Jun 08, 2026 Planning Commission

[00:08:07]

THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. OH, MAN.

[00:08:14]

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY. HERE.

COMMISSIONER NAHUM. HERE.

COMMISSIONER BROOKS. HERE.

AND COMMISSIONER MCCURTIS WAS EXCUSED ABSENCE FOR THIS MEETING AND I BELIEVE THE NEXT MEETING TOO.

CORRECT. DO I REMEMBER, MR. SHORKEY? CORRECT. THANK YOU.

MR. SHORKEY, IF YOU COULD SCROLL UP TO. OH, I'M SORRY.

THAT'S WHAT I'M BAILING OUT ON. I CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH BY MEMORY. YES, YOU CAN. I BELIEVE. DOES THAT HELP? YES.

SO, NEXT WE HAVE PUBLIC REMARKS. THE CHAIR IS HERE.

THE CHAIR IS HERE. YES. IF NOT MENTALLY, AT LEAST PHYSICALLY.

IN THAT CASE, WE HAVE PUBLIC REMARKS. MR. SHORKEY, DO YOU HAVE ANY PUBLIC REMARKS? NONE THAT I KNOW OF THAT ARE NOT RELATED TO ANY OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS. I DO HAVE SOME FILLED OUT CARDS TO GIVE YOU. OKAY. SO, WITH THAT, I DON'T NEED TO OPEN PUBLIC REMARKS, RIGHT? I CAN JUST ROLL THROUGH THAT. YES. THANK YOU.

[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA ]

SECOND. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY. ANY ADDITIONS, DELETIONS FROM OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? WITH THAT, WE DON'T NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL, BUT WE CAN JUST DO VOICE VOTE, RIGHT? YEAH, YOU CAN DO VOICE VOTE, YES. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA, AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE AGENDA FOR TODAY IS APPROVED.

[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]

[00:10:02]

SUPPORT. SUPPORTED BY COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. LAST CALL FOR CHANGES, EDITS.

WITH THAT, WE CAN MOVE TO A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA FOR MAY 11TH, AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? NONE. ITEM SIX ON THE AGENDA IS COMMUNICATIONS. I SEE NOTHING UNDER COMMUNICATIONS, SO WE CAN MOVE RIGHT INTO ITEM SEVEN

[7.A. REZ #26010 – Copper Creek]

AND MR. SHORKEY, I BELIEVE THERE'S A MEMO, CORRECT? THERE IS. THANK YOU. OKAY. AS NOTED, REZONING NUMBER 26010 COPPER CREEK TO REZONE 65.38 ACRES OF 139 TOTAL ACRES ON HASLETT ROAD. AND LIKE I'LL EXPLAIN THIS. IT'S, IT'S ZONED R.A. AND IT'S BEING REZONED TO R.A. WITH A PLANNED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY DISTRICT. AND THAT'S THE APPLICATION. FUTURE LAND USE MAP WAS CHANGED IN 2023 TO SUPPORT THE RA ZONE. THE RA ZONE WAS THEN CHANGED IN 2025, A YEAR AGO. THAT WENT THROUGH, I THINK WE HAD A COMMENT, BUT BASICALLY NOT A PROBLEM.

SO, EVERYTHING IS IN PLACE WITH THE RA ZONING. RA ZONING ALLOWS A 10,000 SQUARE FOOT LOT SIZE.

THE PROPOSAL IN FRONT OF YOU IS FOR 126 TOTAL LOTS.

I'M GOING TO BRING UP THE PLAN REAL FAST HERE. NOW, WHEN I SAY 126 LOTS ON 65 PLUS ACRES AT A 10,000 SQUARE FOOT LOT SIZE, THAT'S WELL WITHIN THE DENSITY ALLOWED BY THE RA DISTRICT. WHAT MAKES THIS A PRD IS THE KIND OF THE CLUSTERING A LITTLE BIT THAT THEY'RE DOING, THE PRESERVATION OF THE OPEN SPACE. THEY'RE GOING THROUGH A LOT OF WORK TO WORK AROUND. THE WETLANDS THAT WERE DELINEATED ON THIS, WE DO HAVE A RECENT DELINEATION ON FILE FOR THIS AREA. YOU'LL NOTE THAT IT DOESN'T ENCOMPASS THE REST OF THE PROJECT OR THE REST OF THE SITE YET. THAT WILL BE A SEPARATE APPLICATION WHEN THAT HAPPENS. WE STILL, FOR NOTIFICATION PURPOSES, WE DID GO AHEAD AND SEND INTO, WE USED THE OUTSIDE BOUNDARY.

WE DIDN'T CHEAT AND JUST USE THE 126 LOTS. STAFF REALLY DOESN'T HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THIS AT THE REZONING STAGE. IT DOES FIT WITH THE MASTER PLAN, IT DOES FIT WITH THE ZONING ORDINANCE. THE LOTS DO MEET THE SPIRIT OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE. IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING FOR LOT SIZES, IT DOES CONFORM TO THE RA DISTRICT. AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE THE SAME LOOK AND FEEL AS THE EXISTING COPPER CREEK, WHICH WILL BE ACCESSED RIGHT HERE. AND THEN THIS IS THE HASLETT ROAD ACCESS. WHEN THIS GETS TO SITE PLAN, ENGINEERING WILL HAVE COMMENTS.

DRAIN COMMISSION, I'M SURE, WILL HAVE COMMENTS. THE ROAD DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE TO WEIGH IN ON THIS. THERE IS A TRAFFIC STUDY. THERE ARE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS IN HERE. THOSE WILL HAVE TO BE ACCEPTED BY THE ROAD DEPARTMENT AT THAT TIME.

BUT AS FAR AS A REZONING, STAFF REALLY DOESN'T HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS AND CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MR. SHORKEY. ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. SHORKEY? COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. YEAH, THANKS. THE OVERLAY IS NOT SOMETHING I'M ALL THAT FAMILIAR WITH. CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW THAT, HAVE WE DONE A RECENT ONE THAT I'M NOT RECALLING, OR CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW AN OVERLAY DISTRICT IN GENERAL WORKS? IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT COPPER CREEK WAS DONE AS A SIMILAR PROPOSAL, BUT WHY DON'T I DO THIS? SO, LET'S SEE, ORDINANCES, AND THEN I CAN GO TO CODE OF ORDINACES AND THEN I CAN COME TO ZONING DISTRICT, ZONING CODE AND THERE'S OUR DISTRICT REGULATIONS AND HERE'S WHERE YOU SEE THE PRD DISTRICT. THANK YOU. WIRELESS PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT. WHERE

[00:15:01]

I APOLOGIZE. SO, THE PURPOSE OF THE PRD DISTRICT IS TO PRESERVE NATURAL FEATURES AND OPEN SPACE, ALLOWS FLEXIBILITY AND ALTERNATIVE DESIGN STANDARDS FOR SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS. LOT DIMENSIONS AND YARD REQUIREMENTS MAY BE REDUCED.AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT PROPOSING MASSIVE REDUCTIONS AND CREATING ULTRA-SMALL LOTS OR ANYTHING. THE BASE, LIKE THE TYPICAL LOT THAT APPEARS ON THE SITE PLAN DOES CONFORM TO THE RA DISTRICT, BUT THE PRD ALLOWS THEM SOME FLEXIBILITY.

IF THE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ONE LOT THAT'S A LITTLE UNDERSIZED THAT THEY'VE GOT TO SQUEEZE IN THERE, THAT'S OKAY. NOW, WHY IS THAT OKAY? BECAUSE OF THE OPEN SPACE THAT THEY'RE GIVING UP AND PRESERVATION. THE OVERALL NUMBER, DWELLING UNITS SHALL NOT EXCEED THE NUMBER OF DWELLING UNITS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED UNDER CONVENTIONAL SUBDIVISION DEVELOPMENT. THEY'RE NOT ASKING FOR BONUS LOTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT DOES PROMOTE SINGLE-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT MINIMIZES DEVELOPMENT IMPACTS ON NATURAL FEATURES, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO. SO THAT'S WHAT THE PRD IS MEANT TO DO. NOW, TO PUT THE PRD IN PLACE, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SAME REZONING PROCESS THAT THE ORIGINAL RA REZONING WENT THROUGH. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT. THANK YOU.

QUESTIONS FROM OTHER COMMISSIONERS FOR MR. SHORKEY? I THINK YOU HAVE ONE APPLICANT WHO TURNED A CARD IN. OH, IS THE APP, OF COURSE, I'M SORRY, I'M REMISS. THE APPLICANT IS HERE IF YOU'D LIKE TO ASK QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT? ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT. MR. NAM, SIR, WOULD YOU APPROACH THE, WHAT DO WE CALL THAT? THE LECTERN? DO YOU LIKE THAT WORD? IF YOU COULD, SIR, PLEASE JUST IDENTIFY YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD. NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. ROBERT SCHROEDER, 1650 KENDALL BOULEVARD, EAST LANSING. THANK YOU. I APOLOGIZE, I DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THE PROPERTY IN ADVANCE OF THIS MEETING. I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD DESCRIBE LIKE THE NATURAL FEATURES THAT WOULD YOU BE PRESERVING WITH THIS OVERLAY.

WELL, THERE'S WETLANDS ON THE BOUNDARY, SO WE WERE ABLE TO WORK AROUND THE WETLANDS AND THE BUFFERS.

IT'S ALSO WOODED, AND SO WE WERE, AND THERE'S A CENTER WETLAND AREA, AND THEN WE HAVE A COUPLE OF DETENTION PONDS THAT WE HAVE TO PUT IN. SO WE JUST TRIED TO MAKE THIS ALL FLOW WITH PARKS AND SCULPTING OUT.

AND IF I COULD JUST EXPLAIN WHY I WOULD GO WITH A PRD RATHER THAN JUST ZONING, BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T GET MUCH OF ANY BONUS HERE AT ALL.

IN FACT, I THINK THE LOTS COMPLY ALMOST 100%, I THINK 100% AS FAR AS I KNOW, WITH ZONING, WHICH I COULD DO JUST AS A PLAT. THE PLATTING PROCESS TO ME LEGALLY IS TERRIBLE, TO BE HONEST. IT'S ARCHAIC. IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY TIMELINES. IT HAS ALL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES APPROVING WITH NO TIMELINES AND NO REAL PROPER PROCESS AND PROCEDURE. SO WHEN I'VE DONE IT, IT'S EASY TO GET LOST. SO I SPEND THE EXTRA TIME HERE TO AGAIN REZONE IT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ZONED, AND EVEN THOUGH I'M COMPLYING WITH THE ZONING, TO GET THE PRD. AND ONCE I HAVE THAT, I CAN DO PHASES MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN GOING THROUGH THE ENTIRE PLANNING PROCESS.

ALSO, IT LETS ME DO PRIVATE ROADS, EVEN THOUGH I'M DOING THOSE PRIVATE ROADS TO PUBLIC ROAD STANDARDS AND SIZE. SOME OF THE AGENCIES ARE JUST DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH, SO THAT'S BY AND LARGE THE REASON I'M DOING IT. I ALSO LIKE TO HAVE PARKS AND SPACE.

I'M CREATING IT ANYWAY, SO MY PREFERENCE IS THE SIMPLER PROCESS AND PROCEDURE TO GO THROUGH A PRD, AND HERE I AM.

THANK YOU, THAT ADDRESSES MY QUESTION.

MINE TOO. ANYTHING ELSE I CAN ANSWER? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, SIR. AND THEN ANY MORE FOR MR. SHORKEY? OKAY, IN THAT CASE, I BELIEVE WE, THIS WILL COME BACK IN THE JUNE 27TH. NO, YOU, YOU OPEN THE FLOOR. I'M SORRY, YOU DO HAVE A, YOU HAD, YOU DO HAVE ONE SUBMISSION.

YES, YOU ARE RIGHT, APOLOGIES.

SO, I'LL OPEN ALL THE PUBLIC, PUBLIC, CALL THE PUBLIC HEARING. YES, YES, I WILL OPEN THIS UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, AND I DO BELIEVE I HAVE ONE HERE FROM 49, RUTH BARON.

YES. AND IF YOU WOULD, MA'AM,

[00:20:02]

SURE, MY NAME IS RUTH BARON. I LIVE AT 581 TITANIUM TRAIL HERE IN HASLETT, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS REZONING PLAN. LESS THAN 2 YEARS AGO, I PAID MAYBERRY $500,000 TO BUILD MY HOME IN PHASE 2 OF WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A 3- PHASE DEVELOPMENT WITH HOMES THAT LOOK JUST LIKE MINE. I HAPPEN TO BE RIGHT AT THE EDGE OF THIS FIELD WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO NOW CHANGE THE LAYOUT AND THE DEVELOPMENT, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THAT'S NOT WHAT I PAID FOR. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, BELIEVE THAT IS OUR ONLY COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.

PUBLIC COMMENTS. OKAY, SO I WILL, OKAY, CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AT 6:50, RELATED TO THIS, AND THEN WE CAN'T VOTE ON THIS. THIS COMES BACK ON THE 22ND. THAT IS CORRECT.

YOU TYPICALLY GIVE STAFF A STRAW POLL, BUT AN INDICATION, BECAUSE I DO HAVE TO COME BACK WITH A RESOLUTION.

BUT YOU'RE CORRECT, YOU DO NOT MAKE A FORMAL VOTE TONIGHT.

STRAW POLL FROM THE COMMISSIONERS TO GIVE MR. SHORKEY AND STAFF INDICATORS. SO, ALL THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY VOTE IN FAVOR. I'LL COME BACK WITH A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT.

VERY GOOD. A REQUEST. YES, CAN, DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH THIS, I WASN'T HERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE UPPER CREEK DEVELOPMENT.

SO, WHAT'S THE, THE HISTORY IN TERMS OF HOW THE ZONING HAS CHANGED AND THEN THE PLANS CHANGE? THE PROPERTY WAS PREVIOUSLY ZONED RURAL RESIDENTIAL. IN 2022-2023, THE, THE TOWNSHIP WENT THROUGH THE MASTER PLAN PROCESS. THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP WAS CHANGED FOR THIS THIS ENTIRE PROPERTY AT THAT TIME TO SUPPORT A SUBSEQUENT REZONING TO RA, WHICH HAPPENED LAST YEAR. WHEN I SAY LAST YEAR, LIKE WHEN I, WHEN I COPIED AND PASTED THE MEMOS, ALL I HAD TO DO IS CHANGE THE DATES, NOT THE MONTHS. YEAH, SO THAT'S THE HISTORY. AS FAR AS PLANS, THIS IS THE FIRST PLAN THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD.

SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE ANYWAY, AND I'M RELATIVELY SURE EVER ON THIS PROPERTY. OKAY. MY OTHER QUESTION IS FOR THE TRAFFIC STUDIES THAT WE DO FOR STUFF LIKE THIS. SO, WE SEEM TO SORT OF BREAK THESE UP INTO POCKETS, SO THERE'S LIKE PHASE 1, PHASE 2, PHASE 3. IS THERE EVER A POINT WHERE WE SAY LIKE THIS ZONING EFFECT ACROSS ALL OF THESE INCREASES THE TRAFFIC BY. OH YEAH, WE KNEW WHEN THE REZONING HAPPENED THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A TRAFFIC IMPACT. AND IF YOU LOOK IN THE STAFF REPORT, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS THAT A TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY IS GOING TO BE REQUIRED PRIOR TO ANY SITE PLAN APPROVAL. I'M FAIRLY CERTAIN THAT'S GOING TO COME UP, BUT IT'S NOT A, I DON'T NEED THAT FOR THE REZONING. I'LL NEED, CERTAINLY NEED THAT FOR ANY SUBSEQUENT, LIKE, LAND USE APPROVALS. RIGHT.

