Jun 23, 2025 Planning Commission

I GUESS IN THE INTEREST OF STAYING ON SCHEDULE.

[00:00:03]

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER ]

CALL]. THANK YOU. I'LL NOTE IF ANYBODY ELSE COMES IN. WE ARE AT ITEM THREE ON OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYBODY WHO'S HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO GIVE PUBLIC REMARKS TO DO SO. OKAY. SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO NUMBER FOUR, APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

SUPPORTED BY COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? IT IS APPROVED. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE JUNE 9TH, 2025.

[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

IN THE PACKET. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BROWNBACK.

EXTREMELY. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE GO FOR IT. IN THE TAG TEAM BETWEEN ME AND COMMISSIONER MCCURTIS FOR THE AGENDA AND THE MINUTES. LAST TIME AROUND, WE SWAPPED ROLES, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH DID WHICH ONE, BUT I'M SURE. LET'S SEE, I THINK I WROTE IT DOWN.

AGENDA WAS MCCONNELL MOVED BY MCCONNELL, SECONDED BY MCCURTIS.

MINUTES WAS MOVED BY MCCURTIS, SECONDED BY MCCONNELL AND IN THE HEWITT ROAD ESTATE SECTION.

MR. [INAUDIBLE] NAME IS LONG AND IS NOT QUITE THE WAY I USUALLY SEE IT.

THAT'S ITEM ON PAGE TWO. MINUTES. ITEM B3D 2501 TWO.

HERE OR THE STAFF WILL LOOK THAT UP AND MAKE THAT CORRECTION.

THAT'S IT. OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? CAN I MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE MINUTES? PLEASE YES.

LAST WEEK WE THE MINUTES WERE TURNED BACK OVER TO STAFF.

THOSE WERE SHORT NOTICE. IN THE FUTURE, STAFF WILL BE DOING IT, NOT THE CLERK'S OFFICE.

YOU MAY SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A SUMMARIZATION OF CONVERSATIONS AS A RESULT.

OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THE HEADS UP. WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.

OKAY. SO WITH THOSE SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS TO THE MINUTES.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. THIS ARE APPROVED, AS AMENDED. AND NOW WE ARE ON TO COMMUNICATIONS.

SO ANY COMMUNICATIONS? I HAVE NONE. OKAY. PUBLIC HEARING, WE HAVE NONE.

WE HAVE NO UNFINISHED BUSINESS. SO WE ARE AT ITEM 9A OTHER BUSINESS.

[9.A. SUP #25009 – Ace Hardware Outdoor Storage]

OKAY. AS NOTED, THIS IS THE SECOND MEETING FOR SPECIAL USE.

PERMIT NUMBER 25009 ACE OKEMOS ACE HARDWARE FOR OUTDOOR STORAGE.

RETAIL SALES AT EXISTING HARDWARE STORE AT 3544 MERIDIAN CROSSING DRIVE.

STAFF HAS NO FURTHER COMMENT ON THIS, PER THE DISCUSSION TWO WEEKS AGO, STAFF DOES ULTIMATELY RECOMMEND APPROVAL BASED ON YOUR CONVERSATION.

THERE IS A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT IN THE PACKET FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.

PROPOSED OUTDOOR STORAGE AND RETAIL SALES CONFORMS WITH THE TOWNSHIP MASTER PLAN AND THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP, AS THIS IS A COMMERCIAL ZONE AND SHOWN COMMERCIAL IN THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP.

THE PROPOSED OUTDOOR STORAGE AND RETAIL SALES SIGNIFICANTLY CONFORMS TO THE REVIEW CRITERIA FOUND, AND WE DISCUSSED THAT LAST WEEK, AND THE APPLICANT HAS AGREED TO COMPLY WITH THE CONDITIONS IN THE RESOLUTION TO APPROVE.

THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? ANY DISCUSSION? ACTUALLY, WHEN SOMEONE LIKE TO MOVE THE RESOLUTION I MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING SPECIAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 25009 TO ALLOW OUTDOOR STORAGE AND RETAIL SALES AT AN EXISTING HARDWARE STORE AT 3544 MERIDIAN CROSSING DRIVE.

SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS FOUND IN THE RESOLUTION TO APPROVE FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.

HELP. CAN YOU SCROLL FOR ME? THE PROPOSED OUTDOOR STORAGE.

RETAIL SALES CONFORMS TO THE TOWNSHIP'S MASTER PLAN AND THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP.

PROPOSED OUTDOOR STORAGE AND RETAIL SALES SIGNIFICANTLY CONFORMS TO THE REVIEW CRITERIA FOUND IN SECTION 86 126 AND THE ZONING ORDINANCE,

[00:05:04]

SO THAT MOTION IS APPROVED. IT IS APPROVED. I'LL SEND A OFFICIAL LETTER OUT THIS WEEK.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. OKAY.

NOW WE ARE ON ITEM NINE B AND UNIT PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT.

[9.B. PUD #25012 – Hulett Road Estate ]

AGAIN, NOT A LOT OF INPUT ON THIS SECOND ROUND, NOT FROM STAFF.

YOU DID ASK FOR FURTHER INFORMATION BETWEEN THE IN THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE APPLICANT AND THE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.

AN EMAIL IS PROVIDED IN THE PACKET FROM THE APPLICANT.

THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE ONGOING AND WILL ULTIMATELY COME TO BEAR WHEN THEY GET TO SITE PLAN REVIEW.

BASED ON THE CONVERSATION LAST WEEK, STAFF DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL.

IF YOU DO RECOMMEND. THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION.

THIS IS NOT A FINAL APPROVAL. YOUR RECOMMENDATION WILL GO TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

TOWNSHIP BOARD ULTIMATELY HAS FINAL APPROVAL FOR DENIAL OF PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT.

YOU SEE THE PROPOSED MOTION WITH THE REASONS STATED THERE.

THANK YOU. WOULD SOMEBODY LIKE TO MOVE APPROVAL OF THIS MEETING? I'M OKAY. THANK YOU, MS. RHONDA. IS THERE A SECOND? ACTUALLY, CAN YOU READ WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE MOVING TO? SO WE HAVE IT FOR THE RECORD.

OH, BOY. I MOVE TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT NUMBER 25012 TO ALLOW THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIVE NEW DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ON APPROXIMATELY FIVE ACRES LOCATED ON HULETT ROAD.

ALONG WITH THE PRESERVATION OF THE EXISTING RESIDENCE AT 5360 HULETT ROAD.

SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS FOUND IN THE RESOLUTION TO APPROVE FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.

THE PROPOSED PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT CONFORMS WITH THE TOWNSHIP ZONING ORDINANCE AND MASTER PLAN.

THE PROPOSED PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARDS FOUND IN SECTION 86-439.

PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT. THE APPLICANT HAS AGREED TO THE CONDITION TO FOLLOW STATE AND COUNTY REGULATIONS FOR ROAD LOAD LIMITS.

