Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

We'll go ahead and call the meeting to order and we will start with the pledge of allegiance. I aliance 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. Okay, roll call, please. Pickings here. Present. L here. Quadrto here. Here.

Okay. Thank you. We have a quorum, so we will proceed. Um, next item is approval of tonight's agenda. You have the agenda in front of you. We have four new business items. Is there anything else that anyone's aware of that needs to be on tonight's agenda or any issues with the agenda? Move to approve the agenda. Second. Okay. So, a motion by Olver, second by Bicking to approve the agenda as prepared. Matter. Any further discussion? I believe it's Bradshaw. Second. Oh, was it Bradshaw? I'm sorry. That's fine.

Make a correction, Bradshaw. I knew it was a sound from that end of the table. Um, all right. If there's no further discussion, all in favor, please say I. I. I. Any opposed? All right. So, agenda's been approved. Next item is approval of the minutes. We last met on March 17th. Uh, are there any corrections to the March 17th minutes? Move to approve the minutes. Second.

Okay. Motion by Olver, second by Lap to approve the minutes as submitted. Any further discussion? If not, all in favor, please say I. I.

I. Any opposed? Okay, minutes are approved. Next item is correspondence board reports presentations. As always we start with report from the board of trustees and that would be commissioner over. Thank you chairmano. Uh and a special thanks to all who made it to the joint board meeting last Wednesday at Jameson Hall. Uh chairo gave a wonderful update of the 2025 progress of the planning commission uh and had some good Q&A on that. uh always good to get together and understand what all the boards are doing uh at least once a year. So appreciation to the staff for putting that together. Uh at the trustee meeting on the 8th of April uh we received an audit presentation for the 2025 uh fiscal year. Uh it was 6 weeks earlier than usual and Yoan Yo gave a clean audit opinion. So, uh, the finances of the township are in good shape and good order, and, uh, we appreciate manager stooler and his team for the wonderful work that they do. Uh, a 40 acre parcel, uh, was approved for the farmland and open space preservation program, uh, Clump Holdings LLC. Uh, we did approve after a rather lengthy and spirited discussion artwork for the Jameson Park fitness uh, banner. artist Andrea Croft had some beautiful renderings uh to share and so that is moving forward. Uh and then there was uh some adjustments uh to our state of Michigan state revolving fund. Uh there's some additional funds left over into the project for uh the wastewater treatment plant. Uh so that was approved. an additional about 256,000 in funding that's coming from the state allows us

to use it as part of the ongoing project. So trustees meet again in this room in just under 24 hours. So I'll have another update for you after that. Any questions from commissioners for Tom on board of trustees related matters? Okay, hearing none, we'll move on. Thank you. Um, next item is updates from ZBA. I know you told us they are going to meet. I don't know if that's happened yet. I think that is is that next month? There is a there is a meeting scheduled for June 11th for sure.

Okay. Anything else on ZBA at the moment? No.

Okay. Thank you. Any questions for Commissioner Thompson on anything related to ZBA? Okay, very good. Thank you. Next item is we uh always take a dive into the community and economic development monthly report. This is in our packets every month, compendium of pretty much everything that's going on in the township, at least governmentally. And so, uh, we always give commissioners an opportunity to ask any questions that they might have had and anything they might have seen in the monthly report. Okay, hearing none, we can move on. Uh you if a question comes up, you can always direct it to Rodney at your at your convenience. Are there any other reports andor correspondents that anyone's aware of that needs to come to our attention?

We do have the item from Mr. Shingles. Oh, okay. Um yeah, Stan Shingles uh has uh submitted his resignation from the planning commission effective June 1st um due to relocation. Um I don't know if that means he's going to attend the May meeting. I haven't

he planned to attend at the May meeting. Okay. So we'll we'll save the the uh lavish praise and and thanks for for our June meeting or May meeting rather. But uh he served he served two stints on the planning commission. One fairly early on to my time which would be in the around 2010ish I think maybe early in that period and then he was off for a while and then he came back. So cumul cumulative he's probably served more than 10 years I would think. So, uh, but so anyway, we'll have another opening. So, if any commissioners are aware of individuals that you might think might be interested, anyone in the audience who might be interested in, uh, there'll be an open position in the next few months here. Uh, anything else, reports, correspondence? Okay. So, at every planning commission meeting towards the front end of the meeting, we have a public comment that is restricted to non-aggenda items. So, if folks are here to discuss agenda items, they'll, you know, those will come up as we go through them. But, uh, this is a a public comment restricted to three minutes regarding items not on this agenda. If anyone would like to address the planning commission on a non-aggenda item, if they're in the room, come to the podium, give us your name and address for the minutes and limit your comments to three minutes. If anyone is listening online and wants to speak, um, raise your hand or otherwise make yourself known and we'll make sure that you're able to speak. Public comment is open at 7:08. And seeing no mad dashes to the podium, we'll assume people are here for other purposes. Um, one of those rare occasions where the

audience outnumbers the commission, but uh uh and there's no one online at this time. No one.

