Mar 10, 2025 Planning Commission

[00:00:58]

OKAY. I LEFT YOU A COUPLE RESOLUTIONS TO SIGN.

ONE LOOKS FAMILIAR. I FOUND A TYPO I FIXED IT.

OKAY. OTHER THAN THAT. GOOD TO GO.

OKAY. I GUESS WE WILL CALL THE MARCH 10TH, 2025 MEETING OF THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION TO ORDER AT 6:31.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

PRESENT. COMMISSIONER MCCURTIS. PRESENT. COMMISSIONER SNYDER.

PRESENT. COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. HERE. AND CHAIR SHREWSBURY'S HERE.

I UNDERSTAND COMMISSIONER ROMBACK WILL BE A FEW MINUTES LATE.

SO WE'LL MARK HIM HERE WHEN HE'S HERE. ON TO PUBLIC REMARKS.

THIS IS PUBLIC REMARKS ON ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA, NOT NECESSARILY THOSE THAT ARE IN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

SO IF YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK ON PUBLIC HEARING, WE'LL DO THAT LATER.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO GIVE PUBLIC REMARKS? MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

SO MOVED. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER [INAUDIBLE]. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SNYDER.

ANY QUESTIONS, AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA. OKAY.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. NOW, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 25TH PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.

[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]

I'LL SECOND. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SNYDER. THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? AMENDMENTS? OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION APPROVED.

THANK YOU. COMMUNICATIONS. WE HAVE NONE. EXCELLENT.

THANK YOU. SO WE ARE ON ITEM SEVEN, PUBLIC HEARING.

[7.A. SUP #25003 – Okemos Land Investments]

AND YOU [INAUDIBLE] DO YOU WANT TO START OUT WITH WHAT A PUBLIC HEARING IS OR.

I WILL WE DON'T HAVE TO ABBREVIATE IT. WE DON'T HAVE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

BUT AS I EXPLAINED TO A COUPLE OF YOU, THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE REHEARING OF THE MARIJUANA APPLICATION AND RETAIL APPLICATION AT 4360 SOUTH HAGADORN ROAD.

IT'S A REHEARING BECAUSE AND I'LL EXPLAIN THAT.

BUT ANYWAY, JUST THE THIS PUBLIC THE PLAN. HERE'S THE GIST OF IT.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS NOT ALLOWED TO MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT.

THEY HAVE TO COME BACK AT A FUTURE MEETING THAT'S IN THEIR BYLAWS.

SO THE PUBLIC HEARING IS TONIGHT. THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYBODY IN THE PUBLIC WHO WISHES TO SPEAK.

THIS WAS LEGALLY NOTICED. NOTICES WENT OUT TO EVERYBODY WITHIN 300FT OF THE PROPERTY AS PER MICHIGAN PLANNING LAW.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL PROBABLY LIKELY DO WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO CALL A STRAW POLL.

THIS IS A NON-BINDING VOTE THAT THEY DO AT THE END OF THE NIGHT, TO GIVE STAFF AN IDEA OF WHICH RESOLUTION TO WRITE, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BRING THAT BACK AT A FUTURE MEETING.

LIKELY THIS WILL BE ON THE MARCH 24TH AGENDA.

AT THAT POINT, THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL FORMAL VOTE.

THAT WILL BE A RECOMMENDATION. THIS APPLICATION WILL THEN GO TO THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION.

OKAY. I NEED TO WRITE THAT DOWN. COMMISSIONER ROMBACK IS HERE NOW.

YES. FOR THE RECORD.

OKAY, SORRY ABOUT THAT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAD THE MINUTES.

THANK YOU. SO, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.

WE DID GIVE IT A NEW NUMBER 25003 OKEMOS LOCAL INVESTMENTS TO CONSTRUCT AN ADULT USE MARIJUANA PROVISIONING CENTER AT 4360 SOUTH HAGADORN ROAD.

THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO AN APPLICATION THAT YOU HEARD LAST YEAR NUMBER 24020, SAME LOCATION.

[00:05:05]

THE PROPERTY I WILL BRING IT UP HERE IS ON GOOGLE MAPS.

IT'S IN RIGHT THERE. THIS IS MICHIGAN STATE FIELDS.

THIS IS THE MSU MEDICAL BUILDING, WHERE, AS AN ASIDE, MY ORTHOPEDIST THAT FIXED MY WRIST RESIDES.

HEY, CAN YOU DROP THE GUY ONTO THE ROAD THERE? CAN I? I'M SORRY. STREET. STREET VIEW GUY. OH, YEAH.

ABSOLUTELY. DOES THAT HELP? NO, THE LITTLE GUY DOWN IN THE CORNER RIGHT CORNER.

DRAG AND DROP HIM IN FRONT OF THE PROPERTY TO GET STREET VIEW.

THERE YOU GO. YEAH. SO YOU CAN SEE I'VE GOT THE RIGHT PROPERTY WHERE I'M LOOKING AT RIGHT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. JUST WANTED. YOU CAN SEE THE BUILDING THAT'S GOING TO COME DOWN AND BE RECONSTRUCTED.

THE SITE. A PROPOSED SITE PLAN IS IN YOUR PACKET.

AS ALL SUPS THAT WILL BE, IF APPROVED, IT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY FORMAL SITE PLAN REVIEW.

IS THAT GOOD? OKAY. THANK YOU. IT DOES MEET THE ZONING AND FUTURE LAND USE.

THERE'S NO ISSUE ZONING ISSUES. IT'S ZONED RESEARCH PARK.

IT'S SHOWN BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY IN THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP.

THIS IS WITHIN ONE THIS IS WITHIN OVERLAY AREA NUMBER FOUR ON OUR ADULT USE MARIJUANA MAP IN THE TOWNSHIP.

IT IS CONSISTENT WITH INTENT AND PURPOSES OF THE SUP CHAPTER THE MARIJUANA REGULATIONS.

IT IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR APPLICABLE LAND USE POLICIES.

IT IS ADEQUATELY SERVED BY SERVICES ON SITE, SEWER, WATER, THAT KIND OF THING.

ON PAGE THREE OF MY MEMO, I WILL NOTE THE TRAFFIC ASSESSMENT IS ATTACHMENT NUMBER EIGHT, NOT ATTACHMENT NUMBER SIX. THE TRAFFIC ASSESSMENT IS THE BIG REASON WHY THIS HAS TAKEN SO LONG.

AT THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THEIR ORIGINAL APPLICATION, YOU GUYS SEEM TO INDICATE APPROVAL, BUT YOU WANTED AN UP TO DATE TRAFFIC ASSESSMENT THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED, AND IT IS IN YOUR PACKET, AND THERE'S NO FINDINGS THAT IT NEEDS TO PROCEED TO A TRAFFIC STUDY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

AS IN ALL TRAFFIC ASSESSMENTS, WHEN THIS GOES TO SITE PLAN APPROVAL, THAT ASSESSMENT WILL BE REVIEWED BY THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT, AND THEY'LL HAVE TO SIGN OFF ON THAT AS WELL.