SITE PLANS AND SUCH. MAYBE I'M CONFUSED. WAS THE TRAFFIC ASSESSMENT JUST FOR THIS PHASE OF THE DEVELOPMENT THOUGH? NO, THERE WAS A TRAFFIC STUDY THAT, THERE WAS A TRAFFIC ASSESSMENT THAT WAS DONE, WE ASKED THEM TO, WE ASKED THEM TO REVIEW IT NOW THAT THE FORMER PHASES OF COPPER CREEK WERE BUILT OUT.

OKAY. SO WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU SEE IS, IS A RECERTIFICATION OF THE TRAFFIC STUDY WITH, WITH THE, WITH THE SUBSEQUENT RECOMMENDATION THAT A TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY IS REQUIRED. THAT IS THE LARGER FULL-BLOWN TRAFFIC. LOOK AT THE TRAFFIC.

BECAUSE THEY ARE, THEY ARE BUILDING, THEY ARE BUILDING PRIVATE ROADS INSIDE THE SYSTEM. THAT IS TRUE. RIGHT.

BUT THEY WILL CONNECT TO PRIVATE ROADS OR TO A PUBLIC ROAD. RIGHT. SO, THE ROAD DEPARTMENT WILL BE INVOLVED AT THAT CONNECTION.

OKAY. SO, LIKE THE, THE STREETS AND TRAFFIC TABLE ON THE SECOND PAGE OF THE, ARE YOU LOOKING AT THE STAFF REPORT? YEAH, THE SUMMARY OF THE STAFF REPORT.

OKAY. SO, SECOND PAGE OF THIS,

[00:25:01]

OKAY. BUT AGAIN, I DO NOT NEED THAT FOR REZONING. WE DO NEED THAT FOR SITE PLAN APPROVAL. AND DOES THE REZONING THOUGH ALLOW FOR MORE UNITS? NO, THE UNDERLYING ZONING DOESN'T CHANGE. THE RA DENSITY OF 10,000 SQUARE FEET PER LOT DOES NOT CHANGE, AND THEY'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY ADDITIONAL UNITS.

OKAY, ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

DID YOU MR. SCHROEDER WOULD, ARE YOU OPEN TO MR. SCHROEDER? YEAH, HAVING A COMMENT. THE APPLICANT. OKAY. I JUST, I THOUGHT I MIGHT ADD A HISTORY FOR CONTEXT. SO, IN THE TOTAL PROPERTY WAS ABOUT 200 ACRES, AND PART OF IT WAS ALREADY ZONED, AND I DID THAT IN A PUD, DIFFERENT OVERLAY THAN A PRD, AND THAT WAS THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE LAND. THAT DEVELOPMENT IS CLOSED.

THAT WAS DONE AS A PRD, AND THEN I HAD THE REMAINING LAND THAT WENT THROUGH THE COMP ZONING AND THEN WENT THROUGH ACTUAL ZONING, AND THEN I LOOKED AT DEVELOPING IT AND DECIDED TO GO INSTEAD OF PLATTING WITH THE PRD. AND THE ONLY CHANGE FROM THE PREVIOUS DEVELOPMENT IS REALLY THE LOT SIZE. I JUST WANTED LARGER LOTS IN THIS DEVELOPMENT. AS I'M HEADING TOWARDS WILLIAMSTOWN TOWNSHIP, I'M KIND OF ON THE EDGE OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP. I THOUGHT THE LARGER LOTS WERE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, A GOOD VALUE, A GOOD BUY. AND A GOOD MARKET.

SO, THE DIFFERENCE IS BASICALLY SAME BUILDER, SAME HOUSES LITTLE BIT LARGER LOTS. SO, ALL RIGHT, NO QUESTION, MORE QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW? THANKS. ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT,

[7.B. SUP #26011 – Kedi Craft Restaurant ]

OKAY, THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED A SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW RESTAURANT AT THE PROPERTY AT 4632 OKEMOS ROAD. THIS IS THE FORMER RED CEDAR CAT HOSPITAL. THE PROPERTY IS ZONED PROFESSIONAL OFFICE. OKAY, SO ACCORDING TO THE PROFESSIONAL OFFICE LANGUAGE RESTAURANTS ARE ALLOWED IN THE PO DISTRICT AS A SPECIAL, SPECIAL USE PERMIT. THE LANGUAGE FURTHER STATES THAT RESTAURANTS MAY BE PERMITTED BY SPECIAL USE PERMIT WHEN DEEMED APPROPRIATE TO THE PRIMARY USE OF LAND OR STRUCTURE. SO, STAFF HAS TOLD, I'M NOT JUST ON THIS PROPERTY, BUT ON OTHER PO PROPERTIES, NO, YOU CAN'T OPEN INSERT, YOU KNOW, AS A STANDALONE COOKIE PLACE, OTHER CAFES TYPE THINGS.

STAFF BELIEVES A COMMERCIAL ZONING WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE. STAFF WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS HAS GENERATED NOT, NOT PUSHBACK, BUT A LOT OF CURIOSITY FROM THE RESIDENTS. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST HISTORIC BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE REMAINING IN THE TOWNSHIP.

SO, STAFF IS AWARE OF THIS AND IS INTERESTED.

WHILE WE DON'T HAVE A HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE, WE ARE INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT THIS, SEEING IF WE CAN HELP MAKE, MAKE, LIKE, LET'S DO SOMETHING TO HELP PRESERVE THIS BUILDING.

AND IN FACT, THE PLAN THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU DOES THAT. THE OLD, THEY'RE NOT PROPOSING

[00:30:02]

THERE'S PLENTY OF PARKING. WE DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH THE PARKING VIS-À-VIS THE CHANGE FROM A CAT HOSPITAL TO A RESTAURANT. HOWEVER, WHAT WE DO NOTE ARE THESE STAIRS GOING UP TO WHAT SEEMS TO BE AN UPSTAIRS LOFT APARTMENT. SO, THERE'S A FEW THINGS GOING ON HERE. NUMBER ONE IS THE QUESTION OF, DOES, CAN A STANDALONE RESTAURANT GO INTO A PO DISTRICT? AND NOTE, WITHOUT A DRIVE-THROUGH, IT SAYS WITHOUT A DRIVE-THROUGH, OKAY, IN, IN THE, AS A SPECIAL LAND USE. IF YOU AREN'T COMFORTABLE MAKING THAT CALL, YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF KICKING THIS TO THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS FOR AN INTERPRETATION, AND THEN IT'S A DECISION ON WHO'S RIGHT, THE APPLICANT OR THE, OR THE STAFF. EVEN IF YOU'RE WILLING TO GO FORWARD WITH THE SUP FOR THE RESTAURANT, THERE IS NOT A MECHANISM IN THE PO DISTRICT WHERE, AND THIS ISN'T IN THE APPLICATION, STAFF IS JUST POINTING THIS OUT, THERE'S NOWHERE IN THE APPLICATION, IN, IN THE PO DISTRICT WHERE THIS UPSTAIRS LOFT CAN TO PRESERVE. I MEAN, THERE JUST ISN'T, THERE'S NOT A RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT.

BUT IF THE PROPERTY WAS C2, WHICH SEEMS LIKE A BIG JUMP, BUT LET ME GET THERE, NOT ONLY IS THE RESTAURANT ALLOWED BY RIGHT WITHOUT SITE PLAN IN THIS CASE BECAUSE WE'RE HAPPY WITH THE PARKING, BUT WE ALLOW SECOND FLOOR RESIDENTIAL UNITS IN THE C2 DISTRICT. WE AMENDED THE ORDINANCE A COUPLE YEARS AGO TO LET THAT HAPPEN.

NOW, C2 IS KIND OF A BIG JUMP FROM THE PO DISTRICT, BUT THE WHOLE THING IS SHOWN IN THE MASTER PLAN AS PICA.

THIS IS THAT THE OKEMOS VILLAGE PICA. AND WHAT IS THE PICA LOOKING FOR? MIXED USES.

SO, YOU CAN, HERE ARE YOUR OPTIONS. YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS AS, AS, AS IT IS. WE CAN APPROVE THE SUP. IF YOU DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE, I CAN, AND, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT, YOU CAN KICK IT TO THE ZBA FOR AN INTERPRETATION AND THEN HAVE THEM COME BACK. OR WE CAN ASK FOR A REZONING. SUGGEST, WE CAN, YOU CAN SUGGEST A REZONING. I CAN'T MAKE ANYBODY, BUT THEY DO HAVE A PRESENTATION. THE APPLICANT IS, IS HERE. I WANT TO, I WANT TO NOTE ONE MORE TIME, WE WERE NOT PHILOSOPHICALLY OPPOSED TO THE RESTAURANT, BUT WE DO HAVE ZONING WE'RE TRYING TO WORK AROUND. AND I CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS, OR I CAN TURN IT OVER TO THE APPLICANT. QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? COMMISSIONER BROOKS. MR. SHORKEY, SO WOULD YOU RECOMMEND, OR BASED ON WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY, IT SOUNDS LIKE C2 IS THE IDEAL ZONE FOR THIS. SO AGAIN, THEIR APPLICATION DOESN'T TALK ABOUT A SECOND-FLOOR APARTMENT, RIGHT? STAFF IS ONLY BRINGING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION. IT'S THERE, LIKE IT'S CLEARLY THERE, BUT STAFF ISN'T MAKING A RECOMMENDATION FOR C2 ZONING. STAFF'S ONLY POINTING OUT THAT IF THEY WANT THE WHOLE THING AS IT IS, THEN, THEN C2 WORKS FOR THEM. AND THE PICA SUPPORTS MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT. HOWEVER, IF ALL THEY, IF THEY'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT THAT, IF THEY WANT TO USE THE UPSTAIRS AS STORAGE, I DON'T KNOW, THEN THE, THE ONLY QUESTION IS, DO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE APPROVING THIS AS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR A RESTAURANT? IN WHICH CASE STAFF NOTES THE BUILDING IS PRESERVED. AND AT LEAST ONE CONVERSATION I HAD WITH A RESIDENT, THAT WAS A PRIMARY CONCERN IN THIS CASE. AND DOES THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT, IT STAYS WITH THE PROPERTY OR THE OWNER? IT STAYS WITH THE PROPERTY AS LONG AS IT'S EXERCISED WITHIN 2 YEARS. IS IT

[00:35:03]

THAT'S A VALID POINT. OKAY. IS THERE ANY INSTANCE WHERE LIKE KITCHEN STUFF COULDN'T BE USED ON THE SECOND FLOOR? I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON WHERE KITCHEN STUFF GOES. I'D HAVE TO DEFER TO MY COMMERCIAL BUILDING PEOPLE.

OKAY,ALL RIGHT. OKAY, THANK YOU.

SURE. OH YEAH, AND I KIND OF GLOSSED OVER THAT POINT, BUT IT IS TRUE THEY DON'T HAVE TO USE IT AS A RESIDENTIAL SPACE. THERE'S PLENTY OF RESIDENTIAL THINGS IN THE TOWNSHIP THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NEXT DOOR TO SOMEONE WHO OWNS IT AND THEY USE IT AS STORAGE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OR UPSTAIRS UNITS, THINGS LIKE THAT. IT COULD BE USED AS STORAGE, IT COULD BE USED AS AN OFFICE, WHICH WOULD BE GREAT. ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? PRESENTATION. YEAH, I, I DO HAVE ONE JUST ON PROCESS, MR. SHREWSBURY, SURE. TALK ABOUT THE IDEA OF KICKING THIS TO THE ZONING BOARD FOR AN INTERPRETATION. SO, WE KICK IT TO THE ZONING BOARD AND WE ASK THEM, PLEASE INTERPRET, PLEASE INTERPRET THIS ZONING BASED ON THIS PARTICULAR, IS THERE, NO, LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT YOU'RE, GO AHEAD, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA BRING IT UP. GO AHEAD. BECAUSE MY QUESTION IS, TO WHAT EXTENT, IF WE KICK A QUESTION, THEN ARE WE BOUND BY THEIR ANSWER. THEY WOULD MAKE AN INTERPRETATION ON, WAIT FOR IT. THIS, A LOT OF RISING ACTION HERE. I'M WAITING FOR THAT. WHERE IS IT? I'M IN THE PO DISTRICT.

USE IS PERMITTED. SPECIAL USE PERMITS. FUNERAL HOME, MORTUARY. OKAY, FOLLOWING USES MAY BE PERMITTED BY SPECIAL USE PERMITS WHEN DEEMED APPROPRIATE TO THE PRIMARY USE OF THE LAND OR STRUCTURE.

STAFF HAS INTERPRETED THAT AS A CAFE IN AN OFFICE BUILDING.

OKAY, RESTAURANTS, RESTAURANT RIGHT HERE, PROVIDED NO DRIVE-THROUGH OR DRIVE-THROUGH TYPE FACILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH IT. THAT'S WHY I WAS LIKE, THEY'RE NOT PROPOSING A DRIVE-THROUGH, AND A DRIVE-THROUGH IN ANY CASE WOULD BE NO-GO EVEN IF WE AMEND THIS ORDINANCE. OKAY, WHAT, WHAT WE'RE SUGGESTING AND WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING. I UNDERSTOOD. BUT IF YOU DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH, WITH MOVING FORWARD ON THIS ON THE FACE OF IT, WHAT YOU'RE ASKING IS WHOSE INTERPRETATION IS CORRECT, AND THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS, THAT, THAT WOULD BE THE DECISION ON THAT. OKAY. AND THAT'S THE DECISION. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE BEING ASKED. DOES A RESTAURANT, DOES THIS INDICATE THAT A RESTAURANT CANNOT BE A PRIMARY, PRIMARY USE AS A SPECIAL LAND USE. STILL A SPECIAL LAND USE, STILL HAVING A HEARING. I'M NOT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION NOW. THE APPLICANT IS HERE, AND I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION. I'M GOING TO WORK WITH THEM TO GET THAT GOING, WITH YOUR PERMISSION. VERY GOOD. OKAY, COME ON UP. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JEHOON KAMUSH, 1298 STARBOARD DRIVE, OKEMOS. I'M AN OKEMOS RESIDENT, AND MY PARTNER IS AS WELL.

SO, WHEN I WAS PASSING THIS BUILDING, I'VE BEEN DREAMING

[00:40:02]

WE NEED TO ADD VALUE IN OKEMOS, ESPECIALLY DOWNTOWN.

I'M A RESIDENT HERE FOR 10 YEARS AND I LOVE TO ADD SOMETHING TO DO SOMETHING FOR OUR OWN COMMUNITY. SO, WE ARE SEEKING A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, ME AND MY PARTNER MATEEN. AS I SAID, I'M A CHEF, AN EDUCATOR, AND MATEEN IS ALSO AN EDUCATOR, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY. SO, THE CONCEPT IS SIMPLY A HIGH-QUALITY TURKISH CUISINE USUALLY IS REPRESENTED AS MIDDLE EASTERN CUISINE WHICH IS NOT. AND I THINK IT FITS VERY WELL WITH THE DIVERSE COMMUNITY IN OKEMOS AS WELL AS IT'S, WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE A FAMILY-FRIENDLY DINING EXPERIENCE FOR ALL THE OKEMOS RESIDENTS. AND ALSO, I WANT TO BE A CULTURAL DESTINATION FOR EVERYBODY. WHY THIS LOCATION? WE WANTED TO REUSE THE BUILDING AND WE WANT TO IMPROVE EVERYTHING INSIDE OF THE BUILDING, ADD MORE VALUE IN THE BUILDING, AND BRING NEW INVESTMENT IN THE PROPERTY AND CREATE AN ACTIVE BUSINESS, WHICH IS THE BUILDING IS SITTING THERE SIMPLY OVER THERE IN DOWNTOWN. RATHER THAN CONSTRUCTING A NEW BUILDING, WE ARE REVITALIZING AN EXISTING ONE. SO, TRAFFIC IMPACT, THERE WILL BE NO TRAFFIC. GO BACK A SLIDE. YEAH, THANK YOU.

