Dec 04, 2024 Environmental Commission Meeting

[00:00:35]

ANY FURTHER THOUGHTS ON THIS PART OF IT? YEAH. JUST A MINUTE.

WELL, WE HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT.

OKAY, WE'RE ALL SET TO GO.

HAVING SEEN THE REQUISITE THUMBS UP, I'M GOING TO CALL TO ORDER THE DECEMBER 4TH MEETING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF MERIDIAN.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

[2. PUBLIC REMARKS]

NOW WE'LL GET THE TIME. SURE, THAT'D BE GREAT IF YOU.

IF YOU WOULD STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU ABOUT IT SO I CAN PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. BUT IF YOU STAND AT THE PODIUM, THAT CAMERA WILL BE ON YOU WHEN THE RED LIGHT IS ON THE TOP.

OTHERWISE, THE CAMERA'S UP THERE LOOKING.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

SO GO AHEAD. PLEASE GO.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

WELL. GOOD EVENING.

I'M ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER.

MY NAME IS LAURA BELISLE.

ADDRESS IS 1374 SILKWOOD DRIVE IN OKEMOS.

I HAVE SUBMITTED MY APPLICATION FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

I HAVE A RICH BACKGROUND IN ENVIRONMENT.

I HAVE A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BIOLOGY AND A MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION FOCUSED ON ENVIRONMENTAL AREAS AND NONPROFITS.

I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT NATURAL AREAS, AND I CURRENTLY WORK IN PUBLIC HEALTH AT THE STATE IN THE DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.

SO REALLY INTERESTED IN BECOMING MORE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.

IN OUR NATURAL AREAS AND REALLY IMMERSING MYSELF IN THE TOWNSHIP.

ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR COMING AND FOR INTRODUCING YOURSELF.

AND WE HAVE THE APPLICATIONS ON OUR AGENDA LATER THIS EVENING.

AND MAYBE WE CAN HAVE A GOOD DISCUSSION ON THIS.

THANK YOU. AND GOOD EVENING.

BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION, MY NAME IS RICHARD MIKSIC.

I LIVE AT 5319 DEER LAKE DRIVE IN THE TOWNSHIP.

SINCE THERE ISN'T MUCH BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION IN IN THE AGENDA RELEVANT TO ME, I THOUGHT I WOULD EXPAND A LITTLE BIT MORE AND GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION.

I MOVED TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IN 1995, AND I RESIDE WITH MY WIFE, VICKI, IN THE BEAR LAKE SUBDIVISION OF THE TOWNSHIP.

I HAVE THREE ADULT CHILDREN AND TWO ADULT STEPCHILDREN, ALL OF WHOM BENEFITED FROM THE EXCELLENT EDUCATIONS THEY RECEIVED AT THE OKEMOS AND THE HASLETT PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AT THE END OF 2021, I RETIRED FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, WHERE I MANAGED AN EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH PROGRAM IN WHICH I AUTHORED AND COAUTHORED SEVERAL STUDIES RELATED TO BREAST CANCER, STEROID RECEPTORS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL ESTROGENS.

AS PART OF MY POSITION, I ALSO TAUGHT IN THE UNDERGRADUATE, GRADUATE, AND MEDICAL SCHOOLS.

AND I ALSO SERVED IN A VARIETY OF ADVISORY AND ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY.

SO MY TRAINING INCLUDES A BA IN BIOLOGY FROM NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY, 1977, A PHD IN BIOCHEMISTRY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, MINNEAPOLIS. THAT WAS IN 1982 A POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCH TRAINING AT THE CANCER RESEARCH CENTER IN HEIDELBERG, GERMANY.

AND AS YOU WILL NOTE, VERY LITTLE OF MY EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE DIRECTLY INVOLVES ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES.

HOWEVER, I AM AN AVID NATURALIST WITH A STRONG COMMITMENT TO CONSERVATION, SUSTAINABILITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION.

SO ONE OF MY FAVORITE PASTIMES SINCE RETIRING IS WALKING THE MANY PARKS AND NATURE PRESERVES IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND NOW THAT I AM RETIRED, I HAVE SIGNIFICANT FLEXIBILITY IN HOW TO INVEST MY TIME AND ENERGIES.

SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS MAINTAINING THE HEALTH AND VIGOR OF OUR TOWNSHIP GREEN SPACES.

[00:05:06]

I MIGHT ALSO NOTE THAT I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS HAVING A CAREFUL LOOK AT THE GREEN SPACE PLAN, WITH THE INTENTION OF UPDATING AND REVISITING ITS PRIORITIES. OTHER AREAS OF PERSONAL INTEREST TO ME INCLUDE THE TOWNSHIP'S GREEN ENERGY INITIATIVES, RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL SOLAR IZATION, AS WELL AS LAND PRESERVATION, RECYCLING, AND GREEN BURIAL.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND FOR STEPPING UP, BOTH OF YOU, FOR PUBLIC SERVICE.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IN THIS.

IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S VERY ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN THESE DAYS.

ANY OTHER PUBLIC REMARKS? SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[3. CHANGES TO/APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

ONE PIECE.

I WANTED TO JUST CHECK WITH COMMISSIONER PETERSON.

SINCE WE DON'T HAVE THE OTHER TWO MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE PRESENT WITH US THIS EVENING.

ARE YOU FEELING LIKE YOU'D LIKE TO LEAD THAT DISCUSSION? I DO NOT FEEL LIKE I CAN PULL THAT OFF.

YEAH, I'VE BEEN ACTUALLY MORE OF A SILENT PARTNER.

OKAY, WELL I'M HAPPY TO.

TO DO WHAT I CAN. I HAVE SOME IDEAS ABOUT HOW WE CAN, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE GRACED BY THE PRESENCE OF MR. OPSOMER THIS EVENING.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW NO, DAN.

HE'S OUR DEPUTY TOWNSHIP MANAGER AND DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.

AND A LOT OF THE PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED IN THE DRAFT PLAN WOULD END UP IN HIS OFFICE.

SO IT'S A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THROUGH THAT.

I ALSO HE ACTUALLY PULLED OFF SOME MAGIC THIS EVENING AND GOT UP SOME VISUALS THAT I HAD BROUGHT WITH ME THAT ARE.

IT'S A SERIES OF AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE TOWNSHIP SECTION OF THE TOWNSHIP OVER TIME.

SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE'LL ADD THAT TO THE DISCUSSION OF THE GREEN SPACE PLAN.

WITH NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS APPROVED, AS AMENDED.

[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

WE HAVE MINUTES FROM OUR OCTOBER MEETING, WHICH IS THE LAST ONE THAT WE HAD.

I HAD A LOOK AT THEM, AND THEY.

THEY SEEM GOOD. REALLY GOOD TO ME, BUT I DON'T.

MY COMB IS NOT ALWAYS A FINE TOOTHED AS COMMISSIONER FRAIZER.

WELL, ACTUALLY, I CONCUR THAT THEY LOOK GOOD THIS TIME, AND I DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WORTH MENTIONING AS FAR AS EDITS ARE CONCERNED.

SO YEAH, I THINK THEY'RE GOOD TO GO.

ANY OTHER CHANGES ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE MINUTES? WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED AS CIRCULATED.

[Meeting Schedule for 2025]

ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN THE TOWNSHIP ADOPT THE SCHEDULE FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR, BASED ON A RESOLUTION WHICH WE HAVE IN OUR PACKET.

I HAD A QUESTION.

IT SAYS IN NUMBER ONE, FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY OTHER MONTH, AND THEN IT SAYS SPECIFIC DATES EVERY MONTH.

THIS IS THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH.

IT SAYS EVERY OTHER MONTH STARTING TUESDAY.

EVERY OTHER MONTH SAYS EVERY OTHER MONTH.