THANK YOU. MR. ROBERT COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL SUPPORTED.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, I WILL TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE.

FOR COMING. THANK YOU. YOUR NEXT STEP WILL BE THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

WE WILL FORWARD THIS AND YOU'LL BE NOTIFIED AT THE FIRST BOARD MEETING.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

AND NOW WE ARE. [INAUDIBLE]. OKAY. SORRY. ROOSTERS.

YES. TEXT AMENDMENT TO ITEM NINE C TEXT AMENDMENT 25014.

[9.C. TA # 25014 – Sec. 86-368 – Rural Residential Roosters – Discussion]

AND THIS IS JUST A DISCUSSION. SO WE'RE NOT REMOVING ANYTHING AT THIS POINT.

YEAH. WE DISCUSSED THIS AT YOUR LAST MEETING.

STAFF INFORMED YOU THAT WE WOULD SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS RECOMMENDED BY OUR TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY.

IT DOES SAY DID JULY 13TH ON HERE SAY JULY 14TH? BUT IT IS SCHEDULED CURRENTLY UNDER TOWNSHIP'S BACKYARD CHICKEN ORDINANCE.

ROOSTERS ARE GENERALLY PROHIBITED, EXCEPT ON THE RURAL RESIDENTIAL ZONE PROPERTIES.

THAT'S KIND OF OUR AG LAND. SEVERAL RURAL RESIDENTIAL ZONED PROPERTIES ARE WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY AND ARE ADJACENT TO HIGHER DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS. THIS HAS CAUSED ISSUES WITH RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, AND RESIDENTS DID NOT INTEND TO RESIDE NEXT TO RURAL PROPERTIES.

[00:10:06]

WE ARE AFRAID THIS IS GOING TO BECOME ARIGHT TO FARM ISSUE.

THAT WOULD MAKE IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO REGULATE ROOSTERS IN THE TOWNSHIP AT ALL.

THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY HAS RECOMMENDED THE UPDATE TO REGULATE ROOSTERS UNDER THE ZONING ORDINANCE THAT IS ALLOWED BY THE MICHIGAN RIGHT TO FARM ACT.

IF ADOPTED, THE AMENDED LANGUAGE AMENDS SECTION 86-368, PARAGRAPH B, PARAGRAPH EIGHT, TO ONLY ALLOW ROOSTERS ON RURAL RESIDENTIAL ZONED PROPERTIES A FIVE ACRES OR GREATER IN SIZE AND OUTSIDE OF THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY.

STAFF DID PUT TOGETHER A MAP TO SHOW YOU WHAT PARCELS THAT WOULD AFFECT AND I'M GOING TO SCROLL DOWN TO IT REAL QUICK.

SO, WHAT I DID WAS TO TAKE OUR PARCELS FIND. WHICH ONES ARE ZONED RURAL RESIDENTIAL.

IT DOESN'T APPEAR GREAT ON A PDF MAP. IT APPEARS REALLY GOOD ON PAPER.

THE REAL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY. OUR PARCELS ARE ALL SHOWN.

SO, LIKE, THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE. THESE ARE RURAL, RESIDENTIALLY ZONED.

THE AMENDMENT AS WRITTEN THEN, WOULD ALLOW THEM ON FIVE ACRES OR MORE.

SO WHAT THIS MAP, SHOULD SHOW AND I COULDN'T.

I'M SORRY. I COULDN'T FIND A WAY TO MAKE THESE PARCELS DIFFERENT COLOR IN THESE PARCELS. BUT THE PINK COLOR IS REAL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES THAT ARE ZONED FIVE ACRES OR MORE.

AND THEN THIS HEAVY BLACK LINE IS THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY.

SO THESE PINK PROPERTIES OUTSIDE OF THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY WOULD BE ALLOWED ROOSTERS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.

I WANT. YOU TO SCROLL BACK UP. YOU ASKED FOR A REDLINE VERSION OF THIS TEXT AMENDMENT AND HERE PARAGRAPH EIGHT. MALE CHICKENS, ALSO KNOWN AS ROOSTERS, ARE PERMITTED BY RIGHT ONLY ON PARCELS EXCEEDING FIVE ACRES. TOTAL FIVE TOTAL ACRES. ROOSTERS ARE NOT PERMITTED ON PARCELS WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY.

AND THEN WHILE WE'RE UNDER THE HOOD DOWN HERE SUBPARAGRAPH THREE, THERE'S SOME TEXT THAT'S BEEN STRUCK OUT.

AND THEN THE LANGUAGE, THE INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEMENT ON THE PRIVATE RESTRICTION IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PRIVATE PARTIES INVOLVED.

THAT IS NOT NEW POLICY. THAT IS WHAT WE SAY WHEN PEOPLE COME IN AND TALK ABOUT HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS, FOR EXAMPLE. WE DO NOT HAVE A DOG IN THAT FIGHT WHEN WE IMMEDIATELY SAY, YOU'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND TALK TO YOUR HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION.

SO THAT'S JUST KIND OF CLARIFYING THAT. SIMPLIFYING THE LANGUAGE.

YES. WHAT'S THERE? YES. I AM OPEN TO CONVERSATION.

I WILL MAKE ONE QUICK SIDE STATEMENT. I'LL TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE ANNALISE.

SHE IS OUR, NEWEST INTERN IN OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

SHE HAS BEEN SPENDING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT.

I DO NOT WISH YOU TO PUT HER ON THE SPOT AT HER FIRST MEETING, HOWEVER.

ANECDOTALLY, SHE INFORMED ME TEN MINUTES BEFORE THIS MEETING THAT SHE GETS QUITE A LOT OF TEXT MESSAGES FROM PEOPLE GRIPING ABOUT ROOSTERS.

SO IF YOU WANT A CONVERSATION WITH AN ACTUAL ENFORCEMENT PERSON.

I CAN TURN THAT OVER, BUT PLEASE BE GENTLE. THIS IS HER FIRST MEETING.

OH, WOW. WELL, WE WILL BE GENTLE. I HAVE A CAMERA ON ME.

SO ARE THERE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? I HAVE A COUPLE, BUT I'LL SEE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE AND THEN GO FROM THERE.

CAN WE HAVE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE MAP? YES, ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE ASKED FOR AND I WANT MORE TIME TO UNDERSTAND IT.

OKAY. WE SHOULD ENTER. IT'S A GREAT. IT IS A GREAT MAP.

I'M GOING TO. IF I COULD MAKE THE COLORS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE.

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS GOING TO MAKE ANY SENSE TO YOU. THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY IS A LINE. THESE ARE NOT POLYGONS, SO I COULD NOT SAY OUTSIDE OF THE LINE BECAUSE THE IT WOULDN'T RECOGNIZE THAT IF IT WERE A POLYGON I COULD JUST SAY INSIDE.

