00:00   LiveTimeline

00:18 A. CALL TO ORDER
02:35 B. ROLL CALL
02:35 C. CALL TO PUBLIC
03:00 D. MINUTES 4/28/21
04:47 E. FINANCIAL REPORT (SECRIST) Finalize 2021-22 Budget
06:43 Questions
07:28 Griffith: motion to
08:50 F. LIBRARY REPORT (SECRIST)
              Electronic sign Diversity improvement statement motion to approve monthly financial report
10:52 Dignan suggests a local sign maker,
         Little Fish Design, Angela Matthews maker of hospital business, monument signs, Covid directional signs
         Dignan: I talked to owner asking about dealing with township. Dignan: "We have great areas for improvement as a township."
14:25 G. PARKS & REC REPORT (WILBUR)
         Community garden is full up.
         reseeding ad hoc parking area in front of park, used during winter and early spring, totally tire rutted area of park
         Counting on nature to water flower beds and/or pots
         Interest in Farmer's markets next year
         Dignan: thanks to Chief and one of the firefighters who brought in a tractor to help
17:45 H. SUPERVISOR'S REPORT (DIGNAN)
         Gronow, "barrier free town homes"
         "His product is very high end"
         "208 are rental"
         42 acres of open space competitive dog park, agility stuff?
         Gronow plans on being part of the community
         I can excitedly say I now have four tenants for my building. 13x13 offices?
         Van's Archery has a big Nextel sign on it. They didn't submit any paperwork. (They installed signs without a permit, at night.)
         Fire Hall: We're in our due diligence process. I haven't talked to the chef recently.
         Ex Township Planner Julie Connekee is a planner for the city of Detroit now.

I. OLD BUSINESS
27:03 1. BENCH PROJECT UPDATE Barb Griffith
31:22 2. COMMUNITY RELATIONS Jenny Olney
33:40 3. BANNERS FOR DOWNTOWN (Griffith)
         $95/set FiberFlex brackets for 13 banners, $1235 plus tax, from Bronners

J. NEW BUSINESS

44:42 1. Flowers?
1:00:30 Motion to make Streetscape Budget: $2000 passes

K. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
1:02:12 Jenny Olney
1:03:05 Dana Forrester
1:10:22 Denise Kabisch
1:16:12 Anne Iaquinto
1:17:44 Bridget Kasmenn
1:18:46 Matt Ritz
1 20 16 Ken Dignan [Nothing]
1:20:20 Jack Secrist
1:21:03 Kristin Hatfield
1:23:35 Doug Wilbur: path garbage, mowing, "A lot of our image has to do with the flowers"
1:29:10 Cecilia Infante
1:31:42 Barb Griffith, et al
         Working with two attorneys re TIFF mess, DIY Legal work
         Questioned legitimacy of original outline of the DDA map
         "We do something that is unique. We capture 50% of some properties and 100% of other properties. Not all parties agreed."
         50% capture on Territorial Road virgin properties.
         Dignan unable to confirm that Washtenaw Community College consented to plundered revenue stream.

1:38:50 L. NEXT MEETING (6/23/21)
1:39:50 2nd call to the public?
         Whitmore Lake won best lake in the Ann Arbor area.
         Largest body of spring fed water in southeast michigan, fed only by 2 springs.
         All Star Alarm won the best Home Security.
1:41:50 M. ADJOURNMENT

 

 

 

 

More LiveTimeline enhanced meeting videos:
2021 Planning Commission Meetings on VideoNorthfield>
2021 Township Board Meetings on VideoNorthfield>
2021 Other Board and Commission Meetings on VideoNorthfield>

 

 

 

McKenna Planners Vidya Krishnan and John Jackson led this two hour seminar and review.

