[00:11:52]
[00:11:53]
>> YOUR FAMILY'S HALF OF THEM. [LAUGHTER]
[00:11:55]
>> ONE YEAR. [BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER]
>> WHO'S THIS COUSIN? [LAUGHTER] BRING THE WRIST. WHO'S THIS COUSIN?
>> THANK YOU. I'M SORRY, LATE.
>> THANK YOU. THIS IS MY LAST MEETING.
>> WE VOTED TO SUSPEND THE RULES IN HAND, CHANGE YOUR TERMS [LAUGHTER] [INAUDIBLE] WE HAVE AMENDED THE CONSTITUTION.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU CAN DO THAT. IT YOUR ASK TO ENTERTAIN THAT MOTION.
>> I DON'T THINK SHE'S GOING TO. [LAUGHTER]
>> YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT BEFORE I GOT HERE, BECAUSE NOW IT'S TOO LATE. [LAUGHTER]
>> I AM VERY SORRY THAT I WAS HELD UP AT WORK A LITTLE BIT.
I'M SORRY I'M LATE. I'M READY WHENEVER YOU ARE. WE'RE GOOD TO GO.
>> LET'S CALL TO ORDER. [LAUGHTER]
[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER ]
>> I'M SURE THEY'RE ALL TUNED IN ONLINE.
I'M GOING TO CALL THE JANUARY 12TH, 2026, FIRST MEETING OF THE YEAR OF THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION TO ORDER AT 6:42 P.M. WE'LL START WITH ROLL CALL.
ACTUALLY, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A QUICK MOMENT AND JUST WELCOME OUR NEW COMMISSIONER.
MAYBE I'LL JUST HAVE YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF, AND THEN WE'LL THE FORMAL ROLL CALL IF YOU DON'T MIND.
MY NAME IS JOSH NAM, OR DR. NAM.
I'VE BEEN VERY INTERESTED IN THE WORK THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOES.
I'VE BEEN A PRETTY LOYAL ATTENDEE.
I'M HAPPY TO JOIN THE GROUP, AND I HAVE A LOT OF IDEAS ON FOR SELF IMPROVEMENT AS WELL AS THINGS THAT PERHAPS THE BOARD MIGHT TAKE ON IF IT MAKES SENSE, BUT REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE.
>> WONDERFUL. WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU.
GLAD THAT THE BOARD PUT US BACK TO FULL COMPLIMENT AGAIN.
OBVIOUSLY, COMMISSIONER NAM IS HERE.
COMMISSIONER, HOW ABOUT MCCONNELL?
>> [LAUGHTER] COMMISSIONER MCCURTIS.
>> THE CHAIR IS HERE. WE HAVE EVERYONE. THANK YOU.
HOW ABOUT A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA?
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
>> I MOVE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
>> COMMISSIONER MCCURTIS, MOVES. COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL SECONDS.
ANY COMMENTS? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? AGENDA IS APPROVED AS WRITTEN.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER 17TH, 2025 MEETING.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
AS SOMEONE WOULD MAKE A MOTION.>> I MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
I CAN'T SEE THE DATE. WHATEVER THE LAST DATE.
>> THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BROOKS.
[00:15:01]
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SNYDER.ANY COMMENTS OR?. SEEING, HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 17TH, PLEASE SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? LETS MOVE TO APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
YOU HAVE NO COMMUNICATIONS. IS THAT STILL CORRECT?
[6. COMMUNICATIONS]
>> YOU HAVE A HANDOUT IN FRONT OF YOU ON LETTING YOU KNOW OF UPCOMING JOINT.
THEY'RE ALL BOARD'S MEETING THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD DOES EVERY YEAR.
>> THANK YOU. HERE IS [INAUDIBLE].
PERFECT. THANK YOU, AND THAT IS CAN I SAY THE DATE OUT LOUD?
>> FEBRUARY 10TH. I THINK WE HAVE OUR NEXT MEETING THAT WE CAN TAKE STOCK OF WHO'S GOING TO BE THERE AND WHO REPRESENTS THE BOARD AND ALL OF THAT. IF THAT'S OKAY. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I'LL MAKE THAT OTHER BUSINESS DISCUSSION.
>> PERFECT. THANK YOU. I THINK THERE'S A DUE DATE FOR RSVP.
IF FOLKS HAVE GOTTEN THAT, PLEASE HANDLE THAT SEPARATELY AND JUST LET US KNOW.
PUBLIC HEARINGS, WE HAVE NONE.
WE HAVE NO UNFINISHED BUSINESS,
[9.A. Parking Ordinance Discussion ]
SO WE ARE DOWN TO ITEM 9A, PARKING ORDINANCE DISCUSSION.>> I THINK FOR THE LAST TIME, I'M GOING TO SAY THIS A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
MOVED IN HERE WITH THE 12TH NOW.
YOU GUYS LAST YEAR DID A COUPLE UPDATES TO THE PARKING ORDINANCE.
WE WORKED ON THE LANDSCAPING, WE WORKED ON THE PARKING NUMBER REGULATIONS.
STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING ON THE PARKING ORDINANCE BEHIND THE SCENES FOR A LONG TIME, AND WE'LL LET YOU KNOW THAT WE WERE GOING TO JUST BRING THE REST OF IT TO YOU.
THERE'S A LOT OF NUTS AND BOLTS THAT'S LEFT, NOT BIG PIECES.
LET ME ZOOM IN ON THIS A LITTLE BIT, AND I'M JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH VERY QUICKLY, GIVE YOU A HIGH LEVEL, GIVE YOU SOME HIGHLIGHTS, WHAT WE'VE SUGGESTING.
THIS IS A STARTING POINT, AND I'LL JUST TAKE IT FROM THERE.
SECTION 2 HERE, THERE'S A FLOOR AREA DEFINED DEFINITION IN THE PARKING ORDINANCE.
THERE'S ALSO ONE IN THE MAIN SECTION IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE, IN THE DEFINITION SECTION.
>> WE MIGHT REMOVE THAT LONG-TERM, IF OTHERWISE, BY INSERTING THIS SENTENCE HERE, IT MAKES IT CONSISTENT WITH THAT OTHER DEFINITION.
THAT'S A DISCUSSION WE CAN HAVE, NOT A BIG DEAL.
SECTION 6 HERE, THERE IS A QUESTION HERE ABOUT WHETHER WE NEED A PARKING MAXIMUM OR NOT.
THAT'S WHAT'S TALKING ABOUT THERE. THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES PROVIDED ON ANY DEVELOPMENT SITE SHALL NOT EXCEED MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS BY MORE THAN 20%.
THAT SUGGESTION. NOW, THAT GOES ALONG WITH YOUR PAST PHILOSOPHY ON THESE UPDATES, LOOKING TO REDUCE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE.
OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU PUT A CAP ON COMMERCIAL SPACES, THEN YOU ARE PUTTING A CAP ON IMPERVIOUS SPACE FOR THAT PARKING LOT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS CAN HASH OUT AS WE GO THROUGH THIS.
UP IN THE TOP HERE, AS THE LANGUAGE GOES OVER HERE, FOR EXISTING BUILDINGS, THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MAY PERMIT REDUCTION OF COMBINED PARKING REQUIREMENTS BY 25%.
WHERE THE OWNER PROVIDES WRITTEN EVIDENCE, WHAT DOES THAT WRITTEN EVIDENCE LOOK LIKE? IF YOU GUYS ARE OKAY WITH THAT, WHAT DOES THAT ORDINANCE LOOK LIKE? DEED RESTRICTIONS, CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL, IF IT'S AN FTP, THAT THING.
AGAIN, THAT'S A DISCUSSION THAT WE CAN HAVE IN THE FUTURE.
ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN UPDATED, SO NONE OF THIS IS IN RED ANYMORE.
HERE, STAFF HAD PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO DUPLICATE THE INFORMATION ON NUMBER OF REQUIRED ACCESSIBLE SPACES ON A DEVELOPMENT.
I CAN TELL YOU RECENTLY, THIS NUMBER HERE, THIS ONE SPACE NEEDED FOR UP TO 25, AND THE 25-50 REQUIRES TWO, THAT'S LEGIT, BUT THIS INFORMATION APPEARS IN THE MICHIGAN BUILDING CODE.
WHETHER IT NEEDS TO APPEAR IN TWO PLACES OR NOT, IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR DEVELOPERS WHO SAYS, HEY, CAN YOU SEND ME YOUR PARKING ORDINANCE?
[00:20:01]
HERE'S OUR PARKING ORDINANCE, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, AN ARCHITECT OR A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, WHOEVER IS DOING OR AN ENGINEER SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THAT ANYWAY.IF YOU GUYS LIKE THIS, WE'LL JUST MAKE SURE IT'S CONSISTENT.
YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT TO JUST PUT LANGUAGE IN THERE ACCESSIBLE SPACES AS DEFINED IN THE MICHIGAN BUILDING CODE, BECAUSE IF THE BUILDING CODE CHANGES AND ENDS UP WITH DIFFERENT NUMBERS, AND THE ZONING ORDINANCE HAS NUMBERS, AND WE SUDDENLY HAVE TO DO A TEXT AMENDMENT, BUT JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT IN THE FUTURE.
THERE'S LANDSCAPING LANGUAGE IN THE PARKING ORDINANCE RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S A LOT OF CLARIFICATION AND CONSOLIDATION GOING ON HERE IN ALL OF THIS RED TEXT.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING PARTICULARLY NEW, BUT IT IS STREAMLINED AND EASIER TO READ. TAKE A LOOK.
BUT ANYWAY, IT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF CHANGES.
THEN MOVING FORWARD FROM THAT, THIS IS THE LANDSCAPING STUFF.
WE DID THE PARKING LOT LANDSCAPING.
THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHANGED. I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.
THEN SECTION 13, SOME PARKING DEFERRAL LANGUAGE.
THAT'S IN THERE, JUST SOME AMENDED LANGUAGE.
THEN, GOING TO 14, WE HAVE SOME BICYCLE PARKING LANGUAGE IN THE ORDINANCE ALREADY, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF LOOKING AT THAT.
WE MIGHT COME BACK LATER WITH MORE BICYCLE STUFF, BUT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT IF YOU WANT TO REALLY GO AFTER THIS HARDCORE.
THEN STEFF IS SUGGESTING LET'S ADD A NEW SECTION TO ADDRESS ELECTRIC VEHICLE STATIONS AND HAS SOME PROPOSED LANGUAGE IN THERE FOR YOUR DISCUSSION.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFIC TO SAY ABOUT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU'VE READ IT, AND YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, I CAN TALK TO YOU AND ANSWER QUESTIONS.
OTHERWISE, WE ARE JUST AT THE BEGINNING OF A DISCUSSION PHASE AND NOT EVEN THINKING ABOUT WINDOW SCHEDULE HEARINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AT THIS POINT.
>> COMMISSIONER ROMBACK. COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL.
I NOTED A COUPLE OF TIMES THAT IT LOOKS LIKE THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IS BEING EMPOWERED IN A COUPLE OF SECTIONS, SO I'M LOOKING AT SPECIFICALLY PAGE 21D, AND THERE WAS ANOTHER SECTION.
>> CAN YOU GIVE ME A SECTION NUMBER?
>> YES, 21D LOOKS LIKE THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WAS ADDED HERE AS AN AUTHORITY, AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER INSTANCE HOLD ON.
MY QUESTION ISN'T ON ANY OF THESE, BUT IS, IS IT COMMON THAT THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT HAS SUCH AUTHORITY?
>> IN THIS CASE, YES, CAUSE REMEMBER, THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOESN'T REVIEW SITE PLANS?
>> IF SOMETHING COMES IN AND IT DOESN'T REQUIRE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, BUT IT DOES REQUIRE SITE PLAN APPROVAL, THE PLANNING COMMISSION ISN'T GOING TO SEE THAT, SO THE PLANNING COMMISSION ISN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ACTION ON A DEFERRAL.
DO YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN? IN THAT CASE, THE DIRECTOR IS THE OVERSEEING BODY.
THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON IN THOSE CASES.
