Zoning Board of Appeals - Regular Meeting

sign. I'm on. Are we ready? I think so. Excellent. Then we'll begin. All right. Good evening everybody. I will call to order the January 8th meeting 2026 of the city of Kazoo zoning board of appeals, a volunteer advisory board appointed by the city commission. Would staff please conduct the roll call. Brandon Hamburgg here and apologize just getting my list uh set here. Mr. Urban here

and Holder here. Harington here. Mc Reynolds present. And Han here. Excellent. Thank you. Any announcements or changes to the agenda? Uh, no, no changes to the agenda. I just want to clarify that we had one additional public feedback item come in for the second request, 1617 North Drake Road, and that was was handed out. Um, so that there was the initial three, and then there was one one separate page now that's not stapled with the others. Excellent.

That is it. Thank you. Thank you very much. Uh any corrections to last month's minutes? Hearing none. Does somebody wish to make a motion to approve? I make a motion to approve. A second. Anybody? I second. Any discussion needed? Nope. All those in favor of approving last month's minutes, please signify by saying I. I.

I. Any opposed? No. The minutes are approved. All right. So, before we begin the public hearings, this is the procedure of how they will each occur. For each of the applications, the secretary will read the request into the record. The applicant or representative will have up to 10 minutes to present their case. Uh, you need to begin by stating your name and address at the podium. And I say, please, please, please keep your remarks brief. Some people burn most of their time with all of their this is my team and so on so forth. Get to the get to the point is what I'm saying and don't run out of time because 10 minutes is done and it's done. Uh thereafter public comment follows speakers will come to the podium and sign in state their name and address and you're going to be limited to three minutes of speaking. So again you guys need to get to your point if you're going to make them. Uh those in favor would speak first. Those opposed will speak second. And you'll probably be asked to repeat your name and address. It's pretty typical from us up here. Uh then we will have call-in comments. Callers may dial 888 3829556 during the designated period. Those remarks, if you're a caller, uh will be done live. They are not recorded. Uh the public hearing will then close on that particular item and the board will state and vote on a finding effect. This vote is not a decision on the request itself, just on what the facts are as the that we see them uh or the proposed facts are as we see them. The board will then deliberate. Can ask any follow-up questions of prior speakers before having a roll call vote to approve or deny the find? No, we'll we approve or vote on the finding effect and then we have discussion and we move on to uh approving the request or denying the request. It'll all make sense when we

get through it. Uh full board is six members, four affirmative votes are required to grant the variance. Uh and that may come into play for number two tonight. Uh that number uh just as a heads up. Uh, so that's that. Um, would the secretary read the first application for the record? [clears throat] Absolutely. All righty. An application for variance for provisions of the zoning ordinance has been filed with the zoning boards. Can you hear me?

I can I can hear you, but I'm next to you. by Quick Trip Corporation um ZBA number 26-01-01 at 3810 East Cork Street. Quick Trip Corporation is requesting a dimensional variance from chapter 50-7.2, excuse me, to authorize 49 off- streetet parking spaces where the maximum number of off-street parking spaces for the proposed fuel station convenience store is 40 parking spaces. Please note that this request will not change the zoning classification of the properties. Excellent. Excellent. Thank you. You're welcome.

Uh so would the applicant or the representative want to come forward, sign in, say your name, address, and all that good stuff and let us know what we need to know? Good evening. My name is Gabriel Longoria and I'm a real estate project manager for Quick Trip Corporation. Quick Trip is not present right now in the state of Michigan. So, I thought I'd give you just a a little bit about us and who we are. Uh, Quick Ship started in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1958 as a convenience store uh before we became a convenience store with a gas station. And we now have almost 1,200 stores open nationwide and we employ over 35,000 people. Uh each location generates an average of 20 new uh positions per location. And we also like to promote within. I'm a great example of that. I started as a part-time clerk seven years ago in San Antonio, Texas and worked my way up through management before I decided I wanted to try my hand at real estate and store development. And so I applied and Quick Trip gave me the opportunity to move out to Chicago land area and uh and become a real estate project manager. 90% of our employees just like myself started our careers with QT and we tend to stay until we retire. Each of our locations generates an average of $1.3 million in state and local taxes. And we also contribute 5% of our annual profits to charitable organizations like United Way and Folds of Honor. We also offer assistance for our employees like tuition

reimbursement, daycare assistance, and even scholarships. As a private privately held company, we're able to maintain our high operational standards. Uh every single employee is expected to on shift keep a well-kept appearance. They wear khaki pants or shorts. They wear a red polo and a name tag. And we have a 3 to1 customer service or customer to employee ratio. So, say a fourth customer were to come up to the line, we're going to call up a second employee to ensure that our customers are in and out in an effective manner. Uh throughout the shifts, we have to do things like restocking of merchandise. We do parking lot and outdoor maintenance as well as indoor cleanliness checks. We sweep the lot and and run the trash every single shift to ensure that we have the highest standards. And just to do it one more, uh we have uh secret shoppers that come in weekly and they assess our store at any given time, our customer service, our cleanliness, and our food service as well. And then from there, we get put each store gets put up against all the other stores to determine who is best of the best every year. And then we offer um the executives will take thousands of employees on trips. Last year we went to Atlantis. The year before Quick Trip rented out a cruise liner and we took over 4,000 employees to Rome. We also offer a lot of convenient options like our mobile app. Uh we have free air pumps. I don't know how it is here, but at least in Illinois, you cannot find free air anywhere. Um our mobile pay or QT mobile pay app. Right now we are running 25 cents off a gallon and 5% off in stores whenever you link your bank account and store security is one of the utmost things for us. Uh we have 360 degree coverage by way of camera, audio, video and uh lighting and we also establish great relationships with local law enforcement and emergency services. I used to work at a store where I had four or five I

had befriended four or five police officers and I saw at least one of them on a daily basis. And that not only made me and my employees feel safe, it also made our customers feel safe. Here's just a visual of what a typical quick chip would look like by way of camera coverage outside. As you can see, the entire uh lot is completely covered by cameras and then there are multiple points that are covered by three or four even. The biggest thing we're pushing right now is our fresh food, our QT kitchens. You can order in on the screens in stores or you can order through the mobile app. And then we also have a grab-and-go warmer that we keep fresh and rotating uh to offer a lot of breakfast items like breakfast tacos, breakfast pizza, and breakfast sandwiches. And then also during lunch we offer pulled pork, pulled brisket, uh sandwiches and tacos as well as mac and cheese, pretzels, sub sandwiches. And we are also even now adding in friers where we have a French fries, chicken strips, buffalo chicken wings. Now this is the site that we are proposing at 3810 East Cork Street. On Old Cork Street, we're proposing two full accesses. And on the right you can see our convenience store. And then to the left is our double stake double stack eight gas canopy. And we're proposing 49 parking spaces. This is what our Gen 4 store layout would look like. We have the entrance at the very bottom. There are two entry and exit ways. To the left we have uh three points of sale that where you can help a customer on either side. So at the busiest time during the day, we can have six customers being helped at the same exact time. On the top left corner, that is where our kitchen is located. And then to the far right, there are eight unisex restrooms. Uh the top row of four is going to be just a standard restroom. And then the bottom four are ADA

compliant. And then we also have multiple emergency exits uh throughout the store. This is what our Gen 4 store looks like. offers, you know, a new timeless and slick design with high quality materials to stay timeless. And uh here's just another render of what that store would look like in person. This is just a rendering of what our double stack 8 gas canopy would be, which would offer uh allow 16 people to pump at the same time. Uh when it comes to our variance, uh the previous use had 219 parking spaces as well as 95% impervious coverage. Uh with our proposal, we are now bringing that down to 49 parking spaces and just around 56% uh impervious coverage. So we're well within that impervious coverage standard. We are meeting all the other standards besides adding in the nine additional parking spaces. And Quick Ship finds that 50 parking spaces about 50 parking spaces is what is optimal in order to ensure that everybody during peak hours even is able to find a parking spot and doesn't have to circulate the lot which would then cause congestion and provide uh or bring about very hazardous conditions for our pedestrians and employees. Um also all of the surrounding uses have well over 50 parking spaces. So, we are confident that we are still aligning with the general area and I'm here to answer any questions you may have. Thank you for your time.

Thank you very much. Can you tell me your first name again? Gabriel. Gabriel. Thank you very much. Pete, staff have any comments that they wish to

uh just a few comments and uh some of them were already touched on like the uh the quantity of parking spaces that are out there. Now, I I I was able to glean some history about uh about this site and and the adjacent site where the Arby's is located uh was a large uh truck stop uh in decades past and then the site was was broken up and uh and that's in part why there's a a a multi-tenant sign at the corner of this particular property close to the Sprinkle Road roundabout. Um but yeah, as was mentioned, there is a substantial parking lot there now, uh well in excess what the crew restaurant that used to be on the site uh needed and it really just it dated back to the history of it of the use as a truck stop. um this uh you know particular request um uh I worked with the applicant you know on the you know the interior landscaping requirements for the site um and that was that was addressed um the impervious cover is actually going to be coming in you know the the concept layout that's uh before you tonight in the packet is is well under the 80% maximum impervious cover allowed for this commercial community zone district. So, it's, you know, it's a a substantial change from what's there now in a good way. You know, take a non-conforming site with 219 parking spaces and and uh and bring it down to 49. So um you know looking at the the criteria of the special circumstances um in the staff report you you may have noted that uh you know there was comments made about the you know first

of all the unique layout and services um offered by this quick trip location um you know where where typically we have gas pumps and a and a small convenience store. This is a substantial convenience store that's 6,445 square ft. It has a full service kitchen um as well as other food items available. And uh so it is it it isn't quite the the the typical convenience store that you see at many gas stations. And because of that, there's customer traffic that's coming there just for what's in the store, not just, you know, going into the store. secondarily after buying gas. So, you know, there that that was part of what was being laid out in this model and the reason for the request for the nine additional parking spaces. So, in addition to the size of the facility and the offerings, um staff also mentioned the proximity to I94 and the additional traffic flow that this site uh may may and most likely will of Kazoo just because of the proximity to a highway. So those were the the main points I wanted to make um in relation to that and um and also you know there are other large surface parking lots in the area. um you know, these these changes will will be for the best and uh you know, we'll we'll bring this site into compliance even though there may be lots of other non-conforming parking lots nearby still, but uh it's a step in the right direction.

Thank you. Thank you, Pete. Uh now we'll turn it to the public portion so that though you can have a seat. Sorry, I could have told you you didn't have to stand there. Thank you, Mr. Longoria. Uh if anybody in the room wishes to come up and speak in favor of the request, they may do so. Seeing none, anybody wish to come up and speak against it? Seeing none, uh any chance that there are call-in comments? And I'm checking right now for any call-in comments. The line is open. Again, this is for the quick turn.

If there was call-in comments, we would hear them. So, there are no call-in comments for this particular request. Terrific. Then I will close the public hearing on this portion of this request. Uh, does the board need any additional discussion before somebody makes a motion on the finding effect? Probably not. Uh, who's doing that tonight? Who's making the motion? I think.

All right. I move that the finding facts for 3810 East Cork Street shall include all information included in the notice of public hearing dated December 23rd, 2025. and the agenda packets staff provided for this request. 13 notice of public hearing was sent. Zero response. We had no callins or voicemail. Some of the uh facts we have presented is uh that quick tips is uh bigger than most convenience stores that we had, gas stations that we had in the past. Uh so being that it's twice the size which has a full kitchen and it's also close to I94. Uh some of the certain uh special circumstance was not result of the applicant. Uh quick tip is uh you know bigger than most as we stated before. uh [clears throat] the the applicant, you know, uh has uh worked with staff uh you know, on the landscape requirements and uh lower the lower uh sites uh coverage. The applicant will be reducing off- street parking, you know, to existing uh capacity of 219 to 49 total spots. uh the the granite of the varials the variance will not be adverse effect for the property or anything around it. Uh you know being that it was Arby's breast

line in the past. Um and that is about all I have for the finding of the facts. Thank you very somebody want to second that. I've got just one correction. Okay. The Arby's uh is is directly next door, but it does have a sign on the shared freestanding sign structure. Thank you. Any second for that? I second the finding effect. We probably don't need any discussion on it. So, can we just vote on the finding effect and then we can discuss the the potential request? Uh all those in favor of adopting the finding effect say I. I. I.

I. Any opposed? No. So, would somebody make a motion on the variance request itself? I motion to approve the request. Is there a second? I There we go. I think whichever one you want to write down, Jack or Beth. Uh, excellent. All right. So, this is where we will discuss this. Um, I don't know who wants to say anything. I always say something. Does somebody else want to say something before I do? I'm in support. Okay. I I figured you were. Yeah. Uh you're always on side of big business. Kidding. Kidding.

We know that's not true.

No, I I [laughter] um Look, I know that they're asking for a variance of the nine parking lots or parking spaces, excuse me. uh which I I don't take that as a lightly as a request and everybody knows I probably try I at least say I try to say no to everything at least come at it from that standpoint but the reason I'm going to say yes is this and I think Pete and the the representative Mr. Longoria sort of hit on it. Um, which is letting them do to the property what they want to do to the property. Um, is actually going to bring it almost entirely into alignment I think with the zoning except for the parking spaces which we would actually get a net decrease of like 170 and would still put them in line with the adjoining properties.

170 what? Like I think the current space is is 219. I think I heard that. And it would be coming down to one or to 49. So they'd be losing 170 spaces. We'd get less impervious coverage. All of those are are net positives.

