[*This meeting was joined in progress*]
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
[00:00:45]
IT WAS IN THE PACKET. YES, I THINK THE SAME THING IS TRUE.
ON PAGE FOUR OF THE TOP COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY WAS ALSO REMOVED FOR RECOMMENDING APPROVAL.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THOSE CORRECTIONS TO THE PRIME MINISTER? MOVE TO.
YES. YES. I THINK IN AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE CASES, THERE WAS A RESOLUTION IN THE PACKET.
OKAY. AND THEN THE SECOND CASE WAS YOU RECOMMENDED APPROVAL BECAUSE I HAD TO GO TO THE BOARD.
THAT WAS THE LAND ACQUISITION.
YEAH, I THINK WE WERE RECOMMENDING TO THE BOARD THE A SECTION 61 REVIEW.
RIGHT. SO YES, WE RECOMMENDED TO THE BOARD TO APPROVE.
THERE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN A FORMAL RESOLUTION RESOLUTION IN THE PACKET ON THAT ONE.
OKAY. AND WITH THOSE CORRECTIONS TO THE PRIOR MINUTES, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SORRY, THERE IS A PENDING MOTION TO APPROVE.
I'M SORRY. I'D LIKE TO, SINCE I JUST CAUGHT THIS ON PAGE TWO, IT IS SUP 23013 AND I'VE CORRECTED THAT IN THE MOTION, WHICH INCORRECTLY SAYS 23010.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE PRIOR MINUTES.
THERE IS NO OPPOSITION. THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
WE ARE NOW IN ITEM SIX, COMMUNICATIONS.
THERE HAVE BEEN NO UPDATES TO THE COMMUNICATIONS.
SO THEN THERE ARE NONE FOR THAT ISSUE.
WE ARE NOW UP TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS PUBLIC HEARINGS ON SPECIAL USE PERMIT 23 012.
[7A. SUP #23012 – The W. Investment Holdings – 1614 W. Grand River Avenue]
GOOD EVENING.IT IS WITHIN THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA OVERLAY, DISTRICT NUMBER FIVE.
MUNICIPAL SEWER AND WATER ARE AVAILABLE ON SITE.
THERE WAS AN ORIGINAL TRAFFIC STUDY.
AGAIN, THIS IS A THIS IS A REHEARING OF A OF A OF A 2019 APPLICATION.
SO THE 2019 TRAFFIC STUDY WAS INCLUDED.
THAT'S ALL. SO BOTH THE LETTER AND THE TRAFFIC STUDY ITSELF ARE IN YOUR PACKET.
YOU HAVE A CONCEPT PLAN IN YOUR PACKET THAT SHOWS THIS.
I THINK THAT WILL BE EVALUATED BY MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DURING SITE PLAN REVIEW.
ACCESS MANAGEMENT CRITERIA ARE SUMMARIZED IN THE TRAFFIC STUDY.
AND BASED ON THAT, LIKE I SAID, THAT WILL BE THAT WILL HAVE TO BE APPROVED FINALLY BY MDOT.
THE PROPERTY, ACCORDING TO OUR FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAP, IS NOT LOCATED IN FLOODPLAIN.
THERE'S NO SPECIAL DESIGNATION BY THE GREEN SPACE PLAN.
THERE ARE TWO SMALL WETLANDS ON THE PROPERTY.
[00:05:01]
THE APPLICANT IS NOT PROPOSING PROPOSING ANY IMPACTS TO THE WETLANDS AND THE 20 FOOT IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE WETLANDS, A 20 FOOT BUFFER, NOT A 40 FOOT LIKE OTHER WETLANDS WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST.THIS DOES OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO GO TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL OF THIS AND THEN THEY HAVE TO COME BACK WITH FULL SITE PLAN REVIEW BECAUSE IT IS A VACANT SITE, YOU WILL HAVE THE OPTION TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS OR RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THIS.
AND WE WILL PRESIDE A RESOLUTION AT A FORMER MEETING OR A FUTURE MEETING.
EXCUSE ME IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
THE APPLICANT IS HERE AS WELL.
JUST ANY MEMBER OF THE BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS.