SO IN SHORT, ALL THE PINK PARCELS TO THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER AND TOP RIGHT CORNER OUTSIDE OF THE DARK BLACK LINE WON'T BE CHANGED BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY OUTSIDE THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY, CORRECT. IT'S THE PINK PARCELS TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT THAT ARE GREATER THAN FIVE ACRES AND CURRENTLY ARE ALLOWED.

RIGHT AND THEY'RE RIGHT UP AGAINST SOME PRETTY DENSE SUBDIVISIONS.

SO I'M GOING TO ZOOM IN AND START SHOWING YOU SOME PIECES.

THIS IS THE FORMER WALNUT HILLS GOLF COURSE AND FAMOUSLY THE LARGEST HOUSE IN THE TOWNSHIP.

THESE ARE INTERMINGLED. THESE ARE RURAL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES THAT ARE UNDER FIVE ACRES THAT,

[00:15:06]

SPECIFICALLY THOSE YELLOW PARCELS TO THE LEFT OF THE LINE WILL LOSE THE RIGHT TO HAVE ROOSTERS.

CORRECT. BECAUSE THEY'RE RURAL, RESIDENTIAL. BUT THEY'RE INSIDE THE URBAN SERVICE.

CORRECT AND THE PINK ONES, TOO. SO ANY COLORED PARCEL THAT'S WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY? YES. WILL LOSE ITS ABILITY. THAT'S ZONED RR WOULD LOSE ITS.

AM I GETTING THAT CORRECT? YES. ANYTHING INSIDE THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY LOSES THE RIGHT TO ROOSTERS.

ANYTHING OUTSIDE THE RURAL? OUTSIDE THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY RETAINS AS LONG AS THEY'RE FIVE ACRES OR MORE, THAT IS. YEAH. SO WHAT ABOUT THE HOUR? SORRY.

SORRY. GO AHEAD. SO WHAT ABOUT THOSE TWO BIG SPOTS ON THE BOTTOM SOUTHWEST CORNER? THAT'S MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY PROPERTY. SO IT'S FIELDS.

RIGHT. BUT DOES THIS MAKE IT SO THAT. I THOUGHT YOU JUST SAID THAT.

ANYTHING INSIDE THE SERVICE BOUNDARY CAN'T HAVE A ROOSTER.

THIS IS CORRECT. SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT ALL OF THAT AG RESEARCH AREA AND MSU CONTROL CAN'T HAVE ROOSTERS? LET ME VERIFY THAT BEFORE THE 14TH.

I BELIEVE THERE'S A LIKE A UNIVERSITY EXCEPTION, BUT I WILL CONFIRM THAT.

OKAY. LIKE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE ZONE IT. BUT I WILL CONFIRM THAT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

OKAY. I THINK MOST OF THE EGGS OURSELVES OF JELLY ROAD AND OR WEST OF HAGEDORN.

YEAH, I THINK TOO. AND THAT'S OUTSIDE OF OUR BOUNDARIES, ISN'T IT? I THINK SO. I JUST MOST OF THEM ARE WEST OF HAGEDORN.

WEST OF HAGEDORN IS OUTSIDE OUR PROBLEM, RIGHT OUTSIDE OUR JURISDICTION.

WHEN YOU GO NORTH OF THE MICHIGAN STATE PROPERTIES AND THEN ALL OF THIS, AND THEN YOU GET INTO THIS IS A 4 TO 5 AGREEMENT, AND THEN YOU COME UP HERE AND THIS IS INSIDE THE TOWNSHIP.

THAT'S NOT HAGEDORN AT THAT POINT. ANYONE ELSE HAVE.

SO JUST JUST TO CLARIFY, JUST SO NO MATTER WHAT THE COLOR IS, THOSE COLORS CURRENTLY ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE ROOSTERS INSIDE THE SERVICE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY.

OH YEAH. I'M SHOWING YOU ALL OF THE RURAL RESIDENTIALLY ZONED PROPERTIES.

SO AFTER THIS, IF IF THIS PASSES, IF IT WERE TO BE SORRY PAST THEN.

THE ALL THOSE PROPERTIES THEN WOULD NO LONGER BE ALLOWED TO HAVE ROOSTERS INSIDE OF THE URBAN SERVICE INSIDE THE SERVICE BOUNDARY.

BUT THEN AFTER IF IT PASSES, THEN AFTERWARDS LOTS LARGER THAN FIVE ACRES WOULD BE ALLOWED TO STILL HAVE ROOSTERS OUTSIDE THE URBAN CIRCLE.

CORRECT. WE'RE NOT GETTING RID OF ROOSTERS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, RIGHT? WE'RE TRYING TO LIMIT WHERE THEY ARE TO WHERE THEY'RE APPROPRIATE. SO.

CURRENTLY, I THINK I'M READING THIS WRONG BECAUSE IT'S INDENTED.

OKAY. BECAUSE IT SAYS LIKE B2 SAYS ROOSTERS ARE NOT ALLOWED.

IS THAT ONLY IN THE RAA? YES, WE HAVE A COMPONENT IN THE RR DISTRICT THAT ALLOWS FOR FOR CHICKENS IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS. IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS ROOSTERS ARE NOT ALLOWED.

THIS DOES NOT AFFECT THOSE ZONING CATEGORIES.

BUT SO THOSE PEOPLE HAVE NEVER HAD A RIGHT TO ROOSTERS.

CORRECT, AND I'M LOOKING BECAUSE PARADOXICALLY, IF WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT ROOSTERS, THAT MEANS WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT OWN ROOSTERS RIGHT NOW WHOSE RIGHTS WILL BE CHANGED IF THIS PASSES.

CORRECT. AND WHILE I DON'T NECESSARILY DISAGREE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, DISAGREE THAT WE SHOULDN'T DO THIS.

I FEEL LIKE I WOULD WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT THIS WAS CHANGING BEFORE THEY GOT SLAPPED WITH A PENALTY OR SOMETHING, AND I'M NOT SURE GIVEN. I MEAN, YOU'VE SAID WE NOTICE IT IN THE CITY PULSE, BUT I DON'T KNOW.

IT WAS NOTICED IN CITY PULSE. THIS IS OUR SECOND MEETING.

WE HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING COMING UP. I WILL ALSO SAY THAT I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO GO AROUND WITH THE CHICKEN POLICE.

NO. I'M SERIOUS. I ASKED ABOUT THIS. LIKE, HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENFORCE THAT? THAT QUESTION CAME UP AT THE LAST MEETING.

IT IS UNDETERMINED YET HOW THIS WILL BE ENFORCED.

IT IS BEING DISCUSSED ACTIVELY WITH OUR TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY AND WITH DIRECTOR SCHMITT.

BUT I DON'T I CAN SAY THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE PROACTIVELY GOING DOOR TO DOOR LOOKING FOR ROOSTERS.