REALLY I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY MAJOR CONCERNS FROM THIS APPLICATION IS, AS I SAID, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU GUYS HEARD LAST YEAR.

THE APPLICANT IS WELL REPRESENTED AND WE'RE HERE FOR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER MCCURTIS. THANK YOU.

WHEN I WAS WHEN I DROVE BY THIS WEEKEND. SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU DROPPED THE LITTLE GUY THERE BECAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS THE PROPERTY THAT I WAS LOOKING AT BECAUSE IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS A RESIDENTIAL.

BECAUSE IT'S A HOUSE. IS THAT THE. YES. IT HAD.

IT HAD BEEN. YES. OKAY. SO IT'S NOT RESIDENTIAL ANYMORE.

OBVIOUSLY IT IS NOT BEING USED, RIGHT? IT IS A VACANT PROPERTY.

AND AND SO IS ZONED PROPERLY I PRESUME TO FOR THIS USE.

MY QUESTION IS WHEN I LOOK AT THE DESIGN, IT LOOKS AS IF IT'S GOING TO HAVE STILL TAKE A CHARACTER OF A HOUSE. IS THERE A REASON WHY THAT IS JUST JUST CURIOUS.

IF YOU'LL GIVE ME A MINUTE. I'LL BRING THE SITE.

LOOKS LIKE IT'S A HOUSE. I ASKED THAT SAME QUESTION THE FIRST TIME.

DID YOU? YEAH.

A CURRENT AND A PROPOSED LIKE. OKAY. THAT IS THE CURRENT SITUATION IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE FIRST PAGE.

I'M TRYING TO BACK OUT, I APOLOGIZE.

THERE'S THE DRAWINGS OF THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE IN THERE.

BUT I'M ON PAGE 30 OF 66, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

[00:10:02]

AND IF YOU GO UP, YOU'LL SEE YOU KEEP GOING UP I THINK.

YES. RIGHT. RIGHT THERE. THAT'S THE FRONT ELEVATION.

THAT'S THE FRONT. AND THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING AT OF THE PROPOSED BUILDING.

YES. OF THE PROPOSED BUILDING. SURE. IF YOU WANT FURTHER CLARIFICATION ON WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO BUILD, THE ENGINEER IS HERE. I CAN TURN IT OVER. BUT IT'S A VERY GENERAL QUESTION AS TO WHY THE LOOK OF A HOUSE.

IF THEY WANT TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE A HOUSE, THEY CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.

IF YOU WANT TO ASK THEM SPECIFICALLY AFTER, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY GET A CHANCE TO COME UP AND TALK, THAT'S FINE TOO. BUT THAT'S IT. OKAY GO AHEAD [INAUDIBLE]. JUST A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT WHEN WHEN WE HAVE THESE PROJECTS THAT ARE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND EVALUATING AND THEN ONCE THEY'RE APPROVED, ONCE THEY GO THROUGH SITE PLAN APPROVAL AND ALL THAT, LIKE, WHEN DOES THE ZONING CHANGE ACTUALLY TAKE PLACE? IS THAT PART OF THE PROCESS? THERE IS NO ZONE CHANGE ON THIS.

THERE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE. IT'S ALREADY ZONED.

THIS IS ZONED RESEARCH PARK. OKAY. I JUST SAW THE REFERENCE TO THE.

I THOUGHT I SAW THE REFERENCE TO THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP OR TO THE THE MASTER PLAN DOCUMENTS.

SO MY BRAIN READ THAT AS IN THE FUTURE. IT WAS TO BE ZONED AS THAT.

I DIDN'T REALIZE IT ALREADY WAS. YEAH. THE HOUSE THAT IS THERE, IF IT WERE OCCUPIED, WOULD BE A LEGAL NONCONFORMING, NOW THAT IT'S UNOCCUPIED IT'S NOT GOING BACK.

INTERESTING. OKAY. OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.

GO AHEAD. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ANSWER THIS ONE, BUT LET'S SAY IF WELL, HOW LONG OF A TIME FRAME IS IT TO TEAR DOWN AND REBUILD? LIKE HOW LONG? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS.

IT WILL DEPEND ON HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET THROUGH SITE PLAN REVIEW.

SITE PLAN REVIEW HAS NO PUBLIC HEARING ATTACHED TO IT.

IT'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS. HOWEVER, IT DOES INVOLVE APPROVALS FROM THE INGHAM COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT AND THE INGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE.

THERE'S A WELL, THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT THERE'S PROBABLY WETLAND BEHIND THE PROPERTY, MAYBE WETLAND ON THE PROPERTY.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S A THING BECAUSE THIS WENT THROUGH A THIS WENT THROUGH A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE MEDICAL SIDE BEFORE I STARTED HERE.

AND THERE'S NO WETLAND ASSESSMENT ON THIS, BUT THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE WILL BE INVOLVED IN THAT.

SO HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES TO GET THROUGH SITE PLAN WILL BE HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO GET THEIR BUILDING PERMITS.

YEAH. AND I'M JUST LET'S ASSUME ALL THOSE THINGS GO THROUGH.

I'M JUST SAYING FOR A PROJECT LIKE THIS, TEAR DOWN OR DEMOLITION, REBUILD OR BUILD AGAIN, DOES THAT TAKE A YEAR OR TWO YEARS, ASSUMING THAT ALL THOSE THINGS GO, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW.

BUT I'M JUST SAYING FOR A PROJECT LIKE THIS. THEY CAN THEY CAN SPEAK MORE TO THIS.

BUT JUST THINKING ABOUT THE PROCESS, THE BOARD WON'T GET THIS APPLICATION BEFORE APRIL.

THEY MEET THREE TIMES. YOU'RE TALKING LATE APRIL, EARLY MAY, PROBABLY EARLY MAY BEFORE SUP IS APPROVED.

IF IT GETS APPROVED, THEY CAN SUBMIT FOR SITE PLAN IMMEDIATELY AFTER.

THERE'S NO TICKING CLOCK ON A SITE PLAN APPROVAL.

WE OWE THEM COMMENTS IN 30 DAYS. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S GOING TO GET APPROVED IN 30 DAYS.

WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS AND I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING OR, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU DRILLING DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE TO SPECIFICS.

OKAY. I'M SORRY. YEAH. THAT'S OKAY. WHAT I'M WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS, LIKE, ASSUMING ALL THOSE THINGS HAPPEN, RIGHT? FROM A GENERAL STANDPOINT, ONCE ALL THAT STUFF HAPPENS, HOW LONG FOR DEMOLITION.

