City Council - Regular Meeting

keeping the ice in the in fact it won't be here more than another two months max is that why it wasn't open for winter cost yeah it's completely gutted it's ready what wasn't open ice rink Ice ice rink He's It's gone. Okay, we ready to go.

This uh regular city council meeting of the Oak Park City Council is called to order at 7:03 p.m. February 16th, 2026. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. City clerk Norris, would you call the role? Mayor Mlen, yes. Mayor Prom Edgar, yes. Council member Rner, I am here. Council member Whitehead, present. Council member Crawford,

here. Wonderful. Um, is there a motion to approve the agenda? Is there a second? Second. Thank you. All those in favor, please say I. I.

Any opposed? Motion carried. Item five, consent agenda. These are routine items presented for approval without discussion as a single item. Any council member can ask to have a single item considered separately. A regular city council meeting minutes for February 2nd, 2026. Parks and Rec Commission meeting minutes for November 19th, 2025. Approval of pay application number one to BDS Environmental of War, Michigan for the Asbestous Abatement Services at multiple campus buildings in the amount of $26,5510. D. Payment request from MDOT for the 2025 NMI construction project from Clover Lawn to Greenfield Road M771 for the total amount of $16,81429. E payment request from Newman Smith Architecture for Architectural Services on the EventHub project for the total amount of $1,848. F. Approval of payment application number five to Alba Masonry Stone and Tile Incorporated of Waterford, Michigan for the EventHub masonry work in the amount of $62,85946. G. Payment request from OM Advisors for engineering consulting services for the total amount of $15,900. H. Payment request from GeFles Webster for master planning services in the total amount of $5,823.75. Payment request from Anova Furnishings

for outdoor furniture at the 11mi Road Alleys parking lot uh reconfiguration project for the total amount of $87,490.94. Wow, that's a long one. Approval of payment application number one to Taplan Group LLC of Kalamazoo, Michigan for the 2025 sewer and catch basin cleaning and TV inspection project M783 in the amount of 52,336.80. K. Public safety activity summary report for January 2026. L approval of payment application number three, the final to DVM Utilities of Sterling Heights, Michigan for the 2025 sewer lining project M777 in the amount of $5,000. M request authorization to bid the 2026 Corridor improvement authority landscaping installation project, which is going to look fabulous. um n new and renewal of licenses for February 16, 2026. Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda?

So moved. Second. Thank you. All in favor, please say I. Any opposed? Motion carried. Um I don't see elected officials, so we will skip down to seven accounting reports. Approval for payment of invoices submitted by Garen Lucco Miller PC for legal services in the amount of $15,51161. Um, Council Member Radner, I think we should approve this. So, I'm going to make the motion. Okay. [laughter] Uh, is there a second? Second. Thank you. Uh, any discussion? Roll call vote, please. Council member Crawford, yes. Mayor Prom Edgar, yes. Yes. Mayor Mlullen.

Yes. Council member Radner, yes. Council member Whitehead, yes. Motion carried. Thank you. Approval for payment of an invoice submitted by Dick Faber Kaplan for legal services in the total amount of $6,500. Councilman Rner. So moved. Second. Is there a second? Second. Thank you. Uh discussion. Roll call, please. Mayor Prom Edgar. Yes. Mayor Mlullen. Yes. Council member Radner. Yes. Council member Whitehead. Yes. Council member Crawford. Yes.

Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Bids 8A. Request approval to award the bid for the 2026 joint and crack ceiling project M788 to Michigan Joint Ceiling of Farmington Hills, Michigan. First, is there a motion to approve? So moved. Thank you. Is there a second? Second. Thank you. Um, do we have um someone who can director Moroni?

Good evening, Mayor Prom and City Council members. Uh, this is a contract for the 2026 joint and crack sealing uh project M788 to Michigan Joint Ceiling of Farmington, Michigan. We have worked with them in the past. Um when we uh sent the bids out, we had 39 contractors view the documents online. And on February 9th, we had two bids that were received and opened. Um the bid from um I'm sorry, Michigan joint ceiling is in the amount of $110,660. Okay. Can you explain what joint and crack sealing is?

Yeah. So, if you drive it along the roadways, you'll see the joints where they do the saw cuts and sometimes over time they'll deteriorate. If we do the joint crack sealing, it helps make the lifespan of the roadway longer. So, we do that as a preventative measure. So, that's across a road. Correct. Um, let's see. Um, discussion or questions? I do have a question. Yes. Mayor Prom, Julie Edgar, when was the uh who was the next um lowest bidder? Um on the bid tab, it shows that the only other bidder was Scadell Construction from Wixom and their bid was $111,230. So, not too far.

No. And we've worked with this company before, correct? We've been happy with their work. Yes. Okay, we're ready to vote. Roll call, please. Mayor Mlen, yes. Council member Radner, yes. Council member Whitehead, yes. Council member Crawford, yes. Mayor Prom Edgar, yes. Motion carried. Item 8 B. um request to approve the professional services proposal from testing engineers and consultants TEC of Troy, Michigan to provide construction testing for the not to exceed amount of $62,280. First, we need a motion.

So, thank you. Second. Thank you. Um Okay. Can you explain what is construction testing and why are we paying for it?

It's testing on new stuff. Yes, it's on new construction projects and some of the materials need to be tested to submitted to um different entities like Eagle or M DOT um to make sure they comply with um like compact compaction and um that meet our requirements that were in the bid standards. So, we hire an outside firm to do that for us to [clears throat] test for us. Okay, any um any questions? I was looking at the map for the main the water man replacer. Where exactly?

Construction testing. Water main replacement. I think this one is on construction testing for this is for the event hub. Nope. This is for um the 2026 water main replacement project and the Capitol Avenue rehab project. Okay. What are they doing on Capitol? Um there's a lot of bad areas along Capitol that need um some areas replaced and some is going to be mastic. Um so some will be cutting out concrete um portions like you've seen on say coolage most recently and replace with concrete.

Are we ready to vote? Roll call, please. Uh, Council Member Radner, yes. Council member Whitehead, yes. Council member Crawford, yes. Mayor Prom Edgar, yes. And Mayor McClullen, yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Um, a third bid request to award the bid for the Capitol Avenue Rehabilitation Project M786 to Eminent Contracting LLC of Detroit for the amount of 1,5,67. Is there a motion? Second.

Thank you, Crawford. um uh discuss me again. What [laughter] is the Capitol Avenue rehabilitation project?

Yeah. Um so I just answered that for uh Mayor Prom Julie Edgar. So that's going to be along Capitol a Avenue doing some rehabilitation along it. So um repairing the potholes and cutting sections out and replacing with concrete. Uh we had 121 contractors view the view the bid and 11 um submitted and we chose eminent um contracting. We have not used them in the past. So not only did we call the references and get uh good references from other communities, but we also had a pre-awward meeting with them to ask them a lot of questions to make sure we were comfortable with them. So that is our recommendation to go with the low bidder. Any discussion or questions?

So, this is going to be a 1.2 million project, not the 1 million. Nope. It'll be 1,5,67. There could possibly be change orders. So, it came in under what we had budgeted of the 1.2 million. That's good. How long is this? Is this two blocks long, a mile long? Oh, sorry. I'm going to say it's at least a mile. I'd say maybe a mile. A mile. And it's all two lanes. Yes.

Yeah. And that's in our industrial area. It is inter. So they're putting new concrete down. It's not going to be a complete re rehabilitation. It's just the really bad areas. Okay. Yeah. because it's more than a million dollars a mile to redo the whole thing these days. Can you believe it? Um, a million What is it? It was a million dollars a mile per lane last I heard. Yeah, I wouldn't I couldn't tell you what the new estimate is today, but I could find out for you. Thank you. Uh, roll call vote, please. Council member Whitehead, yes. Council member Crawford, yes. Yes. Mayor Prom Edgar. Yes.

Mayor Mlullen. Yes. Council member Radner. Yes. Um item nine, ordinances. First reading of a proposed zoning map amendment for the city of Oak Park to change the zoning of the property at 24850 Greenfield Road. Parcel ID 5225301040 from PCD planned corridor development. a district to B2 general business district. Is there a motion? That's Rner. Is there a second? Second,

Crawford. Um I know that there's going to be a lot of discussion on this one. Um are do we speak to you about it? You you may absolutely. Do we have a presentation that for this? Okay. Can So, Director if you could come up and orchestrate that and then of course, council members, I have a couple of comments I'd like to make as well, but

um yes. So, uh we have a few different people here to speak in regards to uh the reszoning of the property at 24850 Greenfield, the former Raid property. And um before they come up here, um I'll just wanted to kick it off a little bit. Um although tonight's decision is about resoning and we have heard from many other residents and council um or mayor prom uh council member Edgar um in regards to maybe waiting for a better use um in the last few years that it has been vacant. We have only seen inquiries from dollar stores and gas stations for that particular site. Um if you look across the state of Michigan there's over 165 vacant write aids. Um, [clears throat] uh, dollar stores, I'm sorry, have also been ones that have inquired about it and we already have seven in the city of Oak Park. Um, so I won't labor upon that, but I wanted to let everybody know that we have considered other uses and if they were knocking on our door, we would definitely want them here. Nobody's been knocking. So, um, I'm going to go ahead and turn it over. Uh, did you want to go first or do you want me to have them go first? Okay. Um,

is Gabe here yet? Gabe? Oh, there you are. Sorry. Yep. Got it right here.

Hi, good evening everybody. My address and everything. Uh, Gabe Chuckman, 30200 Telegraph Road, sweet 205 Bingham Farms, Michigan. Thank you for having me here this evening. Um, I also have here Mitch Harvey. He's a Stonefield Engineering. Eric Myers with Creger Clatt. And then also the property owners are here today as well uh to talk about if if if of interest, you know, their leasing efforts, the history of the property and what's been taking place. I actually would like to kick it off with that if that's okay and then we can talk about our presentation if that's all right. So Arkin, would you Mr. McCall, would you guys mind, you know, coming up? Thank you. Arin Jonah, uh, current property owner.

Good evening. Uh, thank you for having us tonight. My name is Ark and Jonah with AFJona Development, 4036 Telegraph, Bloomfield Township. Just a little history of how we got here. Um, I'm one of uh three, we were one of three preferred developers that developed drugstores throughout the state, right? Aid drugstores. Um, this store, uh, Wraid needed this store because they were closing, it was a twofur. They they closed the one at uh nine mile in Greenfield and the one at 10 and a half in Greenfield and brought the business both those businesses into this into this store. Um we overbuilt too many drug we we built too many buildings. We know that. Um just to devest just a little bit. Um my son, my oldest son, um about six, seven years ago, eight years ago, called me said, "Dad, I have to see you. What's going on?" Um long and short, he said, "Dad, I ordered toothpaste and toothbrush early in the morning and it was on my doorstep in the afternoon. We have to start selling these buildings that we own. Um, dad didn't listen and dad hears it every day right now. [laughter] Um, we're the largest holders of empty right aid buildings throughout the state. Um, [clears throat] we uh we took this building and thought that we could uh release it to uh possibly a larger another kosher grocery store. We've tried every one of the stores

um out of New York mainly. Um none of them had interest. And the thought, the reply was that um um you know, we have one successful store, we put another one across the street, you're going to have two weak stores. Um, we looked at the idea of breaking the building up and and turning it into small shop space. Um, the only thing that we would do there is weaken uh weaken the tenants that were that are next door. We looked at uh possibly uh tearing it down and rebuilding to bring in um the clust trying to do the cluster of stores that just went into the old Kroger space on the southfield side further south into the old Kro um that they rebuilt. um that doesn't work because they need to have three or four of the those types of tenants clustered together. They all have co- tenencies. The shopping center world changed and it changed in a very drastic way um throughout throughout our whole portfolio through the state. We need to make changes because retail as we know as we knew it years ago is non-existent today. Um Amazon, Walmart and the net has taken that over. Um very very difficult thing to do. We've tried uh service tenants. We tried all of the medical all the hospitals to do uh come in and do medical clinics.