UH. ISN'T THIS THE THIRD ONE OF THESE FROM 2019 THAT ARE LIKE RENEWED? THIS IS THE THIRD ONE THAT YOU ARE BEFORE YOU AND IT SHOULD.
THERE'S A I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE TO THE LAST TWO, BUT THE FIRST TWO WERE WERE ALSO IN THE SAME CASE.
YES. THESE ARE ALL THESE ARE THESE ARE ALL RE SUBMITTALS OF ORIGINALLY APPROVED APPLICATIONS.
YES. DO YOU KNOW WHY? I CAN'T SPEAK TO I CAN'T.
I GUESS THIS WAS THIS WAS NOT HERE BEFORE.
THIS WAS BECAUSE THIS WAS A RENEWAL OF A PREVIOUS APPROVAL.
THEY'VE HAD TO REAPPLY BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL APPROVAL EXPIRED, RIGHT? YEAH. I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHY THEY DIDN'T EXERCISE EXCEPT COVID.
AND LIKE I SAID, THE APPLICANTS HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
YEAH, IT JUST SEEMS ODD THAT THIS IS THE THIRD ONE THAT THE PERMIT IS EXPIRED ON, BUT.
WELL, I THINK ALL THE PERMITS WERE ISSUED AT THE SAME TIME.
AND AND SO SO THESE THREE WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD AT THE SAME TIME.
SO THEY'LL ALSO HAVE THE SAME APPROVAL DATE.
OKAY. IS IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT BECAUSE THEY WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME IN 2019, 2020, THEY HAD THE SAME APPROVAL DATE, THEREFORE THEY HAD THE SAME TIMELINE. THEREFORE, THEY ALL GOT THE EMAIL ON THE SAME DAY SAYING WE HAVE DEEMED YOUR PERMIT HAS EXPIRED.
JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, WHAT WAS THE VOTE COUNT? ORIGINALLY, I'D HAVE TO LOOK AND SEE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT. I BELIEVE IT WAS UNANIMOUS AT THE TIME.
THAT'S THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE APPLICANT.
HE SAYS I'D HAVE TO RESEARCH IT TO VERIFY THAT, THOUGH.
WELL, THEN PLEASE BE AT THE PODIUM.
JUST SOMETHING YOU SAID CAUGHT MY ATTENTION.
YOU SAID THAT THE SIGNS MEET THE THE TOWNSHIP ORDINANCE.
IS THAT THE NEW ORDINANCES? THE NEW SIGN ORDINANCE.
YES. I HAD TO STOP AND THINK FOR A MINUTE.
I LOOKED I LOOKED AT THIS AND YES, THEY DID.
OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO. BUT I'M TRYING TO FIND IT SOMEWHERE IN HERE.
YOU WERE. YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.
MEETING THE THE ZONING OF THE ADJACENT AREAS.
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT SHOULD HAVE SAID TO THE EAST AND TO THE WEST AND THE SOUTH, AND I BELIEVE IT SAID TO THE NORTH AND THE NORTH IS BEING RESIDENTIAL.
THE MASTER PLAN DESIGNATION TALKS ABOUT SURROUNDING ON THE TOP OF PAGE TWO.
[00:10:02]
THE PROPERTY IMMEDIATELY TO THE EAST IS PROFESSIONAL.OFFICE C TWO EXISTS TO THE WEST AND TO THE SOUTH.
THE PROPERTY DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE NORTH IS AN D ZONE.
THAT'S A MULTI MULTIPLE FAMILY DESIGNATION.
I CAN'T MOVE WITHIN YOUR PAGE.
AND THEN HERE'S THE FUTURE LAND USE.
AGAIN. HERE'S YOUR SUBJECT PROPERTY.
IT'S COMMERCIAL TO THE WEST, TO THE SOUTH AND TO THE EAST.
AND THE R-3 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, WHICH CONFORMS TO A TO THE D DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE NORTH.
THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE IS CORRECT.
OKAY. IT SHOULD SAY WEST, WEST, SOUTHEAST.
THAT'S THE ONE I'M TALKING. OKAY.
THANK YOU. I WAS CONFUSED READING THAT.
