Jan 22, 2024 Planning Commission

[00:00:23]

CALLING TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION FOR MONDAY, JANUARY

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

. AND TEMPORARILY AT LEAST, WE HAVE COMMISSIONER TREZISE WHO WILL NO LONGER BE WITH US AFTER TODAY.

SO, WE HAVE A QUORUM.

PUBLIC REMARKS.

[3. PUBLIC REMARKS]

OKAY, THEN.

YES. OH.

I'M SORRY.

YOU DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT THAT.

GO AHEAD.

[INAUDIBLE], 3818 YOSEMITE DRIVE.

OKEMOS HERE TO THANK THE BOARD AND THE STAFF HERE.

I'VE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME SERVING ON THIS COMMISSION.

IT DOES GOOD WORK AND DOES IMPORTANT WORK.

AS YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN APPOINTED TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, SO I HAVE TO LEAVE THIS COMMISSION, AND I WISH YOU WELL.

I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ACCOMMODATIONS OF ME.

AND I'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU.

AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.

AND I GUESS I'M NOT FORMALLY RESIGNING BECAUSE I HAD TO RESIGN, SO.

BUT I'M DONE.

BUT I'M DONE. SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

GOOD LUCK.

KEEP DOING THE GOOD WORK.

BEST OF LUCK TO YOU. CONGRATULATIONS.

YES, CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

NOW I'M GOING TO LEAVE.

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. DROP THE MIC.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT.

[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

SECOND. MOTION IS SECONDED.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. THERE IS NO OPPOSITION.

THE AGENDA IS APPROVED.

NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 8TH MEETING.

[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]

SUPPORT MINUTES.

THE MINUTES. I MEAN, SORRY, THE MINUTES.

ALL RIGHT. WE CAN DO A ROLL CALL ON THIS ONE, TOO, I BELIEVE.

GREAT. SORRY.

A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ON THE MINUTES.

THEY LOOK GREAT. ONE THING THAT CAUGHT MY EYE.

THERE WERE SOME VOICE VOTES THAT WERE RECORDED WITH, THE LIST OF NAMES WHICH I'M FAMILIAR WITH A ROLL CALL VOTE, BUT LESS SO WITH A VOICE VOTE. IS THAT HOW WE NORMALLY.

I THOUGHT WE WERE CHANGING THAT.

YEAH, THAT'S A COPY PASTE FUNCTION.

OKAY. I WANT YOU TO JUST NOTE THAT IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.

I CAN CHANGE THAT.

I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY OKAY.

OKAY. AND THE OTHER PIECE WAS, READING THE MINUTES REMINDED ME THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, AT A FUTURE MEETING LOOKING AT OUR, OBJECTIVES FOR THE COMING YEAR, AND THAT THAT MIGHT BE ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA.

I SEE WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS, SO MAYBE THAT'S WHY, WE PUT THAT OFF.

UNTIL NEXT TIME. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT IT WILL COME UP IN FEBRUARY.

CORRECT. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, THEN THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM JANUARY 8TH.

SAY AYE. ALL RIGHT.

THERE IS NO OPPOSITION. THOSE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

THERE IS ITEM SIX.

THERE IS NO COMMUNICATION UNLESS SOMETHING HAS COME IN SINCE THIS WAS PRINTED.

NO, SIR. NO COMMUNICATIONS.

SO, WE ARE NOW ON PUBLIC HEARING SEVEN A.

[7.A. SUP #24001 – 2731 Grand River]

THIS IS SPECIAL USE PERMIT 2401 MERIDIAN RETAIL MANAGEMENT TWO, LLC.

THIS IS TO CONSTRUCT A RESTAURANT WITH A DRIVE THRU AT 2731 GRAND RIVER.

THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE DRIVE THRU PORTION OF THE RESTAURANT.

THEY'VE SUBMITTED AN SAP APPLICATION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A 2560 SQUARE FOOT RESTAURANT.

AS I SAID WITH THE DRIVE THRU, THE SITE IS THE FORMER BANK OF AMERICA BUILDING.

THEY'RE PROPOSING TO TEAR IT DOWN AND REPLACE IT WITH THE NEW, NEW CONSTRUCTION.

[00:05:06]

THIS IS DAWN AVENUE.

IT IS ZONED INDUSTRIAL TO THE SOUTH.

THE LAND USE ITSELF CONFORMS WITH BOTH THE MASTER PLAN AND THE ZONING ORDINANCE.

THERE'S NO ISSUE WITH THAT.

SEWER AND WATER AVAILABLE.

HONESTLY, THE ONLY THING THAT KIND OF CAUGHT MY EYE IN THIS REVIEW, GOING THROUGH THE TRAFFIC STUDY.

THE TRAFFIC STUDY THAT WAS SUBMITTED DID TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE SPECIALTY GROCERY STORE THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION ADJACENT TO THE WEST.

SO, I WAS PLEASED TO SEE THAT, THE TRAFFIC STUDY STATES THAT NEARBY INTERSECTION APPROACHES WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE ACCEPTABLY.

THIS WILL BE REVIEWED BY THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AS THIS IS GRAND RIVER AVENUE DURING SITE PLAN REVIEW.

BUT IF THEY ACCEPT THOSE FINDINGS, TRAFFIC IS NOT ANTICIPATED TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THIS.

THE BANK OF AMERICA BUILDING DID HAVE A DRIVE THRU.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S SIMILAR.

ALTHOUGH ANYWAY, THERE'S NO THERE'S NO NATURAL AREA HERE TO CONCERN YOURSELF WITH.

THIS IS A, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, A COMMERCIAL INFILL.

AND AS I SAID, IF THIS IS APPROVED, YOU ARE THE APPROVING BODY ON THIS SPECIAL USE PERMIT.

THEY WILL FOLLOW UP WITH SITE PLAN APPROVAL.

THAT IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS.

DURING SITE PLAN APPROVAL YOU GET ALL THE USUAL REVIEWS.

AS I SAID, MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE WILL REVIEW AND HAVE TO APPROVE, AS WELL AS WILL OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.

SO, WITH THAT, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I CAN ANSWER THEM.

THE APPLICANT IS REPRESENTED AND AS WELL.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT TYPE OF RESTAURANT THIS IS? AND WHEN I SAY WHAT TYPE, I DON'T HAVE TO KNOW THE NAME OF THE RESTAURANT.

WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS, IS THIS A RESTAURANT WHERE PEOPLE WILL BE DRIVING THROUGH FOR MORNING COFFEE AND THINGS LIKE THAT? I'M TRYING TO GET A FEEL FOR THAT SINGLE LANE DRIVE THROUGH, SO CAN YOU.

I THINK THAT'S A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT TO ANSWER.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH DETAIL THEY'RE WILLING TO GIVE.

I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC NAME OF A BUSINESS ON THE APPLICATION.

RIGHT. WHAT'S THE SO THE ONLY REASON I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY THIS WOULD COME BEFORE US [INAUDIBLE].

IS IT BECAUSE OF THE DRIVE THRU SPECIFICALLY? THAT'S THE ONLY REASON DRIVE-THRUS ARE AUTOMATICALLY A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.

OKAY. AND IT DOESN'T MATTER OF THE USE.

OKAY. AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE THEY ARE AND THE TOWNSHIP OR ANYTHING.

CORRECT. IF THIS WERE JUST A RESTAURANT, THIS WOULD BE A SITE PLAN.

OKAY. YOU WOULDN'T SEE THIS.

ALL RIGHT.

OKAY. MY CONCERN ONLY IS KIND OF PIGGYBACKING OFF WHAT, COMMISSIONER SCALES TALKED.

TALKED ABOUT, AND I KNOW THEY HAVE A ROAD.

YOU KNOW, I SAW THE STUDY IN THERE WITH THE STUDY, BUT SURE, SURE.

ON THE TYPE OF LIKE WITH THE BANK, THE TRAFFIC ISN'T AS BUSY AS A RESTAURANT THAT WOULD HAVE, LIKE, COFFEE IN THE MORNING. FAST FOOD, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF COMING AND GOING.

AND THAT PARTICULAR AREA WITH A DRIVE THRU CAN BE IT SEEMS LIKE THE TRAFFIC CAN BE AWKWARD BECAUSE YOU ALSO GOT WHOLE FOODS KIND OF DOWN THE STREET FROM THERE.

AND THEN YOU GOT, YOU GOT THE NEW GROCERY STORE THAT'S GOING NEXT DOOR AND ALL OF THAT HOTEL, AND THAT'S SO MUCH.

BUT STILL.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY CONCERN.

AND DID THEY? DO THEY TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT BEING THAT IT'S A, I GUESS A SINGLE LANE DRIVE THRU AND THE TYPE OF RESTAURANT THAT IT.

THAT TYPE OF TRAFFIC COULD PRODUCE.

I CAN LET THEM SPEAK MORE SPECIFICALLY, BUT IN GENERAL TERMS, YES, THE TRAFFIC STUDY DID ACCOUNT FOR A SINGLE LANE DRIVE THRU AS A WITH A RESTAURANT. THAT'S THE LAND USE THAT WAS USED IN THEIR CALCULATIONS.

THEY DID TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE GROCERY STORE, THE SPECIALTY GROCERY THAT'S BEING BUILT NEXT DOOR.

THEY LOOKED AT THE EXISTING TRAFFIC.

AND NOTE, TOO, THERE IS A, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE THEIR PRIMARY INGRESS EGRESS, BUT THEY DO ALSO HAVE AN ENTRYWAY ON DAWN AVENUE.

SO, THERE IS THERE IS A SECONDARY OUTLET IF PEOPLE WANTED TO GET OUT THAT WAY.

OKAY. THAT'S NOT NO.

I'M SORRY. YOU CAN GO AHEAD.

THAT'S NOT HOW I SAW THAT DAWN AVENUE ENTRANCE, I SAW THAT.

AS AN ENTRANCE INTO THE REAR, COMING AROUND TO THE EAST SIDE OF THE BUILDING AND THE BUILDING

[00:10:03]

AND I'D LIKE THEM TO WALK ME THROUGH HOW THIS DRIVE THROUGH IS GOING TO WORK SO I CAN VISUALIZE IT.

SURE, I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE SITE.

I'VE BEEN OVER TO THE SITE, I'VE LOOKED AT THIS, BUT I'VE LOOKED AT SEVERAL DRIVE THRUS BEFORE IN DEALING WITH THIS.

SO, ASK THEM SOME QUESTIONS.

ABSOLUTELY. BUT JUST SO YOU SEE WHERE I'M COMING FROM, THIS IS THE PLAN.

AND THEY HAVE TWO DIRECTIONAL ARROWS ON HERE COMING IN FROM DAWN AVENUE.

YOU THERE'S A TRAFFIC ISLAND RIGHT HERE.

YOU WOULD BE ROUTED TO THIS LANE, NOT THE DRIVE THRU LANE, BUT THE DRIVE AROUND LANE THAT WOULD TAKE YOU AROUND.

AND THEN THERE IS THERE IS AN EGRESS RIGHT HERE TOO.

BUT AGAIN, I SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.

HAPPY TO LET THE APPLICANT ANSWER THOSE THAT I JUST HAD A QUESTION FOR YOU, BRIAN.

THIS LOOKING AT THIS MADE ME THINK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAD COME UP.

IT SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME AGO.

BUT TALKING ABOUT TRAFFIC ON GRAND RIVER AND ALL THE NUMEROUS CURB CUTS, I'M JUST WONDERING IF MAYBE IN FEBRUARY, WHEN WE HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE KIND OF ON FUTURE AGENDAS IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DISCUSS.

I'M JUST VERY CURIOUS IF THERE WAS LIKE A LONG-TERM PLAN FOR HOW TO MINIMIZE ALL THE CURB CUTS ON GRAND RIVER.

IT'S JUST SO DICEY.

OR JUST IF THERE'S ANYTHING GOING ON WITH MDOT, IT'S JUST SO IT'S ALMOST TREACHEROUS AT THIS POINT.

WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.

HAPPY TO DO THAT.

DO NOTE, THOUGH, THIS IS NOT A NEW CURB CUT ON GRAND RIVER AVENUE.

THEY'RE DOING SOME REDESIGN OF THAT SLIGHT, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHAT REDESIGNED, BUT IT IS AN EXISTING CURB CUT.

BUT YEAH, WE'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.

YOU GOT TO.

BRANDON, JUST REALLY QUICK.

I'M TRYING TO FOLLOW UP.

I'M LOOKING AT IT FROM MY PHONE TO THE TRAFFIC PATTERN.

WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THE ARROWS.

SO, IS THAT COMMERCIAL BUILDING? IS THAT TUFFY? YES, IT IS.

SO, THE TRAFFIC WILL GO BEHIND THE TUFFY BUILDING? YES, IT WOULD. I WAS OUT THERE TODAY.

AS A MATTER OF FACT.

DON AVENUE ISN'T SHOWN.

DON AVENUE ISN'T QUITE ON HERE, BUT THIS IS WHERE DON AVENUE IS.

SO THERE, DON AVENUE ENTRANCE WOULD COME AROUND THERE, AND THEN YOU'D COME NORTH ONTO GRAND RIVER FROM THERE.

BUT AGAIN, I DON'T THINK BY ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.

IS THAT GOING TO BE THEIR PRIMARY? SURE. YOU KNOW, ENTRANCE.

SO NOW THAT YOU'VE PUSHED THIS DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

OKAY. OH, SORRY.

GIVE IT RIGHT THERE. OKAY, SO IF YOU WERE COMING FROM THE EAST, WHICH WOULD BE DAWN AVENUE, AND YOU'RE FOLLOWING THOSE ARROWS, YOU'RE PERPENDICULAR TO THE DRIVE THRU.

AM I CORRECT? YOU'RE PARALLEL TO THE DRIVE THRU.

CORRECT. FACING THE OTHER PROPER TERM.

PARALLEL TO THE DRIVE THRU.

BOTH ARE HEADED TOWARDS GRAND RIVER, IT LOOKS LIKE.

CORRECT. HOW DOES THE PERSON THAT ENTERED FROM DAWN AVENUE CROSS OVER THE DRIVE THRU LANE TO GET AROUND THE ENTIRE BUILDING, AND THEN COME BACK INTO THE DRIVE THRU LANE? THEY WOULD SIMPLY DRIVE THROUGH THE PARKING LOT AND COME INTO THE DRIVE THRU FROM THIS DIRECTION.

LIKE ANYONE ENTERING OFF OF GRAND RIVER AVENUE.

IF YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT SPECIFIC PATTERNS, I CAN LET YOU TALK ABOUT, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SEE THE ENGINEER, AND IT'S HARD TO SEE IT WITH THIS PICTURE.

AND IT WAS VERY HARD TO DO LOOKING AT THE SMALL PICTURE WE HAD BEFORE US.

BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THEM TALK TO US ABOUT THIS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THIS IS THE WHOLE ISSUE AND THE CRUX OF WHY WE'RE HERE.

CORRECT? CAN WE HAVE THE.

PROPONENTS. GOOD EVENING, SIR.

WOULD YOU TELL US YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS, PLEASE? GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MITCHELL HARVEY.

I'M WITH STONEFIELD ENGINEERING.

MY ADDRESS IS 607 SHELBY STREET, AND THAT'S IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SO, I'LL JUST BRIEFLY GO THROUGH THE SITE PLAN REALLY QUICK.

AND JUST KIND OF TOUCH ON SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE DISCUSSED AND THEN ANY QUESTIONS? I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.

BASICALLY, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO IS TEAR DOWN THE EXISTING TWO-STORY BUILDING AND PROPOSE A 2500 SQUARE FOOT RESTAURANT WITH DRIVE THRU.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE SEEKING THIS SPECIAL LAND USE APPROVAL.

ACCESS TO THE SITE WILL LARGELY REMAIN THE SAME, SO THE EXISTING CURB CUT ON GRAND IS GOING TO BE A PRIMARY ACCESS POINT.

WE DO HAVE AN EXISTING CURB CUT THAT GOES OVER, ONTO THE ADJACENT ROAD TO THE TO THE EAST, AND THAT'LL BE KIND OF AN AUXILIARY ROAD THAT

[00:15:01]

WE HAVE SUBMITTED PRELIMINARY PLANS TO MDOT.

WE GOT SOME COMMENTS BACK FROM THEM.

BASICALLY, THE COMMENTS WERE BRINGING THE RADIUSES UP TO MDOT STANDARDS.

SO, THAT'S WHY WE'RE JUST MODIFYING IT SLIGHTLY.

BUT THE LOCATION IS GOING TO STAY THE SAME.

AND WE'VE ALSO SUBMITTED A TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY, THAT SHOWS A NEGLIGIBLE IMPACT ON THE SURROUNDING ROADWAY NETWORK.

WITHIN THAT TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY WAS A QUEUING ANALYSIS FOR THIS SITE TO SHOW THAT THIS USER IS, SUFFICIENTLY QUEUED FOR, THIS TYPE OF RESTAURANT WITH DRIVE THRU.

JUST SOME OTHER SITE FEATURES WE'RE PROVIDING TO PEDESTRIAN.

SORRY, SORRY TO INTERRUPT.

WHAT IS? YOU SAID QUEUE IN QUEUING.