>> SIMILARLY, PAGE 23, PARKING REDUCTION ALSO PERMISSIABLE, UNDER SOME SPLIT PROCESS BASED ON THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY PLANNING OR PLANNING COMMISSION, BASED ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES?
>> TWO THINGS, NITPICK COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR OF NAME, THE TITLE CHANGED A COUPLE OF TIMES.
IT WAS SHORTENED TO DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
OTHER TIMES IT REACHED THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
ALSO, I, OF COURSE, WILL WANT TO DIVE IN FULLY ON THE NON-AUTOMOBILE PARKING PORTIONS.
AS YOU WERE INTRODUCING, I SAW THE PREAMBLE INSERTED BICYCLES AS WELL AS MOTOR VEHICLES,
[00:25:04]
AND THEN THERE'S A SEPARATE SECTION TOWARDS THE BOTTOM, AND I WAS CURIOUS, DO WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT CLARIFIES FOR THE FIRST-TIME LEADER THAT MOST OF THIS ORDINANCE LANGUAGE ON PARKING SPACES IS DIRECTED AT MOTOR VEHICLES SO ALL THAT STUFF ABOUT NUMBERS IS ALL ABOUT MOTOR VEHICLE PARKING, WHEREAS THE NON-MOTOR VEHICLE OR OTHER VEHICLE PARKING IS ADDRESSED LATER JUST SO PEOPLE DON'T GET HUNG UP AS THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, THAT THOSE ARE REALLY APPLYING TO PARKING SPACES IN A TRADITIONAL SENSE.>> FORGIVE ME. YOU'RE LOOKING FOR LANGUAGE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE ORDINANCE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT GOES, BUT THE SECTION TWO ONTO WHATEVER IT IS, SEVEN OR 10, WHEN WE GET INTO THE BICYCLE PARKING, THAT ALL OF THOSE SECTIONS RELATE TO TRADITIONAL MOTOR VEHICLE PARK.
AT THE SAME TIME, AS WE'RE FINDING OUT VERY QUICKLY ON THE MSU CAMPUS, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS THAT GET PARKED IN NON-MOTOR VEHICLE PARKING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CALL MICRO MOBILITY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BECAUSE PEOPLE END UP PARKING ALL SORTS OF THINGS AT BIKE RACKS THESE DAYS.
SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE BECAUSE THEY TAKE UP THE SAME SPACE, BUT SOMETIMES IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT WHETHER WE WANT TO BE MORE SPECIFIC OR JUST OR NOT.
WE'VE SEEN SOME HUGE CHANGES JUST FOR BACKGROUND ON CAMPUS.
WE SPENT A COUPLE OF YEARS, 10 YEARS AGO, FIGURING OUT HOW MANY CAR PARKING SPACES TO CONVERT INTO MOPED PARKING.
THE MOPEDS WEREN'T CLOGGING UP THE BIKE RACKS.
WE WENT AND TOOTH AND NAIL TO PARKING, AND WE PUT THE BOLTS IN THE GROUND.
>> I NOTICED THEY'RE ALL SCOOTERS.
>> THEY DON'T PARK THERE. THEY PARK AT THE BIKE RACKS, WHICH, FOR THE MOST PART, ISN'T A PROBLEM EXCEPT FOR THE REALLY BIG ONES.
THE NUMBER OF BICYCLES ON CAMPUSES REMAINED FAIRLY STEADY, BUT THE NUMBER OF SCOOTERS IS OFF THE CHARTS.
NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SKATEBOARD PARKING.
PEOPLE COME INTO THE CLASSROOM WITH LONGBOARDS THAT TAKE UP AN EXTRA SEAT.
THE LOT OF UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO IN CALIFORNIA, THEY'VE GOT ACTUAL RACKS THAT YOU CAN HANG ALONG BOARD ON OUTSIDE.
I'M JUST THROWING COMPLICATIONS HERE TO MAKE YOUR LIFE HARDER.
>> WELL, IT'S YOUR LIFE. YOU MAY SUGGEST CHANGES TO STAFF.
>> WE LIVE HERE TOO. [LAUGHTER]
>> I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S RELATED, BUT, NOW YOU'RE GIVING ME THESE FLASHBACKS.
REMEMBER READING ABOUT MSU, THEY'RE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH WHAT, LIME SCOOTERS AND ANOTHER BRAND, AND BEING LEFT AROUND.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF THAT PLAYS INTO THIS AT ALL, BECAUSE THOSE ARE NON-AUTOMOBILE AND ARGUE.
LEAVING ONE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ISN'T EXACTLY PARKING IT.
>> THERE'S ALSO THE RELATED ISSUE CHALLENGE OF ELECTRIC ASSIST FULLY ELECTRIC BIKES, WHICH GET INTO FULL-ON ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLES.
ON OUR RIVER TRAIL, WE'VE GOT PEOPLE GOING 40 MILES AN HOUR ON ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLES, AND THAT'S NOT A PARKING ISSUE.
UNTIL THEY PARK AT A BIKE RACK.
I'M ENCOURAGING US TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THINGS WE'RE SEEING HERE IN THE TOWNSHIP, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY VERY DIFFERENT FROM CAMPUS, BUT SOME OF OUR TOWNSHIP BORDERS CAMPUS AND HAS ALL THOSE ASSOCIATED VEHICLES COMING BACK IN THE EVENINGS.
WE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THAT WHEN HANNA LOS WAS BUILT.
WE HAD PARKING SPACES PER BED AND ALL THAT STUFF AND BIKE RACKS AND THINGS, BUT WHERE DO ALL THE SCOOTERS GO?
>> IT'S ALMOST LIKE IT WOULD ALMOST BEHOOVE US TO THINK ABOUT A CATEGORY BECAUSE ALMOST WHAT YOU'RE SAYING WITH MSU IS YOU ATTACKED AN ISSUE WITH MOPEDS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND NOW YOU'RE LEFT WITH THE MOTORIZED SCOOTER, OR SOMETHING ELSE.
IT'S LIKE GOING AFTER SOMETHING MOTORIZED SCOOTER SEEMS FOOLISH IF THIS CONTINUES TO EVOLVE EVERY TWO YEARS.
IT'S LIKE, SO CAN YOU CREATE A CATCH-ALL CATEGORY ABOUT ALL OTHER TYPES OF PARKING WITHOUT IT BEING ONEROUS?
>> I THINK THAT GETS TO SOME OTHER THINGS.
I'VE HEARD COMMISSIONER BROOKS ASK A LOT ABOUT MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM PARKING AND LIMITS, AND TRYING TO NOT DISCOURAGE DEVELOPMENT, BUT LIMIT SOME OF THE IMPERVIOUS.
I THINK I'M ATTRIBUTING THAT TO YOU.
I HOPE THAT I'M DOING THAT CORRECTLY?
[00:30:02]
>> BUT I GUESS I'D BE CURIOUS TO KNOW IF YOU FEEL LIKE THE PROPOSED CHANGES REALLY GET AT THE THINGS THAT YOU AND THE STAFF HAVE SEEN COME UP IN RECENT DEVELOPMENTS.
HAVE WE HAD TOO MANY PARKING SPACES REQUIRED, AND THAT WAS THE IMPEDIMENT, OR HAVE WE HAD NOT ENOUGH, AND THEY WANTED MORE? DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE CHANGES YOU'VE PROPOSED HIT AT THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE SEEN RECENTLY?
>> WELL, WE DO HAVE EXISTING LANGUAGE IN COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS FOR PARKING MAXIMUMS. FAMOUSLY, TRADER JOE'S GOT A VARIANCE TO GO BEYOND THAT, AND THAT WOULD ALWAYS BE A MECHANISM IF SOMEBODY THOUGHT THEY NEEDED MORE.
GENERALLY, AND I CAN SPEAK FOR ALL THE PLANNERS IN THE OFFICE, WHEN I SAY THIS, IN THE COURSE OF OUR CAREERS, WE DON'T SEE DEVELOPERS ASKING TO BUILD MORE PARKING.
THEY DON'T MAKE ANY MONEY ON THOSE.
THE ARGUMENT IS TYPICALLY, YOU'RE ASKING FOR TOO MUCH.
CAN WE DO LESS? I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE A BURDENSOME ORDINANCE.
IF YOU GOT SOMEBODY IN WHO SAID, I THINK WE NEED MORE, HERE'S OUR DATA, GO TO ZBA AND GET IT, AND THEY'VE SHOWN A WILLINGNESS TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
>> I THINK IT DOES. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS BASED IN REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE THAT YOU'VE AND TRYING TO ADDRESS ISSUES THAT YOU THINK WILL BE HELPFUL TO ALL OF US.
>> I'LL ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IN THIS WAY.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED HISTORICALLY IN THIS TOWNSHIP IN THE BIG BOX AREA THAT MAYBE WOULDN'T HAVE AS MUCH PARKING IF IT CAME IN TODAY.
I STILL THINK WOULD HAVE ADEQUATE PARKING. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
>> IT DOES. THIS CODIFIES THAT.
>> THERE'S MANY BIG BOX RETAILERS THAT I HAVE BEEN TO JUST THIS PAST WEEKEND THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN THE PARKING LOTS FOR EVER.
BUT GIVEN YOU A FLIP SIDE, THOUGH, SO LET'S BE REALLY HONEST HERE.
IF TRADER JOE'S WANTS TO COME SOMEWHERE, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO MODIFY WHATEVER YOU NEED TO GET A TRADER JOE'S BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TRADER JOE'S.
PEOPLE BACK IN THE DAY ONE OF THE BIG BOX STORES.
THEY HAVE THE ECONOMIC GRAVITAS TO MOVE IT.
BUT I THINK MORE ABOUT IT BECAUSE MY BUGABOO HAS BEEN RESTAURANTS.
I WANT BETTER RESTAURANTS. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS.
IF A RESTAURANT WANTS MORE OR LESS, THEY MIGHT JUST HEAR NO, BECAUSE THEY MIGHT THINK, WELL, NOBODY'S EVER GOING TO CHANGE IT.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO CHANGE FOR A SMALL AMOUNT OF A POP RESTAURANT, THE WAY YOU MIGHT DO A VARIANCE FOR A BIG BOX STORE.
THAT'S ALL MY THOUGHT IS JUST SOMETHING THAT WOULD ALLOW SOME FLEXIBILITY FOR NOT JUST THE BIG BOX STORES, BUT FOR SMALLER TYPES THAT WE NEED.
>> WE COULD LOOK AT ANYTHING, SAYING HOW AM I THINK, BECAUSE YOU END UP PUTTING UP WITH THE FLOOR-CEILING IDEA.
THAT'S ULTIMATELY THE FLOOR OF THIS MANY OR THE MAX THAT HERE.
HOW DO YOU PLAY WITHIN THAT STRUCTURE? I THINK WE COULD USE A FEW BETTER RESTAURANTS RIGHT HERE. THAT'S JUST ME.
>> COMMISSIONER ROW, ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU THINK THAT THERE'S A PARKING ISSUE WITH RESTAURANTS?
>> I WOULD NOT WANT PARKING TO GET IN THE WAY OF US GETTING BETTER RESTAURANTS. HOW'S THAT?
>> ON EITHER END OF THE SPECTRUM.
>> SINCE I'VE BEEN ASKED FOR REAL-WORLD EXAMPLES, THAT HAS NOT BEEN A PROBLEM.
I GUESS PANDA IS OUR LAST RESTAURANT THAT'S COME THROUGH HERE.
THEY WERE ESPECIALLY THESE PERMIT BECAUSE THEY HAD A DRIVE-THROUGH.
WANT TO DRIVE THROUGH. LET ME DO THAT.
I'LL GO BACK AND LOOK AT PANDA, SEE WHAT THEIR MINIMUM WAS, SEE WHAT THEY ENDED UP AT.
DO THEY FIT INTO THIS? THAT HELP?
>> I THINK THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING AND TAKE THEM WORTH SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY SAID THERE'S A DRIVE-THROUGH.
BUT THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO GET SOME PEOPLE PHYSICALLY SITTING IN THE STORE.
