE TIME TO PUT THEIR OBJECTIONS ON THE RECORD SO THAT THEY'RE RECORDED? NO. ALL OF THIS CONVERSATION IS RECORDED ANYWAY.

YOU'VE GOT IF THIS GOES THROUGH, YOU'VE GOT YOUR REASONS AND YOUR AND YOUR CONDITIONS IN THIS IN THIS RESOLUTION, THE BOARD WILL SEE THAT IT'S NOT A UNANIMOUS VOTE AND THE RECORD WILL SHOW WHO VOTED WHICH WAY.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE ONE MORE POINT.

I HATE BEING AN ATTORNEY.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IF THEY ARE IN RECEIVERSHIP, THAT PROPERTY IS NOT COMPLETELY THEIRS ANYMORE.

IT'S NOW UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE RECEIVER.

AND HE MAY HE OR SHE MAY DECIDE THAT THE BEST WAY OUT OF THIS IS TO SELL OFF THAT PROPERTY SO THEY REALLY DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER IT AS LONG AS THEY'RE IN RECEIVERSHIP.

SURE. I'LL MAKE THIS POINT TOO, JUST IN CASE ANYBODY IS WONDERING IF THEY SELL THE PROPERTY, THE LICENSE, IF IT'S GRANTED AND THEY GO THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS DOES NOT

[00:40:06]

ALL RIGHT. SO AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO CALL FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE ON THE RESOLUTION AS PRESENTED.

COMMISSIONER RICHARDS NO, COMMISSIONER SNYDER.

I'M GOING TO VOTE YES.

AND I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT I'M DOING SO BASED ON THIS FABULOUS DISCUSSION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.

ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER BROOKS.

SUPPORT. COMMISSIONER SCALES? YES. COMMISSIONER CURTIS.

NO. COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL.

YES. COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY.

YES. COMMISSIONER TREZISE.

YES. CHAIR VOTES NO.

SO THE RESOLUTION PASSED.

THAT'S FASCINATING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NEXT, WE SET THIS UP FOR YOU.

NEXT ISSUE THEN IS ITEM NINE, A SECTION 61 REVIEW LAND PRESERVATION ACQUISITION OF CORNELL SWEETWOOD PROPERTY.

[9A. Section 61 Review – Land Preservation Acquisition – Cornell/Sweetwood property]

HERE WE GO.

THEY CAN'T BUILD. WE CAN TURN IT INTO A LAND PRESERVE.

OKAY. UM.

IT USED TO BE A PARK. SAYS STAFF.

HERE TO DISCUSS THIS.

I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER AND LET YOU JUST TAKE IT, OKAY? ALL RIGHT. HELLO, EVERYONE.

I'VE NEVER BEEN TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, SO LET ME INTRODUCE MYSELF.

I'M EMMA CAMPBELL.

I'M THE STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION FOR THE TOWNSHIP.

SO I MANAGE 1700 ACRES OF LAND THAT WE OWN AND PARKS AND PRESERVES.

SO I ALSO STAFF THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD.

AND I STARTED IN JANUARY OF 2020.

AND WHEN I APPLIED FOR THE JOB, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A GOAL OF ACQUIRING SO MUCH LAND IN THE TOWNSHIP FOR PRESERVATION, WHICH IS WHAT A LOT OF RESIDENTS REALLY LOVE ABOUT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

AND WHEN I STARTED, IT REALLY SHIFTED TOWARDS, OKAY, WE HAVE ALL THIS LAND NOW, WE REALLY NEED TO WORK TO MANAGE IT AND STEWARD IT.

SO THAT IS MY ROLE AND I BRING THE COMMUNITY IN AROUND THAT AND SO I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO PREFACE THIS ACQUISITION ACQUISITION ISSUE WITH THAT BECAUSE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, OUR BOARD IS REALLY NO LONGER LOOKING TO ACQUIRE A TON OF LAND.

BUT WHEN WE DO SEE LITTLE POCKETS HERE AND THERE OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE'RE RECOMMENDED BY A NEIGHBORHOOD OR BY, YOU KNOW, FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO CHECK OUT AN AREA.

AND SO LAST YEAR, WE LOOKED AT ABOUT SEVEN DIFFERENT PROPERTIES THAT WERE REALLY BROUGHT TO US WITH, YOU KNOW, INTEREST IN LAND PRESERVATION ACQUIRING THEM.

AND THIS ONE WAS THE ONE OUT OF THOSE SEVEN THAT WE REALLY FELT LIKE WOULD BE VALUABLE.

IT IS A VERY SMALL PARCEL.

SO IT'S 2.71 ACRES.

THERE IS A PARCEL THAT IS SOUTH OF IT THAT WE DID LOOK INTO THAT'S CONNECTED.

WE WOULD HAVE LOVED TO BE ABLE TO ACQUIRE BOTH OF THOSE AT THE SAME TIME, BUT THEY WEREN'T INTERESTED.

SO IT IS A SMALL PARCEL, BUT IT HAS IT'S ADJACENT TO 30 ACRES OF THE HIAWATHA DRAIN RELIEF, AND THAT DOES MATTER.

SO THAT THAT REALLY HELPS WITH AN ECOLOGICAL CORRIDOR.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE THINKING OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO PIECE LARGER TRACTS OF LAND TOGETHER.

BUT THE SMALL PIECES ARE ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT.

WE HAVE A NATIVE PLANT PROGRAM WHERE WE TAKE OUR MERIDIAN CONSERVATION CORPS VOLUNTEERS AND WE COLLECT SEEDS, AND WE'RE REALLY RESTORING THE NATIVE PLANT POPULATION IN OUR PARKS AND PRESERVES THAT WAY.

AND SO SOMETIMES THOSE LITTLE POCKETS OF LAND ARE REALLY VALUABLE BECAUSE THEY'LL HAVE A NATIVE PLANT THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PLACES IN THIS TOWNSHIP WHERE ONLY ONE TYPE OF PLANT GROWS IN THAT ONE LITTLE AREA.

SO IT CAN BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE LITTLE POCKETS OF LAND.

IT'S ALSO RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM CORNELL ELEMENTARY, WHICH WOULD BE A REALLY GREAT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY.

I WORK WITH A LOT OF THE LOCAL SCHOOLS AND JUST THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL.

UM, AS FAR AS MANAGEMENT GOES, COST WISE WOULD BE A VERY LOW COST.