SO, STACKING SPACES THE LINE OF PEOPLE WAITING TO GET TO THE.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

OKAY. SORRY. I WAS LIKE YEAH SORRY.

WHAT IT'S TERMED A QUEUING ANALYSIS IN THE TRAFFIC REPORT.

JUST A FEW OTHER SITE FEATURES.

WE'RE PROVIDING A PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION TO THE RIGHT OF WAY, KIND OF BRINGING THAT SIDEWALK THROUGH OUR SITE, ADDING A PATIO AS WELL AS SOME BIKE PARKING.

KIND OF UP ALONG THE FRONTAGE THERE.

LIGHTING WILL BE FULLY COMPLIANT WITH, DOWN LIT LED FIXTURES AND LANDSCAPING.

WE PLAN ON BRINGING SOME, NEW TREES TO THE SITE, AS WELL AS PROVIDING A HEDGE ROW, ACROSS THE FRONTAGE THERE.

YOU KNOW, TO THE, YOU KNOW, TO THE REASON THAT WE'RE HERE IS THE SPECIAL LAND USE CRITERIA.

SO, I JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON THAT REALLY QUICK.

YOU KNOW, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS PLAN IS IN LINE WITH THE MASTER PLAN, BEING THAT THIS IS DESIGNATED A COMMERCIAL USE OR COMMERCIAL AREA, AND WE FALL WITHIN THAT CRITERION.

WE'RE SERVED BY THE EXISTING PUBLIC UTILITIES THAT ARE WITHIN GRAND RIVER UP FRONT.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE BELIEVE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE NO NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE SURROUNDING AREA BASED ON THE TRAFFIC STUDY THAT WE SUBMITTED, AS WELL AS WORKING WITH THE COUNTY ON MEETING THEIR STANDARDS FOR STORMWATER.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT WE'RE EXCITED TO KIND OF REDEVELOP THE SITE.

YES, SIR. I'M EXCITED THAT SOMEONE WOULD WANT TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH A NEW RESTAURANT.

WE LIKE THAT.

MATTER OF FACT, WE WERE JUST OVER AT, THE OKEMOS CULVERS ON FRIDAY AS THEY WERE CELEBRATING THEIR 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF BEING A MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY.

SO, THESE ARE WONDERFUL THINGS.

AND YOU HIT ALL THE HOT BUTTON ITEMS, THE LED LIGHTS, THE BICYCLE RACKS AND THE TREES.

YOU DID YOUR HOMEWORK VERY WELL ON OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU. IN REFERENCE TO YOUR DRIVE THRU.

EVERYTHING I READ SAID IT'S A ONE LANE, BUT I'M LOOKING AT THE WEST SIDE OF THE BUILDING.

DRIVING SOUTH, I SEE TWO LANES.

AM I CORRECT? YEP. WHERE DOES IT.

CAN YOU SCROLL UP JUST A LITTLE BIT? YEAH. MAYBE IF WE COULD ALSO ZOOM OUT A LITTLE BIT AND GET A SENSE OF THE WHOLE SITE.

OH. IS THAT DO I HAVE CONTROL? YOU? YEAH.

THERE YOU GO. YOU HAVE THE POWER.

OH, BOY. DON'T GIVE ME THE POWER.

ALL RIGHT. OKAY.

AT WHAT POINT DOES IT BECOME A ONE LANE DRIVE THRU? YES. ALL RIGHT, SO YOU'RE ENTERING THE SITE HERE OFF OF THE MAIN ROAD.

YOU'RE COMING IN, YOU'RE HEADING SOUTH.

OKAY. MOST OFTEN, YOU'LL CONTINUE STRAIGHT DOWN AND ENTER INTO THE DRIVE THRU LANE HERE, WHERE YOU HAVE THE MENU BOARD AND OUR PRIMARY STACKING LANE. THAT KIND OF WRAPS AROUND THIS SIDE OF THE BUILDING.

BEING THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, ON A MAIN ROAD HERE, WE WANTED TO BE SENSITIVE AND PROVIDE AN AREA OF OVERFLOW STACKING.

SO, WHAT WE DID IS WE WERE ABLE TO INCORPORATE ANOTHER 12-FOOT-WIDE LANE HERE.

THIS GIVES US AN ADDITIONAL SIX STACKING SPACES FOR THOSE, YOU KNOW, PEAK BUSY TIMES.

WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THIS WILL BE A DAILY THING, BUT WE WANT IT TO BE SENSITIVE TO PROVIDE THAT BIT OF OVERFLOW STACKING OVER HERE ON THE WEST SIDE.

SO, THESE THAT'S THE REASONING FOR THIS LANE.

BUT MAJORITY OF THE DRIVE THRU TRAFFIC WOULD COME THROUGH HERE, PICK UP THEIR ORDER AND EXIT IN THIS FASHION AND THE CROSS STREET OVER HERE.

THE ITEM THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IS THIS IS CURRENTLY A TWO-WAY DRIVE AISLE, AND WE WILL MAINTAIN THAT AS A TWO-WAY DRIVE AISLE.

SO, IF YOU WERE TO COME IN THROUGH HERE, YOU'D COME IN, YOU WOULD TAKE A RIGHT.

SO RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE IN THE BYPASS LANE.

[00:20:01]

SO, YOU'RE NOT ORDERING FOOD. YOU'RE NOT GETTING FOOD.

YOU HAVE TO WRAP AROUND THE BUILDING AND ENTER YOUR DRIVE THRU LANE HERE IN ORDER TO HIT THE ORDER POINT WE WANTED.

YOU SAID EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.

I'LL SAY NO MORE THEN.

I WAS LOOKING FOR A BYPASS LANE, AND WHEN I WAS READING AND IT WAS SAYING ONLY A ONE LANE DRIVE THRU, IT GAVE ME ISSUES.

YOU DON'T WANT TO GET CAUGHT IN ONE AND THAT YOU SOLD ME ON THAT.

PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE SOME AREA WHERE THEY CAN CHANGE THEIR MIND AND NOT BLOCK UP THE ENTIRE LINE AND PUSH TRAFFIC BACK OUT ONTO GRAND RAPIDS, GRAND RIVER.

ABSOLUTELY. SO, THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY. SO, THERE IS A LIKE A STRAIGHT-LINE BAR A LITTLE BIT DOWN INTO THE RIGHT OF WHAT ON THAT LANE THAT GOES TOWARDS DAWN AVENUE. YEP.

A CAR COULD COME AROUND AND CROSS THAT AND DO THAT WHOLE CIRCLE IF THEY WANTED TO.

RIGHT. OR ARE THEY OBSTRUCTED RIGHT THERE.

KEEP YOUR RIGHT THERE.

WHAT IS RIGHT HERE? WHAT IS THAT LINE? IS THAT LIKE A CROSSWALK LINE? THAT'S A STOP. DO NOT ENTER.

SO, IT REALLY SO IF YOU WERE FACING EAST AND YOU'RE STOPPED HERE, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A LEFT.

YEAH. OKAY. OR TO GO STRAIGHT.

BUT WHAT WE WANTED TO DO IS MAKE IT CLEAR IF ANYBODY'S COMING IN, YOU CAN'T SWERVE OVER AND GO ACROSS HERE.

SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THIS STOP SIGN.

OKAY. DO NOT ENTER SIGN.

I SEE I WAS NOT COMPLETELY CLEAR ON THAT BECAUSE IT WAS REALLY LITTLE ON MY SCREEN.

AND THEN I HAVE JUST ONE MORE QUESTION.

IF I COULD, GIVEN THE BUSINESS THAT YOU ANTICIPATE HAVING HERE, IS IT POSSIBLE TO ESTIMATE HOW MUCH OF ITS BUSINESS IS LIKELY TO BE DRIVE THRU COMPARED TO THOSE THAT WOULD DINE IN? IS IT A MIX OF BOTH OR 60/40? IT'S A MIX OF BOTH.

I DON'T WANT TO GIVE SPECIFIC NUMBERS, BUT, YOU KNOW, 60/40, 70/30 THAT THAT TYPE OF THING MORE LEANING TOWARDS DRIVE THRU YOU THINK OR MORE.

YEAH. PRIMARILY WOULD BE USING DRIVE THROUGH.

OKAY. AND ONE OF THE OTHER DRIVE THRU SPECIAL USE PERMITS THAT WE APPROVED A YEAR OR TWO AGO WAS FOR A BUSINESS WHERE MOST OF THE ORDERS WERE, CALL IN AND THEN YOU DRIVE THROUGH ONLY TO PAY AND PICK UP.

AND ACTUALLY, MOST OF THE PAY I THINK WAS, IS YOURS GOING TO BE ONE WHERE YOU'RE ORDERING AT THE WINDOW, PAYING AT THE WINDOW, PICKING UP AT THE WINDOW.

SO, THAT IS THAT A CHIPOTLE THE CHIPOTLE KIND OF THING, I THINK.

YES, IT WAS. YES.

I FIGURED THAT IS BECAUSE THAT'S THEIR BUSINESS MODEL.

WITH THIS, THERE'S NOT SO MUCH ORDERING WITHIN THE DRIVE THRU, BUT THERE IS A BIG PORTION OF THEIR BUSINESS THAT IS ORDERING PARKING, RUNNING IN AND GRABBING YOUR ORDER AND LEAVING, NOT PAYING AT THAT POINT.

GOT IT. OKAY.

THANK YOU.

SO, IF I WERE TO PUT A BUSINESS THERE, I'D BE LIKE COFFEE SHOP.

IT'S LIKE THERE'S NO LOCATION THAT A COFFEE SHOP FROM THAT POINT.

IT'S LIKE A MILE IN EVERY DIRECTION.

AND SO THE ONE CONCERN I HAVE ABOUT A DRIVE THRU HERE IS LIKE STARBUCKS, IF YOU GO A MILE WEST OF HERE, ALWAYS HAS TRAFFIC BACKED UP ONTO THAT SIDE STREET.

IT'S NOT ON GRAND RIVER, IT'S ON A SIDE STREET.

YEAH. AND THE THING THAT I WORRY ABOUT THIS LOCATION IS GRAND RIVER HAS SO MUCH TRAFFIC, AND THERE CANNOT BE A BACKUP ON THAT ROAD, ESPECIALLY IN THE MORNING.

SO, IT'S JUST REALLY LIKE, I, I DON'T I DON'T REALLY CARE.

LIKE, IF THERE'S A NEW BUSINESS THERE THAT GOES IN, THAT HAS A DRIVE THROUGH.

BUT WHAT I DON'T WHAT REALLY CONCERNS ME IS A POTENTIAL TRAFFIC BACKUP.

AND I GUESS MY QUESTION.

FROM ALL THIS PONTIFICATING IS DID YOU HAS THERE BEEN ANY CONSIDERATION TO DOING THE DRIVE THRU ON THE SIDE STREET, RATHER THAN HAVING IT OR HAVING LIKE THE MAIN ENTRANCE, BE ON THE SIDE STREET RATHER THAN OFF OF GRAND RIVER SO THAT THERE IS NO SORT OF POTENTIAL FOR THAT, THAT SCENARIO TO HAPPEN.

YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED INTO IT, AND WHAT IT WOULD CREATE IS A DIFFICULTY FOR CUSTOMERS TO GET TO THE DRIVE THRU AND UTILIZE THE SITE, AND IT'S GOING TO CREATE A LOT OF SITUATIONS WHERE YOU HAVE PEOPLE SLOWING DOWN ON GRAND RIVER.

HOW DO I GET TO THE DRIVE THROUGH? WE WANT TO DESIGN IT IN A MANNER THAT'S FAIRLY, INTUITIVE FOR SOMEONE ENTERING THE SITE.

BUT WE WERE DEFINITELY SENSITIVE.

IF WE DO NOT WANT TO STACK UP IN THE MAIN ROAD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE AN ISSUE.

SO THAT'S LARGELY THE REASON WHY WE PUT IN THIS OVERFLOW LANE.

THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING WE WERE SENSITIVE TO OUR, INITIALLY WITH OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.

AND THAT'S KIND OF WHY WE ARRIVED AT THIS DESIGN.

SO, IF THERE'S AN OVERLAYING SO IF THERE'S OKAY, SO MAYBE I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS.

[00:25:03]

WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE FULL CIRCULATION AROUND THE SITE.

THAT'S WHY THIS IS TWO-WAY.

AND THEN THIS IS ESSENTIALLY OUR BYPASS LANE.

AND THIS IS ALSO OUR BYPASS LANE.

OKAY. AND SO IN THIS, I'M SORRY IF I'M DENSE.

SO, ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THIS SO I CAN SEE WHERE THE CONCRETE CURB ON THE NORTH PART SORT OF LIKE, COMES IN.

AND THEN THAT'S WHERE THE.

DIRECTION. YOU CAN GO ALL THE WAY AROUND.

THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE OVERFLOW LANE.

THAT THAT IS THE OVERFLOW LANE.

OKAY. SO THEN TECHNICALLY.

THERE ARE TWO LANES.

SO YEAH.

SO, THIS RIGHT HERE IS THE OVERFLOW LANE HERE.

I'M SORRY. THERE'S SO MANY.

IT'S OKAY. I'M SURE THERE'S A SETBACK.

ONE'S AN EASEMENT. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

AND ONE OF THEM ARE TRYING TO DICTATE HOW MANY, STACKING SPACES THERE ARE.

BUT THIS BLACK LINE HERE REPRESENTS WHAT WOULD BE OUR OVERFLOW LANE.

THIS ISN'T ANTICIPATED TO BE USED ALL THE TIME.

THIS IS TO BE USED WHEN NECESSARY.

SO, WE'RE NOT STACKING WITHIN OUR SITE.

SO, YOU KNOW THIS WOULD BE SIGNED SAYING HEY OVERFLOW STACKING HERE.

AND THAT WOULD MAINTAIN THIS TWO-WAY DRIVE AISLE TO BE OPEN.

SO, IF, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WAS COMING IN AND WANTED TO PARK HERE, THEY COULD PARK HERE, GO IN AND THEN EXIT THIS WAY.

OR IF THEY WANTED TO BACK OUT AND GO THAT WAY, THEY COULD DO THAT TYPE OF MOVEMENT.

OKAY. SO, THEN IF YOU SCROLL DOWN TOWARDS THE BOTTOM SO THEN.

OKAY. SO, IF THERE WERE PEOPLE, THOUGH, IN THE OVERFLOW LANE AND THE REGULAR DRIVE THRU LANE, IT YOU'D HAVE TO CUT IN BETWEEN THEM.

IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE, SO THERE'S LIKE, THERE'S TWO CARS COMING THIS WAY AND THEN SOMEBODY CAN GO THIS WAY.

BUT THEN IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO COME AROUND AND GO THAT WAY, THEY CAN'T GO THAT WAY.

I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND, BUT THE CAN I TRY? YOU CAN IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THE DRAWING CORRECTLY.

IF THE NORMAL DRIVE THROUGH AND THE OVERFLOW DRIVE THRU ARE FULL.

SOMEBODY WHO CAME OFF OF GRAND RIVER AND DECIDED THAT THERE WERE TOO MANY STACKED CARS AND WANTED TO JUST LEAVE WOULD NEED TO CUT THROUGH THOSE TWO LINES WAITING FOR THE DRIVE THRU AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PARKING LOT.

YES, BUT THERE WOULDN'T BE CARS STACKED IN HERE.

THIS WOULD BE PROPERLY SIGNAGE TO HEY, YOU KNOW, DO NOT BLOCK THE LANE KIND OF THING.

RIGHT. BUT IF YOU WERE TO COME IN AND YOU CAME IN AND YOU SAID, ALL RIGHT, WELL THE DRIVE THRU LANES BACKED UP, I'M GOING TO, I'M GOING TO RUN IN.

YOU CAN PARK HERE.

AND THEN YOU GO IN AND GRAB WHATEVER YOU GOT TO GRAB, AND THEN YOU BACK OUT AND EXIT THE SAME WAY YOU CAME IN, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, 70% OF TRAFFIC MOVEMENTS.

PEOPLE ENTER THE EXACT SAME WAY THEY CAME IN.

SO THAT'S WHY WE DESIGNED IT IN THAT MANNER.

OH, THAT'S INTERESTING.

YEAH, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT PARTICULAR LINE WAS A TWO-WAY LINE.

YEAH. YEAH, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

AND I JUST HAVE VISIONS OF THE STARBUCKS JUST A MILE WEST OF HERE AND HOW PEOPLE ARE.

I MEAN, IT'S A NIGHTMARE SCENARIO.

THAT'S JUST WHAT I HAVE VISIONS OF.

BUT I APPRECIATE YOU ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS.

OH, YOU HAD A QUESTION.

OH, YEAH. JUST REAL QUICK, LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT LANES, ESPECIALLY COMING OFF OF DAWN AVENUE AND, YOU KNOW, HAVING THOSE LANES THERE AND THEN HAVING THE LANE COMING OFF GRAND RIVER GOING, WRAPPING AROUND, LOOKS LIKE IT TAKES FROM THE EXISTING SITE.

IT TAKES A LOT OF PARKING, AND IT ELIMINATES PARKING SPACES.

