Aug 12, 2024 Planning Commission

[00:00:58]

OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE].

OKAY. WONDERFUL.

WELL, SO AS TO KEEP US ON TRACK, I WILL CALL THE MEETING OF THE AUGUST 12TH, 2024 MEETING OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN PLANNING COMMISSION TO

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

FIRST ON THE AGENDA IS OUR ROLL CALL.

. SO HERE WE GO.

THANK YOU. WE HAVE A QUORUM.

AS MR. SHORKEY JUST MENTIONED RIGHT NOW IS PUBLIC REMARKS.

THIS IS ON ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA.

SO IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK DURING THIS POINT IN TIME, YOU CAN DO SO NOW.

PLEASE FILL OUT A SHEET AND HAND IT TO MR. SHORKEY. OTHERWISE, WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.

IF YOU'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT, IT PROBABLY MAKES MORE SENSE TO DO YOUR REMARKS AT THAT TIME.

OKAY. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS FOR THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT.

OKAY. WONDERFUL.

IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK DURING THIS PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

MOVED BY COMMISSIONER BLUMER.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ROMBACH.

ANY DISCUSSION? YES. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD AN ITEM TO OUR AGENDA OR IF IT'S MORE APPROPRIATE, I CAN JUST SPEAK TO IT.

DURING COMMISSIONER COMMENTS, I ASK THAT YOU, AS YOU'RE HERE IN THE MEETING, PLEASE KEEP YOUR REMARKS QUIET SO THAT WE CAN HEAR THE MEETING.

THANK YOU. GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER SKILLS, IN REFERENCE TO OUR BYLAWS.

I FOUND AN ERROR IN OUR BYLAWS, AND THERE'S A PROCEDURE THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW TO MAKE THE CORRECTION.

MAYBE I CAN JUST ADDRESS IT AT OUR COMMENT SECTION.

OPEN COMMENTS AND THEN WE CAN SET THE PROCESS IN MOTION TO MAKE THE CORRECTION AT OUR NEXT MEETING.

I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE TO DO IT THAT WAY IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH IT, BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ANY ACTION ON IT TODAY, SO WE CAN'T TAKE ACTION.

OKAY. EXCELLENT.

YEP. LET'S DO THAT THEN. SO THAT WOULD BE THE AGENDA AS PRINTED.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

SEEING NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE AGENDA AS WRITTEN.

PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. THE AGENDA IS APPROVED.

NOW, WE ARE AT THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE JULY 8TH, 2024 PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.

[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]

OH, COMMISSIONER RUNBACK SUPPORT.

ANY DISCUSSION? I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO MOVE TO AMEND THE MINUTES.

OKAY. MY LAST NAME IS MISSPELLED THROUGHOUT THE MINUTES.

OKAY. ARE YOU BACK? BACK? OH.

THAT'S CORRECT.

IT'S AT LEAST UNDER PRESENT.

THAT'S AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MINUTES.

IT'S ON. IF YOU GO TO PAGE THREE AND PARAGRAPH ONE TWO, WE'LL MAKE THAT CORRECTION.

YEAH. OKAY.

NOT UNCOMMON BUT I SEE IT.

SO I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THE JULY 8TH, 2024 MINUTES.

THANK YOU. I WILL SECOND.

SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ROMBACH WITH A SUGGESTION TO AMEND.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER CORRECTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE MINUTES OF THE JULY 8TH MEETING?

[00:05:04]

OUR MINUTES BEFORE WE APPROVED THEM WERE INCLUDED IN THE AUGUST 8TH BOARD MEETING PACKET, AND THERE WERE SOME ERRORS IN THAT SET OF MINUTES.

BUT I SEE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN CHANGED IN THESE SEDIMENTS.

THEY WERE IN THE AUGUST 8TH.

THEY WERE IN THE AUGUST 8TH, 302 PAGE BOARD PACKET.

THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN BECAUSE YOU MADE THE YOU ADOPTED THE RESOLUTION ON THE URBANA AND THEY WERE SENT THE TIME THE TIMING WAS SUCH THAT WE GOT THE MINUTES.

I HADN'T GONE THROUGH THEM AT THAT POINT.

THEY NEEDED THEM AND THAT'S WHY YOU SAW THEM.

THEY NEEDED TO SEE THE ACTION.

THE CORRECTION I SAW IN THOSE STATED, THE COMMENT THAT I MADE REFERENCE TO THE DOWNTOWN AUTHORITY, AND I NEVER MENTIONED THE DOWNTOWN AUTHORITY, BUT I SEE IN THESE MINUTES THAT HAS BEEN CORRECTED.

GOOD. THESE ARE THE OFFICIAL MINUTES.

YES, THAT IS CORRECT.

OKAY AND DID THESE GET SHARED WITH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD TYPICALLY OR THESE ARE JUST PUBLISHED AS OUR MINUTES.

THESE WILL BE PUBLISHED TOMORROW.

AFTER I MAKE THE CORRECTIONS THEY'LL GO UP ON THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE.

OKAY. BUT THEY DON'T GET THEY DON'T AS A MATTER OF COURSE.

DON'T GO TO THE BOARD.

OKAY. ARE THEY NOTED WHEN THEY'RE SHARED WITH THE BOARD FOR THAT PURPOSE? ARE THEY NOTED AS STILL BEING IN DRAFT FORM.

YES. OKAY.

I DON'T THINK THOSE WERE NOTED AS DRAFT.

THERE'S A LITTLE NOTE AT THE BEGINNING THAT SAYS DRAFT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? CORRECTIONS? CHANGES? ADDITIONS? OKAY.

I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES, AS AMENDED.

SO MOVED. OH, WAIT. WE'VE GOT IT.

I'M SORRY. VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. MINUTES ARE APPROVED WITH CORRECTIONS.

THANK YOU. SORRY ABOUT THAT.

NOW WE'RE ON TO COMMUNICATIONS.

[6. COMMUNICATIONS]

I WAS ASKED TO INCLUDE THAT AS COMMUNICATION TO YOU.

SO THAT'S IN THERE. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, YOU ALSO HAVE THREE.

EMAILS IN FRONT OF YOU REGARDING THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT PUBLIC HEARING.

TONIGHT. THANK YOU.

I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE INGHAM COUNTY PLAN.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE GIVING FEEDBACK ON? IS IT SOMETHING THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD GIVES FEEDBACK ON, OR IS IT TRULY JUST AN FYI, I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO READ IT IN DETAIL.

MY IMPRESSION IS THAT IT'S AN FYI.

IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS, IF YOU GET THEM TO ME, I'LL FORWARD THEM UP THE FOOD CHAIN.

OKAY, THE WHOLE TIME I WAS READING THAT, I KEPT THINKING TO MYSELF, WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY UNDER THIS THING.

OKAY, YEAH, IT WAS INTERESTING, BUT I DIDN'T SEE IT AS BEING OURS DIRECTLY, IN THE SAME WAY THAT CERTAIN OTHER COMMUNICATIONS WOULD BE ISSUED.

NO, NOT EVEN REALLY A TOWNSHIP ISSUE.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS ON COMMUNICATIONS, WE WILL MOVE INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON SPECIAL USE PERMIT 24020 OKEMOS LOCAL

[7.A. SUP #24020 – Okemos Local Investment]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AS NOTED, THIS IS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 24020 OKEMOS LOCAL INVESTMENTS TO CONSTRUCT AN ADULT USE MARIJUANA PROVISIONING CENTER AT 4360 SOUTH HAGADORN ROAD. OKEMOS LOCAL INVESTMENTS.

THE APPLICANT IS REPRESENTED TONIGHT.

THEY HAVE SUBMITTED A SPECIAL USE PERMIT AS REQUIRED BY OUR MARIJUANA ORDINANCES, FOLLOWING THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVAL OF THEIR ADULT USE MARIJUANA CONDITIONAL LICENSE ON MAY 9TH, 2024.

IT'S IN THE RESEARCH PARK ZONING.

IT MATCHES, YOU KNOW, SO IT COMPLIES WITH THE LAND USE, THE ZONING AND THE FUTURE LAND USE.

YOU SEE MY ANALYSIS THAT WAS WRITTEN UP AND YOU'VE GOT ALL THE ATTACHMENTS FROM THE APPLICANT.

SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.

OTHERWISE, LIKE I SAID, THE APPLICANT IS HERE.

THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF BEFORE YOU HAVE THE APPLICANT? I DID HAVE ONE AND IT WAS ON THE I BELIEVE THE TRAFFIC STUDY.

[00:10:03]

WE HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE APPLICANT'S ATTENTION AND THEY ARE DISCUSSING THEY'RE IN TALKS WITH ROWE ENGINEERING TO GET AN UPDATE, TO GET AN UPDATE WHEN THAT UPDATE COMES IN THE. SO JUST SO EVERYONE IS AWARE THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOES NOT MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT.

THE NEXT AVAILABLE MEETING IS WHEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL MAKE A DECISION.

WHEN I GET AN UPDATED TRAFFIC STUDY OR A LETTER FROM ROWE ENGINEERING OR THE AN ENGINEER, YOU KNOW, THE ENGINEER THAT WORKED ON IT.

I WILL THEN BRING THIS BACK.

YEAH. SO I UNDERSTAND BASED ON THE I THINK THERE WAS A LETTER INCLUDED THAT SAID IT WAS THEY WERE SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS FROM A PRIOR SUP WERE ATTACHING IT ALMOST AS REFERENCE. THAT IS THAT IS CORRECT AND LIKE I SAID WE'VE TALKED TO THE APPLICANT ABOUT THAT.