[00:45:07]

THERE'S VERY LITTLE INVASIVE SPECIES PRESENT WHICH IF YOU DON'T, DOES ANYONE NOT KNOW WHAT AN INVASIVE SPECIES IS? THINK OF GARLIC, MUSTARD AND PHRAGMITES AND ALL THOSE FUN, FUN PLANTS THAT I GET TO REMOVE ALL THE TIME.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WHEN WE ARE RECOMMENDED LAND, WE REALLY LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO PURCHASE SOMETHING THAT IS JUST FULL OF BUCKTHORN AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THE WHOLE TIME REMOVING THAT.

SO THIS IS LARGELY A WETLAND.

THERE'S VERY LITTLE INVASIVE SPECIES PRESENT AND THERE'S A LOT OF NATIVE PLANTS THAT RESIDE THERE.

AND WE DID HAVE A PHASE ONE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT DONE AND IT CAME OUT REALLY CLEAN.

THERE WAS THEY FOUND ONE TIRE THERE, WHICH I CAN TELL YOU IS NOTHING COMPARED TO SOME OF OUR PRESERVES.

WE'VE TAKEN 27 OUT OF ONE PRESERVE BEFORE.

SO SO IT HAS A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST WE'RE LOOKING FOR AN APPROVAL FOR THAT.

BUT I HOPE I CLARIFIED EVERYTHING.

IF ANYONE HAS QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.

I NOTICED IN THE LEAD UP TO YOUR MIC, I NOTICED IN THE STAFF MEMO THE PROPERTY IS DESCRIBED AS BEING ON THE WEST SIDE OF CORNELL ROAD.

AND THAT'S ALSO IN OUR RESOLUTION.

I BELIEVE IT'S ON THE EAST.

IT IS ON THE EAST. OH, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT CAME FOR ME OR NO.

OKAY. I MISSED THAT IN A DIFFERENT PROCEEDING A WHILE BACK.

AND IT'S REALLY EMBARRASSING FOR A GEOGRAPHER TO TELL THAT IT HAPPENS.

IT'S EASY TO MAKE THAT CORRECTION.

YES, BUT IT IS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE ROAD DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM FROM SWEETWOOD DRIVE THERE.

SO THERE'S NO TALKING HERE ABOUT THE PLACE THAT'S HAVE BEEN BANISHED TO THIS SIDE OF IT.

THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH. THIS HAS A LOT OF WETLANDS ON IT, DOESN'T IT? IT DOES. IT HAS A LARGE PORTION OF WETLANDS.

THEY DO DRY UP A LITTLE BIT, LIKE LAST YEAR WAS REALLY DRY SUMMER.

SO WE COULD WALK MOST OF THE SITE LAST YEAR.

BUT CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW IT'S PRETTY INUNDATED.

SO IN EFFECT, IT IS NOT REALLY A BUILDABLE PIECE OF LAND.

SO THAT'S THAT WAS A BIG DISCUSSION WITH THE BOARD, WITH THE LAND PRESERVATION BOARD.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO REALLY GATHER IS THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT, BUT IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE.

AND THAT'S WHAT STAFF HAS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, GIVEN US THAT IDEA AS WELL, THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE SOME RECENT DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE PRETTY CLOSE TO WETLANDS.

AND SO THE OTHER THING IS, IS, OKAY, MAYBE IT DOESN'T GET DEVELOPED, BUT IF IT IS PART OF OUR LAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM, THE PIECE OF LAND WILL BE STEWARDED, IT WILL BE CONSERVED, IT'LL BE USED AS AN EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG GENERATIONS WHO ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS WHEN THEY'RE OLDER. SO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IS VERY IMPORTANT.

IN MY LINE OF WORK, THERE'S REALLY NO SUCH THING AS LEAVING A PIECE OF LAND TO SIT IF YOU WANT IT TO BE A VALUABLE NATURAL RESOURCE. THESE DAYS, YOU CAN'T LET IT SIT.

YOU HAVE TO ACTIVELY MANAGE IT AND AND CONSERVE IT THE WAY THAT INVASIVE SPECIES MOVE AND JUST DIFFERENT FACTORS WE HAVE IN OUR ENVIRONMENT, IN OUR ENVIRONMENT, SUCH AS POLLUTANTS AND RUNOFF.

IT REALLY CHANGES OUR LANDSCAPE.

WE'RE SEEING OUR NATIVE PLANT POPULATIONS DECLINE AT A RATE THAT'S JUST ALARMING REALLY, AND THAT'S CAUSING OUR INSECT POPULATIONS TO DECLINE. AND MORE OF THOSE ARE GOING EXTINCT EVERY DAY.

SO I DON'T MEAN TO GO ON A DRAMATIC SPIEL HERE, BUT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT FROM A LAND MANAGER POINT OF VIEW, SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN DOING THIS AND DOING THIS FOR ABOUT 11 OR 12 YEARS NOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I HAVE NOTICED IN MY LINE OF WORK IS THAT WE REALLY CAN'T LET PLACES SIT.

SO THAT IS A PERSPECTIVE THAT WE CONSIDERED WHEN WE WHEN WE LOOKED AT THIS PARCEL, KNOWING THAT IT MIGHT NOT BE DEVELOPED, BUT ALSO FEELING LIKE IT WOULD BE VALUABLE TO HAVE IN OUR PRESERVATION PROGRAM SO WE COULD STEWARD IT.

AND WHAT IS THE PRICE THAT HAS BEEN NEGOTIATED? IF IT HAS, IT'S 60 2000.

AND SO FOR OUR FUNDS, WE MY SALARY AND THE MANAGEMENT WE DO IS BASED OFF OF THE MILEAGE WE GET

[00:50:01]

AND WE'RE VERY LUCKY IN THIS COMMUNITY TO HAVE THAT.

SO OUR ACQUISITION FUND IS A RESERVE FUND THAT ECSTATIC, DOESN'T REALLY MOVE BUT HASN'T BEEN TOUCHED AND IS RESERVED FOR ACQUISITION.

AND THAT'S ABOUT $4 MILLION.

SO AS I RECALL, WHEN THAT MILLAGE WAS PASSED, THERE WAS A GOAL SET AS TO HOW MUCH PERCENTAGE OF THE TOWNSHIP SHOULD BE BOUGHT FOR PRESERVE OR USED FOR PRESERVE, AND WE'VE EXCEEDED THAT.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, YES.

OKAY. YEAH, I GUESS I GUESS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE DOING TO ME FROM ONE STANDPOINT IS GIVING A PROPERTY OWNER SOME MONEY OR SOME LAND HE OR SHE CAN'T USE FOR ANYTHING TO DEVELOP AND GIVING THEM A TAX BREAK ON IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T PAY TAXES ON IT ANYMORE.

NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS ATTACHED TO ANY OF THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES, SO THAT MAY NOT BE THE ISSUE, BUT I HAVE NORMALLY SUPPORTED THESE.

