"If I were thinking about putting a retail store in downtown Whitmore Lake, I can tell you which comes first. It's not the chicken and it's not the egg. It's the parking.
It would seem like such a small but immense committment to the mercantile side of Whitmore Lake to take 75 Barker Road and change the deed so that it can be nothing but municipal parking in perpetuity." - Craig Warburton
On the Agenda:
On September 13th Manager Fink told the Township Board that he would try to provide a summation of the costs and expenditures of the Van Curler purchase and development. Fink promised this after prodding from Trustee Wayne Dockett and a member of the Public, Joan Steuer. The data is not in the meeting packet but it is now available on the Township website in an incomplete form. At this meeting, Wayne Dockett received no reply to his observation that the spreadsheet contained no accounting for insurance or maintenance. It does not account for the fully six months of legal consultation or costs of Township Staff's involvement since before Van Curler came to our attention at a March 31, 2016 Special Northfield Township Board meeting.
| Company |
Description |
Date |
Amount |
|
Whitmore Lake Properties, LLC |
Deposit |
5/4/2016 |
$ 20,000.00 |
|
OHM Advisors |
Preparation of Parcel maps for property purchase |
6/30/2016 |
$ 387.00 |
|
OHM Advisors |
Geotechnical Investigation |
8/11/2016 |
$ 14,400.00 |
|
Atwell, Inc. |
ALTA Survey |
8/31/2016 |
$ 2,700.00 |
|
Whitmore Lake Properties, LLC |
Purchase cost (minus deposit) |
9/20/2016 |
$ 316,940.37 |
|
Downtown Planning Group |
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony |
pending |
$ 2,500.00 |
|
McKenna Associates |
Development Planning Contract |
pending |
$ 16,500.00 |
|
Total |
$ 373,427.37 |
Manager Fink has advanced a Salem Township proposal to split the cost of studying a Pontiac Trail non-motorized path connecting northern Ann Arbor to South Lyon. Salem Township's component terminates at the Northern Salem Township border with Lyon Township. Fully half of the proposed path lies within Salem Township. The length of the path traversing Northfield Township is slightly less than that which will traverse Ann Arbor Township. Rounded off, the split is about 50% Salem, 25% Northfield, and 25% Ann Arbor Township.
Rather than offering to split the cost along this natural allocation, Salem Township asks that we equally split the cost of preliminary planning.
- Medium resolution pedestrian path map: 965 pixels wide, 842 pixels high - 196KB
- High resolution pedestrian path map: 3300 pixels wide by 2880 pixels high - 720KB
- Original pedestrian path map - includes more of surrounding Townships - 3.09MB
At the September 13, 2016 Board meeting, Manager Fink guesstimated that the path, were it actually constructed, could cost $10M. He contrasted this to the approximately $800k-$1M guesstimated cost of constructing the Barker Road non-motorized path now entering the planning phase. As we learned from the Main Street sidewalk project, those figures probably do not include the cost of engineering.
"We can't even get along with our own planning commission. What makes us think we can get along with two other Townships?" - Trustee Wayne Dockett
"I think this is premature. Feasibility study or no feasibility study, I want to know how likely it is that this project ever gets off the ground." - Trustee Tracy Thomas
We don't hear much about it but Manager Fink represents Northfield Township at the Washtenaw Area Transportation Study (WATS) group. In a memo in Tonight's meeting packet, Fink has asked the Board for direction: What is the Township's position on the issue of the upcoming November vote to approve a Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan millage? The 20 year millage will cost an average Washtenaw, Macomb, Wayne, or Oakland County homeowner $95/year. A discussion of the RTA millage, issues, options, and County politics aired September 26 on Michigan Radio.
"The millage will pay for new bus rapid transit lines and rail service between Detroit and Ann Arbor. It would also fix what has been a dysfunctional transit system that never really connected the suburban SMART buses with the Detroit Department of Transportation bus system."
Also on the meeting Agenda is a proposal from Lil' Porky's owner, Soamar Jamil. Some background: The Board on July 26, 2016 considered Fink's proposal to assign to Mr. Jamil an unspecified number of dedicated parking spaces at the 75 Barker Road Public Parking lot. Jamil sought these parking spaces to provide off-site parking for Jamil's proposed redevelopment of the site currently known as the Driftwood Marina, the bow-roofed, two story relic across the road from Polly's market. On July 26, Jamil said the uncompleted Architectural plans provide only 7 parking spaces for the anticipated Bar & Grill. At this September 27th meeting, Jamil said this number was 13 spaces. Jamil estimated that ten to fifteen parking spaces would be required by employees. He also said that forty dedicated parking spaces would be required at 75 Barker Road. How many spaces are actually available now is unknown.