HOW LONG TO REBUILD? AND THE REASON I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAD A PROJECT AT ONE POINT NEAR NORTH WIND OR SOMETHING IT TOOK A LONG TIME. YEAH. FOR DEVELOPERS, ONCE THEY GOT EVERYTHING APPROVED AND ALL THAT STUFF, IT TOOK A LONG TIME FOR THEM TO DO IT. WE DIDN'T.

WE DIDN'T HOLD ANY ONE WHERE WE COULDN'T HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR, YOU KNOW, COMPLETING THE PROJECT.

AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS, TYPICALLY, HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE? YOU KNOW, ASSUMING THAT EVERYTHING PASSES AND ALL THAT.

FROM A CONSTRUCTION STANDPOINT, I'LL LET THE APPLICANT TALK TO THAT.

I WOULD ASSUME YOU WOULD PROBABLY START TO SEE DIRT BEING PUSHED AROUND BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

DOES THAT HELP? I, I THINK I GUESS I'M JUST LOOKING I THINK SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IT TAKES ABOUT ONE YEAR,

[00:15:04]

YEAH. THIS WILL NOT BE A TWO YEAR PROCESS. DEPENDING LATE, LATE FALL SPRING NEXT YEAR. YEAH, I WILL I'LL YEAH, I'LL DEFER CONSTRUCTION.

I CAN TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE TIME IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO GET THROUGH THE PROCESS. THEY'RE PROBABLY GETTING THROUGH SITE PLAN SOMETIME IN THE SUMMER. FROM THAT POINT, THEY CAN GET THEIR DEMO PERMITS AND MOVE FORWARD.

DEMO IS EASIER THAN AND WE SAW THIS AT THE AT THE STARBUCKS SITE ON GRAND RIVER, RIGHT? DEMO IS EASIER THAN CONSTRUCTION. BUT I THINK THEY CAN BE PUSHING DIRT AROUND BEFORE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

NO PROBLEM. THANK YOU.

JUST TO CONFIRM MY UNDERSTANDING AND THE COMMISSION'S UNDERSTANDING.

SO WE ARE WE ARE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION HERE TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, AND THEN THE BOARD WOULD MAKE A FINAL DECISION ON WHATEVER WE DO.

THIS IS CORRECT. AND THEN RELATED TO THAT WAS SO THE PARKING OR THE THE TRAFFIC STUDY, WAS THAT THE ONLY REASON THAT WE PROVIDED FOR DELAYING A DECISION ON THIS? YES. YOU WANTED TO SEE AN UP TO DATE TRAFFIC STUDY.

WE HAD TO GIVE A LITTLE HISTORY. THERE HAD BEEN ANOTHER MARIJUANA APPLICATION, MARIJUANA RETAIL APPLICATION, THAT HAD GONE THROUGH THAT DID NOT HAVE AN UP TO DATE TRAFFIC STUDY AND THAT HELD THAT PROCESS UP.

SO AT THE BOARD LEVEL. SO BEFORE THIS ONE WENT THROUGH, RECOGNIZING THAT HAD JUST HAPPENED, YOU ASKED FOR AN UP TO DATE TRAFFIC STUDY WHICH HAS BEEN PROVIDED.

OKAY. I HAVE ONE QUESTION ON THE THE FRONTAGE.

SO IT IT SAYS THE RP DISTRICT REQUIRES A MINIMUM OF 200FT OF LOT FRONTAGE AND FOR NEW LOTS, 202 ACRES FOR NEW LOTS, THIS IS NOT CONSIDERED A NEW LOT.

THIS IS NOT A NEW LOT. OKAY. IF THIS WERE NOT A LOT, AN EXISTING LOT, WE WOULD NOT ALLOW THIS TO BE BUILT.

WE WOULD NOT ALLOW THIS LOT TO BE SPLIT. BUT IT DOES EXIST.

SO IT IS WHAT IT IS. THAT'S WHAT I WONDERED, BECAUSE I AM LOOKING AT THIS LOT AGAIN AND JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW LARGE THE OTHER LOTS ARE AROUND IT. IT JUST SEEMS ODD. BUT THAT'S NOT THE DECISION.

AS LONG AS THEY MEET THE SETBACKS AND THE LAND USE REQUIREMENTS, THEY, YOU KNOW, IT IS A BUILDABLE LOT.

OKAY. SO IT'S JUST NOT IT'S JUST A SIZE NONCONFORMING LOT.

BASED ON THAT IS IT WOULD THIS REQUIRE ANY VARIANCES.

AND I GET THAT YOU HAVEN'T I DON'T THINK YOU'VE SEEN THE FULL SITE PLAN YET, RIGHT, SO.

WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING THAT BASED ON WHAT THEY SENT US.

WE I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO HOLD OFF FINAL DETERMINATION ON THAT UNTIL WE SEE THE SITE PLAN, BECAUSE WHO KNOWS, YOU KNOW, WHAT SITE ISSUES COULD COME UP WHEN THEY START ACTUALLY DOING FULL ENGINEERING.

BUT UNLESS THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, VIOLATING SITE BACK AND I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW, SETBACK STUFF RIGHT NOW AND THE RP ZONE.

SO DON'T CALL ME ON THAT. BUT YOU KNOW UNLESS THEY NEED THOSE VARIANCES IF THEY CAN FIT IN THE BUILDING ENVELOPE, THIS WILL NOT REQUIRE A VARIANCE. NO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS A SOMEWHAT SPECULATIVE QUESTION.

SO THANK YOU. NO IT'S IT'S COOL ENTERTAINING.

ALL RIGHT. THANKS. JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU SAID THAT THE NEWLY PROPOSED BUILDING IS SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN THE EXISTING BUILDING THAT'S ON THE LOT NOW.

THAT. YEAH. A LITTLE OVER 500FT² SMALLER. OKAY.

AND A SUP IS REQUIRED ANY TIME A MEDICAL, NOT A MEDICAL MARIJUANA, BUT A MARIJUANA FACILITY THERE'S IT'S ALWAYS NEEDS AN SUP.

THERE'S NEVER AN INSTANCE. SO EVEN IF IT FITS ALL THE SETBACKS AND FITS EVERYTHING ELSE, AND THE ZONING AN SUP IS REQUIRED, RIGHT? RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? WE CAN ALWAYS GO BACK IF WE NEED TO. ONE VERY TECHNICAL ONE.

I'M SORRY TO PUT THIS TO YOU WITHOUT WARNING.

THE TRAFFIC VOLUMES WERE ASSESSED AT TWO TURNING MOVEMENTS AT HAGADORN ROAD AND THE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CONTAINMENT FACILITY ACCESS, WHICH IS NOT AN ADDRESS I RECOGNIZE. CAN YOU OR DOES THE APPLICANT HAVE SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP US UNDERSTAND WHERE THOSE TWO, THAT SECOND INTERSECTION IS TURNING MOVEMENT.

WELL, MAYBE. BUT IN THE. WELL, LET'S. I DIDN'T SEE A MAP, BUT I MIGHT HAVE.