It's just [clears throat] a very hard very hard uh type of building to lease. And I was driving up this this evening and the Walgreens at 9 miles been I don't know how long it's been longer than the

longer than the and we have an issue. We have a real issue with trying to reuse, restructure these buildings to be able to make them usable. Um, you know, you talk about the dollar stores and the beauty supply stores and we even tried the idea of doing a flea market inside and it it we went up and down this we we tried with this one so very hard. Um, it was just a endless road. If I can answer any questions, I'd be more than happy. Are there questions for Mr. Jonah? Mayor Prom Jul Jier.

So I I heard you say that um if you have two or more businesses or I believe you said six, you would either force other businesses out. Um so this car wash would be the sixth car wash in Oak Park and the third within about a half a mile. So what's the difference? I'm not sure I understood the argument you were making. Why is this a better use when there are there's a there's literally there's a g there's a car wash right across the street and a half mile north there's a fullervice automated car wash. So how how is that good for us? How does that benefit

there? There's a difference in what I'm talking about. the the independent tenants that are to the south in the shopping center are not as strong as the car washes that you come and see today. These are these are modern these are very active businesses. You we talk about the car wash across the street, you know, u he'll survive, but what he has to do is upgrade his facility. He's going to be forced to do something he hasn't done for 20 years. So, what about Jack's just down the road, which is basically another version of

L? I think they'll both do well. How do you think that? Why? What gives you the idea that both are going to do well based on what? Um, we're actually in the car wash business ourselves and we didn't think that our brand would go well at this location because of the the architecture and what have you. Um, there is a need for them. The the these new car washes are doing phenomenal. Maybe Gabe uh Gabe can address the car washes probably better than I do. I can address the real estate portion. Before you turn it over, I I have a just for

council member Radner. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Mr. Jonah, I just want to let you know that I'm aware of the fact that you've been a neighbor of the Jewish community and the Oak Park community for a long, long time now. And um my understanding is that prior to uh deciding what you wanted to do with this property, you actually sought out members of the Jewish community who live right behind where you're going to be and that they are supportive of this. That's the information that I've gotten and I'm assuming that that's the same information that you've gotten. I've spent uh quite a bit of time with members of the community in the car driving, explaining, and educating

ourselves, both of us. You know, I wanted to learn from what the community needed. And they wanted to learn from me what we could bring to the site. And uh uh as much time as we put into it, it just wasn't fruitful. And just one last thing, I don't want you to name any names. I don't know if that would be fair to the people you've spoken to. I've spoken to a number of rabbis who live literally directly behind where you are. And they called me and were supportive of this. They were not supportive of the last thing you tried, but they were very supportive of this. And I just want you to know that they appreciate they appreciate this very much.

Thank you. Julie and I may not agree, but [laughter] the information that I have is that the the community directly behind where you're going to be is very appreciative of this. And I think Gabe can speak can can speak to that uh that uh that synagogue uh better than I can. I attended that school for 5 years, by the way. Oh, did you? We used to walk past Malfar for it all every single day. Madam,

I I appreciate the time and effort you've put into trying to find a good tenant. And I came to the planning commission planning to vote no because we don't need another car wash. And when I heard of the alternate plans, the only things that are available that are interested, I thought I don't want that even more. So I am grateful to you for trying so hard

and you know uh just the retail world in what we're going through today is just it's something that we've never had to deal with before. We have to reinvent ourselves. We own a center at tenant Kulage where the Sahara restaurant is and we won't talk about the construction of the express when it's done to our tenency there but we have to reinvent ourselves to bring new tenants in the place and it's not just what and where it's how much it cost and what type of tenants you bring in to serve the community. It's a very very difficult chore. Th those types of tenants um are few and far in between, but we'll get them. Madame Mayor.

Yes, sir. It says on here for our consideration 6 uh the existing building will be retrofitted to 500 or 5,700 foot roughly and then for a car wash tunnel and just under 9,000 square ft for the enclosed car vacuum area. What's the current square footage of as it exists right now? I can turn it on. It's same square footage. We're we're reutilizing the four walls that currently exist on the on the property. Madame Mayor, thank you. Does that answer your question? Yes. Mayor Prom,

how big is the footprint? I've been looking at the site plan. I don't see how much of the space it takes up. Will the parking as it is remain? We can pull up we can we can walk you through the site plan if if that's acceptable. Yeah, this is Mitch Har with Stonefield. He's going to walk us through the site plan right now if that's okay. Just try to remember you're talking to city council people so speak slowly and use simple English because these site plans are complicated. Uh good evening. I never know what I'm looking at.

Good evening members of the council. My name is Mitchell Harvey. with Stonefield Engineering 555 Old Woodward, Birmingham, Michigan. Um, so kind of as mentioned, we're proposing the adaptive reuse of the existing Wraid building for a modern L car wash. Um, we will be reusing the entirety of the building, but modifying the parking lot fairly substantially. Customers will enter the site from 10M or Greenfield and also we'll be able to utilize the shopping center to the south of us via cross access. So, kind of sharing some of that uh traffic between the two developments. Uh the customers will enter to the north of the site. That's where So, the the entry on Greenfield will be closed. Correct. Yes.

So, there's only one way in and it's at the Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. The the entry on 10 mile, the western most the closest to the intersection will be closed. Okay. Okay. And is the Greenfield Is there a Greenfield? There's a Greenfield entrance down here. That's the existing entrance that will remain. So there's So there's current currently two access points on 10M and we're closing down one access point that's closest to the intersection. Got it. Is what we're doing. So working through the site, the northern side of the site is where the stacking is. Customers will then So with your finger, can you draw where the cars are going to come in? I'm going to be I'm going to try I'll try to do this. Okay. So this is the entrance point off 10 mile road.

Okay. Okay. They'd be coming in this way, okay? And then queuing right here. These are the pay stations. Then they'd be going through here into They'd be going through here into the tunnel. Okay. And then after that, they have the option to either exit back out to 10 mile and then we have enclosed vacuums inside the building. We're reutilizing the building. They can either go back inside the vacuums and vacuum or they can continue back out to either Greenfield or go back out to 10 mile. Helpful. Thank you. So you'll keep the the one entrance to 10 mile the existing one that now goes it's further east. Yes. Yes. Correct.

Yeah. And then and then since our last meeting we completed a traffic impact study as well. Um I don't know if that was provided in your meeting notes today as well. It

is. I thought it was very uh very interesting. We're providing a higher level safety now closing this this second access point along 10 mile road. So and the traffic study speaks about that. Yeah. So, along with um some of the the things Gabe touched down there touched on there, the the traffic study that was provided, I hope you've all received it. Uh they did a pretty interesting analysis that I thought. Um essentially, they compared the existing building if it was opened up as a pharmacy or with drive-thru and compared it to the traffic generated by the car wash of the same size. And essentially what you see here is a reduction in trips generated by this site by the conversion to a a car wash.

So the car wash would get less traffic than the former right.

The car wash produces less tra less traffic than a right does. And that's because a lot of the car wash traffic is people that are already on that roadway network either going to school, either going to work. People don't take a separate trip to go to a car wash. they generally do it within their trip train. So, they're already utilizing the roadway network and hey, I'm going to go get my car wash on my way home. Um, again, the the the western most driveway along 10 mile it was here, that's going to be completely removed. So, that's pulling the trips leaving and entering the site further away from the intersection. That naturally provides people with more opportunity to see cars turning, see cars moving around, and you have more time to make decisions. Obviously, that reduces in less accidents. Lighting, all our lighting is going to be fully dark sky compliant LED fixtures. They'll be directed into the site. Um, this avoids any spill over to the the right ofway or neighboring properties. Car wash operation wise, we're going to be retrofitting this building with a modern water reclamation system. So essentially there'll be three-stage settling tanks, an oil water separator, and a reverse osmosis system that allows for us to reuse about 90% of the water from wash to wash.

Is that standard for a car wash? We believe this is a bit above and beyond. 90%. All soaps are going to be fully bio biodegradable and environmentally friendly. Say that again. All soaps are going to be fully div biodegradable and environmentally friendly. Is that is that standard for gas for

for for more modern gas car washes? Yes. Uh landscaping is the last thing I wanted to touch on because I believe that's the biggest impact we're having here. So the existing site is sparsely landscaped with hardcape extending m majority of the site from property line to property line. Um so what we're proposing is to allow a significant increase in the amount of green space on site. So, if you'll notice in the southwest corner of the site, we have a large green area here. And then we're also pulling the furthest f the eastern portion of the site about 25 ft in. And so that gives us a fairly substantial buffer along that green uh along that eastern property line. [snorts] And what are the circles along 10 mile road?

Those are all going to be trees either existing or proposed. And I'm going to get to that. Let me get to my trees. Um, so, so this is going to look better. At least this is going to look much better. So, we're going to be providing an additional uh 47 trees across the site. 24 of those trees are going to be evergreen trees along this eastern property line to kind of provide a visual and more tall buffer. The remaining of the trees will be in throughout the site and then also around the right of way. along the right of way. We're proposing over a 100 shrubs. Can you point to where you're talking about?

Yeah. So, this is the right of way here for 10 mile. As you can see, um we have identified some of the existing trees and then some of the proposed trees and then we have a continuous shrub row that's around both rightway lines. So, under the trees is shrubs.

Yes, there's going to be shrubs. Um, in really looking at the the right of way, there is some there is some existing landscaping up there that we thought was pretty pretty neat unique. There was some nice trees and at the corner there, there's some landscaping features that we wanted to complement. So, that's why we're providing all this all this additional landscaping along the right of way. And then kind of finally, you know, when you look at the landscaping as a whole and compare it to the existing site, we're tripling the amount of green space on the site as compared to how it sits today. So, I think that's our biggest impact and improvement to the site that we're going to be bringing is, you know, from a site plan perspective is increasing all this green space and really beautifying this uh, you know, this hightraic corridor here.

And how are these trees watered and kept alive? They'll all be irrigated. Irrigated? Yes. By the reclaimed water? No, no. The reclaimed water will be strictly for the um the car wash washes and the irrigation system will just be regular water. That's that's all I got. Do we want to go through the slide or do we want to any other any other questions we can answer? Yeah, I have a question. Please. The bottom left corner over there, there was like a circle. There's like a Yeah, there's going to be trees there. Yeah, misunderstand that.

Yep. So, there's there's two trees here, tree here, tree here. These are all existing trees that are going to remain. And then we're proposing another tree here as well as a few trees along Greenfield and then up along 10 mile. Isn't that in the middle of the parking lot? This right here? No, this is a big green patch. It's a green space. It's It's 158. That's right. All this right here is all going to be green. So, kind of a entrance way into the site, if you will. um you know big green area that we thought was pretty unique. And what is it now? Right now it's parking lot. This is all parking. You can parking spaces for the right. So you're taking up asphalt or whatever and putting in green.

