[00:00:46]
AND THEN WHAT WAS YOUR MR. CLAUS SPELLED CLAUS? IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE MISTAKEN FOR SOMETHING.
WOULDN'T I WOULDN'T TOUCH THAT OKAY. THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH YOU CAN DO. YEAH.
ON GRAND RIVER A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, AND I HAD A CAR HONK AT ME FOR DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT.
YOU'RE READY TO GO WHEN YOU'RE READY TO GO.
IT WAS A BIG LIKE JEEP WITH THOSE LIKE THE LIGHTS THAT CAN LIGHT THEM UP.
YEAH. YEAH. ARE YOU OKAY? YEAH. OKAY.
IT'S MORE OF AN EMOTIONAL THING.
MARCH 23RD, 2026 MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING TO ORDER.
[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
LET'S DO A ROLL CALL. GO. COMMISSIONER BROOKS.PRESENT. COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. PRESENT. COMMISSIONER, I WAS TRYING TO BUY YOU A SECOND.
I THINK WE GOT AN EMAIL EARLIER TODAY. SO 1ST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
WE HAVE PUBLIC REMARKS. REMARKS. I WILL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR PUBLIC REMARKS.
SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC REMARKS AT 6:31 P.M.
AND THEN WE CAN MOVE TO APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]
MR. SHORKEY. DO WE SAY WE WANT TO MOVE IT TO NUMBER 6 OR TO NUMBER 7 SWAP 7 AND 8.VERY WELL. SO I MOVE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA WITHOUT AMENDMENT.
CAN WE GET A SECOND? SECOND. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL.
SECONDED VICE CHAIR. MCCURTIS. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? WE WILL MARK THAT AGENDA APPROVED WITH THAT AMENDMENT.
AND WE MOVE THEN TO ITEM 5 ON THE AGENDA APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 9TH, 2026 MEETING.
[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
DO WE HAVE ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 9TH, 2026 MEETING? I POINTED OUT ONE SMALL TYPO TO THE PLANNING STAFF.VERY WELL. ANY OTHERS? ALL RIGHT. ADOPTING COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL CHANGE, I TAKE IT, MR. SHORKEY. WE'RE ALL SET WITH HIS. YEAH. MR. KLAUS'S NAME ON PAGE 3, TOP OF PAGE 3, I'LL GET THAT CORRECTED.
VERY WELL. ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT, CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 9TH, 2026 MEETING? MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY VICE CHAIR MCCURTIS, 2DED BY COMMISSIONER NAHUM.
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 9TH, 2026 MEETING IS APPROVED.
ITEM NUMBER 6 ON THE AGENDA IS COMMUNICATIONS.
[6. COMMUNICATIONS ]
NOTICE OF ADOPTION AND TRANSMISSION OF THE WOODHULL TOWNSHIP MASTER PLAN.QUICK NOTE ABOUT THAT. THEY ACTUALLY SENT A HARD COPY OF THE PLAN.
[00:05:02]
I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT FROM A COMMUNITY IN A LONG TIME, THERE'S NO PDF LINK.WOODHULL TOWNSHIP IS A LITTLE OVER HALF A MILE FROM US FROM CORNER TO CORNER.
THEY DON'T ACTUALLY THEY DIDN'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO SEND ANYTHING TO US.
SO IF YOU'RE CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT WOODHULL TOWNSHIP'S MASTER PLAN.
I HAVE A COPY OF IT. COME IN AND I'LL MAKE YOU A COPY.
BUT IT WAS LIKE HALF AN INCH DOUBLE SIDED. I DIDN'T WANT TO PUT THAT IN THE PACKET.
I THINK WE ALL APPRECIATE YOU SAVING US THE EVEN THE E VERSION OF THE OF THE PRINT, SO AND OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE NO ACTION AROUND THAT, THAT'S JUST A COMMUNICATION NOTE. CORRECT. VERY WELL.
WITH THAT WE'LL MOVE TO AMENDED NUMBER 7 THAT IS REZ #26006 MR.
[8.A. REZ #26006 – Tekchandani ]
TEKCHANDANI, FOR APPROVAL OR FOR REVIEW. I'M SORRY.IT'S PAGE 42, IF THAT HELPS. WELL.
OKAY. SO THIS IS THE 2ND MEETING, THE FOLLOW UP TO THE PUBLIC HEARING WE HAD A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, REZONING, 26006 REZONING A PARCEL APPROXIMATELY HALF AN ACRE AT 2936 JOLLY ROAD FROM C-1 TO RB MR. TEKCHANDANI IS HERE. STAFF HAS HEARD NO COMMENT FROM ANYBODY IN THE PUBLIC REGARDING THIS.
THERE IS A A RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THIS REZONING.
I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS THE APPLICANTS HERE, BUT I HAVE NO FURTHER COMMENT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. SHORKEY FROM THE BOARD? SEEING NONE MR. TEKCHANDANI, YOU MAY SPEAK IF YOU WISH OR YOU DO NOT HAVE TO.
IT IS TOTALLY UP TO YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. ALL RIGHT.
WITH THAT, WE WOULD MOVE, WE NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION.
I MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION. MOVED BY VICE CHAIRMAN CURTIS.
DO I HAVE A 2ND? 2ND. 2ND BY COMMISSIONER NAHUM.
WE DON'T NEED A WORD FOR WORD, WE CAN JUST DO VOTE.
FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO APOLOGIZE FOR MY LATE ARRIVAL AT OUR LAST MEETING.
AND I DIDN'T HEAR THE DISCUSSION FULLY OF OF THE PROPOSAL REQUEST.
WHAT I'M SEEING HERE, I SUGGEST THAT THE PARCEL IN QUESTION IS A NON-CONFORMING USE IN THE CURRENT PLAN AND CORRECT THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP DESIGNATES IT AS COMMERCIAL AS WELL.
GOING BACK, A COUPLE MASTER PLANS THE. HERE, I'LL BRING UP MY, I'VE GOT THE OLD MEMO HERE.
SO GOING BACK A COUPLE MASTER PLANS AS EXPLAINED TO ME, THERE WAS AN IDEA ONCE UPON A TIME THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A LITTLE COMMERCIAL NODE IN THE TOWNSHIP. THIS IS THE BIG 10 PARTY STORE AND THEN THERE ARE ACTUALLY 3 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES HERE.
THEY'RE ALL ZONED C-1 NOW. MR. TEKCHANDANI HAS GONE TO REFINANCE HIS PROPERTY, CAN'T DO IT, IT'S NOT RESIDENTIALLY ZONED. HE NEEDS TO GET IT REZONED TO RESIDENTIAL.
BUT SINCE IT WAS NOT SHOWN THAT WAY IN THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP IT.
YOU WERE SPEAKING OF THE [INAUDIBLE] PROPERTY THAT WAS A CONTROVERSIAL REZONING.
THIS IS NOT A CONTROVERSIAL REZONING. I WOULD MORE LIKEN THIS TO A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE HAD A REZONING THAT WE HAD ACTUALLY HAD INITIATED ADMINISTRATIVELY FOR RESIDENT ON CADE STREET, WHO WENT TO DO AN ADDITION TO HER PROPERTY AND GOT DENIED HER BUILDING PERMIT BECAUSE SHE WAS ZONED COMMERCIALLY.
YES. RIGHT. THANK YOU. THAT'S A THAT'S A MUCH BETTER ANALOGY FOR THE SITUATION.
THANKS. I'M GOOD. VERY GOOD. BACK TO ROLL CALL VOTE.
SO WITH THAT, COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. YES. COMMISSIONER NAHUM. YES.
COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY. YES. VICE CHAIRMAN MCCURTIS.
YES. COMMISSIONER BROOKS. YES. AND THE CHAIR VOTES YES.
OKAY. THIS WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD FOR THEIR INTRODUCTION.
I THINK AT THEIR NEXT MEETING. SO WE'LL BE IN TOUCH.
OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.
[00:10:03]
ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, WE CAN MOVE TO NOW AMENDED NUMBER 8 PUBLIC HEARINGS ON ZA #26001 PARKING ORDINANCE UPDATE.[7.A. ZA #26001 – Parking Ordinance Update]
AND, MR. SHORKEY, IS THIS YOU AGAIN? YES. ALL RIGHT.OKAY. OKAY. THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ZONING AMENDMENT 26001, ARTICLE 8 OFF STREET PARKING AND LOADING.
I WILL JUST CUT RIGHT TO IT. THE ONLY QUESTION THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR THE LAST COUPLE DISCUSSIONS ON THIS ITEM WAS THE 20% MAXIMUM OVERAGE FOR PARKING IN NONRESIDENTIAL SPACES.
AT THE LAST MEETING, I SAID I'D GIVE YOU SOME OPTIONS AND I'VE DONE THAT.
AFTER THAT MEETING, I ATTENDED THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY MEETING AND THIS CAME UP FOR DISCUSSION AND THAT IS NOTED HERE AS WELL. SO I'LL JUST KIND OF GO THROUGH THIS REALLY QUICK.
THERE ARE 3 BASIC OPTIONS WITH THE 20% OVERAGE, THE OVERAGE AS PROPOSED STAFF GAVE YOU SOME COMPARISONS TO SOME TO 3 DIFFERENT RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED IN THE TOWNSHIP.
THE PROPOSED 20% OVERAGE MAY OPERATE ADEQUATELY WHEN APPLIED TO NEW, NEW DEVELOPMENTS, BUT APPLYING IT TO PAST DEVELOPMENTS, IT'S IT'S SKETCHY. THIS IS WHERE I'M GOING TO BRING UP.
I DID ATTEND THE FEBRUARY 18TH CIA MEETING. I WENT THERE TO DISCUSS MASS TIMBER THAT'S COMING UP LATER IN THE AGENDA AS A DISCUSSION ITEM. BUT WHEN, WHAT ELSE ARE YOU WORKING ON CONVERSATION CAME UP.
I BROUGHT THIS UP. CIA DID TAKE EXCEPTION TO THE 20% OVERAGE AND EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THAT MAY REPRESENT A REGULATORY BARRIER AND DISINCENTIVIZE FUTURE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
DIRECTOR CLARK IS HERE TO ADDRESS THAT MORE DIRECTLY AND SPEAK BECAUSE SHE DOES STAFF THE CIA.
MOVING ON, THE 2ND THING YOU CAN DO IS JUST REMOVE THAT LANGUAGE OUTRIGHT.
YOU JUST GO BACK TO THE KIND OF THE WAY IT IS.
NOTE THAT WE STILL HAVE A GENERAL COMMERCIAL IN OUR ORDINANCE THAT DOES HAVE.
THE 3RD OPTION LOOKS SAYS AND YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, YOU COULD PLAY WITH THAT NUMBER.
50% IS USED HYPOTHETICALLY HERE, BUT YOU COULD THAT NUMBER COULD LAND ANYWHERE.
SO WE THEN WENT AND GAVE YOU A HYPOTHETICAL. EXAMPLE.
HERE'S A RESTAURANT THAT REQUIRES 25 PARKING SPACES.
25 WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE THE MATH IS EASY. NOT GOING TO LIE TO YOU, BUT IT DOES GET THE POINT ACROSS AND OPTION 1, WHICH IS THE LANGUAGE AS WRITTEN, YOU'D HAVE 25 PARKING SPACES WITH A MAXIMUM NUMBER OF 30.
OPTION 2 , YOU'D HAVE A MINIMUM OF 25 PARKING SPACES.
THEN OPTION 3. AT THAT 50% SUGGESTION, YOU COULD IT WOULD CAP AT 38.
THAT WAS THAT BECAUSE THE 20% OVERAGE WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED IN THE NAME OF ENVIRONMENTAL, YOU KNOW, IMPERVIOUS SURFACE, YOU KNOW, LIMITING IMPERVIOUS SURFACE.
IT IS NOTED THAT THAT INCREASE WOULD BASED ON A 90 DEGREE PARKING SPACE IN OUR ORDINANCE, WOULD RESULT IN A LITTLE OVER 1400 MORE SQUARE FEET OF PAVEMENT THAN OPTION 1.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? STAFF HAS NO COMMENT. WE SAID WE'D PROVIDE YOU EXAMPLES AND LANGUAGE FOR DISCUSSION. AND DIRECTOR CLARK, IF YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THIS, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
[00:15:18]
YES. WE INVITED PLANNER SHORKEY TO COME AND PROVIDE US WITH SOME ADDITIONAL CONTEXT ON ANOTHER TOPIC THAT YOU WILL DISCUSS THIS EVENING.PRIOR TO THE TOWNSHIP GOING TO A MORE MODERNIZED COMMERCIAL PARKING STANDARD AND SO THAT'S TRADER JOE'S, RIGHT. TRADER JOE'S IS THE ONLY ENTITY FOR SEVERAL DECADES IN MERIDIAN THAT HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE PARKING REQUIREMENT, BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR BRAND IS GOING TO REQUIRE.
AND I'M SURE YOU'VE BEEN THERE ON A SATURDAY OR A SUNDAY AND HAVE BEEN LIKE, OH MY GOODNESS.
ALMOST ANY OTHER DEVELOPMENT, COMMERCIAL OR REDEVELOPMENT COMMERCIAL HAS NOT EXCEEDED THOSE REQUIREMENTS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE'RE IN A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A MODERN PRACTICE THESE DAYS.
JUST USING MERIDIAN MALL, FOR EXAMPLE. SO WHEN THEY'RE PREPARED TO DO A REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT, THE 1ST THING THEY SAY IS THEY WANT TO KIND OF ELIMINATE SOME OF THE PARKING.
THEY DON'T NEED THAT MUCH, OBVIOUSLY AND IF THEY COULD ELIMINATE SOME OF IT ENOUGH TO PARCEL OFF A PORTION OF IT FOR ANOTHER ENTITY TO BUY AND THEY REDEVELOP THAT SITE, THEN IT'S AN INCREASE TO THE ECONOMY, TO MERIDIAN.
IT ALLEVIATES THE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MALL AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
ALL THESE POSITIVE THINGS. IF WE SET A CAP, RIGHT.
