Jul 27, 2026 Planning Commission

[00:00:58]

LOOKING AT THE PUBLIC HEARINGS. THE SECOND ONE IS A PERSON AS OPPOSED TO THE FIRST ONE WAS A TEXT AMENDMENT.

IF YOU WANT TO CONSIDER SWAPPING THOSE, I LEAVE THAT UP TO YOU, BUT JUST WANT TO SUGGEST SO THEY WON'T HAVE TO SIT AROUND AND WAIT, WATCH US, WATCH US DISCUSSING THAT YOU CAN MAKE AN AMENDMENT, BUT IF THAT YOU DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY LONG DISCUSSION MIGHT NOT BE A BIG DEAL. NO, I LIKE THAT. I TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.

HEY. GOOD EVENING. THAT'S EVERYBODY. OH THAT'S SHREWSBURY.

I LIKE. THE ONE THING THAT I CANNOT DO. YEAH.

SIT UP RIGHT FOR MORE THAN A FEW MINUTES. YOU'VE BEEN LIKE THAT FOR A WHILE.

I HAVE. STANDING UP. YEAH, YEAH. TO A CERTAIN ANGLE.

FOR THE. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING.

OKAY. WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR ONE MORE FOR QUORUM.

YOU HAVE A QUORUM? YOU ARE READY TO GO, RIGHT? GOOD EVENING. I'M GOING TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 6:31 P.M..

[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]

COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL. PRESENT. COMMISSIONER BROOKS.

PRESENT COMMISSIONER SHREWSBURY IS NOT YET COMMISSIONER NAHUM.

HERE AND THEN CHAIR IS, VICE CHAIR IS HERE. I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC REMARKS PRIOR TO THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

SO THAT WOULD BE. OH. I'M SORRY. LET ME. HERE YOU GO.

YEAH. YOU HAVE PUBLIC REMARKS BEFORE APPROVAL AGENDA.

OH, SORRY ABOUT THAT. PUBLIC REMARKS. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC REMARKS? NO. ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON. NOW WE CAN GO TO THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

I WOULD LIKE TO AMEND THE AGENDA A BIT AND MOVE UNDER PUBLIC HEARINGS.

MOVE B TO A AND THEN A TO B. SO SWAP THOSE, FLIP THOSE TWO.

WELL, THAT WAY THE APPLICANTS ARE FORCED TO LISTEN TO THE MASS TIMBER DISCUSSION. COOL. YEAH, I LIKE THAT.

YEAH. ANY OBJECTION TO THAT? ALL RIGHT. OKAY.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED? AYE. RIGHT. THOSE. NO ABSTENTIONS. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

[5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

SECOND. SUPPORT. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT IF I BELIEVE THERE ARE A FEW SMALL THINGS.

BOTH OF THEM IN THE SECTION B ON THE 711 IN THE ON PAGE THREE OF THE MINUTES ON THE CHAPTER THAT STARTS WITH MANDY GOES, YES, I BELIEVE IN THAT FIRST SENTENCE.

IT'S MEANT TO SAY THAT THE TANKS ARE SITUATED OVER 200FT FROM THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY LINE, NOT THE PUMPS. OH, YES. AND THEN ANOTHER SMALL AMENDMENT.

IN. SHOOT. WHERE WAS IT? I SCROLLED OVER THERE.

OH. IN SECTION C FOR THE THE [INAUDIBLE] REZONING.

YEP. MIDWAY THROUGH THAT PAGE, THE PARAGRAPH THAT STARTS WITH COMMISSIONER NAME ASKS WHETHER THE CURRENT RESOLUTION WAS APPROPRIATE VEHICLE FOR STAFF TO ISOLATE FROM ILLEGAL TO NONCONFORMING. I BELIEVE THAT WAS. CHAIR ROMBACH THAT SAID THAT.

THANK YOU. YES. BUT YES. THOSE ARE MY AMENDMENTS.

ANY OTHER AMENDMENTS FOR THE MINUTES. ALL RIGHT.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES AS AMENDED, SAY AYE.

[00:05:03]

COMMUNICATIONS. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY. SO. ALL RIGHT.

SO NOW WE'LL MOVE TO PUBLIC HEARING AND IT WILL BE SUP NUMBER 26-022 SPECIAL USE

[7.A. ZA #26015 - Mass Timber ]

THIS IS GRETTA, AND I WAS ABLE TO GIVE THIS PROJECT FOR HER TO HER, FOR HER TO WORK ON.

SHE'S STARTING TO WRAP UP HER TERM HERE. AND SO I WANTED TO GIVE HER AN OPPORTUNITY TO STAND UP AND SPEAK.

PLEASE BE NICE. YES. PLEASE BE NICE. HI, EVERYONE.

I'M GRETTA, AS BRIAN MENTIONED, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH HIM FOR THE PAST SUMMER IN THE COMMUNITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT. SO I'M EXCITED TO INTRODUCE THIS MEMO TO YOU ALL TODAY.

THIS IS THE FIRST MEETING FOR THE DAYCARE SUP AND AS NOTED, THEY HAVE SUBMITTED A SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION FOR THE OPERATION OF GROUP CHILD CARE HOME FOR UP TO 12 CHILDREN AT 6364 PORTER AVENUE IN EAST LANSING.

SO I'D LIKE TO PULL UP ON THE PARCEL VIEWER.

OKAY, SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. IT IS IN THE ZONING DISTRICT IN A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONE, WHICH DOES ALLOW GROUP CHILD CARE HOMES AS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT SUBJECT TO REQUIREMENTS, OBVIOUSLY.

THE LOT DOES CONFORM TO ZONING AND FUTURE LAND USE.

AND DURING STAFF VISITS, WE NOTED THAT PORTER AVENUE IS A PRETTY LOW TRAFFIC ROAD.

TYPICAL MORNING DROP OFF WOULD EXTEND FROM 8 TO 9 A.M.

ACCORDING TO THE APPLICANT. AND TYPICAL PICKED OFF EXTENDS 4 TO 6 P.M.

AS PER THE REQUIREMENTS IN THE MICHIGAN ZONING ENABLING ACT, THERE ARE NO FACILITIES WITHIN 1500FT THAT WOULD MAKE THIS HOME UNABLE TO OPERATE, AND THEY WOULD NOT EXCEED IT 16 HOURS OF OPERATION IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD.