NEXT ONE. NO ONE MORE. GO FORWARD ONE. THERE YOU GO.

TRAFFIC IMPACT. WE WERE TRYING TO HAVE A 40-SEAT, BUT WE REDUCED IT TO 32 SEATS NOW. OH, YOU HAVE? AND WE WANT TO USE ONLY THE FIRST FLOOR AS A RESTAURANT.

UPSTAIRS WILL BE STORAGE, AND IT'S ALL ALREADY IN OUR PLAN. WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE IT AS A RESIDENCY OR ANYTHING. AND THE, THE PLAN THAT WE SUBMIT, WE'RE GOING TO REMOVE THOSE STAIRS FROM THERE. SO, THE UPSTAIRS IS GOING TO BE STORAGE ONLY. AND I SAID THERE'S NO LATE-NIGHT ACTIVITY. IT'S A FAMILY-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT, AND PRIMARILY SERVING LOCAL RESIDENTS AND STUDENTS. NO ENTERTAINMENT VENUE, THAT'S WHY, SO IT WON'T BE A TRAFFIC ISSUE.

AND ALSO, PARKING, WE HAVE 15 PARKING SPOTS, WHICH IS GOOD FOR 40 GUESTS, BUT WE REDUCE IT TO 32 SEATS, SO TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT.

COMMUNITY CAPABILITY, IT'S NOT A FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT, IT'S NOT A DRIVE-THROUGH, IT'S NOT A BAR, IT'S NOT A SPORTS PLACE IS NOT A LATE-NIGHT ENTERTAINMENT VENUE. WHAT WE ARE IS FAMILY-FOCUSED, COMMUNITY-ORIENTED, QUIET, AND RESPECTFUL OF NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES. OUR GOAL IS TO BECOME GATHERING PLACE FOR RESIDENTS, FAMILIES, AND ALSO STUDENTS. SO, WHAT WE DO, ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF THE, OUR PLACE WILL BE LOCAL JOBS, INCREASED TAX REVENUE FOR THE CITY. SUPPORT NEARBY BUSINESSES, REVITALIZING UNDERUTILIZED PROPERTY, AND EXPANDING DINING OPTIONS FOR OKEMOS RESIDENTS. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS PROJECT CONTRIBUTES POSITIVELY TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND COMMUNITY COMMITMENT-WISE, I'M AN EDUCATOR, AND I'LL BE PARTNERING WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS, SUPPORTING COMMUNITY EVENTS, PROVIDE WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL RESIDENTS, AND ALSO OPERATE A RESPONSIBLY AND PROFESSIONALLY THAT I'M DOING AT STERLING HEIGHTS. SO, THIS IS SIMPLY OUR PLAN TO TURN THIS PLACE, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR APPROVAL. THANK YOU, SIR. QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? SO, I TAKE IT, SIR, YOU'RE AWARE OF THIS SECOND FLOOR? YES. OKAY, RESIDENT, SO IT'S NOT A SURPRISE. OKAY, SO ACTUALLY IT'S IN OUR PLAN THAT WE SUBMIT TO THE CITY. AND ALSO, I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE CHANGING TO COMMERCIAL PROPERTY AS WELL, SO I APOLOGIZE. I WAS UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING STAFF'S TALKED TO YOU, BUT. OKAY, WELL, WE CAN TALK LATER. AND SO, YOU WOULD BE REMOVING THE STAIRS THERE WOULD BE NO OUTSIDE ENTRANCE, AND THEN THIS AREA WOULD BE TURNED INTO STORAGE.

YES. MR. SHORKEY, NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT THERE, BUT TAKING THAT HIS COMMENTS, LIKE, WOULD THERE BE A WAY, I ASSUME IT LIKE SITE PLAN OR SOME OTHER STUFF THAT WOULD BE CODIFIED IN SOME WAY. OH, LISTENING, LISTENING TO MR. KAMUSH, WHAT WOULD IT PROBABLY DO SINCE THEY'RE OFFERING TO, THEY'RE LOWERING THE SEATS TO 32 AND THEY'RE SAYING THAT THEY'RE NOT PLANNING ON USING THE UPSTAIRS FOR RESIDENTS AND USING IT FOR STORAGE. I WOULD ADD THEM AS CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL TO THE SUP. FOR THIS STEP? IF

[00:45:03]

YOU'D BE OKAY? OKAY. YEAH, I'M OKAY WITH IT. I MEAN, OKAY, MAYBE ONE QUICK QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.

COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. FIRST OF ALL, LOVE THE IDEA. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE SUCCESS. AND I HEARD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR TO ADJOINING PROPERTIES, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT OUR ORDINANCE SAYS ANYTHING ABOUT GRILLING AND SMOKING, BECAUSE MOST RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE GRILLS ARE, THERE'S SMOKE COMING OUT OF THEM. CAN I? ASK WHO'S BEST TO DIRECT THAT QUESTION? SHE'S ASKING ME. OKAY. WE DON'T TALK ABOUT RESTAURANT SMOKE SPECIFICALLY, BUT WE DO HAVE A NUISANCE ORDINANCE THAT INCLUDES ODOR AND SMOKE. AND I WILL NOTE THAT THERE'S, THEY'RE NOT UP AROUND HERE, BUT IF YOU GO FURTHER SOUTH, THERE'S A CHAIN OF BARBECUE THAT IS AMAZING CALLED CITY BARBECUE, AND THEY DEVELOPED A SMOKELESS SMOKING TECHNIQUE THAT LETS THEM GO INTO URBAN AREAS AND SUBURBAN AREAS JUST FOR THAT REASON. IT CAN BE DONE. SO, IF WE GOT COMPLAINTS ABOUT ODOR AND SMOKE, WE HAVE A MECHANISM FOR DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

THANK YOU. I ANSWER THAT AS WELL. SO, IN OUR PLAN, WELL, WE WORK WITH THE LOCAL ARCHITECTS, SO WHAT WE ARE PLANNING IS TO PUT OUR EXHAUST SYSTEM AND MAKE UP AIR SYSTEM IN THE BASEMENT, BECAUSE WE CANNOT, YOU CANNOT PUT IT IN THE TOP OF THE BUILDING. WE DON'T WANT THE VIEW OF THE BUILDING TO BE DAMAGED OR EXTRA SUPPORT AT THE TOP, SO IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD. I LOVE THE CHARACTER OF THE BUILDING. THAT WAS MY MAIN IDEA. SO, IT'S GOING TO BE IN THE BASEMENT, AND THERE'S GOING TO BE TONS OF FILTERS. AND I SAY THE TECHNOLOGY NOWADAYS IS VERY GOOD, SO IT'S IN THE PLAN.

THANK YOU. IT'S GOING TO BE NO PROBLEM WITH THE ODOR OR ANYTHING.

JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, DO YOU USE THE SMOKER CABINETS THAT I SEE ON THE MSU CAMPUS WHERE THEY'LL SMOKE THINGS OVERNIGHT AND HOLD BACONS? NO, DEFINITELY NOT. IT'S GOING TO BE GRILLING ONLY, NOT SMOKERS. GOTCHA. I JOINED MR. SHORKEY'S COMMENTS ABOUT CITY BARBECUE. ANY MORE QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? THANK YOU, SIR. I THINK WE ALL JOIN IN THE IDEA OF HAVING MORE RESTAURANTS IN OKEMOS. WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN IT UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE A FEW PUBLIC COMMENTS SUBMITTED AND I'LL OPEN IT UP AT 7:17 PM, AND I WILL ASK, I'M GOING TO BUTCHER THE NAMES AHEAD OF TIME, SO I APOLOGIZE. IS IT DAVID LEDEBOURGH? MR. LEDEBURGH, IF YOU WOULD NAME AND ADDRESS ONCE YOU HIT THE LECTERN, PLEASE. AND YOU HAVE 3 MINUTES. GOOD EVENING.

DAVID LEDEBURGH. I RESIDE AT 4767 CORNELL ROAD IN OKEMOS, AND I AM A MEMBER OF THE MERIDIAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AS WELL AS THE MERIDIAN BROWNFIELD AUTHORITY.

I GOT TO KNOW THESE TWO GENTLEMEN WHEN I WAS ACTING PROFESSIONALLY MARKETING THIS PROPERTY FOR SALE. I'M A BROKER WITH MUSSELMAN REALTY. I WILL TELL YOU THAT IN THE PROFESSIONAL OFFICE MARKET RIGHT NOW, IT'S A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT MARKET. THE IDEA OF, WITH THE COVID FACTOR, UTILIZING THIS BUILDING FOR OFFICE HAS BEEN OVER A YEAR IN A MARKETING EFFORT TRYING TO FIND OTHER USERS FOR THIS BUILDING IN THIS USE. THESE GENTLEMEN CAME TO ME, WENT THROUGH THE PROPERTY, WONDERED ABOUT RESTAURANT USE. I PULLED UP THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND PROFESSIONAL OFFICE. LO AND BEHOLD, RESTAURANTS ARE ALLOWED PROVIDED THEY DON'T DO DRIVE-THROUGH. AND THEY RIGHT FROM THE GET-GO SAID, NO, WE DON'T, NOT INTERESTED IN DRIVE-THROUGH AT ALL. THESE GENTLEMEN ARE BOTH HIGH-QUALITY INDIVIDUALS. THEY RESIDE AND OWN PROPERTY IN MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP. THEY HAVE EXPERIENCE RUNNING RESTAURANTS, AND I BELIEVE THEY WOULD OPEN A VERY UNIQUE PRODUCT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY BEING SERVED. I BELIEVE THIS WOULD BE A SUCCESS, AND I HOPE THAT IT WOULD MOVE FORWARD EXPEDITIOUSLY. EARLY ON WHEN THIS ISSUE CAME UP, I MET WITH THE APPLICANT, PLANNING DIRECTOR TIM SCHMIDT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AMBER CLARK. WE DISCUSSED THIS IDEA. THEY BOTH LOVED IT. THEY DISCUSSED THE IDEA, SHOULD YOU GO FOR A CHANGE IN ZONE OR GO WITH THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT? WE ALL LOOKED AT THE CODE AND SAID, IT'S ALLOWED. WE'RE NOT GOING

[00:50:01]

PRIMARY USE IN OFFICE, IN MY OPINION, IS NO LONGER APPLICABLE FOR THIS PROPERTY, AND I THINK A RESTAURANT IS A PERFECT USE.

THINK OF THE RIVER HOUSE INN IN WILLIAMSTON, ADAPTED A RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE FOR A RESTAURANT. IT'S PERFECT.

IT'S GOING TO BE UNIQUE, AND THEIR PRODUCT IS UNMATCHED IN THE COMMUNITY. SO, I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUPPORT IT.

THE OWNERS OF THE BUILDING HAVE A LETTER ON FILE IN THE APPLICATION.

THEY SUPPORT IT. I SPOKE AND MET WITH THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS, THE SODEO FAMILY, AND THEY DO NOT OBJECT. THANK YOU, MR. LEDEBURGH. JUST FOR THE RECORD, THAT WAS ACTUALLY, YOU HAD 30 SECONDS LEFT. THAT WAS POOR ON MY PART.

I SHOULD HAVE LET YOU KNOW.

SO, WE'LL TRY TO GET IT RIGHT FOR THE NEXT ONE. SO NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT, PATRICIA YORK. MS. YORK, IF YOU WOULD, AGAIN, NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, AND YOU WILL HAVE 3 MINUTES, AND AT THE BEEP, IT MEANS YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT. AND THEN IF I HIT THE GAVEL, THEN YOU'RE DONE.

OKAY. MY NAME IS PATRICIA YORK, AND I LIVE AT 4622 OKEMOS ROAD. I AM INTRIGUED AND VERY THANKFUL THAT YOU SOUND LIKE YOU WANT TO PRESERVE THE BUILDING.

BECAUSE I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT DOWN IN THE OKEMOS AREA. MY HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1857. I THINK IT'S THE LAST ONE ON ITS ORIGINAL PROPERTY IN OKEMOS. SO, HOLDING ON TO THAT, WHAT LITTLE WE HAVE LEFT AT THE FOUR CORNERS, I THINK IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. SO, BRAVO, GOOD SIR. I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO GO FOR THIS. I HAVE TO ASK THOUGH, HOW OLD IS THAT GOOGLE PHOTO? BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT STAIRCASE EXISTS ANYMORE. IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY ELEGANT SPIRAL STAIRCASE, AN IRON SPIRAL STAIRCASE. AND I THINK IT'S CHARMING AND IT DOESN'T TAKE UP NEAR THE SPACE THAT THE OTHER ONE DID. SO, YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT TWICE AS ANOTHER EXIT FROM THE BUILDING BECAUSE IT REALLY IS VERY CHARMING THERE.

BUT I'M VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF THIS, AS I SAID, IF WE CAN PRESERVE THAT AREA.

THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH THAT GOT SWEPT OUT. IN THE PROPOSALS THAT JUST FELL APART THAT WE ARE NOW WITHOUT IN THE OKEMOS AREA. SO, IF WE CAN DO THAT, I WOULD VERY MUCH WELCOME YOU AS A NEIGHBOR. AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL THING.

BUT THAT WAS MY MAIN CONCERN IN COMING HERE TONIGHT IS THE PRESERVATION OF THE BUILDING, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S TERRIBLY IMPORTANT THERE. THANK YOU, MS. YORK. AND THAT'S ABOUT IT. IF I RECALL, I THINK I SAW IT, I THINK THE PHOTO FROM 2016.

THANK YOU. BECAUSE ALL I CAN THINK OF IS NOT WITH US. AND A THIRD COMMENT, I BELIEVE MICHAEL IS AT MERMAW? MOOMAW.

MOOMAW. I TRIED, I DID MY BEST. IF YOU WOULD, SIR, YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. SURE. MY NAME IS MICHAEL MOOMAW AND I LIVE AT 16966 BROADVIEW DRIVE, WHICH IS JUST OVER THE LINE INTO BATH TOWNSHIP.

BUT FULL DISCLOSURE, I HAVE A PRESERVATION CONSULTANCY AND I WORK WITH HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS WITH HISTORIC PROPERTIES TO PRESERVE AND HAVE BEEN A VOLUNTEER WITH THE HISTORIC MERIDIAN, THE VILLAGE OF HISTORIC, THE FRIENDS OF HISTORIC MERIDIAN. THERE WE GO.

AND ALSO, HAVE DONE SOME WALKING TOURS FOR THE HISTORIC DOWNTOWN, DOWNTOWN OF OKEMOS. AND I GREATLY SUPPORT ANY PROJECT THAT ENDEAVORS TO MAINTAIN THE HISTORIC FACADES IN OKEMOS. AS THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER NOTED, THAT MANY THINGS HAVE BEEN GONE OVER TIME, EITHER MOVED INTO THE HISTORIC VILLAGE OR DEMOED.

AND ANYTHING THAT KIND OF PRESERVES THE, THE BUILT LEGACY OF THE REMAINING IDEA REMAINS, LIKE THE WALKER HOUSE, THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL IMPACTS THE FORMER BROOM HANDLE FACTORY.

