Sep 25, 2023 Planning Commission

HAVE TWO SEPARATE COMMUNITIES.

[00:00:01]

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

WE LIMIT ALL SUCH ADDRESSES TO A MAXIMUM OF THREE MINUTES, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE HERE AND MIGHT WANT TO SPEAK.

IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE ISSUE WHICH IS OF OBVIOUS IMPORTANCE TO A LARGE PORTION OF THE COMMUNITY, THEN THAT WILL BE UNDER ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS THE SPECIFIC PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT REZONING REQUEST.

SO IF YOU WANT TO LIMIT YOUR YOUR ADDRESS TO THE BOARD TO THAT ISSUE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO WAIT UNTIL THAT COMES UP.

AND THEN YOU CAN HEAR SOME OF THE PRESENTATIONS BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR STATEMENTS.

ALL RIGHT. BUT AGAIN, ONE MORE THING I'D LIKE YOU TO BE AWARE OF IS THAT WE DON'T INTERACT WITH YOU DURING THESE PUBLIC STATEMENTS.

YOU MAKE YOUR POSITION KNOWN.

WE UNDERSTAND THE POSITION THAT YOU'RE PRESENTING.

BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET INTO A DEBATE BECAUSE WE'LL BE HERE TILL 4:00 IN THE MORNING.

ALL RIGHT. BRING IT BACK FOR BOTH SECTIONS OF THE AGENDA.

YES. ALL RIGHT.

SO LET'S START OFF BY CALLING THE ROLL OF THE PANEL HERE.

WE HAVE A QUORUM FOR THIS EVENING'S MEETING.

THE. AS I SAID, THIS IS THE POINT WHERE THERE IS SIMPLY GENERAL PUBLIC REMARKS.

[3. PUBLIC REMARKS]

ALL SET? OKAY. GO AHEAD.

537, SEVEN. BLUE HAVEN.

WE ALL LIKE TO TALK ABOUT BEING WE'RE BIG ENVIRONMENTALISTS.

WE LIKE TO RECYCLE AND DO ALL THIS STUFF.

AND THEN WE PAVE EVERY INCH OF GROUND.

WE'VE GOT THIS BEAUTIFUL AREA THAT IS THE HOME OF ALL KINDS OF ANIMALS, DEER.

HOW MUCH IS THAT OF THOSE ANIMALS ARE GOING TO TEMPORARILY BE SHOVED INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEN, WELL, DIE.

THEY WON'T BE THERE.

AND AS A KID, PHEASANTS USED TO WALK ALL OVER AROUND HERE, AROUND LANSING.

OH, WELL, WE JUST.

SOMETHING KEEPS THEM FROM GROWING.

OH, THAT COULD BE PAVEMENT IF WE PAVE EVERYTHING.

ALL OF THESE ANIMALS THAT ARE IMPORTANT ARE GONE.

WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HELPING OUT, YOU KNOW, BEING CARBON NEUTRAL AND EVERYTHING.

EVERY ONE OF THOSE LEAVES COLLECTS CARBON FROM THE AIR AND PUTS IT INTO PLANT MATERIAL.

WE NEED TO HAVE LARGE AREAS THAT ARE WOODS.

THAT'S ONE REASON THAT WE MOVED HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE WOODS AROUND US.

WELL, THE PAVING, IT IS LITERALLY RIDICULOUS.

THANK YOU, SIR. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WISHES TO USE THE PUBLIC REMARKS SECTION NOW, OR DO YOU WANT TO SAVE IT WHEN WE'RE MORE SPECIFICALLY ON TOPIC? IF YOU SPEAK NOW, YOU GET THREE MINUTES.

AGAIN. NO, NOT IF YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE SAME TOPIC, SIR.

ALL RIGHT. WELL, I GUESS I CAN GO AND SEE IF I CAN GET IT ALL IN AT THREE MINUTES BECAUSE YOU GOT THE INFORMATION THAT I'VE ALREADY GIVEN YOU.

WHEN YOU GET UP THERE, WOULD YOU GIVE US YOUR NAME, PLEASE, SIR? THANK YOU. MY NAME IS ERIC FORSAITH.

I LIVE AT 5082 PARK LAKE ROAD.

I'M THE PRIMARY LANDOWNER JUST NORTH OF THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY.

ANY DEVELOPMENT THAT GOES ON THERE WILL EXTREMELY AFFECT ME, ESPECIALLY THE WATER ISSUES THAT HAVE NOW.

YOU HAVE A COMPANY THAT WANTS TO CHANGE THE ZONING RULES AND I DON'T SEE A SITE PLAN.

SO WHAT ARE THEY PLANNING ON DOING? NOBODY KNOWS. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN CHANGE ZONING WITHOUT HAVING AN IDEA OF WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO.

NOW, I GAVE BLUEPRINTS TO EVERYBODY ON A DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS PROJECTED BY THE TOWNSHIP OR BY MY FATHER AND HIS BUSINESS PARTNER IN 1985.

I BELIEVE THE ACTUAL AREA THAT'S BEEN MARKED OUT IS THE AREA IN QUESTION THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT UP.

ZONING. NOW, THERE ARE RULES, ACCORDING TO THE WETLAND LAWS AND THE DRAINAGE LAWS THAT NEED TO BE PUT INTO PLACE IN ORDER TO

[00:05:09]

OKAY. THIS PLAN FALLS IN TO ALL THE RULES THAT YOU APPLIED BACK THEN WITH THE ZONING THAT YOU HAVE NOW. NOW YOU WANT TO UP ZONE IT.

THERE WAS ALSO A LETTER THAT WAS SUBMITTED TO YOU FROM 1985 FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT TALKS ABOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT AND WHY IT WAS NOT ALLOWED.

AND IT HAS TO DO WITH OUR DRINKING WATER AND THE RECHARGING OF OUR DRINKING WATER.

PRETTY IMPORTANT THING.

WE'VE GOT TO HAVE OUR DRINKING WATER.

NOW, THE TOWNSHIP OR THE WETLAND RULES INDICATE THAT IN THE AREA THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DEVELOP, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A STORAGE AREA FOR WATER UP TO 2.5IN FOR 24 HOURS BEFORE IT CAN GO INTO THE DRAIN.

NOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOPO MAPS OF THIS PROPERTY WHERE THEY WANT TO TRY TO DEVELOP, THERE'S NO OTHER PLACE THEY CAN DO THAT.

SO NOW THE WATER IS GOING DIRECTLY INTO THE DRAIN, WHICH NOW IS FILLING UP MY WETLAND.

AND IN THE SPRINGTIME, WITH ALL THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GONE ON, YOU CAN GO BACK THERE.

MY NEIGHBOR'S CANOE ALL THE WAY TO THE RAILROAD BRIDGE, THE RAILROAD UNDERNEATH BECAUSE OF ALL THE WATER THAT WE ARE NOW COLLECTING, BECAUSE WHAT I CONSIDER TOO MUCH DEVELOPMENT.

NOW I CAN GO ON AND ON AND ON.

THERE'S PIEDMONTS. THERE'S ANOTHER THING.

I GAVE YOU PEACE.

THIS WAS THE LAST COMPANY FROM CHICAGO THAT WANTED TO TRY TO DEVELOP IT ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF OUR DRIVEWAY, OUR PRIVATE DRIVEWAY, BACK WHEN THEY BUILT GRAND RIVER AVENUE.

THE OWNER, I THINK IT WAS DICK ANGEL, ALLOWED THEM TO DUMP 3 TO 400,000 YARDS OF PEAT MOSS.

THAT'S THE HIGH END OF THAT SOUTH SIDE.

NOW, ACCORDING TO WHAT I BELIEVE IN, WETLAND RULES, IF THEY REMOVE WHAT WAS MANMADE PUT THERE.

THANK YOU, SIR. ONCE THEY GET DOWN TO THAT, THEY HAVE TO DO SOIL SAMPLES TO SEE IF THAT'S WETLANDS.

SO THAT MAKES THAT PROPERTY WORTHLESS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR POSITION, SIR.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

PLEASE GIVE US YOUR NAME.

MY NAME IS BARB RINGLEIN, 5030 PARK LAKE ROAD.

I'M A 20 YEAR RESIDENT HOMEOWNER IN THE WARD CLIFF NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT'S QUIET, DARK AT NIGHT, AND DESPITE NOT HAVING SIDEWALKS, IT'S RELATIVELY SAFE TO WALK MY BEAGLE AND GET MY MAIL.

I'VE NEVER HAD FLOODING OR EVEN STANDING WATER DESPITE MY PROPERTY BEING NEAR MUNICIPAL DRAINS, WETLANDS AND THE RED CEDAR WATERSHED.

YOU'D NEVER KNOW. I'M A FEW HUNDRED FEET FROM A FIVE LANE INTERSECTION OR A FEW HUNDRED YARDS FROM A THREE STORY TALL BILLBOARD THAT'S LIT UP AT NIGHT, OR THAT A BUSTLING BUSINESS CORRIDOR AND ALL ITS WITH ALL ITS LIGHT AND NOISE IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR.

AND YOU WOULDN'T REALIZE I WAS SO CLOSE TO A RAIL LINE WITH ITS FAINT WHISTLE SOUNDING MILES AWAY.

THIS IS BECAUSE A DELICATE BALANCE EXISTS.

ALL OF THE THINGS I'VE MENTIONED ARE MITIGATED BY THE VALUABLE AND RARE OLD GROWTH GREEN SPACE THAT IS IN QUESTION HERE FOR REZONING AND DEVELOPMENT.

THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP MASTER PLAN IS ALL ABOUT BALANCE BY THE PROSPECTIVE BUYER OF THIS ACREAGE, REDWOOD LIVING'S OWN DESIGNATION.

THEY WOULD BE CREATING A NEW RENTAL NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND THIS IS NOT A NEW SUB OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ON A FARM FIELD ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN.

IT'S A HIGHER DENSITY RENTAL HOUSING WITH ITS ENTRANCE AND EXIT ON THE SAME ROAD SANDWICHED BETWEEN WETLANDS, THE RAILROAD AND ONE OF THE BUSIEST INTERSECTIONS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

IT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT TRAFFIC.

IT WILL REPLACE ACRES OF GREEN SPACE DRAINAGE WITH PAVEMENT AND STRUCTURES, AND IT WILL REMOVE MATURE TREES THAT BLOCK LIGHT AND SOUND.

IT WILL DISRUPT THE DELICATE BALANCE TO THE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE RESIDENTS.

DON'T DISCOUNT YOUR INDIVIDUAL OPINION AND ACTION IN THIS MATTER.

IT WAS THE ACTIONS OF ONE INDIVIDUAL SELLING THEIR HOME AND PARCEL TO A DEVELOPER INSTEAD OF A SINGLE FAMILY HOME BUYER.

THAT NECESSITATED US ALL BEING HERE TONIGHT.

I PUT IT TO THE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION AND RESIDENTS TO ASK YOURSELF IF OWNER OCCUPIED PROPERTY AND KEEPING WHAT'S LEFT OF OUR UNDEVELOPED GREEN SPACE IS AN ASSET INSTEAD OF A LIABILITY TO THE TOWNSHIP'S MASTER PLAN THAT SEEKS TO MAINTAIN A BALANCE FOR THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND GENERAL WELFARE OF ITS RESIDENTS.

TO ASK YOURSELF IF THE CONTINUED PROLIFERATION OF HIGHER DENSITY DEVELOPMENT IS MORE VALUABLE THAN MAINTAINING THIS BALANCE.

IF THIS ZONING IS CHANGED, THERE WILL BE NO REMAINING DETERRENT TO THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT.

YOU CAN'T GET BACK THE EXISTING BALANCE THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT ABOUT BY TIME AND NATURE.

[00:10:05]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

YES, SIR. DO YOU WANT TO? JOSH NAHUM 1517 RIVER TERRACE.

I'M ACTUALLY NOT HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE REZONING.

I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF, ACTUALLY HIGHER DENSITY HOUSING.

I'M STRONGLY IN SUPPORT OF ALLOWING ADUS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

I KNOW. I'M NOT SURE THAT'S ON THE DISCUSSION FOR TODAY, BUT WANTED TO COME HERE AND SAY THUMBS UP.

I HAVE SOME PARENTS IN LAW THAT ARE GETTING OLDER AND I'D REALLY LIKE TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, OUR HOUSE ISN'T QUITE BIG ENOUGH TO HAVE THEM MOVE IN WITH US.

AND I'D REALLY LIKE TO BE ABLE TO BUILD A SMALL ADDITIONAL STRUCTURE ON OUR PROPERTY AND ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT TO ENABLE THEM TO NOT HAVE TO BE IN A NURSING HOME OR, YOU KNOW, IN TO BE, YOU KNOW, LIVE SOMEPLACE WHERE WE CAN ONLY VISIT THEM, YOU KNOW, EVERY FEW DAYS AS OPPOSED TO HAVING THEM CLOSER TO HOME.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THAT.

AND GENERALLY FOR HIGH DENSITY HOUSING IN GENERAL, I THINK RENTS ARE VERY HIGH.

THE YOU KNOW, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF STUDENTS AND MSU'S ENROLLMENT KEEPS GOING UP.

AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD PLACES FOR THOSE PEOPLE TO LIVE.

AND SO IN FAVOR OF ADUS, IN FAVOR OF HIGH DENSITY ZONING, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC TOPIC THAT YOU'RE TALKING ON, SO I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK ON THAT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, SIR. YES, MA'AM.

MY NAME IS KELLY DEAN.

I LIVE AT 5377 BLUE HAVEN DRIVE.

I WILL CORRECT ONE THING MY HUSBAND SAID, WHICH WAS NOT THAT THE BEAUTIFUL WOODS WERE A REASON WE MOVED HERE.

IT WAS A NEAR THE TOP OF THE LIST.

TOP THREE. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO BETTS CALDWELL, WHO MADE THE PHOTOCOPY OF THIS NOTE THAT ONLY WENT TO A SELECT GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE IMPACTED BY THIS CHOICE AND MADE SURE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY KNEW ABOUT IT.

SO THANK YOU.

I WOULD LIKE TO ASSUME POSITIVE INTENT THAT THE COMMISSIONERS JUST WANTED TO THE THINKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE MOST IMPACTED.

I WOULD HOPE TO THINK THAT IT'S NOT BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WANT TO HEAR OPPOSING VIEWS.

MY CONCERN AS A PARENT AND NOW AS A GRANDPARENT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT MORE TRAFFIC, ESPECIALLY IN THAT COMMUNITY, WHICH MEANS MORE ROADS, MORE ROADS TO PLOW, MORE REPAIRS.

CURRENTLY, THE REPAIRS BEING DONE ON BLUE HAVEN DRIVE ARE GOING VERY SLOWLY.

THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED ONE YEAR AGO.

AS OF LAST YEAR, WE WERE TOLD BY SEPTEMBER 25TH, THE 2022 IT WOULD BE COMPLETELY DONE.

IT'S BARELY EVEN BEEN STARTED.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO BUILD A WHOLE NEW COMMUNITY.

I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THE COMMENTS ABOUT THE LOSS OF TREES AND THE NATURAL AREA.

EAST LANSING RUINED THEMSELVES WITH THEIR HIGH RISE APARTMENT BUILDINGS.

IT IS DISHEARTENING TO DRIVE DOWN GRAND RIVER AVENUE AND SEE HOW COLD AND HARSH EAST LANSING LOOKS.

NOW. I WOULD HATE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.

I LOVE WHAT WAS SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HEAR THAT TRAIN AND WE DON'T HEAR THAT TRAIN BECAUSE WE HAVE A BUFFER IN THOSE BEAUTIFUL TREES.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO JUST REITERATE THOSE SAME FEELINGS.

AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. OH, BEFORE MY THREE MINUTES IS UP, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW I'M LITERALLY TEACHING GOVERNMENT TO MY THIRD GRADERS RIGHT NOW, SO IT'LL BE FUN TO TELL THEM I PARTICIPATED IN MY [LAUGHTER]. YES, MA'AM.

HELLO, MY NAME IS BARBARA CURTIS.

I LIVE AT 5248 PARK LAKE ROAD, NOT TOO FAR FROM THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.

I WOULD ARGUE STRONGLY AGAINST THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR MANY OF THE REASONS ALREADY CITED.

WE SINCE I'VE BEEN THERE 25 PLUS YEARS IN THAT HOUSE WITH CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN AND NOW GREAT GRANDCHILDREN.

AND UM, EVER SINCE THE COSTCO WENT IN, PEOPLE THINK IT'S A SPEEDWAY.

THE TRAFFIC HAS JUST INCREASED EXPONENTIALLY.

AND I JUST SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF WE ADDED ANY MORE DENSITY.

POPULATION DENSITY, NOT TO MENTION THE LOSS OF THE GREEN SPACE, WHICH I WOULD ALSO HATE TO SEE.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK NOW AS OPPOSED TO LATER IN THE AGENDA. YOU UNDERSTAND, SIR, THAT THIS WOULD BE YOUR CHANCE TO SPEAK, RIGHT? YEAH. THIS WOULD BE A CHANCE BY THREE MINUTES.

I GOT OTHER THINGS GOING ON TONIGHT, SO.

ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD. YOU GOT HERE?

[00:15:02]

I LIVE AT 2608 ROCKWOOD DRIVE, THE CORNER OF ROCKWOOD AND PARK LAKE RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE DEVELOPMENT.

AND WHILE I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THE SOCIAL OR ECOLOGICAL CONCERNS, WHICH I THOUGHT WERE VERY WELL SPOKEN, BROUGHT UP VERY GOOD POINTS, I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE TRAFFIC. I'M A RETIREE FROM THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AS A TRANSPORTATION PLANNER AND A WHAT DID I DO? YEAH, I ESTIMATED TRAFFIC VOLUMES.

I RAN TRAFFIC MODELING PROGRAMS. I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS.

FIRST OF ALL, ON PAGE FIVE OF THE DOCUMENT, YOUR PLANNER, MR. CHAPMAN, WROTE, IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE FIVE, HE TALKS ABOUT THE COUNT OF BEING 8307 AVERAGE ANNUAL DAILY TRAFFIC. IT'S REALLY A ADT, NOT ADT.

IT'S AVERAGE ANNUAL DAILY TRAFFIC, NOT AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC.

OKAY. AND THAT COUNT IS FROM INGHAM COUNTY.

IT'S FROM 2017.

COSTCO DIDN'T OPEN TILL LATE 2017, SO THAT'S NO WAY AN ACCURATE REFLECTION OF AVERAGE ANNUAL DAILY TRAFFIC.

IT'S KIND OF EMBARRASSING THAT'S IN THERE.

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN UPDATED.

IN FACT, I WOULD EXPECT YOU TO GO TO THE TRI COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION THAT CAN RUN THE MODELS AND SHOW YOU WHAT THE ACTUAL TRAFFIC VOLUMES ARE ON PARK LAKE ROAD RIGHT NOW AND WHAT THEY'RE ANTICIPATED TO BE WITH CONTINUED DEVELOPMENTS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE DEVELOPMENT GOING ON AT THE END OF PARK LAKE ROAD NEAR SAGINAW.

GOT THAT BIG EMPTY SPACE.

SO, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO BE BRIEF.

I ALSO NOTICED THAT ON PAGE SIX, WHERE HE TALKS ABOUT THE FORECAST, THE TRIPS THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING OUT OF DEVELOPMENTS THAT WAS COPIED AND PASTE FROM BERGMANN'S REPORT, REDMOND REDWOOD BERGMANN I DON'T KNOW WHICH IS WHICH.

THEY'RE PART OF THE SAME THING, ARE THEY NOT? THE BERGMANN TECHNICAL REPORT? I SAW IT. THANK YOU, MR. CALDWELL, FOR SENDING THAT TO ME WHEREVER YOU ARE OUT HERE.

AND YOU GUYS DIDN'T DO IT.

WHAT I MEAN TO SAY IS YOU'RE TAKING THE ESTIMATES FROM THE DEVELOPER AND NOT FROM INDEPENDENT GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE PAID TO ACTUALLY DO THESE THINGS.

THAT'S NOT RIGHT.

I MEAN, DUE DILIGENCE WILL REQUIRE YOU TO COME UP WITH YOUR OWN NUMBERS.

MAYBE THEY'RE RIGHT. I DON'T KNOW.

BUT YOU NEED TO ACTUALLY CHECK THAT WRAPPING UP HERE JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT.

I WENT OUT TODAY AND STOOD IN MY CORNER, WATCHED THE INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN ROCKWOOD AND MANSFIELD, AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT'S THE ONLY ACCESS YOU'RE POSSIBLY GOING TO HAVE FOR THAT DEVELOPMENT.

THERE ARE HILLS ON BOTH SIDES, JERRY.

YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS, ABOUT VERTICAL ALIGNMENTS.

WITH TRAFFIC, YOU CAN'T SEE ANYTHING BEYOND THE HILL.

YOU KNOW, FROM THE HILL TO MY INTERSECTION IS 2 TO 3 SECONDS.

OKAY? WATCHING FROM THE HILL TO THE NORTH TO WHERE THE BOTTOM OF THAT VALLEY IS GOING TO BE, WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE YOUR ACCESS DRIVE IS 4 TO 5 SECONDS.

I DID SEE A KIA DO IT IN THREE SECONDS.