IS THAT ON WHICH SIDE OF THE I MEAN; THIS IS THE, I'M LOOKING AT THE THIS IS THE EXISTING SITE KIND OF SHOWING THE PARKING SPACES IS THERE.

OKAY. SO, THE PARKING SPACES STILL REMAIN.

THE BUILDING IS NARROWER.

YEAH. SO, THESE ANGLED SPACES, THOSE ARE PARKING SPACES STILL.

THESE ARE PARKING SPACES.

AND I'M REALLY NOT SURE HOW FUNCTIONAL THEY WERE FOR THE ORIGINAL DESIGN BECAUSE YOUR DRIVE THROUGH CIRCULATION WOULD GO IN THE COUNTERCLOCKWISE DIRECTION. RIGHT.

YOU'D HAVE TO BACK IN.

YES. YOU'D HAVE TO BACK INTO THOSE ANGLED SPACES.

SO, I DON'T KNOW REALLY WHAT THE DESIGN WAS FOR THERE.

OR MAYBE PEOPLE ENTERING, YOU KNOW, LIKE, EMPLOYEES WOULD PARK THERE, BUT, YEAH, WE WOULD BE REMOVING THESE SPACES AND THAT WOULD GIVE US THE DRIVE THRU LANE, OR THE BYPASS LANE.

[00:30:04]

THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK IF THAT WAS GOING TO BE ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF PARKING SPACES.

IN REGARD TO THAT, BECAUSE THOSE SPACES CURRENTLY THERE WOULD BE ELIMINATED ON THE.

YEAH, I THINK WE ARE WE'RE PROPOSING 22 OR 21 IS REQUIRED BY CODE.

GOTCHA. OKAY. THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH, SURE.

I'M JUST GOING TO PICK UP WHERE COMMISSIONER BROOKS, GOT STARTED.

CERTAINLY, THE SITUATION WITH THE ONE COFFEE SHOP FARTHER DOWN GRAND RIVER IS, IS CONCERNING.

THAT ONLY EXITS ON THE GRAND RIVER.

THE ENTRANCE IS OFF THE SIDE STREET.

AND THAT'S WHERE THE CONGESTION, I THINK IS MOST NOTICEABLE.

BUT IT'S REALLY UNFORTUNATE TO HAVE THE, THAT AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC.

WHAT? I'M.

COMMISSIONER BROOKS ASKED A QUESTION.

IF YOU ONLY HAD ACCESS FROM DAWN AVE.

WAS THAT IN ANY WAY FEASIBLE? AND IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU HAD KIND OF LOOKED AT THAT BUT DECIDED IT WASN'T GOING TO BE WORKABLE.

WAS THAT GIVEN THE LAYOUT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE OR ALL POSSIBLE LAYOUTS ON THE SITE? YEAH. SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU JUST THINK ABOUT IF YOU'RE HEADING EASTBOUND DOWN EAST GRAND AND YOU AND YOU SEE A BUSINESS THERE, YOU WILL HAVE TO KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE TO DRIVE DOWN TO DAWN AVE, TAKE A RIGHT, COME IN AND CIRCULATE THE WHOLE SITE.

SO, I THINK ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, FROM AN ACCESS MANAGEMENT STANDPOINT, THAT WOULD BE VERY CONFUSING AND NON-INTUITIVE TO SOMEONE THAT IS VISITING THIS ESTABLISHMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME. WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, JUST FROM A BUSINESS STANDPOINT, YOU WANT TO HAVE PEOPLE MAKE IT EASY FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO YOUR SITE SO THEY'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, SAYING, ALL RIGHT, WELL, THIS WAS KIND OF A PAIN TO GET TO.

I'M GOING TO GO A HALF MILE DOWN THE ROAD TO THIS NEXT BUSINESS KIND OF THING.

SO, THAT'S REALLY WHY WE NEED THAT EAST GRAND RIVER AVENUE, ENTRANCE.

AND IT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS WE IDENTIFIED EARLY IN THE PROCESS.

SO, THAT'S WHY WE GOT IT IN ITS HANDS EARLY TO MAKE SURE THEY DIDN'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH WHAT WE WERE PROPOSING.

OKAY. CAN I ASK A FOLLOW UP? THIS ONE'S SILLY.

A SENIOR PLANNER REFERRED TO THIS AS INFILL, WHICH IT KIND OF IS, BECAUSE THE SITE'S KIND OF VACANT.

I WAS GOING TO GO WITH RE-FILL.

OKAY. YEAH, I WILL INTRODUCE THAT TO THE MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION.

AND SINCE IT'S ALREADY GOT A DRIVE THROUGH, RIGHT, CAN PUT A KITCHEN IN THE BANK AND STILL SEATING A LITTLE, WAS THERE EVER ANY CONSIDERATION TO USE ANY EXISTING FRAMEWORK OR WAS IT, I REALLY DON'T THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF THAT JUST BECAUSE IT'S A TWO-STORY BUILDING.

YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE DRIVE THRU LANE IS ON THE WEST SIDE, SO WE WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT FULL STACKING AROUND THE SITE.

SO, WE HAVE PLENTY OF STACKING SPACES.

I WOULD HATE TO BE THE ARCHITECT THAT HAS TO DESIGN THE TURN THAT BANK INTO A DRIVE THRU RESTAURANT, BUT MCDONALD'S IS TWO STORIES UP THERE ON .

[INAUDIBLE] MSU AND I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THAT MCDONALD'S, SO I'M JUST SAYING, I'M JUST A COUPLE PANELS.

TAKE THEM OFF, AND THERE'S A ROCK ACROSS FROM, GUNSTON STREET.

I THINK I WAS ON. OKAY.

THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUESTION.

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, LOOKING AT THE WEST SIDE OF, I GUESS, THE PROPERTY I SEE, YOU KNOW, FENCING, CURBS, WALLS. IS THERE GOING TO BE ANY PLAN FOR CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THIS ESTABLISHMENT AND NEXT DOOR TRADER JOE'S? NO, THERE'S.

SO ACTUALLY, WHAT YOU SEE THERE, THAT WALL IS ACTUALLY A RETAINING WALL.

THERE'S A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT GRADE CHANGE BETWEEN OUR SITE AND THEIR SITE.

SO THAT'S WHY THAT THAT CROSS CONNECTIVITY WASN'T, EVER REALLY EXPLORED BECAUSE IT WASN'T QUITE FEASIBLE WITH THE GRADES.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE HAVE ONE ANNOUNCEMENT.

I'M BLANKING ON LEWIS.

I HAVE ONE MORE. LET HIM ASK ANOTHER.

WHAT'S THE.

I CAN'T REMEMBER FROM THE DOCUMENTS, BUT.

SO. WHAT'S THE IMPACT ON, LIKE, PEOPLE TURNING LEFT OUT OF THIS FACILITY? YES. SO, I WAS SPEAKING WITH THE TRAFFIC ENGINEER, FLEECE AND VANDERBRINK JACOB SWANSON THIS MORNING.

AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT, I ASKED HIM IS, YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THE TRAFFIC WORK OUT HERE? AND THAT LIGHT ACTUALLY CREATES THAT'S JUST UPSTREAM TO THE WEST OF US, THAT ACTUALLY CREATES THAT BREAK IN TRAFFIC THAT YOU NEED FOR THAT LEFT TURN OUT.

AND THERE IS A LEFT TURN LANE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD HERE.

[00:35:02]

AND IT'S PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THAT LIGHT.

THERE'S THAT BREAK OF TRAFFIC SO THEY CAN MAKE THAT MOVEMENT.

BUT WAIT.

SO DID YOU. WERE YOU THINKING THAT IT WAS A GOOD THING THAT PEOPLE WERE GOING TO BE TURNING LEFT AND THEN GETTING INTO THAT, THE MIDDLE TURN LANE IMMEDIATELY? NO, I WAS SAYING THAT'S HOW THE LEFT TURN WOULD FUNCTION, IS THAT'S HOW THAT OPENING IS CREATED.

IF THERE WASN'T A LIGHT THERE, YOU'D HAVE CONTINUOUS TRAFFIC THROUGH THE WHOLE THROUGH THE WHOLE.

EVERYBODY HAD AN EASTBOUND, CORRECT? YEAH. THAT LIGHT ACTUALLY CREATES THAT STOP AND TRAFFIC.

SO THERE'S THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LEFT OUT.

AND I THINK THAT'S LARGELY WHY MDOT APPROVED THE REUSE OF THIS EXISTING DRIVE.

THAT LEFT TURN PROBLEM IS TRUE OF EVERY BUSINESS ON THE SOUTH SIDE.

YEAH. YEAH. NO I KNOW, BUT I'M THINKING ABOUT IT IN THE CONTEXT OF LIKE THERE'LL BE THERE'S GOING TO BE WHOLE FOODS AND OTHER SPECIALTY GROCERY THAN THIS AND THEY'RE ALL GOING TO BE LIKE, RIGHT.

BUT THAT'S I'M SORRY.

THAT'S KIND OF THE POINT THAT I WAS MAKING HOW IT'S IT'S REALLY AWKWARD IN THAT AREA BECAUSE OF THE WHOLE FOODS.

TRADER JOE'S IS GOING TO GO THERE AND, YOU KNOW, HOTELS AND CLEARY AND WHATEVER.

BUT STILL IT'S JUST AN BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT WHERE THERE'S A BREAK IN THE ACTION, TRAVELING EAST WITH THAT STOPLIGHT THERE THAT ALLOWS FOR A PERSON TO DRIVE OR TO TURN LEFT.

I GET THAT AS WELL.

BUT IT IS. IT CAN'T CREATE IT.

AWKWARD. YEAH.

AND I SAY ALL THIS AND ASK ALL THESE QUESTIONS AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE THAT.

THAT BUILDING PUT TO GOOD USE.

REFILLED? YEAH.

DID YOU REMEMBER WHAT YOU WHEN I CYCLED? THIS IS PROBABLY A QUESTION FOR STAFF, BUT THIS IS TECHNICALLY A PUBLIC HEARING THAT WE'RE HAVING TONIGHT.

AND I DON'T SEE ANY PUBLIC HERE TO SPEAK TO THIS, I DON'T BELIEVE.

SO I'M JUST CURIOUS WHEN YOU DO YOUR NOTICE, WERE THERE ANY ACTUAL RESIDENTIAL PEOPLE THAT FIT WITHIN THAT BOUNDARY THAT REQUIRED NOTIFICATION, OR IS IT ALL COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS? I, I DON'T KNOW, I GENERATE A MAP AND A LIST OF ADDRESSES.

I COULD GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU, BUT NO, JUST EVERYONE WITHIN 300FT GETS NOTICED AND IT GETS PUBLISHED IN THE PAPER.

PROBABLY NOT MANY.

AND I JUST THAT MAY MEAN THAT THERE'S NOT ANYBODY DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THIS.

PERSONALLY. BUT I'D BE CURIOUS TO HEAR IF THE WHOLE ZONE IS COMMERCIAL, SO YOU'D HAVE TO INDUSTRIAL TO THE SOUTH.

YEAH, YEAH. OKAY.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSION? YEAH. DO WE WANT TO TAKE A STRAW, A STRAW VOTE TO GIVE GUIDANCE TO STAFF? LET ME DO THAT. SURE. ALL RIGHT.

THIS CHAIR THEN PROPOSES A MOTION, TO GIVE SUPPORT TO THE TO THE PRESENTATION.

AND WE'LL HAVE STAFF ASK STAFF TO PREPARE A FINAL ORDER.

SUPPORT. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. IS THERE ANYBODY OPPOSED? IF THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT THE APPLICATION, WE WOULD HOPE WE'RE DIFFERENT.

WHEN IT CAME BACK TO US, IT WOULD.

NOW, WOULD IT BE THE TIME TO SPEAK TO THAT? YEAH. THIS IS YOUR PUBLIC HEARING.

YEAH. SO, WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION? WHY DON'T WE CLOSE THE HEARING FIRST? WELL, ACTUALLY, YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE.

YEAH, YEAH, WE CAN HAVE COMMISSIONER DISCUSSION.

SO, THANK YOU, SIR.

AT THIS POINT, WE'RE JUST GOING TO DISCUSS IT AMONG OURSELVES.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANKS. GOOD.

I'M ALSO HAPPY TO SEE, RE-FILL.

REUSED RENOVATED BUSINESSES.

EMPTY BUSINESSES ARE NOT WHAT WE NEED.

AND IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD REUSE BUILDINGS INSTEAD OF KNOCKING THEM DOWN, BUT THAT'S A LONG SHOT.

I LOVE THE PATIO OUTDOOR SEATING.

THEY EVEN PUT A BIKE RACK IN. YEAH, THEY DID THEIR HOMEWORK ON US.

THEY UNDERSTAND US.

AS I REVIEW THE APPLICATION, I'M VERY STRONGLY REMINDED OF THIS COMMISSION CONSIDERING AN APPLICATION TO REPLACE THE OLD RESTAURANT WITH A DRIVE THRU CAR WASH.

AND WHEN THAT APPLICATION LEFT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, IT DID NOT HAVE ANY MORE CURB CUTS ON GRAND RIVER AVENUE.

AND IT WAS A LOT OF GYMNASTICS TO FIT A CAR WASH INTO A SITE LIKE THAT.

AND WHEN IT GOT TO THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS, IT GOT A VARIANCE.

AND THERE IS AN ENTRANCE OFF OF GRAND RIVER NOW ON THAT DRIVE THROUGH CAR WASH.

AND AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, NOBODY IS ACCESSING THAT SITE OFF OF DAWN AVENUE.

WELL, YOU COULD, BUT IT'S ALREADY CRAZY ENOUGH TO GET THERE OFF OF GRAND RIVER.

[00:40:02]

BUT, THAT'S HOW I'M FEELING AT THIS POINT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SURE.

GO AHEAD. I'D LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS.

MY ISSUE FROM THE BEGINNING WAS TO FOCUS ON WHY WE'RE HERE.

THIS IS BEFORE US TO DEAL WITH THE DRIVEWAY.

AND I HAVE SERVED ON THIS PLANNING COMMISSION, TEN YEARS AGO WHEN WE MOVED A WHOLE BUILDING TO DEAL WITH THEIR.

ESTABLISHMENT OF A DRIVE THROUGH THE GAS STATION UP ON, WHAT? HAGEDAWN AND THE MARATHON UP ON LAKE LANSING ROAD WHEN THEY PUT A DRIVE IN THROUGH THERE.

NEXT TO THE BUDDY NEAR THE BUDDY'S OVER THERE.

WE HAD THEM MOVE THAT BUILDING BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH ROOM TO GET AROUND.

THEY DEMONSTRATED TO ME RIGHT HERE TODAY THAT THEY THOUGHT THAT THROUGH.

AND I AM VERY MUCH CONVINCED THAT WHATEVER THIS BUSINESS IS.

THAT THE DRIVE THROUGH WILL WORK HERE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE HAVE AN EGRESS ON GRAND RIVER AND DAWN AVENUE. THINK ABOUT FIRE TRUCKS TRYING TO GET THROUGH A BLAZE OVER THERE.

AND ONLY ONE WAY IN AND ONE WAY OUT.

THINK ABOUT THAT. PUT THAT IN YOUR MIND.

YEAH, THAT WOULD BE A DISASTROUS SITUATION AND SOMETHING WOULD BURN.

THE PRESENTER SPOKE ABOUT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT TO THE WEST.

THAT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT POINT BECAUSE THAT TRAFFIC LIGHT BREAKS UP THAT LEFT HAND TURN.

THINK IF YOU GO WEST OF THE TRAFFIC LIGHT, THINK OF TRYING TO GET OUT OF, IHOP OR ONE OF THE BUSINESSES ON THAT SOUTH SIDE OF THE ROAD OF GRAND RIVER AND TRYING TO TURN LEFT FROM THERE, WHERE THERE IS NO LIGHT EXCEPT FOR ALL THE WAY DOWN TO HAGEDAWN TO BREAK UP TRAFFIC.

IT'S DISASTROUS OVER THERE.

WE EVEN HAD TO PUT A CROSS WALK IN THE MIDDLE OF GRAND RIVER, WITH A HALF WAY POINT FOR PEOPLE TO STOP WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO WALK ACROSS THE STREET.

SO I THINK THIS IS WELL CONSTRUCTED.

I THINK IT WAS WELL THOUGHT OUT.

AND I LIKE THE FACT THAT THEY DID THEIR HOMEWORK ON THE COMMUNITY AND HIT ALL OUR HOT BUTTONS TOO.

AND NOT TO MENTION, BUT I THINK THIS WAS WELL THOUGHT OUT AND I THINK THIS WILL WORK IN THIS LOCATION.

THANK YOU. I THINK I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COUPLE OF OBSERVATIONS.

NUMBER ONE, IT'S OBVIOUSLY A WELL DESIGNED PROJECT.

THE GENTLEMAN WENT TO MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? THIS IS THE PRIMARY ECONOMIC CORRIDOR FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

AND IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME THAT THIS MAY GENERATE A SLIGHT AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC.

THAT'S WHAT IT'S THERE FOR.

THAT'S WHAT THAT CORRIDOR IS THERE FOR.