IT IS ALSO OF NOTE THAT IF THE SCP IS APPROVED, THE APPLICANT HAS STATED THAT A FENCED IN PLAY AREA WOULD BE CONSTRUCTED IN THE BACKYARD AND WOULD NOT BE USED UNTIL IT HAD OBVIOUSLY BEEN INSPECTED AND APPROVED BY THE STATE OF MICHIGAN IN CONNECTION WITH THE APPLICANT'S FAMILY CHILD CARE LICENSE. CURRENTLY, THE BACKYARD ABUTS THE TOWER WOODS PRESERVE. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PARCEL WHERE IT'S LIKE RIGHT HERE.

SO THERE'S A NATURAL BARRIER TO THE EAST THERE.

ONE POINT TO NOTE IS THAT THERE IS A BLANKET STATEMENT IN OUR ORDINANCE THAT SAYS CHILD CARE HOME SPECIAL USES SHOULD BE ON THE EDGE OF RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS AND IN FRONT ON MAJOR STREETS. AS WE CAN TELL, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE CASE HERE.

BUT STAFF NOTED THAT THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS LOCATED NEAR THE END OF THE STREET AND THERE IS A PAVED TURNAROUND AREA LIKE RIGHT HERE.

THAT ALSO FUNCTIONS AS A SMALL PARKING LOT FOR THE TOWER WOODS PRESERVE. SO CARS PICKING UP AND DROPPING OFF WOULD HAVE EXTRA EASE IN TURNING AROUND AND LESSENING TRAFFIC ON PORTER AVENUE DURING PICK UP AND DROP OFF HOURS.

TO THE SECOND POINT, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE SITE DOES NOT FRONT ON A MAJOR STREET, BUT DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE AREA AND LOCAL TRAFFIC, STAFF DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS RAISES A RED FLAG.

THE APPLICATION MEETS ALL THE STANDARDS LAID OUT IN THE STATE ZONING ENABLING ACT, SO SEEING NO ISSUES, THE STAFF DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS SUP.

BRIAN AND I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. AND THE APPLICANT IS REPRESENTED HERE TONIGHT.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ANY QUESTIONS? SURE. GO AHEAD.

COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION. I WONDER IN THE PARCEL VIEWER, COULD YOU TURN ON A BASE LAYER THAT WOULD SHOW THE SORT OF TREE COVER OF THAT LOT? BRIAN. I MIGHT. TURN ON THE AERIAL VIEW. THE AERIAL AERIAL VIEW.

YEAH. NEXT. YEAH. THAT ONE. YEAH. TURN ON THE IMAGERY SURGERY.

YEAH. SO THERE'S AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S LEAF OFF, BUT IT DOES SHOW THAT THERE'S MATURE TREES RIGHT AT THE PROPERTY. AND ALSO THERE WAS A DOTTED RED LINE LEADING THE END OF THE STREET TO THE EAST ON THE PARCEL VIEWER. IS THAT BY CHANCE A TRAIL THAT LEADS INTO TOWER? YEAH. SO THAT'S, AS I NOTED EARLIER, THIS IS KIND OF LIKE A, IT'S LIKE A MINI PARKING LOT.

I THINK LIKE 1 OR 2 CARS COULD FIT RIGHT HERE.

AND THEN THIS GOES INTO THE TOWER WOODS PRESERVE.

SO THERE IS LIKE AN AREA FOR CARS TO SORT OF MANEUVER THEMSELVES AROUND THAT AREA.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I DO HAVE ONE.

I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION. AND MAYBE NO ONE CAN ANSWER THIS, BUT THERE IS A RESIDENT OR IS THAT IS A RESIDENT.

THAT'S JUST WAS IT NORTH OF THAT HOUSE? YEAH.

HAS THERE BEEN ANY TALKS WITH THEM OR, YOU KNOW, ANY TYPE OF CONCERNS FROM THAT PARTICULAR RESIDENCE.

THE APPLICANT CAN TALK ABOUT HER OUTREACH. SHE HAS TALKED WHEN SHE GETS A CHANCE.

SHE HAS SPOKEN TO SEVERAL OF THE NEIGHBORS ABOUT THIS.

WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM ANY OF THEM. AND OF COURSE, THEY WERE INCLUDED IN OUR 300 FOOT NOTIFICATION WHEN THE LETTER WENT OUT.

[00:10:06]

GRETA. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR HELPING US THIS SUMMER AND ALSO WORKING ON THIS.

I ALSO NOTICED THE SHOULD LANGUAGE AND THE LOCATION STANDARDS.

AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE IT SAID SHOULD PREFERABLY BE LOCATED AT THE EDGE OF A RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT, WHICH TO ME, BASED ON WHAT YOU SAID AND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS EVENING IS IT CAN'T IT'S NOT ACTUALLY IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE.

IT JUST SAYS PREFERRED BY THE TOWNSHIP. BUT I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT, BUT I THINK IT WAS AN INTERESTING THING TO CALL OUT IN THE STANDARDS, RIGHT? I THINK IT'S SORT OF SUBJECTIVE IN THAT NATURE CAN BE KIND OF A JUDGMENT CALL BASED ON THE OTHER AREAS THAT I LAID OUT IN IN THE MEMO.

I THINK THAT THAT SHOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE. SO YEAH.

YEAH. THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I WOULD LIKE FOR THE APPLICANT PLEASE STEP UP.

YES. JUST ADDRESS THE WHOLE ISSUE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND THOUGHTS ON NEIGHBORS AND NEED TO STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS TOO. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS CATHERINE CROCK.

MY ADDRESS IS 6364 PORTER AVENUE IN EAST LANSING.

SO WE HAVE SPOKEN TO OUR NEIGHBORS ABOUT DAYCARE.

OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR HAS ACTUALLY BEEN HELPING US GET FRESH PAINT AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT AND KIND OF GET THE PROPERTY ALL READY.

AND THEN THE OTHER ONES ACROSS THE STREET THEY WERE LIKE, OH, WE GOT OUR LETTER.

HOW'S IT GOING? THAT KIND OF THING. SO THEY ALL HAVE THAT THE ONES THAT WE HAVE SPOKEN TO, THEY HAVE NOT SAID ANYTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT IT.

THEY KNOW WHAT'S COMING AND YEAH. AND WHAT IS YOUR CAPACITY FOR THE DAYCARE? SO WHEN LICENSING CAME OUT TO KIND OF CHECK THE PROPERTY AND HELP US SEE IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO, THEY DID ALL THE MEASUREMENTS AND WE CAN GET LICENSED FOR 12 FOR THOSE MEASUREMENTS.

AND THEN THEY HAVE A STIPULATION FOR TWO BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL IF WE WERE INTERESTED IN THAT.

