[00:02:22]
>> [BACKGROUND] GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. IT IS SIX O'CLOCK.
[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
WE WILL CALL THIS JULY 22, 2025 REGULAR MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP TO ORDER.FIRST ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
WELL THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO PLEASE RISE AND JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE.
NEXT IN OUR AGENDA IS ITEM NUMBER 3, ROLL CALL.
TRUSTEE DEMAS PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT UP ON OUR AGENDA AS ITEM 4A.
[4.A. Manager’s Semi-Annual Report]
PRESENTATIONS. WE HAVE ONE PRESENTATION THIS EVENING.MANAGER DEMPSEY IS HERE TO GIVE US HIS SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT, MANAGER DEMPSEY.
>> THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, SUPERVISOR AND BOARD MEMBERS.
PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.
I'M GOING TO GIVE SOME HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE FIRST HALF OF 2025 IN TERMS OF ACTIVITIES.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A NUMBER OF THESE THINGS WHEN WE REVIEWED PROGRESS ON 2025 YEAR GOALS.
I'LL TRY NOT TO REPLICATE A LOT OF THAT, BUT I AM GOING TO HIGHLIGHT SOME THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
I KNOW THERE'S A FULL AGENDA THIS EVENING, SO I'LL TRY TO BE SWIFT IN MY COMMENTS, BUT I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT OUR TOWNSHIP STAFF ARE DOING.
WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO JUMP RIGHT INTO IT AND START WITH OUR ACCOUNTING AND BUDGETING EFFORTS.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE OUR NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR, BERNARD AVALANI, WHO'S BEEN A GREAT ASSET TO BRING BACK TO THE TOWNSHIP AND TO WORK WITH US.
CERTAINLY THE HIGHLIGHT SO FAR THIS YEAR IS TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH AND HAVE A SUCCESSFUL 2024 YEAR AUDIT.
GIVEN THE PRIMACY THAT STAFF AND THE BOARD PLACE ON OUR FINANCIAL WELL BEING, IT'S REALLY GREAT TO BE ABLE TO SAY WE HAD A GOOD SOLID AUDIT.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL THE ITEMS ON MY SLIDES TONIGHT, BUT AGAIN, TRY TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE.
SINCE BERNIE'S BEEN BACK TOO, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CATCH UP ON A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO KEEP PACE WITH NECESSARILY OR BROUGHT IN SOME OUTSIDE SUPPORT ON, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR RECONCILIATION.
WE APPRECIATE THE WORK OF HER AND HER STAFF TO DO THAT.
THEN YOU'LL SEE IN ALL THESE SLIDES, JUST SOME NOTABLE STATS, YEAR TO DATE.
[00:05:02]
ALL THE SLIDES IN THE GREEN BOXES FOR ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WILL BE YEAR TO DATE DATA.JUST TO GIVE YOU A FEEL FOR THAT.
LIKE ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS, YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBER OF TRANSACTIONS AND THE FLOW OF FUNDS THROUGH ACCOUNTING AND BUDGETING.
MOVING ON TO ASSESSING, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HERE IS THAT THEY DID AN ASSESSORS REVIEW BACK IN FEBRUARY.
NOT ALL ASSESSING DEPARTMENTS DO THAT, BUT DIRECTOR WINSTEAD HAS BEEN PROACTIVE IN REALLY TRYING TO EDUCATE RESIDENTS ABOUT THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS.
FOR THOSE THAT HAVE QUESTIONS, THE BOARD OF REVIEW HAS A VERY DETAILED STEP BY STEP PROCESS TO WALK THROUGH.
BUT PEOPLE CAN OFTEN BE INTIMIDATED BY THAT, SO HOLDING ONE OF THESE SESSIONS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO HELP SIT DOWN IN AN INFORMAL SETTING AND BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
BECAUSE IT CAN BE CONFUSING, JUST THE WHOLE TAXABLE VALUE, SEV, 50% OF MARKET VALUE.
WE ALL KNOW THOSE TERMS, BUT A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY BE AS FAMILIAR.
REALLY PLEASED THAT SHE'S BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.
WE HAVE SEEN THE MARCH BOARD OF REVIEW THIS YEAR.
I THINK THAT'S A REFLECTION THAT, FOR TWO YEARS, WE'RE AT THAT 5% MAXIMUM TAXABLE VALUE INCREASE UNDER PROP A.
THAT'S DIFFERENT GOING INTO THIS YEAR, SO I THINK THAT REFLECTED THE CHANGE.
IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE, A LOT OF ACTIVITY RIGHT NOW, AS THE CLERK WILL TELL YOU WITH THE ELECTION COMING UP HERE IN JUST TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY.
A LOT OF ACTIVITY, PREPARING FOR THAT, GETTING READY.
THEY ALSO HAD A SUCCESSFUL POST ELECTION AUDIT FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, AND YOU CAN LOOK AT SOME OF THE STATS HERE, OBVIOUSLY, A LOT OF ACTIVITY FROM THAT LEVEL.
ALMOST 5,000 ABSENTEE BALLOTS ALREADY RECEIVED FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTION.
CERTAINLY A LOT OF INTEREST IN THE TOPIC REGARDING THE COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER, AND THAT'S REFLECTIVE OF THAT.
THEN ALSO, KUDOS TO THE CLERK AND THE DEPUTY CLERK FOR THEIR TRAINING PROCESSES THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH FOR THEIR CERTIFICATIONS.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT FOR A COUPLE OF DEPARTMENTS HERE, THE EMPHASIS ON TRAINING AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR STAFF ARE PREPARED AND EQUIPPED WITH THE SKILL SET THAT THEY NEED TO EXECUTE THEIR JOBS.
COMMUNICATIONS, OF COURSE, THE 2025 PRIME MERIDIAN MAGAZINE GETS A LOT OF COMPLIMENTS FROM RESIDENTS AND FROM THOSE WHO RECEIVE THAT.
IT'S A GREAT DOCUMENT THAT PEOPLE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT SUMMARIZES ALL THE GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN THE TOWNSHIP.
THE LISTENING SESSION THAT WE HAD EARLIER THIS SUMMER, DOING THE POSTCARD THAT DEPLOYMENT, I THINK WAS EXCELLENT.
WE RECEIVED OR HAD OVER 80 ATTENDEES FOR THAT LISTENING SESSION, SO A GREAT TURNOUT.
THEN JUST THE ACTIVITY THAT WE'RE SEEING, THE INCREASE IN PAGE VIEWS FOR CELEBRATE MERIDIAN, IN PARTICULAR, AND THEN THE SPONSORSHIP FUNDING INCREASE WITH THE MOVE, THE SORT OF THAT CENTRALIZED SPONSORSHIP MODEL HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
THE GRAND RESERVE IS SORT OF WELL UNDERWAY AND NOW PROJECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN EARLY 2026.
A NUMBER OF UNITS HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED OCCUPANCY AND RESIDENTS ARE ALREADY IN THERE IN THAT PROJECT.
THE TEAM HAS BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK WITH OUR LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
CERTAINLY THE OAK MOS PUBLIC SCHOOLS RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND REMODELING WITH HASLETT, A LOT OF ACTIVITY THERE AND OUR STAFF.
THAT PARTNERSHIP IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE THAT OPTION TO GO TO THE STATE FOR THIS REVIEW PROCESS.
WE APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THEY WORK WITH US ON THAT.
OF COURSE, YOU'VE SEEN THE THE INITIAL PARKING ORDINANCE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY YOU AND MORE FORTHCOMING THERE IN OTHER AREAS AS WELL.
I THOUGHT THE NOTABLE STAT HERE THAT MADE ME CHUCKLE IS THE 01, THE ZERO REQUEST FOR NEW SIGN VARIANCES.
OFTENTIMES WE QUANTIFY THINGS, RIGHT, THE BIGGER THE NUMBER, SOMETIMES THE BETTER.
BUT IN THIS CASE, IT'S A REFLECTION OF BEING PROACTIVE WITH ORDINANCE CHANGES THAT THEN RESULT IN PEOPLE NOT HAVING TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER TYPE OF PROCESS.
THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO REFLECT THE IMPORTANCE OF THOSE ORDINANCE CHANGES AND BEING PROACTIVE.
OF COURSE, THIS EVENING BEFORE YOU WILL BE THE HASLETT VILLAGE SQUARE REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT, SO STAFF HAS BEEN NAVIGATING THAT THROUGH THE PROCESS.
THE DDA RECENTLY FORMED ITS VILLAGE OF OKEM TASK FORCE THAT WILL BE, AGAIN, FOCUSING ON THAT, RECOGNIZING THE HIGH PRIORITY FOR THIS BOARD, BOTH NOT JUST FOR THIS YEAR AND INTO 26, BUT FOR PRIOR YEARS AS WELL IN A GREAT JUNETEENTH EVENT.
IN 19 NEW SMALL BUSINESSES OPENED IN THE TOWNSHIP TO DATE.
[00:10:03]
IT'S GOOD TO SEE PEOPLE STILL WANTING TO INVEST AND BE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, OF COURSE, WE HAD EARLIER THIS SUMMER, THE PUSH IN AND WET DOWN CEREMONY FOR OUR TWO NEW ENGINES THAT ARE PART OF THE FLEET.
WE HAD A NUMBER OF PROMOTIONS, INCLUDING BARB FREDDY AS OUR NEW CAPTAIN AND THEN TWO FIREFIGHTERS WHO ARE PROMOTED TO LIEUTENANT.
THE PART THAT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE HERE IS THE WORK ON EXTENSIVE TRAINING, RIGHT THE RECOGNITION THAT ONGOING TRAINING IS SO IMPORTANT.
PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO RESPONDING TO FIRE EVENTS OR OTHER EMERGENCY EVENTS THAT MIGHT NOT BE HAPPENING ON A FREQUENT BASIS, BUT THE REALITY IS STAFF NEED TO KNOW AND NEED TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THOSE QUICKLY AND TO DO IT IN A VERY PROACTIVE MANNER SO THAT ONGOING TRAINING IS ESSENTIAL TO MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE THAT.
WE'VE SEEN A 9% INCREASE IN CALL VOLUME YEAR TODAY AND ALMOST 2,800 MEDICAL CALLS.
THAT'S DEFINITELY A TREND THAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE.
PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK THAT 911 SOMETIMES IS ALWAYS THE ANSWER WHEN IT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE THE CASE, THAT BEING MORE PROACTIVE, EITHER WITH THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER EARLIER ON, WE'RE EVEN LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE RADY MED.
THAT'S AN ONGOING CHALLENGE THAT NOT ONLY OUR DEPARTMENT FACES, BUT WE SEE THAT ACROSS THE STATE AND COUNTRY.
HUMAN RESOURCES, OF COURSE, A LOT OF ACTIVITY HERE.
THE HSA CONTRIBUTION THAT THE BOARD APPROVED, EMPLOYEES WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.
YOU SPENT MANY MEETINGS WORKING ON THE PERSONNEL POLICY THAT WAS APPROVED.
WE'VE BEEN MANAGING THE NEW ESTA REQUIREMENTS, AND THEN A LOT OF ACTIVITY WITH EMPLOYEE TRAFFIC, INCLUDING 37 NEW HIRES.
WE HAVE A LOT OF SEASONAL EMPLOYEES THAT MAKE UP SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS, BUT THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO THE WORK THAT A LOT OF OUR DEPARTMENTS DO.
ONE OF THOSE BACK END DEPARTMENTS THAT ISN'T REALLY FORWARD FACING, BUT THAT WE RELY ON DAY IN AND DAY OUT FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO PROVIDING THE IMPORTANT SYSTEMS. WE WERE ABLE TO FILL ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS WITH THE NETWORK TECHNICIAN TO HELP OUR TEAM AND ADDRESS THE NUMEROUS USERS THAT WE HAVE.
FOCUS ON SECURITY, AND EASE OF ACCESS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, WHERE WE DO A SINGLE SIGN ON FOR MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS.
BUT YOU CAN LOOK IN THE NOTABLE STATS ON THAT SECURITY SIDE OF THINGS.
A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF E MAIL MESSAGES THAT COME THROUGH OUR SYSTEM, THE BULK OF WHICH ARE SPAM THAT GET FILTERED OUT, AND THEN THE PHISHING ATTEMPTS.
THEY'RE RISING BOTH IN QUANTITY AND SOPHISTICATION.
OUR IT TEAMS TEAM IS DILIGENT IN TRYING TO WORK ON THOSE AND ADDRESS THAT.
THAT'S CRITICAL TO AGAIN, OUR INTERNAL OPERATIONS.
PARKS AND RECREATION, LOT OF ACTIVITY HERE, CELEBRATE MERIDIAN, I THINK, WE HIT THE LOTTERY THIS YEAR ON WEATHER FOR THAT.
BUT THEN JUST THE EFFORT THAT THE TEAM PUTS INTO IT IN ORGANIZING IT WITH THE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE, WHETHER IT'S THE MUSIC, WHETHER IT'S THE CHILDREN'S AREA, WHETHER IT'S THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BEING THERE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PRESENCE, ALL OF THE EFFORT ACROSS THE TOWNSHIP.
IT'S A GREAT EVENT AND VERY SUCCESSFUL.
THE $500,000 CONDITIONAL GRANT TO FOR THE RED CEDAR WATER TRAILS, ANOTHER GREAT REGIONAL PROJECT THAT NOT ONLY BENEFIT OUR RESIDENTS, BUT HAS A LARGER IMPACT ACROSS THE REGION.
YOU CAN LOOK AT THE NUMBER OVER 1,600 RECREATION PARTICIPANTS.
A LOT OF STRONG INTEREST IN THE PROGRAMS THAT WE DO.
WE DO IT WITH A STREAMLINED STAFF.
THEY'RE VERY EFFICIENT IN WHAT THEY DO TO BRING IN A LOT OF YOUTH, SPORTIS FOR SHORTIES AND OTHER PROGRAMS ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL AND CONTINUE TO DRAW A LOT OF INTEREST.
THEN ON THE POLICE SIDE, AS THE CHIEF MENTIONED, THE LAST TIME IT WAS ACTUALLY THE ASSISTANT CHIEF WHO WAS HERE LAST TIME TO INTRODUCE OUR LATEST TWO SWORN OFFICERS.
WE ARE NOW AT FULL STAFFING WITH 42, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO FINALLY BE AT THAT LEVEL.
AGAIN, THE RESULTS OF THE BOARD'S EFFORTS TO INCREASE SALARIES AND TO MAKE THOSE POSITIONS MORE ATTRACTIVE.
WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF INCREASE, OF COURSE, IN OUR TRAFFIC CITATIONS, AS WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.
WE'D LIKE TO THINK THAT THERE'S A CORRELATION WITH THAT REDUCTION IN TRAFFIC CRASHION.
AS PEOPLE TRY TO ADHERE OR HOPEFULLY ADHERE TO SPEED LIMITS A LITTLE BIT BETTER, TRY TO BE SAFER DRIVERS, THAT ENFORCEMENT HAS AN INFLUENCE ON THAT, WE BELIEVE, AND THEN RESULTS IN HOPEFULLY SAFER ROADS, BECAUSE THIS WAS, AS WE ALL KNOW, A PRIMARY TOPIC THAT WE CONTINUE TO HEAR FROM RESIDENTS IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING, EXCESSIVE SPEEDING AND A LOT OF THE OTHER ROAD INFRACTIONS THAT RESIDENTS HAVE RAISED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
[00:15:07]
THEN SOME WORK TO UPGRADE THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING, MAKE THAT A BETTER AND MORE WELCOMING WORK SPACE.>> ON THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT OPERATION SIDE, A NUMBER OF THINGS WE'RE MOVING ALONG WITH MSHDA'S CHILL GRANT.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE SIX RESIDENTS IN THEIR HOMES INTO THE TIER 2 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PROCESS.
THE NEXT STEP FOR THEM IS ACTUALLY GETTING INTO THE REHAB PORTION OF THAT, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE THAT MOVING AHEAD.
WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE BUILDING SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS.
THEN THERE'S BEEN SOME EFFORT ON BEHALF OF DIRECTOR MASSEY TO WORK WITH OUR UTILITY BILLING AND OUR PUBLIC WORKS FOLKS, AND TRYING TO ACCELERATE SOME OF THE METER CHANGE-OUTS.
YOU CAN SEE WE'VE HAD 235 OF THOSE APPOINTMENTS SCHEDULED SINCE APRIL 15.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO KEEP THAT PROGRESS MOVING AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THE ISSUES THERE AS WELL.
THEN, PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING COMPLETED THE NORTH LIFT STATION AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, DESPITE, IF YOU REMEMBER EARLIER THIS SPRING, WE HAD A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT ISSUE ALONG EAST LAKE DRIVE WITH THE SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE THERE.
BUT DESPITE THAT PROJECT, THEY'RE ABLE TO STILL GET THE LIFT STATION DONE AHEAD OF TIME.
THE LOCAL ROAD PROGRAM CONTINUES, TACOMA HILLS, EVERETT FARMS, LOCK DUMONT, BEING THE PRIMARY AREAS FOR RECONSTRUCTION, AND THEN 14-PLUS MILES OF THE REJUVENATOR TREATMENT TO MAINTAIN THE INVESTMENT THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS BEEN MAKING IN RECENT YEARS.
THE BENNETT ROAD PATHWAY/BOARDWALK, MOVING AHEAD ALONG WITH THE GATE VALVE PROJECT, AND THEN THE SIDEWALK PROGRAM AS WELL.
ON THE NOTABLE STATS, ONE I WANT TO RAISE HERE IS THE 1,000 MISS DIG REQUEST.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT FROM RESIDENTS, THEY GET ANNOYED, ARE THE MISS DIG FLAGS AND THE SPRAY PAINT LINES ON THEIR LAWNS.
A LOT OF THAT'S BEEN DRIVEN BY METRONET IN THEIR EXPANSION PLANS.
FORTUNATELY, WE'RE GETTING HOPEFULLY TOWARDS THE END OF THAT ACROSS THE TOWNSHIP, AT LEAST THE AREA IS WHERE THEY'RE FOCUSED ON.
BUT THAT TAKES A LOT OF WORK FROM OUR TEAM THAT HAS TO GO OUT THERE EVERY TIME THEY REQUEST THAT.
IN TYPICAL, MISS DIG REQUEST A PROPERTY OR TWO, BUT THEY DO ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOODS AT ONCE.
IT'S A PRETTY EXTENSIVE EFFORT, AND IT'S DISTRACTING FROM OTHER WORK.
WE'RE GOING TO BE HAPPY WHEN WE GET THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
WE ASK OUR RESIDENTS TO BE PATIENT WITH US AS METRONET GRABS UP THEIR WORK.
THEN LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, THE TREASURER'S OFFICE, NEW TAX INFORMATION SHEET THAT WENT OUT TO ALL TAXPAYERS WITH THE TAX BILLS, WE'VE SEEN ONLINE TAX PAYMENTS GO UP BY 4.3%, AS PEOPLE GET MORE COMFORTABLE WITH UTILIZING THAT SERVICE.
THEN, WE ALSO HAVE A DECLINE IN DELINQUENT PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES. THAT'S ALWAYS A GOOD THING.
WE LIKE WHEN PEOPLE PAY THEIR TAXES AHEAD OF TIME, AND CERTAINLY, THE OFFICE IS PROACTIVE ABOUT REACHING OUT TO BUSINESSES TO TRY TO ADDRESS THAT.
THAT'S A QUICK HIGHLIGHT OF WHERE WE STAND MID-YEAR HERE AGAIN, JUST TOUCHING ON HIGHLIGHTS.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE STAFF, ALL OF THE DIRECTORS, AND ALL OF THEIR TEAMS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION.
WE HAVE GREAT EMPLOYEES WHO ARE DEDICATED TO THE WORK.
THERE'S A WHOLE LOT MORE, OF COURSE, THAT GOES INTO THIS.