Yes, exactly.

Now do you understand that this is a highly trafficked area with pedestrians who are walking back and forth? They're going to be walking both east and west. Um, crossing your parking lot. I didn't look at the traffic study. I'm assuming there's going to be cars going in and out of the area just where people walk. Heavy traffic on Saturdays, particularly Friday nights, but also during the day, other days, people are using that. Students are using it in the winter when it ices over. It may be hazardous. Are you going to come out, get that ice removed right away, or is this one of those fully automated operations you sort of just leave and [clears throat] profit from?

Great questions. Um, number one, we have four to six employees on site at any moment. Um, second thing I just personally, I'm I'm board president at Hill Day School. I do a tremendous amount of work with Beth Huda. I've attended a base kabato west Bloomfield for many years. I know Rabbi Lev Levi Gordon who's next door. So, we we own this property. We're going to operate this property and we're we're connected to this community. Are you are you connected to this community? I believe 100%. Wait, I got a question for you. You're the president of Hill. Yes. How long have you been the president there? Yes, I'm finishing up my second year right now. Oh, okay. My mom was a teacher there for like 20 plus years. My mom's My mom's celebrating 37 years. Wow. At Hello Day School.

She outmed your mom. Yes. Yes. Which one are you? Shookman, Harvey, or Myers? I'm Shookman. Shookman. Okay. Have to ask my mom about your mom. Most people like my mom more than me. Just for the record. I'll say that under oath. I know the feeling. Yeah. I'm 100% connected. You know, I have a huge responsibility to be part of the Jewish community. Shiva Bahud is incredibly important to the Jewish community just like Hill Day School is. So, I have an incredible responsibility to make sure that Shrag is a dear friend of mine. I know Mr. Turgal very well. I have a huge responsibility here. Six employees to answer the question will take care of salting if it's ice and keeping the parking lot in good shape.

Exactly. There's also a component of heated concrete that exists as well. So that also eliminates a big percentage of the salting that we need to do. Um but yeah, 100%. You know, our our big thing is making sure the customer is okay. You know, we're community is a huge part of our DNA and who the company is from our stores down in Miami to our stores all the way throughout Metro Detroit. So, we're going to make sure everything's plowed, salted, and it's pedestrian friendly. Absolutely. Good question. Any other further questions? I have comments, questions. Yes. But I think we need to take the vote first, right? Okay. Are we ready to vote?

Just one more. I mean, just one more comment, I think, more than anything else. And this is really for Mr. Jonah. Um, you mentioned that. What's that? [laughter] He thought he was off the hook.

Oh, no, no, no. You You are. There's You said that that retail has changed tremendously ever since pretty much Amazon has taken over everything. And um it kind of reminds me of when taxis in New York and those medallions completely got destroyed by Uber. the the taxi medallions in New York was was a tremendous business. They were going for almost a million dollars right before they were worth about $70,000. People would spend their entire lives saving up for one, buy one, and then a minute later it was worthless because of Uber andyft. So I I understand and I feel the pain for the for your pain. And all I can say is next time you got to trust your son. Sometimes the next generation knows what they're talking about.

I work with my dad, too. So, I I was coming up here to I think Gabe and I take too much credit because when we first came here to talk about this site, I've known Eric since the Detroit days. And I can tell you that there I believe in persistence and there's no community that we've dealt with in a long time that has as much persistence as the team. Not just there the whole because we have a great mayor,

you know, and mayor. The persistence of come on, we can do something here, not just for this property. AR, go look at this piece. Tell us what you think you the persistence that came out of these meetings made us it it it it made us do our jobs much better. What we do, they they forced us to move a step more uh a step above to get what we thought we could get done. Just just thank you. Two questions. Mayor, I have a question or a comment as well. Um, council member Whitehead.

Um, so you mentioned that you looked at tearing it down possibly. Did you look at anything residential at that area? I know you said retail was kind of not hot right now, but did you look at residential? We just had somebody in the boards and commission that's trying to find an apartment here uh after a lease is up. It seems like housing is already a crisis. Um, did you look at residential? No, this is not a residential site. Um, we do residential, we do apartments, and this is not anywhere near being a good residential site. Uh, what makes it a bad residential site? For the same reason we were talking about the traffic that's there, it's just not there for us.

But there's residents right by it though, right? Yes. Okay. [clears throat] Any further questions? Yes. Um, council member um Crawford,

just a comment and I do agree. Um, I thought about this morning and I needed Q-tips, vitamins, and pet food. And I thought about um I have to run to Walmart, get my Q-tips and my vitamins. Then I got to run to PetSmart to get Frankie's well that's my Yorkie, his pet food. and I picked up my phone and I ordered it all on Amazon and it was there. I ordered it yesterday, it was there this afternoon. Um, for me, I just roll with the times. Ever since COVID occurred and a lot of our brick and mortar shut down, um, ordering has become the way that most people have. You can get it right away. You're not using your gas and it's delivered to right to your home. So, I do agree our brick and mortars have become very hard to sustain and I don't like the look of that empty building that's been there. Is that a year and a half or two years it's been there? Um, director

almost two years. Almost two years. So, um, and we were right's largest landlord in the state. So, imagine how many empty buildings we have right now.

Right. I do want to say I do understand the community thinking um or or feeling something else can be put there, but it's not so much what we would like there. It's who's coming to the city, who's approaching us to put in businesses there. Um so, um I just wanted to bring those points up. I'm glad that you are being um very compliant with recycling and conservation. you're putting green space and trees in there. So, uh, thank you for that that portion. Thank you, Mayor.

Yes, sir. Um, Mayor Brom,

so this this property, you need the resoning because in our master plan, this is a planned corridor development district, which the difference between that and the B2 zoning designation you're looking for is that the planned corridor development district is pedestrian friendly, offers a transition from the neighborhoods to the main thoroughares. There's a reason we have a master plan. We really shouldn't deviate from it. In fact, the planning commission worked on this master plan. So, I'm not sure why we are not waiting for something better. Now, I don't like vacancies either. I really don't. I don't want a vacant building. We need the property tax revenue. All that's true, but I don't think that this is the solution. I don't think that just because you tell us that you've been soliciting businesses unsuccessfully and guess what this is the only thing we got means that we should have a car wash next to another car wash a half a mile away from another car wash and just around the block from another car wash. We've got one being built on 8 mile as well and we have one on nine mile. I think it's um it's it's a bad use of the property. And what's going to end up happening, of course, is it will be a husk of a building too at some point and you'll be trying to find another tenant. This time it'll be just an empty building with a tunnel going through.

I feel bad that you invested all this money in write aids, but that's what you do as a business person. You take these risks. What? Let me ask you something. What suggestions? What ideas? Just think out of the box. What ideas do you think you can go get? What retailers are out there that you can think of that would be here?

I don't know. But I'm saying I think a car wash is a bad idea. And frankly, you know, the mayor really didn't want a sheets across the street, which is I think a 24-hour operation, but at least at the sheets the neighbors could buy groceries. This is just a building with water coming down on cars and it will compete and it may put that guy out of business. So, he hasn't invested in his car wash. You think maybe he'll upgrade because this car wash is coming in? No. It'll put him out of business most likely. But we already have a traffic problem on Greenfield with jacks. So, I would say why are we tampering with the master plan? We already have a zoning design designation and we have a lot of neighbors and frankly the city I'm not sure how many people the city actually talked to um about this project whether they really want it. I um I happen to live in the neighborhood and I think it's kind of a travesty frankly. Um I don't like the look of it at all and I think what are we known as car wash city now? Like this is our new designation. We have self storage and we have car washes.

Okay. You say you care about our city and [clears throat] you're invested, but do you want it on the corner where you live in Bloomfield Hills, Birmingham? You want one? No, you don't. Oak Park. One going across the street from my office at Bloomfield. But not near your house, right? Um, no. I'm building one a half mile away from my house right now. Madame Mayor, I think we're probably ready to vote. Yes. Um before we vote, I the city manager has prepared some more information that might um help you with your decision. I don't know if I don't know if anybody knows what I'm about to say, but I call the question.

Um uh can we hear the can we hear your information? It's up to you. Okay. All right. I'll I would like I would like to hear from the city. I'm going to frame it that way. So, um, actually my first question is for Kim. If you could stand to the podium, please. Um, the I I wanted to ask you a question. I wasn't totally sure about the resoning request. So, the the we are in the process of amending the master plan right now. Um,

yes. Yes. And the old master plan talks about amending the future land use map and this resoning is consistent with that. In fact, we think the other um adjacent lot that's zoned PCD should also be reszoned to B2 to be more consistent along the corridor. Okay. So, I want to clarify this. So, so that I understand it. I'm not a planning person. So, so work with me here.

So, in other words, would we if in best case scenario with this amendment, these amendments that we're making to the master plan that we're currently in right now, would we have the PCD district or would we replace the PC district with the B2 district? We would likely replace the PCD district with the B2 district. We're in the early phases of it, but even in our last revision of the master plan, we talked about going through that process in this revision. Okay. So, the consultants are telling us best case scenario, the BCD district would be replaced with the B2 district. Our last consultant suggested that and then we're going to revisit it again with this consultant.

Okay. Thank you. Um, Gabe, I have a question for you. So the what is the dollar amount of the capital investment for this project? 10 $10 million. $10 million. Do you happen to know approximately maybe this is for you Kim, but approximately how much additional tax revenue would that generate for the city? Um if the building does not get uncapped, meaning it transfers ownership, it would be an additional $15,000 in taxes. Okay. Annually. And that would be on top of the is it about 68,000 paid. Okay. So just just a little bit short of 90,000. Correct.

Okay. So this is a question for our city attorney. So this and correct me if I'm wrong, madam city attorney, but this was the property that is currently assessed at about 1.45 million. That is correct. And that assessment is currently under appeal with the Michigan Tax Tribunal. And that's under appeal by the owner. Correct. Correct. Okay. And then did you did did we not work out an arrangement where you could negotiate that? Is that fair to say? City council has given me some authority to negotiate, but there has not been an agreement reached yet. Okay. Has the applicant requested a valuation a certain amount for that valuation from the M Michigan tax tribunal? The current valuation that their application seeks is approximately $300,000.

Okay. So, if it went down if the if the assessed value went from 1.45 45 million down to $300,000. Kim, do you happen to know off the top of your head how much that would reduce their tax obligation if we kept the property as is? Probably by 80%. Okay. The estimated tax obligation would go down to approximately 22,000 a year. 22,000 from just short of 90 if they Okay. Correct. Okay. Gotcha. If they were to get what they're asking for in their petition. And again, that petition is still under adjudication by the tax tribunal. Okay. Madame Mayor, I think we're ready to vote. I have one more question. Oh, sorry. I guess not.