IF THIS WERE BEING PLACED IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESIDENTIAL AREA, THERE MIGHT BE VASTLY DIFFERENT CONSIDERATIONS TO GO THROUGH.

BUT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REPLACING A DEAD BUILDING WITH AN ACTIVE BUSINESS IN THE PRIMARY BUSINESS CORRIDOR OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER SCALES THAT I'M SATISFIED THAT THE THE MICRO TRAFFIC JAM SITUATION AROUND THE BUILDING ITSELF HAS BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR BY PROPER PLANNING.

AND I WELCOME THE DEVELOPMENT.

I DON'T SEE THAT IT'S GOING TO CONFLICT IN ANY WAY.

I WAS INTERESTED IN, CHRISTINA'S QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER THERE WAS GOING TO BE, TRANSPORTATION COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THIS AND THE NEW GROCERY STORE. I DIDN'T OCCUR TO ME THAT THERE WAS A WALL THERE, AND YOU COULDN'T DO THAT.

THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN INTERESTING DEVELOPMENT, BUT I DON'T SEE ANY PROBLEMS BY THE PROPOSAL THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US, AND I AM READY TO SUPPORT IT.

CAN I PICK JUST A LITTLE TINY BIT MORE, PLEASE? YEAH. GO AHEAD. IN THIS PICTURE THAT WE HAVE ON THE DISPLAY, YOU CAN SEE THE SIDEWALK RUNNING ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF EAST GRAND RIVER, AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE IT MEETS NORTH WIND

[00:45:10]

I USE THAT SIDEWALK ON A DAILY BASIS, AND.

CURRENT VACANT LOT.

THERE'S RIGHT TURN TRAFFIC THAT FILLS THE VOID CREATED BY THAT STOPLIGHT.

AS THAT SITE BECOMES MORE AND MORE BUSY, MORE AND MORE OF THE TRAFFIC LEADING LEAVING THAT SPECIALTY GROCERY STORE WILL BE MAKING THAT RIGHT ON RED DIMINISHING.

RIGHT THAT BREAK BOTH FOR THE INGRESS AND EGRESS FROM THIS SITE.

AND THE ENTRANCES SHORTLY AFTER THE INTERSECTION.

SO MOST OF THOSE FOLKS SHOULD BE IN THAT RIGHT HAND CURB LANE.

SO I'M NOT AS SWAYED BY THE ARGUMENT THAT THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL SOLVES POTENTIAL CONFLICTS AND STACKING ON EAST GRAND RIVER AVENUE.

IF I MAY, THOUGH, THE ONLY ANSWER TO WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING IS TO PUT A PARK IN THERE INSTEAD OF A BUSINESS.

NO, I'M SAYING THAT IF THAT BUSINESS WAS ACCESSED THROUGH DAWN AVENUE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANY CONFLICT WITH GRAND RIVER BECAUSE PEOPLE WOULD BE MAKING A TURN THAT EXISTS ALREADY ON A SIDE STREET RATHER THAN A CURB CUT.

AND THAT WOULD BE MY MY PREFERRED VERSION TO HAVE FEWER CURB CUTS, FEWER CONFLICTS BETWEEN PEDESTRIANS, CYCLISTS AND MOTORISTS.

THAT WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE.

BANKS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF NORTHLAND DRIVE, WHERE THAT PARKING LOT IS IN FRONT OF HOBBY LOBBY, IS NO LONGER A PARKING LOT THAT'S NOW A BANK DRIVE THROUGH BANK. WE'VE HAD TEN DRIVE THROUGH BANKS PROPOSED SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS, ON THIS PLANNING COMMISSION.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE DEMAND FOR BANKS, BUT NOW WE'VE GOT AN EMPTY BUILDING AND WE'RE GOING TO KNOCK IT DOWN AND BUILD A NEW ONE.

I DON'T KNOW, IT'S JUST I WISH IT WERE DIFFERENT.

SORRY. YEAH, I MEAN, I, I CAN SEE THE BOTH SIDES OF THIS ARGUMENT.

I. I DON'T THINK WE ACTUALLY KNOW.

I MEAN, WE CAN DO TRAFFIC STUDIES AND THERE CAN BE PROPOSALS AND THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

BUT WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE TRAFFIC PATTERNS HERE.

AND I AM CURIOUS WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IF WE ASKED FOR A.

FOR THE ENTRANCE AND EXIT TO BE OFF OF DAWN AVENUE.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT IT WOULD BE THAT ONEROUS ON ON FACILITY USERS BECAUSE.

WHERE AMERICANS AND WE DRIVE EVERYWHERE, AND WE SOMEHOW FIND OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING FREQUENTLY.

AND THERE'S PLENTY OF MALLS AND OTHER RESTAURANT AREAS WHERE YOU HAVE TO TURN INTO A FACILITIES GIANT AREA, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO TAKE ANOTHER SIDE STREET TO GET TO THE ACTUAL PLACE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GO.

SO I JUST DON'T SEE THAT AS A VALID CONCERN.

AND IT IS.

IT'S JUST GOING TO BE RIGHT.

IT'S RIGHT THERE NEXT TO THAT.

THAT'S THE ONLY LIGHT RIGHT THERE.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE THAT ENTRANCE AND EXIT IS GOING TO BE RIGHT THERE NEXT TO THE LIGHT FOR THE TWO MAJOR GROCERIES.

AND I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT'S, COULD BE AMELIORATED BY HAVING THE ENTRANCE AT DAWN AVENUE.

SO I GUESS I DID A STRAW POLL AND I SAID I WOULD GO WITH THIS, BUT NOW THAT I'M REFLECTING ON IT AND HEARING SOME OTHER CONVERSATION ABOUT IT, I THINK I WOULD PROBABLY RATHER SEE A, AN ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL.

RELATED TO THAT.

I. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO MY COLLEAGUES, I DON'T SEE THE ISSUE.

THE THE ROAD CUTS ARE ALREADY THERE, AS WAS EXPLAINED TO US, THE ONLY THING THEY'RE DOING WITH THE ROAD CUTS IS CHANGING THE RADIUS TO COMPLY WITH WITH TRAFFIC REQUIREMENTS WITH THE HIGHWAY COMMISSION REQUIREMENTS.

I UNDERSTAND HIS POSITION THAT IF YOU PUSHED THE ENTRANCE.

OVER TO DAWN, YOU WOULD THOROUGHLY CONFUSE DRIVERS COMING AT THE BUSINESS FROM THE FROM THE WEST.

YOU MIGHT NOT CONFUSE THEM COMING FROM THE EAST, BUT YOU WOULD CERTAINLY CONFUSE THEM.

COMING FROM THE WEST. THEY'D BE LOOKING FOR THE ENTRANCE TO THE PLACE.

THEY WOULDN'T FIND IT.

BUT I THINK PEOPLE ADAPT TO IT.

I THINK A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION IS BUILT INTO THE FACT THAT THIS IS THE PRIMARY ECONOMIC CORRIDOR OF THE AREA.

[00:50:09]

CONGESTION IS A FACT OF LIFE IN A MOBILE SOCIETY LIKE WE HAVE WHEN WE ALL GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WALK TO WHATEVER WE WANT TO DO, THAT'S A DIFFERENT SITUATION. BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE.

THIS IS A BUSINESS THAT IS PROPOSED TO TAKE OVER AN EXISTING COMMERCIAL SLOT.

AND I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD ADD SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC TO WHAT WAS ALREADY THERE BEFORE, WHEN THE WHEN THE BANK WAS ACTIVE, AND MAYBE A LITTLE BIT, BUT NOT A NOT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.

OKAY. COMMISSIONER SCALES.

AND IF YOU YOU GO FURTHER EAST ON GRAND RIVER AND YOU LOOK AT THE BUSINESSES EAST OF OK OKEMOS ROAD, THEY ALL EMPTY OUT ONTO GRAND RIVER, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM.

AND THEY'RE RIGHT BY A LIGHT THAT'S TO THE WEST OF THEM.

EVERYTHING ON THE NORTH SIDE OF GRAND RIVER EMPTIES OUT INTO GRAND RIVER EAST OF OKEMOS.

AND THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.

AND YOU HAVE THE MALL THERE.

YOU HAVE, ON THE SOUTH SIDE, YOU HAVE MEYERS THERE, THE NORTH SIDE YOU HAVE, MCDONALD'S. YOU HAVE A TIRE STORE, YOU HAVE BEST BUY, YOU HAVE, TACO BELL, ALL OF THEM ALL ALIGNED TOGETHER.

AND THEY ALL.

ENTER FROM GRAND RIVER AND IT'S NOT A PROBLEM.

WHY WOULD THIS BE A PROBLEM OVER HERE? IF I MAY GO AHEAD, I WOULD JUST DISAGREE WITH THE STATEMENT THAT IT'S NOT A PROBLEM.

I. I THINK THIS HARKENS BACK TO MY ORIGINAL COMMENT QUESTION EARLIER ABOUT WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR GRAND RIVER? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE WHEN WE HAVE, JUST SPECIAL USE PERMITS COME BEFORE US AND OTHER PRESENTATIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, WE KNOW THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BAKED IN IS THAT WHATEVER'S BEING DEVELOPED, THEY HAVE TO HAVE A PEDESTRIAN SIDEWALK.

SO WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF GRAND RIVER TO MAKE IT SAFER FOR PEOPLE? AND THAT INCLUDES MOTORISTS, PEDESTRIANS, CYCLISTS.

THERE ARE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT ARE DOING THIS BETTER.

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS ON, YOU KNOW, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP OR IF THIS IS MDOT.

I DON'T KNOW WHO THE OVERSEEING AUTHORITY IS, BUT I FEEL THAT IT IS A PROBLEM.

ALL THESE BUSINESSES EMPTYING OUT ONTO ONE VEIN, IT JUST IT'S VERY CONGESTED.

IT'S VERY DANGEROUS.

I FREQUENTLY FIND MYSELF IN A POSITION ON GRAND RIVER THAT IS WEST OF THIS BUSINESS WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND IT'S BETWEEN THE TWO LIGHTS, THE ONE ON HAGEDAWN AND NORTH WIND.

AND I'M ALWAYS SO GLAD THAT I DON'T HAVE TO TURN LEFT.

IT'S HARD ENOUGH TO TURN RIGHT BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF FOOT TRAFFIC, TOO.

IT'S NOT THAT FAR FROM CAMPUS.

AND NOW THAT WE ALSO HAVE THE PATHWAY COMING THROUGH HERE THAT'S INCREASING, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF PEDESTRIANS.

SO THIS IS A PROBLEM TO ME, THIS TRAFFIC ISSUE, I, I SEE THE FLIP SIDE TO LIKE I'M EXCITED TO BRING ANOTHER BUSINESS TO OUR COMMUNITY. A RESTAURANT A DRIVE THRU.

IT ALL SOUNDS AMAZING, BUT I DON'T THINK WE CAN OVERLOOK THE PROBLEM THAT GRAND RIVER IS BECOMING.

YEAH. THERE CERTAINLY ARE.

IT IS A MAIN LIFEBLOOD OF THE COMMUNITY, THE CORRIDOR, AS YOU SAID, AND ALMOST ALL OF THE BUSINESSES LOCATED ALONG THAT CORRIDOR ARE ACCESSED ON AND OFF OF GRAND RIVER.

VERY FEW ARE ACCESSED BY THEIR OWN DRIVEWAY ON GRAND RIVER.

AND I, I BELIEVE THAT THIS COMMISSION'S POLICY GOING FORWARD HAS BEEN TO TRY TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CURB CUTS WHENEVER POSSIBLE AND CREATE SHARED ACCESS DRIVES.

UNFORTUNATELY, DURING THE RECONSTRUCTION OF M-43, ONE OF THE BUSINESSES ALONG THE NORTH SIDE BETWEEN OKEMOS ROAD AND AND THE MALL.

IS NOT CURRENTLY CONSTRUCTED TO ACCOMMODATE A SHARED DRIVE LANE, BUT ALL THE OTHERS ARE.

AND I THINK WE ALL, MANY OF US HOPE THAT WHEN THAT BUSINESS IS RECONFIGURES, THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET SHARED ACCESS FOR ALL OF THOSE BUSINESSES, THE BUNDT CAKES AND THE SMOKE SHOP AND THEY ALL THEY SHARE PARKING LOTS AND ACCESS.

SO, THAT OUR HOPE IS, IS OUR OUR POSITION GOING FORWARD.

I WOULD ALSO MENTION I SAW IN OUR NEXT PUBLIC HEARING DISCUSSION OF ACCESS MANAGEMENT CRITERIA THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAD DEVELOPED.

SO MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW.

DO WE WANT TO GET INTO THAT NOW, OR WAIT UNTIL WE SHALL DISCUSS THE NEXT APPLICATION DURING THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING?

[00:55:01]

BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS TOPIC, I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE ONE OBSERVATION.

ONE OBSERVATION. SEVERAL PEOPLE SEEM TO BE LEANING IN FAVOR OF REQUIRING DAWN AVENUE AS AN ACCESS, THE PRINCIPAL ACCESS TO THIS SITE. WHAT DIFFERENCE IS THAT GOING TO MAKE? IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO GET OUT ON DAWN AVENUE AND STILL GO WEST ON GRAND RIVER? YOU STILL HAVE TO GO UP.

YOU GOT TO GO 250 YARDS NORTH ON DAWN AVENUE AND THEN MAKE A LEFT TURN ON GRAND RIVER.

IT DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING EXCEPT THAT YOU'VE MOVED MAYBE 100 YARDS TO THE EAST BEFORE YOU MAKE THAT TURN.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO MAKE ANY FUNCTIONAL DIFFERENCE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN.

I THINK THAT'S POTENTIALLY QUITE A BIT OF ROOM WHEN YOU WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHERE THE THE ENTRANCE AND EXIT IS RIGHT NOW COMPARED TO WHERE IT WOULD BE.

IN RELATION TO THE NORTHWOOD OR NORTH WIND LIGHT.

YEAH. GOOD LISTENING TO ALL THIS, I GUESS I'M I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER SNYDER THAT TRAFFIC ON GRAND RIVER IS A PROBLEM.

I'M. AND I KNOW THAT WE SOMETIMES CHIP AWAY INCREMENTALLY.

WE SAY, OKAY, THIS ONE'S FINE, THIS ONE'S FINE.

BUT OVERALL IT'S A BIG BUT.

BUT I DO FEEL AS IF I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PRECEDENT IS AND WHAT MDOT'S POLICY IS ON CLOSING CURB CUTS ON MAJOR STREETS.

I WOULD BE VERY CONCERNED IF THIS APPLICANT WERE WILLING TO MAKE A CHANGE LIKE THAT, WHICH LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD REQUIRE A TOTAL REDESIGN OF THEIR SITE TO MOVE THE ACCESS DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT, WHICH I DON'T.

I AGREE IT MIGHT MAKE IT EASIER, BUT IT WOULD CREATE ITS OWN PROBLEMS IN OTHER DIRECTIONS TOO, SO I'M NOT SURE THAT'S THE SOLUTION, BUT IT WOULD THEN CONDENSE A WHOLE LOT OF TRAFFIC ONTO A STREET THAT REALLY WASN'T DESIGNED FOR THAT, AND INTO THAT NARROWER PLACE BEHIND THE OTHER BUSINESS THAT THAT THAT CONCERNS ME.

BUT THEN LET'S SAY THIS BUSINESS MOVES AND ANOTHER BUSINESS COMES ALONG THAT ISN'T A DRIVE THRU, AND THAT DOES REQUIRE A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF ACCESS AND TRAFFIC.

AND THEN WE'VE LOST THE ABILITY TO FOR THAT BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE CHANGING THE DYNAMICS OF A PIECE OF PROPERTY IN AN INCREMENTAL WAY THAT I'M NOT SURE I SUPPORT. I, I SHARE THE CONCERNS ABOUT GRAND RIVER TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND CAR SAFETY, AND I, I WOULD PROBABLY BE ONE THAT WOULD DRIVE ALL THE WAY AROUND THE BUILDING AFTER I WAS DONE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN TURN RIGHT, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE TURNING LEFT INTO BUSY STREETS.

BUT BUT THAT'S MY CHOICE.

AND I THINK THAT I LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING TWO ENTRANCES AND EXITS FROM THIS PROPERTY, JUST SO THAT IT DOES ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE TRAFFIC.

THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO GO ON TO DON AVENUE TO GET IN AND OUT, BECAUSE THAT'S THEIR PREFERENCE.

WE'LL DO THAT. OTHERS WILL GO ON GRAND RIVER, AND SO I'M PRETTY COMFORTABLE SUPPORTING HAVING A DRIVE THROUGH IN THE WAY THAT THEY PROPOSED IT.

AND IT'S DESIGNED.

CLEAR ENOUGH GUIDANCE FOR STAFF? YEAH. DO YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED? YEAH. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS? ALL RIGHT, THEN WE'LL CLOSE THIS ISSUE TO SEE WHAT STAFF COMES UP WITH FOR THE NEXT HEARING ON THIS.

OKAY. SEE YOU IN A COUPLE WEEKS.

ALL RIGHT. WE ARE NOW ON ITEM SEVEN B 1614, WEST GRAND RIVER.