SO WE COULD HAVE UP TO 14 IF WE DO THE BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CHILDREN.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COULD YOU MAYBE TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR PLANS FOR THE BACKYARD? IT'S GOING TO BE FENCED IN, OBVIOUSLY. IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE THERE'S PRETTY MUCH TREE COVER FOR MOST OF YOUR BACKYARD.

YEAH. THERE IS, BECAUSE WE OUR YARD BACKS UP TO THIS PRESERVED AREA.

SO WHEN LICENSING CAME OUT SHE SAID THE REQUIREMENT IS A NATURAL BARRIER, WHICH WE HAVE IN THE BACK.

SO SHE SAID LIKE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE FENCING BECAUSE YOU HAVE THAT NATURAL BARRIER.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO PUT THE FENCING UP, WE CAN, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FENCING ACROSS THE FRONT.

AND THEN THE TREES IN THE BACK WOULD COUNT AS THE NATURAL BARRIER. SO WE COULD GO EITHER WAY WITH THAT.

WE COULD GET THE FENCING OR WE CAN JUST LEAVE THAT TREE LINE AS THE BARRIER.

AND IS THERE A COVERED AREA AT ALL OUTDOORS? THERE'S NO COVERED AREA.

I MEAN, WE HAVE SOME TREES, BUT THERE'S NOT LIKE A COVERED CANOPY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR. MISS. MISS CROCK. RIGHT? YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. AND WE'RE PUBLIC HEARING PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE.

OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:44. I'M SORRY. OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:44.

OKAY. OPEN THE CALL TO PUBLIC. 6:44. PUBLIC OPEN TO CALLS FOR PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:44 REGARDING THIS MEASURE. SEEING NONE, WE CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:44 AND THREE SECONDS.

[LAUGHS] THAT WORKS. AND THAT'S ALL WE NEED TO DO FOR THAT ONE.

CORRECT. THE NEXT STEP. YEAH. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS ARE PRETTY OKAY.

[00:15:01]

OKAY. WE DON'T NEED TO DO A STRAW POLL. I'M HEARING.

I'M HEARING THE VIBE. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. SO MOVING ON.

THANK YOU FOR COMING. YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO STAY, BUT YOU CAN.

IT'S UP TO YOU. MOVING ON. WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC HEARING B ZA NUMBER 26015 MASS TIMBER. OKAY. OH CAME FIRST PACKET. YEAH. AS YOU KNOW, STAFF ATTENDED THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY MEETING ON FEBRUARY 18TH.

THEY ASKED TO DISCUSS THE MASS TIMBER CONSTRUCTION WITH STAFF AND POSSIBILITY OF AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE.

STAFF BROUGHT THAT BACK TO YOU, AND YOU SEEM AMENABLE TO ADDING MASS TIMBER AS AN AMENITY TO THE MIXED USE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE AND OUR COMMERCIAL PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCES, AS WELL AS ADDING A DEFINITION OF WHAT MASS TIMBER IS TO THE DEFINITION LIST IN THE ZONING ORDINANCE. SO THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THAT TEXT AMENDMENT.

I DID PUT TOGETHER A RED LINE AND A CLEAN VERSION OF DRAFT AMEND DRAFT RESOLUTION SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE CHANGES ARE.

VERY SIMPLY A LIST OF THREE THREE POINT AMENITIES IN THE ORDINANCE.

JUST ADDING MASS TIMBER AS THE NINTH ONE AT THE END AND THEN FURTHER DOWN LIST OF AMENITIES UNDER SITE AND BUILDING DESIGN IN THE COMMERCIAL PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE. JUST ADDING NUMBER 11 MASS TIMBER CONSTRUCTION TO THAT LIST.

AND THEN HERE'S THE DEFINITION THAT WE'VE BEEN KIND OF ROLLING WITH.

OBVIOUSLY, THIS STILL CAN BE AMENDED. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, NOT CHISELED IN STONE TIME CATEGORY OF FRAMING STYLES CHARACTERIZED BY THE USE OF LARGE ENGINEERED WOOD PANELS, OFTEN PAIRED WITH ENGINEERED WOOD COLUMNS AND BEAMS. THAT IS OFF ONE OF THE WEBSITES THAT I FOUND WHEN RESEARCHING THIS.

WE HAVE NO COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS. I AM PLAYING EMAIL TAG WITH THE ONE MSU PROFESSOR AND TRYING TO COORDINATE WHEN I CAN GET AHOLD OF HER AND TALK TO HER. BUT MORE OF A CURIOSITY THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. SHARKEY? I WOULD JUST COMMENT THAT THE DEFINITION HERE IS VERY MUCH WHAT I READ IN THE LITERATURE THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH.

IF YOU ARE OKAY WITH THIS, I'LL MAKE THESE RESOLUTIONS OF UP.

I'LL MAKE. I'LL DRAFT A RESOLUTION TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL, AND WE CAN PUT ALL.

TAKE ALL THIS TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD. SOUNDS GOOD.

OKAY. WE NEED TO OPEN PUBLIC HEARING. RIGHT. OH, YES YOU DO.

YES. YOU. PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:47 P.M.. SEEING NONE BEING NONE.

CLOSING PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:47 P.M.. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. SHORKEY. APPRECIATE IT. NOW WE CAN MOVE ON TO UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

DO WE HAVE ANY? NO, WE DO NOT. OTHER BUSINESS RESTAURANTS AND A PROFESSIONAL OFFICE DISCUSSION ON THAT.

[9.A. Restaurants in Professional Office - Discussion]

FOR THIS. WITH THE LOVING THE RESTAURANTS COMING INTO TOWN.

I CONFESS, I'M STILL NOT 100% SURE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH THIS, BUT AT AFTER OUR LAST DISCUSSION JUST BROUGHT YOU BACK SOME SUGGESTED POSSIBLE UPDATES RESTAURANT PROVIDED THERE, THERE ARE NOT DRIVE IN OR DRIVE THROUGH FACILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

THAT IS THE, THAT IS THE PIECE OF LANGUAGE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

IT COULD BE MOVED UNDER NUMBER MOVED TO SEVEN UNDER USES PERMITTED IN THE DISTRICT.

IT WOULD ALLOW SUCH RESTAURANTS AS PERMITTED USES, AND THEY WOULD NOT REQUIRE ANYTHING OTHER THAN MAYBE SITE PLAN IF THEY DID ANY BUILDING EXPANSION. BUT CERTAINLY BUILDING PERMITS AS THEY CONVERTED WHATEVER SPACE IT WAS TO A.