RIGHT HERE. OH, DONNA.

OKAY. THAT PARAGRAPH, PARAGRAPH ABOVE.

WHEREAS THAT I SAW THAT AND THEN.

GOOD CATCH.

YEAH, THAT'S A TYPO. THANK YOU.

GOOD CATCH.

HA. AND OBVIOUSLY JANUARY IS THE SECOND MONDAY OR WEDNESDAY.

DUE TO THE HOLIDAY.

WITH THAT CHANGE COMMISSIONER PETERSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION? YES. SUPPORT.

SUPPORT FROM COMMISSIONER SARVER.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

OUR MEETING SCHEDULE IS ADOPTED.

[Reappointments]

I'D LIKE TO INVITE TRUSTEE, AND I CAN SAY THAT TOM WAS REAPPOINTED FOR SOME REASON.

HARRISON'S NAME WAS NOT ON IT.

I WILL LET THE RESOLUTION.

[00:10:03]

SO AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE THE TWO NEW MEMBERS TO TAKE CARE AT THE SAME TIME.

YEAH, THAT WILL BE THE 17TH IS OUR NEXT MEETING.

SO I'LL TRY TO GET AT LEAST HARRISON ON THERE BY THEN.

SUPER DUPER APPRECIATE THAT.

WELCOME AGAIN. WELCOME BACK.

WELCOME. THANK YOU.

WE HAVEN'T CHASED YOU AWAY YET.

YOU'VE GOT TO GIVE YOU MORE. MORE WORK.

GOOD TO BE BACK. YEAH.

[New Appointments]

WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INFORMATION FROM CARLYLE, THEN.

HELP ME. PLEASE PRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME AGAIN.

MIXER. MIXER.

CHECK. THANK YOU.

GAVE US SOME ADDITIONAL DETAILS AND OFFERED TO SEND A CV, IF YOU'D LIKE.

IN MY EXPERIENCE, TYPICALLY, THE COMMISSION HAS CONSIDERED CANDIDATES AND THROUGH DISCUSSION, GIVEN STAFF ENOUGH INFORMATION THAT THEY CAN RELAY TO THE SUPERVISOR ABOUT HOW THE COMMISSION FEELS WITHOUT ANY SORT OF UP OR DOWN VOTE. AS MUCH AS AN INFORMAL SUMMARY, DOES THAT SEEM ABOUT RIGHT IN YOUR EXPERIENCE? YEAH. AND JUST TO CLARIFY THERE BOTH COMPLETION OF THREE YEAR TERMS. SO THAT AFFECTS HOW LONG YOU WOULD BE HERE.

SO SAY THAT A COUPLE MORE TIMES.

OKAY. THERE'S TWO TERMS REGULAR TERMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.

AND WE ALSO HAVE ONE MORE STUDENT OPTION AS WELL, WHICH IS A ONE YEAR TERM FOR THE, FOR THE REGULAR TERMS. ONE ONE OF THE TERMS HAS A ONE YEAR COMPLETION BEFORE IT REACHED THE THREE YEARS.

AND THEN THE THREE YEAR WOULD BE WOULD RENEW.

IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN CONTINUING.

AND THE THE OTHER ONE IS COMPLETION OF A WOULD BE TWO MORE YEARS.

SO OF COURSE YOU CAN QUIT THE ANYTIME YOU WANT.

BUT THAT'S THE WE STAGGER THE TERMS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A OVERLAP BETWEEN MEMBERS.

THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION.

IF IN CONSIDERING WHAT STAFF HAS EXPLAINED YOU HAVE FEELINGS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, PLEASE LET THEM KNOW AND WE CAN TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION IN OUR RECOMMENDATION. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? QUESTIONS? IDEAS? I'LL START OFF BY FULL DISCLOSURE MISS BELL AND I DID HAVE A VIDEO CHAT, AND SO I CAN GET TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HER BACKGROUND AT THE SUGGESTION OF TRUST.

COURTNEY WISINSKI, OUR PARKS DIRECTOR.

THEY HAVE SOME OVERLAP FROM STATE WORK.

AND SO WE HAD A VERY NICE CHAT.

AND I REALLY HOPE THAT WE CAN FIND A WAY TO GET HER ON THE COMMISSION.

NOW, HAVING HEARD FROM MR. MIKSIC I, IN ADDITION TO HIS ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS.

I SO HOPE WE CAN PERSONALLY GET BOTH OF THESE INDIVIDUALS TO JOIN US.

I SHOULD ADD THAT I BELIEVE THAT THE SUPERVISOR WITH THE RECOMMENDATION WILL ALSO GET THE APPLICATIONS TO REVIEW THEMSELVES, AND IT WILL COME BEFORE THE BOARD FOR CONCURRENCE WITH HIS APPOINTMENTS.

LOOKING AT THEIR BACKGROUNDS AND EXPERIENCE, I THINK THEY WOULD ADD SOME ADDITIONAL EXPERTISE TO OUR COMMISSION.

SO I THINK THEY WOULD BOTH BE GOOD ADDITIONS.

ALL RIGHT. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER COMMENTS, I PRESUME STAFF HAS WHAT THEY NEED TO CRAFT A MEMO.

I'D BE HAPPY TO LOOK THAT OVER AND FORWARD IT ON TO THE SUPERVISOR.

[Job Opening]

AND I'M TRYING TO RECALL THERE'S NOT A PIECE IN THE PACKET FOR THAT.

DAN, DO YOU WANT TO SAY A WORD OR TWO ABOUT THE POSITION THAT'S OPEN? THE JOB OPENING? YEAH, IT'S UP TO YOU, SCOTT, SPOT, BUT.

YEAH. SO THE TOWNSHIP DOES HAVE AN ACTIVE PROJECT ENGINEER POSITION THAT'S POSTED.

THE INTENTION HERE IS THAT THIS POSITION WOULD REPLACE LEROY IN HIS FUTURE RETIREMENT WITH THE TOWNSHIP.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS FILL THAT POSITION AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN, BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE A GOOD APPLICANT POOL.

[00:15:03]

BUT WE DO HAVE THE POSITION OUT THERE.

AND WE WELCOME APPLICANTS TO APPLY.

THANKS. IF I, IF I COULD I BELIEVE THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THAT POSITION DO INVOLVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF GIS MAPPING, CARTOGRAPHY KIND OF BACKGROUND, MORE SO AUTOCAD.

BUT CERTAINLY GIS EXPERIENCE IS VIEWED AS A POSITIVE, BUT IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT FOR THE PROJECT ENGINEER POSITION.

BUT TYPICALLY WITH IF YOU'RE COMING OUT OF UNDERGRADUATE TODAY THROUGH AN ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE AUTOCAD AND GIS EXPERIENCE TO SOME DEGREE, RIGHT? SUPER. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE DEPUTY MANAGER? THE POSTING IS AVAILABLE TO REVIEW AT THE WEBSITE.

THANK YOU. YOU'D HAVE TO GO UNDER ABOUT US OR AND OR CAREERS AND THEN A LIST OF CAREERS.

AND YOU CAN LOOK AT POST AND APPLY AND SEE WHAT THE POSTING IS.

SO IF ANY OF OUR LISTENING PUBLIC KNOWS SOME YOUNG AND UP AND COMING ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERS, LET'S MAKE SURE THEY APPLY.

THANKS, DAN. PARKING ORDINANCE REVISION UPDATE.

I CAN ACTUALLY COVER THAT UNDER LIAISON REPORT, SO LET'S SKIP THAT ONE AND SEE IF WE CAN GET TO OUR UNFINISHED BUSINESS, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT WITH EVERYONE.

GREAT. UNFINISHED BUSINESS IS THE GREEN SPACE PLAN.

[Greenspace Plan]

ONE IS TO TAKE THE NOTES FROM THE LAST PRESENTATION.