00:00 LiveTimeline
01:15 1. call to order
01:17 2. roll call
02:08 3. adoption of agenda
02:23 4. call to the public
           [Roman reveals new public comment policy mirroring board policy, a change of policy never voted on
           5. clarifications from commission [none]
03:12 6. correspondence
           7. public hearings [none]
           8. reports of committees
03:18 A. Board of Trustees - 8 park proposals received, trying to borrow a building inspector
04:30 B. ZBA
          C. Staff [None]
04:42 D. Planning Consultant
05:20 E. Parks and Recreation
05:44 F. Downtown Planning Group
           9. unfinished business [none]

10. new business:
05:52 A. joint training seminar presented by McKenna
06:30 introduction - Vidya Krishnan
07:04 five foci:

  • planning and zoning essentials
  • review procedures
  • the zoning board of appeals
  • managing risk
  • public participation

focus 1
08:09 planning & zoning essentials
08:12 authority
08:36 authority and responsibility
11:03 michigan planning enabling act (MPEA)
12:45 michigan zoning enabling act (MZEA)
14:39 roles and responsibilities
14:43 the planning & zoning team
16 56 roles and responsibilities of each of the boards and commissions
16:56 planning commission
20:22 board of trustees
21:04 zoning board of appeals
21:55 the zoning administrator
23:10 master plan
26:45 benefits of a master plan
27:15 zoning ordinance: based on implementing the policies in the master plan dictates range of uses so that your property is harmonious with neighboring properties
28:22 relationship of master plan & zoning ordinance, guide to future vs regulation of today
28:59 relationship of master plan & zoning ordinance, cont'd
30:15 questions for discussion - is the master plan a legally enforceable document? if the master plan & zoning ordinance are in conflict, which governs zoning decisions?
30:30 Iaquinto
31:15 Chick - what is the zoning plan?
33:22 Chick - site inspections?
33:59 Chick - master plan vs zoning ordinance?
35:07 Infante - Jackson: no default based on the MP future land use map. zoning determines what property can be used for at a given time.
36:34 review procedures
36:40 Roman - can you go over some of the ramifications if the zoning ordinance is not followed as compared to the master plan?
Jackson: that's a tough call. the master plan is a guide. document the decisions that led to the deviation. To arbitrarily deviate from a master plan could lead to a lawsuit without a sound body of findings
40:20 Dwyer - to follow up on mr roman's point, there seems to be some inconsistency in that a contradiction where by there is a requirement that some developments shall be consistent with the goals and policies of the township master plans though it was in some ways deferring to the master plan. is that a contradiction?
Jackson: "But still"
42:35 Chick - Compatability does not mean that it has to match the surrounding area?
43:30 Infante -
44:30 Jackson - soporifics, platitudes, flattery and "no one said it would be easy"

45:10 Jackson - when you talk about things like compatability and harmonious, it might be something as simple as relocating a driveway on a proposed development so that. Just the same, it might be harmonious to build a sidewalk that connects the existing development to the new development. that might be what makes it harmonious.

45:48 Jackson - there's obviously also the ability to put up screening and things like that. In my mind if you have to put up a lot of walls and landscape screening and things like that maybe the uses really aren't that compatable. I would think that you would look at uses that can coexist in a positive way.

focus 2
46:38 review procedures
46 38 Site Plan Review: Vidya Krishnan now leads the presentation
49:49 When is Site Plan Review required?
50:45 What information is required on a Site plan?
              Site Plan Manual and checklist
52:25 Site Plan Review Process
54:10 Site Plan Decision
56:44 Conditional Use Permits
56:54 What are Conditional Uses? aka special land uses
59:33 Conditional Use Permit Review Procedure
1:02:00 Review Considerations (Section 36:838)
1:04:57 Unique CUPs: Marijuana Facilities
1:07:08 Questions?
1:07:24 Roman - The township is not always the entity that determines the requirements
1:08:05 Chick - Board vs PC
1:09:42 Roman
1:10:02 Iaquinto - In some communities it is up to the PC while in our community it is up to the Board on some projects. In those communities where it is up to the PC as the final recommending body, do the township boards, are they able to override the override the PC in those situations?
Krishnan: No.

