Jul 02, 2025 Environmental Commission Meeting

[00:00:21]

BECAUSE I WAS WORKING AT KMART I THINK WE DO THIS TRACK, RIGHT, I'VE SEEN THE THUMBS UP. THAT MEANS IT'S 7:00 AND WE'RE READY TO GO LIVE.

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

WOULD STAFF PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? THIS SHOULD GO QUICK.

[LAUGHTER] COMMISSIONER BESILE. HERE. COMMISSIONER FRAIZER, IS ABSENT UP IN THE U P.

COMMISSIONER SARVER. OH, SORRY.[LAUGHTER] YEAH.

YOU GOT TO TALK A LITTLE LOUDER.[LAUGHTER] SPEAK UP A LITTLE BIT HERE, INTO THE MIC HERE.

COMMISSIONER MIKSICEK. HERE. COMMISSIONER PETERSON.

ABSENT. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER BATTEN HERE. AND TRUSTEE NICKOLAS LENTZ.

PRESENT. AND I THINK THAT'S IT. FOR STAFF, WE HAVE ME, I'M JACK HUGHES, PROJECT ENGINEER.

AND THEN WE HAVE CAYCEE HART JOINING US AS OUR SENIOR PROJECT ENGINEER.

THANK YOU. IF WE HAVE A PRESENTATION, WE WOULD HAVE THAT AT THIS TIME.

I DON'T BELIEVE WE DO. THEN WE WOULD HAVE CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS. I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY CITIZENS ADDRESSING AGENDA ITEMS. DO WE HAVE ANY COMMUNICATION SINCE THE PACKET WENT OUT? NOPE. THANK YOU. CHAIR, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

[6. APPROVAL OF AGENDA ]

SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SARVER. ANY DISCUSSION OF THE AGENDA? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED?

[7. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES –June 4, 2025 REGULAR MEETING ]

I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER MIKSICEK HAD SOME TYPOGRAPHICAL ADDITIONS TO A SECTION, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY CLEAN AS WELL AS GLEAN, BUT I'M SURE THEY ARE THE CLEAN GLEANING THAT COULD BE A CATCHY TITLE.[LAUGHTER] THERE WAS, I WAS ABLE TO WATCH PART PORTIONS OF THE RECORDING OF THE MEETING, BUT GOT AN ERROR HALFWAY THROUGH.

BUT IN TRUSTEE LENTZ'S REPORT ON THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, THE VERY LAST SENTENCE OF HIS REPORT I DIDN'T QUITE CATCH THE MEANING OF THAT.

IT WAS EITHER AN IMPERIAL COMMAND OR A SUMMARY OF SOMETHING THAT WAS IN RELATION TO NOT THAT ONE. I'LL TRY COMING UP [INAUDIBLE].

WHAT WAS THE LAST SENTENCE OF THAT PARAGRAPH? I COULD.

REGIONAL SURVEYS. EVEN THOUGH RECOMMENDATIONS DON'T ALWAYS GUARANTEE IMMEDIATE RESULTS.

THAT ONE? NO, IT'S ON A PDF PAGE 5, THE SECOND FULL PARAGRAPH, THE 2026 BUDGET HAS NOT YET BEEN APPROVED. AND THE LAST SENTENCE SAYS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION EXPECTS TO DISCUSS CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY FUNDING TO ADDRESS ANY ROLL FORWARDS OF PREVIOUS FUNDING. DOES THAT MEAN THAT THE BOARD IS HOPING THAT WE WILL DISCUSS THIS? IS THAT WHAT HE WAS CONVEYING WHEN HE SAID THAT? YEAH, WE MAY HAVE TO CLARIFY WITH HIM ON THAT, BUT I THINK THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT HE WANTED TO BRING TO EITHER THE AUGUST, I THINK IT WAS TO THE AUGUST MEETING WAS A DISCUSSION ON WHAT TO DO WITH KIND OF PREVIOUS YEAR'S FUNDS.

OKAY. I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE HAD IN MIND THERE.

THAT'S FINE. ANY OTHER CHANGES, ADDITIONS, SUBTRACTIONS, DELETIONS TO THE MINUTES.

[00:05:01]

[8.A. Wetland Use Permit #25-02 ]

WELCOME. WHILE YOU'RE COMING UP TO THE PODIUM, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THAT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT'S BEEN ON MY WISH LIST FOR AN AWFUL LONG TIME, FOR FOR MANY YEARS, I'VE BEEN RIDING ON, ON THAT ROAD.

AND THE PATHWAY DOWN INTO THE POND HAS BEEN A THING THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIX FOR YEARS, AND WE'RE FINALLY CLOSING IN ON IT. SO IT'S SORT OF A DREAM COME TRUE.

AWESOME. YEAH. GLAD TO HEAR THAT. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS CASEY HART. I'M WITH THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, AND, THIS EVENING WE'RE DISCUSSING THE SCHULTZ PATHWAY.

IT'S ON THE NORTH SIDE OF BENNETT ROAD, AND IT'S KIND OF LOCATED IN BETWEEN THE TWO DRIVEWAYS YOU SEE ON ON THE SCREEN.

THE ONE TO THE WEST LEADS TO THE SCHULTZ VETERINARY CLINIC, AND THEN THE ONE ON THE EAST IS TO OKEMOS PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUS GARAGE.

BUT IT ALSO CIRCLES OVER TO BENNETT WOODS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

SO FURTHER TO THE WEST ON BENNETT ROAD, THERE'S ACTUALLY A SUBDIVISION DEVELOPMENT THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING BUILT.

AND LAST FALL, THEY DID EXTEND THE PATHWAY ALONG BENNETT ROAD ON THE NORTH SIDE TO THE SCHULTZ VETERINARY CLINIC DRIVEWAY.

SO RIGHT NOW WE JUST HAVE A PATHWAY GAP BASICALLY WHERE THAT, YOU KNOW, LARGE WETLAND IS BETWEEN THE TWO DRIVEWAYS.

AND IT'S CRUCIAL FOR US TO GET THAT FILLED BECAUSE THIS DEVELOPMENT, THEY'RE STARTING TO APPLY FOR BUILDING PERMITS.

AND ONCE THOSE HOMES ARE ESTABLISHED, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS HAVE A SAFE ROUTE TO GET TO BENNETT WOODS.

SO JACK, IF YOU WANT TO FLIP TO THE SITE PLAN THE WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS MOSTLY TO FILL THIS GAP AS A BOARDWALK. IT'S GOING TO BE EIGHT FOOT WIDE, RAILING TO RAILING.

IT SPANS ABOUT 325 LINEAR FEET. AND IT'S SUPPORTED BY HELICAL PILES THAT WILL, YOU KNOW, HAVE OUR CONTRACTOR DRILL INTO THE, INTO THE WETLANDS.

SO THE ONLY ACTUAL PERMANENT IMPACT IS GOING TO BE WHERE THE PILES MEET THE WETLAND.

WE HAVE 52 OF THE PILES, AND THE HELIXES ON THEM ARE ABOUT TEN INCHES IN DIAMETER.

SO THAT COMES OUT TO A PERMANENT IMPACT OF AROUND 28.3FT².

SO, YOU KNOW, PRETTY PRETTY LOW. AND THAT'S THE WHOLE REASON FOR BOARDWALKS, RIGHT.

TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACTS. SO, JACK, IF YOU WANT TO FLIP TO THE WETLAND MITIGATION KIND OF PLAN PER, YOU KNOW, THE TOWNSHIP'S ORDINANCE, WE DO HAVE TO MITIGATE ANY PERMANENT IMPACTS, AND WE PLAN TO DO SO IN THE WETLAND. I'LL CALL IT A WETLAND BANK THAT WE CREATED WITH THE MSU TO LAKE LANSING PHASE TWO SECTION OF THE PATHWAY. THIS MIGHT LOOK FAMILIAR BECAUSE IT PRESENTED ON THE EXACT SAME THING A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO ON OUR SANCTUARY PATHWAY.

SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE EXPANDED AN EXISTING WETLAND BY 0.14 ACRES.

SO THERE'S PLENTY OF ADDITIONAL SPACE FOR THE SMALL IMPACT TO BE MITIGATED.

AND THEN IF YOU GO UP ONE SHEET, THIS IS A SNIP OF THE GREEN SPACE PLAN.

SO IN THE LIGHT GREEN. THAT'S THE PRIORITY CONSERVATION CORRIDOR.

AND I JUST CALLED OUT OUR PROJECT LOCATION. WE ARE NOT LOCATED WITHIN THAT.

SO I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, BRING THAT TO TO LIGHT AND SHOW THAT AS WELL.

THE LAST THING WITH THIS PROJECT. SO THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT PERMITTING OR PERMITS WE HAD TO GET.

SO THERE'S AN EAGLE PERMIT FOR THE IMPACTS TO THE WETLAND.

WE JUST GOT DONE WITH OUR PUBLIC NOTICE PERIOD EXPIRED ON THE 29TH OF JUNE.

AND THEY SEND OUT A NOTICE TO EVERYONE WITHIN 500FT OF THE PROJECT.

THE ONLY COMMENT WE GOT WAS FROM DNR, AND IT WAS JUST TO USE, LIKE, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY SOIL EROSION CONTROLS.

SO WE DIDN'T GET ANY YOU KNOW, PUSHBACK FROM ANY OF THE RESIDENCES.

SO WE SHOULD BE GETTING THE ACTUAL PERMIT IN HAND.

I WOULD EXPECT, INSPECT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS OR JUST, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS TO COMPLETE IT.

WE ALSO ARE GOING TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON, I BELIEVE, THE 14TH OF THIS MONTH, WHERE WE WILL PRESENT,

[00:10:05]

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO THE ZONING BOARD. I THINK IT'S ON THE 17TH OF THIS MONTH BECAUSE WE'RE CROSSING THE HOSKINS DRAIN, WHICH RESIDES IN THIS WETLAND. SO AND BECAUSE WE WERE CROSSING THE HOSKINS DRAIN WE HAD TO GET A PERMIT FROM THE DRAIN OFFICE AS WELL. SO THAT'S IN HAND AS WELL. SO THOSE ARE THE DIFFERENT PERMITTING ASPECTS THAT WE HAD TO TO DO WITH THIS PROJECT.

SO WITH THAT I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE.

THANK YOU. QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS. SO I WAS JUST THINKING THIS PHOTO IS THERE.

WHAT IS WHAT WHAT'S THE WIDTH OR WHAT'S THE AMOUNT OF THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE ROAD AND THE WETLAND? OR IS THE WETLAND GO ALL THE WAY UP TO THE ROAD? SO THERE'S I THINK ABOUT A LITTLE OVER TEN FEET AND IT SLOPES DOWN.

SO WE DID WE DID EXPLORE JUST BUILDING THE PATHWAY IN THAT AREA.

BUT THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE WITH THAT IS PUTTING A PATHWAY LOWER THAN THE ROADWAY IS NOT LIKE IT'S A SAFETY CONCERN FOR US.

WE WANT THEM TO BE ELEVATED SO THAT DRIVERS CAN SEE IT.

THERE'S ALSO YOU CAN SEE UTILITY LINES THAT LINE THE AREA.

SO WE'D REALLY HAVE TO STICK ON THE OUTSIDE OF IT.

SO THAT KIND OF RULED OUT, YOU KNOW, GOING RIGHT ALONG THAT EXISTING GREENBELT JUST MOSTLY FOR SAFETY CONCERNS.

WE DID THINK ABOUT, JUST DOING A CONCRETE PATHWAY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE UTILITY POLE AS WELL.

AND THEN FILLING IN THAT AREA, WHICH WOULD BE MORE OF A WETLAND IMPACT AND DOING SHEET PILE RETAINING WALL ON THE BACK END.

BUT THE DRAIN OFFICE WAS NOT INTERESTED IN THAT BECAUSE IT WOULD OBSTRUCT THE DRAIN AND IT'D BE MORE WETLAND IMPACTS TOO.

SO WE ULTIMATELY DECIDED ON THE BOARDWALK. SO.

SO HOW FAR IN DOES FROM THE EDGE OR DOES THE BOARDWALK FROM THE BOARDWALK? IT'S I BELIEVE IT'S ABOUT 25FT, ROUGHLY INTO THE WETLAND.

YEAH. YEP. 25 FROM THE EDGE OF THE ROADWAY. SO IT'S, I GUESS I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN TRY TO TRACE THE EDGE OF WETLAND LINE.

IT'S THAT THICK GRAY LINE. THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH, THAT'S THE WETLAND.

SO REALLY, IT'S NOT AT POINTS ON THE WESTERN SIDE.

IT'S ONLY LIKE A COUPLE FEET INTO THE WETLAND, BUT THEN WE KIND OF JOG OVER BECAUSE WE HAVE A WATER MAIN IN THIS AREA AND WE WANT TO AVOID, YOU KNOW, PUTTING THE PILINGS OVER IT.

SO ON THE OTHER SIDE, IT LOOKS LIKE IT MAY BE 10 OR 15FT INTO THE WETLAND ON THE EAST SIDE.

OKAY. YEAH, I MEAN, THIS I WAS LOOKING AT THE PHOTOS AND I WAS LIKE, WOW.

ACTUALLY, IT WAS KIND OF A PRETTY NICE WETLAND.

SO YEAH. AND THEN AT FIRST I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? I THINK THERE ARE SOME TURTLES THAT COULD USE IT, INCLUDING A RARE ONE.

AND THEN I ACTUALLY CHECKED THE DATABASE BECAUSE I ACTUALLY WORK FOR MICHIGAN NATURAL FEATURES INVENTORY, AND THERE WAS A TURTLE THAT WAS SEEN JUST THIS YEAR, THE WETLAND, THERE'S A POND JUST TO THE EAST, THE SCHOOL POND.

AND I WAS LIKE, THERE IT IS. IT IS FOUND. SO I WOULD SUSPECT THAT THAT SPECIES PROBABLY USES AS WELL AS WELL.

YEAH. YEAH, YEAH. SO I MEAN I DON'T GIVEN THAT ON THE ROAD ALREADY INTERSECTS THAT WETLAND, IS THERE A CULVERT UNDERNEATH THE ROAD THEN? YEAH, THERE'S A CULVERT THAT BASICALLY TIES.

THERE'S A WETLAND TO THE SOUTH. YOU CAN KIND OF SEE IT RIGHT THERE.

IT'S LIKE AN EQUALIZATION CULVERT BETWEEN THOSE TWO WETLANDS.

YEAH. SO I DON'T I MEAN, IT'S ALREADY IT'S NOT LIKE A PRISTINE WETLAND PER SE, SINCE IT'S ALREADY BEING IMPACTED BY, YOU KNOW, THE ROAD THROUGH IT AND WHATEVER RUNOFF IS COMING OFF OF THE ROAD INTO THAT WETLAND.

SO I THINK IF IT'S JUST PILINGS GOING IN AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT LIKE IF.

SO I GUESS MY ONLY CONCERN WOULD BE THE FOOTPRINT OF WHEN THE PROJECT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING, WHEN THE, YOU KNOW, THE PILINGS ARE GOING IN AND, AND IF THERE'S ANY POTENTIAL IMPACTS TO THE WETLAND AND THEN IF THERE'S ANY POTENTIAL IMPACT LIKE TO LIKE THE, THIS, THIS PARTICULAR TURTLE SPECIES, THEN BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S AT AUGUST THROUGH AUGUST. I'M PLANNING TO START IN AUGUST SO WE CAN GET IT DONE IN THE DRY SEASON BEFORE WINTER STARTS.