Um for the architect, please. One more. Um I just wanted to go back on the stacking of the cars and I did have a chance to go through the traffic study. I want to thank you all for taking the time and expense to put that together. Um I also, by the way, want to say that at least from my perspective, I can't speak for city council certainly, but I can speak for the administration. Um we support all of our businesses. the city doesn't own these properties. Um, I want to clarify that we receive an application from private property owners, some of whom you've heard from tonight, to reszone the property. Um, our ability to designate the property and decide what goes there is limited. Um,

I wanted to talk though about the stacking of cars. I want to go back to that for a second. So, you mentioned I think the zoning ordinance you said maybe it was you Kim that said it allows it requires that about 21 cars needed to be stacked. You've exceeded that that requirement though. And what was it again? 36. 36. Okay. And then I noticed in the traffic study that traffic would increase 1.3% is the prediction. And what was that from? Not stacking of cars or was it something just general traffic? That was the overall traffic on Greenfield and 10M. And that was um with the addition of of this development that's what it would be increased by. Day-to-day fluctuations is 5%.

5%. Okay. Increase of 5%. Increase of 1.3%. Day-to-day fluctuations. People going to and from work. That's 5%. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. But this is you did this traffic study with 696 closed. So there will likely be a lot more traffic once those lanes open. The numbers that we used were from MDOT's 2024 data. I didn't do the traffic study. I just spoke to the traffic uh engineer before we came, but he said he collected that data from 2024 from MDOT. Okay. City Manager Tungi.

I do have one more. I'm sorry. I wanted to go back to the the green space that Gabe had talked about or that you had talked about, I'm sorry. Um, is there a possibility, and I know obviously there's traffic coming and going, but how large was that piece of property again? This piece right down here, yeah, is.15 acres. Oh, 0.15 acres. Okay. And it would just be a green space. Is there a possibility to do anything decorative with that space um on for the betterment of the community? Sunflowers. Sunflowers. [laughter] Um, you know, one thing which we could potentially do is do some, you know, do a small seating area. That's one thing we could potentially do. And then just Can I ask you a question? Would you be willing to work with our community if this is approved tonight and then the second reading is approved later on?

Absolutely. To designate that space for a community space. Absolutely. And then the uh the other the other opportunity that exists I think just speaking about people walking on chabas um Friday nights you know Saturdays we can just make sure we have improved lighting along the uh property lines and just you know just give some thought to the uh sidewalks from uh you know keeping them salted and just just come up with some community ideas. But we're happy to you know reach out to the local synagogues that are on the other you know further east on 10 mile to work through those items. We'd be happy to do it. Thank you. Madame Mayor, are we set? Um, hold on. Can I make a motion? Is that legal? Uh, no. There's a motion on the table. We already introduced the motion.

Okay. I believe we have Yeah, there's uh motion on the table. So, it is another motion is out of order, I believe. Are we ready for a vote? Yes. Roll call, please. Uh, Council Member Crawford, yes. Mayor Prom Edgar, no. Mayor Mlen, yes. Council member Rner, yes. And Council Member Whitehead, no.

Okay. Um, motion carries three to two. Thank you. Uh, item 10 is uh, city attorney Courtney Cross. Good evening, Madame Mayor. The agenda item before you tonight is an appeal under the Freedom of Information Act. The city's current FOYA procedures require council to consider appeals from applicants that are denied information under the Freedom of Information Act. The current item concerns a request by a resident for a copy of the oath of office taken by the city attorney pursuant to 5.10 10 of the charter which requires every officer elected or appointed to take an oath consistent with section 2 article six of the constitution. I'm sorry, article 16 of the constitution. This request um was responded to with a statement that the city did not have any responsive documents and the reason for that is that that section of the Michigan Constitution is no longer in existence. The charter for the city of Oak Park um due to the date that it was enacted references the 1908 version of the Michigan Constitution which was amended in 1960. The applicant was not satisfied with that response and contends that he has appeal rights under the Freedom of Information Act which does which does provide the opportunity for an appeal if records are withheld under FOYA. In this case, records were not withheld. records were in effect not available based upon the content of the applicant's request.

I'm happy to take any questions for council. Um, is this a motion or what do what are we council needs to decide whether to uphold the city's response to the foyer request or deny it in which case the city would have to go back and redo the request. So he's asking for something that doesn't exist. Exactly. Yes, that's correct. You're

and he is also contending that he has the right to appeal and be notified of his appeal rights. Again, the city took the position that since the document was not available, that the appeal rights did not apply because appeal rights applied to documents that are withheld under the exemptions in FOYA. In this case, again, the documents were not available because it specifically requested an oath of office under the Michigan Constitution that is no longer in effect. Um, so, uh, can we are voting to uphold the city's response to this appeal of public record request? This was for like the oath of office or something.

I just stepped out for a second. This is your oath of office, right? It is an oath of office that applies exist uh under the version of the charter that is currently in existence requires officers that are elected or appointed by city council to take an oath required by article 16 of the constitution. That article is no longer part of the Michigan constitution because the constitution was amended in I believe 1960. Um the as you are also aware the city attorney's office is retained by council. We are not elected or appointed. So he foyed a document that doesn't exist and now he's appealing not receiving it.

Correct. But under the city's FOYA policy, all appeals of these types of requests have to come before council for consideration. I sure hope you win this one. [laughter] Okay. Um, do we have this um uh stated correctly? Can you state the motion, please? The motion would be to uphold the city's response to this particular foyer request. Okay. Is there um is there a motion? So moved. Red.

And who was the second? Uh Edgar. Is there discussion or questions? Can't hardly give them something that doesn't exist. Roll call, please. Um, Mayor Prom Edgar, yes. Mayor Mlullen, yes. Council member Radner, yes. Council member Whitehead, yes. Council member Crawford, yes. Motion carried. Thank you. Back to unanimous again.

Yes. Um my dad spoke German in the house and there was a saying from Goita which was gag dohide keend go to forgave it and it means against stupidity even the gods fight in vain. Thank you city manager Tongate.

Thank you madame mayor members of council. So 11 A1 I have our resident services coordinator Tim Jorski with me tonight. I've asked him to provide a presentation to council and the public about our resident services inquiries and most of those if not all of those come through our gov QA system. Um I think these are some interesting numbers. He's also going to be comparing and contrasting these numbers for 2025 to the previous two years 2023 and 2024. Tim, thank you. city manager. Good evening, madame mayor, madame mayor prom and council. Good evening.

You look at the screen. I also have provided for you a hard copy that you can look at which may be easier for you to see than stretching your eyes across the room. But I thought we'd start with the city mission. I'm sorry, the vision, mission, and values and specifically the strategic plan. Goal three and objective one I think speak directly to our use of gov QA and its implementation. I'm going to start with public works and for this one I separated two of the categories out of here because you'll see in the next two slides that they are so large that anything on this slide would look teeny tiny and nobody would see it. As we can see that from this slide probably the is the greatest request of the residents for public works per this slide only is the potholes and as you can't hear me mayor sorry

louder. Yes. Can you hear me now? Yes. Perfect. So as you can see that probably the largest on this slide are the potholes and we're in pothole season. We are starting to see those coming now. And if you've driven down any road anywhere, you'll see. The second tall one was for sewer catch basins.

Correct. As you look the colors on there, it's for last year of 2025, the year prior, 2024, and we went back 3 years to 2023. You can see there's a little fluctuation in the numbers and I'm not quite sure if there's an explanation as to why the sewer catch basin is so much lower since 2023 or we've not had many issues there which is perfect answer. Right. Moving on to the trees which are the second largest request for public works. Those have stayed very consistent throughout the last three years. Typically, those complaints are people calling and stating that perhaps their tree is dead or they need their branches trimmed. And those are all addressed by public my I'm sorry, by public works in usually a pretty quick fashion. As you're aware, many of the trees can only be trimmed in the spring and the others can only be trimmed in the fall. So, those numbers do fluctuate as to when they are addressed, but those are typically addressed as timely as they can be. And for the most fun of the night, the refuge collection complaints. Let's start with 2023. There were 10 for the entire year. I started tracking these through the priority waste portal. Probably late fall of 2024, that number was roughly 330. And in total last year, trash complaints through GovQa or the priority waste portal came in just under 10,080. There were 10,079 complaints to the city about the trash collection

versus complaints that my trash wasn't picked up. The funny should ask, sorry, funny should ask. The next slide, this is the breakdown of the 179 complaints about trash last year. And you'll see as you stated, mayor, the largest complaint was my trash was missed. Second by there's a last category there. It's called other complaints reported. Those are things that don't fit into any of those categories. Typically, it is my trash cans were left in the driveway. My trash cans were left too far too far out into the street.

So, this is not um not all missed. This is some I don't like where the trash can was left. That category is probably other complaints received would be a collection of things that aren't accounted for in those categories. Therefore we get any further. Any other questions about public works? Is there any other questions about public works before we I have I have a couple more questions for you. So I I think is it fair to say that trees have always been the top place where comp I call them complaints but inquiries have been

completely accurate. Yes. So with the exception of 2025 where refu became the the top complaint and and that coincided with our new vendor going into full gear. Okay. So, all right. And I'll save the rest of the end, but just wanted to stress that we had 10 refuge complaints in 2023, switch vendors in 2024, went up to 300, and then last year we had over 600 or I guess it was more than a thousand. There were likely more in 2024. Like I said, got access to the actual portal that priority waste is using. Gotcha.

Instead of tracking at that point. Okay. Okay. Then you're on to municipal services. On to municipal services. You can see code violations are the top complaints and blight. And the difference between there is basically how they're reported through the system. A lot of people may call a code violation a blight violation or vice versa. And they're addressed the same by the code department. Any questions about municipal services? I do. Mayor Mayor Pro.

So, um, when you talk about sidewalks, what sort of complaints are are coming in? Payments about complaints about having to replace slabs or about bad sidewalks? Yeah, most of the complaints are I have a cracked sidewalk. My sidewalk is raised. They're not necessarily complaints about payments to sidewalks. These are like defects in the sidewalks that people are reporting and the code violations. So, people are calling in to report violations and I [clears throat] assume these are all researched. We follow up on these uh complaints.

Correct. What happens is when they're reported, each category has a different set for a time frame in which the resident needs to be reported. basically depending on the procedure for investigating. So for a code violation, it'll get sent over to municipal services. Once it's assigned to the Jeff Ren and then he assigns them to the appropriate code officer, they have four business days to make contact and close it out with the resident. Nice. And Tim, do you circle back in that process then as well to make sure that it's been closed out? Yes. And

so um what do we do with this data? How do we Oh, that's my Oh, that's patient, patience, patience. [laughter] Stay tuned. More to come. Moving to public safety. It's a very broad category there and that is generally anything somebody wants to report to public safety through the system that's not an emergency. I'd say Dr. Cooper would probably agree with me. The majority of them are still photos of speeding cars that we can't tell if they're speeding speeding cars, but Director Cooper is fantastic and responds to all of them.

Then the last slide tonight is general requests. These are things that don't fit into a larger department and ask question. Most just go um back to public safety. Uh most of these public safety um requests are speeding on the side streets. I would say most of them. I think a lot of them are. What other what what else are they? A lot of abandoned vehicles are but that's separate. Abandoned vehicles separate category. Noise is separate and traffic. Oh, you're speaking of just the public safety. A majority of those are about speeding. Yes. Thank you.

And then general requests are requests that go to different departments. As you can see on the slide, the ask a question complement the city in general all come to me in the city manager's office and that's a huge variety and I probably couldn't tell you what they all are. We appreciate it. Any other questions? Um, what's general again? General is something that does not fit into any of the other prescribed categories. Like, so the most recent one I can probably speak to is somebody wrote a general request asking Say that again real slow. Somebody wrote a general request asking about the Winterfest.