During First Call to the Public at the August 9th, 2016 Board meeting, this possible allocation of parking was denounced more or less as favoritism by Whitmore Lake businessman, Clyde Hatfield. Hatfield said he had to pay for every square foot of the parking he provided his customers.
At this Board discussion, Jamil's attorney spoke on his behalf. Jamil is nervous about investing in a business without having control over parking availability. What if the building is sold? What if a new building Tenant needs more parking than is available? What Jamil has asked for is a 20 year option to purchase 75 Barker and its parking lot. Much is left unsaid in Jamil's Option proposal. Despite or because of the "Said proposals" and "therefores," it is unclear whether the single dollar figure mentioned, $75,000, is the price of the desired Option to purchase or a promised purchase price. Fink advised the Board in his memo, "this is not in a format appropriate for review." Township Attorney Brad Maynes described to the Board the three elements of a proper option purchase proposal.
Meeting Documents:
9-27-2016 Northfield Township Board of Trustees 7 pm open session meeting Packet
Soamar Jamil's proposal to option 75 Barker Road in Whitmore Lake
Watch the 9-27-2016 Northfield Township Board of Trustees meeting on YouTube
Watch individual Agenda items with our 9-27-2016 Northfield Township Board of Trustees meeting LiveAgenda
Photo: The Ann Arbor Dog Training Club Barns
Following a Public Hearing the Planning Commission voted to recommend that the Township Board amend the zoning regulations which prevent the Ann Arbor Dog Training Club (AADTC) from locating kennels at its 1575 East North Territorial Road training facility. Dave Hughes of Dexter builder Vanston-O'Brien represented the AADTC before the Commission. Among the issues discussed was the variance necessary to allow the continued use of a gravel parking lot.
A Fenced Dog Exercise Yard South of the two Main Buildings.
To the right is a photo of a successful Ann Arbor Dog Training Club alumnus, Pepper the Wonder-Dog. Earlier this year she completed both "Puppy Kintergarten" and the 5-12 Month (Puppy) AKC Star programs. Pepper now attends a daytime AADTC Household I class.
The series of training classes provide socialization, activity, and responsibility training for dogs and their owners. Training classes also provide perspective. Between moments of perfect behavior, you will see your dog's peers behaving more or less as yours, bouncing with unconstrained enthusiasm and energy. Dreams of showing a perfectly behaved, immaculately groomed canine at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show seem so far away.
Pepper earned her Wonder-Dog title by finding my lost clip-on FitBit exercise monitor twice on walking trails around my home. After losing it a third time, I led our Wonder-Dog to the area where I'd been working before noticing its disappearance, a tangle of grapevines and bird netting surrounded by knee high grass. Pepper ran to a spot. I followed her nose. There, hooked to the bird netting, was my FitBit. 
By the way, there is a Northfield Dog Training Club. But it's on the south side of Ann Arbor.
Meeting Documents:
9-21-2016 Northfield Township Planning Commission LiveAgenda
9-21-2016 Northfield Township Planning Commission meeting Agenda
9-21-2016 Northfield Township Planning Commission meeting Packet
The entire 1 hour, 17 minute, Northfield Township Planning Commission meeting is also available to watch on VideoNorthfield.
The Board meeting began on a bright note. Public Safety Director William Wagner announced that the Fire Department had been notified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that Northfield Township and five or six co-applicant Fire Departments had been awarded a $275,000.00 grant to buy new protective Turnout Gear. From Boots to Helmet, every fireman/person will receive new gear. [Bunker Gear- Wikipedia, History of Turnout Gear, The Helmet]
Agenda Item 2: An easement across the 120 foot wide lawn at 365 Barker Road, for which the Township will be paying $10,000, has at long last been obtained for the Barker Road non-motorized path. Manager Fink has asked that Construction for the non-motorized path be submitted for bidding, despite 2 of the required permanent easements remaining unacquired. He said that if the other easements are acquired, revisions to the plans will necessitate change orders and changed costs.
Agenda Item 4: Encroachments and other issues continue to plague the Van Curler title process. Several times tonight Manager Fink tossed around the term, "prescriptive easements," to describe the state of the Van Curler property inadvertently fenced in by neighboring property owners. I have no idea what a prescriptive easement is and apparently, neither does Mr. Fink. Tonight Trustee Tracy Thomas, a real attorney, pointed out that the encroachments were very likely much older than the 15 years required under Michigan Law for achieve a state of adverse possession, commonly called squatter's rights.