[7.B. SUP #24002 – 1614 West Grand River]

WOULD YOU JUST GIVE ME A MOMENT TO JUST.

HAVE A GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

WHILE I'M DOING THIS.

WE WE TALKED ON THE PHONE AT LEAST WEEKLY FOR TWO MONTHS SINCE THE FIRST TIME WE MET FACE TO FACE.

NICE. LET'S SEE HERE.

HERE WE GO. JUST A QUESTION.

AMONG OTHER COMMISSION MEMBERS.

DOES ANYONE HERE KNOW HOW TO READ A TRAFFIC STUDY? HOW TO WHAT? HOW TO READ A TRAFFIC STUDY AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT SAYS.

IS THE CAMERA ON? YES, I, I CAN, BUT I WON'T.

I LOOK AT THOSE I THINK, WHAT LANGUAGE ARE THESE WRITTEN IN? MY GOD, THE EASIEST THING TO DO IS GO TO THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.

YEAH. I TO CUT DOWN, I DID TAKE ALL THE APPENDICES OUT WITH ALL OF THE RAW DATA.

THAT IS PRETTY CONFUSING STUFF IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

AND I SPENT TWO AND A HALF YEARS AS A TRANSPORTATION PLANNER.

I DON'T LIKE READING THAT STUFF.

IF ANYONE DOES WANT TO SEE THAT, I DO HAVE THAT AVAILABLE, BUT I DIDN'T THINK THAT NEEDED, YOU KNOW, JUST CUT DOWN ON ON AN ALREADY LARGE PACKET.

I TOOK THAT STUFF OUT OF THESE TWO STUDIES.

I WAS GLAD THAT YOU SHARED IT WITH US, AND IT WAS NICE TO SEE THAT IT WAS REALLY CURRENT.

[01:00:07]

IF THAT SOUNDS FAMILIAR.

YOU DID A SPECIAL USE PERMIT ON THIS SITE IN 2000 OR IN 2023? NUMBER TWO THREE FOR A MEDICAL MARIJUANA FACILITY.

I WANT TO BE CLEAR. THIS IS NOT THAT, THERE ARE THREE BUILDINGS PROPOSED ON THIS SITE.

THIS IS NOT THAT BUILDING.

THIS IS BEHIND THAT BUILDING.

THIS SPECIAL PERMIT WILL REQUIRE TWO APPROVALS.

THIS IS AN APPLICATION FOR A CLIMATE CONTROLLED SELF-STORAGE FACILITY.

THAT IS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT IN THE C TWO DISTRICT, WHICH THIS IS.

THAT IS YOUR CALL.

HOWEVER, THIS IS PROPOSED TO BE THREE STORIES TALL, 127,500FT², AND CONSISTS OF 977 UNITS.

BY OUR ORDINANCE, ANYTHING OVER 25,000FT² IN SIZE REQUIRES ANOTHER SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND THAT WILL BE RECOMMENDED BY APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL, BE RECOMMENDED TO YOU, BY YOU, AND THEN GO TO THE BOARD FOR THEIR FINAL APPROVAL.

SO THIS IS TO A TWO STEP PROCESS.

AS I NOTED, THE ENTIRE SITE IS BASICALLY THREE PARCELS.

THIS ISN'T A GREAT LOOK HERE, BUT LET ME ZOOM IN A LITTLE BIT CLOSER.

THEY THEY'VE GOT IT KIND OF WRAPS AROUND.

THEY'RE NOT PUTTING ANYTHING FRONTING ON IT.

BUT THE PROPERTY DOES COME OUT HERE ON CENTRAL PARK DRIVE.

THE BACK PART OF THE PROPERTY IS WHERE THIS IS BEING AFFECTED.

AT SOME POINT THEY'LL HAVE TO DO, LIKE LIKE THEY'LL HAVE TO DO A SURVEY AND SHOW AMENDED PROPERTY LINES.

WE'VE HAD THAT DISCUSSION.

THE ZONING, THE MASTER PLAN STUFF.

THAT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.

ITS OWN SEE2, ITS COMMERCIAL MASTER PLAN.

NO PROBLEM.

ONE NOTE ABOUT THIS.

IT WILL DURING SITE PLAN REVIEW.

THEY KNOW THIS ALREADY.

THEY WILL REQUIRE A 50 FOOT VARIANCE FOR THE RESIDENTIAL SETBACK.

THIS IS THE.

YOU'LL RECALL THAT RECALL THE GRAND RESERVE SPECIAL USE PERMIT THAT YOU APPROVED LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE RECENTLY.

THERE IS A 200 FOOT, SETBACK FOR COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES AWAY FROM THAT RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.

THEIR BUILDING IS PROPOSED TO BE 150FT.

THEY KNOW THAT'S A PROBLEM.

THEY KNOW THAT'S AN ISSUE.

THEY KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THEY'VE GOT TO TAKE CARE OF.

WE'VE WE DISCUSSED THAT DURING PRE-APPLICATION MEETINGS.

AND IT AND IT IS NOTED, WATER AND SEWER HERE IN THE SITE.

THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.

TRAFFIC BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THAT ENOUGH.

THE TRAFFIC STUDY SUBMITTED FOR THIS WAS A REEVALUATION OF THE TRAFFIC STUDY THAT WAS SUBMITTED WITH THE ORIGINAL MARIJUANA SHOP THAT YOU LOOKED AT LAST YEAR.

THE TRAFFIC STUDY WAS UPDATED TO INCORPORATE THE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC FROM A STORAGE FACILITY OF THIS.

I DID CHECK AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE USING THE RIGHT CATEGORY IN THE TRAFFIC AND IN OUR TRAFFIC CODE, THE THREE VOLUME TRAFFIC CODE.

SO THEY COUNTED FOR THIS TRAFFIC IN ADDITION TO THAT TRAFFIC.

AGAIN DURING SITE PLAN REVIEW, IF THIS GOES FORWARD, THAT WILL BE REVIEWED AND NEED TO BE APPROVED BY MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

THE STUDY INDICATED THAT THE EXISTING ROADS ARE CAPABLE OF HANDLING EXPECTED TRAFFIC.

THEY DID SUGGEST THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME OPTIMIZATION OF TRAFFIC SIGNAL TIMING.

TIMING THAT'S GOING TO BE NECESSARY.

BUT THEY ALSO NOTED THAT, THEY'RE MOVING THE ENTRANCE.

THEY'RE GOING TO REQUIRE A WAIVER FROM MDOT FOR THE SPACING BETWEEN ADJACENT DRIVEWAYS.

THERE'S JUST A SPACING REQUIREMENT.

AND WITHOUT GETTING TOO SPECIFIC, IF WHEREVER THAT WAS GOING TO END UP, THERE WAS GOING TO BE A WAIVER THERE.

JUST THAT THE LARGE AND I CAN LET THEM TALK TO YOU MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT THAT, BUT NO SITE PLAN WILL GET APPROVED WITHOUT SAID WAIVER FROM MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

WE DID KNOW THAT THERE WAS A WETLAND ON PROPERTY, IN CASE YOU'VE GONE OUT THERE AND LOOKED AT THIS, THEY KNOW THERE'S A WETLAND ON THE PROPERTY AND THEY'VE TAKEN CARE OF THAT. KNOW THEIR THE SETBACKS ARE NOTED ON THEIR PLAN, THEIR WAY OUT OF THE SETBACKS.

WETLANDS ARE NOT AN ISSUE ON THIS.

AND AS I SAID, IF IF YOU IF THE IF YOU APPROVE THE CLIMATE CONTROLLED STORAGE FACILITY AS PRESENTED, THE IT WILL GO FORWARD TO THE BOARD TO APPROVE THE SIZE OF THE FACILITY. THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY SITE PLAN REVIEW, WHICH IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS.

[01:05:02]

MR.. NO.

I'M SORRY. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? THINKING. LET ME BRING THE PLAN UP.

YEAH, I GOT SOMETHING.

HERE'S AN EASY ONE.

IN THE STAFF REPORT ITEM FIVE, YOU MENTIONED THERE'S TWO WETLANDS LOCATED ON SUBJECT PROPERTY.

YEAH, THEY'RE THEY'RE NORTH OF THERE.

NORTH OF THE LOCATION.

JUST NOTING THAT IN THE NATURAL FEATURES ASSESSMENT THAT I THINK ALSO IS DATED FROM A PRIOR APPLICATION.

THERE WAS MENTION OF WETLAND DISTURBANCE THAT WAS MEANT TO TAKE PLACE.

BUT I TAKE IT THAT WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE OTHER PORTIONS OF THIS SITE, NOT THE WHAT'S CURRENTLY PROPOSED, IS SOMETHING ABOUT A DRIVEWAY THAT HAD THERE WAS GOING TO BE A MINOR BIT OF FILL.

I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND SEE.

I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK JUST ON MEMORY OF THAT.

SOMETHING IS I'M REMINDED OF SOMETHING.

I THINK THE FIRM WAS NOWAK AND KRAUSE DID THE NATURAL FEATURES ASSESSMENT.

YEAH, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS BROADER THAN THAN THIS PIECE.

I'D. I'D HAVE TO GO LOOK.

BUT JUST SO YOU'RE JUST SO YOU.

YEAH. SO YOU NOTED DIFFERENT SECTION.

THIS IS THE, MARIJUANA FACILITY AGAIN, WHICH IS NOT PART OF THIS REVIEW.

THIS IS GRAND RIVER AVENUE OVER HERE.

NORTH IS ACTUALLY IT'S ORIENTED 90 DEGREES.

SO NORTH IS THIS DIRECTION.

GRAND RIVER IS RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS THE PROPOSED ENTRANCE ONTO THE SITE.

IT WOULD IT WOULD IT WOULD SERVE IN THE LONG RUN.

IT WOULD SERVE THREE BUILDINGS.

THIS WILL HAVE TO COME BACK FOR ITS OWN APPROVAL.

THERE'S THAT THAT IS SHOWN JUST IN CONCEPT ONLY AT THIS POINT.

THIS IS THE STRUCTURE THAT YOU'RE REVIEWING TODAY.

AND THEN THE WETLANDS ARE BACK HERE OFF THE, THE OFF THE SITE.

THEY THEY WERE THE SAME.

THEY THEY WERE THE SAME ONES THAT HAD TO BE OBSERVED WITH SETBACKS ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF THE GRAND RESERVE.

AND THERE'S A SMALL ONE AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT OF THE SITE.

YEAH. SO IF I COULD ASK YOU TO ELABORATE ON THE RECONFIGURATION OF THE ACCESS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WOULD POTENTIALLY REQUIRE A WAIVER FROM MDOT.

AND GIVEN THE SPACING THAT'S PROPOSED, IS THAT WHAT IS MEANT BY ACCESS MANAGEMENT CRITERIA IN THE STAFF REPORT? CORRECT. WHAT IT SAYS IS.

SORRY. GET TO THE.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH MDOT, THE TOWNSHIP HAS DEVELOPED ACCESS MANAGEMENT CRITERIA IN EVALUATING PROPOSED ACCESS DRIVEWAYS ACROSS GRAND RIVER AVENUE.

ACCESS MANAGEMENT CRITERIA FOR THE PROPOSED DRIVEWAY.

I'M QUOTING FROM THE TRAFFIC STUDY.

THEIR, DRIVEWAY ARE SUMMARIZED IN THE STUDY BY THE APPLICANT'S TRAFFIC CONSULTANT.

BASED ON THAT STUDY, THE CONSULTANT NOTED THAT WAIVERS ARE REQUIRED FOR THE SPACING BETWEEN ADJACENT DRIVEWAYS.

SO THIS IS THE EXISTING.

MAYBE YOU CAN SEE IT BETTER IF I ACTUALLY.

YEAH, IT.

WAS EVEN CLOSE TO THE SIZE OF THIS.

LIVING THE SPARROW MEDICAL BUILDING.

BUT I DON'T THINK. YEAH I'M LOOKING AT HERE.

YEAH. THIS IS SPARROW.

YEAH. SO I DON'T THINK IT COMES CLOSE I DON'T THINK OKAY.

SO YOU CAN SEE HERE HERE'S THE HERE'S SPARROW LABS.

HERE'S THIS POND BACK HERE.

BANK OF AMERICA, THIS COMMERCIAL HERE.

THERE'S AN ACCESS RIGHT HERE THAT USED TO GO BACK TO A HOUSE THAT WAS DEMOLISHED.

ACCORDING TO WHAT I UNDERSTAND, 2019.

IT'S BEEN A WHILE. THEY WANT TO CLOSE THIS AND BRING THE ENTRANCE OVER HERE AND ACCESS THE SITE FROM THIS DIRECTION.

SO BACK HERE IN THIS AREA IS WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STORAGE FACILITY.

OKAY. AND JUST NORTH OF THAT, ALL OF THAT GOES NORTH OF THAT IS GOING TO BE DEVELOPED AS AS RESIDENTIAL.

YES. THIS WAS THIS THIS IS THIS IS UNDER SITE PLAN REVIEW ACTUALLY TRYING TO WRAP SOME ENGINEERING STUFF.

I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK SPECIFICS, BUT THIS IS UNDER SITE PLAN REVIEW RIGHT NOW AS GRAND RESERVE 155 RESIDENTIAL UNITS.

AND IT GOES ALL THE WAY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE POND.

BASICALLY IT DID.

I'D HAVE TO I'D HAVE TO LOOK IT.

IT DOESN'T COME ALL THE WAY DOWN HERE BECAUSE THERE ARE WETLAND ISSUES DOWN ON THE SOUTH SIDE, BUT THE RESIDENTIAL ZONING IS HERE, AND THAT'S WHAT TRIGGERED THE SETBACK, NOT THE NOT THE LOCATION OF THE SPECIFIC BUILDINGS.

[01:10:10]

I CAN'T I DON'T HAVE THAT QUICK.

SO JUST REAL QUICK, I KNOW THIS THE QUESTION RELATES TO IT THOUGH, BUT.

SO IF THERE'S GOING TO BE, HOUSING BACK HERE, HOW WOULD THAT BE ACCESSED THROUGH POWER ROAD OR THE, THE THE ACCESS IS POWELL ROAD AND CENTRAL PARK DRIVE.

THAT'S THAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.

THE ONLY ACCESS FOR THE STORAGE FACILITY IS GRAND RIVER.

GRAND RIVER AVENUE. THAT'S CORRECT.

OKAY. THEY AREN'T THEY'RE NOT GOING TO CONNECT.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS GETTING. OKAY.

THANKS. SO I'M SORRY.

THE VARIANCE, THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY BE NEEDED FOR THE SETBACK.

IS THAT FROM THE PROPERTY LINE OF THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT, OR WOULD THAT BE FROM THE CLOSEST RESIDENCE FROM THE PROPERTY LINE? THEY HAVE RIGHT HERE, 150FT OF SPACE.

THIS IS, ZONED R RESIDENTIALLY.

THIS IS ZONED RESIDENTIALLY.

AND IT'S NOT FROM THE BUILDING.

IT'S FROM THAT PROPERTY LINE.

DOES THE DEVELOPER WHO OWNS THE THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, DO THEY GET NOTIFIED OF A.

WELL, ABSOLUTELY. OF COURSE THEY DO OF THIS.

SO LIKE THEY GET THEY CAN COME TO LIKE THE SPECIAL HEARING OR.

SURE THEY COULD EVERYBODY WITHIN 300FT OF THIS LOCATION GOT NOTICED.

OKAY. IT'S SAFE TO ASSUME THAT A THREE STORY BUILDING.

OUR FIRE TRUCKS CAN REACH THE TOP.

YEAH, IT'S.

OUR ORDINANCE DOESN'T LIST A STORY MAXIMUM.

IT LISTS A HEIGHT MAXIMUM OF 35FT IN THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.

AND. YES.

I'M STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT WITH THE ELEVATION PICTURES.

IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME IF THAT'S LIKE A SOLID BUILDING OR IF IT'S CHUNKS AND OPEN SPACE BETWEEN THEM.

I THINK IT'S THE PICTURE RIGHT BELOW WHERE YOU ARE NOW.

YEAH. THIS IS COMPLETE THE ELEVATION DRAWING FOR THE STORAGE FACILITY.

AND SO AND THE RECTANGLES WITH THE LITTLE THING INSIDE THAT'S ACTUAL BUILDING WALL.

RIGHT? YES.

OKAY. YES. SO I CAN LET, I CAN LET THE, THE APPLICANT SPEAK MORE SPECIFICALLY TO THAT.

BUT THESE THIS IS ONE BUILDING I WOULD BE REALLY INTERESTED IN KNOWING IF THERE'S A SIMILAR BUILDING THAT'S BEEN BUILT SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT WE COULD LOOK AT AN ACTUAL.

THIS IS JUST HARD FOR ME TO ENVISION.

AND THREE STORIES IS A LITTLE BIT TALLER THAN WE'RE USED TO HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP FOR MOST BIG COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, YOU KNOW, LIKE ON HAGADAWN ROAD, THERE'S SOME.

BUT IN GENERAL, WE DON'T GO THAT HIGH.

