A strong showing of 18 Neighbors made a success of the Green Infrastructure Workshop hosted May 20th by the Planning Commission and graciously mentored by the Huron Valley Watershed Council (HVWC).
 
Seven Northfield Township neighbors spoke at the Call to the Public, before the beginning of the workshop.
 
It can be very hard to stand in front of that microphone and the public and what seems like everything and everyone in the world that matters to you.  So in honor of each speaker's courage (and to make it easy for you to hear them) we've turned each of their comments into a Youtube video.  These Youtube moments are collected here, in order of appearance.  All were thoughtful and heartfelt.
 

Thanks again to all those who attended.

Update:

A strong showing of 18 Neighbors made a success of the Green Infrastructure Workshop hosted last night by the Planning Commission and graciously mentored by the Huron Valley Watershed Council (HVWC).  None of the opposition showed up.
 
Seven Neighbors spoke before the beginning of the workshop, lamenting that the Planning Commission is "reworking" a perfectly good 2012 Master Plan because a developer's proposal didn't fit our vision for Northfield Township's future growth.
 
After a fascinating presentation by HRWC Watershed Ecologist Kris Olsson, all 18 residents donated their collective wisdom and local knowledge to help start mapping the "Green Infrastructure" of our township - the valuable wildlife corridors and other connections between several larger hubs of relatively untouched natural areas still found in our 36-square mile township.
 

Conspicuously absent were Planning Commissioners Sam Iaquinto, Mark Stanalajczo and Ken Dignan, all members of the "Grow Baby Grow" camp.  Although they gave notice that they wouldn't attend, no reason was given to PC Chair Marlene Chockley.

Thanks again to all those who attended.

(Video of Kris Olsson's presentation and the Q&A session is below.  Also the downloadable Powerpoint)

UPDATE: Short video clips of key points in the meeting are now posted on Youtube.  From this meeting we clipped four call to the public comments and the entire process of the Survey vote, Agenda item 8.  Instead of watching two hours on Livestream, you can watch 24 minutes of video clips.

May 12th Meeting Agenda,  Meeting Packet, Manager's Report, Meeting Minutes (when published), and Livestream link.

BuzzardsBarn StillWatching600w

 

The asphalt addicts just keep on pushing.

At the May 12th Board of Trustees meeting, our Township Manager will recommend hiring a company to "survey" Northfield Township residents.  We already know what he wants: the freedom to turn farmland and rural countryside, your Township and your neighborhood, into cookie-cutter, Canton-like suburbs.

Is this survey important?  Yes.  If Planning Commissioner Mark Stanalajczo gets his way, this survey will be the only community and public input into the next Master Plan.

Wednesday, May 6th, 2015:  Planning Commission

Click to watch the Meeting on Livestream

Click to download Meeting Agenda

Click to download Meeting Packet

Click to download Meeting Minutes

The highlight of the May 6th P.C. was the revelation, at the very end of the meeting, that Township Manager Howard Fink has again met with Biltmore's David Stollman.  Howard didn't bring it up.  He hasn't bragged about it in his Manager's reports.  We only know about this thanks to the honesty of P.C. Chairperson Chockley.  At the Meeting with Stollman and Fink were PC Chair Marlene Chockley, Township Supervisor Marilyn Engstrom, Township Planner Doug Lewan, and Biltmore's civil engineer.

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