THE COMMITTEE GAVE US, THE PRESENTATION THE COMMITTEE GAVE US AND TURN THOSE INTO REQUESTS TO WHOEVER IN THE TOWNSHIP CAN HELP ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.

AND IF WE GET THROUGH THAT WITHOUT TOO MUCH TROUBLE, MAYBE WE'LL LOOK AT A LITTLE SLIDESHOW, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

BUT IF WE CAN ACTUALLY.

YEAH, IF WE CAN.

SCROLL DOWN, PLEASE.

LEROY TO THE ONE WITH THE THE DOCUMENT WITH THE YELLOW HIGHLIGHTS IN IT.

I'M REALLY GLAD YOU GOT THIS MOUSE WORKING, DAN.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING. ACTUALLY, CAN I GRAB THAT MOUSE FROM YOU? OF COURSE. SWEET.

DON'T MESS IT UP.

THERE WE GO. I HAVE THE POWER NOW.

STOP, STOP, STOP! TOO MUCH POWER. YEAH.

SO, AS WE REMEMBER THEY STARTED OFF BY TALKING ABOUT HOW THE OLD PLANNING PROCESS WORKED.

THE ORIGINAL.

AND IT'S THE GOALS OF THEIR PROJECT TO ASSESS PROGRESS AND IDENTIFY POTENTIAL GAPS.

AND THEY IDENTIFIED THESE SPECIFIC AREAS OF INTEREST, WHICH LARGELY, ALMOST COMPLETELY COINCIDE WITH THE AREAS OF INTEREST IN THE EXISTING PLAN.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAP.

SO ON THE PRIORITY CONSERVATION CORRIDORS, WHICH IS PART OF THE 2004 PLAN.

AT THE TIME, THEY SAID THAT 84% OF THEM WERE ALREADY REGULATED.

AND WE'RE STARTING TO ASK QUESTIONS.

COME ON, MOUSE. COME ON, MOUSE, DON'T FAIL ME NOW.

CAN I GET CLOSER? SO THIS QUESTION HERE HOW ARE THE PRIORITY CONSERVATION CORRIDORS DOING? HOW HAVE THESE REGULATED LANDS BEEN PROTECTED, ADEQUATELY PROTECTED? IF NOT, HOW DO WE DO THAT? SO TO ME, THAT'S A GIS QUERY THAT SAYS TAKE THE LANDS THAT WERE ACQUIRED DURING THE LAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM, WHICH POLYGONS STICK THEM ON TOP OF THE PRIORITY CONSERVATION CORRIDORS, AND SAY, HOW MUCH DID WE PRESERVE THROUGH THIS LAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM? SOME. PROBABLY A LOT.

PROBABLY. I KNOW, I KNOW, SOME WERE.

DID OTHERS MAYBE NOT SO MUCH.

THERE'S A QUESTION HERE ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE WETLAND AREAS.

AND THE COMMITTEE IS AWARE THAT THE SOME OF THE TOWNSHIP GIS STAFF HAVE BEEN UPGRADING THE

[00:20:10]

SO IT'S GETTING DIFFERENT TYPES OF WETLAND ARE BEING THERE AND GETTING THAT UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THEM, IN MY MIND A LOT.

FOR EVERY WETLAND MITIGATION THAT WAS DONE, THERE WAS A MITIGATION PLAN.

AND WE KNOW WHERE THOSE ARE, AND WE KNOW THE QUALITY OF THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE ASSESSED BEFORE THE DISTURBANCE AND AFTER THE DISTURBANCE.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE QUALITY OF OUR MITIGATION AREAS, BUT ALSO ABOUT OUR LAND PRESERVATION AREAS.

BUT IT'S NOT THAT WAS DEVELOPED AFTER THE PLAN THAT WE'VE LEARNED SO MUCH IN THE 20 YEARS SINCE THE PLAN WAS ADOPTED THAT A NEW PLAN WOULD USE THOSE EXISTING DATA, NOT JUST SAY, WETLANDS HERE, BUT WHAT KIND OF WETLANDS? RIGHT.

ON SCENIC ROAD CORRIDORS AGAIN? PLAN RECOMMENDED A BUFFER.

I THINK THERE WAS 1 OR 2 IMPLEMENTATIONS IN SCENIC ROAD CORRIDORS.

DID WE DID WE DO THAT RIGHT? WHAT WAS IT WHEN TREES.

AND ANYWAY, WHERE AM I THINKING OF DAN? THE SCENIC ROAD CORRIDOR THAT WAS ADJUSTED.

A ROAD PROJECT, OF COURSE.

THERE'S THERE'S OH, SHOOT.

WHAT DO WE CALL THE ACTUAL DESIGNATION ANYWAY? WE DON'T HAVE TO FIGURE OUT THE DETAILS NOW.

BUT AGAIN, IF ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN INSIDE THOSE SCENIC ROAD CORRIDORS TO PROTECT, THEN WE SHOULD BE ACKNOWLEDGING ALL THAT STUFF THAT WE PROTECTED AND SEE WHERE PROTECTION HASN'T HASN'T WORKED.

SO THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF THE SORT OF MORE TECHNICAL GIS SORT OF OPERATIONS, THAT OCCURRED TO ME THAT WE MIGHT ASK OF THE RELEVANT STAFF IN THE, IN THE TOWNSHIP WHO HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE DATA AND TO CONTINUE UPGRADING THE DATA.

THAT IS AVAILABLE ON THE PUBLIC FACING WEBSITE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE USE OF IT AS A DECISION MAKING BODY.

AND BACK UP THERE AGAIN.

OKAY. SORRY FOR THAT FORAY. DOES THAT SEEM LIKE A REASONABLE WAY FORWARD TO START WITH SOME KIND OF BASIC DATA QUERIES AND GET A FEEL FOR WHAT IT IS THAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED? I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO I THINK THAT THAT'S THE AFTER AFTER WORKING THROUGH THE DOCUMENT WITH THE OTHERS.

AND THEN COMING UP WITH THE QUESTIONS, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO SAY, OKAY, WHERE ARE WE BEFORE THERE'S LIKE NEXT STEPS? YEAH. YEAH.

AND I KNOW DAN HAS EXPRESSED A WILLINGNESS TO TO DO THAT.

IT'S A TRICKY THING WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE OF US WHO ARE AVAILABLE IN THE EVENINGS AND STAFF WHO ARE AVAILABLE DURING THE DAYTIME TYPICALLY.

SO I THINK IF WE CAN PROPERLY FORMULATE THOSE REQUESTS, THAT THEY'LL GO TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND WE'LL GET ANSWERS BACK.

THAT MAKES SENSE. IS THERE ANY OTHER BITS OF WHAT I GLOSSED OVER HERE THAT CAUGHT ANYBODY'S EYE? THAT SHOULD BE ONE OF OUR TASKS.

I MEAN, I CAN SAY, FOR ONE THING, WILDLIFE CROSSINGS.

EVERY BRIDGE IN THE TOWNSHIP WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A WILDLIFE UNDERCROSSING IN IT, BUT WE DON'T OWN THE ROADS, SO WE COULDN'T REALLY DO IT EXCEPT WHEN THEY REBUILT DOBIE ROAD BRIDGE.

WE DID MANAGE TO GET THEM TO, TO ACTUALLY PUT THEIR RIPRAP IN A WAY WHERE THERE'S SORT OF A SHELF, AND IT DOES GET USED AS A WILDLIFE UNDERPASS.

THERE IS ON THE OKEMOS ROAD BRIDGE.

AND NOW WE BUILT ONE ON THE OKEMOS ROAD BRIDGE.

SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THESE ROAD PROJECTS COME ALONG ONCE EVERY OR BRIDGE PROJECTS ONCE EVERY TEN, 20, 30 YEARS.