>> YOU MENTIONED THAT TYPICALLY WE TEND TO FOCUS ON TRYING TO REDUCE OVERCONSTRUCTION OF PARKING AND THAT APPLICANTS TYPICALLY AREN'T TRYING TO OVERBUILD.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE MINIMA ARE THERE TO PROTECT AN ADJOINING BUSINESS FROM HAVING ITS PARKING USED.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THIS MIX OF LAND USES CREATE STAGGERED PERIODS WHERE THAT SHARED PARKING.
[00:35:02]
I'VE NOTICED A COUPLE OF PLACES WHERE THAT SHARED PARKING IS RESTRICTED BY ONE BUSINESS TO TRY TO PROTECT THEIR PARKING FROM THAT PROBLEM, SO THAT'S PERCEIVED BY AT LEAST ONE BUSINESS THAT I'VE RECOGNIZED AS A REAL ISSUE.>> A COUPLE OF OBSERVATIONS, THE BANK IN THE HOBBY LOBBY PARKING LOT REPLACED DOZENS OF PARKING SPACES THAT WERE NEVER USED.
>> THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN USED FOR TRADER JOE'S.
CUSTOMERS THERE NOT BEEN A BANK BUILT ON THAT ORDER.
THE OTHER OBSERVATION RIGHT NEXT DOOR, WHEN I SAW THE STARBUCKS BEING BUILT, I THOUGHT, LOOK AT ALL THOSE PARKING SPACES.
WHY ARE THERE SO MANY PARKING SPACES? NOW I GO BY AND THE PARKING SPACES ARE FULL AND I'M THINKING, WHY ARE PEOPLE DRIVING AND SITTING IN THAT LITTLE TINY STAR? BUT THEY DO?
THOSE ARE JUST OBSERVATIONS OF THINGS THAT HAVE TURNED OUT DIFFERENTLY THAN I EXPECTED.
>> I KNOW THAT SOME FOLKS HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE POWER OF MARKETS AT SOME POINTS ON THIS PANEL, AND I FEEL LIKE HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT REMOVING THE MINIMUM?
>> WE DISCUSSED THAT WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE PARKING NUMBERS AND DECIDED THAT WASN'T A GOOD DIRECTION TO GO IN FOR THE TOWNSHIP.
MY UNDERSTANDING, ANYWAY, SEEING THE PLANNING LITERATURE THAT APPROACH WORKS REALLY WELL IN A DOWNTOWN AREA.
YOU TALK ABOUT WANTING TO KILL A RESTAURANT.
YOU HAVE PARKING STANDARDS APPLIED UNILATERALLY, AND THEN SOMEONE WANTS TO GO INTO YOUR CORE.
YOU'RE KILLING THEM WITH PARKING.
THAT'S NOT AN ADVANTAGEOUS SITUATION.
IT IS SOMETHING IF YOU WANTED TO BRING IT UP AGAIN, WE COULD TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN, BUT WE'VE HAD THAT DISCUSSION.
>> YEAH. I'M ALWAYS IN FAVOR OF BRINGING IT UP AGAIN.
[LAUGHTER] WELL, AND I'M SAYING IT NOW AGAIN, BECAUSE I WANT TO COME BACK TO COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL'S NOTION OF ALTERNATIVE VEHICLES OR ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION.
THAT'S THE WORD. BUT BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE IT'S ALMOST LIKE PARKING SHOULD HAVE A CARVE OUT FOR SPACE FOR ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION ALMOST, THAT CAN BE ADAPTABLE TO WHATEVER THE CURRENT ERA IS.
LET'S SAY THIS DECADE, IT'S I DON'T KNOW, WHAT WERE THEY MODS? IT SCOOTERS OR WHATEVER THEY ARE.
BUT THEN, LET'S SAY THE NEXT DECADE, IT BECOMES HOVER BOARDS.
BUT I'M SAYING IT OUT THOUGH BECAUSE [LAUGHTER] IF THE SPACE TURNS INTO A CAR PARKING LOT, IT'S UNLIKELY TO BE RE PURPOSED OR SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT IF IT'S LIKE A PURPOSELY DESIGNED ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION SPACE, THAT IS WE ESTABLISH CRITERIA IN WHICH IT ALLOWS FOR THAT REUSE, THEN IT CAN BE ADAPTED.
NOW, I THINK FOR LIKE BICYCLES, THAT'S A TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'VE HAD FOR DECADES.
>> WELL, YEAH, I KNOW. I WAS SAYING TECHNICALLY CENTURIES, YES.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW OF.
I RIDE MY BIKE ALL OVER THE PLACE AND HAVE BEEN TO MANY PLACES WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY LOCATION FOR IT.
I THINK THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMETHING THAT ALLOWS FOR THAT STUFF.
>> WHAT ARE YOU ENVISIONING LIKE A YELLOW RECTANGLE CONCRETE, SPECIFICALLY MARKED ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION?
>> SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YEAH. LIKE THAT PEOPLE CAN PARK MOPEDS OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT IS MEANT SPECIFICALLY FOR THESE THINGS.
WELL, A MOPED CAN PARK IN A PARKING SPOT.
SURE. YEAH. TAKING THAT ON THE ROAD.
>> BUT THE ISSUE THOUGH WITH THAT THOUGH IS THAT THEN IT TAKES UP ONE OF THE FULL VEHICLE PARKING SPOTS.
>> RIGHT. IT'S A VEHICLE, JUST LIKE A MOTORCYCLE.
MOPEDS STEPS UP TO A MOTORCYCLE.
IF YOU STEP DOWN FROM A MOPED,
[00:40:01]
NOW YOU START TALKING ABOUT WHERE SHOULD THESE GO.I THINK THE CONVERSATION THAT I'M HEARING FROM COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL IS SHOULD E-BIKES BE IN THE SAME SPOT AS NORMAL BIKES.
SO FAR THAT ANSWER IS YES, IF YOU WANT STAFF TO LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES TO THAT, WE CAN LOOK.
>> CARGO BIKE FROM THE TRAILER.
YOU'LL NEVER FIT IN BIKE RACK.
YOU'LL CLOG UP AN ENTIRE BIKE RACK WITH ONE VEHICLE.
>> I THINK YOU GUYS WERE TALKING ABOUT RECUMBENT BIKES TOO.
>> WHICH I SUPPOSE YOU COULD WHEEL UP AND JUST TAKE A PARKING SPOT.
>>I THINK THE CHALLENGE IS WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT PARKING IT ON CAMPUS.
YOU HAVE THESE WHAT IFS AND YOU START PLANNING TOWARDS THOSE THINGS.
IF YOU'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE THEIR USE, YOU NEED TO MAKE IT EASY TO USE THEM.
WE'VE DONE SOME THINGS, I THINK, WITH ROAD DIETS AND CHANGING OF LANES, STRIPING, AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO BUILD BIKE LANES TO ENCOURAGE SAFER USE OF AT LEAST BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER NON CAR.
BUT THEN WHEN YOU GET TO WHERE YOU WANT TO GO, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO PUT IT THERE.
BUT AGAIN, DO YOU TAKE UP ALL OF THE OTHER PARKING SPACES FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF A BIKE WITH A TRAILER OR A RECUMBENT BIKE? WHERE IS THAT TIPPING POINT THAT IF YOU DON'T BUILD IT, THEY MAY NOT COME, BUT IF YOU BUILD IT AND THEY DON'T COME, AND THEN OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT NOT COME EITHER BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND A PLACE TO PARK.
IT'S FINDING THAT FINE BALANCE BETWEEN THEM OR MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR MULTIPLE USES, TOO.
>> YEAH. I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF A RECENT CONVERSATION WE HAD, AS A MATTER OF FACT, SINCE YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.
IT'S NOT NON MOTORIZED, BUT IT'S EV STATIONS.
TALKING TO A POTENTIAL APPLICANT FOR A DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS NOT BEEN SUBMITTED FOR YET.
WE DID ASK IF THEY WERE PLANNING ON DOING ANY EV STATIONS.
THEIR RESPONSE WAS, WHEN WE SEE A DEMAND FOR IT, WE'LL CONVERT A COUPLE OF SPACES TO IT.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET THAT RESPONSE IF YOU START.
IF YOU DO GO UP THE ROUTE OF ALTERNATIVE, I'LL JUST CALL IT ALTERNATIVE NON MOTORIZED PARKING FOR NOW.
I WOULDN'T PRESCRIBE IT, I JUST MAKE IT AVAILABLE. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
>> INCENTIVIZE IT. YOU CAN GET THE PARKING WHAT YOU'VE GOT SHOWING ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW.
YOU CAN REDUCE THE OVERALL REQUIREMENT IF YOU'RE WILLING TO DO SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE INCENTIVIZE.
I THINK THEY'RE WHEN WE'RE DOING LIKE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT WHERE THE NUMBERS COULD CHANGE OR YOU COULD MORE FAVORABLE POINTS TOWARDS YOU IN YOUR MUPUD APPLICATION IF YOU WERE WILLING TO PUT IN SOME OF THESE AMENITIES.
>> YEAH. WE DO THAT WITH OUR BIKE PARKING. YOU'RE RIGHT.
WE CAN GET A REDUCTION IN YOUR VEHICLE PARKING IF YOU DO EXTRA BIKE PARKING.
THAT'S RIGHT. STAFF WILL LOOK AT THIS AND SEE WHAT WE COME UP WITH.
>> HOW THOSE THINGS INTERSECT AND MAYBE BECAUSE ARE THERE OTHER PLACES IN SOME OF THOSE OTHER SECTIONS OF CODE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT BECAUSE THEY ALSO DEAL WITH PARKING THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO TRY TO ALIGN OR WORK TOGETHER WE ALREADY ARE DOING.
>> I WILL JOIN THE CHAIR AND SAY THAT'S A GREAT.
I LIKE INCENTIVES, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO DO IT.
>> WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM US LIKE JUST MORE THOUGHTS ON THINGS TO CONSIDER OR SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON WHAT YOU'VE PUT FORWARD?
>> I'VE GOT A LIST OF STUFF TO LOOK INTO.
I'LL SUPPLY A MORE ROBUST MEMO ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS.
THEN I'LL UPDATE THE DRAFT BASED ON THIS CONVERSATION AND BRING IT BACK FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
>> THAT SOUNDS GOOD TO ME. YEAH.
>> ONLY IF YOU'RE DONE. IF YOU HAVE MORE TO SAY, PLEASE.
>> BEFORE WE [INAUDIBLE] UP ON THIS.
I SECONDED COMMISSIONER ROMBACK'S COMMENTS ON THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
IT JUST SEEMED ODD TO ME THE DIFFERENT PLACES THAT THE DIRECTOR WAS ABLE TO DO THAT, GIVEN THAT WE SCRUBBED THAT LANGUAGE FROM THE VILLAGE OF NAMOKA LAST YEAR.
[00:45:01]
WAS THAT LAST YEAR WHEN WE DID THAT? YEAH. BECAUSE THE VILLAGE OF THE NAMOKA THERE WAS SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IN THERE WHERE THE DIRECTOR HAD PERMISSION TO DO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS.>> I DON'T REMEMBER THE SPECIFIC, I REMEMBER TAKING THAT REFERENCE OUT.
I CAN GET THAT ANSWER FOR YOU, BUT IT WASN'T THE SAME TYPE OF EITHER OR SITUATION.
IT WASN'T, THIS IS AN SUP OR THIS IS A SITE PLAN.
IT WAS ASKING FOR AN INTERPRETATION AND GIVING TWO DIFFERENT BODIES THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THAT.
I WILL SPECIFY THAT AND I WILL GET BACK TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU. IT JUST GAVE ME PAUSE GIVEN WHAT WE DID WITH THAT.
IN SECTION 9, I'LL LET YOU FINISH YOUR NOTE MR. SORKI.
I READ THROUGH THIS SLIGHT REALLY THOROUGHLY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PARKING RESTRICTIONS.
WE'VE GOT OFF STREET PARKING, AND THEN THERE'S DISCUSSION HERE OF PARKING ON NON PAVED OPEN SPACE?
>> YOU CANNOT PARK ON YOUR FRONT LAWN IN SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE.