I GUESS IF I COULD, A QUESTION FOR FOR STAFF.
WHAT I'VE HEARD IN YOUR PRESENTATION AND WHAT I HAVE OBSERVED, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY CONDITIONS AT OR AROUND THIS SITE THAT HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE PRIOR APPROVAL, EXCEPT THAT THE ROAD OUT FRONT HAS GOTTEN REPAVED.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE EASIER TO GET IN AND OUT OF.
AND THERE WAS A TRAFFIC SIGNAL UPGRADED DOWNSTREAM ON GRAND RIVER.
BUT AGAIN, THAT I DON'T SEE HOW THAT AFFECTS THIS PROPERTY.
SO DO YOU SEE ANY CONDITIONS ON OR AROUND THIS SITE THAT HAVE CHANGED SUBSTANTIALLY SINCE THE PRIOR APPROVAL? YOU'LL INDULGE ME FOR A MINUTE.
THERE IS SOME RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT GOING ON ON THE NORTH SIDE OF GRAND RIVER, FURTHER EAST.
YEAH, THAT WILL BRING A LITTLE BIT MORE TRAFFIC IN BECAUSE THE.
THE SPARROW MEDICAL BUILDING IS THE ZONING TO THE TO THE EAST.
THE WHAT? I'M I GUESS WHAT I'M LOOKING AT GRAND RESERVE IS THE PROPERTY THAT'S ADJACENT TO THE NORTH.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THIS.
WHEN YOU START THE ROAD WILL COME IN LIKE THIS.
AND I'M GOING BY MEMORY, BUT IT GOES LIKE THIS KIND OF A THING.
THIS IS ALL OPEN SPACE DOWN HERE.
SO I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO MEANINGFULLY AFFECT NEIGHBORS AND.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT SPRINGS TO MIND.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S LIKE IT'S NOT GOING TO ACCESS ON THE SITE.
GRAND RESERVE WILL ACCESS ON CENTRAL PARK DRIVE AND ON POWELL ROAD.
THERE'S ALSO A RATHER SIGNIFICANT SETBACK FROM RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL ON THAT BORDER.
IS IT 60FT, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I BELIEVE.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S A PROBLEM ON THIS SITE.
BUT I MEAN, THAT WILL ALSO BUFFER FROM THE RESIDENTIAL.
RIGHT. BUT IT WOULD HAVE THAT APPLIED ANYWAY BECAUSE IT'S A RESIDENTIAL ZONE PROPERTY.
BUT YEAH, YEAH, THAT WON'T BE AN ISSUE.
THIS IS THE THE ZONE OR DISTRICT FIVE, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND THERE'S ONLY ONE FACILITY PER ZONE.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FACILITY THAT WAS GRANTED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A LICENSE AT ONE CENTRAL PARK WHERE THE NAIL SALON WAS THAT RIGHT NEXT DOOR, JUST NORTH OF THE DRUGSTORE.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT? I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
IT WAS A HASLETT. I KNOW THEY RECEIVED A LOTTERY DRAWING.
THERE WE GO. I'M GOING TO SHUT PARCELS OFF A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND DRAINS OFF. THERE'S A SO THIS IS THIS IS DISTRICT FIVE AND THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION IS DOWN HERE IN THIS CORNER.
[00:15:02]
UM. I CAN ONLY TELL YOU THAT I HAVE PROCESSED THIS.AND THE TWO OTHERS THAT YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE YOU.
BEFORE YOU IN THE RECENT MONTHS? UM, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT APPLICATION.
I'D HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT. MY RECOLLECTION IS IF THEY RECEIVED A PERMIT OR A LICENSE FROM THE TOWNSHIP, I DON'T BELIEVE THEY EVER PRESENTED AN RFP TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I DON'T RECALL APPROVING ANYTHING IN THAT SMALL STRIP MALL.
YEAH. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S ALL ANYTHING TOOK PLACE AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT.
AND IF WHATEVER WHATEVER HAPPENED, THERE WAS ONE WINNER IN THIS YEAR'S LOTTERY.
FROM EACH WE HAD ONE APPLICANT IN IN FIVE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS AND THEY WON.
SO WE HAD LOTTERIES THIS YEAR.