IS THE PLAN? YEP. YEAH. SO THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY IF THEY WERE NESTING THERE.

I MEAN, THESE WOULD BE THE WETLAND, THE SPECIES, THE TREE BACK IN THE WETLAND.

OKAY. AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE UP ON LAND.

[00:15:02]

RIGHT. SO AND IT'S NOT WINTER WHICH SO IT MIGHT BE OKAY ACTUALLY TIME OF YEAR FOR THAT THEN.

SO WHEN THE ACTUAL PROJECT HAPPENS LIKE WHAT WHAT'S THE FOOTPRINT OF THE PROJECT.

YEAH. SO THE FOOTPRINT. SO WHEN THEY'RE CONSTRUCTING THE BOARDWALK SO THAT BOARDWALKS EIGHT FOOT WIDE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER APPROXIMATELY EIGHT FOOT WIDE TIMBER MATTING THAT'S GOING TO BE ADJACENT TO IT. SO THAT WILL BE TEMPORARY IMPACTS TO THE WETLAND THAT THEY'LL JUST LAY OUT AS THEY GO AND DRIVE THEIR EQUIPMENT OVER IT. AND ONCE THEY'RE DONE, THEY'LL REMOVE IT.

SO WE DID HAVE TO PERMIT THAT WITH EAGLE AS WELL.

MAKE SURE THEY WERE AWARE THAT THAT'S THE CONSTRUCTION METHOD WE WERE GOING TO USE.

BUT YEAH, IT WILL BE TIMBER MATTING. AND I THINK THE TOTAL IMPACT OF THAT I WOULD HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK. BUT I THINK IT'S LIKE 0.065 ACRES. SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S BASICALLY EIGHT FOOT WIDE TIMES 325 LINEAR FEET.

SO NOT I CAN'T DO THAT IN MY HEAD UNFORTUNATELY, BUT.

OKAY. YEAH. JACK'S GOT IT UP. SO THAT SHOULD.

YEAH. .0636. OKAY. YEAH. I DON'T KNOW WHAT. WHAT IS TIMBER MATTING? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT DOES. IT'S JUST IT'S BASICALLY WOOD THAT THEY LAY OUT TO.

YEAH. I THINK OVERSIZE RAILROAD TIES THAT ARE CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER.

OKAY. AS MATS. AND THEY LIFT THEM AND PUT THEM DOWN.

THAT WAY THE MACHINE CAN DRIVE ON TOP OF IT, AND THEN THEY PICK IT BACK UP AGAIN SO SHE CAN DRIVE IT, EVEN IF IT'S OVER WATER. IS THIS OVER WATER OR ON SOIL? IT'S OVER THE WETLANDS. SO IT'S OVER WATER. SO THEY'LL HAVE TO MAKE THEM, YOU KNOW, DEEP ENOUGH TO SUPPORT IT.

BUT IT'S IT'S BETTER THAN THEM, YOU KNOW, JUST TRYING TO DRIVE MACHINERY OUT INTO THE WETLAND AND RIPPING THAT UP.

SO IT. YEAH, PRESERVES IT AS BEST IT CAN. SO WHAT DO YOU THINK THE IMPACTS WOULD BE ON THE WETLAND THEN WITH THAT.

SO WITH THE TEMPORARY IMPACTS IT'S ADDITIONAL LIKE 0.06 ACRES.

SO BUT IT'S ONCE THEY'RE DONE WITH IT, THEY'LL REMOVE IT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE WETLAND WILL BE BE JUST FINE.

IT WILL. YEAH. REESTABLISH AND AND WHATNOT. SO NOTHING PERMANENT IS GOING TO BE IN PLACE.

IS THERE LIKE RUNOFF OR SOMETHING FROM IT THEN.

OR FROM THE TIMBER. YEAH, OR THE MACHINERY. I GUESS THAT'S GOING TO BE.

OH I MEAN, I GUESS THEY WOULD NEED TO MONITOR THE MACHINERY FOR LEAKS.

THAT WOULD BE PART OF THEIR, YOU KNOW, SAFETY INSPECTIONS. BUT THERE'S NOT ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF, LIKE, YOU KNOW, AN OFF BASE, LIKE GAS LEAK OR OIL LEAK.

NOTHING'S GOING TO BE BEING EMITTED FROM, FROM THE MACHINERY.

SO BUT THAT WOULD BE PART OF THEIR, YOU KNOW, INSPECT DAILY INSPECTIONS TO MAKE SURE THEIR EQUIPMENTS AND FUNCTIONING ORDER.

OKAY. YEAH. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A VERY SMALL AREA.

AND I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE REASONING FOR DOING THIS IS IT'S JUST UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE'RE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO DO THESE THINGS THROUGH WETLANDS.

IT'S JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE IT'S TOO BAD THERE WAS NO OTHER.

I GET IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALREADY BEEN CONSTRUCTED THAT THAT OTHER TRAIL AND STUFF AND TRYING TO CONNECT TO THIS.

BUT IT'S JUST UNFORTUNATE THAT WE THERE WAS NO OTHER LIKE ALTERNATIVE, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE MORE WE DO THESE LITTLE PROJECTS, EVEN LITTLE BITS THAT GET CUMULATIVE IMPACTS, YOU KNOW, ONTO THE WETLANDS.

SO BUT AGAIN, IT REALLY HAS THE ROAD GOING THROUGH IT.

SO I MEAN IT'S NOT TOTALLY PRISTINE WETLANDS.

SO AND THEN I GUESS AS LONG AS WE TAKE THESE OTHER MEASURES TO TRY TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACTS OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE PROJECT ITSELF AND ITS SHORT TIME PERIODS.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. SORRY. IT SEEMS LIKE A KIND OF A QUESTION THAT COULD BE DIRECTED TO OUR WETLAND CONSULTANT TO EXPLAIN TO US WHAT THE IMPACT OF PLACING AND REMOVING THE TIMBER MATTING IS, BECAUSE IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, IT CAN FEEL PRETTY INTRUSIVE, LIKE IT COULD BE A LOT OF COMPACTION AND STUFF. SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING FOR THE FUTURE TO ASK FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION.

I'M SORRY I CUT YOU OFF. NO, NO. YOU'RE FINE.

I SPEAKING TO THE SPECIES OF THE TURTLE. I WAS WONDERING IS THERE A SURVEY THAT'S DONE TO CZECH HABITAT LONG IN THAT AREA. LIKE, IS THAT SOMETHING STANDARD THAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DO THESE KINDS OF PROJECTS IN THE TOWNSHIP? I DON'T KNOW ANY SPECIFICS IN MY READING OF WHAT CONSTITUTES A PROTECTED WETLAND HAVE TO DO WITH THE SOIL AND THE VEGETATION PRESENT.

IT'S NOT TYPICAL TO EXPECT IN A SITE VISIT A CONSULTANT TO BE ABLE TO INVENTORY FAUNA.

[00:20:05]

SO I THINK THAT FOR SPECIAL CONCERN THEY DON'T THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED.

YOU KNOW LIKE THOSE THERE'S LESS STRINGENT ABOUT THAT AND THEY NEVER REALLY REQUIRED.

BUT THEY CAN DO THINGS TO MITIGATE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THEY CAN CHANGE THE TIMING OF WHEN THEY DO A PROJECT OR, YOU KNOW, CHANGE THE FOOTPRINT OF A PROJECT OR, YOU KNOW.