HE IS WORKING WITH ROWE ENGINEERING TO GET AN UPDATE.

OKAY. THANK YOU. SURE.

INVITE THE APPLICANT TO IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS.

PLEASE GIVE US YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS BEFORE YOU START.

THANK YOU. YES. SAM KOENIG, 2515 WEST 13 MILE ROYAL OAK IN OAKLAND COUNTY.

WITH OKEMOS LOCAL INVESTMENTS.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME.

WE SUBMITTED OUR SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY DAYS AGO IT WAS JUNE OR JULY, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

IN ANY EVENT IT'S, I WOULD SAY FAIRLY THE PLANS ARE BASICALLY THE SAME AS WHAT WE SUBMITTED FOR OUR CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL.

I THINK WE MADE SOME CHANGES TO NOTE THE TREES THAT WERE BEING TAKEN OUT IN THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY.

BECAUSE OUR HOPE IS TO OUR PLAN IS TO EVENTUALLY WE DON'T HAVE IT ON THE PLAN HERE BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A SEPARATE SIGN APPLICATION.

BUT TO PUT A SIGN UP FRONT TO ADVERTISE THE BUSINESS AND THE TREES KIND OF BLOCK THE PROPERTY.

NOW BECAUSE THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY JUST A HOUSE AND I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY MAJOR CHANGE.

YES, THAT'S THE PROPERTY.

YEAH. SO I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY MAJOR CHANGE TO THE SITE PLAN AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROJECT. WE ARE FINISHING UP CONSTRUCTION OF DISPENSARY IN ECORSE, MICHIGAN, WHICH IS ALSO INVOLVED THE RENOVATION OF A HOUSE AND IT IS A THAT PROJECT HAS BEEN AN ORDEAL.

WE HAD TO REDO THE EYE BEAM, AND WE HAD TO REDO ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING AND HVAC, MECHANICAL, ALL OF THAT.

SO THAT'S BEEN QUITE.

THAT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN.

THIS HOUSE IS IN MUCH BETTER SHAPE, SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

THERE ARE CERTAIN CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT IT'S UP TO CODE AND SO A LOT OF WALLS HAVE TO BE KNOCKED OUT.

BUT OUR HOPE IS TO TRY TO PRESERVE KIND OF THE OVERALL FEEL OF THE AREA AND KIND OF THE CHARACTER OF THE COMMUNITY.

WE WANTED SOMETHING THAT WAS GOING TO FIT IN AND KIND OF BLEND IN AND NOT BE, YOU KNOW, TO NOT BE GAUDY OR GARISH OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO ANYWAY, THAT'S KIND OF OUR OVERALL PLAN.

WE THINK THAT THE STORE WILL BE CALLED GOOD VIBES, SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND YEAH, I GUESS I COULD TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF ANYBODY HAS ANY.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER REBACK? WHY HOUSES? SORRY.

WHY HOUSES? SO THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO A REZONE FOR A HOUSE THAT'S CURRENTLY BUILT THAT YOU WOULD.

CLARIFICATION. THIS IS NOT A REZONING.

GOT IT. OKAY. I'M SORRY. SO LET ME REPHRASE.

YOU MENTIONED YOU'RE WORKING ON A SIMILAR PROJECT IN ECORSE, WHERE YOU'RE USING AN OLD HOUSE OUT OF MORBID CURIOSITY.

JUST WHY OLD HOUSES? OH, WELL, IT'S NOT.

IT'S NOT OUT OF CHOICE, BUT MORE JUST PRACTICALITY.

SO IN ECORSE, WE ENDED UP WITH A HOUSE BECAUSE THAT WAS WHERE WE WERE ZONED, AND WE FELT LIKE IT WAS EASIER TO RENOVATE THAN TO TEAR DOWN AND TO REBUILD.

NOW, IN RETROSPECT MAYBE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASIER TO TEAR DOWN AND REBUILD, BUT I GUESS WE TEND TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE SENTIMENTAL AND TRYING

[00:15:03]

I USED TO WORK ON THE LEGALIZATION CAMPAIGN BACK IN THE DAY IN 2017 AND 2018.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT WHILE WORKING ON THE CAMPAIGN WAS THE POSITIVE IMPACT THAT BRINGING CANNABIS FACILITIES COULD HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO MOST OF OUR DEVELOPMENTS, MAYBE ALL OF THEM, HAVE INVOLVED REMODELING EXISTING BUILDINGS.

WE HAVEN'T DONE ANY GROUND UP YET, SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE A STORE IN BELLEVILLE, WHICH WAS A MOSTLY VACANT, BASICALLY VACANT, SEMI DILAPIDATED WAREHOUSE WITH AN OFFICE AND WEEDS GROWING AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF AND SPENT A LOT OF MONEY AND NOW IT'S OPERATING.

IT LOOKS GREAT AND IT'S DOING WELL AS A BUSINESS.

SO PHILOSOPHICALLY I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE ANSWER THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, BUT IT'S MORE OF A PHILOSOPHICAL BENT TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST COME IN AND, YOU KNOW, PUSH THINGS OUT, BUT TRY TO MAKE SOMETHING BETTER THAT'S ALREADY THERE AND FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THIS PROPERTY IN PARTICULAR, WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE WETLANDS THAT SURROUND IT.

SO WE THOUGHT, WELL, MAYBE THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY DIFFICULT.

WE KNOW THAT THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS PARCEL IS ALREADY APPROVED FOR A HOUSE.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH ANY, YOU KNOW, WETLAND OR ENVIRONMENTAL TYPE ISSUES IF WE JUST WORK WITH WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE.

SO YOU HAD SOME EXPERIENCE DOING THAT AND WE FELT LIKE THAT MADE THE MOST SENSE.

SO THAT'S ON A FOLLOW UP.

YOU MENTIONED OF COURSE YOU MENTIONED BELLEVILLE AND NOW OKEMOS.

I TAKE IT THERE'S A MANAGEMENT COMPANY SOMEWHERE OVER THE TOP.

SO HOW MANY OF THESE PROVISIONING CENTERS ARE DO YOU HAVE TOTAL IN THE WEB? YEAH. SO IT'S NOT THERE IS A ONE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, BUT I'M THE MAIN OWNER ALONG WITH MY BUSINESS PARTNER NICK, WHO'S IN THE, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS REQUIRED TO BE INCLUDED THE OWNERSHIP.

BUT THERE'S SOMETHING IN THERE.

OKAY. IT WAS IN THE CONDITIONAL APPLICATION.

SO MY PARTNER NICK AND I, WE RUN THE STORES AND SO WE HAVE OUR WE'VE BEEN OPEN ABOUT TWO YEARS IN BELLEVILLE NOW.

NO FINES, NO CITATIONS.

FINGERS CROSSED. SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

NO COMPLAINTS.

NOT A SINGLE LEASE.

NOT THAT I KNOW OF. I ASKED THE CITY, SO THEY'RE VERY HAPPY WE'RE INVESTING A LOT OF MONEY IN BELLEVILLE, WE GAVE $10,000 TO THE EMERGENCY FOOD CLOSET.

WE'RE, YOU KNOW, FIXING UP A PARK.

WE COMMITTED $100,000 TO FIX UP A PARK BEHIND US, AND THEY'RE GOING TO THE CITY ALREADY HAD A GRANT FOR 80,000 FOR PICKLEBALL COURTS.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOME STATE MONEY TO FIX UP THE REST OF IT, BECAUSE THERE AREN'T.

THERE'S A LOT OF GEESE POOP IN THE PARK AND SO WE'D LIKE TO HAVE MORE TRASH CANS.

THERE ARE NO TRASH CANS THERE.

SO AS WE WALK IN AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY AND NOT HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S JUST LIKE, WELL, I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THE ADVERTISEMENTS ON THE FREEWAY OR SOME OF THESE.

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO OUR COMPETITORS, SOME OF THESE STORES THAT I THINK ARE NOT NECESSARILY YOU KNOW, ANYWAY, WE HAVE A DIFFERENT STYLE.

SO YES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER BLUMER HAD A QUESTION.

AND THEN COMMISSIONER SCALES.

THE MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH WERE BUILT FROM THE GROUND UP FOR THAT PURPOSE AND BASICALLY THEY HAVE INTENSE SECURITY.

YOU HAVE TO. IT'S A REMOTE CONTROLLED, LOCKED DOOR.

YOU HAVE TO SHOW A PASS.

YOU HAVE TO SHOW A ID, HAVE IT SCANNED BEFORE THEY'LL OPEN THE DOOR TO YOU.

IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE, OR AT LEAST IT SEEMS TO ME ON THE SURFACE, THAT CONVERTING A HOUSE MIGHT REQUIRE EXTRA ATTENTION TO SECURITY BECAUSE THE BUILDING WASN'T BUILT FROM THE GROUND UP TO BE SECURE.

WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON THAT? GOOD QUESTION. I THINK THAT PROBABLY ANY BUILDING THAT YOU USE FOR A DISPENSARY WILL NEED ADDITIONAL SECURITY, BECAUSE MOST COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS JUST DON'T HAVE THE SECURITY THAT WE WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH.

WE I THINK WE TEND TO GO A LITTLE OVERBOARD ON THE SECURITY DECIDE.

SO AT OUR FACILITY IN BELLEVILLE, FOR EXAMPLE, EVERY DOOR IS A SECURITY DOOR EXCEPT THE BATHROOMS. SO EVERY DOOR THAT YOU GO THROUGH REQUIRES SOME KIND OF, YOU KNOW, LIKE A KEY FOB OR YOU GET SCANNED IN.