WELL, WE ASKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE, AND I WAS TOLD THERE ARE NO MORE LOTTERIES IN THE THE THE ADULT USE ORDINANCE IF IT COMES TO PASS, WILL NOT HAVE A LOTTERY.
RIGHT. THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA HAS A LOTTERY.
THERE WAS NO COMPETITION THAT WAS GONE THE MONTH THAT THIS THING.
IS THAT WHAT HAPPENED? ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PETITIONERS? DO EITHER OF YOU GENTLEMEN WISH TO ADDRESS THE BOARD? I CAN ADDRESS REAL QUICK.
GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS AMAR ALKHAFAJI ON BEHALF OF W INVESTMENT HOLDINGS.
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
AND WE ARE HERE TODAY AS MY PARTNER, DOMINIC MCCALL.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO GET THE PROCESS ROLLING FOR THIS MEDICAL PROVISIONING CENTER.
WE'RE THE DEVELOPERS ON THIS PROPERTY.
AND LAST TIME, WHEN WE APPLY TO ONLY HAD THE PROPERTY UNDER CONTRACT, AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE CLOSED ON THE PROPERTY, SO WE DO OWN THE PROPERTY OUTRIGHT AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY WORKING WITH THE TOWNSHIP TO GET THIS PROJECT GOING AND REALLY ADD TO THE COMMUNITY IN A POSITIVE WAY.
THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? NO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
I MENTIONED TO YOU RIGHT BEFORE I CALL FOR A STRAW VOTE, IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO VOICE ANY OBJECTIONS OR OBSERVATIONS FOR TO HELP STAFF PUT TOGETHER SOMETHING? YES. COMMISSIONER SCOTT MRS PUBLIC HEARING.
I'M SORRY. ARE YOU GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? WELL, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA. YEAH, RIGHT.
I'M CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS NOW.
ANY COMMENTS FOR STAFF ON THIS ISSUE? NO. ALL RIGHT, THEN WHY DON'T WE TAKE A STRAW VOTE SO THE STAFF CAN HAVE SOME DIRECTION ON WHERE TO GO WITH THIS? SO WE'RE JUST WE DON'T JUST.
ALL RIGHT, SO ALL THOSE WHO WOULD VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS FACILITY, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. IS THERE ANYONE WHO AT THIS STAGE OF THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD VOTE NO FOR THIS? YES. ME? YES. YES.
NO. OKAY. AND I WOULD CLARIFY THAT IN LOOKING BACK OVER THE MINUTES, IT HAPPENS TO BE A MONTH I WAS NOT HERE FEBRUARY 2020 I WASN'T HERE SO I HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON THIS AT THIS UP UNTIL THIS POINT.
ALL RIGHT. ANYONE ELSE? VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT, THEN I WILL CLOSE ITEM SEVEN.
MOVE ON TO UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
ALL RIGHT. OTHER BUSINESS? THERE IS NONE. DO YOU HAVE AN UPDATE FOR THE MASTER PLAN?
[10. MASTER PLAN UPDATE]
I HAVE NOTHING FOR YOU RIGHT NOW.I'M SORRY. CAN I ASK TO BE ANNOYING AND ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THAT? I KNOW I'M ALWAYS THAT GUY.
[00:20:01]
SURE. SO.SO WHAT? WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE MASTER PLAN.
CAN YOU TELL ME, LIKE, WHERE WE ARE FROM A TIMELINE PERSPECTIVE ON WORKING ON THAT AND WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SEE A FULL DRAFT OF IT? AND THEN FROM THAT, I'LL SAVE MY NEXT QUESTION AFTER THAT.
DIRECTOR SCHMITT HAD A MEETING WITH COMMUNICATIONS AND PUTTING IT.
WE'VE GOT A WE'VE GOT A FULL TEXT DRAFT IN WORD.
HE'S HAD A MEETING WITH COMMUNICATIONS ON WHAT FORMAT TO PUT THAT IN FOR PRESENTATION TO YOU.
WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER A FIRST DRAFT FOR YOUR FOR YOUR FOR YOUR INITIAL REVIEW.