THIS IS THAT HIGH-LEVEL PICTURE, BUT THE DAY-TO-DAY WORK AND THE EFFORT THAT EMPLOYEES DO.
SOMETIMES IT'S ADMITTEDLY A GRIND FOR FOLKS TO GET THROUGH THINGS, BUT THEY'RE DEDICATED AND THEY DO IT, AND THEY SERVE OUR RESIDENTS AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL, SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? TRUSTEE LENTZ.
>> THANK YOU. I JUST HAD A COMMENT ABOUT THE $500,000 PUT TOWARDS THE RED CEDAR RIVER CLEANUP.
AS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE INGHAM COUNTY PARKS COMMISSION, I GOT TO SEE THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT AS A MEMBER OF THAT BOARD, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, HOW NOTABLE IT IS TO HAVE AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL REQUEST LIKE THAT.
SPECIFICALLY WITH MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ACTING AS A FIDUCIARY FOR THAT PROJECT REALLY SHOWS THE TRUST THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS AND THIS GOVERNMENT HAS FROM THE COUNTY TOWARDS MAKING THAT PROJECT HAPPEN; SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS REALLY COOL AND WILL OPEN UP A LOT OF RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
>> OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. WELL, I'LL SIMPLY ADD TO WHAT MANAGER DEMPSEY SAID.
A LOT OF FOLKS' HARD WORK, HARD EFFORT WENT INTO MAKING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT YOU HIGHLIGHTED HAPPEN.
[00:20:04]
WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF BOTH YOU AND ALL OF OUR STAFF WHO COME TO WORK EVERY DAY TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND GET SOME OF THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS DONE.IT'S NO SMALL FEAT, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE YOUR HARD WORK AND THE HARD WORK OF THE HUNDREDS OF FOLKS AT WORK FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP TO MAKE ALL OF THIS HAPPEN FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
THANK YOU TO YOU AND TO THEM FOR ALL OF THOSE EFFORTS.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME, MY PLEASURE.
>> SEEING NONE, NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
[5. CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NON-AGENDAITEMS]
CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND NOT AGENDA ITEMS. THERE ARE SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS AT TONIGHT'S MEETING.MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO ADDRESS ANY ITEM ON OUR AGENDA OR NOT ON OUR AGENDA HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, AS WELL AS [NOISE] NEAR THE END OF THE MEETING.
THOSE WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE BOARD MUST COMPLETE THE GREEN CARD, WHICH ARE LOCATED ON THE TABLE BY THE DOOR, AND PRESENT THE CARD TO THE BOARD OR A MEMBER OF THE TOWNSHIP STAFF PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN, I'LL CALL ON YOU TO COME TO THE PODIUM AND SPEAK TO THE TOPICS INDICATED.
WHILE IT'S NOT REQUIRED, IT IS HELPFUL FOR THE SAKE OF OUR MEETING MINUTES IF YOU CAN PROVIDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR REMARKS.
CITIZENS ARE REQUIRED TO LIMIT COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES.
AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM KEEPS TRACK OF THE TIME, AND AN INDICATOR LIGHT WILL BEEP WILL ALERT YOU WHEN YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD VALUE PUBLIC COMMENT AND INPUT FROM OUR PUBLIC.
THE MEETING FORMAT AND RULES, HOWEVER, DO RESTRICT BOARD MEMBERS FROM ENGAGING IN CONVERSATION WITH COMMENTERS OR ANSWERING QUESTIONS DIRECTLY.
QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS MAY BE ADDRESSED BY BOARD MEMBERS AT A LATER TIME OR BE REFERRED TO A MEMBER OF THE TOWNSHIP STAFF TO FOLLOW UP ON.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO ADDRESS ALL COMMENTS TO THE BOARD AND/OR THE BOARD'S CHAIR AND NOT TO INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS OR TO OTHERS IN THE AUDIENCE.
WITH THAT SAID, WE DO HAVE ONE GREEN CARD THIS EVENING, AND THAT IS FROM JEFF KESTNER.
IF ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TODAY IF YOU COULD FILL OUT A GREEN CARD AND TURN THAT IN, I'D APPRECIATE IT. MR. KESTNER.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JEFF KESTNER HAST, A RESIDENT.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY THAT I'LL BE HOSTING A TOWN HALL THIS THURSDAY, JULY 24, FROM 6:30-7:30PM IN THIS ROOM AT THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP MUNICIPAL BUILDING.
PURPOSE OF THE MEETING IS TO PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY AS TO THE REAL COST OF THE PROPOSED COMMUNITY CENTER AND DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
THERE'LL BE A 15-MINUTE PRESENTATION FOLLOWED BY A 45-MINUTE LISTENING SESSION.
I'LL BE HANDING OUT A SPREADSHEET AND OTHER INFORMATION SHOWING THAT THE REAL COST OF A NEW COMMUNITY CENTER EXCEEDS $42 MILLION OVER 10 YEARS AND $57 MILLION OVER 20 YEARS.
THESE NUMBERS FAR EXCEED THE $19 MILLION THIS BOARD IS ASKING VOTERS TO APPROVE ON AUGUST 5TH.
THIS MEANS THAT COSTS WILL BE ONGOING INTO PERPETUITY AND WILL LIKELY NEED TO BE RENEWED VIA AN ELECTION TAX MILLAGE EVERY 10 YEARS.
THIS TOWN HALL IS NOT INTENDED TO TELL THE PUBLIC HOW TO VOTE, BUT TO PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY AS TO WHAT THEY ARE REALLY VOTING FOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED AT 6:21 PM.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 6: BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.
[7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES ANDANNOUNCEMENTS]
ANY BOARD MEMBERS WISHING TO MAKE REPORTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS THIS EVENING? TRUSTEE WILSON.>> THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON.
I ATTENDED THE COMMUNITY RESOURCE COMMISSION MEETING LAST WEDNESDAY.
THEY ARE PLANNING, AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IN THE HALLWAY, THERE'S A BOX FOR SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
THEY'RE CHANGING THEIR FOCUS THIS YEAR WITH SUPPORT FROM KAUNAS AND FROM THE HASLETT/OKEMOS ROTARY CLUB TO DO SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR A PARTICULAR APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT HAS A LOT OF LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS.
THEY'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON GETTING SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND ASSORTED ITEMS TO THOSE KIDS THIS YEAR.
ALSO, I ATTENDED A TOWN HALL MEETING, VIRTUAL TOWN HALL WITH SENATOR SLOTKIN YESTERDAY.
SHE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF WHAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE GOING TO FEEL WITH THE CHANGES AND THE BILL THAT WAS JUST ENACTED BY CONGRESS.
I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH ANYONE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. CLERK DEMAS.
>> I ALSO ATTENDED THAT WEBINAR WITH SENATOR SLOTKIN.
I ALSO MAILED OUT A POSTCARD TO HOUSEHOLDS WITH REGISTERED VOTERS.
THIS POSTCARD HAS IMPORTANT ELECTION DATES AND VOTING OPTIONS FOR THE UPCOMING ELECTION JUST TO PROVIDE SOME OF THOSE UPDATES AND ELECTION DATES STARTING TODAY THROUGH AUGUST 5TH ON ELECTION DAY.
[00:25:02]
IF YOU NEED TO REGISTER TO VOTE, THIS MUST BE DONE IN PERSON AT THE CLERK'S OFFICE, AND YOU MUST PROVIDE PROOF OF RESIDENCY.WE ARE OPEN FROM 8:00 AM TO 5:00 PM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, AND WE'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL BUSINESS HOURS SATURDAY, AUGUST 2ND, AND SUNDAY, AUGUST 3RD, FROM 9:00 AM-4:00 PM.
ELIGIBLE VOTERS HAVE THE OPTION TO VOTE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT DURING IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING AND ON ELECTION DAY.
WE'RE OFFERING EARLY VOTING FROM 9:00 AM-4:00 PM ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 1ST, THROUGH SUNDAY, AUGUST 3RD, IN THE TOWN HALL ROOM.
REGISTERED VOTERS CAN APPLY FOR AN ABSENTEE BALLOT AT THE CLERK'S OFFICE UNTIL 4:00 PM ON MONDAY, AUGUST 4TH, AND THESE BALLOTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 8:00 PM ON ELECTION DAY.
ELECTION DAY IS, OF COURSE, ON AUGUST 5TH WITH POLLS OPEN FROM 7:00 AM-8:00 PM.
I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT I ATTENDED THE ANNUAL ELMWSA BUSINESS MEETING LAST WEEK WITH TREASURER DESCHAINE AND, OF COURSE, TRUSTEE LENTZ AND DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER.
WE GOT THE CHANCE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RENEWABLE ENERGY, AND I ALSO RECEIVED A TOUR OF THE WATER CONDITIONING PLANT, WHICH IS ACTUALLY LOCATED RIGHT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT'S IT.
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? TREASURER DESCHAINE?
>> CLERK DEMAS MENTIONED THE ELMWSA, WHICH IS THE EAST LANSING-MERIDIAN WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY ANNUAL MEETING.
THE OPERATION NEEDS TO BE DONE VERY EFFICIENTLY.
DEPUTY OPSOMMER IS ACTUALLY THE CHAIR OF THE ELMWSA BOARD THIS YEAR.
WE'VE GOT GREAT LEADERSHIP OVER THERE.
[INAUDIBLE] MICHIGAN TOWNSHIP ASSOCIATION MID-YEAR LEGISLATIVE UPDATE.
EVEN THOUGH THEY SAID IT SHOULD BE DONE BY JULY 1ST, IT'S NOT DONE, WHICH COULD IMPACT THE CONSTITUTIONAL REVENUE SHARING AMOUNTS THAT TOWNSHIPS RECEIVES.
IT'S A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY RIGHT NOW.
THEY ALSO MENTIONED THERE COULD BE UP TO NINE DIFFERENT VOTER REFERENDUMS ON THE BALLOT NEXT YEAR, INCLUDING AGGS MONEY TAX, WHICH WOULD HAVE A DRAMATIC AND CATASTROPHIC IMPACT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
THE ONLY CERTAIN ONE IS THE QUESTION OF A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION THAT IS REQUIRED TO BE ASKED TO THE VOTERS EVERY 16 YEARS.
NOT A LOT OF GROUNDS TO OFFER THAT, SO THAT'S NOT LIKELY TO PASS, BUT IT WILL BE ON THE NOVEMBER 2026 BALLOT. ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? SEEING NONE, WE MOVE ON.
I'M SO SORRY, I SKIPPED RIGHT PAST TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT.
[6. TOWNSHIP MANAGER REPORT]
MANAGER DEMPSEY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO REPORT?ONE IS, I MENTIONED IN THE ASSESSING.
IT WASN'T IN THE HIGHLIGHTS, I DIDN'T MENTION IT.
BUT THERE'S TWO INTERNS THAT THE ASSESSING DEPARTMENT UTILIZES.
THEY'RE OUT AND ABOUT IN THE COMMUNITY TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS TO UPDATE THE ASSESSING DATABASE.
WE JUST WANT TO LET RESIDENTS KNOW, THEY'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING NEFARIOUS.
THEY'RE OUT THERE TO HELP THE ASSESSOR GET THE RIGHT INFORMATION.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME QUESTIONS.
IF YOU SEE OUR INTERNS, THEY ARE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP VEHICLES, SO THEY SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED IN THOSE.
THE OTHER THING IS BECAUSE OF THE ELECTION IN TWO WEEKS, OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING IS THURSDAY EVENING.
JUST A REMINDER FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR IT TO BE ON TUESDAY, IT'S GOING TO BE THURSDAY, AUGUST 7TH, INSTEAD OF THAT TUESDAY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT, THEN.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 8: APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
[8. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA?>> SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE LENTZ.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING? SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE AGENDA, PLEASE SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING.
[9. CONSENT AGENDA]
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ITEMS ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA, INCLUDING COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, MINUTES FROM OUR JULY 8TH, REGULAR TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING, THE BILLS, THE QUARTERLY REPORT FROM TREASURER DESCHAINE, A CONTRACT FOR THE SCHULTZ PATHWAY AND BOARDWALK, THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY APPOINTMENT OF A NEW MEMBER JOINING THERE, AND AN AGREEMENT WITH GOV STACK DIGITAL SERVICES.DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING? TREASURER DESCHAINE.
>> I MOVE THE CONSENT AGENDA TO BE APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
>> MOVED BY TREASURER DESCHAINE?
>> SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? SEEING NONE. WILL CLERK DEMAS, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> CLERK DEMAS, YES. TREASURER DESCHAINE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 10: ACTION ITEMS.
[10.A. Amendment to the Haslett Village Square Brownfield Plan ]
10A IS AMENDMENT TO THE HASLETT VILLAGE SQUARE BROWNFIELD PLAN.WE HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, AMBER CLARK, HERE TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
AT OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, JULY 8TH, YOU HELD THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE HASLETT VILLAGE SQUARE AMENDED PLAN.
THERE IS ALREADY AN ADOPTED PLAN FOR HASLETT VILLAGE SQUARE.
IT'S A MUCH SMALLER PLAN THAT WE ADOPTED
[00:30:02]
IN 2023 TO SUPPORT THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY.WE KNOW WE RAN INTO SOME ISSUES, SOME OF THEM BEING INFRASTRUCTURE, AND HAD TO COMPLETELY REDESIGN THE SITE WHILE MEETING THE MUPUD STANDARDS AS APPROVED FOR THE SITE.
TODAY, THE BOARD HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE PROPOSED AMENDED PLAN MEETS AND SERVES A PUBLIC PURPOSE BASED OFF OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE BROWNFIELD PLAN.
IF SO, THERE IS A RESOLUTION INCLUDED IN THE PACKET TONIGHT AND A MOTION FOR THE BOARD TO ADOPT TO SUPPORT A 23-YEAR CAPTURE FOR $14.5 MILLION [NOISE] 3.4 OF THAT WILL BE FROM MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP SPECIFICALLY, AND 11.1 WILL BE CAPTURED TAXES FROM THE COUNTY, MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF GREAT LAKES AND ENERGY, KNOWN AS EAGLE, AND THE MICHIGAN STATE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, MSHDA.
THE BOARD HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AFFORDABILITY, THE RENTS THAT WERE BEING PROPOSED.
>> AGAIN, WE HAVE DONE A FEW CALCULATIONS, TRYING TO COME UP WITH WHAT WE FEEL IS A GOOD PLAN, SUITABLE, ONE THAT MSHDA WILL APPROVE, ONE THE BOARD WOULD APPROVE, THAT WILL MEET THE NEEDS OF THE DEVELOPER.
AS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD IN THIS PLAN, THIS IS THE WAY THAT THE PROJECT WILL BE ABLE TO FINANCE ITSELF TO BE DEVELOPED.
IF WE PUT ANY ADDITIONAL STRESS ON TRYING TO MEET A LOWER RENT STANDARD, IT WON'T MEET THE PRO FORMA AND THE FINANCING.
THE BANKS WILL NOT FINANCE THE PROJECT BECAUSE THE DEVELOPMENT WILL NOT HAVE ENOUGH CASH FLOW ACROSS THE PRO FORMA OF THE PROJECT FOR THE YEARS REQUIRED TO MEET THE MORTGAGE BASICALLY.
IT IS AS PRESENTED AS BEST AS THE DEVELOPER CAN TO PROVIDE RENTAL RATES FOR INCOMES AT 120% OR LESS OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
THERE WERE A FEW QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD ABOUT MSHDA'S JUST GENERAL HISTORIC DATA.
I PROVIDED SOME OF THAT STARTING FROM 2015 TO NOW A DECADE.
YOU'LL SEE IN SOME YEARS THE [INAUDIBLE] SO IT SHIFTED DEPENDING ON EITHER 80%, OR 100% OR 120.
IN SOME YEARS, IT GOES UP, BUT IT'S A PRETTY SLIGHT DIFFERENCE.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE RENT AND THE RENT REQUIREMENTS FROM MSHDA ARE ALSO A PRETTY SLIGHT DIFFERENCE.
AS MUCH AS IT COULD BE A 7%, I KNOW WE TALKED IT COULD BE 7% INCREASE IT COULD BE A 10% INCREASE.
IT DOESN'T REALLY SEEM TO BE WHAT MSHDA DOES.
WE'VE ONLY SEEN THE MAJOR JUMPS IN INCOME AND RENTAL LIMITS SINCE 2020, NOW THAT WE'RE IN WHAT WE ALL CONSIDER A NEW ECONOMIC TIME.
WE DO HAVE THE DEVELOPERS HERE AND THEIR CONSULTANTS HERE.
I DID ATTACH THE FULL PLAN THIS TIME, SO THE FULL PRO FORMA IS INCLUDED.
APOLOGIES TRYING TO KEEP THE BOARD PACKET FROM BEING TOO LARGE.
BUT ESSENTIALLY, THE SITE IS THE SAME.
WE ARE DOWN ABOUT 100 UNITS FROM THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL.
BUT AGAIN, BASED OFF OF HAVING TO RELOCATE A PUBLIC DRAIN ONTO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PROPERTY AND MEET THE DRAIN OFFICE STORM WATER REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SITE.
TONIGHT, THE BOARD HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DETERMINE IF IT'S A PUBLIC PURPOSE, AND IF SO, THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROCEED FORWARD WITH A REQUEST TO MSHDA TO SUPPORT THE PROJECT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, DR. CLARK IS HERE, THE APPLICANTS ARE HERE, AND WE HAVE A MOTION IN OUR PACKET THIS EVENING.
I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR TO ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, OR IF SOMEONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN THAT AS WELL. TRUSTEE WILSON.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION.
MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE HASLETT VILLAGE SQUARE BROWNFIELD PLAN AMENDMENT NUMBER 1 FOR PROPERTIES AT 1621 AND 1655 HASLETT ROAD WITH A TOTAL INCREMENT REVENUE OF $17,608,772 AND DEVELOPER REIMBURSEMENT NOT TO EXCEED $14,563,048 FOR 23 YEARS.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.
>> SUPPORTED BY TREASURER DESCHAINE.
DISCUSSION ON THIS, TRUSTEE WILSON?
>> I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY QUESTION THAT THIS DOES MEET THE PUBLIC PURPOSE AS HAS BEEN OUTLINED IN OUR DOCUMENTS.
I'M GLAD THAT MANY OF THE COMMUNITY AMENITIES WILL STAY IN PLACE.
WE CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT THIS PROJECT FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER HELD THINGS UP FOR SUCH A LONG TIME.
I THINK IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT OUR COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT WE MOVE AHEAD ON THIS PROJECT, AND THIS IS THE WAY TO DO IT.
[00:35:02]
>> I AGREE WITH TRUSTEE WILSON.
THIS DOES PROVIDE THE PUBLIC GOOD.
IT PROVIDES WORKFORCE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT PROVIDES THE OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY WHICH WE HAVEN'T SEEN IN NINE YEARS WITH THE TOWN HOME PURCHASES.
IT ALSO DEVELOPS A BLIGHTED SITE THAT'S BEEN THAT WAY FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES.
OUR RESIDENTS TO THE NORTH IN HASLETT ARE REALLY TIRED OF LOOKING ON THAT VACANT LOT, THAT BLIGHTED LOT, AND THIS PROVIDES A SOLUTION WITH A BEAUTIFUL NEW DEVELOPMENT.
HAVING SAID THAT, IT DOESN'T MEET OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOALS THAT TRUSTEE LENTZ HAS TALKED ABOUT OFTEN.
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THAT WITH THE FUTURE PROJECT.
THIS ISN'T A PROJECT TO FULFILL THAT GOAL.
>> THANK YOU. TRUSTEE TREZISE.
>> I FOUND IT INTERESTING ON PAGE 1 OF YOUR REPORT.
THERE'S DISCUSSION OF WHERE THE TAX REIMBURSEMENT IS COMING FROM.
IF I INTERPRET THIS CORRECTLY, IT'S THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PIECE OF THIS TIF IS ROUGHLY 3.4 MILLION, AND THE REST IS PRIMARILY COUNTY TAXES.