1:11:20 Text & Map Amendments John Jackson takes over
1:11:30 Amendments, text and rezoning
1:12:45 Amendment Procedure
1:14:22 Planning Commission Action
1:16:38 Board of Trustees Action
1:17:20 Special Development Options
1 17 20 PUDs (Article XXIII) MZEA
1:18:42 PUD Process
1:20:40 PUD Review Criteria
1:22:00 Open Space Development (an option required by the MZEA)

1:23:20 Nonconformities (page 42)
1 23 20 Nonconformities (p 43)
1:24:13 Nonconformities (continued) (page 44)
1:24:45 Questions?
1:24:56 Chick
1:27:06 Chick What is a substantive change?
1:29:30 Dwyer
1:31:09 Roman (section 36.672)
1:31:53 Zarzecki - notices? newsprint has been going out of print. Have alternative noticing methods been considered?
              Krishnan - State Law hasn't caught up with technology
              Jackson - State law is the minimum. 300 feet is the minimum
1:35:18 Chick
1:35:51 Iaquinto - I believe we increased our radius to 600 ft. We have gone the extra "mile."
1:36:17 Muchow - Can a PUD be considered if it doesn't comply with future land use?
1:37:02 Jackson - there's a lot in that question. the PUD becomes the new zoning for that property.
1:38:00 Muchow - A PUD is actually a rezoning
1:38:15 Jackson - In Northfield PUDs are treated as a rezoning. In other communities...

focus 3
1:38:48 Zoning Board of Appeals
1 38 48 Appeals (page 46)
1:40:17 Variances (page 47)
1:43:35 Example (page 48)
1:46:15 Variances trick question (page 49)
1:47:23 Variances trick question answer (page 50)

focus 4
1 48 40 managing risk [page 51]
1:48:40 risk management (page 52)
1:49:20 making good decisions (page 53,54)
1:50:06 before meetings (page 55)
1:53:40 during meetings, dos and don'ts (page 56)
1:56:44 sound decisions (page 57)
1:58:08 sound decisions, (continued) (page 58)
1:59:48 making sound decisions - another trick question (page 59)
2:00:43 Chick
2:02:00 when turning down a request... (page 61)
2:03:30 conflicts of Interest (page 62)
2 03 30 conflicts of interest [page 63)
2:04:20 conflicts of Interest - a tricky question (page 64)
2:04:50 Chick
2:05:00 conflicts of interests - the tricky answers (page 65)
2:06:00 conflict of interest procedures (page 66)
2:08:13 Jackson

focus 5
2 09 03 public participation (page 67)
2:09:03 public participation - what is required (page 68)
2:12:00 public notice - what is required, ZEA (page 69)
2:13:10 public hearings (page 70)
2:13:57 public hearings (cont'd) (page 71)

              Krishnan returns helm to Jackson
2:15:25 other tools: RRC recommendations (page72)
              what are redevelopment ready communities?
2:20:16 final questions
) 2:20:30 Chick
2:21:14 Infante


2:22:35 11. approval of preceding minutes - postponed
2:23:03 12. final call to the public [none]
2:23:21 13. comments from the commissioners
           Infante, Dwyer, Zarzecki, Chick, Iaquinto, Roman
2:24:51 14. announcement: next regular meeting – june 2, 2021
15. adjournment

 

 

This was my introduction to the Parks & Recreation Board.  The meetup was brief, 37 minutes.  Take time to check it out.

 

2021 Parks & Recreation Master Plan

2015 Parks & Recreation Master Plan 

Did you know about the one mile walking path around the North Village Park?

 

 

 

LiveTimeline: 5/20/2021 Northfield Township Parks & Rec Board meeting

 

The clickable timestamps and labels below match the demarcations on the timeline in the video player above.