BUT THIS ONE KIND OF STRUCK ME AS A LITTLE STRANGE.

SO IT'S RIGHT ACROSS FROM CORNELL CORNELL SCHOOL AND CAN BE USED.

FOR EDUCATION, BUT I DIDN'T THINK THAT MOST OF THE PRESERVES HAD A LOT OF ACCESS OR TRAILS THROUGH THEM THAT WOULD BE MORE PARKLAND. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW USEFUL IT CAN BE FOR AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.

CAN YOU GIVE ME AN IDEA OF HOW IT'S BEING USED ELSEWHERE OR HOW OUR RESERVES ARE BEING USED? YEAH. YEAH.

SO OUR PRESERVES ARE DIFFERENT THAN OUR PARKLAND, SO THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ESTABLISHED WALKING TRAILS, ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE NEIGHBORS DO ESTABLISH WALKING TRAILS THROUGH OUR PRESERVES. SO A LOT OF THEM ARE QUITE ACCESSIBLE THAT WAY.

THERE ARE PRESERVES THAT AREN'T AS ACCESSIBLE.

BUT I WILL SAY, LIKE IF ANYBODY HERE IS AWARE OF OUR DAVIS FOSTER PRESERVE ON VAN ATTA ROAD, THAT IS A PRESERVE WHERE WE DO A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, WE DO A LOT OF STEWARDSHIP, AND IT'S NOT DIFFICULT TO ACCESS.

WE WORK EVERY OTHER SATURDAY IN PARKS AND PRESERVES ALL YEAR ROUND.

WE'RE DOING STEWARDSHIP AND WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO ONE PLACE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO TED BLACKWOOD'S PARK OR CENTRAL PARK OR NANCY MOORE BECAUSE IT HAS A NICE PAVED TRAILS.

WE HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO MEET US IN TEN DEGREE WEATHER IN THE WINTER TO GO OUT AND LEARN ABOUT THESE AREAS AND TO CARE ABOUT THEM. SO THERE'S A LOT OF EDUCATION, THERE'S A LOT OF USE THAT GOES ON AROUND THESE AREAS.

IT'S ACTUALLY HOW ALL OF YOUR STEWARDSHIP IS BEING DONE IS BY THESE VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE COMING OUT, LIKE I SAID, EVERY OTHER WEEKEND TO EVERY WEEKEND. WE DO AN EVENT ONCE A WEEK AT A DIFFERENT PARK OR PRESERVE.

SO WE DO DEFINITELY GET AROUND TO THESE AREAS.

WE DO A LOT OF EDUCATION IN THEM AND THAT IS ONE OF THE GOALS OF OUR PROGRAM, IS MOST OF THE PEOPLE COMING OUT HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THAT PRESERVE OR EVEN BEEN THERE.

SO WE'RE REALLY GETTING THAT OUT THERE AS WELL AND GETTING PEOPLE TO GET TO KNOW THESE SPACES.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT TOTALLY ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.

IT DOES. THANK YOU. OKAY.

COMMISSIONER SCALES. I JUST WANTED TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT I WAS JUST HEARING.

SO CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE SPECIFIC PLAN IS FOR THIS LOCATION? YEAH. SO THE PLAN FOR THIS LOCATION WOULD WOULD BE TO, YOU KNOW, FIRST OFF, WHAT I DO WHEN I GO IN AND I LOOK AT A SITE IS I ASSESS HOW MUCH WORK IT'S GOING TO NEED TO KEEP INVASIVE SPECIES OUT OF IT, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES, IS KEEPING INVASIVE SPECIES OUT BECAUSE THEY DO CREATE A MONOCULTURE.

BUT OUR MAIN FOCUS IS LOOKING AT NATIVE SPECIES.

SO NATIVE PLANTS IN OUR TOWNSHIP FOCUSING ON ONES THAT ARE LESS COMMON AND GATHERING SEED FOR THOSE PLANTS.

AND THEN WHAT WE DO IS WE UTILIZE LOCAL NATIVE PLANT NURSERIES AND THEY GROW PLANTS FOR US AND WE PLANT THEM BACK IN PARKS AND PRESERVES.

SO A BIG GOAL OF THIS AREA WOULD BE TO USE IT AS A NATIVE SEED BANK AREA.

WE HAVE A LOT OF WETLANDS IN THE TOWNSHIP, SO WE ARE LOOKING WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR HISTORICAL AREAS WHERE THOSE PLANT SPECIES EXIST SO THAT WE CAN KEEP PROPAGATING THEM AND KEEP THEM GROWING TO RESTORE THESE AREAS AND MAKE THEM MORE VALUABLE AS A NATURAL RESOURCE.

THE OTHER ASPECT IS THAT IT IS A WETLAND WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR FLOOD MITIGATION AND STORMWATER RUNOFF.

SO, YOU KNOW, PRESERVING THAT AREA AS A WETLAND AND USING THAT AS AN EDUCATIONAL PIECE, WE USE A LOT OF OUR PRESERVES THAT HAVE WETLANDS ON THEM

[00:55:03]

SO THAT WOULD REALLY BE THE PLAN IS THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT FOR OUR STEWARDSHIP RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S WHAT WE FEEL IS A PRIORITY AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, DEER MANAGEMENT.

WE HAVE A PRESCRIBED BURN PROGRAM AS WELL.

BUT REALLY THOSE ARE THE TWO MAIN PIECES THAT WE LOOK AT WHEN WE'RE APPROACHING, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT LAND MANAGEMENT ACROSS OUR PARKS AND PRESERVES AND OUR NATURAL AREAS.

THE REASON I ASK THAT IS THAT I HAVE I HAVE A NATURAL CONCERN ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT. I SPENT 30 YEARS INVOLVED IN PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT FOR A LIVING.

BUT I ALSO LOOK AT.

WE HAD A LIMIT SET ON WHERE WE WANTED TO GO WITH THIS PROGRAM.

THE DOWNSIDE, WHICH THERE'S NOT A LOT OF DOWNSIDE IN DEALING WITH LAND PRESERVES, BUT THERE IS ONE MAJOR DOWNSIDE. WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH A LAND PRESERVE, YOU'RE TAKING A PIECE OF PROPERTY OFF THE TAX ROLL FOREVER.

AND THAT'S WHY THE LIMIT WAS SET, BECAUSE WE WERE TAKING SO MANY PIECES OF PROPERTY OFF THE TAX ROLLS FOREVER.