>> UNLESS THERE'S A TREE YOU CAN.
A LOT OF THIS CODIFIES THIS A LOT BETTER.
YOU CAN SEE THE STRUCK OUT LANGUAGE HERE.
IT SAYS, PARKING ON NON PAVED OPEN SPACE IS PROHIBITED. BUT GO AHEAD.
>> THEN I WAS LIKE, AND I SAW SOME DEFINITION OF, BUT THEN THERE'S MENTION OF GRAVEL BELOW.
HOW DO YOU WRITE THIS SO THAT NO NEW GRAVEL BUT OLD GRAVEL CAN STAY? THEN I WAS LIKE, COULD SOMEBODY JUST PUT DOWN, IS THIS BIASED AGAINST PEOPLE WHO HAVE GRAVEL DRIVEWAYS? IT'S UNPAVED OR GRAVEL DRIVEWAY OR BY USE OF GRAVEL AS A DRIVEWAY?
>> SO THE BLUE LANGUAGE, LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT YOU'RE SEEING.
THERE IS THE RED TEXT IS ORIGINAL SHOWING TEXT CHANGE.
THE BLUE REMEMBER, BECAUSE MULTIPLE STAFF PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THIS DOCUMENT.
SOME STAFF MEMBERS ASKING THE QUESTIONS, HOW DO WE WRITE THIS? IF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS INTERESTED IN ADDRESSING THAT, THAT'S FINE.
WHAT WE CURRENTLY ALLOW GRAVEL RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAYS?
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. I THOUGHT ABOUT THE GRAVEL BEFORE I READ THAT COMMENT BECAUSE I WAS LIKE, SO IN READING THIS, IT SAYS, PARKING ON NON PAVED OPEN SPACES IS PROHIBITED.
THERE WAS LIKE A DIFFERENCE HERE BETWEEN PAVED VERSUS NON PAVED.
I'M JUST LIKE, WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GRAVEL PAVED OR NON PAVED DRIVEWAYS?
>> IF YOU LOOK AT SUBSECTION A, WHERE IT SAYS PARKING ON NON PAVED OPEN SPACE IS PROHIBITED, AND WE CHANGED THAT TO PARKING NOT ON A DRIVEWAY.
THAT'S NOT HOW I PHRASE THAT, BUT DO YOU SEE WHAT WITH THAT?
>> IS THAT THE HANG UP YOU'RE HAVING? BECAUSE I THINK I CAN SEE WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
IN A, IT SAYS, PARKING ON NON PAVED OPEN SPACE IS PROHIBITED.
THEN IN B, IT TALKS ABOUT PAVED OR GRAVEL DRIVEWAY.
>> I THINK B IS ADDRESSING FRONT YARD PARKING.
YOU CAN'T COVER MORE THAN 35% OF THE FRONT YARD.
>> IT LOOKS LIKE WHOEVER WAS WRITING IN BLUE IS SAYING WE
[00:50:04]
DON'T WANT DRIVEWAYS THAT AREN'T PAVED UNLESS THEY'RE GRANDFATHERED.>> YEAH. I DON'T KNOW WHO'S MAKING THE COMMENT.
>> I WONDER IF THAT'S FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS, BECAUSE AREN'T THEY ALLOW MOTOR VEHICLE FLUIDS TO SEEP INTO THE GROUND.
IT'S ENVIRONMENTALLY, IT GETS INTO THE WASTEWATER. I DON'T KNOW.
>> I'D HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT.
I DON'T KNOW THE ORIGINATION OF THE QUESTION.
>> AS I READ THIS, I SEE IN A, IT'S SAYING YOU HAVE TO PARK IN YOUR DRIVEWAY.
>> THEN B IS SAYING YOUR DRIVEWAY CAN ONLY TAKE UP 35% OF YOUR FRONT YARD, AND THAT'S THE ONLY PART OF YOUR FRONT YARD YOU CAN PARK IN.
YOU CAN'T PARK ON THE GRASSY AREA.
>> NEITHER OF THOSE ARE NEW STANDARDS.
>> I LOOK AT THE CROSS OUT LANGUAGE IN THAT IS SIMILAR.
THIS IS JUST PUTTING IT IN LIKE AN A, B, C, D FORMAT.
I'M MAKING IT A LITTLE CLEARER.
>> I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO STAFF'S EXPLANATION FOR HOW WE PARSE PAVED GRAVEL AND MY SENSE IS THAT INITIALLY THAT WAS AT LEAST PARTIALLY DRIVEN BY A DESIRE TO CONTAIN THINGS THAT DRIP OFF OF CARS FROM GOING INTO THE SOIL.
BUT OBVIOUSLY, IT GOES THROUGH GRAVEL.
SO THAT RATIONALE STARTS TO FALL APART.
MY SENSE IS THAT FOR THE MOST PART, THAT EXISTS AND WE HAVE A CASE IN MY SUBDIVISION RECENTLY THAT EVENTUALLY PARKING ON GRASS BECOMES PARKING ON MUD.
ONCE IT BECOMES PARKING ON MUD, IT BECOMES AN EYE SORE.
THIS IS AN AESTHETIC ISSUE WRAPPED AROUND AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE.
I THINK WE SHOULD BE INTENTIONAL AS WE THINK ABOUT THIS IN WHAT IS IT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? ARE WE TRYING TO LIMIT IMPERVIOUS SURFACE? ARE WE TRYING TO LIMIT SOIL POLLUTION? OR ARE WE JUST TRYING TO AVOID MUDDY FRONT YARDS.
MY SENSE IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT IS WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, AND WE'LL BE BETTER OFF WHEN WE DO.
>> YEAH. THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY I WAS BRINGING THIS UP BECAUSE WE ALSO IN THE TOWNSHIP, WE HAVE WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY AND WE HAVE OUTSIDE THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY.
IF I'M BUILDING A HOUSE ON FIVE ACRES AND I WOULD THINK I WOULD WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO GRAVEL THE WHOLE WAY AND PUT GRAVEL IN MANY PLACES IN ORDER TO PARK VEHICLES WHEREVER I WANT.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT MAKES SENSE WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY.
>> BUT IT'S ALSO UNCLEAR TO ME WHAT THE EXPECTATION HERE IS OR WHY WE'RE AESTHETIC.
>> THE EXPECTATION IS THAT IF YOU HAVE A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, YOU ARE NOT PARKING YOUR CAR IN THE GRASS.
THEN THERE MIGHT BE AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENT TO IT, BUT HONESTLY, IT'S AN AESTHETIC ISSUE, WE HAVE MOWING ORDINANCES IN THE TOWNSHIP.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO MOW AROUND THOSE CARS AFTER A WHILE.
THIS IS A BIT OF PUTTING TWO AND TWO TOGETHER, BUT IT LIMITS THE NUMBER OF CARS YOU CAN PUT IN YOUR FRONT YARD, TOO, BECAUSE SAY THAT YOU GOT TO PARK ON A DRIVEWAY, GRAVEL OR PAVEMENT DOESN'T MATTER, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO PARK ON A DRIVEWAY, BUT YOUR DRIVEWAY IS LIMITED 35% OF YOUR FRONT YARD, THAT BY DEFINITION WILL LIMIT THE NUMBER OF CARS YOU CAN PARK IN YOUR FRONT YARD.
IT DOESN'T PROHIBIT STREET PARKING, IT DOESN'T PROHIBIT PULLING AROUND THE BACK OF THE HOUSE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FRONT YARD PARKING IN THIS CASE.
THAT'S THE STRAIGHT UP THAT IS.
TO GO TO YOUR FIVE ACRE RURAL RESIDENTIAL, YOU CAN PARK A LOT MORE CARS IN YOUR 35% FIVE ACRES FRONT YARD.
>> BUT YOU ALSO DON'T HAVE NEIGHBORS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM YOU SEEING YOU PARK YOUR CARS ACROSS YOUR FRONT LOT.
>> NOW, I HAVE A QUESTION THAT I'M READING THIS SECTION A LITTLE BIT MORE CLOSELY THAN I DID INITIALLY.
I SEE THAT D APPEARS TO NOT HAVE BEEN IN THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE THAT'S CROSSED OUT, AND IT'S HAD [OVERLAPPING].
>> CORRECT. THE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE OF ONE TON OR LESS CAN ONLY BE IN THERE
[00:55:04]
FOR 48 HOURS AND NO VEHICLE WITH MORE THAN ONE TONE TO EVER BE THERE.I HAD A NEIGHBOR THAT I THINK HAD A SEMI PARKED OUT IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE, JUST THE THING.
THE TRACTOR PART NOT THE TRAILER FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, AND WITH THE CORD GOING.
WE DIDN'T LIKE IT, BUT IT PROBABLY WASN'T ALLOWED BEFORE, BUT IS THIS MOVED FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE OR IS THIS NEW PROPOSED LANGUAGE?
I'LL CLAIM CREDIT FOR THAT, BUT WE WERE LOOKING FOR LANGUAGE SO THAT WE COULD START TO HAVE AN ENFORCEMENT TOOL FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLES PARKED IN A SINGLE FAMILY LOT.
AGAIN, IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL IN A FIVE ACRE RESIDENTIAL IN THE OUTSIDE THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY, BUT IT'S A BIG DEAL ON HASLETT ROAD.
>> I GUESS IS THERE A DEFINITION OF A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE LIKE YOU DRIVE A PICKUP TRUCK FOR YOUR CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS, AND IT'S PARKED IN YOUR DRIVEWAY BECAUSE IT'S TOO BIG TO FIT IN YOUR GARAGE, BUT IT'S GOT A BUSINESS SIGN ON THE SIDE.
DOES THAT MEAN THAT THEY CAN'T PARK IT IN THE DRIVEWAY? I'M GOING TO RUIN SMALL BUSINESSES.
>> THAT IS NOT THE INTENT OF WHERE THAT'S GOING.
>> WE JUST REMOVE THAT WORD BECAUSE IT ISN'T THE PURPOSE TO JUST LIMIT VEHICLES OF THAT SIZE?
YOU CAN GET ONE, BUT ONLY FOR 48 HOURS CONSECUTIVELY.
IF YOU OPERATE A HOME BASED BUSINESS WITH YOUR CONTRACTOR TRUCK WITH YOUR NAME ON THE SIDE [OVERLAPPING].
>> WELL, A ONE TONE TRUCK IS A PRETTY BIG TRUCK.
>> LIKE A PICKUP TRUCK, SO IS THAT MEANING THAT WE DON'T WANT THEM TO DO THAT? IF THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT THEM, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO WRITE THAT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.
>> WELL, THIS IS LETTING THEM DRIVE HOME FOR THE WEEKEND. IT'S 48 HOURS.
>> BUT IF THEY PARK THERE OVERNIGHT, I GUESS 48 CONSECUTIVE HOURS, IF THEY'RE GONE EVERY DAY, YOU'RE RIGHT, YES, IT MIGHT NOT EXCEED 48 HOURS UNLESS THEY'RE ON VACATION, OR SOMETHING.
>> I'M NOT A TRUCK GUY, BUT I BELIEVE THAT A LOT OF FIFTH WHEELS THAT PEOPLE USE TO PULL THEIR MOTOR HOMES AND THEIR BOATS ARE RATED FOR A TONE OR MORE.
THAT SEEMS TO ME LIKE TAKING A BIG CHUNK OF BUYING A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER A HUGE HEADACHE TO GO AROUND.
>> BUT THIS SAYS COMMERCIAL, SO AGAIN, WE NEED TO DEFINE [OVERLAPPING] WHAT COMMERCIAL MEANS.
WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REGULATING WHAT WE WANT TO AND NOT WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO.
WE JUST NEED A LITTLE MORE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> MY QUESTION IS, THEN, IS THE ISSUE THE AESTHETICS OR IS THIS AN ISSUE OF THE SIZE? BECAUSE TO ME, IT SHOULDN'T MATTER IF IT'S COMMERCIAL OR NOT.
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, WHAT IS THE ACTUAL ISSUE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS HERE?
>> WELL, THERE'S A READ OF THAT SENTENCE.