BUT MY POINT IS, THIS IS GOING TO BE A HUGE PROBLEM FOR TRAFFIC AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU ADDRESS IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

YES, I'LL TAKE MY.

YES. KATHY SELDEN, 2689 CAHILL DRIVE.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DATA THAT THEY PRESENTED, IF YOU'RE GOING TO ACCEPT THEIR DATA WHEN THEY DID THEIR DATA, THEY CHOSE TO DO THEIR TIME STUDY, IF YOU WILL, ON A TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY FOR THEIR TRAFFIC VOLUMES.

IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, BETWEEN THE HOURS OF NINE AND 11 IN THE MORNING, 1 IN 3 AND SIX AND 8 P.M., NOWHERE NEAR THE PEAK TRAFFIC TIMES THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT TO SEE HIGH VOLUMES OF CARS MOVING IN AND OUT.

SO, YOU KNOW, MONDAYS, FRIDAYS, WEDNESDAYS, YOU KNOW.

YEAH. THANKS.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON WITH THE AGENDA THEN.

[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

IS THERE A MOTION? I MOVE TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED AGENDA.

A SECOND. SUPPORT SUPPORTED ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE AGENDA.

SAY I. NO OPPOSITION.

THE AGENDA IS APPROVED.

THE NEXT IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES THERE.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY MINUTES.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT, THEN.

I'M SORRY. WELL, FOR A SECOND, I THINK WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT.

[00:20:02]

WE DID NOT HAVE MINUTES FOR AUGUST 14TH.

WE APPROVED THE MINUTES FOR AUGUST 14TH AND AUGUST 28TH.

ON SEPTEMBER 11TH.

NOW, ON THE 25TH, WE DON'T HAVE MINUTES FOR SEPTEMBER 11TH.

THIS IS A TREND THAT IS STARTING.

AND I ASK THE CHAIRMAN OF OUR COMMITTEE TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR MINUTES.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE OUR MINUTES AT OUR MEETING BECAUSE LET'S FACE IT, WE'RE NOT GETTING ANY YOUNGER OUR MEMORIES.

SO YOU NEED A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

BUT I ASK THE CHAIRMAN TO LOOK INTO WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR MINUTES AND ENSURE THAT WE HAVE MINUTES OF OUR PREVIOUS MEETING WHEN WE COME TO OUR CURRENT MEETING.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. SCHMIDT. DID YOU? I'D BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS THAT.

THE CLERK'S OFFICE IS A LITTLE SHORT STAFFED RIGHT NOW AND THEY'VE HAD SOME ISSUES OVER THE PAST MONTH GETTING OUR MINUTES SPECIFICALLY.

WE'RE THE ONLY ONE THIS IS HAPPENING TO, AND SO OUR DEPARTMENT'S GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE THEM OVER FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE WHILE THEY SORT THAT OUT.

AND SO WE FOUND THAT OUT ABOUT THIS AFTERNOON, LATE FRIDAY.

AND SO WE'LL TAKE IT OVER FROM HERE ON OUT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

[6. COMMUNICATIONS]

BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT OF THIS EVENING'S MEETING, WE RECEIVED COMMUNICATIONS FROM KATHY SELDEN, LARRY TAYLOR FOR KATHERINE SHARP SIMMERS AND JOSEPHINE WOLKE.

THOSE WERE ALL ADDED TO OUR PACKAGE.

SO WE HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED THOSE AND HAVE READ THEM.

IN ADDITION, MANY OF YOU PRESENTED LETTERS TO US FOR THIS EVENING, THOSE OF US WHO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK THROUGH THEM.

BUT IN ALL HONESTY, WE GOT SO MANY SO QUICKLY THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO READ ALL OF THEM.

BUT I PROMISE THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WILL READ THEM.

WE ALSO HAD ONE FROM DR.

GREG GABELLINI.

HE SENT IT TO ME. I SENT IT ON TO ANYTHING THAT WE GOT SINCE THURSDAY AFTERNOON WHEN THE PACKET GOES OUT, WE'LL BE IN YOUR NEXT PACKET CONSISTENT WITH OUR PAST PRACTICE.

SO I DO THANK EVERYONE WHO SUBMITTED LETTERS TO US.

WE WILL READ THEM.

WE JUST GOT LIKE 14 OR 15 OF THEM IN THE HALF HOUR BEFORE THE MEETING STARTED, SO VERY GOOD.

ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT THING IS, IN FACT ITEM SEVEN, WHICH IS THE PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING REZONING NUMBER 23 030 PARK LAKE ROAD.

[7A. REZ #23030 – Park Lake Road]

I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SCROLL DOWN AND SHOW YOU WHAT THAT PORTION IS.

AND SO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS THE CURRENT ZONING MAP.

THIS SOUTH EASTERN PORTION OF THE PROPERTY, ROUGHLY TWO THIRDS OF THE REQUEST HAS BEEN ZONED SINCE AS FAR BACK AS WE CAN FIND IN OUR RECORDS.

THE REMAINDER, THE NORTH WEST CORNER AND THE SMALL PARCEL ON PARK LAKE THAT IS VACANT CURRENTLY ARE BOTH ZONED R A WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE SURROUNDING AREA.

THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A CONDITIONAL REZONING OF THESE TWO AREAS.

SPECIFICALLY, THE CONDITIONS OF THE REZONING WOULD LIMIT THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE.

THEY WOULD RUN WITH THE LAND IF THEY WERE NOT MET OR IF IT CHANGED, WE WOULD.

AND WE HAVE A CLAUSE IN THESE AGREEMENTS WHERE WE REZONE IT BACK.

IF THEY ARE NOT DOING THE PROJECT.

THE CONDITIONS PROPOSED ARE A LIMITATION ON THE USES TO ATTACH TOWNHOUSE UNITS AND THE TYPICAL ACCESSORY UNITS.

SO THE COMMON SPACE MAIN BUILDING, POST OFFICE BOXES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THE BUILDING HEIGHT SHALL BE NO MORE THAN 16FT OR ONE STORY, WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN A SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICT.

THE BUILDING LENGTH SHALL NOT EXCEED 196FT IN LENGTH.

MINIMUM UNIT AREA IS 1200 SQUARE FEET.

ALL THE ROADS WILL BE PRIVATE, SO THEY WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY FUTURE.

MAINTENANCE REQUESTS FROM US, AND IT IS CONDITIONAL UPON REDWOOD ACTUALLY PURCHASING THE PROPERTY.

IF THEY DO NOT PURCHASE IT, THE ZONING WOULD REVERT AS WELL.

SO THAT'S THE REQUEST. IN FRONT OF THIS EVENING.

THE PROPERTY IS MASTER PLANNED FOR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL UP TO THREE DWELLING UNITS TO THE ACRE.

THE PROPOSAL IS SLIGHTLY MORE THAN THREE DWELLING UNITS TO THE ACRE, BUT DOES NOT MEET THE MULTIFAMILY DISTRICT WHICH STARTS AT, I BELIEVE IT'S JUST AT THE BOTTOM END OF THE MULTIFAMILY DISTRICT, WHICH STARTS AT FIVE UNITS OF THE ACRE.

BUT AGAIN, THIS IS WHY WE INCLUDED IN THE MASTER PLAN TO ADDRESS ALL THE SPLIT ZONE PARCELS IN THE TOWNSHIP, BECAUSE THIS IS A SPLIT ZONE PARCEL.

[00:25:05]

THE REZONING WOULD BE IF IT WERE TO BE APPROVED, THEY WOULD BE LOCKED IN AT THOSE WITH THOSE CONDITIONS LIMITING WHAT THEY CAN DO ON THE SITE, AND THEN THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO ENGINEER THE SITE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF OUR WETLAND ORDINANCE, WHICH PRELIMINARILY SHOW NOT A LOT OF WETLAND ON THE SITE AND SECONDARILY THE REQUIREMENTS OF BOTH THE INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSION WHO IS HERE THIS EVENING AND THE COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT.

SO WE WILL BE ADDRESSING CONCERNS SHOULD THIS GO FORWARD.

THE I DO WANT TO BRIEFLY ADDRESS THE TRAFFIC RELATED QUESTIONS.

THE MOST RECENT DATA AVAILABLE IS 20 2017.

THAT IS THE DATA FROM TRI COUNTY REGIONAL PLAN.

FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, THEY HAVEN'T RUN COUNTS ON THIS STRETCH OF ROAD SINCE THEN.

WE DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO RUN COUNTS.

SO CERTAINLY THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BRING TO THEIR ATTENTION AND SEE IF WE CAN GET IT ON THEIR RADAR IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

AND I WILL POINT OUT THAT THE TRIP GENERATION COMPARISON IN THE REPORT IS SIMPLY THERE FOR YOUR EASE OF REVIEW.

IT'S NO, WE ARE NOT NOT AUTHORIZING ANYTHING OR SAYING IT'S RIGHT.

WE ARE SIMPLY POINTING OUT WHAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED WITHIN THEIR REPORT BY WAY OF PROCESS.

THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL NOT MAKE A DECISION THIS EVENING.

THEY WILL HAVE THIS BACK AT A FUTURE MEETING FOR A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD.

THE TOWNSHIP BOARD MAKES FINAL DECISION ON ALL REZONING ACTIONS BECAUSE IT IS A MODIFICATION TO THE ORDINANCE.

TECHNICALLY, BY DEFINITION, WE HAVE INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET THIS EVENING THE ENTIRETY OF THEIR APPLICATION ALONG WITH THEIR NARRATIVE AND TRAFFIC GENERATION, THE TRIP GENERATION INFORMATION THAT ARE THAT WAS CITED ABOUT BEING ON TUESDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS AND THURSDAYS IS ACTUALLY COMPARISON FROM OTHER PROJECTS.

IT'S NOT RELATED TO THIS PROJECT.

IT WAS PROVIDED AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT ON AN AVERAGE DAY FOR THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT.

AND WE HAVE ALSO INCLUDED THE REZONING CRITERIA IN YOUR PACKET ON PAGE 57.

I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME, BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO STEP ASIDE AND LIKE TO ALLOW THE APPLICANT TO SPEAK AND THEN GIVE THE PUBLIC A CHANCE TO SPEAK AS WELL.

EXISTING MASTER PLAN. I JUST GOT A NOTE FROM SOMEONE WHO SAYS THERE'S NO AUDIO ON OUR TV FEED.

YES. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT PART IS ON EMERGENCY ORDER RIGHT NOW.

AND OKAY, IT'S BEEN A COUPLE IT'S BEEN A IT'S BEEN A FEW WEEKS SINCE IT'S BEEN OUT AND WE APOLOGIZE.

SORRY. THAT'S OKAY. SORRY.

I DIDN'T MEAN IT USED TO KNOW THAT.

COMMISSIONER RICHARDS. YEAH. I WANT TO POINT OUT, I THINK THIS IS ACCURATE.

THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT ONLY A SMALLER NUMBER OF FOLKS GETTING NOTICED, AND I THINK I BELIEVE THAT THE STATE LAW REQUIRES 300FT.

THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 300FT BE NOTIFIED.

THE CHALLENGE FROM THE TOWNSHIP'S STANDPOINT IS IF YOU GO ANYTHING FURTHER THAN THE 300FT, THEN YOU'RE OPENING YOURSELF UP TO HAVING TO DO THAT FOR EVERY SINGLE REZONING.

AND SO CONSISTENTLY ACROSS GOVERNMENTAL UNITS, THE FOLKS THAT GET NOTIFIED ARE 300FT OR LESS.

SO IT'S NOT A THE TOWNSHIP IS NOT TRYING TO LIMIT OR FOLLOWING THE STATE LAW.

AND I THINK YOU WILL FIND CONSISTENTLY THAT GOVERNMENTAL UNITS CONSISTENTLY WILL FOLLOW THE STATE LAW.

NOW, AS YOU SAW, THOSE FOLKS WERE WITHIN 300FT ARE GOING TO LET YOU KNOW, PROBABLY.

BUT THAT'S THE STATE LAW.

IT'S NOT MEANT TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO WILL FIND OUT ABOUT IT.

SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.

DIDN'T I READ IN THE PROSPECTUS THAT THIS PROPOSED CHANGE IS CONTRARY TO THE EXISTING MASTER PLAN, THE EXISTING MASTER PLAN? CALLS FOR SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING UNITS FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THIS CORRIDOR, REGARDLESS OF THE UNDERLYING ZONING.

I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S ACTUALLY A COUPLE OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES THAT CALLS FOR SINGLE FAMILY ZONING IN THE EXISTING MASTER PLAN WAS PREPARED IN 2018, 2017, 2017.

OKAY. YEAH, THAT WAS ONE OF MY QUESTIONS.

TIM. WOULD THIS REQUIRE A CHANGE TO THE MASTER PLAN? IT WOULD NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE PROPOSING A CONDITIONAL REZONING.

IT'S A BIT OF A UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCE.

THE GIVEN THAT THEY'RE LIMITING THE POTENTIAL USE OF THE SITE, IT IS YOU WOULD NOT BE

[00:30:03]

IF WE WANTED TO AMEND THE MASTER PLAN, WE CERTAINLY COULD.

I WOULD PROBABLY RECOMMEND DOING IT IN THE SAME SORT OF PROCESS THAT WE'RE DOING NOW.

IF THIS WAS A STRAIGHT REZONING REQUEST, IT'D BE A PRETTY EASY DENIAL, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

BUT BECAUSE IT'S A CONDITIONAL REZONING WHERE THEY'RE LIMITING THE USE AND LIMITING THE SIZE AND TRYING TO MEET THE INTENT, YOU HAVE A REASONABLE CASE EITHER WAY.

IS THERE ANY.

I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS.

CAN I ASK. GO AHEAD. IS THERE ANY HISTORY OF A SPECIAL USE KIND OF PERMIT IN THIS SCENARIO? SO ULTIMATELY, THAT WOULD BE SORT OF THE NEXT STEP.

SO THE CONDITIONAL REZONING IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT WAS ADDED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE IN 2007, MIGHT HAVE BEEN MIGHT HAVE BEEN OH FIVE TO SORT OF HIT WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT OF WE MAYBE KIND OF WANT THIS, BUT THE DEVELOPER HAS TO OFFER UP A REASON TO ALLOW IT.

AND SO IT'S NOT QUITE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.

IT DOESN'T FALL UNDER THAT PROVISION OF THE STATE ENABLING LEGISLATION.

IT'S STILL A REZONING.

IT'S STILL ENTIRELY DISCRETIONARY.

THEY CAN OFFER IT. WE CANNOT ASK.

WE CANNOT REQUIRE IT.

THEY OFFER WE ACCEPT OR DENY.

OKAY. SO THEN THERE WOULD POTENTIALLY COULD BE TWO PHASES TO THIS, WHERE IT WOULD BE THE THIS INITIAL PART AND THEN THERE WOULD BE THE PERMITTING PART.

CORRECT. AND THE PERMITTING PART COULD INCLUDE SOME SORT OF ADDITIONAL.

CORRECT. OKAY.

SO THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS RELATED TO THE THE SERVICE BOUNDARY.

SO THEN IF THE I'M NOT SAYING WHERE IS THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY IN RELATION TO THIS, IT'S MILES TO THE EAST.

OH, OKAY.

OKAY. SO THIS IS ALL WITHIN THAT.

ABSOLUTELY. AND IT HAS BEEN INSIDE THAT FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN INSIDE OF IT.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

I'M GOING TO PAUSE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. SORRY I CALLED YOU.

TIM DIRECTOR SCHMITT IS WORKING OTB NET.

I'D BE INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM THE APPLICANT IF THEY'D LIKE TO ADDRESS.

I WOULD TOO. I UNDERSTAND YOU ALSO HAD SOMEBODY FROM THE WATER.

WHO DO WE HAVE THAT'S PREPARED? SO THE APPLICANT IS HERE THIS EVENING AND THEN OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

I WOULD POINT OUT FOR THOSE OF YOU WATCHING ME AT HOME AND SEEING MY LIPS MOVE WITHOUT HEARING ANYTHING, THE AUDIO IS WORKING ON HOME TV.COM.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE DIRECT FEED IS WORKING.

SO. ALL RIGHT.

SO THE APPLICANT IS HERE THIS EVENING.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR MR. SCHMIDT? YEAH.

JUST COULD YOU EXPLAIN THE PROCESS IN TERMS OF IF MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE APPLICANT WILL SPEAK AND THEN THE PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL WILL COME FROM THE PUBLIC TO COMMENT AND THEN THE COMMISSIONERS WILL ASK QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT OR YOURSELF OR DISCUSS IT AND DISCUSS IT.

YEAH, CERTAINLY I DON'T RUN YOUR MEETING, BUT THAT IS A TYPICAL PROCESS.

THAT IS A TYPICAL WAY TO RUN A MEETING IS TO ALLOW THE APPLICANT TO SPEAK NOW AND THEN OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC, CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND THEN DISCUSS IT WITH THE APPLICANT AND STAFF. OKAY.

YES. ONE MORE PROCESS, AND I THINK YOU COVERED THIS IN YOUR INTRO AND COMMENTS A LITTLE BIT, BUT JUST TO MAKE IT CLEAR, THIS IS AN APPLICATION FROM THE APPLICANT AND THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS LISTENING AND CONSIDERING ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IN PREPARATION FOR MAKING A REQUEST OR MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD. THIS ISN'T THE PLANNING COMMISSION PROPOSING THIS, AND I HEARD A FEW PEOPLE THINK THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE CASE.

AND I JUST WANTED TO CORRECT THAT.

THIS IS NOT A TOWNSHIP INITIATED REZONING, NOR IS THIS THE FINAL DECISION.

SO WE'RE HERE LISTENING TO EVERYBODY.

THEN LET'S HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.

YES, SIR. I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

IF YOU BOTH KNOW TONIGHT THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO GO FURTHER.

NO, THEY WILL NOT VOTE THIS EVENING.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S RULES DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO VOTE NO.

WELL, THIS IS. YEAH, WE'LL GET TO THAT, SIR.

LET'S HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT, PLEASE.

HELLO. GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS EMILY ENGLEHART.

I'M WITH REDWOOD APARTMENT NEIGHBORHOODS.

MY ADDRESS IS 3100 TELEGRAPH ROAD.

BINGHAM FARMS, MICHIGAN.

48025. THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO GIVE YOU A PRESENTATION ON REDWOOD THIS EVENING.

I'LL TRY TO MAKE IT QUICK BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS HERE WHO NEED TO BE HEARD, BUT I DO VALUE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND WITH THE

[00:35:05]

WE ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN A TYPICAL APARTMENT DEVELOPER.

REDWOOD YOU'LL SEE, WE ALWAYS START WITH THE SIGN BECAUSE REDWOOD IS A COMPANY THAT HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS SINCE 1991, AND WE HAVE GROWN TO A COMPANY THAT HAS OVER 15,000 APARTMENT HOMES WITHIN THE BROADER MIDWEST.

AND YOU'LL SEE THESE SIGNS.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A REDWOOD, IT'S A BRAND THAT THAT WE REALLY VALUE AND I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH FOR OVER TEN YEARS.

AND I FEEL THAT IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL COMPANY TO WORK WITH AND A WAY TO CHANGE FOLKS LIVES.

SO WHO IS REDWOOD? WE DO ONE THING AND ONE THING ONLY, WHICH IS DEVELOP SINGLE STOREY, LOW DENSITY APARTMENT NEIGHBORHOODS.

LIKE I SAID, 15,000 UNITS OWNED AND MANAGED SINCE 1991.

WE HAVE A PORTFOLIO WIDE, I THINK WE'RE 98% LEASED.

WE FOUND A NICHE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SEEKING AN ALTERNATIVE TO A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE.

FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE FIND THAT OUR RENTERS ARE RENTERS BY CHOICE.

THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THIS TYPE OF LIVING.

UM, WE OFFER 24 OVER SEVEN ON SITE PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT AND WE, WE DO EVERYTHING.

WE ARE NOT JUST BUILDING IT AND FLIPPING IT TO SOMEONE ELSE.

WE OWN AND MANAGE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO WE ARE, WHO ARE OUR RESIDENTS.

AGAIN, WE WILL RENT TO ANYONE WHO QUALIFIES.

WE'RE NOT AN AGE RESTRICTED PRODUCT.

HOWEVER, DUE TO THE NATURE OF OUR DESIGN BEING TWO BEDROOMS, TWO BATHROOMS, SINGLE STORY, WE FIND THAT WE'RE A VERY APPEALING PRODUCT TO EMPTY NESTERS, SENIORS, YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, THOSE WHO ARE SEEKING THE FEEL OF A HOME BUT DON'T WANT TO OWN A HOME FOR WHATEVER REASON.

LOOKING HERE, YOU KNOW, OUR RENT RANGE IS 2100 TO $2500 A MONTH.

IT'S EQUIVALENT TO A MORTGAGE PAYMENT ON A RELATIVELY NICE HOUSE.

SO IT'S FOLKS THAT ARE CHOOSING TO LIVE IN THIS TYPE OF LIVING.

THEY WANT FLEXIBILITY.

THEY WANT TO, YOU KNOW, DO THE WINTER IN FLORIDA.

THEY WANT TO FOLLOW THEIR KIDS IN A COUPLE OF YEARS.

THEY, YOU KNOW, ARE BUILDING A HOUSE IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO WE FIND A LOT OF PEOPLE COME TO REDWOOD FOR FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REASONS, BUT IT CREATES A GREAT COMMUNITY.