AND TO GET THOSE ACCOMPLISHED IN THERE AS WELL, YOU KNOW.

YEAH, AS WE THINK ABOUT OUR PRIORITIES FOR THE COMING YEAR DAN REMINDS ME THAT THE TOWNSHIP, YOU KNOW, STAFF ARE RIGHT NOW

[00:25:02]

IF THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT OVERLAP WITH SOME OF THEIR, THEIR PRIORITIES.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE TOWNSHIP GOALS AND PRIORITIES HAVE BEEN DEFINED YET, BUT THAT MIGHT ALSO DICTATE WHERE OUR FOCUS IS OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

AND SIMILARLY, WITH OTHER PRIORITIES THAT HAVE COME UP, WHETHER IT'S GREEN BURIAL OR ENERGY EFFICIENCY.

TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE'S SYNERGY BETWEEN THE TOWNSHIP'S GOALS AND OUR GOALS, I THINK WILL MOVE MORE EFFECTIVELY.

YEAH. ANOTHER OPTION, OF COURSE, IN A TIGHT LABOR TIME WOULD BE TO CONSIDER USING SOME CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY FUNDING TO BRING IN OUTSIDE EXPERTISE WHO COULD DO THE SAME OPERATIONS AS LONG AS THEY HAD ACCESS TO THE RIGHT DATA.

BUT I WHICHEVER WAY WE GO, GETTING A VERY CLEAR SCOPE OF WORK IS THIS ANYTHING IS THIS ANYTHING THAT COULD BE ADDRESSED WITH AND I'M SO NEW.

I DON'T REMEMBER THE YOUNG MAN WHO JUST LEFT.

GRAHAM DIETRICH. GRAHAM.

YEAH. THE I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A GRANT OR A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE U OF M.

YEAH. THE THING IS THAT THE GRAHAM INSTITUTE LOOKED INTO AS FAR AS MANPOWER.

YOU KNOW, WE DID RECENTLY GET A BIT ABOUT THAT.

IS THAT DEADLINE GONE? WE DID NOT RESPOND OFFICIALLY WITH AN OFFICIAL REQUEST, BUT THEY DID LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN.

IF WE WANT TO PARTNER WITH ANOTHER COMMUNITY ON A SIMILAR TYPE OF PROJECT.

SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS WILL BE HAPPENING.

THE PROJECTS KICK OFF IN MAY.

SO, YEAH, THERE MAY BE SOME OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER AND BENEFIT FROM OTHER GRAD STUDENTS IN THAT PROGRAM.

YEAH. WELL, LET'S FIRST FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT IT IS WE WANT SOMEONE TO DO AND THEN LET TOWNSHIP STAFF ADVISE US ON HOW BEST TO GET THAT DONE.

EVEN IF YOU DO HAVE AN OUTSIDE PERSON, GETTING THE RIGHT DATA TO THEM IS NOT ALWAYS TRIVIAL, AND YOU CAN'T REALLY LET THEM SIT DOWN IN THE BACK OF HOUSE AND START GOING THROUGH STUFF.

YEAH. BECAUSE IT'S ALL ALIVE, RIGHT? WE SEE IT ALL THE TIME.

BUT THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

AND I THINK AS THOSE DATA BECOME AVAILABLE, THAT SORT OF EXPERTISE TO INTERPRET THEM COULD BE REALLY USEFUL. RIGHT. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? I DO.

I DID HEAR DISCUSSION YESTERDAY EVENING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD'S GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

GOALS FOR 2025.

ARE THOSE JUST ADOPTED? NO, THEY WILL BE PROBABLY ON OUR AGENDA ON THE 17TH.

GOTCHA. IF NOT, THEN THE FIRST WEEKEND OR THE FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY.

WE DISCUSSED THEM IN GENERAL RIGHT NOW.

MR. SCHMIDT IS WORKING TO FINALIZE THEM AND REWRITE THEM BASED ON OUR BROAD BASED DISCUSSION.

ALL RIGHT. TO BRING THEM BACK TO US FOR DISCUSSION AND ADOPTION.

WELL, I WON'T PUT YOU ON THE SPOT ANY FURTHER.

GOOD. THAT WAS A WHOLE WEEK AGO.

I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT WE DISCUSSED AT THE MOMENT.

OH, DEAR.

OH, DEAR. WELL, THEN WE'LL JUST HOPE THAT THIS WORK ALIGNS WITH ONE OR MORE OF THOSE.

IT CERTAINLY FITS IS NAMED EXPLICITLY IN THE NEW TOWNSHIP'S MASTER PLAN.

SO I THINK WE SHOULD HOPEFULLY WE'LL YOU KNOW, WE'RE AMONG THOSE THAT.

YEAH, I YEAH, I BELIEVE THAT THERE MAY BE SOMETHING THAT IT WILL FIT UNDER.

THANK YOU. SOMETHING ELSE I SHOULD HAVE CLARIFIED THAT A LITTLE BIT.

THE TOWNSHIP GOALS DO NOT DICTATE EVERYTHING THAT THE STAFF DO.

THERE'S ALSO REQUIRED LAWS THAT WE HAVE TO UPHOLD.

AND SO PART OF THAT IS IT'S A BALANCING ACT OBVIOUSLY.

YEAH. AND IT WILL NEVER BE OUR INTENTION TO PUSH THE TOWNSHIP STAFF BEYOND WHAT THEY CAN ABSORB.

SO, I'LL BRING THAT POWERPOINT BACK UP, PLEASE.

[00:30:08]

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET IT TO GO FULL SCREEN.

THANK YOU. I THINK IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE A SLIDESHOW. I'M LOOKING FOR THE SLIDESHOW ICON.

ANYBODY SEE IT UP THERE? UP AT THE TOP. THERE'S A DROP-DOWN MENU FOR SLIDESHOW.

HERE WE GO.

SO THESE ARE A SET OF PHOTOGRAPHS THAT I ACQUIRED FROM THE REMOTE SENSING AND GIS ARCHIVE AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY. THEY ARE THE OFFICIAL ARCHIVISTS OF THE ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

AND FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES, THEY HAVE HELPED ME ACQUIRE ONE SET THAT HAPPENS TO COVER MY SUBDIVISION AT THESE FOUR DIFFERENT DATES. AND I JUST FIND IT INCREDIBLY FASCINATING BECAUSE THIS IS MY PROFESSION.

SO THIS IS FROM 1938, AND YOU CAN SEE THE FAMOUS.

OXBOW WITH OKEMOS DOWNTOWN OKEMOS.

HERE YOU CAN SEE GRAND RIVER RUNNING THROUGH.

THIS IS ALMOST ADOBE ROAD.

IT GOT MOVED OVER A LITTLE BIT.

MARSH OKEMOS, ET CETERA.

SO I LIVE HERE, BUT WHAT'S INTERESTING TO ME IS FROM 1938 TO 1950, JUST HOW MUCH THE.

LANDSCAPE CHANGED IN 1938.

YOU CAN SEE DOWNTOWN OKEMOS HAS SOME ACTIVITY IN IT.

THE SUBDIVISION IS STARTING TO BE BUILT OUT.

YOU CAN SEE INDIAN HILLS STARTING TO HAVE ITS ROADS GO IN BY 1950.

DOWNTOWN OKEMOS IS FULL.

BOTH OF THESE SUBDIVISIONS ARE INDIAN HILLS IS WELL ALONG, AND IN 1955, TACOMA HILLS, WHERE I LIVE, STARTS TO GET GRADED OUT. A COUPLE OF THE EARLY ALL THIS WESTERN AREA HERE OF THIS PHOTOGRAPH.

ANYWAY, INDIAN HILLS IS ALMOST FULLY BUILT OUT AND BY 1963 WE SEE EVEN MORE SO.