[00:20:01]

YEAH.

AND PRESUMABLY TO THE SOUTH OF THE SUBJECT SITE SINCE HAGADORN.

SO HERE'S YOUR UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CONTAINMENT FACILITY RIGHT HERE.

I'LL CLOSE THAT. THAT'S THE DRIVE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

OKAY. SO THAT'S WHERE ALL THE TRAFFIC NUMBERS COME FROM, IS THE MOVEMENTS IN AND OUT OF THAT, THAT DRIVE AS A WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN ACROSS THE ROAD.

YEAH, THERE REALLY ISN'T UNTIL YOU GET UP HERE TO THE SPARROW BUILDING YOU DON'T REALLY YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.

THIS IS I THINK THERE'S A BUILDING HERE MAYBE THERE'S A DRIVEWAY HERE, BUT THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN SEE UNTIL YOU GET TO THESE LOTS TO THE SOUTH THAT'S THAT'S IT. YEAH, IT. I'M GOING TO SHUT THAT OFF BECAUSE THAT'S ANNOYING ME.

OKAY. I'M SORRY I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO STUDY IT IN MORE IN MORE DETAIL, BUT SOME OF THE GRAPHS I'M LOOKING AT IN THE TRAFFIC BECAUSE THAT ASSESSMENT SEEMED TO DESCRIBE LIKE 20 19 VEHICLES [INAUDIBLE] . THAT SEEMS ANYWAY.

ALL RIGHT. SEEMS WHAT? A LOT LESS THAN YOU WOULD EXPECT FROM A RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT THAT WAS DOING WELL.

I WOULD SAY THAT THOSE TURNING MOVEMENTS AS A MEASURE OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN AT A RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT ACROSS THE ROAD, I THINK ARE WORTH UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S NOT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE MONEY AT 19 CARS A DAY, I THINK. BUT IS THAT A PEAK HOUR NUMBER? I'M SORRY, I HAVE NOT STUDIED IT MORE.

OKAY. APPLICANTS CAN ENLIGHTEN US, OKAY. BECAUSE IF THAT'S A PEAK HOUR, THAT MAKES MORE SENSE.

YEAH.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF, OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT.

I'M GOOD WITH CLOSING. OKAY. I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE DO NEXT, RIGHT? WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK ON PUBLIC. YEAH.

YEAH. NOTE THAT YOU DON'T. YEAH. FORMALLY OPEN AND CLOSE AND THEN OR.

NO, YOU WOULD BRING THE APPLICANT UP. FORMALLY OPEN FORMALLY CLOSE.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. LET'S BRING THE APPLICANT UP.

WE CAN ALWAYS, IF ANYTHING, THE APPLICANT SHARES WITH US GENERATES MORE QUESTIONS FOR MR. SHORKEY WE'LL DO THAT. AND IF YOU COULD JUST GIVE US YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS AS YOU SHARE INFORMATION AND WE'LL JUST HAVE PEOPLE ASK YOU QUESTIONS UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE FIRST. I, I DON'T THINK...

MY NAME IS ANDERSON GRANDSTAFF, BY THE WAY. I'M AN ATTORNEY REPRESENTING THE APPLICANT.

I MYSELF AM NOT GOING TO HAVE MUCH TO SAY TO YOU, BECAUSE I THINK THAT STAFF DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF EXPLAINING THE SITUATION.

AND THE CRUX OF IT IS, IS THAT WE PREVIOUSLY WERE GOING TO REMODEL AN EXISTING BUILDING.

WE'RE NOW ASKING TO CONSTRUCT A NEW BUILDING.

AS MENTIONED BEFORE IT'S GOING TO BE SLIGHTLY SMALLER.

WE HAVE THE PROJECT MANAGER, ZACH, WHO WILL BE ACTUALLY TAKING OUT, AND WE ALSO HAVE THE SITE ENGINEER, JOHN GUMMER, WHO I BELIEVE IS GOING TO BE BEST SITUATED TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROJECT, WHICH I KNOW THERE WERE A FEW. SO I'M GOING TO TURN OVER THE FLOOR TO HIM AT THIS POINT.

THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JOHN GUMMER.

WE PROVIDED THESE DRAWINGS FOR YOU TO REVIEW TONIGHT.

SO A COUPLE OF ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS. CONSTRUCTION TIME.

THE DAY OUR PERMITS ARE ISSUED, WE SHOULD BE COMPLETED WITH THIS PROJECT APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS.

THE DATE PERMITS ARE ISSUED FROM START TO FINISH.

THE LOOK OF THE PROJECT IS NOT INTENDED TO LOOK LIKE A RESIDENTIAL, BUT THIS IS A MULTIPLE.

THIS IS THEIR THIRD SITE, AND THIS IS WHAT THEIR SITES LOOK LIKE.

IT IS, HOMIE. IT'S CALLED GOOD VIBES. SO IT'S SUPPOSED TO GIVE YOU THAT COMFORTABLE LOOK, NOT THE COMMERCIAL ASPECT OF IT AS YOU'RE WALKING INTO A TYPICAL DISPENSARY. WE ARE NOT SEEKING ANY VARIANCES.

WE ARE EVERYTHING IS PER THE ORDINANCE. WE'RE JUST LOOKING TO SEEK A MOVE ON TO THE NEXT STEP AND GET OUR PROJECT GOING.

THANK YOU. DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING MORE? NO. THAT ANSWERS BOTH OF MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? GO AHEAD COMMISSIONER.

I GUESS WHAT WAS DISCOVERED BETWEEN WHAT I'LL CALL OUR FIRST PASS AND NOW WHERE THE BUILDING WENT FROM REHAB TO REBUILD.

SURE. SO THE THE BUILDING IS 100 YEARS OLD. IT'S VERY OLD.

[00:25:07]

AT THAT POINT, YOU'RE JUST BURNING MONEY, AND IT'S FASTER AND EASIER AND MORE ENERGY COMPLIANT TO BUILD A NEW ONE RATHER THAN PUT BAND-AIDS ON SOMETHING THAT REALLY NEEDS STITCHES, IN A SENSE. BECAUSE I ZEROED IN ON THAT.

I THINK I RECALL LAST TIME ON LIKE, WHY USE SOMETHING, WHY USE A BUILDING THAT'S ALREADY THERE? YEAH. IT'S BEYOND. IT'S BEEN SITTING FOR A WHILE.

OH, IT'S BEEN VACANT FOR A WHILE. OKAY. THAT'S THAT'S A GOOD ENOUGH REASON.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

THIS IS THE POINT WHERE WE WOULD NORMALLY EITHER DISCUSS AMONGST OURSELVES OR TAKE A STRAW POLL TO INDICATE FOR MR. SHORKEY WHETHER WE INTEND TO APPROVE RECOMMENDING RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OR IF WE HAVE MORE QUESTIONS WE HAVE. I HAVE A QUESTION. COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL.