AND THEN IF THEY COULDN'T DO ALL THAT AND IT LOOKED LIKE THERE WAS GOING TO BE ADVERSE IMPACTS, THEN, YOU KNOW, THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE TO POTENTIALLY DO IT, DO A SURVEY, BUT TYPICALLY IT'S NOT REQUIRED TO DO A SURVEY.

I MEAN, I WOULD SUSPECT GIVEN HOW CLOSE THAT TURTLE WAS SEEN JUST THIS JUNE, I MEAN, AND IT WAS NOT THAT FAR, I'M SURE THAT IT'S PROBABLY USING THIS WETLAND AT SOME POINT IN THIS LIFE HISTORY, OR, YOU KNOW, THAT I DON'T JUST DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TURTLES THERE ARE IN THIS AREA, BUT I MEAN, THIS TURTLE, THERE'S QUITE A FEW, BECAUSE MARINE TOWNSHIP HAS A LOT OF WETLANDS.

AND SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SIGHTINGS OF THIS SPECIES, YEAH, IN THE TOWNSHIP.

SO I THINK IT'S PROBABLY PRETTY SAFE TO ASSUME PROBABLY USES IT.

BUT THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, CAN WE MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OR REDUCE THE IMPACTS TO THE SPECIES? RIGHT. I WAS JUST THINKING IF IF THAT'S PRIME HABITAT FOR ITS NESTING AND YOU KNOW, WHERE IT LIVES TO GET A SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, LIKE A SURVEY DONE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THAT MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US AS, YOU KNOW, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, TO THINK ABOUT, IF SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, FAUNA OR FLORA, LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE SAYING LIKE SOME IS REQUIRED, SOME IS NOT. BUT, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S ON THE WATCH LIST, LIKE WE MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT SUGGESTING THAT? I DON'T KNOW. YEAH. SORRY, TO ADD OTHER ELEMENTS TO THE DISCUSSION.

READING BETWEEN THE LINES, IT LOOKS LIKE THE ORIGINAL PLAN YEARS AGO WAS TO ACTUALLY EXTEND THE CONCRETE PATHWAY, BECAUSE IT ALREADY EXTENDS A LITTLE BIT ADJACENT TO THE WETLAND.

YEAH. SO I'M READING BETWEEN THE LINES, BUT I ASSUME THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO CONTINUE THAT ALL THE WAY TO THE DRIVEWAY, BUT THEN, INCLUDED IN OUR PACKET WAS A DISCUSSION OF THE FACT THAT BECAUSE OF THE SLOPE THERE, BECAUSE OF THE NARROWNESS OF THAT PATHWAY WOULD BE LIMITED TO A MAXIMUM WIDTH, I THINK, OF 5 TO 6FT. AND THE BOARDWALK AS PLANNED, WOULD BE AN EIGHT FOOT WIDE BOARDWALK.

AND FOR SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS, SINCE WE EXPECT THE SCHOOL CHILDREN TO USE THIS AS A CORRIDOR FROM THE SUBDIVISION TO THE SCHOOL, THERE HAS TO BE ROOM IN THE PATHWAY FOR ESSENTIALLY BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC AND TWO WAY TRAFFIC, SO. YEAH. AS A SAFETY CONSIDERATION, I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT THAT THE WIDER PATHWAY WOULD BE VALUABLE.

AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT WOULD BE TO BUILD IT AS A BOARDWALK, NOT AS EXISTING EXACTLY. IT WOULD BE THE EASIEST THING FOR US TO DO WOULD TO JUST BE AT THE EDGE OF THE ROAD AND LAY SOME CONCRETE.

BUT SAFETY WAS OUR NUMBER ONE. ESPECIALLY WITH THIS BEING RIGHT NEXT TO A SCHOOL.

SO ABSOLUTELY. I THINK I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT ELEVATED BOARDWALKS ALONG WETLANDS CAN BE VIEWED AS A POSITIVE, PARTICULARLY FOR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN, BECAUSE IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO VIEW THE WETLAND AND TO ACTUALLY SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THAT AREA. AND CERTAINLY WHEN I GO OVER THE THE ELEVATED WALKWAY ALONG THIS ROAD.

I'M ALWAYS STOPPING ALONG MY WAY TO TO LOOK OUT OVER.

RIGHT. OVER THE WETLAND AREA. I THINK IT'S POSITIVE.

I THINK TWO THAT CAME UP THAT. I'M NOT SEEING ANY MORE HANDS.

LET ME ASK YOU A COUPLE OF TECHNICAL QUESTIONS, JUST MAINLY CURIOSITY.

AS I UNDERSTAND IT, HELICAL PILES ARE BASICALLY A HUGE SCREW THAT YOU SCREW DOWN INTO THE GROUND, AND THEN THE WOOD SITS ON ON TOP. AND I PRESUME THAT THE EASIEST WAY TO DRIVE THOSE IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE MACHINE THAT'S DOING THE DRIVING, PARKING THAT MACHINE OUT IN THE ROAD AND REACHING OVER AND DRIVING THE PILES WOULD BE PROHIBITIVE.

YES, WE EXPLORED THAT, AND FOR ONE REASON IT'S COSTLY TO DO THE TIMBER MATTING, RIGHT? BUT THE BIG ISSUE WITH THAT IS THERE'S ELECTRICAL LINES AND MAYBE.

[00:25:11]

WE DISCUSSED WITH CONSUMERS POTENTIALLY TRYING TO DE-ENERGIZED THEM.

BUT IT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN WITH OUR TIMELINE AND COSTS AND WHATNOT.

SO SOMETHING WE DID EXPLORE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE OVERHEAD LINES KIND OF PROHIBITED IT.

SURE, SURE. THANKS. THE OTHER ONE HAD TO DO WITH THE CULVERT.

DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW THE DIMENSIONS OF THAT CULVERT? IT'S 12IN. YEAH, IT'S PRETTY SMALL. IT'S PRESUMABLY PLACED IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT MAY OR MAY NOT PROVIDE A PERMANENT. WHAT I'M DRIVING AT IS, SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP THE GREEN SPACE PLANS WILDLIFE UNDERPASSES.

AND I'M CURIOUS WHETHER THAT STRUCTURE PROVIDES ANY OF THAT FUNCTIONALITY.

YEAH. I MEAN, IT'S ONLY 12IN RIGHT NOW, SO I WOULD SAY NO, BUT WE DID HAVE MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DRAIN OFFICE ABOUT THIS. AND THAT'S ONE THING THEY WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO LOOKING AT.

BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO, I GUESS, REDO THE DRAIN IN THIS AREA.

IT'S AN UPCOMING PROJECT. SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT THEY BROUGHT UP, IS TRYING TO GET A SAFE WAY FOR THE TURTLES TO CROSS UNDER, AND THEY DID BRING UP POTENTIALLY UPSIZING THIS CULVERT.

SO I KNOW THEY'RE EXPLORING IT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY FINALLY, YOU KNOW, DECIDED ON OR IF THEY'VE MADE A DECISION YET, BUT THAT WAS ONE DISCUSSION. THANK YOU. PLEASE ADVOCATE FOR THAT ON OUR BEHALF.

YEAH. AND THERE WAS ONE OTHER THING THAT'S NOW ESCAPED ME.

OH, YEAH. WE MIGHT CONSIDER AT SOME POINT DEVELOPING AND FUNDING SOME SIGNAGE ON THAT BOARDWALK.

I THINK SEVERAL OF OUR BOARDWALKS AND OTHERS HAVE THOSE.

AND IN TERMS OF FINDING OUT HOW MANY TURTLES ARE IN THERE, LET A COUPLE DOZEN SCHOOL KIDS GO PAST HER EVERY DAY, TWICE A DAY, AND YOU'LL FIND OUT PRETTY QUICK, RIGHT? AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE DO ANY OF THAT KIND OF.

HERE'S A URL, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING COOL, TAKE A PICTURE AND SEND IT HERE.