THAT CONFLICT BETWEEN WHATEVER THE MALL WOULD REQUIRE AS FAR AS PARKING, BECAUSE THE MALLS DO HAVE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THEIR TENANTS OUTSIDE OF THE TOWNSHIP THAT COULD MAKE IT HARDER OR ESSENTIALLY NOT PENCIL.
AND THEN IF WE HAVE A MAX REQUIRED BECAUSE WE'VE ELIMINATED OUR MACS, I BELIEVE.
RIGHT NOW FOR COMMERCIAL. ESSENTIALLY A DEVELOPER RIGHT NOW.
FOR THE MOST PART. WOULD BE ABLE TO SAY I, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE PRODUCT I'M BRINGING TO THE COMMUNITY AND THESE ARE THE PARKING SPACES I WOULD NEED. IF THEY DID REQUEST MORE THAN THAT MAXIMUM, NOW THERE'S ANOTHER MEETING.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE ESSENTIALLY CREATING A PROCESS OF WHEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REQUEST WAIVERS.
AND SO UPSTAIRS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS, ARE WE, ARE WE JUST CREATING ADDITIONAL STEPS JUST FOR ADDITIONAL STEPS? OR ARE WE CREATING BOUNDARIES IN OUR DEVELOPMENT WORLD TO REALLY PROTECT US FROM DISCUSSIONS WITH DEVELOPERS AND REPRESENTATIVE FOR MERIDIAN MALL SITS ON OUR CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY.
SO THEY WERE CAPABLE OF SAYING YES WHEN THEY LOOK AT 5 YEARS AGO WHEN THEY WERE LOOKING AT REDEVELOPMENT AT MERIDIAN MALL, THE PARKING STANDARD WAS AN IMPEDIMENT. AND NOW THAT IT HAS BEEN UPDATED, IT IS NOW HELPING THEM TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON POSSIBLE VISIONS OF REDEVELOPMENT THERE AND JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE. IT'S A VERY LARGE SPACE, LIKE 84 ACRES.
SO LET'S IMAGINE SOME OF THAT IS MIXED USE, RIGHT? LET'S IMAGINE SOME OF THAT IS WHAT WE'RE DOING AT HASLETT.
THE IDEA OF CREATING THOSE ADDITIONAL HURDLES TO DEVELOPMENT COULD KEEP OUR PROJECT FROM HAPPENING.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE CIA WAS THINKING ABOUT.
I DO THINK THAT THIS OPENS GREAT CONVERSATION FOR THE CIA TO TALK ABOUT DESIGN, ESTHETICS AND WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO, BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE A GOAL OF WALKABILITY, THAT THEY ALSO WANT TO SEE REDEVELOPMENT AND KNOW THAT THAT'S THAT'S SOMETHING A DEVELOPER IS GOING TO LOOK AT IS HOW MUCH SPACE DO I ACTUALLY HAVE TO DEVELOP? 9 TIMES OUT OF 10, THEY DON'T WANT TO PUT IN AN ADDITIONAL PARKING SPACE IF IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE THE MONEY.
SO IF THAT PARKING SPACE IS GOING TO PUT UP A PERSON IN MY BUILDING, A PERSON IN MY STADIUM, YOU KNOW, IS IT GOING TO EXCHANGE MONEY? SURE.
OTHER THAN THAT, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO ASK FOR ADDITIONAL PARKING THEY DON'T NEED. SO I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S A AN ORDINANCE REQUIREMENT THAT YOU NEED TO WORRY ABOUT. RIGHT? I THINK THE IDEA IS WHAT IF WE CREATE THESE STANDARDS IN PARKING, AND THEN A DEVELOPER COMES IN AND PULLS A WALMART AND PUTS ALL THAT PARKING IN THERE? WELL, THESE DAYS I REALLY CAN'T SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENING BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR IT AND AGAIN, THEY'RE KICKING THEMSELVES, RIGHT? LIKE I PUT IN MONEY FOR THIS AND IT'S JUST, IT'S LIKE PUTTING IN A BUNCH OF MONEY INTO YOUR FOUNDATION OF YOUR HOUSE, RIGHT? AS MUCH AS YOU NEED IT, YOU ONLY WANT TO PUT IN AS MUCH AS YOU NEED.
[00:20:03]
IT'S THE FOUNDATION. IT'S NOT PRETTY. YOU'RE NOT SHOWING IT OFF LIKE, HEY GUYS, COME LOOK AT MY FOUNDATION, IT'S SUPPORTIVE. YOU NEED IT, IT SHOULD WORK STRUCTURALLY AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH HOW DEVELOPERS LOOK AT IT.SO I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR CLARK.
QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR CLARK. I HAVE MULTIPLE.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO. IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS SOMEONE YOU CAN GO.
COMMISSIONER BROOKS. DIRECTOR. I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS, IF YOU DON'T MIND. SORRY.
I JUST WAS TRYING TO LET OTHER PEOPLE JUMP IN IF THEY WANTED TO.
SO YOU MENTIONED THAT TRADER JOE'S IS THE ONLY 11 THAT'S GONE OVER THE MAX PARKING SPACES.
SO DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY HAVE GONE OR REQUESTED TO GO BELOW WHATEVER MINIMUM THRESHOLDS WE'VE HAD? I WOULD SAY ALMOST EVERY PROJECT WE'VE HAD SINCE I STARTED IN 2020 HAS REQUESTED LESS PARKING THAN OUR STANDARD HASLETT VILLAGE SQUARE BEING ONE VILLAGE OF OKEMOS BEING 1.
SO ALMOST EVERY SINGLE 1 OF OUR MAJOR REDEVELOPMENT AREAS.
TO ANSWER, TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT ANSWER, THOSE ARE CASES WHERE WE HAD MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS, AND WE HAVE INHERENT FLEXIBILITY IN THE STANDARDS THAT ALLOWS THAT WITHOUT GOING TO THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS.
OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD IN THE 4 PLUS YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE.
A VARIANCE FOR LESS PARKING ON JUST A STRAIGHT UP APPLICATION.
OKAY, SO WHY SO GIVEN THAT, THEN WHY DO WE HAVE MINIMUM.
WHY DO WE HAVE ANY SORT OF PARKING NUMBER AT THE BOTTOM ACROSS THE BOARD? BECAUSE THAT'S THE STANDARD MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND MOST OTHER TOWNSHIPS AND MUNICIPALITIES.
AND IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, ACROSS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND HAS BEEN FOR SEVERAL DECADES.
WELL, WHY? I LIKE THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE MOVING.
THEY ARE IN PLACE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, BUSINESSES AS DIRECTOR CLARK SAID, BUSINESSES DON'T MAKE ANY MONEY BY AND LARGE OFF THEIR PARKING SPACES. THAT'S ON, YOU KNOW, IT'S UNRENTED, IT'S ON, IT'S A SPACE TAKEN UP.
THEY DON'T THEY'RE NOT PAYING TO USE THOSE SPACES IN THEIR PARKING LOT BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT AN UNDER UNDER PARKING YOUR SPACES COULD LEAD TO CONFLICTS BETWEEN LANDOWNERS.
THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PARKING THAT'S REQUIRED FOR VIABILITY OF BUSINESSES.
IS THAT A FAIR STATEMENT? I'M NOT A PLANNER. I'M NOT A PLANNER.
I WOULD AGREE THAT PAST HISTORY HAS RIGHT. OUR ORDINANCES FROM 1970.
RIGHT? SO THOSE STANDARDS EXISTED. THAT'S WHERE YOUR MINIMUM COMES FROM.
SOME COMMUNITIES HAVE ELIMINATED PARKING STANDARDS.
THAT IS KIND OF A GROWING, I THINK, DISCUSSION AMONG PLANNERS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO I FROM WHAT I'VE RESEARCHED IN MICHIGAN, SOME COMMUNITIES HAVE ONLY DONE IT IN SPECIFIC AREAS.
SO, YOU KNOW, NO PARKING STANDARD IN A DOWNTOWN WHERE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR REDEVELOPMENT AND THEY KNOW THESE ARE AREAS OF HURDLES, BUT THEY DON'T APPLY IT TO THEIR COMMUNITY AT LARGE BECAUSE THEY KNOW A COSTCO IS COMING IN AND THAT'S SOMETHING THEY WANT.
THEY WANT THE COSTCO ON THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN TO HAVE A MAXIMUM.
THAT'S THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING. WHY IS BECAUSE PLANNERS 40, 50, 60 YEARS AGO SAID IT WAS THE THING THAT THE TOWNSHIP SHOULD DO AND THEY, THEY ADOPTED A STANDARD. IT WAS ALSO AT A TIME WHEN WE WERE DOING A LOT OF URBAN SPRAWL AND SO AGAIN, TO BRIAN'S POINT, WE'RE STILL WORKING, WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH PROPERTY OWNERS THAT SHARE PAVEMENT AND IT GETS DICEY.
IT CAUSES SOME CONCERN AND IRRITATION BETWEEN PROPERTY OWNERS.
I GUESS I'M ASKING THESE QUESTIONS BECAUSE I'VE ALSO, I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW THE ANSWERS.
AND I'M ALSO THINKING LIKE, WE CAN'T PREDICT THE FUTURE, RIGHT? SO AND WE ALSO ARE IN A, IN A HUGE STATE OF FLUX AT THE MOMENT WHERE IF YOU READ, I WAS JUST LISTENING TO A FREAKONOMICS PODCAST EPISODE THIS PAST WEEK AND IT WAS ON WAYMO, AND IT WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW AUTOMATED DRIVING ACROSS LOTS OF URBAN PLACES IN THE US ARE REDUCING THE NEED FOR CARS BECAUSE YOU CAN HOP IN AN AUTOMATED CAR,
[00:25:04]
RIGHT? SO WE ARE ON THE CUSP OF THIS TRANSITION PROBABLY HAPPENING.SO MY CONCERN IS THAT WE HAVE A POLICY THAT POTENTIALLY INCREASES URBAN SPRAWL.
WHEN THE GENERAL TRAJECTORY IS AWAY FROM THAT.
AND I'M NOT IT'S NOT THAT I THINK THAT 20% MAXIMUM IS THE BEST THING OR 50% OR REMOVING THE MINIMUMS ARE THE BEST THINGS. BUT WE KNOW THAT WE LIVE IN A MARSH AREA AND WE CAN'T KEEP BUILDING PARKING LOTS AND WE ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF THEM. AND SO I'M LIKE, WHAT IS THE BEST? WAY WITHIN OUR MASTER PLAN, WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF OUR MASTER PLAN AND THE GENERAL SORT OF STATE OF THE WORLD TO FRAME POLICY AROUND THAT THOSE MOVEMENTS. SO I'M ASKING THAT THAT QUESTION, LIKE EVEN, EVEN THE COMMENT ABOUT THE MALL. I READ ABOUT A COMMUNITY IN ARIZONA.
I CAN'T REMEMBER THE SOURCE, BUT THEY, THEY REPLACED A MALL WITH A PURELY WALKABLE, WALKABLE AREA. SO THERE WERE APARTMENTS. ALL THE COMMERCIAL AREA WAS RIGHT BELOW THEM AND THEN THEY HAD LIKE EUROPEAN STYLE STREETS IN THEM AND SO THEY REDESIGNED THE MALL AREA WITHIN A COMMUNITY TO BE LIKE ONE OF THESE PURELY WALKABLE SPACES.
SO I THINK WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO WITH THE QUESTIONS IS TO SAY LIKE, DO WE HAVE TO DO THIS? AND THE WAY THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IT OR ARE THERE ALTERNATIVES? ARE THERE? OKAY, THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE A VOTE ON THIS ORDINANCE TODAY.
I'M GOING TO BRING A RESOLUTION BACK IN 2 IN 2 WEEKS.
WELL, THREE WEEKS IN THIS CASE, YOU GOT AN EXTRA WEEK. IT'S ONE OF THOSE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
DO YOU HAVE TO DO IT IN THIS WAY? NO. YOU COULD VERY WELL TELL STAFF TO BACK UP.
YOU WANT YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER IDEA THAT WILL LEAD TO MORE DISCUSSION.
BUT IF THERE'S MORE THAT YOU WANT TO DISCUSS, IF THERE'S MORE IDEAS, I DON'T KNOW IF STRIKING ALL OF THE PARKING MINIMUMS IS GOING TO FLY VERY. I'M NOT GOING TO LIE TO YOU.
YEAH. I JUST HAVE 1 MORE COMMENT AND THEN I'M LIKE, AND SO I'M SAYING THIS.
SO DIRECTOR CLARK, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT AND SHARING ALL THIS WITH US AND, AND THE, AND I ALSO APPRECIATE THE IDEA THAT THE MAXIMUM MAY BE TOO LOW FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE CIA.
AND SO I'M SHARING ALL THIS SORT OF MY OWN THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT WOULD BE INTERESTING FOR THE CIA TO, IF THEY HAVE ANY IDEAS ABOUT SHAPING A PARKING ORDINANCE THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR THAT MAIN THAT MAIN ARTERY THROUGH THROUGH THE TOWNSHIP. OKAY. JUST TO THROW THAT OUT THERE.
OKAY. YOU ARE THE LIAISON MEMBER TO THE CIA. [LAUGHTER] NO, NO, NO, I THAT WAS WELL PLACED. I THOUGHT THAT I WASN'T ANYMORE.
I BELIEVE YOU ARE. EITHER WAY. EITHER WAY, WE CAN DEFINITELY ADD IT AS A DISCUSSION ITEM.
THEY'RE NOT PLANNERS, SO I WILL TELL YOU THAT PROBABLY YOUR WORLD.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO USE THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
SO WE MIGHT HAVE TO KIND OF HONE IN OR BE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT YOU'D LIKE FROM THEM.
THEY COULD TELL YOU IT'S THE THE 3 PEDESTRIAN ISLANDS ARE KIND OF THE AREAS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT BECAUSE THEY KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC THERE AND IT ADDS IT'S IMMEDIATELY CONNECTED TO THE LAKE LANSING MSU TRAIL.
SO SOME OF THOSE THINGS BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY GO BACK AND ASK THEM.