And if we have to accept that because it's a gas station going right next to the highway and is going to be busier and probably going to need all that space, then that seems like a fine trade-off. Nine spaces to get it almost entirely into alignment seems perfectly fine to me. But P, you got your finger up. Ju just one addition this so if for example this variance gets approved tonight their next step is a special use permit because it is a a gasoline station. So there's another review step in front of the planning commission after this. So thank you for that transparency. It will it will get that and then it'll go to site plan review just to give you the

or at least we're putting them closer to to being bringing the the plot into compliance other than that portion of it. if he found this property in his role. Did he find it? Did you find this property in your role with this company? Who located this property? Cuz it's genius. We have So, I am a real estate project manager and we also have a role that is real estate manager and their whole uh role is acquisitions and uh site acquisition, searching for them and and locking down the contract. That's genius. Thank you. Okay. They found it and then gave it to him to deal with. That's good job. Good job. heard. Excellent. So, she's in favor. I'm going to be in favor. Does anybody else need to speak on it?

All right, Pete, I think you need to take the vote on approving the variance request. Vanden Hamburgg, yes. Urban, yes. Uh, yes. Sorry. Harrington, yes. Mc Reynolds, yes. Han, yes. Thank you. That is approved. Six to nothing. Good luck with the other bodies out there who may or may not hold you up. Welcome to Michigan. Excellent. Uh, we can proceed to the next agenda item. Let me move my papers for the first one out of the way, though. I think I got them all out of the way. Okay, here we go.

Okay. Okay. Yep.

Should we read the request and then have her do it or do you want her to do it first? Charlie, do what? Okay. Thank you. Recuse herself. Yeah. Um I'm Beth Vanden Hamburgg and I live on um Northampton on the west side and I am recusing myself from this yes variance request. Excellent. Thank you. Thank you Beth. Uh thank you Beth. Uh I think you need to read this request into the record. Okay. [snorts]

Okay. All right. An an application for variance for provisions of the zoning ordinance has been filed with the zoning board of appeals by Discover Kalamazoo. Um this is KCBA number 26-01-02 at 1619 North Drake Road. The applicant is requesting the following variances for the Kazoo County Youth Sports Facility. Number one, a variance from the natural features protection ordinance chapter 50 section 50-6.2H to authorize the proposed development to encroach into protected slopes which have a grade greater than 20% and protected slope setbacks on the site. Number two, a variance from the natural features protection ordinance chapter 50 section 50-6.2G 2G to authorize um 11.5% reduction of the 25% woodland preservation requirement which will result in pres which will result excuse me in preservation of 13.5% of the existing woodland. Number three, a dimensional variance from appendix A chapter 5.1 to authorize a height of 56 ft for the new facility where the maximum height for structures in the RS5 district is 35 ft. Number four, a dimensional variance from appendix A, chapter 5.1 to authorize a maximum imperous coverage of 56% for the site or 45 or 45% excuse me, is the maximum impervious coverage allowed in the RS5 district. And number five, a dimensional variance from chapter 50-7.3 to authorize 20 park bike parking spaces for the facility where 170 bike parking spaces are required based on the maximum occupancy of the sports complex. Please note that this request will not change the zoning classification of the properties.

Thank you. You're welcome. Absolutely. Would uh the applicant or their representative mind coming up and uh giving us what information we need? Present your present your request. Thank you. Thank you very much. Just to clarify is after this presentation then public comment takes place. Yes.

Yep. Okay. Thank you. Okay. My name is Jane Goch. I'm the president and CEO of Discover Kalamazoo, the Convention and Visitors Bureau for Kalamazoo County, a nonprofit organization operating under Kalazoo County Management. Um, we are located at 240 West Michigan Avenue in the city of Kalamazoo. And um to begin our presentation, I am going to play a short video of um some um people who were not able to make tonight's meeting because they're participating in sports.

My name is aka Bird. Uh we are the co-founders of AB workshop. A is for Ace, B is for bird, and um we are heavily involved in community. Uh I have my basketball coach right here from high school. So the same lessons that she's taught me, we pass it down to our kids and the community all around Kalamazoo County. I feel like the um sports um facility is very beneficial to our family, especially me cuz um we spend a lot of time going out of town when we can have one right here and still spend time with my family. this gym in Kazoo. I feel like being a student athlete alone, this would most definitely help a lot of kids, you know, stay out of trouble and actually want to be in a gym just because this gym is in our city alone wanting us to like work more or like Texas and I just like being an athlete and having to travel like just even 45 minutes or an hour away just to play um a sport or maybe even two games of volleyball is just like a lot when you're I personally play travel AAU which is not only expensive but also difficult with traveling all the time and trying to manage school and like other activities. Um there's a lot of opportunity to have tournaments closer to home if we had this facility and it will help more of my friends and teammates participate. We fund raise a lot to pay for travel and fees to play. we have to go to far distances to play when I feel like Kazoo is in a great location to build our own place to have tournaments. It will also bring out a lot more opportunities for teens to be supported in doing positive activities.

Thank you very much for listening to that. All of those children are uh we asked if they wanted to come back. Those were presentations they made at the county meetings and they were unavailable tonight because they are participating in sports right now. Um, so with at Discover Kamazoo, our job is to bring in visitors and visitors spending into Kazoo County. And one of the ways we do that is by helping facilitate sports tournaments. Those sports tournaments really match the facilities that are available in the county. We measure those by hotel room nights. And on the left hand side of this page, you can see the current hotel room nights we get in the county for hockey, figure skating, and wrestling. and how many we get for basketball and volleyball which is almost none. I'm trying to basically illustrate the difference. On the flip side, on the right hand side, you can see the sports that children actually participate in. Many more children participate in volleyball and basketball. And it's not just the numbers of participation, it's the demographics of participation as well are very different for vol volleyball and basketball um and many other sports that can be played on a hard court like football as another example. We don't host tournaments in those facilities and we don't have access for those because we just don't have the facilities here in the county. So, in order to solve that problem, we are proposing building a new indoor sports facility that will be financed through something called the Event Center financing act. It's an incremental 4% on accommodations, basically hotel stays. So, when someone stays at a hotel in Kalamazoo County, they'd be assessed an incremental 4%. The for that to happen, the hotel and motel owners needed to vote to impose on themselves this incremental assessment. It overwhelmingly passed with 82% vote of the hotel and motel owners. They had one vote per room and it started being applied to stays as of June 1st of 2025 of this year. So once that passed, well

that what that means then is that local youth are going to benefit from the visitor economy. So we say visitor economy though that's who's staying at our hotels is out oftowners for the most part. Um local youths will be prioritized Monday through Thursday or Friday. That's going to increase participation for underserved youth and it'll also generate incremental 628 estimated full and part-time jobs. There are also economic benefits including and this is why the hotels voted yes for this up to 36,000 incremental hotel room nights per year. In order for that to be successful, we have to be able to host tournaments at the facility. That's why the hotels are willing to pay for it because we it'll host tournaments and make it that business. In order to host a tournament, there are certain requirements. You have to have a certain number of courts available. You need to have the right spacing between the courts. You need to have the right ceiling height. Different sports have different requirements for how high the ceilings need to be. There needs to be spectator viewing for the parents and grandparents. There needs to be adequate parking for the people who are coming in for these regional tournaments. and then smooth ingress and egress. So this is these are the requirements of success for a tournament facility. So knowing that then once we had the financing secured we then went through a robust site selection process. We looked at over 30 sites across Kalamazoo County where we narrowed down to eight. We hired top-notch firms to do a site selection study to really look at the pros and cons of each of those sites. We then sent requests for proposals to the land owners of those sites and spoke with the municipalities involved to make sure that this use was consistent with their visions for the area. The top three proposals were then evaluated by an ad hoc committee of volunteers much like yourselves. It was established by Kalamazoo County. That committee recommended and then the county board of commissioners approved the site that we're talking about today.

So that's how we got to this site. It was based on a proposal. Uh we sent an RFP out and the land owner of this site said, you know, this 20 acres, we would make this available to you for this project and and based on those conditions. So once that was established and we knew that that site that we're recommending was in the city of Kalamazoo, the city of Kalazoo and Kamazoo County jointly formed the Kalamazoo County Event Center Assessment District Authority to manage this revenue. and then specifically first this project. So it is that that is an authority board again much like yourselves. This board of authority members was appointed by the city and the county and that authority board is going to own this new facility. So it's publicly owned by this authority. The assessment revenue is what's going to pay debt service on on the construction cost of the facility. And then once the facility is up and running, this is not a for-profit facility. the excess any excess revenue revenue in excess of operating expenses will come back to this authority board to continue to invest in future projects um in line with the with the ordinance. Um this is uh the the page for the authority board on the county commission website. So you can see this you can see who the authority board members are. Many of them are here in the audience today. So that's the background of the project, how we got here and then now I'm turning it over to Kurt Artemma to talk about the site development. Good evening. Uh my name is Kurt Artemma. I have the privilege of being here working with Discover Cal Mazoo and the uh the board for the county that uh is a part of this project. We have been working with a big team uh and uh that includes ABB Tower Pinkster Hurley and Stewart and then the board itself as well. Uh I'm going to talk through a little bit of the actual variance requests that we have tonight. And uh just for reference, I am a city of

Kamazoo resident. So I appreciate the work that's happening here and the volunteer time that you put in as well. And on the screen we've got just an image of the site as well. So on the screen here we have a map uh indicating the location of the property. Uh this was presented as well at the natural features protection board uh which we received a recommended approval from the NFP board back in December. Uh we also hosted a neighborhood meeting earlier this week and had some good input from the neighbors on the project as well. The site is shown here uh at the uh adjacent to US 131 and uh within the uh the Westwood area of Kalamazoo. A sketch site plan is here. Uh this is indicating uh the current design of the building and the placement of the building. It has been pushed close to US 131 uh away from the residential areas and the uh preserved tree area is shown in the northeast corner as well. That area is where we've identified some older species of trees in addition to uh some more significant species of trees. So we've designed the site to try to protect that as much as possible. The site's been shifted multiple times. This is maybe the fourth or fifth version of the site plan to try to fit better within the ordinance itself. So largely what you're seeing here though that needs to be placed on the site, the building footprint, the parking lot, and the storm water uh on this site. So another image of the building as proposed. And so I'm going to run through just briefly the five requests that we have the NFP Woodlands uh variance. As noted, this site was um was gone through it was a large selection process. This is significant to um the ability for this project to be successful. And as shown here, we've identified some unique characteristics of this site. Uh the site is annexed. It was annexed into the

city of Kalamazoo from Ashimo Township. We believe in the 1960s. A cemetery project was started on the eastern end of the site. Some clearing was done to the west as well. and uh that project stalled out but a portion of it is finished. The site was historically used for a agricultural purposes. We actually in the neighborhood meeting talked to a resident who has lived in the area on Drake Road uh for I think since the 1940s. Um just interesting to have some history and background information from him on the site. He indicated that there were actually steer on the property uh that were grazing on the property at one point in the past. Um he also noted that when US 131 was constructed uh some of the soils from that project when it was cut through or deposited on this site. So also shared parking is not available at this site. This is uh again relatively isolated. Shared parking is not an option as as planned right now. So all the parking has to be accommodated on the site which requires uh that that parking lot to be maybe bigger and a larger footprint than what everybody would like to see. unique characteristics of the project related to woodlands. Um, not a typical development in the city. This is a 20 acre site, uh, 150,000 square foot building, regional sports facility, something that hasn't been built here before, hasn't been built in the region before and, uh, is is again unique to this um, as a project itself in the city. The flat floor space for the courts is necessary. We can't stack the courts. We can't compress those into multiple stories. We are compressing though the building itself uh with a mezzanine level. So the non-court areas have a second story to try to shrink that footprint and reduce the impact on the trees. And then there's also a perimeter drive required for fire safety because of the building size. So that perimeter drive additionally requires some additional trees to come out as well. The some of the adjustments I've

mentioned these we've already stacked the building. We've reduced the parking lot significantly. Um we think we've got the parking lot to a point where it's sustainable for the project uh but has shrunk um almost 30% from the original designs. So on the slopes uh as noted we think some of the slopes on the site actually come from spoils that were put there from 131 construction back in the 1960s. Um regardless of that though there are there are highs and lows on the site kind of scattered around. It's difficult to do any sort of construction or new building without disturbing some of those slopes. We've tried to be sensitive to them. We've actually put the storm pond in the lowest section of the site as it stands now to try to accommodate for that and avoid having to move or bring in excess or remove excess soils or import soils to the site as well. So the uh I think I've mentioned most of these already. No shared parking. Uh no on street parking. The area is actually serviced by county roads. County roads don't permit on street parking. So the ability to overflow onto those on street roads isn't there unfortunately. So those peak events require on on-site parking which again pushes up out against those slopes and the trees and the lot coverage overall. So and again we've looked at multiple sites. We've reduced the parking. We stacked the project uh with a a mezzanine as well. So, and some of these overlap a bit because they're relatively similar in terms of the impact on the site. Here's a quick map of some of the slopes on the site as well. So, related to the building height, we have pushed the building again to the far west end of the site. That west end of the site is almost 40 ft lower than the east end of the site. So that taller section of the building that we're requesting is on that lowest section of the site, which which is significantly below the east end and farthest away from the residential development that exists right now. Uh buildings around the site actually go up to six stories in height

right now. There's multiple buildings that are four, five, six stories in height. So we are trying to keep it within the context of what's there, but that is higher than what the zoning currently permits, which is why we're here tonight for one of these requests. Here's some photos of the existing buildings around the site. This is the Evergreen North building, Holiday in Building, Holiday Express. These are six, five, and four stories respectively. And then the project itself, again, this is an overlapping concept, but uh the the higher ceiling is a bit unique. The higher ceiling is required for a volleyball tournament, a cheer tournament, a basketball tournament. that higher higher interior space is necessary to make that viable to do the the hitting of a ball or throwing a cheerleader up in the air um during that those those tournaments. Here's another image of that mezzanine level that I mentioned a couple of times. The mezzanine you can see is again pushed up onto a second story to try to help reduce that overall footprint. And again, we've done uh multiple adjustments to the site uh to try to accommodate for the taller building, pushing it to the lowest portion on the site, nearly the lowest portion on the site, and uh also pushed it close to 131. And then the lot coverage piece, the we don't have shared parking, we don't have on street parking, we have a fire lane, we have a building that requires flat floor space, uh we have parking that needs to be on site uh due to some of these concerns. So because of that again that's pushing the lot coverage beyond what would be normal. This facility we think is uh is unique on its own in the type of use that it's uh intended for but also the site is unique in in its location on 131. And I've touched on most of these already related to the unique

characteristics of the project. We have shrunk parking lot spaces from 10x 20 to 9 by8. So 10 x 20 ft to 9 by 18 ft to try to again shrink that footprint down as much as is practical. Um we think that that is is permitted within the city. It is relatively standard in in uh in many cities. It is though a little bit smaller than what's typical in a suburban site. The uh the bike piece. So we have bike parking spaces. uh the project because of the formula that exists. The calculation pushes the bike parking spaces up to 170 parking spaces and we feel that bike parking is important to provide. There are some people that may want to bike as the area continues to evolve. Bike infrastructure may improve. So, we provided those 20 spaces. there's an ability to maybe grow that in the future, but we feel the 170 is um adds to that lot coverage concern probably more than what is necessary given the use of this site and the location of the site. There's limited surrounding bike infrastructure. Again, it's county roads that access this site. So, a lot of the county roads do not have that supporting infrastructure that we've seen implemented in the city of Kazoo in multiple areas. Uh, another unique characteristic of the project is the the weekend tournament piece of this project. A lot of the visitors will likely arrive by car. It's intended to draw people into the community from a 2 and three hour radius. So, due to that, uh, we feel a lot of the arrivals are going to be by car, but if there are bike arrivals, we do have those 20 spaces to accommodate for that. And, uh, we are also helping to we're trying to again providing the 20 spaces. We're also we're doing some non-motorized elements on this site and to get to this site as well. So, we think we're actually starting that process of maybe bringing some bike

infrastructure to the area as that uh area continues to grow. That's all I have. Thank you. Appreciate your time and appreciate your consideration tonight. We're excited about this project and what it can bring to Kalazoo and and the community at large. Thanks.

