[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
[00:01:10]
>> IT IS 6:30 AND I AM GOING TO CALL THE MAY 13, 2024 MEETING OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP AND MERIDIAN PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING TO ORDER.
>> COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY, I'M HERE AS WELL.
GREAT. NOW WE COME TO THE PART OF OUR MEETING WHERE WE HAVE PUBLIC REMARKS.
IF ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO COME SPEAK RIGHT NOW, YOU MAY.
WE DO HAVE THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE AGENDA, SO IF YOU'RE COMING TO SPEAK ABOUT ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT'S UP FOR A PUBLIC HEARING YOU CAN SPEAK THEN.
BUT THIS IS TIME TO SPEAK ON PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ANYTHING THAT'S ON THE AGENDA THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT.
IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, THERE SHOULD BE A GREEN SHEET FOR THEM TO FILL.
>> I DON'T HAVE A GREEN SHEET FOR THEM BUT AS LONG AS WE GET THEIR NAME AND ADDRESS [INAUDIBLE]
>> WE DO NOT HAVE A GREEN SHEET, BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE COVER. DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
>> I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE COULD SEE THAT. [LAUGHTER].
>> THAT IS PRETTY TINY. THANK YOU.
[LAUGHTER] WE HAVE IT A LITTLE CLOSER HERE.
>> WE REALLY DON'T WANT YOU TO SEE IT.
>> THAT'S NOT TRUE. WE DO WANT YOU TO SEE IT. IT IS ALSO AVAILABLE.
IF YOU HAVE A DEVICE AT HOME YOU CAN LOOK IT UP ON THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
IF YOU LOOK INTO THE GOVERNMENT TAB, YOU CAN FIND THE FULL MEETING PACKET OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
SO IF YOU WANT TO GO HOME AND LOOK AT ANYTHING, OR IN THE FUTURE, IT'S THERE AS WELL.
SEEING NOBODY FOR THIS SESSION OF PUBLIC REMARKS, WE'LL MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.>> I MOVE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
>> MOVED BY COMMISSIONER SCALES, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BLUMER.
NEXT WE ARE TO ITEM 5 APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE APRIL 22,
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
2024 REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.>> MOTION TO APPROVE BY COMMISSIONER SNYDER.
>> BY COMMISSIONER MCCURTIS. ANY DISCUSSION?
>> THIS IS A QUESTION. IS THERE ANY BEST PRACTICE AROUND ADDING THE RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS FROM THE APPLICANT IN THE MEETING NOTES?
>> I'M SORRY. CAN YOU REPHRASE.
>> WE HAD A LONG CONVERSATION LAST MEETING ABOUT THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS PROJECT.
THERE WAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS.
WHAT I'M CURIOUS IS, IS THERE ANY NEED OR REASON THAT WE WOULD ALSO ADD THE DEVELOPERS' COMMENTS AND RESPONSE IN THAT DOCUMENT?
>> THE LEVEL OF DETAIL ABOVE THE NECESSARY REQUIRED STUFF IS UP TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I'VE RUN INTO THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES.
CONVERSELY ASK FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE CONDENSED INFORMATION.
IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A SUMMARIZATION, THAT'S CERTAINLY POSSIBLE, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOUR QUESTION.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK.
>> THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A DICTATION.
[00:05:01]
THEY'RE MINUTES. I'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH PLANNING COMMISSIONS TOO.>> I'M NOT LOOKING FOR A DICTATION.
I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THIS AS I WAS READING THROUGH THE NOTES, AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF THAT MEETING AS BEING A CONVERSATION WITH THE DEVELOPER THAT IT MAY BE APPROPRIATE TO HAVE SOME SUMMARIZATION OF THEIR RESPONSES.
BUT I'M POSING THAT TO THE REST OF THE COMMISSION JUST TO SEE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK IF THAT'S A WORTHWHILE USE OF ENERGY OR NOT.
>> IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC SET OF MINUTES AND WANTING MORE IN THIS, OTHERWISE I THINK IT'S A BROADER QUESTION THAT I THINK WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT.
>> AND WOULDN'T WANT TO NECESSARILY SOLVE IT HERE.
BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH A CONVERSATION.
IF IT'S A SPECIFIC REQUEST TO ADD SOMETHING TO THESE MINUTES, I WILL SAY, AND I WILL LET OTHERS WHO HAVE A COMMENT IF THEY WANT TO MAKE IT, SOMETIMES I'M COMFORTABLE ASKING STAFF TO DO TOO MUCH PARAPHRASING OF SOMEONE ELSE'S OPINION.
IT'S A FINE LINE, AND IT'S HARD, BUT I THINK THE MORE YOU INCLUDE THAT DETAIL, THE MORE LIKELY YOU ARE TO PRESCRIBE INTENT OR MOTIVE TO SOMEONE ELSE THAT MIGHT NOT BE CORRECT BECAUSE YOU'RE PARAPHRASING.
IN LOOKING TO ADD THAT INFORMATION, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE OUR MEETINGS ARE RECORDED.
IF SOMEONE WHO WANTED TO SEE THE RECORD COULD GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE VIDEO RECORDING, I'VE DONE THAT ONCE OR TWICE WHEN I WASN'T SURE.
BUT THAT'S SPECIFIC TO THIS ONE.
BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH A MORE DETAILED CONVERSATION AT SOME OTHER POINT IN TIME TOO.
>> I'M SORRY. IT SEEMS EVEN JUST TONIGHT WHEN WE GET TO ITEM 13, IT COULD COME BACK UP AND WE COULD HAVE MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT IT, JUST GENERALLY.
>> THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA.
>> I WAS GOING TO SEGUE RIGHT INTO THAT BASED ON WHAT I WAS READING IN HERE ON PAGE 2.
I'M NOT SURE THIS IS ACCURATELY ATTRIBUTED TO MR. HELTZER, WHERE HE SAYS, SECOND TO THE LAST PARAGRAPH, IT SAYS HE SAYS THAT HE CLARIFIED THAT WIDENING OKEMOS ROAD CREATES THE NEED TO BURY THE POWER LINES.
IF YOU JUST STOP RIGHT THERE, THOSE TWO ARE NOT CONGRUENT.
IT'S NOT THE WIDENING OF THE ROAD.
>> IT'S NOT. THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN WHAT HE SAID, BUT IT'S NOT THE WIDENING OF THE ROAD.
IT'S THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUILDING THAT'S CLOSE TO THAT HEIGHT.
>> IT'S THE HEIGHT OF THE LINES.
>> THAT MIGHT BE WHAT HE SAID, BUT THAT MIGHT NOT BE AN ACCURATE STATEMENT.
>> POINT PROVEN WITH THE DIRECT SUMMARIZATION WITH THAT. [LAUGHTER]
>> I'D BE HAPPY TO BRING THIS BACK LIKE COMMISSIONER SNYDER SUGGESTED.
BUT IF ANYONE HAS ANY SPECIFIC, UNLESS WE COULD MOVE THIS FORWARD.
>> ONE SPECIFIC ONE IS THE FINAL PARAGRAPH OF SECTION 9A.
AGAIN, THE OKEMOS CONCEPT PLAN, WE'RE ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGE TO RECEDING OR PLANTING ON THE SITE.
THE POLLUTION CAN ONLY BE CONTAINED.
I THINK HE SPECIFIED THAT IF YOU WERE GOING TO VEGETATE, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE IN THE AREAS ALONG THE PERIMETER AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT DETAIL OF IT.
COULD BE CAPTURED BECAUSE IF THAT'S A DIRECTION THAT SOMEBODY WANTS TO GO, THEN THAT'S USEFUL TO KNOW ABOUT.
>> THAT CONTAINMENT, HE'S SITTING UP THERE TELLING US THAT SITTING ON THAT SITE IS ETHYLENE, XYLENE, BENZENE AND PERCHLOROETHYLENE ARE ALL SITTING ON THAT SITE CONTAINED THERE.
THE BTEXS ARE FROM GAS STATIONS, AND THE PERCHLOROETHYLENE WOULD BE FROM A DRY CLEANER.
THOSE ARE THE CHEMICALS THAT THOSE INDUSTRIES PRODUCE.
I'M NOT SURE IT CANNOT BE TAKEN OUT.
I'M OF THE BELIEF THAT THEY MAY HAVE CHOSEN THE EASIEST ROUTE TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM, AND THAT IS TO CONTAIN IT.
>> WE'RE HOLDING TO AMEND IT TO INCLUDE ALL THOSE CHEMICALS.
>> WE'RE GETTING OFF THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
[00:10:02]
COMMISSIONER BROOKS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY THAT YOU WANTED TO SEE IN OR OUT OF WHAT'S HERE NOW JUST SO THAT WE DON'T MISS ANYTHING?>> THANK YOU. WELL, THAT PART OF THE DISCUSSION TO BE CONTINUED.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE SPECIFIC BESIDES THE SLIGHT CHANGE THAT COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL SUGGESTED, ANY OTHER CHANGES TO THE MINUTES FROM THE MEETING? ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THAT SLIGHT AMENDMENT SAY, AYE.
MINUTES ARE APPROVED WITH THE SLIGHT CHANGE.
[6. COMMUNICATIONS]
WE HAVE ONE THAT WAS IN OUR PACKET, AND IT LOOKS LIKE A COUPLE MORE HERE, YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT.>> ONE IN YOUR PACKET REGARDING SUP 24008, AND THEN YOU HAVE THREE THAT CAME IN OVER THE WEEKEND THAT WE PRINTED OUT AND PROVIDED TO YOU.
THEY'RE ALL THREE REGARDING SUP NUMBER 24009.
>> FOLKS HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO READ OVER THOSE, PLEASE DO.
THEN I THINK THAT MOVES US TO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS,
[7.A. SUP #24007 – Lilliac LLC (5681 Shaw )]
ITEM NUMBER 7A, SPECIAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 24007.>> KEEP GOING DOWN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PUTTING THIS IN THE PACKET, THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL.
>> VERY QUICKLY, SINCE WE HAVE AN AUDIENCE, PLANNING COMMISSION HAD ASKED THAT DOCUMENT LIKE THIS BE PREPARED SO THAT EVERYONE CAN BE ON THE SAME PAGE, SO TO SPEAK, ON WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TONIGHT.
I'M BRIAN SHORKEY. I'M THE PRINCIPAL PLANNER.
I'M GOING TO GIVE A BRIEF SUMMARY OF EACH REQUEST AS IT COMES UP.
APPLICANT, ASSUMING THEY'RE HERE, IS GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME UP AND ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS WELL.
AT THAT POINT, PUBLIC COMMENT ON EACH PUBLIC HEARING WILL OPEN UP.
EACH PERSON GETS THREE MINUTES.
IF YOU'RE FINISHING A SENTENCE, FINISH YOUR SENTENCE, BUT THERE IS A TIME LIMIT.
PLANNING COMMISSION DISCUSSES, AND THEN WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE TONIGHT IS AN INFORMAL POLL.