THANK YOU TO A RESTAURANT. THE OTHER OPTION WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU COULD MOVE THIS UNDER TO FIVE. NUMBER FIVE UNDER USES PERMITTED BY SPECIAL USE PERMIT.

THAT WOULD LOOK EXACTLY LIKE TEDDY KRAFT LOOKED.

THEY WOULD COME IN HERE EVERY TIME THAT WE WANTED TO.

THEY WANTED A RESTAURANT IN THE IN THE PO DISTRICT.

IN NO CASE WOULD YOU WOULD BE BE ALLOWING DRIVE THRUS.

[00:20:05]

STAFF DOES NOT SEE THE NEED TO MOVE DRUGSTORES AND HAIRDRESSERS AS PERMITTED USES IN, IN THE PO DISTRICT, UNLESS YOU WANTED TO GET INTO AN EVEN HIGHER LEVEL DISCUSSION AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE HAVE THREE COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS IN A, IN A, IN AN OFFICE DISTRICT, AND HOW WE COULD START CONSOLIDATING THOSE.

STAFF WOULD PREFER TALKING ABOUT THAT IN THE FUTURE.

OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION? GO AHEAD COMMISSIONER. SO I DEFINITELY AM IN FAVOR OF EITHER ALLOWING IT AS PERMITTED BY RIGHT OR PERMITTED BY RIGHT.

ASSUMING THAT THEY GET AN SUP. I THINK MY FEELING IS THE WHICH OF THOSE TWO.

IT REALLY DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH I THINK A NUISANCE A RESTAURANT IS AS A NEIGHBOR.

BECAUSE IF I THINK THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE MANY CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE I DON'T WANT, YOU KNOW, I'M IN A, YOU KNOW, AN OFFICE BUILDING OR SOMETHING. I DON'T WANT MY NEIGHBOR TO BE A, YOU KNOW, BARBECUE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THAT THAT'S WHEN WE WANT TO KEEP IT AS AN SUP SO THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING, YOU KNOW, ASKING THE NEIGHBORS, ARE YOU OKAY WITH THIS? PERSONALLY, I HAVE A HARD TIME COMING UP WITH TOO MANY EXAMPLES OF WHERE I WOULDN'T WANT A RESTAURANT NEXT DOOR TO ME. AND SO I'M LEANING A BIT MORE INTO JUST A USE PERMITTED BY RIGHT. BUT I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOUR GUYS'S IDEAS ON THE MATTER.

COMMISSIONER. YEAH. THAT OF COURSE, WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE APPLICATION THAT BROUGHT THIS ISSUE UP.

AND I WAS SATISFIED THAT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM THAT THEY HAD PLANNED TO INSTALL IN THEIR FACILITY WAS GOING TO PREVENT IT FROM BEING A NUISANCE TO NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS. AND I KNOW WE, I BELIEVE WE HAVE PARTICULAR AIR HANDLING REQUIREMENTS OF MEDICAL OR CANNABIS DISPENSARIES. IS THAT TRUE? THERE ARE SPECIFIC EXHAUST SYSTEMS THAT CANNABIS FACILITIES ARE SUPPOSED TO USE.

I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFICS ON THEM OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT THEY ARE, THEY ARE SPECIFIC TO THAT INDUSTRY. MY SENSE IN THIS CASE WAS THAT THE APPLICANT HAD ALREADY DECIDED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO INSTALL THAT SYSTEM.

IF WE CAN INCENTIVIZE THAT THROUGH AN ORDINANCE MAYBE THAT'S WORTH CONSIDERING TO ALLAY THE CONCERN THAT THAT MIGHT ARISE FROM, FROM THE ODORS COMING FROM A RESTAURANT.

DOES THAT KIND OF ADDRESS THE, I MEAN, I THINK ODORS, THE PRIMARY NUISANCE OTHER THAN PERHAPS JUST CUS I MEAN, LIKE, BECAUSE I WOULD THINK CUSTOMERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT WOULD BE ROUGHLY THE SAME AS NEIGHBORING OFFICES. UNLESS AND THIS ISN'T LIKE BARS OR TAVERNS OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

THESE ARE RESTAURANTS. SO WHAT'S THE RESTAURANT ON HAGEDORN AND MOUNT HOPE, RED HAVEN? YEAH, IS IN A OFFICE BUILDING. IT'S GOT TICKET SALES AND TRAVEL AGENTS, AND THEY HAVE A.

AND THEY DO A VERY. BUT THEY. BUT THEY CUT DOWN HOW MUCH THEY HAVE, LIKE RESTAURANT OR DINNER AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

IS THERE SPECIAL OCCASIONS? YEAH, THERE'D BEEN A BIGGBY COFFEE IN THAT SPOT FOR.

I REMEMBER WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. THAT WAS APPROVED AS AN MUPD.

I THINK EITHER WAY, IT'S A MIXED USE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT.

BUT THE POINT STANDS. YEAH. I MEAN, I THINK WE HAVE ALL OVER THE TOWNSHIP, WE HAVE RESTAURANTS, MEDICAL AND OFFICE ESTABLISHMENTS RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER, CERTAINLY IN STRIP AND DEVELOPMENTS.

LIKE, IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PO DISTRICT AND HOW IT'S, HOW THE BUILDINGS ARE, ARE CONSTRUCTED THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT FROM HOW THE SORT OF STRIP COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS ARE? SO. CAN YOU, I DON'T, I DON'T, ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT HOW THE TO DIFFERENCE IN SINGLE STANDALONE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION VERSUS STRIP CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE WE'VE GOT BOTH. YEAH. WELL, I GUESS I'M JUST SPEAKING TO COMMISSIONER NAHUM'S POINT THAT HE'S WHAT MORE OF HIS CONCERNS IS AROUND SMELLS OR WHATEVER THE. OFF GASSING, I WANT TO SAY OFF GASSING, BUT THAT'S THE WRONG WORD [LAUGHS].

EXHAUST. EXHAUST. YES. THANK YOU. OFF GASSING.

ANYWAYS, SO LIKE IF THERE WAS EXHAUST. SO IF WE THINK ABOUT THE CORNER OF MARSH AND OKEMOS,

[00:25:05]

THERE'S ALSO LIKE A REHAB, RIGHT? REHAB AND VERIZON.

[INAUDIBLE] WE HAVE, WE HAVE LIKE EVERYTHING RIGHT THERE.

AND THERE'S, I'M ASSUMING THAT THERE'S PROPER EXHAUST TO MANAGE THE SMELLS.

SO IN A FACILITY LIKE THAT, IS THAT GOING TO BE DIFFERENT THAN.