OF COURSE, THE MAIN MILL THERE WHERE FERGUSON PARK IS GONE, BUT THE HISTORY IS STILL THERE, AS WELL AS THE HAMILTON BUILDING AND WHAT REMAINS OF THE GRETTENBERGER STORE, WHICH USED TO BE TAEKWONDO OPERATION UNTIL IT MOVED OUT. SO, ANYTHING THAT FINDS ADAPTIVE REUSE FOR THESE STRUCTURES IS GREATLY SUPPORTED. BE EITHER THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION OR TAX CREDITS THROUGH HISTORIC PRESERVATION NOMINATIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. I GREATLY SUPPORT ANY OF THOSE AVENUES FOR RESIDENTS AND STRUCTURE OWNERS IN THAT DOWNTOWN REGION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT, I BELIEVE, WAS THE LAST OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS SUBMITTED. ANY CHANCE I COULD ADD MY 30 SECONDS? SURE, ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, WHEN THE CHAIR SCREWS UP, YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE IT RIGHT. SO, MR. LEDEBURGH IS COMING BACK FOR 30 SECONDS. DAVID LEDEBURGH, 4767. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ONE FINAL POINT, AND THAT IS THAT THESE GENTLEMEN HAVE BEEN

[00:55:01]

OKAY, NUMBER ONE, STAFF DOES NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR GOOGLE'S PHOTOS. NUMBER TWO, YOU ARE CORRECT, I HAVE BEEN TO THE SITE. YOU ARE, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, THE STAIRCASE, WE DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE STAIRCASE PER SE. IF YOU WANT TO LEAVE THAT IN PLACE, IT, IT'S A, IT'S A PROBABLY GOING TO MAKE A FIRE PERSON HAPPY THAT YOU HAVE A SECONDARY EXIT IF YOU NEED IT IN AN UPSTAIRS, UPSTAIRS STORAGE AREA. THAT WAS TRULY STAFF'S BIG CONCERN, IS HOW ARE WE GOING TO FIT A RESIDENCE INTO THERE. SO, IF THEY'RE WILLING TO ACCEPT THE CONDITIONS THAT THEY PUT FORWARD, THEY'RE GOING TO LIMIT THEMSELVES TO 32 SEATS AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO USE THE UPSTAIRS AS A RESIDENCE.

STAFF'S HEARD THE COMMENTS STAFF'S HEARD THE SUPPORT.

STAFF IS INTERESTED, SHARES THE SENTIMENT. WE'RE INTERESTED IN PRESERVING THIS BUILDING.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT REMOVE, TO BE PERFECTLY BLUNT, OUR INTERNAL CONVERSATIONS, A LOT OF REDEVELOPMENTS THAT WOULD HAPPEN ON THIS SITE, THE VERY FIRST THING THEY DO WOULD BE PULL A DEMO PERMIT, AND THAT WOULD JUST CREATE A BIG EMPTY SPOT IN WHAT IS OUR HISTORIC CORE. AND STAFF, STAFF IS NOT GOING TO BAT AN EYE IF YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. JUST AS INFORMATION, THAT UPSTAIRS WAS NOT A RESIDENT, THAT WAS AN EXTENSION OF THE, AT ANY RATE. SO IT WASN'T A RESIDENT. COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY, I KNOW WE'RE NOT VOTING ON THIS TODAY, BUT I'M INCLINED THAT WHEN WE STRAW POLL, I'D BE SUPPORTIVE. I'D ACTUALLY BE CONCERNED IF IT IS REZONED TO COMMERCIAL AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.

IT MAY BE MORE LIKELY TO KIND OF GO SOME OTHER DIRECTION BECAUSE IT WOULD EXPAND THE POSSIBLE USES, WHEREAS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT IS UNIQUE TO THIS USAGE PRESERVES THE INTENT. AND SO, I'M ACTUALLY, NOW THAT I'VE HEARD YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH IT AND I'VE HEARD WHAT THEY'VE HAD TO SAY, I THINK I'D BE MORE INCLINED TO GO WITH WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING.

COULD WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? OH YEAH, I CAUGHT THAT AT. IF YOU DID, OH YEAH, I EVEN NOTED THE TIME, COMMISSIONER BROOKS. SORRY, I GET THINGS. I EVEN ASKED COMMISSIONER BROOKS. YEAH, I GET, YOU KNOW, A BLIND SQUIRREL FINDS ANOTHER CAVE. GETTING THINGS RIGHT, MR. NAHUM. I MEAN, PERSONALLY, I DON'T HAVE AN OBJECTION TO THERE BEING 40 SEATS VERSUS 32 SEATS. I'M FINE WITH IT REMAINING AT 40 SEATS.

I DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, FORCE A CONSTRAINT ON A RESTAURANT WHEN, IF THEY FIND THAT, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENT SEATING ARRANGEMENT WORKS BETTER FOR THEM. SO, I WOULD SAY THAT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AMENDMENTS TO THE SEP. I WOULD LEAVE IT AT 40 SEATS PERSONALLY, BUT KEEP TALKING, IGNORE ME, I'M LOOKING UP SOMETHING. I HOPE IT'S GOOGLE MAPS AGAIN.

COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL, WERE YOU DONE? YES, I'M DONE.

OKAY. YEAH, I'M A RECOVERING ACADEMIC, SO PLEASE STICK WITH ME HERE. DEEMED APPROPRIATE TO THE PRIMARY USE OF THE LAND OR STRUCTURE. IT'S A LOVELY TURN OF PHRASE. I WAS JOKING, I HAVE ADVANCED DEGREES IN LAND USE SCIENCE AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT MEANS. MAYBE THAT'S WHY I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT MEANS. CERTAINLY PRIOR TO, I MEAN, THE ORIGINAL USE OF THE BUILDING WAS ALMOST CERTAINLY RESIDENTIAL, RIGHT? I THINK THAT'S A FAIR ASSUMPTION. AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT'S ADJACENT TO RESIDENTIAL. A RESTAURANT SEEMS TO BE PRETTY CLOSE, SERVING FOOD. I SUPPOSE THERE COULD BE OTHER USES THAT WOULD ALSO BE VERY SIMILAR TO RESIDENTIAL, BUT CAT HOSPITAL IS FARTHER FROM RESIDENTIAL THAN A RESTAURANT IN MY MIND. SO, IT FEELS TO ME LIKE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. AS FAR AS THE LAND, WELL, THAT DEPENDS HOW FAR BACK YOU GO, EVER SINCE IT'S BEEN BUILT,

[01:00:02]

AND SO, IF THAT'S THE, WHAT WE CONSIDER THE PRIMARY USE OF THAT LAND, AT LEAST SINCE COLONIAL SETTLEMENT, IT HAS BEEN A MEETING PLACE OF PEOPLE FROM COMING FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. THAN SETTLING IN OKEMOS. SO THAT SEEMS TO ME VERY, THAT VERY STRANGE PHRASE.

COMMISSIONER MCCURTIS? YEAH, I'M OKAY WITH THE, THE WHATEVER THE PRIMARY USE IS, WANTS TO BE DETERMINED AS. MY SOMEWHAT, I DON'T KNOW HOW BIG, WHAT HAPPENS TO A SPECIAL USE PERMIT IF WE ATTACH IT TO THE PROPERTY AND THEN IT GETS REZONED AT SOME POINT TO C2? OH, I CAN ANSWER THAT. WELL, IF YOU REZONE THE PROPERTY, THEN YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE CLEANING THE SLATE AT THAT POINT, RIGHT? BUT IF THEY'RE NOT LOOKING FOR THE RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT, I DON'T SEE A C2 ZONE. THAT'S QUITE A BIG JUMP TO GO FROM PROFESSIONAL OFFICE TO C2. I WAS UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING, MAYBE I MISINTERPRETED SOMETHING AND I APOLOGIZE IF I DID, THAT MAYBE C1 HAD BEEN TALKED ABOUT AND THAT'S IN THE STAFF REPORT. THAT'S NOT, THAT'S LIKE THE NEXT STEP UP.

BUT ANY, IF THIS SUP, LIKE IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, THEY DECIDE THEY DON'T WANT TO DO THIS BUSINESS ANYMORE, THE SUP, SOMEONE COMES IN, REZONES THE PROPERTY, THE SUP GOES AWAY WITH IT BECAUSE THEY GET A NEW SET OF STANDARDS. I'M ASKING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I JUST THINK IT'S A LEGITIMATE USE CASE TO HAVE SOMEBODY LIVE ON THE TOP OF THE BUILDING AND THEN HAVE A RESTAURANT UNDERNEATH. I MEAN, IT JUST GOES ALL OVER THE PLACE, AND IT'S A GOOD USE OF LAND IN A DOWNTOWN AREA. AND IF, IF ANYONE WANTED TO DO THAT IN THE FUTURE, IF THEY DECIDED THEY WANTED TO GET GET INTO THE RENTAL BUSINESS, THEN WE WOULD SAY YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REZONE THIS TO C2, AND WE'D BE HERE TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY DON'T NEED STORAGE SPACE ANYMORE. BUT WE'RE NOT HAVING THAT CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. OF COURSE. THE 32 VERSUS 40, OH, I'M BLANKING RIGHT NOW. I APOLOGIZE. WHAT'S IN THE PROPOSAL IS 32, CORRECT? THEY ARE HERE PROPOSING 32.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING INTO, WAS TRYING TO DO A QUICK PARKING CALCULATION. AND I REALIZE I DON'T HAVE THAT.

THERE'S 15 PARKING SPOTS.

THERE'S 14 AND THEN ONE ACCESSIBLE SPOT IN THE FRONT.

THEN DID I THINK 32 SPOTS, 32 SEATS IS A LOT EASIER TO ACCOMMODATE WITH THAT PARKING THAN 40. NOT SAYING IT'S IMPOSSIBLE, BUT IF THEY'RE WILLING TO, THEY DO HAVE A LIMITED SITE.

THEY CAN'T EXPAND THEIR PARKING OR ANYTHING. 32 WOULD WORK WONDERFULLY WITH WHAT THEY HAVE TO WORK WITH. I WAS JUST ENSURING THAT WE WERE, I GUESS I WAS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE NUMBERS WERE COMING FROM.

FROM ME. I GOT CAUGHT UP IN THAT. I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S WHERE THEY GOT THEIR NUMBERS FROM, BUT I, I KNOW FROM A PARKING CALCULATOR, I HAVE TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE RESEARCH. I CAN'T DO THAT RIGHT NOW. I CAN'T FRANKLY READ THE SITE PLAN ON THE SCREEN.

BUT THE APPLICANTS ARE AT 32, THE PROPOSAL IS AT 32. YES.

OKAY. OKAY. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

THEY, WE'RE NOT PUTTING THAT ON THEM. THEY BROUGHT THAT.

YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S USUALLY WHAT, THAT'S ACTUALLY THE QUESTION I WAS TRYING ASK.

YEAH, BUT I'LL, BUT, BUT STAFF WILL NOW PUT THAT IN THE RESOLUTION. VERY GOOD.

AND THEN ALSO THE OTHER CONDITIONS WOULD GO INTO THE, AND THEY WILL NOT, THEY'LL USE IT AS STORAGE AND NOT AS RESIDENCE, CORRECT? ALL RIGHT, I THINK WE'VE ALL SPOKEN ON THIS, BUT, AND I'LL PUT MY TWO CENTS IN BECAUSE I'M GENERALLY THE RESTAURANT GUY. LIKE, I JUST GENERALLY AM SUPPORTIVE OF NEW RESTAURANTS AND OPENNESS. THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS I JOINED THE BOARD, ACTUALLY. SO, MR. SHORKEY, I THINK YOU HAVE A NEW NEED A FORMAL STRAW POLL. I THINK WE'VE, I THINK I'M OKAY.

OKAY, IN THIS CASE, I BELIEVE WE'RE ALL ON THE RECORD OF SUPPORT.

SOUNDS LIKE IT. ALL RIGHT,

[7.C. REZ #26013 – Singh]

THAT IS SINGH. THEY CAN'T MAKE A FORMAL VOTE TONIGHT.

WE'LL COME BACK IN 2 WEEKS.

I'LL BRING THEM A RESOLUTION, AND AT THAT POINT WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO MOVE FORWARD. OKAY, ARE WE

[01:05:02]

AT THAT TIME, WE HAD A BRAND-NEW ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT ORDINANCE, AND SOMEHOW, SOME WAY, THERE HAD BEEN CONSTRUCTION INSIDE OF HIS HOME. THEN HE HAD A SEPARATE LIVING QUARTERS, AND THAT WAS SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 1,000 TO 1,100 SQUARE FEET. OUR ADU ORDINANCE LIMITS AN ADU TO 600 SQUARE FEET. THAT WAS THE ZONING REQUEST, HE ASKED PERMISSION TO HAVE A LARGER THAN, LARGER THAN REQUIRED, THAN A LARGER THAN REGULATED ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT. THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS DENIED HIM AND SUGGESTED THAT A MORE APPROPRIATE THING FOR HIM TO DO WOULD BE TO REZONE THE PROPERTY. SO, THE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATES THIS PROPERTY AS COMMERCIAL. AS NOTED, I THINK THE RESIDENTS HERE FOR THIS APPLICATION ACTUALLY, TO THE NORTH IS BATH TOWNSHIP AND EVERYTHING TO THE SOUTH IS BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY. AND THEN YOU GOT THIS BIG CORRIDOR HERE, IT'S M78. THE ZONING, SO THIS PROPERTY IS ZONED RDD THAT IS ALSO OWNED BY THE APPLICANT, AND THIS IS, THAT WAS A PROJECT GOING BACK A FEW YEARS AND I ULTIMATELY APPROVED AS A 2-PHASE SPECIAL USE PERMIT.

PHASE 1 WAS COMPLETED, AND THAT WAS THE CONVERSION OF A GARAGE INTO A RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE.

SO, THERE ARE 2 RESIDENCES ON THIS PROPERTY. PHASE 2 WAS NEVER FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH, AND THAT SUP HAS SINCE EXPIRED. SO, THIS WOULD BE A CONTINUATION OF THE RDD ZONING, AND THEN EVERYTHING HERE TO THE WEST IS THE EXISTING RURAL RESIDENTIAL, AND THEN THE PROPERTY TO THE SOUTH IS INDUSTRIAL.

THAT'S REALLY THE CRUX OF IT.

SO, HERE'S THE SITUATION, IF THE REZONING GETS APPROVED, MR. SINGH CAN THEN, HE'LL APPLY FOR RENTAL PERMITS, AND THEN WE'LL GO IN AND DO OUR INSPECTION, AND WE'LL LOOK AT THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE APPEARED IN HIS HOME AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE UP TO CODE. AND IF, IF, IF HE GETS THERE, AND MAYBE HE IS, I DON'T KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING ANYTHING THAT HE ISN'T. BUT IF HE, ASSUMING HE GETS THERE, WE'LL GET, THEY COULD BE APPROVED AS A DUPLEX IN THE RDD ZONE. IF HE DOES NOT GET THERE, MR. SINGH IS FREE TO APPLY FOR ONE RENTAL PERMIT, AND SOMEBODY IS GOING TO INHERIT THE CONSTRUCTION INSIDE THE HOUSE. AND IF WE FIND OUT THAT THERE'S TWO PEOPLE LIVING IN THAT HOUSE AT THAT TIME, WE WILL TAKE STEPS TO CORRECT THAT. SO, THAT'S WHERE THIS APPLICATION IS, AND THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT YOU ARE BEING ASKED TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON.

ULTIMATELY, THE TOWNSHIP BOARD WILL SEE THIS, AND MR. SINGH IS HERE AND ABLE TO SPEAK ON HIS BEHALF AS WELL. ANY QUESTIONS FOR COMMISSIONER SHORKEY? I'M SORRY, MR. SHORKEY.