BY BY LAW, THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS NOT PERMITTED TO ACTUALLY MAKE A DECISION ON ANY OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS TONIGHT.
THEY WILL COME BACK AT THEIR NEXT MEETING AND TAKE ALL THREE OF THESE ISSUES BACK UP.
WHAT WE'RE SPECIFICALLY DISCUSSING TONIGHT ARE SPECIAL USE PERMITS, AND THAT'S THIS LAST POINT HERE, AND I WILL PROCEED WITH THE FIRST CASE.
>> JUST FOR THE RECORD, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T SAY THIS WHEN WE OPENED THIS PUBLIC HEARING, IT WAS AT 6:40. THANK YOU.
>> THIS IS SPECIAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 24007 LILLIAC LLC TO REDEVELOP AN EXISTING BUILDING INTO A FOUR-UNIT RESIDENTIAL BUILDING.
YOU SAW THIS EARLIER THIS YEAR, LATE LAST YEAR WHEN THE SAME APPLICANT APPLIED FOR REZONING OF THAT PROPERTY.
IT HAD CURRENTLY HOUSED FOUR OFFICE SUITES.
I THINK THERE WAS A DENTAL OFFICE IN THERE PREVIOUSLY.
IT'S BEEN VACANT FOR SOME TIME.
YOUR RECOMMENDATION WAS TO REZONE IT TO RC, I BELIEVE, AND THE TOWNSHIP BOARD REZONED IT TO RN, WHICH IS IN CONGRUENCE WITH THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES ON THE WEST, NORTH AND EAST.
THE PROPERTY TO THE SOUTH IS ZONED C2.
IN THE RN DISTRICT, A MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT SUCH AS THIS IS ALLOWED UNDER A SPECIAL USE PERMIT PROCESS.
THAT'S WHAT THE APPLICANT HAS APPLIED FOR TODAY.
LOOKING AT WHAT WE HAVE HERE, THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE'RE GOING TO RUN INTO IS THE PAVEMENT AND ROAD ACCESS.
THE APPLICANT HAS BEEN TALKING TO THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT ABOUT THIS.
HERE WE GO. I DO NEED TO COME OUT A LITTLE BIT AND SEE HERE.
THIS IS THE CONCEPT PLAN THAT THE APPLICANT HAS PROVIDED WITH THIS APPLICATION.
I WILL NOTE THAT THERE IS PAVEMENT OUT THERE ALREADY.
IT'S THE PAVEMENTS IN ROUGH CONDITION.
ONE OF OUR CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL IS THAT BEFORE HE GETS SITE PLAN APPROVAL, HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO REPAVE AND BASICALLY RESURFACE THAT PAVEMENT.
IN THE PROCESS, THE PARKING SPACES ARE GOING TO GET RES-STRIPED.
BY ORDINANCE, THE PARKING SPACES ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE 10 FEET WIDE WITH EXTRA FOR HANDICAPPED SPOT.
AT THE MOMENT, IT APPEARS THAT THERE'S ROOM FOR THAT.
IF THE PAVEMENT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE EXTENDED TO ACCOMMODATE THE 10 REQUIRED PARKING SPOTS,
[00:15:06]
THEN THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT IS THE ONLY APPROVING AGENCY OUTSIDE OF THE TOWNSHIP.IF THE PAVEMENT GOES ON, THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DRAIN COMMISSION'S OFFICE IS GOING TO BECOME INVOLVED WITH SITE PLAN APPROVAL AS WELL.
THE ROAD DEPARTMENT, I'M NOT PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEIR CONVERSATION IS BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN WRITING OR ANYTHING.
I JUST KNOW THAT THE APPLICANT HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS PROJECT WITH THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT ALREADY.
OTHER THAN THAT, PEOPLE ARE SEEING THIS AS A CLEAN-UP OF THE SITE, RE-UTILIZATION OF AN EXISTING PROPERTY.
WE HAVE NOT IDENTIFIED ANY OTHER ISSUES WITH THIS SUP, EXCUSE ME.
>> ANY QUESTION FOR SACK COMMISSIONER SCALES?
>> WELL, I THINK IT'S [OVERLAPPING].
>> OH, WE HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT FIRST, IS THE APPLICANT HERE? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE PROJECT?
>> NO. HONESTLY, I SPOKE TO THE APPLICANT LAST WEEK.
HE GAVE AN INDICATION HE WOULD BE HERE.
>> ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS SPECIAL USE PERMIT? SAY NO ONE. I WILL ENTERTAIN STAFF QUEST.
>> ANY COMMISSION QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER SCALES.
>> THANK YOU. ACTING DIRECTOR, SHARK.
MY QUESTION IS YOU HAVE THE DIMENSIONS OF THAT PARKING LOT, AND DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE ROOM TO PUT THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF HANDICAPPER SPACES IN THERE?
>> STAFF HAS GONE OUT THERE AND DONE ROUGH MEASUREMENTS OF IT, AND IT APPEARS THAT IT COULD FIT.
I HAVEN'T SEEN AN ENGINEER DRAWING. IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
>> ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTION, COMMISSIONER BROOKS?
ONE IS, IS THERE ANY CONNECTION BETWEEN THIS PROJECT AND THE VILLAGE OF NEMOKA REZONING PROJECT THAT WE DID.
>> NO. IT'S JUST YOU COULD GET A GOLF BALL FROM ONE TO THE OTHER.
ACTUALLY, THAT WOULD BE A PRETTY GOOD POKE.
BUT NO, THEY'RE IN THE SAME [INAUDIBLE].
>> THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS THE PARKING ORDINANCE CHANGES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
I KNOW THIS IS SOMEWHAT RELATED.
IF WE CHANGED THOSE ORDINANCES, WOULD THAT HAVE AN EFFECT ON PROJECT LIKE THIS?
THE REQUIREMENTS, JUST SO EVERYONE'S CLEAR, THE REQUIREMENTS, IT'S FOUR RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
UNDER ORDINANCE, EACH UNIT HAS TO HAVE TWO PARKING SPOTS, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE A 25% OVERFLOW.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GETTING THE 10 FROM.
>> ASSUMING THAT WE DO CHANGE THE ORDINANCE [OVERLAPPING].
>> I'M NOT PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT CHANGES TO SOMETHING THAT HAS NOT BEEN PUBLICLY PRESENTED AND STILL BEHIND DOORS.
>> NO, IT'S OKAY. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION VERY BROADLY, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS IS GOING TO SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGE.
>> COMMISSIONER BLUMER THEN SNYDER.
>> IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THIS IS ENTIRELY CONSISTENT WITH THE PROPERTIES AROUND IT, IS THAT CORRECT? I MEAN, IT'S A PRE EXISTING BUILDING.
THEY'VE MADE NO MAJOR CHANGES TO THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING.
>> THEY ARE NOT TOUCHING THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING.
>> YOU'RE REPURPOSING A BUILDING THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR 50 OR 60 YEARS?
>> THE PARKING LOT BASICALLY IS JUST BEING REBUILT.
IT'S NOT BEING SIGNIFICANTLY ALTERED FROM ITS EXISTING SIZE?
>> THERE REALLY IS NO REAL CONFLICT THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH HERE.
>> NOT ASIDE FROM WHATEVER IS GOING TO SHAKE OUT FROM ROAD AND TRAFFIC ISSUES. THANK YOU.
>> I THINK THIS MIGHT LINE UP WITH COMMISSIONER BLUMER'S THOUGHT PROCESS.
AS I WAS LOOKING THROUGH THE PACKET FOR TONIGHT, OUR JOB IS TO DETERMINE WHETHER TO REDEVELOP
[00:20:04]
THIS EXISTING BUILDING INTO A FOUR UNIT RESIDENTIAL BUILDING, WHETHER OR NOT THAT SHOULD BE DONE.I REMEMBER THIS APPLICANT COMING THROUGH AND TALKING ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND IT BEING A FOUR UNIT MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL BUILDING.
MY QUESTION IS, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MOVE TO APPROVE WITHOUT A REPRESENTATIVE HERE BECAUSE IT DOES NOT THROUGH SITE PLAN APPROVAL.
>> YOU'RE NOT MAKING A MOTION TONIGHT.
I WOULD SAY, NO, YOU SHOULDN'T.
BUT I'LL TELL THE APPLICANT TO BE AT YOUR NEXT MEETING.
>> SORRY. I GOT WAY OF MYSELF.
>> NO, IT'S OKAY. I WAS HOPING THAT WOULD COME UP.
>> I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY PROBLEM HAVING THE HEARING, GIVING PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK? THIS WAS THE SCHEDULED HEARING. THAT'S FINE.
IF YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TONIGHT, I WOULD RECOMMEND AGAINST THAT UNTIL YOU HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO THE APPLICANT.
>> DID ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF OR THOUGHTS?
>> MY ONLY QUESTION IS, IF WE RECOMMEND AND THE BOARD APPROVES A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
>> THIS IS SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
>> WE APPROVE IT AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY, THEY AREN'T ABLE TO GET THE SITE PLAN REVIEW AND THE DRAIN COMMISSION THINGS WORKED OUT.
WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT SPECIAL USE PERMIT EXPIRE OR [OVERLAPPING].
>> THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT HAS A 24-MONTH WINDOW.
THEY ARE ELIGIBLE TO COME IN AND GET ONE 12-MONTH EXTENSION.
>> THANK YOU FOR REMINDING US OF THAT.
>> IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, DO WE WANT TO DO A STRAW POLL ON SUPPORT FOR THIS OR DO YOU WANT TO IF FOLKS ARE NOT FEELING COMFORTABLE, WE CAN LIKE TO GIVE STAFF DIRECTION IF WE THINK WE'RE LIKELY TO APPROVE.
STRAW POLL. THOSE WHO WILL BE CONSIDERING APPROVAL OF THIS NEXT MONTH SAY AYE?
>> ANYBODY WHO HAS CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ANSWER? THANK YOU.
>> WE'LL RETURN WITH A RECOMMEND RESOLUTION OF APPROVAL AT YOUR NEXT MEETING.
>> THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:50 AND MOVE ON TO PUBLIC HEARING
[7.B. SUP #24008 – Radmoor Montessori (2745 Mt. Hope)]
7B FOR THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 24008 RADMOOR MONTESSORI AT 2745 MT. HOPE.>> THIS IS A REQUEST TO AMEND AN EXISTING SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO EXPAND THE PARKING LOT TO ADD 12 SPACES AT THE EXISTING FACILITY KNOWN AS THE RADMOOR MONTESSORI, RADMOOR SCHOOL.
THIS HAS HAD SEVERAL APPROVALS OVER THE YEARS.
WE MADE THE INTERPRETATION THAT EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT CHANGING THE USE, THEY'RE NOT EXPANDING THE BUILDING, THEY DID NEED TO COME AND TALK TO YOU GUYS AND GET SUP APPROVAL BEFORE WE COULD APPROVE A SITE PLAN FOR EXPANDED PARKING.
THERE'S NOT A LOT TO SAY ON THIS.