About the Winterfest. The Winterfest. Ah. Ah. So, it didn't quite make it to recreation. and it made it to the general category in the city manager's office and I was able to respond to them and they got their answers.

Okay. So, Madame Mayor, I know you had Tim. Um, great work and thank you for the summary. Um, as time goes on, council members, we're going to continue to hone in and get more specific and detailed information. So, a couple of things hearken back now, you know what, six, seven years ago when this position did not exist. We created this position and we created this position because we wanted to make sure that resident inquiries, not all of them certainly because this isn't a catch-all. There are some that fall outside of this, were being dealt with in a timely manner and from A to B so that we were always making sure that their questions were being answered. Um, and Tim has done a remarkable job in doing that. Um, so much so by the way that I think I've noticed a couple other cities around us are now creating this position after we did and are copying us. Um, you asked about what we plan to do with these numbers. Well, we're about to head into our budget season and you know, my hope is that we put real emphasis on some of these areas where we see that our residents uh needs maybe aren't being met properly. Um, you know, not just trash, not just speeding, but other areas. Um there's some investments that we can make around it. Um uh what those are um we haven't decided yet. That'll be part of our budget process, but we have more numbers now to work with to make more informed decisions as we go along. The more data the better, I always say. So Tim, thank you.

This is datadriven government. Yes. I have one question. [clears throat] Yeah. Can we um I like the way it's broken down, but under public safety where it's just kind of um could we get a more specific breakdown there on what those requests were? Yeah. And I like the municipal services is broke down to each

We can I think it's safe to say and Tim I may have to defer to you on this, but I think it's safe to say we can break these numbers down in a lot more detail than we have them here. Okay. Um, but I will also defer back to in the consent agenda tonight, there was the public safety annual or annual report which included their numbers for their activity. Um, and so, you know, I will I will also say as far as public safety goes that ticket writing year to year for us is about a thousand tickets more than it was in the previous year. So, well, two years 2,000, but year to year it's about a thousand. So, we're very encouraged by that. that again.

It's about a thousand more tickets. Over the course of the last two years, it's about 2,000 more tickets. I'm not celebrating writing tickets. But since that's how we fund our court, we unfortunately are put in a position by the state of Michigan here to talk about how beneficial that is to our bottom line. So, and it's the number one complaint that people have is that people aren't following the rules, speeding or parking or whatever. So people want um people are asking for this enforcement.

Yep. Absolutely. You know, and it gets back to, you know, getting way in the weeds here, but if we if we see that speeding and we know speeding is an issue that is reported in our neighborhoods, um you know, maybe it's something where we invest in speed trailers beyond what we already have or, you know, something like that. So again, that's just an example of where we can hone in in our investments around some of this data that we're receiving. Okay. Um 11B1. I am going to ask Deputy City Manager Doster to join me at the podium um with a huge update from our construction manager on the event hub. Dave.

Good evening, mayor, city council, city manager Tongate. Uh before you is the monthly report uh and pay application for Frank Rudel and Assoc or Suns. It's for the event hub construction work. So tonight I'm asking for approval on pay application number eight and change order number six for the event hub in the amounts of $286,79968 and0 respectively. Uh these uh pay applications and change orders were approved by the construction manager architect as well as city administration. This uh work is for month ending January 2026. The project is approximately 50 55% completed and it's recommended that the change order and payation are approved. Funding is available in the event hub construction fund. Happy to happy to answer any questions you may have.

Dave, I have a question. Sure. Um, I just want to point out something that, you know, you and [clears throat] I speak about this all the time, so I never want to assume that people just are following what's going on with the event hub. I mean, obviously we can see it being constructed next door, but as far as the the budget, the project budget goes, I do want to point out, could you speak a little bit to the change orders thus far on the project?

Sure. So, in the field, there's always we're always going to have change orders. Um, we have done a good job as the administration of managing these change orders. Uh, we added some AV work recently. We changed some of the grading early on the project. Um, we added some amenities in the kitchen. Uh, these funds were we had pulled aside funds early on for either allowances for different trades or held money because we knew we were going to do this. Our construction manager is very good at anticipating changes that may need to happen or alternate bidding items that may need to happen in the field. So, we do hold certain pots of money for that stuff. We did have one change already early on for about [snorts] 41,000, but we have not had a positive change order since. We've been using those um funds that we have available to the project to cover any field changes that we have. So, so far so good. Uh we'll continue to do that. There may be at one point we may see a change order. Uh we do have a constru construction contingency on this project. So, our goal with the majority of the construction being done is still come in uh on time and under budget.

Okay. So, is it safe to say that because we're where we are in the process that our contingency so for if there's any changes from this point in the contingency can handle those and we won't be back to council for a change. Yeah, like I said, change orders may come in on a monthly basis, they may be for zero, they may be for low amount, but I do agree with city manager, we are at a point in construction where I do not see us nearing that construction contingency and upping our guaranteed maximum price in this project. Fantastic. Madame Mayor, may I ask a question? Yes. Um, council member Sean Whitehead.

More so, um, a comment as opposed to a question. There are [clears throat] other cities that that don't do change orders like Ann Arbor, Washington off, you go do work there. There's no change order. So, maybe that's something for us to look into um about how they get away with because they have to just put a new bid out like somebody else has to rebid if there's a change to what we've been quoted. So, I've been thinking about that for a little while now on why we do it that way where we let them just change. I know prices change and so forth, but the the I I would Dave, you can answer that too, but I just give you my two cents. I think they probably are just operating with a larger contingency to begin with in the project. Um, we try to operate with a market market based contingency. Um, I would love an environment where there aren't any change orders, though. Yeah, I would agree. Brainwash Dave every day about change orders. We're never going to bring

change orders you see here, some of them are for $3,000. It's a a field change that we needed to do. Um, we follow our purchasing ordinance and we're very well inept to rebid projects out if we need to. The project has been bid. Some of these numbers were anticipated early on. We held a certain number. And one of the things we pride oursel is in documentation. So, what we're doing was we're documenting changes to the contract pricing. May not be a an increase in the overall contract price, but it's the documentation that, hey, this was changed. We added this as part of the project. We're taking it from this fund and we're documenting that. Nothing is they're not huge amounts. They add up to be a larger amount, but it's like I said, it could be a field change of a we need to move a plug over to another room. Well, because of increased labor materials, it may be a $600 change order, but it's a change to the contract that wasn't originally a bid. We do solicit different contractors if we need to, but it's just a documentation of any change in the project.

And you think this will come in under 9.4 4 million. Yes, I do.

What was our original budget? Just curious, Dave. 10.3. For construction, it was, I believe, a little over 10. Our total construction budget's still a little over the nine million when it comes to our FFN costs and the costs that we have put out for the project, but construction-wise, we are below the original budget. And I do agree that we're at a point where we're going to come in below the budget you see in front of you today. Thank you, Madam Mayor. We need a motion on this. Let me see. Wait a minute. Where are we? So move. Second.

Um, discussion. Roll call vote. Uh, Mayor Mlen, yes. Council member Radner, yes. Council member Whitehead, yes. Council member Crawford, yes. Mayor Prom Edgar, yes. Thank you. Motion carried.

Okay. Thank you, Dave. Uh, 11C1, we have our esteemed colleague, the director of public safety, Steve Cooper, is here. Director Cooper. Good evening, city manager Tong Gate, Mayor, Mayor Prom, and City Council. Uh before you, I have an Oakland County uh P25 Simocast system interlocal agreement uh between Oakland County and the city of Oak Park. Uh since October, since approximately 2004, uh the county has operated and maintained a countywide interoperable public safety communication systems for use by the county and for use by the governmental entities and private public uh safety entities located within Oakland County. Uh the county was the owner of the 2004 system. And to properly operate, manage, maintain, and repair the 2004 system, the county entered into an interlocal agreement with the governmental entities using the 2004 system, detailing the relationships and the uh responsibilities of the party. Uh the 2004 system is now uh end of life. And since uh 2020, the county has been constructing and implementing new uh a new public safety uh P25 Simocast uh system which is integrated with the Michigan public safety communication system. Uh the P25 Simoccast system replaces the 2004 system. And to properly operate, manage and maintain and repair the uh P25 Simoc cast system, the parties must enter into an interlocal agreement that will terminate the interlocal agreement concerning the 2004 system and list the relationship and responsibilities of the parties regarding the operation, management, maintenance, and repair of the uh P25 Simoc uh system. There's no increase in our cost uh to our agency for the new uh communication system and it's recommended that the city council approve the Oakland County uh P2 P25

Simoc cast system interlocal agreement uh between Oakland County and the city of Oak Park and this agreement has been reviewed by legal. I'll make the motion. Thank you. Who is the second? Sean. Thank you. [clears throat] um what happened uh between 2020 and 2026 as it took them that long to come up with a new system or

Yeah, they there's always like I said things that pop up as far as that kind of delays or strains things out, but they started actually they knew the end of life would be probably right around 20 uh 2020. Um, and like I said, I guess, you know, things didn't progress as quickly as they thought they would. Um, so here we are.

There's no getting around it. I mean, it's it's a situation where we can't operate without uh a comm we don't have a standalone communication or radio system. So, we're at the uh the county's mercy. And uh to be to be I guess be honest, they take a lot of the grunt work for all of the counties in Oakland County. uh they take the lead to uh to coordinate that project and it's a it's a monumental amount of work. There's several meetings that uh myself, a lot of the other uh agencies throughout the county have to attend uh to just get informed and updated, but it's like I said, it's a monumental task and it's uh there's no way around it. We have to operate with a with an interoperable radio system and uh they're the only game in town.

Got it. Um, let me see. So, we have a motion and a second. Is there discussion or questions? Roll call, please. Uh, Council Member Radner, yes. Council member Whitehead, yes. Council member Crawford, yes. Mayor Prom Edgar, yes. Mayor Mlen, yes. Motion carried. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Director Cooper. 11D1. I'd like to ask our recreation director and our deputy city manager, community services, Adam Oarzac, to join me at the podium. Council members, for a change order and budget amendment for the city master plan to include recreation master plan services. We have an opportunity here.

Yes. Good evening, mayor, city council, city manager Tongate. Um before you, we have um change order and budget amendment to our city master plan agreement. Um, as you know, on November 17th council meeting, uh, council approved, uh, a bid to award Geles Webster, um, the contract to update our city master plan, which is required to be updated, uh, by state law every 5 years. Um going through that process um it was discovered our parks and wreck uh master plan as well which also is required to be uh updated every 5 years to be eligible for uh Michigan DNR grants as well as other uh grants. Uh so it was brought up that um due to you know similar um you know community engagement they uh collect a lot of similar data um to bump up the uh renewal year of our parks and recck master plan uh by one year. Um and one of the reasons to do this kind of you know uh of efficiencies um as mentioned they do uh collect a lot of you know while they're different documents a lot of um similar public engagement uh and kind of get them on the same uh five-year uh cycle for renewing them. So essentially bidding out both those documents uh causing efficiencies and and uh saving the city money in the long term. Uh so with that uh Gifles Webster uh did uh provide a quote for us uh for uh $16,400 to offer um you know the update of our recreation master plan services uh for that. Um, while this uh was not originally funded in the budget, we did have some uh money left over from our uh pool repair budget that we would be uh moving over to a different line item account to pay for this uh expense. Um Laura, is there anything you like?