Thank you, Pete. Staff have any comments? Yes, staff has a few comments and I'll I will keep them brief as we are going to go through these uh one variance at a time as far as the um discussion goes. So there may be at that point questions that uh the board wants to ask of staff or of the applicant. Um but but yeah, as was mentioned, this is in the RS5, the residential single dwelling district. It is also in the natural features protection overlay zone. Um so what that means is we have those additional uh preservation standards uh for certain natural features. We also have a a residential lowdensity residential zone district that allows for certain non-residential uses. And uh those those types of non-residential uses could be, you know, uh things like churches, um schools, um recreational facilities. And the recreational facilities is where this falls. But um what happens with this is those non-residential uses have to fall within the development standards of that RS5 zone district. So I I say that because that's where uh we run into the um you know the the difficulty meeting some of these other standards like the the height which is a maximum 35 ft for the residential zone district. um the imperous cover which is 45% uh which if this was a commercial zone district it would be much higher and uh the bike parking that's just uh based on the unique size of the facility. Um the the way the calculation is for the bike parking, it's it's one one bike

parking space for every two employees and one bike parking space per uh five uh individuals at maximum occupancy, I think, is how that calculates out. But so when you're dealing with a a really large building with a high occupant load, uh we get some really um uh you know really high numbers for bike parking spaces. So it is uh something that we've run into with the event center downtown and with the uh Ku Country Club project. That's another example uh where a dimensional variance was granted for uh an allowed reduction in bike parking spaces. So, I wanted to kind of go over that and then briefly touch on the individual variances. Um, the first of those is the uh protected slope and slope setbacks. Um, I I don't mean to reiterate too much that the applicants already mentioned, but uh but but yes, the the the slopes um on the site are dispersed. So trying to develop around the protected slopes uh would be very difficult uh with you know with them spread from uh from the west side of the site to the uh the southeast uh side of the site and um and then you have the uh positioning of where uh Maple Hill Drive will intersect with the property coming from the south. So, you know, there's a number of factors that come into play where it's it's very difficult um if not impossible to put a facility on this site without impacting the protected slopes and slope setbacks. So, those are the the you know the practical difficulties uh facing the uh slopes

um looking at the the woodland background. So this uh particular property since it is um 100% covered with woodlands that allows for by you know by ordinance the 75% of the woodlands can be cleared. So 25% is the required preservation and the uh the applicant is is asking for additional relief from that that 25%. Um you know due to the unique layout of the facility, all the uh uh plane surfaces needing to be on the ground floor level. um you know the parking that is is going to be necessary to serve the facility because of the lack of the shared parking uh with any other uh nearby uh developed sites and that there won't be any on street parking available even after Maple Hill Drive is is developed. So um the site does face some unique challenges because there is no development directly adjacent to it. Uh where in other parts of the city there's other commercially developed properties or or non-residential uses that have parking lots that could provide um for overflow or for shared uh use. Um so we we get into looking at uh you know the spread of the woodlands and the uh applicant and the development team have uh you know work to identify what area would be preserved. Um in the NFP board of review meeting which was held back in December, uh condition was placed on that um that

approval for the uh impact on the slopes and the impact on the woodlands and that was that the uh you know that native uh plantings um uh would be added to the site um where where it was possible. possible to uh you know to do infill. Um so it wasn't a very specific condition but you know but we'll be looking at that more as this project moves forward. So looking further at the height [cough] [clears throat] um the the height maximum is 35 ft for the RS5 zone district. And in this case uh given the the use of the facility the 35 ft uh clearly is a hardship um that that that the uh development team is facing and there is need for some relief here. This the same level of relief you know most likely would be necessary for a church being located on this property. So, moving on to the imperous cover. Um, a lot of this was already referenced as far as the uh the necessary parking. Um, the emergency uh vehicle access road that wraps around the building and um and then of course the large footprint of the building given the plane surfaces all needing to be on one level. um as well as the the parking situation. So those were the uh special circumstances that that were associated with the impervious cover. Um the bike parking more specifically. I already talked about what that standard is for the

calculating the bike parking and how you know when when utilizing that calculation and a building that's 145,000 square ft you end up with some numbers that don't uh don't really align with the the practical use. Um, so given that, you know, the the circumstances are really or I'm sorry, the special circumstances are are really associated with the the size of the facility and the specific use of the facility. So, uh, with with that being said, you know, staff is recommending approval of the variances, uh, as they've been drafted. And also with that, the NFP board um condition about the uh green space and undeveloped areas being replanted using native species with the preference for dense replanting of native tree species. So staff is supporting this. Um I am open to any questions the board may have. Why don't we save it for our discussion portion of it? Uh, thank you. All right. Now is the time for public comment. Uh, those in favor, you may come forward and speak. Make sure you sign in. Say your name. You get three minutes. The first ones to speak are those in favor.

Hello. My name is Tiffany Summers. I represent the Stbridge Suites on 2001 at Senica Lane, Kalazoo on the west side of town. Um, I am very much in favor of this. Our hotel is in favor of this. Um, nobody wants to talk about the cword and it really hurt the hotel industry. We did vote for this assessment. We have been taking in the assessment since June and so we are anxious to see this um youth sports facility built. We think it's going to be a positive impact on the west side of Kalamazoo. Um it's definitely hurt us with Wings West being closed down. Not as many sports have been coming through. Synchronized skating was a little bit smaller. Um, I have been an employee at the Stbridge for almost 10 years and so, um, I am anxious to see the youth sports facility come through. Um, as a resident in Kalamazoo, um, I like to see the organized sports. I think it's great for the youth and I think this would be very beneficial for Kalamazoo as a city.

Thank you. Thank you. Make sure and sign in. Okay. Thank you very much. Could you spell your last name for me? I I missed it. S O M E R S. Thank you.

Thank you. [clears throat] Good evening.

Happy new year everyone. My name is Anna her. I am the Ashtimo Township public works director. Um we are appreciate the opportunity to speak to the ZBA tonight regarding the experience requests associated with the project. Uh we recognize that this project presents a unique interjurisdictional challenge and circumstance where the site is located within one jurisdiction while being closely surrounded and functionally reliant um on another municipality. So we uh want to say that we appreciate the coordination that's been occurring through this process already. Um we think a lot of the public agencies are trying to support the value of the project and the opportunity to per uh participate in those discussions as a partner. At the onset of this, I want to clearly state our support for the project in the youth sports facility. Um we recognize that this facility will provide an important regional asset that will serve the greater Kamazoo community and generate significant economic and community benefit. Our comments are offered in the spirit of professional collaboration. Um we want we have a shared goal of ensuring that this project is successful and after our review of the conceptual plan and the different variances. Um these comments kind of come from if it was in Ashimo and what our uh staff comments would be related to the development. So, um, we want you guys to have that context, I guess, of the other jurisdiction as you make your decision. Um, our intent again is just to in support informed decision-m by highlighting some of the long-term goals and policies um that guide the future development in the area, particularly uh

articulated in our Ashtmo 24 2045 plan, which is our master plan. Uh, one distinguishing characteristic of this area is the presence of nearly 400 undeveloped acres in what is kind of a suburban context. Um, this provides a rare opportunity for looking forward um, and what planning that could allow the community to proactively address some of the long-term infrastructure needs while preserving natural features without the constraints that are typically associated with redevelopment in a fully built out area. We believe this context warrants careful consideration as decisions are made that may shape the development patterns for decades to come. Do I really only have 25 seconds left?

Okay. Um well then I guess I'm going to say that uh we hope that the there's continued evaluation of optimizing the site to align with all the adjacent uh areas goals. Um, we want to preserve the natural features and be environmental stewards of the area. And we do have a focused study of this area specifically because Thank you. Make sure you sign in if you didn't. Thank you very much. [clears throat]

Thank you. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Schultz. I'm the owner of Schultz Suites on West Main in Ashtimo. I also live in Ashtimo, right around the corner from this proposed facility. Um, and I have the privilege of being a chamber ambassador here with Southwest Michigan First Chamber of Commerce. I support this project both as a local business owner and as a resident. I've also participated in focus groups related to the design and layout. And I appreciate the thoughtful planning that has gone into preparing for this project. From an economic standpoint, a social sports complex like this increases tourism and brings regional visitors to Ashtimo. Those visitors support local restaurants, retail, and service businesses, strengthening our local economy and supporting small business. This project also creates important opportunities for young people in our area. It provides a safe, structured place for minors to play and stay active while also providing a potential opportunity for young people to achieve their first employment um in the workforce. Just as importantly, this complex bu um helps build community. It gives families a place to gather, encourages teamwork and mentorship, and builds a shared experience and strengthens community pride. Overall, I believe this project supports thoughtful growth, economic vitality, and quality of life in Ashimo Township. I respectfully encourage the board to consider this and pass this sports complex. Um, thank you for your time and consideration.

Thank you very much. Hello, my name is Evie Schulz. I live in Ashimo Township. I play basketball and volleyball. I attend St. Augustine Cathedral School and many of my class classmates like to play sports. I think it would be cool to play basketball and volleyball at a place like this because there aren't many places in our area. It will help bring new people to our area, which will help my mom's business. I love sports cuz I love being active and making new friends from other schools. Playing sports helps me to feel happy, confident, and strong. This new sports complex will help more girls like me, not just right now, but as I grow up, too. Thank you.

Thank you. Good evening. I am Julie Rogers. I reside in Westwood, 3428 Marlane Avenue. I'm also state representative for the area. Uh wanted to share a couple of things as you do your due diligence and contemplate this project. Um there was quite a bit of hubbhub around when the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners uh was weighing their piece in this and wanted to share that I have heard um no negatives from the residents that I serve. I've only heard positives um as the county board of commissioners was deliberating and voted unanimously to move forward with this kind of um project. I really appreciate uh the intergovernmental collaboration um between city, township, and county to so far to date. Um as a former volleyball player, I can attest to we have um been long overdue for volleyball and basketball court facility space in our county. So, it's really exciting to see this move forward to this stage. Um, I also am very supportive as a physical therapist who still practices in Kalamazoo. Um, I hear from a lot of our patients that uh travel quite a distance to go to tournaments around Michigan

because there is nothing um within the hour radius of Kazoo. So, I think it's a big benefit for our own residents. Uh, I appreciate Discover Kalazoo touching on the tourism piece. I think it is an economic development tool that would benefit our region, but I really like the multi-tered use where the focus during the weeks uh will probably be on our local residents and then that weekend piece of um tournaments and drawing people from all over the state. So, thank you so much for your um deliberation and I appreciate your consideration.

Thank you. Hi, good evening everyone. How are you? I'm Andrea Hargrave. Um, I represent the Holiday Inn and the Holiday in Express. Um, I have been in hospitality for a little bit over 10 years now. I'm a Kalamazoo Promise alumni as well. Um, born and raised in this area. So, for me, it's a big piece to hospitality when it comes to the tourism. Um, when it comes to the fact that Kalamazoo has a unique placement when it comes to being the halfway point from Detroit and Chicago, um, I think I I'm definitely in favor of this arena, by the way, especially since we're, you know, back in it so hard. Um, I think it'll be a great opportunity for our youth to showcase their skills and kind of perfect their craft. I think it's a great placement due to the fact, you know, we do have the Kalamazoo Promise. it only um heightens and kind of it heightens their skills. So, it would be easier for them to kind of go pro if they would like to take that direction um with their skills in sports. Um it gives the locals the opportunity to have something to do. Um so, with that being said, I thank you for your time. Um yeah, so thank you Good evening. Thank you for the opportunity to address you. I'm Jodie Staphoria, the planning director for Ashtima Township, and I want to hit on a few things that Anna Hero, the public works director, wasn't able to fit in, and I don't think she got a chance to acknowledge the importance of our planned future extension of Maple Hill

Drive North uh through this property um per the planning do uh documents over decades in the township. And that would go right through the northeast portion of what is proposed for woodland preservation on this site. It came up at the natural features preservation board and they acknowledged that they know there might be a return and a further reduction of that area. So, it'd be super for us as a township if the this board acknowledged it too and it got in the minutes because when we come back for that as a township someday, there might be, you know, seven different individuals up there, but if it's in the minutes, they can look back and see, okay, that was acknowledged. We knew Maple Hill Drive was going to come through this uh woodland preservation area. And about the woodlands, they might be young in age. They came about after the land was cleared for the cemetery and these steep slopes resulted from the construction of 131, but they still serve a purpose even if they're only 60 years old as far as uh stabilization of the soil, ecosystem, habitat, and everything like that. And I hate that I just said that uh those words, but yeah, those are important things that just even though the trees might only be 60 years old, they still serve a purpose. So, please keep that in mind. And then our last concern uh that we wanted to point out is the building height. The way this building abuts the northern property line, that property across the line is zoned residential. It is used agriculturally right now, but it's zoned residential. And in our comprehensive plan, we see uh residential happening there in the future, not agricultural. So we wondered if you would be amanable to looking for a visual impact assessment just to see the impact of this very tall building at that point at the north point and what's going to be the impact of a one or two family home is built across the line and what might be some appropriate mitigations that

they can do between the building and that north line so that that northern val uh property value isn't lower just because of what a future developer would have to try to sell to buyers. of future homes. And that is it. Thank you. Thank you. Any others in favor? Jody, do you mind telling me your last name again? I didn't get it. What am I talking? Oh, Staporia. S T E F F O R I A. Thank you.

