By David Gordon, March 13, 2019
It was 10 minutes to 11pm when the Board of Trustees (BoT) finally adjourned.
They started at 7pm and this is what they got done.
- Hired a policeman.
- Approved the Community Center holding a “Medication Take Back” event.
- Directed the Manager to “explore” hiring a Zoning Administrator.
- Paid bills; dispersed checks and received department reports.
Nearly everything else on the overloaded agenda got chewed over, partially digested
and tabled for lack of information during another typical, disorganized gabfest.
“I’m so tired of this,” said Treasurer Lenore Zelenock. “I’ve been asking for
procedures to be established - summaries and recommendations attached to every
agenda item,” she said. “But it doesn’t happen. This isn’t rocket science,” she added.
There were important items on the agenda such as establishing “Goals & Objectives”
and creating a spending plan for “Capital Improvements”. Neither were resolved.
Supervisor Chockley is responsible for the agenda. She gets $12,500/year for her
service. Township Manager Steve Aynes costs taxpayers nearly $100k/year.
Together, they haven’t yet figured out how to put together an agenda.
We want competence and professionalism.
What we get is “Groundhog Day”, but without the laughs.
Reports on Michigan Roads to consider while you're waiting:
Free Press: Slingshot effect? What happens when a car hits a pothole, Eric D. Lawrence, 3-13-2019
TRIP: Modernizing Michigan’s Transportation System: Progress and Challenges, March, 2019
Free Press: Report: Michigan doesn't have money to fix deteriorating roads, Kristi Tanner, 3-12-2019
In Michigan, TRIP estimates the bad roads are costing drivers $4.6 billion a year. That's $646 per driver.
In its report, TRIP summarizes research by Cornell University that shows every $1 of deferred maintenance on roads and bridges equates to an additional $4 to $5 in future repairs.
Free Press: As Whitmer makes case for higher gas taxes, remember what cuts did to Michigan, John Gallagher, 3-12-2019
Free Press: Does Michigan have the worst potholes? Evidence suggests yes, Eric D. Lawrence, Christina Hall, 3-11-2019
Free Press: 7 questions about Gretchen Whitmer's Michigan gas tax increase, Paul Egan, 3-9-2019
Free Press: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to propose 45-cent hike in fuel tax to fund Michigan roads, Paul Egan, 3-4-2019
Free Press: Thousands seek to recuperate money for pothole repairs. Payouts are rare. But they happen, Elisha Anderson, 3-1-2019
Free Press: Fixing Michigan's crumbling roads: What about the heavy trucks?, Paul Egan, 3-1-2019
Free Press: Republican lawmakers get real about Michigan roads, Brian DIckerson, 2-17-2019
Free Press: Contracted work at MDOT cost Michigan an extra $90M, study says, Eric D. Lawrence, 2-15-2019
Free Press: MDOT director: Agency needs $1.5 billion more to fix state roads, Paul Egan, 2-5-2019
Free Press: Ex-Michigan lawmakers have plan to fix roads. You may not like it, Brian Dickerson, 1-31-2019
Free Press: MDOT director on crumbling roads: 'We don't have the money to build it right,' Paul Egan, 1-30-2019
Free Press: For a real roads fix, Michigan must be creative, Ron Fisher
Free Press: Survey: Michigan has the crummiest roads in US, Mike Thompson, 1-14-2019
Free Press: Cheap gas prices could mean new trouble for roads, climate, John Gallagher, 1-7-2019
Free Press: Detroit's mobility options changing faster than we think, John Gallagher, 12-7-2018
Free Press: Why Detroit and Michigan must worry about global warming, John Gallagher, 9-7-2018
Free Press: Infrastructure spending: Which state is falling apart the worst?, Samuel Stebbins, 8-13-2018
USA Today: Trump ignites infrastructure debate despite concerns about funding for highways, railways and airports, Bart Jansen, 2-12-2018
Planning Commission to Board of Trustees:
“Why R U Selling the Historic Barker Road Fire Station?”
“What Are We Planners, Chopped Liver?”
Report on the March 6, 2019 Planning Commission Meeting
by David Gordon March 8, 2019
The Planning Commission last night unanimously urged the Board of Trustees to rescind it’s Feb. 26 decision to sell historic Barker Road Fire Station, claiming the Board ignored the work of two new planning groups and failed to seek advice of the township planner.