AND AS THE COMMISSIONER SPOKE, NOT ONLY DID WE TAKE THEM OFF THE TAX ROLLS, BUT WE GAVE SOMEBODY MONEY FOR THEM WHEN WE TOOK THEM OFF THE TAX ROLLS. SO HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH OR HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? THAT'S WHAT WE WE'RE CHARGED WITH LOOKING AT HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH.

AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT YOUR PLANS WERE SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS PROPERTY.

AND I REALLY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THIS BEFORE I VOTE.

WELL, THAT'S WHY I'M HERE, TO GET YOUR RECOMMENDATION ON WHAT YOU THINK.

OF COURSE. SO. AND I TRULY APPRECIATE YOUR CANDOR, YOUR OPENNESS, AND THE WAY YOU HAVE DELIVERED THE PROGRAM AND THE THINGS THAT YOU DO TO ENHANCE IT. THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OKAY. REBECCA, I JUST WANT TO ASK.

IT SEEMS TO ME ONE OF THE WAYS TO ANSWER COMMISSIONER SCALES ISSUE IS A DISCUSSION OF HOW LIKELY IS IT FOR THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY TO BE DEVELOPED.

IT'S PARTIALLY WETLAND.

IT'S FREQUENTLY FLOODED.

IS IT LIKELY THAT IF YOU DON'T TAKE IT OVER AS A PRESERVE, THAT SOMEONE'S GOING TO DECIDE TO BUILD A $500,000 HOUSE ON IT? OR IS THAT JUST BASELESS SPECULATION? SEE, I THINK THAT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR ME AS WELL, BECAUSE IT'S NOT MY AREA OF EXPERTISE.

AND WHEN WE'VE ASKED STAFF WHEN THE APPRAISAL WAS DONE, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS THIS CONSENSUS THAT, YEAH, THERE'S A SMALL CHANCE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY WAS REALLY WILLING TO GO THROUGH THE PERMITTING AND EVERYTHING, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT NOT BE THAT CASE.

IT'S POSSIBLE.

BUT THAT'S KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A BIG DISCUSSION WITH OUR BOARD AS WELL.

THAT WAS REALLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED GOING FORWARD WITH THIS.

SO I CAN'T SAY WITH CERTAINTY, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T REALLY GIVE YOU A NUMBER OR PERCENTAGE OR A CHANCE.

YEAH. BUT, UM, SO I DON'T I DON'T HAVE ANY I MEAN, I SEE PUBLIC OWNERSHIP AS A PART OF THE MASTER PLANNING PROCESS OF RESOURCES LIKE THIS.

THIS ISN'T IN THE CURRENT MASTER PLAN, BUT THIS IS MAKING ME THINK ABOUT HOW ASSETS LIKE THIS IN THE FUTURE WILL BE MORE FINANCIALLY USEFUL TO THE TOWNSHIP.

SO LIKE IN TERMS OF A LIKE A CARBON SINK BASICALLY THERE'S THERE ARE FINANCIAL MECHANISMS BEING CREATED THAT GIVE CREDIT OR MONEY TO TO GOVERNMENT ENTITIES WHO PRESERVE LAND, I BELIEVE.

ANYWAYS. UM, SO I WOULD SEE ANY SORT OF USE OF, OF TOWNSHIP FUNDS TO DO THAT OR EXPAND THAT AS A, AS A LONG TERM BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY.

I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU GUYS YOU DON'T REALLY TALK ABOUT THAT IN HERE, BUT THAT'S WOULD BE MY ONE POINT.

AND THEN MY QUESTION IS, YOU TALKED ABOUT DEER MANAGEMENT SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LETTER OR THE.

[01:00:09]

AND DOES THAT MEAN THAT YOU'RE GOING TO USE THAT AS LIKE A PLACE FOR THE DEER CALLS THAT TAKE PLACE? IT MEANS THAT AND IT'S NOTHING IT WOULD IT COULD NEVER BE ANYTHING FINAL.

I'M ALSO THE COORDINATOR FOR THE DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM HERE AT THE TOWNSHIP, BUT BECAUSE IT IS A POTENTIAL OF A PLACE WHERE WE COULD SET AN ARCHER, A VOLUNTEER ARCHER, I WANTED TO PUT IT IN THERE BECAUSE THERE IS THAT 30 ACRES RIGHT THERE.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT PROPERTY RIGHT DIRECTLY BEHIND THE LAND.

SO WE DO LOOK AT IT AS IT COULD BE POTENTIAL, BUT WE'RE ALSO VERY SENSITIVE TO THAT AREA.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE VERY SENSITIVE TO CERTAIN AREAS WHEN WE RUN OUR DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, BUT WE ALSO GET A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF COMPLAINTS FROM THAT AREA.

AND WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF LAND OVER THERE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO UTILIZE FOR DEER MANAGEMENT.

AND SO AGAIN, IT WOULD IT'S NOTHING THAT I WOULD SAY FINAL THAT IT WOULD ABSOLUTELY HAPPEN.

BUT WE DO CERTAINLY LOOK AT IT AS A POTENTIAL, UM, YOU KNOW, GRANTING THAT THERE IS AGREEANCE.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN WE PICK NEW PROPERTIES FOR THAT PROGRAM AND THERE'S.

JUST SO MUCH THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH FOR THAT.

BUT YES, IT IS ESSENTIAL.

THANK YOU. SO I THOUGHT IT WAS A POSITIVE USE CASE FOR IT BECAUSE I AGREE.

I DO THINK THERE ARE TOO MANY DEER AND THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PLACE FOR A CALL TO TAKE PLACE.

THERE'S NOT VERY MANY PLACES OVER THERE FOR US TO DO DEER MANAGEMENT AND WE JUST GET SO WE'VE BEEN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL EVERYWHERE WE'RE AT AND WE'VE SEEN VERY POSITIVE RESULTS FROM THAT.

BUT THAT IS ONE PLACE WHERE WE WE REALLY HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING INTO.

AND YEAH, SO MR. RICHARDS, I DO LIKE YOUR QUESTION REGARDING LAND PRESERVATION.

I'M SORRY, THE LAND PRESERVATION BOARD, WHAT WAS DID THEY VOTE ON WHETHER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS AND IF SO, WHAT WAS WAS THAT A UNANIMOUS RECOMMENDATION OR DECISION IN TERMS OF MOVING FORWARD ON THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF PROPERTY? OUR LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD? YES. YES, YES.

SO EVEN TO GET HERE, WE HAVE TO ALL VOTE OR THEY HAVE TO ALL VOTE TO MOVE THAT FORWARD.

IT WAS UNANIMOUS ON OUR BOARD.

AND I WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MAIN THING WAS WHAT WE HAD DISCUSSED ABOUT THAT.