Thank you. Good evening. My name is Deb Droppers and I live in the city of Kazoo. I'm here um wearing my hat um as an event planner and also as a professor at Western Michigan University. Um there are so many benefits that it will take me a whole lot longer than three minutes to be able to tell you how important this project is. So I am here in support of the variances. At Western Michigan University, we have a sports management program that has 265 students. We have an event management major program. between the two of them. This provides an amazing opportunity for public partnership with Western and to be able to provide students with the opportunity to be able to be involved in this project both from tournament planning um working with the facility and doing special projects. So, I am here to be able to tell you that this is critical and the more that we provide opportunities for our college students to stay here, to learn, to be invested in this um project. I think that what we'll see is students who will want to stay and be part of it. And I think that that is also part of what we need to build as we bring students here to have them live, own, and invest in where they live and play. So, I'm in support of it. Thank you.

Thank you. Excuse me. Make sure and sign in. Yeah, make sure you sign. Thank you. Would you like us to put the sign into the podium so that can I don't have a preference for it one way or the other. It just makes Anybody else in favor? You're in favor?

Good evening. My name is Nikki Hackworth. I'm with Next Level Sports Center. I'm here tonight wearing a few hats. So, I am a volleyball coach uh who has traveled for years to other cities and states for youth tournaments. I'm here as a mom. of athletes who spend weekends in other on the road and as an employee of a neighboring sports facility. From all three perspectives, I see how powerful sports can be for kids. Sports teach sports teach discipline, teamwork, competence, and resilience. And they provide a positive outlook at a time where kids need healthy structure more than ever. Our local athletes travel constantly. weekends spent driving to other cities and states just to find tournament space. For more families, that means significant costs for hotels, meals, gas, and time away from work and school. While we are proud to support our kids, the reality is those opportunities could exist right here in Kalamazoo. A lack of facilities means we are exporting families and providing economic growth to other communities instead of keeping it right here in our own backyard. Having a tournament facility in Southwest Michigan could change that. It would give our athletes a chance to compete closer to home, reduce financial strain on local families, and allow Kalamazoo to benefit from the tourism dollars that currently go elsewhere, supporting local hotels, restaurants, and small businesses. This isn't just about sports. It's about access for our kids, relief for families, and investment in our local community. Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Hello. How are you? Good.

Uh, the name is Rob Buck Buk. I'm a resident of Kalamazoo since 1978 and uh I came to Kalamazoo originally to be the head volleyball coach at Western Michigan University. You're nodding your head. You either know the university or you know me. I don't think you know me, but you know the university. And I spent 15 great years there building a national level program. Um, some of you that are my age might have attended one of the matches there that had over 10,000 people at it when we played Nebraska. And, um, in 1993, I left the university and started my own small organization called USA Michigan Volleyball. And the purpose of that was to bring national level coach development to the coaches of the state of Michigan as well as the young athletes. Uh taking my experience and sharing it so to speak. I've been in business since 1994 and what's remarkable about that is most small businesses fail within the first three to five months if not 3 to five years. I currently have oh around 120 to 150 highly motivated superarner young women of this community. They come to train with me as far west as Stevensville, East, Marshall, North and South. Some of them traveling one hour because they don't have the ability to have the coaching that we offer.

My biggest challenge right now is trying to find space for those 150 students. I have five small gritty gyms that we use. It's problematic because as the leader of the organization, I have to be in five different gyms at one time. I only have so many fingers and toes. Uh the last time we were offered a space was out at Wings Stadium and we went from our current situation to having five courts that we could use. My enrollment doubled overnight. That means we're serving young women like this that came up in front of you and that's our future. Uh bravo by the way. That took a lot of guts. I'm shaking like a leaf up here. Um, the next project is to get

boys. That's okay. Your time ran out. Thank you very much. Thank you so much. Thank you. Make sure you go sign in.

I I'm aware that charming. All right, members of the board of appeals, thank you for having us. Thank you for your time and for your care uh for decisions like this. We think it's important. My name is Clarence Lloyd. I have the honor of leading our community's chamber of commerce and we're here because we too like you value stewardship. Um it's our collective uh objective to protect the resources of our communities like trees because we value the uh we appreciate the value they add to our lives. They clean the air we breathe. They provide habitat for wildlife and they contribute beauty and character to our shared environment. Those values matter and they're worth defending. We also have a responsibility to invest in the people here, especially our young people as well as the small business community who's choosing to build something meaningful right here. Small businesses and young people have that in common. They require a community's care and investment for them to become all they can be. This project represents an opportunity for our community to make a significant investment in both in the physical and mental health of our young people and in the physical health of our small business community. The number one employer of not only young people but of all families throughout Kalamazoo small businesses. The requested variances before you are not about cutting corners. I'm sure you probably have seen that before. That's not this. They are about finding balance. balance between preservation and progress, between rules designed for protection in the real world conditions that make responsible development possible. That collaboration has been evident between municipal leaders, facility planners, and the surrounding community since day one, and it continues. Granting these variances allow projects to move forward that will create opportunity, activate an important third space, and send a clear message to that this community values both environmental responsibility and

human potential. Your decision today will be seen and remembered. It's a big deal by young people who are deciding whether this is a place worth building their future and by entrepreneurs deciding whether their ideals are welcome here. So, we respectfully urge you to consider and support these variances and help this project move forward. We believe it's a vote for balance, for opportunity, and for a community that believes its people are worth investing in. And I got 30 seconds. I grew up in Detroit about two blocks from a place called Northwest Activity Center. It's where I learned how to play Foursquare, where I learned how to play basketball. And for my single mom, it was a great place for me to go during the week. It kept me out of trouble. And frankly, I believe that it helped position me well to graduate from college, to ultimately be here, and I'll be investing in this community. So, thank you for your consideration of facilities like this. They do make a big big impact on young people. [clears throat]

Thank you.

Uh my name is Dante Hudson. Uh born and raised here in Kamazoo. Uh played basketball here in Kalazoo. uh left for college, came back um the last 10 years been trying to pour into my community uh with the youth. Um I coach basketball at Kazoo Central. Just left the game just now. Um I also coach basketball for United Pursuit, a basketball, a local basketball club here in the area. Um these young men behind me, I coached them since they were in elementary school. Um, since then we've traveled the country, uh, playing in tournaments all over. Uh, with this facility, um, there could be more young players like these ones behind me. um if they have the opportunity to play a sport that quite frankly gets more expensive every year, especially with the travel. Um to have a a safe space like this here in our community uh would do a great deal not only for them but the community as a whole uh with the different sports, pickle ball, volleyball, just all the things. Um we've seen firsthand the positive impact facilities like this and projects like this uh can have on a community and especially the youth um through youth advocacy um the jobs it brings in uh community collaboration um and the economy stimulation um there's thousands of teams all over the country that are looking for uh facilities like this to have different tournaments. Um, also I've worked for the Kazoo Promise as an alum in alumni relations. Um, and part of that role was to retain uh talent here in Kalamazoo after students graduate. Um, projects like this would do just that. Uh, giving alumni more reason to stay here and invest in their community um into a community that tries to give back um as

much as Kamazoo does. Um, we already do that with education with the Kazoo Promise, but to do that through sports, giving kids safe spaces to express themselves through sports, um, I feel like the impact on that will be greater than anything. Um, we're in favor of this project obviously and, um, approving these variances. Uh we pray that all the work and time spent from uh local leaders, community leaders, the discover Kalamazoo, and just local coaches because I know the struggle, all the work that we do. Uh we pray that this comes to fruition.

Uh my name is Curtis Woodfield. I'm a senior Kamazoo Central High School. I'm a three sport athlete and I came here to support this. I support keeping this sports facility as planned. This building is a huge opportunity for kids in our community, especially those who rely on public spaces to play and stay active. A facility like this gives our youth athletes a safe place to train, build discipline, and stay out of trouble. While protecting trees matter, investing in our youth matters just as much. This facility can positively impact generations of kids and strengthen our community. uh just to say like sports kept kids like me off the streets and all that and I feel like keeping kids off the streets can really help and build our community.

Thank you.

Hi there Marie Borman. I am the general manager at the Dome Sports Center. It's B O A R M. Um, I have just really quick comments. Everything that I kind of feel about this project has mostly been said, but as a small business manager and somebody who's running a small business that's sort of similar, um, I just want to come out in support of this project because I think it only enhances what we do at Next Level Sports Center. And then, um, it also brings it'll bring people into the community. It also offers us partnership opportunities. So, we're really excited for this project. And just as a mom, I know you guys have heard it before, but I just want to say anything that keeps our kids off our phones, it would be lovely. So, I think it's really positive for every for all those reasons.

Thank you. Thank you.

Hi, I am Hannah Miller and I also work at Next Level Sports Center. I am a volleyball coach and I also have stepped into a more clerical role at Next Level as well. So, I see all of our requests coming in and all the rental space that is needed that we cannot accommodate because we are bursting at the seams with our travel teams. Um, we did create our facility. Um, we added on in the last year and we added four volleyball courts. There are six pickle ball courts as well and constantly we're asking for rentals and we actually now need more space for our volleyball travel teams as well. I also run a lot of our val um a lot of our leagues and open gyms. So, I know that a lot of people have talked about our youth and yes, we want this for our youth as well, but also adults. Um the Mishawaka Field House, they run a lot of volleyball there. Um up to 72 teams per league that they run. and I am running leagues at next level um which are selling out within one day because I am not able to accommodate all of the adults that want to play volleyball like myself. Um so it would be great for our youth but not only that our adult athletes as well. Thank you.

Thank you. Can you repeat your name for me please? Hannah Miller. Hannah Miller. My name is Don Cybert. Um, thank you very much for putting this together and thank you for your time. I've been at the YMCA as a youth director for 30 years. I just want to say I'm I'm very excited uh for this complex comedoo. It'll bring a lot of people and a lot of money to the city. Um the variances mentioned today are important to make sure that this con that this is constructed correctly and leave a positive and impactful impression to the people and hopefully that they'll return again for more events. Thanks. Thank you.

Good evening everyone. My name is Aaron Wrenchler. It's R E N T S C H L E R. I am the general manager of the Delta Hotels by Marriott Kalamazoo Conference Center. Uh I want to express our full support for the indoor youth and amateur sports facility project and the variances being presented tonight. From a hospitality and tourism standpoint, this venue will provide significant economic benefit to Kalamazoo. Youth and amateur sports are a rapidly expanding driver of year-round travel, and communities with similar venues are already seeing increases in weekend demand, hotel occupancy, local dining, and visitor spending. Moving this project forward ensures Kalamazoo remains competitive and helps fuel the broader visitor economy that supports local jobs, local businesses, and community services. We strongly encourage approval of these variances. Thank you guys.

Thank you. Good evening. My name is Abigail Wheeler. I live in Portage at 8320 Shirley Court and I am a Kazoo County Commissioner. I'm for you tonight to support this project. Um, this project aims to give our youth in Kazoo access to hardcourt services that are desperately needed. This is a huge investment in Kazoo and in our youth. At the heart of this project is our youth. And there are many people in this room who have given their blood, sweat, and tears and hours upon hours of their time in making this facility a reality for our youth. Many of your community partners have supported this project, including a unanimous uh vote of support um from the Kazoo County Board of Commissioners, and I encourage you to do the same. Thank you.

Thank you. Going once, going twice. These are the supporters. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Sorry, that was not my tone. Uh those who wish to speak speak in opposition to the proposal may now also come forward and speak.

My name is Kevin Stufflebeam. address is 2035 West Gav, Kalamazoo. And want to make it really clear to everyone that I think this is going to be fabulous for Kalazoo. This is going to be great for tourism, bringing money in and doing everything. And so, um, why am I up here other than the line shorter, I guess. But um the uh especially following the the ma young gentleman that did the gas station. Nice presentation. Um we're not seeing what this is going to look like on this property. I we're we're told it's going to be 21 ft above what code is. And to let you know, I own all the land to the north of this thing. So, it's it's impacting me huge. Um, and I just want it be done right. And, um, as it was brought up, Ashimo is doing a master plan, and I would really appreciate if everybody could work together to get this right. So, that's where I'm at. And I know that there's also uh I didn't come up, but a traffic study being done that I think is really important for this. And um I'm just I think this thing is moving along pretty fast that um you know, when I first was introduced to it, it had 900 parking spaces or 950. Now we're down to six or 650. And and when we had were at the community meeting the other day, they were talking about if we had overflow, we were going to be using the streets. Well, I don't think they brought that up tonight that it's not going to be that. But I think

there's some confusion going on because we're moving so fast. But I certainly don't want to have something that looks like a warehouse up against my property. So that's where I'm concerned about. Um, you know, you think of a 50 50some foot warehouse [snorts] wall because this thing is big. It is big. And so that's what I'm concerned about. But, uh, also, you know, I can't say enough is about Ashimo doing their thing and that hopefully everybody can work together and, uh, like I say, this could be fabulous. This could be great for the community. So that's all I got.