THAT'D BE GREAT. THAT'D BE COOL. YEAH. I HAVE A URL FOR YOU.

SO THOSE ARE THE OTHER THOUGHTS I HAD. I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.

HAVE WE DONE THIS BEFORE IN THIS KIND OF A WETLAND OF ELEVATED BOARDWALK? THE ONLY REASON I ASKED IS BECAUSE I THINK ABOUT THE PLACES WHERE I'VE SEEN AND WALKED ON ELEVATED BOARDWALKS, BECAUSE I'VE DEFINITELY DONE A LOT OF WORK IN WETLANDS.

AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT PLACES WHERE YOU HAVE A LOT OF STANDING WATER.

I DON'T KNOW HOW DEEP THIS WETLAND, I WAS LIKE.

YEAH, IT'S WE DID AN ELEVATED BOARDWALK ACROSS, YOU KNOW, STANDING WATER WETLANDS.

SO WE HAVE DONE IT BEFORE. AND PART OF THE PHASE ONE PATHWAY ALSO IS ON.

YEAH. IT IS ON BOARDWALK. THAT ONE, WHEN IT FLOODS, IT COULD BE IN STANDING WATER, BUT I DON'T.

MOST OF THE TIME IT'S PRETTY DRY OVER THERE, YEAH, I BELIEVE SO.

IT DOESN'T LIKE SINK BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW THE HELICALS ARE LIKE A SCREW, SO THEY HAVE TO SCREW IT DOWN BASICALLY, UNTIL THEY GET A SPECIFIC TORQUE.

SO WE'RE EXPECTING THAT THIS PROJECT IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE AT MOST IN SOME AREAS, LIKE 20 TO 25FT DEEP.

THEY'RE SCREWING DOWN UNTIL THEY GET TO A SOIL THAT'S SUITABLE TO SUPPORT IT AND NOT SINK.

I THINK YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE TIMBER MAPS AREA, OR NO.

WELL, NO, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE BOARDWALK, JUST LONG TERM.

LIKE WITH THIS WORK, EXACTLY. AND, YOU KNOW. THE BOARDWALK AT OKEMOS ROAD IS VERY HIGH.

THIS BOARDWALK, I'M JUST KIND OF GUESSING, WOULDN'T IT BE AS HIGH, RIGHT? IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT EQUAL WITH THE ROAD, SO ABOVE THE EXISTING WETLANDS, I THINK MOST IT'S LIKE FOUR FEET ABOVE THE WATER.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE PRETTY LEVEL. YEAH. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS TO US. I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL.

I BELIEVE THERE IS A DRAFT MOTION IN OUR PACKET TO THAT EFFECT.

[00:30:03]

0065 ACRES OF REGULATED WETLAND TO CONSTRUCT A PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE BOARDWALK PATHWAY LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF BENNETT ROAD BETWEEN THE SCHULZ VETERINARY CLINIC AND BENNETT WOODS ELEMENTARY.

SECOND. MOVED BY COMMISSIONER MIKSICEK, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SARVER.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. AYE. OPPOSED, NO? OPPOSED. ONE OPPOSED. THE MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS PROJECT. IT'S GOING TO BE AN EXCELLENT ADDITION TO OUR TOWNSHIP PATHWAY SYSTEM MUCH NEEDED.

THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO UNFINISHED BUSINESS. I BELIEVE WE HAVE NONE.

AND THAT TAKES US TO REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.

[10. REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS]

THESE ARE THE VERY TIPS. THEY'RE CONNECTED TO STEEL RAILS, AND THEY JUST DRIVE THOSE ALL THE WAY DOWN.

AND ONCE THEY HIT, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF RESISTANCE.

AND AS SOON AS THEY FIND THAT, THEY KNOW THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BUDGE DEPENDING ON WHATEVER THE WATER LEVEL DOES AROUND IT.

THEY'RE FASCINATING. THANK YOU. YEAH. SO FOR A FIRST DAY OF REPORT HERE, I HAVE AN UPDATE ON OUR GREEN GRANTS.

JUST A QUICK REVIEW. WE HAD TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX GRANTS THAT WERE APPROVED THIS YEAR.

ONE FOR CORNELL WOODS HOA. THIS WAS FOR NATIVE PLANTINGS.

THEY APPLIED FOR $7,000 AND WERE AWARDED $7,000.

THEY HAVE THEIR SIGNED AGREEMENT AND THE POA HAS BEEN CREATED.

SO THEY'LL BE GETTING THEIR FIRST PAYMENT HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. SO THAT BALL IS ROLLING.

THE NEXT WAS FROM THE GIRL SCOUTS TROOP 30037.

THIS WAS IN RELATION TO AN OUTDOOR CLASSROOM THEY WERE LOOKING TO RESTORE.

THEY APPLIED FOR $1,000, RECEIVED $1,000. THEY HAVE COMPLETED THEIR AGREEMENT, AND THE POA FOR THAT HAS BEEN CREATED.

SO THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS AS WELL. THE NEXT WAS FROM THE MONTESSORI GRAMMAR SCHOOL.

THIS WAS IN RELATION TO NATIVE PLANTINGS AND A SOLAR POWERED POND PUMP.

THEY APPLIED FOR ABOUT $4,000 AND WERE AWARDED THAT.

THEY HAVE BEEN SENT TO THEIR AGREEMENT FORM. WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN THAT BACK YET, SO AS SOON AS THEY HAVE A SIGNED AGREEMENT, WE WILL PROCEED WITH THEM. THE NEXT WAS FROM THE PINE CREEK CONDO ASSOCIATION, AND THIS WAS FOR THE REMOVAL OF INVASIVE SPECIES. THEY APPLIED FOR $1000 AND RECEIVED $1000.

WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED A W9 FROM THEM, AND I BELIEVE THAT IS BECAUSE THEY ARE PREFERRING THAT THIS PROCESS GOES NOT THROUGH THEM DIRECTLY, BUT TO RECLAIMED BY DESIGN I THINK IS EXECUTING THEIR WORK.

SO I AM IN THE PROCESS OF, I'VE ASKED THEM FOR A CONTACT AT RECLAIM FROM DESIGN TO GET A W9 FROM THEM AND GET THAT BALL ROLLING SO THAT ONE IS PROBABLY THE FURTHEST FROM BEING EXECUTED.

THE NEXT WAS FROM THE YMCA PARKWOOD BRANCH. THIS WAS FOR THE CREATION OF A NATURE EDUCATION SPACE.

THEY APPLIED FOR $2,607 AND RECEIVED ALL OF THAT.

THEY HAVE BEEN SENT THROUGH AGREEMENT. WE ARE WAITING FOR A SIGNATURE FROM THEM.

AND THE LAST ONE WAS FROM THE MID MICHIGAN LAND CONSERVANCY, ALSO FOR NATIVE PLANTINGS.

THEY APPLIED FOR $2,500 AND RECEIVED ALL OF THAT.

THEY ALSO HAVE BEEN SENT THEIR AGREEMENT AND WE ARE AWAITING A SIGNATURE TO PROCEED WITH THAT.

SO TWO OUT OF THE SIX GRANTS HAVE COMPLETED AGREEMENTS AND HAVE THEIR PAYMENTS BEING PROCESSED.

ONE IS AWAITING A W9 AND THE OTHER THREE ARE AWAITING SIGNATURES ON THE AGREEMENTS.

THANK YOU. MOVING TO ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? ALL RIGHT. MOVING TO LIAISONS. OUR TOWNSHIP BOARD LIAISON IS NOT WITH US THIS EVENING.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS MOST RECENTLY BEEN DISCUSSING A COUPLE OF SPECIAL USE PERMITS AND PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENTS. THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT IS FOR OUTDOOR STORAGE OF MATERIALS AT THE ACE HARDWARE DOWN IN OKEMOS & JOLLEY.