UM, I THEN PROCEEDED TO BE GONE LAST WEEK BECAUSE I WAS IN ON A FISHING TRIP, SO I CAN'T TELL YOU THE RESULT OF THAT MEETING, BUT I KNOW THAT THAT MEETING WAS SCHEDULED TO HAPPEN, SO WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH IT.
OKAY, COOL. SO THEN I'M SORRY I CALLED YOU BRIAN EARLIER, TOO.
UM, I'M BREAKING THE RULES, I GUESS.
SO ONCE WE GET THE INITIAL DRAFT, THEN WHAT IS OUR EXPECTED TIMELINE FOR COMPLETING THAT SORT OF PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY? I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE IF YOU GAVE ME A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND PUT THAT IN MEMO FORM AND A MASTER PLAN UPDATE.
BUT I'D LIKE TO TALK TO DIRECTOR SCHMITT ABOUT WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT BEFORE I START ANSWERING.
OKAY. AT SOME POINT, THOUGH, JUST SO YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE A DRAFT.
NOT I'M NOT SAYING THE FIRST DRAFT THAT YOU LOOK AT, BUT A DRAFT IS GOING TO BE APPROVED FOR DISTRIBUTION AND IT WILL BE IT WILL BE A LINK. WE VERIFIED THIS.
WE DON'T HAVE TO SEND A PHYSICAL DOCUMENT TO ALL 20 SOME COMMUNITIES.
A LINK WILL BE SENT TO THE DOCUMENT FOR A 60 OR 90 DAY REVIEW.
I FORGET WHICH. I'M SORRY, BUT THEY GET A REVIEW BEFORE ANY APPROVAL CAN HAPPEN, SO THEY'RE AT LEAST A 2 TO 3 MONTH WINDOW IN THERE BEFORE FINAL APPROVAL.
I'LL PUT ALL THAT IN MEMO FORMS. OKAY. I CAN SEE THAT.
THANK YOU. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I JUST THINKING AS I WAS REVIEWING THE AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING AND I WAS LIKE, OH, THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO TALK ABOUT MASTER PLAN STUFF BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT ON THE AGENDA.
ALL RIGHT. WE'RE WE'RE JUST WE JUST DON'T HAVE ANYTHING NEW TO PRESENT TO YOU.
WE'RE ALMOST READY TO GIVE YOU A DRAFT.
YOU'RE WELCOME. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SUGGESTION FOR STAFF, AND THAT IS THAT BEFORE WE MAKE OUR FINAL VOTE ON WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE DEVELOP ON THE MASTER PLAN, THAT WE ASK THE BOARD IF THEY ARE INTERESTED IN HAVING A JOINT SESSION.
OKAY. THAT WAY THEY CAN REVIEW WHAT WE'RE UP TO AND SAY.
ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MINDS? WHY DID YOU THINK THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA? AND WE CAN WE CAN DISCUSS IT BEFORE IT GOES TO THEM FOR FINAL APPROVAL.
JUST TO SEE WHAT THEY THINK OF THE IDEA.
IS THERE ANY CONSIDERATION TO PUTTING THE DRAFT DOCUMENT IN LEGISLATIVE FORMAT WITH STRIKE CHANGES SO THAT WE COULD SEE THE DIFFERENCE? NO, IT'S NOT.
IT'S NOT. IT'S IT'S IT'S GOING TO BE THE FORMATTING IS DIFFERENT.
IT WON'T LEND ITSELF TO SUCH A REVIEW.
I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. IT JUST, IT JUST WON'T IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO BE READABLE LIKE THAT.
IT'S IT'S THE FORMAT IS SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT.
THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ARE SOMEWHAT REWRITTEN.
PHILOSOPHICALLY, THEY'RE NOT VERY DIFFERENT, BUT THEY ARE.
THEY'RE NOT. YEAH, IT'S NOT LIKE A TEXT CHANGE IN A ZONING ORDINANCE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS ISSUE.
ALL RIGHT. SO WE WILL CLOSE ITEM TEN MASTER PLAN UPDATE.
LET'S GO TO ITEM 11 REPORTS FROM THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.
[11A. Township Board update.]