WHAT DID THIS? YOU BEGAN A STATEMENT EARLIER AND THEN DROPPED IT. SO YEAH. NOW THAT I LOOK AT THE REPORT MORE CLOSELY, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY WERE BASICALLY MEASURING TWO TURNING MOVEMENTS, ONE OUT OF THAT DRIVEWAY UP AND THE OTHER RIGHT, RIGHT TURNS AND LEFT TURNS, AND THERE WERE ABOUT 20 OR 30 OF EACH OF THOSE.

AND THAT SEEMS TO ME LIKE A PRETTY POOR SURROGATE FOR WHAT YOU EXPECT FROM A RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT THAT'S GOT PEOPLE COMING AND GOING.

SO I WAS KIND OF HOPING TO HEAR MORE ABOUT HOW THAT TRAFFIC STUDY WAS DONE OR TRAFFIC ASSESSMENT WAS DONE, AND HOW WE CAN INTERPRET ITS RESULTS IN TERMS OF THIS APPLICATION SINCE WE MADE A SPECIAL REQUEST, I THINK IT KIND OF BEHOOVES US TO UNDERSTAND THE EVIDENCE THAT THEY'VE BROUGHT US IN RESPONSE TO OUR REQUEST.

DO WE WANT TO BRING THE APPLICANT BACK UP TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT? I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM ANYBODY ABOUT THAT. YEAH.

WELL, I HAVE ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT. WHAT BASED WHAT WOULD JUST A GUESSTIMATE WHAT WOULD YOU EXPECT WOULD BE A REASONABLE NUMBER IN THIS CASE? I DON'T THINK THERE ARE ANY REASONABLE ONES. OKAY.

I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY THE BEST WE CAN DO. OH, OKAY.

RIGHT. WE DON'T HAVE A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THAT TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT'S GOING TO WORK.

RIGHT. IT IS ALSO WORTH NOTING REMEMBERING THE ROAD ROAD DEPARTMENT'S GOING TO LOOK AT THE SAME STUDY EVENTUALLY.

AND IF THEY DON'T ACCEPT THE NUMBER THAT THEY CAN KICK THAT BACK AT THAT POINT, THAT IS A POTENTIAL CURVEBALL THAT THEY KNOW THAT COULD HAPPEN.

BUT IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO BRING THAT PAGE UP SO WE CAN SEE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

SURE. OKAY. MR. SHORKEY, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THAT HAPPEN? WHERE THE ROAD DEPARTMENT KICKS SOMETHING BACK BECAUSE THE.

THEY MADE THE RECOMMENDATION ABOUT THAT TAPER LANE AT THE PANDA EXPRESS.

THAT'S TRUE. RIGHT? THE LONGER I'M HERE, THE MORE I SEE, I SUPPOSE.

TELL ME IF YOU. I'M SORRY. I HEAR A I HEAR A VOICE IN MY HEAD.

YEAH, SURE. APPLICANT. I THINK PROBABLY IN HERE THERE'S A MULTIPLIER THAT GOES.

OKAY. THAT'S THIS LAND USE AND THAT'S KIND OF THIS MUCH AND FOR THIS OTHER LAND USE, THERE'S SOME OTHER NUMBER THAT THEY PLUG IN AND I'M JUST HOPING FOR.

SO I CAN SPEAK A LITTLE, GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF CLARIFICATION ON IT.

MY NAME IS ZACH LASK. I'M THE PROJECT MANAGER, WILL BE THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THIS LASK.

LASK. IS THIS THE CORRECT PAGE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT? ARE YOU LOOKING AT? OH. I'M SORRY. LET ME. I'M ON 49 OF 66.

SO IF GOING TO PAGE TWO OF 18 OF OUR TRAFFIC STUDY, THAT WOULD BE YES.

UP ABOVE THAT, THE PAGE RIGHT ABOVE THAT. IT'S GOT A PICTURE.

IT'S GOT AN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH. RIGHT. THAT'S THE AERIAL THING.

THAT'S I THINK IT'S THAT CHART ABOVE BASICALLY OKAY. YES. THAT'S IT. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.

YES. OKAY. THERE WE GO. THANK YOU. SO THAT'S BASICALLY JUST SHOWING THAT WAS JUST THE ENGINEER WENT OUT THERE AND DID THE STUDY.

AND IT BASICALLY WAS JUST THE BEST WAY THAT THEY COULD FORECAST THE CURRENT TRAFFIC WITHIN THAT HOUR.

AND SO THAT WAS THEIR FINDINGS. TRUTH BE TOLD, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE UP AND RUNNING, WE'RE THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH TRAFFIC THAT CAN BE INTO THIS FACILITY TO BEGIN WITH.

THERE'S ONLY ABOUT 1,000FT² OF RETAIL SPACE IN THE BUILDING.

I MEAN, SO WE REALLY DON'T SEE THESE NUMBERS BEING TOO, YOU KNOW, IRREGULAR FROM WHAT WOULD BE EXPECTED FROM THE DEVELOPMENT.

SO TABLE ONE IS THAT IN INSTITUTE OF TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERS LAND USE MANUAL.

[00:30:05]

THAT'S CORRECT. AND MY POINT IS THAT THE HOW WE UNDERSTAND THAT IS KIND OF BASED ON A VERY MUCH SMALLER NUMBER.

AND THAT'S AND THAT'S INCLUDING IN AND OUT AS WELL.

RIGHT. YEAH. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH. SO YOU KNOW IT'S LOOKING I MEAN IF YOU DIVIDE THAT IN HALF IT'S ABOUT 300 PEOPLE A DAY IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT 2 TO 300.

AND THE, THE THROUGH TRAFFIC ON HAGADORN DURING THOSE PEAKS.

CORRECT. THOSE THAT I BELIEVE IS THAT IS THAT THAT SECOND CHART I BELIEVE ON THAT PAGE OR IS THAT SOMEWHERE ELSE. YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A TRAFFIC. THE TRAFFIC COUNT.

OH, OKAY.

ON THE NEXT CHARTS DOWN. OKAY, THERE IS THAT.

SO 27, 52 GOING UP AND 23, 52 COMING DOWN. [INAUDIBLE] WAIT, IS THAT IS THAT WHAT THAT'S SAYING, THOUGH? ISN'T THIS SAYING WHAT'S THE 23, 68 IS IN SO THAT'S NOT IN TO THE BUILDING NO. THAT'S LIKE GOING NORTH OR SOUTH. THAT'S SOUTHBOUND, OR SOUTHBOUND OH I SEE.

YEAH. OKAY. AND THE NORTHBOUND IS 27, 52. THE OPPOSITE COMMUTE FLUX SPEAKERS] AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT? YES. THAT'S CORRECT.

I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A SMALL FRACTION OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WOULD BE TURNING INTO OUR FACILITY BASED ON WHAT YOUR AVERAGE TRAFFIC.