IT'S POTENTIALLY A PLACE THAT WOULDN'T BE DEVELOPED, BUT OTHERWISE IT WAS UNANIMOUS.

JUST AS AN ASIDE, HAVING SEEN THIS PROGRAM FROM ITS BEGINNING, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A QUESTION ABOUT ARE WE JUST BUYING LAND THAT COULDN'T BE DEVELOPED.

SO THAT'S I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS TO THAT.

THE FARM IS ONE, THE DAVIS FARM, BUT I BELIEVE THAT'S ONE OF THE FARMS, THE FARM THAT WE PURCHASED.

YEAH, THERE'S QUITE A FEW PROPERTIES THAT ARE DEVELOPED.

SO THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN KIND OF, YOU KNOW, ARE WE DOING THAT? BUT THAT DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, WE WENT FORWARD ANYWAY.

SO I SEE.

I GUESS LONG STORY SHORT, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD PURCHASE.

I THINK IT'S A GOOD ADDITION.

IT HAS THERE'S REASONS TO DO IT.

SO I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS AND APPROVING THE, WHAT IS IT, SECTION 61 REVIEW.

THANK YOU. YEAH.

AT THE RISK OF OPENING A LITTLE PANDORA'S BOX, YOU MENTIONED, I THINK THE PROPERTY TO THE NORTH.

AND IN THE STAFF MEMO, IT'S DESCRIBED AS THE HATHAWAY RELIEF DRAINAGE DISTRICT.

OH, I MEANT THE SOUTH.

I'M SORRY THAT I'M INTERESTED IN THE ONE TO THE NORTH.

OH, YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ACQUIRING THE PROPERTY TO THE NORTH? I'M INTERESTED IN KNOWING I, I REMEMBER DISCUSSING WITH RESIDENTS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD YEARS AGO THESE PARCELS AND THEIR INTEREST IN THEM. AND WHEN I LOOKED AND SAW THAT PROPERTY TO THE NORTH, I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT MEANT.

AND I WAS HOPING THAT YOU SEE THAT JUST FOR THE SAKE OF EDUCATING US ABOUT WHAT WHY IS THERE SOMETHING CALLED A RELIEF DRAINAGE DISTRICT THAT OWNS PROPERTY IN THE TOWNSHIP? AND WHAT IS WHAT DOES IT DO? WELL, I MIGHT NOT DO THAT JUSTIFICATION EXPLAINING IT ON MY END.

TO ME, WHEN THEY SAY RELIEF, A RELIEF DRAIN, I MEAN, I JUST THINK OF FLOOD MITIGATION, STORMWATER MANAGEMENT.

SO A LARGE AREA WHERE WATER CAN COLLECT.

THERE'S A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOODS OVER THERE.

SO THAT'S IN MY MIND WHAT I SEE THE HIAWATHA DRAIN RELIEF AS.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ELABORATE ON WHAT IT IS? STAFF HAS GOT IT UP ON THE SCREEN.

[01:05:02]

SO THERE'S THIS BASICALLY AN UNDEVELOPED COUNTY OWNED PARCEL DIRECTLY TO THE NORTH OF IT.

AND IN MY MIND, THAT MAKES THIS PROPERTY EVEN MORE VALUABLE BECAUSE YOU'RE BASICALLY TAKING THAT FUNCTION THAT THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT PROPERTY IS ATTEMPTING TO PROVIDE AND ENHANCING THAT BY EXPANDING.

AND A BIG CHUNK OF THE PROPERTY IS IS ALREADY IN WETLANDS.

AND THAT'S WHY IT'S GOING TO BE SO DIFFICULT TO DEVELOP IF YOU CAN'T BUILD A ROAD WITHOUT GOING ACROSS WETLANDS.

YOU'VE GOT A VERY EXPENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.

YES. AND THAT'S RECOGNIZED BY ITS DESIGNATION IN THE GREEN SPACE PLAN AS BEING PRIORITY CONSERVATION CORRIDORS.

SO IT TICKS ALL THE BOXES IN MY MIND.

AND ARE WE READY FOR A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION OR.

COMMISSIONER SCALES HAD SOMETHING? YEAH. OH, I'M SORRY I COULDN'T SEE YOU.

I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY OUR ROLE AND THE ROLES OF DIFFERENT OTHER BODIES IN THIS.

LIKE BY APPROVING THIS, DOES THAT MEAN IT'S DONE OR IT GOES BACK TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD TO DECIDE? AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT DETERMINE THAT THE PRICE THAT YOU'VE NEGOTIATED IS.

STUFF, THEY ARE AN APPROPRIATE PRICE.

AND SO WE'RE JUST MAKING A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE THINK THIS IS A VALUABLE PROPERTY WORTH ACQUIRING FOR THIS PURPOSE.

SO IT WENT FROM OUR BOARD LAND PRESERVATION TO TOWNSHIP BOARD.

THEY RECOMMEND THE SECTION 61 REVIEW AND THEN IF YOU DO RECOMMEND IT TO GO FORWARD TO THEM, THEN THEY WILL HAVE THE FINAL SAY IN EVERYTHING, WHICH I DEFINITELY STRESS TO OUR BOARD MEMBERS TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE.

THANK YOU. YEAH, BUT THE BOARD IS ULTIMATELY THE ONE THAT SPENDS THE MONEY, SO IT DOESN'T WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY.

YEAH, WE HAVE A RESOLUTION, RIGHT? YES. I WILL MOVE THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE RESOLUTION, AND I CAN.

OH, SORRY. SOMEBODY NEEDS TO MOVE IT.

THAT'S WHAT THAT RIGHT NOW. I MOVED.

I JUST DON'T HAVE IT PULLED UP IN FRONT OF ME TO GIVE THE NUMBER RIGHT HERE.

SORRY. I MOVE THE SECTION 61 REVIEW OF THE APPROVAL APPROVAL 23018 SUPPORT. OKAY.

OKAY. THANK YOU. SORRY.

ALL RIGHT. WE'LL HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE.

LET ME TAKE IT OUT OF ORDER FOR A CHANGE.

COMMISSIONER BROOKS.

YES. COMMISSIONER SCALES.

YES. COMMISSIONER SNYDER.

YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDS.

YES. COMMISSIONER CURTIS.

YES. COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY.

YES. COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL.

YEP. COMMISSIONER TREZISE.

YES. AND THE CHAIR VOTES YES.

WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION.

IT'S GOTTEN SOME WHEELS TURNING UP HERE, SO THANK YOU AND HAVE A WONDERFUL NIGHT.

NO, YOU GOT TO STICK AROUND FOR THE STARBUCKS SIGN DISCUSSION YOU CAN'T MAKE.