YEAH. THANK YOU. WELCOME. COMMISSIONER NAHUM.
[00:30:08]
I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M DEFINITELY OPEN TO DISCUSSING DRAMATICALLY REDUCING OR REMOVING PARKING MINIMUMS. ASSUMING ONCE AGAIN, I NEED TO DO A LOT MORE RESEARCH ON WHAT POSSIBLE EFFECTS THAT MIGHT HAVE.OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE SOME MINIMUMS THAT WE STILL WANT TO MAINTAIN.
LIKE WE STILL WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE BIKE PARKING IN HANDICAPPED SPACES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND YEAH, I, I DEFINITELY COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN THAT LIKE, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY PARKING MINIMUMS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE BUSINESSES THAT ARE POACHING ON THE PARKING SPACES OF THEIR NEIGHBORS.
BUT YEAH, I'M DEFINITELY IN FAVOR OF, I WASN'T PRESENT FOR WHEN THE PARKING MINIMUMS WERE UPDATED.
SO I CAN'T SPEAK TO DECISIONS THERE. I'D LIKE TO ACTUALLY, YOU SAID SOMETHING KIND OF TRIGGERED SOMETHING YOU HAVE LOWERED PARKING MAXIMUMS BY VIRTUE OF YOUR PARKING UPDATE LAST YEAR.
YOU TOOK THE 25% OVERFLOW OUT OF THE MULTIFAMILY DISTRICT.
AND I CAN TELL YOU STRAIGHT UP THAT AFFECTED SOMETHING TODAY, I WAS ABLE TO TELL I'M PUTTING A LETTER TOGETHER TO A FOR A POTENTIAL REDEVELOPMENT. I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU ANY MORE SPECIFICS THAN THAT BECAUSE IT'S IT'S NOT LIVE YET TOMORROW THAT THEIR REDEVELOPMENT IS MOVING THEM TOWARD CONFORMITY AND THEY'RE OKAY TO MOVE FORWARD.
THAT IS DIRECTLY BECAUSE YOU TOOK THAT 25% MAXIMUM OUT OF THAT OUT OF THAT.
I'M NOT ASKING FOR A VARIANCE IN THEIR CASE, AND I'M NOT ASKING FOR MORE PARKING, WHICH IS GOOD BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T, I MEAN EFFECT THAT COULD THAT COULD KILL THAT DEVELOPMENT.
BUT I'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION MORE THAN ONCE WITH MORE THAN ONE.
BUT I MEAN, TODAY I HAD THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL.
LIKE YOU DID TAKE THAT MAXIMUM OUT AND IT HAS MADE AN EFFECT.
QUICK QUESTION FOR SO I SEE THAT THE CIA HAS SAID THAT THEY FELT THAT THE 20% OVERAGE LANGUAGE MIGHT BE AN IMPEDIMENT. DO THEY, DID YOU GUYS DISCUSS IF 50% OR 100% OR IS IT JUST ANY MAXIMUM WOULD BE AN IMPEDIMENT REGARDLESS OF HOW HIGH OR.
THEY DIDN'T DISCUSS THE DETAILS OF THE SPECIFICS.
RIGHT WITH 20% OR 50. THEY, IT WAS MORE OF A ALTRUISTIC CONVERSATION OF WHAT DO WE FEEL ABOUT MAX IS AND AGAIN, JUST KIND OF TAKING INTO A TRADER JOE'S INTO CONSIDERATION VERSUS WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY.
TYPICALLY, A DEVELOPER IS ONLY GOING TO ASK FOR HOW MANY PARKING SPACES THEY THINK THAT THEY NEED.
MY FIRST INTRODUCTION INTO LOCAL GOVERNMENT, MY BOSS USED TO SAY PARKING IS A GREAT PROBLEM, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, YOU GO TO TRADER JOE'S, IT'S LIKE, WOW, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THIS PLACE IS IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN, BUT EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE HERE. SO I'M GOING TO GO IN AND I'M GOING TO SPEND MONEY FOR NO REASON BECAUSE I'M FOLLOWING ALL THE OTHER SHEEP KIND OF A THING, RIGHT? AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE PROPERTY LOOKS WELL, IT LOOKS TAKEN CARE OF AND PEOPLE CONTINUE TO DRIVE TO GO THERE.
SO PEOPLE ARE GOING TO ENCOURAGE OTHER PEOPLE TO, TO STOP BY.
I DON'T THINK THAT A DEVELOPER IS GOING TO UNDER PARK THEMSELVES ON PURPOSE.
I JUST DON'T SEE IT AND THEN I REALLY DON'T SEE THEM ADDING A BUNCH OF PARKING SPACES FOR WITHOUT A REASON, RIGHT? LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE HAS A VILLAGE SQUARE.
ONE OF THE AMENITIES IS AN UPDATED TRAILHEAD WITH RESTROOMS AND ACCESS TO A DOG PARK.
SO WE'VE ASKED THE DEVELOPER TO PUT IN PARKING, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE LABELED INTERURBAN TRAIL PARKING, BUT IT'S A 6 ADDITIONAL SPACES THAT ARE IMMEDIATELY NEXT TO THE TRAILHEAD.
IT'S KIND OF OBVIOUS IT'S TRAILHEAD PARKING, BUT ANYONE IN THE DEVELOPMENT COULD USE IT.
THAT'S GOING TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFIT OF THE PROPERTY.
THANK YOU. THIS IS A COULD BE A STUPID QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW. BUT IN TERMS OF COST FOR PARKING.
WHAT IS IT? WHAT DOES IT COST BUSINESSES? WHAT DO THEY PAY FOR THE MINIMUM?
[00:35:03]
AND THEN WHAT DO THEY PAY? ANY. LIKE HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? OVER THE MINIMUM IS THAT. DURING CONSTRUCTION OR DO YOU MEAN LIKE IF A TENANT WERE TO MOVE INTO THE MERIDIAN MALL OR.YEAH. WELL YEAH. OKAY. THAT'S A GOOD, DO TENANTS HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR SHARE OF PARKING IF THEY MOVE INTO THE MALL? CORRECT. AND WHAT IS THAT? I HAVE NO IDEA. IT'S A PART OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL LEASES.
GOT IT. AND THEN WHAT ABOUT LIKE IF THEY'RE DEVELOPING A BRAND NEW DEVELOPMENT, LIKE A TRADER JOE'S, FOR INSTANCE, DO THEY NEED TO PAY FOR THAT? THAT ALL GOES INTO WHATEVER THE COST OF THE DEVELOPMENT IS.
CORRECT. OKAY. YEP. THAT'S IT. YES. EXCELLENT QUESTION.
THE COST THAT, INCIDENTALLY, IS NOT GOING DOWN WITH THE PRICE OF PETROLEUM. CORRECT.
IS THE CHURCH AT THE BASE OF MOUNT MARSHALL? YES, YES, YES.
AND IT'S NOT A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT. CORRECT.
I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD JUST REMIND US SOME OF THE DETAILS OF THAT, SO WE CAN THINK ABOUT IN WHAT CASES WE HAVE SEEN KIND OF ADDITIONAL PARKING ADDED IN REDEVELOPMENT OR REPURPOSING. IS THAT A ONE OFF CASE OR ARE THERE OTHERS LIKE THAT? WHAT ARE YOU WHAT ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT? WHEN WHEN IS WHEN IS A REDEVELOPMENT REQUIRED PARKING OR PARKING? THAT PARTICULAR INSTANCE WHERE THE CHURCH EXPANDED ITS PARKING LOT A LOT BECAUSE THE CHURCH GOT A LOT MORE POPULAR.
THEY SUDDENLY STARTED FILLING THEIR PARKING LOT.
OH, I KNOW WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WEDNESDAY EVENING.
YEAH. NOT A COMMON OCCURRENCE. I'M THINKING IT'S NOT A COMMON OCCURRENCE.
THIS IS NOT THEIR CASE, THEY SIMPLY NEEDED MORE PARKING.
AND THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER REALLY MADE THEM DO SOME STUFF WITH THE WATER.
THEY THEY DID. AND WE FOUND A SOLUTION THAT WORKED.
SINCE THAT HAPPENED, YOU ALSO UPDATED YOUR LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE.
AND I WOULD DARE SAY THAT THERE'S ROWS OF PARKING LOT PARKING SPACES ON THAT ADDITION THAT WOULD NOW HAVE BE BROKEN UP WITH LANDSCAPE ISLANDS MORE ISLANDS AND MORE MORE VEGETATION THAN, THAN THAN AT THAT TIME.
THAT'S THE BIGGEST EXAMPLE AND THE EASIEST ONE TO BRING TO MIND.
WE'VE HAD A COUPLE PLACES WHERE THEY'VE DONE.
BUT IT DIDN'T AMOUNT TO AN ENLARGEMENT OF THE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
YEAH. THANK YOU. I'M GOOD. JUST A THOUGHT HERE FOR ME.
WHEN WE START PLAYING WITH THESE MINIMUM MAXIMUMS, WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS DEVELOPERS AND OTHERS END UP IN FEWER PROCESSES LIKE OURS AND END UP IN MORE PROCESSES LIKE YOU TALKED ABOUT TODAY, WHERE YOU CAN, IN YOUR BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT, JUST WRITE A LETTER AND SAY YOU'RE GOOD BECAUSE WE'VE BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN EMPOWERED TO DO THAT IN, IN. WELL, IT'S NOT THAT I'M BEING EMPOWERED. I'VE BEEN ASKED A QUESTION AND THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT'S GONE BACK AND FORTH.
THEY'RE DOING THE REDEVELOPMENT. WE DID CALCULATIONS.
WELL, HERE'S WHAT THE NUMBER IS. HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED.
I AM GOING TO I'M ABLE TO GO BACK TO THEM AND SAY, YOU ARE IMPROVING THE SITUATION.
YOU'RE IMPROVING THE NONCONFORMITY. I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO THE DETAILS OF WHAT I MEAN WHEN I SAY THAT IN THIS CASE, BUT YOU ARE FREE TO PROCEED. THAT IS NOT ME BEING EMPOWERED TO MAKE A DECISION.
AND THEN AND THAT DIDN'T COME IN A VACUUM EITHER.
YEAH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INTERNAL DISCUSSION TOO. NO, I GET IT.
NO, BECAUSE PART OF IT IS, AS I THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT CLARK SAID ABOUT REDEVELOPMENT AND THINGS, IT'S LIKE, WHAT MAKES REDEVELOPMENT HAPPEN FASTER, RIGHT?
[00:40:01]
AND IF IT IS THINGS SIMPLY ROLLING AROUND, I'M GOING TO SAY IN THIS BUILDING, IN YOUR NORMAL COURSE OF BUSINESS, THAT'S BENEFICIAL, I WOULD IMAGINE, TO A DEVELOPER.AND SO THEN TO ME, I STARTED TO THINK ABOUT WHICH ONE OF THESE 3 SOLUTIONS FOLLOWS IN THAT VEIN.
AS OPPOSED TO, I HAVE TO HOLD YOU UP FOR A MONTH TO A MONTH AND A HALF SO THAT I CAN SEND YOU TO THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS, WHERE YOU MAY OR MAY NOT GET A VARIANCE. CORRECT? YEAH, YEAH. I MEAN, I'M ALL FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EFFICIENCY AND THAT, BUT PART OF IT IS, I THINK YOU GOT TO REALIZE IS WHEN YOU TAKE OUR PARTS OUT OF IT, THAT JUST MEANS MORE ESSENTIALLY MORE WORK FOR WHAT I ALWAYS CALL THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH.
SO. SORRY TO COMPLICATE YOUR LIFE. A LOT OF WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS EVENING IS THE MANDATE OR THE IDEA, THE NOTION OF TRYING TO LIMIT OVERFLOW PARKING ONTO A NEIGHBOR'S LAND.
AND I'M WONDERING, IS THERE ANY WAY IN THE WORLD THAT THAT COULD BE ENCAPSULATED IN A REGULATION? IF YOU'RE A STANDALONE, WHO CARES? YOU'RE NOT GOING TO OVERFLOW ONTO SOMEBODY ELSE, ALTHOUGH YOU MIGHT ONE DAY WHEN SOMEBODY IS THERE ANY POSSIBLE WAY THAT YOU COULD WE DO. YOUR PARKING IS ON YOUR SITE, BUT YOU ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE A SHARED AGREEMENT AND THERE'S LANGUAGE IN, IN THE ORDINANCE THAT TALKS ABOUT THAT. I GUESS I WAS SAYING IF THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE OVERFLOW PARKING IS NOT GOING TO BE A PROBLEM FOR WHATEVER REASON, DO WE NEED TO REGULATE IT? I'M NOT I DIDN'T FOLLOW THAT.
RIGHT. SO WHY REGULATE IT IN THAT INSTANCE? MAYBE THAT'S SO RARE AGAIN.
SORRY. I'M THROWING. NO. SO. OKAY. I GUESS YOU'RE SPEAKING MY LANGUAGE BECAUSE WHEN I READ THROUGH THE DOCUMENTS, I. I WAS LEANING TOWARD OPTION 2, BUT SO WHERE I GUESS I GUESS TO PLAY ON THAT MAYBE IF I'M INTERPRETING, IF I'M CORRECT ME IF I'M MISSING, IF THERE'S, IF I'M MISSING SOMETHING IN THE TRANSLATION.
YOU MIGHT LOSE PARKING BECAUSE THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE SAYS YOU GOT TO PUT A CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, FEATURE IN TO HANDLE THE STORMWATER BUT IN THAT CASE, IT IS WHAT IT IS.
THE MORE I THINK ABOUT THE INSTANCE I'M IMAGINING IS PROBABLY VERY RARE.
WE ALSO HAVE A THING IN HERE THAT SAYS YOU CAN HAVE WHAT'S CALLED DEFERRED PARKING.
SO YOU CAN HAVE A SITE PLAN. YOU CAN COME IN AND SAY, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MIGHT BE A NEED FOR PARKING, MORE PARKING IN THE FUTURE, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO BUILD THAT ALL. LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS AND YOU CAN MARK THAT AS DEFERRED ON THE SITE PLAN.