WELL, YOU HOPE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE WILL COME BY TOO, RIGHT. THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.

BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE TRAFFIC STUDY, THAT'S KIND OF THE FINDINGS.

YEAH. I MEAN, THAT STRETCH OF ROAD IS ALSO BOUNDED BY TWO TRAFFIC SIGNALS SO IT DOES GET BREAKS IN TRAFFIC. I GUESS I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT THE COLORS ARE REALLY CONFUSING ON THIS.

I MEAN, I LOOKED AT DATA ALL DAY LONG AND THE THE TRAFFIC REPORTS ARE ALWAYS JUST.

AND THERE WILL BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES IN SITE PLAN REVIEW TO ADDRESS ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THERE BEING ANY SORTS OF BACKUP OR.

OH YEAH. LIKE I SAID, THE ROAD DEPARTMENT WILL LOOK AT THIS SAME SAME ASSESSMENT.

IF THEY DON'T, IF THEY HAVE ISSUES, THEY WILL BRING THEM FORWARD.

WE WILL NOT APPROVE THE SITE PLAN UNTIL THEY'RE HAPPY.

THANK YOU AND THANKS FOR THE EXPLANATION. YEAH.

NO WORRIES. THANK YOU YOU'RE GOOD? YES. THANK YOU.

FRANK. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? QUESTIONS? DISCUSSION? JUST A GENERAL THOUGHT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I COULD HELP MYSELF AT THIS POINT. IT'S LIKE YOU THINK ABOUT FIVE DISPENSARIES IN THIS AREA MORE OR LESS COMING ON, AND THEN EVERYTHING I'M READING ABOUT THE INDUSTRY SEEMS TO BE TRENDING, THAT IT'S DUE TO CONSTRUCT MORE THAN GROW.

SO IT'S LIKE I JUST, YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING ABOUT THIS MANY PEOPLE AND THIS MANY PEOPLE OUT IN THE DAY.

IS THAT A PROFITABLE, LONG TERM BUSINESS FOR YOU GUYS THAT YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT BY GETTING THIS MANY PEOPLE IN, IN A GIVEN DAY, IT WILL BE VIABLE AFTER INVESTING IN ALL THIS BECAUSE IT TO SOME EXTENT YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD A NEW BUILDING, YOU'RE GOING TO TEAR THIS OLD HOUSE AND DO ALL THIS STUFF. AND THEN, LIKE IN A BUSINESS THAT SEEMS TO BE HAVING A HARD TIME GROWING, ALTHOUGH A HARD TIME GROWING IS A WAS AN UNINTENDED PUN THERE, BUT NO PUN INTENDED TODAY BUT.

SO MAYBE JUST A COMMENT. IT'S JUST I DON'T HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE PLANNING IN AND OF ITSELF.

I'D HAVE MORE CONCERNS ABOUT THE GENERAL ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF THIS AS A AS A BUSINESS, AS A LARGE SCALE BUSINESS.

DO YOU WANT ABOUT THERE BEING A GENERAL CONSTRICTION IN TERMS OF THE MARKET.

HOWEVER, THERE'S ALSO A CONTEMPORANEOUS REBALANCING OF WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SHOP AND IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING, AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH INTO THIS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE AND POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS ARE CURRENTLY GOING TO EAST LANSING OR TO OTHER FURTHER AREAS AWAY TO GO TO SHOP AT A DISPENSARY, AND THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A POTENTIAL INFLUX OF DEMAND AND CUSTOMERS ONCE WE RELOCATED HERE.

[00:35:05]

AND WE DO ALSO EXPECT THAT ADVERTISING AND THINGS LIKE THAT WOULD ALSO BOOST THESE NUMBERS.

SO THE ARGUMENT IS LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.

I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS THE ARGUMENT AND THE REJOINDER AS WELL.

YEAH. LIKE I SAID, I DON'T HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE BUILDING PLAN OR ANYTHING, IT'S JUST MORBID CURIOSITY ABOUT THE BUSINESS.

I DO THINK THAT WE'RE SET ON THAT THIS LOCATION IS GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

THIS IS A GREAT COMMUNITY, REALLY GREAT. WE LIKE YOU GUYS A LOT.

YEAH, THAT WAS ALL I WANTED TO SAY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? I THINK WE'RE GOOD.

I'D LOVE TO TAKE A STRAW POLL. AND I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO DO THESE BY PERSON UNLESS ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO INDICATE SORT OF A REASON FOR THINKING WHY YOU'RE THINKING BEFORE WE DO THAT.

I INTEND TO VOTE YES. AND ONE OF THE REASONS, I GUESS, IS I REALLY APPRECIATE HOW DETAILED THE BUSINESS PLAN IS.

AND ONE OF THE ONE OF THE CATEGORIES HERE IS THE SOCIAL EQUITY PIECE, THE PRIORITIZATION OF HIRING MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS, HIRING INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY MARIJUANA PROHIBITION PER THE STATE OF MICHIGAN DEFINITION.

I JUST I APPRECIATE ALL THE ADDITIONAL DETAILS THAT PROBABLY WEREN'T REQUIRED FOR THIS SUP.

AND THAT BEING SOME OF IT AS WELL AS THIS BOARD HAS IN THE PAST POSED A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO OTHER APPLICANTS YOU KNOW, SEEKING MARIJUANA DISPENSARY SUPS. REGARDING THE ODOR CONTROL PLANS AND THERE'S ARE VERY, VERY, VERY DETAILED. SO I JUST APPRECIATE ALL OF THAT.

SO MY VOTE WILL BE A YES. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.

I ALSO LIKE THE PLAN, AND I APPRECIATED THE SECTION ON SAFETY AND BOTH FOR THE LOCATION AND FOR THE EMPLOYEES.

AND THAT'S I'M SURE THAT'S PART OF BUSINESS PLANS, BUT IT'S NICE TO SEE IT ARTICULATED LIKE THAT.

SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY, SO THOSE WHO ARE LIKELY TO BE INCLINED TO SUPPORT THIS RECOMMENDATION PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. I THINK THAT'S UNANIMOUS FOR YOU, MR. SHORKEY AND THAT IS NOT A BINDING VOTE ON ANYBODY HERE.

YOU KNOW THAT WHEN WE ACTUALLY VOTE, WE MAY HAVE DIFFERING THOUGHTS, BUT JUST TO GIVE A SENSE OF THAT.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND FOR SHARING INFORMATION WITH US. OKAY.

THANK YOU. OKAY. PUBLIC HEARING, AS IT WERE, IS NOW CLOSED AT 7:07, I GUESS.

WE HAVE NONE. AND OTHER BUSINESS 2025 BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY APPOINTMENT AS THE DESIGNEE FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

[9.A. 2025 Brownfield Redevelopment Authority Appointment]

WONDERFUL. DO WE NEED TO.

WE WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, MR. SHORKEY. DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THIS OR IS.