Thomas: "I'm putting my lawyer hat on. It's not a prescriptive easement; it's adverse possession and I'm almost 100% certain that fifteen years has in fact passed and the township doesn't have any rights to ask anybody to move those fences. Based on what I'm looking at, I'm still gonna vote in favor to close, because we're talking about such a small level of encroachment, but there's really no percentage in us trying to assert ownership over these encroachments. That bus has left. However it might be a good idea, with regard to, as you get closer to the lake, we may approach that property owner and simply ask, and say, "we would like you to consider being a good citizen of the township and perhaps moving your fence or relocating your fence." But if we're talking about what to do about the encroachments, there isn't much to do. It's either close or don't close and understand that we don't own that land."
Getting back a few feet would make a difference in the size of the public beach on the quarter acre piece of land Trustee Dockett once pointedly called, "That Little Sliver on the Lake". Unfortunately, none of the encroachments seem to be in that lakeside parcel.
On Sunday, October 23rd, the Downtown Planning Group will host a Van Curler ribbon cutting ceremony. Pumpkin decorating, the Whitmore Lake High School band, and Kiwanis Hot Dogs are among the planned festivities.
The Washtenaw County Drain Commission has revised the Scadin Lake and Branch drainage district on the western border of Northfield Township, slightly raising the Township's costs from the current $502.77/year. You can ask the Drain Commission why they're doing this at a September 14th Day of Review at their Zeeb Road offices. Where's a Jake Gittes when you need him?
Discussion Item 2: Salem Township has asked the Northfield join with Ann Arbor Township in funding an engineering study of a non-motorized path that will connect northern Ann Arbor to the Salem/South Lyon area. OHM Engineer Jacob Rushlow provided the Board with some details about the standards of separation between highways and non-motorized paths. This path would be part of a much larger regional and statewide trail system. We will post our collection of instate trail maps and information later this week. Fink guestimated the cost of such a path at $8 to $10 million, which he assured the Board would be paid for by grants. He said the project would never be funded without a preliminary study.
Discussion Item 1: Manager Fink proposed that Northfield Township fund studying the feasibility of a trail around Whitmore Lake and perhaps some other trails through the Township. He said that an Engineering firm instead of a Planning Consultant should to the study, snubbing our latest Planning Consultant.
- Watch individual Agenda items with our 9-13-2016 Northfield Township Board of Trustees Live-Agenda
- Watch the entire 9-13-2016 Northfield Township Board of Trustees meeting on VideoNorthfield
- 9-13-2016 Northfield Township Board of Trustees meeting Agenda
- 9-13-2016 Northfield Township Board of Trustees meeting Packet
- 9-14-2016 Northfield Township Invoices and Checks Disbursed report
- 8-31-2016 Northfield Township Revenues and Expenditures report
- 8-31-2016 Northfield Township Fund Balance bar-graphs
- Scadin Lake and Branch Washtenaw County Drain Commission changes map and details
- Pontiac Trail non-motorized path Engineering proposal and map, dated 9/8/2016
- Barker Road non-motorized path: Agreement to pay $10,000 for an easement at 365 Barker Road.
Also, the Washtenaw County Water Resources department will be giving away some dig-it-yourself Switchgrass on Thursday, September 15th:
Help us dig out some switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the rain garden near the entrance to the Veteran's Park Ice Arena in Ann Arbor. We will be re-planting the rain garden with shorter plants and trees. Bring a shovel and something to put your plant in. Feel free to come anytime during the day on Thursday and take any of the plants that have orange flagging tape around them. If you would like a switchgrass, and can't come on Thursday, email Catie at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to make arrangements. Switchgrass can grow to 4-6' tall and needs sunshine. It can grow in wet or dry areas.
Be forewarned. Switchgrass, made famous as a source of cellulose to produce ethanol, does well in sandy soils. At the September 7th Planning Commission meeting we were reliably informed that sandy soils are considered undesirable for farming, at least by suburban experts. That's something to think about the next time you eat a mouthful of fresh blueberries from a sandy soiled, Western Michigan blueberry farm, a forkful of asparagus from one of Western Michigan's many sandy soiled Asparagus farms, or bite into a fresh strawberry from a sandy soiled Western Michigan strawberry farm.
The Board met to discuss hiring an Office Employee through a staffing agency. The Agency will charge 165% of the Hourly wage.
As always, Trustee Wayne Dockett led off by asking uncomfortable questions:
'It seems like we are having a lot of employees quitting or getting fired. Do we have a hostile work environment here at the Township offices or what's the problem? Does anybody know?'