“I find it disturbing” said PC Chair Larry Roman who made the motion asking the Board to rescind its decision. “Why spend that ($20,000) on the Downtown Strategic Action Plan (DSAP) and not follow it,” he said. “Maybe this is why the public doesn’t want to get involved.”
Commissioner Sam Iaquinto, owner of Mac’s Marina, said “as a business owner for 25 years, the Board decision sends a message that this community will continue to decline.”
Trustee Janet Chick, who is the Board representative to the Planning Commission, voted in favor of revisiting the Board decision even though she voted to sell the historical fire hall at the Feb. 26 meeting on a 6/1 vote. The only Trustee who opposed selling the property was Treasurer Lenore Zelenock.
Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Chair Barb Griffith Watson said “the DSAP has been completely ignored by the Board.” DSAP member Jack Secrist said “we spent a lot of time on our plan” and that selling 75 Barker Road would kill any chance of using the property for parking.
Resident Tim Saville said the Board should keep the property for parking and David Gordon said the building should be saved for its historical significance.
The township’s Kiwanis Club has been lobbying the Board for more than a year to use the former firehouse without success.
In other business, the PC discussed its Marijuana Ordinance draft. “I don’t think marijuana should have any more restrictions than a liquor or drug store,” said Iaquinto.
The current ordinance under consideration is eight pages long and places a number of requirements on any dispensary business including:
- Need to get permit approval every year.
- $5,000 non-refundable application fee.
- Need to get a compliance permit that can be denied on an annual basis.
- A rule that no “product” may be visible from the street.
- Limiting hours of operation – 7am to 9pm
- A permit may be revoked if it’s determined the store creates a “nuisance”.
At the final Call to the Public, Gordon questioned why the PC’s $25,000 rewrite of the Master Plan is so biased in favor of growth and development. “The Master Plan spends three times as much ink on development as it does on preservation,” said Gordon.
Preservation doesn’t even show up until Page 25. Residents can comment on the Master Plan draft for the next 60 days by visiting the township website.
Former Planner Leah DeMouchel's analysis of the 1996 and 2010 surveys.
Northfield-Township-Master-Plan-McKenna-Proposed-2019-02-15-draft.pdf
Future-Land-Use-Master-Plan-Changes-McKenna-2019-02-15-draft.pdf
Whitmore-Lake-Corridor-Analysis-Master-Plan-McKenna-2019-02-14.pdf
Documents in this meeting's packet, broken out
2019-02-20-Northfield-Township-Planning-Commission-meeting-Agenda.pdf
Northfield-Township-Master-Plan-McKenna-Proposed-2019-02-15-draft.pdf
Future-Land-Use-Master-Plan-Changes-McKenna-2019-02-15-draft.pdf
Whitmore-Lake-Corridor-Analysis-Master-Plan-McKenna-2019-02-14.pdf
2018-Annual-Report-of-Activities-by-the-Planning-Commission-McKenna-2019-01-31.pdf
Marijuana-Zoning-Regulations-McKenna-2019-02-15.pdf
Northfield-Township-Planning-Commission-Minutes-2019-02-06-draft.pdf
Notice-of-Public-Hearing-Case#JPC190001-2019-02-03.pdf
Notice-of-Public-Hearing-Case#JPC190002-2019-02-03.pdf
2019-02-20-Northfield-Township-Planning-Commission-meeting-Packet.pdf
In a 10:1 vote, the Ann Arbor City Council has approved contributing over half of the $478,867 cost of preserving the 75 acre Lepkowski farm at 7084 Spencer Road.
MLive: Ann Arbor officials have change of heart about preserving family farm - Ryan Stanton, 2-20-2019
Before Northfield Township voted to contribute $2,000 and Washtenaw County agreed to contribute $10,000, Ann Arbor had been on the hook for approximately 55.3% of the $479K cost. Less the - according to MLive - USDA grant of $213,750, plus the township and country contributions, Ann Arbor will now pony up $253,117, 52.8% of the total.
The base price of the conservation easement was $5,700/acre.
After this allocation, over 3/4 of a million dollars in U.S. Department of Agriculture funding remains available for conserving greenbelt land outside the Ann Arbor City Limits.
Some backstory:
MLive: This is it for us,’ farmer tells Ann Arbor officials in emotional plea - Ryan Stanton, 1-24-2019
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