AND I'M JUST TRYING TO PICTURE WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE SORT OF OUT IN THE IN THE SPACE THAT'S CURRENTLY NOT OCCUPIED BY ANYTHING.

IT'D BE GREAT TO IF THE APPLICANT IF YOU WANT TO SEE A NOW THAT'S NOT I'D HAVE TO I'D HAVE TO LOOK INTO IT.

I DON'T I CAN'T OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

THINK OF A THREE STORY.

STORAGE FACILITY.

YEAH, I KNOW THERE'S LIKE THE TALL ONE OUT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF LANSING.

THAT USED TO BE A HOTEL.

YEAH, YEAH.

LIKE, I'M JUST TRYING TO.

TRYING TO PICTURE IT AND HAVING A HARD TIME.

THE RESIDENTIAL, CONSTRUCTION HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.

RIGHT. THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR THE FOR THE RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION HAS BEEN APPROVED.

THEY ARE IN SITE PLAN REVIEW.

OKAY. I'M.

I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS BUILDING IS GOING TO BE ABSOLUTELY INCONSISTENT WITH A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD 100 YARDS TO THE NORTH, AND IT JUST IT'S GOING TO OVERWHELM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

I SEE TREES, BUT.

OR HOW TALL IS THE BUILDING? ACTUALLY? 35.

35FT, RIGHT? YEAH, 35FT.

I CAN SHOW YOU. HERE.

ZOOM IN. YEAH.

RIGHT HERE. 38.

WELL, THEY'RE SHOWING 38.

IT'S 30. IT'S 33.

TO THE ROOF DECK, 38 TO THE TOP OF THE PARAPET.

VISUALLY, IT'S 38FT.

IT'S VISUALLY, IT'S 38FT.

I THINK WE HAVE AN ALLOWANCE FOR THE PAIR.

I'D HAVE TO LOOK AND SEE IF IT'S TOO TALL.

[01:15:01]

OUR TREES ARE IT WILL BE LIMITED TO 35FT IN HEIGHT.

YES. OUR TREES ARE MUCH TALLER THAN THAT.

SOME OF THEM.

BECAUSE. BECAUSE I'M THINKING. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS IN THE IN OUR ORDINANCE, I GUESS.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE CAN ACTUALLY SPEAK TO THIS, BUT IT JUST KIND OF IS A QUESTION I'M REALLY WANTING TO KNOW, GIVEN THAT WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT A SPECIAL USE PERMIT SHOULD BE GRANTED FOR A STORAGE FACILITY.

I'M WONDERING WHY, LIKE IN THE ORDINANCE, WHY ISN'T THAT IN ALREADY AUTOMATIC ALLOWED USE? WHY IS THAT A SOMETHING THAT WE PUT INTO A SEPARATE CATEGORY TO REQUIRE ADDITIONAL INPUT? I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND RESEARCH THE HISTORY OF.

SURE. THAT'S WHY I SAID I DIDN'T KNOW IF ANYONE COULD REALLY SPEAK TO THAT, BUT I'M VERY CURIOUS.

THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A REASON SOMEBODY THOUGHT MAYBE THIS ISN'T SOMETHING WE SHOULD JUST ALLOW.

TO BE FAIR, THERE ARE SEVERAL SPECIAL USE PERMIT, SPECIAL SPECIAL LAND USES IN THE C2 DISTRICT.

IT'S IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S NOT UNIQUE BUT I JUST I GET YOUR I GET YOUR POINT.

YES. CAN WE HEAR FROM THE APPLICANTS? YEAH. THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.

REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TONIGHT.

MY NAME IS AMAR ALKHAFAJI.

I AM THE APPLICANT, THE DEVELOPER.

I'M HERE WITH MY BUSINESS PARTNER, STEVEN BACALL AS WELL.

MY ADDRESS IS 29580 NORTHWESTERN HIGHWAY IN SOUTHFIELD, MICHIGAN.

AND LET'S GO, LIONS.

WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT SUNDAY.

AND, CROSSING OUR FINGERS THAT EVERYTHING GOES WELL IN SAN FRANCISCO.

GOING BACK TO THIS, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, AS I SAID, AND MANY GREAT POINTS WERE BROUGHT UP, AND I'D LIKE TO CLARIFY AND GO THROUGH STEP BY STEP OUR THOUGHT PROCESS ON THIS. SO WE RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS ENTIRE SITE.

WE CLOSED ON IT ABOUT A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO.

GOT OUR SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION PREVIOUSLY FOR THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA FACILITY, AND NOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT, AS WELL AS TRYING TO GET A SELF-STORAGE FACILITY, CLIMATE CONTROLLED SELF-STORAGE FACILITY BUILT ON THIS SITE.

THE TOTAL SITE IS ABOUT EIGHT AND A HALF ACRES.

IT'S SEPARATED INTO THREE DIFFERENT PARCELS.

LET'S START OFF WITH THE MAIN ACCESS.

SO THIS MAIN ACCESS CURB CUT WAS SOMETHING WE DISCUSSED WITH THE ROAD COMMISSION, MDOT AS WELL AS MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PLANNERS.

THIS WAS SUGGESTED TO US BY MDOT TO MOVE THE DRIVE THERE AND ELIMINATE THOSE RESIDENTIAL CURB CUTS.

THIS WAS DONE WHEN WE STARTED THE PLAN FOR THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA FACILITY.

THE GOAL IS, AS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED IN THE LAST APPLICATION, IS TO HAVE THAT INTERCONNECTED DRIVE THROUGHOUT A LOT OF IT SO THAT THERE'S CROSS ACCESS BETWEEN A LOT OF THE PROPERTIES.

AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THIS WOULD ALLOW A SEPARATE DRIVE, LIKE AN ACCESS DRIVE THAT WOULD ACTUALLY CONNECT TO THE SHOPPING CENTER NEXT DOOR AND POSSIBLY TO THE MEDICAL BUILDING TO CREATE THAT SHARED ACCESS DRIVE.

PUTTING THE CURB CUT CLOSER TOWARDS CENTRAL PARKWAY WOULD THEN, CAUSE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH TRAFFIC WITH THE OTHER ROAD THAT KIND OF CURVES IN.

AND THAT IS WHY ALL THE CURB CUTS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED.

TO JUST HAVE ONE CURB CUT OFF OF GRAND RIVER OVER THERE AND PROVIDE THAT ACCESS, IN TERMS OF HAVING A CURB CUT OFF OF CENTRAL PARKWAY, THAT WILL HAPPEN EVENTUALLY.

WE JUST NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WILL BE HOW THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD WORK THROUGHOUT THE THERE'S WETLANDS ON THAT PARCEL, AND WE DO NOT WANT TO TOUCH THE WETLANDS THERE.

SO AT THIS POINT, WE WANTED TO PROPOSE IT OFF OF GRAND RIVER.

AND EVENTUALLY, ONCE WE FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ON THE REST OF THE SITE, WE WOULD HAVE ANOTHER ACCESS EVENTUALLY OFF OF CENTRAL PARK DRIVE.

BUT WE ARE NOT PROPOSING THAT AT THIS TIME.

WE'D LIKE TO JUST FOCUS ON THE TWO PARCELS FOR RIGHT NOW.

BUT THAT IS THE MAIN GOAL THERE IN TERMS OF THE SELF STORAGE FACILITY.

AND PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M INCORRECT ON THIS.

IT IT REQUIRES A 200, 200 FOOT SETBACK FROM RESIDENTIAL.

HOWEVER, MANY OF THE OTHER COMMERCIAL USES, SUCH AS A GYM OR OTHER USES WOULD ONLY REQUIRE 100 FOOT SETBACK.

WE TRIED AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

WE FIRST CAME IN FRONT OF A PLANNER, SHAWKI, WITH A SITE PLAN THAT WOULD HAVE NEEDED 150 FOOT VARIANCE, WHICH WOULD PUT US AT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE WOULD NEED FOR A GYM.

WE REALLY PUSHED IT AS FAR BACK AS WE POSSIBLY COULD TO REALLY GET THE SETBACK, GIVE THAT DISTANCE.

WE PUT THE RETENTION POND IN BETWEEN TO GIVE IT A NICE NATURAL FEATURE, AND WITH A LOT OF THAT MATURE VEGETATION BEHIND, WE REALLY DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY ISSUES OF IT IMPACTING THE

[01:20:03]

IN FRONT BEHIND US.

AND IN TERMS OF THE SELF STORAGE FACILITY, IT IS A THREE STORY BUILDING.

WE ABIDED BY ALL THE REQUIREMENTS IN THE ORDINANCE.

IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING, I KNOW IT LOOKS A LITTLE CONFUSING.

IN TERMS OF THE RENDERING, IN TERMS OF THESE WHITE BOXES, THE ARCHITECT WE HIRED IS AN ARCHITECT THAT SPECIALIZES IN SELF STORAGE FACILITIES.

THEY DO SELF STORAGE FACILITIES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND THIS IS THE TYPICAL PROTOTYPE FOR A SELF STORAGE FACILITY THAT YOU WOULD SEE, SUCH AS A BEYOND SELF STORAGE, A PUBLIC STORAGE, THOSE TYPES OF BIG BRANDS THAT HAVE.

SO WE WANTED TO FOLLOW THAT.

WE DID AN ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY STUDY ON IT, AND IT CAME BACK EXTREMELY WELL FOR THIS AREA THAT THERE'S A DESPERATE NEED OF SELF STORAGE AND STORAGE UNITS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP. WE'RE NOT PROPOSING ANY OUTDOOR STORAGE.

THERE'S NO OUTDOOR STORAGE FOR CARS, PARKING.

EVERYTHING IS INDOOR.

IT IS ALL CLIMATE CONTROLLED.

AND PART OF THE ORDINANCE CALLS FOR NO STORAGE UNITS TO BE SHOWN ON THE EXTERIOR FROM THE LIKE.

THE NO INTERIOR STORAGE UNITS CAN BE SEEN FROM THE ROAD.

THAT IS WHY YOU SEE HERE A BIG WALLS.

I MEAN, WE WOULD PREFER TO HAVE WINDOWS THERE AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, TO SHOW THE UNITS.

THAT'S USUALLY HOW A STORAGE BUILDING IS.

BUT PER THE ORDINANCE, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT.

THAT IS WHY YOU SEE MASONRY AND OTHER MATERIALS BEING USED HERE.

THE ARCHITECT WAS TRYING TO.

EMULATE THE LOOK OF A WINDOW WITH OTHER MATERIALS WHERE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE SEEING INTO THE STORAGE UNIT TO SEE THE ACTUAL GARAGES, PER SE.

THE TRAFFIC STUDY. WE DID SHOW THAT THERE WOULDN'T BE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT WITH THE SELF STORAGE FACILITY ON THIS AREA.

THE BUILDING, YES, IT'S 120,000FT².

HOWEVER, 97,000 OF THAT IS WHAT'S ACTUALLY USABLE.

THE REST IS ALL CORRIDORS, ELEVATORS, THE OFFICE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT FEASIBILITY STUDY WITH, WITH THE MEMBERS IF THEY'D LIKE TO SEE IT AS WELL, SHOWING THE NEED OF STORAGE AND HOW OURS DOESN'T EVEN COMPLETE THE NEED FOR THIS AREA IN TERMS OF STORAGE NEEDED.

WE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A HIGH COMMERCIAL ZONE AREA THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THE GRAND RIVER CORRIDOR.

AND WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GREAT FIT.

WE DIDN'T WANT TO COME IN, AND PRESENT IT WITHOUT GIVING YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE THINKING IN THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY FOR THE LAST PIECE ON GRAND RIVER.

AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A RETAIL CENTER THERE WITH A DRIVE THRU.

POSSIBLY WE WOULD COME BACK AND FOLLOW ALL PROTOCOL AND, ALL REQUIRED STEPS TO GET THAT APPROVED.

AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE JUST WANTED TO SHOW SOMETHING THERE PRIOR TO US MOVING THROUGH THOSE STEPS.

THERE'S ALSO A DRAIN EASEMENT THAT GOES THROUGH OUR PROPERTY THAT'S NOT IMPACTED BY THE STORAGE BUILDING, BUT IT WOULD BE IMPACTED A LITTLE BIT ON THAT RETAIL PORTION.

THAT IS WHY WE'RE NOT PROPOSING THAT TODAY.

WE'RE WORKING WITH THE INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSION RIGHT NOW.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE A MEETING WITH THEM TOMORROW TO DISCUSS THAT, BUT WE WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD TO GET THIS STORAGE PROJECT HOPEFULLY THROUGH AND START CONSTRUCTION THIS YEAR ON IT, AS WELL AS THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROVISIONING CENTER, WHICH IS MOVING FORWARD.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, AND I HOPE I ANSWERED SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS, AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY MORE.

ANY QUESTIONS? I'M REALLY CURIOUS.

I APPRECIATE THE DETAIL ON THE MARKET STUDY.

YES. HOW HOW IN THE WORLD CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT DIRECTION THE ARROW POINTS? YOU LOOK DOWN A LIST OF THINGS THAT SEEM LIKE THEY MIGHT BE AND THEN STUDY THEM.

OR DO YOU CAN YOU GET AN ANALYSIS THAT SAYS, WELL, YOU COULD DO THESE SIX THINGS ON THIS SITE? THERE'S A LOT OF DEMAND.

I JUST WOULDN'T I'M SURPRISED AT A SELF STORAGE FACILITY, BUT IT POPPED UP.

I MEAN YES, I DON'T I DON'T DOUBT THERE'S DEMAND.

I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW YOU COME TO.

SO IN TAKING A LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHEN LOOKING AT THIS SITE, YOU KNOW, THE MAIN THING IS WHAT WHAT IS IN THIS COMMUNITY.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS, YOU KNOW, NEEDED THAT IS NOT AVAILABLE.

AND WHAT IS ALLOWED IN OUR CURRENT ZONING, THAT IS A POTENTIAL USE.

AND SELF STORAGE IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY BEEN A BIG THING THAT IS HARD TO, HARD TO FIND AREAS TO PLACE IT BECAUSE YOU STILL NEED IT IN RETAIL CORRIDORS. AND IT'S HARD TO FIND LAND TO BUILD THESE FACILITIES, ESPECIALLY WITH THE WAY TECHNOLOGY IS GOING AND OTHER THINGS, PEOPLE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SPACE TO STORE THEIR THINGS AND BE MOBILE, BE ABLE TO GO AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE MOVING INTO SMALLER SPACES.

AND A LOT OF TIMES IN TERMS OF MULTIFAMILY AND OTHER RESIDENTIAL AREAS AND PUTTING THEIR STUFF AWAY, ESPECIALLY IN MICHIGAN, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR WINTER FURNITURE, THAT YOUR PATIO, I'M SORRY, YOUR PATIO FURNITURE, OTHER THINGS.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT USES FOR STORAGE.

[01:25:02]

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, MULTI APARTMENT BUILDINGS BEING PROPOSED ALL OVER.

WHEN PEOPLE MOVE INTO THOSE BUILDINGS, THEY HAVE THINGS THEY NEED TO STORE AT TIMES.

AND THIS WOULD GIVE THEM AN OUTLET TO DO THAT ON A COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR.

AND THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, WE WENT DOWN THAT ROAD.

WE'VE BEEN THIS IS NOT OUR FIRST ONE.

AND, WE'RE VERY EXCITED.

WE THINK, YOU KNOW, THE THE FEASIBILITY STUDY WAS EXTREMELY WELL FOR THE AREA.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE EXCITED TO DO THIS, AND WE THINK IT HAS A GREAT SYNERGY WITH THE REST OF THE CORRIDOR WITH THERE NOT BEING ONE ON THIS CORRIDOR.

I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.

YEAH. FROM FROM YOUR ANSWER, I GET THE I'M SORRY.

YEAH. ABSOLUTELY SORRY.

FROM YOUR ANSWER, I GET THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU ANTICIPATE THAT MOST OF THE CLIENTELE THAT YOU WOULD DEVELOP IF THIS BUILDING COMES INTO EXISTENCE WOULD BE PRIVATE.

DO YOU ANTICIPATE, SINCE IT IS IN A COMMERCIAL ZONE, THAT, COMMERCIAL ENTITIES WOULD BE USING THIS AS WELL, OR DO YOU EXPECT IT ALL TO BE RESIDENTIAL TYPE TYPE PEOPLE? MAJORITY WOULD MOST LIKELY BE RESIDENTIAL TYPE.

WE HAVE SOME BIGGER STORAGE UNITS WHERE MAYBE SOMEONE WHO HAS A BUSINESS AND, YOU KNOW, NEEDS TO STORE SOME OF THEIR EQUIPMENT, NEEDS A SMALLER, A BIGGER PLACE.

WHEN YOU SAY 977 UNITS, IT SOUNDS LIKE A LARGE NUMBER, BUT SOME OF THEM ARE FIVE BY FIVE.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SMALLER UNITS.

SO IF YOU LOOK, I DON'T KNOW IF PLANNER SHAWKI PUT THE UNIT MIX.

I DID SEND YOU THAT TO YOU ON FRIDAY, I BELIEVE.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD HAVE A TOTAL NUMBER.

I DIDN'T IT WAS AN ATTACHMENT.