I FIND IT FASCINATING TO REVIEW THESE BOTH JUST FOR FUN, BUT ALSO RECENTLY, THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD A REQUEST TO REZONE A PARCEL NEXT TO FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH ON DOBIE ROAD.

AND THAT PARCEL HAS NOT BEEN BUILT.

IT'S WILD. IT'S FULLY WOODED.

AND THE NEIGHBORS, OF COURSE, WOULD LOVE IT TO STAY THAT WAY AND NOT BE TURNED INTO WHAT IT'S ZONED FOR, WHICH IS MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE PHOTOGRAPH FROM 19.

OOPS, SORRY.

38. YEAH.

THERE WERE SOME ORCHARDS, YOU KNOW, BUT REALLY IT WAS ALL BEING CULTIVATED.

THERE'RE THESE BIG WOODLOTS.

THIS ONE'S BEHIND MY HOUSE.

BUT ALL OF THAT PROPERTY AT ONE POINT HERE IN 1950 WAS BEING CULTIVATED IN 55 WAS.

SO FOR ME, IT HELPS BRING INTO PERSPECTIVE WHEN WE SEE A CURRENT DAY LANDSCAPE AND WE ASSUME NATURALLY THAT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY OR THAT IT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.

UNDERSTANDING THE.

PRIOR USES AS FAR BACK AS THE PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD GOES.

KIND OF HELPS ME UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE TOWNSHIP, AND SO, IF I MAY. IN MY PRE-RETIREMENT PROFESSIONAL WORK, A LOT OF WHAT I WAS DOING WAS USING AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS LIKE THIS TO GET DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE WITHIN A COMMUNITY TO COME TO A COMMON UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE LANDSCAPE HAD CHANGED OVER THE YEARS FOR WHICH WE HAVE A RECORD.

AND WITH THE IDEA THAT THE MORE YOU CAN AGREE ON HOW IT'S HAPPENED SO FAR, MORE LIKELY YOU ARE TO AGREE ON AT LEAST YOU HAVE A LANGUAGE FOR TALKING ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN NEXT.

[00:35:03]

IF WE WERE TO, FOR EXAMPLE, WANT ONE OR MORE OF THESE YEARS AVAILABLE ON THE TOWNSHIP'S WEBSITE WHERE WE CAN SEE ALL THE MAP WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO CONTRACT FOR THAT.

AND SO I GUESS MY MY QUESTION TO THE COMMISSION IS IS DOES THAT SEEM LIKE A VALUABLE TOOL? AND IF SO, IS IT WORTH ASKING THE FOLKS FOR AN ESTIMATE ON WHAT IT WOULD COST US? I'M CERTAIN THAT THEY WOULD GIVE US A A VERY FIRM PRICE.

THEY'D TELL US EXACTLY HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST.

BUT I'M NOT GOING TO ASK HIM UNLESS PEOPLE THINK IT'S USEFUL.

FLIGHT OF FANCY. IT'S OKAY.

I USE IT, I LOVE IT.

IF IT IF IT DOESN'T TRIP PEOPLE'S TRIGGER, THAT'S JUST FINE.

SO, I GUESS QUESTION WOULD THIS BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH STUDYING THE GREEN SPACE PLAN AND POSSIBLY ANSWERING SOME QUESTIONS AND SEEING WHERE WE'RE AT AND WHERE WE WANT TO GO? OR IS THIS KIND OF TOTALLY SEPARATE FROM THAT? I SEE IT AS ONE POTENTIAL PRODUCT THAT A NEW GREEN SPACE PLAN MIGHT HAVE.

IT MIGHT NOT BE THE PHOTOGRAPHS THEMSELVES.

IT MIGHT BE A SERIES OF MAPS DERIVED FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHS.

BUT CAN YOU PLEASE BRING UP THE GIS VIEWER? TOWNSHIP'S GIS VIEWER? I SOMETIMES ASSUME THAT EVERYBODY SPENDS AS MUCH TIME THERE AS I DO, BUT I'M SURE THAT'S NOT TRUE.

ALL RIGHT. SO THIS IS A GOOD CHANCE TO.

I SPEND LITTLE OR NO TIME ON IT.

SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE, DAN.

IT'S VERY EASILY ACCESSIBLE FROM THE HOME PAGE.

GOVERNMENT GIS.

THESE DAYS, IT IS LOADING WITH A LOT OF DATA ABOUT OUR LOCAL ROADS PROGRAM, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT IT HAS NUMEROUS BACKGROUND LAYERS THAT CAN BE USED FOR BEYOND THE LINE MAP.

SO PHOTOGRAPHIC AERIAL IMAGERY AND IT TENDS TO BE PRETTY MODERN.

PRETTY MUCH KEEPS UP WITH BUT THERE ARE NOT CURRENTLY ANY HISTORICAL.

AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO USE GOOGLE PRO ONE OF THE REALLY NICE THINGS IS YOU CAN GO BACK IN TIME AND LOOK AT OLDER IMAGERY, AND NOT ALWAYS THE MOST MODERN THING THAT GOOGLE MAPS DELIVERS.

YOU REALLY NICE TO SEE HOW THE LANDSCAPE CHANGES OVER TIME.

THESE ARE THE LAYERS THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY IN THE PUBLIC GIS VIEWER.

WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL GIS LAYERS THAT ARE BEHIND THE SCENES AND NOT ACCESSIBLE IN THE PUBLIC VIEWER AT THIS TIME.

BUT I WAS TRYING TO TURN OFF THE PARCEL LAYER, BUT IT MIGHT BE HIDING RIGHT NOW.

THERE IT IS. THERE IT IS.

THAT KIND OF CLUTTERS THE IMAGERY, BUT IT'S A WONDERFUL SERVICE TO TO HAVE.

YOU CAN SEE THAT ONE'S GOT SOME CLOUD IN IT, SO IT'S OBSCURING SOME OF OUR SOUTHERN SUBDIVISIONS.

YEP. AND I'M PRESUMING THAT IF THE OTHER HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHIC LAYERS WERE AVAILABLE, INCORPORATING THEM WOULD NOT BE A HUGE LIFT.

NO. YEAH.

AS LONG AS THE FILE TYPE IS COMPATIBLE, COMPATIBLE WITH GIS, IT WOULD BE PRETTY EASY TO INTEGRATE.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY QUESTIONS, IDEAS, THOUGHTS?

[00:40:03]

[7. REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS ]

AS USUAL, I'VE GOT A BRIEF REPORT IN MY STAFF.

UPDATE. I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL THE DETAIL RIGHT NOW, BUT THANK YOU FOR THOSE FOR HELPING OUT.

THE LATEST HEALTH CHALLENGE THE LAST FEW WEEKS AND INCLUDING STAFF AND I'M BACK PART TIME AND OPTIMISTIC ABOUT A NEW STAFF PERSON GETTING HIRED.

SO LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE STAFF UPDATE.

I'VE GOT SOME HYPERLINKS HERE.

GOING TO EACH OF THE VARIOUS PROJECTS WE'RE INVOLVED WITH, A LOT OF PROJECTS.

WE'VE GOT A LOT OF VOLUNTEER INITIATIVES, AND MANY OF YOU ARE HERE TONIGHT TO REPORT, SO I'M GOING TO RELINQUISH MY TIME TO YOU.

BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON WHAT YOU'VE READ SO FAR, I'D BE HAPPY TO RESPOND TO THAT NOW.

OKAY. HEARING NONE LIAISONS.

WHO HAS A MEETING LIAISON TO ALL START OFF PARKING ORDINANCE REVISION UPDATE.