UM, YOU KNOW, FOLKS WHO ARE SEEKING MAINTENANCE FREE LIFESTYLE.

WE HAVE PRIVATE ROADS, WE HANDLE ALL THE LANDSCAPING.

IF YOU'VE GOT A PACKAGE THAT'S TOO HEAVY TO CARRY IN, YOU KNOW SOMEONE WILL DO THAT FOR YOU.

IF HELP TAKING THE TRASH OUT OR CHANGING A LIGHT BULB.

WE WANT TO OFFER HIGH SERVICE.

WE CHARGE A LOT OF RENT.

SO WE WANT OUR FOLKS TO BE, YOU KNOW, HAPPY WITH THEIR CHOICE IN THEIR HOME.

WE FIND THAT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES, MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE ALREADY LIVING IN SOMEWHERE LIKE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, AND THEY ARE JUST LOOKING FOR A DIFFERENT TYPE OF HOUSING, YOU KNOW, WANTING TO DOWNSIZE.

AS I MENTIONED, SOME OF THE OTHER REASONS, IT ALLOWS HOUSING FILTRATION TO HAPPEN WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOUNG FAMILIES CAN'T FIND SOMEWHERE TO LIVE BECAUSE EMPTY NESTERS AND SENIORS DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO GO AND THEY WANT TO STAY IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND REDWOOD DOES PROVIDE A SOLUTION FOR THAT.

WE REALLY SELL.

I MEAN, WE RENT, BUT WE SELL PEACE AND QUIET.

WE REQUIRE A BACKGROUND CHECK, CREDIT CHECK ON ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.

EVERYONE OVER 18 HAS TO BE A LEASE HOLDER.

WE REALLY TRY TO CONTROL OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AS BEST AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE IT A SAFE, COMFORTABLE, QUIET PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE.

AND AGAIN, WE'RE RIGHT AROUND HERE.

WE HAVE A COMMUNITY IN DEWITT TOWNSHIP, DELTA TOWNSHIP.

WE HAVE A TWO PHASE COMMUNITY.

AND THEN WE JUST CONSTRUCTED A COMMUNITY, A THIRD IN DELTA TOWNSHIP, AND WE HAVE A THREE PHASE COMMUNITY DOWN IN DELPHI TOWNSHIP, HOLT AREA.

SO WE'RE IN OTHER AREAS OF LANSING AS WELL AS THROUGHOUT MICHIGAN, WHICH YOU'LL SEE JUST A FEW FACTS.

LOOKING ON A BROAD SCALE.

I MEAN, WE CAN'T SAY WHO WILL LIVE SOMEWHERE BECAUSE WE WILL RENT TO ANYONE WHO QUALIFIES, BUT WE FIND ACROSS OUR PORTFOLIO OUR AVERAGE AGE OF A RESIDENT IS, YOU KNOW, ALMOST 51 YEARS, 70% EMPTY NESTERS, LESS THAN TWO CARS PER HOME, LESS THAN TWO PEOPLE PER HOME.

SO JUST SOME UNIQUE THINGS THAT YOU WOULDN'T FIND.

TYPICALLY IN A MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT, WE OFFER A STANDARD LEASE TERM OF A YEAR.

WE OFFER LONGER LEASES BECAUSE FOLKS HAVE DEMANDED THAT.

SO AND TYPICALLY, DUE TO THE NATURE OF TWO BEDROOMS, IT'S USUALLY NOT A LOT OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN.

THERE ARE SOME, BUT USUALLY IT'S NOT.

YOU KNOW, WE ARE A NET POSITIVE FOR THE SCHOOLS IN TERMS OF TAXES AND, YOU KNOW, CHILDREN USING THEM.

THIS IS JUST SOME INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WE DO, CREDIT CHECKS, BACKGROUND CHECKS, WHAT WE REQUIRE TO RENT WITH REDWOOD.

AND IF SOMEONE'S A PROBLEM, WE WILL NOT RENEW THEIR LEASE.

[00:40:03]

JUST A LITTLE INFORMATION.

REDWOOD AND MICHIGAN, WE'VE GOT 32 NEIGHBORHOODS IN MICHIGAN CIRCLING AROUND DETROIT, LANSING, GRAND RAPIDS, KALAMAZOO.

WE'VE BEEN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DEMAND.

THE SNOWBIRD, I THINK THE ATTACHED GARAGE HELPS.

WE HAVE MICHIGAN OFFICE HERE AND ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE WELL LEASED RIGHT AROUND HERE IN 98, 97%.

YOU KNOW, FOLKS MOVING IN, MOVING OUT, CHANGING THE CARPETS.

BUT WE'VE HAD DEMAND WAITLISTS ON NEW NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO JUST OVERALL, WE HAVE OVER 115 NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THE 15,000 UNITS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.

AND WE'RE GROWING GROWING IN IN THESE MARKETS.

JUST SOME INFORMATION.

WE WANT TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE PUT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT IN MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT A PIECE OF A PLACE, A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE ENOUGH RENTERS SO THAT WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.

AND WE LOOK AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS, HOUSING, STOCK, YOU KNOW, OUR OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS, COMMERCIAL ELEMENTS, EMPLOYERS AND EVERYTHING REALLY LINES UP HERE WITH MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

I KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE A VERY SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY FOR REDWOOD TO BE IN.

UM, WHAT DO WE BUILD? SO, AS I SAID, TWO BEDROOMS, TWO BATHROOMS ATTACHED, TWO CAR GARAGE, FULL DRIVEWAY.

ALL OF OUR UNITS HAVE EACH OF THESE THINGS.

YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALWAYS SINGLE STORY.

WE DO LANDSCAPING, STONE AND SIDING, ACCENTS, VAULTED CEILINGS.

WE WANT THESE TO LIVE LIKE HOMES AND ATTACHED.

MANY TIMES WHEN PEOPLE DRIVE BY, THEY THINK THEY LOOK LIKE AN ATTACHED CONDO.

THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE A RENTAL PROPERTY.

AGAIN, WE LIKE TO OFFER PRIVATE STREETS, HIGH SERVICE, LOW MAINTENANCE LIFESTYLE.

SO JUST A FEW PICTURES.

WE HAVE A COUPLE DIFFERENT FLOOR PLANS AND FACADES.

SO WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S NOT EXACTLY THE SAME BUILDING.

EVERY BUILDING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A FEW DIFFERENT LOOKS AND THEN THERE'S DIFFERENT INTERIORS FOR FOLKS.

SO OUR UNITS RANGE FROM ALMOST 1300FT² TO, I THINK JUST OVER 1600 SQUARE FEET.

SO THE FOREST AND MEADOWOOD ARE OUR KIND OF OUR BREAD AND BUTTER UNITS.

FOLKS REALLY LIKE THESE.

THERE ARE MOST WELL, LEAST AND AND PEOPLE REALLY LIKE LIVING IN THEM.

WILLOWWOOD IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT DESIGN.

THIS IS ACTUALLY A PICTURE I JUST TOOK A MONTH AGO IN DELTA TOWNSHIP.

THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT OF A WIDER UNIT THAT'S LESS DEEP, JUST A DIFFERENT FLOOR PLAN, A DIFFERENT LOOK WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET OR WALKING.

AND THEN THIS IS OUR CAPE WOOD UNIT, WHICH HAS A SUNROOM THAT'S THAT 1600 SQUARE FOOT UNIT THAT OFFERS A LITTLE BIT MORE SPACE FOR FOLKS.

IT'S NOT ANOTHER BEDROOM, BUT IT'S JUST AN ADDITIONAL SPACE THAT FOLKS CAN USE JUST PROVIDING SOME STREET VIEWS.

WE ALWAYS WANT TO HAVE LONG ENOUGH DRIVEWAYS TO SERVICE LARGE TRUCKS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE LIGHT OUR STREETS WITH JUST PORCH LIGHTS ON, ON THE GARAGES SO THAT IT'S A SAFE PLACE.

BUT IT FEELS LIKE A NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IT IS.

JUST SOME INFORMATION ABOUT OUR MAINTENANCE.

YOU KNOW, WE TAKE CARE OF ALL THE SNOW PLOWING, SALTING ALL OF THAT MOWING, LANDSCAPING.

WE REALLY WANT OUR COMMUNITIES TO LOOK GOOD.

AS I MENTIONED, WE'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE 1991.

YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR OLDER COMMUNITIES ARE IN OHIO AND THEY STILL LOOK GREAT.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO KEEP THEM FRESH AND GREAT FOR PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO COME BACK.

SOME OF OUR OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS IN MICHIGAN, NEAR DETROIT, ARE ALMOST TEN YEARS OLD, AND DELTA TOWNSHIP IS PROBABLY OUR OLDEST ONE HERE, DELTA AND DELPHI.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO INNOVATE WITH OUR NEW NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT ALSO MAINTAIN A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE.

INTERIOR FEATURES.

WE TWO BEDROOMS, TWO BATHS, GRANITE COUNTERTOPS, EATON KITCHENS, VAULTED CEILINGS, CEILING FANS, WASHER AND DRYER HOOKUPS.

AGAIN, WALK IN CLOSETS, WANT TO PROVIDE AMENITIES OF A HOME.

THESE ARE JUST SOME PHOTOS OF WHAT A TYPICAL INTERIOR LOOKS LIKE.

AGAIN, IF YOU VISIT ANY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU'D BE MORE THAN WELCOME TO GO IN.

IN ANY OF THE UNITS AND SEE FOR YOURSELF HOW THEY LOOK AND FEEL AND LIVE.

UM, SO THAT'S JUST A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF REDWOOD, OUR REZONING PROPOSAL.

I THINK MR. SCHMIDT DID A WONDERFUL JOB EXPLAINING WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR.

WE'RE TRYING TO LIMIT OUR REZONING REQUESTS TO SAY THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PUT A REDWOOD HERE IN SO MANY WORDS WITH SINGLE STORY LIMITATION, BUILDING

[00:45:03]

A BULK OF THIS PROPERTY IS ALREADY ZONED MULTIPLE FAMILY.

WE FIND THAT, YOU KNOW, OFTEN MULTIFAMILY IS A TRANSITION FROM THE BUSIER COMMERCIAL TO THE SINGLE FAMILY, THE PROXIMITY TO A RAILROAD OR, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT HIGHER INTENSITY USES WITH OUR SINGLE STORY NATURE, IT'S A NICE TRANSITION.

UM, AGAIN, THE OTHER THING THAT WASN'T MENTIONED, THIS PROPERTY IS ACTUALLY 33 ACRES AND THE NORTH 14 ACRES.

THAT'S JUST ABOVE.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE THAT GOES HERE.

WE'RE NOT PROPOSING TO CHANGE THE ZONING THERE.

WE'RE NOT PROPOSING BUILDING ANYTHING THERE.

THAT WOULD BE 14 ACRES THAT WOULD BE MAINTAINED AS IT IS RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE NOT PROPOSING ANYTHING IN THAT AREA.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO LIMIT OUR DENSITY TO THE AREAS WHERE IT MAKES SENSE WITH WITH THE EXISTING ZONING AND WHAT WE FEEL WE COULD BRING TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND JUST I KNOW THAT THE TRAFFIC WAS A POINT.

I KNOW WE PROVIDED A TRAFFIC STUDY.

IT IS AN ACTUAL STUDY OF REDWOOD COMMUNITIES IN ADDITION, WHICH IS UNIQUE BECAUSE WE DO HAVE RESIDENTS THAT TRAVEL A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN TYPICAL APARTMENT DEVELOPERS OR SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS.

YOU KNOW, THEY ARE NOT TRAVELING NECESSARILY AT PEAK HOURS.

AND OUR STUDY DID LOOK AT 6 TO 8 A.M.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT DID GO FROM IT DID GO EARLIER THAN 9 A.M.

BUT IT LOOKS AT OUR EXACT NEIGHBORHOODS AND HOW MUCH TRAFFIC THEY GENERATE.

AND IF THIS PROPERTY WERE DEVELOPED AS IT IS ZONED RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING WOULD BE A DECREASE IN TRAFFIC IF IT WAS BUILT OUT TO ITS MAXIMUM AS ITS OWN RIGHT NOW.

SO THAT'S WHAT OUR TRIP GENERATION REPORT SHOWS, THAT WE WOULDN'T EVEN BREAK 50 TRIPS BASED ON OUR TRIP GENERATION REPORT AT AN AM OR A PM PEAK.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHILE IT'S A COMMUNITY, IT IS PROBABLY A LESS INTENSE ITEM DEVELOPMENT THAN WHAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE THERE.

AND WITH IT BEING SUCH AN ATTRACTIVE GROWING TOWNSHIP, I IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A PROPERTY THAT WILL BE DEVELOPED SOMEDAY AND WE WOULD BE VERY PROUD TO BE A PART OF YOUR COMMUNITY. SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

I KNOW I TALKED FAST AND SAID A LOT, BUT I THANK YOU AND I WILL BE DONE.

I THINK THAT'S THE LAST SLIDE.

YEAH. ASK QUESTIONS.

YEAH. WOULD YOU MIND SCROLLING BACK UP AND JUST KEEPING IT ON THAT FOR A MOMENT? THIS ONE? YES, SURE.

THANK YOU. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO STAY HERE? YES, PLEASE. OKAY.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE PANEL? YES, GO AHEAD.

I'M LOOKING AT THE TRAFFIC STUDY YOU'VE PROVIDED AND YOU TALK ABOUT 37 SINGLE FAMILY UNITS AND 105 MULTI LOW RISE FOR THE EXISTING ZONING.

SO THAT INCLUDES THE 13.16 AREAS THAT ARE ALREADY ZONED D IN YOUR TRAFFIC STUDY.

WE ARE LOOKING AT THE DEVELOPMENT IF IT WAS BUILT OUT AS IT'S ZONED.

SO, THE WHOLE 22 ACRE PIECE, NOT THE 14 ACRES NORTH, BUT THE 22.

YES. AND YOU'RE COMPARING IT TO THE LIMITED AREA.

YOU'RE ASKING FOR REZONING RATHER THAN THE ENTIRE PROPERTY? WELL, WE'RE I GUESS COMPARING IT TO AND I HAVE MY ENGINEER, IAN HERE WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THIS, IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF HE COMES UP JUST BECAUSE HE IS PART OF HE DIDN'T GENERATE THE STUDY, BUT I ALWAYS LIKE TO PASS IT OFF TO THE EXPERTS.

IAN GRAHAM FROM BERGMANN 7050 WEST SAGINAW HIGHWAY LANSING, MICHIGAN 48917.

SO THE TRAFFIC TRIP GENERATION LOOKS AT THE EXISTING CONDITIONS OF THE SITE.

SO GOT EIGHT ACRES OF A SINGLE FAMILY, WHICH IS ROUGHLY 37 SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING UNITS.

AND THEN WE'VE GOT 13.1 ACRES OF MULTIFAMILY ZONING, WHICH I BELIEVE IS 105 UNITS.

SO IN TOTAL, THE EXISTING CONDITIONS LOOK AT SINGLE FAMILY TRIP GENERATION, MULTIFAMILY TRIP, TRIP GENERATION, AND THEN WE SHOW OUR PROPOSED TRIP GENERATION, WHICH IS.

I THINK 106 UNITS.

SO THAT WOULD BE FOR THE WHOLE SITE.

SO AS THE TOWNSHIP HAS A STIPULATION IN THEIR ZONING ORDINANCE, THAT FULL TRAFFIC STUDY IS REQUIRED IF YOU'RE PROPOSED, EXCEEDS YOUR EXISTING.

IN THIS CASE, IT DOES NOT.

BASED OFF OF THOSE NUMBERS, EXCEPT IF I'M READING YOUR STUDY.

CORRECT, YOU STILL GOT 13.16 ACRES THAT ARE NOT PART OF THIS REZONING THAT COULD STILL HAVE THAT 105 ADDITIONAL UNITS UNDER HIS

[00:50:05]

SO YOU'RE NOT REDUCING THE TOTAL YOU'RE GOING FROM 37 THAT YOU COULD PUT ON THE EXISTING ZONING TO 106 WITH THESE APARTMENTS.

BUT WE'RE ALSO INCLUDING THE EXISTING MULTIFAMILY ZONING AS WELL.

ALL RIGHT. SO THAT YOU COULD INCLUDE THAT IN THE EXISTING AND YOU'VE GOT 211 RATHER THAN 106, AND YOU'VE STILL GOT THE 748 TRAFFIC FROM THAT ADDITIONAL 13 ACRES.

EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT PLANNING ON DOING ANYTHING NOW, THAT'S STILL COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES RATHER THAN APPLES TO A VERY SMALL ORANGE. NOW OUR CONDITIONS RESTRICT ANY DEVELOPMENT IN THAT AREA, SO NO TRIPS WILL COME FROM THAT NORTH, 14 ACRES.

I BELIEVE YOUR RESTRICTIONS APPLY TO THE EIGHT ACRES THAT ARE BEING SOUGHT TO REZONE, NOT TO THE ENTIRE 21 ACRES.

IF I'M INCORRECT, MAYBE MR. SCHMIDT CAN. SO THIS IS A UNIQUE SITUATION.

SO YOU ARE INCORRECT HERE, UNFORTUNATELY.

OKAY. BECAUSE IT IS A SPLIT ZONE PARCEL.

THE CONDITIONAL REZONING AGREEMENT WILL RUN WITH THE ENTIRE PARCEL.

NORMALLY YOU WOULD BE CORRECT, BUT BECAUSE THIS IS A WEIRD SITUATION, IT WOULD COVER THE ENTIRE PARCEL GOING FORWARD.

SO IN EFFECT, WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS COMMITTING NOT TO DO ANYTHING ON THAT 13 ACRES.

CORRECT. WITHOUT COMING BACK FOR SOME SORT OF A VARIANCE OR REZONING OR SOMETHING, THEY'D HAVE TO START ALL OVER AGAIN.

CORRECT. OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.

ABSOLUTELY. SORRY IF I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.

WELL, IT WAS A LITTLE CONVOLUTED.

I DO HAVE A QUESTION.

THE UNITS THAT YOU SHOWED US ARE BEAUTIFUL HOUSING.

I MEAN, FRANKLY, THEY'RE VERY ATTRACTIVE.

MY QUESTION IS NOT WHAT IS THE HOUSING LOOK LIKE OR WHO IS IT INTENDED FOR? IT'S WHY HERE? WHY IN THIS LOCATION? WELL, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH REDWOOD FOR MORE THAN TEN YEARS AND IN THE BROKERAGE CAPACITY FOR MUCH OF IT.

AND I HAVE FRANKLY BEEN LOOKING AT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP FOR A LONG TIME FOR A PIECE OF PROPERTY, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT BASED ON THE DEMOGRAPHICS, BASED ON THE EMPLOYERS, BASED ON A MYRIAD OF FACTORS, OUR SUCCESS LOCALLY, THAT WE WOULD HAVE A GREAT SUCCESSFUL NEIGHBORHOOD HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR BROKER, SEAN O'BRIEN, AND HE BROUGHT THIS SITE TO MY ATTENTION AS A POSSIBILITY BECAUSE I'VE LOOKED AT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROPERTIES THAT HAVEN'T WORKED.

FOR WHATEVER REASON. WE NEED A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF SPACE TO DEVELOP BECAUSE WE OFFER ON SITE MANAGEMENT, ON SITE, YOU KNOW, MAINTENANCE, THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO WE HAVE TO HIT, YOU KNOW, 15 ACRES.

SO FINDING A PROPERTY THAT IS HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR REZONING TO BUILD WHAT WE DO BECAUSE WE DON'T GO UP AND, YOU KNOW, DO THINGS LIKE THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND SOMEWHERE.

AND SO THIS OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, AROSE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT, THE NEW SHOPPING IN THE AREA.

I MEAN, IT'S BEEN A DESIRABLE MARKET FOR REDWOOD.

IT'S IN WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER A A AREA FOR US.

AND I WAS THRILLED TO, YOU KNOW, SEE IT.

AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL FIT FOR OUR PORTFOLIO.

DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEAH. I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING AT AND I THINK PROBABLY THE MAIN REASON MOST OF THESE PEOPLE ARE ACTIVATED IS NOT THE NATURE OF THE BUILD THAT YOU HAVE.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT MIDDLE CLASS RENTAL HOUSING IS REALLY VERY DESIRABLE IN A COMMUNITY LIKE A MAJOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY WHERE THERE'S A CONSTANT FLOW OF PEOPLE IN AND OUT.

THE REAL QUESTION IS, DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING TO BUILD HERE IS COMPLETELY INCONSISTENT WITH THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ALREADY ARE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD? I GUESS MY COMMENT TO THAT IS AND I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHEN A PLANNING DECISIONS ARE LOOKED AT AND IN MY EXPERIENCE, IN MY VIEW, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE FAMILY HOUSING HAS TO GO SOME.

WHERE OFTEN TIMES IT IS A TRANSITION BETWEEN SINGLE FAMILY AND THE HIGHER INTENSITY USES THINGS LIKE A RAILROAD, YOU KNOW, FOR WHATEVER REASON, YOU KNOW, THIS PROPERTY HASN'T BEEN DEVELOPED AS A SUBDIVISION YET OR A YOU KNOW, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS DIFFERENT.