I NEED A YEAH, WE NEED A VOTE. ALL RIGHT. WOULD SOMEBODY LIKE TO THEN FORMALLY MAKE THE MOTION TO SUPPORT [INAUDIBLE].

I MOVE TO PUNISH COMMISSIONER BROOKS [LAUGHTER] BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.

THANK HIS FAMILY FOR THAT. SECOND. THANK YOU.

ANY DISCUSSION BESIDES THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I WAS EXPECTING TO BE REPRIMANDED LONG BEFORE THIS HONESTLY. I'D LIKE TO THANK HIS FAMILY AND HIS EMPLOYER [LAUGHTER].

OKAY. COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. WE'RE VOTING OKAY. COMMISSIONER SNYDER, YES. COMMISSIONER MCCURTIS, YES.

COMMISSIONER ROMBACK, YES. COMMISSIONER BROOKS, YES.

AND THE CHAIR VOTES YES. SO WE ARE UNANIMOUS, UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR REPRESENTATION OF US ON THIS BOARD.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. OKAY. REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS, TOWNSHIP BOARD UPDATE.

[10.A. Township Board update]

THINKING PLANNING COMMISSION STUFF, THEY GOT AN ANNUAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN UPDATE.

BOARD DISCUSSION ITEMS. THEY DISCUSSED ORDINANCE 2025-03, WHICH WAS THE DOBIE ROAD REZONING.

[00:40:05]

PROPOSED ON THE NEXT AGENDA WILL BE ACTION ON THE DOBIE ROAD REZONING THAT HAS NOT BEEN FINALIZED.

WE GOT A PROPOSED AGENDA TODAY, BUT THAT THAT IS PROBABLY WHEN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND THAT LOOKS AS FAR IF YOU ARE INTO SUCH A THING AT THE MOMENT ON MARCH 18TH, THERE WILL BE A PRESENTATION FROM CATA REGARDING THE READY RIDE PROGRAM.

THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE DOING AT THE TRIP. YEAH.

THAT'S. YEAH, THAT THE THE CATA OWES MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP A YEARLY PRESENTATION ON HOW THE READY RIDE PROGRAM IS DOING, THEY USED TO DO THAT WITH THE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, NOW THEY'RE DOING IT FOR THE TOWNSHIP BOARD. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. LIAISON REPORTS. THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION NOW HAS A NEW STAFF MEMBER

[10.B. Liaison reports]

WE'RE DELIGHTED. HE BRINGS A LOT OF GREAT TECHNICAL SKILLS TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

AND AT OUR LAST MEETING WE ADOPTED A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP'S FISCAL YEAR CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING GRANT APPLICATION TO INSTALL SOLAR ON ANOTHER FIRE STATION ROOF.

THANK YOU. THAT'S FEDERALLY FUNDED? IT COMES FROM CONGRESS, THIS TO SENATOR PETERS.

THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN PUT IN, LIKE, YOUR SPECIAL REQUEST FOR IT'S IT'S NOT [INAUDIBLE], BUT IT'S THEY GET TO KIND OF PUT IN A CERTAIN NUMBER OF REQUESTS.

AND SO LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES CAN OR LOCAL UNITS OF GOVERNMENT, I THINK, CAN PUT IN THOSE KINDS OF REQUESTS.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ALSO PROVIDED A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR A PROPOSAL TO THE HOUSE, TO OUR HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES ON SMALL SCALE ANAEROBIC DIGESTION LIKE MUNICIPAL LEVEL ANAEROBIC DIGESTION.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS MAYBE WE'LL GET LUCKY.

FOR VARIOUS FAR FLUNG PLACES AND MANAGES THE BIG FACILITY AT MSU.

SO MOVING TO THAT MID SCALE KIND OF FACILITY IS SOMETHING THAT SOME MUNICIPALITIES ARE DOING.

BUT IT'S NOT FREE. SO YOU'LL KEEP US POSTED, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY. I'LL BORE YOU WITH TALES OF TRASH SORTS IF YOU LET ME.

TELL US ALL ABOUT THE ANAEROBIC. ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY. THANK YOU. PROJECT UPDATES, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE?

[11. PROJECT UPDATES]

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE OPEN IN APRIL.

I'M ALSO GOING TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAND SOMETHING OUT TO YOU.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION.

THIS IS THE LEGAL NOTICE THAT MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PUT IN LANSING CITY PULSE.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS FOR THE CDGB HOUSING IMPROVEMENT, LOCAL LIVABILITY, OR OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE CHILL GRANT FOR TIERED PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS. AND I WILL LET YOU READ THIS. IT IS TWO, IT IS A TWO PAGE LEGAL NOTICE.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO NOTICE THAT NOTE THAT THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER SEEN AN ACRONYM WITH AN ACRONYM IN IT.

YOU SPEND MORE TIME WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

SO IT'S BASICALLY FEDERAL GRANT MONEY FOR HOUSING REHABILITATION IN HIGH DENSITY, LOW INCOME AREAS. AND THEY GET TO DO A CERTAIN NUMBER, THEY GET TO REQUEST FUNDS TO DO THIS.

THE ONE COMMENT THAT I WILL SAY ON THIS IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF GRANTS, BUT WE ARE GOING AFTER WHAT WE CAN.

THANK YOU. ON THE HYDROPONICS BUSINESS UPDATE.

SO THAT WAS A WAS THAT A FORMER SUP. I HAVE NO IDEA.

[00:45:05]

GROW LIGHTS. SEE I DIDN'T I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT.

AND THAT'S ON ALCHEMIST ROAD RIGHT, NOT MARSH ROAD.

YES IT IS. I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY. OKAY. IT USED TO BE A FLORIST YEARS AGO.

YEAH, I CAN SEE THAT. AND IT'S BEEN, LIKE, IN VARIOUS STATE OF DECAY.

AND THEN THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF, LIKE, FACADE IMPROVEMENTS RECENTLY.

CDBG IS THE OVERALL GRANT PROGRAM. YEAH. WE DIDN'T HAVE A ZBA MEETING, SO THAT WOULD BE MY SO PROJECT UPDATES. THANK YOU. WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE HERE TO GIVE PUBLIC REMARKS.

ANY ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? I HAVE A QUESTION, MR.

[13. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS]

SO I FEEL LIKE WE'VE SEEN A NUMBER OF TRAFFIC ASSESSMENTS AT THIS POINT, OR AT LEAST I HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF THEM AT THIS POINT.

AND DO WE HAVE ANY STANDARD OR IS THERE ANY STANDARD ON HOW OLD THE DATA CAN BE USED FOR THESE THINGS? YES. OKAY. YES. IT'S IN OUR ORDINANCE.

I DON'T WANT TO QUOTE A NUMBER WITHOUT LOOKING IT UP, BUT IT'S FAR ENOUGH A LONG AGO, SO THAT TONIGHT'S [INAUDIBLE] TONIGHT WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE.