IT IS AN EXPANSION OF THE IMPERVIOUS AREA, SO THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE WILL GET INVOLVED IN SITE PLAN REVIEW.
THERE ARE WETLANDS ON THE SITE.
A WETLAND DELINEATION WAS DONE.
THIS HAS THE EXPANSION OF THIS PARKING DOES NOT IMPACT THE EXISTING WETLANDS, SO THAT ISN'T A CONCERN.
WE DID LOOK AT THAT. IT'S NOT A FLOODPLAIN CONCERN.
BUT THEY NEED THE ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACE WITHOUT HAVING TO INCREASE THEIR BUILDINGS.
IN ONE RESPECT IT'S GOING WELL.
I REALLY DON'T HAVE A LOT TO SAY, AND I CAN TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
>> PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD APPLICATION.
>> THANK YOU. CAN YOU PUT PICTURE UP ON THE SCREEN?
>> THIS ONE, I DO HAVE A FULL SIZE OF THE PLAN THEY SUBMITTED.
IF YOU GUYS WANT ME TO PASS THIS AROUND, I CAN SHOW THIS TO ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO SEE IT.
>> WE'VE GONE TO DIGITAL SUBMITTAL AND SO MUCH STUFF, BUT THEY DID PROVIDE THAT TO US.
>> I THINK HERE'S A BACK OUT SO YOU CAN SEE THE WHOLE SITE.
HERE, LET'S SEE, GET MY BEARINGS.
I'M SORRY. THIS IS YOUR ENTRANCE UP HERE TO THE NORTH.
[00:25:05]
YOU COME THIS WAY.THEN THIS IS THE ADDITIONAL PARKING THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT HERE, TOTAL OF 12 SPOTS AND DOWN BELOW.
>> BECAUSE I WAS JUST OVER THERE LOOKING AT THIS, AND I WAS TRYING TO ASCERTAIN THERE'S A BODY OF WATER TO THE EAST.
IS THAT THE WETLAND OR IS THAT A CRICK RUNNING THROUGH THERE?
>> I'M NOT GOING TO TRY TO PLAY.
>> IT'S LIKE MY BACK YARD, BASICALLY.
>> YES. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION OR NOT.
THIS IS THE SITE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THIS IS THE PARKING LOT AND IT'S QUITE VEGETATED.
I CAN SHOW YOU WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE ON OUR PARCEL VIEW.
>> RIGHT NOW IT'S A DEER HABITAT.
>> THE REASON I'M ASKING, AND MAYBE YOU CAN JUST ANSWER THIS QUESTION AND WE WON'T HAVE TO GO THIS DEEP IN THE REEDS.
WHEN YOU SAID THERE'S A WET LAND THERE, IS IT A STATE REGULATED WETLAND OR A TOWNSHIP REGULATED WET LAND?
>> THERE YOU GO. THAT WOULD BE A TOWNSHIP REGULATED WETLAND.
IT'S 6.75 ACRES. IT WOULD BE BOOKED.
BUT THE PARKING IS ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE ENTRANCE HERE, THE PARKING SPACES, AND THE WETLAND IS OVER HERE.
AGAIN, WE SEE NO IMPACT TO ANY OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES ON THE SITE.
ASIDE FROM YOUR PAVING AND LIKE I SAID, DRAIN COMMISSIONER, WILL REVIEW THIS SITE PLAN.
>> HE SAYS 6.75, IT'S GREATER THAN FIVE.
>> IT'S 6.75, IT'S GREATER THAN FIVE.
>> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS.
>> DID WE HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.
>> WE HAVE. IS THE APPLICANT HERE? WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME SAY ANYTHING MORE.
THANK YOU. COME TO THE PODIUM.
STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE BUSINESS OPERATIONS AT RADMOOR SCHOOL 2745 MT.
WE ARE RESURFACING THE LOT, FIRST OF ALL, AND THEN ADDING 12 SPOTS.
AS THE SCHOOL DREW OVER THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, ESPECIALLY WITH COVID INFLUX AND NOBODY WANTS TO LEAVE, UNFORTUNATELY, TO GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOL.
WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING IS A TIGHT SPACE WHERE WE HAVE STAGGERED PICKUP AND DROP OFF WHERE WE MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE PARENTS ARRIVING AT ONCE.
BUT PARENTS DROP OFF OR PICK UP AND THEY STAY ON THE GROUNDS TO ENJOY THE GROUNDS TO SOCIALIZE WITH FELLOW PARENTS, AND THEY DON'T LEAVE THE PARKING SPOT FOR THE NEXT.
BUT WE END UP WITH A CONGESTION AND SOMETIMES HAVING TO PULL UP ON THE GRASS AND WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
SO THAT WILL ALLEVIATE THAT ISSUE FOR US TO HAVE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERFLOW.
WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ADD SIDEWALKS AROUND THE PARKING LOT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF YOUNG BODIES WALKING THROUGH THE PARKING LOT.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SAFETY IS FIRST AND FOREMOST IN THIS PROJECT, WHERE FAMILIES AS THEY PARK, THEY HAVE AN IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO THE SIDEWALK SPACE THAT THEY COULD WALK AROUND.
THE PARKING PARKING AREA OR THROUGH THE MIDDLE AS A DESIGNATED CROSSWALK SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY SAFETY CONCERNS.
WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS, BUT IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING WE WORRY ABOUT, ESPECIALLY WHEN BUSY PARENTS DROP OFF AND THEY ZOOM TO WORK BECAUSE THEY'RE LATE.
WE HAD TO GET THE CHILD OUT THE DOOR.
THAT'S THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT.
THANK YOU. ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS? MR. CRITS?
>> YES. YOU SAY THAT, THIS WILL HELP ALLEVIATE A LOT OF THE CONGESTION.
WHEN YOU SAY THIS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PARKING SPACES WILL HELP ALLEVIATE?
>> YES. THE CONGESTION HAS TO DO WITH PARENTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE WEATHER IS NICE, STAYING ON CAMPUS AFTER DROP OFF.
RIGHT. SO BECAUSE THEY DON'T LEAVE OUR NEXT GROUP
[00:30:01]
OF PARENTS THAT COME IN AT THE LATER PICKUP TIME.YOU DON'T ALWAYS HAVE ADEQUATE ENOUGH SPACES TO PARK.
>> THE ADDITIONAL SPACES WILL BE DESIGNATED FOR THE STAFF.
WE'LL ALL PARK TOWARDS THE MT.
HOPE AND LEAVE THAT ROUND AREA OF THE PARKING SPACE OPEN FOR PARENTS.
>> I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION OR SECOND QUESTION.
HAS THERE BEEN AN ENROLLMENT INCREASE? I MEAN, I'M JUST ASKING IT.
>> GREAT QUESTION. COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE WERE GOING THROUGH YOUR PROCESS TO AMEND THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
WE ADDED AN ADDITION TO OUR BUILDING AND MOVED OUR ELEMENTARY PROGRAM INTO THAT BUILDING.
THERE WAS A INCREMENTAL GROWTH THAT HAPPENED WITH THAT.
WHAT WE ARE ALSO SEEING IS THAT THE RETENTION PRE COVID WAS 70%.
WE NATURALLY HAD ABOUT 70% RETENTION FROM OUR YOUNGER AGES INTO THE ELEMENTARY PROGRAM.
THE RETENTION HAS NOT GONE DOWN FROM COVID, WHICH WAS ABOUT 99%.
THESE FAMILIES ARE NOT LEAVING.
OUR CLASSROOMS ARE VERY FULL, WHICH NORMALLY WE DON'T LIKE TO HAVE FULL CAPACITY JUST BECAUSE IT'S A MONOSORY METHOD.
BUT WE HAVE BEEN AT FULL CAPACITY IN OUR SCHOOL.
THERE'S THAT INCREMENTAL INCREASE WITH THAT AS WELL THAT PLAYS INTO THE DECISION.
>> WHILE I SAY IT MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE PACKAGE IS IT A K THROUGH EIGHT?
>> IT'S 18 MONTHS THROUGH SIXTH GRADE.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE IT.
IS THERE ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS PUBLIC HEARING? THANK YOU.
I THINK WE'VE HEARD WHAT WE NEED TO.
THIS WILL BE DECIDED AT THE NEXT MEETING, BUT WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE STAFF A SENSE OF BOARD? ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON THAT?
>> I HAD A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION HAS BEEN SUPPORTING EXPANSION OF SOME OF THE NATURAL AREAS AND OTHER AMENITIES ON THAT CAMPUS.
WE'RE A VICTIM OF OUR OWN SUCCESS AS WELL AS.
THERE'S SUCCESS EDUCATING THEM.
THEN I WAS GOING TO OFFER A COUPLE OF REALLY NERDY TRANSLATIONS OF PLANNER SPEAK.
THERE'S A LINE MENTIONED IN THE STAFF REPORT ABOUT NO EXPANSION OF USE.
IT ACTUALLY SAYS NO EXPANSION OF THE USE.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU'RE EXPANDING THE CAPACITY OF THE PARKING.
BUT WHEN PLANNERS LOOK AT IT, IT'S THE SIZE OF THE BUILDING ISN'T CHANGING AT THIS POINT.
IT'S SOMETHING INTERNAL ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON THERE, SO THAT IT'S NOT AN EXPANSION THAT WOULD TRIGGER A WHOLE BUNCH OF EXTRA REVIEW.
I ALSO HAD A QUESTION IF WE MIGHT LEARN TONIGHT OR A FUTURE MEETING IF THERE'S ANY CONSIDERATION BEING GIVEN TO OTHER THAN TRADITIONAL PAVING MATERIALS OR OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT CAN BE REALLY CHALLENGING IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY IN THIS PART OF THE STATE TO DO SOMETHING OTHER THAN TRADITIONAL PAVING OF A PARKING LOT.
ANYTHING THAT I AM CERTAIN THAT THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE WILL ENSURE THAT THE EXCESS RUNOFF THAT MIGHT BE GENERATED BY THE PAVING IS SOMEHOW CAPTURED ON SITE AND TREATED AND DEALT WITH.
IT'S JUST MORE AN INVITATION IF THERE'S SOMETHING INNOVATIVE BEING PLANNED, GREAT TO HEAR ABOUT IT.
>> THANK YOU. WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT. SURE.
>> ARE THERE THOSE ALTERNATIVE USES ALLOWED THROUGH OUR BUILDING LIKE WHEN YOU DO SITE PLAN REVIEW, I KNOW THE CITY OF LANSING HAD SOME MUNICIPAL PARKING LOTS WHERE THEY USED SOME PERMEABLE SURFACE THAT ALLOWED FOR A LITTLE LESS RUNOFF THAT JUST WENT AWAY, BUT IT'S KNOW IT'S HARD IN A PARKING LOT.
>> IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED.
IT'S THAT THERE'S DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON HOW WELL THEY WORK.
ESPECIALLY AS COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL POLLUTED TO IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY.
I SAW PERVIOUS PAVEMENT USED QUITE A LOT WHEN I WAS DOWN IN KENTUCKY, AS A MATTER OF FACT, BUT THE CLIMATE IS DIFFERENT.