THE LANDSCAPING MATERIALS THAT THEY KEEP ON THE SIDEWALK, AND THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ENCLOSED.

AND ANOTHER IS HEWLETT ROAD ESTATE, WHICH IS FIVE MORE HOMES GOING IN OFF OF HEWLETT ROAD.

[00:35:02]

AND IF YOU KNOW HEWLETT ROAD, YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE FEW NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE TOWNSHIP THAT HAS SUCCESSFULLY GOTTEN SPEED BUMPS THAT THEY WANTED.

SO THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEBODY THAT STANDS UP FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND SAYS, BUT THE TRUCKS.

WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON THE PARKING LANDSCAPE DISCUSSION HOW TO ENCOURAGE MORE GREEN IN OUR PARKING LOTS.

AND WE'VE BEGUN DISCUSSION OF AMENDING THE TOWNSHIP'S ORDINANCE ON KEEPING OF POULTRY, SPECIFICALLY THE KEEPING OF ROOSTERS, WHICH IS ALLOWED BY RIGHT IN RURAL RESIDENTIAL ZONING.

AND MOST OF US IN SINGLE FAMILY HOME LIVE IN SMALLER RESIDENTIAL CATEGORIES.

AND IT'S NOT THEY'RE NOT PERMITTED, BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF A SMATTERING OF OUR ZONED AREAS IN THE TOWNSHIP, SUCH AS AROUND TOWER GARDENS, WHERE THEORETICALLY SOMEBODY COULD WANT TO KEEP ROOSTERS.

BUT IF YOU'RE NEXT TO A SINGLE FAMILY, RESIDENTIAL, SMALL LOT DEVELOPMENT, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE A CHALLENGE, AND THERE'S NO DECISION TO BE MADE ON THAT. IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD, WHAT ARE YOU GUYS UP TO? I KNOW, I'VE GOT A QUESTION.

OH, YEAH. YEAH. DO YOU REMEMBER THIS AS A LONG TIME AGO, SOMEBODY CAME TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND WANTED TO ADD DUCKS TO THE ORDINANCE.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THAT PROPOSAL. I KIND OF ASSUME NOTHING HAPPENED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING MORE ABOUT IT.

AND HE WANTED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CHICKENS, I THINK, BY ONE OR SOMETHING. SO THE EXISTING ORDINANCE JUST COVERS CHICKENS AND RABBITS, MAYBE? I BELIEVE RABBITS ARE OFTEN TREATED AS PETS AND ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE ORDINANCE.

AND THEY ALSO ARE KIND OF QUIET, SO NOBODY BINDS THEM.

YEAH, RIGHT. WE'VE GOT A WHOLE HERD OF LITTLE TINY RABBITS AT OUR HOUSE THIS YEAR.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT THE HAWKS ARE GOING TO BE REALLY HAPPY. OH, YEAH.

I WAS THINKING OF SOMEBODY WHO'S RAISING RABBITS, BUT.

YEAH. OKAY. SO NO DUCKS YET? AS FAR AS I KNOW.

OKAY. PERSONALLY I'M AFTER THE GEESE. YOU'RE AFTER THE GEESE? I'D LIKE TO BE AFTER THE GEESE. I'D LIKE TO EXPAND OUR DEER COLLEAGUE PROGRAM.

OKAY. TO INCLUDE GEESE. YEAH, OKAY. THERE ARE MANY HUMANE WAYS TO CONTROL, TO CULL GEESE.

AND IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD, IT'S A VERY COMMON FOOD ITEM, NOT SO MUCH IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. IT'S A COMMON FOOD ITEM AND.

THERE IS A GOOSE SEASON. IS THAT DONE BY ANY TOWNSHIP OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT? WOULD WE BE THE FIRST? SOME OF THE PARKS WILL DO GEESE ROUNDUPS AND STUFF AND ACTUALLY HAVE LETHAL MEANS OF KIND OF THE GEESE POPULATION.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT LOCAL UNITS OF GOVERNMENT, BUT I KNOW THAT HERE IN CLINTON METROPARKS COULD DO LIKE A GEESE ROUNDUP AND SOME OF THEIR PARKS, LIKE IN THE MORE URBAN AREAS ON A REGULAR BASIS.

OKAY, THERE'S SOME PRECEDENT THEN, FOR. YEAH.

YEAH. I WAS ONCE WORKING IN WEST AFRICA, AND ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WAS CONVINCING PEOPLE TO HELP CLEAN OUT THE CITY'S SEWERS BY GIVING THEM CANNED CHICKENS. AND A WHOLE BUNCH. AND THEY GOT A LOT OF TAKERS.

SORRY, I'M DIGRESSING.

I THINK THE MAIN THING THAT WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO THE COMMISSION IS THAT WE CONTINUE TO DISCUSS UPDATES AND CHANGES TO THE LAND PRESERVATION SITE SCREENING CRITERIA, SO THAT'S WHEN WE HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A PROPERTY OR PARCEL THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE EVALUATING FOR POTENTIAL ACQUISITION.

WE HAVE THIS FORM THAT WE USUALLY, YOU KNOW, GO OUT AND LOOK AT THE SITE AND THEN FILL OUT WITH DIFFERENT CRITERIA TO KIND OF EVALUATE THE PROPERTY. AND SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING THOSE CRITERIA, BECAUSE NO ONE REALLY LIKES THAT. BUT ANYWAY IT WAS BROUGHT UP THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO BRING WHEN WE FINISH A DRAFT OF THE REVISED CRITERIA TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO GET THE COMMISSION'S INPUT AND YOU KNOW, REVIEW AND STUFF.

SO I THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA. I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT'S GOOD, OKAY.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S NORMALLY WHAT HAPPENS, BUT ANYWAY, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT.

THANK YOU. IN THE PAST, MEMBERS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WERE ROUTINELY DRAFTED BY THE LAND BOARD TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SITE VISITS.

OH, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT. OKAY. ESPECIALLY AT A TIME WHEN WE HAD YOU KNOW, CERTIFIED FORESTER AND CHEMISTS AND,

[00:40:07]

OKAY, GOOD. AND THAT ACTUALLY REMINDS ME, I WAS GOING TO MENTION DURING THE WETLAND USE PERMIT DISCUSSION THAT WE ALSO TYPICALLY DID SITE VISITS OF WETLAND USE PERMIT APPLICATIONS.

STAFF WOULD CONTACT THE APPLICANT AND ARRANGE FOR A DATE WHEN THE COMMISSION MIGHT MEET THERE, IF A QUORUM WOULD PRESENT AND WE PUBLICLY NOTICE IT.

BUT AT LEAST TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO GET OUT THERE AND SEE WHAT'S WHAT.

AND OF COURSE, IN A PUBLIC PLACE LIKE THIS, YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME TO GO AND VISIT THE SITE.

AND I'M SURE MANY OF US HAVE JUST DRIVEN BY IT TO HAVE A PEEK AGAIN.

BUT THAT'S ALSO AN OPTION IN THE FUTURE TO BE ABLE TO SEE SITES THAT HAVE APPLIED FOR A PERMIT.

OKAY, YEAH. THAT'D BE GREAT. SO WE CAN CERTAINLY.

I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, WE CAN CERTAINLY INVITE MEMBERS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, WE´LL DO SITE VISITS IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED.

I DIDN'T, YEAH. YEAH. OKAY. I THINK YOU'RE ALWAYS LIKELY TO GET 1 OR 2 TAKERS.

I REMEMBER VISITING THE DAVIS FOSTER PRESERVE JUST BEFORE IT WAS ACQUIRED, AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW IN THE WORLD THAT PLACE WAS DRAINING.