I KNOW WHO I AM. I IT'S OKAY. WITH THAT, NO QUESTION. OKAY, WITH THAT, ALL RIGHT. PHOTOGRAPHS, THOSE ARE MAGNIFICENT. THANKS TO GET ME AHEAD OF TIME. WE DON'T HAVE A DOCUCAM. I AM PASSING THESE AROUND. MR. SINGH, IF YOU WOULD, YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. MY NAME IS BK

[01:10:02]

COMMERCIAL AND STUFF LIKE THAT. AND IF YOU GO TO THE EAST, THERE ARE SOME RESIDENTIAL AND COMBINATION WITH THE OFFICES, PARTY STORES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. AND MOST OF MY PROPERTY IS ALL RESIDENTIAL.

MY PROPERTY SITS IN BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND THE EXISTING RDD, SO IT'S A GOOD TRANSITION FLOW FROM THE EXISTING RDD TO THE EAST OF MY HOUSE.

AND IN FACT, THIS HOUSE SITS ON 1.1 ACRES WITH 151 FEET OF FRONTAGE ON HIGHWAY. BACK IN 2001, I BELIEVE, I APPROACHED MDOT FOR EXTRA DRIVEWAY PERMIT.

THEY ISSUED THE PERMIT FOR THIS ADDITION THAT I BUILT NEXT TO THE EXISTING BUILDING. AND SO THAT BECAME OFFICIAL. SO, I HAVE TWO DRIVEWAYS. THE OLD DRIVEWAY GRANDFATHERED IN WHEN I BOUGHT THE PROPERTY, AND THEN THE SECOND DRIVEWAY IS GIVEN BY RIGHT BECAUSE THE FRONTAGE IS MORE THAN 100 FEET.

SO MDOT DECIDED TO GIVE ME A LEGAL PERMIT TO BUILD ONE. SO, THE NEW, MY HOUSE RIGHT NOW I'M LIVING IN HAS 2,800 SQUARE FEET WITH ACCESS TO DRIVEWAY, AND THE OLD HOUSE, WHICH IS ABOUT 1,100 SQUARE FEET, HAS ITS OWN DRIVEWAY. SO, THESE TWO SEPARATE STRUCTURES ARE ADDED RIGHT NOW, AND IT IS IN SUCH A WAY THAT THIS COULD BE SEPARATED INTO TWO UNITS VERY CLEARLY.

AND THE PHOTO SHOWS HOW THAT CAN BE DONE. AND SO LAST YEAR AGO, MAYBE 2004, SEPTEMBER SOMETIME, I WENT BEFORE THE ZBA TO ASKING FOR THEM GIVE ME VARIANCE FOR THE ADU AT THE TIME SINCE MY ADU PROPERTY EXCEEDED 01,100 SQUARE FEET, I MEAN, 600 SQUARE FEET. MY PROPERTY HAS 01,100 SQUARE FEET, SO THEY DENIED IT, BUT THEN THEY RECOMMENDED THAT I GO BEFORE THE ZONING BOARD, NOT ZONING BOARD, THE REGULAR PLANNING COMMISSION, TO APPLY FOR THE REZONING OF THE PROPERTY. SO, IT HAS TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS TO GET THIS THING DONE. SO, THE GOOD POINTS ARE THERE. THE EXISTING RDD IS THERE TO THE EAST OF MY PROPERTY.

AND THEN THIS WILL BE A GOOD TRANSITION TO THE RESIDENTIAL AS WELL AS, THIS IS A STEP DOWN FROM THE EXISTING MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP MASTER PLAN CALLS FOR COMMERCIAL, BUT THEN THIS IS A STEP DOWN FROM THE COMMERCIAL, SO UTILIZING THE AREA WITH A LOWER DENSITY. AND SO, THIS I'M ASKING FOR THE EASEMENT. ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. SINGH? COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY, I THINK I SAW IN THE STAFF REPORT THAT IF THIS IS APPROVED AND IT'S CONVERTED TO A DUPLEX, YOU'D HAVE TO CONNECT TO THE TOWNSHIP SERVICES.

THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. I

[01:15:02]

THOSE BUILDING, BUILDING PERMITS GO THROUGH THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, AND WE HAVE A REQUIREMENT FOR NEW RESIDENCES TO CONNECT TO SERVICES. SO PROVIDED THAT'S A REQUIREMENT, YOU'D BE WILLING TO DO THAT? THAT'S PART OF, PART OF YOUR PLAN FOR THIS? I COULDN'T HEAR YOU. I DIDN'T HEAR. NEW RESIDENCES IN THE TOWNSHIP THAT HAVE SERVICES AVAILABLE ARE REQUIRED TO CONNECT TO THEM, AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT YOU HAVE HAD.

YEAH, SO THAT'S IN, THAT'S WHAT SHE'S ASKING ABOUT.

THE STAFF REPORT NOTES THAT.

SO, IF YOU GET THIS CONVERTED TO A DUPLEX, YOU ARE CREATING A NEW RESIDENCE. YES. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? SO, I WOULD JUST SAY, SIR, THIS SEEMS LIKE A MULTI-YEAR, MULTI-PHASE PLAN THAT YOU'VE WORKED ON BECAUSE YOU'VE REZONED THE PROPERTY NEXT TO IT AS WELL, CORRECT? YES. LIKE, IS THERE, I GUESS, FOR LACK OF IT, IS THERE A GRAND VISION TO WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? BECAUSE THIS IS MULTIPLE REZONINGS OVER PROPERTIES OVER MULTIPLE YEARS. WELL, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PROPERTY TO THE EAST? YES. THAT WAS REZONED BACK IN 2016, AND I GOT THE SUP FOR THAT. SO, THEY GAVE ME 7 UNITS FOR THE TOTAL OF THE AREA. SO, THE 2 EXISTING BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN IN USE, AND THE 5-UNIT, 1-BUILDING SUPPOSED TO HAVE A PUBLIC SEWER AND PUBLIC WATER.

I HAVE THE PUBLIC SEWER, BUT NO WATER. SO, THE QUESTION IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO GET THE WATER, PUBLIC WATER, BECAUSE THE BOARD OF WATERLIGHT TOLD ME THAT IT COST ME $250,000 TO BRING THAT 600 FEET LONG, 6, 8-INCH LINE FROM MY GAS STATION ALL THE WAY TO MY PROPERTY. SO, THE OTHER OPTION I HAD WAS TO APPROACH THE MARION TOWNSHIP BOARD TO GET A COMMUNITY WELL TYPE OF THING UNTIL THE WATER, PUBLIC WATER, IS AVAILABLE IN THE AREA. HOWEVER, THERE IS A LOCATION CLOSE TO THE CHURCH, NEW HOPE CHURCH, THERE IS A WATER LINE BUT THAT IS ALMOST 800 FEET.

SO THAT'S COST TO GET THIS LINE FROM THERE TO MY HOUSE. SO IT'S KIND OF LIMBO RIGHT NOW, LIKE CATCH-22, WHICH ONE TO COME FIRST. SO I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING WITH FIU AT THIS POINT. SO I'M WAITING FOR THE DAY WILL COME WHEN SOMETHING WILL POP UP AND MAYBE THE MERIDIAN COMPANY HAS THE WATER LINE IN THEIR PROPERTY, BUT THEN THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THAT ACCESS TO GETTING IT ACROSS 4-LANE HIGHWAY, AND THAT'S EXPENSIVE. SO ANYWAY, YOU LOOK AT IT, IT IS EXPENSIVE TO GET THE PUBLIC WATER. SO ONLY SOLUTION I HAVE IS TO, I WAS CONTEMPLATING TO GO BEFORE THE TOWNSHIP BOARD TO ASK THEM IF THEY WILL ALLOW A COMMUNITY WELL JUST FOR THAT 5-UNIT BUILDING. AND I CHECKED WITH THE INGHAM COUNTY HEALTH. THEY SAID IF THE TOWNSHIP APPROVES IT, WE HAVE NO PROBLEM GIVING A PERMIT.

SO, IT IS AGAIN A CATCH-22, WHICH ONE COMES FIRST, YOU DON'T KNOW. SO THAT'S THE REASON THAT WAS NOT DEVELOPED.

AND SO, THEY WILL COME, PROBABLY I WILL DEVELOP IT TOO.

AND SO, THIS IS AN ADJACENT PROPERTY TO THAT, SO I'M ASKING THE SAME KIND OF ZONING, REZONING. SO THAT TOOK ABOUT 2 YEARS TO GET THAT APPROVED. AND SO, THIS IS AS SIMPLE AS YOU CAN GET FOR REZONING BECAUSE I HAVE THE 150 FEET FRONTAGE. THAT'S, THIS IS BUILT IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU HAVE TWO SEPARATE DRIVEWAYS, TWO SEPARATE STRUCTURES. ALL YOU NEED IS A SEPARATE WALL TO SEPARATE THE TWO UNITS, AND THE UTILITIES ARE SEPARATE.

BOTH OF THEM HAVE SEPARATE, BECAUSE THE FIRST HOUSE I BOUGHT IN '95 HAD ALL UTILITIES, SO IT'S INTACT. THE SECOND ONE, I HAVE THE ELECTRIC HEAT AND THE GAS AND ALL THAT SEPARATE, SO THERE WON'T BE ANY ISSUE GETTING THE UTILITIES. OKAY, I MEAN, I THINK JUST ULTIMATELY MY QUESTION IS MORE ALONG JUST IF YOU HAVE AN OVERALL PLAN FOR THE DIFFERENT BUILDINGS AND BUILDINGS AND DIFFERENT STRUCTURES YOU HAVE. IT HAS,

[01:20:01]

HAS THAT, HASN'T HAPPENED, I TAKE IT? WELL, THIS HOUSE SERVES THE PUBLIC, I MEAN, PRIVATE SEPTIC TANK, WHICH WAS INSPECTED BY COUNTY, I THINK 2011, SOMETHING. THE WATER LINE, NEW WELL WAS INSTALLED IN 2005 BY GM WELL DRILLING COMPANY.

AND THEY TESTED, AND I HAVE THE WATER QUALITY TESTED EVERY YEAR. FROM THE DEQ, SO THAT'S ALL IN GOOD SHAPE.

SO, WHEN IN FUTURE, IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SEWER OR WATER AVAILABLE, I'M WILLING TO CONNECT THAT WHENEVER THAT TIME COMES. SO, SINCE IT, SINCE IT CAME UP, MR. CHAIR, THE 2018 SUP CALLED FOR TWO PHASES. ONE WAS GOING TO BE TWO SEPARATE HOUSES BECAUSE THERE WAS AN EXISTING HOUSE. THIS IS THE PROPERTY TO THE EAST, THE EXISTING HOUSE AND A GARAGE AND A DETACHED GARAGE. THAT, THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED. THE MR. SINGH TURNED THAT EXISTING, THAT, THAT DETACHED GARAGE INTO A SEPARATE RESIDENCE.

PHASE 2 OF THAT WAS A 5-UNIT MULTI-FAMILY STRUCTURE. THAT NEVER HAPPENED BECAUSE ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS WAS CONNECTING TO PUBLIC SERVICES. THAT CONNECTION WAS NEVER MADE.

THAT SUP HAS EXPIRED. AND THEN WHAT WHEN I, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS, BUT WHEN AN SUP EXPIRES, IT'S, IT'S DEAD. YES, CORRECT. MR. SINGH GOT AN EXTENSION OF THAT TOO. OKAY, THAT IS, THAT IS, THAT IS NO LONGER IN PLACE. AND TO TURN THIS IN, THIS CURRENT PROPERTY, INTO AN, INTO THE RDD, THAT WOULD STILL REQUIRE CONNECTION TO A PUBLIC UTILITY. I MEAN, LET'S, SO YOU MAKE THIS RDD, SOMEONE COMES IN A FEW FUTURE TAKES THESE PROPERTIES TOGETHER, SAYS, WELL, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO START OVER, WE'RE GOING TO DO A MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT HERE.

YEAH, WE'RE LOOKING FOR CONNECTIONS. YEAH, WE'RE LOOKING FOR PUBLIC CONNECTIONS PROBABLY FROM OUR SERVICES, NOT FROM BATH TOWNSHIP SERVICES IN MEYER. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? HEARING NONE, MR. SINGH, YOU DO HAVE, OH, YEP, SO HEARING NONE, MR. SINGH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.

WITH THAT, I CAN MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT. OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT UP AT 7:51 PM, AND THEN I'LL NOTE MR. MOOMA, MOOMA, I BUTCHERED IT AGAIN.

MR. MOOMA, YOU MAY TAKE THE LECTERN. MR. SINGH, YOU'RE ALL SET. SO AGAIN, MY NAME IS MICHAEL MOOMA, AND I RESIDE AT 16966 BROADVIEW DRIVE IN THE ADJOINING BATH TOWNSHIP. THE PLAN AS SET FORWARD USING THE EXISTING STRUCTURES, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. I DO HAVE A RESERVATION ON, AND I GUESS IT'D BE THE ASTERISK OF KNOWING THAT WHEN THE ZONE SWITCHES OVER, WHAT THAT OPENS THE DOOR TO DEVELOPMENT OF THE, THE MAX AMOUNT OF UNITS PER THAT ACREAGE. AND HAVING SEEN, BEING A RELATIVELY NEW RESIDENT, HAVING MOVED DURING THE PANDEMIC, INTO THE NEIGHBORING NEIGHBORHOOD. I HAVE ALREADY STARTED SEEING CHANGES IN TRAFFIC FLOW ON SAGINAW HIGHWAY, MOST NOTABLY WITH THE NEW HOPE CHURCH WITH STREETSIDE PARKING ON NEWTON AND THE NEW APARTMENT COMPLEXES ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY COMING IN. I AM HESITANT IN SEEING PLANS THAT ARE GOING TO KIND OF SWIPE OUT WHAT'S REMAINING OF THE GREEN SPACE BUFFERS, UNDERSTANDING THAT DEVELOPMENT'S GOING TO COME ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. I'M JUST HESITANT TO SEE THE REMAINING GREEN SPACE BUFFERS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF SAGINAW BE THINNED OUT ANYMORE FOR A MORE LARGER DEVELOPMENT.

SO THAT IS THE FUTURE FEAR, BUT AS OUTLINED IN THE PRESENT PLAN, MAINTAINING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT THAT AS IS, I SEE NO ARGUMENT AGAINST THAT. THANK YOU, MR. MOOMA. WITH THAT, WE HAVE NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENTS. I CAN CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AT 7:53 PM.

MR. STORKEY, A QUESTION AROSE IN MY HEAD. SURE. TO RDD, RURAL RESIDENTIAL TO RDD, IS RDD THE IS IT THE LEAST DENSITY THAT WOULD ALLOW

[01:25:01]

IT'S JUST WE DON'T HAVE AN EASY MECHANISM FOR THAT. OKAY. RDD ALLOWS, LET'S SEE, I THINK IT'S 5. YEAH, 5 UNITS PER ACRE. THAT'S A GROSS NUMBER. I DON'T KNOW WETLANDS OR ANYTHING ON THAT PROPERTY.

SURE. YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT POTENTIAL FUTURE THAT MIGHT BE, THAT'S JUST A GROSS NUMBER.

BUT IT'S A 1.1-ACRE SITE, SO YOU'RE TALKING 5 UNITS.

OKAY. IS IT WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY? YES. I WAS TRYING, I HAVE THE MAP PULLED UP, BUT I CAN'T TELL. LET'S SEE, ISN'T IT UP HERE? YEAH, HERE WE GO. SORRY. OH YES, YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT HERE. IT'S DEFINITELY IN THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY.