>> THOSE ARE THE LARGEST PORTIONS, CORRECT.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE LETTER ON PAGE 260 OF HER PACKET.
APOLOGIES FOR NOT KNOWING WHERE IT IS ON PROPOSAL.
I WAS COMPELLED BY THE EXPLANATION GIVEN, AND AFTER SPENDING THE LAST TWO WEEKS SINCE OUR DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM, LEARNING MORE ABOUT HOW MSHDA SEES THESE PROGRAMS AS BEING ABLE TO ACTIVATE PIECES OF LAND LIKE THIS.
LIKE TREASURER DESCHAINE HAD SAID, WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE LOW INCOME HOUSING BUILT IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, BUT A LOT OF ECONOMISTS WOULD SAY THAT OWNING A PLACE OF YOUR OWN, WHICH THIS PROJECT IS BUILDING SOME OF, IS A GREAT WAY TO BUILD WEALTH AND BUILD COMMUNITY.
IN THAT SENSE, IT DOES FULFILL ANOTHER OBJECTIVE THAT I, EXCUSE ME, REALLY WANTED TO SEE OUT OF THIS PROJECT.
LIKE I SAID, I WILL BE SUPPORTING IT.
>> I ALSO APPRECIATE THE LETTER.
I STILL DON'T THINK THIS MEETS THE STANDARD FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING HERE IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AND IT WILL BENEFIT THE AREA, SO I WILL BE SUPPORTING IT.
>> ARE THEY BOARD MEMBERS? IF I COULD ASK THE DEVELOPER TO COME UP FOR JUST A MOMENT.
I THINK WHEN WE TOOK UP THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TIF POLICY A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
I THINK WE ALL HAD PERHAPS A DIFFERENT NOTION OF WHAT THAT MIGHT LEAD TO AND WHAT IT MIGHT BE USED FOR.
I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT WORKFORCE HOUSING IS INDEED STILL A POSITIVE THING FOR THE COMMUNITY, AS I THINK IT'S BEEN MENTIONED A COUPLE OF TIMES NOW.
THE FACT THAT WE ARE MAKING SOME PROGRESS AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE SEEING SOME PROGRESS ON THIS HASLETT SITE THAT'S BEEN, AS HAS BEEN POINTED OUT, VACANT FOR MANY YEARS NOW, AND STILL OCCUPIES A LOT OF SPACE IN OUR RESIDENTS' MINDS.
WE GOT A LETTER TODAY ABOUT IT, IN FACT, ABOUT SOME TIME, A DIFFERENT PROPOSAL YEARS AGO.
PEOPLE HAVE LONG MEMORIES ON THIS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S A PART OF THE CENTER OF THEIR COMMUNITY.
MY QUESTION, THANK YOU FOR COMING UP IS, THIS ACTION, SHOULD IT PASS THIS EVENING, WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY THE FINAL APPROVAL FOR THE BROWNFIELD PLAN AS YOU'VE PRESENTED IT.
WHAT HURDLES REMAIN FOR THIS PROJECT BETWEEN NOW AND CONSTRUCTION? WHAT TIMELINE DO YOU SEE MOVING FORWARD?
>> I DON'T THINK THAT THERE ARE MANY HURDLES LEFT.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING BEHIND THE CURTAIN WITH ROAD COMMISSION, DRAIN COMMISSION.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING SET UP IN ANTICIPATION OF PASSING THIS EVENING.
[00:40:01]
IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.WE ARE MOVING FORWARD TO GET THIS THING BUILT.
REALLY, THE GOAL STILL REMAINS THAT WE'D LIKE TO GET INFRASTRUCTURE IN YET THIS YEAR.
REALLY LIKE TO START ON THAT BECAUSE IF THE GROUND FREEZES OR WHATEVER, WE WANT TO HAVE THAT STUFF IN SO IT'S GO TIME.
WE RECEIVED A LETTER, TOO NOT TOO LONG AGO IN THE FORM OF ANOTHER PROPERTY TAX BILL, AND WE'D LIKE TO START TO BE ABLE TO PAY THAT WITH [LAUGHTER].
>> VERY GOOD. INFRASTRUCTURE THIS FALL, HOPEFULLY, AND THE IDEA IS TO START GOING VERTICAL ON SOME OF THESE NEXT SPRING. IS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING?
>> WELL, THANK YOU, AND I DO APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO COME BEFORE US AND ANSWER SOME DIFFICULT QUESTIONS.
WE OWE OUR RESIDENTS THE DUE DILIGENCE OF BEING GOOD FIDUCIARIES OF THEIR TAX DOLLARS.
>> I THINK THAT'S PART OF WHAT YOU SAW IN THE LAST MEETING, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR ABILITY TO SPEAK TO THOSE.
WITH THAT SAID, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS THIS EVENING.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION? TREASURER DESCHAINE?
>> REGARDING THE $3.4 MILLION IN SUBSIDIES THE TOWNSHIP GIVING TO THE DEVELOPER IN FORMS OF TAX ABATEMENT.
CURRENTLY, WITHOUT THIS PROJECT, WE'D INCUR UNDER $15,000 A YEAR IN TAXES.
WITH THIS PROJECT, THE TAXES WILL BE AROUND 150,000 A YEAR.
WHAT THE TOWNSHIP IS DOING HERE IS TAKING $150,000 THAT WE NORMALLY WOULD COLLECT FOR TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT AND PROVIDING IT TO THE DEVELOPER FOR THESE 23 YEARS TO MAKE THE PROJECT MORE AFFORDABLE.
IF WE SAID NO TO THIS, WE DON'T GET THE $3.4 MILLION BACK.
THE $3.4 MILLION NEVER GETS CREATED.
THERE IS NO NEW PROPERTIES DEVELOPED, AND THE PROPERTY REMAINS BLIGHTED AND WITH A VERY LOW TAX VALUE.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE ACTUALLY GIVING MONEY AWAY.
WE'D ALLOW THE DEVELOPER TO DEVELOP A SIGNIFICANT ASSET, AND FOR 23 YEARS, PROVIDE THAT PROPERTY TAX BACK TO YOU IS THE INCENTIVE TO GET THIS PROJECT COMPLETED.
>> THE STATE CAME UP WITH AN EFFICIENT PLAN.
>> CERTAINLY GOING TO BE BETTER THAN WE HAVE THERE. WE'RE VERY EXCITED.
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, WILL CLERK DEMAS, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> CLERK DEMAS? YES. MOTION CARRIES 7,0.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
>> NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 10 B,
[10.B. 2nd Quarter Budget Amendments]
SECOND QUARTER OF BUDGET AMENDMENTS.WE HAVE FINANCE DIRECTOR BERNADETTE BLONDE HERE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, SUPERVISOR AND BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE PROPOSED SECOND QUARTER BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
PLEASE REFLECT THE UPDATED REVENUES AND EXPENSES BASED ON ACTUAL COLLECTION AND PROJECT TIMING.
THE DETAILED LINE ITEMS ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET.
I'LL JUST TOUCH ON A FEW ITEMS. IN OUR GENERAL FUND, YOU'RE SEEING HIGHER THAN EXPECTED REVENUE FROM PROPERTY TAXES, PERMIT FEES, AND ESTATE GRANT.
ON THE EXPENSE SIDE, WE'RE RECOGNIZING HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED INSURANCE PREMIUMS. THE NEED FOR TEMPORARY STAFFING IN OUR FINANCE AND CLERKS DEPARTMENT, ALONG WITH SOME RE-ALLOCATED FUNDS TO SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
WITH THESE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, THE GENERAL FUND SEES A NET INCREASE TO FUND BALANCE OF $24,861.
THAT BRINGS OUR PROJECTED YEAR-END FUND BALANCE TO ABOUT 12.45 MILLION.
FOR OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, WE'RE ADJUSTING FOR HIGHER-THAN-ANTICIPATED TAX REVENUE, ALONG WITH SOME REORGANIZATION OF EVENT-RELATED REVENUE AND EXPENSES JUST SO WE CAN TRACK IT A LITTLE BETTER.
THEN FOR THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING A NET USE OF FUND BALANCE.
BUT THAT IS I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT WE ARE MONITORING OUR READY-TO-SERVE FEES.
THEY'RE TRENDING HIGHER THAN WHAT WE EXPECTED OR BUDGETED, WHICH IS GREAT.
WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT TREND CONTINUES, AND WE'LL BRING THAT PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE THIRD QUARTER.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS OR MOTIONS TO BE MADE THIS EVENING? TRUSTEE TREZISE.
>> I MOVE TO APPROVE THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2025 BUDGET AMENDMENTS WITH AN INCREASE IN BUDGETED FUND BALANCE FOR THE GENERAL FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $24,861.
IT PROJECTS A USE OF FUND BALANCE OF 199,307 BASED ON 2024 RESULTS.
[00:45:06]
THE PROJECTED FUND BALANCE IN DECEMBER 31, 2025, WILL BE $12,453,953.>> IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE?
>> SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS? CLERK DEMAS.
>> I JUST WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR BLONDE FOR WORKING CLOSELY WITH ME TO REALLOCATE FUNDS FOR THE ELECTION FUND AND PROPOSE NECESSARY BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
ELECTIONS AREN'T CHEAP, AND THIS YEAR'S SPECIAL ELECTION WASN'T FULLY ANTICIPATED IN THE ORIGINAL BUDGET, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HELP AND HOPE THAT THE BOARD CAN SUPPORT THESE AMENDMENTS.
>> THANK YOU. OTHER DISCUSSION? I THINK IT'S WORTH POINTING OUT, WE DON'T GET TO SEE TOO OFTEN, IT GETS A LOT TOO OFTEN, THE COMING IN UNDER BUDGET, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE BY PASSING THESE FOR THIS QUARTER.
CERTAINLY, ON THE YEAR, WE'RE STILL USING A LITTLE BIT OF FUND BALANCE.
BUT GENERALLY, WITH SOME VERY SMALL EXCEPTIONS, WE FIND OURSELVES BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, BEING FRUGAL AND COMING IN UNDER WHAT WE PROJECTED EACH YEAR AND EACH QUARTER.
I APPRECIATE THAT MENTALITY THAT OUR STAFF COMES TO WORK WITH AND THE GOOD FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP THAT YOU AND MANAGER DEMPSEY HAVE CONTINUED TO BRING TO THE TOWNSHIP, AS REFLECTED IN THIS NUMBER IN FRONT OF US.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, WILL CLERK DEMAS, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 10 C. ACCEPTANCE OF AUDIT FINDINGS.
[10.C. Acceptance of Audit Findings]
WE HAVE MANAGER DEMPSEY AND DIRECTOR GUANDY HERE AGAIN TO TALK TO US ABOUT THIS.>> THIS IS JUST TO HAVE OUR AUDIT THAT WAS PRESENTED AT OUR LAST BOARD MEETING APPROVED FORMALLY.
I THINK THAT AUDIT SHOWED THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS A STRONG FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP AND EFFECTIVE INTERNAL CONTROLS, AND SO WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR THE OFFICIAL APPROVAL.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AUDIT FINDINGS? TRUSTEE WILSON.
>> I MOVE TO APPROVE THE 2024 AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS PRESENTED BY YEL & YEL.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.
>> SUPPORTED BY TREASURER DESCHAINE.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE AUDIT FINDINGS?
>> WELL, WE DID DISCUSS HERE A PRETTY IN DEPTH PRESENTATION ON THIS AND ASKED A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS AT OUR LAST MEETING.
CERTAINLY, A STERLING AUDIT, AS WE'VE COME TO BE RATHER USED TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL.
I TAKE A BIT OF UMBRAGE WITH ONE OF THE ONLY NOTES THAT WAS PROVIDED, WHICH WAS RELATING TO THE WAY WE ACCOUNT FOR OUR OWNERSHIP OF THE ROADS, WHICH I THINK IF YOU ASKED THE COUNTY, THEY WOULD BE VERY QUICK TO TELL US THAT THEY ARE STILL THE OWNERS.
BUT THAT'S WHY THE ACCOUNTANTS GET PAID THE BIG DOLLARS AND NOT ME, I SUPPOSE.
BUT IF IT DOESN'T PASS THE COMMON SENSE TEST.
BUT ALL IN ALL, A MITIGATED SUCCESS FROM OUR FINANCE TEAM, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN AND STEPPING IN SO QUICKLY TO ENSURE THAT OUR AUDIT IS CLEAN, AS IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN, AND MAKING FOR A VERY SEAMLESS TRANSITION THERE.
>> I TOO WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU, DIRECTOR BLONDE.
YOU CAME IN AFTER THE YEAR IS COMPLETED AND HAD A LOT TO CATCH UP WITH, AND YOU HAD TO THEN DEFEND THE FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS, EXPLAIN THEM TO THE AUDITORS.
OBVIOUSLY AN EXCELLENT JOB, AUDIT FINDINGS WERE EXACTLY WHAT WE'D HOPED FOR.
I TALK A LOT OF EXTRA WORK, AND WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT WORK YOU DID.
>> FURTHER DISCUSSION? SAY YOU KNOW WHAT CLERK DEMAS, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> THANK YOU. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS
[10.D. 2026 Board Goals]
ITEM 10D TOWNSHIP BOARD VALUES AND 2026 TOWNSHIP BOARD GOALS. MANAGER DEMPSEY.[00:50:01]
I WASN'T AT THE MEETING WHEN THIS WAS LAST DISCUSSED, BUT DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER NAVIGATED THAT CONVERSATION.BASED ON FEEDBACK THAT WE HEARD FROM THE BOARD AT THAT MEETING, WE'VE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THE PROPOSED VALUES AND GOALS.
ALSO, I WANT TO POINT OUT IN MY COVER MEMO, JUST SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE REASON WE'RE DOING THIS EARLIER AS WE WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, BUT SO THE PUBLIC IS AWARE IS SO THAT WE CAN BETTER COINCIDE AND ALIGN THE BUDGET PROCESS WITH NEXT YEAR'S GOALS.
IF THE BOARD IS IDENTIFYING THEIR PRIORITIES.
WE THEN WANT TO REFLECT THOSE IN OUR BUDGET ALLOCATIONS AS WE GET INTO THAT PROCESS.
THIS NEW SCHEDULE, I THINK IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO DO THAT AND HOPEFULLY BE MORE SEAMLESS FOR THAT CONVERSATION WHEN WE GET INTO THE BUDGET.
WITH THAT, I DO HAVE BOTH CLEAN AND RED LINE VERSIONS IN HERE.
ON THE BOARD VALUES, WE DID ADD A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT LANGUAGE FOR THE REFERENCE TO RESIDENTS UNDER WELCOMING COMMUNITY TO REFLECT BOTH CURRENT AND FUTURE.
THE NOTION THAT WE WANT TO BE WELCOMING TO THOSE WHO ARE HERE TODAY, BUT ALSO WHO COULD BE RESIDENTS IN THE FUTURE AND OUR EFFORTS TO ATTRACT THAT.
HOPEFULLY, WE CAPTURED WHAT WE WERE AFTER, IF NOT, WE'RE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN OTHER CHANGES.
THEN THE BOARD GOALS, WE DID PUT THIS ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT CATEGORY AT THE TOP OF THE LIST AND CHANGE THE WORDING AROUND ON THAT TO REFLECT THAT OVERALL GOAL THAT WE HAVE AS WELL.
THEN WE HERE TONIGHT FOR YOUR FURTHER CONSIDERATION.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS.
WE HAVE OUR GOALS, WHICH WE'VE LOOKED ON AT SEVERAL MEETINGS NOW AND A MOTION TO APPROVE THEM.
DO YOU HAVE ANY DISCUSSION AND MOTION TO APPROVE TRUSTEE LENTZ?
>> I MAKE THE MOTION. I MOVED TO APPROVE THE BOARD VALUES AND 2026 BOARD GOALS AS PRESENTED IN THE ATTACHED DOCUMENT.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE LENTZ, SUPPORTED BY CLERK DEMAS.
DISCUSSION ON THIS, TRUSTEE LENTZ?
>> I WANTED TO THANK THAT CHANGE VERY SLIGHT, BUT I THINK IMPORTANT CHANGE IN THE TOWNSHIP BOARD VALUES FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE RESIDENTS TO REALLY TRY TO CAPTURE WHAT I THINK WE WERE GOING BACK AND FORTH IN THIS MIDDLE THE ROOM A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME DESERVE GOOD LOCAL GOVERNMENT, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO MOVE HERE, AND I THINK WE ARE ALL ENCOURAGED TO SEE NEW NEIGHBORS COME AND JOIN THIS COMMUNITY.
I JUST REALLY WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT I DO APPRECIATE THAT CHANGE. TRUSTEE TREZISE.
>> YES. I DO LIKE THE LIST OF VALUES, AND I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON ONE, WHICH IS EMPLOYEE GROWTH AND WELL BEING.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE THAT AS A VALUE BASED ON THE MANAGER'S REPORT TONIGHT, WE HAVE A LOT TO THANK OUR EMPLOYEES FOR AND TO KEEP THEM AS PRODUCTIVE AND AS DEDICATED AS THEY ARE, I THINK WE HAVE A VALUE TO PROVIDE A SUPPORTIVE AND HEALTHY WORK ENVIRONMENT TO ENSURE EMPLOYEE WELLNESS, EXPERTISE, PRODUCTIVITY, AND RETENTION.
I THINK THAT'S A KEY VALUE IN THAT LIST.
>> I THINK THE GOALS FOR 2026 ARE PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ON THESE TOGETHER ON THE BOARD.
ONE GOAL, HOWEVER, I WOULD SUGGEST ADDING AN AMENDMENT TO WOULD BE THE COMMUNICATIONS GOAL.
I DID TALK ABOUT THIS AT THE PRIOR FORWARD MEETING WHEN THIS WAS A DISCUSSION ITEM.
SINCE THEN, I HAVE MET WITH COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER DIEHL AND ASKED WHAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO SEE FROM THIS GOAL.
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT SAYS, COMMUNICATIONS IDENTIFY WAYS TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE COMMUNICATION WITH TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS.
FOR THIS GOAL, I BELIEVE IT IS THE LEAST DETAILED GOAL.
WHEN I MET WITH MANAGER DIEHL, SHE INFORMED ME THAT BY 2027, ALL DIGITAL ASSETS MUST BE MADE ACCESSIBLE IN COMPLIANCE WITH TITLE II OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
I THINK THAT WE COULD STRENGTHEN THIS GOAL AND FOCUS ON CREATING A DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY PLAN SO THAT WE CAN MEET THIS DEADLINE BECAUSE IT IS COMING UP.
I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS THE BOARD TO SUPPORT COMMUNICATIONS IN THE TOWNSHIP, AND ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THIS DOES SEEM LIKE A VERY EXTENSIVE PROJECT THAT WILL COST A LOT OF MONEY AS WELL AS TIME AND EFFORT.
[00:55:04]
I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE IN OUR BOARD GOALS.I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MANAGER DIEHL UP IF SHE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS PROJECT THAT WILL HAVE TO HAPPEN IN 2026 IF SHE'S AVAILABLE.
>> HOPEFULLY SHE CAN EXPLAIN IT BETTER THAN I CAN.
>> NO, I THINK YOU EXPLAINED IT REALLY WELL.
ONE OF THE GOALS AT THE END OF 2025 THAT I SET FOR MY DEPARTMENT WAS TO CREATE A DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY PLAN.
THAT'S GOING TO BE EVERYTHING FROM SOCIAL MEDIA, PDFS, THE WEBSITE, THE NEWSLETTER, INVOICE CLOUD, BSNA, JUST FOA, BASICALLY ANY PUBLIC FACING ASSET THAT THE PUBLIC USES NEEDS TO BE COMPLIANT.
WE'VE ALREADY STARTED ON THIS BY STARTING TO CREATE A LIST OF THE DIGITAL ASSETS.