Okay. So, uh we'll go ahead and close uh public comment back up. There'll be an extended public comment on any item towards the end of the meeting. All right. So, we're ready to move on to new business items. As we mentioned, we have four of them. The first one is preliminary site plan 26-02. The applicant is or the application is for the Mount Pleasant water treatment plan upgrades at uh 4195 South Lincoln and 1775 East Broomfield. So, we'll have introduction from Rodney. We'll hear from the applicant and then we will review the site plan and deliberate and take action.

Well, thank you. Everyone should have a copy of our uh report dated April the 9th. Uh as was mentioned, this is changes to the city of Mount Pleasant's water treatment facilities uh that are in the township. Uh they, as noted in our report, they've actually been working on a number of things there. Uh some of which we were able to uh take care of earlier through a minor site plan process. uh which is administrative approval. The scope of of this this uh set of improvements that you see on the site plan uh were such that we that was more extensive requires of course this preliminary pal site plan process which is what brings brings it to your attention as was mentioned there are two sites they they are not contiguous one the island site is in the drive river and then the main water treatment plant is of course Southampton uh southern broom and uh uh we treat it we're treating as one project one site plan. There's no reason to to to separate them. Uh it really is just one project in two locations essentially. And so you have our our report. Uh we uh did note this is uh as we've seen several times recently, it's what our ordinance calls a non-conforming site. simply means it was developed many years ago before the current zoning or site development standards were in place. Uh that puts it under the section 12.5 which which essentially narrows the scope of of review that we look at any public safety deficiencies. We want those to be corrected. And then essentially there's kind of a menu of of uh site improvements that that the applicant can can choose from essentially to we ask at least three of the categories we covered. Uh and but we in doing that we're not looking at all of the site developments that we

narrowly focus on those items that uh on their list. In this case, there were no public safety deficiencies of the site, which is not a surprise because site well maintained. Uh but uh and the applicant has uh identified other plans uh three areas they're working in, some landscape improvements, some screening improvements, and some exterior lighting improvements uh that are well within the scope of of the work they're doing. That's the other item section 12.5 is that that the scope of any required improvement should be in proportion to the scope of of the work they're already planning to do proportionality to what might be required. So with that in mind as you look at our report you'll see there are a few details that need to be dealt with. uh they are details uh like just addressing parking calculations and in this case uh providing justification for for uh essentially an alternative parking stand. We don't believe there's any need for additional parking on the site. We just want them to show on the site plan why what they have works. Uh and uh that's the ordinance does allow the planning commission to uh to approve that. uh we just need to have it on the plan in order that action to be taken. Uh you see some notes there about sidewalks. Uh this this site would uh uh because coming to you as a preliminary site plan would require a sidewalk to be constructed or shown on the plan anyway along Lincoln Road. U project can be eligible for for temporary relief from construction. uh this part of Lincoln Road is not uh not a major route for for future sidewalks. Uh and so but again they need to just put the put the uh request on the plan. So this will be it be on the final site

plan. Uh overall what we found is that that the the site plan does substantially meet the requirement for preliminary site plan approval. The items that are remaining can be addressed on a final site plan. So we're happy to recommend it for for conditional approval. We did just include one condition, kind of a a catch-all housekeeping item to to say take care of these things, the final set plan things noted in our report and that that would then be coming back to you because things like the sidewalk, the parking were not addressed. You will be seeing the final site plan for this project. It's not something that could be administratively approved, but but these are details that can easily be addressed on that plan. So with that, I'm happy to answer any questions as well. Any immediate questions for Rodney?

Is this the only time we can ask questions? Not going anywhere. A question about questions. I have a lot. So the on the front of this one, it says issued for 90% peer review. What does that mean? Why 90% not 100? Well, I would ask that of the applicator. Okay. Okay. Yeah. So then I don't have anything. Sorry. Okay. So next we typically will hear from the applicant or the applicant's representative. So floor is yours. Just give us your name and address for the minutes.

Um my name is Heather Bowers. Um I work at Fishbach. I'm a civil engineer. Um my address is 4510 East Crossroads Drive in Bay City. um the fishbach office that this was well the civil was designed out of we have an office in Sagena so it's kind of our local to this area so um so this project um is part of the uh city's DWSRF drinking water um program run through Eagle um it contains as Rodney mentioned um two different sites um and it's kind of pulling we call the island site right now. They have their uh uh rainy well is what they call it. It's a a type of well um their highest performing well and it's um needs some cleaning of the the laterals and just to update and maintain how much intake is coming in and then also providing um storage for the the raw water and then also some treated water. So for some redundancy um and just the the tanks that are also on the island are going to be decommissioned because they are aging and failing and be relocated to the water treatment plant which is um better location for access and maintaining and um just better performance. And then also construction sequencing of how to construct a new tank without disrupting distribution to um uh to to everyone. So um so that's kind of why it's two different sites and pulling most of it over to the water treatment plant. The well will still stay on the island because it is taking up uh ground water from the tip water. Um trying to think if there's anything else to kind of add to that. So I can answer

the question for the 90% curious.