[00:20:02]

HOWEVER, SOMETIMES WE GO DOWN THE STREET AND LOOK TO SEE IS ALL THE VEGETATION OVERHANGING, RIGHT? BUT WE DON'T PICK AND FIGHT GENERALLY, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE TO HEAR SOME CHARACTERIZATION OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT THE TOWNSHIP IS RECEIVING.

I DON'T THINK WE NECESSARILY WANT TO PINPOINT ON THAT KIND OF THING.

RIGHT. SOMETHING THAT KIND OF CHARACTERIZE, OKAY.

IT'S KIND OF THESE SORTS OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE ABUTTING THESE OTHER SORTS OF PROPERTIES.

OR IS IT AND TO WHAT DEGREE HAVE PEOPLE GONE THROUGH THE PROCEDURE TO NOTIFY THE TOWNSHIP THAT THEY ARE KEEPING? I CAN PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER FOR YOU.

I THINK I'D BE UP ON THAT. I THINK IT'D JUST BE INTERESTING TO KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE PLAYING BY OUR RULES AND LETTING US KNOW.

SURE AND I FIND THE ENFORCEMENT PART A LITTLE CONCERNING, TOO, BECAUSE SECTION THREE OF THE AMENDED, AS YOU NOTED AT THE INTERPRETATION, ENFORCEMENT OF THE RESTRICTIONS IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF PRIVATE PARTIES INVOLVED.

YOU'RE SO YOU'RE SETTING UP A NEIGHBOR VERSUS NEIGHBOR THING.

SO BRIAN AND JEFF LIVE NEXT TO EACH OTHER. JEFF HAS ROOSTERS.

BRIAN COMES TO ME AND SAYS, YOU HAVE ROOSTERS. YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO. IT'S A PRIVATE MATTER.

CORRECT. RIGHT. I THINK THAT'S ONLY IF YOU'RE ALLOWED BECAUSE YOU'RE OUR DISTRICT ALLOWS IT.

YET YOUR HOA OR YOUR DEED COVENANT RESTRICTION SAYS THEY DON'T.

THEN IT'S NOT A TOWNSHIP ENFORCEMENT. IT'S AN HOA ENFORCEMENT.

THAT IS. YEAH, THAT IS THE INTENT OF THAT. NOT THAT IT'S OKAY IF IT'S AN ACTUAL ZONING VIOLATION.

THE TOWNSHIP CODE COMPLIANCE. OKAY. YEAH. BECAUSE THAT WAS WORRYING TO ME BECAUSE YOU'RE ACTUALLY IF THAT IF I MISREAD THAT.

SO IT'S NOT [INAUDIBLE]. NO, IT'S IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE. IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE. IT'S LIKE TO ME THAT READ YOU TO BATTLE IT OUT.

AND THEN SOMEBODY'S GOING TO GO TO DISTRICT COURT, RIGHT? RIGHT. SAY HE HAS ROOSTERS. AND THEN WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE ACTUALLY TIPPED THE JUDICIAL BRANCH, RIGHT? BECAUSE NOW WE WOULD SAY YOU HAVE LESS THAN FIVE ACRES AND A ROOSTER.

YOU LOSE. RIGHT. I WAS CONFUSED BY THE LAST WORD OF THE FIRST SENTENCE OF THAT PARAGRAPH, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT A REGISTRATION IS. SO I GET THE THIS IS TALKING ABOUT THIS WHOLE AID.

ONE, TWO, THREE IS TALKING ABOUT KEEPING RABBITS.

AND THIS DOESN'T REALLY REFER TO THE ROOSTER ISSUE.

THIS IS KEEPING OF CHICKENS AND RABBITS IN THE ONE FAMILY DWELLINGS, OUR TRIPLE DOUBLE IN OUR DISTRICTS.

THEY HAVE TO REGISTER THOSE. OKAY. THAT'S THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING.

RIGHT AND THAT'S A SIMPLE EMAIL. THERE'S NO FORM OR ANYTHING.

BUT NOTWITHSTANDING THE REGISTERING OF THOSE RESIDENTIAL CHICKENS, IF THERE ARE PRIVATE RESTRICTIONS, THOSE ARE THE INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THOSE ARE BETWEEN THOSE.

SO IF YOU WE MIGHT SAY IN OUR ORDINANCE, WELL, YOU'RE ZONED RA, WE SAY YOU CAN HAVE CHICKENS, BUT IF YOU LIVE IN A HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION THAT SAYS NO CHICKENS.

THAT TAKES PRECEDENCE. BUT THAT'S. THAT IS BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION.

OKAY. THANK YOU. IF WE GO BACK TO THE MAP FOR A SECOND.

SURE. THANK YOU.

SO I THINK THE IT MAKES SENSE NOT TO HAVE ROOSTERS IN AN URBAN AREA.

IT IS. IT'S INTERESTING TO THINK ABOUT. NOT INTERESTING TO THINK ABOUT IT IS WILL IT BECOME TROUBLESOME? IF THERE ARE PARCELS RIGHT NEXT TO THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY, OR THAT ARE ON THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY, BUT ALSO BORDER DENSELY POPULATED OR MORE DENSELY POPULATED AREAS.

SO LIKE IF YOU GO UP INTO HASLETT. ON THE. YEAH.

SO. RIGHT. JUST MOVE YOUR MOUSE DOWN THAT PART RIGHT THERE.

YEAH. SO LIKE THIS PART RIGHT HERE HAS FAIRLY SMALL SMALLER SUBPLOTS THAT ARE ALSO BORDERING LARGER HOUSING UNITS. SO. I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK THROUGH LIKE ARE THERE LOOPHOLES IN THIS IN WHICH THERE'S NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE ABOUT ROOSTERS ON THIS URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY THAT ARE STILL NEXT TO POPULATED PLACES, THE RURAL THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY FOLLOWS PARCEL.

[00:25:04]

IF YOU WANT TO LIVE CLOSE TO THE RURAL AREA, JUST LIKE THEY WOULD HAVE RIGHTS TO OTHER FARM ANIMALS AT THAT POINT.

THEY'RE RURAL. RESIDENTIAL. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. YEAH, IT IS A POTENTIAL, BUT, I MEAN, THERE'S A LINE, AND THAT LINE MEANS SOMETHING.

YEAH. WOULD. I FEEL LIKE IT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE TO.

DELAY ENFORCEMENT OR DELAY IMPLEMENTATION FOR AT LEAST A PERIOD OF TIME.

SO THAT THOSE WHO MAY BE AFFECTED HAVE A CHANCE TO.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD DO WITH A ROOSTER, BUT REMOVE THE ROOSTER BEFORE THE ORDINANCE TAKES EFFECT.

RIGHT. I MEAN, I ASSUME THAT WOULD GO INTO THE STATUTE IF IT WAS A 180 DAY, 360.