I ONLY PUT THAT ON THERE TO MENTION THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT ITS LAST MEETING, SAW A SET OF DRAFT REVISIONS TO OUR PARKING ORDINANCE MOST OF WHICH WERE EDITORIAL CLEANUPS TO MAKE THINGS CONSISTENT AND UNDERSTANDABLE AND EASY TO USE.

BUT THE COMMISSION THEN ENGAGED IN A DISCUSSION OF WHETHER BOTH WHERE TO SET MINIMUMS OR WHETHER TO SET MINIMUMS. AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS AN INTERN WHO'S DOING SOME WORK ON THAT QUESTION.

AND LOOKING AT OTHER COMMUNITIES IN MICHIGAN THAT HAVE DONE AWAY WITH THEIR MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS.

AND IN A SITUATION WHERE A COMMUNITY IS OVER PARKED AND THERE'S MORE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE THAN YOU NEED, YOU RISK MORE PROBLEMS WITH FLOODING. AND SO ONE OF THE BIG DRIVERS OF WHAT THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE DOING IS TO REDUCE UNUSED PARKING. AND MY READ OF THE HISTORY IS THAT PARKING MINIMUMS WERE USED IN A TIME WHEN ESPECIALLY SHARED BUSINESSES, STRIP MALLS AND OTHERS SHARED PARKING.

AND IF NEW TENANTS WERE ALLOWED TO SET UP AND NOT PROVIDE ANY NEW PARKING, THEN IT WOULD INCONVENIENCE THE OTHER USERS IN THAT SITUATION.

BUT THE PLANNING STAFF FEEL THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY ARE GENERALLY HAVE MORE PARKING THAN WE USE.

AND AS PART OF MY PERSONAL DESENSITIZATION EFFORT, I WENT AND VISITED THE MALL ON BLACK FRIDAY, AND MAN, DIX WAS PARKED ALL THE WAY TO CHILI'S.

PENNEYS WAS PARKED ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE POST OFFICE AND MACY'S ALL THE WAY DOWN AT THE BOTTOM.

I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT. AMAZING.

ANYHOW SO THAT'S DISCUSSION THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS HAVING IS WHETHER WE STILL NEED PARKING MINIMUMS. SINCE PEOPLE BRING PROJECTS TO US, THEY KNOW HOW MANY PARKING SPACES THEY NEED, YOU KNOW? AND WE DON'T EVER END UP TELLING THEM YOU NEED TO HAVE MORE.

BUT WE HAVE AT TIMES INCREASED WHAT THEY HAD.

I MEAN, WE HAD TO DO AN AMENDMENT FOR TRADER JOE'S BECAUSE THEY NEEDED MORE PARKING THAN THEY HAD ON THE LOT.

AND NOT JUST TO MEET THE MINIMUMS. THEY EXPECTED A NEED.

RIGHT. SO WE HAD TO AMEND OR GIVE THEM A VARIANCE IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH MORE PARKING.

THAT IS UNUSUAL.

THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.

THAT'S THAT'S A THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE.

WHAT I'VE SEEN IN SEVEN YEARS.

YEAH. YEAH.

IS THIS JUST RELATE TO NEW DEVELOPMENTS OR DOES IT HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR EXISTING PARKING? IT WELL, THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECENTLY SAW A CASE ON LAKE LANSING.

NOT SMITH. THE ONE WITH THE NEW PATHWAY ON SOUTHWEST CORNER OF LAKE LANSING.

THERE'S A BUSINESS ON SHORE AND HASLETT ROAD THAT OR NEAR THERE THAT WAS BEING CONVERTED TO A DIFFERENT USE.

AND THERE WAS A I THINK IT WAS MAINLY THE ROAD DEPARTMENT THAT SAID, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED MORE SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO GET IN AND OUT OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.

[00:45:02]

BUT THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE CONVERTING AN OLD DENTAL OFFICE INTO SOME APARTMENTS.

I BELIEVE IT WILL AFFECT EXISTING BUSINESSES IF THEY'RE GOING TO DO SOME ADDITIONS, IF THEY WANT TO REDUCE THEIR PARKING AND THEY CAN'T BECAUSE OF THE MINIMUMS. YES. THE QUESTION ALWAYS COMES UP.

DO YOU DESIGN THE PARKING MINIMUMS TO ADDRESS A BLACK FRIDAY? RIGHT. SO THAT THERE'S IMPERVIOUS PARKING ALL YEAR FOR WHAT AMOUNTS TO 3 OR 4 DAYS OF NEED.

AND THAT'S A DIFFICULT QUESTION.

YEAH. YES.

AND CERTAINLY THE CASE OF THE MALL IS, IS THE THE BIGGEST OUTLIER OF THE OUTLIERS.

RIGHT. SO AND THE WAY IT'S DESIGNED NOW, IT'S BY SQUARE FOOTAGE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU'RE PUTTING IN THERE, IF YOU BUILD SOMETHING WITH X NUMBER OF SQUARE FEET AND IT'S A COMMERCIAL BUILDING, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS MANY PARKING SPOTS.

THAT COULD BE TRUE IF YOU'RE EXPECTING TO SERVE 25 PEOPLE IN THAT SPACE, OR 200 PEOPLE IN THAT SPACE AT THE SAME TIME, WHETHER IT'S RETAIL, WHETHER IT'S THE GO CART THING.

I MEAN, THERE'S DIFFERENT NEEDS BASED ON BUSINESSES.

BUT THE PARKING LIMITATIONS OR MANDATES ARE BASED ON SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE BUILDINGS.

BUT WHEN PANDA EXPRESS PROPOSES TO REDEVELOP WHEAT JEWELER TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'VE GOT THE PARKING FOR THE NUMBER OF SEATS THAT THEY GOT.

THEY OH, SURE, THEY DO THAT THROUGH VERY CAREFULLY.

AND ACTUALLY, THE PLAN INCREASES THE GREEN SPACE ON THE PLOT BECAUSE THE BUILDING FOOTPRINT IS SMALLER AND THEY CAN DO STORMWATER DETENTION AND THINGS.

SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO BE AWARE OF.

AND THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER WEIGHS IN ON EVERYTHING.

SO. THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S RIGHT. SO HE HAS SOME IDEAS FOR WHAT THE MALL NEEDS WHICH IS NOT AS MUCH PARKING AS THEY HAVE.

WE DID ALSO SEE THE CASE OF THE BANK BUILDING IN THE HOBBY LOBBY PARKING LOT.

THEY, THEY RECOGNIZED RIGHT OFF THE BAT THERE'S TOO MUCH.

WE NEVER USE THOSE SPOTS.

THEY GAVE THEM UP. RIGHT? THEY SAID.

WHAT OTHER LIAISONS DID YOU WANT? TO MAKE A BOARD.

DID YOU WANT TO MENTION THE INTERVIEWS YESTERDAY? WE DID HAVE INTERVIEWS YESTERDAY.

WE HAD THREE FINALISTS FOR THE TOWNSHIP MANAGER POSITION.

IT WAS A VERY LONG AND INTERESTING AFTERNOON.

I THINK WE HAVE THREE QUALITY CANDIDATES.

WE HAD ABOUT 60 APPLICATIONS.

ABOUT 49 OF THEM DIDN'T MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, BUT THEY STILL APPLIED.

SO WE ENDED UP WITH 12 THAT WE REVIEWED INDIVIDUALLY AS BOARD MEMBERS AND CHOSE OR RECOMMENDED THREE TO GO ON TO INTERVIEWS.

AND THOSE TOOK PLACE YESTERDAY.

WE ALSO HAD AN OPEN HOUSE AND MEET AND GREET.

SO ANYBODY WHO WANTED TO COME IN COULD MEET THE CANDIDATES.

THOSE THAT WERE THERE, WE ASKED OUR HIRING COMPANY, ASKED THEM TO FILL OUT THEIR OPINIONS AND THEIR FEELINGS ABOUT THE CANDIDATES, AND THEY'LL BE COLLATED TO US IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

WE HOPE TO BE.