[00:25:03]
ARE THERE ANY UPDATES ON THE TOWNSHIP BOARD? I HAVE NOTHING. OKAY.HOW ABOUT LIAISON REPORTS? SURE. I DON'T USUALLY SAY MUCH ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
WE DID LOOK A WHILE BACK AT SOME OF THEIR WORK ON THE REVISION OF THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, AND AT OUR LAST MEETING WE TOOK A FAIRLY DEEP DIVE INTO A NEW SECTION OF THE PLAN THAT AIMS AT HEALTHY, ENCOURAGING, HEALTHY FOOD SYSTEMS IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND A FEW OF THE PROPOSED OR DRAFT STRATEGIES ARE KIND OF PLANNING COMMISSION RELATED.
SO I THOUGHT I MIGHT QUICKLY READ THEM TO YOU.
IN A SECTION AIMING TO INCREASE THE PRODUCTION AND SOURCING OF LOCAL AND SUSTAINABLY GROWN FOOD, THERE'S A STRATEGY TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO INITIATING OR CONTINUING FARM BUSINESSES WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP, AND ANOTHER TO INITIATE OR REVISIT FARMLAND, CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNTY OR LOCALLY TO KEEP MORE FARMLAND AND FARMING LOCALLY TO HELP SUPPORT THE MARKET AND LOCAL FOODS.
UNDER A ALSO NEW OBJECTIVE DECREASING ORGANIC WASTE.
THERE IS A STRATEGY THAT READS CONSIDER POLICY CHANGES SUCH AS REQUIRING A PERCENTAGE OF TOPSOIL FILL TO INCLUDE COMMERCIAL GRADE COMPOST IN THE PERMITTING PROCESS FOR REPLACEMENT OR NEW CONSTRUCTION.
WE ALSO HAD A FIRST LOOK AT SOME OF A REVISED SECTION OF THE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN.
VERY ORDINANCE PLANNING COMMISSION RELATED ITEMS IN IT.
I WON'T BRING THEM TO YOU NEXT TIME AFTER WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO CHEW ON THEM AND WORK ON THEM.
I CAN SAY AT THIS POINT, THINGS LIKE INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF FARMLAND OR PERMITTING MORE FARMLAND IS AN IDEA WITHOUT A WHOLE LOT OF SUBSTANCE ATTACHED TO IT AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION LEVEL YET.
BUT IT COULD MEAN SUCH THINGS AS RELOOKING AT THE TOWNSHIP PROCESS FOR LICENSING OR ALLOWING THE KEEPING OF CHICKENS AND RABBITS, WHICH YOU CAN DO BY BASICALLY NOTIFYING THE TOWNSHIP AND PROMISING THAT YOU'VE READ THE ORDINANCE.
BUT THERE IS A GROWING INTEREST IN A BROADER RANGE OF DOMESTIC PETS.
IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, FOR INSTANCE, THERE'S AN ASSISTIVE HORSE FOR A BLIND RESIDENT AND THE ORDINANCE IS KIND OF SILENT ON THOSE. I THINK THEY KIND OF GET TREATED AS PETS, BUT YOU HEAR MORE AND MORE ABOUT PEOPLE RAISING ALTERNATE FOWL THAN JUST YOUR STANDARD CHICKENS.
APPARENTLY THE TURKEYS ARE QUITE CUTE.
SO BUT THE IDEA MORE BROADLY OF THINKING MAYBE IN THE FUTURE ABOUT IN THE EASTERN THIRD OF THE TOWNSHIP, WHICH IS CURRENTLY VERY RURAL, DO WE STILL NEED TO BE AS RESTRICTIVE ABOUT WHAT KINDS OF ANIMALS YOU CAN KEEP AS WE ARE IN OUR MORE ESTABLISHED SUBDIVISIONS OR COMMERCIAL AREAS? SO IT'S KIND OF A FORWARD THINKING ISSUE MORE THAN LET'S ALLOW LLAMAS.
BUT YOU KNOW, THERE WILL BE THAT THAT GROUP.
SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION TO THAT.
AND WHEN IT'S A LITTLE BIT FARTHER ALONG, WE'LL BE SENDING IT ALONG.