LEAVE IT GREEN WITH THE OPTION TO USE IT IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEN IF YOU DON'T NEED IT, YOU JUST DON'T HAVE IT. I HAVEN'T HAD ANYBODY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT BUT WE DO HAVE THAT, THAT OPTION IS IN THIS ORDINANCE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUILD IT ALL AT ONCE IF YOU WANT TO DEFER IT, DEFER SOME. THANKS, COMMISSIONER NAHUM. SO IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES THAT HAVE REQUESTED LESS THAN THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF PARKING.
NO NO NO NO. OKAY, OKAY. BECAUSE I WAS WONDERING IF THERE WERE CLEAR CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE OUR MINIMUMS WERE TOO HIGH AND THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE FIND OUT THAT, YOU KNOW YOU KNOW, DAYCARES DON'T NEED AS MUCH PARKING MINIMUMS AS WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
SO YOU DON'T SEE A LOT OF VARIANCES FOR LESS THAN THE MINIMUM.
I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AND I CAN DO THIS IF YOU'RE CURIOUS ABOUT IT, BUT I DON'T HAVE I'M NOT THINKING, I'M NOT THINKING. I CAN'T COME UP WITH A CASE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD IN THE LAST FOUR AND A HALF YEARS WHERE WE HAD MAYBE THE LOCATION OF THE PARKING SPOTS, LIKE, OH, WE GOT THIS IS GOING TO BE IN A BUFFER OR SOMETHING OR IN A SETBACK, BUT NOT THE NUMBER. OH, OKAY. YEAH, I WOULD HAVE TO.
I'M NOT ASKING FOR IT. I CAN VERIFY THAT IF YOU'RE CURIOUS.
NO, NO, NO, I JUST THERE'S NOT A PREPONDERANCE OF THEM.
NO NO NO. QUESTIONS FROM ANYBODY ELSE ON THE BOARD.
I HAVE ANOTHER 1. COMMISSIONER BROOKS. HAS THE TOWNSHIP EVER HAVE WE EVER CONSIDERED HAVING LIKE A A SHARED PARKING? THAT'S LIKE, IT'S ALMOST LIKE TOWNSHIP MANAGED AND THEN
[00:45:11]
THE [INAUDIBLE] PROPERTY OWNERS WOULD CONTRIBUTE FEES THAT WOULD FUND THE MAINTENANCE OF IT.IT'S NEVER BEEN CONSIDERED. I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY AND ALSO JUST GRAND RIVER AND THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THAT FLOWS UP AND DOWN THAT CORRIDOR. AND LIKE, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE TRADER JOE'S AND WHOLE FOODS AREA, NOW THAT TRADER JOE'S IS THERE, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ANYBODY ELSE, BUT I FREQUENTLY SEE PEOPLE WALK ACROSS THOSE ROADS THERE.
THEY ARE USING SHARED PARKING, BASICALLY, AND.
IF THERE WERE A WAY TO HAVE SHARED PARKING AGREEMENTS IN THE ORDINANCE, I DON'T KNOW.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS WOULD LOOK LIKE. JUST LIKE SHARED PARKING WHERE ALSO BUSINESSES WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THAT AND THE TOWNSHIP WOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF CAPACITY AND MAINTAINING THAT THING.
IT MAY BE USEFUL AND THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY HELP TO REDUCE THE POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICTS BETWEEN OWNERS. WE HAVE IN HERE IT'S ON PAGE 22. YEAH.
SORRY, I'M NOT THERE YET. THANK YOU. AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT PAGE.
PARKING OFF STREET, PARKING REDUCED BY PROCEDURES.
PARKING DEFERRALS. REDUCTIONS PARKING DEFERRALS.
THIS IS PARKING DEFERRALS SOMEWHERE IN HERE WE HAVE.
BULLET F.C. SO AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 22, THE LAST BULLET THERE THAT'S SHARED PARKING.
THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH, WE WE DO ALLOW SHARED PARKING AGREEMENTS, PRIVATE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN BETWEEN DEVELOPMENTS. YOUR IDEA THEN TAKES THAT A STEP FURTHER, THE TOWNSHIP WOULD GET INVOLVED.
THE TOWNSHIP ISN'T NECESSARILY ISN'T INVOLVED IN ANY OF THESE.
BUT WE HAVE INSTANCES IN THE TOWNSHIP WHERE WE HAVE SHARED PARKING, AND WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND IN THOSE CASES THAT THEY PUT SOME SORT OF DEED, YOU KNOW, LANGUAGE IN THEIR DEEDS, MAINTAINING THAT IN THE FUTURE.
YEAH. SO LIKE, LET'S SAY WE HAD SOME HUGELY CENTRAL LOCATION WHERE THERE WAS A MAIN ARTERY THAT RAN NORTH AND SOUTH AND EAST AND WEST, AND THERE WAS A NEED FOR SOME SORT OF PARKING THAT COULD BE ACCESSIBLE ACROSS THE FOUR CORNERS OF THAT SPACE.
IT IT MAY BE USEFUL TO HAVE A TOWNSHIP SHARED PARKING LOT.
THERE'S NOTHING IN THE ZONING THAT SAYS THEY COULDN'T.
AND MUNICIPAL FACILITIES ARE TYPICALLY IMMUNE TO ZONING ANYWAY.
IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THE TOWNSHIP WANTED TO ENTERTAIN, THEY COULD.
NOTHING IN THIS ORDINANCE PROHIBITS THAT. OKAY.
IT STRIKES ME, IF I MAY, THAT WHEN THE TOWNSHIP DOES USE OTHER PARKING FOR SPECIAL EVENTS, THAT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY COMMON, WHETHER IT BE A SCHOOL OR THE MALL OR OTHER PLACES.
AT THE MALL, THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT MADE FOR THE EXPANSION OR THE INSTALLATION OF THE NEW PAVILION, AND I CAN'T RECALL OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD WHETHER THAT WAS A PURCHASE OR A LOAN OR A GIFT OR A LEASE OR WHATEVER THAT WAS.
BUT THAT'S PRETTY RARE AS WELL. YEAH, YEAH. THERE ARE, OF COURSE, OTHER MUNICIPAL LOTS.
MUNICIPAL LOTS HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. THE 1S THAT I'M ALL THINKING OF THOUGH, COME WITH.
WELL, I MEAN, THERE ARE, I, I CAN THINK OF SOME MUNICIPAL LOTS.
I THINK HOWELL HAS SOME, HOWELL HAS HAD SOME MUNICIPAL LOTS THAT ARE JUST FREE PARKING BEHIND THE BUILDINGS AND THEN I'VE SEEN OTHER MUNICIPAL LOTS THAT HAVE PARKING METERS THAT YOU HAVE TO PUT YOUR CREDIT CARD INTO.
WE COULD ALSO DO IT IF YOU WANT TO HAVE PARKING OVER THE MAXIMUM.
THEN RATHER THAN DO THAT, YOU CONTRIBUTE TO A SHARED PARKING FUND THAT WOULD PAY FOR THE OVERAGE PARKING, THAT WOULD BE LIKE COMMUNITY PROVIDED THAT IS A POSSIBILITY THAT WOULDN'T.
THAT GOES BEYOND THE ON THE SCOPE OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A TOWNSHIP POLICY, SOMETHING TO DISCUSS WITH THE BOARD.
YEAH. I. COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY. I FEEL LIKE WE'RE WE SORT OF HAVE MIXED MOTIVATIONS HERE.
[00:50:09]
LIKE WE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S ENOUGH PARKING THAT NEARBY BUSINESSES ARE NOT ENCUMBERED BY PEOPLE OVERFLOWING AND THAT THE CUSTOMERS CAN GO WHERE THEY WANT TO GO BUT I'M HEARING THAT THE MARKET KIND OF DRIVES THAT BECAUSE NO BUSINESS WANTS TO HAVE NOT ENOUGH SPACE FOR THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO HAVE JUST THE RIGHT BALANCE. AND WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF EXTRA PARKING SPACES THAT CREATES MORE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE THAT ISN'T GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENCOURAGES CAR USE WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE OTHER FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION.SO I FEEL LIKE WE'RE SORT OF IN THIS WEIRD SPOT, AND WE'RE TRYING TO NOT ONLY PLAN FOR NOW, BUT PREDICT WHAT'S COMING IN THE FUTURE THAT WE DON'T.
I FEEL LIKE THIS IS REALLY HARD AND THEN I HEAR WE TALK ABOUT LIKE CERTAIN HYPOTHETICAL LOCATIONS AND IN THE TOWNSHIP BECAUSE IT IS INCREASINGLY BUILT UP. AND SO THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING ARE KIND OF REDEVELOPING AND CREATIVE WAYS OF THINGS THAT WEREN'T THE ORIGINAL USE THAT IT IS INCREDIBLY SITE SPECIFIC. AND SO IT'S REALLY, REALLY HARD TO DO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, WHICH IS CREATE A ONE SIZE FITS ALL POLICY THAT REALLY CAN'T FIT ALL BECAUSE EACH 1 IS UNIQUE AND EACH 1 HAS A BALANCE OF LOCATION AND USE AND CURRENT USE, POTENTIAL FUTURE USE.AND SO I DON'T, I DON'T ENVY YOU TRYING TO TAKE ALL THE THINGS AND TURN IT INTO WORDS THAT CREATE.
BUT I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S POSSIBLE AND SO I GUESS I WOULD LIKE US TO THINK ABOUT IT IF WE CAN AND WHEN DO WE WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS? RATHER THAN TALK ABOUT NUMBERS AND PERCENTAGES OF LIKE, AND I GUESS YOU HAVE TO PUT SOME BOUNDARIES ON IT IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
BUT WHEN DO WE WANT STAFF TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS OR THE DEVELOPERS TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, OR THE BUSINESS OWNERS TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS? VERSUS WHEN DO WE THINK IT'S IN THE PUBLIC'S INTEREST THAT WE, AS THEIR DE FACTO REPRESENTATIVES FOR PLANNING, HAVE AN INVOLVEMENT IN IT AND GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND TALK TO US ABOUT IT AND SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS.
AND THAT'S HOW I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT BUT I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO HELP US GET TO IS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I CAN'T TELL YOU A NUMBER I DON'T KNOW.
IT SOUNDS GOOD. YEAH, I HEAR YOU SAY IT, IT SOUNDS GOOD AND THEN I HEAR YOU SAY IT MAY NOT BE NEEDED, BUT, LIKE, IF WE COULD SORT OF WRESTLE AMONGST OURSELVES WITH WHEN DO WE WANT TO BE INVOLVED? THIS IS WHY WE PARTIONED THIS ORDINANCE UP. AND WE CAME TO YOU WITH 2 SECTIONS BEFORE THIS.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S A THAT'S NOT A QUESTION THAT'S NOT IN QUESTION.
I'M NOT GETTING INUNDATED WITH PHONE CALLS FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE COMPLAINING THEY CAN'T FIND A PLACE TO PARK AT CHIPOTLE. ALTHOUGH IF YOU WERE THAT ISN'T A PROBLEM, YOU ALREADY WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
AS FOR INVOLVEMENT, SOMEBODY COMES IN FOR SITE PLAN.
I'M GOING TO SAY GIVE ME A DRAFT. LET ME SEE WHAT YOU'RE THINKING.
AND DID THEY DO THEM CORRECTLY? THAT'S AT THE SITE PLAN PROCESS.
THAT'S ADMINISTRATIVE. THERE'S NO INVOLVEMENT AND I'M NOT TRYING TO THROW SHADE.
I'M JUST SAYING THERE'S NO INVOLVEMENT AT THE AT THE, YOU KNOW, AT A PUBLIC HEARING UNLESS THEY START TALKING ABOUT DRIVE THRUS AND, AND TRIGGERING SPECIAL USE PERMITS, THEN THIS BODY IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT STACKING.
IT'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT ARE YOU OVER PARKED THINGS LIKE THAT IN A DEVELOPED IN A REDEVELOPMENT SITE, A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE INHERITING A LOT OF CONCRETE.
THEY'RE INHERITING A LOT OF ASPHALT. I GOT THINKING ABOUT THAT AFTER THE FACT.
THEY WENT ON A DEVELOPED SITE. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GO IN WITH JACKHAMMERS AND RIP OUT CONCRETE.
JUST, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE THEM DO THAT.
RIGHT? THAT'S NEITHER GOOD NOR BAD. IT'S JUST A FACT.
[00:55:07]
YOU'VE UPDATED THE LANDSCAPING SECTION OF THE ORDINANCE AS WELL.YOU ACTUALLY EXPLAINED THAT A LOT BETTER IN MY HEAD, LIKE WHAT YOU SAID WAS WHAT IT WAS IN MY HEAD, BUT VERY DISJOINTED. I MEAN, IT'S WHERE DO YOU START AS THE FRAME FOR IT AND IF WE START WITH THE FRAME OF WE'RE GOING TO BE A REDEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, THAT'S WHERE STUFF'S GOING TO HAPPEN. THE MALL IS GOING TO HAVE TO GET REDEVELOPED. IT'S LIKE, WHAT HELPS IN THE SHORT TERM THIS TO HAPPEN? BECAUSE IT'S GOING BACK TO WHAT COMMISSIONER BROOKS WAS SAYING. I MEAN, THESE PARKING ORDINANCES DATE BACK TO THE 70S, ROUGHLY, IS WHAT WE THINK. YEAH.
ORIGINALLY. YEAH. SO IT'S BEEN SITTING FOR 50 PLUS YEARS UNTOUCHED.
AND IT'S LIKE, WHAT? YOU CAN'T PLAN FOR THE NEXT 50, BUT YOU CAN PROBABLY PLAN FOR THE NEXT 5.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS IN HERE THAT GOES TOWARD THAT.
I MEAN, 50 YEARS AGO, WE DIDN'T HAVE EV CARS, BUT WE HAVE EV LANGUAGE IN THE DRAFT ORDINANCE.
RIGHT. WE'VE UPDATED PARKING, BICYCLE PARKING STANDARDS.