DISCUSSING AND MAKING A CHOICE ON THE 17TH OF THIS MONTH AND THEN GET INTO. CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.

BUT IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SEE THE INTERVIEWS, THEY ARE AVAILABLE.

I BELIEVE ON YOUTUBE, OR YOU CAN PROBABLY FIND A LINK ON THE WEBSITE TO SEE THEM ALL.

THEY'RE EACH AN HOUR LONG.

THEY ALL HAVE BASICALLY THE SAME QUESTIONS.

AND SO.

IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, THEY'RE AVAILABLE.

AND IF THEY'RE NOT AVAILABLE, CALL HERE.

AND THEY'LL TELL YOU HOW TO FIND THEM.

BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW I HAVEN'T LOOKED I SAID THROUGH THEM, I'M NOT GOING TO WATCH THEM.

YEAH. YOU DID YOUR DUTY.

GREAT. YEAH, I DID ATTEND, AND I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE QUALITY OF THE CANDIDATES AND THE QUALITY OF THE PROCESS THAT THE BOARD USED.

IT WAS VERY OPEN AND TRANSPARENT AND FAIR.

AND THEY REALLY KEPT TO THE CLOCK, WHICH IS NICE.

ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE BOARD? AS IT PERTAINS TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION? NOTHING BURNING RIGHT NOW.

[00:50:01]

WE WILL BE FINALIZING OUR GOALS FOR THE YEAR, AND THEY'RE PRETTY, YOU KNOW, BROAD GOALS.

AND WE'LL BE GOING FORWARD ON THAT.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER LIAISONS? WE DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY FOR LAND PRESERVATION.

BROWNFIELD. ANY OTHER.

WELL, WE HAD A ENERGY TEAM MEETING THIS MONTH, AND NOTHING TO EARTH SHAKING, THAT'S FOR SURE.

BUT CONSUMERS ENERGY HAD A REPRESENTATIVE THERE WHO DEALS WITH EV CHARGING FOR THE COMMUNITY, SO THAT WAS GOOD TO MEET HIM.

KIND OF GET A BETTER SENSE FOR THE TYPE OF STUFF HE DOES.

WE TALKED ABOUT SOLARIZE LIKE WE DO IN EVERY MEETING, AND ROGER EBERHARD, A MEMBER OF THE ENERGY TEAM, SUGGESTED WE HAVE A BRAINSTORMING SESSION IN PERSON.

SO WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14TH, 11:30 TO 1 AT THE SCHULER'S CAFE.

SO ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT ENERGY FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS.

COME JOIN US AT THE CAFE.

YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE IDEA IS JUST TO DO SOME KIND OF HOPEFULLY OUT OF THE BOX THINKING, SOME BRAINSTORMING ON THE SORT OF THINGS WE'D LIKE TO GET INVOLVED WITH NEXT YEAR.

AND THE BROWNFIELD AUTHORITY DIDN'T MEET THIS PAST MONTH.

THE LAST MEETING I ATTENDED, WE DID PROCESS SOME PAYMENTS FOR A DEVELOPER AND FOR SOME CONSULTANTS, AND THAT'S THE LAST ACTIVITY WITH THE BROWNFIELD AUTHORITY.

THANK YOU.

ON TO ONE THING THAT I SHOULD PROBABLY MENTION WE DID A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, MAYBE THIS PAST WEEK, APPROVE A IT'S NOT REALLY A DRAIN, BUT IT IS A DRAIN WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AT HASLETT VILLAGE.

THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER SAID DO YOU HAVE A CHOICE? YOU CAN BUILD A DETENTION POND FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF WATER RUNOFF, OR THE TOWNSHIP SHOULD LET YOU RUN OFF A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF WATER THROUGH THE PRESERVE NEXT DOOR, WHICH IS MOSTLY WETLANDS.

AND WE'VE HAD ENGINEERING STUDIES AND IT WILL BE IT'LL BE A DEDICATED BRAIN DRAIN SO THAT THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER WILL HANDLE THE MAINTENANCE OF IT, BUT IT WILL BE A SURFACE TYPE THING.

THERE WILL NOT BE A DITCH.

THERE WILL NOT BE A CULVERT.

IT WILL BE A FLOWING DRAINAGE.

SO IT CAN BE ABSORBED.

SOME OF THE THE NUTRIENTS CAN BE ABSORBED.

THERE WILL BE A SCREEN TO IT.

WE HAD SOME HYDROLOGIST REPORTS BUT THAT WAS A RATHER CREATIVE WAY TO BECAUSE IF THEY HAD TO BUILD A A DETENTION POND, THEY'D HAVE TO TAKE OUT.

OH, A PRETTY GOOD AREA OF CURRENT FOREST.

CLEAR CUT IT IN ORDER TO BUILD IT.

SO THIS PRESERVES THAT FEATURE AND PROVIDES A WAY TO GO FORWARD WITH THAT DEVELOPMENT.

AND THEY HOPE TO BE ABLE TO GET EVERYTHING WRAPPED UP AND START CONSTRUCTION EITHER LATE WINTER, EARLY SPRING.

JUST FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ON MARSH ROAD, WHERE IT GOES OVER THE RAILROAD TRACKS AND THE INTERURBAN SLIDES DOWN BEHIND THE OLD L AND L GROCERY STORE IS A LAND PRESERVE.

SO AS THEY REDEVELOP THAT SITE, IT'S HANDLING THAT STORM WATER, RIGHT? THAT DID NOT USED TO BE WETLANDS UNTIL THEY BUILT L AND L, UNTIL THEY BUILT HASLETT ROAD, UNTIL THEY BUILT, I MEAN, THAT WAS BASICALLY FOREST LAND. AND IT'S BEEN FLOODED BECAUSE THERE WEREN'T ANY CONTROLS ON IT 50, 60 YEARS AGO WHEN THEY STARTED THAT BUILD OUT.

GREEN TEAM GREEN TEAM CONTINUES TO MEET.

WE ARE STARTING TO PLAN EVENTS FOR 2025 MOSTLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FARMER'S MARKET, AND WE HOPE TO START AS EARLY AS FEBRUARY.

WORRY, BUT NOTHING IS SOLIDIFIED QUITE YET.

BUT I BELIEVE WE HAVE A MEETING NEXT WEEK, SO HOPEFULLY THOSE WILL COME TOGETHER SOON.

GREAT QUESTIONS.

I DON'T KNOW OF ANY NEW DEVELOPMENTS ON THE FOOD FRONT OR THE GREEN BURIAL FRONT, UNLESS SOMEBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO ONE OF THESE ISSUES.

[00:55:01]

I HEARD MR. BATTEN SAY THEY'RE HAVING PRELIMINARY MEETINGS.

SO THAT'S A WAY OF SAYING THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THAT.

GIVE US UPDATES WHEN YOU GOT UPDATES TO GIVE.

JUST, JUST JUST REAL QUICK ON THE GREEN BURIAL.

I DID TOUCH BASE WITH THEM RECENTLY.

I KNOW THE KIND OF THE NEXT STEP WAS TO GET THEM BEFORE THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

THEIR ACTUAL COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE HAS BEEN HAVING SOME TROUBLE GETTING TOGETHER.

ONE OF THE MEMBERS HAD SOME HEALTH ISSUES, SO THEY'RE KIND OF STILL IN THE PLANNING PROCESS THEMSELVES BEFORE THEY APPROACH THE MANAGER TO GET ON THE THE AGENDA FOR THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

GOTCHA. I DID TOUCH BASE WITH THE MANAGERS TO SAY YOU MAY BE GETTING A CALL ABOUT THIS.

IT'S BECAUSE I RECOMMENDED THAT THEY PROCEED.