HOWEVER, I DO THINK THAT WITH IT BEING A SINGLE STORY NEIGHBORHOOD AT A RELATIVELY SIMILAR, SLIGHTLY HIGHER DENSITY, IT'S NOT IT IS LESS

[00:55:04]

OF COURSE I UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING AND HOW WE'RE TRYING TO LIMIT OURSELVES, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF POTENTIALLY WHAT COULD GO HERE, IT IS AS COMPATIBLE AS I COULD THINK OF A USE IN TERMS OF A MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT.

SO, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT I HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, BUT THAT'S JUST HOW I LOOK AT IT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SCALES.

THANK YOU. I REALLY LIKE YOUR PROPOSAL, BUT I HAVE THE SAME CONCERN.

ONE, WE HAVE A NEED IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP FOR THIS TYPE OF HOUSING.

WHAT WE HAVE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ARE IS AN AGING POPULATION THAT DOES NOT WANT TO LEAVE THE TOWNSHIP, BUT MAY WANT TO DOWNSIZE.

BUT NOT HERE IS WHAT THE PUBLIC IS SAYING.

THERE IS A PROPENSITY HERE FOR THIS TO BE A LARGE STUDENT HOUSING, AND THAT WOULD BE A REAL PROBLEM IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND I SAY THIS BASED ON THE FACT THAT I KNOW THIS NEIGHBORHOOD VERY, VERY WELL.

I HAVE WALKED, IN FACT, AND TALKED TO THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD FOR DECADES.

THIS IS A VERY STABLE NEIGHBORHOOD.

YOUR PROPOSAL IS NOT GOING TO BRING IN YOUNG FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN BECAUSE THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WAS CLOSED.

MANY. THAT HAS STOPPED THE GROWTH OF YOUNG FAMILIES MOVING INTO THIS PARTICULAR COMMUNITY.

SO WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE LIVED THERE FOR DECADES.

AS YOU HEARD, WHEN PEOPLE WERE SPEAKING, THEY'VE LIVED THERE A LONG TIME.

SOME OF THE PLACES HAVE BECOME RENTALS WHERE STUDENTS HAVE MOVED IN.

WARKWORTH DOES NOT HAVE SIDEWALKS AND THE MIXTURE OF SENIORS AND STUDENTS DOES NOT WORK THAT WELL IN THAT COMMUNITY.

AND I SEE A LARGE AMOUNT OF YOUR PROPOSAL TO BE TRANSIENT IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS STABLE, THAT PEOPLE DON'T LEAVE THAT AREA.

I SAW YOUR STATISTICS AND YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT 12% STAY MORE THAN FIVE YEARS.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. BASED ON THE DATA WHEN IT WAS PROVIDED, YES.

THAT WOULD BE THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THIS COMMUNITY CURRENTLY HAS.

THAT'S A MAJOR CHANGE TO UNDERTAKE.

AND A QUESTION FOR YOU, HOW MANY? UH EGRESSES.

DOES YOUR. DOES IT JUST EMPTY OUT ON PARK LAKE ROAD OR DOES IT EMPTY OUT ANYWHERE ELSE? IT WOULD BE. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS ENTRANCES ON PARK LAKE ROAD IN THE TWO SPOTS.

BUT THAT'S I MEAN, THAT'S THE ONLY ROAD THAT IT TOUCHES.

SO YOU'VE GOT PRIVATE ROADS AND YOU'RE BUILDING A COMMUNITY WITHIN YOUR PRIVATE ROADS, BUT ALL YOUR TRAFFIC IS GOING TO EMPTY OUT ONTO OUR PUBLIC ROAD AND TO THE.

THERE, WE PUT IN A ROUNDABOUT TO KEEP TRAFFIC FLOWING THAT WAS PUT IN TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT, TO GET AWAY FROM TRAFFIC LIGHTS WHERE CARS ARE SITTING IN IDLING AND CAUSING CARBON BLACK CARBON.

IF THIS LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO CREATE MORE TRAFFIC, I SAW YOUR TRAFFIC STUDY, BUT MORE TRAFFIC ONTO ONE SINGLE ROAD.

I JUST HAVE. PLEASE.

I JUST HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS BEING HERE.

NOT A PROBLEM WITH IT BEING IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

I JUST SEE A PROBLEM WITH IT BEING IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, I SAY WE REALLY NEED THIS TYPE OF HOUSING, BUT WE NEED IT AT THE RIGHT LOCATION AND THIS IS NOT CONGRUENT WITH OUR FUTURE LAND USE.

AND WE SAID WE MADE A FUTURE LAND USE PLAN FOR A PURPOSE.

[01:00:04]

THIS IS OUR DISCUSSION TIME.

WE'RE JUST ASKING QUESTIONS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR.

YES, I HAVE A BUNCH, SO YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO EXCUSE ME.

OKAY. I'M GOING TO TRY AND MAKE THEM AS STRAIGHTFORWARD AS POSSIBLE.

SURE. UM, HOW DOES THE RENT THAT YOUR.

THAT YOUR YOUR UNITS PROPOSE THE 2100 OR 2500 BASED ON THE 1300 TO 1600 SQUARE FOOT, HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO THE REST OF THE TOWNSHIP'S CURRENT RENTAL RATES AT SIMILAR PROPERTIES LIKE IN THE OTHER LANSING OTHER REDWOODS? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING OR.

NO, I'M ASKING WHAT WILL IT WILL DO TO OUR RENTAL MARKET HERE? HONESTLY, WE USUALLY LOOK AT WHAT WE YOU, BASED ON DEMOGRAPHICS, WE CAN TELL WHAT OUR RENTS ARE AND I CAN GET YOU MORE INFORMATION AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THE OPERATIONS TEAM KIND OF DEVELOP INTO THE RENTS.

BUT I DO KNOW THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT OTHER RENTALS THAT ARE KIND OF SIMILAR AND NOT EVEN JUST REDWOODS AND HAVE FOUND THAT THESE WOULD BE IN LINE WITH WHAT WE'RE OFFERING.

BUT I'LL HAVE TO PROVIDE YOU A MORE DETAILED ANSWER ON THAT BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION IN FRONT OF ME.

OKAY. UM, YEAH.

I'M SPECIFICALLY INTERESTED IN WHAT THE CURRENT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP RENTAL RATES ARE FOR UNITS THAT ARE VERY SIMILAR TO THE ONES YOU'RE PROPOSING AND WHETHER OR NOT THOSE WILL BE OVER AND ABOVE WHAT THE CURRENT MARKET RATE IS IN THE TOWNSHIP.

OKAY. UM, THESE ARE JUST ALL SORT OF ALL OVER THE PLACE, SO YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO GO WITH ME.

IT'S A JOURNEY.

SO I DIDN'T SEE ANY SIDEWALKS ON THE IMAGES THAT YOU SHOWED.

IS THAT PART OF YOUR DEVELOPMENT OR MAYBE I MISSED THAT WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT IT.

WE DO OFFER SIDEWALKS.

IF IT'S OKAY IF I SCROLL UP, THAT'S FINE.

TYPICALLY HOW WE DESIGN OUR SIDEWALKS AGAIN, IT'S PART OF A SITE PLAN APPROVAL, BUT WE HAVE THEM DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO OUR ROADS.

WE'RE VERY FHA, ADA COMPLIANT.

AGAIN, PRIVATE STREETS. WE DO NOT ALLOW PARKING ON THE STREETS SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIND A CURB RAMP OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO WE STAIN THEM A DIFFERENT COLOR AND THEY'RE ADJACENT.

WE ALSO HAVE A 12 MILE AN HOUR SPEED LIMIT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO HAVE WE DONE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT KINDS OF SIDEWALKS? YES, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE LIKE TO PROPOSE.

BUT WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE SIDEWALKS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

UM, THIS IS ANOTHER INFRASTRUCTURE QUESTION.

DO YOU SO WOULD THIS INCLUDE INSTALLATION OF LIKE FIBER AND THINGS LIKE THAT? I KNOW. I MEAN, WE OFFER UTILITIES TO FOLKS IN TERMS OF CABLE AND INTERNET.

I DON'T KNOW WHO OUR PROVIDERS ARE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO FIBER.

UM. DOES THIS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT IN YOUR IN THE DOCUMENTS THAT YOU SENT US PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND THEN WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT HERE? THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF DISPARITY THAT I WAS CURIOUS IF YOU COULD COMMENT ON.

SO WHY DID YOU PROVIDE US WITH THE COMPARISON TO THE SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES THAT YOU DID RATHER THAN PROVIDING US WITH A COMPARISON TO OUR LOCAL REDWOOD COMMUNITIES? BECAUSE WE HAD A STUDY PAID FOR THAT WE DID PERFORMED ON THOSE SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS I THINK THAT WAS IN 2019.

AND THEN THE OTHER ONE WAS IN 2010 THAT WAS PERFORMED.

I THINK THOSE ARE MORE OHIO COMMUNITIES WITH A FEW MICHIGAN, BUT WE DON'T HAVE WE DIDN'T DON'T HAVE A STUDY ON OUR LANSING BASED COMMUNITIES.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THOSE ARE DIFFERENT AREAS OF DETROIT, DIFFERENT AREAS OF CLEVELAND AREA.

IT'S KIND OF CONSISTENT.

SO OKAY.

CAN YOU THEN A FOLLOW UP OR MAYBE A POTENTIAL OTHER FOLLOW UP THEN WOULD BE CAN YOU PROVIDE SOME CAN YOU SCROLL UP IN YOUR CHART OR IN YOUR POWERPOINT DECK? THERE WERE SOME METRICS THAT YOU HAD AT THE BEGINNING.

RIGHT? STOP RIGHT THERE.

THANK YOU. UM, SO IF YOU COULD PROVIDE SOME SIMILAR METRICS AS TO WHAT YOU WITH THE SPECIFIC LANSING AREA REDWOOD PROPERTIES, I WILL LOOK, BUT I KNOW FAIR HOUSING DOES NOT ALLOW US TO DRILL DOWN INTO A LOT OF DIFFERENT DETAILS.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT SPEAKS TO CARS, BUT CERTAINLY LIKE AGES OF RESIDENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WE HAVE TO PROVIDE IT ON A LARGER SCOPE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RESTRICTIONS ARE, BUT I WILL LOOK INTO IT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WOULD COMPARE WITHIN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TO SOMETHING MORE LOCAL.

NOT THAT THOSE OTHER PLACES THAT YOU PICKED WEREN'T ALSO GOOD COMPARISON PLACES.

I'M JUST THINKING A LITTLE BIT MORE LOCAL.

[01:05:03]

I THINK THAT'S ALL OF THEM RIGHT NOW.

I MAY HAVE MORE, BUT THAT WAS ALL OF THE IMPORTANT ONES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS? NO. ALL RIGHT.

PUBLIC COMMENT NOW? YEAH. ALL RIGHT.

NOW IS THE TIME. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT YET SPOKEN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AND ADDRESS THE BOARD? I'M SEAN O'BRIEN.

I WORK FOR COLLIERS AND I REPRESENT THE LAND OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY FOR THE LAST 5 OR 6 YEARS.

I LIVE AT 16948 PINE HOLLOW DRIVE, EAST LANSING, AND EMILY AND I HAVE MET PROBABLY TEN YEARS AGO AND MAYBE A LITTLE LESS IN DELTA TOWNSHIP WHEN THEY WERE FIRST LOOKING TO DO THEIR INITIAL PROJECT IN TOWN.

AND THEY AS A DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, THEY WERE WILDLY SUCCESSFUL WITH THEIR FIRST PROJECT.

THERE DID A SECOND ONE AND GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THEM AND DEWITT TOWNSHIP.

AND IF YOU TALK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSIONS AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY'RE IN, THEY'VE GONE SINCE AND DELPHI AND OTHERS, EVERYBODY SPEAKS VERY HIGHLY OF THIS COMPANY.

MY FIRST ABOUT 6 OR 7 YEARS AGO WHEN I STARTED MARKETING THIS PROPERTY FOR THE MCCOOL BROTHERS, WE DID GET INTERESTED PARTIES THAT WERE LOOKING AT DOING MULTIFAMILY, AND I COULD TELL BY THEIR TRACK RECORD THAT THEY HAD A LOT OF STUDENT HOUSING INVOLVED.

AND MARION TOWNSHIP TURNED DOWN A STUDENT PROJECT ACROSS THE ROAD ON THE IDE SITE.

AND SO I DIRECTED THEM AWAY.

WE WENT TO OTHER TYPES OF USES, MULTIFAMILY, SINCE THIS ZONE WOULD ALLOW THE ARD AND THE IRA, IF YOU READ THE ORDINANCE, IT WOULD ALLOW UP TO 142 UNITS.

SO IN REPRESENTING THE SELLERS WHO HAVE A RIGHT TO, THEY'VE OWNED THIS PROPERTY FOR 25 YEARS.

THEY WANT TO SELL IT.

THEY'RE GETTING OLDER.

THEY SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SELL THIS FOR WHAT THE ZONING WOULD ALLOW.

AND SO I HAD A SENIOR HOUSING GROUP COME TO THE TABLE A FEW YEARS AGO BEFORE COVID, AND THEY WANTED TO BUILD 144 UNITS. THEY WERE CHASED OUT OF A COUPLE OF WELL, THEY TRIED TO DO A PROJECT WITH THE IDES NEAR THE THE LODGES AND THEY COULDN'T MAKE THIS SITE WORK BECAUSE OF THE CHALLENGES WITH THE WETLANDS AND THE FLOODPLAIN.

OKAY. SO THEY HAD A LARGE FOOTPRINT.

IT WAS GOING TO BE 144 UNITS.

YOU. RIGHT. THERE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A LOT OF CARS THERE.

LESS OF THOSE RESIDENTS WOULD HAVE USED AUTOMOBILES.

BUT WHEN AND IT WAS A WHILE AGO, ACTUALLY, THIS PROPERTY WAS UNDER CONTRACT WITH THAT DEVELOPER.

WHEN EMILY REACHED OUT TO ME AND SAID, FIND ME A SITE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

SO ONCE THAT PROPERTY OR THAT PROJECT DIED, I FELT LIKE, HEY, THE BIG FOOTPRINT DIDN'T WORK, THE HIGH DENSITY DIDN'T WORK.

THIS IS A LOW DENSITY MULTI HOUSING THAT CAN WORK WITHIN THE ARD AND THE ZONING BECAUSE THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO BUILD 105 OR 6 UNITS SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.

AND THEY HAVE SMALL FOOTPRINTS.

THEY CAN MAKE IT WORK WITHIN FINGERS AND NOT DISRUPT A LARGER PORTION OF THE PROPERTY.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO A LOT OF MITIGATION ON THE SITE, SO IT MADE SENSE TO ME.

I WAS TRYING TO MAKE A WIN WIN FOR THE SELLERS TO OWN THIS PROPERTY FOR A LONG TIME.

WANTED TO FIND THE TYPE OF USE REDWOOD HAS AN EXCELLENT REPUTATION.

I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A FANTASTIC NEIGHBORHOOD TO ADD TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

I'VE BEEN DEVELOPING PROJECTS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP FOR LAND OWNERS FOR 30 YEARS AND I FELT THIS WAS A GOOD PROJECT FOR THIS PARTICULAR SITE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU LOOK IN THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN, THE R2 WOULD ALLOW THIS USE.

R2 IS UP TO 3.5 DWELLING UNITS PER ACRE.

WE HAVE 2.8, 82.9, 2.8 AND LIKE IN THAT TYPE OF RANGE.

SO WE ARE WITHIN THAT SCOPE.

[01:10:01]

SO THAT'S ALL.

THANKS. THANK.

WELL, BEFORE YOU SIT DOWN, SIR, LET ME.

DOES ANYBODY ON THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THIS GENTLEMAN? WE'RE NOT GOING TO ENGAGE IN DIALOG.

NO. WELL, HE'S REPRESENTING THE PETITIONER, SO THAT'S CURRENTLY THE PROPERTY OWNERS.

ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS? NO, THANK YOU, SIR.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT.

I SAW MR. LEONE WANTED TO MAKE AN ADDRESS.

VINCE LEONE, 5090 PARK LAKE ROAD.

I'M JUST NORTH OF THIS PROJECT.

IT'S KIND OF FUNNY. IT'S KIND OF LIKE A BACKWARD APPROACH, AS I UNDERSTAND THIS.

WE HAVE NO SITE PLAN.

INSTEAD, THE APPLICANT MAKES A LOT OF PROMISES.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO AFFECT THE WETLANDS AT ALL, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A LOT OF WETLANDS OUT THERE, ACCORDING TO THE TOWNSHIP'S OWN WETLAND MAP.

THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY DRAINAGE ISSUES.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO COST THE TOWNSHIP ANYTHING IN INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS.

BUT IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THEIR TRAFFIC STUDY, YOU SEE HOW THEY HANDLE THIS.

THEY SAY THEIR PROJECT IS ONLY GOING TO HAVE 700 DAILY TRIPS ONTO PARK LAKE ROAD, VEHICLE TRIPS, 700. BUT THEY SAY IF YOU TAKE THE CURRENT ZONING AND MAX IT TO THE TO THE TOP, THAT IT CAN BE DEVELOPED.

YOU'D HAVE MORE TRAFFIC.

BUT WE ALL KNOW MOST OF THIS LAND IS EITHER WETLANDS OR FLOODPLAIN OR CAN'T BE BUILT ON.

SO IT'S NEVER BEEN GOING TO BE DEVELOPED TO SOME MAX.

INSTEAD, WE'RE GOING TO BE STUCK WITH 700 VEHICLES EVERY DAY GOING INTO PARK LAKE ROAD.

NEXT THING, I WANT TO SHORTEN MY STATEMENT BECAUSE A LOT OF THE BOARD HAS HIT ON THESE ISSUES.

SECONDLY, THE 13 ACRES THAT IS CURRENTLY ZONED MULTIFAMILY IS UNDER THE MASTER PLAN OF THE TOWNSHIP IS SUPPOSED TO BE DOWN ZONED TO SINGLE FAMILY LIKE THE REST OF THE TOWNSHIP, I MEAN THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND ANOTHER THING THERE'S A REFERENCE TO YOU CAN USE UNDER THE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL, YOU CAN HAVE UP TO 3.5 UNITS PER ACRE.

MOST OF THE HOMES ON PARK LAKE ROAD ARE ON A HALF AN ACRE, SO THAT'S TWO UNITS PER ACRE.

THIS PROPOSAL WOULD ALLOW AND I'M ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT WHEN THEY SAY, WELL, FIRST WE'LL GET THE ZONING AND THEN WE'LL SEE WHAT THE CONDITIONS ARE GOING TO BE ON IT.

WE COULD CHANGE THOSE AROUND.

THEY COULD HAVE EIGHT UNITS PER ACRE ON THEIR DEVELOPMENT, FOUR TIMES THE DENSITY OF THE REST OF PARK LAKE ROAD.

THE PEOPLE ON PARK LAKE ROAD NOW I'VE.

AS ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS INDICATED, I'VE LIVED IN MY HOME ALMOST 40 YEARS.

I'VE SEEN A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT AROUND PARK LAKE ROAD.

WE GOT COSTCO'S TO THE NORTH.

WE GOT WHOLE FOODS, BIG BOX STORES TO THE SOUTH.

AND I THINK THEY'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, RELATIVELY GOOD PROJECTS.

THEY'VE ADDED TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT THEY'VE ADDED A LOT OF TRAFFIC ON THE PARK LAKE ROAD.

NOW WE KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE DEVELOPMENT ON GRAND RIVER COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.

AND I THINK THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE I'M NOT AS WORRIED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THE TOWNSHIP HAS CONTROL OF THAT.

WE HAVE CONTROL OF THAT.

BUT IF YOU ALLOW THIS UPZONING FOUR TIMES THE DENSITY OF WHAT'S CURRENTLY ON PARK LAKE ROAD, WHY SHOULD EAST LANSING HESITATE TO BUILD A HUGE APARTMENT COMPLEX ACROSS FROM COSTCO? THAT'S THREE MINUTES.

THREE MINUTES. WELL, I TALKED AS FAST AS I CAN.

IT'S INTERESTING TO I MIGHT SAY APPLICANT GETS A LOT OF TIME TO TALK.

YEAH, I COULD GO ON.

THANK YOU, MR. LEONE.

DID SHE SPEAK ALREADY? BEFORE I SAY ANYTHING, BEFORE YOU HIT THE BUTTON, COULD I JUST SAY THAT I'M EMBARRASSED FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP? THAT YOU JUST PUT SO MUCH MONEY INTO THIS BUILDING AND PEOPLE AT HOME CANNOT HEAR THIS PRESENTATION WITHOUT BEING ON THE INTERNET AND YOUR TV EVEN BEFORE YOU PUT IT.

NOBODY EVER GETS THAT.

EVEN IF THIS WORKED TONIGHT, THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE VISUALS.

IT'S A SAD THING WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A COMMUNITY THAT REALLY WANTS TO COMMUNICATE.

SO I'M SORRY I HAD TO SAY THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT.

MY NAME IS ED GILLESPIE.

MY FAMILY'S LIVED ON ROCKWOOD 2692 FOR 36 YEARS.

I'VE NEVER ATTENDED IN 36 YEARS.

I'VE NEVER ATTENDED A PLANNING COMMISSION OR A ZONING COMMISSION MEETING.

DON'T TAKE THAT PERSONAL.

I'VE BEEN TO BOARD MEETINGS.