Treasurer Kathy Braun responded:
'Well I will say that Pam quit for personal reasons . There was no hostile environment. If you want to talk to me one on one about performance issues or the personal issues I don't feel it's appropriate to discuss it in the public, um, because of HIPAA rules and all kinds of other things, I just wouldn't discuss it, but there was no hostile environment at all. I mean, if anything it was the opposite, bending over backwards to accomodate, so.'
What is HIPAA? Good luck trying to figure out how that explains any of Treasurer Braun's non-explanation. The meeting was only 18 minutes long. Watch it with the 9-7-2016 Northfield Township Board of Trustees special meeting LiveAgenda.
6:15 PM Northfield Township Board of Trustees:
- 9-7-2016 Northfield Township Board of Trustees special meeting Agenda
- 9-7-2016 Northfield Township Board of Trustees special meeting Packet
- Watch the 18 minute 9-7-2016 Northfield Township Board of Trustees special meeting on VideoNorthfield
- The 9-7-2016 Northfield Township Board of Trustees special meeting LiveAgenda
At 7:00 pm the Planning Commission met to review Enterprise Services District (ES) and General Commercial (GC) zoning regulations. Brighton Realtor Dominic DiCicco addressed several issues regarding the zoning requirements. He thanked the PC for their work in easing the path for Businesses. DiCicco represents the owners of the former LightCrete building at 8177 Main Street in Whitmore Lake. The property, listed at $525,000, has been on the market since February 2014.
Under new business, there was a discussion about initiating an Open Space Preservation committee. Chairman Dignan emphasized the need for public participation. I emphasize the need to watch the 34 minute discussion. Use our LiveAgenda; it enables you to jump directly to various points in the meeting and watch only what you want to watch. (The 9-7-2016 Northfield Township Planning Commission meeting LiveAgenda)
A WHMI reporter attended the Planning Commission session. After the meeting adjourned, he interviewed Chairman Dignan about the advantages to business of reduced regulation.
(I checked the parking lot. No balloon. The reporter probably drove away in a car. The WHMI balloon was photographed landing in my neighbor's field about fifteen years ago.)
- 9-7-2016 Northfield Township Planning Commission meeting Agenda
- 9-7-2016 Northfield Township Planning Commission meeting packet
- Watch the 9-7-2016 Northfield Township Planning Commission meeting on VideoNorthfield
- The 9-7-2016 Northfield Township Planning Commission meeting LiveAgenda
At tonight's meeting,
Arvin Sango has asked for a larger tax abatement, pleading higher costs of construction. They have also adjusted downward the number of new jobs promised, from 11 to 9. At tonight's meeting their Counsel did most of the talking.
Noticed in the tax data included in tonight's packet: The property taxes on the Van Curler property were $23,842/year. The SEV was $1,191,200 with a supposed market value of $2,382,400. The sale price: $329,000.00 Can you say, overassessed?
Backstopping that reality check was a seventy page document, MDOT's $8500 assessment of the value for the 0.567 acres of land they are demanding to purchase for additional right of way and drainage for their 8 Mile Road bridge project. That translates to a price of $14,991/acre, an only seven percent premium to the $14,000/acre the Township Board agreed to pay for the 23.5 acres of Van Curler parcels. The date of the assessment precedes anyone's notice of the Van Curler price drop; perhaps it predicated the price drop.
At this meeting Manager Fink misstated the price of the Van Curler purchase as being $12,000/acre.
Trustee Tracy Thomas asked if MDOT's 70 page assessment was a precurser to a taking, the legal process by which land is seized for a public purpose. Fink said no, citing Northfield's special "relationship" with MDOT. He said MDOT had a Plan A, which required the land, and a Plan B, which did not. Fink said he had asked $16,000 for the parcel and had tentatively accepted MDOT's counter offer of $12,000.
The Equalization Tank was back on the Agenda. Tetra-Tech's Brian Rubel said that the soil boring studies completed in (2016) provided the basis for the design of the Tank foundation by the steel tank's manufacturer. Tetra-Tech's March 18, 2016 report is in the packet, but without the supporting appendices. Some of that information is available in Our World Famous Collection of Northfield Township Sewer and Wastewater Treatment System Documents.
You can watch individual Agenda Items with our
Tonight's meeting documents:
- Tetra-Tech's March 21, 2016 Northfield Township Wastewater Treatment Plant Equalization Tank Study
- Revised Van Curler Property purchase title work, dated 8-18-2016
- Paperwork concerning MDOT's acquisition of 0.567 acres of right-of-way for their 8 Mile Road Bridge from the Van Curler purchase [5.6MB]
- Revised Arvin-Sango Tax Abatement agreement and notice of lowered promised employment
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