Excellent. Thank you. Thank you. Could you spell your last name for me, please? Stuff will be su f. Thank you.

Good evening. I'm Neil Sakura, s i k o r a. Uh I live at 9643 West KL Avenue in Ashimo Township. Uh as someone who served on our planning commission ZBA and township board, I thank you for your hard work to make Cal Mazoo a wonderful place to live, work, and enjoy. Kazoo's success also makes the surrounding communities successful. I totally support this project as a concept and unfortunately I'm here look sounding like I'm just opposing the project, but that's not true. I totally support everything that everyone has said about the project. However, I do have a concern about a project that requires five variances for one facility. This concept, while well researched, um [clears throat] excuse me, appears to be too too many necessary things being jammed on too small of a parcel. Um the previous application tonight was different. It had uh uh developed property already that um they were retrofitting uh new use. Um, this small the use of this small site, sorry, is a self-created hardship that could be addressed using without using variances. For example, simply adding to the 20 acres would probably eliminate the need for all the natural features protection review board ordinances variances, the allowable impervious coverage variance, and the bike parking space variance. If you It would also provide room for green space for family and friends and the participants to walk around outside and get some fresh air or just to take a break from the noise and activity inside. I urge you to push back on these variances to encourage the applicant to seek more acreage from the rest of the parcel or a neighboring parcel to eliminate the variances or to choose a different site. As noted by the applicant, the staff reported in the natural features protection review board. There is undeveloped land and wood lot abudding in the north and the south and north and the east. Further, since these 20 acres plus the remaining

41 acres along with all of the hotel properties to the south that will be a big financial beneficiary of this facility are all owned by the same entity. Your action to deny the variances or tableabling the application for further work would encourage them to provide additional acreage for the development and show their support of the community over what appears to just be a financial consideration. Also, while we hope the facility is a success, please consider what happens if the variances are granted and the facility is successful. The facility will have no room for expansion or additional parking. It would have only one access point on Maple Hill Drive and Cudon Avenue and create safety concerns for the elderly citizens Rose Arbor Hospice Story Point uh apartment complexes in the Drake Farmstead Park. The community sounding this surrounding the site will be more affected by this facility than just the actual site. Finally, while I do support the need for this facility, I ask that you deny or table the variance request for the reasons I've noted and any others that you may find in your delirations. Thank you for your consideration and work with

your minutes did say four minutes. Did they? Thanks. Thank you. Sorry, sir. Oh, if they say four minutes, my apologies. I will look at look into that. Let me write. I'm serious.

Thank you. Anybody else wishing to speak against? Seeing none, any call-in comments, Pete? And we're opening up the phone line. The phone line is open. Okay, there is no callins for this particular case. Thank you so much. Seeing no further comments, I close the public hearing portion. Um, somebody probably just needs to make a motion for the finding effect and we can move on from there.

I make a motion for the finding of facts.

I move that the finding of facts for 1617 North Drake Road shall include information included in the notice of public hearing dated December 23rd, 2025 and agenda packet staff provided for this request. 34 notices of public hearing were sent and three responses were received from the following. Tom Hows, Oakland Winell neighborhood resident in opposition. County Commissioner Tammy Ray in support. Iris Potter, Westwood neighborhood resident in opposition. A public hearing was held before the board. Public comments were accepted as were additional documents and voice messages as follows. Or there were no voice messages. Okay, here we go. Uh Jane Go, CEO of Discover Kalamazoo, was first to make public comment. She brought a video that was shown of uh kids in the community speaking in favor of an additional sports facility. Um traveling for sports is difficult for schedules and is expensive for families. Uh these children that made the video were un unavailable to attend tonight's meeting because they are at their sporting events. Kalamazoo County facilities do not match participation and we don't have adequate facilities to host tournaments here. Um incremental 4% tax assessment um local use benefits for underserved youth and 628 additional hotel nights per year were cited. The facility would allow for hosting tournaments. There are particular requirements that for hosting

tournaments which is why there are so many requests and particulars for this building. Um the Kumoo County Center Authority Board will own the new facility. Nonprofit organizations own this. Um then Kurt Artemma came up to um talk about the property development. Um the natural features protection board recommended approval in December of 2025. The sketch site plan showed pro the proposed project. Older species of trees and significant tree species have been identified and they worked to design around these as much as possible. uh natural for the woodlands NFP natural features protection uh points that were made were that there are unique characteristics site was annexed to Kazoo in the 1960s historically used for agricultural purposes when 131 was developed excess soil was deposited on the site uh this is not a typical development in the city or even the region so there are many considerations to be made there um court areas cannot be compressed So there's a mezzanine that was built to keep the court areas from being compressed and minimize the impact of the height of the building. Um there are parking lot requirements for a facility like this and they have worked every way possible to keep that space to the minimum necessary including reducing the the square footage of the parking spaces themselves. Um the building height is the um the west end is 40 feet lower than the east end and the west end is closer to the residential areas hopefully to minimize impact to those

residential areas. Bike parking space 170 spaces would impact parking lot size more than believed to be necessary. So when we get into we've seen this before with a couple of other facilities in the area where the building size really impacts the calculation that's made for bike parking spaces and there's a potential to grow for that in the future. Um

thank you. So I apologize. I know I started with public comments and then I just went into the other facts that we had in the hearing. Um, it's just the way my notes came out. I apologize about that, but I will get back to the public comments now. So, uh, Tiffany Summers from Stbridge Suites, um, they're very much in favor of this project. Good for the hotel industry, positive impact on the west side of Kazoo. Wings West has closed and that has been a negative impact in the hospitality and local economy. And as a Kazoo resident, she values youth sporting events in general. Anna Warner from Ashimo Township public works director recognizes the project presents unique challenges within adjacent municipalities. This facility is supported by Ashimo Township offered in the spirit spirit of community collaboration and overall benefits of the greater community. If it were being developed in Ashimo Township, they would speak to support. Um, this is nearly 400 undeveloped acres in a suburban context from her perspective. Erin Schultz, owner of Schultz Suites in Ashimo, supports um she's also a chamber ambassador, speaks in support for economic development and youth development. It helps build a community and improve quality of life in the area. Evie Schultz lives in Ashimo Township, plays basketball and volleyball, thinks it would be exciting to play in a sports facility like this here in Kalamazoo, and believes it will help other kids like her as they grow up in the community. Julie Rogers is our state representative and a Westwood resident, and she has only heard positive feedback from the residents with whom she has engaged. um proud of the intergovernmental collaboration as a former volleyball player and a practicing PT in the area. Many patients speak to the appreciation of the potential to host tournaments locally.

Andrea Hargrave uh spoke from Holiday in and Holiday and Express. Um she's a Kalazoo Promise alumni, longtime Kazoo resident, much in favor of this facility only heightens local student athlete skills and provides additional opportunities. Jod Staphoria from Ashimo Township picked up um where the prior Ashimo Township public's works works director left off. Um they plan to they plan future extension of Maple Hill Drive North and she wants to make sure that is acknowledged in today's meeting notes. Woodlands are only 60 years old but serve a purpose. wondered if we would be amenable amanable to doing a visual review to understand what the height would actually look like for adjacent property owners. Deb Droppers came up to speak in favor as an event planner in Kazoo and WU professor. She has 265 student sports management program and an events management program at Western. And this facility provides amazing amazing opportunities for partnership with the university student programs and then it provides college students more opportunities to stay here and invest their time. Uh Nikki Hackworth spoke from Next Level Sports Center. She's a volleyball coach who has traveled to many places for youth tournaments. She's a sports mom who has traveled. Kids need sports. Local athletes travel constantly and it's costly. And of course, she's proud of this, but the facility will provide opportunities for some tournaments here in Kalamazoo with local economic benefits and some family cost reduction and time relief. Rob Buck has been a Calamazoo resident since 1978. Came to Kamazoo originally to be the volleyball coach at WU and spent 13 years there building a national level program and

has since started a volleyball coaching business um since 1994. and he currently has 120 to 150 coaching students coming to the community. And it's always a challenge to find space to work in. Um, and his next project is to get boys involved and and do um a boys coaching program as well, I would assume. Um, but he was cut off. Clarence Lloyd spoke on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce. Um, he spoke Oh, sorry. [laughter and gasps]

He spoke um that in favor of the stewardship to protect the resources of the community like trees for their environmental values and we also care to invest in small businesses and young people. This project provides the opportunity to invest in both young people and small businesses in our community and responsibility in developing this project has been a top priority. Uh Dante Hudson is a Kalazoo resident. Played Kalamazoo Central Basketball, coaches Kamazoo Central Basketball and a local basketball club in the community, has traveled around the country with his basketball players. This facility provides more opportunities for more young people to participate in sports and keep getting more that keep getting more expensive. Projects like this give young talent more opportunities and incentives to stay here and invest in the community. And safe spaces for kids to be and safe spaces for kids to play sports should be our top priority. Uh Curtis Woodfield is a Kilmu Central senior three sport athlete. Um this facility is a huge opportunity for youth athletes in our community to have spa safe spaces to play sports and keep kids off streets and build our community. Ann Marie Borman is from Next Level Sports Center and as a mom, anything that keeps kids off their phones and allows our for community development and kids to be in sports together here rather than always having to travel elsewhere is is a priority. Um, Don Cybert from YMCA as the youth director for 30 years uh greatly supports this community and or this project is great for the community. It will bring a lot of people and money to the community and he supports the project. Aaron Wrenchler from Marriott of Kalamazoo um says the economic benefit to

hospitality industry here is great and this ensures Kalamazoo remains competitive in many ways. Um Abigail and I didn't write down her I didn't get her last name. Kellum Zoo County Commissioner has um is spoke in favor of hardcore services for youth in our community are desperately needed. Many community partners are in support of this project and encourage us to also be in support of this project. Abigail Wheeler is the name. Wheeler, I apologize. I'm so sorry. You're fine.

Thank you. um in opposition and um Kevin Stuff Beam was first and to be clear he thinks this is a fabulous project for Kalamazoo for all the reasons mentioned previously. Um he's just concerned that we're not seeing what this is going to look like on the site. He owns all of the land to the north of this this proposed facility and it will impact him personally and he would really appreciate if everyone can work together to get this right. It's moving along fast and he thinks there could be confusion because it's moving along so fast and does not want a warehouse looking facility from his property. But again, he believes the project overall is a great idea and could it will be fabulous for the community. Um Neil Sakura is a Kelumu Township resident and spoke and also in favor of the project, but he has concerns about a project that has five variance requests for one project. Um he believes that the hardships have been self-created to much degree and adding acreage would likely alleviate the need for these variances. Um they should try to acquire additional neighboring acreage. If the variance is granted and then needs to expand, there's nowhere to expand um and ask that we deny or table the request for those reasons. There were no call-in comments. That concludes my finding of fact,

Mr. Chair. Yes, sir. I Yes, you did a great job with that. Yes, I I do have uh ju just two clarifying points that uh Jane Goch provided. Um that the 4% is an assessment, not a tax, and the projected um hotel room nights are 36,000. So just just we we'll get that straight in the finding of fact when the meeting minutes are put together. Thank you so much. Uh, somebody needs to second that. Uh, second that.

Thank you. We can just take a vote on it. Uh, this doesn't have to be a roll call, does it? No. Um, all those in favor of adopting the finding effect signify by saying I please. I I. Any opposition? None. Then the finding effect is approved. And now my question maybe for Charlie or for Peta is can we just have somebody do a motion to approve all five second all five and then we discuss and vote them individually. Well, can we have disc because there's going to be I presume there's going to be a lot of like bleed across of discussions.

So I'm thinking it's better to just make the motion to approve them and then we vote them individually. But have the discussion on? Yes. Just have like a big old cluster of discussion. Yes. I I think it's better to move on each motion and each motion individually and the motion addresses each individual. Sounds like a plan. All right. So, somebody needs to make a motion about request number one of the variances. I make a motion for the request of one for the motion. Thank you. Any second to approving that uh request? Anybody?

Second. Thank you. Then we can discuss it. So the first I think we should clarify on the record what number one is. Number one under agenda item D2. So D21. Read it please. A var I was going to Jack, but thank you. Thank you. It's late. We all need a reminder. um a variance from the natural natural features protection ordinance chapter 50 section 50-6.2H to authorize the proposed development to encroach into protected slopes which have a grade greater than 20% and protected slopes slope setbacks on the site. Okay.

So this would be to allow them to encroach on slopes. Uh anybody got any burning hot desire to speak on it? Mr. Urban, take it away. Make sure you turn on your microphone.

Sure. Um, I uh um was concerned about this uh until I learned that the uh protected slopes in that on that site are scattered. And so uh when you consider the slopes themselves plus the surrounding areas that off also have to be protected because they're at the edge of the slopes, uh it gets to be a significant portion of the site. So, it's a little bit of a hardship to expect uh this site to be uh uh in compliance naturally. And uh since this is a permitted use, this sports complex is a permitted use in this zone, uh the owner has an expectation that he can get use of the property. Uh and uh to prevent him that uh owner from using the property on account of protected slopes is a bit of a stretch. So in view of the fact that the slopes are scattered uh I find it uh okay to uh grant this variance.

Thank you. Thank you. [clears throat] Um excuse me.

Oh, thank you very much uh for correcting that. Shelby will get it into the minutes correctly. Thank you very much. Um my view of the slopes in some ways is similar I suppose to Jackson that um but it's more I'm more thinking if they're created by the highway construction from 50 60 years ago they're probably not the slopes that the NFP overlay and all of that was necessarily meant to protect uh if they're just man-made. um where I suppose we might disagree some is I would say that I don't know that there was any argument the property couldn't still be used even if we denied the slopes. It just uh encroachment just might not be able to be used for this.

Yes.