THIS IS A BETTER WAY TO CALCULATE THOSE THINGS AND SOME OF THOSE INSTANCES.
SO. COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. AS I THINK OF MY TIME ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THE ONLY TIME I CAN REMEMBER PEOPLE SITTING IN THOSE CHAIRS AND TALKING TO US ABOUT PARKING ON THE PROPOSAL WAS AT DAYCARES.
SO I CAN, THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE NEIGHBORS ARE VERY, VERY CONCERNED AND HAVING CLEAR STRICT GUIDELINES THAT CAN HELP GUIDE OUR DECISIONS IS IMPORTANT. ALL THE SPECIAL CASES ARE REALLY HARD TO DEAL WITH, BUT THAT'S THE ONE THAT MY EXPERIENCE WE, WE HEAR ABOUT. AND IS THAT THOUGH, BECAUSE THOSE DAYCARES WERE IN NEIGHBORHOODS IN WHICH THEN SOMEBODY HAD TO BE NOTIFIED VIA DIRECT LETTER WITHIN 300FT.
YES. IF YOU GO WE HAVE 2 LEVELS OF DAYCARES, RIGHT AND HOME DAYCARE.
1 IS THE FAMILY HOME DAYCARE AND THE OTHER ONE WAS THE GROUP HOME DAYCARE.
THE FAMILY IS PROTECTED BY MICHIGAN LAW. YOU CAN DO THAT BY RIGHT.
THE GROUP IS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND A PUBLIC HEARING.
YEAH. AND YOU SAW ONE OF THOSE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS BECOME VERY CONTENTIOUS.
ULTIMATELY APPROVED BUT YES. AND I BELIEVE THAT ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE CONCERNS WERE RELATED TO PARKING, IT WAS REALLY RELATIVE TO THE TRAFFIC FLOW AND THE VOLUME.
SO THE PARKING WAS SORT OF A SIDE EFFECT OF THE INCREASE IN CARS THAT WERE THAT WAS A PRIMARY CONCERN, AS I RECALL. YOU KNOW, THE PARKING ON THE STREET ADDED TO THE CONGESTION ON THE STREET AND THE TRAFFIC, BUT SO I'M NOT SURE I WOULD CALL THAT A PARKING ISSUE.
BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, THAT HAS BEEN THE THING THAT WE'VE HEARD MORE OF THAN IN THAT CASE.
AND SORRY. GO AHEAD. I'M DONE. TO SOME EXTENT, I WANT TO AVOID THOSE ZONING ENABLING ACT ISSUES WHERE YOU COME BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE OR ANY COMMITTEE, FRANKLY, AND YOU BASICALLY HAVE TO APPROVE IT.
THAT'S THE ISSUE. I THOUGHT WITH THE WITH THE DAYCARES WAS IT WAS IF YOU MEET THESE CRITERIA, THAT IS THE BOARD SHALL APPROVE. IT'S LIKE, WELL, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE IN MY BRAIN? SIMILAR TO THIS, LET IT BE DONE AT THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH LEVEL.
THIS IS PUBLIC HEARING, CORRECT? THIS IS IF YOU WANT TO BRING THIS BACK FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF DISCUSSION, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY FINE. THIS IS YOUR REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING.
LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE READY TO MAKE A RESOLUTION EITHER YAY OR NAY.
AND I WILL PREPARE THAT RESOLUTION IF YOU THOUGH, IF YOU MAKE SAY YOU WANT TO MAKE A RESOLUTION OF NAY, I MAY JUST SAY, WELL, MAYBE I'LL JUST TAKE THIS BACK FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
AT THAT POINT, I MEAN, I'M NOT GOING TO MOVE THAT FORWARD.
COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. I'M DELIGHTED THAT THE TOPIC WAS DISCUSSED AT CIA.
THIS IS OUR PROPOSAL. WHAT DO YOU THINK? I THINK IS WHERE YOU WERE KIND OF HELPING US.
[01:00:01]
MAYBE THAT'S OUR NEXT STEP. I WILL SAY I WAS HANGING OUT WITH THE DIRECTOR OF OR THE LET'S SEE, HE'S THE CHAIR OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OVER THE WEEKEND.AND HE JUST SAID THEY CANCEL A LOT. SO. I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S THOUGHTS. I THINK THAT FOR ME, SO IF WE TAKE THE PAST 50 YEARS AS AS A HISTORICAL TREND, THAT MAY LIKELY CONTINUE. IS THAT IF THERE'S SPACE AVAILABLE, THAT WILL GET FILLED UP AROUND COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY AS THEY GROW IN POPULATION.
SO WE HAVE AN URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS RAPIDLY FILLING IN.
AND WE ALSO HAVE KNOW THAT WE HAVE RESIDENTS WHO VALUE THE GREEN SPACES HERE AND VALUE THE RURAL AND URBAN NATURE OF OUR SPACES. SO THE WAY THAT I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THE PARKING ORDINANCE, AND MAYBE THIS IS TOO NARROW, BUT IN 5 YEARS, THERE MAY LIKELY NOT BE ANY MORE SPACES THAT ARE GOING TO BE FILLED IN, LIKE IT WILL JUST BE REDEVELOPMENT. AND SO MASTER PLAN STRATEGY TO SAY, ARE WE GOING TO EXPAND THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY BECAUSE OF DEMAND INSIDE OF THAT? AND WE HAVE GOTTEN REQUESTS TO DO THAT, RIGHT.
I REMEMBER BEING ON THEM. AND SO IN MY MIND, THE PARKING ORDINANCE.
AND IT COULD EVEN BE LIKE, HOW MUCH SPACE IS BETWEEN PARKING AND THE ROAD? IT, IT COULD BE SIDEWALK MINIMUMS, I DON'T KNOW, BUT LIKE THE GOAL IS TO INCREASE DENSITY ABILITY.
AND TO ME, THIS IS LIKE ONE OF THE 1ST SORT OF TIMES THAT I THINK I'VE BEEN ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHERE WE'VE HAD THIS KIND OF CONVERSATION WHERE WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SORT OF THINK THROUGH THIS A LITTLE BIT.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS TOPIC AND I'M REALLY CURIOUS LIKE OF ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF DOING THIS. IT'S NOT DOING WHAT GIVE ME, GIVE ME, GIVE ME SOME DIRECTION.
I'M NOT OPPOSED TO HAVING MORE CONVERSATION, BUT WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO LOOK INTO? WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO RESEARCH? WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO PREPARE FOR YOU? SO, LIKE, I'VE THROWN OUT SOME OF THEM. SO ARE THERE SHARED PARKING? IS THERE A WAY FOR BUSINESSES TO FUND THAT PARKING SO THAT THEY THAT THE TOWNSHIP MANAGES IT? IS THERE ARE THERE INCENTIVES THROUGH THE CIA THAT COULD ACTUALLY BE LEVERAGED TO HELP DO THAT? I THINK THERE'S AN ACTUAL POSSIBILITY THAT THERE COULD BE SHARED PARKING AROUND THE WHOLE FOODS AND TRADER JOE'S.
THAT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE LIKE BETTER WALKING BETWEEN THOSE 2 LOCATIONS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE CROSSING GRAND RIVER AND THAT IS DANGEROUS.
ARE THERE WAYS OR ARE THERE WAYS TO ALLOW DEVELOPERS TO INCENTIVIZE LIKE OFFLOADING THEIR PARKING? LIKE IF THEY'RE LIKE, WE DON'T WANT TO HIT THIS MINIMUM THRESHOLD, WE ACTUALLY WANT TO BE BELOW THIS, BUT THEN THEY HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE TO A FUND THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO REDUCE THEIR PARKING, THAT WOULD THEN ALSO FUND PARKING SOMEWHERE ELSE.
I CAN LOOK INTO IT. THERE'S NO WAY YOU'RE GOING TO GET AROUND THAT WITHOUT A VARIANCE, IT'S A ZONING REGULATION, TOWNSHIP FUNDS. THAT IS NOT A ZONING REQUIREMENT.
I MEAN, I CAN TALK ABOUT IT, BUT JUST STRAIGHT UP THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
OKAY, OKAY. I'M JUST THROWING OUT JUST WHATEVER'S IN MY HEAD BASICALLY.
SO YEAH. I MEAN, ESSENTIALLY I'M GOING TO TRY TO SMASH A COUPLE IDEAS HERE. I'M THINKING ABOUT WHAT COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL SAID ON ENGAGEMENT AND TO ME, IF WE WERE GOING TO ENGAGE OTHER SIMILAR COMMITTEES, EDC AND THE LIKE ON IT WOULD BE WHERE IS THE WHERE'S THE AGREED VISION BETWEEN THE COMMITTEES ON WHERE WE ARE GOING TO BE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS AND THEN FOCUS REGULATION OR
[01:05:04]
ORDINANCES IN AND AROUND THAT BECAUSE. JUST TO COMMENT ON WHAT COMMISSIONER BROOKS SAID, IF WE'RE TRYING TO ENGAGE REDEVELOPMENT STATING THAT THEY HAVE TO PAY INTO A FUND IN ORDER TO AVOID CERTAIN THINGS DOES NOT SEEM REDEVELOPMENT FRIENDLY.I'M NO DEVELOPMENT EXPERT AND I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT BUILDING NEW STUFF. BUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE THAT VERSUS, I DON'T KNOW, HOWL DOESN'T HAVE IT.
WHO GETS THE REDEVELOPMENT? WELL, WHAT IF IT WAS LIKE THIS, YOU COULD ACTUALLY BUILD, WE CAN INCENTIVIZE IT THOUGH AND THIS ALL COMES BACK TO COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY COMMENT ABOUT INCENTIVES A COUPLE SESSIONS AGO.
SO LET'S SAY YOU CAN YOU CAN HAVE A LARGER BUILDING FOOTPRINT ON YOUR PROPERTY, IF YOU CONTRIBUTE FUNDS TO THIS THING. THAT'S.
THERE'S. I'M GOING TO STOP THAT CONVERSATION.
I FEEL A LOT OF BAD WAYS ABOUT THAT. THAT'S GETTING REALLY CLOSE TO SOMETHING CALLED AN IMPACT FEE, WHICH IS NOT LEGAL IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. I WOULD REALLY HAVE TO RESEARCH SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND IF YOU GIVE US GREEN SPACE, THAT'S PART OF THE AMENITY, YOU KNOW, WAIVER DISCUSSION SAYING, GIVE US MONEY. THAT'S A, THAT'S AN IMPACT FEE AND THAT'S HIGHLY, HIGHLY NOT LEGAL IN MICHIGAN.
OKAY. I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT IT LIKE THAT. NO.
IT'S OKAY. THAT'S THAT'S PART OF MY JOB ONCE IN A WHILE.
I GOTTA. IT WASN'T A BRIBE. IT WAS LIKE, THAT GOES TOWARDS A COMMUNITY, ANYWAYS.
IT'S FINE. YEAH, I HEAR YOU. I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. AND THEY ALSO MADE US ARGUE THAT BY SIMPLY PAYING TAXES, THEY COULD PUT INTO ANY FUNDING THAT THE TOWNSHIP MAY WANT TO BUILD. SO I AND WE NEGOTIATE TAX REBATES AND THINGS.
YEAH, OBVIOUSLY OUR MAIN TOOL. YEAH. SO I MEAN, I GUESS.
IN ORDER TO GIVE SOME DIRECTION HERE I THINK THE ONLY QUESTION WE CAN ASK IS WHAT FRAME ARE WE GOING TO LOOK AT THIS THROUGH? WHAT IS OUR LENS TO LOOK AT IT THROUGH? IS IT TO PROMOTE REDEVELOPMENT TO, YOU KNOW, TO BE MORE ACTIVE IN THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACE BECAUSE I THINK THAT TO ME GUIDES WHAT OUR NEXT CONVERSATION LOOKS LIKE THE BEST WE CAN.
BECAUSE LIKE PERSONALLY, I THINK I GAVE THIS AWAY.
I'M IN THE GET OUT OF THE WAY AND LET, LET STAFF HANDLE IT.
THAT'S MY FRAME. BUT AND THEN WHICH ONE OF THESE DOES THAT, WHICH ONE OF THESE PROPORTIONS.
01, 2, 3 TO ME OPTION TWO REALLY STEPS THAT UP, BUT THAT'S JUST ONE COMMISSIONERS OPINION.
I THINK OUR FRAME THOUGH, IS THE MASTER PLAN.
CORRECT. RIGHT. CORRECT. WE WROTE THAT. SO THEN IT SAYS OUR COLLECTIVE GOALS FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THEN AS APPOINTED MEMBERS ON THE COMMISSION, WE HELP TO ESTABLISH THE ORDINANCE THAT SETS SORT OF THE BOUNDARIES FOR STAFF TO THEN EXECUTE. RIGHT. SO LIKE THE MINIMUM PARKING THRESHOLDS, RIGHT.
SORRY. RIGHT. MR.SHORKEY. LIKE YOU WERE DESCRIBING EARLIER, WHERE SOMEBODY COMES IN, YOU TELL THEM WHAT THE PARKING MINIMUMS ARE BASED ON THE ORDINANCE, AND THEN THAT SETS THEM ON THEIR PATH, RIGHT? UPDATING THE PARKING MINIMUMS WENT TOWARD GOALS IN THE MASTER PLAN.
SOME OF THE NUMBERS BECAME BECAME EASIER TO ACHIEVE.
RIGHT? SO THAT WAS A THAT WAS A WIN WIN. NO PROBLEM.
NOTE THAT THERE'S LANGUAGE IN HERE FOR EV CHARGING STATIONS THAT DON'T EXIST.
THAT'S BRAND NEW LANGUAGE, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE STAFF TO DO? LIKE WE CAN GO BACK AND WE CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THESE.
I'LL GO BACK AND LISTEN TO THIS MEETING AND WHEN I DO THE MINUTES.
SORRY. NO, NO, NO, THAT'S HOW WE DO IT. A LITTLE BIT OF BEHIND THE SCENES, I GUESS.
BUT IF YOU'VE GOT MORE QUESTIONS, I WILL, GET THAT AND I'LL PUT THAT TOGETHER.