I DON'T KNOW. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT A STANDARD ORDINANCE DELAY MAY LOOK LIKE, BUT JUST PROTECTING THOSE RESIDENTS WHO MAY HAVE THOSE ROOSTERS LIKE WELL, THING I THINK WOULD BE APPROPRIATE. YOU HAVE A CERTAIN TIMELINE BUILT IN AT THIS POINT.

REMEMBER YOU DON'T HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION BEFORE THE 14TH, SO YOU WON'T MOVE FORWARD ON IT UNTIL THE 28TH.

SO THE BOARD ISN'T GOING TO SEE THIS BEFORE AUGUST.

THEREFORE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO FINAL APPROVAL THIS BEFORE SEPTEMBER AND CAN YOU BELIEVE I'M ALREADY TALKING ABOUT SEPTEMBER? WHAT ARE THE NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR A TEXT AMENDMENT? IT GOES IN THE PAPER.

THERE'S NO SPECIFIC PARCEL BEING TARGETED LIKE A REZONING.

SO IT'S A GENERAL NOTICE IN THE PAPER OF OUR LARGEST CIRCULATION, WHICH IS LANSING PULSE.

WOULD IT MAKE SENSE TO NOTIFY THE REGISTRANTS, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE REGISTERED WITH THE TOWNSHIP, THAT. NO, BECAUSE THAT IS NOT WHO THIS ORDINANCE EFFECTS.

YOU CANNOT REGISTER IN ONE OF THE RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONES FOR A ROOSTER.

THIS DOES NOT AFFECT THEM. I WAS THINKING MORE OF FOLKS WHO HAVE REGISTERED FOR CHICKENS AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ROOSTERS.

NO, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ALLOWING THEM TO HAVE ROOSTERS.

WE COULDN'T HAVE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND START ALLOWING ROOSTERS IN THE OUR DISTRICT.

SO REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED IN THE RR DISTRICT.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? THAT IS WHAT I'M SAYING. YES. SO AND IF WE DON'T PUT A ZONING MECHANISM IN PLACE AND THIS BECOMES A RIGHT TO FARM ISSUE, THERE'S NOT MUCH THE TOWNSHIP'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO AND THAT PUTS US IN AN AWKWARD POSITION.

I MEAN, IT SEEMS HERE'S WHERE I'M A BIT TROUBLED.

SO THINK ABOUT LIKE, TEXT HISTORY AND TRADITION.

THE I MEAN, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP HAS STARTED AS A FARMING COMMUNITY, BUT WE ARE NOT A FARMING COMMUNITY.

WE MIGHT HAVE STARTED WHEN WE STARTED IN 1836.

WE HAD MUSKETS. WE DO NOT HAVE JUST MUSKETS ANYMORE.

FAIR. BUT I MEAN, WHO'S TO SAY THAT SOME OF THESE FARMS HERE HAVEN'T BEEN IN OR SOME OF THESE ARE REALLY IF THEY'RE WORKING FARMS, THEY HAVEN'T. I DON'T KNOW. IT JUST. I JUST SUSPECT OF THIS AND I'M NOT SURE IT'S RIGHT.

BUT I'M JUST. I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA. IT'S SOMEWHAT AFTER THE FACT.

YOU KNOW, MANY OF THESE FARMS, I'M SURE, PREDATE THE SUBDIVISIONS AND THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT UP WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THEM.

LIKE, THEY'RE THEY MAY BE A SMALL PART AND THERE MAY BE ONLY A FEW IMPACTED, BUT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE GIVE THEM AMPLE OPPORTUNITY? SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS TO CURE BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION? AND THAT WAS MY QUESTION AROUND LIKE CAN WE SET A 9180 DAY, 365 DAY DELAY? BUT WHAT FARM ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? BECAUSE THE FARMS, THE AG AREAS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE IN OUTSIDE OF THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY? AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A FARM. THIS IS A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE.

THIS IS THE YMCA. YES. THIS IS THE SEWER TREATMENT PLANT.

I THINK THAT'S LIKE THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. LIKE THESE BIG PARCELS.

THESE ARE NOT FARMS. THIS IS. YOU MIGHT GET SOME HERE, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, LIKE WHEN YOU GET DOWN IN HERE. I MEAN, THIS IS SILVER LEAF.

SO THIS IS THE SCHOOL? NO, THIS IS THE SCHOOL, RIGHT? LIKE, THERE'S. LIKE, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I DON'T THINK THIS AFFECTS THEM ON A

[00:30:01]

I MEAN, I'M NOT GOING TO SIT HERE THAT I AND SIT HERE AND CLAIM THAT I WENT PARCEL BY PARCEL, BUT I MEAN, I CAN I'M POINTING OUT LIKE THESE ARE NOT FARMS, THESE ARE DEVELOPED PROPERTIES, BUT I THINK THEY JUST HAPPEN TO BE ZONED RR. I JUST THINK WHAT A COUPLE ARE HITTING ON IS LIKE JUST NOTICE PROVISION.

UNDERSTANDABLE. IT'S NOT TARGETED SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAIL. BUT LIKE HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE ENOUGH NOTICE TO CURE IF THEY SO WISH? BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE GOING TO MEET THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENT WITH LANCING PULSE. BUT SUCH REQUIREMENTS AND REQUIREMENTS SOMETIMES RUN OPPOSITE OF EACH OTHER.

IT IS LIKE ANY OTHER TEXT AMENDMENT, I CAN TELL YOU WE HAVE A NOTIFICATION SYSTEM IN THE TOWNSHIP.

PEOPLE CAN SIGN UP AND GET NOTICES. THEY ARE ALL OUR OUR PACKETS ARE ONLINE AND AVAILABLE BOTH FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE BOARD, OF COURSE. THESE MEETINGS ARE LIVE TELECAST AND THEN RECORDED ON YOUTUBE.

THE LAST MEETING YOU HAD HAD ZERO VIEWS UNTIL I WATCHED IT, I YEAH, I HAVE I CAN'T COMMENT ANYMORE ON IT. I WILL GET IN TROUBLE. UNDERSTOOD.

I THINK IT'S HELPFUL TO SEE THE AMENDED TEXT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE BROADER ZONING ORDINANCE.

WHICH IS THE REGULATIONS AROUND, LIKE WHAT YOU CAN DO IN THESE SINGLE FAMILY ZONED SITES, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK LIKE THE SECTION JUST ABOVE IT SECTION SEVEN IS TALKING ABOUT AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS AND SO I'M LOOKING AT THIS AS THIS IS ALL ABOUT ROOSTERS, BUT REALLY THIS IS ALL ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO IN THOSE ZONED AREAS.