Um it's just it's kind of this project has been a very fast moving um so we submitted when we we called and talked with the township um spending review it was kind of like submit the plan that you have so we can get into the review process because of the Eagle's timeline. um you know we have to do preliminary review and their eagle's review and then has to come come to like planning commissions and city missions and all very tight time frames. So it's a we call it like a draft um kind of like a working project. So then the next one that you guys would get for final would be more of a 100%. So we do um we did look at the the comments provided and definitely everything can be accommodated and will be incorporated for the final um plan set as well.

Questions from commissioners other commissioners or more questions on the project. You mentioned that some of the tanks are failing out. You're going to relocate them to other room. Which which tanks are that? Can I ask? So the ones that are on the island. So that's the one that's at the kind of surrounding the um Chipoa River. Do you know where that is in our in our plan? Yeah. So the first one C101 would be the existing site. We show the first page. So they're the big circles that are on on the tank or on the on the plan site um or the site plan and those are failing there but are or degrading and you're going to but in removing them you're going to be able to repurpose them?

No. No. So the new tanks are going So they're going to build the new tanks and the new pump stations and they are building or we're constructing another um distribution line for redundancy. So the new tanks will be built first at the water treatment plant site. Um we'll get those up and running in testing and connected into the system. And then once everything has been, you know, adequately calibrated, then we will decommission the um the two tanks that are on the island site and the pump station building that is on the island site. So those will be fully removed. Yeah, they get removed from offsite. Yeah, that was my main question. Yeah. Yeah. What is the materials?

What's that? the materials for the the for the tanks building. What's going to happen to the when you take those tanks out? What's going to happen? Oh. Um, they get the So, my understanding is at least above ground they'll get um rem like removed, held off, but the some of the inside because of the depth of it will get kind of like decommissioned into like dumped into the into the big void and then back filled with sands. Okay. And regraded up to to grade and refreshed with top soil and seed.

Excellent. Thank you. Just for my own education, what do they do on each site?

So, at the island site right now, it's a 50 60 foot deep well and they have like pipes that go out in lateral directions all over the place with perforations in them. And there's a pump in that to draw up ground water and then it is pumped to the treatment plant currently. So there's a big 24 in pipe that goes from that site to the water treatment plant and it gets treated at the water treatment plant and then it gets pumped back to the island in another different 24 in pipe in to store into those tanks. It gets dist distributed. It also goes to those tanks and then it's pumped out into the distribution system to everyone's houses.

Okay. Thank you. That's why that's that's another reason why bringing it all onto the onto the um treatment plant site is a lot better for for just flow and connectivity and maintenance. And is there going to be a capacity difference?

Um capacity um more so in the storage. So um with the raw water tank, which there is not a raw water tank right now, it allows them to um take that back. there is but um it allows them to to draw up um during that uh lower demand and store it and so when there is higher demand there's more availability um for distribution and if something were to go offline there is more time that we can still provide water um before we kind of like the oh no moment or have to use the different wells throughout the city. Yep.

One one final question. One of the things that that we get from some residents around here is they don't like the fact that the water the when they get the water sits for a while, you know, it's got a high iron content, so it might leave a little bit of orange in, you know, in their commodes or in the bathtub. Is there any plans in the water treatment to put like some sort of water softener or anything into that? Do you know? um that I'm I'm not sure of. But I do know that you know this the the water quality that they get from the rainy well and one of the reasons why this is a high priority project is it is um more efficient to treat and there is less of that okay to to treat. Okay. So thank you.

One thing to keep in mind is that this is the city's water system. Although it's the the facilities are in the township because that's where they need to be. Uh this this is water that that went into the city about Pleasant water system. Okay. Which is separate from Union, right? Okay. Right. Kinetico is having a sale on bags though. You buy one, you get one free. You get the iron fire. Good to know. Did you say that the uh the the existing well is only between 50 and 60 ft down? I'm I may have misspoke. I'm not exactly sure how deep it uh I was going to say it's on the plans. It's not on those plans. Um

it's it's neither here nor there, but it it seems shallow. Yeah. No, I do think it is it is much deeper. Once the once the tanks are removed, am I reading this correctly that the Well, it looks like there's two wellhouses and the R what's called the Ranny Well building. Those will be the remaining buildings. Correct. Okay. Which are three small buildings. Very small. And the rest of it will just be as you said kind of top soil and seated return return to more or less natural conditions. Y

and they the we'll still plan to have like a gravel drive around it because they will still need access to those buildings. So that that will maintain. We will not increase any additional. Just make sure that it's maintained. If it gets damaged during construction, they will re repurpose it. Mhm. Mhm. And for the new or for the uh the yeah the site the main treatment area. Bunch of trees are being removed. Um I assume to make room for the tanks. Y is there. And the plans then will be new plant new trees.