THEY DON'T USE AS MUCH SALT NEAR AS MUCH SALT, ACTUALLY.
THEY COULD USE THE PERVIOUS PAVEMENT, GO IN WITH VACUUMS AND SUCK UP THE DEBRIS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING.
DEBRIS GETS INTO THE PERVIOUSNESS, AND CLOGS IT UP, LIKE A WET SPONGE, RIGHT AND THEN IT STOPS WORKING.
I CAN'T PROMISE IT, BUT I CAN LOOK INTO IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, THOUGHTS?
[00:35:02]
STRUT POLL? THOSE WHO WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS SAY AYE?>> ANY OPPOSED? THAT'S YOUR DIRECTION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE'LL CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING AT 7:03, AND THEN MOVE ON TO OUR THIRD AND FINAL PUBLIC HEARING,
[7.C. SUP #24009 – SANDDS (3520 Okemos Road)]
WHICH IS SPECIAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 24009 FOR SANDDS S-A-N-D-D-S AT 3520 OKEMOS RD.>> HERE WE GO. JUST TO PUT A QUICK BOW ON THAT.
YOUR SUP APPLICATION WILL BE ON THE NEXT PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA, WHICH IS JUNE 10TH, AND THEY'LL MAKE A DECISION THAT NIGHT.
IF YOU CAN PUT THAT ON YOUR CALENDAR.
I'M NOT KICKING YOU OUT. I JUST WANT TO YOU.
>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO STICK AROUND IF YOU DON'T WANT TO. THANK YOU.
>> THIS IS SUP 24009, SANDDS MERIDIAN LLC TO ESTABLISH AN ADULT USE MARIJUANA PROVISIONING CENTER IN AN EXISTING COMMERCIAL CENTER LOCATED AT 3520 OKEMOS RD.
IT WAS REPORTED AS BEING SUITES NINE AND TEN ON THE APPLICATION.
IT IS INDEED SUITE'S 8,9, AND 10.
IT IS THE SUITES, THAT DOES NOT AFFECT THE NOTIFICATION.
THE PARCEL IS CORRECT, AND WE DO DOUBLE CHECK THAT.
THIS IS AN IDENTICAL APPLICATION TO A MEDICAL MARIJUANA APPLICATION THAT THE APPLICANT PUT THROUGH IN 2019.
WHEN I SAY IT'S IDENTICAL, THE SITE PLAN IS THE SAME, THE TRAFFIC STUDY IS THE SAME, THE SECURITY MEASURES, ETC, THEY'RE ALL THE SAME.
THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT THIS IS AN ADULT USE APPLICATION AND INSTEAD OF A MEDICINAL APPLICATION.
THE TOWNSHIP BOARD DID APPROVE THE PERMIT FOR THE ADULT USE MARIJUANA FACILITY ON APRIL 16TH.
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY, THIS PROPERTY WAS DIVIDED FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE SHOPPING COMPLEX IN ON FEBRUARY 22ND OF 2020.
THE COMMERCIAL ZONING IS C2, THE ADULT USE DISTRICT IS HERE.
THIS IS DISTRICT 3 AND THE ADULT USE ORDINANCE.
IT'S GOING INTO AN EXISTING SITE.
THESE ARE YOUR SUP STANDARDS THAT I PUT UP HERE FOR YOU TO LOOK AT.
BASED ON THAT, FOLLOWING COMMENTS.
WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE TRAFFIC.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S A 2019 TRAFFIC STUDY, BUT THEY'VE GOT A LARGE PARKING FACILITY THERE.
THE TRAFFIC STUDY SHOWED THERE WAS PLENTY OF PARKING THEN, AND POST COVID, ENGINEERS THAT WE'VE TALKED TO, WE STILL HAVEN'T GOT TO POST PRE COVID LEVELS OF SERVICE ON OUR ROAD SYSTEM YET.
I JUST HEARD THAT LAST FRIDAY A MEETING I WAS AT AS A MATTER OF FACT INVOLVING CITY OF LANSING.
LET'S SEE. SO ALL THIS INFORMATION IS EXISTING INFORMATION THAT ALREADY IS THERE.
THERE IS A SPACING CONSIDERATION.
THIS DOES MEET THE MINIMUM SPACING FROM ALL THE SCHOOLS, DAYCARES, LIBRARIES, CHILDCARE CENTERS, ETC.
THERE IS GILDEN WOODS IS LOCATED AT 2190 ASSOCIATION DRIVE.
THAT IS 890 FEET AWAY FROM THE PROVISIONING CENTER.
THAT FALLS UNDER THE 500 FOOT DESIGNATION OR MINIMUM DISTANCE, SO THAT MEETS THAT.
THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SUP PROCESS.
THIS CASE, YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON AN APPLICATION THAT WILL THEN GO TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SUPS THAT NEEDS THAT ADDITIONAL STEP.
SO THEY HAD A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
THEY HAD 90 DAYS TO- I'M SORRY.
I'M NOT AS WELL VERSED IN THIS.
THIS IS A PROJECT I INHERITED A LITTLE BIT.
THEY HAD 60 DAYS TO SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THEIR SUP WHICH THEY HAVE DONE.
[00:40:01]
THE MARIJUANA PERMIT GETS REVIEWED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.THE SUP DOES NOT AND WON'T COME UNDER REVIEW AGAIN UNLESS THEY MAKE A CHANGE.
THEY DO NEED TO TO MAINTAIN THE VALID STATE LICENSE, WHICH THEY DO HAVE, AND THEY DO NEED TO REMAIN IN GOOD STANDING WITH THE TOWNSHIP.
LIKE I SAID, ALL OF THE PREVIOUS ATTACHMENTS ARE THERE.
BACK UP ONE MORE LITTLE BIT HERE.
THAT WAS THE BARYAMES CLEANER.
ALL THREE OF THESE ARE GOING TO BE COMBINED INTO ONE, IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
SO ANYWAY, I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS.
HAVE MUCH ELSE TO SAY RIGHT NOW.
>> IF THE APPLICANT IS HERE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME SPEAK TO THIS PROJECT ANYMORE? THANK YOU. SAY YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, IF YOU WILL.
>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. JAMIE GAMO, 400 SOUTH OLD WOODWARD AVENUE IN BIRMINGHAM.
I DON'T THINK I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF PRESENTING IN FRONT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, SO IT'S GOOD TO MEET YOU ALL.
I'M LEGAL COUNSEL FOR SANDS MERIDIAN.
WE ARE A VERTICALLY OPERATED CANNABIS COMPANY HERE IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP SINCE 2019 WHEN THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSING ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED.
WE WERE AWARDED A LICENSE AND A SPECIAL USE PERMIT ON THE EXACT LOCATION THAT WE'RE APPLYING FOR TODAY FOR THE ADULT USE.
IT'S BEEN QUITE SOME TIME SINCE THEN.
THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS IN WHICH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD WAS DRAFTING A LICENSING ORDINANCE FOR ADULT USE.
SO WE'VE BEEN A BIT DELAYED, BUT OUR FACILITY ITSELF IS COMPLETELY BUILT OUT.
WE'RE JUST GOING THROUGH SOME INTERIOR DESIGN CHANGES FOR SOME REBRANDING, SO ARE SLATED TO OPEN ONCE WE ARE FULLY APPROVED AT THE END OF SUMMERTIME.
SO THE LOCATION IN WHICH THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT WILL BE APPLICABLE, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WOULD MATCH EXACTLY WHAT WAS APPROVED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROVISIONING CENTER LICENSE.
SO, AS MR. SHARKEY MENTIONED, THIS IS A FORMALITY, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, UNDER THE LICENSING ORDINANCE THAT IN ORDER TO RECEIVE FULL APPROVAL, WE'VE RECEIVED CONDITIONAL APPROVAL FROM THE TOWNSHIP BOARD THAT THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT MUST BE GRANTED FOR THE ADULT USE LICENSING.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT OR FOR STAFF?
>> IT'S PROBABLY A DUCK QUESTION FOR STAFF.
SO GIVEN THE PRIOR APPROVAL FOR THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA, IF THE APPLICANT WANTED TO, THEY COULD OPEN FOR THAT PURPOSE RIGHT NOW AND OPERATE WITHOUT, OR DID THAT NOT GO THROUGH FULL TOWNSHIP APPROVAL?
>> WE DO HAVE APPROVAL FROM THE BOARD FOR OUR MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSE.
WE HAVE THE STATE APPROVAL AS WELL.
HOWEVER, WE ARE WAITING USE LICENSE TO BE FULLY GRANTED SO THAT WE CAN OPEN AS A CO LOCATED FACILITY.
>> [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING] I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF INTERPLAY THERE, AND I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT WAS IN THE PROCESS.
>> YEAH. NO, IT'S BEEN A POINT OF CONTENTION.
A LOT OF TOWNSHIP BOARD MEMBERS INITIALLY WANTED US TO OPEN EXCLUSIVELY AS A MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROVISIONING CENTER WHILE THEY WERE STILL DRAFTING THE ORDINANCE, BUT AFTER COVID, I MEAN, THE MEDICAL MARKET IS COMPLETELY OBSOLETE NOW.
A LOT OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENTS WILL RECEIVE DISCOUNTS FROM ADULT USE RETAIL FACILITY SO THAT THE PATIENT, CAREGIVER CARD, OR WHAT HAVE YOU, IT'S A TECHNICAL TERM, BECOMES SOMEWHAT IRRELEVANT.
SO IT WASN'T ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE FOR US TO OPEN UP EXCLUSIVELY AS A PROVISIONING CENTER, HENCE WHY WE'VE WAITED. THANK YOU.
>> COMMISSIONER SPENCE, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
>> YES. I WAS STILL WAITING TO HEAR THE ANSWER FROM DIRECTOR SHARKEY TO YOUR QUESTION.
>> I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT CAN-
[00:45:02]
>> EXCUSE ME. I BELIEVE THAT THE APPLICANT'S INTERPRETATION IS CORRECT.
THEY THEY DID HAVE THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSE APPROVAL IN PLACE.
COVID HAPPENED, BUT IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY COULD PROCEED IF THEY WANTED TO, BUT ALSO AS THE APPLICANT STATED, THAT YOU DON'T SEE MEDICAL FACILITIES OPENING ANYMORE BECAUSE ADULT USE HAS MADE THEM OBSOLETE.
>> OKAY. I HEARD YOU SAY THEY CAN PROCEED AS A MEDICAL MARIJUANA.
>> I WOULD HAVE TO CONFIRM THAT, BUT THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I WOULD CERTAINLY TAKE AN ATTORNEY'S OPINION.
[LAUGHTER] MY NEXT QUESTION WAS, DO YOU REMEMBER THE DISCUSSION THAT OCCURRED AMONG THE PREVIOUS PLANNING COMMISSION THAT APPROVED THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA?
>> I WASN'T HERE. THAT WAS 2019.
THAT WAS A UNANIMOUS DECISION.
>> ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? COMMISSIONER MCCURTIS?