OH, GOD, I GOT A WHEEL.

HERE'S SOME INVASIVE SPECIES.

YES. NINE B STARBUCKS DRIVE THRU SIGN SIGNS, INVASIVE SPECIES.

[9B. Starbucks Drive Through Signs]

STARBUCKS HAS SUBMITTED A REQUEST FOR UPDATING THEIR DRIVE THRU SIGNS AND THEIR MERIDIAN CROSSING SITE APPROXIMATELY 2.1 ACRES IN SIZE.

IT'S NOT AN OVERALL SITE PLAN, IT'S JUST IMPROVEMENTS.

ACCORDING TO THE SIGN ORDINANCE THAT WAS UPDATED RECENTLY FOR COMMERCIAL ZONING, DISTRICTS, DRIVE THRU SIGNS REQUIRE PLANNING, COMMISSION REVIEW AND APPROVAL.

WE HAVE REVIEWED THE ATTACHED SITE PLAN MATERIALS, FIND THE PROPOSED DRIVE THRU SIGNS TO BE COMPLIANT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SIGN ORDINANCE.

THEY CANNOT PROCEED TO APPLY FOR THEIR SIGN PERMITS FROM THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT WITHOUT YOUR APPROVAL.

THAT'S ALL WE'RE LOOKING FOR TONIGHT.

SO MOVED SECOND.

I'LL DRINK TO THAT. RIGHT. THERE IS A MOTION IN A SECOND.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IS THIS JUST A REPLACEMENT OF WHAT'S THERE? ESSENTIALLY, IT'S AN UPGRADE OF THE.

YEAH, UPGRADED SIGNS, DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, SOME SOME WAYFINDING OR DIRECTIONAL, YOU KNOW, OKAY.

IT'S NOT GOING TO HELP THE TRAFFIC THERE.

NOWHERE TO GO THERE IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE SITE.

YEAH, THERE IS NOT A RESOLUTION.

THERE IS NO I JUST NEED A SIMPLE MOTION.

IT WOULD JUST BE A STRAW VOTE OR.

NO, JUST. JUST SIMPLE MOTION.

YEAH. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. NO OPPOSITION.

THANK YOU. CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THAT? THE SIGN ORDINANCE? YEAH, WHILE WE'RE ON IT.

SURE. SO IS THIS A SO IS THE PLANNING COMMISSION REQUIRED TO REVIEW ALL SIGN OR CHANGES? BASICALLY, NO. THIS IS SPECIFIC TO DRIVE THROUGH SIGNAGE IN THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.

[01:10:05]

OKAY, SO WE GET PLENTY OF SIGN PERMITS THAT YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE TO LOOK AT.

BUT SO IN THE CASE OF DRIVE THRUS, WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE GIVEN APPROVAL.

THAT IS CORRECT.

IS THERE A REASON FOR THAT? THEY WANTED TO MAINTAIN THAT DURING THE THE SIGN ORDINANCE WAS WAS RECENTLY, RECENTLY WENT THROUGH.

A YEAH, IT BEGAN BEFORE I STARTED HERE AND ENDED JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO.

SO IT WAS, I THINK, A COUPLE OF YEARS OF SUBCOMMITTEES AND WORKING THROUGH THE ENTIRE SIGN ORDINANCE.

UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT AT SOME POINT THAT PIECE WAS RETAINED, BUT I DON'T, I CAN'T ANSWER WHY I WASN'T HERE FOR THAT.

MY RECOLLECTION OR MY THINKING IS IT PROBABLY IT WAS RETAINED BECAUSE THE SIGNS FOR A DRIVE THROUGH ARE SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT'S ALLOWED IN MOST COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND IT AFFECTS TRAFFIC FLOW AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS.

SO THEY JUST WANTED OUR EYES ON IT BEFORE IT GOT APPROVED.

ALL RIGHT. OKAY.

THANK YOU. I WILL I WILL LITERALLY EMAIL THEIR THEIR GUY TOMORROW MORNING AND SAY YOU ARE FREE TO APPLY FOR YOUR SIGN PERMITS AT THIS POINT.

THAT'S. THAT'S.

THAT'S ALL THAT'S NECESSARY.

IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, LET'S TALK ABOUT MASTER PLAN.

[10. MASTER PLAN UPDATE]

NOTHING. I HAVE A QUESTION, THOUGH, THEN, ABOUT THE MASTER PLAN.

OKAY. AND THAT'S RELATED TO SIGN ORDINANCE.

SO IF SO.

SO I UNDERSTAND THAT THE REDESIGN OF THE ORDINANCE HAS TAKEN PLACE, BUT THE I'M I'M REALLY CURIOUS HOW MUCH TIME ALL OF THIS TOOK.

LIKE JUST ROUGHLY FOR A SIGN, ALL THIS PAPERWORK THAT YOU GUYS HAD TO PUT TOGETHER A STAFF TO PUT BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN ORDER TO GET THIS APPROVAL.

IT WASN'T ANY MORE WORK ON MY END BECAUSE I WAS STILL GOING TO HAVE TO REVIEW THE SIGNS BEFORE THEY COULD GET THEIR SIGN PERMIT TO MAKE SURE IT COMPLIED WITH THIS ORDINANCE.

I WAS GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT REVIEW ANYWAY.

UM, I THREW THIS MEMO TOGETHER QUITE QUICKLY.

IT'S TWO PARAGRAPHS.

UM, THE ONLY, THE ONLY THING IS THE THE TIME.

BUT LIKE I SAY, THEY CAN GO AFTER THEIR SIGN PERMITS TOMORROW.

YEAH. OKAY.

IT JUST SEEMS LIKE JUST NOT STREAMLINED.

NOT STREAMLINED. IF I WERE TO HAVE A MASTER PLAN, THAT WOULD BE LIKE.

OUR GOAL IS TO REDUCE COSTS FOR THE TOWNSHIP AND INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY FOR PEOPLE.

IT WOULD NOT INCLUDE SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

I'M JUST SPITBALLING THOUGH.

BASED ON THINGS THAT I'M EXPERIENCING.

SURE. SURE. IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

SURE. HE'S NOT THINKING LIKE A BUREAUCRAT, IS HE? NO, I'M NOT THINKING LIKE A BUREAUCRAT.

UH, SO ANYWAYS, I JUST.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, LIKE, SOMETHING TO CONSIDER FOR THE MASTER PLAN, BUT.

OR BUT I JUST WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT COMMENT.

THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY IS IS WORTH DISCUSSION.

UM, IF I'M GOING TO GO AND PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T ASK ME TO GO BACK TO MY DIRECTOR AND ASK HIM TO UPDATE THE SIGN ORDINANCE.