SOME OTHER COMMUNITIES FORM SMALL WORK GROUPS OF LIKE 4-5 PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
TO JUST TALK ABOUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO TACKLE THAT.
IT'S ALREADY BEEN STARTED, BUT I THINK GOING TO 2026, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE BIG YEAR TO TRY AND GET THIS DONE, AND IT'S GOING TO BE AN ONGOING THING THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE TO WORK ON.
ONE NICE PART IS WHEN WE GET THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE REDESIGNED.
THEY'RE GOING TO DELIVER US A WEBSITE THAT IS COMPLIANT WITH THE WEB CONTENT ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES, 2.1 AA REQUIREMENTS.
THEN IT'S ON US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONTINUING THAT, AND THAT INCLUDES STAFF TRAINING.
ALL STAFF MEMBERS WHO UPLOAD LIKE PDF TO THE WEBSITE, TEACHING THEM HOW TO REMEDIATE THEM AND MAKE THEM ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE WHO USE SCREEN READERS.
>> SOMETHING ELSE FROM THIS MEETING THAT WE HAD WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW MUCH WORK IT WOULD TAKE AND POSSIBLY CREATING A COMMITTEE OF TOWNSHIP STAFF WITH A BOARD LIAISON IF IT'S NEEDED.
I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD CAN EXPLORE MORE IF THIS IS A GOAL.
YOU ALSO TALKED ABOUT HOW MUCH THIS WOULD COST.
NOT HAVING PROJECTED NUMBERS, BUT THAT IT WILL NEED TO BE INCORPORATED IN THE 2026 BUDGET.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY ABOUT THAT?
>> NO, NOT REALLY, BECAUSE I THINK YEAH, THE COST IS STILL UNSURE AT THIS TIME, BECAUSE IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
YOU CAN GET PDF REMEDIATION SOFTWARE, OR YOU CAN DO IT YOURSELF INDIVIDUALLY.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE MOST EFFICIENT WHILE ALSO KEEPING IN MIND, WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE ON A HUGE EXPENSE THAT'S GOING TO BE HARD ON THE BUDGET.
>> I THINK THOSE WERE MY QUESTIONS, BUT I WANTED TO SEE.
>> ACTUALLY THIS IS ANOTHER QUESTION FOR YOU.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD TO THAT? HOW WOULD YOU MODIFY THAT? DO YOU HAVE SOME LANGUAGE IN MIND?
>> YES. ACTUALLY, I DO. I WOULD KEEP IT AS IS AND THEN ADD TO IT, AND I RECEIVED SOME HELP WITH MANAGER DIEHL SINCE SHE ALREADY HAS THIS POLICY IN PLACE, BY ADDING CREATING A DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY PLAN THAT IS 88 COMPLIANT.
I THINK IT FITS FAIRLY WELL WITH THIS GOAL.
BECAUSE THE OTHER GOALS HAVE WAY MORE DETAILED PLANS IN PLACE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN REFER TO MAKE THIS GOAL ACTUALLY ATTAINABLE FOR THE TOWNSHIP.
>> IS IT REALISTIC THAT THE CREATION OF THIS PLAN CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED BY THE END OF 2026? BECAUSE THIS IS A 2026 GOAL?
>> I DEFINITELY THINK IT'S REALISTIC.
THE GOAL IS TO HAVE THE PLAN COMPLETED BY THE END OF 2025 AND TO START IMPLEMENTING IT IN 2026 SO THAT WE MEET THAT APRIL 2027 DEADLINE.
I THINK A GREAT WAY TO GET STARTED ON THIS IS GOING TO BE THE WEBSITE REDESIGN PROJECT THAT WILL BE STARTING THURSDAY AND THEN GOING UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
>> NOT ONLY DO I THINK THAT THIS PLAN WILL BE ABLE TO BE IN PLACE IN 2026,
[01:00:03]
I THINK IT NEEDS TO WITH THE DEADLINES COMING UP IN 2027.THIS WILL BE A PROJECT THAT WILL NEED TO BE DONE THROUGHOUT 2026 FROM MY UNDERSTANDING.
>> OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THAT I'VE SEEN IN THE GOVERNMENT GROUPS I'M A PART OF ARE ALREADY STARTING TO FORM COMMITTEES TO WORK ON THIS NOW, JUST BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT GOES INTO IT.
THEY'RE SAYING THAN YOU REALIZE, AND SOMETHING WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF TOO IS LIKE ANY VENDORS WE WORK WITH, MAKING SURE THAT THEIR PRODUCTS ARE GOING TO BE COMPLIANT WITH THIS RULING, FOR EXAMPLE, WHO WE CHOSE FOR OUR WEBSITE REDESIGN, THEY'RE THE ONES WHO BROUGHT UP THAT THEY ARE FULLY AWARE OF THAT RULING AND ARE ALREADY ABLE TO BE COMPLIANT WITH IT.
BESIDES STAFF TIME AND THE COST OF AN OUTSIDE VENDOR TO DO THE WEBSITE REDESIGN, WHAT IS THE OVERALL COST IMPACT OF HAVING TO CREATE THIS PLAN AND ADOPT IT?
>> I'M NOT ABLE TO GIVE DEFINITIVE NUMBERS YET, UNFORTUNATELY, JUST BECAUSE WE'RE STILL TRYING TO TRACK WHAT EXACTLY.
THE FIRST PART IS TRACKING WHAT EXACTLY WHAT THE ASSETS ARE, AND THEN THE NEXT STEP WE'LL BE REACHING OUT TO ALL OF THOSE COMPANIES AND SEEING, ARE YOU AWARE OF THIS ROLLING? ARE YOU GOING TO BE COMPLIANT DURING THIS TIME? THEN AFTER YOU'VE MADE THAT CONNECTION FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND FROM WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING, THEN IT'S LOOKING AT THE SOFTWARE YOU WILL NEED TO HELP ACCOMPLISH THIS.
UNTIL WE HAVE THE FULL LIST OF OUR DIGITAL ASSETS, WHICH I THINK IS THERE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M GOING TO BRING UP AGAIN AT TEAM COMING UP ON A COUPLE OF WEEKS ABOUT SHOWING THEM THE LIST, WHAT ELSE IS THERE THAT WE'RE MISSING.
THEN ONCE WE HAVE THAT, I'LL BE ABLE TO BETTER TALK ABOUT WHAT THE PLAN IS.
>> I WOULD SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT.
I THINK THAT I LIKE ABOUT THESE GOALS IS THEY'RE ALL ACTIONABLE.
THIS ADD SOME MORE ACTIONABLE GOALS TO THIS COMMUNICATIONS, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S THE FINISH OF THE GOALS, AND IT GIVES SOME REAL SUBSTANCE TO THIS GOAL AND A VERY TANGIBLE PROJECT TO COMPLETE.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THEN?
CAN I PUT UP THE AMENDMENT REAL QUICK.
MOTION TO AMEND THE BOARD VALUES IN 2026 BOARD ROLES AS PRESENTED IN THE ATTACHED DOCUMENT TO COMMUNICATIONS, IDENTIFY WAYS TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE COMMUNICATION WITH TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS AND CREATE A DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY PLAN THAT IS ADA COMPLIANT.
>> THE MOTION TO AMEND HAS BEEN MADE. DO WE HAVE SUPPORT?
>> SUPPORTED BY TREASURER DESCHAINE.
A DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO AMEND. TRUSTEE TREZISE
>> I THINK THE LANGUAGE IS FINE AS YOU ADD BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SAY IT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED, THE PLAN WILL BE DEVELOPED.
WE HAVE TO DEVELOP THE PLAN AND IMPLEMENTED BY A DEADLINE.
I THINK IT'S THE THREE AMENDMENT.
>> THIS IS THE ONE WHO MADE THE MOTION IN THE FIRST PLACE.
I APPRECIATE THE AMENDMENT AND THINK IT IS A WARRANTED AND SIGN OF GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP IN THIS TOWNSHIP THAT YOU TOOK THE FORETHOUGHT TO GO TALK TO MANAGER DEAL. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I'LL SAY THAT A NUMBER OF OUR OTHER GOALS HAVE TO DO WITH PUTTING TOGETHER STRATEGIC PLANS FOR IMPLEMENTATION, INCLUDING THE TOWNSHIP RENEWABLE ENERGY PLAN, THE SENIOR COMMUNITY CENTER OBVIOUSLY HAS GOT TO WORK ON THE PLAN FOR THAT.
FINANCIAL FORECAST, THE LONG RANGE.
THIS IS IN LINE WITH THE OTHER GOALS THAT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER.
I'LL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION TO AMEND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO AMEND, PLEASE SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE OVERALL MOTION ON THE GOALS? SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE BOARD GOALS AS AMENDED, PLEASE SAY AYE?
>> ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES.
THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM,
[11.A. Central Park Project]
WHICH IS AGENDA ITEM 11A, CENTRAL PARK PROJECT.WE HAVE THE CONTINENTAL PROPERTIES PROPOSAL THE EYED PROPERTY OF CENTRAL PARK, AND WE HAVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, TIM SCHMITT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY HERE, AND THEN I'M LARGELY GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM THIS EVENING.
[01:05:03]
THIS IS A PROPERTY THAT HAS A LONG HISTORY IN THE TOWNSHIP.I HAVE THE MAP HERE ZOOMED OUT FAIRLY FAR.
YOU HAVE GRAND RIVER TO THE SOUTH, MARSH ROAD ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN, AND TY HART TO THE NORTH BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL LAWSUIT COVERS 200 ACRES HERE IN BETWEEN TY HART AND WHAT IS NOW THE WILLOWS ALONG CENTRAL PARK DRIVE.
WALMART, CENTRAL PARK ESTATES, THE GOLDFISH SWIMMING SCHOOL, ON AND ON.
ORIGINAL DETERMINATION BY A JUDGE WAS IN JANUARY OF '92.
THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL COURT ORDER.
WE FOUND THE ZONING UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND SUPPORTED BY THE MASTER PLAN AT THE TIME.
FROM THEN THAT POINT FORWARD, THE TOWNSHIP AND THE ID FAMILY COMPANY, BOTH.
WE HAD MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF DISCUSSIONS AND SETTLEMENTS, AND CHANGES OVER THE YEARS.
THE BRIEF HISTORY IS WE ORIGINALLY SETTLED IN '92.
IN 1996, THERE WAS A STIPULATED ORDER THAT ROUGHLY LAID OUT THE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE SITE.
THIS IS THE ORIGINAL EXHIBIT B, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE TERRIBLENESS OF IT.
I AM VERY CAREFUL [LAUGHTER] NOT TRYING TO RESCAN IT IN ANY WAY, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, CS IS A ZONING WE DON'T HAVE ANYMORE.
THIS IS ROUGHLY WHERE THE WALMART IS, THE RDD IS, THE APARTMENTS, THE REAR AND APARTMENTS TO THE NORTH.
THEN, AS YOU COME DOWN AROUND CENTRAL PARK, YOU GET INTO A WIDE VARIETY OF THINGS.
THE RA HERE ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN IS WHAT IS NOW CENTRAL PARK ESTATES, OBVIOUSLY, AT THE TIME, THEY CAN LAND.
THE TWO MAIN AREAS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW ARE THE PO AND THE CS HERE IN THE FRONT MIDDLE.
THAT WAS AT THE TIME INTENDED TO BE PROFESSIONAL OFFICE AND COMMERCIAL SERVICE.
THE CS DISTRICT NO LONGER EXISTS.
WE HAVE A PAPER COPY OF IT IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS PARCEL, SHOULD IT EVER DEVELOP.
WE'RE PREPARED IF THIS DOESN'T GO FORWARD TO JUST GO BACK TO THE PAPER.
BUT THIS WAS THE 1996 STIPULATED ORDER THAT ROUGHLY LAID OUT THE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE SITE.
THERE WAS A FURTHER STIPULATION THEN BECAUSE WE WERE UNDERGOING A FAIRLY LARGE CHANGE, OR A ZONING ORDINANCE, THAT WE WOULD NOT CHANGE THE ZONING OF THE PROPERTY DURING THAT CHANGE.
THAT'S WHY THE CS STILL EXISTS, BECAUSE WE GOT RID OF IT, BUT THE STIPULATION WAS THAT WE WOULD KEEP IT FOR THIS PARCEL.
2002, THERE WAS A CONSENT JUDGMENT THAT SETTLED A LOT OF DETAILS FLOATING AROUND, AND THEN ULTIMATELY IN 2003 IS WHERE WE REALLY START TO GET UP TO SPEED OF WHERE WE'RE AT NOW.
AT THAT POINT, CENTRAL PARK ESTATES HADN'T BEEN BUILT YET.
OBVIOUSLY, THE VACANT PROPERTY IN FRONT HADN'T BEEN BUILT; PROPERTY OF THE SOUTH WALMART HADN'T BEEN BUILT ON.
THIS AREA WAS LARGELY STILL UNDEVELOPED.
IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR THAT HAVING CENTRAL PARK ESTATES TO THE REAR OF AN OFFICE COMPLEX WASN'T IDEAL, AND THE TOWNSHIP AT THE TIME DIDN'T WANT CENTRAL PARK ESTATES TO ACCESS OUT ON THE POWELL ROAD BECAUSE OF THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY DISCUSSION.
A SETTLEMENT WAS DONE IN 2004 TO MODIFY THE PLANS TO THE CURRENT ZONING ON THE SITE, WHICH I APOLOGIZE I DON'T HAVE UP RIGHT NOW, BUT WHAT THAT DID IS IT CHANGED THE PO TO RD ZONING UP TO EIGHT [INAUDIBLE], LEFT THE CS IN PLACE AT THE TIME, AND WHAT HAPPENED AT THE TIME WAS ESSENTIALLY THAT THE BOARD WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE ATTORNEYS TO TREAT IT AS A REZONING PROCESS.
THE BOARD REFERRED IT BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD A PUBLIC HEARING, MADE A RECOMMENDATION.
THE BOARD THEN ACCEPTED THAT, TOOK THAT RECOMMENDATION, AND DIRECTED THE ATTORNEYS AT THE TIME TO EFFECTUATE THAT INTO A SETTLEMENT.
THAT BRINGS YOU TO WHERE WE ARE NOW LEAVING OUT ALL THE CHANGES TO THE WALMART PART OF THE SITE BECAUSE THEY WERE IRRELEVANT TO THIS DISCUSSION.
WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US NOW IS A REQUEST TO DEVELOP THE FRONTAGE OF THIS PROPERTY THAT REMAINS.
WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS EVENING IS THIS PARCEL TO THE SOUTH OF COLUMBUS, THE PARCEL BETWEEN BELVEDERE AND COLUMBUS, AND THE PARCEL TO THE NORTH OF BELVEDERE, AND SOUTH OF WHAT IS ACTUALLY AN EMERGENCY ACCESS DRIVE.
APPROXIMATELY 30.65 ACRES OF LAND, ABOUT 4.6 ACRES OF WETLANDS IN THERE.
THEY ARE ACTUALLY ACTIVELY UPDATING THE WETLAND DELINEATION AT THIS TIME BECAUSE THAT IS OBVIOUSLY NOW PUSHING 30 YEARS OLD.
THAT NEEDS TO BE UPDATED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE EXACT NUMBERS, AND ULTIMATELY, SHOULD A DEVELOPMENT HAPPEN,
[01:10:01]
WE WILL LIKELY NEED TO AMEND THE JUDGMENT WITH THAT REGARD TOO BECAUSE YOU WILL RECALL SOME OF THESE AREAS ON THIS MAP ARE DESIGNATED AS GA.THESE WERE THE NATURAL AREAS AT THE TIME.
THAT OBVIOUSLY HAS PROBABLY CHANGED, AND SO WE'LL WANT TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
BUT THE REQUEST IN FRONT OF YOU IS A MULTIFAMILY PROJECT THAT WOULD STRETCH ACROSS THESE THREE PROPERTIES.
THE SOUTHERN PROPERTY WOULD BE NON-DEVELOPED.
IT WOULD BE DETENTION ONLY AND NATURAL.
THE DEVELOPMENT IN THE MIDDLE WOULD BE PUSHED TOWARDS THE FRONT TWO-STORY BUILDINGS.
THE CLOSEST BUILDING, I BELIEVE, IS 170 FEET TO THE NEAREST PROPERTY LINE HERE.
THE NATURAL, THERE'S A WETLAND BACK HERE THAT WOULD BE RETAINED AND LARGELY NATURALIZED.
THEN, THE AREA TO THE NORTH ALONG THE EMERGENCY ACCESS DRIVE CONNECTING INTO THE APARTMENT COMPLEX WOULD BE HIGHER DENSITY, AND IT WOULD HAVE THREE-STORY BUILDINGS.
IN TOTAL, 312 DWELLING UNITS IN 11 BUILDINGS, DETENTION POND SITE AMENITIES THROUGHOUT.
WELL, THAT PUTS IT IN TERMS OF THE EXISTING CODE THAT FALLS NICELY IN BETWEEN CATEGORIES FOR US.
SLIGHTLY LARGER, SLIGHTLY MORE DENSE THAN THE RD, BUT LESS DENSE THAN THE RDD.
IT'S ACTUALLY HALFWAY BETWEEN THE TWO.
IN SOME WAYS, THE PERFECT COMPROMISE, NO ONE'S HAPPY. [LAUGHTER]
>> WHERE WE'RE AT HERE ULTIMATELY IS THAT BECAUSE THIS IS SUBJECT TO ANY NUMBER OF STIPULATIONS WITH THE COURT, AND THE COURT RETAINED JURISDICTION AFTER THE 2003/2004 AMENDMENT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD, THE ATTORNEYS ARE STILL CONFIRMING THIS, BUT WE VERY LIKELY DO NEED TO AMEND THE JUDGMENT SHOULD THE BOARD CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
THIS IS THE POINT AT WHICH I TRANSITION OVER TO THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM TO LET THEM GIVE YOU A BACKGROUND ON WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING, SO WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THAT AND FIGURE OUT A PATH FORWARD IF THERE IS ONE.
>> WE HAVE MR. KLAUS HERE TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MARK KLAUS.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE I DEVELOPMENT TEAM, AND APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
MANY OF YOU, I'M SURE, THIS IS VERY NEW TO.
A COUPLE OF YOU OR MAYBE ONE OF YOU REMEMBERS THIS GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1989, 1990, '91, '92.
TIM HAS GIVEN YOU A HISTORY LESSON, AND I UNDERSTAND SOME OF THAT INFORMATION HAS BEEN SHARED PREVIOUSLY WITH SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WHEN THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSIONS ON THIS SIX, EIGHT, 10 MONTHS AGO.
I THINK PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PART HAS TO DO WITH THE 2003, 2004 ADJUSTMENT TO THAT SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT THAT WE HAD WITH THE TOWNSHIP IN WHICH THE PARCELS ADJACENT TO CENTRAL PARK, WHAT IS NOW CENTRAL PARK ESTATES WERE DISCUSSED, AND THE ZONING WAS CHANGED FROM THE OFFICE TO THE MULTI FAMILY AND THE COMMERCIAL ALONG CENTRAL PARK DRIVE AND THE COMMERCIAL THAT STILL EXISTS ADJACENT TO WALMART.
THE DISCUSSION NOW IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
OBVIOUSLY, AFTER 30 YEARS, THE DEVELOPMENT OR WITH OUR NEED, THE NEEDS ARE OF THE TOWNSHIP AND OF THE COMMUNITY ARE DIFFERENT THAN THEY WERE SO MANY YEARS AGO, AND AS YOU'RE TONIGHT DISCUSSING YOUR GOALS FOR 2026, AND EVEN YOUR GOALS OF 2025, HAVE TO DO WITH SOME DIVERSITY OF HOUSING AND BRINGING DIFFERENT GROUPS IN.
SCENARIO THAT HASN'T HAD NEW MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT IN FOR SEVERAL DECADES.
AS WE LOOK AT THIS PROPERTY, THE COMMUNITY'S NEED FOR MORE COMMERCIAL IS CERTAINLY NOT WITHIN THIS VICINITY.