Can I can I ask a question if I could, Madam Mayor? Yes, please. Um Lori, this question is for you. So, you've done recreation master plans before. If we were to do that separately, how much would that cost us? uh considerable more than what uh Gekelson Webster is is uh recommending. So yeah, probably double at least. And you are comfortable with combining them? Yes, very much so. I think it's a great idea. Good. Um, we need a motion to um for a change order and budget amendment for the city master plan to include recreation master plan services. So moved. Thank you. Crawford. Who was the second?

Rner. Yes. Rner. Um, questions or um discussion? Roll call, please. Council member Whitehead. Yes. Council member Crawford. Yes. Yes. Mayor Prom Edgar. Yes. Mayor Mlullen. Yes. Council member Radner. Yes. Motion carried. Thank you.

Okay. We are to on the Elevate Oak Park update. Dave, if you could join me at the podium. Council members, I do we do have a whole bunch of updates for you here on the Elevate Oak Park project. I did want to go back and point out that um and Dave, maybe you could speak to this a little. I'm not supposed Britney's not supposed to hold stuff up to the camera, but here I am doing it again for the 100 millionth time. But council members, in the consent agenda, we did award um environmental remediation services to what's the firm? BDS Environmental.

There you go. and it was to do the remediation for the the ice arena, the pool building, the cable building, and the pool house adjacent to the pool. And this is in in anticipation of the demolition that's going to occur. When are we projecting the actual demolition of these facilities to occur? Uh, so the actual demolitions we're hoping to start sometime in March. In March. Okay. So that's the first update. Okay, the second part of this and I'm going to turn it over to you Dave. We have the presentation from Frank Rewald and Suns on the event hub.

Yeah. Uh thank you. Uh we so we came to you earlier this early this evening with a payment for them, but they also provide a monthly report to the city manager and myself. Um we made great progress on the event hub in January. Much of the work was completed inside obviously due to weather. Um, but they were able to complete all the masonry work on the exterior and interior. Uh, the translucent panels you may see at the very top of the event hub, the main uh, hub portion. Those were uh, they arrived on site and they are currently being installed right now. They were started last month. We uh, put the first coat of paint on the inside of the building as well as the ceiling of the event hub. Um, can I see that?

We may see a picture of it. You can kind of see it here. There's a linear metal ceiling in the main part of the event hub. The structure for that was installed. They'll be closing that ceiling as well the as well as the other hard ceilings here later this month. Uh and then the exterior soft framing was completed at the both the vans shell and the event hub. So those are some of the big milestones we completed in January. Upcoming here in February, they've already received the garage doors. They've uh started installation on those. So that's an exciting portion. Uh the exterior lighting will be starting in the sophets and the will finish painting some of the um uh paint on the inside. Start some more of the kitchen equipment and the low voltage uh audiovisisual components will be installed this month. So a lot of good things happening. Like I mentioned earlier, the exterior portions of the building won't start till probably sometime in March once the weather breaks a little bit. Uh but we're seeing a lot of good progress on the hub and we're still scheduled for a uh summertime grand opening.

And and council members, I just want to add to that. So we are targeting June 30th for the official ribbon cutting to coincide with our state of the city address. Um I believe that's a Tuesday if I'm not mistaken. I believe so. Yeah. So obviously for our community that will be a huge moment. Um Okay. Okay. And then Dave, you also have an update on the community center project. Before you get to that though, um this letter was provided to this is a letter, council members, that was provided at your seats. This is a letter that's going to be going out to [clears throat] um all I believe all residents of the Berkeley School District.

I know it's adjacent to Tyler Park. I'm not sure. Adjacent to Tyler Park or those residents? So adjacent how I guess is the question I have. then just is it immediately adjacent to the park or is it [clears throat] um it is my understanding uh yes all the homes that um abut Tyler Park um will be receiving the letter um that you guys have.

Okay. And then just the just detailing the construction plans for Tyler Park and what's going to be happening with a new varsity softball field for the school district. Correct. As a reminder, we know we share the park about half and half with the Berkeley school district. Um there's going to be a softball baseball practice field installed, new restroom facility, a walking path around the entire park, which was number one if I'm not mistaken from our residents when we did our surveys way back when,

and a large open multi-purpose field with improved drainage. Um right now it floods out there obviously, so that'll greatly improve that area. And I uh did want to me mention that there is a phase two of the teller park project. Um that will be a pavilion and a playscape and some other amenities. Um we are looking at the um coming on the budget time there. So and a pavilion too. Correct. Yeah. So we're looking and an ice rink too. Possibly an ice rink too. We will look at the the cost. Yes. Love it. Okay. Thank you. Um and Dave, back to you. So with um 111 is an update on progress of the community center project, council members, and we do have some actionable items to come from this.

Yes, thank you. Uh city manager asked me to present tonight a couple of updates regarding the community center project. So as you know, um how we got here, we obviously had our elevated oak park campaign back in 2022 23. We engaged the public. We had multiple city council meetings, multiple stakeholder engagement meetings, the statistically valid survey. Uh we've talked about that a lot, but it's important to note that we are working on behalf of the residents who voted for a millillage and are supporting our endeavors at the community center. So I just want to make that clear. Uh but in the last month or so, we have hired our construction manager, Barton Mallow. Uh that was in December. We've also hired our architectural and engineering services firm. That's Newman Smith. That was in January. So we are progressing along. We have a pre-esign team that meets weekly with both these vendors. Every week we touch on new things regarding the project. Um, but with quick update on kind of where we're at. [snorts] Uh, Erica mentioned the demolition process. We are obviously demoing some uh, buildings on the city complex here and this is in preparation for the new community center, new outdoor courts and things like this. So, um, the asbesus abatement has been about 95% completed. They have to wrap up a couple things. We're move off site. You saw that payment earlier this evening, but we are gearing up and ready for sealed bid proposals to be due this week on the demos. So, we're moving forward. Uh that work is scheduled to start in March. We'll see where the Michigan Frost laws come on and how much equipment can be moved on site here, but we are looking to start demolitions in March. Um and like Eric said, that is for um these buildings here. So you'll see the ice arena, the uh pool bath house, the restrooms, the concession stand, the pool obviously, and as well as the tennis courts. Uh these are the buildings involved in the demo uh in that project. So uh going back just to give you a quick update on the schedule for the project. We're looking to have schematic design done this spring, moving into design development in the

summer. Our construction documents will be completed in the fall, and we're looking to bid out this project in late 2026. optimize construction time frames and hopefully get the best prices and then like we've stated before, we're looking to start actual construction early next year. So, that's kind of where we're at. Things may be adjusted here and there depending on uh what happens, but that's a rough schedule as of right now. So, one of the things we wanted to bring in front of you tonight and get your approval on was uh kind of the location of the community center. We've talked before in some workshops and things. There's a couple locations on this site that we could decide on where to put that. Um, this is a current uh map of the site. Now, you can see the ice arena, the big white building as the ice arena, obviously the pool in the middle, uh, some of our existing buildings on the south side along Oak Park Boulevard. But one of the things we did with the design team was we went back and looked and we really were kind of focused on putting the um, ice arena on the site of or I'm sorry, putting the proposed community center on the site of the ice arena. And we did that for a number of reasons. The amount of parking out front there, it really optimizes that. We really don't want to spend a lot of money on infrastructure. So, if we don't have to put new parking lots in, if we don't have to put new electrical lines in, uh, water manes and things like that, those is that's money we can save to put towards the community uh, community center. You know, you could put a waterman in and that that might cost you a multi-purpose room. you could put new parking lots in. That may cause that may cost you uh extra set of locker rooms. So, there's there's actual cost to moving the building on the other sites within the city complex. So, you'll see up here it's a rough outline of kind of where we came in at the proposed community center is on the site of the ice arena. Next to that, kind of over the pool and on the tennis courts, we have the proposed courts. And what what that ends up being, whether it's a multi-purpose uh court, uh pickle ball, soccer, whatever we end up putting over

there, uh future splash pad, whatever is decided in the overall budget, uh we decided to keep Joe Forbes Field. That's a little bit to the north that encroaches right next to the Oakland County uh Oak Park, I'm sorry, Oakland County Woods at Shepard Park property. Oak Park Woods. Uh Oak Park Woods. Yeah. And then we have what we're calling future development down at the southwest corner. And that could be for any number of things, but we we can optimize that area at the corner of Church Park Boulevard or just adjacent to this the community center park and the existing community center. That's not the hill, is it? No, we are outside the hill. The hill will stay just before the hill.

So will the train. [snorts] Um but you can see on this map, like I said, this was our best shot. Um, we had our construction manager go through and say, "Hey, if we want to move that community center up maybe close to Oakport Boulevard, if should we put it where the current community center is at now?" And like I said, there's actual cost of that, they were coming in the plus $ 1.5, $2 million range to move it farther west. Uh, we felt as staff that it would be better you that money would better used to put in the community center. uh whether it's like I said a larger gymnasium, whether it's a larger pool with a slide, whatever the case is, we would rather put that money into the community center itself. Um I'm happy to answer any questions um you may have, but this is kind of where we were led with our design team and we'd look for your approval on moving forward on this.

Dave, thank you very much. Council members. So, just to reiterate, um, as you all know, cuz you participated in all the visioning sessions for this, but we've gone back and forth all over the place on these sites. And, you know, for the reasons Dave mentioned, obviously, um, we are recommending that, uh, you approve the community center being built on the site of the ice arena. Um, and that where you, as Dave mentioned, where you see those future development sites, um, that the senior housing potentially. Yeah. Um, I also wanted to point out that wasn't the senior housing supposed to be clo is that like walking distance to the community?

Yeah, it'll it'll all be linked up by the trail system that will be, you know, continued on. It's it's already there, but that will can be continued on. Um, but I think with the benefits that we gain and as Dave mentioned, you know, being able to not compromise the sanctity of the new community center and the amenities that it has because we do it here, we save millions of dollars literally on not having to spend on parking and utilities and runoff and, you know, you name it. I think the other thing that I wanted to mention is Dave kind of glossed over it a little bit, but if you've noticed that we're projecting a timeline here a little bit more expeditious than um we have shared with you before um we think you know early summerish of 2027 um is a is a good construction timetable for us for this project to get going. Um and then lastly, if you could Dave, comment a little bit on preserving um the current community center. And we think strategically that's a smart move because as you know, council members, we don't have a home for municipal services right now. Um and we think that's a more affordable way to approach that. Maybe retrofitting that space for them instead of demolishing it.

Yes. So, we're going to work with our construction manager. The existing community center now is a facility that's it's aged obviously, but to the city manager's point, our municipal service department doesn't have anywhere to go if it was to be torn down. So, we will be looking at that over the next few months to see if it's feasible to keep that building part of that building uh to house our municipal services build. There's there now. Um they would get a little bit expanded footprint, a little more storage and things, but we are looking at that option actively. Yes. But what about the two main meeting rooms? we're going to retain those.

I I don't I mean we would I wouldn't be able to say for sure how much of that or we'd be able to retain those. I think it gives us the flexibility to possibly as we look to build that out for uh municipal services maybe retaining one or both or you know dicing them up retrofitting them um how they need to be retrofitted for office space basically. And and the space they're in now is not sufficient. Um they're crammed in there just like recreation is crammed in there. It's, you know, crazy little space. So, there's been several different um u plans. Is this Have we talked to architects? Have we talked to planners?