NO COMMERCIAL VEHICLE, TRUCK, AND/OR TRAILER.
THE ARGUMENT COMES IS THAT AN INCLUSIVE OR NON INCLUSIVE.
>> COMMERCIAL DOES NOT CONTINUE THROUGH THAT SENTENCE.
I WOULD MAKE AN ARGUMENT THAT THAT, TRUCK, THOSE ARE SEPARATE THINGS REGULATED, SO IT'S A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE OR A TRUCK OR A TRAILER.
>> COMMERCIAL TRUCK OR A COMMERCIAL TRAILER.
>> THAT'S HOW IT'S [OVERLAPPING].
>> THE LAW IS SAYING IT'S NOT.
>> THEN COMMERCIAL SHOULD BE IN FRONT OF TRUCK AND SHOULD BE IN FRONT OF TRAILER.
>> STAFF CAN DO THAT, BUT ALL YOU NEED AS A CREATIVE LAWYER.
I GUESS I WOULD SAY THIS TOO, JUST THINKING THIS, I'M VERY INTRIGUED ABOUT THIS BLUE LANGUAGE NOW THAT WE SPENT MORE TIME ON IT ON.
NO NEW GRAVEL, OLD GRAVEL CAN STAY.
WE'LL GO BACK TO THIS ONE, AND MY WIFE SAYS, ''HEY, THAT GRAVELS LOOKING REALLY UGLY.
WE NEED NEW GRAVEL,'' AND I TAKE ALL THE GRAVEL OUT AND I PUT NEW GRAVEL DOWN.
AM I SUBJECT OF THIS OR NOT? BECAUSE OLD GRAVEL CAN STAY.
BUT IS NEW GRAVEL TO GO OVER MY OLD GRAVEL DRIVEWAY, NEW GRAVEL OR OLD GRAVEL?
>> IF YOU'RE GRAVELLING A GRAVEL DRIVEWAY OR PROBABLY NO ONE'S GOING TO SAY ANYTHING.
REMEMBER THAT THE TOWNSHIP DOES NOT HAVE A SEPARATE DRIVEWAY PERMIT.
IF YOU'RE NOT DOING THE WORK IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, YOU'RE ALSO NOT GOING TO GO TALK TO THE COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT ABOUT IT.
IF YOU PUT ASPHALT SPRAY DOWN OVER YOUR GRAVEL, AND THEN I DECIDE YOU DON'T LIKE IT, YOU WANT TO BUST IT UP.
>> I GET IT. IT'S JUST LIKE I JUST DID THE GENESIS WILL COME THAT ACTUALLY SAYS, NO NEW GRAVEL.
YOU PUT THAT ON A SIGN AND WALK AROUND THE CITY, NO NEW GRAVEL.
BUT OLD GRAVEL CAN STAY, SO I DON'T KNOW.
BUT I DO THINK IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GO AT SECTION D,
[01:00:04]
I WOULD MAKE IT EXACTLY CLEAR ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.BECAUSE I THINK I HAVE A NEIGHBOR THAT OCCASIONALLY, HIS BIG CAMPER TYPE THING POPS UP FOR A FEW DAYS IN HIS DRIVEWAY OUTSIDE SOMETIMES ON THE STREET.
IT'S NONCOMMERCIAL, BUT IS OVER A TON.
THIS IS THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN, I WOULD ARGUE, YOU CAN GO TO CODE ENFORCEMENT AND HAVE THEM REGULATED.
>> COULD JUST BE ENTERED TO JUST SAY, THE FOLLOWING SECTION APPLIES TO COMMERCIAL VEHICLES.
WE DIVIDE A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE AS [INAUDIBLE].
>> YOU DON'T WANT SOME CRAZY LAWYER WALKING IN AND FIGHTING ALL THE TICKETS.
>> THAT IS WHY WE HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS.
I SEE WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL TO COMMERCIAL TWICE.
IT'S EASY. WE'LL MAKE THAT CHANGE.
>> DO WE HAVE A DEFINITION SECTION IN THIS ORDINANCE STANDALONE? BECAUSE EITHER WE COULD DO WHAT YOU SAY OR WE'VE DONE THIS IN OTHER PLACES WHERE THIS MEANS THIS, THIS MEANS THAT.
>> WE HAVE A DEFINITION SECTION IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
THERE'S NO SEPARATE DEFINITION SECTION WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THAT.
>> LET ME SEE FLOOR AREA DEFINED.
>> I GUESS LET'S SEE WHERE WE LAND AND SEE IF THERE'S ENOUGH THINGS THAT ARE UNIQUE TO THIS SECTION THAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER DEFINITIONS ARE REQUIRED.
>> OPEN PANDORA'S BOX A LITTLE FARTHER.
DO WE CARE ABOUT WHAT'S PARKED IN A BACK YARD?
THIS ORDINANCE TALKS ABOUT STUFF IN THE FRONT YARD.
THE DRIVEWAY IN THE FRONT YARD, ETC.
>> I'M ONE OF THE WEIRD HOUSES HERE, MY DRIVEWAY IS ACTUALLY IN MY SIDE YARD.
I WOULD ARGUE. I COME UP IN THE FRONT OF MY HOUSE FACE OF THE FRONT YARD.
I LIVE ON A CORNER, SO I ACTUALLY PULL IN FROM [OVERLAPPING]
>> YOU LIVE IN A CORNER, YOU HAVE TWO FRONTS.
WE CAN TALK LATER. [LAUGHTER].
>> WE'RE NOT GOING AFTER PEOPLE PARKING THEIR CAR IN THE BACK YARD, TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
>> DOESN'T SECTION 9A PROHIBIT PARKING ON THE GRASS IN THE BACK YARD AS WELL, THOUGH?
>> 9A SAYS PARKING ON NON PAVED OPEN SPACES.
YES, YOU CAN GO IN THE BACK YARD.
YOU HAVE TO STILL HAVE TO PUT SOMETHING OUT.
YOU CAN'T JUST LEAVE YOUR CAR THERE TO SLOWLY SINK INTO THE DIRT.
I SHOULDN'T SAY WE DON'T LOOK AT IT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A [OVERLAPPING].
>> IT'S NOT THE SAME DRIVEWAY STANDARD.
>> PAVE YOUR ENTIRE BACK YARD.
>> TECHNICALLY, SOMEBODY COULD BUILD A DRIVEWAY THAT COVERS 35% MAX OF THE TOTAL FRONT YARD THAT GOES TO THE BACK YARD.
>> THE BACK YARD COULD BE ENTIRELY PAVED.
>> AS MUCH AS IT DOESN'T GO [OVERLAPPING]
>> YOU DO GET TO A MAXIMUM IMPERVIOUS COVERAGE IN THE ZONING DISTRICT.
>> I AM ENJOYING THIS CONVERSATION, BY THE WAY.
BUT I REALLY THINK THAT HAVING GROWN UP IN A RURAL AREA, AND FAMILY MEMBERS WERE TRACTOR TRAILER DRIVERS, THEY WOULD PARK THEM ON HOLIDAYS AND OVER WEEKENDS.
I CAN'T HELP BUT IMAGINE THAT THERE MAY BE PEOPLE LIKE THAT IN THE TOWNSHIP.
>> THERE'S SOMEONE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S LIKE A DIFFERENCE HERE BETWEEN THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY AND NOT, IT JUST FEELS LIKE THERE'S SOMETHING RELATED TO THAT THAT'S IN THIS PART OF THE ORDINANCE, AND THERE'S A DIFFICULTY HERE WITH THE SECTION D THAT NEEDS TO BE THOUGHT THROUGH.
>> IF YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT GRAVEL DRIVEWAYS
[01:05:03]
AND MINIMUM LOT SIZES, THAT MIGHT BE AN AVENUE OF DISCUSSION.I'M JUST SAYING, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
>> I'M NOT TRYING TO OVERLY CREATE MORE ORDINANCE ISSUES.
I THINK WE TEND TO FOCUS ON THE WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY A LOT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE OUTSIDE OF THAT AREA AS WELL.
>> BUT HERE IS WHERE WE GET THE CALLS. I'M JUST SAYING.
>> YES. BECAUSE THERE'S MORE PEOPLE THERE, PROBABLY.
>> ON PAGES 3 AND 4, I WAS CONFUSED BY THESE AT FIRST BECAUSE I WAS LIKE, HAVEN'T WE ALREADY GONE THROUGH?
>> PAGES 3 AND 4, WHERE THE TABLE THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE USE [OVERLAPPING]
>> I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING DOWN HERE. THAT THREE.
>> ALL OF THIS IS UPDATED LANGUAGE HAS ALREADY GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS.
IF IT WILL HELP YOU, I'LL JUST TAKE THAT LANGUAGE OUT.
>> I'M GOING TO END UP THERE ANYWAY WHEN I PUT THIS INTO A RESOLUTION FORM.
>> CAN I JUMP IN FOR JUST ONE SECOND?
>> FIRSTLY, RIGHT NOW, I THINK IT'S HELPFUL TO HAVE IT THERE BECAUSE IT GIVES IN CONTEXT.
AS LONG AS WE UNDERSTAND THE WAY YOU'RE DOING IT, IF IT'S UNDERLINED IN RED OR BLUE, THAT'S PROPOSED CHANGE IF IT STRUCK OUT, IT'S A PROPOSED REMOVAL AND ANYTHING THAT'S JUST NORMAL TEXT IS WHAT'S ALREADY THERE AND NOT CHANGE. DOES THAT WORK FOR YOU?
>> THAT WORKS, YEAH. ALTHOUGH THE RISK IS THAT I HAVE A COMMENT ON IT.
>> THAT'S OKAY. YOU CAN ADD COMMENTS.
FOR PAGE 6, WHY WAS THE THE EIGHT ON PARALLEL PARKING CHANGED TO NINE? THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT CHANGED IN THAT TABLE.
>> ONE OF US FOUND A NUMBER WHERE THE NINE IS MORE CURRENT TO SOMEWHAT LARGER VEHICLES. THAT'S IT.
IT'S JUST THERE ARE SOME PARKING SPACES WHERE EIGHT IS TOUGH FOR A NORMAL PICK UP TRUCK TO GET INTO, BUT NINE WOULD FEEL A LOT BETTER.
>> I WILL SAY AS A NEW PICK UP TRUCK DRIVER, 17 FEET WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
I END UP BACKING INTO SPOTS, SO EVERYONE IS LIKE, ARE YOU JUST DOING THIS? I'M LIKE, NO, I LITERALLY CAN'T PULL INTO THE SPOT, EITHER I SUCK OR THE SPOT'S TOO SMALL.
THIS HELPS ME WHEN MY ARGUMENT THAT IT'S THE SPOT, THAT'S THE PROBLEM, NOT MY DRIVING, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
>> WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE. [LAUGHTER]. COMPLETELY ON THE SAME PAGE.
>> CAN YOU TELL ME SOME PLACE THAT HAS A PARALLEL PARKING SPACE THAT I CAN THINK ABOUT? NO?
IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING WE HAVE VERY LITTLE.
>> WELL, THERE USED TO BE STREET PARKING THERE THOUGH.
>> I CAN'T THINK OF IT, DOESN'T MEAN WE WON'T HAVE IT IN THE FUTURE.
THERE MIGHT BE SOME OF THAT PROPOSED IN THE FUTURE AS HAZLET VILLAGE.
>> CORNERS PLANS AT SOME POINT OF HAVING PARALLEL PARKING PROPOSED.
>> BUT I CAN'T THINK OF A SPOT IN THE TOWNSHIP.
MAYBE SHOULD JUST BAN PARALLEL PARKING FROM THEM.
>> EVERYONE MUST BUY A CAR THAT AUTOMATICALLY PARALLEL PARKS FOR YOU FOR A WHILE.
>> ON PAGE 7, WE MAY HAVE ALREADY COVERED THIS BEFORE, BUT SHOOT WHERE'S THE LINE?
[01:10:01]
NO. IT'S ON IT'S AT THE TOP OF PAGE 8.IT TALKS ABOUT THE SECURITY OF PROPERTY AND THE SAFETY OF PERSONS USING SUCH AREAS.