A PO ZONE LIKE WHERE THE COFFEE SHOP. LIKE THERE'S LIKE A MASSEUSE PLACE, A COFFEE SHOP AND SOMETHING ELSE THAT WANTS TO GO IN.

I THINK THE, THE, THE EXHAUST THAT YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT IS GOING TO DEPEND ON THE TYPE OF RESTAURANT.

LIKE A COFFEE SHOP IS NOT GOING TO HAVE THE SAME LEVEL AS A BARBECUE, RIGHT? AND REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF BUILDING YOU PUT IN, OUR, OUR NUISANCE ORDINANCE DOESN'T CHANGE DEPENDING ON YOUR BUILDING TYPE.

YEAH. SO. STAFF APOLOGIZES THE, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE MEMO DOES REFER TO THE MAP THAT IS SHOWING THE OFFICE DISTRICTS.

AND I DID PROMISE A MAP. WE HAD PROBLEMS INTERNALLY WITH SOME OF OUR GIS SOFTWARE.

SO I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT INCLUDING THE MAP. SO I BROUGHT IT UP HERE JUST TO KIND OF LOOK AROUND.

SO HERE'S GRAND RIVER AVENUE. THIS IS ALL. C2 COMMERCIAL STUFF ANYWAY. SPARROW. I THINK THIS IS WHAT THE ORDINANCE CURRENTLY SAYS WHEN IT SAYS THESE USES IN CONJUNCTION WITH MEDICAL, YOU KNOW, OFFICE FACILITIES. SPARROW MIGHT HAVE AN IN HOUSE DRUGSTORE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THIS IS A PO AND IS HOUSING MANAGEMENT RIGHT NEXT TO THIS COFFEE SHOP.

RIGHT. SO. EITHER ONE OF THESE ORDINANCES WOULD, WOULD ARE ESSENTIALLY SAYING THAT THIS COFFEE SHOP COULD GO HERE WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. THE LONGER TERM DISCUSSION IS IF WE'RE TAKING THAT POSITION, GREAT.

WHAT'S WHAT THEN IS THE LINE BETWEEN AN OFFICE, A C1 AND C2 AND C3, AND THAT IS A BIGGER DISCUSSION THAT WE'D LIKE TO HAVE AT SOME POINT, BUT NOT TONIGHT. YOU'RE SAYING DON'T ASK. THIS IS THE PO DISTRICT THAT HAS GOTTEN A LOT OF CALLS LATELY, MOSTLY BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIFTH THIRD BUILDING HERE AND IT'S BEING SOLD.

YEAH. BUT YOU CAN SEE IT COMES DOWN HERE. OKEMOS COMMUNITY CHURCH, THIS STUFF DOWN HERE.

AND THEN YOU GET INTO THE HAMILTON ROAD CORRIDOR, YOU KNOW, IN HERE.

AND THIS IS ALL OBVIOUSLY C.2 WHAT DISTRICT IS? I'M GUESSING C2 AS WELL, THE ONE THAT COMMISSIONER BROOKS BROUGHT UP EARLIER, CHIPOTLE IV REHAB, C2, I BELIEVE IS C2. YEAH. RIGHT, RIGHT. LET'S SEE.

THAT'S THAT WAS IT. YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH.

HERE'S CHICK FIL A AND THEN CHIPOTLE. THAT'S ALL IN C2.

CHICK FIL A IS ACTUALLY ACTUALLY SEE THREE IN CONJUNCTION WITH [INAUDIBLE] THERE.

I'D DEFINITELY BE UP FOR IT IN THE FUTURE. TALKING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED A SEPARATE PO DISTRICT.

AND IF YOU CAN JUST ROLL IT COMMERCIAL BECAUSE I THINK, YEAH, THE KIND OF SLIPSHOD POS AND LOTS OF LITTLE PLACES, I THINK WE COULD TREAT THEM VERY SIMILAR TO COMMERCIAL.

YEAH. I KNOW YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO GO THERE. SO MY COMMENT IS NOT TO STOP THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE I DO ENJOY IT. I KNOW PLANNERS DO TOO, BUT YEAH, NO, I KNOW SO, BUT I WANT TO COME BACK TO WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE SUGGESTED UPDATES. SO I'M OPEN TO, AS A, LIKE A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO MOVE FORWARD IN THIS SPACE THAT RESTAURANTS ARE NOT DRIVE THROUGH. YEAH. ARE NOT DRIVE IN OR DRIVE THROUGH.

RIGHT. AND CAN BE IN PO DISTRICTS WITHOUT A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.

OKAY. MY ASSUMPTION HERE IS THAT THE OUR OTHER ORDINANCES AND BUILDING CODES ARE SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO MITIGATE ANY NEGATIVE EFFECT OF A RESTAURANT IN THOSE SPACES.

OKAY. SO SO THINK ABOUT KIDDICRAFT. I MEAN, I HATE TO I'M NOT TRYING TO PICK ON THEM, BUT THEY ARE THE, THE OKAY, SO THEY HAVE TO COME IN FOR BUILDING PERMITTING.

YEAH. IT'S NOT IF THE BUILDING CAN'T HANDLE IT, IT HAS TO BE UPGRADED TO HANDLE IT.

[00:30:02]

SO EVEN IF YOU SAY THEY'RE ALLOWED BY, RIGHT, IF THEY CAN'T MEET THE BUILDING CODE STANDARD, THEY'RE NOT GETTING AN OCCUPANCY PERMIT. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, BUT WE HAVE, WE HAVE MECHANISMS IN PLACE AND THEN WE HAVE NUISANCE OR ORDINANCES IN PLACE AS WELL FOR, YOU KNOW, I'M HEARING THINGS ABOUT THE ODOR, ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, THE BARBECUE SMELL, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I DON'T KNOW HOW PREVALENT THAT IS. BUT. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE HAVE MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO MITIGATE THESE THINGS, RIGHT. THAT'S MY POINT. YEAH. I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND SO MY, MY VOTE WOULD BE FOR DOING THIS WITHOUT THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT, MAINLY BECAUSE OF WHAT WE DISCUSSED LAST TIME. AND THAT IF OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE SPACES FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES TO START, AND EVEN IF THEY START ON THE SMALLER SCALE, THE PO LOCATION SEEMS TO BE A GOOD OPTION FOR THAT.

AND THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT CURRENTLY, OR THIS, THE OTHER WAY IT'S ESTABLISHED CREATES MORE HOOPS TO GET THROUGH. YEAH. FRICTION. THAT'S A GOOD WAY OF SAYING IT.