>> YES. I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR.
SO ADULT USE IS BASICALLY RECREATIONAL?
>> IN THE FACILITY, THAT'S WHERE YOU WILL SELL MARIJUANA-BASED PRODUCTS? WELL, WHAT ABOUT PRODUCING MARIJUANA? THAT'S NOT HAPPENING THERE?
>> NO. THERE'S NO LICENSE TO PRODUCE.
IN ALL OF OUR RETAIL STORES, WE HAVE PRE PACKAGED PRODUCTS COME IN, SO YOU'LL SEE THAT SOME CANNABIS RETAILERS WILL PURCHASE BULK FLOUR.
SO JUST IMAGINE, A BIG BAG OF MARIJUANA FLOUR, AND THEY WILL PACKAGE IT IN A BACK ROOM THERE. WE DON'T DO THAT.
EVERYTHING COMES PREPACKAGED AND LABELED.
THAT'S JUST TO HAVE FOR MORE CLEAN OPERATIONS AND TO REDUCE ANY SMELLS OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO NO, IT'S EXCLUSIVELY RETAIL, NO PRODUCTION.
IF YOU WERE TO SAY, YES, WE ARE PRODUCING, I FIGURE YOU PROBABLY WEREN'T, BUT STILL, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO HELP REDUCE THE SMELL.
ONLY BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF RESTAURANTS AND THINGS AROUND THAT AREA.
WE DO HAVE CULTIVATION FACILITIES ELSEWHERE IN MORE INDUSTRIAL AREAS IN METRO DETROIT.
SO WE HAVE AIR FILTERS AND BIG HVAC MACHINERY THAT BASICALLY FILTERS THE AIR AND ANY SMELL SO THAT IT'S NOT DETECTABLE OUTSIDE OF THE ACTUAL INTERIOR OF THE FACILITY PARAMETERS.
BUT WE WILL HAVE AIR FILTERS IN THE HVAC SYSTEMS. WE DO HAVE THEM INSTALLED RIGHT NOW AT THE FACILITY IN THE PLAZA, SO THERE SHOULD BE LITTLE TO NO SMELL-
>> - IN THE INTERIOR. TO GO BACK ON THE PREVIOUS POINT WITH THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA APPROVAL, I'M HAPPY TO SUPPLEMENT THIS APPLICATION WITH A COPY OF OUR APPROVAL JUST SO YOU HAVE IT ON RECORD AND THE COMMISSION CAN SEE IT.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT.
>> OKAY. I THINK WE'RE AT PUBLIC COMMENT NOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO [OVERLAPPING]
>> I'M SORRY. BEFORE PUBLIC COMMENT, CAN I GET SOME CLARIFICATION, MAYBE FROM A STAFF VIEWPOINT.
THERE WAS SO MUCH WORK PUT INTO THE SPECIFICS OF THE MARIJUANA OVERLAY DISTRICTS.
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF WHAT IT FEELS LIKE AN ADDITIONAL LAYER.
THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT, I GUESS, WHAT WAS THE REASONING FOR PUTTING THAT INTO THE PROCESS WHEN THERE'S ALREADY SO MUCH ON THE ON THE FRONT END OF THIS PROCESS?
>> I'M GOING TO BE REALLY HONEST WITH YOU.
I WASN'T INVOLVED PERSONALLY WITH THE CREATION OF THE STANDARDS.
DIRECTOR SCHMIDT CONTROLLED ALL OF THAT.
I'M NOT SAYING BADLY OR GOODLY, SAYING, I WAS JUST THE WAY THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT WAS.
I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE REASONING FOR THE CREATION OF THIS PROCESS.
I ONLY KNOW THAT IT WAS, AND IT'S MY JOB TO GET THIS THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
>> EACH MUNICIPALITY HAS A DIFFERENT PROCESS, AND THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT MAY OR MAY NOT BE PART OF IT PER SE.
>> AGAIN, I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN MICHIGAN ADULT USE MARIJUANA LAW.
I GUESS I CAN SAY THAT PRETTY AUTHORITATIVELY.
EACH MUNICIPALITY IS ALLOWED TO CREATE ITS OWN APPROVAL PROCESS.
ARIS DOESN'T LOOK THE SAME AS EAST LANSING.
IT DOESN'T LOOK THE SAME AS BATHS, ETC.
THIS IS OUR PROCESS AND HOW WE GOT HERE, I WOULD HAVE TO DO A LOT OF RESEARCH TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
[00:50:03]
I'LL MOVE THIS BACK UP SO THAT THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF BASIS OF CONVERSATION AND UPCOMING.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER SKIES, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR HER?
AS I RECALL THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WERE ONGOING, THE PURPOSE OF THE OVERLAY DISTRICTS WERE TO IDENTIFY THE ONLY AREAS WHERE WE WOULD ACCEPT THE INDUSTRY.
IT WAS ORIGINALLY TRYING TO BE CONFINED INTO OUR INDUSTRIAL AREAS AND A FEW PLACES OUTSIDE.
BUT IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN LOOKING AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND LOOKING AT THE OTHER INDUSTRIES OR OCCUPATIONS THAT WERE WITHIN THE AREA.
I I WANT TO SAY THE BOARD DID THAT UNDER THE DIRECTION OF AT THAT TIME, TRUSTEE OSMER.
THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT IS JUST PART OF OUR NORMAL PROCESS FOR WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, FOR THE BUSINESS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO BRING TO THE AREA.
>> JUST I GUESS THE POINT IS WE DON'T APPROVE EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS ENTITY THAT COMES INTO THE TOWNSHIP, THOUGH.
LIKE, THERE'S A SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR CERTAIN ENTITIES.
GIVEN WHAT YOU JUST SAID, HOW THOROUGHLY THE WHOLE OVERLAY DISTRICT WAS THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED AND DETERMINED.
I JUST WONDERED THIS FEELS LIKE AN ADDITIONAL LAYER TO ME.
I THINK GOING BACK AND THIS IS I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
I THINK IT'S A TWOFOLD PROCESS BECAUSE AS COMMISSIONER SKIES SAYS, THESE ARE THE AREAS WHERE IT COULD EXIST AND NOT ANYWHERE ELSE.
BUT EVEN THEN THE WAY THEY'RE ZONED, THIS IS A USE THAT ISN'T A GIVEN IN THAT ZONING OR THAT AREA.
YOU'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE PROPERTY WITHIN THAT AREA TO SAY, DOES THIS USE FIT THIS PROPERTY IN THIS SITE IN THIS LOCATION.
THAT WOULD BE, I THINK IT'S JUST AN EXTRA STEP.
WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE, I THINK WE WERE ASKED FOR OUR THOUGHTS, THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON WHETHER WE WANTED THIS TO BE A SUP THAT WE SIGNED OFF ON OR WHETHER WE RECOMMENDED AND WE RECOMMENDED TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD THAT IT BE ONE THAT THEY DO BECAUSE IT IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DECISION.
WHILE WE WANT IT TO BE PART OF THE PROCESS, WE WANTED THAT EXTRA STEP OF TOWNSHIP BOARD ALSO PUTTING IT SALE OF APPROVAL, AND THAT IS HOW I RECALL THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
>> DO I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY THAT THERE ARE FOUR DISTRICTS, AND THIS IS THE THIRD APPLICATION OF THOSE.
>> THERE ARE FIVE ADULT USE DISTRICTS.
>> JUST CONFIRMING ALL SHOOK UP.
THIS IS DISTRICT 3 OF THE ADULT USE.
>> THIS IS A DISTRICT, AND IT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE BOARD?
>> THE PERMIT HAS BEEN APPROVED IN A DISPROVED BY BOARD.
ANYONE ELSE THOUGHTS OR CAN WE OPEN HERE PUBLIC MORE CONVERSATION AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT AS WELL.
IF THERE'S ANYBODY HERE WHO'S SPEAKING TO THIS SPECIFIC PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE COME UP AND GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS BEFORE YOU SPEAK AND YOU ONLY HAVE THREE MINUTES TO TALK. DO YOU FLAT?
I'M I'M A RESIDENT AT 3712 AUTUMWOOD LANE, AND I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT FOR 30 YEARS IN [INAUDIBLE] AND I KEPT BEING MORE BLESSED TO HAVE RAISED MY CHILDREN HERE.
IT'S AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS KIND, CARING, LOVING.
IT'S VERY EDUCATION ORIENTED, AND THROUGH THE YEARS WHEN THEY FIRST DID THE MEDICAL USE PERMIT, THAT SEEMED REASONABLE.
I THINK THERE'S A PLACE FOR IT.
BUT ADULT USE IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT EAST.
SINCE THEY DID THAT TOO, THE RESEARCH HAS CHANGED AND MORE AND MORE IS COMING ABOUT HOW BASICALLY THIS HIGH LEVELS OF THC IS A POISON TO THE BRAIN.
THERE'S A LOT OF NEUROTOXICITY TO THE USE OF THIS.
I THINK THE DECISION TO PUT AN ADULT USE RIGHT NEXT TO BIG BEES WHERE KIDS ARE COMING IN AND OUT CONSTANTLY.
NOT ONLY IS YOU'RE TALKING THE FLOW IN THAT AREA WHERE THE HIGH SCHOOLS THERE, THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS THERE.
A 18 YEAR OLD BOY COULD PICK SOME UP.
YOU COULD GO TO A 16 YEAR OLD SON OR BROTHER AND THEY COULD TAKE IT ONTO THE SCHOOLS.
[00:55:06]
THIS STUFF IS VERY PORTABLE. IT'S VERY POTENT.IT'S FAT SOLUBLE, MEANING THAT IT SITS IN THE BRAIN FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.
THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH SHOWING THAT A CHRONIC USE CAUSES A DEMENTIA.
THIS IS A HUGE DECISION BY THE COMMISSION AND THE BOARD.
IT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT BEAST THAN WHEN YOU'RE TALKING MEDICAL USE.
SOMEBODY DYING OF CANCER, CERTAINLY THC HAS ITS PLACE.
BUT WE'RE TALKING RECREATIONAL USE THAT HAS A VERY NEUROTOXIC EFFECT ON THE BRAIN.
NOW, THE RESEARCH OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAS EXPLODED IN THIS AREA.
IT'S HARD TO FIND, BUT IT'S OUT THERE.
THE DECISION YOU MAKE IS MONUMENTAL ON OUR CHILDREN'S HEALTH.
THE AMOUNT OF EFFECT ON THEIR BRAINS, WE DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO AFFECT THEIR MEMORY AND THEIR IQS.
WE KNOW IT AFFECTS THE IQS OF THESE CHILDREN.
THIS IS A HUGE DECISION YOU'RE MAKING. REMEMBER THAT FLOW.
THAT'S WHERE BIG BS IS, AND ALL THE KIDS ARE RUNNING IT OUT.
IF THE BORDER EVERYONE MAKES THE DECISION TO DO THIS, YOU'RE ACTUALLY SENDING A MESSAGE TO THE KIDS THAT THIS STUFF IS NO BIG DEAL BY ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW BLESSED I AM TO HAVE RAISED MY CHILDREN HERE.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY, BUT THIS IS A MONUMENTAL DECISION FOR ALL OF YOU.