>> YEAH, ILLUMINATION. IT GOT ME THINKING, AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT DEFINITIONS, DO WE ACTUALLY DEFINE WHAT THAT MEANS?
>> IT MAKES REFERENCE TO CHAPTER 38, AND THAT IS OUR LIGHTING STANDARDS AND UNLESS SOMETHING SPECIFIC IN THERE, BUT IT'S GENERALLY COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT WELL LIT AREAS ARE SAFER THAN DARK AREAS.
>> WE MOSTLY RESTRICT OVER LIGHT RATHER THAN DEMAND A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF LIGHT.
MOST OF OUR LIGHTING ORDINANCE IS ABOUT RESTRICTING.
>> AT THE PROPERTY LINE, YOU'RE NOT LETTING IT SPILL OVER, ESPECIALLY WHEN COMMERCIAL IS NEXT TO RESIDENTIAL.
YOU'VE GOT TO SHOW US ON DURING SITE PLAN AND A PHOTOMETRIC PLAN THAT YOU'RE NOT SPILLING THAT LIGHT OVER.
THERE'S ALSO SOME LANGUAGE ABOUT MAXIMUMS IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T WANT OUR DEVELOPERS TO LIGHT THEIR PARKING LOT AND HAVE DARK.
>> I FEEL LIKE WHAT THIS MAY BE DOING, AND YOU CAN TELL ME YOU'RE PROBABLY THE ONE THAT DID IT, IS INSTEAD OF DEFINING LIGHTING IN THE PARKING ORDINANCE, WE'RE REFERRING PEOPLE IN THE PARKING ORDINANCE TO THE LIGHTING ORDINANCE?
>> ILLUMINATE. THAT WAS THE INTENT OF THIS CHANGE?
>> MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT THE WHY. MAYBE WE JUST SAY.
>> OKAY. EXCEPT FOR [OVERLAPPING], SHELBY IS.
>> WHAT'S ALREADY ILLUMINATED. I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
>> WE DON'T HAVE TO SAY WHY WE'RE DOING IT. WE'RE JUST SAYING, DO IT.
>> IT SHALL BE ILLUMINATED AND THEN CROSS OUT ALL THE WORDS UNTIL YOU GET TO IN ACCORDANCE WITH.
>> WHO WOULD CONTROL CHAPTER 38 OF THE CODE? IF THAT WERE AMENDED, WHAT BODY WOULD AMEND THAT?
>> TECHNICALLY, WELL, YOU GET OUTSIDE OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE WHEN YOU DO THAT, SO THAT WOULD BE THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.
>> IT'S GENERAL ORDINANCE LANGUAGE.
>> AFTER THAT, ONE, BRIAN, AND YOU'RE READY.
THIS IS ALSO ON PAGE 8, SO YOU CAN TELL HOW FAR I'VE GOTTEN SO FAR.
THE WIDTH AND THE HEIGHT OF THE LANDSCAPE BUFFER? DOES THAT MEAN THAT THE BUFFER HAS TO BE THAT HEIGHT CONTINUOUSLY THROUGH THE WHOLE BUFFER?
NO. IT'S NOT ASKING FOR A 20-FOOT-WIDE.
IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING, IT'S NOT ASKING FOR 20 FEET OF FOUR-FOOT BUSHES.
WE DON'T KNOW IF YOU SEE FOUR-FOOT SCREENING ON THE EDGE OF THE BUFFER.
>> BUT THEN THAT MEANS THAT THE FOUR FEET HAS TO BE CONTINUOUS THE WHOLE WAY?
>>THAT THERE'S NO WAY TO GET IN THERE?
>> CORRECT. WHEN IT ADJOINS A RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT?
>> WHEN IT ADJOINS A RESIDENTIAL?
>> IT'S ALMOST LIKE A FENCE, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A FENCE?
>> RIGHT. THAT IS NOT A NEW REGULATION.
>> I WAS THINKING ABOUT THESE BUFFER AREAS AND ALSO HOW WE HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY THINK ABOUT WATER RETENTION AND CONTROL.
JUST THROWING THIS OUT THERE, THAT IF IN THE PERIMETER, THERE WAS SOME LEVEL OF REQUIREMENT THAT THERE'D BE A RAIN GARDEN, SOMETHING THAT HELPED TO CONTAIN WATER BECAUSE THERE'S ALREADY GOING TO BE A BUFFER THERE.
THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE WET.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE WHERE THE CHIPOTLE IS, THAT AREA, WHERE THEY NOW HAVE RAIN GARDENS IN FRONT.
IT'S A BUFFER, BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO SOME VEGETATION.
>> IT'S ALLOWABLE WHERE IT WORKS.
>> IT IS ALLOWABLE. BUT IS IT ALLOWABLE IN THIS THOUGH?
>> THERE'S SOME DEVELOPMENTS THAT'S WHERE IT'S GOT TO
[01:15:01]
GO BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOUR OPEN AREA IS.STORM WATER'S GOT TO GO SOMEWHERE.
I WOULD DEFER TO THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE.
>> I THINK WE'RE GOING TO CATCH THAT IN OUR DRAINAGE REQUIREMENTS OR COUNTS DRAINAGE REQUIREMENTS.
>> YOU'RE NOT WRONG. THAT'S WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO, BUT I WOULDN'T START TRYING TO DEFINE IT.
THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE IS GOING TO CATCH IT DURING SITE PLAN. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
>> YEAH. I WAS JUST TRYING TO LIMIT, OR THINK ABOUT, I'D HATE TO HAVE ANOTHER SPOT DESIGNATED AS A DRAIN AREA AND ALSO HAVE TO HAVE THIS LANDSCAPE BUFFER CREATED.
>> WELL, JUST A DOUBLES ADVOCATE, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETIMES MY JOB.
DO YOU CARE IF THE DEVELOPER IS GOOD WITH THAT AND HAS THE BUFFER AND THE MINIMUM REQUIRED PARKING AND A COOL LOOKING LANDSCAPE AREA ON TOP OF THAT. WHAT'S THE HARM?
>> I WOULDN'T PRESCRIBE THAT IT HAS TO GO IN THE BUFFER AREA.
BECAUSE REMEMBER, THERE'S OTHER LANDSCAPING, TOO.
THERE'S LANDSCAPE ISLANDS REQUIRED TO BREAK UP PARKING.
THERE'S LANDSCAPES, THERE'S STUFF TO BREAK UP LINES OF PARKING SPACES.
THERE'S OTHER LANDSCAPING HAPPENING IN PARKING LOTS, TOO.
IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE TO SUGGEST, STAFF IS OPEN TO PLAYING WITH THIS.
>> DON'T WORRY. I'LL LET YOU KNOW.
>> THEN THE LAST COMMENT ON THIS PAGE WAS, WE DID THE NATIVE PLANTS AND ONE, I CAN'T REMEMBER IN WHAT SECTION, WE DID THAT IN.
I THINK IT'S SOMEWHERE IN HERE IN THE LANDSCAPING.
IN THIS NEW REWRITTEN SECTION, IS THAT REQUIRED TO HAVE THE NATIVE LANDSCAPING AS WELL? OR IS THAT OUTSIDE OF THAT?
>> THERE'S NOTHING IN HERE TALKING ABOUT NATIVE LANDSCAPING. WE CAN LOOK AT THAT.
>> MY PARTICULAR INTEREST WAS JUST THAT ANYTHING IN THE PARKING ORDINANCE THAT RELATES TO LANDSCAPING, OBVIOUSLY, PEOPLE COULD SUBMIT A ALTERNATIVE OR VARIANCE FOR DIFFERENT LANDSCAPING, BUT TRY TO KEEP IT NATIVE.
>> LET ME SEE WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THAT.
>> EVERYBODY, THANKS FOR LISTENING.
>> THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, THOUGHTS?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I THINK A LOT TO WORK WITH, I HOPE.
[LAUGHTER] BACK WHEN YOU'RE READY? I GUESS WE ARE ON TO 9B, THE 2025 ANNUAL REPORT. THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT.
>> CAN I TAKE ONE MORE BITE AT THAT ISSUE?
>> JUST FOR THE SAKE OF CLARITY, WHEN STAFF IS ADDING A COMMENT TO THE DOCUMENT, IF THEY CAN DO IT IN A COMMENT BUBBLE, RATHER THAN A PARENTHETICAL PHRASE IN THE TEXT?
>> THERE'S ALSO A SETTING IN WORD WHERE YOU CAN TELL TRACK CHANGES TO IGNORE ALL OF THE FORMATTING.
>> I WILL GO THROUGH AND CLEAN THOSE UP.
>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO ACCEPT THEM.
YOU CAN JUST TELL THEM, "DON'T SHOW THOSE".
MAKES IT EASIER FOR US TO PROCESS. SORRY.
>> THANK YOU. NOW ONTO THE 2025 ANNUAL REPORT.
[9.B. 2025 Annual Report ]
>> THIS WILL BE A WAY SHORTER CONVERSATION.
>> BACKUP, SO YOU CAN READ IT A LITTLE.
MICHIGAN PLANNING LAW SAYS, THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S GOT TO ANNUAL REPORT, SUBMITTED TO THE ELECTED BODY.
YOU HAVE THAT IN YOUR BYLAWS CONCURRENTLY.
WE GO THROUGH THIS EVERY YEAR.
2025 SAW 27 NEW APPLICATIONS, A LITTLE BIT DOWN FROM THE YEAR BEFORE.
12 OF THOSE WERE REVIEWED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
WE ALSO REPORT ON VARIANCES, NUMBER OF VARIANCE CASES.
THERE'S A CHART HERE THAT SHOWS ALL THE DIFFERENT CASES, BEAR IN MIND THAT NOT ALL OF THESE ARE PLANNING COMMISSION SITE PLANS COMMISSION REVIEWS.
[01:20:05]
THOSE ARE LIKE LAND DIVISION, THINGS LIKE THAT.IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING THAT WE DID, THE GREAT, OTHERWISE REPORTS, THAT ARE ERRORS, OMISSIONS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
OTHERWISE, SIMPLE MOTION WILL APPROVE THIS AND IT CAN BE SUBMITTED TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.
>> I MOVE TO ADOPT THE ANNUAL REPORT.
>> THANK YOU. MOVED BY COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ROMBACK.
ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ANNUAL REPORT BEFORE WE VOTE?
>> COULD I ASK STAFF TO JUST SCROLL BACK DOWN TO THE ZBA?
>> I BELIEVE THAT ALSO CONTINUES ON TO THE NEXT.
>> I DO THAT SIMPLY TO REMIND US THAT OF THE ISSUES THAT ONE MIGHT NORMALLY EXPECT TO COME TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT THAT END UP AT THE ZBA BECAUSE IT'S A SPECIFIC VARIANCE BEING REQUESTED FOR A SPECIFIC PLACE, AND IT DOESN'T RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A REZONING OR ANOTHER ACTION THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY TAKE.
I'M A LITTLE BIT SENSITIVE TO THAT BECAUSE THE SAME THING HAPPENS IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION DOMAIN WHERE WE REVIEW WETLAND USE PERMIT APPLICATIONS, BUT WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS, I WANT TO BUILD MY DECK TWO FEET INTO THE WETLAND BUFFER, THAT ENDS UP GOING TO THE ZBA, AND UNLESS WE COMMUNICATE, WE DON'T KNOW THAT THOSE THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
IT'S NOT THAT IT'S WRONG, IT'S JUST THAT IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF THE PROCESS, THERE CAN BE A WHOLE LOT OF BITS, VARIANCES, CHANGES, EXCEPTIONS TO OUR ORDINANCES THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY THINK OF OR SEE.
WE'VE GOT A BUNCH OF SETBACKS, SECOND WALL SIGN? IF YOU CAN GO BACK UP AGAIN.
THIS THE NATURE OF THESE LOOKS LIKE THREE QUARTERS OF THEM ARE SETBACK.
ENCROACHMENTS, AND A COUPLE ARE NON-CONFORMING SIGNS.
IF THERE WAS A TON OF NON-CONFORMING SIGN VARIANCES, WE MIGHT BE CONCERNED THAT OUR SIGN ORDINANCE WAS PROBLEMATIC.