THANK YOU. AND THIS IS A WAY OF MITIGATING SOME OF THAT RELATIVELY QUICKLY.

AND IF OUR PO OFFICES OR OUR PO DISTRICTS ARE ALSO UNDERUTILIZED, THEN THIS MAY ALSO BE A WAY TO INCENT, NOT INCENTIVIZE, REDUCE THE HOOPS FOR THOSE SPACES TO BE USED.

OKAY. DE-DISINCENTIVIZE? YES. DE-DISINCENTIVIZE.

SO. AS STAFF HAS SAID, THE EASY FIX IS JUST TO MOVE THE RESTAURANTS AND GO ON.

WHILE WE'RE DOING THIS, DO YOU SEE A SIMILAR NEED TO SCREW AROUND WITH THE DRUGSTORE AND BARBER BEAUTY SHOP LANGUAGE TOO.

SEE, NOW YOU HAD US GOING. I KNOW, AND YOU'VE OPENED IT UP BECAUSE IF YOU IF BECAUSE IF YOU'RE TAKING THE SAME POSITION WITH THOSE.

THOSE THREE CAN JUST BE MOVED THE SAME, THE SAME WAY.

AS YOUR STAFF, I THINK THERE'S A THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CUTE CAFE AND A AND A DRUG STORE DRUG. I MEAN, STORE STARTS TO STORE. IT STARTS TO FEEL COMMERCIAL.

RIGHT? BUT SINCE THAT WAS PART OF YOUR PREVIOUS CONVERSATION, I THOUGHT IT WAS WORTH JUST BRINGING THAT UP AND ASKING THE QUESTION.

AS LONG AS WE'RE OPENING PANDORA'S BOX I PERSONALLY SEE PUBLIC UTILITY STRUCTURES AS COMPREHENSIVELY DIFFERENT FROM ALL THE OTHER THINGS ON THIS LIST. A PUBLIC UTILITY STRUCTURE THAT'S GOING TO GO IN A DISTRICT IS PROBABLY GOING TO COME IN FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT OR IT'S GOING TO BE ALLOWED.

SO I WOULDN'T TREAT THAT THE SAME WAY AS THE OTHERS.

CORRECT. AND JUST ONE MORE FLY IN THE OINTMENT I NOTICED EARLIER TROUBLE READING THE TERM DRIVE IN OR DRIVE THROUGH BECAUSE DRIVE IN WE HAVE DRIVE INS, NOT IN MERIDIAN, I BELIEVE THERE'S SOME WE HAVE UPS WE GOT LOTS OF DRIVE UPS LIKE A DRIVE.

SO YOU TRY, YOU WANT TO GET A DEFINITIVE DEFINITION OF WHAT HE MEANS BY.

WELL, WHAT I'M WONDERING IS WHERE DOES THE DRIVE UP PARKING AT MEIER FIT IN OUR ORDINANCE? OH, OH, THAT'S NOT IN THE DISTRICT. WE HAVE LOTS OF DRIVE UP SERVICE.

PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY DO DRIVE UP SERVICE. OH, YOU MEAN LIKE CURBSIDE DELIVERY STUFF? OH, YEAH. WE DO. I'M DRIVING CAR WASHES. I'M THINKING THAT THIS IS ALONG THE LINES OF LIKE A DRIVE IN, LIKE A LIKE A SONIC. YEAH, SON.

A LOT OF SONICS IN SOME AREAS HAVE DRIVE IN SERVICE.

THOSE THAT STILL EXIST. YES. BUT THAT'S WHAT I THINK THEY'RE GETTING AT HERE.

IT FEELS ANACHRONISTIC TO ME. YES IT DOES. WE HAD A DRIVE IN THEATER ONCE UPON A TIME.

BUT THEY'RE NOT PREVALENT. BUT THEY EXIST, RIGHT? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? HERE IN OAKLAND, I DON'T THINK THEY EXIST.

I DON'T THINK I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A DRIVE IN RESTAURANT LIKE I'M SUGGESTING.

LIKE I'M PICTURING LIKE SONIC'S MERIDIAN. THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME IN LANSING.

[00:35:01]

AND I THINK THERE'S ONE OF THOSE IN MASON WHERE YOU CAN DRIVE YOUR CAR IN ORDER AND THEY BRING IT OUT TO YOUR CAR.

JUST MY LUCK. WE CANCELED. WE STRIKE IT OUT. SOMEBODY COME TO US AND SAY, DRIVE IN.

RIGHT. WELL, DO WE DO WE RESTRICT DRIVE INS AND THE OTHER THE RESTAURANT CODE AND COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS? NO, NO. IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO DO A DRIVE IN SONIC OR A AND W AND A C TWO ZONE, THAT'S NO PROBLEM.

OKAY. I CAN SEE YOUR POINT ABOUT MOVING THE, OR LEAVING THE DRUGSTORE HERE.

I THINK THE, THE BARBER BEAUTY SHOP. I THINK IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A ALSO A REASONABLE USE FOR A SPACE LIKE THIS.

I THINK ABOUT THE MIRABELLA HAIR SALON, WHICH IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE OVER THERE.

AND I'M ALSO OKAY JUST SHIFTING THE RESTAURANT LANGUAGE AS IT SITS.

OKAY. AND I'M ONLY SAYING THIS IN ORDER TO MOVE THIS PART ALONG.

SURE. EXPECTING THAT WE WOULD COME BACK TO. YEAH.

I'D LIKE TO DO A LARGER SCALE CLEANUP. YEAH. THINKING ABOUT THE PO VERSUS COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS.

SEE, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT USES PERMITTED, IT'S OFFICES OF PROFESSIONAL LICENSE BY THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AND IT TREAT HUMAN PATIENTS.

I GET THAT AND YOU KNOW, BUT HOSPITALS AND THEN OFFICES OF ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS, PLANNERS, THAT'S THAT'S WE DON'T LICENSE PLANNERS ANYMORE ARTISTS, YOU KNOW, OFFICES PERSONAL BE EMPLOYED FOR WORK IN FIELDS AND EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE.

IT'S OFFICE, OFFICE, OFFICE, OFFICE. BUT THE THING THAT I KEEP COMING BACK TO IS PROFESSIONALS LICENSED BY THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS HERE THAT ARE LIKE HEALTH RELATED.

WE LICENSE BARBERS AND BEAUTICIANS. AND WE JUST, WE JUST DO.

SO IS THE PROPOSAL POSSIBLY TO JUST INCLUDE BARBERS AND BEAUTICIANS IN SECTION ONE THERE AND THEN STRIKE IT OUT OF BEING AN ADDED.