PERHAPS LOOKING TO FOCUS ON THE TWO AREAS THAT THE TOWNSHIP HAS ITS GOALS, BOTH IN WHAT WE CALL DOWNTOWN HAZEL OR DOWNTOWN OKEMOS, WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE TO FOCUS THE NEEDS FOR THE COMMERCIAL RATHER THAN HERE ON CENTRAL PARK DRIVE.
THE REQUEST IS REALLY TO FOLLOW WHAT WE DID IN 2003 AND 2004.
IN FACT, WHEN THE COURT AGREED TO THAT ORDER, THEY SET FORTH THAT IT IS FURTHER ORDERED THAT THE PARTIES MAY AT ANY TIME AND UPON WRITTEN STIPULATION SEEK TO MODIFY OR AMEND THIS ORDER.
I THINK WHEN WE AGREED BACK IN 2004, IT WAS THOUGHT AT THAT TIME THAT THAT MAY NEED TO BE LOOKED AT AGAIN, AND I THINK THAT TIME HAS COME NOW.
THE REQUEST IS TO LOOK AT THE ZONING ON THIS AND TO PERHAPS FOLLOW THE SAME PROCESS, SENDING IT BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO GET
[01:15:01]
THEIR OPINION AS TO THE APPROPRIATE USE OF THIS SITE.WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS TODAY THAN WE HAD ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO WAS THE FACT THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PLAN TO SHARE WITH YOU TO SHOW YOU SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE DEVELOPED ON THE PROPERTY.
IT'S NOT JUST THE ZONING, BUT IT WOULD BE, I GUESS, PARAMOUNT TO A CONDITIONAL REZONING AND THE FACT THAT YOU COULD APPROVE ONCE THE PLANNING COMMISSION GOES THROUGH IT AND COMES BACK TO YOU AND WE TAKE IT TO THE COURT A SPECIFIC PLAN OR THE DETAILS OF A PLAN THAT WOULD GIVE YOU THE COMFORT TO KNOW WHAT WAS BEING DEVELOPED ON IT.
I THINK WHAT THE BENEFITS OF THIS ARE THE REMOVAL OF THE COMMERCIAL.
YOU'RE BASICALLY DOWNZONING THAT COMMERCIAL PROPERTY DOWN TO A MULTIFAMILY AREA.
THEN THE DEVELOPMENT, AS WILL BE DESCRIBED TO YOU FROM THE PEOPLE HERE FROM CONTINENTAL, WILL SHOW THAT THE DEVELOPMENT IS SIGNIFICANTLY FURTHER AWAY FROM THE SINGLE-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT THAN WOULD BE ALLOWED UNDER THE ORDINANCE.
I THINK THAT LOOKING AT IT, UNDERSTANDING THAT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY TODAY, RATHER THAN WHAT WE THOUGHT THEY WERE 20 OR 30 YEARS AGO, AND TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH US ON A SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT AND A PLAN BEFORE YOU, RATHER THAN SIMPLY THE ZONING ITSELF.
WE'D HAVE THE BENEFIT OF A LAYOUT AND HAVE THE BENEFIT OF KNOWN DEVELOPMENT AND A KNOWN TEAM.
I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A VERY LONG PROCESS.
I'M, AS I SAID, ONE OF THE PEOPLE HERE THAT WAS HERE FOR ALL OF THAT, AND I KNOW IT HAS TAKEN A LONG TIME TO GET HERE.
I THINK THIS IS ONE THAT WE COULD FINALIZE AND MOVE FORWARD AND HAVE A ADDITIONAL MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY WITHIN THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, AND I WILL ASK THAT PEOPLE FROM CONTINENTAL PROVIDE YOU MORE DETAILS ON THAT, AND I'LL BE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM THIS EVENING. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERVISOR.
I AM WITH CONTINENTAL PROPERTIES, AND I'M HERE WITH TWO OF MY COLLEAGUES, ERIK HAHN AND BRIDGET WEASLER, WITH CONTINENTAL AS WELL, AND WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT OUR PROPOSED MULTIFAMILY COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE CALLING AUTHENTIX OKEMOS.
BEFORE I GET INTO THE DETAILS OF OUR PROPOSED PLAN, I'LL JUST REITERATE WHAT BOTH TIM AND MARK SAID, WHICH IS, WE'RE LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK TODAY ON OUR PROPOSED LAND USE OR WHAT THE PROCESS WOULD BE FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH YOU ALL AND WITH THE TOWNSHIP TO POTENTIALLY BRING THIS PROJECT FORWARD.
BEFORE I GET INTO THOSE DETAILS, I'LL JUST INTRODUCE CONTINENTAL PROPERTIES.
WE ARE A PRIVATELY HELD, OWNER, DEVELOPER, AND OPERATOR OF MULTIFAMILY COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE DEVELOPED OVER 45,000 UNITS AND 125 COMMUNITIES IN ABOUT 19 STATES.
WE ALSO REALLY PRIDE OURSELVES ON THE FACT THAT WE ARE A VERTICALLY INTEGRATED TEAM.
WE HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF DELIVERING A HIGH-QUALITY PRODUCT AND HIGH CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WHEREVER WE DEVELOP.
THAT IS, FOR A LOT OF REASONS, INCLUDING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD APPROACH TO THIS.
WE ARE A DEVELOPER WHO DEVELOPS TO STAY.
WE BECOME A PART OF THE FABRIC OF THE COMMUNITY.
AS A PART OF OUR VERTICALLY INTEGRATED TEAM, WE HAVE AN IN-HOUSE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT TEAM, AND THEY SET US APART FROM OTHER DEVELOPERS AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR CUSTOMERS AND THAT OUR TENANTS ARE GETTING THE BEST EXPERIENCE POSSIBLE FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY'RE LIVING IN.
WITH THAT SAID, WE ARE A LOCAL DEVELOPER, TOO.
WE HAVE NUMEROUS COMMUNITIES THAT ARE OPERATIONAL TODAY IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AND ALSO NUMEROUS COMMUNITIES THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY PURSUING.
I THINK THAT PORTFOLIO HERE REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY 01,700 UNITS WITH THIS PROPOSED COMMUNITY, AUTHENTIX OKEMOS IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, REALLY BEING THAT BRIDGE BETWEEN THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT WE HAVE IN THE DETROIT METRO AND THE GRAND RAPIDS METRO.
LIKE I SAID, WE'RE DEVELOPING TO OWN AND MAINTAIN THESE PROPERTIES.
WE HAVE NEVER SOLD A COMMUNITY IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO DIVERSIFY OUR PORTFOLIO AND SEE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AS A GREAT PLACE TO DO SO.
GETTING INTO OUR PROPOSED COMMUNITY,
[01:20:01]
I THINK IT WAS SUMMARIZED PRETTY WELL BY TIM.WE ARE CURRENTLY PROPOSING 11 BUILDINGS AND 312 UNITS ACROSS THE ROUGHLY 30.65 ACRES HERE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE EXISTING LAND USES THAT ARE OUT HERE TODAY, IT FEELS LIKE AN APPROPRIATE TRANSITION WHEN YOU HAVE THE SINGLE-FAMILY AT CENTRAL PARK ESTATES.
ON THE EAST SIDE, YOU HAVE WALMART, COLES, AND THEN THE MERIDIAN MALL, ALL TO THE NORTH AND WEST, AND THEN ALSO THE SENIOR HOUSING THAT EXISTS THERE TODAY.
IN SUPPORT OF POTENTIALLY MODIFYING THAT SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, WE SEE THIS AS THE RIGHT PLACE FOR ADDITIONAL MULTIFAMILY THAT IS NOT OVERLY DENSE.
OUR CURRENT PROPOSAL AT 312 UNITS IS APPROXIMATELY 10.18 UNITS PER ACRE.
THAT WOULD BE, LIKE TIM MENTIONED, NOT TRYING TO MAX OUT THE ZONING DISTRICT THAT WE'RE GETTING TO.
WE WANT THERE TO BE COMPATIBLE CHARACTERS WITH THE EXISTING COMMUNITY.
WE'RE MAKING AN EFFORT TO SET OUR BUILDINGS BACK AS FAR AS POSSIBLE FROM THE CENTRAL PARK ESTATES.
IN OUR CURRENT PLAN THAT I'M PRESENTING TODAY, THE CLOSEST BUILDING IS ABOUT 170 FEET FROM ANY INDIVIDUAL HOME WITHIN CENTRAL PARK ESTATES.
BUT THEN ALSO CREATES A LITTLE BIT OF A STREETSCAPE ON CENTRAL PARK DRIVE AND ENHANCES SOME OF THAT CORRIDOR WITH THE RETAIL MIXED IN THERE.
FROM A PLANNING PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE ALSO COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT WE WANT OUR MORE DENSE AND TALLER BUILDINGS TO BE AS FAR FROM THE EXISTING SINGLE-FAMILY FAMILY AS POSSIBLE.
WE'RE PROPOSING OUR FOUR THREE-STORY BUILDINGS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE SITE, JUST NORTH OF TIME SQUARE DRIVE AND ADJACENT TO WALMART.
THOSE WILL BE, AGAIN, SET BACK SUBSTANTIALLY IN A WAY THAT WILL NOT IMPACT ANY OF THE CHARACTER OR COMPATIBILITY OR VISUAL QUALITY FROM THE CENTRAL PARK ESTATES.
KNOWING THAT THERE ARE SOME EXISTING WETLANDS OUT HERE AS WELL, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MINIMIZE THOSE IMPACTS, AND WE'LL DEFINITELY BE RESPONSIVE TO ANY NEW CONCERNS THAT COME UP AS WE WORK THROUGH OR OUR RE-DELINEATION OF THE WETLANDS THAT ARE ON THE SITE.
>> FROM A AMENITY PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS A HIGH QUALITY COMMUNITY THAT WILL HAVE A COMMUNITY CLUBHOUSE, A RESORT STYLE POOL, AND POOL DECK, PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS THROUGHOUT, WE'LL HAVE PRESERVED OPEN SPACE, SOME COURTYARDS THAT WE CREATE THROUGHOUT THE BUILDINGS, PET PLAYGROUND, AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT SOMEONE WHO DESIRES TO LIVE IN A MULTI FAMILY COMMUNITY CAN USE ON THE DAY TO DAY.
JUST TO SHOW SOME OF THAT CHARACTER, PROVIDING A FEW ELEVATIONS AND PHOTOS HERE, HERE'S AN ELEVATION OF WHAT THAT COMMUNITY CLUBHOUSE WOULD LOOK LIKE.
REALLY, IT'S A ONE STORY, LOW PROFILE WITH A LOT OF VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL ARTICULATION.
HERE'S A PHOTO OF AN EXISTING COMMUNITY JUST SHOWING WHAT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY LOOK LIKE.
AGAIN, THAT RESORT STYLE POOL AND POOL DECK WITH UNITS FRONTING IT THAT REALLY CAN JUST PROVIDE THOSE AMENITIES FOR RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
MOVING INTO SOME OF OUR MULTI FAMILY BUILDING ARCHITECTURE.
WE REALLY PRIDE OURSELVES ON OUR TWO AND THREE STORY PRODUCT BEING THAT TOWN HOME STYLE.
ALL FOUR SIDES OF ALL BUILDINGS ARE TREATED THE SAME.
WE USE VARYING MATERIALS AND VARYING COLORS.
EACH FIRST FLOOR HOME HAS DIRECT ACCESS, AND THEN SECOND AND THIRD FLOOR HOMES HAVE PRIVATE OR SEMI PRIVATE STAIRWELL ENTRIES, SO THERE ISN'T ONE LONG COMMON CORRIDOR THAT EVERYONE IS USING TO ACCESS THEIR UNITS.
IT REALLY HAS THAT MORE OF A TOWN HOME FEEL RATHER THAN A MORE DENSE MULTIFAMILY FEEL.
TO SHOWCASE SOME OF THOSE ELEVATIONS HERE, YOU HAVE YOUR TWO STORY UP TOP IN THIS SLIDE, THREE STORY ON THE BOTTOM.
THE TWO STORY IS AT A ROUGHLY 27 FOOT HEIGHT BY MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BUILDING HEIGHT DEFINITION.
THAT'S RIGHT IN LINE ROUGHLY WITH THE BUILDING HEIGHTS OF THE CENTRAL PARK ESTATES, AND THAT IS THE BUILDING TYPE THAT WE WOULD USE IN THAT MIDDLE PARCEL WHERE THE BUILDINGS WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THOSE HOMES.
THE THREE STORY OR A LITTLE BIT TALLER AT ABOUT 38 FEET.
AGAIN, THOSE WOULD BE HOUSED ONLY ON THE NORTHERN PARCEL CLOSER TO WALMART AND SO THAT THERE ISN'T ANY VISUAL IMPACT TO THE EXISTING COMMUNITY THERE.
[01:25:06]
THROWING IN A FEW PHOTOS HERE, AGAIN, SOME OF OUR EXISTING COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE, YOU'VE GOT YOUR TWO STORY PRODUCT HERE, AGAIN, YOU HAVE YOUR COURTYARDS RUNNING THROUGH THAT VARYING MIX OF COLORS AND MATERIALS AND THAT DIRECT ACCESS TO YOUR UNITS.FROM AN INTERIOR PERSPECTIVE, ALL THE HOMES ARE RANGING BETWEEN STUDIOS AND THREE BEDROOMS. WE HAVE OR UTILIZE AN OPEN STYLE LAYOUT, HIGH QUALITY FINISHES IN THE KITCHEN.
EACH UNIT WILL HAVE A WASHER AND DRYER WALKING CLOSETS, ALL THE STANDARD AMENITIES THAT YOU WOULD ANTICIPATE FROM A MULTIFAMILY COMMUNITY.
JUST SCROLL THROUGH THESE BRIEFLY.
THEN FINALLY, JUST WANTED TO SUMMARIZE BEFORE OPENING THIS UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS SOME OF THE BENEFITS WE SEE HERE.
LIKE MARK MENTIONED, THIS WOULD BE A NEW HIGH QUALITY HOUSING CHOICE WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP.
WE WOULD BE CREATING BOTH PERMANENT JOBS IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO NUMEROUS JOBS THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE WORKING AND DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PRESERVE THE NATURAL FEATURES ON THE SITE AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR DEVELOPMENT IS IN LINE WITH THE EXISTING CHARACTER OF THE SINGLE FAMILY TO THE EAST AND OF THE RETAIL CORRIDOR TO THE WEST.
AS I'VE MENTIONED OUR LOCAL OWNER AND OPERATOR, WE'RE HERE TO STAY AND WE WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE WE BRING SOMETHING FORWARD THAT IS GOING TO MAKE SURE IT ADDRESSES ALL OF THE POTENTIAL CONCERNS THAT THERE MIGHT BE.
WITH THAT SAID, WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO TODAY IS JUST GET FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL ON OUR GENERAL PROPOSAL, THE LAND USE THAT WE ARE PROPOSING, AND THEN WHAT THAT PROCESS MIGHT LOOK LIKE FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD.
AFTER WE ESTABLISH THOSE GUARD RAILS, WE WOULD THEN MOVE INTO DEVELOPING OUR OUTREACH APPROACH AND WORKING WITH THE EXISTING COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS UP TO SPEED ON WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING AND ADDRESS ANY CONCERNS, AND THEN HOPEFULLY EVENTUALLY BRING SOMETHING BACK AND SUBMIT FORMAL APPLICATIONS TO THE TOWNSHIP THAT WOULD PRESUMABLY GO TO PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEN EVENTUALLY BACK TO THE BOARD.
WITH THAT, I'M VERY HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL HAVE, AND I'M EXCITED TO HEAR ANY FEEDBACK ON WHAT WE'VE OUTLINED TODAY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CORPORATION HERE AS WELL.
THE IDEA HERE IS THAT THIS IS A CONCEPT PLAN.
THIS IS NOT THE FINAL DESIGN, SOMETHING TO SIMPLY PROVIDE SOME INITIAL FEEDBACK, ASK ANY QUESTIONS WE MIGHT HAVE, GIVE THEM A SENSE BEFORE THEY GET TOO DEEP INTO THIS PROCESS OF WHAT THE GENERAL FEELING OF THE BOARD IS ON A PROPOSAL LIKE THIS.
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE INTENDED TO DO, AND WE'LL OPEN THINGS UP FOR DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS. TRUSTEE TREZISE.
>> LOOKING AT THIS CONCEPT PLAN. I'M IMPRESSED.
I THINK HAVING A BUFFER BETWEEN CENTRAL PARK AND SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING MAKES SOME SENSE WHETHER THIS IS A PLAN THAT'S FINALLY APPROVED.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE ZONING OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION LOOKING AT THIS AND DISCUSSING IT AND DETERMINING WHAT THEIR CONCERNS ARE BEFORE IT COMES BACK TO US.
I THINK LEAVING IT AS COMMERCIAL PROBABLY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTS BEHIND WOULD APPROVE AS OPPOSED TO THIS TYPE OF A DEVELOPMENT.
I THINK IT'S WORTH PURSUING. LET'S SEE WHERE IT GOES.
MARK, I WAS ON THE BOARD IN 1992, SO I REMEMBER THIS SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT QUITE WELL.
YOU'RE PROPOSING TO MODIFY THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT TO ALLOW YOU TO HAVE 10.18 DWELLING UNITS PER ACRE, WHICH DOESN'T FIT INTO OUR ZONING PLAN AT ALL.
WE HAVE OUR RD ZONING OF EIGHT UNITS PER ACRE AND OUR RDD, AND WE HAVE OUR RD OF 14 UNITS PER ACRE.
THIS IS A PRETTY DENSE PROJECT.
GIVEN THE CHALLENGES OF REACHING THAT SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AT EIGHT DWELLING UNITS PER ACRE,
[01:30:02]
I'M INCLINED TO STICK WITH THAT.I'D LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT FROM TIM THE MODIFICATIONS TO THE HEIGHT, PARTICULARLY TO THE THREE STORY BUILDINGS THAT WILL TAKE THEM TO 3,077.7?
>> THAT WOULD MAKE THEM THE TALLEST THREE STORY DWELLING UNITS IN THE TOWNSHIP?
>> NO. IT WOULD PROBABLY BE PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH SEVERAL OTHER PROPERTIES.
THAT'S A PRETTY STANDARD HEIGHT FOR A THREE STORY BUILDING.
>> WHY DOES OUR ORDINANCE CALL FOR 35?
>> OUR ORDINANCE IS SET UP ALMOST ENTIRELY FOR ANY OF THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, 2.5 STORIES 35 FEET.
THEN THERE IS A PROVISION THAT ALLOWS YOU TO GO HIGHER THAN THAT IN CERTAIN MULTIFAMILY DISTRICTS SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL SETBACKS.
IN THIS CASE THEY WOULD HAVE ESSENTIALLY 2.5 FEET OF ADDITIONAL HEIGHT, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL SETBACK OF FIVE FEET.
THE CODE DOES ACTUALLY ANTICIPATE ALLOWING FOR TALLER BUILDINGS.
THAT'S PART OF THE IMPETUS TO MODIFY THIS TO THE NEXT HIGHER CATEGORY.
YOU WOULD TO YOUR POINT, TRUSTEE WILSON, THE RD DISTRICT IS EIGHT, AND THE RC DISTRICT IS 14, AND SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE PLAYING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TWO.
THE RC DOES ALLOW FOR THAT ADDITIONAL SETBACK.
CANDIDLY IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 2.5 FEET, A CLEVER ARCHITECT PROBABLY FINDS A WAY TO MAKE IT WORK.
BUT IT IS A GOOD SOLID DESIGN, SO I WOULD HATE TO TINKER AROUND THE EDGES JUST TO MEET AN ORDINANCE STANDARD WHEN THERE'S A WAY TO JUST PROVIDE A COUPLE EXTRA FEET OF SETBACK AND MAKE IT LEGAL.
>> DOES THE CONCEPT PLANT PROVIDED SHOW THAT SETBACK THAT.
>> WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN INTO THAT LEVEL DETAIL. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I CAN TELL YOU GENERALLY, WE'VE DONE A FAIRLY HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW, AND I THINK MOST OF THE ORDINANCE REQUIREMENTS ARE MET RIGHT NOW.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THOUGH UNTIL WE KNOW WHICH ZONING DISTRICT, I CAN'T REALLY DRILL DOWN COMPLETELY BECAUSE THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT IF IT WAS RC, IT'S THIS, IF IT'S RD, IT'S THIS.
AS A GENERAL RULE, WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE THREE OR FOUR THINGS THAT ARE FUNGIBLE DEPENDING ON WHICH CATEGORY WE END UP IN.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT CURB CUTS.
IT APPEARS THAT THERE ARE TWO ADDITIONAL CURB CUTS OUT OF THE DEVELOPMENT, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THEY ARE PROPOSING TWO CUTS RIGHT NOW ONTO CENTRAL PARK DRIVE.
ONE CUT ONTO BELVEDERE, WHICH WE BELIEVE IS GOING TO END UP BEING REQUIRED BY FIRE CODE STANDARDS.
THIS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF BELVEDERE WOULD NOT BE A CUT.
THIS WILL LIKELY BE AN EMERGENCY ACCESS ONLY, WE'VE DONE THIS IN OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE IT'S A COLLOQUIAL CALLED GRASS CREEK.
IT'S A PAVED SURFACE THAT YOU DON'T KNOW IT'S PAVED, AND NO ONE USES IT, EXCEPT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, IF THEY HAVE TO HOP THAT CURB, THEY CAN HOP THAT CURVE.
THEN THIS ACCESS POINT, I'M SORRY, TO THE NORTH OFF TIMES SQUARE, WHICH WOULD BE THE ONLY ACCESS POINT FOR THE NORTHERN PROPERTY, THIS IS THE EXISTING EMERGENCY ACCESS ROUGHLY COMING OUT OF CENTRAL PARK APARTMENTS.
20 YEARS AGO WHEN THAT WAS ORIGINALLY APPROVED, THAT WAS NOT ANTICIPATED TO STILL BE THERE.
THAT WAS INTENDED TO BE EVENTUALLY CLOSED DOWN OR MODIFIED.
THIS PROPOSAL WOULD FINALLY BRING THAT TO WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO, MAKING EMERGENCY ACCESS ONLY FULL TIME ACCESS.
>> I WILL TELL YOU MSU FEDERAL CREDIT UNION IS THE PARCEL ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE ROAD.
PUTTING TWO MORE CURB CUTS ON THIS VERY SHORT SPAN OF ROAD IS PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE YOU HAVE OFFSETTING CURB CUTS, IF YOU SEE FAINTLY THE TWO EXITS OUT OF THE MSU FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, ONE LINES UP WITH THE LITTLE STRIP MALL THERE.
I WAS THERE TODAY AND IT'S DEATH DEFYING, TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ON THERE.
IS THERE A SOLUTION TO HANDLE THIS VOLUME OF TRAFFIC AND THESE ADDITIONAL CURB CUTS? I HAVE WE THOUGHT PROACTIVELY HOW WE CAN MANAGE THAT?
>> YES. I DON'T THINK ANYONE'S TOO TERRIBLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CURB CUT ON TIME SQUARE.
[01:35:01]
>> THIS IS AN EXISTING STREET.
YOU'RE LINED ACROSS THE STREET PLUS YOU HAVE A STOP SIGN HERE.
>> BELVEDERE. I'M SORRY. THEY GOT STUCK.
BELVEDERE IS LARGELY GOING TO BE EMERGENCY ACCESS ONLY.
NO ONE'S GOING TO GO OUT TO GO TO THE RIGHT TO COME BACK TO THE LEFT.
FUNCTIONALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE THESE TWO.
REALLY THIS IS GOING TO BE UP TO THE ROAD DEPARTMENT.
IF I HAD A CRYSTAL BALL, I WOULD SAY THAT ONE OF THESE IS UNLIKELY BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT IT WITH A SIMILAR EYE.
AT THAT POINT, WHAT DO YOU DO? WELL, YOU SPLIT THE PARKING LOT IN HALF AND YOU DO A BOULEVARD AT ENTRANCE IN THE MIDDLE AND IT BECOMES THE GRAND.
THERE'S A FOUNTAIN, I SOME LANDSCAPING, WHATEVER IT ENDS UP BEING.
OF THE TWO, THE NORTHERNMOST ONE IS PROBABLY THE BETTER OPTION BECAUSE IT DIRECTLY ALIGNS WITH THE COALS ACROSS THE STREET.
WHEREAS THE SOUTHERN ONE, YOU'RE TRYING TO ALIGN WITH ANOTHER COLES ENTRANCE, BUT YOU CAN'T QUITE GET THERE BECAUSE YOU NEED TO OFFSET FROM COLUMBUS, AND THEN RIGHT.
IT'S TOUGH. THIS IS WHERE WE WILL ABSOLUTELY DEFER TO OUR PARTNERS AT THE ROAD DEPARTMENT BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE TO GUESS WHAT THEY MIGHT DO, BUT I WILL SAY THAT I WOULD AGREE, THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO LOOK VERY HEAVILY AT THESE TWO CURB CUTS SPECIFICALLY AND WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMBINE THEM, BUT WE DON'T KNOW BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT CONVERSATION YET.
>> IF I MAY, THE INTENTION HERE, COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE IS, I APPRECIATE THE CONCERN ABOUT THE TRAFFIC AS IT'S CURRENTLY AGREED TO BE DEVELOPED AS A COMMERCIAL AND MULTIFAMILY.
I THINK TAKING THE COMMERCIAL PART OUT OF THAT IS GOING TO ALLEVIATE OBVIOUSLY SOME OF THE TRAFFIC HAD IT BEEN DEVELOPED IN THAT MANNER.
I THINK WHAT WE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CONTINENTAL TEAM WAS THAT WE WANTED TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT ON THE SINGLE FAMILY SUBDIVISION, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, THEY'RE THERE.
THEY WEREN'T THERE WHEN WE HAD THESE DISCUSSIONS 20 OR 30 YEARS AGO, AND HAVING THE CUTS ON CENTRAL PARK DRIVE SEEM TO HAVE LESS OF AN IMPACT ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAN HAVING THE DRIVEWAYS OR HAVING THE ENTRANCES COME OFF BELVEDERE OR COLUMBUS.
HOWEVER, PERHAPS FOR TRAFFIC AND TRAFFIC SAFETY, THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE A GIVE AND TAKE AND MOVE THOSE.
I THINK THE PLAN BEFORE YOU WAS REALLY TO LOOK AT HOW TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT ON THE SINGLE FAMILY, HOW TO KEEP THOSE BUILDINGS AS FAR AWAY FROM THE SINGLE FAMILY AS POSSIBLE.
BUT PERHAPS EITHER AS TIM MENTIONED DOING A BOULEVARD ENTRANCE AND ONLY HAVING ONE ADDITIONAL CUT THERE ON CENTRAL PARK OR BRINGING THE DRIVES IN OFF THE RESIDENTIAL STREETS OF COLUMBUS AND OR BELVEDERE, MIGHT BE THE ANSWER.
AGAIN, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THAT EVERYBODY AND THE PEOPLE VIEWING THIS UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S A CONCEPT AT THIS POINT AND TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOME SOLUTIONS AND UNDERSTANDING OF THAT AND RECOGNIZING THAT COMMERCIAL IS CERTAINLY MUCH MORE TRAFFIC INTENSE THAN THE MULTIFAMILY, AND HOPEFULLY THAT THIS WILL BE THAT MIX THAT WILL MAKE PEOPLE COMFORTABLE.
>> THANK YOU. I'M GLAD WE'RE RECOGNIZING THAT BECAUSE IT'S A PARTICULARLY TRICKY AREA WITH A CURVE.
>> THE ONE OTHER COMMENT I HAVE IS ABOUT BUILDING 3, AND WHY IS THE PARKING IN FRONT OF BUILDING 3 FACING CENTRAL PARK DRIVE? WE JUST HAD A PLAN FOR VILLAGE OF OKEMOS IN WHICH THE PARKING WAS GOING TO BE ON OKEMOS ROAD.
I THINK THAT'S NOT THE MOST ATTRACTIVE OPTION.
IS THERE ANY THOUGHT GIVEN TO MOVING THAT PARKING BEHIND THE BUILDING, MOVING THE BUILDING FORWARD?
>> THAT RELATES TO YOUR ORIGINAL QUESTION TO ABOUT BUILDING HEIGHT AND SETBACKS.
MOST OF THE BUILDINGS ON THIS PLAN, TO GO BACK TO YOUR ORIGINAL POINT, COMPLY WITH THAT INCREASED SETBACK REQUIREMENT IN ORDER TO ALLOW FOR THE BUILDING HEIGHTS TO BE PROPOSED HERE.
A PART OF THE REASON THAT BUILDING 3 ENDED UP PUSHING FURTHER EAST WITH THE PARKING IN FRONT OF IT IS TO HIT THAT SETBACK REQUIREMENT.
HOWEVER, WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT MODIFYING THAT TO GET THE DRIVE ALE AND PARKING BETWEEN BUILDING 3 AND 4 AND CREATING MORE OF A STREETSCAPE WITH BUILDING 3 ON CENTRAL PARK DRIVE.
THE LIGHTER COLORED BUILDINGS ON THE NORTH SIDE.
THOSE ARE THE 43 STORY BUILDINGS.
THOSE ONES ARE CURRENTLY NOT HITTING THAT SETBACK REQUIREMENT.
HOWEVER, WE DID THINK IT WOULD BE MORE ATTRACTIVE TO CREATE THE STREETSCAPE WITH THOSE BUILDINGS RATHER THAN PUSHING THEM EAST AND BRINGING THE PARKING AND DRIVE AISLE WEST OF THEM JUST FOR A VISUAL QUALITY REASON.
[01:40:04]
BUT YES. TO RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTION, WE CAN WE CAN LOOK AT MODIFICATIONS THERE.>> THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR INDULGING ME WITH SO MANY QUESTIONS.
>> I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
I KNOW THIS IS JUST IN THE CONCEPT PHASE, SO THESE DRAWINGS AREN'T EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING TO BE THERE.
I KNOW THIS IS PROBABLY AN OLD FASHIONED QUESTION.
BUT IT APPEARS THAT THESE BUILDINGS ARE ALL BUILT WITHOUT BALCONIES AND MAYBE THAT'S BY DESIGN, BUT I'M THINKING A BALCONY FOR RESIDENTS GIVES THEM A CHANCE TO GET A BREATH OF FRESH AIR.
IT GIVES A CHANCE TO GET A DOG TO GO OUTSIDE FOR TWO SECONDS AND GET SOME FRESH AIR.
I WAS JUST WONDERING ABOUT THE DESIGN OF BEING SUCH A FLAT.
>> SURE. THE FIRST FLOOR UNITS, SOME OF THOSE WILL HAVE PRIVATE ENCLOSED PATIOS.
YOU ARE CORRECT THAT OUR SECOND AND THIRD FLOOR ON THIS CONCEPT DO NOT HAVE ANY BALCONIES ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE UNITS.
THIS IS A PRODUCT FOR US THAT IS MEANT TO BE MORE OF THAT ATTAINABLE OR MISSING MIDDLE IN TERMS OF RENT AND AFFORDABILITY.
WHENEVER YOU'RE ADDING SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT OBVIOUSLY INCREASES THE COST, WHICH IN A LOT OF CASES AND FOR A LOT OF DEVELOPERS WILL TRANSLATE TO AN INCREASE IN RENTS.
HERE, THERE'S A DELIBERATE EFFORT BEING MADE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR RENTS ARE GOING TO BE WITHIN CERTAIN AFFORDABILITY METRICS THAT ARE GOING TO ATTRACT PEOPLE OF ALL OCCUPATIONS SO YOU'VE GOT YOUR SCHOOL TEACHERS, POLICE OFFICERS, THAT TYPE OF PERSON WHO MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE TYPE OF HOME THAT EXISTS IN CENTRAL PARK ESTATES AND SO REALLY, IT'S MEANT TO IN CONCEPT IN THIS FORM CONTRIBUTE TO THAT AFFORDABILITY OF THIS PRODUCT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
>> YOU DID SAY THOUGH, THE FIRST FLOOR, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME MORE PRIVATE ENTRANCES OR ENCLOSED AREAS.
IF IT'S ONLY TWO STORIES, THAT'S HALF OF WHAT I'M ASKING FOR.
>> SURE. NOT ALL FIRST FLOOR UNITS WILL HAVE AN ENCLOSED YARD ASSOCIATED WITH IT, BUT WE WILL PLAN AND PROPOSE THAT NUMEROUS OF THEM DO AND WE CAN CONSIDER OTHER OPTIONS AS WELL TO CREATE SOME OF THOSE PRIVATE OUTDOOR AMENITIES THAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING.
>> YOU PROVIDE FOR US AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT YOU SEE THE SPENDING OF A TYPICAL RESIDENT WOULD BE.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOUR MARKET DEMOGRAPHIC IS FOR THIS PROPERTY?
>> BY DEMOGRAPHIC, DO YOU MEAN INCOME LEVELS?
>> INCOME LEVELS? SURE. FOR OUR MICHIGAN PORTFOLIO, SO THAT MAP THAT I FLASHED WITH ALL OF THE EXISTING COMMUNITIES, MOST OF OUR RESIDENTS HAVE AROUND AN AVERAGE MEDIAN INCOME OF AROUND $90,000 PER YEAR.
MOST OF OUR RESIDENTS, ABOUT 67%, ARE ROUGHLY IN THE AGES OF 20 TO 32, HAVE A LOT OF JOBS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, HEALTHCARE, TECH, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
REALLY, IT'S THAT INDIVIDUAL WHO IS NOT YET READY TO BUY, BUT WANTS A PLACE TO RENT WHILE THEY MAY BE SAFE TO BUY OR DETERMINE EXACTLY WHERE THEY MIGHT WANT TO BUY, IF THAT HELPS.
>> IT DOES. YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF EARLIER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, AND THEY'RE OFFERING A MIX OF RENTALS AND OWNER OCCUPIED TOWNHOUSES.
DO ANY OF YOUR COMMUNITIES INCLUDE SUCH A MIX?
>> THEY DO. SORRY. CAN YOU REPEAT THAT.
YOU SAID A MIX OF OWNER OCCUPIED.
>> TOWN HOUSES AS WELL AS RENTALS.
>> SURE. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY OWNER OCCUPIED PRODUCTS.
>> I THINK I LIKE THIS PROJECT BECAUSE IN FIELD DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S NOT TOUCHING ON OUR URBAN SERVICES BOUNDARY OR ASKING US TO COMPROMISE THAT.
I AM IMPRESSED THAT YOU DON'T FLIP YOUR PROPERTIES, THAT YOU OWN ALL YOUR MICHIGAN PROPERTIES THAT YOU'VE HAD SO FAR.
SOMETIMES WE GET GRANDIOSE PLANS FOR COMMUNITY MAINTENANCE AND AMENITIES, AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE GOOD PARTNERS, AND THEN THE PROJECT GETS FLIPPED A YEAR [INAUDIBLE] AND ALL THOSE PROMISES LEAVE WITH THE OLD OWNER.
[01:45:02]
THE LAST THING I WOULD SUGGEST IN TERMS OF GOING BACK WITH THE PLAN, CLICK AND MEET WITH THE NEIGHBORS, IS BUFFER THERE BEHIND NASSAU STREET WITH TREES AND OTHER NATURAL DEVELOPMENTS TO HELP THEM KEEP THE VIEW THEY HAVE NOW, WHICH IS A LARGE WOODLOT BEHIND THEM.IS THAT PART OF YOUR INTENTION TOO.
>> WE WANT TO AND INTEND TO PRESERVE AS MUCH OF THE EXISTING WETLANDS THAT ARE THERE AS WELL WITH THOSE ALL THE TREE PRESERVATION THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT.
IF WE'RE NOT TOUCHING A WETLAND, WE WOULD NOT TOUCH THE VEGETATION THAT IS ALSO EXISTING WITHIN THAT WETLAND TODAY.
ALONG THOSE PROPERTIES IN CENTRAL PARK ESTATES, THERE IS A WETLAND THERE, THERE IS VEGETATION THERE THAT WE DO INTEND TO MAINTAIN.
>> I APPRECIATE HEARING ABOUT PRESERVING WETLANDS AND THE TREES, AND I'M ASSUMING THAT THIS PROJECT WOULD BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR WETLAND ORDINANCES.
MY QUESTION IS, HOW DO OUR WETLANDS IMPACT THE VALUE OF THIS PROJECT, IF YOU KNOW.
>> DO YOU MEAN FROM LIKE A VALUE, SO PRICE OF LAND OR HOW PRESERVING THEM, LET'S SAY, ENHANCES THE COMMUNITY FEEL THERE.
>> YEAH, MORE OF THE SECOND ONE IF IT DOES IMPACT THE VALUE AT ALL.
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN SAY THAT IT DOES.
I THINK ANYONE LIVING ANYWHERE LIKES TO SEE GREEN SPACE AND SO THE FACT THAT WE ARE PRESERVING WETLANDS AND WE'LL HAVE SOME TREE PRESERVATION OUT HERE AND CREATE THOSE NATURAL BUFFERS, I THINK INHERENTLY ADDS AT LEAST VALUE TO THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.
FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT METRIC MIGHT BE, BUT I THINK MAINTAINING THOSE BUFFERS WILL DEFINITELY ADD VALUE FOR THE RESIDENTS HERE.
I DO APPRECIATE HOW WITH THIS PROPOSAL, THE HOUSING FACILITIES ARE A BIT FARTHER AWAY FROM THE WETLANDS.
I KNOW WHERE I LIVE, WE HAVE WETLAND, AND THERE'S A LOT OF GEESE THERE, SO IT'S NOT THE BEST TO HAVE YOUR HOUSE THERE AND GEESE.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT VALUE, SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. I HAVE A FEW THINGS.
FIRST, ADDRESSING [INAUDIBLE] POINT.
I LIVE DOWN WHAT TIM CALLED A EMERGENCY EXIT, WHAT CENTRAL PARK APARTMENTS CALLS MADISON AVENUE, 'CAUSE NEW YORK FAMED, I CAN TELL YOU, IS QUITE A HUMID AND MUGGY AREA.
ON THAT NOTE. MR. SCHMIDT, YOU HAD MADE A COMMENT ABOUT THE REDRAWING THAT WETLAND MAP, AND I'M CURIOUS IF YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT BECAUSE WE KNOW BINGHAM COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER AND HIS ROLE IN PRESERVING WETLANDS.
HOW LONG THAT PROCESS IS, HAS THAT BEEN MADE INCREDIBLY CLEAR TO THESE DEVELOPERS? THIS IS A NICE LOOKING FINISHED PRODUCT IN FRONT OF US.
HOW CLOSE DO YOU THINK THIS IS CONSIDERING THAT WETLAND MAP CHANGE THAT YOU'D MENTIONED?
>> HERE AS A GENERAL RULE, HERE'S HOW ANY WETLAND PROJECT HAPPENS.
WE HAVE A MAP THAT THE TOWNSHIP PUT TOGETHER IN 2005, WHERE WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THE WETLANDS THROUGHOUT THE TOWNSHIP, REALLY SOILS OR PLANTS THAT WOULD LEAD US TO BELIEVE THERE'S A WETLAND.
WE HAVE A GENERAL RULE THAT WE KNOW WHERE THINGS ARE, AND WE KNOW WHETHER IT'S OVER TWO ACRES OR UNDER TWO ACRES.
IF IT'S OVER TWO ACRES, IT'S SUBJECT TO EAGLES REVIEW AND APPROVAL FOR ANY IMPACT.
IF IT'S UNDER TWO ACRES, IT'S ENTIRELY A TOWNSHIP FUNCTION.