I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN A LOT OF COMMUNITY PROJECTS, HIGH VISIBILITY THAT I THINK HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

AND I'M HERE TONIGHT.

I'M BREAKING MY STREAK OF NOT ATTENDING YOUR MEETING BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO BE HERE.

[01:15:03]

BUT THE GREATEST RISK THAT I TAKE THESE DAYS IS MAKING A LEFT OFF OF ROCKWOOD DRIVE ONTO PARK LAKE.

YOU LITERALLY TAKE YOUR LIFE INTO YOUR HANDS AND BEFORE YOU CONSIDER MAKING A DECISION ABOUT THIS REQUEST TONIGHT, GO TO ROCKWOOD. IT'S IN BETWEEN MANSFIELD AND GREEN CLIFF DEAD CENTER.

IT'S RIGHT. YOU CAN SEE THE HILL, MAKE A LEFT AND DO YOUR BEST TO MAKE SURE YOUR WILL IS IN ORDER BEFORE YOU DO THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M VERY CONCERNED, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING AT PUTTING TWO OUTLETS OR ONE ANYWAY IN BETWEEN MANSFIELD AND WOODCLIFF.

IT'S REALLY DANGEROUS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SEE THE TRAFFIC OF THE NORTH BECAUSE OF THE HILL.

YOU HAVE TO KIND OF LOOK AND GUESS.

I CALL IT THE PARK LAKE LOTTERY.

YOU HAVE TO LOOK AND GUESS WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE FRONT END OF A CAR COMING OVER THE HILL AFTER YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT FOR A SECOND.

YOU IMMEDIATELY TURN AND ZOOM TO 50, 35 MILES AN HOUR SO THAT THE CAR BEHIND THE CAR BEHIND YOU DOESN'T HIT YOUR BUMPER AND MAKES A REAL MESS.

IT IS THAT DANGEROUS.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THE RED LIVING AND AGAIN, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH I BELIEVE THEY'RE A QUALITY COMPANY.

I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE NUMBERS LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF CARS.

GIVE ME 300 MORE CARS ON PARK LAKE ROAD AND IT'S TOO MANY.

THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE 700, BUT LET'S TAKE 657 TO 700.

IT'S CRAZY.

AND IT'S UNBELIEVABLE AT THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION BECAUSE THERE'S NO MORE DANGEROUS LOCATION THAN THE INTERSECTION OF GRAND RIVER AND PARK LAKE ROAD.

AND IT IS THE INDY 500.

AND I'M HOPING THAT AND THAT DOESN'T TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AMAZON TRUCKS, POST OFFICE, ETCETERA.

I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK YOU TO DO THREE THINGS.

ONE, DON'T RECOMMEND ANY ZONING, CONDITIONAL OR OTHERWISE, BEFORE YOU APPRECIATE THE INDY 500 TRAFFIC THAT PRESENTLY EXISTS ON PARK LAKE ROAD.

TWO DON'T MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE ZONING BEFORE EXPERIENCING THE THRILL OF TURNING RIGHT OFF OF ROCKWOOD ON TO PARK LAKE ROAD.

AND THIRD, DON'T RECOMMEND ANY CHANGES OR ZONING CHANGES WITHOUT GETTING THE INPUT OF ALL PEOPLE AT WORK.

CLIFF. JERRY, I APPRECIATE THE 300 FOOT THING.

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS BETTER THAN THAT.

WE'VE GOT TO DO BETTER THAN 300 FOOT.

WE'VE GOT TO TALK. AND IF YOU EVER FORM A COMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS, I SPENT 50 YEARS IN THE COMMUNICATION BUSINESS.

I'LL SERVE ON THAT COMMITTEE ON HOW THE TOWNSHIP CAN BETTER SERVE, COMMUNICATE WITH RESIDENTS.

I DIDN'T LEARN ABOUT THIS MEETING UNTIL LAST NIGHT SO BAD FOR ME.

SO I KNOW YOU DO A GOOD JOB.

I KNOW IT'S A HARD JOB.

I APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE.

AND IF YOU WANT A PICTURE TAKEN WITH ME BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHEN I'LL BE BACK.

DO. THAT SHOULDN'T BE THE CASE.

HE'S A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW.

I AM BETTY CALDWELL.

I LIVE AT 2718.

HEATHER DRIVE, A HALF A MILE NORTH OF GRAND RIVER OFF FROM PARK LAKE ROAD.

I HOPE HE WILL DENY THE REZONING REQUEST ON THE GROUNDS THAT SUCH A CHANGE IN ZONING AND THE DEVELOPMENT THAT COULD CHANGE THAT CHANGE COULD ALLOW RISKS DIMINISHING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE WARD CLIFF NEIGHBORHOOD.

CHANGING THE ZONING TO ALLOW 105 UNIT DEVELOPMENT TO BE BUILT WILL PUT AN ADDITIONAL BURDEN ON THE ALREADY HEAVILY TRAVELED TWO LANE PARK LANE ROAD, PARK LAKE ROAD IN 34 YEARS OF LIVING ON HEATHER DRIVE.

TRAFFIC ON PARK LAKE ROAD HAS STEADILY INCREASED AND SINCE THE OPENING OF COSTCO, THERE HAS BEEN A DRAMATIC ESCALATION IN BOTH THE AMOUNT OF AND SPEED OF TRAFFIC.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, A DEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA WOULD INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF CUT-THROUGH TRAFFIC IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT MOST OF THE STREETS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD DO NOT HAVE SIDEWALKS ON THEM.

ALONG THEM, WE ALREADY HAVE A DANGEROUS AMOUNT OF CUT-THROUGH TRAFFIC FROM MOTORISTS TRYING TO GET FROM HAGADORN ROAD TO PARK LAKE ROAD.

AS A MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP NEIGHBORHOOD LEADER, I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH RESIDENTS LIVING ON CAHILL DRIVE AND THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF CUT THROUGH MOTORISTS RUNNING A STOP SIGN JUST 24 TO 30FT AWAY FROM AN OKEMOS PUBLIC SCHOOL BUS STOP.

MOTORISTS ARE SO BOLD AS TO RUN THE STOP SIGN WHILE THE BUS IS PICKING CHILDREN UP WHILE THEY WAIT IN THE STREET AND AFTER THEY DISEMBARK AND ARE WALKING THE STREETS TO THEIR HOMES.

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICER REPORTED THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPARTMENT IS EXTREMELY SHORT STAFFED AS ONE OF THE REASONS THIS PROBLEM HASN'T BEEN RESOLVED.

[01:20:04]

SO PLEASE, COME ON, DON'T MAKE A DECISION THAT COULD FURTHER DIMINISH THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COULD BE A NICE DEVELOPMENT.

I MIGHT BE TEMPTED TO MOVE IN IT, BUT IT'S NOT THE RIGHT PLACE.

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP COULD USE A DEVELOPMENT LIKE THAT IF ESPECIALLY IF IT'S LIKE THE ONE CALLED FALCON POINT FROM STATE ROAD UP IN DEWITT AREA.

IT'S VERY NICE, BUT THAT'S NOT THE SPOT FOR IT.

SO THANK YOU.

PLEASE SAY NO.

MA'AM, COULD YOU TELL ME YOUR NAME AGAIN, PLEASE? MA'AM. WHAT WAS YOUR NAME AGAIN, PLEASE? I MISSED IT. BETTY CALDWELL.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. YES, SIR.

HI, MY NAME IS ROB FORTINO.

I LIVE AT 2651 ROSELAND AVENUE, FOUR HOUSES WEST OF PARK LAKE ROAD.

AND I JUST WANT TO REITERATE WHAT EVERYBODY HAS ALREADY SAID TONIGHT.

THE TRAFFIC IS ABSOLUTELY HORRENDOUS.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU REMEMBER THIS, BUT ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO THERE'S ANOTHER AREA ON MOUNT HOPE IN FRONT OF GLENDALE CEMETERY WHERE IT'S THE SAME SITUATION WHERE TWO HILLS ARE AN ELDERLY LADY. ELDERLY LADY WAS KILLED THERE WHEN SHE TRIED TO PULL OUT, DIDN'T SEE A CAR COMING OVER THE HILL.

IT'S A BLIND SPOT.

IT'S VERY DANGEROUS.

I WANT PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR SAFETY.

MR. GILLESPIE, A FEW MINUTES AGO STATED THAT, YOU KNOW, THE TRAFFIC HAS JUST INCREASED TWO FOLD.

AND WHAT IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO FOR ME IS OTHER THAN THE SAFETY IS THE GREEN SPACE.

I HAVE DEER COME INTO MY BACKYARD ALMOST EVERY EVENING AND IT'S WONDERFUL.

AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S A LITTLE BIT SOUTH OF WHERE WE ARE, BUT IT'S STILL GOING TO AFFECT THE DEER.

IT'S GOING TO AFFECT THE WILDLIFE.

IT'S GOING TO AFFECT THE GREEN SPACE IN THE TOWNSHIP.

WE MOVE MY WIFE AND I MOVED IN HERE ALMOST 35 YEARS AGO AND WE HAVE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT.

WE LOVE THE TOWNSHIP, WE LOVE THE GREEN SPACE.

I MEAN, IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THINGS GROW.

WE DO. AND THE COMMUNITY, IT LOOKS LIKE A VERY NICE AREA.

BUT AS MOST PEOPLE HAVE SAID TONIGHT, NOT WHERE, NOT WHERE YOU WANT IT, IT'S JUST THE WRONG PLACE FOR THE TOWNSHIP.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME.

I APPRECIATE IT. I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID, SIR, ABOUT THE AREA AND THE TOWNSHIP AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOW STABLE WE ARE.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE THAT'S THE WAY WE LIKE IT.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

I APPRECIATE IT. YES, SIR.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS PETER GLENDINNING.

I LIVE AT 2654 LINDEN STREET, EAST LANSING, OR LINDEN DRIVE, AS IT WAS ONCE CALLED, I GUESS.

WE MOVED IN THERE IN 1985.

I CAN JUST SHARE TWO WORDS THAT MIGHT GET PEOPLE'S ATTENTION, AND THAT WOULD BE CHANDLER CROSSINGS.

JUST IMMEDIATELY ACROSS FROM THIS PROPERTY, ACROSS THE RAILROAD TRACK, IS A FAIRLY LARGE APARTMENT COMPLEX AND THE RENTS, I THINK, ARE A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN THIS, BUT I DON'T SEE TOO MANY SENIORS GETTING OFF THE BUS GOING INTO THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX.

AND I HAPPEN TO OWN A RENTAL PROPERTY IN EAST LANSING THAT'S IN A STUDENT AREA.

I TO GET BACKGROUND CHECKS AND THE AND CREDIT CHECKS.

BUT I CAN'T DENY SOMEBODY A RENTAL.

AND IF THEIR AVERAGE IS ABOUT TWO AND TWO YEARS AND THREE MONTHS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I COULD EASILY SEE THIS PROPERTY TURNING INTO A WONDERFUL PARTY PLACE FOR 18 TO 24 YEAR OLDS.

I THINK THERE'S ALSO A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY THAT'S CLEAR FROM THE STATEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BY VARIOUS PEOPLE WHO JUST DON'T SEEM TO KNOW WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN.

THERE'S TOO MANY CONDITIONS AND CONDITIONALS AND UNCERTAINTIES TO MAKE THIS SOMETHING THAT IS WORTHY OF THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT

[01:25:05]

AND I THINK IT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE YOU BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE IN A FORM THAT IS WORTHY OF YOUR ATTENTION AT THIS POINT.

AND SO I WILL LEAVE IT AT THAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION.

AND I'M A NO. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD? YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS PETER HOFFNER.

I LIVE AT 5312 BLUE HAVEN DRIVE, WHICH IS JUST ONE BLOCK OFF OF PARK LAKE.

AND I'VE HEARD NUMBERS OF 25, 35, 37 YEARS.

BUT I THINK I HAVE YOU ALL BEAT.

I AM ACTUALLY FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO LIVE IN THE HOUSE THAT MY PARENTS BUILT IN 1964.

I GREW UP IN THE CLIFF NEIGHBORHOOD.

I WENT TO WARD CLIFF SCHOOL.

I GRADUATED FROM OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL, AND I RETURNED TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD MANY YEARS AGO.

VERY HAPPILY IN MY TENURE, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGES IN THE WARD CLIFF NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALONG THE PARK LAKE CORRIDOR.

SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD.

I'M ACTUALLY OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER THE MASSIVE PROJECT OF THE MID 1980S THAT GAVE PARK LAKE ROAD GUTTERS AND SIDEWALKS AND BETTER DRAINS. I MAY ALIENATE SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS HERE WHEN I COME OUT IN SUPPORT OF THE ROUNDABOUT.

IT'S NOT PERFECT.

WE MAY NEED SOME MORE EDUCATION FOR OPERATORS ON HOW ROUNDABOUTS IN THE UNITED STATES WORK, BUT AS A PEDESTRIAN IT HAS MADE IT MUCH BETTER AND I REALLY DO LIKE IT.

UNFORTUNATELY, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND SOME OF THEM HAVE NOT BEEN GREAT AND SOME OF THEM HAVE NOT BEEN WELCOMED, AS MANY OF YOU HAVE TOUCHED UPON.

THE ADDITION OF COSTCO AT THE CORNER OF PARK LAKE AND SAGINAW HAS BROUGHT ABOUT DRAMATIC INCREASES IN TRAFFIC.

WE HAVE MORE BUILDINGS GOING ON DOWN THERE.

IT IS TREACHEROUS.

I LOVE THE IDEA OF THE PARK LAKE LOTTERY.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT NEAR WHISTLER OR AT THE INTERSECTION OF WHISTLER AND PARK LAKE, I HAVE SEEN AT LEAST TWO VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENTS RECENTLY.

WE HAVE NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS AT THE ROUNDABOUT AS A DRIVER AND AS A PEDESTRIAN.

IT IS NOT A PLEASANT ROAD TO CROSS AT ANY POINT.

THIS DEVELOPMENT CONCERNS ME BECAUSE OF INCREASED TRAFFIC, AS EVERYONE ELSE HAS TALKED ABOUT.

I THINK A LOT OF US HAVE CHOSEN TO LIVE IN THE WARDENCLYFFE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD FEEL.

IT'S MORE THAN JUST A QUICK HELLO TO OUR NEIGHBORS WHEN WE'RE OUT WALKING.

I LIKE TO THINK THAT A LOT OF US KNOW EACH OTHER WELL.

WE WATCH EACH OTHER'S BACK AND WE DO HAVE A VERY GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD FEEL.

I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT, CHANGING THAT NOT ONLY THROUGH INCREASED TRAFFIC, BUT BY HIGHER DENSITIES.

FOR ANYONE WHO THINKS THAT PARK LAKE AND GRAND RIVER IS A FUN INTERSECTION, I INVITE YOU TO MEET ME AT 8:00 SOME MORNING TO WALK ACROSS GRAND RIVER AS A PEDESTRIAN, WHICH I HAVE TRIED TO DO.

YOU ARE TAKING YOUR LIFE IN YOUR OWN HANDS.

IT IS VERY DANGEROUS.

I'M CONCERNED WHERE THESE TWO DRIVES WOULD BE COMING OUT, THE INCREASED TRAFFIC THAT IT WOULD CREATE AND POTENTIAL BLIND SPOTS, AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT.

THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD THIS EVENING? I'D LIKE TO START WITH THE ZONING, PLEASE.

YOU'VE HAD YOUR THREE MINUTES, SIR.

THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM.

GOOD EVENING, CARLA CLOSE, DEPUTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER, APPEARING THIS EVENING ON BEHALF OF DRAIN COMMISSIONER PAT LINDEMANN.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU.

MISTER CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION AND DIRECTOR SCHMIDT, OUR OFFICE DOESN'T OFTEN COME TO ZONING, BUT HEARINGS SUCH AS THIS. BUT WE'RE GOING TO IN THE FUTURE, YOU'LL BE SEEING MORE OF US ON THIS BECAUSE MORE FREQUENTLY AS COMMUNITIES ARE BUILDING OUT AND LANDS THAT ARE REMAINING TO BUILD ON ARE MORE MARGINAL, DRAINAGE ISSUES ARE BECOMING A LARGER ISSUE IN DEVELOPMENT.

AND WE FEEL THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THE FOLKS AT THE TOWNSHIP WHO HAVE TO MAKE LAND USE DECISIONS, INFORMATION AS EARLY IN THE PROCESS AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT INVESTMENT BACKED EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT CAN BE DONE ON THE LAND ARE REASONABLE AND REALISTIC.

AND I WANT TO ASSURE EVERYONE WHO'S HERE THIS EVENING THAT SHOULD THIS PROCEED TO A SITE PLAN, THAT OUR OFFICE WILL REVIEW IT VERY

[01:30:10]

WHAT I HANDED MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS A DOCUMENT FROM OUR GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM THAT SHOWS YOU THAT THIS PROPERTY IS SURROUNDED BY COUNTY DRAINS.

THE PROCTOR DRAIN, WHICH HAS AN OUTLET PIPE OF 90IN, AND ANY OF YOU WHO MIGHT HAVE A BACKGROUND WITH ENGINEERING CAN FULLY APPRECIATE OR REMEMBER THE OLD DAYS OF MATH, THE, YOU KNOW, PI R SQUARE.

IT'S A HUGE PIPE AND THERE'S A LOT OF WATER THAT COMES OUT OF THE 90 INCH PIPE THAT RUNS TO THE NORTH AND THEN INTERSECTS WITH THE RABY DRAIN, WHICH IS AN OPEN CHANNEL DRAIN.

AND IT TOO CONVEYS WATER FROM THE NORTH ALL THE WAY FROM COSTCO AND EVEN INTO EAST LANSING BEYOND COSTCO.

AND ALL OF THESE DRAINS ARE CONVERGING DOWN AT THE RAILROAD TO THE MUD LAKE OUTLET SYSTEM, WHICH IS, AS THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN INCONVENIENCED EVER BY OKEMOS ROAD FLOODING, THAT'S THE DRAIN THAT FLOODS ON OKEMOS ROAD NORTH OF GRAND RIVER AT THE GAYLORD C SMITH CENTER.

THERE ARE DRAINAGE PROBLEMS ON THE MUD LAKE OUTLET.

RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE A PETITION FOR THE OKEMOS CONSOLIDATED DRAIN WHICH OUTLETS INTO THE MUD LAKE OUTLET IN ORDER TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT BECAUSE OTTAWA HILLS HAS HAD FLOODING PROBLEMS, INDIAN LAKES HAVE HAD FLOODING PROBLEMS, INDIAN HILLS HAS HAD FLOODING PROBLEMS. WE'RE TRYING TO WE LOOK AT THINGS FROM A WHOLE WATERSHED, NOT BY PARCEL, WHICH IS THE WAY THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS LOOKING AT THIS REZONING.

AND WE'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM A WATERSHED BASIS.

AND THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT FLOODING ISSUES WE SHOW ON OUR GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM, AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT THE WETLANDS THAT WE SHOW HERE ARE FROM THE NATIONAL WETLAND INVENTORY BOUNDARIES.

AND I BELIEVE THE TOWNSHIP'S INVENTORY MAPS ARE MUCH MORE VALID THAN THIS.

THEY WERE DONE MORE RECENTLY THAN THIS MAP.

AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER THAT INFORMATION, BECAUSE ALL OF THESE HAVE TO DO WITH THE DRAINAGE ABILITY, THE ABILITY OF THE PROPERTY TO SUSTAIN THE DRAINAGE THAT'S GOING TO BE PRODUCED BY ANY DEVELOPMENT.

I'VE ALSO SUBMITTED A DOCUMENT THAT WAS PREPARED BY THE INGHAM COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHICH SHOWS GROUNDWATER RECHARGE AREAS.

AND YOU WILL NOTE THAT THIS.

PROPERTY AT THE CORNER JUST NORTHEAST OF THE CORNER OF PARK LAKE AND GRAND RIVER AVENUE IS IDENTIFIED ON THREE DIFFERENT GROUNDWATER STUDIES FROM BOTH TRI COUNTY, AS WELL AS AN INDEPENDENT ENGINEERING COMPANY AS HAVING GROUNDWATER RECHARGE POTENTIAL.

AND THESE WILL BE ISSUES THAT WE WILL CONSIDER BECAUSE WE WON'T WANT TO SEE INFILTRATION.

NORMALLY WE LIKE TO SEE INFILTRATION WITH BIOSWALES RAIN GARDENS IN ORDER TO ATTENUATE THE VOLUME THAT COMES OFF A SITE.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A GROUNDWATER RECHARGE AREA, WE CONSIDER VERY CAREFULLY WEIGHING THAT SOURCE CONTROL AND INFILTRATION.

BUT I THINK IT'S INVALUABLE INFORMATION FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND AGAIN, I WANT TO REASSURE EVERYONE WHO'S HERE FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPER TO COME IN EARLY TO OUR OFFICE SO THAT WE CAN BRING DRAINAGE CONCERNS TO THEM AND THAT WE CAN WORK OUT ISSUES

[01:35:03]

AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS THE SAME INFORMATION AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ASSIST YOU IN ANY WAY AS YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH THE WITH CONSIDERING THIS REQUEST.

THANK YOU. JUST TO CLARIFY, ARE YOU HERE ON A PERSONAL OR PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY OR ARE YOU A REPRESENT LIKE IS THIS AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY OR JUST YOUR PERSONAL INPUT WITH THE PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE? I'M SORRY. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER.