I, I, I AM ASKING IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MOVE EITHER ONE OF THESE DRUGSTORE STILL SEEMS MORE INTENSE THAN AN OFFICE DISTRICT, BUT STAFF SEES THE POSSIBLE IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MOVING A RESTAURANT INTO A USE BY RIGHT.

PERHAPS A STAFF WOULD SUGGEST THAT MAYBE A, A BARBER OR BEAUTY SHOP WOULD ALSO FIT IN THE DISTRICT.

AND I KNOW I'VE TAKEN A COUPLE CALLS FROM BEAUTICIANS THAT I'VE HAD TO TELL.

NO, YOU CAN'T, THAT THIS WOULD THAT WOULD CHANGE THAT CONVERSATION.

I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THAT SUGGESTION EITHER. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? WITH YOUR PERMISSION, THEN I'LL COME BACK WITH DRAFT RESOLUTIONS TO YOUR NEXT MEETING, AND IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE, THEN WE'LL SCHEDULE A PUBLIC HEARING. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SOUNDS GOOD. OKAY, I HAVE ONE REQUEST IN ADDITION TO THAT.

YEAH. FOR THE WHEN WE DO END UP HAVING THE PO VERSUS COMMERCIAL DISTRICT CONVERSATION, IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE THE MAP THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE LAST MEETING. ABSOLUTELY. AS JUST ADDITIONAL DETAIL IN THAT CONVERSATION.

SURE. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. YOU MAY STAND UP.

I'M NOT SURE. REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS WITH TOWNSHIP BOARD UPDATE.

[10.A. Township Board update ]

THEY HAVE A THREE STEP PROCESS. SO COPPER CREEK IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR INTRODUCTION.

OKAY. THAT SUBJECT TO CHANGE BECAUSE I SAID THAT'S THE DRAFT AGENDA, BUT THAT LOOKS LIKE WHAT'S COMING UP.

OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE WITH THE TOWNSHIP BOARD? NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.

ANY LIAISON REPORTS. ZBA HAS NOT MET SINCE I LAST MEETING, SO.

QUESTION. NO. DO YOU HAVE ANY. ALL RIGHT. PROJECT UPDATES.

[11. PROJECT UPDATES]

[00:40:04]

OKAY. I SAW THE LIGHTS ON. YEAH. THAT'S EVERYTHING I HAVE ANY PUBLIC REMARKS.

MOVING FORWARD. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS. I HAVE A COMMENT.

[13. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS]

AND SINCE THAT MEETING, I'VE DONE A BIT MORE RESEARCH AND THERE'S PRETTY CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT LIKE IT BEING THAT CLOSE TO A GAS STATION IS LINKED TO LIKE 10% HIGHER RISK OF LEUKEMIA, CHILDHOOD LEUKEMIA, AND LOTS OF OTHER UNFORTUNATE HEALTH HEALTH OUTCOMES BENZENE AND OTHER CHEMICALS.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S AN APPROPRIATE PLACE TO SHARE, LIKE THE SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE ON THAT WITH OTHER COMMISSIONERS, BECAUSE IT IN MY MIND, THAT'S A BIG FACTOR THAT'S AFFECTING HOW I'M LOOKING AT IS THIS ADVERSELY AFFECTING NEIGHBORS? AND SO I'M, I'M HAPPY TO LIKE SEND SOME LINKS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR COMMUNICATION.

COMMISSIONER NAHUM, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU NOT DO THAT AS THE APPEARANCE OF EX PARTE COMMUNICATION ACTIVE APPLICATION MAY BE PERCEIVED. IF YOU WANT TO SEND THAT TO ME, I CAN SUPPLY THAT AS A COMMUNICATION TO YOUR MEMBERS OR YOU CAN PASS THAT OUT AT THE MEETING.

OKAY. YEAH. BECAUSE YEAH, I, I, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU, THE REST OF YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THAT INFORMATION.

BUT YEAH, TO THAT POINT I BELIEVE IN THE LAST DISCUSSION OF AN APPLICATION, AN ENGINEER PROMISED TO BRING US MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THOSE FUMES ARE REGULATED.

THAT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE A GOOD POINT AT WHICH TO EDUCATE OURSELVES ABOUT THE DEGREE TO WHICH THAT EXPLANATION FITS WITH THE LITERATURE THAT YOU'VE SEEN.

OKAY. WELL, YEAH, I'LL PROBABLY SEND SOME INFORMATION TO YOU THEN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I HAVE ONE. YEAH. COMMISSIONER BROOKS AND THE REVIEW OF THE SUP THAT WE HAD FOR THE CHILD CARE CENTER THIS EVENING. I WAS READING THROUGH THE CRITERIA FOR WHAT WE WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR.

AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT ALL THE REQUIREMENTS AND HOOPS THAT CHILD CARE CENTERS HAVE TO GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO GET LICENSED BY THE STATE IN ORDER TO EVEN HAVE THE FACILITIES OPEN.

I WAS ALSO THINKING ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE TOWNSHIP WHO HAVE KIDS, AND THERE'S GENERALLY A SHORTAGE OF DAYCARE CENTERS.

FROM MY EXPERIENCE, THE PRICES ARE GENERALLY HIGH AND THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE COST IS TO OPEN ONE, BUT I IMAGINE THAT THE GOING THROUGH THOSE HOOPS IS NOT EASY OR CHEAP IN ALL CASES, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE TO UPDATE THINGS. NOT THAT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARY, BUT I WONDERED AS I WAS GOING THROUGH THIS, IF THE TOWNSHIP OR THE COMMISSION HAD HAD EVER CONSIDERED OR WOULD BE OPEN TO.

LIMITING OR SCALING BACK OUR SUP REQUIREMENTS ON CHILD CARE CENTERS AND RESIDENTIAL AREAS.

ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS IS BECAUSE THE STATE ALREADY CAPS THE NUMBER OF, OF KIDS WHO CAN BE WITHIN THOSE AREAS, AND THEN THEY HAVE ALL THE REGULATIONS THAT THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH.

AND SO I. WAS LEFT WONDERING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE NEEDED TO HAVE ADDITIONAL STEPS ON THAT. PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF, IN THE CASE OF THE ONE THAT WE SAW THIS EVENING, IF IT'S ONLY TEN KIDS, THAT'S TEN EXTRA CARS DOWN A SMALL ROAD A DAY EVERY DAY AND EACH WAY.

AND I JUST STRUGGLE TO SEE THE NEGATIVE OF THAT.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE AS A THOUGHT TO SEE IF ANYTHING STUCK.