SO FROM THE OUTSIDE TO OUR VAULT, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR DOORS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT'S A LOT.

WE'VE GOTTEN MORE INTENSE IN E-COMMERCE.

WHAT WE DID IS WE AND WE TALKED TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD ABOUT THIS A FEW MONTHS AGO.

[00:20:01]

OUR ENTIRE SHOWROOM WITH WIRE MESH, THIS STEEL WIRE MESH MAINLY FOR INSURANCE REASONS.

SO WHEN YOU TAKE SOMETHING DOWN TO THE STUDS, YOU TAKE OUT THE DRYWALL, YOU ATTACH THIS WIRE MESH TO THE STUDS, AND SO IT SURROUNDS THE ENTIRE ROOM AND THEN WE COVER IT WITH EITHER DRYWALL OR WOOD PANELING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND SO IT'S A VOLT, ESSENTIALLY.

SO WE DO THAT FOR INSURANCE REASONS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOUR PRODUCT IS IN A VAULT, IT'S INSURABLE, RIGHT? SO THAT'S OUR NEW PROCEDURE AND SO ANY BUILDING THAT WE WERE DOING WOULD REQUIRE THAT.

SO WHETHER IT'S NEW COMMERCIAL, WHETHER IT'S AN EXISTING COMMERCIAL OR WHETHER IT'S A HOUSE.

SO THAT'S OUR THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE DO THAT I THINK IS PRETTY THOROUGH AND I DON'T KNOW OF MANY OTHER PLACES THAT DO THAT.

I HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANY. I THINK MAYBE I HEARD OF ONE OTHER PLACE THAT DID IT.

IT'S CERTAINLY MORE EXPENSIVE.

SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE DO IN ADDITION TO HAVING, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE ALL THE CAMERAS AND THE GLASS BREAKS AND THE SENSORS AND THE YADA.

SO THAT'S ALL A GIVEN, RIGHT? THAT'S ALL JUST THE NORMAL BELLS AND WHISTLES.

WE SURROUND THE PROPERTY WITH EITHER BOLLARDS OR WITH PLANTER BOXES WHICH ARE COVERED, BASICALLY A FACADE FOR THESE CONCRETE BUNKER BOXES.

BUNKER BLOCKS. I'M SORRY.

SO IN BELLEVILLE, WE GOT THESE TWO TON BUNKER BLOCKS DROPPED OFF TO SURROUND THE PROPERTY, WHICH IS AN ORDEAL BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GET LIKE A IT'S LIKE A MINI CRANE OR SOMETHING, HAVE A BIG MACHINE TO MOVE THEM INTO PLACE.

WE HAD LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, 50 TO 100 OF THEM.

IT'S A LOT BECAUSE IT'S A BIG PROPERTY.

WE DIDN'T HAVE THE SPACE TO DO IT IN ECORSE BECAUSE IT WOULD.

SO WE HAVE BOLLARDS IN ECORSE, YOU KNOW, THOSE METAL POSTS.

SO ONE OF THE BIG CHALLENGES IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY IS THE THEY CALL IT A SMASH AND GRAB WHERE SOMEBODY WILL STEAL A CAR, AND THEN THEY'LL RUN IT INTO A BUILDING AND THEY WILL YOU KNOW, JUST TRY TO STEAL THE PRODUCT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO THAT'S A PROBLEM AND SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE DO ON ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT DEALING WITH THAT.

SO, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MOST COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES DON'T DO.

YOU KNOW, THE POST OFFICE HAS IT, RIGHT.

I DON'T KNOW EVEN IF BANKS HAVE THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, BANKS HAVE GLASS DOORS, RIGHT? WE DON'T HAVE ALL OF OUR DOORS ARE STEEL DOORS.

SO, YOU KNOW, IN TEN YEARS AND 15 YEARS, MAYBE WE WON'T NEED TO DO THAT.

IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE MOST WELCOMING.

IF IT'S A STEEL DOOR, WE'LL PAINT IT AND WE'LL PUT SOME SORT OF SOMETHING ON THE DOOR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO MAKE IT MORE WELCOMING.

BUT IT'S BETTER THAN A GLASS DOOR.

SO HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.

BUT SO IN OTHER WORDS, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY LOOK ON THE OUTSIDE LIKE A RENOVATED HOME.

IT'S ACTUALLY GOT THE SECURITY NECESSARY FOR YOUR TYPE OF BUSINESS.

YEAH, IT'S VERY AGGRESSIVE.

IT'S VERY AGGRESSIVE.

YEAH. WE TRIED CUTTING THROUGH THE WIRE MESH.

IT TOOK A FEW HOURS BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS, WHEN YOU PUT THAT UP, TRY TO CHANGE SOMETHING.

TRY TO CHANGE THE ELECTRICAL.

RIGHT. IT'S A HUGE PAIN IN THE BEHIND.

SO YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO FOR THE ENTRANCE.

THE WAY WE'VE SET IT UP IS WE HAVE A FRONT DESK PERSON WHO WORKS SECURITY.

RIGHT. SO THEY DO SECURITY AND FRONT DESK.

THEY'RE AN ARMED GUARD AND SO THERE'S A WINDOW, RIGHT? JUST LIKE YOU'D SEE AT A DOCTOR'S OFFICE OR SOMETHING.

OUR WINDOW WAS BULLETPROOF GLASS.

RIGHT AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE DO AND IT'S NOT LIKE THE CRAPPY, IF I CAN USE THAT TERM, BULLETPROOF GLASS.

THAT LOOKS REALLY BAD. IT'S THE EXPENSIVE STUFF THAT LOOKS REALLY NICE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, MORE LIKE A BANK, RIGHT? WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S MORE ABOUT DETERRENCE.

SO YEAH, I GUESS I DIDN'T MENTION THE ARMED GUARD, RIGHT? WE HAVE AN ARMED GUARD, SO THEY CARRY A WEAPON AND THEY'RE INSURED AND ALL OF THAT.

SO WE THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

IT'S MAINLY I WOULD SAY YOU KNOW, IT'S MAINLY FOR DETERRENCE, RIGHT.

OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE ABLE TO USE IF THEY NEED TO THEY'RE TRAINED TO USE THEIR WEAPON.

RIGHT. BUT IT'S MAINLY ABOUT DETERRENCE, MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS KNOW THAT WE TAKE SECURITY REALLY SERIOUSLY.

RIGHT AND I WOULD SAY WHERE IT WHERE WE, YOU KNOW, THEY MAINLY ARE UTILIZED IS THE CUSTOMER IS GETTING A LITTLE AGGRESSIVE OR SOMETHING LIKE

[00:25:06]

OKAY. SORRY.

NO THAT'S OKAY. NO I JUST I HAVE A TENDENCY TO GO ON.

SO I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER SCALES.

YOU HAD A QUESTION ALSO.

YEAH. LISTENING TO YOU GENERATED MORE QUESTIONS IN MY MIND.

SO I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

ONE SPECIFICALLY, WHERE IN BELLEVILLE IS YOUR FACILITY LOCATED? IS IT IN VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP OR THE CITY OF.

IN THE CITY. THE CITY PROPER AND THE ADDRESS IS 510 SAVAGE ROAD.

WE ARE JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I USED TO LIVE IN BELLEVILLE.

OH, OKAY. WE'RE IN BELLEVILLE.

I LIVED IN WHAT USED TO BE KNOWN AS THE LEMON TREE.

OKAY. RIGHT ON THE LAKE.

OKAY. YOU TALKED ABOUT SECURITY, AND I'M LISTENING TO YOUR ANSWER AS IT WENT ON AND ON. I THINK YOUR MOST VULNERABLE POINT IS PROBABLY THE TRANSPORTATION OF YOUR PRODUCT.

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO SECURE THE TRANSPORTATION OF YOUR PRODUCT.

SO THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO THE STATE REGULATIONS ARE VERY STRICT WHEN IT COMES TO TRANSPORTATION.

YES. WE DON'T ACTUALLY DO ANY OF THE TRANSPORTATION.

WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO.

SO SOMEONE WHO OWNS A RETAILER IS NOT ALLOWED TO OWN THEY CALL IT A SECURE TRANSPORTER AND THOSE ARE ARMED AND HEAVILY REGULATED.

THEY'RE UNMARKED VANS THAT COME UP.

SO WE ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THE TRANSPORTATION OF IT.

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YOU HIRE SOMEBODY, DON'T YOU? WELL, WE PAY THEM.

WE PAY. SO WE'LL ORDER SOMETHING FROM A VENDOR.

RIGHT AND THEY'LL DROP IT OFF.

SO TO BE HONEST, WE'RE NOT REALLY INVOLVED IN THE LOGISTICS OR, THE WAY IN WHICH THEY DO THAT.

IT I MEAN, I DON'T MEAN TO SOUND TOO IGNORANT ABOUT IT, BUT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, IT SHOWS UP OKAY.

WE PAY, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T EVEN PAY THE FEE.

NORMALLY THE THERE'S A SHIPPING MINIMUM $5,000 FOR FREE SHIPPING.

SO WE TRY TO GET THE FREE SHIPPING.

SORRY, I DON'T MEAN TO BE.

THIS IS JUST MY HONEST EXPERIENCE AS A RETAIL OWNER.

SO WE ORDER IT, THEY SEND IT TO US.

THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, IT GETS DROPPED OFF DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS.

WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A SEPARATE ENTRANCE WHERE IT GETS YOU KNOW, IN THE BACK WHERE IT GETS, YOU KNOW, BROUGHT IN AND IT GETS BROUGHT INTO OUR VAULT AND WE COUNT IT AND WE WEIGH IT AND THAT'S THAT.

SO, YEAH, WE'RE NOT INVOLVED IN THE TRANSPORTATION, FORTUNATELY.

BUT I AGREE THAT IS THAT IS CERTAINLY A RISK.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

OF COURSE YOU SAID YOU HAD OTHER QUESTIONS TOO OR.

NO HE GAVE ME THE ADDRESS.

OKAY. I WANT TO GO DOWN TO BELLEVILLE AND LOOK AT IT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH. WE'D BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU A TOUR OR IF ANYBODY WANTS A TOUR.

YEAH, AND YOU CAN REACH OUT TO THE CITY.

I LIKE SURPRISE VISITS.

SORRY. I LIKE SURPRISE VISITS.

SURPRISE VISITS ARE GREAT TOO.

SO NO PROBLEM.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSION MEMBERS FOR THE APPLICANT? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE WILL GO TO THE PORTION OF THE MEETING WHERE WE HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT FROM MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE.

SO YOU'RE WELCOME TO SIT DOWN FOR A MOMENT.

OKAY AND WE MAY CALL YOU BACK UP AFTER WE HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC IF THERE ARE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS THAT THAT PUBLIC COMMENT GENERATES FOR US.

BUT OTHERWISE WE ARE GOOD WITH YOU FOR THE MOMENT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU AND I DO HAVE ONE GREEN SHEET FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

A COUPLE MORE. IT LOOKS LIKE THERE MIGHT BE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE FILLED SOME OUT.

YES. YEP.

I'M ASSUMING I KNOW HOW TO WORK THIS THING.

PUSH THIS TO START.

PUSH THE START. I THINK IT'S PUSH.

START AND STOP.

YEP. START AND STOP AND THEN HIT.

REPEAT. THE NEXT PERSON.

YEP. OKAY. SO I'VE GOT TWO PUBLIC COMMENTS HERE.

JUST A REMINDER OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS.

YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.

YOU'LL BE A TIMER. YOU'LL SEE THE LIGHTS CHANGE AS IT GETS CLOSE TO THE END OF YOUR TIME.

PLEASE REFRAIN FROM ANY PERSONAL STATEMENTS ABOUT ANYBODY.

SO JUST SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH US AND IT IS OUR PRACTICE NOT TO RESPOND TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT DIRECTLY.

BUT AGAIN, WHAT YOU SAY MAY GENERATE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR OTHER PEOPLE.

SO FIRST PERSON I HAVE IS MON-EL SHROFF, AND IF I HAVE MISPRONOUNCED YOUR NAME, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND THEN JUST GIVE US YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS BEFORE YOU START SPEAKING.

ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS MONA SHROFF, AND I LIVE AT 2735 LUPINE DRIVE, OKEMOS.

I'M JUST HERE, AND I'M REPRESENTING A LARGE COMMUNITY.

NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE COULD MAKE IT.

BUT I OUR COMMUNITY IS REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS DISPENSARY THAT IS COMING UP FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT REASONS.

[00:30:05]

BUT IF THERE IS ANY WAY THERE IS ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HAVE THE COMMITTEE RECONSIDER [INAUDIBLE] SUP LICENSING THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THIS DISPENSARY.

WE FEEL THAT THE REQUEST STANDARDS AND THE SUP APPLICANT HASN'T REALLY DEMONSTRATED THAT THE PROJECT WILL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT OR BE HAZARDOUS TO THE NEIGHBORING USE, AND THEN IT WILL NOT BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE ECONOMIC WELFARE OF THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES OF THE COMMUNITY AND I'M A PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONAL.

I HAVE BEEN AND I HAVE LIVED IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS.

THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THIS IS A COMMUNITY THAT WE REALLY HAVE LIKED AND ENJOYED FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT REASONS AND I THINK THE BIGGEST CONCERN FOR US IS THAT THIS IS JUST TOO CLOSE TO SCHOOLS.

OKEMOS SCHOOL DISTRICT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE OF THE LEADING SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN MICHIGAN AND WE ARE ALREADY FIGHTING A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WE JUST DON'T WANT ONE OTHER KIND OF PROBLEM THAT YOU KNOW, IS GOING TO COME INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND I THINK, AS I HEARD THE APPLICANT JUST TALK ABOUT THE SECURITY AND JUST THE TRANSPORTATION AND ALSO THE TRAFFIC THAT WE ARE ALL REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT.

JUST IN THE LAST, YOU KNOW, ONE AND A HALF YEARS, I LIVE RIGHT ON JOLLY AND THE AMOUNT OF THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS.

MY DAUGHTER GOES TO A TUTORING LESSON RIGHT OPPOSITE THERE IS A TAEKWONDO SCHOOL RIGHT OPPOSITE WHERE THE DISPENSARY IS GOING TO COME OUT, AND WE JUST FEEL THAT IT IS JUST TOO CLOSE TO ANY OF THE FAMILY KIND OF BUSINESSES THAT EXIST IN THAT STRIP MALL.

THIS DISPENSARY IS NOTHING CLOSE TO ANYTHING THAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS AND AS THE APPLICANT WAS SAYING, THIS CANNOT GET INTEGRATED INTO OUR COMMUNITY IN THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

IT'S GOING TO STICK OUT AND IT'S GOING TO CREATE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROBLEMS. SO I JUST URGE THE COMMITTEE, THANK YOU FOR MY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, I APPRECIATE THIS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. THERE YOU GO. OKAY AND THEN THE NEXT PERSON I HAVE IS TANNER [INAUDIBLE], PLEASE.

YEAH. JUST TELL US WHAT IT IS AND GIVE US YOUR ADDRESS.

I'M SORRY. YEAH. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS TANNER AURORA.

MY ADDRESS IS THREE FIVE, FIVE SEVEN CHIPPENDALE CIRCLE, OKEMOS, MICHIGAN.

I'M HERE.

I KNOW SOME OF MY FRIENDS WERE NOT WERE NOT ABLE TO COME HERE TODAY.

BUT I HAVE THREE KIDS RIGHT NOW, THREE TEENAGERS, AND THEY ALL GO TO OKEMOS HIGH SCHOOL.

MY CONCERN RIGHT NOW IS HOW IT IS BENEFICIAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW.

OKEMOS IS RIGHT NOW ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO LIVE IN.

WE AS AN IMMIGRANT, I'M A PROUD U.S.

CITIZEN, BUT WE AS AN IMMIGRANT MOVE TO OKEMOS.

THERE WAS JUST ONE REASON.

JUST FOR OUR KIDS.

I MOVED FROM PORTLAND, OREGON.

I LIVED IN WASHINGTON AND WE HAD SAME ISSUES GOING ON OVER THERE.

MY CONCERN IS, IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE SECURITY WHO WILL BE TAKING CARE OF, BECAUSE I WAS IN ALL THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS WHEN IT COMES TO THE JOLLY ROAD MARIJUANA DISPENSARY, AND I UNDERSTOOD FROM THE THAT THE POLICE OFFICERS WILL BE, YOU KNOW, THERE THEY WILL BE THE ONE WHO WILL BE TAKING CARE OF THE SECURITY IN CASE ANYTHING WILL SHOW UP.

THEY WON'T HAVE ANY PERSONAL SECURITY PEOPLE ON THE DISPENSARY BY ITSELF.

SO I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED WHEN THE WHY WE ARE PAYING FOR THEIR SECURITY AND ARE YOU TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THAT PART WHEN WE ARE DISCUSSING ABOUT THE SECURITY? SECONDLY, THERE ARE SO MANY KIDS THERE WALKING AROUND THERE.

IT'S A NEIGHBORLY TOWN.

IT'S A COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE PROUD OF.

DO YOU THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO HELP IN ANYWAYS, HAVING A DISPENSARY AND IN FACT HAVING FOUR OR 3 OR 2 DISPENSARIES.

SO I WOULD JUST REQUEST YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT AND I MEAN TAKE INTO THIS CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THAT WAS THE LAST FORM THAT I HAVE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

IF THERE ARE NO OTHERS, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? DO YOU WANT TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT? YEAH [INAUDIBLE], WHY DON'T I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING BECAUSE YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK.

WILL, IF ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU, WE'LL CALL YOU UP AGAIN TO SPEAK AGAIN.

[00:35:03]

SO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 7:05 AND MOVE TO COMMISSIONER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS IF THERE'S ANYTHING I KNOW. COMMISSIONER SHORKEY, YOU SHARED THIS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, BUT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHO MAY HAVE COME IN AFTER YOU SAID THAT, JUST SORT OF TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS AND THE STEPS IN THIS PROCESS WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOES AND WITH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

SO ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOES NOT MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT BY THEIR BY LAWS.

THEY WILL MAKE A DECISION AT A FUTURE MEETING.

THAT MEETING WILL HAPPEN.

THE APPLICANT HAS BEEN ASKED TO GET AN UPDATED TRAFFIC ASSESSMENT AND HE'S WORKING ON THAT.

WHEN WE RECEIVE THAT WILL BE ON THE NEXT AGENDA.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL THEN MAKE A DECISION.

THEIR DECISION IS A RECOMMENDATION.

THIS APPLICATION, WHETHER THEY RECOMMEND APPROVAL OR DENIAL, WILL BE THEN FORWARDED TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, WHO WILL HAVE THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY ON MAKING THE DECISION ON WHETHER THIS IS APPROVED.