AND THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO GO INTO THAT BECAUSE IT'S TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ONLY KEEP SMALL ANIMALS SUCH AS POULTRY, RABBITS AND GOATS IN THE RR DISTRICT. AND THAT PRECEDES THIS AND IS RELEVANT TO THIS, RIGHT? TO ME THAT HELPED ME MAKE MORE SENSE OF IT AND WHAT ELSE YOU CAN DO AND WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T DO.

AND THEN SO THE RAISING AND KEEPING OF CHICKENS AND RABBITS NON-AGRICULTURALLY RIGHT IS THIS SECTION.

AND THIS IS JUST ADDING THAT RESTRICTION ON. IT DOESN'T ADD AND IT CLARIFIES THE LANGUAGE.

AGAIN IF IT'S IN A PRIVATE IT'S UNDER PRIVATE JURISDICTION LIKE A HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION.

THAT IS THAT WILL TRUMP OUR ZONING ORDINANCE.

IT'S NOT THAT'S NOT UNIQUE TO ROOSTERS. THAT HAPPENS ANYWAY A LOT.

I JUST FIND THAT FUNNY BECAUSE I'M PRESIDENT OF MY HOA, AND I OFTEN ARGUE THAT THE ORDINANCE IS TRUMPED. THE HOA, THE AND OFTEN THEY DO THE MOST RESTRICTIVE RESTRICTION.

YES, THAT WILL TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER THE OTHER ONE.

BUT IN THIS CASE WHAT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S CLEARLY SAYING IF YOUR RESTRICTION IS MORE STRINGENT THAN OURS, THAN YOU WOULD DEFER TO YOU. WE WON'T ENFORCE IT, BUT WE'LL ACKNOWLEDGE IT.

RIGHT. HAS YOUR ASSOCIATION EVER TAKEN ENFORCEMENT ACTION? I DESPERATELY MAKE EVERY EFFORT NOT TO TAKE ENFORCEMENT ACTION.

I MEAN, I RECENTLY ACTUALLY DID POINT ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS TO THE TOWNSHIP BECAUSE I ACTUALLY THOUGHT THE RAID WAS EASIER FOR THEM TO INTERPRET AND ENFORCE THAN US.

RIGHT. PLUS, THEY HAVE PROFESSIONALS. SO STAFF WILL LOOK INTO THE JURISDICTION.

QUESTION ABOUT THE MSU PROPERTY, AND STAFF WILL PUT TOGETHER A CHARACTERIZATION OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE'RE GETTING ON THE ROOSTERS.

I CAN ASK ABOUT SOME KIND OF IMPLEMENTATION, BUT I'M ALREADY LIKE THE TIMELINES ALREADY LIKE THREE MONTHS OUT.

JUST, YOU KNOW, BUT AND THEN YOU GET INTO FALL AND BUT I CAN ASK ABOUT IT.

LIKE I SAID, I JUST. YEAH, I JUST THINK THAT SOMETHING THAT WAS BECAUSE THIS STILL IMPACTS ANYBODY IN THE OUR DISTRICTS WHO HAS A ROOSTER TODAY, RIGHT. YES. BUT IT WON'T AFFECT THEM UNTIL SEPTEMBER.

CORRECT. BUT THEN IT WILL BE ONE DAY ON, YOU KNOW, AUGUST 31ST.

A ROOSTER WILL BE PERMITTED AND THEN ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, I'M JUST DOING LOOSE NUMBERS.

RIGHT. BY ALL MEANS, THEN IT WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED.

AND THAT IS WHERE I THINK THE IMPLEMENTATION, LIKE A DELAYED IMPLEMENTATION, MAKES A LITTLE BIT OF SENSE JUST FROM A HUMANE AND JUST LIKE RIGHT TO PROPERTY AND RIGHT TO OWNERSHIP THING, BECAUSE WE DO BELIEVE IN STRONG PROPERTY RIGHTS.

AND THEN I WILL I'LL MENTION THAT TO DIRECTOR SCHMITT AND HE CAN TALK TO THE BOARD ABOUT THAT.

YEAH. OKAY. THAT MAKES SENSE. YEAH. I MEAN OKAY.

I MEAN, BUT IF WE'RE PASSING TAX, THEN I WOULD PRESUME IT WOULD BE IN WHATEVER TAX THAT WE WOULD VOTE ON.

SO IT WOULD SAY THIS ORDINANCE DOESN'T TAKE EFFECT UNTIL AND I'M JUST MAKING UP A DATE HERE.

DECEMBER 1ST, 2026. LET ME ONE LAST POINT ON THE ENFORCEMENT.

[00:35:10]

BUT IF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP WAS TO CHANGE THE ZONING OF A PROPERTY, WELL, WE HAD A REZONING, REMEMBER? THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE HERE, WE HAD IN OUR WE HAD AN ADMINISTRATIVE REZONING FOR A LADY ON K STREET.

WE HAD, IN SOME MAP AMENDMENT, SOME SOMEWHERE.

SOMEONE DREW A FAT LINE AND HER PROPERTY GOT ZONED POA AND SHE DIDN'T PUT PROFESSIONAL OFFICE AND SHE DIDN'T KNOW IT UNTIL SHE WENT TO DO AN ADDITION ONTO HER HOUSE.

AND BECAUSE SHE WAS A LEGAL NONCONFORMING USE, SHE WASN'T ALLOWED TO DO THAT ADDITION.

WE ZONED IT FOR HER SO SHE WAS ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.

BUT. IT'S NOT LIKE SHE WAS ZONED PROFESSIONAL OFFICE.

WE WENT IN AND KICKED HER OUT OF HER HOUSE. SO IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT THE ENFORCEMENT OF CHICKEN OF ROOSTERS MIGHT END UP THE SAME WAY.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO IN AND PROACTIVELY MAKE YOU GET RID OF YOUR ROOSTERS, BUT THEY HAVE A MUCH SHORTER FINITE LIFESPAN THAN A HOUSE DOES. AND MAYBE IF THIS IS A PARCEL THAT YOU'RE AFFECTED AS THEY PASS AWAY, YOU'RE JUST NOT ALLOWED TO REPLACE THEM LIKE ANY OTHER NONRESIDENTIAL OR NON LEGAL NONCONFORMING USE TO SOME EXTENT, BECAUSE I HAD THIS TRAIN OF THOUGHT IN MY HEAD ABOUT.

SO WE PICKED FIVE ACRES, RIGHT, THAT THEY CAN BE ALLOWED BY RIGHT, RIGHT UNDER THE STATUTE.

IT'S LIKE, OKAY, WE PICKED FIVE. I DON'T KNOW WHY.

YOU KNOW, I'M PRESUMING IT'S A GENERAL AGRICULTURAL OKAY DESIGNATION.

YOU KNOW, THAT. WOULD WE SAY, WHAT IS THE AVERAGE LIFESPAN OF A ROOSTER? WELL, IT'S FIVE YEARS. OKAY, WE'LL KICK THIS CAN DOWN FIVE YEARS. THAT GIVES EVERYBODY A CHANCE TO GET RID OF THEIR ROOSTERS AND JUST NOT REPLACE THEM AS THEY PASS.