WE HAVE CONTROL OF LOCAL WETLANDS RULES AND RULE MAKING AND SO OUR RULES ARE, IF YOU HAVE NOT DELINEATED IT WITHIN TWO YEARS, YOUR WETLAND DELINEATION IS GOOD FOR TWO YEARS, BASICALLY.
YOU HAVE TO GET A DELINEATION IF WE BELIEVE THERE'S WETLANDS ON THE SITE AND THEN IF YOU DO NOT ACT UPON THAT DELINEATION WITHIN TWO YEARS, YOU HAVE TO UPDATE IT.
IN THIS CASE, IT'S BEEN A LOT LONGER THAN THAT.
BUT WE HAVE HAD CASES WHERE IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS AND THREE MONTHS, AND THEY STILL HAVE TO UPDATE IT BECAUSE THAT'S THE STANDARD.
WHAT THEY WOULD DO THEN IS THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF RE DELINEATING THE WELLS ON ALL THE PROPERTIES, AND THEN OUR CONSULTANT WILL VERIFY.
ESSENTIALLY, WE WILL WALK IT AS WELL TO CONFIRM THAT WE AGREE THAT IS THE BOUNDARY OF THE WETLAND.
AFTER THAT IS WHEN YOU GET INTO, OKAY, WHAT IF ANY IMPACT ARE THERE? IF THERE ARE IMPACTS, IS IT A WETLAND THAT IS OF A QUALITY THAT REQUIRES MITIGATION,
[01:50:04]
OR IS IT A NON REGULATED WETLAND? THEN IF IT IS REGULATED WETLAND, HOW MUCH MITIGATION IS REQUIRED? GENERALLY, WE ARE A TWO TO ONE COMMUNITY SO THE GOAL IS ALWAYS TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT TO ANY WETLAND BECAUSE IT REQUIRES DOUBLE THE SPACE TO FIX.BASED ON THE WETLAND INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US, TO GET TO YOUR QUESTION, IT'S A VIABLE PLAN.
THEY'RE NOT PROPOSING TO PUT BUILDINGS OVER WHERE WE CURRENTLY BELIEVE WETLANDS TO BE.
THERE ARE SOME IMPACTS ALONG THE EDGES OF THE WETLANDS BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY IRREGULARLY SHAPED HERE.
BUT AT THIS TIME, IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE PROPOSING TO FILL IN THREE ACRES OF WETLANDS ON A 4.5 ACRE WETLAND SITE THING.
THAT'S WHERE THE DETAILS ARE IMPORTANT, AND THAT'S WHY IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO PUSH THE WETLAND DELINEATION UP IN THE PROCESS A LITTLE BIT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT, YEAH, IT'S STILL ROUGHLY WHAT WE THINK IT IS AND WE CAN PROCEED WITH THIS CONCEPT.
HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS, GETS WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT.
LIKE I SAID, I LIVE RIGHT DOWN THERE.
I KNOW EXACTLY HOW, WHAT IT CAN GET IN THAT AREA.
ALREADY GOING TO BE WET FEET FOR DOG WALKERS IN THIS APARTMENT IF IT DOES GET FINISHED.
WITH THAT SAID, I AM ENCOURAGED, AND I'M GLAD THAT TRUSTEE WILSON BROUGHT UP THE POINT ABOUT THE TRAFFIC.
BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT, I AM ENCOURAGED BY THE DENSITY, INCREASE OF THAT WILL BRING AS SOMEONE WHO, LIKE I HAVE NOW SAID A COUPLE OF TIMES, LIVED RIGHT THERE, THE ABILITY TO WALK BIKE PLACES IN THE TOWNSHIP, I THINK THAT ENCOURAGES FOLKS TO USE THINGS OTHER THAN AUTOMOBILES TO GET PLACES AND CONSIDERING THEIR TARGET AGE DEMOGRAPHIC, HOPEFULLY, ABLE BODIED YOUNG PEOPLE WILL DO THAT.
IN YOUR OPINION, AND AGAIN, I KNOW THIS IS A ROUGH DRAFT, DO YOU IMAGINE THAT WITH THE NEW PARKING ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE PASSED, THAT THE IMAGE BEFORE? LOOKING UP THE SAME ONE. IMAGE BEFORE US IS MORE PARKING THAN IS NEEDED.
WHAT THAT NEW CHANGE OR WOULD IT BE DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT? I WOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO SEE ON THE LOWER END OF THAT PARKING AND WITH THAT, MAYBE AN AREA FOR PROTECTED BIKE RACKS OR SOMETHING TO ENCOURAGE NON CAR TRANSPORTATION IN THAT AREA, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING IT IS SOMEWHAT CLOSE TO THE BUS LINE TOO SO I'M JUST CURIOUS.
>> BASED ON THE CURRENT DESIGN, IT WILL BE ON THE LOW END OF CLOSER TO OUR NEW STANDARD THAN OUR STANDARD.
THE LAST CALCULATIONS THEY DID ANYTHING, IT'S A LITTLE ABOVE OUR PREVIOUS MINIMUM.
THEY'RE DEFINITELY, PROOF OF CONCEPT, THEY'RE TRENDING TOWARDS WHAT WE JUST PROPOSE.
>> THAT ENCOURAGES ME. I LIKE THAT.
I WILL SAY THE COMMENTS ABOUT LOCAL OWNERSHIP WHILE BEING WISCONSIN BASE, I THINK ARE A LITTLE OFF BASE AND CONSIDERING THE FINANCIAL TIMETABLE YOU INCLUDED, WHICH HAD 18.8 MILLION INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
THAT INCLUDES THE RENT OF WHICH GOES TO THAT GOES TOWARDS THAT 18.8 MILLION? I JUST WANT TO ON THE RECORD THAT I DISAGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT AS TO THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THIS PROJECT IN THIS AREA.
>> THANK YOU. TRUSTEE TREZISE.
>> I THINK FOLLOWING UP ON TRUSTEE LENTZ'S QUESTION, YOU STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER AND I'M NOT SURE IT HAS AS MUCH IMPACT ON WETLANDS WHICH WE REGULATE, BUT HOW ABOUT THE RUNOFF FROM A HARD SURFACE WHICH IS REPLACING NATURAL AREA? BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE DRINK COMMISSIONER COULD GET TESTED, SHALL WE SAY?
>> WE HAVE MENTIONED THAT TO THE TEAM A COUPLE OF TIMES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND THEY HAVE CERTAINLY BEEN REALISTIC IN HOW MUCH DETENTION AREA THEY'RE SETTING ASIDE.
IT'S A FAIR BIT OF LAND THEY'RE SETTING ASIDE TO ANTICIPATE THOSE STANDARDS HAVING TO PLAY.
>> AGAIN, THIS IS A CONCEPT PLAN, SO I KNOW THAT CHANGES ARE GOING TO BE MADE.
THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO POINT OUT IS OFF OF THAT BELVEDERE AVENUE,
[01:55:05]
THE FIFTH HOUSE IN APPEARS TO ALMOST BACK UP TO THAT LITTLE PARKING RUNAROUND AREA.I WOULD THINK THAT THAT ONE PROPERTY MIGHT NEED A BUSHES OR BUFFER OR SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY APPEAR TO BE LOOKING STRAIGHT AT THAT PARKING LOT AREA.
>> YES. THE FIFTH HOUSE IN OFF OF BELVEDERE IS THE ONE WITH 171 SQUARE FOOT?
>> THAT PROPERTY OWNER IS GOING TO PROBABLY WANT SOME EXTRA EVERGREENS OR SOMETHING TO BLOCK THEIR VIEW BECAUSE THEY'RE SO BUTTED UP TO THAT LITTLE PARKING LOT TURNAROUND.
>> SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU. FROM THE LEGEND, IT'S A TRASH RECEPTACLE.
>> IT'S NOT EVEN A PARKING TURNAROUND.
>> I THINK THAT UNDERLINES YOUR POINT EVEN MORE.
>> EVEN MORE BECAUSE WHO'S GOING TO WANT TO SEE THAT IN THEIR BACK YARD.
I'M JUST TO PROTECT THE OWNERS CURRENTLY ON NASSAU STREET.
>> I GUESS I WAS GOING TO COMMENT AS WELL THAT AS A GENERAL RULE, THERE'S THE PRESERVATION OF THE FOLIAGE THAT'S THERE CURRENTLY, BUT ALSO MIGHT BE WORTHWHILE TO LOOK INTO WHETHER ANY ADDITIONAL FOLIAGE NEEDS TO BE ADDED TO CREATE THAT VISUAL BUFFER ON THE NORTHERN END OF THAT PARCEL, THERE BETWEEN THE TRIANGLE OF BELVEDERE AND NASSAU.
THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF EXISTING VEGETATION IN THAT CORNER OVER THERE.
BUT THERE MAY NEED TO BE IF YOU'VE GOT, ESPECIALLY THE TRASH AREA THERE AND WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE GROUNDS BUILDING.
THAT MAY NOT BE SOMETHING THAT NEIGHBORS ARE EXCITED ABOUT, LOOKING BACK ON.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU NOT ONLY TO THINK ABOUT PRESERVATION OF THE EXISTING TREES AND NATURAL FOLIAGE, BUT ALSO WHAT MIGHT NEED TO BE INCLUDED AS YOU GO FORWARD TO ADD TO THAT AREA.
COUPLE OTHER THINGS, I'LL JUST TOUCH ON THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED AS WELL, THE CURB CUTS.
I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE ABOUT TRYING TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF CURB CUTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF THE PROJECT.
MY INITIAL THOUGHT WAS TRY TO ELIMINATE THOSE ON BELVEDERE AND COLUMBUS.
WE TRIED TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF TRAFFIC ON THE NEIGHBORS OF CENTRAL PARK ESTATES SPECIFICALLY.
I THINK YOU'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF DOING THAT.
THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ROAD DEPARTMENT'S GOING TO DO.
ULTIMATELY, THEY OWN THE ROADS.
YOU'LL HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY ASK OF YOU.
I AGREE WITH TRUSTEE WILSON THAT I THINK HAVING THE BUILDING UP ON THE ROAD IS, IF POSSIBLE, WOULD BE A MORE PLEASING AESTHETIC, BUT I ACKNOWLEDGE IF THAT CREATES CHALLENGES.
IT'S NOT A WHOLE LOT YOU CAN DO.
WELL, I GUESS, BESIDES THE TREES AND THE TRASH, WHICH I THINK NEED TO BE TWEAKED.
THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I'LL PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF PUSHBACK ON IS THE EMERGENCY ACCESS OFF OF WHAT IS NOW MADISON AVENUE UP ON THE NORTHERN END OF THE PROPERTY.
I THINK BOLLARDS SHOULD NOT HAVE A PLACE IN A PROJECT LIKE THIS BECAUSE THESE RESIDENTS IN THE CENTRAL PARK APARTMENTS, HAVE BEEN USING THAT ROAD THROUGHOUT.
IF IT'S AT ALL POSSIBLE TO PRESERVE THAT, I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR FLOW OF TRAFFIC.
IT COULD DEFINITELY CREATES A MUCH SIMPLER WAY FOR THEM TO GET TO OUR MAIN THOROUGHFARES IN THE TOWNSHIP WITHOUT HAVING TO GO ALL THE WAY NORTH TO TY HART, THAT'S NOT A SHORT DISTANCE.
ALSO, IT CREATES THE EMERGENCY ACCESS.
EVEN IF THE BOLLARDS SERVE AS AN EMERGENCY ACCESS POINT, THE EASIEST WAY WOULD BE TO NOT HAVE THEM SO THAT OUR POLICE AND FIRE CAN ACCESS THEM.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS I'LL PUSH BACK ON IS, I REALLY WISH THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE EMERGENCY BOLLARDS ON THAT NORTHERN ACCESS ROAD IF WE CAN POSSIBLY AVOID IT.
[02:00:04]
THAT SAID, I HAVE BEEN IN OPPOSITION TO THE PLANS THAT HAVE COME PRIOR TO THIS ONE BECAUSE THEY WERE BOTH TOO DENSE AND ENCROACHED TOO FAR ON THE NEIGHBORING RESIDENCES.THIS PLAN, I THINK, IS A PRETTY DECENT COMPROMISE BASED ON WHAT I'M SEEING HERE. I HATE THE NAME.
I HOPE CAN RECONSIDER AUTHENTICS AS THE NAME.
THAT'S A BRANDING DECISION THAT YOU CAN MAKE FOR YOURSELF, AND THAT'S A PERSONAL CHOICE THAT I HAVE AND NOT GERMANE TO WHETHER OR NOT THE PROJECT GOES FORWARD.
BUT I THINK THAT FROM MY OPINION, WHAT I SEE HERE IS A VAST IMPROVEMENT UPON PREVIOUS PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE US FOR THESE PARCELS.
I THINK THIS IS ONE THAT WITH A FEW SMALL TWEAKS, I THINK IS PRETTY PALATABLE.
THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK TO US WITH UPDATES TO THIS.
REGARDING PROCESS, WHICH IS THE OTHER QUESTION YOU HAD.
I DO THINK IT NEEDS TO GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND RUN THROUGH OUR TYPICAL PROCESS.
WELL, OBVIOUSLY, THE LEGAL STUFF TO DEAL WITH DOWN THE LINE AS WELL.
BUT OUR PLANNING COMMISSION LOOKS AT ALL OF THESE PROJECTS, AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP WOULD BE TO GO THROUGH AND DO THAT.
>> TIM ALSO SUGGESTED HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING IN YOUR NARRATIVE FOR THE RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA TO BE ABLE TO COMMENT?
>> I CERTAINLY ENCOURAGED THAT IN THIS CASE, JUST BECAUSE IT'S BEEN 20 YEARS SINCE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WAS BUILT.
>> I THINK GIVEN SUPERVISOR HENDRICKSON'S COMMENT, CLARIFYING THE PROCESS HERE, I THINK WHAT WE WILL PROBABLY DO, OBVIOUSLY, SUBJECT TO CONFIRMING THIS WITH OUR ATTORNEYS IS WE WILL HAVE THIS BACK ON YOUR CONSENT AGENDA AT THE NEXT MEETING FOR REFERRAL TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION JUST LIKE THEY DID IN 2004, AND HAVE HAVE THE APPLICANT ESSENTIALLY SUBMIT WHAT IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE A CONDITIONAL REZONING APPLICATION, BUT WE WILL TREAT IT AS IF IT'S AN AMENDMENT TO THE JUDGMENT.
WE'LL REFER TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, PLANNING COMMISSION TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AS THEY NORMALLY WOULD.
I THINK BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING AND AFTER TONIGHT, WE WOULD ENCOURAGE THE APPLICANT TEAM TO TRY AND PULL TOGETHER A MEETING WITH THE PUBLIC TO INTRODUCE IT BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
>> DO WE HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH THAT PLAN OF ACTION IN TERMS OF PROCESS?
OUR RECOMMENDATION TO PASS IT ALONG TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
ACTUALLY YOU ADDRESSED THIS EARLIER.
SORRY ABOUT THAT. IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE ALL IN ACCORD WITH THE PLANNING PROCESS OF HOW TO DO THAT.
SORRY, I DID MISS ONE OTHER AESTHETIC NOTE THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER IS PUTTING THE POOL ON THE CORNER OF TWO VERY BUSY ROADS.
WOULD NOT BE MY PREFERRED OPTION, BUT, IF THERE'S A WAY TO SQUEEZE IT SOMEWHERE WHERE IT'S A LITTLE MORE OUT OF THE WAY, PROBABLY BETTER FOR USABILITY.
>> BUT AGAIN, THIS IS A CONCEPT PLAN WE EARLY DAYS.
JUST SOMETHING YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? THANK YOU VERY MUCH [OVERLAPPING] IN FRONT OF US.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS 11B MARKETPLACE IN THE GREEN PAVING PROJECT.
[11.B. Meridian Mall/Marketplace on the Green Paving Project]
WE HAVE DIRECTORS WISINSKI AND DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER TALK ABOUT PAVING, HER FAVORITE PROJECT.IN FACT, AS I DROVE IN THIS EVENING, I SAW A BUNCH OF PAVING AND CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES ALREADY IN THE PARKING LOT, SO THEY'RE ANTICIPATING A SMOOTH AND EASY PROCESS MORE THAN I WOULD IMAGINE.
>> [LAUGHTER] IT CAME UP QUICK. GOOD EVENING, BOARD.
THANK YOU. I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND HERE.
WHEN I ORIGINALLY TOOK THIS POSITION, I WAS CONTACTED BY ADAM HODGES AT CBO, WHO'S OUR MALL MANAGER.
HE EXPRESSED THAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT RESURFACING A PORTION OF THEIR MALL PARKING LOT AND ONE OF THOSE PORTIONS BEING ADJACENT TO OUR CURRENT MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN.
HE ASKED IF THE TOWNSHIP WOULD CONSIDER PARTNERING WITH THEM ON THIS PROJECT, GIVEN THAT WE DO USE THAT AREA OF THE PARKING LOT QUITE A BIT.
SOME HISTORY, MERIDIAN FARMERS MARKET WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1974.
[02:05:03]
WE JUST HAD OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY LAST YEAR.IT WAS ORIGINALLY IN CENTRAL PARK PAVILION OVER HERE, BUT THE MARKET CONTINUED TO GROW AND JUST OUTGREW THE SPACE.
IT WAS DOWN BOTH SIDES OF THE SIDEWALK, ENCROACHING ONTO THE HISTORICAL VILLAGE.
AT THAT TIME, OUR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT STARTED LOOKING FOR A SPACE WHERE THEY COULD EXPAND THE MARKET.
AFTER EXTENSIVE SEARCH, THEY FOUND THAT THE PARCEL AT MERIDIAN MALL WAS IDEAL FOR MULTIPLE REASONS.
ONE OF IT BEING CENTRALLY LOCATED NOT FAR FROM THE ORIGINAL FARMERS MARKET, BUT ALSO THAT THERE WAS ADJACENT PARKING AVAILABLE ALREADY.
NOT HAVING TO PUT IN MORE NON PERMEABLE SURFACE.
AS A RESULT, THAT PROPERTY WAS PURCHASED ON APRIL 1ST, 2019, AND THEN CONSTRUCTION BEGAN.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW MUCH THE LOT IS USED BY THE TOWNSHIP AND OUR RESIDENTS AS A RESULT.
FARMERS MARKET OPERATES WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS FROM MAY THROUGH OCTOBER AT THE OUTDOOR MARKET.
DURING LAST YEAR IN 2024, WE HAD 87,000 VISITORS TO THAT MARKET ALONE.
NOT TO SAY EVERY ONE OF THEM DRIVE THEIR OWN CAR, BUT YOU STILL DO THE MATH IT'S QUITE A BIT.
IN ADDITION TO THE FARMERS' MARKET, WE HOLD A LOT OF OTHER EVENTS AT THAT MARKETPLACE.
ONE BEING CELEBRATE, WHERE WE KNOW WE'RE UPWARDS OF 9,000 PEOPLE IN ONE DAY.
MERIDIAN PRIDE IS HELD THERE THIS YEAR, JUNETEENTH WAS HELD THERE.
WE HAVE OUR SUMMER CONCERT SERIES, AND THEN, OF COURSE, ALL OF OUR RENTALS.
FOR EXAMPLE, HIGH CALIBER IS PUTTING ON A MOTOR FEST THERE COMING UP IN AUGUST, AND THAT AGAIN, USES OUR MARKETPLACE, BUT IT USES THE AREA OF THE MALL PARKING LOT.
WHILE HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS WHEN MANAGER DEMPSEY CAME ABOARD, DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER AND I AND MANAGER DEMPSEY, TALKED ABOUT HOW CAN WE CONSIDER PARTNERING AND COORDINATING WITH THIS PROJECT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN SUCH GOOD PARTNERS ALL ALONG.
RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE AN OPERATING AGREEMENT WITH CBO THAT STATES, AND IT SAYS IT IN YOUR PACKET HERE.
BUT THAT THE DEVELOPER, MEANING, THE MALL, SHALL WORK IN GOOD FAITH WITH THE TOWNSHIP TO MAINTAIN 200 PARKING SPOTS ON THE PROPERTY IN THE SIZE REQUIRED BY THE APICAL ORDINANCE.
AS A RESULT, THE OPERATING AGREEMENT DOES NOT ANYWHERE NEAR REQUIRE US TO DO ANY MAINTENANCE OF THIS PARKING LOT.
BUT GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILS, THE 200 DESIGNATED SPACES WITHIN THIS PROJECT SCOPE IS ABOUT HALF OF THE TOTAL SPACES THERE.
I DON'T KNOW, CAN I BRING UP THE [OVERLAPPING].
>> I JUST CAN'T SEE IT. I'M SORRY.
>> I CAN BRING IT UP FOR YOU IF YOU WANT.
>> THANK YOU. FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY ONE TOTAL SPACES OF THOSE 200 HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED FOR MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP.
THAT EQUATES TO ABOUT 1.3 ACRES IS THE 200 SPACES TO 2.9 ACRES, WHICH IS THE TOTAL SPACE.
IN BOTH OF THOSE NUMBERS, IT REPRESENTS 47.93% OF THE TOTAL PROJECT AREA.
WE ASKED FOR CBO AND THEIR BID DOCS AND THEIR SCOPE OF WORK.
THEY HAD TWO BIDDERS, ONE BEING B'S CONTRACTING AT $563,517, AND THEY HAD MCCARNY CONTRACTING AND ASPHALT, $488,495, WHICH WAS THE LOWEST BID, WHICH WAS SELECTED.
STAFF HAS SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
AGAIN, WHILE THE OPERATING AGREEMENT DOES NOT OBLIGATE THE TOWNSHIP TO CONTRIBUTE, WE STILL WANT TO LOOK AT A WAY WHERE WE CAN BE GOOD PARTNERS.
WE'VE CONTACTED LEGAL COUNSEL TO SEE IS IT POSSIBLE FOR THE TOWNSHIP TO USE PUBLIC FUNDS IN THIS AREA? THEY SAID, IN ADJUST.
I'M NOT QUOTING THEM, BUT THAT THEY CAN BE USED BECAUSE IT IS FOR THE BETTER OF THE PUBLIC GOOD.
THEY DID ALSO RECOMMEND THAT WE ACTUALLY, IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PARTNERSHIP, THAT WE HAVE A SEPARATE AGREEMENT THAT DOES TWO THINGS.
ONE OF THEM AFFIRMS THAT THE TOWNSHIP IS NOT WAIVING THEIR EXISTING RIGHTS WITHIN THIS OPERATIONAL AGREEMENT, BUT ALSO PROVIDING SOME LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS
[02:10:03]
INCLUDING ADA COMPLIANCE AND THINGS OF THAT SORT.GIVEN THAT INFORMATION, AND THE SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC USE AND THE DIRECT BENEFIT OF THE MARKETPLACE AND OUR RESIDENTS.
STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT WE CONTRIBUTE 47.93% OF THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT, WHICH EQUALS $234,135.
>> STAFF FURTHER RECOMMENDS FUNDING THE CONTRIBUTION THROUGH THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND, IN WHICH AND DEPUTY MANAGER OPSOMMER CAN ALSO ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT IT'S UTILIZING UNALLOCATED FUNDS FROM 2025 THAT WAS ORIGINALLY SET FOR A GENERATOR REPLACEMENT AT THE SERVICE CENTER.
IN CONCLUSION, WE'VE HAD A VERY POSITIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH CBL.
THEY SUPPORT US IN MANY OTHER THINGS WHEN OUR MARKET GOES INSIDE.
THEY SUPPORT OUR 55 PLUS WORKOUT GROUP THAT GOES INSIDE IN THE WINTER AS WELL.
WE BELIEVE THAT IF WE CAN CONTRIBUTE AND RECOMMEND THAT WE CONTRIBUTE 47.93%. MAKE SURE I HAD THAT RIGHT.
THAT THIS WOULD NOT ONLY BENEFIT THE TOWNSHIP, BUT THE RESIDENTS, AND ALSO JUST PROTECTING THAT EXISTING PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH CBL.
HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND ANY SPECIFICS AS WE FROM MANAGER OPSOMMER.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS? TRUSTEE WILSON.
>> HAS THIS MET DISCUSSED WITH CBL?
>> YES. THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSIONS WITH CBL.
>> HAVE YOU COMMITTED OR MADE AN INTENTION TO PAY FOR 47.39% OF THE LOT?
>> WE HAVE NOT COMMITTED TO ANYTHING WE OUR CONVERSATIONS WAS, LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN COME UP WITH AND WHAT WE CAN WORK WITH THE BOARD.
>> TO MY WAY OF THINKING, WE DON'T USE THE PROPERTY SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
WE USE THE PROPERTY MAYBE THREE AND A HALF DAYS A WEEK.
I WOULD THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE OPEN TO SOME NEGOTIATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US KEEP THIS UNDER 200,000 BECAUSE IT'S A HIT WE DID NOT ANTICIPATE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING SOME OTHER THINGS WITH IT.
IT'S OUR SEED MONEY FOR BIG PROJECTS.
SINCE THIS IS A SURPRISE, YET, WE WANT TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS WITH CBL AND OFFER GOOD PARKING TO OUR PEOPLE THAT COME TO THE EVENT.
I'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE COULD WIGGLE THIS A LITTLE.
>> I AGREE WITH TRUSTEE WILSON, I WOULD BE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH NUMBER AROUND 200,000.
WE DO YOU MENTION HERE THAT WE HAVE POSSIBLE FUNDING FOR AND THIS SERVICE CENTER WILL NOT NEED A GENERATOR THIS YEAR.
BUT IS IT POSSIBLE WE'RE GOING TO NEED IT NEXT YEAR, SO ARE WE JUST POSTPONING THIS EXPENSE FROM ONE YEAR TO NEXT?
>> WE ARE POSTPONING PART OF THE EXPENSE.
WE WOULD STILL HAVE FUNDS RESERVED TO PURCHASE A NEW GENERATOR IF WE CAN GET TO THAT POINT THIS YEAR.
WE'RE STILL EXPLORING WHAT SCOPE WE WANT THAT PROJECT TO ENTAIL.
BUT THERE ARE 12-14 MONTH LEAD TIMES FOR GENERATORS STILL.
THE EARLIEST IF WE ORDER A GENERATOR THIS FALL, WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT NEXT FALL BEFORE CONSTRUCTION CAN BEGIN.
>> PROBABLY AROUND 50,000 FOR A GENERATOR AND AN AUTOMATIC TRANSFER SWITCH.
>> IF WE COULD GET THIS COST DOWN, WE PROBABLY COULD DO BOTH OF THOSE THINGS?
>> IT COULD COME INTO THAT, BUT WE'VE GOT FUNDING FOR BASICALLY THIS ACCOUNT IS GOING TO FUND THE OPTICS THAT ARE BEING REPLACED AT TWO INTERSECTIONS THIS YEAR.
>> POSSIBLY THE GENERATOR AND TRANSFER SWITCH ACQUISITION THIS YEAR, AND THEN THIS PARKING LOT RESURFACING.
THERE'S SUFFICIENT FUNDING THERE WITH A LITTLE BIT OF CONTINGENCY AS WELL.
>> OVERALL, I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF BEING GOOD PARTNERS WITH THEM ALL.
WE HAD LOTS OF ISSUES CAME UP OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS WHEN MARK LIST WAS BEING BUILT EVERY TIME CBL WERE DECENT PARTNERS TO WORK WITH WITH THIS PROCESS.
THEY DID A LAND SWAP TO PROVIDE FOR THIS TO BEGIN WITH, WHICH HELPED MAKE IT POSSIBLE. WE DON'T WANT TO SQUEEZE THEM.
OUR MALL IS VULNERABLE, AND WE WANT TO BE FAIR WITH THEM.
BUT THE FACT THAT WE AREN'T OBLIGATED TO DO THIS DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULDN'T CONSIDER, AND I THINK THIS IS A REASONABLE PROPOSAL YOU'RE BRINGING FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU. UNDERSTANDING THAT WHICH I'VE JUST NOW LEARNING THAT THE GENERATOR IS A LONGER PROCESS THAN WHAT COULD BE ENACTED TODAY, ARE THERE CONSEQUENCES TO US NOT MOVING FORWARD WITH THE GENERATOR,
[02:15:03]
AND HOW OFTEN DOES THAT SERVICE CENTER GO LOSE POWER FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD THAT REDUCES TOWNSHIP SERVICES?>> POWER OUTAGES ARE HIGHLY UNPREDICTABLE, BUT THE GENERATOR IS STILL FUNCTIONING.
IT RUNS A TEST CYCLE EVERY MONTH OR WEEKLY, I FORGET IF IT'S WEEKLY OR MONTHLY, SO I HAD NO ISSUES WITH THE TEST CYCLE, BUT IT IS THE ORIGINAL GENERATOR FROM 1988.
>> ONE MORE QUESTION. STICKING ON THE THEME OF NON CAR TRANSPORT ON CENTRAL PARK DRIVE.
COULD YOU ILLUMINATE AS TO WHAT BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE AND SIDEWALKS ARE RIGHT NEXT TO THAT MARKETPLACE IN THE GREEN.
IF NOTHING ELSE, JUST TO SHOW RESIDENTS THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF WAYS TO GET TO THIS AMAZING ASSET THAT WE HAVE?
>> YES, CERTAINLY, TRUSTEE LENTZ.
ONE MOMENT REAL QUICK. I'M GOING TO PULL UP GOOGLE EARTH.
THE MARKET PLACE ON THE GREEN IS LOCATED RIGHT HERE.
THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP LARGE DOG PARK IS ACROSS THE STREET ON THE NORTH SIDE OF CENTRAL PARK DRIVE./ THE EXISTING CROSSWALK RIGHT HERE DOES HAVE AN RR FB, A RAPID RECTANGULAR FLASHING BEACON.
THOSE ARE THE FLASHING BEACON LIGHTS THAT WARNING MOTORISTS THAT A PEDESTRIAN IS AT THE CROSSWALK AND ANTICIPATING TO CROSS.
THANK YOU. IT IS ONE OF ABOUT A DOZEN CROSSWALKS IN THE TOWNSHIP THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH AN RRFB.
>> THANK YOU. I KNOW WE'VE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT THE FEELING OF SAFETY ON THE ROADS, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. ONE LAST QUESTION.
CONSIDERING, AS WE'VE ALL PROBABLY SEEN, THIS IS NOT THE ONLY AREA WHERE MARKETPLACE ON THE GREEN ATTENDEES PARK DURING THOSE WEEKENDS IS IT REASONABLE TO ASSUME THAT WE WOULD AGAIN BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS FOR ANOTHER SECTION OF PARKING SPACE, MAYBE IN A COUPLE OF YEARS IF THEY WANT TO REDO THAT.
I'M STRUGGLING TO REMEMBER THE EXACT CONDITIONS OF EACH OF THE PARKING LOTS, BUT JUST WANT YOUR INTERPRETATION, DR. RASINSKI?
>> IF YOU WANT, I CAN HANDLE THAT BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE CONVOLUTED.
>> THE LAND OWNERSHIP AT THE BALL SITE IS VERY CONVOLUTED.
THIS PARCEL IS OWNED BY YONKERS.
TECHNICALLY, I THINK THAT'S NOW OWNED BY ASHLEY FURNITURE.
I BELIEVE IT'S OWNED BY HIGH CALIBER TODAY.
BUT MY POINT IS THAT IT'S NOT OWNED BY CBL.
THIS PARKING, WELL, OUR PATRONS AT THE MARKET DO USE IT.
THIS PARKING IS NOT REALLY EVEN REMOTELY WITHIN THIS.
IT DOESN'T PERTAIN TO THIS OPERATING AGREEMENT.
IT'S JUST, WHERE PATRONS HAPPEN TO PARK AND BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH PARKING IN HIGH CALIBER DOESN'T ENFORCE PARKING IN THEIR PARKING LOT, PATRONS ARE WELCOMED TO PARK THERE.
THIS WOULD NOT FALL UNDER THIS AGREEMENT.
AT ONE POINT, THIS YEAR, IT WAS A PROJECT TO RESURFACE BOTH OF THESE PARKING LOTS.
OUR DISCUSSIONS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN, SHOULD WE PAY FOR THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF 200 PARKING SPACES? OR SHOULD WE CONSIDER PAYING FOR 200 PARKING SPACES AND THE SERVICE DRIVES THAT ARE CONTIGUOUS THAT SERVICE THOSE PARKING SPACES OR SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE? THAT'S WHERE WE'VE BEEN INTERNALLY, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT.
>> TRUSTEE LENTZ TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO NON MOTORIZED VEHICLES.
WE DO HAVE A BIKE REPAIR STATION, A BIKE RACK.
WE DO ENCOURAGE THAT THERE AT THE MARKETPLACE AS WELL. QUITE A FEW PEOPLE DO.
>> THANK YOU. I HAVE, AND I APPRECIATE THE EXPLANATION ON THE DIFFERENT PARKING LOTS.
I DID NOT WANT TO GET INTO A PROCESS OF BEING INVOLVED IN REPAVING MULTIPLE LOTS.
BUT HIGH CALIBER IS A GREAT PARTNER, AND WE LOVE THEM IN THE TOWNSHIP, SO APPRECIATE THEM.
>> THAT IS THE INTENT OF THE AGREEMENT THAT WOULD BE MEMORIALIZED AND EXECUTED ALONG WITH ANY AGREEMENT THAT WE REACHED WITH THE MALL ON SHARED FUNDING OF THE PARKING THAT WE WOULD NOT BE WAIVING OUR RIGHT.
BASICALLY, THEY COULD NOT COME BACK AND SAY, YOU SET A PRECEDENT IN 2025 WHEN YOU FUNDED A PORTION OF THE PARKING LOT RESURFACING.
THEY'D BE WAIVING ANY RIGHT TO MAKE THAT CLAIM IN THE FUTURE.
[02:20:02]
>> I THINK I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES THAT IF THERE'S ROOM TO NEGOTIATE A LITTLE BIT JUST BASED ON THE DAYS OF USAGE, I THINK THAT'S WORTH EXPLORING.
I THINK ONE OF THEM MAY HAVE BEEN JUST ANSWERED ANYWAY, SO FORGIVE ME.
THE RING ROAD TO THE SERVICE ROAD IS NOT AT ALL INCLUDED IN THIS RESURFACING?
>> THEN I ASSUME THAT THIS IS A FULL REPAVING WITH RESTRIPING AND ALL OF THAT.
>> I WAS ACTUALLY VERY PLEASED WITH THE SCOPE THAT THE MALL CHOSE.
SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO DO FULL DEPTH REMOVAL OF ASPHALT.
THEY'RE GOING TO CEMENT STABILIZE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE TREATMENTS THAT I'VE BEEN EDUCATING YOU ALL ON THAT WE UTILIZE ON THE LOCAL ROAD PROGRAM.
WE'RE UTILIZING IT ON LAC DU MONT TOMORROW.
WE UTILIZED IT ON THE LAKE ROADS, HICKORY ISLAND, CARLTON, ETC LAST YEAR.
THEN THEY'RE BASICALLY GLUING THE SOILS TOGETHER WITH ABOUT 3-4% OF DRY MIXED CEMENT.
THAT WILL GLUE THOSE SOILS TOGETHER ADDING STRENGTH, AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO DO A THREE INCH HMA SURFACE HOT MIX ASPHALT.
>> THE REASON I ASKED SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO RESTRIPING.
WHEN WE HAD OUR LISTENING SESSION A MONTH OR SO AGO, A COUPLE OF RESIDENTS CAME UP TO ME AFTERWARD AND WERE ASKING ABOUT ACCESSIBLE PARKING FOR THE MARKET PLACE.
SPECIFICALLY, THEIR CONCERN WAS WHEN THE MARKET IS ACTIVE OR DURING SPECIAL EVENTS LIKE CELEBRATE MERIDIAN, THE SPACES THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE USED FOR ACCESSIBLE PARKING ON THE MARKET ITSELF ARE OCCUPIED BY VENDORS WHO ARE BLOCKED OFF BY FENCING.
THEY WERE ASKING IF IT WAS POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL ACCESSIBLE SPACES JUST ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THAT SERVICE ROAD SO THAT THERE'S MORE ACCESSIBLE PARKING THERE FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED IT.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO WORK THAT INTO WHATEVER PROPOSAL THEY'RE WORKING ON?
>> WE ABSOLUTELY CAN. WE'VE HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
WE'VE ACTUALLY PUT UP TEMPORARY HANDICAP SIGNS IN THE MEANTIME TO TRY TO ACCOMMODATE SOME OF THAT.
BUT I WOULD EXPECT THAT WE COULD USE THAT WHOLE FIRST ROW AS ACCESSIBLE PARKING.
>> THANK YOU. OTHERWISE, I DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH DOING THIS.
THERE'S A REASON WHY THEY'RE DOING THIS, AND IT IS OF BENEFIT TO US FOR OUR EVENTS AND FOR OUR MARKET PLACE.
IS THERE SOME WIGGLE ROOM ON THE PRICING, MAYBE AND I THINK THE SEPARATE AGREEMENT SUGGESTION FROM THE LAWYERS IS WISE.
BUT OTHERWISE, NO ISSUE FROM MY END.
ANYONE ELSE? WE'LL SEE YOU BACK SOON.
>> NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 12 COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.
ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO MAKE COMMENTS AT THIS TIME?
>> SEEING NONE. PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSE AT 8:21.
[NOISE] OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS,
[13. OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBERCOMMENTS]
AND OTHER MATTERS AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS THIS EVENING.WELL, I'LL PUT IN MY PLUG AS A REMINDER TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF WHAT CLERK DEMAS MENTIONED THAT WE DO HAVE AN ELECTION COMING UP TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY.
ABSENTEE BALLOTS HAVE BEEN MAILED OUT, BUT IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO REQUEST ONE.
YOU CAN ALWAYS COME INTO THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND REQUEST A BALLOT OR COME TO YOUR POLLING PLACE ON ELECTION DAY OR EARLY VOTING HERE AT TOWNSHIP HALL.
LOTS OF DIFFERENT AVENUES TO EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE, AND CERTAINLY WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO DO SO.
WITH THAT SAID, WE COME TO ITEM 14,
[14. CLOSED SESSION]
AND I'LL POINT OUT BEFORE WE MAKE THIS MOTION HERE.THIS IS THE LAST ITEM THAT'S ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING EXCEPT FOR ADJOURNMENT.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, DO WITH THAT INFORMATION, WHAT YOU WILL.
SAME FOR OUR VIEWING PUBLIC AT HOME, UP TO YOU.
BRINGS US TO OUR CLOSED SESSION.
DO YOU HAVE A MOTION TO ENTER CLOSED SESSION THIS EVENING?
>> YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY READ IT, I'M SORRY. IT'S UNDER AGENDA.
>> MOTION TO ENTER CLOSED SESSION UNDER MCL 15.268 OR ONE FOR N H TO CONSULT WITH TOWNSHIP ATTORNEY REGARDING A CONFIDENTIAL WRITTEN LEGAL OPINION.
>> IT'S BEEN MOVED BY TRUSTEE TREZISE.
>> SUPPORTED BY TRUSTEE WILSON.
CLERK DEMAS, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> THANK YOU. [LAUGHTER] IT'S BEEN A WHILE. IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT.
>> I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT, BUT TRUSTEE SUNDLAND.
[02:25:01]
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, IF YOU PLEASE EXCUSE US.
BOARD MEMBERS, LET'S TAKE FIVE MINUTES AND GET SOME WATER AND WHATNOT, AND WE'LL COME BACK AT ABOUT 8:30.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.