OKAY. COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL? I'M TEMPTED TO ASK OUR PLANNER TO GAZE INTO A CRYSTAL BALL AND SPIN SCENARIOS IN WHICH SOME OTHER DEVELOPMENT MIGHT CAUSE THE EXTENSION OF SERVICES PAST THE SUBJECT PROPERTY. SO, MR. SINGH NOTED THERE'S SOME PARTIES ON THE SOUTH SIDE THAT HAVE APPROACHED THE TOWNSHIP EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WITH SOME IDEAS ON WHAT TO DO WITH THEIR PROPERTY, AND, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT WATER LINES MIGHT GET EXTENDED UP FROM THE SOUTH.

I THINK A VARIANCE WAS APPROVED ON ONE OF THOSE SITES A FEW YEARS AGO.

WHETHER ANYTHING WAS DONE, I DON'T THINK ANYTHING WAS DONE WITH THAT THOUGH, BUT NEITHER HERE NOR THERE.

THE MASTER PLAN SHOWS THAT WHOLE CORRIDOR AS COMMERCIAL.

STAFF NOTES THAT IF THIS HAPPENS, WE'VE GOT TWO MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES EXITING THE TOWNSHIP.

TO THE NORTHEAST AND ON THAT SIDE OF SAGINAW HIGHWAY, MAYBE NEXT MASTER PLAN WE SHOULD LOOK AT THAT.

BECAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, YOU'VE GOT, HERE'S PINS AND PINTS, AND THEN THESE ARE ALL SINGLE-FAMILY RURAL, RR RESIDENTIAL, YOU KNOW, RURAL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.

AND THEN HERE'S MR. SINGH'S PROPERTY, AND THEN HERE'S MR. SINGH'S PROPERTY. YOU CAN SEE THE TWO HOUSES HERE, AND YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A GARAGE IN THE BACK, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE STRUCTURE HERE THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT. SO, SO PINS AND PINTS IS ON CITY WATER SEWER? THEY ARE NOW, SINCE THEY'RE, SINCE THEY WERE PURCHASED AND REBRANDED.

YES, YES, THEY ARE. I'M GOING TO TURN THE ZONING ON SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT I'M LOOKING AT.

WOULD THOSE SERVICES EVER BE DELIVERED PAST THE TOWNSHIP BOUNDARY IF THIS CORRIDOR EVER DEVELOPED COMMERCIALLY? OH, PAST THE TOWNSHIP BOUNDARY? THERE'S, THAT IS A COMPLETELY, BATH TOWNSHIP HAS A COMPLETELY SEPARATE SYSTEM. THEIR, THEIR SYSTEM DOESN'T LOOP. THEIR SYSTEM CONNECTS TO THEIR, THEIR, YOU YEAH, THEY'RE, YEAH, THEY DON'T CONNECT TO US. SO, THIS WOULD BE A DISTANT SPUR ON OUR WATER AND SEWER UNLESS IT CAME FROM THE SOUTH, IN WHICH CASE MERIDIAN PLUMBING HAS COME IN TO TALK, NOT TO PROPOSE ANYTHING. I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE WRONG IDEA, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS POSSIBLE SOMETHING COULD COME IN FROM THE SOUTH. I DON'T HAVE SEWER AND WATER LINES ON OUR PARCEL VIEWER, SO I CAN'T BRING THOSE UP AND SHOW YOU EASILY, SO I CAN'T SPEAK BEYOND GENERALITIES ON THAT POINT. I THINK THEY GOT HUNG UP BY THE DRAIN COMMISSION. I WOULD LIKE TO, I WILL CONFIRM THE POINT ABOUT THE SEWER AND WATER WITH OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, BUT I'M, IT, LIKE I SAID, IT DID GO THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE PLANNING STAFF BELIEVES

[01:30:01]

SORRY, IF I'M AT THE FAR END OF THAT POTENTIAL EXTENSION, ALL OF MY NEIGHBORS ARE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM THAT AS WELL, RIGHT? IT'S JUST LIKE THE FIRST PERSON WHO PAYS TO HAVE THE SEWER LINE BROUGHT OUT HAS TO BEAR THE WHOLE COST, EVERYBODY ELSE THAT CONNECTS TO IT? HOW DOES THAT WORK? SO, WE HAVE A CASE OF THAT IN THE TOWNSHIP. THAT WAS A BIG LANDOWNER ST. MARTHA'S CHURCH ON GRAND RIVER, AND THEY DO HAVE THEIR OWN PRIVATE LINE.

AND NO, PEOPLE DID NOT, DO NOT ACCESS THAT AS IT GOES OUT THERE. WOULD THAT HAPPEN FOR A DUPLEX? I DON'T THINK SO.

I'M JUST GOING TO GO ON A LIMB AND SAY THAT SEEMS LIKE AN AWFUL BIG EXPENSE FOR A DUPLEX.

BUT IF EVERY PROPERTY OWNER ALONG THAT STRETCH PITCHED IN, THEN, BUT THAT IS POSSIBLE.

THAT IS TRUE. THEY ARE, THEY'RE, I COULD, WILL WE DO THAT? I'M NOT SAYING WE WILL, BUT YOU COULD DO AN ASSESSMENT DISTRICT AND JUST SAY WE'RE RUNNING THE WATER. OR, YOU KNOW, WE SHOW, AGAIN, WE SHOW THAT MASTER PLANNING.

WE SHOWED THAT FUTURE LAND USE AREN'T YOU, EXCUSE ME. WE SHOW THAT ON THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP AS A COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR. SO, IN THEORY, SOMEONE COULD COME IN, BUT I MEAN, THAT'S A LOT OF HOUSES TO BUY TO BUILD SOMETHING. QUICK QUESTION. JUST FROM LOOKING AT THIS MAP, IT LOOKS LIKE THE RDD, THE ZONING LINE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE PARCEL LINE. YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST, THAT'S JUST THE GIS. IT RUNS ALONG THE LINE. OKAY. YEAH, AROUND ALONG THE PARCEL LINE.

NEITHER ONE OF THOSE ARE, ARE SURVEYED LINES, BE CLEAR.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. SHORKEY? AS LONG AS WE'RE HERE, SINCE WE BROUGHT IT UP SITE CONSTRAINTS.

YEAH, I DON'T SEE ANY WETLANDS OR ANYTHING. IT'S JUST KIND OF TREES BACK THERE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING FROM THIS POND THOUGH IN BATH TOWNSHIP, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO LOOK AT IT RIGHT NOW EITHER. IT JUST FEELS LIKE IF SOMEBODY WERE ABLE TO START BUYING UP THOSE PARCELS TO CONVERT THEM TO SOMETHING, RIGHT, THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO START BY CLEARING THEM, ALL THE TREES, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT, EXCEPT WHERE THERE'S WETLAND. BUT IS THAT ACTUALLY CHANGEABLE? TO THE DEGREE THAT FOLKS BUY A HOUSE AND THEY HAVE TREES IN THE BACKYARD AND THEY WANT TO KNOW WHEN SOMEBODY COMES ALONG AND KNOCKS THEM DOWN, WHO'S PAYING ATTENTION. SO AT THIS MOMENT, THIS WOULD BE OUR, HAVE YOU HEARD NO FURTHER COMMENTS? THIS WOULD BE OUR USUAL SPOT FOR A STRAW POLL.

AND I THINK WE SHOULD FOLLOW THROUGH THAT I'M JUST I'M JUST PERSONALLY TORN AS WARREN ON IT.

BUT SO INFORMAL STRAW POLL, WHO WOULD BE INCLINED TO VOTE FOR THE REZONING? IT FEELS TO ME LIKE THERE'S MORE HISTORY TO THIS PARCEL THAN THE STORY THAT I'M ABLE TO RELIABLY ABSORB FROM THE PACKET THAT WE GOT IN THE DISCUSSION WE HEARD THIS EVENING. STAFF WASN'T GOING TO GIVE YOU CHAPTER AND VERSE ON THE HISTORY OF 1954. YOU KNOW THAT'S NOT THE APPLICATION.

BUT IT IS THE SAME APPLICANT AND THERE WAS HISTORY THERE. YOU ARE CORRECT. THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE IT, FROM WHAT I KNOW SO FAR, IT FEELS LIKE A CASE OF BUILD FIRST AND ASK FOR PERMISSION LATER. AND THAT CAN COME FROM LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT OUR PROCEDURES ARE, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE, WELL, THAT'S HOW I PERCEIVE THE HISTORY AT THE MOMENT. I DON'T FEEL CONFIDENT IN THAT ASSESSMENT. MR. BROOKS? I WAS ON THE ZBA AT THE

[01:35:01]

BUT I'M TRYING TO THINK IF, IF SOMEBODY ELSE WAS HERE, OR HOW, HOW WOULD THIS BE, GET APPLIED? AND AT LEAST AT THE MOMENT, I'M LEANING TOWARDS YES, BECAUSE THE ADU DIDN'T WORK.

AND SO, IT'S HOW DO YOU CREATE A MULTI-UNIT KIND OF ZONE FOR SOMEBODY TO BUILD OR HAVE MORE THAN ONE UNIT ON IT? SO THAT'S MY STRAW POLL.

I'M GOING TO ZERO IN ON THE STAFF ANALYSIS POINT 2 UNDER HERE. THE REQUESTED ZONING IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP AND THE MASTER PLAN. HOWEVER, THE RDD ZONE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ZONING TO THE EAST AND ALLOWS FOR DENSER DEVELOPMENT IN THE EXISTING RR ZONE.

CORRECT. OKAY. SO, MR. BROOKS, I LOOKED AT THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP AND IT IS ZONED, THIS IS A, THIS WOULD BE UPZONING, LIKE, FROM THAT SPECIFIC LOCATION.

OH YEAH, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT UPZONE.

SO, IT'S, I DON'T DISPUTE THAT, THAT POINT. RIGHT. I WAS, I WASN'T RAISING IT TO DISPUTE YOUR POINT. IT WAS JUST, OH, THAT WAS JUST, THAT WAS THE WRONG WORD.

WHATEVER IT WAS, WHATEVER, WHATEVER I DID, I DID NOT INTEND THE OUTCOME TO GO THAT WAY. I MEAN, TRADITIONALLY, I, I HAVE ONLY BEEN ON THIS BOARD, I THINK, FOR 3 OR 4 YEARS NOW. I DON'T THINK I'VE SEEN THAT STATEMENT FROM STAFF VERY OFTEN THAT THAT THIS IS STRAIGHT UP INCONSISTENT.

COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL, THE RDD ZONE IN 2016, OR WHENEVER THAT THE ZONING WAS APPROVED FOR, THAT WAS AN INCONSISTENT ZONE.

IT WAS, IT WAS ZONED, IT WAS SHOWN FUTURE LAND.

LIKE, WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T CREATE THE FEW, THE, THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, AND THAT, AND THAT'S PART OF THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP IN 2023. WE CARRIED THAT OVER FROM '17. RIGHT? YEAH. SO DON'T, NO, GO KEEP GOING. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE I THOUGHT I HEARD YOU SAY THAT THE FUTURE LAND USE SHOWS THIS WAS COMMERCIAL. YES. OKAY, WHICH WOULD, TO ME, ALTHOUGH NOT HOUSING, WOULD PROBABLY BE A DENSER, MORE INTRUSIVE USE OF THE PROPERTY THAN A DUPLEX.

YOU KNOW, I GUESS IT'S, IT WAS, AND I SHOULD KNOW THIS BECAUSE I WAS PART OF THE MASTER PLAN, BUT LIKE THE THOUGHT PROCESS WAS THAT THIS WAS ALL GOING TO EVENTUALLY TURN INTO SOMETHING MORE COMMERCIAL-ORIENTED BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE CORRIDOR AND EVERYTHING.

BUT THERE ARE AND CONTINUE TO BE HOMES THERE, SO, RIGHT, ALLOWING, I THINK WHAT I HEARD COMMISSIONER BROOKS SAY, LIKE, ALLOWING A, A RESIDENTIAL USE THERE POTENTIALLY PRESERVES THE PROPERTY AND BUILDS THE DENSITY WE'RE LOOKING, YOU KNOW, LIKE INFILLS HOMES AS OPPOSED TO, AND I'M REALLY TORN ON THIS TOO. I'M NOT SURE, BUT

[01:40:01]

SO, I DON'T REALLY WANT TO THROW IT BACK TO SAY I DON'T KNOW WITHOUT GIVING MORE DIRECTION ABOUT TELL ME MORE SO I CAN KNOW. SURE. AND SO, I RECOGNIZE THAT CHALLENGE. I'M LOOKING FOR MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS TO ASK SOME OTHER GOOD QUESTIONS TOO TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND THIS ONE. I MEAN, CANDIDLY, I JOIN YOU AND COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. I THINK YOUR COMMENTS ARE CONSISTENT.

THEY WERE WHAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK THROUGH IN MY HEAD, WHICH IS THERE'S MORE OF A STORY HERE THAT I JUST DON'T HAVE SOLVED WHERE I CAN FORMULATE EVEN A, WHERE I WANT TO FORMULATE A STRAW POLL.

THEN IS THERE, IF YOU THINK THERE'S A STORY, LIKE, WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THAT? LIKE, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO RESEARCH THIS HISTORY HISTORY OF. I WILL REITERATE WHAT COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY SAID, WHICH IS I'M STILL NOT, I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT IS.

IT'S, IT'S A GUT INTUITION, WHICH I'M, YOU KNOW, BUT THEN I HEAR, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER BROOKS MAKE A GOOD, MAKE A GOOD POINT TOO ON, YOU KNOW, USES OF THE LAND. SO, I, I DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT PERSONALLY.

COMMISSIONER BROOKS? I ALSO THINK SOMETIMES WE GET CAUGHT UP, I DO THIS MYSELF AT LEAST, WE GET CAUGHT UP WITH WHAT THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP SAYS VERSUS WHAT THE CURRENT ZONE IS. SO, LIKE IN THIS CASE, THE, THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP THAT I HAVE PULLED UP FOR THIS AREA IS ALL BRIGHT RED, WHICH IS COMMERCIAL, AND THEN THE SOUTHERN AREA BELOW IT IS BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY. CORRECT.

BUT THEN THE CURRENT ZONING ON THESE PLACES PLACES IS RURAL RESIDENTIAL TO THE NORTH PLUS THIS RDD.

CORRECT. AND TO THE SOUTH, IT'S INDUSTRIAL PLUS A LITTLE C2.

RIGHT. SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS, THESE QUESTIONS, IT'S LIKE THERE'S WHAT OUR GOALS ARE AS A TOWNSHIP, AND THEN THERE'S THE, AND WHAT WE WANT TO KIND OF PUT IN CERTAIN PLACES AS AND THEN IT'S WHOEVER OWNS THE PROPERTY THINKS THROUGH WHAT THEIR USES ARE AND HOW THEY NEED TO CONFORM THAT PROPERTY TO THE ZONE WITHIN THE ZONING THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. AND IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE ALWAYS MODIFYING IT TO SORT OF BASE MEET RELATIVE STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE AS WE WEAVE IN AND OUT OF HERE. AND MAYBE THIS WHOLE SECTION BECOMES RDD, SIMILAR TO HOW THOSE GIANT APARTMENT COMPLEXES ARE GOING UP IN, ON SOUTH OF SAGINAW, ALONG THE SAGINAW CORRIDOR. AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S STILL AN INTENSE USE THAT WE WOULD WANT IN AN AREA THAT ALLOWS FOR LARGE AMOUNTS OF TRAFFIC.