THANK YOU. SO THIS IS A STEP IN A LONGER PROCESS.

IF NO ONE ELSE HAS QUESTIONS, THIS IS NORMALLY WHERE WE WOULD DO A STRAW POLL VOTE IN TERMS OF SUPPORT FOR THE RECOMMENDATION.

IF YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING THAT TONIGHT, WE CAN DO THAT.

IF YOU WANT TO WAIT FOR THE TRAFFIC STUDY OR THE PENDING INFORMATION COMMISSIONER, PLEASE.

I JUST ASK FOR A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE.

BE PREPARED FOR US AT OUR NEXT MEETING.

IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, THE STRAW POLL, THOSE INCLINED TO SUPPORT THIS IS NOT A BINDING VOTE.

THIS IS A SUPPORT.

THE PREPARATION OF A MOTION TO APPROVE.

THE ONLY PROBLEM I'VE GOT IS WE'RE MISSING TWO MEMBERS.

WE HAVE A VOTING QUORUM, BUT WE'RE MISSING TWO MEMBERS AND I DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT MIGHT PUT PRESSURE ON THEM WHEN THEY COME BACK TO THE MEETING.

I THINK KNOWING THOSE TWO MEMBERS, THEY WOULD BE COMFORTABLE GOING.

THEY'RE VOTING THEIR CONSCIENCE.

THEY IF THEY DIDN'T AGREE OR THEY HAD CONCERNS I THINK YEAH, I THINK I'D BE COMFORTABLE GOING WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION AND KNOWING THAT OBVIOUSLY THERE MAY BE CHANGES BASED ON MEMBERS WHO WERE NOT HERE OR ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND ONE MORE TIME, IT'S WORTH REPEATING THAT YOU'RE NOT BOUND BY YOUR DIRECTIVE TO TELL ME TO PREPARE THAT RESOLUTION.

YOU HAVE IN THE PAST VOTED AGAINST, YOU KNOW, IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

SO IT YOU KNOW, BUT I WILL PREPARE THAT AT YOUR DIRECTION AND HAVE THAT WHEN THIS COMES UP AGAIN.

WE APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU.

OKAY. NEXT ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA IS UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

WE HAVE NONE OTHER BUSINESS PLANNING COMMISSION DISCUSSION AND JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF EVERYONE ELSE, I KNOW WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS ON OUR PLANNING COMMISSION DISCUSSION

[9.A. Planning Commission Discussion i. Off-Street Parking Ordinance Update]

SO I APPRECIATE YOU SURE DOING THAT AND FIRST ONE IS, YOU KNOW, IF THIS WORKS OUT, WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I MIGHT JUST MAKE THIS A REGULAR THING.

YOU KNOW, I DO A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL ZOOM CALLS AND STUFF LIKE THAT AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT COMES UP.

IT'S NOT REALLY AN ISSUE, BUT IT MIGHT BE INFORMATIVE AND I MIGHT JUST INFORM YOU I WOULD APPRECIATE, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST THING I'VE BEEN ASKED ABOUT THIS A LOT.

YOU GUYS HAVE TOLD YOU GUYS IN THE PAST THAT WE HAVE BEEN FOR A WHILE BEHIND THE SCENES DOING SOME WORK ON OUR OFF STREET PARKING ORDINANCE AND I ASKED ASSOCIATE PLANNER CHAPMAN TO PREPARE SOMETHING TO JUST A QUICK UPDATE ON THE KIND OF WORK WE'VE DONE.

AGAIN, WE ARE NOT READY TO COME FORWARD WITH A DRAFT.

I DON'T HAVE AN ETA FOR THAT, BUT WE HAVE LOOKED AT JOINT USE AND OFF STREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS.

WE HAVE LOOKED AT SPACES REQUIRED.

WE'RE LOOKING AT, IN A LOT OF CASES, TRYING TO LOWER THE NUMBER OF REQUIRED SPACES AND BRING THEM MORE IN LINE WITH, YOU KNOW, COMMON, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE SEE IN THE REAL WORLD NOW AMERICAN DISABILITIES ACT REQUIREMENTS.

OUR PARKING ORDINANCE IS OLD ENOUGH THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE THOSE REFERENCES.

WE'RE LOOKING AT PERIMETER LANDSCAPE UPDATES TO OUR LANDSCAPING.

PARKING LOT DEFERRAL UPDATES, PARKING LOT REDUCTION.

THERE'S SOME STUFF YOU CAN DO TO LOWER YOUR THE NUMBER OF REQUIRED PARKING SPOTS, ONE OF WHICH IS BY PROVIDING EXTRA BICYCLE

[00:40:06]

WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THAT AND FINALLY WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT EV STATION REQUIREMENTS TOO, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE AT THE MOMENT.

SO I CAN TRY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT MOSTLY IF YOU GET TOO FAR AFIELD FROM A HIGH LEVEL VIEW, THEN WHAT I WOULD END UP DOING IS GOING SELLING YOU. I'LL GO BACK AND GET SOME INFORMATION BACK, BUT I DON'T HAVE AN ETA RIGHT NOW.

BUT THAT IS KIND OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT [INAUDIBLE] OFF STREET PARKING.

PARKING ORDINANCES.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. SHORKEY. COMMISSIONER BLUMER.

I'M SORRY, BROOKS. I'M LOOKING AT YOU.

IT DOESN'T MATTER. I SEE YOU.

I KNOW, YEAH.

GO AHEAD, MR. BROOKS. YOU'RE FAKING ME OUT.

NO, I'M JUST KIDDING.

SO IT'S OKAY FOR THE EV STATION SECTION? IS THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR ALONG YOU ARE, BUT HAVE YOU LOOKED AT.

IS THERE POTENTIAL LOCAL OR FEDERAL FUNDING THAT COULD BE PROVIDED TO DEVELOPERS WHO ARE WOULD BE IMPROVING LOTS BY DOING THAT? THERE.

I DON'T HAVE SPECIFICS, SURE, BUT I HAVE HEARD YES, THERE ARE GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR APPLICANTS WHO WISH TO CONSTRUCT THEM.

IF YOU'RE ASKING, ARE THERE THINGS THAT THE TOWNSHIP WOULD PROVIDE FOR A PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT? I THINK OUTSIDE OF I THINK THAT'S A I'D HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT.

OKAY. WELL, I THINK I MEANT MORE LIKE AT THE STATE OR FEDERAL LEVEL.

IF THERE WERE FUNDS FOR.

YEAH. BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT WOULD BE LIKE ON THE APPLICANT TO LOOK INTO THOSE.

NOW COULD WE HELP THEM AND GUIDE THEM THROUGH THAT.

MAYBE. BUT. RIGHT.

YEAH. THE OTHER THE MY FOLLOW UP COMMENT ABOUT THAT ONE WAS I LIKE IT AND I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE AT SOME LEVEL.

BUT THEN IT ALSO MAKES ME I LIKE ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE IN HERE.

BUT SOME OF THEM LIKE THAT ONE MAKES ME CAUTIOUS ABOUT WHAT THE COSTS WOULD BE IF WE WERE TO PUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN THE ORDINANCE, AND THERE WAS CURRENTLY FUNDING, BUT THEN THAT WOULD GO AWAY AT SOME POINT.

I DON'T THINK IT'S IN THE WRITTEN.

I DON'T THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT IT IN TERMS OF A MANDATE.

MAYBE AT A CERTAIN SIZE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, HEY, YOU'RE A BIG BOX STORE.

PUT A COUPLE. YOU KNOW SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW THAT FOR A FACT.

I DON'T WANT TO BE CLEAR. THIS IS.

IT'S MORE ALONG THE LINES OF IF YOU WANT TO PUT THEM IN, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO? DOES THAT MAKE MORE SENSE? OH, YES.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT NOT MANDATING SOMETHING LIKE AN EV.

GENERALLY SPEAKING THAT'S A GENERAL STATEMENT.

GENERAL STATEMENTS. THESE ARE ALL GENERAL STATEMENTS.

YES. THEY CAN BE RETRACTED IN THE FUTURE.

I WE HAVEN'T EVEN PUT EVERYTHING INTO A SINGLE DRAFT YET.

WE STILL HAVE IT SEPARATED BY SECTIONS.

RIGHT. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION, BUT YEAH.

GO AHEAD. ALL RIGHT, SO MY OTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE I LIKE THE LANDSCAPE STUFF.

STUFF IS A TECHNICAL TERM THAT I READ ABOUT IN ORDINANCES AND IS THAT I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THE BICYCLE, BY REMOVING PARKING SPOTS THAN WE WERE EXPANDING THE BICYCLE LOTS.

I MEAN, THERE'S A CAP ON IT, BUT.

YES. RIGHT. SURE.

BUT THEN WOULD THAT ALSO BE WE WOULD REDUCE THE PARKING CAP, AND THEN THERE COULD ALSO BE RAIN GARDENS THAT WERE INSTALLED IN PLACE OF SOME OF THOSE SPACES.

IS THAT WHAT THIS IS ALSO POINTING TO? THAT IS NOT A SPECIFIC.

IF THAT IS SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE US TO LOOK INTO.

I WOULD LIKE YOU TO EMAIL ME AND I CAN LET STAFF KNOW.

WE CAN CONSIDER SOMETHING.

ARE YOU TALKING. SO YOU'RE TALKING ENVIRONMENTAL C.

YEAH. WELL, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN OR THE MASTER PLAN THAT WE JUST PUT TOGETHER AND HOW WE'RE ONE OF OUR GOALS IS TO PUT IN NATIVE PLANTS, BUT ALSO TO EXPAND THE GREENERY.