SO SO IT'S ON HIS RADAR WHEN IT HAPPENS.

I SHOULD SAY THIS.

IF WE'RE UP TO OTHER.

YEAH. I HAVE BEEN REPLACED ON THIS COMMISSION AS A BOARD LIAISON.

NIK LENTZ, OUR NEW BOARD MEMBER, WILL BE JOINING YOU NEXT MONTH.

AND THERE WAS A MORNING MEETING THAT NOBODY ELSE COULD MEET ON A REGULAR BASIS? SO BEING RETIRED, I ACCEPTED THAT WE TRY TO SPREAD THE THE RESPONSIBILITIES AROUND.

SO NICK WILL BE A GREAT ADDITION.

FANTASTIC. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LIAISING ALL THIS TIME.

AND THIS IS A GREAT GROUP.

OH, GOOD. OH, GOOD.

I SEE WE SKIPPED OVER HIGH SCHOOL REPORTS.

DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE? THERE'S. THE YEAR HAS BEEN STARTING TO GET UNDERWAY.

MORE WITH SOME OF OUR NEWER INITIATIVES.

SUSTAINABILITY CLUB AT THE HIGH SCHOOL HAS AN OFFSHOOT CALLED THE EARTH CLUBS AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT HAS STARTED.

SO A GROUP OF THE OFFICERS.

SO STUDENTS, MOSTLY STUDENT LED.

GO TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND WE TEACH LESSONS.

AND THEN HAVE AN ACTIVITY AFTER THAT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY.

SO OUR FIRST WAS THIS MONDAY AND IT WENT REALLY WELL.

GREAT GROUP OF KIDS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.

THIS IS MY FIRST FULL YEAR DOING IT.

I GOT AN INTRO TO IT LAST YEAR.

AND WE WORK WITH TEACHERS AT BOTH OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AT HASLETT.

SUSTAINABILITY. WE'RE TRYING TO WORK ON A GRANT FOR RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES.

VARIOUS PEOPLE IN THE SCHOOL LIKE, FOR CALCULATORS AND STUFF, USE THEM.

AND SO ELIMINATING THAT WASTEFUL PART OF THINGS IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING TO TRY AND DO.

SO WE'RE STARTING TO PLAN THAT OUT AND WRITE UP THAT GRANT.

AND I HAVE A MEETING WITH SOME OTHER PEOPLE, WITH OUR SUPERINTENDENT TO CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT COURTYARD EXPANSION IN THE POLLINATOR GARDENS THAT I BELIEVE WAS MENTIONED BRIEFLY.

LAST MEETING.

WOW, THAT'S A GREAT REPORT.

CAN I GO BACK TO THE FIRST ONE, THE LESSONS WITH THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS? OF COURSE. I'LL BET THERE'S PICTURES.

OH, YES. THERE'S THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE DO TIE DYEING AND STUFF.

SO WE TRY TO ADD IN SOME FUN ACTIVITIES, AND WE ALWAYS GET PICTURES.

YEAH, YEAH.

I'D LOVE TO SEE THEM.

I'M SURE THAT MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS WOULD ALSO LOVE TO SEE THEM AT SOME POINT.

IF YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE PRESENTATION, WE CAN GET IT UP ON THE MONITOR AND WE CAN GET IT OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND DEFINITELY DOESN'T HAVE TO BE RIGHT AWAY.

BUT WHEN IT WHEN IT WORKS, GET SOMETHING TOGETHER.

WE'LL PUT YOU ON THE AGENDA AND DID A PRESENTATION.

BEFORE YOU DO THAT, CHECK WITH YOUR PRINCIPAL.

YES, YES. MAKE SURE ALL THE NECESSARY RELEASES ARE THERE.

OH, ABSOLUTELY. YES. YEAH.

SORRY. YEAH, YEAH.

YES. CHAIR MCCONNELL, IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME.

SO JUST WANTED TO BRING SOME ITEMS TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND ALSO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD'S ATTENTION THROUGH TRUSTEE.

BUT SO AS IT RELATES TO THE GREEN BURIAL CONVERSATION, I DO THINK WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND, AND IT MIGHT BEHOOVE THE TOWNSHIP BOARD TO FIRST TALK ABOUT OUR CURRENT STAFFING AND THE ECONOMICS OF CEMETERIES IN THE TOWNSHIP.

[01:00:03]

SO THERE'S TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE BURIALS AND ALL THE MAINTENANCE AND ALL THE GRASS CUTTING ON THOSE GROUNDS.

CONSEQUENTLY, WE OUTSOURCE 100% OF THE MOWING AT GLENDALE ALREADY.

IN TERMS OF THE ECONOMICS OF CEMETERIES, WE BRING IN ON A GOOD YEAR, ABOUT $40,000 IN REVENUE.

THE EXPENDITURES TO OPERATE JUST GLENDALE, NOT RIVERSIDE, IS ABOUT 130,000 A YEAR.

AND THAT DOESN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT LARGER CAPITAL EXPENSES.

FOR INSTANCE, WHEN WE SEAL COATED GLENDALE, THAT CAME OUT OF THE CAPITAL OUTLAY BUDGET, NOT THE CEMETERY BUDGET.

SO THERE CAN ALSO BE EXPENDITURES ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT YOU SEE JUST IN THE CEMETERY BUDGET.

SO DID YOU RUN THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN, PLEASE? YEAH. SO I BELIEVE THE 2025 BUDGET HAS ABOUT $130,000 IN EXPENDITURES FOR THE CEMETERY BUDGET, AND WE BRING IN, DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF BURIALS, 30,000 TO 50,000, 40,000, ROUGHLY ON AVERAGE IN REVENUE.

SO IT'S ABOUT A $90,000 LOSS ANNUALLY.

SO THEY'RE NOT SELF-SUSTAINING FACILITIES.

THE OTHER THING THAT BOTH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THE TOWNSHIP BOARD SHOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION IS THAT THE PRIVATE CEMETERIES, ONCE THOSE FILL UP. STATE LAW ADDRESSES THAT PROBLEM BY SAYING, OKAY, TOWNSHIP, CITY OR VILLAGE, THAT IS NOW YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IN PERPETUITY.

NOW THAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR CAN NO LONGER MAKE MONEY THROUGH BURIALS, YOU'RE NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR MOWING AND MAINTAINING THOSE GROUNDS.

ANY MONUMENTS OR SIGNAGE, THE DRIVES, ET CETERA.

THAT JUST BECOMES KIND OF A LEGACY COST TO THE CITY, VILLAGE OR TOWNSHIP, IN THIS CASE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

WE DO HAVE AT LEAST ONE CEMETERY ON BENNETT ROAD THAT WILL AT SOME POINT FILL UP AND BECOME A PUBLIC CEMETERY.

THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL CEMETERY COST TO THE TOWNSHIP.

SO JUST SOME THINGS THAT WE SHOULD DISCUSS.

COVERING THE CURRENT CEMETERY NEEDS THAT WE HAVE.

WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT INFORMATION TO OUR ATTENTION.

AND IT WILL BE OF GREAT VALUE TO THE TO THE GROUP AND THINKING ABOUT HOW TO MAKE A PROPOSAL THAT'S VIABLE.

ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU.

YEAH. AS LONG AS THE GREEN BURIAL GOES FOR A MILLION BUCKS, THEY SHOULD BE SET EACH.

YEAH. PER YEAR? ONE. YEAH. I DON'T KNOW.

I'M NOT GOING TO RUN THE NUMBERS.

SO WHO DID I SKIP? WHO HAS SOMETHING ELSE THEY'D LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE? ANYBODY OUT THERE LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING TO THE DISCUSSION? THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE.

SEEING NO PUBLIC REMARKS.

WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'RE ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.