THAT'S ALL I REALLY HAVE TO SAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
>> OH, AND BY THE WAY, JUST ONE OTHER THING. I'M SORRY.
ACTUALLY, THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION STROKE.
I FOUND THIS, WHICH IS VERY PRESTIGIOUS. 2022.
>> JUST SO YOU KNOW YOUR TIME IS RUNNING OUT.
>> JUST IF YOU WOULD GO AND LOOK AT THAT, IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL BECAUSE I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THIS, IT'S NOT JUST ME TALKING, MORE AND MORE PHYSICIANS ARE FINE IN THIS.
HOW CAN YOU SPELL YOUR LAST NAME PLEASE PAWSAT.
>>THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
>>THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK?
>> SEEING NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS, I THINK WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 7:25.
BUT THEN IF THERE IS ADDITIONAL BOARD MEMBER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE DO A STROP POLE.
>> I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THE AGE ABUSE IN MICHIGAN IS 21.
>> THANK YOU. I THOUGHT IT WAS, I WAS TRYING TO FIND THAT AND IT WASN'T AS QUICK AS YOU WERE, BUT I THOUGHT I HAD HEARD THAT. GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER.
>> I'M GOING TO ASSUME WITH THAT SAID, COMMISSIONER, THEY'RE GOING TO ID AND ALL OF THAT.
CAR MEAN, WHAT'S THE PROCESS? I'M ASSUMING THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WOULD TAKE PLACE ID.
>> IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING OF THAT REQUIRE.
>> CAN YOU SPEAK TO YOUR INTERNAL PROCESS FOR DETERMINING THE LEGAL AGE BY ALCOHOL.
>> THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
EVERY PART OF THE OPERATIONS IS REGULATED BY THE CANNABIS REGULATORY AGENCY, THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, AND THEY HAVE VERY STRICT PARAMETERS AS TO OUR CLIENT INTAKE, AND IT REQUIRES ID VERIFICATION THAT NOT JUST BY VIEWING, BUT ALSO BY SCANNING TO ENSURE THAT THE ID IS VALID.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN RECORDS OF THAT DATA TO ENSURE THAT IT'S CONSTANTLY UPDATED.
WHEN WE HAVE INSPECTIONS, WHICH HAPPEN EVERY QUARTER, THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THAT TO THE CRA INSPECTOR TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ALL OF OUR CLIENTS MEETING THAT 21 PAGE MINIMUM VERIFICATION.
>> I KNOW THAT SHOULD DO IT. THANK YOU.
>> ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I GUESS I'LL ENTERTAIN A STRAW POLE IF YOU ARE INCLINED TO SUPPORT THE SPECIAL USE RECOMMENDING SUPPORT APPROVAL OF THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT, SAY AYE.
>> THAT WAS GOOD. OH, I'M SORRY, ANY NAY? I HEAR. THANK YOU.
IF THAT HELPS YOU, MR. SHARKEY.
MOVING ON TO ITEM 8 UNFINISHED BUSINESS, I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY ITEM 9 OTHER BUSINESS.
[9. OTHER BUSINESS]
I DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE HAVE ANY OF THAT EITHER.UNLESS YOU WOULD LIKE TO TALK MORE UNDER OTHER BUSINESS ABOUT MINUTES OR YOU HAVE SOMETHING.
[01:00:04]
>> NO. I JUST LIKE THIS CONVERSATION.
>> SAME THING I SAID TO THEM, JUNE 10TH.
THIS WILL BE BACK UP HERE FOR THEIR VOTE, AND THEN WE'LL PROCEED TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD FOR THEIR APPROVAL AS WELL. I'LL BE IN TOUCH.
>> OF COURSE. AGAIN, I'M NOT KICKING YOU OUT IF YOU [LAUGHTER] INTO THE MINUTES [OVERLAPPING]
>> YOU ALL CAN STAY AS LONG AS YOU LIKE.
>> THE BUSINESS THAT I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS, WE'LL GO TO ITEM 10 ON REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS. TOM, YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING?
>> DO YOU WANT TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE MINUTES?
>> I THOUGHT YOU BROUGHT IT UP.
>> YEAH. I WOULD DO THIS AT WORK TOO, AND I'M ALWAYS INCLINED TO DO LESS IS MORE IN MINUTES JUST BECAUSE IT IS SO EASY.
MY PERSONAL PREFERENCE IS LESS IS MORE.
YOU'RE REQUIRED, I DON'T KNOW.
THEY'RE REQUIRED TO TALK ABOUT WHO WAS THERE, WHEN THE MEETING STARTED, WHEN IT ENDED, AND ANY VOTES TAKEN.
>> IN THIS CASE, IT WAS A PUBLIC HEARING.
YOU HAD SOMEONE GET UP AND SPEAK, AND I DID MAKE SURE I GOT HIS NAME RIGHT.
I GUESS WHAT WE'D LIKE TO KNOW, [NOISE] IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, WHAT'S THE BALANCE BETWEEN CONVERSATION WOULD ENSUED AND THE LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT YOU WANT FROM THE SCALE OF, WE'RE NOT DOING DICTATION TOO.
EVERYTHING COULD BE JUST SUMMARIZED AS THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS OPEN, THE PLANNING COMMISSION DISCUSSED IT, AND ASK QUESTIONS, AND THEN OPEN FLOOR, AND THERE WAS A COMMENT.
>> THERE'S A LEVEL OF MAYBE TOO BROAD BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT IT.
>> I'M CURIOUS TO HEAR THOUGHTS OF OTHERS.
>> I'VE GENERALLY BEEN PRETTY SATISFIED WITH THE DEPTH OF THE MINUTES, HOW THEY'RE REPORTED BACK.
I WOULD AGREE THAT IF THERE'S A LOT OF ADDITIONAL DETAIL, IT COULD GET DICEY.
PLUS, THE VIDEOS [NOISE] EXIST FOR THE PURPOSE, IN MY OPINION, OF GOING BACK AND GETTING TO A LOT OF THE MORE DETAILED INFORMATION.
IT'S ALL THERE IF YOU WANT TO DIG THAT DEEP.
>> I FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING. MYSELF.
>> BECAUSE REMEMBER, IT'S A TWO-STEP PROCESS.
THE CLERK'S OFFICE IS DOING AND THEN SENDS IT TO US, AND THEN WE REVIEW IT.
FOR A BRIEF PERIOD, WE WERE WRITING THEM.
I'LL JUST TELL YOU MY PHILOSOPHY WAS I DID TRY TO GET WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS WERE.
I FIGURE, YOU'RE TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE, BUT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU GUYS WOULD GO DOWN A RABBIT HOLE.
[LAUGHTER] NEVER TURN INTO DISCUSSION.
>> I ACKNOWLEDGE. IT IS DIFFICULT TO TRY TO, THAT POINT THAT SOMEBODY MADE EARLIER WHERE, THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN WHAT HE SAID BUT THAT ISN'T TRUE.
I THINK SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE TALK, JUST LIKE I DID, YOU STOP YOUR SENTENCE MIDWAY THROWING A GESTURE, AND THAT'S HARD TO PICK UP IN WRITTEN WORDS.
>> I THINK SOMETIMES THE MEANING GETS LOST OR WHEN THERE'S AN ATTEMPT TO ABBREVIATE AND SUMMARIZE.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO DO THAT FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S LISTENING OR WATCHING AND REALLY GET TO THE MEANING.
I THINK MY CHANGE TO THE MINUTES LAST MONTH WAS VERY SUBTLE.
THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN WHAT I SAID BUT THAT WASN'T WHAT I MEANT.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY HARD WAY TO GO BACK AND IT PUTS SOME PRESSURE [NOISE] ON STAFF TO TRY TO INFER.
BUT I DO LIKE HAVING THE DETAIL SOMETIMES BECAUSE IT REFRESHES YOUR MEMORY AS YOU'RE GOING BACK PARTICULARLY LIKE TONIGHT WHEN WE'VE DONE A PUBLIC HEARING.
THE NEXT MEETING, WE'RE LOOKING TO APPROVE IT WITHOUT HAVING TO SKIM THROUGH ALTHOUGH THE MEETING RECORDINGS ARE PRETTY HELPFUL BECAUSE THERE IS A LIST OF WHAT TIME EACH ITEM STARTS SO THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL.
BUT I THINK FINDING SOME LEVEL OF BALANCE, AND I THINK IN GENERAL, IT'S BEEN PRETTY GOOD IN MY MIND BUT I THINK SOMETIMES WE MAY.
I WANT TO GET TO WHAT COMMISSIONER BROOKS BROUGHT UP OF, IS THERE BENEFIT FOR SOMEBODY WHO MIGHT BE READING THE MINUTES TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL AND IF SO, WHAT WOULD YOU BE LOOKING FOR? ANYBODY HAVE THOUGHTS OR? [NOISE]
>> WELL, THE REASON I SAID IT IS BECAUSE IN THAT SPECIFIC MEETING, WE WERE BEING ASKED FOR FEEDBACK.
I LISTENED TO THE ENTIRE BOARD MEETING THIS.
[01:05:01]
TOPIC WAS ALSO PRESENT LAST TIME.I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THE OVERLAP IN THOSE COMMENTS FROM BOTH GROUPS AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD BE CAPTURED IN SOME WAY, [NOISE] ESPECIALLY IF SOMEONE LIKE A DEVELOPER OR ANY GROUP THAT'S LOOKING FOR OUR FEEDBACK LIKE THAT, IF IT NEEDS TO BE CAPTURED IN A PUBLIC FORMAT.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT.
BUT I WOULD ALSO ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION OF THAT IS, IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE NOTES? THE MEETING NOTES THAT WE ALL VOTE ON AND THE RECORDING FROM A LEGALITY PERSPECTIVE WOULD BE ANOTHER QUESTION BECAUSE IF WE WRITE IT DOWN, DOES IT BECOME MORE LEGALLY BINDING THAN THE AUDIBLE?
>> YOU'RE NOT LEGALLY BINDING, AND IT'S THE VOTE THAT'S LEGALLY BINDING.
THE COMMENTS ARE SIMPLY INFORMATION BEHIND THE VOTE.
>> LIKE PROCESSING IN REAL TIME.
>> I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THERE'S A FURTHER LEVEL OF DISTILLATION THAT OCCURS.
WHEN WE HAVE A DISCUSSION, WE GET MINUTES THAT ARE SOMEWHAT DETAILED.
THAT THEN GETS DISTILLED BY STAFF TO A MEMO THAT'S PRESENTED TO THE BOARD WHICH OUR DISCUSSION GOES FROM HOWEVER MANY PAGES DOWN TO LIKE A PARAGRAPH OR TWO, IF IT WAS CONTENTIOUS.
I KNOW BOARD MEMBERS DO TUNE INTO THESE MEETINGS AND SOMETIMES GO BACK AND REVIEW THEM SO THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THAT RECORD.