I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY PRESENTING INFORMATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION ABOUT THE REZONING.

I JUST DIDN'T SEE THAT ON THE AGENDA.

SO. NO, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT I NEEDED TO BE ON THE AGENDA SO I COULD COME TO THE.

NO, I'M.

AND I MEANT NO OFFENSE.

I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE, BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY OF THE THINGS THAT COME BEFORE US, PARTICULARLY IN DEVELOPMENT OF CURRENTLY UNDEVELOPED LAND, HAVE NEIGHBORS THAT HAVE VERY SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT WATER MITIGATION AND OR EFFECTS ON THEIR ADJACENT PROPERTIES.

AND WHAT I HAVE UNDERSTOOD, BASED ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD IN THE PAST, IS THAT THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER WILL NOT SIGN OFF ON A PROJECT THAT DOESN'T HAVE A PLAN FOR SELF CONTAINING ANY DRAINAGE ON THAT SITE.

AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TO LEND YOUR EXPERT ADVICE.

I WASN'T CLEAR FROM WHAT YOU SAID AND WHAT YOU SHARED.

ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE ABILITY OF THIS PROJECT WITHOUT HAVING SEEN A SITE PLAN TO DO THAT? OR YOU'RE JUST SAYING YOU'RE HERE AS A RESOURCE AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO ADVISE US IN THE LARGER SCOPE OF THIS AS THE WORK GOES FORWARD AND THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE A PART OF SITE PLAN REVIEW TO ASSURE THAT THERE IS A PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD NOT HAVE A DRAINAGE EFFECT ON NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES.

WE WILL. WHEN A PROJECT COMES TO US FOR A SITE PLAN, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT IT MEETS THE DRAIN COMMISSIONERS REQUIREMENTS AND RULES.

AND THOSE DO IN PART INCLUDE LOOKING AT WETLANDS AND RECHARGE AREAS AND DETRIMENT DOWNSTREAM SO THAT THERE'S CAPACITY IN THE DRAINS AND I WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT CAPACITY ISSUES IN THE DOWNSTREAM DRAINS.

SO YES, I DO HAVE CONCERNS THAT THIS PROPERTY IS WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THIS WATER.

BUT UNTIL THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ARE MADE.

BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN A SITE PLAN, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING, NOR HAVE PROPOSING.

I GUESS MY QUESTION AND MAYBE THIS IS FOR OUR STAFF IS AS PART OF THE SITE PLAN REVIEW PROCESS, IF IT BECOMES APPARENT THAT WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED WOULD NOT BE APPROVABLE UNDER DRAIN COMMISSION RULES, WOULD THAT RESULT IN A CHANGED SITE PLAN OR A LACK OF APPROVAL FOR A SITE PLAN AT THAT POINT? YEAH. SO FUNDAMENTALLY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO APPROVE ANYTHING WITH THE DRAIN COMMISSION'S APPROVAL.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON A, TRYING TO SET UP A MEETING ON A PROJECT WHERE THEY GOT A LAST MINUTE CURVEBALL AND ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE. SO ULTIMATELY IT GETS TO THE POINT OF THE ACTUAL SITE PLAN AND THEY GET DOWN AND GET INTO THE TECHNICAL MUMBO JUMBO. THE ENGINEERS.

I DIDN'T GO DOWN THAT ROUTE.

THEY GET IT DESIGNED AND THEN IT'S SUBMITTED TO US, TO THE ROAD DEPARTMENT, TO THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER AND THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT. AND WE ALL REVIEW IT.

AND EVENTUALLY WE GET TO A POINT WHERE WE ALL HAVE A SET OF PLANS WE CAN APPROVE.

THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. IF I COULD JUST SAY I THINK DIRECTOR SCHMIDT VERY CAPABLY BROUGHT UP EXACTLY ONE OF THE CONCERNS WE HAVE WHEN WE COME IN LATE IN THE PROCESS THAT AS WAS DESCRIBED IN THE LAST MINUTE CURVEBALL IT I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO DECISION MAKERS TO LANDOWNERS.

SO WE WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUR INFORMATION TO YOU AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE SO YOU CAN FACTOR IT IN.

AND I CAN'T SPEAK TO ANY SITE PLAN BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SEEN ONE.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU THERE ARE LIMITATIONS AND CONCERNS WITH THE DOWNSTREAM DRAINS AND THE DOWNSTREAM NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT FLOODING RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DEAL WITH THOSE FLOODING ISSUES WITH PETITION PROJECTS.

SO I JUST WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT.

THANK YOU. I BELIEVE I DIDN'T SEE ANY OTHER HANDS FOR PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.

[01:40:08]

WE APPRECIATE IT.

WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM OF THE AGENDA FOR THE MEETING.

I'M SORRY. WE'LL CLOSE CLOSE THE HEARING.

THE PUBLIC HEARING. OPEN IT UP TO DISCUSSION.

ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANY IS THERE ANY.

FORGIVE ME. I WASN'T HERE LAST WEEK.

I FORGOT HOW WE DO THIS.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION AMONG.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN? I'M SORRY, FOLKS.

I CUT YOU LOOSE A LITTLE BIT TOO SOON.

THE BOARD IS NOW OPENING INTERNAL DISCUSSION HERE.

YOU'RE ALL INVITED TO SIT AND LISTEN TO US DISCUSS IT, IF THERE IS ANY DISCUSSION.

I DON'T WANT TO HAVE YOU RUN OUT OF HERE AND THEN SAY, WHAT DID I MISS? SO, OKAY.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION AMONG THE PANEL? YES. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I'M ALWAYS DELIGHTED TO SEE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC COME AND PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC DECISION MAKING.

THIS IS WHY WE ARE HERE.

THIS IS WHY WE HAVE THIS BUILDING.

THIS IS WHY WE HAVE THESE MEETINGS AND WE VALUE YOUR INPUT GREATLY.

YOU CAN PROBABLY TELL FROM THE WAY I JUST SAID THAT I'M GOING TO DISAGREE WITH MANY OF THE THINGS I'VE HEARD AND I'D LIKE TO OFFER THE THOUGHTS I HAVE AT THE MOMENT FROM WHAT I KNOW ABOUT THE PROPOSAL.

SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE'RE DELIBERATING ON THE ISSUE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES OR POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS ARISING FROM DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY.

MANY OF THE CONCERNS I'VE HEARD EXPRESSED WOULD BE VALID FOR ANY DEVELOPMENT THAT TAKES PLACE ON THIS PROPERTY.

AND SINCE WE DON'T KNOW THE FORM THAT THE DEVELOPMENT WILL TAKE, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO ASSESS WHAT THOSE IMPACTS MIGHT TURN OUT TO BE.

I SAW SOME COMMENTS IN COMMUNICATIONS TO THE COMMISSION THAT SUGGESTED THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT AWARE OF WHAT PLANS OR ACTIONS THE TOWNSHIP UNDERTAKES TO PROTECT WILDLIFE AND TO PROTECT ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES MORE BROADLY. SPECIFICALLY WITH RESPECT TO DEER IN THIS ROOM LAST WEEK, OUR EXCELLENT LAND STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR, EMMA CAMPBELL, MADE A PRESENTATION ON OUR DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO LISTEN TO THE RECORDING OF THOSE REMARKS OR TO LOOK AT THE VERY NICE ARTICLE THAT'S CURRENTLY ON THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE ABOUT THAT ISSUE.

THE TOWNSHIP HAS FOR MANY YEARS UNDERTAKEN A VERY CAREFUL DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH ITS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.

THE TOWNSHIP, 19 YEARS AGO ADOPTED A GREEN SPACE PLAN THAT CAREFULLY ASSESSED AREAS OF ENVIRONMENTAL FRAGILITY IN THE TOWNSHIP, AND OUR CURRENT PROPOSED REVISED MASTER PLAN ENVISIONS REVISING THAT GREEN SPACE PLAN.

AND I INVITE EVERYONE WHO HAS CONCERNS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES TO PARTICIPATE IN REVISING THAT PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE IN THE TOWNSHIP.

I HAPPEN TO CHAIR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, SO I HAPPEN TO BE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THOSE ISSUES.

THIS AFTERNOON I TOOK SOME TIME TO LOOK AT SOME OLD AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF THIS AREA.

IT'S FUN.

IN 1938, THE PROPERTY THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED THIS EVENING WAS ALL BEING ACTIVELY FARMED.

IN 1950, THERE WAS AN ORCHARD ON THAT SPOT.

AND IT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE RESILIENCE OF NATURE THAT HERE WE ARE IN 2023.

LOOKING AT THAT, IT'S EASY TO THINK THAT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY.

IT'S PRISTINE, IT'S NEVER BEEN TOUCHED.

WE ARE MAKING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ON MANAGING OUR NATURAL RESOURCES IN THE TOWNSHIP.

AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE MORE INVOLVED, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

ON THE ISSUE OF THE CHARACTER OF WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED.

I ALSO TOOK SOME TIME THIS AFTERNOON TO PASS THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE NORTHEAST OF THIS PROPOSED REZONING.

ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES AT WORK LIVES IN THAT SUBDIVISION.

THEY'RE NOT RENTING, I BELIEVE IT'S MAINLY CONDOMINIUMS.

[01:45:03]

THEY'RE DUPLEXES.

THEY LOOK AN AWFUL LOT LIKE THE PHOTOGRAPHS I'VE SEEN HERE.

MY COLLEAGUE IS AN EMPTY NESTER AND VERY MUCH APPRECIATES THE CHARACTER OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

I SAW A LOT OF PEOPLE WALKING IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THIS AFTERNOON SO WE CAN CHOOSE AS A VISION CAMPUS APARTMENTS AS WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN ON THIS LAND.

WE CAN CHOOSE AS A VISION.

THE WHARNCLIFFE NEIGHBORHOOD IS WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN ON THIS LAND.

OR WE CAN CHOOSE AS A VISION SAPPHIRE AS WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN.

AND I ENCOURAGE US ALL TO THINK BROADLY ABOUT WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN THERE.

BECAUSE LANDOWNERS HAVE RIGHTS TO BUILD.

WHEN IT COMES TO TRAFFIC, CLEARLY FOLKS WHO USE PARKLAKE ROAD ARE FINDING DIFFICULTY IN SAFELY GETTING ON AND OFF THAT ROAD.

I HEAR THAT LOUD AND CLEAR, AND I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE NOT TO TO AVOID AGGRAVATING THE SITUATION. STEP NUMBER ONE, WHEN YOU'RE IN A HOLE, STOP DIGGING.

I GET IT RIGHT.

THE SITUATION I'VE HEARD DESCRIBED SOUNDS TO ME LIKE IT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS ON THIS PROPERTY.

IF YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF TRAFFIC FLOWING UP AND DOWN PARK LAKE ROAD, GOING TO COSTCO OR WHEREVER THEY'RE GOING AND YOU CAN'T GET IN AND OUT, LET'S FIX THAT.

LET'S WORK ON THAT.

WE DON'T OWN THE ROADS.

THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT OWNS THE ROADS.

WE HAVE NO NEGLIGIBLE INFLUENCE.

WE CAN'T INFLUENCE WHAT THEY DO.

THE COMMUNITY CAN INFLUENCE WHAT THEY DO.

LET'S WORK ON FIXING THAT PROBLEM BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A REAL ONE THAT DESERVES ATTENTION.

MY PERSONAL SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO CONSIDER SOMETHING THAT CAN MANAGE THE CURRENT TRAFFIC THERE AND THAT CAN PROVIDE SAFE CROSSING AND ENTRANCE AND EXIT ONTO PARK LAKE ROAD.

WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, WHETHER IT'S SOME FORM OF SIGNALIZATION OR EDUCATION OR OTHER MEASURES, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS, BUT IF WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM, LET'S SOLVE THAT PROBLEM. AND FINALLY, THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS MADE ABOUT THE CONDITION OF TOWNSHIP INFRASTRUCTURE, AND I'D REALLY LIKE TO PUSH BACK ON THAT.

THE TOWNSHIP STAFF JUST UNDERWENT A HUGE DISRUPTION MOVING OUT OF THIS BUILDING SO WE COULD UPDATE.

IT HADN'T BEEN UPDATED SINCE IT WAS BUILT.

ALL THIS EQUIPMENT UP HERE WAS RECENTLY INSTALLED.

THE TOWNSHIP IS MAKING HUGE STRIDES IN IMPROVING ITS INFRASTRUCTURE AND BECAUSE A PARTICULAR PART OF AN AUDIO EQUIPMENT IS ON BACK ORDER.

YOU KNOW, I JUST SAY THE STAFF WHO RUN TECHNOLOGY IN THIS TOWNSHIP WORK HARDER DURING COVID, DURING ELECTIONS, DURING ANY OTHER TIME THAN ANYBODY I KNOW.

SO I'D JUST LIKE TO RISE IN SUPPORT OF THE TOWNSHIP STAFF AND THE JOB THEY DO.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PANEL COMMENTS? I GUESS I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.

JERRY, I'M SORRY.

JERRY, GO AHEAD.

YEAH. I GUESS GETTING BACK TO THE TOPIC AT HAND HERE, THE REZONING, UM, I GUESS I SHARE THE COMMENTS THAT FOLKS HAVE SAID THIS IS A GREAT IT LOOKS LIKE A GOOD COMPANY, A GREAT DEVELOPMENT.

UM, I GUESS THE, ONE OF THE BASIC QUESTIONS IS, DOES THIS REZONING REQUEST ACTUALLY IS IT CONSISTENT WITH THE MASTER PLAN OR NOT? AND AS I LOOK AT THE PROPERTY AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE YOU KNOW, WE'VE IN THE PAST WE'VE HEARD ABOUT BUILD OUTS, POSSIBLE BUILD OUT OF ONE ZONING VERSUS ANOTHER.

BUT FIRST OF ALL, YOU'VE GOT A RAILROAD TRACK.

SO WE DO HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT SAYS YOU CAN'T BUILD WITHIN SO MANY FEET OF THE RAILROAD TRACK.

WE HAVE DRAINAGE ISSUES WITH DRAINS, WETLANDS.

IT'S GOING TO IMPACT DEVELOPMENT, PARTICULARLY SINGLE FAMILY DEVELOPMENT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE SEPARATE LOTS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE DISTANCES BETWEEN PROPERTIES.

SO I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT THE NUMBER OF SINGLE FAMILY LOTS AND HOMES IT'S GOING TO BE REDUCED IF IT'S DEVELOPED THAT WAY NOW.

[01:50:01]

SO I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, HERE'S A PROPOSAL THAT OBVIOUSLY IF IT'S DEVELOPED AS A SINGLE FAMILY, IS GOING TO GENERATE X AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR A SALE.

IF IT CAN BE HIGHER DENSITY DEVELOPMENT, YOU'RE GOING TO GET MORE.

SO I UNDERSTAND THAT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S I THINK ALL OF US WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

BUT FOR ME, I GUESS I'M HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING AND COMING TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THIS REZONING ACTUALLY IS CONSISTENT WITH THE MASTER PLAN.

AND SO I GUESS I HAVE SOME DOUBT ABOUT WHETHER THAT'S TRUE OR NOT.

AND AGAIN, I'M OPEN TO HEAR MORE ABOUT IT.

AND I THINK A LOT OF THE OTHER ISSUES, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF TRAFFIC ENVIRONMENT ARE IMPORTANT.

BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO REALLY ZERO IN ON THIS MEET THE REQUIREMENT FOR APPROVING A REZONING REQUEST.

I'M NOT A FAN OF OF STRAW POLLS, BUT WE HAVE AN AUDIENCE OUT HERE.

AND I THINK BEFORE THEY LEAVE, WE SHOULD TAKE A STRAW POLL OF WHERE WE FEEL THE CURRENT PROPOSAL IS WITH US AND GIVE THEM SOME TYPE OF UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE'RE AT BASED ON WHAT'S BEFORE US TODAY BEFORE THEY LEAVE THE ROOM.

LET ME MAKE A STATEMENT. GO AHEAD.

I THINK MOST OF YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE VARIED OPINIONS ON THIS PANEL.

SOME OF YOU I KNOW I'VE KNOWN VINCE FOR PROBABLY 50 YEARS.

YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND, I'VE LIVED IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE, AND I'M OVER 70.

I'VE LIVED IN THE SAME HOUSE, IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 41 YEARS.

SO I BEAT MOST OF YOU WHEN IT COMES TO PERMANENCE.

I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS TO BE COMFORTABLE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE REASON WHY YOU MOVE THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE AND THE REASON WHY YOU'VE STAYED THERE FOR IN EXCESS OF DECADES. AND THAT'S WHY I MADE MY COMMENT EARLIER.

IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THIS COMPANY IS PROPOSING A WONDERFUL FACILITY.

MY ONLY QUESTION IS NOT IS IT SOMETHING THAT'S BENEFICIAL TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP OR BENEFICIAL TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS NOW OR FUTURE? MY QUESTION IS IT BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH THEY WISH TO PLACE IT? AND I DON'T SEE IT.

I THINK IT IS ENTIRELY INCONSISTENT WITH THE EXISTING USE AND WITH THE EXISTING CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND THAT TO ME IS HIGHLY IMPORTANT, PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT.

THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE STAYED IN YOUR HOUSES FOR 35, 40 YEARS, THERE'S A REASON WHY.

AND MOST OF THE TIME IT'S NOT BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO MOVE SOMEPLACE ELSE.

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IS NOT THE POOREST COMMUNITY IN THE STATE.

WE'RE UP IN THE TOP 15 OR 20% AS FAR AS AVERAGE INCOME GOES.

SO YOU COULD MOVE IF YOU WANTED TO.

YOU DIDN'T.

WHY NOT? BECAUSE YOU LOVE WHERE YOU'RE LIVING AND YOU LOVE WHY YOU'RE LIVING THERE.

AND I DON'T WANT US TO BE IN THE POSITION OF DISRUPTING THAT FOR YOU UNLESS IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS BLATANTLY BENEFICIAL IN THE LONG TERM. AND I DON'T SEE IT HAPPENING HERE.

TO ME, THIS IS JUST A DISRUPTION OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WILL NOT BRING THE BENEFITS THAT THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT COULD BRING TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IF IT'S LOCATED IN A MORE LIKELY POSITION.

AND I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO THINK THAT I'M DOWNGRADING THE COMMUNITY, THAT THEY HAVE SHOWN US THEIR WONDERFUL AS A PERSON OVER THE AGE OF 70 AND SORT OF RETIRED.

I CAN SEE WHY THIS WOULD BE A WONDERFUL THING, ESPECIALLY IN A COMMUNITY OF TRANSIENT PEOPLE LIKE PROFESSORS AND SCIENTISTS COMING TO VISIT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS TO THE UNIVERSITY JUST NOT THERE.

AND THAT'S WHY IF WE DO TAKE A STRAW VOTE THIS EVENING, MY VOTE WOULD BE TO SAY NO.

OKAY. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO MAKE A STATEMENT? GET A HAND UP OVER HERE.

DIRECTOR SCHMITT, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT WE'RE.

IN OUR CAPACITY, WE ARE PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ZONING ORDINANCES,

[01:55:02]

IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH.

BY DEFINITION, A REZONING IS A MAP AMENDMENT BECAUSE CHANGING THE MAP AND THE MAP IS PART OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE.

THIS IS WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT TEXT AMENDMENTS AND MAP AMENDMENTS.

THIS IS A MAP AMENDMENT. SO THIS IS ONE OF THE TWO CHANGES YOU CAN MAKE TO THE ORDINANCE.

OKAY. AND SO AND FROM OUR BODIES PERSPECTIVE, OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO TRY AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ZONING ORDINANCES LINE UP WITH THE MASTER PLAN AND ARE WITHIN THE SORT OF CONTEXT OF THAT DOCUMENT.

SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THE ZONING ORDINANCE IS THE MAIN IMPLEMENTATION PIECE FOR THE MASTER PLAN, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO ALIGN PER SE.

BUT WHEN YOU SAY SOMETHING IN THE MASTER PLAN, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT THEN THROUGH THE ZONING ORDINANCE.

OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

SO MY COMMENTS ARE I'VE.

I'M GOING TO I WASN'T GOING TO DO THIS, BUT SINCE EVERYONE ELSE IS TALKING ABOUT THEIR OWN PERSONAL HISTORY, I'M JUST GOING TO DO A VERY BRIEF LIKE TWO, LIKE LESS THAN A MINUTE.

SO I MOVED HERE TO DO MY PHD A LONG TIME AGO AND I LIVED IN ON BLUE HAVEN DRIVE ACTUALLY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND I HAVE FRIENDS THAT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE NOW LIVE IN OTTAWA HILLS, WHICH IS WHAT THE DRAINAGE COMMISSIONER WAS TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF FLOODING.

SO I'M HIGHLY AWARE OF WHAT THE IMPACTS OF CHANGES TO THIS RESIDENTIAL AREA WILL DO ON HOUSING.

HOWEVER, I'M ALSO I HAVE A FAMILY AND WE HAVE KIDS AND I THERE'S A HOUSING SHORTAGE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS PART OF THE THE OUR MASTER PLAN.