ALL RIGHT. I WON'T I WON'T BE ORDERING PROCESS FOR A NEW WITH A LOT MORE CUMBERSOME.

I WON'T. I WON'T DO THAT.

SEE WHAT WE WENT THROUGH FOR FLAGS.

OH, I'M SURE.

OKAY, I'M DONE. PERFECT.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE ARE NOW ON ITEM 11 TOWNSHIP BOARD UPDATE.

BRIAN, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY. OKAY.

ARE THERE ANY LIAISON REPORTS?

[11B. Liaison reports.]

WOULD YOU UPDATE ON THE PRIDE FESTIVAL? THAT'S COMING UP? I WILL.

A FEW MONTHS BACK, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP RE RE INSTITUTED THEIR DEI COMMITTEE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION.

AND THE FIRST THING THEY SAID THEY WANTED TO DO WAS HAVE THEIR FIRST ANNUAL LGBTQ PRIDE EVENT.

I WILL BE BLUNT WITH YOU WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THAT, AND IT WAS DUMB LUCK THAT I WAS AT THE SAME MEETING THAT TRUSTEE WASZYNSKI WAS AT WHEN SHE MENTIONED THAT. I IMMEDIATELY SAID I WANTED TO HELP.

[01:15:03]

SO THAT'S THE THAT'S THE WAY THE TOWNSHIP ROLLS.

I'M HAPPY TO DO IT. I'M NOT THROWING SHADE, BUT WE HAVE SCHEDULED IT FROM 4:00 TO 11 ON THE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 26TH.

TYPICALLY, PRIDE EVENTS ARE HELD IN JUNE.

JUNE IS RECOGNIZED AROUND THE COUNTRY AS PRIDE MONTH.

THAT'S WHY YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE PRIDE MERCHANDISE APPEARING IN THE STORES.

BUT WE HAVE CELEBRATE MERIDIAN, JUNETEENTH HAPPENING IN JUNE.

WE DIDN'T WANT TO COULDN'T COMPETE WITH OUR OWN EVENTS, SO WE WENT AFTER WE DECIDED TO SCHEDULE IT THE LAST WEEKEND BEFORE, GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE LAST WEEKEND BEFORE KIDS GO GO BACK TO SCHOOL.

TO GIVE YOU SOME IDEA, LAST YEAR LANSING.

LANSING PRIDE FOR THE FIRST ANNUAL POST COVID LANSING PRIDE WAS ALSO HELD IN AUGUST.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE THEY NEVER HAPPENED IN AUGUST.

IT'S SO IT'S IT'S FINE.

I'M UP TO ABOUT 20 VENDORS, SOME OF WHOM ARE ADVOCACY ADVOCACY GROUPS, LANSING, AIDS AREA NETWORK, PEOPLE LIKE THAT, AND THEN SOME CRAFT PEOPLE AS WELL AND MET ONE AT THE EAST LANSING ART FAIR.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, OVER THE WEEKEND, WE HAVE SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH A DJ.

SO MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT FOR SURE IS HANDLED.

AND THE THE FAMILY FRIENDLY NATURE OF THIS PARTICULAR PRIDE EVENT HAS DICTATED THAT OUR MAIN ENTERTAINMENT IS THE PROUD PUPPY PAGEANT.

SO PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE ASKED TO DRESS THEIR DOGS UP AND TAKE THEM ACROSS THE STAGE WHERE THEY'LL BE JUDGED.

WE HAVE A VERY GENEROUS DONATION FROM TOFR PAWS, SO I'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE A FIRST AND A SECOND PRIZE IN THREE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. FOR POOCHES.

WE ALSO HAVE DONATIONS FROM SOLD AND PETS IN THE FORM OF DOGGY TREAT BAGS, AND THEY'VE VOLUNTEERED TO BE ONE OF THE PAGEANT JUDGES.

SO THINGS ARE MOVING FORWARD.

NICE. THANK YOU.

VERY GOOD. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO OR COMMITTEE UPDATES, SO THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE A CIA MEETING, BUT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. I'M NOT SURE WHY, BRIAN, I'M NOT ON THE EMAIL LIST FOR THAT.

I DON'T THINK THE CIA.

YEAH. SO.

OKAY. THANK YOU. SO IT DIDN'T HAPPEN? I DON'T THINK I THINK SO.

NO. UPDATE ANY ANY OTHER LIAISON REPORTS? YES. TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING.

THE COMMISSION MET LAST THURSDAY AND WE HAD A FULL QUORUM.

FIRST THING WE TALKED ABOUT WAS THE PASER RATINGS.

THAT'S THE ROAD CONDITIONS IN THE TOWNSHIP.

I GUESS IN 2019, IT GOES FROM GREEN TO TO I THINK RED BEING BAD AND ALL THESE COLOR CODES.

WE HAD A LOT OF RED, WHICH WAS POOR.

IN 2019, WE DID IMPROVE 2022.

SO WE WENT FROM A RATING OF 4.7 TO 5.5.

THE GOAL IS TO HIT EIGHT AND MAINTAIN THAT THE RATING GOES FROM 0 TO 9.

SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE 5.5, 5.25, KIND OF MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.

NOW WHAT IS CONTRIBUTING TO THAT IS THE PRICE OF ASPHALT AND THE SLOWNESS OF GETTING WELL, THE SUPPLY CHAIN INFLATION, THE PRICE OF ASPHALT, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT CONTRIBUTED.

SO ANYWAY, WE'RE ON TRACK TO HIT SEVEN IN OUR RATING OF SEVEN IN A TEN YEAR, OUR TEN YEAR PERIOD.

AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN YEAR FOUR OF THE TEN YEAR PLAN.

SO THAT'S THE PASER RATING.

THERE WAS A CONCERN BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE STREETLIGHTS.

THE MAIN INTERSECTIONS ONE BEING NOTABLY BEING OKEMOS AND GRAND RIVER INTERSECTION.

SO I THINK IT WAS YOU, BRIAN, OR SOMEONE WHO SAID THEY WERE GOING TO TALK TO.

NO, IT WAS YES.

DAN IT WAS DAN YEAH.

[01:20:01]

I THINK THERE'S DOBIE ROAD, DHOBY AND GRAND RIVER, JUST DIFFERENT INTERSECTIONS THAN ONE THAT WAS REALLY BROUGHT UP WAS THE INTERSECTION WHERE WALGREENS AND PETSMART, YOU KNOW, THE OKEMOS ROAD AND GRAND RIVER INTERSECTION, BECAUSE IT JUST IT'S HARD TO SEE PEDESTRIANS.