BUT THE POINT IS GOING TO COME UP AGAIN, WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH THIS OVERAGE.
[01:10:04]
AND YOU HAVE ONE BODY IN THIS TOWNSHIP THAT SAYS GET RID OF IT.AND AND WE ARE WORKING PERFECTLY WELL WITHOUT IT, I'M NOT GOING TO LIE.
WE'VE HAD ONE VARIANCE FOR SOMETHING OVER AND I WOULDN'T WORRY ABOUT ARE WE PROVIDING ENOUGH PARKING? WE HAVE PRETTY GOOD PARKING MINIMUMS THAT ARE WORKING REALLY WELL RIGHT NOW.
IN FACT, WITH YOUR PERMISSION, ON THE NEXT ITERATION OF THIS, I'M GOING TO TAKE OUT THE LANDSCAPE SECTION AND THE AND THE PARKING MINIMUM SECTION TO MAKE THIS A LITTLE EASIER TO READ, BECAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY UPDATED THOSE SECTIONS OF THIS ORDINANCE.
I'LL JUST CONCENTRATE ON WHAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT IN THE FUTURE.
I LIKE THAT. DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER GUIDANCE FOR PLANNERS ON THIS 1? I SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THE ONLY THING IS, IS IF YOU COULD WHITTLE IT DOWN FOR THE NEXT MEETING, IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER DISCUSSION AT THE APRIL 13TH MEETING, IS THAT THE CONSENSUS? OKAY. DON'T LET ME RUN THE MEETING, GUYS. I DON'T WANT TO LET ME RUN THE AGENDA, TOO.
TOUGH NUTS. STAFF IS HEARING THAT AND STAFF CAN.
STAFF WILL. STAFF WILL PROVIDE A MEMO TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING.
OKAY. VERY WELL. TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING. AND THAT CASE, GOING BACK TO THE AGENDA HERE, WE WOULD MOVE ON TO OTHER BUSINESS MASS TIMBER CONSTRUCTION DISCUSSION. SO THIS IS WHY I ACTUALLY ATTENDED THE CIA MEETING.
[9.A. Mass Timber Construction Discussion ]
AGAIN, ATTENDED ON THE ON FEBRUARY 18TH, AT THE INVITATION OF THE CIA.THEY'RE LOOKING. SO AGAIN, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO DIRECTOR CLARK WHEN I'M DONE.
AND SHE'LL GIVE YOU MORE DETAIL. THEY'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A LITTLE BIT.
CITY OF EAST LANSING RECENTLY DID AN UPDATE TO THEIR ORDINANCE ALLOWING ADDITIONAL BUILDING HEIGHT IN THEIR DOWNTOWN IN RETURN FOR USING MASS TIMBER CONSTRUCTION. MASS TIMBER IS A CATEGORY OF ENGINEERED CONSTRUCTED, ENGINEERED CONSTRUCTION USING WOOD PRODUCTS.
AND THERE'S DIFFERENT METHODS OF IT. IT'S COME A LONG WAY.
I WATCHED A PRETTY GOOD INFORMATIONAL ZOOM MEETING ON THIS AND A REALLY THERE'S A COUPLE EXAMPLES I'LL BRING UP LOCALLY. FAMOUSLY, THE MSU STEM BUILDING WAS A HYBRID CONSTRUCTION USING MASS TIMBER CONSTRUCTION.
MORE COMMON, A GOOD EXAMPLE OF MASS TIMBER, IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN IN.
WELL, IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN IN AND YOU GO IN A CHURCH BUILDING THAT HAS THE HIGH ARCHED CEILING, THE CEILING, THOSE BIG WOOD BEAMS THAT HOLD THAT UP, THOSE ARE THAT'S MASS TIMBER CONSTRUCTION.
WOOD PRODUCT IS, IS MILLED, IT'S GLUED, IT'S PRESSED UNDER HIGH PRESSURE AND PUT TOGETHER 1 OF THE. SO WHAT YOU FIND IS IT'S MORE, IT'S ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.
YOU'RE USING IT, THE FORESTS THAT ARE BEING USED, IT'S SUSTAINABLE, SUSTAINABLE HARVESTING.
THE MASS TIMBER CONSTRUCTION HAS REACHED A POINT NOW THAT YOU'RE SEEING.
I THINK THERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF A 13 STORY BUILDING IN NORTH WEST PART OF THE COUNTRY SOMEWHERE.
RESIDENTIAL, LIKE ALL MASS TIMBER CONSTRUCTION FROM THE MICHIGAN BUILDING CODE PERSPECTIVE.
MASS TIMBER IS COMPLETELY LEGAL, THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR IT.
BUT WAS THERE A WAY TO INCENTIVIZE MASS TIMBER CONSTRUCTION IN COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS THROUGH THE ZONING ORDINANCE? AND THAT'S THE DISCUSSION THAT STAFF IS HOPING TO LAUNCH.
DOES THAT FAIR? COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. I HAVE A
[01:15:04]
VAGUE RECOLLECTION OF TALKING ABOUT PLAYMAKERS AS A POSSIBLE EXAMPLE OF MASS TIMBER.THAT BUILDING, THAT ARCH. THAT'S FEELS VERY MUCH LIKE A FAMILIAR, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S POSSIBLE. GO AHEAD. MAYBE TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL CONTEXT. SO YES, THE MSU STEM SCIENCE BUILDING IS WHERE UNDERGRADUATES WILL PARTICIPATE IN GENERAL SCIENCE AND COURSES. I FEEL LIKE IT'S VERY UNFAIR BECAUSE MY GENERAL SCIENCE COURSES WERE IN THE HOT OLD BUILDINGS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF CAMPUS.
SO YES, IT'S A VERY NICE. IT'S VERY NICE, VERY BEAUTIFUL AND ENRICHING.
AND SO YEAH, I FEEL LIKE I WAS SLIGHTED AS A STUDENT, BUT THAT PRODUCT IS FLAME RESISTANT.
SO IF A BUILDING WERE TO CATCH ON FIRE, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP THE BUILDING'S LIFE.
SO THERE'S A WAY TO PROTECT IT EVEN BETTER. AND SO IT, IT FUNCTIONS LIKE STEEL, BUT IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
RIGHT? AND SO OUR CHAIR ATTENDS, HE'S VERY INVOLVED IN ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES AND MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP IN GENERAL, SEVERAL OTHER THINGS WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, BUT THEY ATTENDED THE WEBINAR ON THE MASS TIMBER, I'M NOT SURE, BUT THEY MAY HAVE ALSO DONE A TOUR OF THE SITE AND I THINK THEY'RE STILL DOING THEM.
SO IF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE A COMMISSIONER THAT MIGHT HAVE AN IN.
PLEASE GO CHECK OUT THE BUILDING. IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND EASILY SUPPORTS 5 STORIES.
AND I KNOW THAT'S THE THAT'S A LOT IN MERIDIAN.
WHEN I ASKED SOMEONE WHO'S LIVED IN EAST LANSING AND THEN MOVED TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, WHAT'S A TALL BUILDING TO THEM? THEY SAY 14 STORIES. AND I'M LIKE, OH MAN, MERIDIAN.
IT'S 3, LIKE 3'S ARE MAX. BUT THIS TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION IS CHEAPER AS WELL.
SO OUR CHAIR AND BODY, THE CIA IS THINKING, IS THERE A WAY TO INCENTIVIZE IT? OBVIOUSLY WITH TAX INCREMENT FINANCING, WE CAN'T GO BACK TO OUR TIF PLAN TO CHANGE IT RIGHT NOW, BUT THERE ARE SOME SECTIONS THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR CONTEMPORARY DESIGN THAT THE DEVELOPER COULD BE REIMBURSED FOR DOING A DESIGN THAT WOULD INCLUDE THAT. SO I THINK THE CIA SEES A WAY TO FINANCIALLY INCENTIVIZE IT, BUT THEY WERE KIND OF JUST WONDERING IN GENERAL, THEY DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT PLANNING, ZONING AND ENABLING.
HE DOESN'T HE DOESN'T TOUCH, RIGHT. HE'S JUST GOING TO SAY, OKAY, IF SOMEONE IS GOING TO CONSTRUCT A56 STORY BUILDING ON GRAND RIVER, WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS GOING TO BE? AND IF THEY'RE GOING TO PROVIDE AN ENVIRONMENTAL ENHANCED STRUCTURE, STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY TO THE BUILDING, IS THAT SOMETHING THE CIA.
SO MAYBE THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO PARTNER, RIGHT? MAYBE THERE'S SOME PLANNING INCENTIVES THAT YOU PROVIDE THE DEVELOPER THROUGH RECONSTRUCTION AND REDEVELOPMENT.
HOWEVER YOU WANT TO CLASSIFY THAT. I KNOW THIS PROBABLY GIVES YOU A LITTLE HEARTBURN BECAUSE IT KIND OF SEEMS LIKE THE LAST DISCUSSION WE HAD JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO WHERE IT'S IT COULD BE ANYTHING, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF AN ALTRUISTIC QUESTION, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK THE CIA WOULD LIKE TO SEE BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS, RIGHT? AND SO THEY DO HAVE A GOAL OF STREETSCAPE ESTHETIC ENHANCEMENT ALONG THE CORRIDOR.
THEY KNOW WE'RE NEVER GOING TO CHANGE GRAND RIVER.
IT MAY NOT GET DOWN TO 25 MILES AN HOUR LIKE IT IS IN EAST LANSING, BUT HOW DO WE PROVIDE A WAY TO CONSTRUCT ALONG GRAND RIVER THAT ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO SLOW DOWN? RIGHT. BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC AUTOMATICALLY SLOWS DOWN, THEN MDOT IS GOING TO SAY, HEY, YOU WERE 45, BUT NOW YOU'VE GOT ALL THESE CURB CUTS.
SO IF YOU HAVEN'T TALKED TO BRIAN ABOUT HOW WE DO SPEED LIMITS IN THE TOWNSHIP, YOU CAN DEFINITELY TAKE YOU THROUGH THAT. WE DON'T WANT TO ASK THEM TO DO IT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE 60 MILES AN HOUR, AND THEN WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO HAVE MORE ISSUES. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER, BUT LAST APRIL, THIS TIME OF YEAR, WE ACTUALLY HAD A PEDESTRIAN HIT BY A VEHICLE CROSSING THROUGH THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING.
AS AN UPDATE, SHE'S ACTUALLY DOING MUCH BETTER.
HER PROGNOSIS INITIALLY WAS MAYBE SHE WOULD NOT RECOVER.
AND SHE'S SHE'S FULLY FUNCTIONING. SO SHE'S SPEAKING, SHE'S TAKING CARE OF HERSELF AND HER FAMILY IS PREPARING TO ATTEMPT TO COME BACK TO MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP. SO THINKING ABOUT THAT, THAT'S WHERE THE CIA HEADS AT IS REDEVELOPMENT, BUT ALSO SAFE, BEAUTIFUL REDEVELOPMENT ALONG GRAND RIVER THAT ENCOURAGES PEDESTRIAN AND VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.
SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
[01:20:10]
IS THE, IT SOUNDS COOL. FIRST OFF, IT SOUNDS COOL, I LIKE IT AND THEN I JUST GOOGLED REAL FAST AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT ALSO IS A CARBON SINK WHEN YOU USE THIS MATERIAL. YES, WHICH IS REALLY INTERESTING.HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT LIKE THE 1ST OFF, AS YOU WERE TALKING, YOU GUYS WERE TALKING.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT, OKAY, SO WHAT DOES OUR ORDINANCE HAD IMPACT HERE.
DOES A MATERIAL LIKE THIS TAKE UP MORE SPACE IN BUILDING? YEAH, I MEAN, I DON'T I DON'T NECESSARILY I WOULDN'T SAY SO.
I MEAN, SOME OF THE BEAMS, THEY'RE PROBABLY LIKE DEFINITELY AS WIDE AS THIS OR WIDER, BUT I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE THEM PROBABLY ABOUT THE SIZE OF A REGULAR STEEL STRUCTURAL BEAM WALKING THROUGH THIS BUILDING.
THEY'RE NOT IT'S ACTUALLY MORE OPEN. I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S LIMITING.
DESIGN OR SPACE BUILDING. 1 OF THE BIG ADVANTAGES TO MASS TIMBER IS BECAUSE IT'S ATTRACTIVE.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO COVER UP ALL OF THE STEEL FRAME AND DRYWALL AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST OUT. IT'S JUST THERE, LIKE THE BRICK, LIKE THESE BRICK IN THIS ROOM PART OF THE BUILDING, BUT IT'S THERE AND IT'S NOT OBTRUSIVE. AS EXPOSED BUILDING MATERIAL, THAT'S PROBABLY PRIMARILY IN OUR BUILDING CODE, RIGHT? YEAH. THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TELLING THE CIA, IS THAT MUCH OF THIS IS A BUILDING CODE KIND OF A THING.
BUT THEIR QUESTION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS, IS THERE CAN WE CREATIVELY COME UP WITH AN INCENTIVE TO TRY TO DRIVE THIS KIND OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE TOWNSHIP? SO WE CURRENTLY TRY TO DRIVE ALL SORTS OF THINGS, ESPECIALLY IN THE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE, LIKE PHOTOVOLTAICS OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, ALL SORTS OF INCENTIVES WE GIVE PEOPLE TO CONSIDER THE USE OF A PARTICULAR PRACTICE.
AND IF THERE'S LANGUAGE THAT EAST LANSING HAS ADOPTED , DO WE KNOW, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE CIA.
SO THEY. I DON'T THINK THEIR ORDINANCE IS DIRECTLY TRANSLATABLE.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, HEY, WE'LL LET YOU ADD AN ADDITIONAL STORY IN THEIR DOWNTOWN DISTRICT.
THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF INCENTIVE I THINK IS GOING TO WORK PER SE.
A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A REDEVELOPMENT GOAL FOR EAST LANSING. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE NOTICED, BUT IN THE LAST 5 YEARS THEY HAVE NOT HAD A RESIDENTIAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT SINCE THEY CREATED THEIR DOWNTOWN STIPULATIONS FOR NO STUDENT HOUSING.