AND ONE OF THE APPEALING ASPECTS OF THIS POTENTIAL PROPOSAL IS THAT IT COULD SHIFT RESIDENTS WHO WANT TO STAY IN OUR COMMUNITY FROM THEIR CURRENT 3 OR 4 BEDROOM HOUSES TO A SMALLER PLACE TO LIVE, WHICH ARE 3 OR 4 BEDROOM HOUSES, ARE SO HARD TO FIND HERE AND THE SCHOOLS ARE SO GREAT AND THE FAMILIES ARE LIFEBLOOD'S ARE THE FUTURE LIFEBLOOD AND THE CURRENT LIFEBLOOD OF COMMUNITIES.

AND SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE CONTINUE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND ALSO ACHIEVE WHAT OUR GOALS ARE IN OUR MASTER PLAN, IT IS NOT JUST ENVIRONMENT AND IT'S NOT JUST TRAFFIC SAFETY.

IT'S ALL OF THESE THINGS IN COMBINATION.

AND SO THERE'S A HOUSING SHORTAGE.

AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT SOMEBODY OR A COMPANY WHO IS WILLING TO TRY AND GO THROUGH ALL OF THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S INVOLVED IN THIS DEVELOPMENT AND THAT, THERE HAVE BEEN HISTORICAL COMPANIES WHO HAVE TRIED TO DO THAT AND HAVE NOT SUCCEEDED, THEN I THINK IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE NOT TO ALLOW THEM TO ATTEMPT TO DO THAT.

SO THAT'S MY POSITION.

I'M HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH THIS ONE FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.

IT IS AN INTERESTING PIECE OF PROPERTY.

THE MAJORITY OF IT IS ALREADY ZONED D AND THEY'RE TRYING TO CHANGE THE ZONING ON EIGHT ACRES.

THEY'VE PLACED SOME SIGNIFICANT CONDITIONS ON THE REQUEST FOR REZONING, BUT IT DOESN'T LIMIT THEM FROM GOING TO THE OTHER 13 ACRES THAT ARE ALREADY ZONED R D BECAUSE THERE IS NO LIMIT TO THE NUMBER OF UNITS THEY CAN BUILD THERE. SO THEY COULD RIGHT NOW TALK ABOUT 105 UNITS AND THEN SPREAD OUT WHERE IT'S AVAILABLE INTO THE OTHER 13 ACRES.

AND WHILE THE RESTRICTIONS WOULD STILL APPLY AS FAR AS SINGLE FAMILY OR SINGLE STORY, MAXIMUM LENGTH AND ALL THAT STUFF, THAT DEVELOPMENT COULD STILL OCCUR WHICH COULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT MORE TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD.

ON THE OTHER HAND, IT IS A VERY ATTRACTIVE DEVELOPMENT IN ITSELF AND THERE IS A NEED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR IT.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE I STAND ON THIS, FRANKLY.

IT'S A DIFFICULT ISSUE.

I RECOGNIZE THAT BUILDING.

ON THAT ADDITIONAL 13 ACRES COULD BE DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF WETLANDS, BECAUSE OF OTHER ISSUES.

AND WE DON'T KNOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE A FINAL SITE PLAN WHICH IS APPROPRIATE AT THIS STAGE.

[02:00:03]

WE HAVE SOME RESTRICTIONS AND THOSE RESTRICTIONS WOULD GO WITH ALL THE LAND, BUT THEY DON'T REALLY DEFINE THE DEVELOPMENT.

SO I'M KIND OF UP IN THE AIR.

ANYTHING ELSE? I'M PROBABLY YOU DESCRIBED MY FEELING OF COMMISSIONER TREZISE MOST CLOSELY IS THAT I'M UP IN THE AIR.

I WAS MORE SKEPTICAL.

I HEARD FROM THE APPLICANT.

I LOOKED AT THEIR WEBSITE BEFORE THE MEETING AND SAW SOME OF THEIR OTHER DEVELOPMENTS.

I HAVE NO DOUBT ABOUT THEIR INTEGRITY, THEIR QUALITY OF WORK, THEIR ABILITY TO PUT TOGETHER A NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE THIS THAT I THINK WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD FIT WELL IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

I DO, THOUGH, BOTH BEFORE HEARING FROM NEIGHBORS AND EVEN MORE SO AFTER HEARING FROM NEIGHBORS SHARE CONCERNS ABOUT INCREASING THE DENSITY IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA WITH A DEVELOPMENT OF ANY TYPE.

IF THE PROPERTY OWNER DEVELOPED IT AS BY RIGHT, THEY COULD, I WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC IMPACTS AND WOULD HOPE THAT THE TOWNSHIP AND THE COUNTY WOULD WORK TOGETHER TO MITIGATE THOSE ISSUES BECAUSE THOSE ISSUES ARE THERE ALREADY AND WILL BE THERE, WHETHER IT'S THIS SITE OR THIS DEVELOPMENT OR SOME OTHER DEVELOPMENT ON THAT PROPERTY, IT'S ONLY GOING TO MAKE THAT WORSE DRAINAGE SAME.

SO I CAN'T SAY THAT.

AND THAT'S WHERE I'M CONFLICTED.

IS THAT BY RIGHT THAT PROPERTY OWNER AND WE HEAR THIS ALL THE TIME AND IT'S HEARTBREAKING.

I LIKE THE WOODS, I LIKE THE GREEN SPACE.

BUT THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS A LEGAL RIGHT TO DEVELOP THAT SPACE BASED ON THE CURRENT ZONING.

AND THAT IN AND OF ITSELF COULD CREATE THE SAME ISSUES AND WE WOULD HAVE NO SAY IN IT IN THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, WOULD HAVE NO SAY IN IT, BUT SO I, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING BACK AND FORTH. AND IF WE DID A STRAW POLL, I WOULD PROBABLY LEAN TOWARDS LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE.

AND THERE MIGHT BE SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS OR CONSTRAINTS THAT COULD BE PUT ON THIS, MAYBE A NUMBERS OR SOMETHING THAT COULD HELP MITIGATE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT I MIGHT BE SUPPORTIVE. BUT AT THIS POINT, I'D PROBABLY SAY NO, AS IS MR. SCALES. WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE CAN'T PUT CONSTRAINTS ON THIS, RIGHT? AND I'M SAYING I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE WOULD BE, BUT SO I'M ASKING FOR A STRAW POLL BASED ON WHAT'S BEFORE US RIGHT NOW, NOT WHAT'S COMING IN THE FUTURE OR ANYTHING ELSE BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE PRESENTED TO US TODAY.

HOW DO YOU FEEL? I THINK IT'S REASONABLE, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE OBVIOUS COMMUNITY INTEREST.

SO LET ME CALL FOR A STRAW VOTE THEN.

LET ME JUST GO THROUGH THE MEMBERSHIP HERE.

COMMISSIONER SNYDER.

NO PRESSURE. I'M SORRY I NEVER GOT TO SPEAK.

I'M SIMILARLY CONFLICTED.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT I CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE STRAW POLL RIGHT NOW.

I'M VERY CONFLICTED.

I'M SORRY. ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER RICHARDS SORRY.

DID WE. SO WE HAD A MOTION FOR A STRAW POLL, BUT DID WE HAVE A SECOND? YOU DON'T NEED A NO, IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT'S NOT A I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS A STRAW VOTE IS SIMPLY HOW WE FEEL RIGHT NOW.

IT IS ENTIRELY CHANGEABLE BASED ON NEW INFORMATION IN THE NEXT MEETING OR SO.

OKAY. CAN I JUST SAY ONE THING I DIDN'T SAY IS I KEEP HEARING ABOUT THE SHORTAGE OF HOUSING.

THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING.

I JUST HEARD OF A 1300 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE BEING LISTED AT $320,000.

OKAY. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE PROPERTY, IF IT WAS DEVELOPED AS SINGLE FAMILY, WE NEED SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING.

SO, YES, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF NON OWNER PROPERTY GOING IN DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE GOING IN.

BUT I'M CONCERNED IN THE LONG RUN THAT THE LESS THE MORE TRANSIENT FOLKS COMING IN APARTMENTS.

I MEAN, AT ONE POINT, THOSE OF US THAT I'VE BEEN HERE 35 YEARS, SIGNIFICANTLY MORE PROPERTY HOMEOWNERS THAN THERE WERE RENTERS THAT'S YOU KNOW THAT NUMBER IS GOING UP THE RENTER NUMBER.

SO I THINK TO KEEP A BALANCE, I THINK THAT SINGLE FAMILY, YOU KNOW, WE NEED SINGLE FAMILY HOMES FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO MOVE INTO THE COMMUNITY.

SO. BASICALLY, AT THIS POINT, I WOULD BE OPPOSED TO THE REZONING.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY DID YOU WANT TO VOTE OR WERE YOU GOING TO ABSTAIN?

[02:05:01]

SO YOU CAN PUT ME AS A WAFFLING? NO. HOW'S THAT FOR DECISIVE? THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER TREZISE.

I THINK AT THIS POINT I WOULD ALSO PROBABLY LEAN TOWARDS NO, BUT I COULD CHANGE MY MIND ABSOLUTELY EASILY.

COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. I'M TRYING TO DECIDE WHETHER THE ISSUE OF THE SPLIT ZONE PARCEL WARRANTS WHAT I WOULD NORMALLY OPPOSE REZONING THAT DOESN'T ACCOMPLISH THE MASTER PLAN GOALS, BUT IF THE SPLIT ZONE NATURE OF THE PARCEL IS A SIGNIFICANT IMPEDIMENT, THEN I WOULD SUPPORT THE REZONING THAT'S THE ISSUE I'M FOCUSING ON RIGHT NOW.

JUST SO I DON'T ALWAYS GO LAST YEAR, I WOULD SAY THAT BASED ON MY CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF THE SITUATION AS THE INFORMATION BEFORE US EXISTS RIGHT NOW, I WOULD BE A NO VOTE.

COMMISSIONER BROOKS I SUPPORT IT.

AND COMMISSIONER SCALES. I OPPOSE WHAT I HAVE BEFORE ME TODAY.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THAT ENDS OUR DISCUSSION ON THIS ISSUE.

I'M NOW CLOSING THE DISCUSSION ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE BEFORE THE BOARD.

JUST TO CLARIFY FOR THE AUDIENCE, THIS WILL BE BACK FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

WE DO NOT HAVE A SCHEDULE FOR THAT YET.

WE WILL DISCUSS WITH THE APPLICANT AND DISCUSS WITH THE CHAIR ON FUTURE AGENDAS.

I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE WEBSITE AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDAS FOR WHEN IT GETS RE POSTED TO THE MEETING.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

CAN I ADD SOMETHING TO WHAT YOU JUST SAID, SIR? THIS IS NOT GUARANTEED TO COME BACK AS IT'S WRITTEN.

EXACTLY. EXACTLY.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

CHAIR NOW OPENS ITEM NUMBER EIGHT UNFINISHED BUSINESS ORDINANCE 2023-05 RC ORDINANCE.

[8A. Ordinance 2023-05 – RRC Ordinance]

YES. WE'RE OUT OF LINE.

NO. ALL RIGHT.

LET'S TAKE A TEN MINUTE BREAK.

GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

THANK YOU FOR THAT BRIEF RECESS.

AS PART OF THIS IS THE SECOND MEETING AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ORDINANCE NUMBER 202305.

A HOUSING ORDINANCE CHANGES.

IT IS A COLLECTION OF CHANGES THAT WOULD ELIMINATE MINIMUM HOUSING SIZE, ALLOW MULTIPLE FAMILY UNITS BY RIGHT IN MULTIPLE FAMILY ZONING DISTRICTS, ALLOW SECOND FLOOR RESIDENTIAL USES IN THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY FOR FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.

ALLOW A PROCESS TO ALLOW ADUS AND SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONED AREAS AND STAFF IS ALSO RECOMMENDING THE REMOVAL OF THE PUBLIC HEARING REQUIREMENTS FOR SITE PLANS AS WE DESCRIBED.

IT'S IT'S A KIND OF A REDUNDANT POINT IN THE PROCESS AND IT DOESN'T REALLY SERVE A GREAT PUBLIC PURPOSE.

PLANNING COMMISSION DID HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS AMENDMENT AT YOUR REGULAR MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 11TH.

YOU DID INDICATE SUPPORT AT THAT TIME.

STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGES.

AND WE DID PROVIDE A RESOLUTION AS WELL AS A CLEAN VERSION AND A RED LINE VERSION OF THIS ORDINANCE.

I DO NOTE THERE ARE TWO PARAGRAPHS IN THE CLEAN VERSION THAT STILL NEED TO BE TAKEN OUT OF THERE BECAUSE THE STRIKE OUT TEXT IS THERE.

BUT WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT BEFORE IT GOES TO THE BOARD.

THIS QUESTION CAN I MOVE ADOPTION AT THIS POINT? YES. MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF ZONING AMENDMENT NUMBER 202305.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REVISED DRAFT ORDINANCE LANGUAGE DATED SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2023.

I'LL SECOND THAT DISCUSSION.

NO. ALL RIGHT.

TAKE A ROLL CALL. VOTE.

I'LL GO FIRST.

. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

ITEM NUMBER NINE OTHER BUSINESS CONSERVANCY DISTRICT.

[9A. Conservancy District Discussion]

SO WE'VE NOTICED AND I KIND OF MENTIONED THIS A LITTLE BIT AT A PREVIOUS MEETING.

WE'VE NOTICED OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.

[02:10:03]

SOME PEOPLE HAVE BUILT DECKS, SOME PEOPLE HAVE DONE BUILDING ADDITIONS, THINGS LIKE THAT, AND THEY HAPPEN TO BE IN A FLOODPLAIN.

AND AS OUR ORDINANCE READS RIGHT NOW, EVERY TIME THEY BUILD THAT DECK AND DIG THOSE POST HOLES, EVERY TIME THEY PUT THAT ADDITION ON, IT TRIGGERS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT PROCESS WITH A FULL PUBLIC HEARING AND THE 300 FOOT NOTIFICATION AND ALL EVERYTHING THAT ENTAILS.

I WILL NOTE THAT WE DON'T DO WE DO HAVE AN EXCEPTION FOR PROPERTIES ON THE ON LAKE LANSING.

SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS JUST MAKING THAT MAKING THAT EXCEPTION ACROSS THE ENTIRE TOWNSHIP AND THE NUMBER THAT WE'VE LANDED ON BETWEEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH PLANNING STAFF AND ENGINEERING STAFF IS TEN CUBIC YARDS.

THAT'S WHAT IS CURRENTLY AN EXEMPTION ON LAKE LANSING PROPERTIES.

THAT IS WORKABLE.

IT I WILL NOTE IT DOES NOT EXEMPT THEM FROM STATE PERMITS.

YOU STILL HAVE TO GET AN EAGLE PERMIT.

YOU STILL HAVE TO GET A FLOODPLAIN ADMINISTRATOR APPROVAL.

IT GOES THROUGH THEIR REVIEW AND ALL THE FEMA REGULATIONS THAT GO WITH THAT.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE GIVEN A FREE PASS TO SOMEBODY.

WE'RE JUST SAYING IF YOU'RE UNDER TEN CUBIC YARDS, YOU DON'T NEED TO GO THROUGH THE SPECIAL USE PERMITTING PROCESS.

AND IT MAKES THAT PROCESS A LITTLE BIT SMOOTHER FOR THEM TO GET TO GET THEIR DECK BUILT.

QUESTIONS. ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? I THINK WE BRIEFLY DISCUSSED IT EARLIER.

YEAH, I THINK IT'S A REASONABLE PROPOSAL TO BRING BACK FOR REVIEW BY AND APPROVAL RECOMMENDATION.

I REMEMBER JOKING ABOUT MR. SCHMIDT'S GRASP FOR POWER, SO THIS WASN'T ME.

THIS WAS GOING TO ENGINEERING.

THIS IS TRUTH. ALL RIGHT.

WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM US? JUST HEAD NODS, GENERAL APPROVAL IF YOU'RE OKAY.

JUST A SENSE THAT YOU'RE OKAY WITH THIS.

WHAT'S WITH THE MAGIC NUMBER OF TEN CUBIC YARDS? THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE LAKE LANSING PROPERTY EXEMPTION.

IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.

IT'S ALSO GOING TO END UP BEING A MINOR PERMIT, I BELIEVE, FROM A STATE PERSPECTIVE.

AND SO IT DOESN'T TRIGGER ANYTHING MORE BECAUSE ALL OF THESE HAVE ALREADY BY THE TIME YOU GET TO US, YOU'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH IF YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH FEMA, YOU GO THROUGH FEMA, YOU'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH THE STATE, YOU'VE ALREADY DONE ALL YOUR ENGINEERING.

AND USUALLY WHAT THIS WHAT WE FOUND, IT'S EITHER DEC OR IT'S SOMEONE ON INDIAN IN INDIAN HILLS WHO HAS THE FRONT CORNER OF THEIR HOUSE THAT'S TECHNICALLY IN THE FLOODPLAIN AND THEY WANT TO BUILD THAT FLOWER BED UP SIX INCHES SO THAT THEY CAN GET RID OF THEIR INSURANCE, FLOOD INSURANCE ON THE HOUSE REQUIREMENT.

AND THAT'S HAPPENED AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR NOW CONSISTENTLY.

SO THE TEN CUBIC YARDS IS THE EXISTING STANDARD AROUND THE LAKE.

AND IT'S ALSO STILL A MINOR PERMIT.

YEAH. TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE, KNOWING THAT BOTH OF YOU ARE RELATIVELY NEW, HAS THERE EVER BEEN AN INSTANCE WHERE IT'S BEEN APPROVED BY FEMA AND EGLE OR DEQ BEFORE THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS SAID, NO, I DON'T NOT IN ANYTHING I'VE SEEN.

AND THAT INCLUDES NOT A FORMAL REVIEW, BUT ANYTHING I'VE HAD TO GO BACK AND RESEARCH.

I'VE NEVER COME ACROSS A NO HOW IS THAT TEN CUBIC YARDS MEASURED? IS IT FROM THE WALL OF THE EXISTING PROJECT? IT'S MEASURED IN THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.

SO. IT'S HOW MUCH.

PHIL IS ACTUALLY REMOVED FROM THE FLOODPLAIN.

AND THEN THAT IS MITIGATED.

LIKE IF THEY'RE TAKING OUT OF THE FLOODPLAIN, IT'S GOING TO BE MITIGATED ELSEWHERE SO THAT IT IS ACTUALLY LIKE THROUGH THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.

BUT IT'S THE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL THAT'S MOVED.

OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? JUST A SARDONIC COMMENT.

I THINK IT'S POETIC JUSTICE THAT IN ORDER TO RELAX A PUBLIC HEARING REQUIREMENT, WE NEED TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.

WELCOME TO GOVERNMENT.

JUST A COMMENT. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP IMPROVE WORKFLOW FOR THE STAFF THAT ARE ALREADY OVERBURDENED.

SO I'M ALL FOR THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S ALREADY OVERSEEN BY STATE AGENCIES AND ALL OF THAT.

WELL, LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION THEN.

IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION THAT DOESN'T LIKE WHAT YOU'RE HEARING HERE AS A PROPOSAL? NO. ALL RIGHT. OKAY.

THEN WE'LL HAVE IT BACK FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THEN.

MASTER PLAN UPDATE.

[10. MASTER PLAN UPDATE]

[02:15:01]

SO YOU MAY BE HEARING FROM HER.

VERY GOOD. AS YOUR COMMENT PERIOD ACTUALLY BEEN QUIET? IT HAS.

HAVE WE HEARD FROM ADJOINING JURISDICTIONS? WE HAVE NOT. NOR DO WE EXPECT TO.

ALL RIGHT. SO NOW WE'RE ON ITEM NUMBER 11 TOWNSHIP BOARD UPDATE.

[11A. Township Board update.]

OH, IT JUST WENT OUT OF MY HEAD.

WELCOME TO MY WORLD. THE BUDGET'S BEEN HAS BEEN ADOPTED FOR THE YEAR, AND I'M BLANKING ON THE PROJECT.

WE HAD ON THE SAME MEETING AS THE BUDGET.

I APOLOGIZE. HOPEFULLY IT WILL COME BACK TO ME.

IT ONLY GETS WORSE. TAKE MY WORD FOR IT.

YEAH. IT MUST BE THE MARIJUANA SHOP.

THEY DID APPROVE TWO OF THOSE REQUESTS.

I APOLOGIZE.

I AM ABSOLUTELY BLANKING ON WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY.

WELL, THERE WAS A HOME TV PLAYBACK EQUIPMENT PURCHASE.

THAT WAS A BIG ITEM.

THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT ITEM, AND THAT'S WILL HELP US GOING FORWARD.

PAID PARENTAL LEAVE PROGRAM.

HOWARD TANNER RECOGNITION.

THEN IT REALLY WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION ON THE DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND WAS JUST A FIREBALL.

DO THEY RECOGNIZE HOWARD TANNER FOR TURNING 100 YEARS OLD? THEY DID. THEY DID.

WE HAVE A NEW POLICE CHIEF.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS PART OF YOUR.

WE DO HAVE A NEW POLICE CHIEF.

AND THEN THERE WAS A CLOSED SESSION, SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY TALKED ABOUT.

NO, I THINK ALL I WAS GOING TO POINT OUT WAS THE TWO MARIJUANA ITEMS. NOW THAT I LOOK REAL QUICK, THAT THEY'VE BOTH BEEN ADOPTED AT THIS POINT.