BUT IT COULD BE A REALLY GOOD SIGN OF THE TOPICS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THEN GOT PICKED UP BY THE BOARD BECAUSE THEY WERE IN THE STAFF SUMMARY AND THEY WANTED TO DIG INTO THEM.
BUT IF IT'S JUST REPETITION THEN WHAT'S THAT SURVEY?
>> YOU MAKE A REALLY GOOD POINT BECAUSE, I'M EMBARRASSED A LITTLE BIT TO SAY, I DO NOT READ EVERY TOWNSHIP BOARD PACKET VERBATIM TO LOOK FOR, AND THAT'S A GOOD REMINDER BECAUSE THE TIMES THAT I HAVE, THERE WAS ONE WHERE I CAUGHT MY NAME SPELLED WRONG.
[LAUGHTER] BUT I HAD NEVER SEEN THIS.
HOW ON EARTH DID THIS GET THERE? BECAUSE AFTER OUR CONVERSATION AND THEN WHEN I SAW THE PUBLIC NOTICE FOR THE TOWNSHIP BOARDS, NOT HEARING BUT CONVERSATION WITH THE DEVELOPER AND IT SAID THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION HAVE ALREADY HAD A CHANCE TO PROVIDE INPUT, I WONDERED IF WE PERHAPS MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY AT OUR LAST DISCUSSION TO, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAD CONSENSUS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT TO PUT SOME SORT OF STATEMENT DOWN THAT WE COLLECTIVELY WANTED TO GIVE THAT FEEDBACK SO THAT THAT COULD PERHAPS BE CONVEYED MORE FORMALLY TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD BECAUSE I THINK OTHERWISE, NO ACTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS AN ACTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION UNLESS WE VOTE ON IT AND IT GETS A MAJORITY VOTE.
>> WELL, SPECIFICALLY, IT WAS NOT AN ACTION ITEM.
WE WEREN'T EXPECTING YOU TO TAKE ACTION.
>> THEN I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE SHOULD HAVE PUT A STATEMENT DOWN LIKE WE FEEL THIS WAY OR NOT.
OTHERWISE, IT WAS JUST SEVEN COLLECTIVE OPINIONS ON SOMETHING AS OPPOSED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS A BODY HAVING AN OPINION ON.
>> THAT'S MORE SEMANTIC BUT THAT'S A GOOD POINT, I THINK. YOU'RE RIGHT.
WE WEREN'T LOOKING FOR A MOTION BUT A FINAL, I DON'T WANT TO SAY DEFINITIVE, BUT IT'S A FINAL WRAP UP BECAUSE WE DID HAVE TO SUMMARIZE EVERYTHING FOR THE BOARD.
>> I THINK THE BOARD GOT A MESSAGE.
[LAUGHTER] I ATTENDED THAT BOARD MEETING.
>> I WASN'T ABLE TO, SO I HAVEN'T WATCHED IT YET.
>> I CONCLUDED, THIS IS IN MY OPINION, THAT WE WERE JUST THE TEST OF WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD BECAUSE I KNOW THE PART ABOUT THE CONTAINMENT OF THE CHEMICALS REALLY TOUCHED ME.
I DIDN'T HEAR ANY MENTION OF THAT AT THE BOARD MEETING.
[LAUGHTER] I THINK THEY PRACTICED ON US AND REALIZED WHAT THEY NEED TO EMPHASIZE AND WHAT THEY DON'T NEED TO EMPHASIZE WITH THE BOARD.
WELL, I KNOW THE BOARD IS JUST NOT GOING TO ACCEPT EITHER ONE OF THOSE PROPOSALS.
THEY MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THEY ARE EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED.
AS I CALL IT A SHELL GAME, AND SHOW US ONE THING AND THEY DELIVER SOMETHING ELSE.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS IS GOING TO LAND.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE THIS MIGHT LAND, PERHAPS?
[01:10:03]
>> WE'RE NOT AT THAT YET. THAT'S AT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD UPDATE, [LAUGHTER] BUT YOU CAN ASK RIGHT NOW. NO, GO AHEAD.
>> THEY ALSO WERE NOT ASKED FOR A MOTION.
THEY WERE GIVEN THE SAME IDEA, CONCEPT PLAN DISCUSSION.
I CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY INDICATION THAT THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD.
>> THAT'S A NICE WAY OF PUTTING IT.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER BLUMER.
>> I THINK THE DISCUSSION WE'RE HAVING IS MORE IMPORTANT ON A GENERAL BASE RATHER THAN THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC BECAUSE IT COULD COME UP AGAIN.
BUT I WAS GOING TO DISCUSS THIS WHEN YOU ASKED FOR COMMENTS ABOUT LIAISONS, BECAUSE RIGHT AFTER OUR MEETING THE NEXT DAY, I ATTENDED A MEETING OF THE DDA AS LIAISON, AND THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY INCENSED AT THE PROPOSAL.
NOW, THEY WEREN'T REQUIRED TO VOTE ON IT EITHER, BUT WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY VOTED TO SEND A LETTER OF THEIR CONSENSUS TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.
>> THEY WORKED OVER THE WORDING OF THE LETTER SEVERAL VARIATIONS ON IT.
ULTIMATELY, THEY AGREED ON WHAT THE LETTER SHOULD SAY, AND THEY SENT THAT TO THE BOARD TO INDICATE THE CONSENSUS WITHOUT A FORMAL VOTE.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN EXCELLENT PROCESS IF WE RUN INTO THAT SITUATION AGAIN.
IT EXPRESSES OUR COLLECTIVE OPINION ON IT WITHOUT ACTUALLY GOING TO A FORMAL VOTE ON SOMETHING THAT ISN'T BEFORE US FOR A VOTE.
>> I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP.
>> THANK YOU. SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER ON THINGS LIKE THIS GOING FORWARD.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A MOOT POINT FOR THIS ISSUE AT THIS POINT GIVEN THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD HAS ALREADY HAD A MEETING AND DONE, BUT IF WE THINK THERE'S MERIT AND SOMETHING GOING FORWARD AT SOME POINT, PERHAPS THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD TALK ABOUT.
>> AMBER CLARK WROTE ONE HELL OF A LETTER.
[LAUGHTER] IT WAS BEAUTIFUL PUT TOGETHER.
>> DOESN'T TAKE TOO MANY WORDS TO DESCRIBE IT.
BUT I JUST THOUGHT ON A GENERAL BASIS, THAT WOULD BE AN APPROACH THAT WE COULD CONSIDER.
>> I LIKE THAT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE MADE A LOT OF GOOD POINTS.
I DON'T THINK THEY WERE FULLY CAPTURED IN THE NOTES, BUT I'M NOT SURE THEY NEEDED TO BE.
BUT I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD SEEMED TO HAVE SHARED SOME OF THOSE OPINIONS TOO, SO GREAT.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS, DIRECTION FOR STAFF ON MINUTES? NOW WE'RE AT ITEM 10,
[10.A. Township Board update.]
REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS. TOWNSHIP BOARD UPDATE.>> I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFIC FOR YOU RIGHT NOW.
IN THE FUTURE MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT I'LL PROBABLY BE BRINGING MORE AND MORE STUFF TO YOU.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT NOW, BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE SAME IN THE FUTURE.
[10.B. Liaison reports.]
THEN LIAISON REPORTS. PLEASE GO AHEAD [INAUDIBLE].>> AS I SAID, I ATTENDED THE DDA THE NEXT DAY AFTER OUR MEETING.
THEY WERE MAD ABOUT THE PROPOSAL OF THE [INAUDIBLE] AND THEY WERE FURIOUS.
BASICALLY, THE BURDEN OF THE CHAIR OF THAT MEETING WAS TO KEEP EVERYBODY'S HEADS FROM EXPLODING.
THEY JUST WERE FURIOUS AT THE WHOLE PROPOSAL.
THERE WAS THE TOWNSHIP TREASURER AND POSSIBLY TWO TOWNSHIP BOARD MEMBERS ATTENDED THE DDA MEETING JUST SO THEY COULD HAVE A PREVIEW OF WHAT WAS GOING TO BE COMING BEFORE THE BOARD.
THERE WAS NEVER ANY QUESTION THAT THE BOARD WAS GOING TO COME TO AN ALTERNATE OPINION BASED ON MY PRESENTATION TO THE DDA WHICH WAS HEARD BY THE BOARD MEMBERS AND I WASN'T THRILLED WITH THAT PROPOSAL.
THEN THE POSITION OF THE DDA COUNCIL ITSELF MADE IT QUITE CLEAR THAT NO ONE WAS HAPPY WITH THAT PROPOSAL.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER LIAISON? COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL?
>> THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MET ON MAY 1ST, AND THE MAIN ORDER OF BUSINESS WAS TO REVIEW A SET OF APPLICATIONS FOR THE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY PLAN FUNDING SATED BY THE BOARD $30,000 THIS TIME AROUND.
A LOT OF INTEREST, A LOT OF GREAT PROPOSALS FROM SOME OF THE FOOD COMPOSTING AND FOOD GLEANING INITIATIVES, SIGNAGE AT THE RECYCLING CENTER, CONTINUING WETLAND EDUCATION.
A COUPLE OF ITEMS THAT WERE UNDER CONSIDERATION THAT ARE IN THE MASTER PLAN AS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE EXPLORED, SUCH AS GREEN BURIAL AND THE GREEN SPACE PLAN UPDATE WERE NOT RECOMMENDED TO GO FORWARD.
[01:15:01]
AT THIS TIME, THE GREEN SPACE PLAN UPDATE INITIAL ESTIMATE FROM THE FIRM THAT DID THE 2004 GREEN SPACE PLAN CAME IN CLOSE TO WHAT OUR ENTIRE ANNUAL BUDGET WOULD BE.AND SO WE'RE GOING TO FALL BACK AND THINK ABOUT WHAT A GREEN SPACE PLAN UPDATE SHOULD LOOK LIKE AND HOW MUCH SHOULD BE INVESTED IN IT.
THAT ONE IS IS ON A BACK BURNER.
THE OTHER WAS THE GREEN BURIAL, WHICH THEY WERE HOPING TO EXPLORE TO USE PARTICULAR PLOT IN A PARTICULAR CEMETERY AND GET SOME DESIGN CONSULTANTS TO COME OUT AND SKETCH OUT WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
THERE WAS CONCERN THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFORE YOU START HIRING CONSULTANTS TO DRAW THIS IS WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE, BECAUSE IT CAN BE A TOUCHY SUBJECT.
ALSO, IF I MAY ON BEHALF OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION I DID SUPPORT A PROPOSAL FROM A FACULTY MEMBER AT MSU TO CONGRESS SLOTKIN'S OFFICE.
I'M NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THAT FUNDING MECHANISM WORKS, BUT HAS TO DO WITH SUPPORTING RESEARCH ON ANAEROBIC DIGESTION, WHICH THEY ALREADY HAVE A PROGRAM GOING ON, BUT IT'S MORE OF A LOCAL KIND OF LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
THEY DO A LOT OF PROJECTS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
BUT WHAT CAN WE DO HERE IN THE MSU AREA TO TRY TO IMPLEMENT THIS TECHNOLOGY.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER REPORTS? WE'RE DOWN TO NUMBER 11, PROJECT UPDATES.