YEAH. I RECALL THAT PRIOR DAYCARE APPLICATIONS HAVE BROUGHT OUT THRONGS AND

[00:45:06]

YEAH. SO WE'RE PROVIDING A PUBLIC FORUM THAT EDUCATES FOLKS ABOUT WHAT FOLKS ARE AND AREN'T ALLOWED TO DO.

AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT FUNCTION PERSONALLY, BUT I ALSO AM VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH YOUR THOUGHTS THAT FORCING APPLICANTS FOR A BUSINESS THAT WE ALL WANT TO SEE, TO COME TO SEVERAL MEETINGS AND FILL OUT ALL THAT EXTRA PAPERWORK IS UNFORTUNATE.

SO IT'S A BALANCING OF THE BURDEN ON THE APPLICANT TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH OUR HOOPS VERSUS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NEIGHBORS TO COME AND QUESTION WHETHER THINGS ARE BEING DONE ABOUT BOARD. LUCKILY, WE'VE GOT A GROUP TONIGHT THAT EVERYBODY IS SUPPORTIVE OF AND WE'RE ALL SUPPORTIVE OF IT, SO IT LOOKS LIKE AN EXTRA NOTHING. BUT FOR OTHERS THAT WE'VE SEEN, NEIGHBORS DIDN'T FEEL THAT WAY.

AND I THINK THERE CAN BE TIMES WHEN I MEAN, NOT IN THIS CASE, OF COURSE, BUT WHERE WE MIGHT FEEL ONCE AGAIN THAT PERHAPS A DAYCARE FACILITY ISN'T APPROPRIATE GIVEN NEIGHBORING USES LIKE THAT ARE HAZARDOUS TO CHILDREN BEING AT THAT LOCATION.

SO LIKE, IT CAN GO BOTH WAYS IN TERMS OF WHAT DO WE THINK IF IT'S APPROPRIATE OR NOT, LIKE IF THE DAYCARE IS A NUISANCE TO THE NEIGHBORS OR IF THE NEIGHBORS LIKE ARE A HAZARD TO TO THE DAYCARE. BUT IN THIS CASE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DAYCARES AND RESIDENTIAL ZONE NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO THAT HOPEFULLY DOESN'T COME UP TOO OFTEN BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO LET PEOPLE LIVE THERE.

I HOPE WE CAN SAY FOR A SAFE FOR DAYCARES AS WELL, BUT.

I GUESS MY ASSUMPTION, THOUGH, IS THAT THE STATE ALREADY HAS RULES ABOUT HOW FAR A DAYCARE CAN BE FROM ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT. SO. SO I DON'T SEE WHAT THE PURPOSE OF OUR REVIEW IS.

AND THE ONE CASE THAT I CAN THINK OF THAT WHERE PEOPLE WERE ANTAGONISTIC TOWARDS DAYCARE, IT WAS A SPECIFIC SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE PEOPLE MAY HAVE BEEN SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

AND THAT WAS, WAS THAT HERE? THAT WAS LIKE NEAR TIE HEART.

YEAH. IT WAS. YEAH, IT'S A WHILE BACK. I REMEMBER IT WAS, I MEAN I RECALL IN THAT DISCUSSION HAVING MY OWN CONCERNS ABOUT PICKUP DROP OFF AND SCHOOL BUS CONFLICTS. RIGHT. AND THOSE ARE KINDS OF ISSUES THAT MIGHT ARISE IN SOME SITUATIONS AND NOT IN OTHERS. I, IF I CAN PIGGYBACK ON THAT, THAT PARTICULAR HEARING, ONE OF THE RESULTS OF THAT IS THAT WE GOT A, A FENCED IN BACKYARD OUT OF THAT.

YOU WERE ABLE TO GIVE A CONDITION OF APPROVAL THAT THEY, THAT THEY, THAT THEY HAD TO MEET BECAUSE IT BACKED THAT PROPERTY BACKED UP TO TIE HART ROAD. AND THERE WAS CONCERN ABOUT CHILDREN WALKING INTO TIE HART ROAD.

YOU YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO PUT THAT CONDITION ON THAT STATE ALLOWS THAT IN, IN THERE.

THAT'S WHY IT'S THAT'S WHY WE'RE ALLOWED TO CALL IT A SPECIAL USE PERMIT. IF THEY HADN'T AGREED TO YOUR YOUR REQUEST FOR THE FENCE, I MEAN, STAFF SUGGESTED IT, BUT YOU WENT ALONG WITH IT. RIGHT.

AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE HEARING.

IF IT'S A BIGGER DISCUSSION YOU WANT TO HAVE AT ANOTHER TIME, STAFF CAN BRING THIS BACK AND WE CAN LOOK AT IT.

BUT. ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD TO IT TO AT LEAST THIS PORTION OF COMMENTS? NO, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THOSE THOUGHTS. I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S FEEDBACK.

SURE. COMMISSIONER. ANY COMMENTS? MOVE TO ADJOURN.

OH, WAIT. BEFORE YOU DO. NO, JUST VERY QUICK.

STAFF'S GOING TO TRY TO TURN AROUND THE NEXT PACKET BY THE END OF THE WEEK.

I'M GONE NEXT WEEK. AND YOUR NEXT MEETING IS THE 10TH.

THE DAY I COME BACK. FOR SURE WE'LL GET OUT AN AGENDA.

AND IF I GET THAT OUT, WHEN I GET THAT OUT, I'LL EMAIL YOU GUYS SO THAT YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S COMING.

[00:50:02]

AND IF NOT WE'LL SHOOT FOR GETTING IT UP AS SOON AS, LIKE, MAYBE.

MAYBE I'LL MAKE GRETA DO IT WHILE I'M GONE [LAUGHS]. BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW THERE MIGHT BE SOME WEIRDNESS WITH THE TIMING ON THAT STUFF.

JUST ONE THING BEFORE ADJOURNMENT. I DO WANT TO COMMEND STAFF MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP ALL THE THE PUBLIC FOR CELEBRATING MERIDIAN THIS PAST WEEKEND. MY FAMILY AND I WENT, I'M SURE SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE GONE.

AND IT ALL ENDED WITH THE FABULOUS DRONE SHOW.

SO GREAT JOB, MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP AND ALL THOSE WHO WERE INVOLVED WITH THE PREPARATION AND PUTTING THAT ALL TOGETHER.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT YOU HAD A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

YEAH. SORRY FOR STEPPING ON YOUR TOES. NOT A PROBLEM.

GOT A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

ADJOURNED AT 7:20 P.M..

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.