WE COULD CHOOSE TO LOOK AT WHY ARE WE SEEING SO MANY APPLICATIONS FOR VARIANCES TO SETBACKS AND SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH OUR ORDINANCE, BUT I'M NOT SURE.
I'M CURIOUS IF STAFF THINKS THAT THAT WOULD BE IN ANY WAY PRODUCTIVE.
>> THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 12 ZBA CASES.
IF IT WERE 12 SIDE YARD SETBACKS IN THE SAME ZONING ORDINANCE OR SAME ZONING DISTRICT, MAYBE, BUT THIS ISN'T.
THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.
I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION IN THIS REPORT, BUT WE'RE NOT FEELING LIKE, "OH, MY GOD, WE GOT TO DO SOMETHING TO TWEAK THIS OR SOMETHING".
>> THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
PLAYMAKERS NEEDED TO GO TO THE ZBA TO REPAIR THEIR SIGN?
IF YOU'VE GOT A NON-CONFORMANCE AND YOU DO SOMETHING TO REMOVE THE NON-CONFORMANCE, YOU CAN'T REBUILD THE NON-CONFORMANCE.
THEY NEEDED PERMISSION TO REBUILD THE NON-CONFORMING SIGN.
>> PEOPLE WOULD BE BALLISTIC HAD THEY CHANGED THAT SIGN.
>> I WAS AWARE OF THE HUBBUB ON THE SIGN AND I'M GLAD SHE MOVES THAT.
>> THIS REPORT WAS REALLY HELPFUL LAST YEAR AND IN PREVIOUS YEARS TO GIVE THE UPDATE A REPORT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT THE COMBINED BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING TOO.
>> WHOEVER RUNS UP THE RESPONSIBILITIES THIS YEAR.
>> I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT THE HAVING SAT ON THIS, WHICH I'VE LEARNED QUITE A BIT.
I LEARNED THAT THE VARIANCE STICKS WITH BASICALLY THE OBJECT THAT'S BEING BUILT.
THERE WAS ONE INSTANCE WHERE SOMEBODY WANTED TO BUILD A BRIDGE OVER A CULVERT TO CONNECT TWO PROPERTIES THAT THEY OWNED.
IT WAS LIKE, THIS SEEMS LIKE AN ODD VARIANCE TO REQUEST, BUT IT STICKS WITH THE ACTUAL BRIDGE THAT'S GETTING BUILT.
IT'S RELATED TO THE SHOPPING CART, LADY, THE VARIANCE IS ONLY FOR THAT SIGN.
CORRECT. IT GOT ME RETHINKING THE VARIANCES.
[01:25:03]
HOWEVER, I HAVE ALSO THOUGHT ABOUT HOW DIFFERENT GROUPS HAVE COME BEFORE US AND ASKED FOR SIGNED VARIANCES.MOST OF THE TOWNSHIP BUSINESSES DON'T SEEM TO REQUEST THOSE VARIANCES, AND THEY SEEM TO BE DOING JUST FINE WITHOUT THEM.
IN SOME WAYS, I THINK THAT AT LEAST VARIANCES COULD BE GIVEN MORE LENIENTLY IN A WAY THAT MAYBE IT IS NOT NECESSARY.
BUT WE COULD ALSO CHANGE THE CODE AS WELL IF WE NEEDED TO.
BUT THOSE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I'VE LEARNED ON THAT.
>> ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, ARE WE READY TO VOTE ON THE MOTION? ON FAVOR OF ACCEPTING OUR ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2025, THEY SAY AYE?
>> YOU DID SAY SIMPLE MOTION, DID YOU?
>> YES. THAT'S FINE. ABSOLUTELY.
>> WE'LL GET THAT COMMUNICATED TO THE BOARD.
>> THEN I'LL JUST SAY FOR THE RECORD THAT WAS A UNANIMOUS VOTE.
[LAUGHTER] THE MOTION CARRIES.
THEN WE'RE AT 20:26 OFFICERS AND APPOINTMENT.
[9.C. 2026 Officers and Appointments]
>> BY YOUR BYLAWS EVERY YEAR AT THIS MEETING, YOU'RE GOING TO SELECT A CHAIR, A VICE CHAIR, AND A SECRETARY.
IN TERMS OF OFFICE, COMMENT FROM THE DATE OF SELECTION FOR ONE YEAR OR UNTIL A SUCCESSOR HAS BEEN SELECTED.
YOU DO HAVE A CHAIR TERM LIMIT IN YOUR BYLAWS.
COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY HAS REACHED THAT TERM LIMIT.
YOU ALSO NEED TO ELECT A VICE CHAIR AND A SECRETARY.
STAFF HAS TAKEN UPON THEMSELVES TO LOOK INTO YOUR ZONING BOARD OF APPEAL APPOINTMENT, IF YOU DON'T MIND ME.
YOUR NEW COMMISSIONER MISS NAHOM CAME OFF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS.
IT IS REQUIRED TO HAVE A ZONING BOARD OF APPEAL REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
STAFF HAS TALKED TO MR. BROOKS.
HE IS CURRENTLY YOUR ZBA REPRESENTATIVE.
HE IS FINE WITH BEING REPLACED BY MISS NAHOM.
IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY NATURAL FIT IN THIS CASE.
STAFF HAS NO OTHER SUGGESTIONS ON WHICH ONE, BUT IT DOES STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT AS A COURSE OF ACTION FOR YOUR ZBA, ROB.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DOING THE BACKGROUND ON THAT AND BOTH OF OUR MEMBERS FOR THEIR CONVERSATIONS RELATED TO IT.
SHOULD WE DO THE OFFICERS FIRST AND THEN THE APPOINTMENTS?
>> I GUESS THIS IS THE POINT AT WHICH WE WOULD TAKE NOMINATIONS FOR THE POSITION OF CHAIR FOR THIS COMING YEAR.
ANYBODY WHO HAS NOMINATION, I GUESS SELF-NOMINATED. COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL?
>> I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER SNYDER AS OUR NEXT CHAIR.
I AM GOING TO DECLINE THAT NOMINATION.
I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO RECOMMEND.
I WAS HAVING A HARD TIME BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE.
SINCE YOU NOMINATED ME, I'M GUESSING YOU DON'T WANT TO.
>> I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER ROMBACK FOR THE POSITION OF CHAIR.
COMMISSIONER ROMBACK, DO YOU ACCEPT THAT NOMINATION? IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SURE, I SECOND THE NOMINATION.
>> THANK YOU. MOVED BY SNYDER, SECONDED BY ROMBACK.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR THE POSITION OF CHAIR? DO WE HAVE TO DO A ROLL CALL VOTE? DO WE VOTE ON THEM ALTOGETHER? I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE.
I'M SORRY. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED YOU THIS BEFORE THE MEETING.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT GETS THAT SPECIFIC ABOUT IT.
>> I THINK IF THERE WAS ONLY ONE NOMINATION, I WOULD IMAGINE WE CAN JUST DO.
>> I WOULD IMAGINE. BUT YOU CAN GIVE ME A MOMENT.
>> ALL OF THEM TOGETHER. DO WE NEED TO VOTE LIKE ONE PERSON, EVERYBODY SAYS AYE OR NAY? CAN WE JUST SAY EVERYONE SAY AYE?
DID THAT REQUIREMENTS RECORDATION AGENDA.
>> I SHOULD HAVE THESE MEMORIZED BY NOW.
SELECTION. IT DOESN'T REALLY SAY HOW WE GO DOWN TO THE VOTE SECTION AND-
[01:30:03]
>> IT JUST SAYS LET'S SEE DUTIES OF COMPLY WITH.
>> GO BACK DOWN TO WHERE IT SAYS VOTING, AND WE'LL SEE IF IT SAYS HOW OUR VOTES HAVE TO BE.
>> IT'S RIGHT THERE 56, I THINK.
>> SEVERAL CALL VOTES WILL BE TAKEN AND RECORD IF ALL DECISION MADE BY RESOLUTION OR REQUESTED.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CHECKING.
>> MIGHT I INQUIRE IF OUR CURRENT VICE CHAIR AND SECRETARY ARE WILLING TO CONTINUE IN THEIR DUTIES?
>> I'M WILLING TO CONTINUE, BUT I'M ALSO HAPPY TO ALLOW SOMEONE ELSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO.
THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR, I THINK.
>> THERE'S MINUTES FOR ALL OFFICES OR JUST FOR THE CHAIR?
>> CAN A SITTING CHAIR BECOME VICE CHAIR?
>> DOES THE TERM LIMIT PROHIBIT?
>> OFFICER SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR RE-ELECTION BUT SHALL NOT SERVE MORE THAN TWO SUCCESSIVE TERMS.
>> WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN SERVING AS VICE CHAIR IN CASE COMMISSIONER ROMBACK IS NOT HERE?
>> I WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO THAT, BUT I WOULD ALSO BE HAPPY TO OFFER THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SOMEONE ELSE IF ANYBODY IS ITCHING TO HAVE THAT ROLE.
>> WAS ANYBODY HOPING TO NOMINATE THEMSELVES TONIGHT?
>> GOOD QUESTION. I'M HAPPY WITH SECRETARY.
>> IT'S JUST TIED TO BE A VICE CHAIR.
>> SO YOU OKAY? WOULD YOU [INAUDIBLE] EXCUSE ME.
>> ANYONE WANT TO BE VICE CHAIR? BECAUSE THE SECRETARY JUST HAS TO OCCASIONALLY SIGN OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS, RIGHT? SO, I'M SORRY.
>> OKAY GOOD. WE'LL DO THAT THEN.
WE'RE GOING FROM ALL WOMEN TO ALL MEN.
SECRETARY NEEDS SECRETARY HERE.
I WOULD DO THAT, BUT IF SOMEONE ELSE WANTS TO DO IT, I DO NOT HAVE ANY NEED TO BE- I HEAR A SLATE.
>> COULD YOU NOMINATE THAT, LIKE OFFICIALLY,.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE AS A SLATE. YOU'RE GOING TO AMEND YOUR.
I'M GOING TO AMEND MY MOTION TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER ROMBACK AS CHAIR.
COMMISSIONER MCCURTIS, AS VICE CHAIR, AND COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY AS SECRETARY.
AND ANY DISCUSSION BEYOND WHAT WE'VE ALREADY HAD- IN THE MINUTES, THIS IS GOING TO SAY AFTER DISCUSSION, COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL NOMINATED AS A SLATE.
I'M NOT GOING TO TRY TO PARSE THAT OUT.
>> CISSER MCCONNELL WAS THE ONE WHO ACTUALLY MADE THE BECAUSE NOW I THINK I MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
SO YOU NEED TO AMEND YOUR MOTION.
>> I NEED TO AMEND MY MOTION TO MAKE A SLATE.
>> SORRY. WOW. I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE THAT THAT WAS MY MOTION.
>> YOU DO NOT NEED TO OFFER THAT YOU HAVE BEEN NOMINATED AS A SLATE, AND THAT IS HOW THE COUNSEL REPORTS.
>> YOUR MOTION YOU WITHDREW YOUR MOTION, AND HE'S NOW MAKING A MOTION.
>> ALL RIGHT. SO, COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL HAS MOVED FOR COMMISSIONER ROMBACK AS CHAIR, COMMISSIONER MCCURTIS AS VICE CHAIR, AND MYSELF AS SECRETARY.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BROOKS.
>> AYE. ANY OPPOSED? CONGRATULATIONS, AND THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.
GOOD LUCK. WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT. AND IS THIS WHERE WE NOW MOVE TO RECOMMEND COMMISSIONER NAM TO THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS?
>> I THINK THE- YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING. OKAY. YEAH.
>> IT'S AN ANNUAL APPOINTMENT.
SO, WE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE YOU OUT OF SOMETHING THAT YOU WANTED TO CONTINUE.
>> TRADITIONALLY YOU HAVE TO OFFER HIM YOUR SWORD.
>> AND THAT'S THE ONLY ONE WE HAVE TO VOTE ON, RIGHT? EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST INFORMALLY APPOINTED IF ANYBODY WANTED TO.