THOSE SPECIFIC PIECES ALONG FOR FORMAL COMMENT FROM THIS BODY.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK I MIGHT BE ALLERGIC TO LLAMAS.
THERE'S A LLAMA FARM IN WILLIAMSVILLE.
YEAH. YEAH, MY WIFE'S FAMILY LIKES THE LLAMA.
GREAT. I REMEMBER THERE WERE SOME GOATS.
THEY DIDN'T ALWAYS TURN OUT WELL, BUT GOATS.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER LIAISON REPORTS?
[11B. Liaison reports.]
TOP THAT ONE. RIGHT? YEAH. I ATTENDED THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING.JUST TWO THINGS I THINK ARE DISCUSSED FOR DISCUSSION HERE.
NUMBER ONE, I WAS A LITTLE BIT SURPRISED.
THEY HAVE $141,000 POSITIVE BALANCE ON THEIR BANK ACCOUNT.
FOR A LONG TIME THEY WERE IN DEBT.
THE OTHER THING IS THEY HAD EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION ABOUT DEVELOPING A FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR THE AREA THAT THEY COVER. AND WHAT'S INTERESTING AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THEIR HANDOUT WAS SO THICK IS THEY GOT FACADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS FROM OTHER NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES AS EXAMPLES, AND THEY INCLUDED THEM IN THE PACKET.
I WILL GIVE IT TO ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN READING THROUGH IT.
IT'S ABOUT 15 PAGES OF FACADE IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITIES FROM OTHER REGIONAL JURISDICTIONS.
[00:30:05]
SO THEY'RE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING THAT.ASIDE FROM THAT, PRETTY MUCH COVERS IT.
THE EDC FOR JUNE WAS CANCELED.
ANY OTHER REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES? NO. ALL RIGHT.
THEN WE ARE INTO PROJECT UPDATE.
PROJECT REPORT. ALL RIGHT, THEN.
[12A. Project Report]
PUBLIC REMARKS. WELL, THEY'VE ALREADY SPOKEN.SO AT THIS POINT, THEN, I BELIEVE WE ARE AT NUMBER 14, WHICH IS ADJOURN.
BEFORE WE ADJOURN, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? I'M NEVER SURE WHERE TO SAY STUFF LIKE THIS BECAUSE IT'S NOT AN AGENDA ITEM.
BUT. SO REGARDING THE THE ROAD DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE ALL BEEN HAPPENING ON GRAND RIVER AND THEN THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSWAYS THOSE THREE ISLANDS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN OR WHATEVER.
THE. MAYBE THIS SHOULD BE A PUBLIC REMARK.
THE. JUST NOW THAT THEY'RE INSTALLED.
I REALLY AM CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY IN THOSE SPOTS FOR PEOPLE OR BIKERS OR LIKE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BIKES AND THEY HAVE LIKE A KID ON ONE OF THOSE PULL CARTS BEHIND YOUR BIKE AND YOU'RE TRYING TO CROSS GRAND RIVER ON THOSE THOSE THINGS.
AND SO I WAS CURIOUS FROM A PLANNING PERSPECTIVE, IS THERE IT'S PROBABLY TOO LATE IN THE I MEAN, IT'S WAY TOO LATE. OH, SURE IT IS.
BUT LIKE FROM A FUTURE PERSPECTIVE, LIKE IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THAT COULD BE DONE TO SORT OF I DON'T I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I'M ASKING.
LIKE TO CREATE A YELLOW LIGHT THAT COULD BE HANGING ABOVE THOSE THINGS.
SO THERE'S SIGNAGE THAT'S GOING TO BE INCORPORATED.
AND I'LL ALSO SAY THAT THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION WORKED WITH WITH MDOT FOR A LONG TIME TO GET MDOT TO PUT THOSE ISLANDS INTO THAT GRAND RIVER PROJECT BECAUSE THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
I CAN GET YOU AN ANSWER ON WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO FINALLY LOOK LIKE OR IF YOU WANT TO LOOK INTO IT.
UM, DAN OPSOMMER, THE DPW DIRECTOR, HE CAN GIVE YOU CHAPTER AND VERSE ON IT.