IT WAS PRETTY SURE IT WAS TILED AT ONE POINT.

I DON'T KNOW ACTUALLY. SO I'VE READ THAT IN INSTANCES WHERE VALUABLE WETLANDS WERE DRAINED AND ARE THEN REACQUIRED. IF YOU CAN DISABLE THAT DRAIN SYSTEM YOU CAN START TO RECREATE THAT ORIGINAL HYDROLOGY.

YEAH. YEAH. AND IT'S NOT THAT HARD. YOU JUST PLUG THE PIPE, YOU KNOW? AND IN MANY CASES, THEY'VE ALREADY FAILED. AND IT JUST SORT OF HAPPENS ITSELF BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T MAINTAIN CLAY TILE, EVENTUALLY IT DISINTEGRATES. YEAH. I'M NOT SURE ACTUALLY.

YEAH. WE HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED ABOUT THAT FOR DAVIS FOSTER.

I ALMOST GOT THE MSU RS&GIS DRONE TO FLY OVER IT BECAUSE IF YOU GET IT JUST AT THE RIGHT SOIL MOISTURE YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE DRAINS ARE, ESPECIALLY IN SANDY SOILS. SOILS ARE DIFFERENT COLORS, ANYWAY.

OH, I'M JUST DIGRESSING ALL OVER TONIGHT. WE'RE GOING FOR A SPEED RECORD HERE.

I'M SLOWING US DOWN. BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, I SAW SOMETHING IN THE MINUTES ABOUT SOME DISCUSSION OF CHANGING SOMETHING.

YES. THE HASLETT VILLAGE PROJECT CAME IN AT OUR LAST MEETING.

THAT'S THE PROJECT IN THE CORNER OF HASLETT ROAD AND MARSH ROAD, WHICH PROBABLY EVERYBODY IS.

THERE'S A LOT OF PAVEMENT NOW. AND THEY ALREADY HAD A BROWNFIELD PLAN APPROVED.

SO THEY WERE COMING IN WITH AN AMENDMENT TO ADD THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING TIFF PART.

AND IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HELPING THE ECONOMICS OF THE PROJECT.

AND THEY OF COURSE DESCRIBED THE PROJECT, BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE LIKE FIVE APARTMENT BUILDINGS, WHICH IS LIKE 115 UNITS, AND 20% OF THEM WILL BE RESERVED FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM, WHICH WOULD BE 23. SO THERE'LL BE 23 AFFORDABLE UNITS THERE.

IN ADDITION TO THE APARTMENT BUILDINGS, THERE'S GOING TO BE 84 TOWNHOUSES UP FOR SALE.

THEY'LL BE SOLD. THERE'S GOING TO BE ONE NEW COMMERCIAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTED.

AND THEN THAT EXISTING BUILDING, WHICH USED TO BE A VIDEO STORE, IS GOING TO BE RENOVATED INTO SOME SORT OF COMMUNITY HUB.

YEAH. YEAH. AND IT ALSO INCLUDES A TRAILHEAD.

AND I THINK WHAT THAT MEANS, RIGHT, IS A RESTROOM.

PICNIC TABLE, BIKE REPAIR, RESTROOMS, SHADE, A COUPLE PICKLEBALL COURTS, A DOG PARK.

A DOG PARK. YEAH. SO CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN IN THE FALL AND END IN THE WINTER OF 2029.

AND IT'S A LONG TIME COMING. YEAH, THAT'S KNOCKED DOWN MORE THAN TEN YEARS AGO, YEAH? YEAH. YEAH. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME. YEAH, I DON'T REMEMBER.

WELL, YOU KNOW, THE CHANGE TO THE POLICIES ABOUT THIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING GIFT WAS FAIRLY RECENT.

[00:45:01]

YEAH. YEAH. SO THAT'S THE REPORT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR JOHN? PARKS COMMISSION. SO THE LAST MEETING OF THE PARKS COMMISSION WAS ON JUNE 10TH.

I, UNFORTUNATELY, WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THAT MEETING AND NO MINUTES OR AGENDA HAVE BEEN POSTED, SO I DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION, BUT I'LL REPORT BACK TONIGHT TO LEARN MORE.

THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO TEAMS. ENERGY. WELL, WE HAD OUR ENERGY IN GREEN FAIR ON JUNE 21ST AT THE FARMERS MARKET. AND JACK WAS VERY HELPFUL AND MAKING IT HAPPEN AND KIND OF OUR LIAISON TO WITH ALL THE LOGISTICS AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS YOU HAVE TO DO WITH TABLES AND ALL THAT SORT OF CHAIRS AND WHATEVER.

BUT WE HAD A TABLE FOR THE ENERGY IN THE GREEN TEAMS WERE SHARED.

AND SO I WAS THERE AND AND ROGER EBERHARD AND TOM FRAZER AND HARRISON WAS THERE TOO, A LOT OF THE DAY KIND OF ANSWERING QUESTIONS.

WE HAD QUITE A BIT OF TRAFFIC, I THOUGHT. IT SEEMS LIKE WE WERE ALWAYS KIND OF ENGAGED WITH SOMEBODY WHO WAS ASKING QUESTIONS AND CHATTING ABOUT THINGS, AND THE CONSUMERS ENERGY WAS THERE WITH THEIR ELECTRIC VEHICLE STAFF AND THEIR FORD F-150, AND MICHIGAN INTERFAITH POWER AND LIGHT WAS THERE TO TALK ABOUT THEIR PROGRAMS. ABSOLUTE SOLAR WAS THERE. TALKING ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE UPCOMING SOLARIZE MEETING, WHICH IS GOING TO BE JULY 23RD, 6 TO 8 P.M. AT EDGEWOOD UNITED CHURCH. AND THERE IS GOING TO BE RESIDENTIAL FOCUS.

BUT ACTUALLY, THIS IS THE FIRST MEETING FOR SOLARIZE THAT THERE WILL ALSO BE A FOCUS ON NONPROFITS, BUSINESSES, CHURCHES. SO THEY'RE KIND OF EXPANDING AND MAKING THE PROGRAM AVAILABLE TO NON RESIDENTIAL.

AND THAT'S ABOUT IT. GREAT, THANK YOU. ALWAYS LOTS OF ENERGY COMING FROM THE ENERGY TEAM.

I BELIEVE OUR GREEN TEAM REPRESENTATIVE IS NOT WITH US THIS EVENING NOR FOOD COMPOSTING TEAM.

THE ENERGY FAIR WENT REALLY WELL. IT WAS A VERY HOT DAY, I WILL SAY.

AND SO SOMETIMES TRAFFIC. WE DID GET WAY MORE THAN I WAS EXPECTING FOR THE WEATHER, BUT IT WAS A GRUELING DAY AT POINTS. BUT IT'S ALWAYS NICE BEING RIGHT NEXT TO THE FARMER´S MARKET.

YEAH, WE HAD A MEETING. WHAT DAY WAS IT? THE 12TH OF JUNE.

JUST A VERY GENERAL MEETING. WE WENT OVER OUR NEXT FEW EVENTS.

PRIMARILY THE FAIR. AND THEN THINKING ABOUT RECYCLING EVENT.

ELECTRONIC RECYCLING EVENT EARLY FALL. BUT WE'RE IN THE PRELIMINARY STAGES.

AND THEN NAVIGATING LEROY'S RETIREMENT, WITH HIM BEING GONE THINGS ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE HAVE LESS OF A CONNECTION TO THE TOWNSHIP.

AND HE HAS SO MANY RESOURCES AND KNOWLEDGE. SO YEAH, HE ATTENDS MEETINGS, BUT THROUGH RETIREMENT, WHICH IS OF COURSE DIFFERENT. BUT YEAH, IT WAS A GOOD MEETING.

AND OTHER THAN THAT, WE HAVEN'T HAD MUCH. GREAT.