Clicking them takes you, the viewing audience, directly to the annoted point in the meeting video.  This cannot 

be done on the LiveStream account.  That's why I do it here instead, at an enormous personal cost.

 

00:00 LiveTimeline

00:35 1. Call to Order

00:43 2. Roll Call and Determination of Quorum

03:00 3. Approval of Agenda

           4. Call to the Public

03:50 William Lauwerz

07:00 5. Minutes of April 15, 2021 Meeting

07:23 6. Correspondence

08:22 7. Planning Commission Update (Sam Iaquinto)

08:36 8. Township Board Update (Jacki Otto)

               6/22 introduction to prospective park planners... DNR grant due "the next day" office staff thanks, 15th

11:02 9. School Board Update (Lee Cole) Lee Cole explains that WLPS has had more in-person classes than anyone else, thus higher expenses. WISD no help. Pool area staffer died???

           10. DDA Update (Doug Wilbur) (absent)

15:22 11. Financial Report

           12. Project Review & Discussion

             a. Community Park

18:20

             i. RFP for park planning design services – update (Otto)

            ii. MDNR grant application - update (Otto)

19:38 iii. Plans for work on path and lakefront plantings (DeLisle, Koenig, Saville)

            b. Dog Park

26:00   i. Replacement of gazebo – update?

            ii. Any other repairs needed?

            c. Community Garden

28:17  i. Is the hand pump ready to use?

29:45 ii. When is the fence going to be installed?

31:20 iii. When will the rules/garden sign be installed?

           iv. Anything else needed?

          13. Board Member Comments

34:10  phonein[-724] knows someone who wants to apply for one of two upcoming Board vacancies

35:28 Lee Cole thanks those who serve on the Parks & Rec Board

36:00 14. Announcement of Next Meetings

             a. June 10, 2021 - Special Meeting to Consider Recommendations for park planning design services

             b. June 17, 2021 - Regular Meeting

36:40 15. Adjournment

 

 

Meeting Summary: 

  • Board to Township Taxpayers: You Don't Come First Anymore.  (It's good enough for Ann Arbor, said Dignan.)

  • Chestnut Public Hearing set for May 25th, 7pm

  • Nine Firms vie for right to Plan Whitmore Lake's Lakeside Park.  That's three times the number of developers who showed up.

  • 5/11/2021 Northfield Township Board meeting LiveAgenda

Meeting Documents:

 

 

 

 

LiveAgenda

CALL TO ORDER

INVOCATION

PLEDGE

ROLL CALL

APPROVE MINUTES from April 27, 2021 Regular Meeting

APPROVE MINUTES from May 4, 2021 Special Meeting

  • Dignan says the May 4th minutes are absent from the 4 page packet addendum.
  • Otto moves to postpone approval of the May 4th minutes.
  • The May 4th minutes ARE in the packet.

CONSENT AGENDA

  • 1. Receive the Fire Department Report
  • 2. Receive the Police Department Report
  • 3. Receive the Wastewater Treatment Report
  • 4. Receive the Community Center Report
  • 5. Receive the Financial and Fund Balance Reports
  • 6. Accept Check Disbursement Report for Paid Bills (check dates from 4/9/2021-5/6/2021)
  • 7. Approve Payment of Open Bills (expected check run date 5/12/21)

ADOPT BALANCE OF AGENDA

PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS

BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS

CORRESPONDENCE

People’s Express Quarterly Report

OLD BUSINESS

NEW BUSINESS - ACTION ITEMS

NEW BUSINESS – DISCUSSION ITEMS

8.06pm 1. Review Fiscal Year 2021-22 Budget for Police, Fire, Building Grounds and DDA, WWTP, Building Department, Bond

  • $11,700 balance in barker road general fund
  • No breakdown of sewer basin, itemized
  • 8.08pm Zelenock

2. Discuss Reserved “Public Comment” on the Agendas

TRUSTEE/LIAISON REPORTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS

BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS/

9.21.50pm ADJOURNMENT