I HAVE A.

OKAY. SO I HAVE A DIFFERENT SUGGESTION.

ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE BATH TOWNSHIP MAIER? RIGHT. YES.

OKAY. SO THERE THEY HAVE REQUIRED LANDSCAPE ISLANDS.

WE HAVE REQUIRED LANDSCAPE ISLANDS FOR THAT MAIER.

THEY REQUIRED THOSE TO BE RAIN GARDENS, AND THEY TOOK A COUPLE OF YEARS TO TAKE OFF.

BUT IF YOU GO THERE NOW, THEY'RE LUSH.

WORKING SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN MIGHT BE MORE LIKELY THAN GIVE US A PARKING SPOT AND BUILD A, YOU KNOW.

[00:45:06]

BUT I WAS ALSO THINKING ABOUT IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF LIKE, WE HAVE LOTS OF PARKING LOTS.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT FROM A DRAIN COMMISSION PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH WATER AND SO THIS COULD BE ONE WAY FOR US TO HELP MITIGATE SOME OF THAT.

YOU'RE RIGHT. RIGHT.

OKAY AND THAT'S A GOOD.

THAT'S THE MOST, THAT'S THE CLOSEST EXAMPLE THAT I CAN THINK OF.

JUST HEAD OVER THERE AND TAKE A LOOK.

NOT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE SAGINAW HIGHWAY IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

ISN'T EVERYWHERE. OH MY GOD.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. DO YOU STILL WANT ME TO SEND YOU AN EMAIL ABOUT THIS? YEAH. ALL RIGHT.

USELESS. YEAH.

COMMISSIONER BLUMER. DID YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ALSO? WELL, NOT REALLY A QUESTION.

JUST THIS WOULD NOT BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE COME DIRECTLY TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR IMPLEMENTATION.

I THINK IF SOMEBODY IS GOING TO APPLY FOR A PERMIT, WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO SAY AND BY THE WAY, FOLLOW THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS.

IS THAT RIGHT? OR I MEAN, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE WOULD ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT WHAT YOU'RE SHOWING HERE AT THE SITE PLAN LEVEL.

SO WHEN SOMEBODY LET'S SEE WHAT'S A RECENT I HAD A RECENT I HAD TO GO COUNT PARKING SPOTS AT A, AT ONE OF OUR STORES AND THE STORES IN TWO SECTIONS, SO I HAD TO COUNT.

HOW MANY DOES THIS SECTION REQUIRE? HOW MANY DOES THIS SECTION REQUIRE AND THEN TOTAL THEM TOGETHER? AND HOW MANY SPOTS DO THEY HAVE? THIS IS WHAT THAT WOULD AFFECT THAT NUMBER.

I MEAN, AT THE VERY BASE LEVEL, THE THING THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THE MOST, YEAH, THERE'S LANDSCAPING STUFF AND BICYCLE STUFF AND EV STUFF, BUT AT THE BASE, WHERE DO WE WHERE THE WHERE REALLY WHERE IT REALLY TAKES EFFECT IS PARKING CALCULATIONS.

SO WHAT THIS WILL TURN INTO IS LIKE A STRIKE BOLD VERSION OF THE ORDINANCE WITH AMENDED SECTIONS AND NEW SECTIONS ADDED AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THAT WILL COME BEFORE US FOR REVIEW.

YEAH. THE PARKING ORDINANCE IS PART OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE.

SO IT WILL COME THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR A RECOMMENDATION FIRST.

OKAY. THAT'S HELPFUL. DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS? I WISH THAT COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL WERE HERE BECAUSE I'M SURE HE HAS THOUGHTS ON THIS ONE AND SO WHEN THIS DOES COME BACK TO US.

ABSOLUTELY. IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK ON JUST KNOWING HIS INTEREST IN ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION AND PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY.

I GUESS THAT'S A QUESTION.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT FITS IN A PARKING ORDINANCE, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, SPECIAL USE PERMITS OR THINGS LIKE THAT, HE'S OFTEN TALKED ABOUT THE SORT OF THE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO SITES.

WOULD THAT BE AN APPROPRIATE THING TO INCLUDE IN A PARKING ORDINANCE IF IT'S RELATED TO HOW PARKING LOTS ARE DESIGNED? OR IS THAT GO SOMEWHERE ELSE? CONCEPTUALLY, YES.

I DON'T I CAN'T SAY HOW YET, BUT YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT AND IT MIGHT BE LIKE THE PLACEMENT OF THE LANDSCAPE ISLANDS OR SORT OF THE I DON'T KNOW, I JUST SEE THAT AS SOMETHING IF WE'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE ALTERNATIVES TO VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.

BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW, I CERTAINLY DON'T KNOW HOW NOT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, YOU KNOW, WITH A YOU KNOW, BUT YEAH.

LIKE I SEE WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THAT.

THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT. SURE.

OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. ROBERT. SORRY.

I WAS JUST SAY FROM LIKE A, I DON'T KNOW, A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE, BUT, LIKE, HOW WOULD THIS AFFECT OR WOULD THIS AFFECT AT ALL IN ANY WAY ATTRACTING RESTAURANTS TO AREAS OF THE CITY? BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, THE CLOSER YOU CAN PARK TO A RESTAURANT, THE EASIER IT IS TO GET TO.

AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT'S PROBABLY IF YOU'RE SOMEBODY LOOKING AT OPENING A RESTAURANT, PARKING SPACES IS PROBABLY SOMETHING YOU'RE QUITE INTERESTED IN AND I'M NOT SAYING, TO BE CLEAR, SAME THING WHEN YOU'RE TALKING COMMISSIONER BOOKS.

THIS IS JUST SPITBALLING THIS.

NO. SURE. YOU KNOW. YEAH.

I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT RESTAURANTS.

I'LL PUT IT THAT WAY AND IMPROVING THEM.

I THINK IN THE LONG RUN, IT WOULD, IT'S CERTAINLY GOING TO HELP, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S.

I KNOW GENERALLY SPEAKING A LOT OF THE NUMBERS, A LOT OF THE REQUIRED PARKING NUMBERS ARE GOING TO GO DOWN.

IF THAT GOES DOWN.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUILD AS MUCH INFRASTRUCTURE OR YOU'RE GOING INTO AN EXISTING SITE AND MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT EXPANDING IT.

OR MAYBE YOU CAN DO SOME CREATIVE STUFF WITH THE LANDSCAPING.

IN THAT CASE, THAT MIGHT ENTICE SOMEBODY.

IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T HURT.

I MEAN, I THINK, I MEAN, IT'S ONE OF THE GOALS HERE IS TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF PARKING THAT WE HAVE SO THAT WE HAVE MORE BUILDABLE

[00:50:06]

YOU'RE GOING TO END UP WITH MORE GREEN SPACE ON A SITE.

THINK OF OUR BIG BOX STORES.

OH, YEAH. YEAH.

MAYBE THE ORANGE ONE.

THAT'S THE POSTER CHILD WE TALK ABOUT A LOT IN THE OFFICE.

THEY, YOU KNOW WHERE ALL THAT LANDSCAPING STUFF GOES.

THOSE ARE REQUIRED PARKING SPOTS.

YOU KNOW, THEY CLEARLY DON'T NEED THAT MUCH PARKING THAT COULD HAVE.

YOU KNOW, I'M JUST SAYING.

OH, YES, THERE ARE SO MANY PLACES WHERE THERE'S TOO MUCH PARKING AND THERE'S PLACES WHERE THERE MAY BE NOT ENOUGH PARKING.

YEAH. SPEAKING OF RESTAURANTS, I CAN THINK OF ONE RESTAURANT WHERE YOU HAVE TO PRACTICALLY KILL SOMEBODY TO GET A PARKING SPACE AND IT THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF TIMES WHERE I'VE WANTED TO TAKE MY FAMILY THERE, AND WE'VE GIVEN UP AND GONE SOMEPLACE ELSE BECAUSE YOU SIMPLY CAN'T, BECAUSE THERE JUST SIMPLY ISN'T AVAILABLE.

PARKING SPACE. BAG OF NAILS.

BALANCE. WE WANT BALANCE.

YEAH. OLD BAG OF NAILS.

IT'S. YOU HAVE TO BRIBE SOMEBODY TO GET IT.

YEAH, THAT'S TERRIBLE.

YEAH AND EVEN IF YOU KNOW THERE'S A PARKING DOWN BELOW, I GOT A HANDICAP STICKER IN THERE.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

NOT IN THE TOWNSHIP.

EVEN ANNA'S HOUSE.

IF YOU'RE THINKING, LIKE, RIGHT THERE.

I MEAN, IF YOU TRY TO GO THERE FOR BRUNCH ON A SATURDAY OR SUNDAY.

SAME THING. I MEAN, THERE'S SOME TIGHT TURNS TO MAKE THERE TO GET INTO THAT SPOT AND I'M SURE THAT THAT IF THEY HAD KNOWN IN ADVANCE HOW BAD THE PARKING SITUATION CAN BE AT TIMES, THEY MIGHT HAVE RECONSIDERED PLACING IT THERE.

SO YOU'RE RIGHT.

THE PARKING SITUATION WILL EITHER ENHANCE OR DEGRADE THE POSSIBILITY OF ATTRACTING NEW RESTAURANTS.

YEAH, I'M NOT SURE.