SO THESE APPLICANTS WERE SEEN WHEN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP OPTED INTO MEDICAL MARIJUANA PRE COVID RIGHT.

THEY DID A TRAFFIC STUDY FOR THAT. THAT TRAFFIC STUDY WAS SUBMITTED AS IT WAS FOR OTHER RETAIL APPLICATIONS THAT YOU'VE SEEN. AND WHAT WE FOUND WAS THEY GOT KICKED BACK.

SO IF THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE SCALE, I COULD LOOK AND SEE WHAT THE ORDINANCE SAYS SPECIFICALLY.

I KNOW, YOU KNOW, SO THINGS LIKE TRAFFIC ASSESSMENTS, WETLAND STUDIES, THEY HAVE THEY HAVE EXPIRATION DATES.

OKAY. WELL, I'M NOT CONCERNED WITH THE SPECIFIC LIKE HOW LONG BACK IT COULD GO.

MY QUESTION IS MORE LIKE, SO IF WE HEARD THIS AGAIN OR IF WE HEARD THIS LAST YEAR AND AND I DON'T I DON'T REMEMBER HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, BUT AND WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE TRAFFIC STUDY.

WAS IT VALID AT THAT POINT, THOUGH, WHEN WE REVIEWED THE SUP? OH, NO. NO, THEY THEY CAME THEY CAME FORWARD WITH AN OLDER TRAFFIC STUDY.

OH, YEAH. SO I GUESS WHY DID WE REVIEW IT THEN IF THEY HAD AN OLD TRAFFIC STUDY THAT WASN'T VALID FOR OUR PURPOSES? I THINK WE SAID BRING A NEW ONE.

IT CAME FORWARD. I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK SPECIFICALLY THERE.

THERE WERE THERE WAS A REASON. PART OF IT WAS THEY AND THEY WEREN'T ALONE IN THIS.

PART OF IT WAS THEY SIMPLY TOOK THEIR OLD PACKAGE, BROUGHT IT FORWARD, CHANGED MEDICAL TO RETAIL AND WHEN, YOU KNOW, GIVE US MORE MONEY AND, YOU KNOW, APPLICATION FEE AND WENT FORWARD.

YEAH. GIVE US NEW APPLICATION FEE AND WENT FORWARD.

I'D HAVE TO LOOK AND SEE IF THERE WAS A REASON SPECIFICALLY.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I'M JUST THINKING OUT LOUD HERE.

JUST LIKE IF, IF WE ENCOUNTER THIS, IT'S LIKE OKAY. STAFF LEARNED A THING. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

I'M NOT TRYING TO I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK ABOUT, LIKE, WAYS TO HELP OUT AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.

CAN I SUGGEST ONE? COULD THERE BE A WHEREAS CLAUSE THAT MENTIONS THE TRAFFIC ISSUE? IT SAYS THIS IS WHAT WAS ON THAT INITIAL APPLICATION AND THIS IS WHAT [INAUDIBLE] AND IN RESPONSE TO THAT, THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED. WHEREAS THE APPLICANT RESPONDED. YEAH. YEAH, WE CAN DO THAT.

THAT WAY IT'S IN THE RESOLUTION AND IT'S CLEAR.

I LIKE THAT, THANK YOU. I THINK THAT HELPS US ALL.

AND IT HELPS US BECAUSE IT IS HARD. THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY THINGS THAT COME BEFORE US, AND THEN TIME ELAPSES AND IT COMES BACK.

AND I KNOW THERE ARE A FEW WHERE I EITHER MISSED THE MEETING WHERE WE DISCUSSED, OR I MISSED THE MEETING WHERE WE VOTED.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, AND THEN IT GOES TO THE BOARD AND THINGS HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT.

IT IS REALLY HELPFUL TO HAVE THOSE PLACEHOLDERS TO TAKE US BACK TO WHERE WE WERE.

AND THEN WE HAVE THEN WHEN WE GO BACK AND READ IT LATER, WE WE CAN REMEMBER WHY WE DID WHAT WE DID.

SO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO MY QUESTION/COMMENT, AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING AN ACTUAL DIRECTIONAL RECOMMENDATION BASED ON THOSE COMMENTS.

[00:50:04]

WAIT. I'M SO SORRY. PUBLIC COMMENT. THE NEXT MEETING I WON'T BE HERE BECAUSE IT'S SPRING BREAK FOR MY KIDS AND WE DID DECIDE TO GO SOMEWHERE, SO I APOLOGIZE. OH, ACTUALLY, WHEN IS THE NEXT ONE? MARCH 24TH. I WON'T BE HERE EITHER SAY THAT OUT LOUD NOW.

YOU HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS IN TWO WEEKS. OH, YEAH.

I MEAN, IT IS WHAT IT IS, BUT WE'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN.

BUT I NEED TO KNOW, OKAY. WE CAN'T CALL IN, RIGHT? I'M GOOD. NO, I WOULD PREFER IF YOU DIDN'T. OH, YOU CAN CALL ME, BUT DON'T DO IT THE NIGHT OF THE MEETING.

I MEAN, CAN WE OPEN MEETINGS ACT NO YOU CANNOT CALL IN VOTES. YEAH. YEAH. OKAY.

NO. YEAH. SORRY I MISUNDERSTOOD. YEAH. AT THIS POINT, I AM SCHEDULED TO BE HERE SO BARRING ANY ILLNESS OR OTHER UNFORESEEN EVENT, I WILL BE HERE. BECAUSE REMEMBER, YOUR QUORUM IS NOT BASED ON YOUR CURRENT NUMBER IT'S BASED ON YOUR, YOU KNOW, WHOLE THING. YOU'VE GOT SEVEN SEATS.

YEP. I NEED FOUR PEOPLE HERE. I THINK YOU GOT FOUR, RIGHT.

YOU HAVE FOUR RIGHT NOW? YES. I WAS JUST REVIEWING THAT THE OTHER DAY, AND THE WAY I READ IT WAS IT SAYS MEMBERS IN OUR BYLAWS.

YOU STILL NEED FOUR . SURE, BECAUSE HALF OF, YOU KNOW, IT'S A MAJORITY OF SIX.

NO, I GET THAT. YEAH. YEAH. SO JUST LET LET MR. SHORKEY KNOW IF ANYTHING CHANGES IN YOUR PLANS SO THAT HE CAN MAKE SURE THE APPLICANTS KNOW.

JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE IN BOCA RATON DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T WATCH ON YOUTUBE.

IT'S ONLY AN HOUR AND A HALF, RIGHT? COME ON.

DO YOUR. SO I WILL BE RIDING AN E-BIKE THROUGH ZION CANYON AT THAT TIME, SO I WILL NOT BE WATCHING.

OH, NICE. I AM SORRY. NICE. OKAY. I MOVE TO ADJOURN.

THANK YOU. SECOND. THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE]. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 7:22.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.