WHICH SEEMS GOOD TO ME, AT LEAST. WHETHER OR NOT IT'S ACTUALLY ACHIEVABLE OR IS ACHIEVED. I THINK, I THINK I'VE BEEN PERSUADED BY COMMISSIONER BROOKS TO SOME DEGREE. I KEPT LOOKING AT THIS AS IF I WAS ON THE ZBA AND GOING LIKE, OH, THEY, THEY'RE HERE, THIS ISN'T CONFORMING TO, YOU KNOW, THE RULES AS SET FORTH, BUT HERE WE HAVE A DIFFERENT PURPOSE. HERE WE'RE TRYING TO DECIDE WHAT WE WANT THE PLAN GOING FORWARD TO BE. AND YOU KNOW, I, I WAS INITIALLY CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SPOT ZONING AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND IT IS A LITTLE, IT IS A LITTLE STRANGE. ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE AT THE VERY EDGE OF THE MAP. THERE IS RDD BESIDE IT. SO, THIS IS EXTENDING IN THAT RDD ZONE, WHICH TO ME IS LESS EGREGIOUS THAN IF THIS WAS JUST A RANDOM DUPLEX DROPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF, OF RR. SO, I THINK IF I HAD TO VOTE NOW, I THINK I'D ACTUALLY SUPPORT IT AT THIS POINT. I WOULD HOPE THAT IF WE DO AS A BODY DECIDE TO, SUPPORT THE APPLICATION SINCE IT IS NOT IN, SINCE IT IS A CHANGE NOT IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE VISION OF THE CURRENT FUTURE LAND USE MAP, THAT WE'D BE EXPLICIT ABOUT UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS WE THINK IT'S OKAY TO ALLOW A CHANGE THAT IS NOT IN THAT DIRECTION.

IN MY VIEW, THAT COULD BE THINGS LIKE THE CONVERSION OF ALL OF THOSE CURRENTLY USED HOUSES, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE FOR SOMEBODY TO ACQUIRE ENOUGH OF THAT TO MAKE A SIZABLE COMMERCIAL CHANGE THAT THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP ENVISIONS. SO, FORCING THAT FROM NOW UNTIL SOMEBODY STARTS

[01:45:02]

WE TEND TO SEE THE ENACTMENT OF THE CHANGED FUTURE, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP AND THE CURRENT ZONING WHEN WE GET BIGGER PROJECTS. SO, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO, WHEREAS THIS IS A VERY INCREMENTAL, GOING TO HAVE A SECOND UNIT.

BUT I JUST WANT TO BE COGNIZANT WHEN WE DO APPROVE WE MOVE A CHANGE THAT'S NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VISION OF THE MASTER PLAN, THAT WE BE SPECIFIC. AND I THINK WE DID THAT. I MEAN, WE ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS WITH FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH ON DOBY WHERE THEY APPLIED FOR A SPLIT. WE SAID NAH, THEY WAITED AND THEY GOT THE MASTER PLAN. AND SO I THINK WE'VE BEEN PRETTY DELIBERATE IN HOW WE'VE DIVERGED FROM THAT SORT OF PRACTICE.

COPPER CREEK WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT. THEY WENT THROUGH THE MASTER PLAN UPDATE, THEY WENT THROUGH THE REZONING, AND NOW THEY'RE DOING THE PRD.

BUT I WANT TO GO BACK TO COMMISSIONER BROOKS. THERE'S ALMOST A TEMPORAL THING THERE BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE REZONING THAT MUCH AND THAT LARGE, THERE'S A COUPLE YEARS DOESN'T MEAN MUCH. OKAY, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MORE THAN INDIVIDUAL HERE. YEAH, TWO PARCELS. SO IT'S LIKE, TO ME, THERE'S A MARKED DIFFERENCE THERE, RIGHT? WELL, THE, THE OTHER DIFFERENCE IS THEY, THOSE PEOPLE THAT WE, WE BROUGHT UP AS EXAMPLES, THEY WAITED, THEY GOT THE MASTER PLAN CONFORMED DURING, WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS, THE MASTER PLAN WAS UPDATED IN CONFORMANCE OF THEIR VISION, THEN THEY DID WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO. THIS IS NOT THAT CASE.

THIS IS A COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR IN OUR MASTER PLAN, AND THAT IS HELD OVER FROM 2017. SO IT'S BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME AT THIS POINT. CONDITIONS MAY HAVE CHANGED. WE'LL START LOOKING AT THAT IN A COUPLE YEARS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IT'S A 5-YEAR UPDATE COMING UP, RIGHT? I'M NOT PREPARED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. NOR IS COMMISSIONER BROOKS. YEAH.

BUT I'M HEARING, I'M JUST GOING TO GO OUT ON A LIMB HERE. I'M HEARING AMBIVALENCE. I'M HEARING LOW-KEY SUPPORT, MAYBE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESCHEDULE? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SCHEDULE ANOTHER DISCUSSION? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE A COUPLE DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR RESOLUTIONS? BECAUSE IT, BECAUSE I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA LIE, LIKE, A RESOLUTION, A RECOMMENDED DENIAL BASED ON THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP, LIKE, THAT'S, THAT'S THERE.

BUT THERE ARE REASONS TO, AND COMMISSIONER BROOKS AND COMMISSIONER NAHUM HAVE TALKED ABOUT THEM THERE'S REASONS THAT MAYBE THAT'S NOT AS CUT AND DRY AS THAT SOUNDS. I COULD, I COULD WRITE BOTH RESOLUTIONS.

YEAH, BECAUSE I, LIKE, IN MY HEAD I'M LIKE A 2-2-1 BECAUSE I, I AM JUST NOT SURE HOW I LAND AT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT IN THE STRAW POLL. YEAH.

COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY, THERE'S, THERE'S A PART OF ME THAT SAYS THE BUILDING IS ALREADY THERE, WHETHER IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OR SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN, IT'S THERE.

IN THE SIZE THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE. AND GIVEN ITS ENORMITY, AS A SINGLE FAMILY, YOU COULD HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF PEOPLE LIVING THERE AS YOU MAY END UP WITHIN A DUPLEX.

AND IN SOME REGARDS, BECAUSE A RENTAL PERMIT IS REQUIRED AND THE INSPECTION AND ALL THE THINGS, YOU HAVE MORE OVERSIGHT AND MORE SORT OF ABILITY TO MANAGE AND MAINTAIN WHAT'S ON THE PROPERTY. GIVEN A STRUCTURE AS A DUPLEX THAT'S A RENTAL UNIT THAN YOU WOULD OTHERWISE. AND IT MAY ACTUALLY IMPROVE. I'M JUST THINKING THROUGH OUT LOUD. AND GIVEN THAT, IF IT WERE LIKE, CAN WE BUILD AN ENORMOUS PROPERTY ON WHAT USED TO BE A SINGLE FAMILY AND DO THAT? LIKE, I MIGHT SAY NO. SO, YOU HATE TO SAY, OKAY, BECAUSE YOU DID IT, NOW YOU CAN DO IT. BUT I ACTUALLY I THINK IT MIGHT BE A BETTER OUTCOME. YEAH, FORGIVENESS IS EASIER THAN PERMISSION. YEAH. SO ANYWAY, I'M THINKING OUT LOUD. YEAH, I TAKE A LITTLE BIT WITH IF YOU BUILD IT, WE WILL ZONE IT. LIKE, I'M NOT SURE WHAT STANDARD THAT SETS.

THAT'S NOT A BEHAVIOR THAT I WANT TO ENCOURAGE. YEAH, CORRECT. CAN WE POSSIBLY ENVISION 5 UNITS ON THAT 1.1 ACRES WOULD LOOK LIKE. IF YOU REZONE IT AND THEY WALK AWAY FROM THE PROPERTY, SOMEBODY ELSE WOULD KNOCK IT DOWN AND BUILD 5 UNITS, RIGHT? IF THEY WERE CONNECTING TO THE SEARCH, AS LONG AS THEY WERE WILLING TO, IF THE APPLICANT WAS WILLING, IF THE APPLICANT WALKED AWAY, BECAUSE TO BE, I CAN, YOU DON'T MIND ME SHARING A LITTLE BIT OF OUR CONVERSATION? RIGHT, MR. SINGH? MR. SINGH IS ENTERTAINING THE IDEA OF MOVING OUT OF STATE AND RETIRING. HE'S SETTING UP HIS RENTAL, YOU KNOW, INCOME, AND THAT'S KIND OF THE, THE POINT BEHIND THIS. SO, YOU CAN RENT

[01:50:01]

BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S BEFORE US NOW IS NOT WHAT IT'S CURRENTLY BEING USED AT, BUT WHAT, LIKE, WHAT POTENTIAL IT COULD BE.

AND SO, YEAH, LIKE, I, I'M NOT SURE I WANT THERE TO BE A WHOLE BUNCH OF UNITS RIGHT THERE, BUT BY MY SUGGESTING SUPPORT FOR IT, I'M, PUTTING SUPPORT FOR THAT BEING A POSSIBILITY.

AND YEAH, I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT I AM VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE, HEY, I WANT TO HAVE THIS BECAUSE I BUILT THIS STRUCTURE. BUT I'M LOOKING AT IT, THEY, BY REZONING TO RDD, YES, THEY COULD POSSIBLY BUILD A LOT MORE. AND TO BE FAIR, I THINK THIS IS A PLACE WHERE WE COULD HAVE MORE DENSITY. AND I THINK THAT IT COULD BE USEFUL AND ESPECIALLY IF HAVING MORE DENSITY HERE ENCOURAGES THE UTILITIES TO MOVE OUT, AND I THINK THAT THAT COULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE AREA AS WELL.

BUT THAT'S OBVIOUSLY BEYOND THE SCOPE OF WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, THE SPECIFIC APPLICATION BEFORE US. IT'S GETTING LATE.

MY STOMACH'S GRUMBLING. I'M SORRY. AND I'M SORRY IF I MISSED THIS IN THE PACKET.

WOULD THE CHANGE OF ZONING TRIGGER A PATHWAY REQUIREMENT? I NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT QUESTION. I WILL RESEARCH THAT FOR YOU. THERE. IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR DENSITY, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS CAN ACTUALLY SAFELY WALK TO THE PINTS AND PINS, YOU KNOW. AND THE GROCERY STORE. YEAH, THAT'S ACTUALLY RIGHT THERE. I MEAN, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT IN THE MASTER PLAN, THERE WASN'T A LOT OF CONSIDERATION OF MULTI-USE IN THIS AREA. IT WAS KIND OF A, YEAH, THE RED, OF COURSE, WHICH IS NOT THE CASE FOR OUR PICA, RIGHT? IF WE DECIDED THAT'S, WE THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A MULTI-USE MULTICORRIDOR, LET'S CALL IT A PICA, WE'D BE HAVING A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.

BUT I THINK WE JUST KIND OF WENT, AH, THAT'S WHERE IT'S GOING.

YEAH, SO IT DIDN'T, IN 2018, YOU CAN SEE THE PATH WHERE THE PATHWAY WAS BUILT IN BATH TOWNSHIP RIGHT UP TO THEIR LINE THERE, AND THEN YOU HAVE HIS PROPERTY THERE AND THEN THE PROPERTY THERE. I'LL LOOK INTO THAT THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. SO, IF YOU WANT SOMETHING TO BE FOR ME TO RESEARCH AND KICK THIS ANOTHER 2 WEEKS, I HAVE MY, I HAVE MY THING TO RESEARCH.

YEAH, BUT ALSO LIKE, I'D ALSO LIKE TO SPEAK TO MY ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT TOO ABOUT THE, GET A FINAL ANSWER ON WHETHER OR NOT THE SEWER CONNECTION IS REALLY NECESSARY FOR A DUPLEX. VERY GOOD. SO WE WILL BRING THIS ISSUE BACK. IT WAS COMING BACK ON THE 22ND ANYWAY, SO WE'LL BRING IT BACK WITH FURTHER RESEARCH FROM MR. SHORKEY AND THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. AND FINAL APPROVAL FOR THIS GOES TO THE BOARD, RIGHT? YES. OKAY, SO WE'LL BRING, WE'LL, I'M GOING TO DO SOME RESEARCH. WE'LL BRING THIS BACK IN 2 WEEKS FOR MORE DISCUSSION. OKAY? OKAY. OKAY, GREAT. OKAY, AND WITH THAT, WE CAN CLOSE ITEM 7C ON OUR AGENDA TODAY. MOVING ON

[9.A. Mass Timber Construction Discussion]

WE HAVE NO UNFINISHED BUSINESS, AND THEN WE CAN MOVE ON TO ITEM 9, WHICH IS THE MASS TIMBER CONSTRUCTION DISCUSSION.

I BELIEVE I'M EXCITED, MR. NAHUM, BECAUSE YOU HAVE SOME DOMAIN EXPERTISE IN THIS, DO YOU NOT? IN THAT I WORK IN A BUILDING THAT'S MASS TIMBER.

THAT IS MORE THAN THE REST OF US, SO YOU HAVE BEEN, HERE WE ARE, NOW THE EXPERT.

YOU, WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS AT YOUR LAST MEETING, YOU WANTED TO SEE A DRAFT

[01:55:01]

BUT THESE ARE YOUR ORDINANCES.

THIS IS THE 3-POINT, IF YOU WILL AND MASS TIMBER CONSTRUCTION IN THERE WITH LEED CERTIFICATION, MULTI-LEVEL PARKING DECKS, GROSS FLOOR AREA, NON-RESIDENTIAL USES, ALTERNATIVE ENERGY GENERATIONS, AND THERE'S MASS TIMBER. AND THEN HERE'S OUR DRAFT RESOLUTION BUILDING FACADES, GREEN ROOFS, MASS TIMBER. AND THEN HERE'S THE DRAFT RESOLUTION. THIS IS JUST SIMPLE BECAUSE IT'S NOT POINTS. JUST ADDING MASS TIMBER CONSTRUCTION TO SITE DESIGN. THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE CPUD ORDINANCE THAT YOU CAN GET POINTS FOR THAN THIS SET OF, IN E3F, SITE AND BUILDING DESIGN, JUST ADDING MASS TIMBER CONSTRUCTION TO THAT IS JUST A SIMPLE FIX.

SO WHICHEVER WAY YOU WANT TO GO, IF YOU'RE READY, WE CAN SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ORDINANCE., OR IF WE CAN BRING THIS BACK FOR ANOTHER DISCUSSION TOO.

CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE 3-POINT LIST, PLEASE? SURE. YEAH, AT LEAST ONE AMENITY. YEAH, THAT'S IT. SO, TO MY MIND, OUT OF THE THINGS ON THIS LIST ALL CONSTITUTE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS BY A BUILDER IN THE VERY DESIGN OF THE STRUCTURE. THEY'RE LESS ADD-ONS THAN A GREEN ROOF, WHICH IS STILL NOT TRIVIAL, BUT THESE ARE BIG-TICKET ITEMS. OUTDOOR GATHERING SPACE, THAT'S SQUARE FOOTAGE. ENERGY SYSTEMS, 50%. THAT'S, SOMEBODY'S GOT TO BUY ALL THAT. SO, I FEEL LIKE WHAT WE'RE SUGGESTING FITS WELL IN THAT 3 AMENITY LIST.

PERSONALLY, I DEFINITELY HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. I WOULD ADVOCATE FOR THE 2 AMENITY BECAUSE I THINK MASS TIMBER, IT'S NICE, BUT IT DOESN'T PROVIDE A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT A LOT OF THESE THREE AMENITIES PROVIDE. AND I ALSO THINK THAT MASS TIMBER, IT DOESN'T HAVE AS MUCH OF THE ECONOMIC COST. LIKE IT'S AN ALTERNATIVE THAT'S SOMETIMES A BIT MORE EXPENSIVE, BUT NOT HUGELY SO. AND SO, I DON'T FEEL THAT WE NEED TO INCENTIVIZE IT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT PROVIDES QUITE THE SAME AMOUNT OF BENEFITS THAT A LOT OF THESE TIER 3 AMENITIES PROVIDE, BUT THAT'S JUST MY OPINION. I'M HAPPY IF WE DECIDE TO PUT IT IN 3. YEAH, I'M PERSONALLY THINKING OF THE EMBODIED ENERGY IN TRADITIONAL CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES. WHAT THE UNIVERSITY IS BUILDING AT THE MOMENT IS ALL STEEL FRAME CONSTRUCTION AND CONCRETE, POURED CONCRETE, AND THOSE ARE THE 2 HIGHEST ENERGY CONSUMING CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES AROUND.