LIKE I SAID IT, THEY'RE NOT ALL GOING TO DIE IN FIVE YEARS.

I MEAN, THERE ARE MITIGATING. IT'S THE LAW OF AVERAGES.

THERE ARE MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES. I'M SURE THERE ARE SOME ROOSTERS LIVE LONGER THAN OTHERS.

FOGHORN LEGHORN HAS LIVED IN OUR HEARTS FOR A GOOD 50 YEARS, SO, I THINK WE'VE MADE CHANGES THAT THIS PERSONAL OPINION MORE SEVERE THAN THIS, THAT HAVE BEEN IMPOSED MORE RAPIDLY THAN THIS, THAT PEOPLE HAVE WORKED TO LIVE WITH AND SO I AGREE THAT IMMEDIATE CHANGE MIGHT BE TOUGH. I WOULD ARGUE AGAINST FIVE YEARS.

IF I'M MAKING A RECOMMENDATION. YEAH, I'M JUST SAYING SOME TEMPORAL.

LIKE I SAID. I'LL TALK TO DIRECTOR SCHMITT ABOUT THAT IF HE WANTS TO TAKE THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

AND I'LL LEAVE THAT UP TO HIM. I JUST HAVE TWO COMMENTS FOR ALL OF US.

SO ONE IS THAT I THINK WE FREQUENTLY MAKE ORDINANCE CHANGES IN RESPONSE TO THINGS THAT ARISE IN THE COMMUNITY, WHICH I THINK MAKES SENSE BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE NOT NECESSARILY OVERBEARING IN THE ORDINANCE OR AND IN THIS CASE, I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO TRY AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT ROOSTERS BECAUSE OF THE URBAN NATURE OF WHERE WE LIVE. AT LEAST WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY.

THE SECOND THING, THOUGH, IS THAT THE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST ABOUT HOW WE NOTIFY PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED BY ORDINANCE CHANGES, WHICH I DO THINK. I MEAN, I KNOW THAT WE USE THE NEWSPAPER AND WE POST IT AND WE DO OTHER THINGS, BUT WE ALSO LIVE IN A DIFFERENT WORLD. SPEAKING OF DIFFERENT WORLDS WHERE MUSKETS NO LONGER EXIST, WE ALSO LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE NEWSPAPERS VERY RARELY ARE SEEN.

AND THIS DOES MAKE ME THINK ABOUT THAT. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD DISCUSS THAT OR EVEN CHANGE THAT AT SOME LEVEL, BUT I THINK WE WANT AN ENGAGED COMMUNITY. AND EVEN ON THIS TOPIC, I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO CHANGE OUR PROCESS AT THIS MOMENT.

BUT LIKE ON THE ROOSTER ISSUE, IT'S LIKE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO OWN ROOSTERS, AND THERE ARE ALSO PEOPLE WHO HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT ROOSTERS, AND THEY BOTH HAVE POINTS TO BE MADE IN THIS CONVERSATION.

AND WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT WORKS WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.

AND I JUST THINK THAT'S WORTH THINKING ABOUT MORE IN THE FUTURE.

[00:40:04]

I'D JUST LIKE TO GIVE MORE CREDIT TO THE TOWNSHIP AND THE TOWNSHIP STAFF.

I AGREE THAT IF I WAS NOT SOMEBODY PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENT BUSINESS, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT A PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.

THAT HAPPENED TWICE A MONTH. EVEN IF IT WAS TELEVISED AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SAY THAT WE ARE LIKE THE MOST POPULAR THING THERE.

BUT I DO REALLY COMMEND THE TOWNSHIP FOR THE TRANSPARENCY THAT IT HAS OF MATERIALS LIKE EVERY BOARD MEETINGS PACKET.

NOT JUST THE AGENDA, BUT THE PACKET IS ONLINE AND AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO LOOK AT AND THE HISTORY.

DATING IS VERY WELL ORGANIZED. IT'S IF YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING, IT'S EASY TO FIND.

AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE IN EVERY COMMUNITY AND THAT CERTAINLY I'M SURE HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE HERE, BUT AS TECHNOLOGY HAS ALLOWED IT. SO I FEEL LIKE IT, IT'S HARD TO PUBLICIZE, TO REACH PEOPLE THAT YOU DON'T KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO REACH.

AND I THINK THE TOWNSHIP DOES DO PERIODIC COMMUNICATION TO RESIDENTS TO TELL THEM HOW TO ACCESS INFORMATION AND WE SEE IT SOMETIMES WHEN THERE'S A DEVELOPMENT GOING ON THAT AFFECTS NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY SAY THE FIRST WE HEARD OF IT WAS WHEN MY NEIGHBOR TOLD ME ABOUT IT AND BUT I THINK YOU DO THOSE NOTIFICATIONS BASED ON WHAT STATE LAW REQUIRES AND I THINK TO CHANGE OR DEVIATE FROM STATE LAW COULD BE PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE THEN HOW DO YOU DECIDE IF YOU AREN'T FOLLOWING SOME GUY? SO AGAIN, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO, AND THEN THE TOWNSHIP DOES DO MORE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO LOOK FOR IT.

THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY. SO EVERY TIME YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY EVENT, I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO PUBLICIZE.

HEY, DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN FIND THIS AND THIS ON THE TOWNSHIP'S WEBSITE? AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK BUT I THINK THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM.

SO I FEEL LIKE THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR MORE. BUT I DO FEEL LIKE IT'S THERE FOR THOSE WHO TAKE AN INTEREST AND I WOULD GUESS THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME BECAUSE OF ONE ISSUE PROBABLY PAY MORE ATTENTION GOING FORWARD, KNOWING THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO SO AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE EVEN MORE PEOPLE PAYING ATTENTION. BUT I DO FEEL LIKE IT'S THERE IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING.

THAT'S A GOOD FIRST STEP. THAT'S NOT THE BE ALL, END ALL, BUT IT'S A GOOD PLACE TO START.

NOT TO NEGATE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I THINK IT'S.

IT IS HELPFUL AND IT IS NOT THE SAME EVERYWHERE.

THAT'S THAT'S A GOOD THING. A QUICK QUESTION IN THE COMMENT.

YES. ACCORDING TO MY INTERNET, THE MUZZLE LOADING SEASON IS DECEMBER 5TH TO 14TH.

I THINK THIS IS CORRECT. I THINK THERE ARE SOME MUZZLE LOADERS.

DID NOT SAY WE ABOLISHED MUZZLE. THE QUESTION IS AS SOMEONE WHO HAS, DOESN'T AND NEVER HAS KEPT CHICKENS. I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPED BY KNOWING WHY.