>> YEAH. YOU HAVE NO OTHER OFFICIAL SEATS ON ANY OF THE OTHER BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS IN THE TOWNSHIP.
WE SORTED THAT OUT A YEAR AGO.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT IS HAPPENING THAT INVOLVES THE PLANNING COMMISSION, I'LL LET YOU GUYS KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SEND SOMEBODY.
BUT ALL OF YOUR OBLIGATIONS ARE NOW FULFILLED. OKAY. FOR 2026.
[01:35:01]
I CANNOT RECALL AND I SHOULD BE LETTING COMMISSIONER ROMBACK RUN THIS CONVERSATION, BUT AT ONE POINT, I THINK I HAD OUTREACH FROM ONE OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONS AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH ONE IT WAS OFF HAND, BUT I THINK I BUMPED IT TO YOU WHERE THEY WANTED TO SET UP SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE FORMAL WHERE WE HAD, YOU KNOW, NOT NECESSARILY VOTING ON, BUT, LIKE, REPRESENTATION WITH ONE OF THE ONES THAT WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE SOMEBODY JOINTLY COORDINATING WITH IT.I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH ONE IT WAS, BUT THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT IN THE COMING YEAR, OR IT MAY HAVE DROPPED AT ME.
>> I REMEMBER THIS CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD.
I'VE RECENTLY HAD A CONVERSATION WITH OTHER STAFF MEMBERS.
I FEEL PRETTY COMFORTABLE WHERE YOU'RE AT.
>> PERFECT. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND WE TRUST YOU TO LET US KNOW.
MR. ROMBACK YOU WANT TO GAVEL?
>> I THINK YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY GAVEL YOUR LAST MEETING.
>> THANK YOU. SO I THINK WE'RE DONE WITH THAT.
LET'S MOVE TO TOWNSHIP BOARD DATE, PLEASE.
[10.A. Township Board update ]
AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, CENTRAL PARK DRIVE APARTMENT DEVELOPMENT IS UP FOR MORE DISCUSSION.
I DON'T KNOW THIS [INAUDIBLE] OF THAT.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT ON THE BOARD.
[10.B. Liaison reports]
>> ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECENTLY ELECTED COMMISSIONER Y LEE, WHO ALSO SERVES ON THE LAND PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD AS ITS CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? PROJECT UPDATES.
[11. PROJECT UPDATES ]
>> I DON'T HAVE ANY PROJECT UPDATES FOR YOU.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF DEVELOPERS WHO KEEP CIRCLING AROUND A COUPLE OF PROPERTIES IN THE TOWNSHIP, HAVEN'T PULLED THE TRIGGER YET.
STARTING TO SEE SOME POTENTIAL ACTION COMING, SO I'LL KEEP YOU INFORMED, OBVIOUSLY.
I DO WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INVITE YOU.
WE'RE GOING TO DO THE PARKING ORDINANCE, AND WE'RE GOING TO FINISH THAT UP.
STAFF IS BEGINNING TO LOOK AT THE REST OF THE YEAR, WHAT IS NEXT.
SO IF YOU GET A CHANCE THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, TAKE A LOOK AT THE MASTER PLAN, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO GET DONE? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO START WORKING ON? VIS-A-VIS ORDINANCE UPDATES, PLANNING PROJECTS, LOOKING AT SPECIFIC AREAS OF THE TOWNSHIP, STUFF LIKE THAT.
STAFF'S INTEREST IN YOUR FEEDBACK.
OTHERWISE, WE'LL PROBABLY COME AT YOU WITH ONE OR TWO IDEAS.
>> THANK YOU. THAT SOUNDS GREAT.
NO PUBLIC REMARKS, COMMISSIONER COMMENTS.
[13. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS]
I'D JUST LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY FOR BEING SO UNDERSTANDING AND KIND WITH ME AS I WORKED MY WAY THROUGH FIGURING OUT HOW TO DO THIS, AND DIDN'T ALWAYS REMEMBER EXACTLY HOW OUR PROCEDURES WENT.IT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN BEING THE CHAIR, AND I REALLY ENJOYED WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH.
>> JUST FOR CLARITY, THE JOINT BOARDS AND COMMISSION MEETING WON'T BE REPRESENTED BY SOMEBODY.
I CANNOT BE THERE. I ALREADY RSVP.
I'LL BE THERE. I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD REPRESENT THE COMMISSION THERE, BUT I HAD THERE.
>> RSVP, YES, BUT IT IS A DAY THAT IT'S ACTUALLY A BOARD MEETING DAY AT MY OFFICE, WHICH CAN END AT 3:00 OR THEY CAN END AT 6:00.
AND SO I WOULD PREFER NOT TO BE THE PERSON DESIGNATED TO SPEAK ON OUR BEHALF, JUST IN CASE I'M COMING IN LATE, OR SOMETHING HAPPENS THAT I CAN'T TODAY.
I HAD A HARD TIME GETTING HERE BY 6:30, AND I HAD A REGULAR WORK DAY.
SO ARE OTHER PEOPLE PLANNING? I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS NEXT OR NEXT MEETING FORMALLY, BUT ARE OTHER PEOPLE ABLE TO BE THERE, AND OKAY.
SO I KNOW BRIAN WAS REALLY HELPFUL TO ME IN JUST TAKING THAT ANNUAL REPORT AND TURNING IT INTO SOME BULLETS FOR PRESENTING.
BUT I THINK IT'S NICE IF WE HAVE A UNIFIED FRONT AND JUST SORT OF BADLY MAKES SENSE FOR THE VICE CHAIR TO SPEAK ON OUR BEHALF IF THAT'S OKAY.
>> AND THEN SO WE MAY HAVE DECIDED THIS, AND WE DON'T NEED TO TALK ABOUT NEXT MONTH, BUT YOU'LL SPEAK.
>> AND THEN I'LL BE THERE TO SUPPORT YOU.
>> IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE TAKING THE ANNUAL REPORT WITH YOU, THAT'S GREAT.
IF YOU WANT ME TO SUMMARIZE, PUT A BULLET POINT THING TOGETHER,
[01:40:01]
LIKE IT DID FOR COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY.THAT'S FINE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ME AND LET ME KNOW. YEAH.
>> I MIGHT PREFER THE SAME WAY WE'VE DONE IT.
OKAY. WERE YOU THERE LAST YEAR?
>> I WAS THERE TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE TOGETHER.
>> WAS IT DIFFERENT LAST? I JUST REMEMBER TWO YEARS AGO THERE WAS ONE REPORT.
>> SOMEBODY WHO WAS GETTING THE ENVIRONMENTAL COUNSEL AND SEVERAL OF THE PARKS WAS REALLY LONG.
>> I WAS SLIGHTLY, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THE GUIDELINES.
I JUST REMEMBER US DISCUSSING HOW IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THERE WERE CLEAR GUIDELINES BECAUSE THERE WAS SUCH A VARIANCE OF HOW PEOPLE WERE REPORTING OUT AND OF DETAILS THEY WERE PROVIDING.
>> I THINK SOME OF THE CHALLENGES, THE THINGS THAT COME TO US ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE THINGS THAT GO TO SOME OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONS, AND SO A LOT OF THEM HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROJECTS.
LIKE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL HAS PROJECTS THAT IT DOES, AND- THAT'S CONCEPTUALIZE.
>> AND SO THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING, WHEREAS WE'RE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS THAT END UP SOMETIMES LOOKING VERY DIFFERENT BY THE TIME THEY GET TO THE PUMP.
>> EXCEPT FOR THE YEAR THAT WE DEVELOPED THE MASTER PLAN, OR ARE WORKING TOWARDS THAT. THE THINGS THAT WE DO.
I MEAN, I GUESS WE COULD LOOK AT SOME OF THE ORDINANCES THAT WE'VE UPDATED AND GET INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE WHAT AND THE WHY AND THOSE.
SO MAYBE IT IS GOOD FOR US TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE AT THE NEXT MEETING ABOUT THE LEVEL OF DETAIL WE WANT TO SHARE.
BUT THEN THE RESPONSE WILL HAVE ALREADY SHARED IT AT OUR MEETING, AND THEN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IT AT THE COMBINED MEETING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE HEARD IT.
>> THEY DO GIVE US A TIME FRAME, TOO, DON'T THEY? I MEAN, THEY GIVE US LIKE A TIME LIMIT, I SHOULD SAY.
>> SOME PEOPLE. I DO REMEMBER.
BUT I FOUND IT. I SHOULD GIVE YOU A TIME LIMIT. I DIDN'T THANK YOU.
>> I DIDN'T WANT TO GO STRAIGHT TO THAT, BUT I FEEL LIKE THERE SHOULD BE A I NEVER SEE.
>> BUT I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT A LOT OF OTHER WORK THAT I DON'T ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT, THAT DOESN'T COME BEFORE US THAT WAS REALLY AS A RESIDENT, JUST SORT OF A RESIDENT OF THE TOWNSHIP.
I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING.
YOU KNOW, AND KIND OF THINK ABOUT THE CONNECTIONS TO OUR WORK THAT MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY BE FORMAL, BUT THAT, THEY'RE DOING THAT.
IT'S GOOD TO KNOW. YEAH. SO I THINK IT'S INTERESTING.
I'D ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GO IF YOU CAN AND LISTEN OR WATCH IT LATER IF YOU CAN'T GO BECAUSE IT WAS REALLY THAT INTERESTING.
BUT YEAH, SO I GUESS I TOTALLY LEAVE IT TO YOU OF WHAT YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH, BUT MAYBE WE COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE.
HOW MUCH? MAKE SURE YOU HAVE WHAT YOU THINK YOU NEED AND WE HAVE IF ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING THAT YOU THINK WE SHOULD REALLY HIGHLIGHT? YEAH.
JUST KEEP IT ON THE AGENDA JUST TO GO OVER I APPRECIATE IT.
I LIKE YOUR COMMENT ABOUT UNITED FRONT AND TALK ABOUT IT ONE TIME AS A GROUP.
>> NOT TO GIVE STAFF TOO MUCH MORE TO DO, BUT IT'S SOMETIMES CHALLENGING AS A PLANNING COMMISSIONER TO HAVE A CLEAR IDEA OF WHERE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ENDED UP WITH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD.
AND IF I WERE REPRESENTING THIS BODY, I WOULD WANT TO KNOW NOT ONLY WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS DID WE MAKE TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD, BUT BY THE WAY, WHAT DID THEY DO WITH THEM? OKAY. JUST SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT OUR IMPACT IS.
>> AND LIKE SOME OF THAT IS IN THE REPORT BECAUSE LIKE THE DECISION, IS THAT OUR DECISION OR IS THAT THE ULTIMATE, SOME OF THEM ARE OURS, AND SOME OF THEM, I GUESS I WAS JUST ASSUMING THAT IF IT WAS APPROVED.
>> OKAY. ARE YOUR ACTIONS. OKAY. SO YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW THE OUTCOME.
>> SURE. PARTICULARLY FOR THE MORE HIGH-PROFILE ONES, I THINK IT'D BE NEED TO HAVE JUST ENOUGH LIST OF BULLET POINTS OR TWO OF DETAIL THAT LIKE THIS DID THIS IF IT'S NOT COMPLETELY OBVIOUS BASED ON BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT IS HARD TO REMEMBER, LIKE IF IT'S BEEN A YEAR AND A HALF SINCE WE ORIGINALLY TALKED ABOUT SOMETHING.
I'M TELLING YOU IT'S ALL UP TO YOU AND THEN I'M GOING TO GIVE RECOMMENDATIONS.
>> YOU SAID, UNITED CRUX. WE ALL SHOULD HAVE INPUT BY HAND AND THEN PRESENT IT THE WAY THAT WE. OKAY.
>> THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE, COMMISSIONER COMAS? WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
>> COMMISSIONER BROOKS, IS THERE A SECOND?
>> WAS THAT YOU? YES. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE AYE.
>> HEY, WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 8:14.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, AND THANKS AGAIN. GOT TO USE YOUR GAVEL.
>> [LAUGHTER]
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.