SO THE DEVELOPER IN QUESTION IS PROPOSING A VERY LARGE, I THINK ANYWHERE BETWEEN 14 TO 17 STORY HOUSING REDEVELOPMENT WHERE THE STUDENT BOOKSTORE IS. AND SO PART OF THIS IS A CONVERSATION WITH THE EAST LANSING PLANNING COMMISSION AND DDA OF MIGHT NEED TO CHANGE ORDINANCE BECAUSE YOU'VE HAD 5 YEARS AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MEET YOUR ORDINANCE. WE CAN'T CONSTRUCT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING A LITTLE PROBLEM LIVING IN AN APARTMENT NEXT TO SOME STUDENTS.
AND SO HAVING THAT LIMITATION HAS, HAS KEPT THOSE EMPTY.
AND SO THEN THE DEVELOPER SAID, OKAY, WELL, YOU GOT EMPTY SUITES.
WE'VE GOT A LARGE VACANCY RATE IN OUR APARTMENTS.
AND IT CAN BE A DOLLAR STORE OR IT CAN BE A GREAT REDEVELOPMENT WITH PEOPLE.
SO SOME OF THEIR INCENTIVES ARE TRYING TO DRIVE DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT HAD IT IN A WHILE.
SO COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL BROUGHT UP THE PUD ORDINANCE.
AND WE WE'D SAY, IF YOU DO THIS AS AS SOMETHING, THEN WE'LL GIVE YOU A, YOU KNOW, A TRADE OFF WHEN YOU START TALKING AT THE BEGINNING WAS IT WAS ABOUT THE SPEED LIMIT.
SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO A WHAT IS IT? ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN IS BASICALLY LIKE CHANGING THE WAY THAT PEOPLE UTILIZE THE SPACE. AND IN OUR CASE, ON GRAND RIVER, DRIVING ON IT BY THE DESIGN.
[01:25:02]
BUT PEOPLE STILL TELL ME HOW THEY CAN'T SEE. I'M PRETTY.YOUR EYES ARE OPEN. YOU CAN SEE, RIGHT? YOU CAN SEE, YOU CAN SEE.
YOU HAVE TO PULL ALL THE WAY UP TO THE INTERSECTION OF HASLETT AND MARSH.
RIGHT? THAT WAS PURPOSE. WE DID THAT ON PURPOSE.
THINGS ARE MORE NARROW. I'M NOT FLYING DOWN THE STREET. I'M JUST NOT GOING TO GO AS FAST. RIGHT.
CURVED STREETS MAKE YOU SLOW DOWN BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A CURVE COMING.
AND SO I'M NOT GOING TO JUST KEEP GOING AT THIS RATE.
I KNOW I NEED TO SLOW DOWN. SO THERE'S THINGS YOU CAN DO IN DESIGN THAT WE PROBABLY FEEL AS DRIVERS OR WE THINK, OH GOSH, THAT'S SO ANNOYING. BUT HAVING THAT ACTUALLY PROVIDES ADDITIONAL ENHANCED SAFETY FOR EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE IF THERE'S A PLANNED REDEVELOPMENT AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF HASLETT AND MARSH, THE NORTHEAST CORNER AT HASLETT AND MARSH, THE BOARD WOULD AGAIN WANT TO SEE BUILDINGS CLOSER TO THE ROAD, BETTER LANDSCAPING AND BETTER ACCESS FOR PEDESTRIANS.
THE BUILDING WAS AND HAS A MARATHON CASE FLIPPED AROUND, SO THE PARKING WAS IN THE REAR BECAUSE YOU, AS A PEDESTRIAN WOULD HAVE TO FIGHT BETWEEN THE SIDEWALK YOURSELF, THE CARS, AND THEN THE STORE.
AND NOW IT'S THE SIDEWALK AND THE STORE. AND SO WE'RE SEEING THAT ENHANCEMENT.
IT JUST AUTOMATICALLY CHANGES HOW WE ENTER THE SITE AND HOW WE USE THE SITE.
WE DID HAVE A PEDESTRIAN VEHICULAR INCIDENT THERE BEFORE AND I HAVE NOT HEARD OF 1.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT OR THE, THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE ROAD AND THE BUILDINGS THAT WE PUT IN ON GRAND RIVER AND MARSH MARSH FEELS LIKE IT'S EVEN FARTHER OFF. LIKE BUILDINGS ARE EVEN FARTHER OFF THE ROAD.
AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT RELATED TO THE PARKING ORDINANCE PREVIOUSLY BECAUSE I WAS.
THINKING ABOUT ALL THOSE SPATIAL REQUIREMENTS.
SO THEN IT EXPANDS THE FOOTPRINT OF WHAT THAT 1 BUSINESS OR SEVERAL BUSINESSES TAKES UP.
BUT I NEVER HEARD ABOUT THIS IDEA OF IF YOU HAVE, IT FEELS LIKE A NARROW STREET, THEN YOU SLOW DOWN, BUT IT MAKES SENSE. IT'S A PRETTY MEASURABLE EFFECT.
TAKE THAT SAME WIDTH STREET, PUT IT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE WITH HOUSES 100FT BACK OFF THE HIGHWAY.
IT'S IMMEASURABLE HOW MUCH FASTER TRAFFIC WILL GO.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY A PRETTY COMMON CRITICISM OF OLD SCHOOL SPRAWL IS TRAFFIC GOES SO MUCH FASTER.
BECAUSE YOU'VE ESSENTIALLY DEVELOPED THAT WAY. YOU UTILIZE THIS IS AN OLD STORY THE DDA LOVES TO TELL, BUT SO OKEMOS AND HAMILTON INTERSECTION, IT'S 4 LANES.
IT USED TO ONLY BE 2 AND THEY USED TO HAVE ON STREET PARKING, THE COUNTY GOT RID OF IT.
NO ONE STOPS IN DOWNTOWN NOW. WELL, YOU CAN'T.
YOU'RE GOING TO BLOW BY IT. YOU'VE LITERALLY DESIGNED THE DOWNTOWN TO BE FORGOTTEN.
JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE. SOUNDS LIKE THE TITLE OF A BOOK, FORGOTTEN DOWNTOWN.
YES. GO AHEAD. NO. I WAS JUST FEELING LIKE WE MIGHT BE DRIFTING A BIT FROM THE MASS TIMBER.
SPECIFIC DISCUSSION. AND. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'M DELIGHTED THAT THE CIA IS THINKING DOWN THE ROAD AND THINKING IN TERMS OF VISION AND AGAIN, IN TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT AS WE DO APPROACH THE NEXT REVISION OF THE MASTER PLAN.
IF THEY CAN DO THAT, SOME OF THAT LIFTING OF THIS IS HOW WE ENVISION THAT CORRIDOR, BECAUSE WE'VE TENDED TO FOCUS ON OUR PIKA'S AND WE KNOW WE'VE GOT CORRIDORS, BUT WE DON'T REALLY ADDRESS THEM IN A SYSTEMATIC WAY.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT TO COLLABORATE ON.
DO YOU WANT STEPH TO GO BACK AND START TRYING TO FLESH THIS OUT A LITTLE BIT.
STAFF SHOULD LOOK INTO THE VIABILITY OF. THE AMENITY.
OKAY. YEAH. WHAT DID YOU SAY? DEVELOP AN ADDITIONAL AMENITY FOR MASS TIMBER LIKE WE DO FOR OTHER GOOD THINGS THAT WE LIKE. AT LEAST THAT GETS US A START.
I MEAN, I LIKE THE ANALOG. I JUST I'M STRUGGLING.
[01:30:05]
RIGHT? BUSINESS IS COMING IN AND SAYING, HEY, WE'RE BRINGING THIS MASS TIMBER IDEA.I UNDERSTAND IT'S IN EAST LANSING. AND THEN SAYING, WILL YOU INCENTIVIZE THIS? RIGHT. JUST THAT'S WHERE I'M STRUGGLING. I'M NOT TIPPING MY HAND ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS ONE OF THESE THINGS WHERE, YOU KNOW, SO TAKE I'D OR TAKE, YOU KNOW, WIELAND AND THEY WERE COMING AND GOING, HEY, WE THINK IT WOULD BE FANTASTIC, YOU KNOW, IF YOU INCENTIVIZE THIS.
WELL, THAT'S ONE THING, BUT LIKE TO ALMOST IMPART IT WITHOUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BUSINESS ON THERE SEEMS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, LIKE, WELL, NOTE THAT NO ONE'S SUGGESTING WE SHOULD MANDATE IT.
I'M NOT SAYING. WELL BUT IF YOU INCENT YOU KIND OF YOU KIND OF MANDATE.
NO. NO. I KNOW CORRECT. WE'RE JUST SAYING, IS THERE A WAY, IS THERE SOMETHING WE CAN OFFER TO INCENTIVIZE IT BUT WE'RE ALSO NOT GOING TO SAY, WELL, YOU BETTER START DOING IT OR WE'RE GOING TO START FINDING YOU.
OR THAT WOULD BE YEAH, NO, IN MY WORLD, INCENTIVES GENERALLY ARE SUPPORTED THROUGH FINANCING.
YES. SO MINE, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OPPOSITE. WE'D ACTUALLY PREFER NOT TO HAVE THE IDS OR WAYLON COME IN AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS SOMETHING I WANT HELP ME PAY FOR THIS BECAUSE THEN IT'S LIKE, WELL, YOU'VE ALREADY LOOKED THROUGH ALL YOUR NUMBERS AND YOU'VE DECIDED WHAT YOU WANT US TO PAY FOR, INSTEAD OF THE CIA SAYING, WE HAVE A VISION OF GREAT BUILDINGS, LOTS OF WINDOWS, CLEAR, EASY TO SEE, BEAUTIFUL WOOD. AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET A COUPLE OF WORDS OUT THERE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS AND THEY'RE LESS CARBON EMISSION OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, THOSE, THOSE EXTRA ADDITIONAL THINGS TO PUT MERIDIAN ON THE MAP AS A COMMUNITY THAT'S CONSCIOUS ABOUT DEVELOPMENT.
SO GENERALLY, I TRY TO ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION COMMISSIONERS ON THE, FOR DEVELOPMENT BOARDS TO FOCUS ON WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES LIKE SET, SET THE STAGE, BE, YOU KNOW, BE AGGRESSIVE IN WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE THAT CAME FROM. I BUY THAT TOO.
I THINK IT WOULD BE. YEAH. I WOULD SAY I'D FEEL A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE BEFORE WE STARTED ACTUALLY CONSIDERING RECOMMENDATIONS. IF PERHAPS SOMEBODY FROM LIKE MSU'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY HAVE 1 OF THE LEADING MASS TIMBER PROGRAMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR EITHER DIRECTLY FROM SOMEBODY OR AT LEAST GET SOME RESOURCES TO KIND OF CONFIRM THAT LIKE THE BENEFITS OF MASS TIMBER AND THAT THIS MEANS SOMETHING THAT WE DO WANT TO INCENTIVIZE. SO YEAH, OR IF THERE ARE RESOURCES PROVIDED TO, YOU KNOW, MAKING THOSE AVAILABLE TO US AS WELL BEFORE WE YOU KNOW, COMMIT TO THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO SUPPORT HERE IN MERIDIAN.
I'M PRETTY SURE IT IS. BUT YEAH, I JUST LOVE TO SEE THOSE RESOURCES.
AND MY REQUEST WOULD BE IN A SIMILAR VEIN AS COMMISSIONER, WHICH IS THE.
SO I THINK THIS IS REALLY INTERESTING. AND SO IT'S.
IT'S ALSO WHAT IS WHAT IS THE OUTLINE VISION EVEN BEFORE THE MASTER PLAN BEYOND JUST MASS TIMBER.
SO I THINK THAT'S A REALLY INTERESTING IDEA. LIKE IF IT'S THE NARROW BUILDINGS FURTHER UP TO THE SIDE, ALL THE GLASS SLOWER SPEEDS. AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, THIS WOULD, I THINK, BE A QUESTION FOR YOU, MR. SHORKEY WOULD BE ARE THERE ORDINANCE MECHANISMS THAT WOULD RESTRAIN THE ABILITY TO ACHIEVE THAT CORRIDOR VISION? LIKE. SO IF WE HAD A AN ORDINANCE THAT SAID, I KNOW WE DO. IT'S LIKE YOU HAVE TO BUILD THIS FAR AWAY FROM THE ROAD.
WE DO HAVE STREET SETBACKS. YES. RIGHT. SO I'M SAYING, TO ACHIEVE THE CIA'S VISION FOR THE CORRIDOR, WHAT WOULD BE THE ORDINANCES THAT WOULD RESTRICT THEM FROM BEING ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT? OKAY. SO I CAN LOOK INTO THAT. THAT'S A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION THAN MASS TIMBER.
THE SPECIFIC QUESTION ON THIS MEMO IS THAT IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WANT ME TO LOOK INTO THOUGH, LIKE DEVELOPMENT AND ORDINANCE AND IMPEDIMENTS ON DEVELOPMENT ON GRAND RIVER CORRIDOR? OH NO. I'M LOOKING FOR CLARIFICATION. I'M LIKE, OH, SIDE QUEST.
I KNOW, I KNOW, AND JUST AND JUST AS A BIT OF INFORMATION, I THINK YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT DESIGN AND ESTHETIC ENHANCEMENTS, RIGHT? OF THE BUILDINGS, WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE, AND WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW INTERNALLY CREATING AN RFP TO GET A CONSULTANT TO DO THAT.
[01:35:09]
SO I THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO TALK DESIGN, MAYBE WE JUST HOLD ON FOR A 2ND UNTIL WE GET WE GET THE CONSULTANTS IN.THEY DO THEIR WORK AND THEN WE CAN KIND OF START NARROWING THAT DOWN.