IT'S. I'M SORRY. YEAH I APOLOGIZE IT'S NOT IN THERE.

THERE'S THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT SIZES.

SO THE COMPANY WE USE IS REALLY, FRANK RALPH OUT OF NEW YORK.

THAT'S. WE GO WITH THE ARCHITECT THAT UNDERSTANDS THIS TO A CORE.

WE WANT IT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

AND THIS GENTLEMAN DESIGNS, ALL ACROSS, ALL ACROSS MICHIGAN.

HE'S DONE MOST OF THE STORAGE FACILITIES ACROSS MICHIGAN.

WE ASKED HIM TO TAKE OUR FEASIBILITY STUDY.

COMBINE THAT WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE AND HIS EXPERIENCE TO DESIGN A UNIT LAYOUT THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD INCORPORATE, A NUMBER, THE NUMBER OF UNITS.

BUT AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THEY'RE DIFFERENT SIZES.

THERE'S MULTIPLE ELEVATORS IN THE BUILDING, AND THERE'S GOING TO BE DOORS WHERE PEOPLE CAN PULL IN, DRIVE IN, TAKE THEIR THINGS IN, AND GO UP TO THEIR UNIT AND KEEP IT ALL, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT IMPACTING THE AREA OR BEING LOUD OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

THERE'S NO AS I SAID BEFORE, THERE'S NO OUTDOOR STORAGE, THERE'S NO NON-CLIMATE CONTROLLED STORAGE.

SO EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE CONDITIONED AND WELL TAKEN CARE OF HERE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DID YOU LOOK AT ANY OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE TOWNSHIP AS A PLACE TO PUT THIS? WE WE DID.

BUT, IN TERMS OF THIS IS THE, YOU KNOW, HIGH RETAIL CORRIDOR WHICH IS NEEDED FOR THIS TYPE OF INDUSTRY USUALLY.

AND THERE'S NO RAW LAND AVAILABLE IN THE AREA.

TO DEVELOP THIS, YOU NEED THE ACREAGE.

I MEAN, THAT IS A LARGE FACILITY, AND WE HAVE EIGHT AND A HALF ACRES ON GRAND RIVER.

PREVIOUSLY THIS WAS GOING TO BE A CAR DEALERSHIP.

SO THERE WAS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WE BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY FROM DP FOX, THE DEVOS FAMILY, WHO WAS PLANNING A NISSAN DEALERSHIP HERE.

THAT'S WHO SOLD IT TO US.

AND THEY CHANGED PLANS ON IT.

AND, SO THIS USES MUCH LESS THAN A, MUCH LESS TRAFFIC INTENSIVE THAN A CAR DEALERSHIP.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ANSWER.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ISSUE.

ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE COMMISSION? I PERSONALLY THINK THIS IS FASCINATING FROM THE STANDPOINT OF, LOOKING AT, AFFORDABLE, ATTAINABLE HOUSING AND AGING IN PLACE AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE STRIVING TO DIVERSIFY OUR HOUSING STOCK.

AND IF, THIS KIND OF DEMAND FOR TEMPORARY STORAGE IS, A SPIN OFF OF THAT, WHICH MAKES SENSE TO ME, THEN I THINK WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT AS, AS ONE OF THE SPIN OFFS OF A POLICY OF ENCOURAGING A BROADER RANGE OF SIZES OF HOMES THAT PEOPLE WILL STUFF STUFF INTO THEM.

ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, I BELIEVE WE HAVE A LITTLE UNDER 20,000 HOUSEHOLDS AND THIS IS 1000.

UNITS, SO MORE THAN 20 HOUSEHOLDS ARE PREDICTED TO NEED SOME STORAGE SPACE FROM FIVE BY 5 TO 10 BY 20 TO 10 BY 30.

IF THAT STUFF IS GOING TO BE STORED, THE CLOSER IT CAN BE STORED, THE BETTER FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL STANDPOINT AND A TIME STANDPOINT AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

BUT, IT STRUCK ME, MAYBE 1 IN 20 PEOPLE, THEIR GARAGE IS FULL AND THEY'VE ALREADY GOT A STORAGE SPACE RENTED SOMEPLACE

[01:30:05]

I THINK WE HAVE LIKE 900 RENTAL UNITS BEING DEVELOPED AS WELL RIGHT NOW, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE SOME FORM OF STORAGE, BECAUSE YOU PROBABLY DON'T HAVE A GARAGE IF YOU'RE GOING INTO A RENTAL UNIT.

I HAVE NO OPPOSITION TO REFERRING THIS TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD TO SUPPORT, AND I, AS MY CONTEMPORARIES HERE, HAVE STATED, THIS WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR OUR AGING COMMUNITY THAT IS DOWNSIZING AND TRYING TO STAY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND MOVING INTO SOME OF OUR NEW, FACILITIES OR, APARTMENTS, CONDOS THAT ARE BEING CONSTRUCTED.

AND I WAS TRYING TO THINK THROUGH MY MIND IF I'M AGING AND IF I WERE TO MOVE INTO SOMETHING SMALLER.

HOW WOULD I STORE? MY BELONGINGS IN BETWEEN THE MOVES.

I THINK THIS IS A NEEDED.

ITEM, AND I THINK THE LOCATION IS UNIQUE AND PERFECT FOR WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING.

I ORIGINALLY EXPRESSED DOUBT BECAUSE OF THE JUST OVERWHELMING SIZE OF THE STRUCTURE COMPARED TO THE HOUSING UNIT THAT'S GOING TO GO IN NEAR IT.

BUT AFTER HEARING THE PRESENTATION AND.

WATCHING EVERYBODY ELSE ON THE PANEL.

I'VE I DON'T HAVE THAT THAT CONCERN ANYMORE.

I AGREE THAT IT IS A NECESSARY OR NOT, PERHAPS NOT NECESSARY, BUT CLEARLY A BENEFICIAL ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY.

WHICH WILL PROBABLY GET VERY FULL USE IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AFTER CONSTRUCTION.

SO I GUESS ANY OBJECTIONS I HAD HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.

GO AHEAD. I THINK IT'S NEAT, AS SOMEONE WHO DOES HAVE A STORAGE UNIT, AFTER MY HUSBAND AND I MARRIED, AFTER BOTH ACCUMULATING HOUSEHOLDS FULL OF THINGS, YOU KNOW, I GO, THIS PIQUES MY INTEREST.

ALTHOUGH WE JUST BACK OUR CAR UP TO OURS AND SORT OF DUMP IT IN THERE.

I'M NOT SURE HOW A THREE STORY WOULD WORK, BUT, YEAH, CONCEPTUALLY IT'S NEAT.

MY ONE, I GUESS CAUSE FOR HESITATION IS THIS APPEARS TO BE SUCH A SPECIALIZED TYPE OF BUILDING ON THAT SITE THAT IF FOR SOME REASON THIS BUSINESS WERE NOT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, I THINK WE WOULD END UP WITH AN EYESORE THAT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO REMARKET WITHOUT DEMOLISHING AND TURNING INTO SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW A BUILDING OF THIS TYPE AND SIZE WOULD.

WOULD BE ABLE TO BE ADAPTABLE TO SOMETHING ELSE.

AND THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT GIVES ME A LITTLE BIT OF PAUSE, AND I NEVER I DO AGREE THAT THERE IS VERY LIKELY A MARKET HERE I DON'T BELIEVE.

AND SOMETIMES WE GET COPIES OF MARKET STUDIES.

I DON'T THINK WE DID FOR THIS ONE, AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT'S WITHIN OUR PURVIEW ANYWAY TO BASE A DECISION, BUT THAT BUT THAT WOULD BE ONE THING THAT WOULD GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF PAUSE AND WANT TO THINK ABOUT SORT OF UNDERSTANDING, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT HAS STAYING POWER? BECAUSE ONCE IT'S THERE, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN THIS INTO SOMETHING ELSE.

AND THE TOWNSHIP BOARD WILL ADDRESS THAT WHEN THEY GET TO 25,000 SQUARE FOOT.

YEAH. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? NO. ALL RIGHT.

THE CHAIR IS GOING TO CALL FOR A STRAW VOTE THEN TO GIVE GUIDANCE TO THE STAFF.

THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE PROJECT AS PRESENTED.

IS THERE A SECOND? YES.

OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? I. I.

IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? NO. YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED, MR. SHIRKEY. YEAH.

JUST TO REMIND YOU, I WILL BE BRINGING YOU TWO RESOLUTIONS.

ONE TO APPROVE THE USE AND ONE TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE SIZE OF THE USE.

OKAY. BUT, YEAH, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE GOT EVERYTHING I NEED FOR THAT.

GOOD. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. SO.

OUR FIRST BUSINESS.

OKAY. PERFECT.

THANK YOU. OR SECOND MONDAY? SURE. OKAY. THERE APPEARS TO BE.

APPEARS TO BE NO UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

THERE IS NO UNFINISHED NEW BUSINESS.

SO THE NEXT ITEM WE HAVE THEN IS THE RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION TO JERRY RICHARDSON.

[9.A. Resolution of Appreciation – Jerry Richards]

[01:35:03]

SOMETHING QUICK ON THE DRAW PEN, BUT, I WOULD LIKE TO READ THE RESOLUTION FOR THE RECORD.

GO AHEAD. AT A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN, INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN, HELD ON THE 22ND DAY OF JANUARY, 2024 AT 6:30 P.M.

LOCAL TIME.

1234567 MEMBERS PRESENT.

NONE ABSENT.

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION WAS OFFERED BY COMMISSIONER SCALES AND SUPPORTED BY SECOND COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY.

WHEREAS JERRY RICHARDS BEGAN SERVING THE INTERESTS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IN 1994, SERVING AS THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER FOR OVER 19 YEARS, AND WHEREAS, HE CONTINUED HIS PUBLIC SERVICE TO THE TOWNSHIP STARTING IN 2017 WHEN HE WAS APPOINTED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND WHEREAS DURING HIS SIX YEAR TENURE AS PLANNING COMMISSIONER, MR. RICHARDS. COMMISSIONER RICHARDS HAS ABLY REPRESENTED THE INTERESTS OF THIS PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE CITIZENS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, SERVING AS THE PLANNING COMMISSIONERS SECRETARY AND ALSO SERVING ON THE BUILDING BOARD OF APPEALS AND THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS.

AND WHEREAS, COMMISSIONER RICHARD WORKED TIRELESSLY TO ADVANCE AND ACHIEVE THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ADOPTED BY THIS COMMISSION AND THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, SELFLESSLY CONTRIBUTING VALUABLE FOCUS, PERSPECTIVE, INSIGHT AND ENERGY TO OUR MOST CHALLENGING EFFORTS AND SUBSEQUENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

BRINGING HIS BACKGROUND IN CONSTRUCTION TO THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS AND NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN, INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN WISHES PUBLICLY TO RECOGNIZE, COMMEND AND THANK JERRY RICHARDS FOR INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO AND IMPACTS ON THE WORK OF THIS COMMISSION AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

THIS COMMISSION IS GRATEFUL FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVICE AND WISHES YOU WELL IN YOUR FUTURE PURSUITS.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN, INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN, HEREBY ADOPTS THIS TRIBUTE OF APPRECIATION TO PLANNING COMMISSIONER JERRY RICHARDS AS PRESENTED.

THERE'S A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO YOUR MOTION, AND THAT IS TO CORRECT A TYPO AT ONE POINT.

WHERE WAS THAT? THE LAST.

WHEREAS IT'S RICHARD.

MR. RICHARDS. YEAH.

GOT THAT. OKAY.

AND HAS THERE BEEN A SECOND TO THE MOTION? A SECOND? SECONDED.

LET'S DO THIS WITH A ROLL CALL.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY OTHER CORRECTIONS OR AMENDMENTS? NO. ALL RIGHT, THEN THE CHAIR CALLS FOR A VOTE.

COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY.

YES. COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL.

YES, COMMISSIONER.

PERSIS? YES, COMMISSIONER.

SCALES. YES, COMMISSIONER.

BROOKS. YES.

COMMISSIONER. SNYDER. YES.

AND THE CHAIR VOTES? YES.

THE MOTION IS APPROVED.

OKAY, I'LL BRING IT WITH THAT TYPO CORRECTION.

WE'RE GOOD. NICE. CLEAN ONE TO YOU.

YEAH. I MOVE THE STAFF, PREPARE A SIMILAR RESOLUTION FOR OUR VICE CHAIR, WHO JUST LEFT THE COMMISSION.

I MEAN, A MOTION OKAY.

IF YOU WANT TO. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT NEEDS A MOTION OR JUST ASK HIM TO PRESENT IT AT THE NEXT MEETING.

I'LL JUST ASK YOU.

YES, YES, WE WILL DO THAT FOR THE NEXT MEETING.

YES. ALL RIGHT.

VERY GOOD. THAT LETTER WAS WELL DESERVED.

LET'S GO ON TO ITEM NINE.

B ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

I DON'T HAVE A MEMO ON THIS.

[9.B. Election of Officers]

YOU DO HAVE TO DO YOUR ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

YOU HAVE A CHAIR, A VICE CHAIR AND A SECRETARY TO ELECT.

I REMEMBER SOMETHING ABOUT LAST YEAR.

[01:40:01]

CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

DIDN'T WE DIDN'T THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAVE TO DO SOME KIND OF A WAIVER OF A TERM LIMIT TO REELECT YOU AND MR. TREZISE TO YOUR POSITIONS? I DON'T RECALL THAT. YOU DON'T RECALL THAT, COMMISSIONER TREZISE.

I THINK TO HAVE COMMISSIONER TREZISE BE THE VICE CHAIR HE HAD TO HAVE, BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN THE CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR PREVIOUSLY.

THERE WAS SOME SOMETHING THAT HAD TO BE DONE.

OKAY. I JUST THERE IS A RULE AND I BELIEVE, WELL, WE SHOULDN'T GUESS AT A RULE.

WE SHOULD GET THE RULE.

LET ME, LET ME GIVE YOU LET ME GIVE YOU AN OPTION.

IT'S TEN MINUTES AFTER EIGHT.

CAN WE CALL A FIVE MINUTE RECESS? YES. AND LET ME GO GET YOUR BYLAWS.

YES. YES, ABSOLUTELY.

I'LL BE RIGHT BACK. THANK YOU.

CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER.

THANK YOU I APPRECIATE THAT.

SO HERE'S WHAT I WAS THINKING.

SO I'VE GOT YOUR I CAN PASS THIS AROUND.

IT'S NINE PAGES. SO I DIDN'T MAKE A BUNCH OF COPIES.

AND I CAN'T ACCESS IT BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE DRIVE AVAILABLE.

BUT, SECTION 2.2 TERM OF OFFICE SHALL COMMENCE FROM THE DATE OF SELECTION FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR, OR UNTIL A SUCCESSOR IS HAS BEEN SELECTED.

OFFICERS SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR REELECTION, BUT SHALL NOT SERVE MORE THAN TWO SUCCESSIVE FULL TERMS IN AN OFFICE.

AND THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT WAS YOU GUYS VOTED ON TO WAIVE LAST YEAR, BUT I DIDN'T GO BACK TO THE MINUTES AND CHECK THAT.

HAVING SAID THAT, THOSE ARE THE RULES.

YOU DO NEED A CHAIR OR VICE CHAIR AND A SECRETARY.

OKAY. WELL, IS THERE ANYONE I CAN SERVE ONE MORE TERM BECAUSE I DON'T I HAVEN'T SERVED TWO FULL TERMS. I'VE BASICALLY SERVED ONE AND A HALF TERMS BECAUSE I TOOK OVER FROM SCOTT HENDRICKSON WHEN HE WENT UP TO THE, TRUSTEE.

TRUSTEE. BUT IF ANYBODY ELSE INTERESTED IN THE POSITION OF PRESIDENT, I WAS GOING TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY TO SERVE AS CHAIR, IF YOU'LL ACCEPT, I, I WOULD, BUT I DON'T WANT TO TAKE IT FROM SOMEONE WHO IS INTERESTED IF YOU WANT TO KEEP THAT GOING.

NOT AN ISSUE. THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE.

IF YOU WANT IT, IT WOULD BE HONORED.

I MEAN, BUT I AGAIN, I'M NOT WILLING TO JUMP UP THERE.

I HAD LITERALLY WRITTEN YOUR NAME ON MY SHEET AS WELL.

OH, MY PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE.

ANY OTHER CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT? THEN I'M GOING TO WITHDRAW MY CANDIDACY.

AND YOU GET IT.

YOU DON'T NEED A VOTE. LET'S TALK ABOUT VICE CHAIR.

HOW ABOUT WE PROMOTE OUR SECRETARY TO VICE CHAIR? YOU WANT THAT, NATURAL SUCCESSION? I ACTUALLY HAD A QUESTION ABOUT MY ROLE AS SECRETARY.

HAS IT BEEN A YEAR? HAS IT BEEN? YES. YEAH.

IT HAS. WHAT? YEAH. TIME FLIES WHEN YOU'RE HAVING FUN.

WOW. MY GOSH.

WOW. WELL, YOU'VE BEEN NOMINATED FOR VICE CHAIR, AND CERTAINLY YOU DID IT WITHOUT EVEN BAT AN EYE.