AND THE BOARD WILL TAKE UP STANDARDS FOR RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA LICENSING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MEETINGS, ONE OF THE NEXT TWO MEETINGS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT ALL OVER AGAIN.

THIS WILL NOT COME BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

THESE ARE THE RULES THAT THE BOARD IS GOING TO USE TO DETERMINE HOW TO ISSUE THE LICENSES.

LIAISON REPORTS, EVERYBODY.

I WOULD JUST ADD ONE THING RELATED TO THIS.

IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR WHERE WE DO DO START TALKING ABOUT REAPPOINTMENTS.

SO I WILL BE REACHING OUT SHORTLY.

TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE UP FOR REAPPOINTMENT THIS YEAR AND SEEING WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE REAPPOINTED.

UNDERSTOOD. REST OF YOU ARE STUCK.

ARE THERE ANY LIAISON REPORTS?

[11B. Liaison reports.]

AND AFTER A SIGNIFICANT DISCUSSION, IT WAS TABLED TO GET FURTHER INFORMATION THAT'LL BE ON THE AGENDA IN OCTOBER.

SO WHEREABOUTS ON LAKE DRIVE AT.

OH, ON THE SOUTH, EAST OR NORTHEAST? NORTHEAST? YEAH.

OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU. OH, I HAVE ONE.

THE IS GOING TO HAVE TO HELP ME.

DIRECTOR SCHMITT IS GOING TO HAVE TO HELP ME POTENTIALLY WITH THE TIFF PLAN CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY.

THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY MET AND THEY APPROVED THE PLAN, WHICH IS NOW.

GETTING SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD.

THE SECOND THING THAT HAPPENED AT THAT MEETING THAT I WANTED TO SHARE WAS THAT THE.

DRAIN COMMISSIONER WAS ALSO AT THAT MEETING AND GAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON THE OKEMOS.

CORE. CONSOLIDATED DRAIN.

THANK YOU. WHICH I THOUGHT WOULD ACTUALLY BE A POTENTIALLY USEFUL PRESENTATION FOR US TO HEAR AS AN INFORMATIVE THING, BECAUSE IT BASICALLY IS.

CONSOLIDATING THE DRAIN AND REWORKING EVERYTHING AND HAS DIRECT IMPACT ON SOME OF OUR CONVERSATIONS.

SO I ASKED HER TO REQUEST LIKE A SPOT ON THE AGENDA.

WAS IT TAPED? IT WAS NOT.

NO. I THINK THAT'S IT.

ANYONE ELSE? PROJECT UPDATE.

[12A. Project Report]

WE'RE STAYING VERY BUSY RIGHT NOW.

IT'S GETTING TO BE THE END OF THE YEAR, SO PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO CLOSE PROJECTS OUT.

[02:20:04]

THERE WAS SOME DELAY IN GETTING THE PERMIT FOR PHASE TWO.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT HAS BEEN ISSUED FINALLY BY EGLE AND THEY ARE MAKING STEADY PROGRESS.

AND THERE ARE STILL I DON'T WANT TO PUT TOO FINE A POINT ON IT, BUT STILL VERY MUCH WANT TO GET THINGS OPEN THIS YEAR.

OKAY. WE TRY TO TAKE A BIKE RIDE THIS WEEKEND AND I WAS LIKE, YEP, YOU'RE STILL A LITTLE WAYS OUT.

YEAH, I GET A MOUNTAIN BIKE.

THEY DO HAVE THE BRIDGE UP, THOUGH.

YEAH, THEY'RE JUST WAITING TO GET THE RAMP UP ON IT OVER THE RED CEDAR FROM HAGADORN ROAD.

AND I DID SEE THAT THE CHAIN LINK FENCE IS AROUND AND HASLETT VILLAGE.

SO I'M ASSUMING THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD, HOPEFULLY SOON WITH THE DEMOLITION.

THEY'VE RUN INTO A SLIGHT.

I GOT YOU. YOUR CONCERN WITH AN OUTSIDE AGENCY.

OH, OKAY.

THAT'S INTERESTING. I CAN HEAR MORE MYSTERIOUS UPDATE.

NO, NOT DURING.

YEAH. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. SO WE'LL CLOSE ITEM 12 AND NOW PUBLIC REMARKS.

THERE IS ONLY ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC STILL PRESENT.

SIR, DID YOU WISH TO ADDRESS US ON ANYTHING? I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN TO.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

SO, COMMISSIONER, COMMENTS? ANY COMMENTS ON.

[14. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS]

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE INTERACTION WITH THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE.

I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR THE MONTGOMERY DRAIN.

THE NEW DRAIN THAT'S TAKING THE WATER OFF OF FRANDOR.

AND IT REALLY IS AMAZING IF YOU HAVEN'T GONE AND LOOKED EITHER AT THE PART BETWEEN MICHIGAN AVE AND THE RIVER BELOW THE APARTMENT BUILDINGS, ALL THE PONDS DOWN THERE AND OTHER FEATURES, IT'S WORTH A LOOK.

THERE'S NICE TRAILS.

EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE IF YOU GO UP TO THE NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY DOUBLED THE SLEDDING HILL, BUT THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF WORK DONE NORTH OF THE SKATE PARK AND AROUND THAT SLEDDING HILL.

THEY'RE SETTLING PONDS.

THERE'S A HUGE FEATURES BEING BUILT SOUTH OF SAGINAW.

IT'S A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING.

AND IF YOU'VE GOT A FEW SPARE HOURS, HAS THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER TO TELL YOU ABOUT IT.

SO SERIOUSLY, I IT WOULD BE NICE AT SOME POINT TO HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE ON THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE AND ARE PLANNING IN THE TOWNSHIP, THE STUFF AROUND LAKE LANSING THAT THEY DID.

IF YOU DON'T GO IN THAT AREA, YOU DON'T SEE IT.

BUT IT WAS A BIG DEAL.

THE STUFF THAT THEY DID AT WALDEN POND, THAT WAS IF YOU GO THAT WAY, YOU NEVER NOTICED IT.

BUT IT WAS A BIG DEAL.

THE WAY THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE IS TRYING TO BUILD TO ACCOMMODATE BOTH THE CONSTRUCTION THAT WE'RE DOING AND THE CHANGES IN RAINFALL PATTERNS THAT WE'RE EXPECTING IS A BIG DEAL.

AND I THINK THE MORE FOLKS ARE AWARE OF IT, THE BETTER.

I'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT. I AGREE THAT IT WAS VERY BENEFICIAL TO TODAY'S HEARING TO HAVE HER HERE, WHICH IS A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WERE WONDERING WHY I LET HER GO ON BECAUSE I THINK SHE ADDED USEFUL INFORMATION TO THE DISCUSSION.

AND I ALSO GOT THE IMPRESSION, ALTHOUGH SHE DIDN'T NAIL IT DOWN, I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT NO MATTER WHAT WE DID HERE TODAY, THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER HAS SOME SERIOUS ISSUES WITH THE PROPOSAL THAT WAS BEFORE US TODAY.

IT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN APPROVED EVEN IF WE DID, BASED ON WHAT I HEARD HERE TODAY.

SO I APPRECIATED HER BEING HERE.

AND I AGREE WITH YOU, IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR US TO HAVE HER HERE ON MORE ISSUES SIMILAR TO THAT THE REZONING AND THE COMMENTS FROM THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE HAD ME THINKING, IS THIS CURRENT ZONING APPROPRIATE TO.

I DON'T I HAVE NO IDEA.

SO I'M ALSO MY INTEREST IS VERY PIQUED.

ALL THE TALK ABOUT THE DRAIN COMMISSION AND PERHAPS GETTING AN OVERVIEW OF LIKE WHAT WORK THEY ARE DOING AND WHAT'S I DON'T KNOW.

I JUST I'M VERY INTRIGUED BY THAT.

THIS IS A NEW TOPIC FOR ME, OKAY? IT'S NOT SOMETHING I WAS EVER VERY INTERESTED IN, BUT I NEVER REALLY KNEW MUCH ABOUT IT.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE ITEMS OF PUBLIC WORKS THAT JUST GOES ON BENEATH THE SURFACE.

NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S LITERALLY BENEATH THE SURFACE.

YEAH, EXACTLY. YEAH.

PUN INTENDED.

THE OTHER THING, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS DISCUSSED AT THE LAST MEETING OR NOT BY CHANCE, BUT A FEW MEETINGS BACK.

[02:25:05]

I'M STILL VERY INTERESTED IN THAT.

YEAH. SO THAT TURNED INTO A GOAL FOR THE MASTER PLAN.

SO THAT'S A LONGER TERM PROJECT FOR US AND WE'LL WORK WITH JS DEPARTMENT TO HAMMER DOWN THOSE THAT INFORMATION MORE EFFECTIVELY. OKAY.

THAT WAS PART OF MY INCREDIBLE INTERNAL CONFLICT TONIGHT.

JUST THERE IS SUCH LIMITED LAND TO DEVELOP AND THAT INFORMATION WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.

YEAH, I HAVE TWO COMMENTS.

ONE IS I'M NOT I WAS SURPRISED BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE THIS EVENING, BUT I WAS REALLY GLAD THAT THEY DECIDED TO SHOW UP AND MAKE THEIR COMMENTS.

I DO THINK, THOUGH, DURING A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD LIKE THAT, IT IS APPROPRIATE THAT WE MAINTAIN A STANDARD FOR THE PUBLIC OR SOMEBODY ELSE WHO IS TALKING BECAUSE IT IS A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

AND SO IT'S UNFAIR TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE TALKING TO NOT BE TOLD TO STOP TALKING WHEN OTHER PEOPLE ARE GIVEN LONGER AND IF THE DRAIN COMMISSION OR SOMEBODY ELSE, LIKE THE LAWYER REPRESENTING THE CLIENT WANTS TO BE ON THE AGENDA, THEN THEY CAN SUBMIT A REQUEST TO BE ON THE AGENDA.

GO FOR IT. I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE A BACK AND FORTH, BUT I DO SEE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE APPLICANT SHARING INFORMATION FOR OUR CONSIDERATION AND THEN RUNNING.

THE TIMER KIND OF MADE A JUDGMENT CALL THAT THE REALTOR WAS PART OF THE APPLICANT'S TESTIMONY.

ONE OF, YOU KNOW, SHE HAD AN ENGINEER AND SO I DO THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE TO GIVE THEM THEY'RE MAKING AN APPLICATION.

THEY'VE PAID A FEE TO DO THAT.

WE'RE MAKING A CONSIDERATION.

SO I DO THINK THAT OUR PRACTICE HAS BEEN THAT THEY HAVE UNLIMITED TIME TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH US AND TO BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND INTERACT WITH US A LITTLE BIT. THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER, I ALSO MADE A JUDGMENT CALL ON THAT ONE, AND I THOUGHT THAT I MEAN, TYPICALLY OUR REPORT HAS A TRAFFIC RESPONSE, A PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSE, A DRAIN, YOU KNOW, AND THAT WAS INFORMATION IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER HERE AND THAT INFORMATION IS COMING AS PART OF OUR CONSIDERATION OF THE PROJECT, PERSONALLY, I THINK IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF INFORMATION SHARING THAN WOULD BE A PUBLIC COMMENT.

AND I DON'T DISAGREE THAT PUBLIC COMMENT IS IMPORTANT.

I THINK THE TIMING RULES ARE THERE BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE AND WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME STANDARDS THERE BUT I DO SEE AS TWO TYPES OF COMMENT.

AND THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, BUT I DO AGREE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A STANDARD.

AND SO IF THAT WASN'T THE RIGHT JUDGMENT ON MY PART, ESTABLISHING THAT GOING FORWARD WOULD BE HELPFUL SO THAT WE DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE AGAIN BUT THAT WAS WHY I DID WHAT I DID TONIGHT. I THINK WHAT MADE IT CONFUSING WAS THAT TYPICALLY IT'S THE APPLICANT AND THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVES SPEAKING, AND THEN IT'S OPENED UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

AND SO IN I GUESS IN THE FUTURE, IF THERE'S THE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE COULD ASK IS ARE, YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANY MORE THAT THE APPLICANT WANTS TO SAY OR BRING UP? BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE THAT THEIR ENGINEER, THEY WERE NEVER ON A TIMER OR THE PROPERTY OWNER IF IT'S DIFFERENT THAN THE DEVELOPER AND THEN THE PERSON WHO'S PROPOSING THE PROJECT AND BUYING THE PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL PART OF THEIR PRESENTATION AND THEN IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

AND THEN YOU START THE THREE MINUTES AND ANYBODY WHO COMMENTS AND THEN AND THE OTHER THING IS THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD QUESTION.

ARE YOU REPRESENTING YOURSELF OR ARE YOU REPRESENTING THE DRAIN COMMISSION OFFICE? BECAUSE I BELIEVE SHE LIVES CLOSE.

SHE LIVES EITHER IN WARD OR CLOSE.

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT ALSO PROBABLY SHOULD BE COVERED AHEAD OF TIME TO KNOW THAT THE THAT COMMENT YOU KNOW, THAT YOU WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT AND AND WAS THERE YOU KNOW TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND DIFFERENT THAN PUBLIC COMMENT AND ALSO THAT'S WHY I RAISED THAT BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW AM I LISTENING TO SOMEBODY WHO HAS A VESTED INTEREST IN A HOME THERE OR THIS IS SOMEBODY WHO'S HERE STRICTLY, OBJECTIVELY FROM AN OFFICIAL STANDPOINT.

AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE THERE.

THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE. I THOUGHT SHE WAS INTRODUCED.

SHE WAS INTRODUCED. YEAH.

SHE WAS INTRODUCED TO US AS A REPRESENTATIVE.

[02:30:02]

I'D LIKE TO GO BACK AND LISTEN TO IT BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE, IS SHE AND WAS THAT AN APPROPRIATE WAY TO INTRODUCE HERSELF? WAS SHE SENT HERE BY THE DRAIN COMMISSION? YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE, OR IS SHE SIMPLY LETTING US ALL KNOW I WORK FOR THE DRAIN COMMISSION AND I THEREFORE HAVE A LOT OF EXPERTISE ON THIS SUBJECT, WHICH IS FINE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT I DIDN'T KNOW IN WHAT CAPACITY YOU WERE HERE TO SPEAK ON ALSO, YOU KNOW, AFFECTS THE WAY I'M INTERPRETING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

I THINK IT WOULD BE BEST IF THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER IS GOING TO SEND SOMEONE TO SPEAK.

WORK TO MONITOR OUR MEETINGS THAT PERSON IDENTIFY HIMSELF OR HERSELF TO MR. SCHMIDT TO THE CHAIR, SO THAT IF THAT PERSON WISHES TO SPEAK ON THE ISSUE ABOUT A GENERAL DRAIN COMMISSIONER ISSUE OR WHATEVER, THEN THAT PERSON IS IDENTIFIED AND GIVEN A CHANCE TO SPEAK, NOT SUBJECT TO THE THREE MINUTE, BUT THEY COME AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER GIVING INFORMATION THAT MIGHT BE OF IMPORTANCE TO THE BOARD RATHER THAN PUSHING ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER AT THAT POINT.

SO IT WOULD BE BEST IF THEY WOULD NOTIFY US TONIGHT.

SHE JUST SORT OF SPRUNG UP THERE AND IT WAS I CAN TELL YOU IT WAS IT WAS DIFFERENT.

I'M SURE IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER HAD AN AGENCY GET INVOLVED IN A REZONING LIKE THAT.

YEAH, IN MY CAREER.

BUT DID THE AGENCY GET INVOLVED? AND THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO CLARIFY.

I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.

I APPRECIATE THE NUANCES OF THIS, AND I THINK THAT IN IN RETROSPECT, IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF HERE AS AN EXPERT WITNESS ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS, THAT IT GO THROUGH YOU AND THAT IT BE PART OF THE STAFF REPORT.

AND THEN IF WE HAD A FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS, WE COULD JUST ADD, BECAUSE I THINK YOUR STAFF REPORT DOES COVER THAT FEEDBACK THAT YOU'VE SOUGHT AND RECEIVED.

AND SO IT SHOULD HAVE COME THROUGH THAT TO US.

BUT IT WOULD BE ALSO GREAT TO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DRAIN COMMISSION HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS HAD WE HAD MORE OF THEM OR WANTED ADDITIONAL DETAIL THAT YOU PREFERRED THAT THEY PROVIDE. BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY TRY AND WORK SOMETHING OUT WITH THEM THAT'S EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION GOING FORWARD.

DID SHE FILL OUT ONE OF THOSE CARDS? NO, UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN'T TELL YOU WHERE THE CARDS ARE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE MOVE.

BUT WE HAVE EVERYONE'S NAME AND INFORMATION ON OUR SHEETS.

I JUST WANT TO REITERATE, THOUGH, THAT WITH MY COMMENT THAT SPURRED ALL THIS CONVERSATION THAT I SUPPORT ALL THE STUFF THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ON THE RATIONALE FOR WHAT HAPPENED THIS EVENING AND THAT I JUST THINK IF WE WERE THE PUBLIC SITTING IN THIS MEETING, THEN IF WE OPEN IT, OPEN SOMETHING UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN OTHER PEOPLE STAND UP AND THEY GET MORE TIME, THAT IS A THAT OPENS US UP TO LOTS OF VITRIOL OR JUST OTHER FEELINGS.

AND I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD LIKE THERE'S A POTENTIAL THAT WE COULD HAVE VERY SIMILAR CROWD IN TWO WEEKS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS AGAIN.

SO IT MAY BE I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU RAISED IT, BECAUSE HOPEFULLY IF ANYBODY'S WATCHING THIS WILL HELP CLARIFY WHY THERE COULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT.

ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ASK BOTH THE CHAIR AND THE STAFF IS THAT IN THE PAST, WHEN WE DO PUBLIC, WE HAVEN'T HAD A PUBLIC HEARING THAT'S BEEN BIG AND SO LONG.

I THINK WE'VE ALL KIND OF FORGOTTEN WHAT THEY'RE LIKE.

BUT THERE'S SORT OF, I THINK, A SHEET THAT YOU PUT UP ON THE SCREEN THAT SAYS, HERE'S OUR PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT YOU SAID, BUT KIND OF REITERATING THAT SORT OF STANDARD.

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS NOW.

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT.

THAT JUST REMINDS PEOPLE IN THE ROOM WHAT OUR PROCESS IS AND THAT THEY GET MINUTES.

IF THAT COULD BE SORT OF REINSTITUTED, PARTICULARLY IF THERE'S A PUBLIC HEARING THAT YOU ANTICIPATE THAT THERE'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTEN A FEW COMMUNICATIONS.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THAT'S WHAT I WAS HOPING.

THAT'S THE TOWNSHIP BOARD'S VERY NORMAL PRACTICE NOW IS TO LAY THOSE GROUND RULES OUT.

AND ONE OF THEM IS ABOUT WHO THE SPEAKER IS ADDRESSING.

YES. OH, YEAH.

IN A IN POLITE COMPANY, PEOPLE CAN TALK TO MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE.

IF PEOPLE HAVE VERY DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS AND SAY, WELL, WHAT YOU SAID IS WRONG, NOW YOU'RE IN.

SO YEAH AND ONE OTHER THING IS TYPICALLY IN REACTIONS FROM THE CROWD ARE DISCOURAGED AND YOU KNOW THERE'S CLAPPING TONIGHT AND EVERYBODY SEEMED TO BE OF A MIND YOU CAN'T STOP IT BUT I THINK YOU CAN SAY YOU KNOW PLEASE KEEP CROWD KEEP THERE'S PROTOCOL.

[02:35:01]

BUT I THINK IF WE HAVE A STANDARD ALL THE TIME, THEN IT'S EASIER TO ENFORCE WHEN IT DOES START TO GET OUT OF HAND IF WE'VE ALLOWED IT AT SEVERAL MEETINGS.

IN ALL HONESTY, GIVEN THE INTENSITY OF THE FEELING TONIGHT AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WERE HERE TO EXPRESS THAT FEELING, I THOUGHT IT WENT REMARKABLY WELL.

OH, I AGREE.QUESTION. IS IT EVER OKAY DURING PUBLIC REMARKS TO CORRECT SOMETHING THAT IS JUST LIKE INCORRECT THINKING EVER BECAUSE SO MANY.

TIME IS WITH PEOPLE'S COMMENTS.

I SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO JUST SHED LIGHT ON WHAT THE ACTUAL PROCESS IS.

UNDERSTOOD. JUST TO CLARIFY AND NOT EVEN JUST VERY OBJECTIVE.

BILL TRIED TO DO THAT. THERE IS A WAY TO DO THAT, BUT IT'S NOT UNTIL THE PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION ENDS AND THEN THE BOARD CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THE QUESTION.

TO ME, THAT'S THE EASIEST WAY TO DO IT IS HAVING.

OTHERWISE IT'S A BACK AND STAND UP.

YEAH, I TRY TO CUT OFF AS MUCH AS I CAN.

THE TENSION WAS THIS.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION WANTS THIS.

I JUST SAW THIS APPLICATION THIS WEEKEND.

I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THIS.

IT'S WORSE DURING ELECTION SEASON.

ARE WE READY FOR ADJOURNMENT? YES. YEAH.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

GOOD NIGHT, EVERYBODY. LET'S GET OUT OF HERE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.