We've we've talked to all of the above. Um this is their recommendation as well. The other thing that I really came to accept, if you will, um, this water man that goes literally right through the heart of these properties. Could you speak a little bit more to that, Dave?

Yeah, so we, to the Eric's point, we did meet with architects and the construction manager and we looked at the existing utilities. That was a huge aspect of it. Um, and there are two main water manes that feed right around this building. If we were to move it over to the west a little bit, we would have to relocate a water man, which again is doable. we can do it. There's a cost to it. Um, our primary electric is closest to this site. The ice arena currently has a fire suppression system with a large water service that we may be able to reutilize. So, there's a lot of things. I mean, the construction manager at one point, his comment was we could build on that site tomorrow. We could what?

We could build on that site tomorrow. So, it's the most prepped site we have that we could move in, clear the demo the building, and essentially, obviously, we need to go through the design process, bid process, but that site is the the best site to build on. Where's the other water man? This one's here. The big one runs right through here. Yeah, there's several others, but I don't know if you have Yeah, there's I don't have the utility map on me. I can kind of show you

spiderweb of water manes, but there's the big one right through the center of that, which is prohibitive for the development. Dave, I don't I don't know if it's worth mentioning to council members too that it and correct me if I'm wrong that the way that I understand it from the architects is that these two parking lots would be connected through a drive that connects the two of them. What's this thing? That's part of the parking. Yeah, the gray box you see there is kind Put that slide back. There we go. So you see right in the back of where actually the putt putt golf is current. Yeah. Great. So currently the putt putt golf is right in there. Yeah.

And then we think it would be most beneficial to connect those two parking lots. Ah in the back. And what's this then? Additional the next I think that's also parking I believe. Correct. Yeah. The the gray box is additional parking is what? Additional parking. Yeah. In addition additional parking. Additional parking. Yeah.

Okay. Because we've seen a lot of different ones. Yeah. And I mean, we can't, you know, part of this is we want obviously we want to get going on building our what our residents asked us to do, which is a new community center. But at the same time, we also want to be able to make decisions on these future development sites so that our staff can get moving on, you know, bringing a proposal back to city council for approval so that we can go out and start seeking developers for those sites for senior housing. This is senior housing. What's this?

That could be too. That's what's got to be decided. But before we can even get to that point, we have to figure out the sites because right now, I mean, there's a whole process involved in moving those sites uh into those kinds of developments. So, do we need a motion from council to this to approve this site? So, moved. So, it's so it's the site it's the map that I council members that I handed out to you at the last it's the last slide on his second. Why isn't this one touching this one? It could be. It doesn't have to be the way it is. It could be, but right now it's about those sites, that area, if you will. So, we'll be back with you to you for

and there's walking from here to there because we wanted the seniors to be able to walk to the community center. Yeah, it's always been our our hope and in the planning um all along was to have a continuous trail system um as we have had for many years in this park and through these properties to connect back over to Ark Park, Oak Park Woods at Shepard Park. Um which by the way will be simultaneously coming online here in Juneish or so. [snorts] Yeah, this is obviously not a full site plan. This is just some blocks to kind of show you the general locations that we'd like to get your approval. So if this can move where

so I wouldn't focus on this too much. I I think more so we're focused on the proposed community center site. We will come back to you with the future development details here. Are there questions about putting the proposed community center on the ice rink site? I have a question. Mayor Prom, why don't we just do that from the start? I mean, it makes sense, right? We've got the parking right there. Backs up into green space. Fries up Oak Park Boulevard for whatever future developments we do. Makes sense to me. Are are you asking me why we didn't do that from the start? Yeah, we did look at the ice arena. You talking about reusing the ice arena, you're saying, or No, I mean just citing it here. We knew we were going to

Well, we never took this off the table, but this is the start. We're asking you, you know, we've gone all over. We've had different recommendations from, you know, different architects as we've gone along through this multi-year process now. So, this is the latest recommendation. So, this is the start. So, I there's a motion made and seconded already to accept it. So, yes. Do you have that?

Just to clarify the motion for the proposed community center, these future developments. That wasn't my motion. It's just for the proposed community center. Correct. Okay. Yeah, and we'll we'll be again we'll just for clarification we will be back with you regarding more detail on those future development sites but that is for clarity that is the general area that we will be targeting upon your approval of this approved. Yes. And and the other and the keeping of the Joe Forbes field and the the other you know courts and proposed future site next to it. So it is everything the motion is it is but not the future sites again those will have we'll have to come back with more details on those

but I'm probably confusing you the community center site we have to decide on tonight if possible right so my motion just to be clear for the record is for the proposed community center the the keeper Joe's Forbes field proposed court fields and the event hub band show which I see on this map we have does that get the job done for we Yeah. Yeah. Yep. In a second. Okay. Any discussion or questions, concerns? Ready to vote? Ready to vote. Do you need a roll call? Council member Crawford? Yes. Mayor Prom Edgar? Yes. Mayor Mlen? Yes. Council member Rner?

Yes. Council member Whitehead? Yes. Thank you. No. Motion carry. Thank you, Madame Mayor, members of council. That completes the city manager report for this evening. Thank you.

Okay. Um, you want to read this um call to the audience? Okay, it's time for call to the audience. Here are the rules. Each speaker's remarks are a matter of public record. The speaker alone is responsible for his or her comments, and the city of Oak Park does not, by permitting such remarks, support, endorse, or accept the content thereof as being true or accurate. Any person while being heard at a city council meeting may be called to order by the chair or any council member for failure to be gerine to the business of the city, vulgarity, or personal attacks on persons or institutions. There is a threeminut time limit per speaker.

Thank you. Madame Mayor, I have several cards. Um, we begin with Ken Sherman.

It's almost past my bedtime, so I'll be quick. Kenneth Sherman, Jerome Street, No Park. I'm here to speak to you be for you about the uh proposed uh car wash. Um, I was one of two residents on February 2nd that appeared before the planning commission in opposition of the car wash, which I am also doing today. And I was also the resident that proposed that a um traffic study um be done by the developers. Um my comments are basically the comments that uh Julie Edgard raised today. So, I'm not going to duplicate those. And I think that the city council, despite what the city manager commented, has responsibility to listen to what the residents say about what type of business should or shouldn't go into a development. Um, even though people have a right to develop, what you know, they think they might want to develop. Um the city put a moratorum some years back on the number of um public storage facilities that could be in the city and I don't see any reason why they can't do the same with having a proposed sixc car wash in the city of Oak Park. I think if we have a six car wash approved in the city we should change our city motto to the uh city of a 101 car washes. Um, speaking of vacant buildings, there have been a number of vacant buildings that still exist in the city well before Wraid. There's the Disner Florest on Greenfield that's been vacant for many, many years. There's the um Sam's um Coney Island on um 9M that's been vacant for many years. And then there's the auto exhaust place on um Greenfield and NMI that's been vacant for many, many years. plus uh the

Walgreens store on Coolage that's been vacant. So to say that we have to rush and decide at this point in time that a car wash has to go into that vacant right age store doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me when you have all these other stores that have vacant for many years um before that. And finally, even though the developer isn't the person who is responsible for the vacant right aid in Huntington Woods on Coolage, my concern is if you put a car wash in the right in O park, that developer might say, well, why can't I put a right aid? Why can't I put a car wash in that right on Coolage? And we're not going to have any say so in that matter. we'll just have another draft traffic jam, you know, at that site on Coolage. So, I really urge you to consider voting against putting another car wash in the city of O park. And then my last comment is I was pleasantly pleased on Saturday to see that the I think they were the window people working on Saturday putting framing in the event of on a Saturday. Um, so thank you and have a good evening. Hope Ellis. I'm Hope Ellis. Um I'm Hope Ellis. I also go by Tikva Ellis. I live at 14115 Victoria Street. And I also want to speak against the car wash. Um, I was actually very impressed by the the car wash sounded nice as you know with the green space and being environmentally friendly and I was happy to see how much you had you know your investment in the community and I appreciate the predicament that you were in with all of the extra

spaces. I missed the right aid on coolage. Um, but I think that a community should be for people. And I just picture I'm all the time at that intersection. And if we now, you know, we have four corners, if we have two gas stations, a car wash, and then a little farther down a car wash, we're starting to look like cars. And I feel like that is too much. That obviously we all need to take care of our cars. We have to, it's very difficult not to drive in this area, but I still think that our community should be people oriented, not carsoriented. We don't want to be Radiator Springs. Uh, next, Peter Peter Werby.

Thank you, Peter Worby on Rono Avenue in Oak Park. and the Don and Hope kind of took what I was going to say, but I would ask you on second reading to vote against it as well. Um, and I appreciate, as Hope said, the efforts been made to find some other use for it. And it's a pretty good deal for the property owner. It's a pretty good deal uh for the investors. It's revenue for the city, of course. But we're talking about what our city is, what it looks like, what it the not only just the optics, but even at the that uh drugstore that it was a CVS, was it oraid?

Right. Aid

uh people met there. And what were we doing? We're reducing more the interaction of people and instead having this industrial facility at an important uh cross streets in our city. And I actually went to one of those mega car washes out on Mound Road today to get my car washed. I do it every six or eight months whether it needs it or not. And um you know how many people were employed there? Take a guess in this one. Yeah. So there's no employment there. And one of the things that impressed me about how this city operates and how it uh progresses in things that improve the city is town halls. And before we rush into this, which by the way, 90% of everybody responding to Facebook posts on that I've seen have opposed this. There's no need for another one. Um, you know, we we we're, if you will, a wash in them. Although, we will lose one because when uh Mr. Jonah talks about um that he'll have to upgrade, how much is the upgrade going to cost the owner? 250,000, half a million, a million. No, it's going to go out of business. And I've gotten my car washed at that old one that's been there for 20 years. And guess what? It comes out the other end clean uh without a problem. And uh but it will be gone soon because you're not going to get that kind of investment for the owner there. So, I appreciate as Hope said the effort made to find an alternative, but why not have town halls like we had for the community center project. What you know, get get our citizens involved in thinking what could bring a people oriented uh project there rather than another thing just oriented around cars. So, please think about putting it on hold and let's see

if we can get the citizens involved perhaps, you know, with Mr. Jonah. But we got enough car washes. Thank you, Steve Gold. Uh Steve Gold, uh Leslie Street Oak Park, uh mayor, mayor prom, city manager, council members, and department heads. I've got three things. First is I'd like to compliment everybody who was involved in the Winterfest. Uh it was a a big success. I was one of the workers there and lots of happy people and lots of happy families. Uh second of all, a real real thank you and call out to the DPW workers who have been dealing with an incredible unprecedented amount of water mane breaks. I think we had six at one time in one day. I mean, and these people are working overtime and mud and everything else. We really uh need to appreciate them and I hope the city can and can do that. Uh third is the car wash. I was under the miss uh Uh I thought that there was a public hearing involved in part in these in this uh first and second reading that there were remarks to the public. Um I was under the misimpression there isn't. But anyways, I prepared something and darn it, I spent several hours writing this up. I'm going to read it. [clears throat] Okay. I don't want a car wash. I prefer an Apple store, a Trader Joe's, or a garden store over a car wash. But neither Apple nor Trader Joe's plans to build a new store in Oak Park. And the garden store industry is closing stores, as are many big box uh retailers like