SO YOU'RE GREAT AT THAT JOB PROMOTION.

VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.

AND YOU HAD THE HARD YEAR WHEN WE WERE DOING THE MASTER PLAN.

WERE YOU? RIGHT? AND I APPRECIATE YOUR NOMINATION.

IF THERE IS SOMEBODY ELSE WHO'S WANTING THAT ROLE, I WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, WILLING TO ENTERTAIN THAT.

NO. CONGRATULATIONS.

OKAY. AND LASTLY, WE KNOW THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO ACCEPT IT THOUGH.

LIKE, I KNOW I GOT TO SIT HERE AND THINK ABOUT THAT POSITION FOR SECRETARY THOUGH.

ANYBODY WANT THAT POSITION? I'D BE INTERESTED. THE BIG THING IS THAT AT SOME POINT THE SECRETARY IS GOING TO SIGN THE MASTER PLAN UPDATE.

OH, THERE YOU GO. I GOT A NICE SIGNATURE.

OH. THAT BRINGS UP AN ISSUE THE THE JERRY RICHARDS LETTER.

YOUR FORM HAD MY NAME ON IT.

YOU WERE THE PRESIDING OFFICER DURING THE PROCESS.

ALL RIGHT. SO I'M STILL SAYING YOU SHOULD.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

SO SHOULD I NOMINATE THAT SLATE FORMALLY? YES. GO AHEAD I SO NOMINATE.

COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY CHAIR.

COMMISSIONER SNYDER AS VICE CHAIR AND COMMISSIONER SCALES AS SECRETARY.

I'LL SECOND THAT. I DON'T THINK WE NEED A ROLL CALL ON THIS, DO WE? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE SLATE AS PROPOSED? SAY, I HEAR HEAR NO OPPOSITION.

THAT'S OUR NEW SLATE OF OFFICERS.

OKAY. CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

PROUD. THANK YOU.

LET'S SEE THIS LAST ONE.

ACTUALLY, I THINK THE SECRETARY HAS TO FILL IN.

IN THAT CASE, IF WE'RE BOTH GONE.

[01:45:01]

ITEM NINE C IS THE LIAISON ASSIGNMENTS I THOUGHT I HAD.

[9.C. Planning Commission Liaison Assignments]

LET ME ZOOM.

THAT'S THE AGENDA. LET ME GO ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM HERE.

OKAY. YOU NEED TO MAKE ASSIGNMENTS TO THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS, THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY, THE DDA, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, AND THE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE CURRENT, LIAISONS RIGHT THERE AND THE MEETING OBLIGATIONS BELOW IT FOR EACH BODY.

DO YOU WANT TO ASK? DOES ANYONE WANT WANT TO CONTINUE WHAT THEY WERE IN? I WAS GOING TO SAY, YEAH, THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION.

YEAH. I'M PERFECTLY HAPPY STAYING WITH THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

I'M HAPPY TO STAY WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

I'M HAPPY WITH THE.

IT. DOES SOMEBODY SAY THEY WANTED THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? DID I HEAR YOU SAY THAT? NO. YOU DID. I'M HAPPY WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

WE HAVE TWO THAT WE NEED TO REPLACE BECAUSE THEY WERE HELD BY A COMMISSIONER OR VICE CHAIR.

CHANCES ARE THERE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THOSE.

I. FOR ME PERSONALLY, MORNINGS ARE GOING TO BE DEPENDING ON HOW LONG THESE MEETINGS ARE.

THEY MIGHT BE IMPOSSIBLE THE 7:30 A.M.

JUST WITH MY WORK.

SO, YOU KNOW, ZEBA COULD FIT WITH MY SCHEDULE, POTENTIALLY.

WHAT ELSE IS NEEDED? ANYTHING ELSE? AND BROWNFIELD ARE THE TWO.

I DON'T BELIEVE BROWNFIELD HAS MET QUITE SOME TIME.

I THINK THAT'S VERY RARE.

I COULD DO THE BROWNFIELD.

I WORKED WITH BROWNFIELD ON THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY SUITE.

AND THEN THE. OH, BUT THE EDC IS 7:30 A.M..

I THINK IT'S THE BBA THAT WE NEED TO.

YEAH THE CBA.

HOW OFTEN DOES CBA MEET? ONCE A MONTH.

MAX? YEAH, THEY.

I'M GOING TO SAY 1 TO 2 TIMES A YEAR.

THEIR MEETING GETS CANCELED FOR LACK OF QUORUM OR EXCUSE ME, LACK OF AGENDA ITEMS. BUT GENERALLY ONCE A MONTH YOU WANT THE THE THE EDC.

OH, I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE TIME SO IT WON'T WORK ANYWAY.

IF YOU WANT IT, YOU CAN HAVE IT AND I'LL DO THE BROWNFIELD.

I DON'T NEED TO, I JUST, I CAN'T I WOULD I'M INTERESTED IN EDC, BUT I CAN'T DO 7:30 A.M.

OKAY. THAT'S THE ONLY THING.

ZBA HAS A SURPRISING AMOUNT OF POWER.

YOU WILL FEEL A SURGE OF POWER SERVING THEM.

THAT'S DEFINITELY WHAT I'M AFTER.

AND AND I BEING CANDID, I SAID THIS LAST TIME, TOO, IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO COMMIT TO EITHER ONE OF THESE, JUST GIVEN MY SCHEDULE.

AND MORNINGS ARE HARD, BUT BECAUSE I'M ON A HYBRID WORK SCHEDULE THAT QUITE OFTEN ON WEDNESDAYS, I'M DOWNTOWN AND TO GET BACK TO OKEMOS BY 630 IS CHALLENGING.

I'LL DO THE EDC AND THE BROWNFIELD.

THANK YOU. WOULD ANYBODY BE INTERESTED IN THE ZBA AND ALL THAT POWER THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT? I MEAN, I AM INTERESTED IN POWER.

THERE WE GO. BUT I'M ON THE CIA CURRENTLY AND I CAN'T COMMIT TO BOTH OF THOSE.

AND I ALSO CANNOT, GO HOME AND TELL MY WIFE I COMMITTED TO MORE.

THEY ARE BOTH ON THE THIRD WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH.

YEAH, I KNOW, SO I COULDN'T DO BOTH.

SO, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO.

I'M HAPPY TO STAY ON THE CIA BECAUSE WE JUST APPROVED THE TIP, AND THERE SHOULD BE SOME REALLY INTERESTING THINGS HAPPENING WITH THAT THIS YEAR.

I'M ALSO HAPPY TO BE ON THE ZBA IF SOMEBODY WANTS THE CIA INSTEAD, BUT IT DOESN'T.

I'M. FINE EITHER WAY.

QUESTION FOR YOU, ARE THERE IS THE BOARD LIKELY TO GIVE US APPOINTMENTS FOR OUR VACANCIES ANYTIME SOON, OR IS THAT SOMETHING YOU THINK WILL TAKE A WHILE? BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY FILL IN AND THEN, NO, WE GO DO THIS.

IT'S GOING TO BE A MINUTE.

OKAY? I THINK SOMEBODY'S COMING.

BECAUSE. PRIOR TO WE WERE AT, CULVER'S CELEBRATING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY, AND THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT A NEW PERSON.

AND I MADE MENTION THAT WE HAD NOT ONE, BUT TWO VACANCIES, ON OUR.

BOARD AND I WAS TOLD THERE'S ONLY ONE VACANCY.

THAT'S A LOT TO THROW SOMEBODY NEW INTO, THOUGH, IS TO ASK THEM TO BE ON THIS AND THE ZBA, BECAUSE IT IS A PRETTY IMPORTANT BOARD.

[01:50:07]

I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN MANAGE THAT.

I JUST CAN'T STRETCH THAT FAR ANYMORE.

OKAY. CAN I MAKE A PLEASE SUGGESTION? I THINK WE'RE ALL LADY.

I'M NOT TRYING TO PLAY FAVORITES.

DON'T DON'T MISREAD ME WHEN I SAY THIS, BUT, COMMISSIONER CURTIS, YOU'RE ON THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.

I'LL BE BLUNT WITH YOU.

THEY'RE NOT MEETING ANYTIME SOON.

THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MEMBERS FOR A QUORUM.

OH, REALLY? THAT'S WHY YOU HAVEN'T HEARD FROM ME.

I'M WONDERING. OKAY.

I WOULD SUGGEST.

HERE'S WHERE YOU TAKE ONE STEP BACKWARD.

IF YOU WANT TO BE INVOLVED, YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN ZIVA, AND WE COULD CERTAINLY HELP YOU WITH THAT.

YEAH. WHAT? WHEN DO THEY MEET, THOUGH? THIRD WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH.

SIX. 630.

THAT'D BE GREAT. I, I JUST THROW THAT OUT THERE.

YES YES, YES.

YEAH, GREAT. THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.

I CAN DO THAT. OKAY.

YOU'RE HAPPY TO TAKE.

KEEP AN EYE ON THAT TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.

YOU NEVER MISS. YOU'RE ALWAYS THERE.

YOU KNOW, YOU ATTEND THEM ALL ANYWAY.

I'LL LET YOU. I'LL LET YOU KNOW.

I'LL. I'LL KEEP YOU IN THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION SPOT, YOU KNOW, AND IF SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, IF IF THAT REVIVES, I'LL.

I'LL LET YOU KNOW.

BUT IN THE MEANTIME, NO, I TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION'S ADVISORY ZBA MAKES DECISIONS.

YEAH. I GENUINELY ENJOY THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.

I'M NOT TRYING TO TAKE IT AWAY. NO.

YOU'RE THERE. SO IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL.

THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T RAISE MY HAND, BECAUSE I DIDN'T.

I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THEY WERE.

WE CAN TAKE TURNS HANDLING THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.

I MIGHT EVEN BE ABLE TO GO TO THOSE EVERY NOW AND THEN.

IS THERE ANYTHING LEFT THEN? I THINK THAT TAKES CARE OF IT.

DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THESE OR THAT'S JUST LET YOU KNOW? I THINK WE'D LIKE A VOTE.

ACCEPTING THAT THE LIAISON LIST OF LIAISONS IS COMMISSIONER RICHARDS.

WHAT I HAVE, I'LL JUST GO DOWN THE LIST.

ZBA. IS COMMISSIONER CURTIS, CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITIES, COMMISSIONER BROOKS, DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY'S COMMISSIONER BLUMER ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONERS.

COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS COMMISSIONER SCALES.

TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION IS COMMISSIONER CURTIS AND BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY IS COMMISSIONER SCALES.

SOUND RIGHT? YES.

YEAH. DO YOU STILL.

OKAY, I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU.

OR DO YOU STILL SEND OUT THE PACKETS FOR THE.

YOU'LL HEAR ME HEARING FROM KEITH CHAPMAN.

HE STAFFS THE ZBA.

OKAY. THANK YOU. I'M TRYING.

I GUESS I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE THIS.

THE CHAIR WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LIST AS JUST READ BY STAFF.

OKAY. SECOND.

I DON'T THINK WE NEED A ROLL CALL FOR THIS.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE LIST AS READ BY STAFF.

SAY AYE. AYE.

IT'S APPROVED. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. WE LIAISON REPORT.

COPY OF SOMETHING. WELL, TOWNSHIP.

I'M SORRY. WHAT? HE MOVED THAT I WAS COPIED.

OH. I'M SORRY.

I WAS HERE. THERE YOU GO.

NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A TOWNSHIP BOARD UPDATE.

I HAVE NOTHING FOR YOU.

ALL RIGHT. LIAISON REPORTS.

[10.B. Liaison reports.]

ALL RIGHT THEN. PROJECT REPORT.

[11.A. Project Report]

I DID JUST PRINT A HARD COPY FOR YOU.

YOU HAVE AN UPDATED PROJECT REPORT IN FRONT OF YOU.

NOT AS MUCH CHANGE AS I THOUGHT THERE WAS GOING TO BE, AND NOT AS MUCH AS THERE'S GOING TO BE IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT THEN, WE ARE ON PUBLIC REMARKS.

[12. PUBLIC REMARKS]

[01:55:02]

NAHUM. GOT IT.

JOSH. SORRY.

THAT'S OKAY. YEAH.

SO, I MEAN, I'VE BEEN COMING TO THESE MEETINGS FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW.

I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK I'M JUST, LIKE A CREEPY PERSON SITTING IN THE CORNER.

I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'M APPLYING TO BE ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT BOARDS, YOU KNOW, WAITING FOR THE SUPERVISOR TO MAKE THOSE APPOINTMENTS.

SO HOPEFULLY THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE WILL ACTUALLY BE FUNCTIONAL, BECAUSE I'D LOVE TO BE ON THAT AS WELL.

BUT YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN REALLY APPRECIATING THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE PUTTING INTO ALL OF THESE DISCUSSIONS AND LOOKING AT ALL THESE, SPECIAL USE PERMITS. AND, YOU KNOW, I'M SITTING THERE, LIKE, HOPING SOMEBODY WILL ASK A PARTICULAR QUESTION.

YOU GUYS ALMOST ALWAYS DO.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING AND THE EFFORT THAT YOU'RE PUTTING INTO MAKING, YOU KNOW, REASONED AND GOOD DECISIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

YEAH. THAT'S NICE.

THE RECORD SHOULD REFLECT THAT WAS THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC PRESENT.

COMMISSIONER COMMENTS.

[13. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS]

JUST GETTING TO HEAR THE DIFFERENT ISSUES WITH THE TOWNSHIP, AND I'M.

I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH THIS YEAR AND THINKING THROUGH SOME OF THOSE ISSUES, AND.

ONE OF THE ONES THAT I'M GOING TO BRING UP THAT I'VE ALREADY SAID, BUT I'M GOING TO BRING UP AND I JUST WANT TO SAY IT NOW, IS THE PARKING MANDATES THAT ARE REQUIRED.

AND MAYBE THERE'S SOME OTHER ISSUES THAT WE COULD BE THINKING ABOUT OVER THE NEXT WEEK OR WHATEVER, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND THINKING ABOUT THINGS THAT WE MAY WANT TO ACHIEVE AS A, AS A COMMISSION THAT WOULD BE BUILDING ON THE MASTER PLAN WORK THAT WE DID THIS PAST YEAR.

SO JUST WANTED TO.

GIVE. GIVE THAT COMMENT.

I KNOW I MENTIONED IT A LITTLE BIT BRIEFLY EARLIER, BUT AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO JANUARY AND COREY.

KOALA FOR OPENING THEIR FIRST.

OF THREE, NOW A CULVERS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP 20 YEARS AGO, JANUARY 19TH, 2004.

AND WISH YOU MANY, MANY MORE SUCCESSFUL YEARS.

THANK YOU FOR BEING AN ACTIVIST WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND SUPPORTING COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES, PROVIDING DELICIOUS FOOD, EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND SUPPORTING THE TOWNSHIP THE WAY YOU DO.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND I'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT, SUPPORTING HASLETT PUBLIC SCHOOLS THE WAY THAT THEY DO, THEY HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY GENEROUS SPONSORS OF ATHLETICS, EDUCATION. IT'S JUST REALLY GREAT.

YEAH. MOST RECENTLY, I THINK THEY WERE DOING, HASLETT ROBOTICS.

OKAY. TODAY.

YES. YEAH. IT'S AWESOME.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY HERE.

I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMITTEE NOW JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN TWO YEARS, AND I'VE ACTUALLY ENJOYED.

I'M PRETTY SURE I CAN SAY, HONESTLY, I'VE ENJOYED EVERY MEETING THAT I'VE ATTENDED.

I CAN'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I WAS WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE LIKE THIS WHEN I DIDN'T PICK A FIGHT WITH SOMEBODY, SO JUST WAIT.

JUST WAIT. NO, NO, IT'S JUST IT'S.

I ENJOY COMING HERE.

I ENJOY THE WORK THAT WE DO.

AND I ESPECIALLY ENJOY WORKING WITH YOU PEOPLE.

IT'S A GOOD GROUP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP.

YES. ON THE BOARD, I THINK YOU HAVE.

I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT YOU HAD JUST STARTED WHEN YOU GOT DUMPED INTO THE CHAIR ROLE, AND YOU HAVE, LET US LET US.

WELL, AND I AGREE WITH YOU THAT THIS IS A GROUP, THAT IT'S CLEAR WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE SAME OPINION ON THINGS.

WE AGREE OR WE DISAGREE OCCASIONALLY, BUT I THINK WE DO IT PROFESSIONALLY AND RESPECTFULLY.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, ESPECIALLY IN THE BROADER POLITICAL CLIMATE WHERE THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE, THAT THIS IS, I THINK, A GOOD MODEL FOR HOW HOW THESE KINDS OF THINGS SHOULD RUN.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

THANK YOU. LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH EVERYONE.

THANKS, EVERYONE, FOR YOUR TRUST IN ME OR YOU'RE LETTING ME LETTING ME VOLUNTEER.

I LOOK FORWARD TO ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YEAR.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT THEN.

[02:00:02]

YOU ALL. ALL RIGHT.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.