I MEAN, I THINK BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO THEY DON'T WANT TO OVERBUILD AND THEY DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO UNDER BUILD PARKING OR FIND SPOTS OR FIND PLACES WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO NOT HAVE AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF SPACE THAT THEY'RE ANTICIPATING.

SOMETIMES BUSINESSES KNOW THEMSELVES BETTER THAN WE DO, TOO.

TRADER JOE'S, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF PLACES IN OUR ORDINANCE WHERE WE CAP.

WE SAY THERE'S A MAXIMUM AND TRADER JOE'S REQUIRED A VARIANCE BECAUSE THEY SAID, NO, WE WANT MORE PARKING AND I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT BEFORE.

BUT THEY'RE RIGHT.

THEY KNOW THEIR CLIENT.

THEY KNOW THEIR CLIENTELE.

THEY KNOW WHAT THEY NEED.

SOMETIMES THEY KNOW.

THEIR PARKING LOT IS CONTINUOUSLY FULL.

YEAH, CONTINUOUSLY.

THEY WERE RIGHT.

THEY NEEDED THE SPACE.

I FEEL LIKE THEY'VE DONE THIS BEFORE.

ANOTHER THOUGHT ON EVS AND AGAIN, JUST SPITBALLING HERE, WHEN I DO NOT HAVE AN EV, IF YOU HAVE ONE AND YOU CHARGE IT AT ONE OF THOSE STATIONS, ARE YOU CHARGED FOR THAT CHARGING? OKAY.

BECAUSE HERE'S WHERE I'M GOING WITH THAT.

WOULD BY PROVIDING THEM, WOULD WE BE TAKING POTENTIAL REVENUE AWAY FROM A GAS STATION? WOULD THEY SAY, HEY, I DON'T REALLY WANT YOU TO HAVE THAT MANY EVS? IF NOT, IF A GAS STATION DOESN'T HAVE AN EV STATION, RIGHT.

BUT I MEAN, BUT I GUESS APPARENTLY BY BUILDING ONE AS A TOWNSHIP, RIGHT? YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY SAYING TO THE GAS STATION OR WHOEVER ELSE MAY PULL INTO EASTWOOD TOWN CENTER.

RIGHT. THEY HAVE THE TESLA LINE THERE.

YOU'RE SAYING WE'RE TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY FROM YOU? YOU MEAN SOMEBODY'S GOING TO BUY AN EV? BECAUSE I CAN GO GET A CHARGE FOR FREE.

NO, I THINK WHAT I'M SAYING IS YOU WON'T CHARGE AN EV AT A GAS STATION BECAUSE IT WILL BE SEPARATELY AVAILABLE ELSEWHERE IN THE TOWNSHIP.

OH. TO GO BACK TO YOUR ORIGINAL QUESTION, THE MATTER OF WHAT DO THEY CHARGE THAT ENDS UP BEING I THINK THAT ENDS UP BEING THE DECISION OF THE LANDOWNER.

OH, OKAY. YEAH.

SO, LIKE, THERE'S A UP WHERE I LIVE, THERE'S A FACILITY.

HE'S AN ELECTRICIAN AND HE HAS A BIG SIGN OUT SAYING OUTSIDE SAYING FREE EV CHARGING.

OKAY, THAT'S UP TO HIM.

SURE. BUT HE COULD CERTAINLY PUT A METER ON THAT AT SOME POINT.

THE IF YOU'RE SAYING I THINK THE REASON YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS IS BECAUSE GAS STATIONS HAVEN'T BEEN PUTTING COULD BE EVS IN.

I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW OF A GAS STATION WITH AN EV STATION.

I KNOW STORES WITH EV STATIONS IN THEIR PARKING LOTS.

I HAVE HAD I'VE HAD A COUPLE STORES ASK ABOUT INQUIRE ABOUT PUTTING EVS IN THEIR PARKING LOT.

I HAVEN'T HAD A GAS STATION CALL AND ASK, BUT THEY'RE ALL THEY'RE ALL PAY AS YOU GO.

ARE THEY? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT FREE CHARGING? NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT CHARGING.

WHETHER, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WHETHER IT'S FREE OR NOT.

I MEAN, I'VE TAKEN CALLS FROM A COUPLE STORES.

I'VE NOT TAKEN A CALL FROM A GAS STATION.

[00:55:02]

IT'S WHEN YOU GET PEOPLE INSIDE TO BUY SNACKS.

THAT'S ACTUALLY THE REVENUE POINT FOR A GAS STATION.

BUT LIKE I SAID, IT JUST DAWNED ON ME AND AGAIN, SINCE WE'RE JUST HAVING OFF HAND CONVERSATIONS HERE, IT'S LIKE, HEY IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S PROVIDED VERSUS SOMETHING YOU'D HAVE TO PAY FOR.

IF I'M THE PERSON NORMALLY THAT WOULD BE PAID FOR, I MIGHT SAY I REALLY DON'T WANT YOU TO PROVIDE THAT.

AS AN EV OWNER AND DRIVER, I'D BE RATHER SURPRISED TO FIND FREE CHARGING IN A PARKING LOT OR IN A RESIDENTIAL FACILITY.

THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.

I MEAN, IF IT'S AN APARTMENT COMPLEX AND THE MANAGER SAYS FOR AN EXTRA $5 A MONTH YOU HAVE, YOU CAN HAVE ACCESS TO THIS CHARGING STATION.

THAT'S A DIFFERENT BALLGAME.

BUT I DON'T THINK, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF COMMERCIAL CHARGERS IN PARKING LOTS.

YEAH, LIKE IN WALMART, THAT KIND OF THING.

THEY'VE GOT 3 OR 4 ELECTRIC CHARGERS IN THE PARKING LOT.

BUT IT'S UNUSUAL TO THE POINT OF ALMOST UNHEARD OF THAT YOU'LL FIND ONE JUST SIMPLY FREE FOR THE TAKING.

THANK YOU. I DON'T I OBVIOUSLY DON'T HAVE AN EV SO I COULDN'T SPEAK TO THE SECOND ONE.

SO I YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO GET ONE, BUT IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE LAST TIME A NEW CAR.

SO. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS NOW? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW LONG IT'LL TAKE YOU TO, LIKE, WHEN WE MIGHT SEE SOMETHING? OR ARE YOU GOING TO COME BACK WITH MORE? WE HAVE A NEW BOARD COMING IN NOVEMBER.

WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A MANAGER SEARCH.

I DON'T HAVE AN ETA.

OKAY. OKAY, THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW.

ALL RIGHT. COOL.

SO THERE IS STILL OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHERS TO WEIGH IN ON THIS.

OH, ABSOLUTELY. OKAY.

ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.

ALL RIGHT.

WE ARE ON TO ITEM TEN, A TOWNSHIP BOARD UPDATE.

[10.A. Township Board update.]

AGAIN, MR. SHORKEY. SORRY.

I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TALK TO DIRECTOR SCHMITT BEFORE THIS MEETING TO GET AN UPDATE, BUT THINGS HAVE BEEN SO CHAOTIC THE LAST FEW DAYS.

I JUST HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO TOUCH BASE WITH THEM.

THE LAST BOARD MEETING, THOUGH, WAS LAST THURSDAY, AND THEY APPROVED THE SUP.

FOR THE SANDS.

RIGHT? YES, THEY APPROVED THE SANDS.

SUP. NEAR JOLLY ROAD.

THEY DID NOT APPROVE LANGUAGE FOR A PROPOSED MILLAGE VOTE FOR THE SENIOR SLASH COMMUNITY CENTER.

SO I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FORMAL, BUT THAT'S JUST OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

OH, AND THEY PASS A LIQUOR LIKE A LIQUOR ORDINANCE.

A LIQUOR LICENSE ORDINANCE UPDATE.

THAT'S WASN'T A PLANNING COMMISSION THING.

IT'S NOT A ZONING ORDINANCE, BUT IT IS STAFF REVIEWED.

THANK YOU. I'M GETTING A LOT OF CALLS FROM THE RESIDENTS ON SENECA REGARDING THE.

PROPERTY NEXT DOOR TO THE CHURCH.

WHEN IS THAT GOING TO THE BOARD? OH, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.

WHAT? YOU ASKED THEM.

YOU ASKED FOR A BUILDER'S.

THE APPLICANT ON THAT REZONING TO ORGANIZE A COMMUNITY MEETING.

HE HAS. THEY HAVE SET THAT UP? YES, HE HAS REACHED OUT.

SO IT WON'T GO TO THE BOARD UNTIL AFTER THAT.

OKAY. HE REACHED OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.

YES, HE DID. OVER THERE.

YES HE DID. IT'S SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 22ND.

EACH OTHER? INSTEAD OF THROWING BRICKS.

INSTEAD OF THROWING BRICKS.

INSTEAD OF THROWING BRICKS.

YES. SO THAT'S THE ANSWER.

IT WON'T BE UNTIL AFTER AUGUST 22ND.

HE MAY MAKE CHANGES BASED ON THAT.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

LIAISON REPORTS.

ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT FROM HERE?

[10.B. Liaison reports.]

THEY ARE FOCUSED ON DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW WELCOME TO OKEMOS SIGN FOR NORTHBOUND OKEMOS ROAD.

THEY SPENT AT LEAST FOUR MONTHS TALKING ABOUT IT.

THEY'RE DEBATING THE STYLE AND THE EVERYTHING, THE PRICE AND THEY JUST CAN'T SEEM TO ZERO IN ON EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THEY WANT. NOW, THE QUESTION IS, DO THEY HIRE AN OUTSIDE FIRM TO DESIGN A WHOLE NEW SIGN, OR DO THEY JUST USE TOWNSHIP STAFF TO DESIGN IT? AND THEY FIXED ON HOW MUCH THEY'RE WILLING TO PAY FOR OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE ON THAT.