SO I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON THAT, BUT I THINK THEIR QUESTION JUST IS, IS MASKED CIA'S QUESTION IS MASS TIMBER ALLOWED, WHICH IT IS. AND THEN CAN WE INCENTIVIZE IT, WHICH THEY CAN FINANCIALLY AND THEN WOULD MAYBE PLANNING COMMISSION WANT TO INCENTIVIZE IT? AND HOW THAT'S JUST I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT AS BASIC AND SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE WE'RE WE'RE STARTING THE FOUNDATION INSTEAD OF GOING INTO ALL THE WEEDS.
THAT'S LIKE THE FAR FUTURE. THANK YOU. LET'S JUST KEEP IT SIMPLE.
SO THAT WAY WHEN YOU COME BACK WITH WHAT YOU FIND OUT, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES DO AND THAT SORT OF THING, AND THEN COME BACK AND THEN WE HAVE SOME TYPE OF FRAMEWORK TO WORK FROM.
THE PLACE WHERE WE HAVE THE MOST LEVERAGE, OR ARE THERE OTHER PLACES THAT ARE WITHIN SORT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION SCOPE THAT WE MIGHT ALSO LOOK AT? AND, AND WHAT WOULD THOSE BE? AND, AND I WHILE I TOTALLY APPRECIATE KEEPING IT SIMPLE, I ALWAYS WONDER IF WE, BECAUSE I FELT LIKE WHEN WE WERE DOING MORE OF THESE PUDS, PARTICULAR MUPDS, THERE SEEM TO BE CERTAIN AMENITIES THAT PEOPLE SORT OF GRAVITATED TO BECAUSE I THINK THEY WERE EASIER AND THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THE ONES THAT WE WOULD HAVE REALLY WANTED TO SEE MORE OF.
THIS ONE SOUNDS LIKE ONE THAT I THINK WE WOULD LIKE JUST CONCEPTUALLY.
AND SO I'M CURIOUS TO HEAR MORE. BUT BUT I THINK WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS ADD ONE THING TO THE LIST AND HAVE IT NEVER GET USED, BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS EASIER THINGS TO DO. OR ADD THIS TO THE LIST AND LOSE SOMETHING THAT WE ALSO THINK IS IMPORTANT, LIKE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY OR MAYBE USE SPACES OR, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT THAT ARE THERE.
SO LIKE AT SOME POINT, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME WE LOOKED AT THAT LIST.
I THINK IT'S NOT, IT'S BEEN SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THE MUPD ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED LIKE MINUTES AFTER I STARTED.
YEAH, YEAH. YOU KNOW, SO IT MAY NOT BE A GOOD TIME TO TOTALLY REVAMP IT BECAUSE.
NO. BUT LIKE SORT OF THINKING, [LAUGHTER] THAT WAS EMPHATIC.
[LAUGHTER] TALKING ABOUT ADDING AN AMENITY TO A LIST.
SO, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK TO ME, IF THAT'S THE, THE VEHICLE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, THAT'S GREAT.
IF YOU THINK THERE'S SOME OTHER PLACE. SURE. THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD HAVE THAT LEVERAGE.
WHAT WHAT MIGHT IT BE? IF IT'S NOT THAT? OR IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT'S THE EASIEST THING FOR STAFF TO SUGGEST BECAUSE WE HAVE AN INCENTIVE AND AN AMENITY AND WAIVER PROGRAM IN PLACE IN THE MUPD ORDINANCE IN A STRAIGHT UP C-2, YOU KNOW, C-2 DEVELOPMENT. THAT PROCESS ISN'T INHERENT.
SO STAFF WOULD BE LOOKING AT CREATING AN INCENTIVE, YOU SEE.
SEE THE DIFFERENCE. NOT OPPOSED TO IT, JUST LOOKING FOR IDEAS ON WHAT WE, WHAT WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO GIVE IN RETURN FOR THIS? THEN I GUESS MY OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE, WOULD THAT INCENTIVE FOR AN MUPD MEET THE POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS THAT OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM THINKS THIS MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE FOR? LIKE, IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE BUILDING A MUPD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEN HOW COULD WE INCENTIVIZE IN AN AREA THAT WASN'T RIGHT APPROPRIATE FOR THEM? JUST JUST OH, PLANNING COMMISSION. AND THEN I JUST REMEMBER READING A LOT ABOUT THIS.
HE WAS A PHOTOGRAPHER AND HE DID SOME OF THEIR OPENINGS.
YES, IT'S VERY COOL. ANYWAY, OKAY, OKAY. STAFF WILL TAKE THIS BACK AND BOUNCE THIS AROUND AND WE'LL BRING IT BACK FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF DISCUSSION AND SEE WHERE IT GOES.
[01:40:05]
TOWNSHIP BOARD UPDATE. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FOR YOU EXCEPT THE REZONING WILL BE TAKEN FORWARD TO THE NEXT BOARD MEETING AND I'M TOLD.[10.A. Township Board update ]
VERY GOOD. CAN I ADD SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT TO THAT BEFORE WE MOVE ON? VERY WELL. YEAH. SO AT THE MEETING LAST WEEK THE BIG OR AT LEAST MY VISION OF THE BIG TOPIC WAS THE DISCUSSION ABOUT CENTRAL PARK ESTATES. AND THERE THEY DID VOTE IN SUPPORT OF A RESOLUTION TO ALLOW THAT TO TAKE PLACE.AND THEY THEY, THE BOARD DISCUSSED OUR DISCUSSION LAST MEETING ABOUT US NOT WANTING TO TAKE THAT ON AS A IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THEIR DECISION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE A DECISION THAT NIGHT OR TO CONSIDER SENDING IT BACK TO US.
SO JUST BE AWARE THAT THEY'RE WATCHING OUR MEETINGS AND BUT YES, I APOLOGIZE IF I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT HAPPENED. I HAD A FAMILY THING AND I WAS GONE MOST OF LAST WEEK.
SO THAT THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW ABOUT THAT.
YEAH, YEAH. THE, THE DEVELOPER REDUCED THE NUMBER OF UNITS SINCE THE LAST TIME IT WAS I THINK THE NUMBER WHEN WE WERE CONSIDERING IT OR YOU GUYS BEFORE I WAS ON THE BOARD OR ON THE COMMISSION.
BUT YEAH, SO YEAH, IT WAS A CONTENTIOUS AND NOT UNANIMOUS VOTE BY THE BOARD, BUT YEAH.
SO OUR ACTIONS ARE ACTING AS A DETERRENT TO THE BOARD.
WELL, SO IN OUR LAST MEETING, WE DISCUSSED, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD IT, WHAT, WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD THE BOARD POSSIBLY PUNT IT BACK TO US AND OUR RELUCTANCE TO TAKE ON THE TASK AGAIN THAT WAS MENTIONED IN THE LAST MEETING WAS, DID COME UP IN THE BOARD MEETING. WELL, I DON'T THINK I WOULD PERSONALLY CHARACTERIZE IT THAT WE WERE OBJECTING TO TAKE IT BACK.
RIGHT. AND, AND HE DID A GOOD JOB OF PRESENTING THAT TO THEM.
I WILL BE INTRIGUED. I MAY ACTUALLY WATCH IT NOW JUST TO SEE HOW THAT WAS BECAUSE I MEAN, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE A BOARD THAT I GUESS ITEMS COULD BE SENT FOR FACT FINDING FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, RIGHT? AND WE SHOULDN'T BE A DETERRENT. BUT IN THE SAME TOKEN, I MEAN, THAT WAS A VERY, THAT WAS AN ODDBALL, RIGHT? I MEAN, I DON'T THAT THAT ALMOST COULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN BECAUSE IT WAS IN AND OF ITSELF A ZONING THAT DID THAT NO LONGER EXISTED.
AND THE MERE QUESTION TO US WAS, SHOULD IT BE REZONED? YEAH. SO I DON'T KNOW. JUST ONE MAN'S OPINION.
BUT YEAH. NO, SORRY. I MIGHT HAVE MISCHARACTERIZED THINGS A LITTLE BIT THERE.
IT WAS MORE THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE LIKE ANOTHER ROUND OF PUBLIC HEARINGS AND THINGS, YOU KNOW, FOR US TO CONDUCT WOULD BE UNLIKELY TO PRESENT NEW DATA.
AND SO IT WAS MORE OF. WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED HERE.
YEAH. THERE'S NOTHING MORE TO BE FOUND. RIGHT? OKAY. SO IT WAS MORE OF LIKE, IS THERE MORE INPUT FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT COULD BE GENERATED? AND, AND I THINK THE CONSENSUS FROM OUR LAST MEETING AND AT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD WAS NO.
NO. NO. INTERESTING. THANK YOU. YEAH.
LIAISON REPORTS. THE ZBA DID NOT MEET THIS MONTH, SO.
[10.B. Liaison reports ]
OKAY. THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION. FIRST OF ALL, THE 2026 GREEN GRANTS ARE NOW APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN. IF YOU'VE GOT LITTLE GREEN PROJECT YOU'D LIKE TO DO WITH A.AND WE REVIEWED A WHAT WOULD NORMALLY BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE WETLAND USE PERMIT APPLICATION FOR WORK BEING DONE BY THE DRAIN COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE.
I'LL FOLLOW UP THE NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT BASICALLY NORTH OF HEWLETT AND WEST OF THE SCHOOL BUS GARAGE KIND OF AREA UP IN THERE WHERE THERE'S SOME DRAINAGE ISSUES THAT THEY'RE DOING THAT WILL INVOLVE SOME WETLAND IMPACTS.
THEY ALREADY HAVE THEIR STATE DEQ PERMIT. AND REALLY, IT WAS THE PLANNING DIRECTOR COMING IN AND ASKING FOR SOME GUIDANCE FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RATHER THAN A NORMAL LAND USE PERMIT REVIEW.
DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT TO YOU? I BELIEVE YOU. OKAY.
[01:45:03]
THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL.ANY OTHER LIAISON REPORTS AND UPDATES? I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT I WASN'T ON IT ANYMORE, AND I WENT TO THE WEBSITE, AND I DON'T SEE MY NAME ON THERE.
YEAH. WE DON'T HAVE A. SO I JUST I DIDN'T KICK YOU OFF.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. EMERITUS. RIGHT. [LAUGHTER] EMERITUS STATUS.
YEAH. OKAY. OKAY, I JUST. OKAY. FORGIVE ME. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS RECOLLECTION.
OKAY. SO YOU. YES. YOU WERE AT ONE POINT, BUT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH IT.
THE CIA DOESN'T ACTUALLY HAVE IN THEIR BYLAWS A PLACE FOR PLANNING COMMISSIONER.
NOR WAS IT A VOTING POSITION. SO NO, NO, NO PLANNING COMMISSIONER WAS APPOINTED AT THAT TIME.
AND THEN THIS AND THEN WE FOLLOWED SUIT THIS YEAR WITH THAT.
THE CIA IS UNDER KIND OF A REQUEST CONSTANT, YOU KNOW, STANDING REQUEST.
LET US KNOW AND YOU'LL SEND A REPRESENTATIVE AND THEN WE'LL PROBABLY CALL ON YOU.
OKAY. SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO ATTEND EVERY MONTH.
YOU'RE NOT YOU'RE NOT TECHNICALLY PART OF THEIR.
CORRECT. LIKE, HAVE I BEEN UNDER? NO, YOU'RE RIGHT.
AND I'M SORRY BECAUSE SINCE I STARTED, I'VE HAD A LOT OF LIAISONS AND I HAVE.
THEY'VE JUST GROWN OUT OF NOWHERE. JUST PEOPLE SHOW UP AND THEY SAY, I'M THEIR LIAISON TO SOMETHING.
I'M LIKE, SURE, OKAY, LET'S GO.
THE BROWNFIELD TIF DISTRICT IS THE ENTIRE TOWNSHIP AND THEN THE DDA AND THE CIA HAVE SPECIFIC AREAS.
OKAY. THANK YOU. ALSO, DIRECTOR CLARK, I WASN'T TRYING TO CALL YOU OUT FOR THAT.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, I WAS CALLING MYSELF OUT. HAVE I FAILED? BASICALLY. PROJECT UPDATES. THERE'S AN UPDATED REPORT IN YOUR PACKET FOR YOUR REVIEW.
[11. PROJECT UPDATES ]
OKEMOS COFFEE IS OPEN AND I GOT A COFFEE FROM THERE TODAY.OH, GOOD. YES. YES, IT WAS GOOD. I WILL COMMENT.
IT WAS GOOD COFFEE. PUBLIC REMARKS. SEEING NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
[13. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS ]
SHORKEY CREATED THE HYPOTHETICAL OF A RESTAURANT IS FOR ME.AND YES. SO NOT TONIGHT, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE REALLY UNFAIR SURPRISE, BUT I WILL JUST THROW THAT IF YOU REALLY WANT TO SLOW DOWN TRAFFIC ON GRAND RIVER LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AND GET IT DOWN, SOME NICE NEW RESTAURANTS WOULD PROBABLY DO THAT EXTREMELY QUICKLY. SO I SECOND THAT THERE IS A NEW RESTAURANT AT CENTRAL PARK IN GRAND RIVER.
IT'S L2 SECOND LOCATION. OH, I HEARD THAT WAS GOOD.
THEY'RE OPEN. AND I WENT IN JUST TO SAY HI. AND THEY GAVE ME FOOD, SO I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE SAY YOU'RE WITH THE TOWNSHIP? SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO YES, THERE'S THERE'S WE'RE GROWING.
BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU KNEW THAT. IT'S GREAT FOOD.
I WILL GO BACK TO THAT TIME AND TIME AGAIN, ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE IT'S COMMISSIONER. BROOKS ARGUED THAT THERE WAS NO NEED. BUT IMAGINE HOW GOOD, GOOD TRUCKING COULD DO OVER HERE. IT'S VERY GOOD.
I NEED A ROSCOE ON DEMAND PERSONALLY. ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS OTHER THAN MY RAMBLING? ON THAT NOTE, I WISH PLANNER SHORKEY GOOD LUCK WITH THIS NOTES TONIGHT.
COMING OUT OF THE AGENDA MEETING AND OTHERWISE, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
I MOVE TO ADJOURN SECOND. AND ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? AND WE ARE CLOSED AT 8:18. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.