[11.A. Project Report]
THAT WAS IN THE PACKET. ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD?>> UNDER CONSTRUCTION, PLANET FITNESS, THAT'S ALL INTERIOR, SO THERE'S NO SITE PLAN INVOLVED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AT THE END, NEW APPLICATIONS, CONSUMERS ENERGY IS SUPPOSED TO BE COMING BEFORE YOU IN JUNE WITH A PUBLIC HEARING.
THERE'S AN EXISTING TRANSFER STATION.
THEY WANT TO DO AN AN UPDATE, AN IMPROVEMENT, AN ENLARGEMENT, AND THEY HAVE PURCHASED THE PROPERTY ON THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF RUTHERFORD AND LAKE LANSING, AND I'M WAITING FOR FINAL DOCUMENTS TO COME IN BY FIVE O'CLOCK TOMORROW.
>> ALSO, IT'S NOT A PROJECT SPECIFIC, BUT JUST TO REMIND YOU, JUNE 10TH IS THE PUBLIC HEARING ON YOUR RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THE RN DISTRICT ORDINANCE AS WELL.
WE'RE BACK DOWN TO PUBLIC REMARKS.
[12. PUBLIC REMARKS]
ANYBODY LIKE TO SPEAK?>> COME TO THE PODIUM, GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. THANK YOU.
>> ANN PERKINS, 5972 VILLAGE DRIVE-IN HASLETT.
I'M ON A BOARD TOO, AND I KNOW IT'S HARD TO REMEMBER, BUT WHEN YOU GUYS ARE TALKING AND YOU START TO MUMBLE, I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
>> IT IS HARD TO REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU'RE UP HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT POINT TO US.
WE'LL TRY TO BE BETTER. THAT ENDS PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE'RE ON NUMBER 13, AND I CAN'T SEE.
[13. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS]
[LAUGHTER] ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY? I NEED MY GLASSES. COMMISSIONER SCALES.>> YES. I ATTENDED THE MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION OF PLANNERS SPRING RESILIENCE SUMMIT THIS PAST WEEK, AND IT WAS EXCELLENTLY PRESENTED BY PLANNERS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE.
THE RESILIENCE ISSUES THAT THEY DISCUSSED, A LOT OF THEM DEALT WITH WHEN YOU'RE MAKING YOUR PLANS, HOW TO PLAN UNDERSTANDING THE CHANGE OF CLIMATE THAT WE NOW LIVE IN.
THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION FROM A GENTLEMAN UP IN MARQUETTE, AND I REMEMBER IN MARCH OF 2003, A DAM BURST UP IN MARQUETTE AND EIGHT BILLION, THAT'S B AS IN BOY, EIGHT BILLION GALLONS OF WATER CAME RUSHING DOWN THROUGH MARQUETTE.
I ASKED ABOUT THAT, AND THAT WASN'T PART OF HIS TALK, BUT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY HAVE UTILIZED THEIR PLANNING AND THE HAZARDOUS MITIGATION PLANNING TO AVOID DEALING WITH THE DAM BURST AND HAVING TO RECOVER FROM THINGS LIKE THAT.
[01:20:05]
BUT I ASKED THEM ABOUT THAT INCIDENT, AND WHAT DID THEY LEARN FROM THAT AND HOW HAVE THEY WORKED TO MITIGATE SITUATIONS LIKE THAT? HE SAID THAT THEY DON'T DO 100-YEAR PLANNING, THEY DO A 500-YEAR PLANNING.I JUST FOUND THAT IT'S REALLY HARD TO CONCEPTUALIZE.
>> THERE ARE A TON OF GREAT SPEAKERS, INCLUDING THIS ONE YOUNG MAN WHO WAS FROM THE CITY OF VASSAR.
HE SPOKE ABOUT ALL OF THE ISSUES IN HIS LITTLE TOWN, BUT WHAT I LIKED ABOUT HIM THE MOST WAS, WHEN I TAUGHT AT SAGINAW VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, HE WAS MY STUDENT.
[LAUGHTER] I WAS JUST AMAZED THAT THE STUDENT WAS TEACHING THE TEACHER.
>> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO SHARE?
>> I'VE LOOKED INTO THOSE SESSIONS, AND I WAS SO FRUSTRATED THIS YEAR BECAUSE IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYTHING THEY OFFERED WAS MOSTLY IN MARCH.
IF THERE'S EVER OPPORTUNITIES TO ATTEND THOSE TYPES OF PLANNING CONFERENCES OUTSIDE MARCH, [LAUGHTER] I WOULD BE INTERESTED.
>> I KNOW YOU'VE SHARED THAT AND I'VE GOTTEN EMAILS, I THINK, AND MAILINGS TO TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT I DO THINK I'VE NOW, JUST WITH MY OWN WORK SCHEDULE AND PERSONAL SCHEDULE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT, I LOOK AT IT AND SAY, THIS LOOKS LIKE LOADS OF FUN.
IT'S REALLY INTERESTING THAT KIND OF THING.
HOW TO DO YOUR JOB BETTER AND HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
THAT IF YOU COULD HIGHLIGHT THINGS THAT YOU THINK MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO US.
IF YOU CAN ONLY DO ONE, DO THIS, OR SOMETIMES I SEE THAT THERE'S REGISTRATION FEES.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE TOWNSHIP DOES SUPPORT THAT OR IF WE'D HAVE TO GO ON OUR OWN DIME, BUT IF THERE'S A BUDGET FOR ANY OF THAT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE ENOUGH TO GO TO THE CONFERENCE.
>> YEAH. ABSOLUTELY. IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAT YOU GET TRAINED THAN US BECAUSE YOU DO ALL THE HARD WORK, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ALL OF US, I THINK, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT IF AND WHEN WE CAN PROVIDED THAT THE OPPORTUNITY IS THERE SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR RAISING IT, FLAGGING IT.
>> THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AT THE LANSING CENTER IS THE MY HEALTHY CLIMATE CONFERENCE.
I KNOW AT LEAST A HANDFUL OF FOLKS ARE USING DISCOUNTED OR FREE REGISTRATION EARNED BY THE TOWNSHIP FOR ITS GREEN STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES.
THERE MAY STILL BE ONE OR TWO OF THOSE REGISTRATIONS AVAILABLE.
ROY HARVEY, WHO WAS MANAGING THAT PROCESS.
IF YOU GOT NOTHING BETTER TO DO ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, GO FIND OUT WHAT MICHIGAN CLIMATE FORWARD PLAN LOOKS LIKE AND HOW IT'S GOING TO IMPACT COMMUNITIES LIKE MERIDIAN.
>> ARE YOU? IF WE AREN'T ABLE TO GO, WILL YOU SHARE?
>> I'LL BRING BACK ALL THE MONTH.
>> THANK YOU. I JUST WANT A STRESS BALL.
I'M SURE THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE ALL THIS WAY.
I WANT TO PEN AND A STRESS BALL.
>> I ALSO HAD A QUESTION FOR STAFF ABOUT A COMMENT ABOUT LEVELS OF SERVICE AND INTERSECTIONS SINCE COVID THAT WE HAVE NOT YET RETURNED TO THOSE.
WE DON'T NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT TONIGHT.
IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING WORTH.
AS WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT THE VALUE OF TRAFFIC STUDIES IN OUR APPLICATIONS, I THINK WHEN YOU GO FROM 100 YEAR FLOOD PLANNING TO 500 YEARS, YOU JUST SAY, WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE USED TO THINK.
WELL 100 YEARS WILL LOOK LIKE, IT'S GOING TO BE FIVE TIMES WORSE.
IN TERMS OF HOW WE MANAGE TRAFFIC GOING FORWARD, THAT'S INTERESTING TO KEEP TRACK OF THEM.
>> WELL, SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT IF YOU HAVE TIME TO SHARE THAT IN MORE DETAIL AT A FUTURE MEETING.
>> WELL, IT'S NOT A LOT, I MEAN, IF YOU WANT SOMETHING SPECIFIC, A REPORT OR SOMETHING, THAT'S ONE THING, BUT IT WAS JUST A GENERAL COMMENT.
FRIDAY, I WAS AT THE MIDMEAC LAND USE LUNCH, AND THE DISCUSSION THERE WAS THE MICHIGAN CORRIDOR PROJECT IN LANSING AND THE PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS OR THE PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES OF THAT PROJECT, AND ANDY KILPATRICK THE ENGINEER FOR CITY OF LANSING WAS THERE,
[01:25:01]
AND HE POINTED OUT THAT ONE OF THE THINGS WITH THE MICHIGAN, JUST TO CLARIFY, THE PROPOSAL FROM THE CITY OF LANSING WAS TO REMOVE THE BOULEVARD AND PUT IN FIVE LANES OF ROAD BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC THAT THEY WERE ASSUMING WAS GOING TO HAPPEN WAS BASED ON A FUTURE PROJECTION FROM PRE COVID NUMBERS.WHEN THEY LOOKED AT TRAFFIC AS IT IS NOW, IT IS LESS.
THAT WAS JUST THE LATEST EXAMPLE OF A TRAFFIC ENGINEER SAYING THAT IN A CONFERENCE OR EDUCATIONAL SETTING.
I DON'T HAVE A DATA TO SUPPORT THAT.
I'M JUST HEARING THAT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS FROM TRAFFIC ENGINEERS.
>> IT DOESN'T MEAN WE WON'T GET BACK THERE, BUT PEOPLE ARE STILL WORKING FROM HOME.
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE PROBABLY GOING TO PREFER WORKING FROM HOME FOREVER, OR AT LEAST FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
>> YEAH. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU.
>> IT'S MORE OF A REMINDER FOR US TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
>> THANK YOU. IF THERE IS NOTHING ELSE. GO AHEAD.
>> TOMORROW, TUESDAY AT 1:15, THE BOARD IS HAVING A MEETING AT THE SENIOR CENTER WHERE THEY WILL BE MAKING A PRESENTATION.
THE TASK FORCE WILL BE MAKING A PRESENTATION ON THE SENIOR CENTER AND COMMUNITY CENTER.
I HEARD THE PRESENTATION AT THE BOARD MEETING, BUT I THINK THIS ONE WILL BE MORE IN DEPTH AND IT'LL BE DIRECTED TO THE SENIORS, WHICH I THINK IS A GOOD IDEA.
>> THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.
>> AT THE SENIOR CENTER BY CHIPPEWA?
>> I'M ASSUMING THAT ONE'S NOT TELEVISED.
>> I THINK THAT'S A FAIR ASSUMPTION, YES.
>> THANK YOU. ARE YOU ATTENDING?
[LAUGHTER] I KNOW IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE.
>> I AM AN AARP MEMBER OF MYSELF.
NOTHING ELSE. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ADJOURN.
>> MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 7:55.
>> YES.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.