And but that's not going to stop me because I also know that we've allowed the uh uh three different requests related to the country club. two of one was they came back again and changed it but we've allowed and then there was the one the third one is the intersection at what Oakland and Angling I think that is uh where the slope on the church side um so we've allowed some encroachment on actual naturally occurring slopes before uh I don't know why in this case uh necessarily that we wouldn't uh agree that because these are man-made slopes that they should be allowed to encroach upon them without penalty. That's why at least with respect to this request, I'm I'm in favor of it. Anybody else? Excellent. Nobody else. Uh Pete, why don't take a vote on ZBA260102 request number one. And before I take the vote, um there is also the recommendation for that condition that came from the natural features protection review board. So I do want to bring that up. Um it should be referenced, you know, related to these NFP variances. So then perhaps Allison needs to amend her motion to include that um whatever you were just saying Pete and then the second needs to second it again. I motion to amend my finding of fact to include the natural features protection boards conditions that they put on this project as it relates to the slopes

varying and I will read that so it's clear what that condition is. All right. So, the natural features protection review board uh stated the uh condition that the green space and undeveloped areas be replanted using native species with a preference for dense replanting of native tree species.

Excellent. Tony's going to second that. I second that motion. Excellent. Now you can take the roll call vote I believe on request number one on agenda item two. And we'll start with Han. Yes. Mc Reynolds. Yes. Harrington. No. Yes. Urban. Yes. Four to one. That is approved. Thank you very much. Uh, somebody put Do we have any additional language to add to request number two under number two?

The the same that same condition. Okay. The NFP condition applied to both NFP variances. So, excellent. Thank you. Would somebody make a motion regarding the variance from the natural features protection or ordinance, etc., etc. Number two? I'll make a motion for number two, including the natural features, the stuff that Pete just read a minute ago. Yes. Including everything that Pete has wrote read. Excellent. All right. Please, please read that motion, the the actual variance request.

Sure. The variance request is from the natural features protection ordinance chapter 50 section 562G to authorize a 11.5% reduction of the 25% woodland preservation requirement which will result in preservation of 13.5% of the existing woodland with the uh the language that Pete is going to read now and the condition is as stated is that the green space and undeveloped areas be repled planted using native species with a preference for dense replanting of native tree species. Excellent. That there's the motion. Anybody second? I second that motion. You can't second your own motion.

I second. Thank you. All right. Now we can discuss this one. Um I I want to say something. Yes.

In regards to this project. Um, number one, I think you'd be really hardressed to find anyone to say that I was anything but in support of the youth of this community. And building infrastructure and facilities that are in support of their development is essential. Um, it's a part of our municipal plan. Um it's it's just mandatory. Um but and our rights end your rights end where someone else's rights begin. And I think that our lack of and and I want to say this too. I think that we've heard really amazing feedback from community Jane Kos this project the approach to this project um from the perspective of even the funding mechanism surrounding this has been genius Clarence your perspective I felt it 100% it was genius um again man is not made for the Sabbath the Sabbath is made for man so these natural features that I am speaking to I I wish and I hope to empower um this board. And I think it's really interesting. I want to say this too. I'd be remiss to to not say that to continue to I I'd like to empower and embolden our community to shift our language from um creating this narrative or this imagery surrounding our youth, specifically our black youth, that if we don't have these things, then they're going to be on the street. I reject that. Um these are geniuses. These are these are magic people. These source folk. So, I reject that narrative. Um, and I think we need to do better in that way. Um, and address some root cause things that are happening as relates to how we treat black women in this community and a variety of other

different things. But moving forward, um, you know, th this I think that we need to listen to the people that have been in opposition to this, the people that have abudding properties. There's so many other things that we need to be addressing within the context of this project that are surrounding design and planning that I would hope that we would be able to discuss on this board to create a win-win situation and a consensus in our community that would move forward this project in a way that was responsible for all people, all stakeholders involved. Thank you. Yeah, go ahead.

Well, uh, on this particular variance, I have some concerns. Um, in fact, right now, uh, I'm inclined to, uh, to vote against approving this particular variance, uh, because, uh, right to the north of this property is a great big, uh, backyard that's empty. Uh, if the neighbor could, uh, uh, work out a deal with the, uh, property owner uh, that holds the uh, this particular site. uh uh allow the pressure on the removal of those trees could could disappear. Also, there more there would be more room for uh creating a buffer between this high uh relatively high building and whatever residential uh property could still be built on the uh uh uh fow agricultural land located to the north of the site. Um I uh would like to know but it's not something that really can come to us at this point is why this uh option of using the neighbors property wasn't already considered. Uh the neighbor uh says he's in favor of this project. uh he has the capability of working out an accommodation that would meet the needs of both uh his use fair use of the property which is uh for residential development uh and the fair use of the property which is uh in question here which is uh related to the back of that cemetery. Uh somehow that wasn't done. So that leads me to think that perhaps uh uh one or both of these parties are intrigent intransigent on this subject and I I can't and our board can't intervene uh on that. The only way we can force an intervention on that is

to turn down this variance uh and force the uh the applicant and the neighbors to uh to reconsider. Uh, I'd like to hear from my other uh members of the uh board of comm uh zoning board of appeals uh their opinion on this and if if I have uh mischaracterized the situation uh or or believe uh I'd like to hear hear your response. H

well, my response is probably to go along to a certain extent with what you're you're saying. And actually, I'm just going to read a part of a paragraph from one of the letters that was sent in. As the staff report states, the request includes authorization to reduce woodland preservation from the required 25% to 13.5% allowing removal of approximately 86 and a half% of the site's woodland. The site is part of a larger continuous woodland system and the ordinance requirement exists to ensure that development preserves a meaningful share. I'm putting emphasis on meaningful share of that resource. A reduction of this magnitude is not a marginal deviation. It represents a fundamental departure. That is their emphasis from what the ordinance was designed to safeguard. That in a nutshell is why I think I'm why I'm voting against this particular variance. uh they forcing them to comply with the woodland or the the this particular ordinance will not prevent them from being able to use the property. Just prevents them from using it to the extent they wish. And that to me is not something we necessarily need to give a give a uh give a variance on. And I think it is instruct. It is good that we did have the quick trip here because at that point I think I made clear that if we could get a non-conforming property as close to conform into con conformity as possible that's what we should be doing.

The whole of these are asking us to take a complying property and just go wild with the the the variances and the deviations from the zoning. And so while I'm agreeable to some of them, I'm not just wholeh hog agreeable to all of them. But my thoughts are summed up by the writer of that particular letter and that particular paragraph.

I I'd like to add something else that I would like for you the rest of you to uh comment on. Uh a reduction in the uh uh woodland area to that extent uh might be considered setting a precedent for uh weakening the uh natural features protection ordinance in general in future. uh and the city uh and the natural features protection people have been working very very hard to uh to create a natural features protection ordinance. It's a model for the country practically. Uh and to see it uh uh being uh challenged by such a huge um um

okay uh u variance here uh might be considered uh uh a justification for further weakening of the uh enforcability of that particular part of the ordinance. If anybody disagrees with that or can provide some support for the opposing point of view that oh this isn't setting a president I'd love to hear it. What what's setting a precedent? What are you saying?

Setting a precedent for uh in the future when people come to uh say we want to chop down some more trees because we need to have this uh area for our our our use. uh we don't mind if we cut down uh half of what almost half of what is required uh to be on the site uh to allow the use. See it's went went 25% down to what 13 and a half%. Yeah. See that's about half but in the course of doing that the excess above 25% is already gone given away. Yeah.

Even with in compliance with the ordinance. I I think it's a good point you raised and is one I talk about a lot, which is you got to be careful about what you do on one because if you do it for one, you have to do it for the other or else Charlie's going to be in court fighting about it. Uh so I I do take that as a very good point. It's why when it comes to the bike issue, I'm kind of penned in on it. Uh because we've done that before. Um, but yes, I Does anybody really want to argue the opposite? Because I think Jack and I are sitting in the same spot. Did anybody want to argue in the opposite? Mr. Chairman. Yes, sir.

Before we proceed, I just want to remind the board we in your decision, you need to address the uh standards for granting a variance uh from the natural features protection ordinance. Those are number one. Let me find them. Let's hear them. The parcel cannot be reasonably utilized for its zoned use without the request. Well, it can be. Where is that at? Well, and you can discuss that and address that. I'm Go ahead and read it. Uh to the extent of relief requested is the minimum needed to permit reasonable utilization of the site.

Oh, I got them here. Three, it is demonstrated that the relief requested will not substantially impair the intent and purpose of the NFP overlay district. And number four, the requested relief is balanced by the use of conservation and or green development tools and actions such as utilizing storm water BMPs from the Michigan low impact development manual that uh which I don't think really uh applies here or use of wild type native plants or desired trees as detailed in the ordinance. I think the first couple of those are where I'm automatically saying this doesn't or like it doesn't fit. The parcel cannot reasonably utilize for its own purpose without the requested relief. I disagree. It can be used. I mean, I don't like cutting 75% of the trees down, but it's allowable and they can still use the property under that. They might not be able to use it to the extent they wish or for what they want, but it can still be used. So you're saying that they can cut down 75% of the trees and that's allowable even with the natural features protection.

Yes. Yes.

And they want to cut down 87% instead of just stopping at 75. And then two, the other one you said the extent of the relief requested is the minimum needed to permit reasonable utilization. I actually underlined that in my notes. Uh no that they can reasonably utilize this without going to that extent for the cutting of trees. may not again may not be able to use it to the extent that they want. But I suppose if the city commission and adopting the ordinances and adopting the the national protection natural features whatever it is national features protection overlay if they adopted these they've automatically made a decision that some properties they don't want to be used just willy-nilly for everything. They've made a decision that some things cannot be used for everything. They just can be used for some things. They're not limiting it to nothing. They're just limiting some of the things out of the equation. And I think that this could still be used

even uh if they were denied that particular ordinance or variant. Sorry. Okay. Let me ask this question. So could with because I am in support of this project. I need to be I don't think I was

Oh, I support it as well. Yeah, I'm not I am in support of this project and I think that there again as I indicated I think that there need to be some things provisions and um I think we need to be more conscientious about our design and planning like I say most meetings but um with all of the like with all of these different I guess this is a a question for the developer um but I I guess I want to understand if we said no to all of these. Could the project would it would there still be feasibility for the project specifically as it relates to natural features protection? Could this project be can we still get the project done without having

Well, I imagine they're going to say it makes it incredibly more expensive or difficult to locate or we have to make it smaller or we have to pay, you know, whatever to make it comply. It's because they've been working real hard. It's pretty obvious from all I've heard that they've had they've made numerous revisions and gone back three or four or five times maybe to to try to shoehorn this thing in uh to get it to uh so that the variances they're ask asking for is the minimal that they think uh they need the minimum they think they have to have in order for the project to go as they have been envisioning it. Yeah.

Now, I'm willing to say that uh that perhaps they may need to reinvision it in some on account of something that's really significant.

Yes, sir. uh uh bike bike bike parking uh is not one of those uh uh access however which is really not part of what we can discuss because the access goes through Ashimo Township access uh by extending uh Maple Hill uh drive north uh can provide for some more off- streetet parking there if they choose. If this may be an opportunity for some intergovernmental cooperation to go on so that when that access is put in, it's wide enough to allow for uh the sparking spaces that they have to move off site in order to not chop down uh any more trees than would take them down to 25% uh that's allowed by the natural features protection ordinance. So we we're no under no obligation to rubber stamp this thing.

Yeah. uh and I would love to be able to to find if this particular uh variance request is denied. I would like to be able to suggest to the plaintiff uh uh or maybe even talk amongst ourselves how we can uh grant a u something that's close to what they want that's actually within well I think but frankly I would say if it was denied they they they have to go they have to keep the trees to match 25%. That's something that they can do. Absolutely. And they can still have their their facility. Yes, I

I suspect if we deny it, them and Pete are going to have to have are probably going to wind up talking to try to figure out ways to make it workable within the denial or come up with options. I was also curious. There was so much Ashimo discussion around this thing. I'm like, why didn't this thing just scoot over the line into Ashimo and then we're not having this talk? Because the other question I would sorry I I'm changing the subject slightly, but I heard this as a nonprofit. Is the city going to b benefit from any like property tax out of this? No. No, there won't be any.

So, literally across the line to Ashimo Township, it's makes no difference to us one way or we're not losing out on like $10 million a year in tax money. And all of the hotels are probably in Ashimo mostly anyway that are going to benefit. So, uh yeah, that has nothing to do with necessarily the NFP stuff and the the the the standards, but there we go. And it will actually though have direct even though it's close to that line, it will have direct implication on neighborhoods in Kazoo. Oh, sure. And that's why this is such an interesting case. Um, and also this visual impact assessment. I can't Jod I think said that

Jod talked about the visual impact study or assessment. I'm I'm for the project as like I said that already, but like where's the opportunity for conditions based on some of the things that we're talking about during this discussion? Are there opportunities for us to we always talk about this too, but like can we just put conditions on some of these things based on some of the concerns that we heard from the constituency so that this can be a thoroughly thought through project that we can all be proud of and be happy about and make sure we have this as something in our community that we can benefit from from generations to come. How can we do that? specifically as it rel from my from my perspective the natural features protection and this um there's just so much development happening in that area. Oh goodness. And that area that it's just again, we've heard that we've heard it up close and personal how these developments are happening or impacting these neighborhoods. And these are where owner occupi these are owner occupied people that are um they're they're they're not elders quite yet, but they're aging. You know, thinking about the current condition of our economic landscape, our political landscape. These things are really important to consider. Um, and I don't think that we're taking any of these things into consideration in a way that I think is valuable enough. And so I think that slowing down, I think we've heard that a lot. Um, again, not taking anything away from any of the due diligence that has been done. I mentioned I thought this is done. This is especially the fundraising aspect of this. I think it was genius. Um, I love it and I think that there's a neighborhood right there that we should be thinking about. And I think these natural future protections I don't get like if we are president setting community as it relates to natural futures protection in this country. We always like push past the natural

futures protection ordinance almost at every single meeting as it relates to big developers in their projects. And I think that's weird but um okay so we say it prefuncterally but we're not honoring it. So, I would like to see us honor the conditions um of honor like how to protect the natural futures protection and make sure we're taking into consideration again the neighborhood and the people that have said that they would be directly impacted that are property owners by this by this facility. Well, the NFP has already recommended a condition and that was part of the motion

and we got a letter from Thomas How that said that Thomas House that said that only four of the members of like they were at quorum when they did it and that was also a concern for not to say that that doesn't pass a vote. It does. But again, a constituent has has wrote written us as that is a concern because you know we're not take we're not taking it into consider. There wasn't enough deliberation. There wasn't enough deliberation in the process a process issue.