WHAT'S THE MAIN MOTIVATION FOR PEOPLE WANTING TO HAVE ROOSTERS? MY AMATEUR SENSE IS THAT IT THEY OFFER PROTECTION TO LAYERS, OR THEY AT LEAST ALERT FARMERS TO THREATS TO PREDATION. BUT I DON'T REALLY KNOW THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT A WORLD I LIVE IN.

BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THIS POLICY DISCUSSION TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND THAT BETTER AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.

CAN I GIVE YOU AN ANECDOTE? MY EX-WIFE DOESN'T EVEN LIKE EGGS AND WHEN SHE WAS DOWN IN KENTUCKY AND PRICES STARTED TO GO UP BECAUSE OF WHERE SHE LIVED, SHE WAS ABLE TO GET CHICKENS. AND SHE LEARNED TO EAT EGGS BECAUSE IT WAS A SOURCE.

AND THEN WHEN I SAY THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER MEANS OF LIKE LIKE YOU DON'T JUST HAVE TO WAIT FOR CHICKENS TO PASS AWAY.

SHE LOST TWO CHICKENS, TWO HAWKS. SO I'VE SEEN BOTH SIDES OF.

I'M PERSONALLY FINDING THIS AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION BUT THAT BUT YES A FOOD SOURCE IS ONE OF THOSE STRONG REASONS.

I DON'T KNOW OF ANOTHER REASON WHY YOU WOULD WANT.

THE CHICKENS CAN BE NICE. THEY CAN BE PETS. I HAVE SEEN THIS.

THEY'RE NOT GREAT INDOOR ANIMALS. THEY ARE FILTHY.

[00:45:01]

THEY'RE NOT DOGS AND KITTENS. YEAH. I JUST APPRECIATE A LITTLE MORE ABOUT IT FROM WHATEVER SOURCE.

YOU KNOW, MSU DOES A LOT OF THINGS ON THIS. MAYBE I'LL LOOK AND SEE IF I CAN FIND YOU SOMETHING THAT TALKS ABOUT THE RISE OF THE CHICKEN AND THE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS.

I THINK SPECIFICALLY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHY ROOSTERS VERSUS CHICKENS OR IS IT, I'M GUESSING THAT ROOSTERS ARE ALWAYS JOINING LAYING HENS, DO THEY COME ALL AT ONCE? AND I GUESS IF YOU WANT TO RESUPPLY YOUR CHICKENS AS THEY ATROPHY YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT AND BUY CHICKS.

YOU CAN PRODUCE THEM, BUT LET THEM DO THEIR THING.

SOME OF THOSE EGGS WILL GET FERTILIZED, AND YOU CAN INCUBATE THEM AND KEEP YOUR FLOCK GOING.

SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW I UNDERSTAND IT. BUT AGAIN, I'M A COMPLETE BYSTANDER IN THIS.

SO I HAD A GREAT QUESTION. THERE'S SOME REASON TO KEEP A ROOSTER BECAUSE IF THEY'RE NOISY FOR NEIGHBORS, THEY'RE NOISY FOR YOU TOO. RIGHT. THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

YES. AGAIN, LET ME LOOK INTO THIS AND SEE IF I THINK IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

AND IT STRIKES ME AS THE KIND OF THING THAT MSU EXTENSION MIGHT HAVE WROTE, LIKE A ONE PAGE OR TWO PAGE ARTICLE ON.

IF I FIND SOMETHING, I'LL PUT IT IN YOUR PACKET FOR THE 14TH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? QUESTION. NOW, WHEN YOU USE THE TERM CHICKEN, I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY REFERRING TO THE FEMALE HEN. THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. OKAY. SO THE ROLE OF THE ROOSTER, WHICH IS THE MALE, IS MULTIPLE AND ONE. WITH THE MALE.

FEMALE. YEAH. CONNECTION. RIGHT. PRODUCING FERTILIZING EGGS.

THAT THEY ALSO PROVIDE PROTECTION TO THE BROOD.

YOU HAVE BASICALLY THEIR OWN FAMILY UNIT. SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A ROOSTER TO HAVE AN EGG. CORRECT. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A ROOSTER IF YOU WANT A FERTILIZED EGG.

SO QUESTION ALSO. NOW WE HAVE THE THE PREDOMINANT BLACK LINE. ANYTHING TO THE RIGHT OF IT IS PROTECTED.

CORRECT. FIVE ACRES OR MORE. RIGHT. OKAY. ANYTHING TO THE LEFT OF IT WOULD FALL UNDER THE NEW LANGUAGE.

AND THEN YOU MAY HAVE EXISTING NON-CONFORMING USE.

THAT IS CORRECT. THAT IS CORRECT. WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE ENFORCED BY THE TOWNSHIP, BUT MAYBE BY THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS.

IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, WELL, THE HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION QUESTION WILL AFFECTS THE FEMALE CHICKENS THE CHICKEN REGISTRY. UNDER THIS, WHETHER IN A HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION OR NOT, YOU CAN'T HAVE A ROOSTER INSIDE THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY. YEAH. OKAY. DO WE KNOW? I'M SURE WE HAVEN'T TAKEN A BODY COUNT AS TO HOW MANY ROOSTERS WE HAVE. TO THE LEFT OF THE LINE. WE HAVE NO IDEA BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT REGISTERING THEM.

BECAUSE THEY'RE IN OUR PROPERTIES. OKAY. BUT WE DO HAVE AS NOTED THAT WE HAVE HAD SOME COMPLAINTS, AND I WILL I'LL SUMMARIZE THEM FOR THE FOURTH.

THANK YOU. YES. I'LL GIVE YOU A SUMMARY OF THE KIND OF THINGS WE'RE GETTING.

QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS? THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE GET COVERED FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING MEETING.

I THINK WE SHOULD GO AFTER LAVA'S NEXT. THEY DON'T MAKE NOISE, THOUGH.

PERHAPS IT'S. DETOX.. OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 14TH.

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

I HAVE NO UPDATE AT THIS TIME, I AM. I APOLOGIZE, BUT I DIDN'T YEAH, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU'D LIKE COVERED FOR OUR FUTURE?

[00:50:06]

[10.B. Liaison reports ]

I WAS FACING A HARD DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR MEDICARE.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I NEED A STEAK DINNER.\ SORRY.

THAT'S IMPORTANT. ITEM 11 PROJECT UPDATES. I SAW THAT WE HAD SOME.

[11. PROJECT UPDATES ]

YOU CAN. BUT THE ADDITIONS AND CHANGES ARE IN BOLD.

SO IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER YOU ANY QUESTIONS.

OKAY. WE ARE DOWN TO ITEM 12 PUBLIC REMARKS. SEEING NO ONE TO GIVE REMARKS, WE ARE ITEM 13. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS AND SEEING NONE, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BROOKS. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ROB.

REVERSE THAT OR REVERSE THAT. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 7:24.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.