TIM POTTER ON THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE BROUGHT THAT UP.

THERE'S SOME QUICK UPDATES 43 WHICH IS GRAND RIVER.

UPDATE ON THAT THE YOU ALL KNOW WE HAVE THE TRAFFIC THAT'S YOU KNOW, THE ROAD, THE LANES BEING CLOSED.

THEY'RE PUTTING UP PEDESTRIAN ISLANDS.

YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THOSE.

ONE IS GOING UP NEAR WASHINGTON HEIGHTS AND GRAND RIVER, ONE ACROSS FROM MEYER AND THEN ANOTHER ONE CLOSE TO CAMPUS HILL APARTMENTS.

THOSE THREE PEDESTRIAN ISLANDS ARE BEING PUT UP.

THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THIS WEEK, POSSIBLY EVEN WEDNESDAY.

BUT THEY SAID SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.

AFTER THAT, ALL FIVE LANES ARE GOING TO BE OPENED UNTIL JULY 28TH.

THEN AT THAT TIME, SO UNTIL JULY 28TH.

THEN THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO PUT ASPHALT FROM JUNE 28TH THROUGH MID AUGUST.

AND SO THE LANES WILL GO BACK TO BEING CLOSED AGAIN.

BUT THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED IN AUGUST.

SO THAT WILL OPEN UP THE TRAFFIC, THANK GOODNESS.

AND THEN ONE LAST THING, RIGHT AT THE NORTH MERIDIAN AND GRAND RIVER INTERSECTION, THAT'S A THREE MONTH PROJECT WHERE THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A FULL INTERSECTION, FULL SIGNALS AND CROSS, COMPLETE WITH SIGNALS AND CROSSWALKS. SO YOU ALL KNOW NORTH MERIDIAN, THEY HAD TO EXPAND IT.

SO THEY'RE DOING THE EXPANSION AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THE CROSSWALKS AND THEN HAVE A FULL RED GREEN.

I'M SO USED TO SEEING RED, WHITE AND BLUE, RED, GREEN AND YELLOW OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND ALL OF THAT.

SO THAT WILL THAT WILL BE SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED BY SEPTEMBER.

AND THAT'S THE END OF MY REPORT.

VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? COUNCILMAN, THE JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL, THE MERIDIAN FREEDOM FESTIVAL.

IT'S GOING TO BEGIN ON JUNE 9TH WITH THE SHOWING OF THE MOVIE THE WIZ FROM 9 P.M.

TO 11 P.M.

IT'S AN OUTDOOR MOVIE VENTURE RIGHT HERE AT THE HISTORIC VILLAGE.

WHAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT IS IT'S GOING TO BE A COSTUME VIEWING.

SO PLEASE DRESS IN YOUR FAVORITE WIZARD OF OZ COSTUME.

I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE ONE SCARECROW.

UM, THE NEXT THING IS A MOVIE SHOWING ON JUNE 16TH.

ALSO FROM 9 P.M.

TO 11 P.M. THIS MOVIE IS QUEEN OF KATWE, AND THAT ALSO WILL BE OUTSIDE.

THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE A COSTUME ADVENTURE.

THE BIG HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEKEND WILL BE JUNE 17TH FROM 1 P.M.

TO 7 P.M.

AND THAT IS GOING TO BE THE BLUES AND JAZZ FESTIVAL THAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE AT LAKE LANSING PARK.

I THINK THERE'S A $3 FEE FOR PARK ENTRANCE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

THEN ON THE 18TH OF JUNE, THERE WILL BE A SPIRITUAL HISTORICAL REVIEW FROM 2 P.M.

TO 3 P.M.

AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AT THE HISTORIC VILLAGE CHAPEL, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE CONDUCTED BY REVEREND MARVIN WILLIAMS, MINISTER OF ONE OF THE LOCAL CHURCHES AROUND HERE.

HIS SON, MARVIN WILLIAMS JUNIOR, IS ONE OF THE TWO YOUNG MEN THAT APPROACHED OUR FORMER HASLETT.

SENSIBLE AND I ABOUT STARTING A BLACK STUDENT UNION AT HASLETT HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH WE STARTED TEN YEARS AGO.

MR. WILLIAMS IS A PERSON TO REALLY HEAR DELIVER THE WORD, AND I THINK HE'S GOING TO DELIVER A SPECIAL MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE IN MERIDIAN ON THE 18TH FROM 2 P.M.

TO 3 P.M. AND AFTERWARDS THERE WILL BE A FREE MEAL FOR THOSE THAT ARE ATTENDING.

[01:25:03]

OKAY. AND THE FORMER PRINCIPAL THERE HELPED INITIATE THAT AS WELL.

IS IT BART? BART? YES. OKAY.

THAT'S WONDERFUL.

I'VE STARTED OCTOBER 21ST, 2013, ON MY BIRTHDAY.

THAT'S GREAT. JUST.

JUST MADE ME THINK OF MR. ROJANSKY. JUST SUCH A SUCH A LOSS FOR THE COMMUNITY.

SO HUGE LOSS.

YEAH, HE WAS A HUGE LOSS TO OUR COMMUNITY.

ANY OTHER REPORTS? ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS MET LAST WEEK AND HAD ONE ISSUE BEFORE US WHICH HAD TO DO WITH A COMMENT OR A LOT ON LAKE LANSING AND LAKE LANSING, WHICH WHEN ORIGINALLY PLATTED IN 1930, HAD THREE LOTS, 20FT OR 40FT ACROSS.

SOMETIME THEREAFTER, IT WAS JOINED INTO ONE LOT, 120FT ACROSS WITH A HOUSE THAT'S ON NOT QUITE CENTERED.

THEY WANTED TO DO WAS GET APPROVAL TO SPLIT THE LOT, TEAR DOWN THE HOUSES THERE AND HAVE TWO LOTS THAT ARE BUILDABLE.

THE VARIANCE THEY REQUESTED WAS A REDUCTION OF FIVE FEET IN THE FRONTAGE REQUIRED FROM 65FT TO 60 FOR EACH LOT.

IT WAS APPROVED BY THE ZONING BOARD.

SO THAT'S THAT'S THAT.

OKAY. ANY OTHER REPORTS? AND THE RECORD SHOULD REFLECT THERE ARE NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC LEFT FOR PUBLIC PUBLIC REMARKS.

PROJECT REPORT.

LET'S GET THAT. OKAY.

SO THEN WE ARE NOW AT LEVEL 14 OF THE AGENDA, WHICH IS ADJOURNMENT.

ALL IN FAVOR. ALL RIGHT.

EVERYBODY, HAVE A GOOD WEEK. GOOD WEEK.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.