Mr. Chairman, if I may cut in here and just uh clarify some things procedurally that you can do as as far as board member Harington's comments. Um what the NFP board has presented to you is is a recommendation. They have recommended a a condition. Yes sir.

Uh this board can accept that condition. This board can modify that condition. This board can impose other conditions as it feels appropriate to uh bring this request or this project uh into compliance or consistent with the zoning ordinance if it sees fit. Additionally, uh if this board would feel that it needed additional time to consider and if it felt conditions were necessary. I'm not suggesting that you do this. I'm not here to tell you what to do. I'm just telling you what can do.

Yeah. Uh you could journ this to a date certain and request more information. um in order to fashion additional conditions if that's what you want to do. Um so those options are available. Thank you to you. I'll just say no conditions are going to change me from a no on this particular point. Yeah. Well, again that's that's up to the board.

Mr. Sheriff, if I if I could just chime in, you know, as far as the the visual impact survey that was mentioned um by Jod Staporia, the planning director for Ashtimo Township. Um you know, that's that's something, you know, as far as the the elevation views of this building, that's something that would be looked at in detail in site plan review. So, you know, we, you know, we do have the ability to, you know, make sure that, uh, you know, we look closely at the, uh, you know, what that that north elevation of the building looks like from the adjacent property and make sure there's, you know, adequate uh, you know, vegetative screening there as well as work with the applicant on on design treatments for that side of the building. So, you know, that's definitely something that uh you know, can be addressed um in the site plan review step. Um so, I wanted to comment on that and then Attorney Bayer took most of my other comments I was going to throw out as far as you know, if there's any any information you feel this uh request is lacking, you can bring the applicant forward to answer additional questions at this time. or you know if there's information that you would like them to come back with this can be adjourned to the next regular meeting. So there there's a lot of options the conditions are also you know options the board has

uh Mr. Chairman, if I may, additionally, you had uh referred to what might happen in the event that this uh is denied. Um if uh an application for development, this is uh appendix A8.10. When any application for development approval is denied, a similar application for all of the same land shall not be considered for a period of one year. The date of disapproval unless a waiver of the time limit is approved by the decision-making body which would be this body. Uh and only one request for waiver of time limit may be submitted during the period of one year. The uh conditions for the waiver of time limit would be a substantial change in circumstances uh relevant to the issues or facts considered during the review of the application that might reasonably affect the decisionmaking body's application of the relevant review standards to the development proposed in the application. new or additional information that was not available at the time of the review that might reasonably affect the decision making application of the relevant review standards. uh a new application that's materially different uh from the prior application or there was a mistake of fact or emission of fact that if known would likely have resulted in a different determination and that requires a twothirds vote of this body to wave the time frame. So there would be those considerations. If

it's not, it could come back, but they're going to have to show something different. Uh and whether so that's that's what would happen if it's denied. Um and alternatively, you've got uh you can extend the time for considering this and request additional information. But thank and just throw that out there so that you are aware of the the consequences. Thank you. They've got options is what it comes down to. I think we should just vote. Sure. Okay.

Well, I I just feel like sad that I have to take a stance on this thing to make undue hardship for this project cuz I'm for it, but I just think we should be doing processes different. So, we can vote. But, thank you. Yeah. Oh. Uh, I I want to say that I'd prefer to just vote this thing up or down. Uh, and uh, but if it's, uh, necessary, uh, to, uh, I don't want to hold the project up for a whole year before they can come back with another proposal. Mhm.

So, uh uh if it's if it's we need to grant them a waiver to to come back with a second proposal within a year, I think we should do that at the same uh s in conjunction with this vote or as part of this vote so that uh we're not being uh kind of dogs in the manger about this thing. you know, uh that's not exactly the right analogy, but uh uh I I don't want to be, you know, uh I want the I want this

aspect of the project to get another review because I think there are solutions that are out there that involve the neighboring properties and I'd like these property owners and the joining uh municipality to work together with something that will that will satisfy everybody. Yes, sir. we're stuck with one piece of property right on the border and we don't have the usual flexibility we have to to actually uh negotiate with another party because it's in another municipality. Uh but that doesn't mean we can't uh encourage that to happen. So I with that in mind I I I think I'm pretty clear that I'm going to vote the way I originally planned to, which is no on this particular one.

Thank you. If if we want to vote to wave time limits or whatever it was so they can come back faster, I'm fine with that. But it's not going to change. Even if we don't, I'm still my vote is my vote. I just think we'd be doing too much. Like oh my gosh. Like I don't want to vote no. But I feel like I agree with everything you just said. That was well said, sir. Like thank you. It's corny. De, please take the roll call vote on this one. Miss Chairman, if I may. Let's take a vote already.

I I feel like you're trying to talk us all into voting yes or please don't do this because because Hold on because it kind of sounds like when you were saying that you're like, "Hey, if you say no, this project falls apart. So, here's a gun to your head. Vote yes." In which case, I'm still going to vote no. Oh, no. But I'm going to be mad that you're I'm being put in that position to vote no. I'm sorry. My vote is my vote. Well, I would like to hear what Attorney Bear has to say, please.

Thank you. Uh, no. That that certainly is not my purpose. Uh, I'm just wanting you to know the consequences of your actions, whatever that may be. It may not change your mind, and that doesn't that is not my purpose to try and change your mind or direct you in one direction. As far as granting what I'm was going to say, as far as a granting a waiver, now uh you don't know if any of those four factors even exist. So there's really no basis to grant a waiver at this time. Okay. If you do want them to consider something and come back within a year, no.

Then you're probably uh your option is probably going to be to uh adjourn this and and have them come back. So, you know, which way you go with that is your decision, but I would be remiss if I didn't provide you the information to know legally under the uh terms of the ordinance what happens. Now let me may I get a point guess clarification? Uh are you saying that uh u this uh request or cannot come back with another uh request for a variance for a year unless we grant them a variance.

Lord have mercy. They can come back but the the you can't consider the waiver now because you don't have any other proposal right now. They could come back with another proposal and you could elect to grant them a waiver. Okay. Thank you. Uh all right. That's within the year. Okay. That's that is that is an option as well.

Okay. So that let everybody know uh understand that who's in the room here today, right? uh that we're not blocking things indefinitely. Uh we're just asking uh or hoping for uh a more careful uh review of this particular the options connected with this particular uh dilemma. So

I have a question. So, we can either, it sounds like many of us are planning to vote no, or we could table it and get more information, which would make it easier for them to come back with a waiver or a proposal at which we could review and grant a waiver if we wanted to. Is that true?

You certainly could table it and request more information and then consider it. If you're t if you're tableabling or technically adjourning it to a a later date certain uh then you wouldn't be granting a waiver because the uh application would still be in effect still be preserved. It would not have been denied. It's neither. Okay. So, but we could get because I do think like sometimes people have brilliant ideas about how they could just ask the neighbor for the property and it's like that's really out of our scope to solve their problem for them. Yeah. Yeah. Right.

But I would like to I mean it sounds like the group would like more information and it sounds like we have a pretty easy path for that without having to hold it up for a whole year. Yeah, that's what I'm and I am not in favor of holding this project up for a year. Mhm. Well, and that's really been my purpose just to let you know what your options are. You go one way, these things are going to happen or have to happen. You've got other alternatives. If you go that way, these things are going to happen. So, you know what your options are so you can make okay a decision that you want to make. Mr. Chair,

yes. Uh uh well in view of that I uh request that we uh consideration of a alternative motion which is to uh uh table this particular variance request uh uh for a period of two months um uh during this discussion for a period of two months. That's the date certain which would be the the 2nd Thursday of March uh uh to collected uh additional information on uh [sighs] uh

I don't I don't even know that that needs a motion or a vote on it. I think that's something that I can just do as the chair. Correct. But can we need a motion? Okay. Are we Well, he's making the motion. Can we not hold the project up at all and just address the things that we have a problem with and tell these people what they what we want to see? We can't even get to a vote on this one. I don't know if we're going to tell them what I want to see happen. I understand. And let them do what they got to do. I do not feel comfortable putting conditions on this without more information. Okay. Well, then yeah, I kind of too. I'm I'm fine with whoever wants to adjourn it. I don't care. That's fine.

Okay. Because because there's no other information that you're going to be able to give me that's going to change the the cut cutting of it from 75% to 80 something%. Those just are hard numbers. There's no additional information I can be given and I don't think there's any conditions that can be put on it other than raise that number back to 75. Yep. But if we want to adjourn so that on that particular issue so they can have more time to to trying to not use the word appease us but to appease us in some way then they then that's fine because at the moment they would not be getting approval and I would vote no anyway which would also be not approval. Okay. So there we go. Can I ask

So he's made a motion. Mr. Mr. Chair, we we need to undo what's already on the table though as far as the motion. Yeah. Here's the complication. Uh uh if the asking for tableabling means that this particular v variance request is still going to come back to us in exactly this form in two months. That doesn't solve anything. Correct.

So, it's far better for us to give clarity to everybody and say we're we'll uh uh if the vote isn't here, we'll see how it turns out here because we haven't voted yet. If the vote ends up being uh to disapprove this variance, everybody has a clear signal what they need to do next and they can figure out what to do. So uh really that's the Christmas way to handle it. And it's very important these days that uh government agencies act with as much crispness and clarity as they possibly can that part. Okay. So we have we have the motion to motion on the variance. We there was a motion made. I would withdraw the motion.

He has withdrawn his motion to I I don't think there was a sec. Was there a second to that motion? There was no second. So the motion would die anyway and it's it's so we're back to the I just want to make sure that that motion is cleared away taken care of first procedure. I withdraw my motion. Let the record show that. Thank you, Jack. Thank Thank you very much.

We're on to voting on the original motion with the conditions from the NFP board. Thank you, Pete. Please take the vote. And just just for the the viewing audience, this is variance request number two to authorize an 11.5% reduction of the 25% woodland preservation requirement which will result in pres preservation of 13% of the woodlands with the NFP condition. And we'll we'll start with urban. No. Holler. No. Harington.

I thought we were going to ask for more like more time to like to think through this. Are we going through every single one of these variances? Yes. To vote on them and then that that is correct. And if if any of them are denied, then they would have to come up with a new plan. And if that new plan involves a a a different variance or reduced variance, they can bring that back to the board for woodland removal. Yes.

This is not fair. It's like kids or trees. You know what I mean? Um, I mean, yes. Mc Reynolds, no. Han, yes. I believe that is two in favor, three against. Even if it had three in favor, I think that still counts as a fail because you need four. So, that one unfortunately is a fail. All right. Up next, would somebody make a motion regarding number three under number two, the height variance? I make a motion for number.

You're probably going to want to read it. Jack wants it is wanting them read, which is good. Oh, do you have it in front of you? Oh, no. Oh, here it's number three. I'll make a motion for the de dimension variance from appendix A chapter 51 to authorize a height of 56 feet for the new facility where the maximum height for a structure in the RS5 district is 35 ft. Is there a second?

Second. Jack has seconded it. Thank you, Jack. Um, my question on this one, Pete, is did we grant any height variances on the arena? I know we did signage and, you know, that sort of thing. Did we grant any height variances? We did not grant any height variances. I mean, the arena is in the I mean, it's in a different district and it's downtown. Hey, if this thing was downtown, this would be much easier for me to approve all things. Yes, there were no height variances that we Yeah, there were no height variances. Do you remember the last time we approved like a height variance?

That Burger King sign? Well, it was different. But putting that Burger King sign. Yeah. Remember the Burger King thing for the car? Yes. Yes. Oh, I know what you're talking about. Yeah. The signage on the top of the Enterprise Rena Car. Yeah. So, okay. So, I don't have to be hemmed in. But we said no to that, though. Yeah, I think we said no to that. Yeah, we did. Excellent. Um, does anybody really have a passionate uh position? I don't like none of this. Like, I don't like that we're being poised against this project, but there's so many things that need to be like addressed. Like, I think that's corny. Like, I don't like it. But I know having to be the one to make the tough decision.

I can do that. I can make a hard decision. And I just think that there needs to be different processes. But let's move forward. Go ahead. No, I I don't have a big passion one way or the other about the height or the height differential diff. So height variance. Thank you. Go ahead. I'm sorry. So the motion has been uh made and seconded. Yes. Because we're in the discussion now. We're in a discussion.

Okay. Well, uh, for my part, uh, obviously since I second it, uh, and I'm I'm going to say I'm going to vote yes because they managed to make the accommodation of putting this property, this particular building in the lowest low part of the property and nearest to the to the highway where already the damage if there is going to be any to sight lines is already uh going to be the greatest. So, it's it's a minimal it's the most minimal uh uh impact that I can foresee uh given this site. So, uh I'm I'm in favor of it on that basis.

Does anybody really have a good argument against Jack? I Mr. Chair, I was just going to mention you know just you know touch any any touching on the review criteria would be helpful during the discussions. Say it again. What? What do you say? You know, touching on the review criteria and and tying that in with your comments would be helpful. Okay. Well, here we are. Um, uh, the review criteria for height is, uh, on page 35 of the of the, uh, packet. Uh, and I, if you don't mind, I'll I'll read those.