THANK YOU. SORRY. I TRIED TO SKIP OVER, YOU KNOW.

ANYBODY WANT TO TALK ABOUT FOOD AND COMPOSTING? I'LL TALK ABOUT IT ALL DAY. BUT THEN OTHER TO REPORT.

NOR GREEN BURIAL. BUT ON THAT TOPIC ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES THE OTHER DAY MENTIONED GREEN BURIAL, AND I TOLD HIM, YEAH, THEY'RE DOING IT IN WILLIAMSTON.

HE SAID, REALLY? AND TWO DAYS LATER HE CAME BACK AND SAID, OKAY, WE MET WITH THE SEXTON AND WE'RE GETTING READY TO, YOU KNOW, BUY OUR PLOTS. AND THEY'VE GOT ALL THE LIST OF ALL THE STUFF.

AND SO THERE'S DEFINITELY A DEMAND OUT THERE.

AND WILLIAMSON SEEMS TO BE MEETING IT OR AT LEAST RESPONDING TO THE NEED AND STUFF.

HOW ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL? PRETTY LIMITED NOW THAT WE'RE INTO SUMMER.

WHEN I SAY PRETTY LIMITED, I MEAN NOTHING. YEAH, I, I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING.

I'VE MET UP WITH FRIENDS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN SOME OF THE SAME CIRCLES THAT I'M IN, BUT IN VERY CASUAL SETTINGS AND

[00:50:08]

OKAY. WE STILL HAVE NO PUBLIC TO MAKE COMMENTS.

OTHER MATTERS AND COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO ADD EXTEMPORANEOUSLY AT THIS POINT?

[12. OTHER MATTERS AND COMMISSIONER COMMENTS ]

AND I ENDED UP GETTING A REPLY FROM DIRECTOR SCHMIDT, PLANNING DIRECTOR SCHMIDT.

SAYING THAT THE STAFF HAD BEEN LOOKING AT THE OUR WETLAND PROTECTION ORDINANCE AND WONDERING IF THERE WERE SOME WAYS THAT IT COULD BE STREAMLINED, OR MADE MORE CLEAR OR LESS ONEROUS ON APPLICANTS, AND PROMISED TO ADDRESS THAT AT A FUTURE MEETING WITH US, GIVE US STAFF'S THOUGHTS, AND GET SOME BACK FROM US.

AND FIRST OF ALL, TO SUMMARIZE IN, THE PROCEDURE DIFFERS DEPENDING ON WHAT THE PROJECT IS.

SO IF THE PROJECT IS A CHANGE IN LAND USE AND REQUIRES A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, THEN ULTIMATELY IT WOULD BE THE EITHER THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR THE TOWNSHIP BOARD THAT WOULD APPROVE THAT WETLAND USE PERMIT AS PART OF THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT PROCESS.

AND IT'S NOT EASY TO UNDERSTAND ALL THOSE, BUT IF TIM EXPLAINS IT TO US, WE'LL ALL UNDERSTAND.

SO THAT'S COMING IN. IF YOU HAVE THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THAT CHANGE, THAT WILL BE OUR OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

SO IS HE SAYING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO. ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR IS HE GOING TO TALK HERE? OH, SORRY. OKAY. THERE WAS ALREADY ONE MINOR CHANGE THAT WAS MADE TO EQUALIZE THE WETLAND SETBACK REQUIREMENTS SO THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE HAVING MORE OR LESS ONEROUS REQUIREMENTS ON THEM.

BUT I THINK WE'RE THINKING MORE OF OTHER CHANGES TO THE PROCESS.

SO I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT HIS THOUGHTS ARE ABOUT THAT.

BILL, I UNDERSTAND THE INTEREST IN MAKING THINGS A LITTLE STREAMLINED AND SIMPLER.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER ISSUES THAT IS PROMPTING A KIND OF A RELOOK AT THE ORDINANCE, OR IS IT STRICTLY JUST TO TRY TO MAKE THINGS GO A LITTLE MORE SMOOTHLY? I WILL QUOTE RATHER THAN TRYING TO SUMMARIZE. OKAY.

THE FIRST ISSUE HE MENTIONS IS THAT THE FLOODPLAIN ORDINANCE CONTAINS A DE MINIMIS IMPACT THAT IS ALLOWED WITHOUT A PERMIT. AND OUR WETLAND ORDINANCE DOES NOT.

EVEN IF THE IMPACT IS TRIVIAL, YOU STILL HAVE TO GET A PERMIT.

AND WE MAY NOT REQUIRE YOU TO DO ANY MITIGATION, BUT THERE ISN'T AN ACCEPTABLE IMPACT.

YOU CAN'T TAKE A SHOVEL FULL OF SOIL OUT OF A WETLAND OR THROW A SHOVEL FULL IN, OKAY? BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A FLOODPLAIN, THEN WE HAVE A DIFFERENT STANDARDS.

SO THAT IT´S THE KIND OF THING THAT CAUSES PLANNERS TO WORRY ABOUT LAWYERS.

THEN THE REST OF THE DISCUSSION WAS ALL PROCEDURAL.

YEAH. AND IS THE THE KIND OF THE POLICY WITH THE FLOODPLAIN PRETTY CLEAR CUT, OR IS THAT KIND OF A COMPLICATED ISSUE, OR DON'T YOU KNOW? I DON'T KNOW, I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT IT. I'M GUESSING THAT SOMEONE EXERCISES THE DISCRETION TO SAY, YES, THAT'S A DE MINIMIS IMPACT. YEAH. WE'RE GOING TO LET YOU SLIDE.

AND PROBABLY THAT DERIVES FROM SOME PRECEDENT THAT GETS SET.

IT'S PROBABLY THE PLANNING DIRECTOR, RIGHT? WELL, NORMALLY, IF THERE IS NO CHANGE IN LAND USE IN A CASE LIKE THIS ONE, THAT AUTHORITY TO APPROVE A WETLAND USE PERMIT RESIDES WITH THE PLANNING DIRECTOR.

IF THERE'S ALSO SOME ADDITIONAL CHANGE IN LAND USE, THEN THERE'S A DIFFERENT BODY THAT MAKES THAT DECISION.

[00:55:02]

WE ONLY RECOMMEND EITHER TO THE DIRECTOR, PLANNING COMMISSION OR THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.

WHAT WE THINK A PERMIT SHOULD BE ISSUED. GOOD.

AND I COULD WAX ON ABOUT THAT ALL NIGHT, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO.

MAYBE YOU MENTIONED THIS ONCE. IT'S COMING UP TO US.

COMING SOON? IN THE FUTURE. WHAT? SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE? THE FUTURE, YEAH. OKAY. MY SENSE IS THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING AT ALL SORTS OF PORTIONS OF THE CODE, AND WE'VE BEEN AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION WORKING ON SOME, LIKE THE PARKING ORDINANCE I WAS TALKING ABOUT AND OTHERS.

AND THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF HIS MAIN GOALS, AS I SEE IT AS PLANNING DIRECTOR, IS TO RATIONALIZE OR CLEAN UP OR MAKE MORE CONSISTENT OUR ORDINANCES. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME MEMBERS OF THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED WHEN WE HAVE WHEN HE PRESENTS AND HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO, YOU KNOW, GET LIKE ADVANCE NOTICE, SO THAT I COULD LET THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD FOLKS KNOW. YEAH, I CAN CERTAINLY ASK THAT. HE ALSO LET THEM KNOW WHEN WE GET THAT SCHEDULED.

OKAY. YEAH. YEAH. ANYTHING ELSE ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO OUR DISCUSSION THIS EVENING? IF NOT, I WILL DECLARE THIS MEETING ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR COMING OUT. WE'RE UNDER AN HOUR.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.