UM. THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION DID ASK TO HAVE FLASHING BEACONS AT THOSE LOCATIONS, AND MDOT SO FAR HAS SAID THEY DON'T BELIEVE THEY'RE WARRANTED BY THE COUNTS, BY THE BY THE NUMBER OF CARS THAT GO BY.
BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T WALK ACROSS A NONEXISTENT CROSSWALK.
BUT THERE HAS BEEN A SUGGESTION THAT THE USAGE OF THOSE ISLANDS WOULD BE MONITORED.
AND IF THEY DO WARRANT ANY FORM OF SIGNAL THAT IT COULD THEN BE INSTALLED.
COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. OH, I'M SORRY.
THE IDEA OF PUTTING UP GUARDRAILS, I THOUGHT TOO.
WAS THAT JUST NOT POSSIBLE? THERE HAS BEEN A REQUEST TO INSTALL SOME FORM OF BOLLARD, A HARD FOR SURE OBJECT AT THE MS BECAUSE THE SIGNAGE IS SUBJECT TO BEING RUN OVER.
I THINK WHAT THE TOWNSHIP WAS ABLE TO DO IS TO GET MDOT TO APPROVE SOME EXTRA STRIPING ON THOSE SIGNS SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THEM MORE CLEARLY SO THEY DON'T SURPRISE YOU SO MUCH. I UNDERSTAND THAT HISTORICALLY, CROSSING GRAND RIVER HAS BEEN A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION, BUT I HAVE ANECDOTALLY HEARD FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH MAJOR CONCERNS AS THEY'VE SEEN THOSE GO IN, BOTH FOR THE SAFETY OF PEDESTRIANS ATTEMPTING TO CROSS AT THOSE LOCATIONS, BUT ALSO FOR CARS BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED.
IF SOMEBODY IS TRYING TO PULL OUT AND TURN LEFT SORT OF IN THE MIDST OF TRAFFIC COMING THIS WAY AND TRAFFIC GOING THAT WAY, AND NORMALLY THEY WOULD HAVE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A ONE SPACE TO GO DOWN THE CENTER LANE TO MERGE INTO THEIR LEFT TRAFFIC.
NOW THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
[00:35:03]
CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER THIS IS ACTUALLY IT MAY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CROSS WHO SHOULDN'T BECAUSE IT'S DANGEROUS.AND THEN IT'S ALSO MAKING THE TRAFFIC MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.
SO I'M NOT A TRANSPORTATION ENGINEER.
I DON'T PRETEND TO KNOW THIS, BUT I HAVE CONCERNS.
YEAH. SO I'M BRINGING IT UP BECAUSE I SEE IT AS A PLANNING ISSUE.
BECAUSE IF ONE OF OUR GOALS IS TO BE A WALKABLE AND BIKEABLE COMMUNITY ANY AND WE CAN'T CROSS A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE THAT CUTS OUR COMMUNITY IN HALF, THEN I FEEL LIKE IS SOMETHING THAT IS WORTH THINKING ABOUT.
AND I'M AND I'M SAYING THIS BECAUSE I LIVE RIGHT NEXT TO THE ONE ON MOHAWK DRIVE, RIGHT NEXT TO MOHAWK ROAD WHERE THE APARTMENT BUILDINGS ARE AFTER YOU CROSS THE RAILROAD TRACKS AND I HAVE TO TURN I TURN LEFT IN THERE.
BUT THEN IT'S ALSO I DON'T REALLY WANT TO CROSS USING THAT.
I DON'T WANT TO WALK ACROSS THAT STREET USING THAT THING.
AND I WALK A LOT OR RUN A LOT.
AND. AND I JUST HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THESE, THOSE, THOSE THREE THINGS IN RELATION TO ALL THE DEVELOPMENT WORK AND ALSO HOW WE MAKE OUR COMMUNITY MORE WALKABLE AND BIKEABLE.
SO I JUST WANT TO RAISE THAT AS A COMMENT, I GUESS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR OBSERVATIONS? ANYONE HAVE ANY OTHER ISSUES THEY WISH TO ADDRESS? NO. ALL RIGHT, THEN.
THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.