Yes. Uh first uh the special circumstances are that RS5 which is the zone this property is in allows several uses other than single family residential but the RS5 dimensional standards are designed to support only single family residential development. So the design standards are don't take into account other allowable uses in this zone. uh the height variance needed to develop this use which is allowed uh uh and would likely be required for other uh permitted non-residential uses in RS5 such as religious institutions. Okay. Uh then another next criterion is that there are special circumstances which are not the result of actions of the applicant or title holder of the land. uh and the uh staff uh has stated that the special circumstances are not the result of actions of the applicant. RS5 permits uses other than residential but has minimum standards that only account for single family residential. The required ceiling height for indoor sports such as volleyball and tur sports have industry standards which must be met or the venue will not be able to be utilized as a regional tournament venue. Well, if we uh uh denied the height variance in this case, the owner could claim that we denied uh the uh owner the uh fair use of his property. And that's a serious thing to do in this country. So, uh uh there's that. That's my editorial comment there. I'm going to stop doing that and just go straight with the hair on with the uh with the uh uh conditions for granting a variance in in on in this situation. Number three, that

the literal interpretation and enforcement of the terms and provisions of this ordinance would deprive the applicant of rights commonly enjoyed by other land in the same zone district and would cause practical difficulty. Uh well that just addressed that. Uh number four that the granting of the variance is the minimum action that will make possible the use of the land or the structure that is not contrary to the public interest and would carry out the spirit of the ordinance. Okay. Uh that's uh okay. Um uh the next uh review criteria criterion is the grand gring of the variance will not adversely affect adjacent land in a material way. Well um as I stated I thought maybe not but that's something that uh uh we can contend about. Uh the last review criterion is the granting of the variance will be generally consistent with the purposes and intent of this ordinance. Okay, there it is.

Well, you can talk your stuff if you want. We know that can. Thank you. Yeah, we can. I think we're ready to vote on the motion to approve dimensional variance from appendix A blah blah blah. The height the height variance And we'll start the vote on this side of the dis with Han. Yes. Mc Reynolds. Yes. Harrington. Yes. Yes. Urban. Yes. That is granted five to nothing. Thank you. So the So the number two one they're number two they're going to have to like amend that and so they're have to figure something out.

Okay. Great. Okay. That may happen elsewhere too. Okay, good. Uh, would somebody make a motion for this one? Number four. Um, okay. Just read that whole thing. Yeah. Motion to approve. Okay. Okay. I'd like to make a motion to approve um the dimensional variance from appendix A, chapter 5.1 to authorize a minimum impervious coverage of 56% for the site where 45% is the maximum impervious coverage allowed in the RS5 district. Is there a second? I second that motion.

Thank you. Tony has seconded it. Uh go for it. Uh well uh I'm inclined to vote in favor of this. I I don't want to create any more serious burdens to the project than I already have. Uh this is a relatively minor issue. I think uh the uh parking lot that's going to cover make this most of this area impervious has got to be there uh for the whole project to work. And uh unless they we were to but if we were to to say no on this they could find a a pvious uh parking lot material there are such things. Our our former uh uh drain commissioner used to go around uh demonstrating that such things exist. So, uh there is a way to solve this if we really want to

uh with all these well not for us to solve it but for the requesttor to solve it but I don't I don't feel it's worth the bother. So, I'm going to vote yes on this one. That's a question I do want to ask Pete. The bricks that are like the lattice bricks that are like the big squares with holes in them for paving and grass those would what would those do to the impervious coverage numbers? Do those count as like those those would be considered pvious given the size of the parking lots here. I think they're going to need to be a solid surface with a storm water system.

So I don't believe that that a pvious uh type surface is going to be an option. Um I just want to mention that this 45% um you know maximum again these are the standards that apply to that low density residential zone district. If this was a commercial district it would be 80 85% something like that. Tell me again what was allowed in the the gas station percentage wise that was 80% maximum imperous cover. Okay. 86%

80 80% what the ordinance allows for that site and they're going to be under that. They're coming under that. Yeah. But that's a different it's a different thing. But that's what he's saying is if it was a a manufacturing or that sort of thing, it would be allowed much more. Okay. I mean, I think based on all of that information, I'm in support of of this of which one? Of the of our disc of what we're discussing right now, the impervious coverage.

No, if we wanted to see and and I'm of the persuasion that if we want to make recommendations or put conditions, then we need to know more about pvious coverage before we start to ask them to do something different. Right. Fair enough. Anybody else? Pete, sounds like we're taking a vote. And we'll start with Harrington. Yes. Mc Reynolds, yes. Han, yes. Urban, yes.

And the loan, no. That passes four to one now. Uh, thank you. So number five, would somebody make that motion then? I will. Excellent. Go for it. Uh I move that we uh approve the uh variance request number five which is a dimensional variance from chapter 50-7.3 to authorize 20 bike parking spaces for the facility where 170 bike parking spaces are required based on the maximum occupancy of the sports complex.

Somebody please second that. Uh, does I have to do we have to attach any uh uh I don't believe there were any. Not with that. No conditions. All right. So, that's it. I second that motion.

Excellent. This is one that goes back to the arena for me because the arena is a specific sort of thing where they were required to have a whole bunch of bikes bike spaces, but it's not exactly a place in a place or a type of facility that people are just going to ride their bikes to for games and away from games. Not usually. Uh it seems silly to have a whole bunch of spaces there. This is going to be out essentially on the middle of nowhere where there's not real bike lane infrastructure and all of that. So it makes sense that it reduced to 20. Uh that's just a common sense thing. If you put 170 there, it would be 150 of them or if not 170 would be empty every single time.

And much like our discussion about the downtown arena, there's opportunity for expansion of bike parking as there becomes a need and infrastructure to support it. Yes. And since this is a non notp profofit and not a profit motive uh business, they might be more responsive to uh the need for more bike parking. However, there's less money available. This is true. But there you go. Uh excellent. I think we've got a we got a vote here. We'll start with Urban. Yes. Yes. Harington. Yes. Mc Reynolds. Yes. Han.

Yes. That passes five. Nothing other than number two on the agenda. Everything. No. Number two. Number three. Just can't cut down autumn trees. No, I guess we had one that failed, too. This one. Yeah, I'm getting them. I'm mixing my numbers up. Number two was the one that failed. Thank you. Everything else passes. Congratulations or I'm sorry, depending on which way it came out for you. All right. Uh, anything else on the agenda? There is no other business on the agenda for this evening. Excellent. Then we can be adjourned. Thank you everybody. It's warm in here. Okay. Okay.

Yeah.

Shelby, happy birthday. Thank you. You're welcome. for again for what? I think that the question is have we approved the totality of the the Kazoo Historic Preservation Commission's work plan? No. Right. It's not done. There's still funds. There's budget amounts that need to be given to us so we can more accurately plan for that. I'm also not sure, and other people could surely jump in if they wish to, that not having this approved would uh prohibit us from executing the split. I don't see what I guess the inherent value in approving constituent parts of a plan is, but if people disagree with me on that one, I'm more than happy to hear the opposition on it. Uh, as I said before, I do think that the timing surrounding moving forward the creation of the field of interest fund at the Kazoo Community Foundation is imperative if we would like to get it done before October of 2026. It's the way that it is explained to me.

So Dusty, do you have further questions? Um, I suppose not. I just want to make sure we have that open door that we can adjust budget as our our goals have those budgets suggested. Any future spending would have to come from that budget line of operations, the 19,750. Yeah. Yes. And I am not the arbiter of what can be spent and what cannot be spent either. Yeah, I think we can allocate that as additional budgets come in. Okay. Then I and then I'm not concerned. So we need a new motion to approve the entire document.

This is a part that I'm not understanding and I apologize. What the initial motion was to approve the 2026 Okconor fund work plan and associated. So, we're good. I believe I think that we're good. Yes. If other people have concerns, I'm more than happy to hear them, though. I'm just wanted to make sure we didn't miss anything. No, I completely agree. And Pam, do you have any concerns moving forward? Okay. And then, uh, we just had a document handed out to us. Did you have a copy that Pam might have?

I do. Um, Pam, let me write this down to you. I could have made a paper airplane, but I wasn't sure that it would get to you. I have two right here. But thank you, Dusty. So, since I had a spot here on the agenda to talk, I wanted to hand out just my notes from the cemetery committee from last year, this past year. Um, just kind of talking about how far we got with some stuff and we got I think overall we put some really good foundations down. Um, clearly the actual publication part did not occur, although it's a very solid start on that. Um, I just want to give you guys an update. I know that there was some concern previously about how how we were doing on these goals. So, while I think the goals were pretty aggressive, I do not think we did a bad job, um we did do a lot of comm of, um community outreach, working with local groups, um again, putting together a pretty good foundation for building tours, which will fall into Melissa's new new group this year in 2026. Um yeah, so I just kind of want to give you guys an update on what we did with that, which was again community outreach. Um working on a rough draft, kind of getting those that solid foundation for finishing these projects in 2026. And um what I did include in here was um a summary of 2025, which was also on a personal note, the opportunities afforded to the Kamazoo Historic Preservation Committee to have a positive outreach impact on the public. um is pretty strong. Our our cemeteries are a direct accessible link to our city's past and heritage. Maintaining visible and active presence in our

cemeteries shows that Kalamazoo is invested in this unique aspect of preservation work. And I look forward to expanding opportunities next year in the form of working with the associates of gravestone um studies conference which is considering a tour of Riverside and Mountain Home as well as the exciting opportunity to restore the Saxon House and Mountain Home. I do see our cemeteries having um continuing to have a bit of media presence in the press next year. Um the publications we're creating will have a long-lasting impact on how a public interacts with our cemeteries and that's an exciting legacy we are creating. Um on a side note, I do have a budget, but I guess I will put that forward for ne for the next meeting, which I do see as being pretty minimal because I don't expect huge publication to happen in 2026. Um I do have a question about our partnership with the friends of historic um Calamazoo cemeteries. There was a talk of trying to help support them. Um is that a side discussion that we should be having again an outline item for the budget? I

think again uh those discussions are commission discussions, right? So, if you want to propose monetary support, which is what I'm guessing you're asking, monetary support for them, right? Yes. Okay. That would be something that would be posed to the commission. And I think again, I really apologize that I'm not that good with the budget stuff, but you know, so if that's not something that we're seeing directly as a line item, then that's a discussion that you could have amongst the commission, I think, to figure out what we want to do and how we want to to do that. Okay. Is that better to bring up next year, next month on the agenda and next year? But [laughter] um I don't see why not. Okay. There's nothing that's going to happen between now and then. Anyways, that's

Oh, yeah. busy time. So, I don't think there's any harm in waiting until uh the January meeting to bring that up. Okay, perfect. Um then I think that's unless anyone has any questions on what I distributed. Um yeah, I think that's really what I wanted to cover. We can if you want to chat in the interim you and I can okay to strategize and how we want to look at it. Okay. Yeah. Um yeah and I do have that side interest as you know in um what's happened with Sexton Lodge and that restoration. Yes. So I do feel like that kind of falls into this little category in a really rough way.

It's on my radar but it's a couple years away but it is on my radar. So, okay. I don't know if I handled that topic as well as I should have, but that's what we all have. So, and I did tweak a little bit of the 2026 plan um which was distributed in email if I need to talk about that very much or not, but um yeah, I just added to that additional non-publication goals with that. And I did add some dates on where I feel a more reasonable deadline for some items that can um that could be accomplished in 2026.

So you're saying to look for an email about the goal? Was that saying? Um no. I was saying that the changes I made are in our packet. I don't if I need to go over that. Okay. [snorts] I just threw you a weld card by giving you a document that um my printer fought with me a lot. It would have been much prettier had my printer behaved. So, I apologize. It's a little bit rough looking. Not at all. I appreciate all you guys putting together reports and and getting them to me. So, and bringing them to the meeting. putting together stuff is always very much appre Pam. Do you have a comment and question?

Forgive me if I missed it, but did you actually take a vote on the Okconor fund work plan and the $35,000 expenditure? Or did you you did take a vote? Yes. I'm sorry I missed that. No, it's been a week and it's not even been a week. All right. Any questions for Dusty? [sighs]

Thank you for your report. Uh, that brings us to the coordinator's report. We already there. Jeez. I think it's just this. This is what I'm reporting on. You're going so fast. I can't talk that fast. I mean, I can talk that fast, but I'm not sure there'd be a lot of benefit. So, I think what we're going to do, uh, Whoa. Okay. I will have to have you click through for me a little bit here. Uh, but there shouldn't have to be any notes for this part. So, um, for I'm giving this presentation. It is not my presentation. Um, this is something that, you know, the city planner, Christina Anderson, and and I think Laura Lamb and Rebecca Kick have all worked on together along with the community, right? um to these are kind of the strategic vision and this is an a portion of the master plan for the city of Kazoo. Um there will be opportunities or I think we're always rather informal. So if you guys have questions and you want to ask them feel free to um and we can dive right in. So you can go to the next slide. This is just a brief overview of what's going to be what we're going to talk about throughout it obviously. So some of the IK 2035 is imagine Kazoo 2035 engagement and outreach that we've done analysis and initial results of the input that we've gotten the strategic framework that we're using to achieve a happy and healthy city and that's you know the goals that we're looking for with this iteration of the master plan is having a happy and healthy city and then some of the next steps in the the master planning process just so folks know too you know it's required of us to have a [clears throat] master plan for like I stretching my knowledge here for zoned communities, right? And this is uh something that when I started working as an Americanore member with the city of Kazoo was really interesting to me that we had a master plan and it was something that was a document that we actually used, right? It wasn't just

something that lived on a shelf. And I think that this is something that uh we should all be proud of in the city of Kamazoo that we have a master plan that is something that's used and referenced and it's a document that doesn't uh just lay dormant on the shelf all the time. You can go to the next one, Heather. We click it. Sorry. Oh, I didn't even see it. Sorry. There might have been a delay. So, uh, this is kind of the timeline that shows what the process looks like, right, for making, um, for the imagine Kazoo process, right? Um it's really important I think that we know that this is our timeline uh and that we have adjusted this timeline multiple times.