AND THE OFFSET IN CARBON EMISSIONS FROM SUSTAINABLY HARVESTED MASS TIMBER IS NOT A BENEFIT DIRECTLY TO THIS COMMUNITY, IT'S A GLOBAL BENEFIT.

COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY? I'LL SAY WHAT I THINK I TRIED TO SAY LAST TIME WE TALKED ABOUT THIS THAT I, I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF THEM USING IT. WHAT I WOULD HATE TO SEE IS IT BEING USED IN PLACE OF SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS ON THIS PARTICULAR LIST BECAUSE IT WAS THE EASIEST ONE TO PICK FOR THE REASONS THAT COMMISSIONER NAHUM SAID. SO, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY MIGHT BE INCLINED TO DO ANYWAY, I, I DON'T WANT IT TO BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR SOMETHING THAT THEY MIGHT, MIGHT NOT, BUT THAT WE'D ALSO WANT THEM TO DO AND WE WANT TO INCENTIVIZE IF IT'S LIKE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING. SO THAT WOULD BE WHERE I DIDN'T BE INCLINED TO PUT IT ON THE NEXT LIST DOWN. I JUST HAD AN IDEA.

IT JUST OCCURRED TO ME AND YOU CAN TELL ME TO SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN IF YOU WANT, BUT THE IDEA FROM THIS CAME FROM THE

[02:00:01]

BUT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BOUNCE THIS QUESTION AS A 02, 3, OR 2 OR 3 POINTS OFF OF THEM AND GET THEIR INPUT? YES. I'D LOVE THEIR INPUT.

YEAH, SHIP IT. YEAH, I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO COME RIGHT BACK. YOU THINK THEY'RE GOING TO JUST SAY SO MOVED? NO, NO, NOT LIKE THAT. I DO THINK, YOU PICK.

SINCE THEY BROUGHT IT UP, I'D BE CURIOUS WHAT THEIR VISION OF IT. YEAH, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT YOU'VE PUT SOME FRAMING AROUND IT. OKAY, OKAY, I'LL TRY TO GET ON THEIR NEXT AGENDA AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. SO, IS THE QUESTION THEN THOUGH, DOES MASS TIMBER CONSTRUCTION BELONG IN AS A 3-POINT? NO ONE, I DON'T HEAR ANYBODY SUGGESTING 1-POINT. I WAS, STAFF WAS ASKED TO PUT TOGETHER TOGETHER TWO RESOLUTIONS, TWO DRAFT RESOLUTIONS, ONE IN THE 3-POINT CATEGORY AND ONE IN THE 2-POINT CATEGORY. I, GOING THROUGH THE MINUTES, GOING THROUGH THE DISCUSSION, I DON'T THINK YOU GUYS WERE TALKING ABOUT MAKING IT A 1-POINT AMENITY AT ALL. THAT'S TRUE. SO THEN IS IT, IT'S JUST BETWEEN 3 AND 2, AND SO THEIR CRITERIA WILL BE, DO WE THINK THIS FITS IN, IN ONE OF THESE TWO APPLICATIONS. AND WHY? RATIONALE FOR, YEAH, SURE, SURE. I'LL TRY TO GET ON THEIR NEXT AGENDA IF I CAN. I'M JUST THINKING OF THE CHICKEN CONVERSATION, JUST TO TRY AND PUT SOME BOUNDARIES AROUND ASKING. OH YEAH, JUST NOT TO BE FUNNY.

WITH THAT, WE CAN CLOSE OUT THE I'M ASKED TIMBER. I THINK MR. SHORKEY IS GOING TO KICK THIS TO ANOTHER COMMITTEE HERE.

GOOD. INVITE THEM TO SEE YOUR ORDINANCE IN GREAT DETAIL. YEAH, SPEAKING COUNCIL, WHATEVER COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY SAID, PLEASE ENTER THAT FOR THE RECORD. AND PERSONALLY, I WOULD WELCOME ANY THOUGHTS THAT THEY HAVE ON THESE AMENITIES.

PERSONALLY, I DON'T THINK WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY INTENDED TO GET A LOT OF INPUT FROM THAT GROUP IN THE MASTER PLAN DISCUSSION. I MEAN, CERTAINLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE GRAND RIVER CORRIDOR AS A, MAYBE AN EXTENSION.

ANYWAY, I THINK THE MORE FOLKS THAT CAN HAVE A LOOK AT THOSE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE CURRENT AND IMPORTANT AND USEFUL IS GOOD. YEAH, YOU HEARD

[10.A. Township Board update]

LAST, LAST, THE LAST MEETING, TOWNSHIP BOARD SUPPORTED PRIDE MONTH, FLAG DAY RESOLUTION, JUNETEENTH RESOLUTION INTRODUCTION OF THE 1745 MAC MAC AVENUE REZONING INTRODUCTION OF THE PARKING ORDINANCE UPDATES, LET'S SEE, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION APPOINTMENT MAYBE MR. MCCONNELL WANTS TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT LATER, I DON'T KNOW. I, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THEY TALKED ABOUT. I KNOW THAT, GARZA IS MOVING FORWARD, BUT THE NEXT AGENDA IS STILL DRAFT.

SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE

[10.B. Liaison reports ]

AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHER IDEAS THAT ARE BEING FLOATED FOR USE OF THOSE REMAINING FUNDS, SOME OF WHICH INCLUDE POTENTIALLY LOOKING TOWARDS IMPROPERLY ABANDONED WELLS IN THE TOWNSHIP. SO, OUR GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT BOARD THAT WE PARTICIPATE IN IS CHARGED WITH PROTECTING OUR DRINKING WATER AQUIFER, AND UNCAPPED WELLS ARE ONE WAY THAT POLLUTANTS MAKE THEIR WAY INTO OUR DRINKING WATER.

THERE'S SOMETHING LIKE 1,800 WELLS IN THE TOWNSHIP. THERE

[02:05:02]

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING DOING ALONG WITH ALL OF THE GREEN GRANTS THAT WE'VE BEEN AWARDING TO SMALL ORGANIZATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS. WE DID GET 2 NEW COMMISSIONERS, ACTUALLY 3 NEW COMMISSIONERS, A STUDENT FINALLY AGAIN FROM OKEMOS, FANTASTIC TO HAVE, EQUALLY ENGAGED WITH HER FELLOW RISING SENIOR AT HASLETT. SO, WE GOT A LOT OF ENERGY ON THE YOUTH FRONT, AND TWO BRAND NEW MEMBERS WHO JUST JOINED US. SO EXCITING TIME FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION. DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT THE IDEA OF AN ABANDONED WELL IS QUITE INTRIGUING. AND THEN NOW THAT WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY THERE ARE, I DON'T KNOW WHY. MY SECTION OF MY SUBDIVISION WAS ALL BUILT ON WELL, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER CONVERTED TO CITY WATER. AND SOME PEOPLE STILL USE THEM FOR IRRIGATION PURPOSES. YOU CAN TELL THE SIDE OF THEIR HOUSE IS ORANGE.

BUT A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE JUST STOP USING THEM AND UNPLUG THE EQUIPMENT. AND WHO KNOWS WHAT COULD GET INTO THE SUPPLY LINE OR AT THE TOP OF THE WELL IF THE WELLHEADS NOT MAINTAINED AND ITS CONCRETE CRACKS AND THERE'S CHEMICALS BEING USED IN THE VICINITY. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A PROJECT IT SEEMS WORTH PURSUING HOW IT WOULD HAPPEN.

THERE'S SEVERAL MODELS OUT THERE FROM THE LOCAL REGION, HOW DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES HAVE HANDLED IT. SO, WE'RE JUST GETTING OUR HANDS ON THAT TO SEE WHAT, HOW WE'D LIKE TO HANDLE IT. ANY OTHER LIAISON REPORTS? THERE WAS A BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING. HASLETT VILLAGE REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT WAS AMENDED. DON'T ASK ME TO REPEAT WHAT THAT WAS ABOUT EXACTLY. THAT WAS ONLY THE THIRD MEETING I'VE BEEN AT, I THINK. THEN WE ALSO HAVE STARTED A PARTNER WITH A PROGRAM OUT OF KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY THAT'S DOING A, HELPING THE TOWNSHIP, AND HE'S, I THINK IT'S EAST LANSING, DO AN INVENTORY OF BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT POSSIBLE SITES, AND WE'RE FOCUSED ON HASLETT INITIALLY RATHER THAN DOING THE ENTIRE TOWNSHIP BECAUSE IT'S TOO LARGE. INTERESTING. IT MADE ME THINK OF WELLS AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS A BROWNFIELD, BUT IT MADE ME THINK OF THE MOVIE THE RING, BUT ANYWAYS. OH, AND WE HAD A NEW MEMBER, TOM FRASER.

ENVIRONMENTAL. OH YES,

[11. PROJECT UPDATES]

ON THAT NOTE, YES, A COUPLE CHANGES SINCE IT'S BEEN POINTED OUT TO ME THAT I'M REMISS. I SHOULD PUT PANDA AS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. I'LL HAVE THAT FOR YOUR NEXT REPORT.

ON THE SECOND PAGE OF THAT, NEW UPDATE, BOX LUNCH IS OPEN, SO I'LL TAKE THAT OFF THERE.

SORRY, STOP. BABY STEPS, MR. SHORKEY, BABY STEPS. THAT, THAT LAST ONE, WHEN I ASKED HER, WE HAVE AN, OUR RECENTLY APPROVED BUILDING INSPECTOR, YAY. ASKED HIM FOR UPDATES. HE LET ME KNOW ABOUT THIS BBQ CHICKEN. HAVE YOU HEARD OF IT? IT'S APPARENTLY COMING THIS DIRECTION, AND IT'S LIKE A HUGE CHAIN, AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE AMAZING. AND THAT'S GOING INTO THE HANNAH PLAZA AND EXPECTED TO BE OPEN IN JULY.

PERMITS ISSUED. ALL RIGHT, GET LOADED. POTATOES. YES, IT'S A FOOD TRUCK, RIGHT? IT IS A FOOD TRUCK CONVERTING. IT IS A FOOD TRUCK WE SAW THIS WEEKEND AT PRIDE, AS A MATTER OF FACT. GREAT. YOU GUYS ARE KILLING COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. I'M GOOD, BECAUSE AREN'T YOU HUNGRY? TURKISH RESTAURANT SOUNDS NICE RIGHT NOW. YEAH, THAT GOT ME GOING. THAT GOT ME GOING.

YES. WITH THAT, THANK YOU, MR. COMMISSIONER SHORKEY, AND

[13. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS]

COMMISSIONER COMMENTS, ANY COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER NAHUM. APOLOGIES.

SO, ONE THING THAT WASN'T DISCUSSED AT THE MEETING THAT I WASN'T HERE AT IS THAT THE TOWNSHIP BOARD DID PASS RESOLUTIONS PUTTING IN A 6-MONTH MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTERS AND BATTERY STORAGE.

THEY ARE CONSULTING WITH THEIR, THE TOWNSHIP ATTORNEYS, BUT THAT WILL LIKELY INVOLVE US AS, BECAUSE IN THE DISCUSSION ABOUT WHY TO

[02:10:01]

IT HAS NOT BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION AT THIS TIME. I HAD FORWARDED TO THE SUPERVISOR A REPORT THAT SOMEONE AT MSU EXTENSION HAD SENT ME THAT WAS A COMPENDIUM OF EXPERIENCE HERE IN SOUTHERN MICHIGAN ON THAT.

SO THAT MIGHT BE A RESOURCE THAT WE COULD POKE THROUGH. I DIDN'T LOOK THROUGH IT IN ANY DETAIL, BUT. YEAH, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'D WANT TO START ON THAT UNTIL THEY ACTUALLY, LIKE, CONTACT US TO ASK US TO LOOK INTO IT. BUT YEAH, I WASN'T, I KNOW THAT, LIKE, 6 MONTHS ISN'T ACTUALLY THAT MUCH TIME IN TERMS OF, LIKE, THE PROCESS OF SPINNING THIS AROUND, BECAUSE I THINK THEY WANT TO HAVE THE REGULATION, LIKE, IN THE BOOKS BY THE TIME THAT MORATORIUM IS OVER. AND SO, YEAH, I WAS JUST LIKE, I'M GOING TO START DOING A BIT OF RESEARCH ON MY OWN INTO WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE DONE, AND SOMETHING DEEP CAN TO CONSIDER. WELL, I, I MEAN, JUST, I, I'M, I SAW SOMETHING ON DATA CENTERS RECENTLY AND I JUST THOUGHT TO MYSELF, LIKE, WHERE WITHIN THE MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP BOUNDARY WOULD ONE EVEN FIT? BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THEY'RE MASSIVE. SO, THIS, THIS CAME UP IN THE DISCUSSION WITH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD. THE CURRENT ZONING WOULD ONLY ALLOW IT IN INDUSTRIAL, AND THERE'S ONLY A FEW PORTIONS OF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP THAT ARE ZONED INDUSTRIAL, AND TO BE REALLY CLEAR, THERE'S BEEN NO INDICATION THAT ANYBODY CURRENTLY WANTS TO MOVE IN.

AND BUT THERE ARE SMALLER DATA CENTERS THAT COULD FIT. ALSO, SOME OF THESE DATA CENTERS ARE PRETTY PROFITABLE. AND SO, THERE'S THE POSSIBILITY THAT THEY CAN BUY A NUMBER OF PROPERTIES, MERGE THEM TOGETHER AND BUILD A NOT ENORMOUS, BUT STILL A SIZE THAT HAS BEEN BUILT IN OTHER PLACES. SO, IT'S, IT'S A POSSIBILITY, AND THAT'S PARTLY WHY THEY WANT US TO, OR I EXPECT THAT THEY'LL CONTACT US SHORTLY TO ASK US TO LOOK INTO WHAT ARE APPROPRIATE REGULATIONS IN TERMS OF THINGS LIKE NOISE, OF THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, PROXIMITY TO RESIDENCES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. ONCE AGAIN, I HAVEN'T DONE ANY RESEARCH ON IT YET, BUT I EXPECT THAT THERE'LL BE SOMETHING ON OUR PLATE SOON. BE VERY INTERESTED TO HEAR WHAT THE CITY ATTORNEYS HAVE TO SAY WHEN YOU TARGET A SPECIFIC, THAT IS THE THING WHERE THEY WEREN'T SURE THEY COULD EVEN DO A MORATORIUM AND THEY WERE FOUND OUT THAT'S LIKE, YES, YOU CAN DO A MORATORIUM WHILE YOU'RE DECIDING ON APPROPRIATE REGULATION. BUT YOU GOT TO MOVE ALONG. BUT YEAH, WE DON'T WANT TO, THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO EXTEND IT. SO THAT'S WHY I WAS LIKE, I WANT TO DO AS MUCH RESEARCH AS I CAN BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY HAND IT TO US SO THAT WE CAN BE PRODUCTIVE. I HAD SOME OTHER QUESTIONS. OKAY, VERY GOOD.

ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? HEARING NONE, WITH THAT, I'M ENTERTAINING A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SO, MOVED. MOVED BY COMMISSIONER BROOKS, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER NAHUM. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE.

AYE. AND CHAIR VOTES YES, AND WE ARE CLOSED AT 8:42PM.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.