Big Lots and Bed Bath and Beyond. The existing building is too large for a restaurant or most retail or medical establishments and too small for a supermarket. Demolishing the existing ride aid and rebuilding a purpose-built building would be expensive. Reusing the existing building um could be challenging and there are many empty stores and failed businesses in the area and no one is interested in building new restaurants or retail stores. There are valid concerns about a car wash on social media, but I believe that there are different types of car washes just as there are different types of restaurants. A Burger King and an Olive Garden are both dining in restaurants, but yet they're different and attract different customers. The existing car wash on u 10 mile is a value car wash, yet they're different. Uh it offers basic lowcost washes without extra service. Now, the one we're talking about is a premium car wash. It's going to be priced instead of $4, it's going to be over $20 to get your car washed. and that's going to cater to a different vehicle owner demographic. It offers premium services like spray, wax, paint protection, and an enclosed car vacuum area. Value car wash across the street at $4 attracts those seeking the minimum cost. They won't be spending their customers won't be spending $20 for a car wash. The Jack's car wash on Greenfield near South on 11 Mile is the competitor. Traffic backs up into northbound Greenfield, uh, which creates a dangerous situation. This also demonstrates the demand for high-end car washes exceeds the existing Jack's car wash capacity. Having a second choice will actually reduce traffic congestion on Greenfield

as it spreads demand across multiple facilities. The new car wash recycles 90% of the water, making it environmentally superior to hand washing vehicles. U remarkably, they've integrated a car wash into an existing right a drugstore building without extensive exterior renovations unlike uh the JS where they had to tear down the McDonald's that was there which required complete demolition. Uh we wouldn't be discussing if some developer came and wanted to put a built Burger King next to a on the same block as a uh Olive Garden, we'd say fine. They're two different types of restaurants. There's no problem with them being there. So therefore, I don't really see and and you look at the corners of a lot of the intersections where you've got several gas stations, different brands. They're there. They're competing. I do not believe that the uh this new proposed car wash is actually going to destroy the existing cheaper car wash. And the last thing I would like to say was based on a good comment here is that uh my understanding is what we're really talking about here is a resoning thing. That's what's before the council. What is used in that resoning is a different you know is a different story. And technically we shouldn't be talking about the car wash or anything else like that, but we are. So, uh, those are my comments.

Thank you. Uh, Freya Weberman.

Hi, my name is Freya Weberman. I live at 10144 Lello in Huntington Woods. Although I am an Oak Parker by birth, graduated high school here, and my father taught at the high school as well. I want to compliment city council on the reimagining that you've done to the city of Oak Park. It is an amazing place and so unlike it was amazing when I grew up. It was all homes. Everyone knew everyone. It was a wonderful community. You've reimagined this city. You have the water tower districts. You have the event hub. You have linear parks. You have bike routes. It's amazing what's going on in here. I work and spend a lot of time in Mcome County. They talk about coming to the water tower district for entertainment. My contemporaries have children who are in their 30s who are moving to Oak Park because it's affordable and because you can ride bikes and because you can go to parks. I volunteered for voter protection in November 2024 election at the school building that is located on Scotia just north of 9M Road. I was talking to a companion who is also doing voter uh protection. I said, "What brought you to Oak Park? You're from California." He said, "It's affordable. I love the neighborhood. It's a great place to be. Um, it's walkable, it's bikable, it's a neighborhood of homes and communities. Everyone in this room agrees that the best use of the property is not a car wash. Then the question is, we can't hold out for the best, right? Let's go for the good. This is not good. You have to balance the interests of everybody who's spoken and everyone in the community. and you are stewards of this

community. It is your obligation, your responsibility to see today and tomorrow and going forward, not to peacemeal changing a master plan. You embrace diversity in the community. It's so proud. I'm so proud to be a neighbor and have Junth and other celebrations like that. I'm equally proud to see people walking on Friday and Saturday in the morning and then Saturday and the night to synagogues. They're little kids. They're big kids. They're in strollers. It's full of people. What I submit to you, this is not the best use of the property as everyone acknowledged. It's not the good use. The only good use of the property is the business owner or the property owner will make generate revenue from the property. This is the wrong use for Oak Park. You are emerging as a destination city. In my opinion, the most soughtafter city to live in in South Oakland County. Five or six car washes. Is that what you're going to be known for? I agree with Mr. Werby that you consider further conversation about this and that you reflect and deliberate. It's the wrong move for Oak Park. Don Jones. Good evening. Don Jones uh 24660 West Hampton and uh consistent with vision 01 for the making of a regional draw, we are having a event hubcom coming and Oak Park Labor Day is just virgin territory for Oak Park. So, it's time for Oak Park to have a festival on Labor

Day and um working to make that happen. Um, we have our LLC, we have money in the bank, we have people that are interested. I'm promoting to try to um get more people on the steering team and um it's free sign up, no commitment. Um, oakparkle laborday.com. Thank you very much. Are we done? Um, Mr. City Clerk, is there anyone else? No. Okay. Uh, we are now on call to the council. Um, a friend and I went to Winterfest. There were, uh, kids making, um, samores. uh happened to be kosher stuff so that everybody could be included. There was um you got three little doughnut holes. You got free hot chocolate [laughter] there. The the mayor is the one on the left. [laughter] The other one is the miniature cow. And that's uh Bonnie and Clyde there. Um, I'm talking to Clyde, um, uh, a friend who is running for city for, uh, state rep. An adorable little boy, waiting for his um, donut holes.

It was um, it was a delight. You could ride um around the park. You could um make your own treats. You came inside. There were a bunch of things to do. We are so lucky to have this many activities in the city of Oak Park. Um, someone in uh uh Old Folks Exercise came out about a year ago and said, "I can't believe how many activities Oak Park has. I just moved in." I said, "Where'd you move from?" "Royal Oak." [clears throat] She said, "You people really care about your residents." That about says it. Thank you, Mayor Prom. Um, good news tonight on the event hub. It's very exciting. I'm glad we've cited the community center. And I did want to thank the members of the community who came out tonight to talk about this car wash project. And I also believe we should be having a lot more discussion about this because it is a major project and I believe it's going to be a disruptive project. I think it's counter to the um zoning of the property. And while I understand that Mr. Jonah has searched um in earnest for another tenant, we this is just not the way to go. I agree with Mr. WBY's comments that, you know, we want to build community. This is not community building. This is just building basically a shell for cars to go through. There's no points of contact for people. That is not what that's not elevating Oak Park. We talk about this is our motto. I look at this as being sort of um a real this is going to be a real sort of black mark on the community. It's only going to make

Brainfield Road uglier and that's not what I want as a resident. I think it's um it's repellent actually. So I appreciate the comments. We even Steve Gold Steve I appreciate it. I know you have some background in business consulting, so maybe you do understand the picture, but [clears throat] I still think we this bears more conversation. I don't like these projects getting pushed through like this. Mr. Shookman, you already bought the property before it was even reszoned. That's what I don't like is rushing these projects through. Maybe the community would decide this is the right thing, but nobody knows about it. And the city, even though it has a legal obligation to inform residents or businesses within 300 ft, the city should have gone even further into the neighborhood to ask people who live on those streets off of 10mi, is this what you want. If if the answer is yes, then that's fine. But I see a project being jammed through. I think it's counter to our mission and um I don't like it. So, thank you. That's all I'm going to say.

Council member Radner.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Thank you all for coming out. Thank you for your comments. Every once in a while, we actually have we get to have a a debate here on city council. I'd say probably 90 plus% of things that come through or through through here are are unanimous. And it's not because they're being jammed through or rammed through. It's because we agree. This is something we disagree on. And we had a very lively debate. And I think we're going to continue this debate until we have the second reading. I can tell you that. Let's say we vote no. Let's just think this through. Logical next steps. We vote no. We tell the owner, "You don't get to do this with your property." Do you guys want to wake up tomorrow and see a a check cashing place there with bulletproof glass? Cuz they can do that without coming to us. There's plenty of things they could put there right now that they don't have to come here for and get approval.

That's not true.

No, that is absolutely true. It is a private zoning. You got to stop. You're honor. She doesn't do that. No cross. Thank you. There's there are plenty of stores just like Write Aid was able to be there, just like there's a lot of stores that can be there. There are plenty of businesses that can be there that do not need city approval. They can just put a tenant in there and we can wake up and say, "Wait, let's have a town hall. We don't want this here." And guess what? That town hall is worth nothing. I don't understand what's wrong with the car wash. I think car wash is great. Frankly, I would bet, I don't know if this is true, but I certainly wager a bet that I spoke to more people who live on those blocks than anybody else who voted tonight and anybody else who spoke here tonight. The I mean, let's be honest about it. Those are my people, right? I got the Yamoka. I grew up there. I spent half my life there. I know the rabbis who live there. I know the sh that are there. I know the yeshiva that is there. I spent five years at the yeshiva that is there. backing up to Malfar. We I've been a part of this exact area of Oak Park for 42 years. And what I have heard from the people who reside on those blocks is nothing but positivity. Now, I respect everybody's right to come here and say they don't like it. I respect everybody's right to speak out and say that they want us to vote no. And by the way, if city council would vote no for it, I would respect that decision, too, even though I'd be outvoted. That's the beauty of the system that we have. But the reality of the situation is we are stewards for the residents of Oak Park. It is our job to do what we believe is in their best interest. There's five votes. Three of them voted yes for this. Two of them voted no. Because those three voted yes. We're going to have what I think is going to be a beautiful high-end car wash. There's going to be I think it's going to help the neighborhood. I think it's going to make the neighborhood more beautiful. And frankly, considering what other options

we have, I'm grateful to them that they were willing to work with the community and with the city and with the administration to make sure that this is something that works for them. I certainly didn't want a sheets there. It's got to make sense for them, too. It's a business and they can put people there right now that we don't want even more than a car wash. I think it's great and I thank you both and I think everybody who who was here earlier tonight in favor of it just like I'm thanking those who are against it. So, thank you all. Thank you both. And frankly, I think this is a great system we have. And I'd be saying that even if it was three to two and I was on the two. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Democracy at work. Council Democracy at Work. Council Member Sean Whitehead.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Um, just want to say happy Black History Month to everyone. um little different topic, but uh we're halfway through the month and just if you can roll up your sleeve and do some type of service uh in the community um that's related to uh Black History, that would be great. Um and I know the library is putting on events and so forth. So um yeah, so happy Black History Month. Sorry I couldn't make the Winterfest. I'm feeling a little under the weather and I think after this long meeting I'm getting a little bit more under the weather, so I'll stop talking. Council member Stephanie Crawford. I I'm just amazed. I don't think uh at the call to council I've ever heard uh Solomon Rner talk that long [laughter] together.

I think so. I just want to say I'm not going to address the car wash issue. I think we've addressed it enough. I want to give kudos to um Director Staciaak. Um the Winterfest was wonderful. Um I had a ball. I stayed longer than I thought. And if you missed it, they had chili and they had donuts and they had s'mores. And I think uh next week we got more s'mores, right? Another s'mores, [clears throat] s'mores, and more on the 22nd from 1 to 3. And they were good.

I think my grandson had about three. Um also for anyone who is observing Ramadan tomorrow. Um I just want to acknowledge that and I just want to say good night to everyone. Everyone looks sleepy. Um have a good evening and be kind to one another. Good night. Thank you. This is democracy at work people. Thank you for coming.