BUT THAT SEEMS TO BE ONE OF THE MAJOR TOPICS OF CONVERSATION AT THOSE BOARD MEETINGS.

[01:00:02]

DID I? THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL VERSIONS OF THE SIGNS SUBMITTED, AND THEY'RE CLOSING IN ON WHAT THEY WANT.

BUT NOW THE QUESTION IS THE EXACT WORDING AND THE EXACT POSITION OF THE FEATURES OF THE SITE.

I JUST SAT BACK AND SAID, YEAH, THAT'S YOUR BALL GAME.

JUST TELL ME WHEN YOU'RE ALL DONE.

BUT THEY HAVE SPENT AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME DISCUSSING THAT ONE TOPIC.

SO PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT PARTICULAR TOWNSHIP AGENCY HAS TROUBLE GETTING GETTING QUORUMS. THEY'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS CANCELED BECAUSE OF LACK OF QUORUMS. SO. THAT'S IT.

KEEP US POSTED. ANY OTHER LIAISON REPORTS TO SHARE? THE ZBA GOT CANCELED LAST MONTH AND IT GOT CANCELED THIS MONTH, I THINK.

WHICH IS GOOD, BECAUSE I HAD A BABY.

I MEAN, WE HAD. SO.

DEFINITELY IT DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO.

I BARELY MADE IT TO THIS ONE.

ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER? SKILLS? NOTHING TO REPORT FROM THE EDC.

OKAY. WE DID MEET, BUT THERE'S NOTHING TO REPORT.

GOT IT. OKAY.

THEN WE WILL MOVE ON TO PROJECT UPDATES.

[11.A. Project Report]

DOES ANYONE? I DID.

CHANGES ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN BOLD.

ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THE THINGS THAT ARE INCLUDED THERE? I'LL ASK ABOUT DOWNTOWN OKEMOS.

ANYTHING THAT'S NOT THERE.

THE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS.

I WILL SECOND.

MR. IS ASKING ABOUT DOWNTOWN.

WHEN I BROUGHT THAT UP AT THE LAST MEETING, I RECEIVED THAT INFORMATION FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER'S REPRESENTATIVE. THE PROPERTY IS OWNED BY WESTPAC CORPORATION.

THIS IS CORRECT AND THEY HAVE AN ON SITE REPRESENTATIVE OF ROCKWOOD.

I'M SURE YOU KNOW WHO I'M TALKING.

I GOT THAT FROM ROCKWOOD AND WHAT HE TOLD ME WAS THESE NUMBERS THAT EVERYBODY'S BANTERING AROUND ARE NOT ACCURATE. HE TOLD ME THAT THEY PUT THIS PROJECT ON INDEFINITE HOLD BECAUSE THE TOWNSHIP WAS ASKING MORE THAN THEY FELT WAS REASONABLE.

HE TOLD ME THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE BURYING OF THE WIRES THAT THE TOWNSHIP WANTS THEM TO REPAIR.

HAMILTON ROAD WANTS THEM TO REPAIR THE.

THERE'S A GAS LINE PROBLEM UNDERNEATH THE ROAD.

HE SAID THAT THE TOWNSHIP WANTS THEM TO REPAIR THAT, AND THEY JUST SAID THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT.

HE SAID THEY'RE JUST ASKING TOO MUCH.

WELL, GOSH, THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY THAN ANY OF US HAVE GOTTEN.

I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO IT TONIGHT BECAUSE I AM STILL UNDER SITE PLAN REVIEW, AND I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY AMENDED SITE PLAN.

THAT'S WHAT I GOT FROM HIM.

HE EVEN DREW ME A DIAGRAM ON A NAPKIN.

HOW LONG HAS THAT PROPERTY BEEN VACANT? FOR YEARS NOW. THIS PROJECT STARTED BACK IN 2015.

I WANT TO SAY 2014 OR 15.

THEN THERE WAS A PRESS CONFERENCE OUT THERE IN 2016, AND THEN ONE OF THE MAJOR PARTNERS IN THAT DOUGLAS J.

EVENTUALLY JUST BACKED OUT OF THE DEAL AND THERE IT SITS, EIGHT YEARS LATER, AT LEAST.

I GO BACK TO MY POINT ON RESTAURANTS.

I WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT RESTAURANTS AT THAT LOCATION, SO I HOPE THAT SOMEBODY CAN SEE THEIR WAY CLEAR TO GETTING THIS MOVING AGAIN AT SOME POINT AND THAT THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO SETTLE, THAT WE DON'T END UP WITH SOMETHING LESS THAN RIGHT.

YOU GET ONE CHANCE TO DO THIS, RIGHT? RIGHT. SO PART OF THE PROBLEM, AS I SAW IT, WAS THAT THE PLAN THAT WAS SUBMITTED, REALLY ONE OF THE GOALS IS A WALKABLE MULTI USE PROPERTY AND THERE WAS NO WALKABILITY AT ALL TO THE PLAN THAT THEY SUBMITTED.

[01:05:02]

IT WAS COMPLETELY CONTRARY TO THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT OF WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO IN THERE, AND IT WAS BLATANTLY OBVIOUS THAT IT WAS CONTRARY TO IT.

THERE WAS IT WASN'T A SECOND GUESSING ISSUE.

YEAH, $6 MILLION.

WE CAN BUY THE LAND.

YEAH. ON THAT NOTE, THAT WOULD ONLY LEAVE ME WITH 3 OR 4. SO I'M NOT, YOU KNOW.

I DON'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM.

WE ARE NOW ON TO PUBLIC REMARKS.

THIS IS THE LAST OPPORTUNITY ON THIS AGENDA FOR PUBLIC REMARKS.

IF THERE'S ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO GIVE PUBLIC REMARKS NOW.

SEEING NONE.

WE ARE ON TO COMMISSIONER COMMENTS AND COMMISSIONER SCALES, I'LL LET YOU GO FIRST.

[13. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS]

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY.

AS THE SECRETARY OF THIS COMMISSION, I TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO REVIEW OUR BYLAWS AND WHAT I FOUND ON PAGE FOUR OF OUR BYLAWS UNDER THE TITLE IT'S SECTION 5.7 A IN THE BYLAWS.

WHICH IS UNDER THE SECTION TITLED MEETINGS.

CORRECT. IF YOU SCROLL DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT 5.785.78.

OKAY. YES.

SO ADOPTION OF THE MASTER PLAN OR ANY PART THEREOF, INCLUDING EXTENSIONS, ADDITIONS, REVISIONS OR OTHER AMENDMENTS, ALL OF WHICH SHALL REQUIRE THE AFFIRMATIVE VOTE OF AT LEAST SIX MEMBERS.

THAT WAS WHEN WE HAD NINE MEMBERS, AND THAT'S INDICATIVE OF A TWO THIRDS VOTE AND I THINK THAT LANGUAGE SHOULD REFLECT TWO THIRDS INSTEAD OF SIX MEMBERS.

OKAY. GOOD CATCH.

YEAH. BECAUSE THAT WOULD HAMPER US FROM MAKING ANY AMENDMENTS TO OUR MASTER PLAN AND THEN THERE'S A PROCESS FOR MAKING THAT CHANGE. IF YOU GO TO.

SECTION 8.1.

CORRECT AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INITIATE THE PROCESS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN CASE WE HAVE TO DO ANY CHANGES TO ANYTHING AND THAT'S 8.1.

8.1 AMENDMENT BYLAWS.

15 DAY NOTICE.

OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMENT.

SO THERE'S A 15 DAY NOTICE THAT HAS TO GO OUT FIRST.

SO I CAN PUT THIS ON YOUR SEPTEMBER 13TH AGENDA AND DOING THE MATH YOU GET 4.69.

AND I GUESS I WOULD ROUND THAT UP TO FIVE.

YES. YEAH.

OKAY. YEAH I THINK THAT IS A GREAT CATCH.

THANK YOU FOR CATCHING THAT BEFORE IT MATTERED.

JUST DOING MY MATH.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

ALRIGHTY. ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

I MOVED THAT WE ADJOURN.

MOVED BY COMMISSIONER SCALES.

SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BLOOMER.

ALL. I'M SORRY, I HAD ONE COMMENT, I APOLOGIZE.

I WILL PULL THAT. I DIDN'T FINISH SAYING IT, SO IT DOESN'T COUNT YET.

GO AHEAD AND MAKE YOUR OTHER COMMENT.

I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE THAT VOTED FOR ME IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION.

WE WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL, BUT WE HAD A GREAT EFFORT THAT WE PUT FORTH AND THE OUTCOME IS NOT UP TO THE EFFORT.

THE OUTCOME IS OUT TO THE VOTERS AND THE VOTERS HAVE SPOKEN, AND I RESPECT THE VOTE THAT WAS TAKEN AND THANK YOU AND I WILL SAY PERSONALLY, I'M A LITTLE BIT PLEASED THAT YOU'RE STICKING WITH US FOR A WHILE.

NO, I SUPPORT YOU IN 100%.

BUT I'M TIRED OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD TAKING OUR GOOD MEMBERS, AND I'M GLAD WE STILL GET TO KEEP YOU FOR A WHILE.

SO THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, NOW, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

COMMISSIONER SCALES, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE? TO ADJOURN? OKAY.

MOVED BY COMMISSIONER SCALES.

SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BLOOMER TO ADJOURN.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

ALL OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT.

WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 7:37.

7:38.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.