Yeah. Kind of like a a screening screening wall. There's a lot of grade on that site like a lot of elevation change. So just trying to accommodate how everything gets connected with drivable approach through um and like you said the trees um are actually kind of at a high point. So those will be removed. We're going to add a fence around the the property too for security purposes but also just as much security as possible with the the trees. And we are doing um an increase to storm water management on the site. Right now there's really not um too much storm water management and trying to um alleviate the drainage onto adjacent sites. So we're collecting it and connecting it to road zero.

So I had a question sorry I had a question about the trees too. So the final plans that we get do those share what kind of trees are going to be planted? They will. They will. Okay. Yeah, that'll be itemized detailed with the species and sizes. Thank you. I guess just to stick with the trees then. So if I'm driving on on on Broomfield and I look over there up at the top of the hill there, there's a row of trees. Are those part of the trees that are being removed?

Part of them. They're not all being removed, but I'd say a half to a little over half of them. Kind of the ones that the ones further to the east. Yes. Yes. Yep. Okay. Those trees were put in relatively early in the that if I remember correctly, that that facility opened in the early to mid 90s, maybe 94ish. And so those trees would have been put in fairly early on in that time. So they they've had a chance to grow. So it's kind of sad that they're coming out, but they are very big trees.

But you have uh I mean you have to have the facility. So other questions?

Thank you. Okay. Thank you. So we've heard from township staff. We've heard from the applicant. So the next step is for us to deliberate and take action. So as Rodney said, this is a preliminary site plan. There is going to be a final site plan and we are going to see the final site plan based on that.

But if you do see anything that's questionable or whatever, now would be the time to mention it so that the applicant has a greater chance of submitting something that's going to be fully approvable. I know Rodney, you said there's a they're supposed to have on the site plan the sidewalk, but where it is, the sidewalk doesn't make sense really. So, how is that going to work? Well, it as I said, the our sidewalk and pathway ordinance simply requires that sidewalks be installed and and uh the policies township board adopted essentially to we do we deal with this in site plan approval. Uh and so as part of site plan approval, we asked them to show the sidewalk on the plan and and then if they wish to request that temporary relief from construction that that's under the board's adopted policy, they just need to add that to the plan. actually make the request in the plan. Uh so that's that's what I expect you will see that on the final site plan because you're absolutely right. This this section this area of the township, well, we'd love to have sidewalks everywhere. Uh the board had the policy that was adopted by the board kind of prioritizes certain areas and this stretch of Lincoln is not one of them.

So it is an area that that's appropriate to consider for relief because we're not planning on uh adding other sections of sidewalk in that area anytime soon. So with that in mind, they just need to provide the details on a plan. Okay. I mean, I think we should be in support of this with the conditions put up front. They're pretty clear what we need to have it to

be on side and be great to see Pleasant being able to increase their storage capacity, be able to provide better for their constituents and heck, we're neighbors, you know, again,

I'm prepared to support that as well. Will it make the water taste better at the school? I I don't think it will be different. All right.

Everyone's looking at me. Yeah, of course.

Okay. I move to approve uh PES PR26-02 preliminary site plan for improvements to the city of Mount Pleasant water treatment plant at 4195 South Lincoln Road. PID14-028- 10-00001-04 zoned R1 in the northwest quarter of section 28 and at their associated island site located at the north end of Mgherk Street 1775 East Broomfield Road PID14-2-4-3- zoned R2A in the southeast quarter of section 20 finding that the site plan dated March 11th 2026 can comply with applicable zoning ordinance requires requirements for preliminary site plan approval including sections 14.2P required site plan information and 14.2 standards for site plan approval subject to the following condition. One, the parking, loading, sidewalk, landscaping and exterior lighting details noted in the staff report shall be resolved as part of the fi final site plan submitt support.

Okay, so the motion was made by lap and it was seconded by Hayes. You heard the motion which is to um approve the preliminary site plan with the stated condition. Any discussion? So I just have a brief question. It's I think it's for Rodney would be the property does not uh have any frontage on Broomfield. So why does it have a Broomfield address? I um it's interesting you ask that question. U I was just thinking about that as it was being read. I wondered if that question would come up. Uh my suspicion is is that the island site was developed before McGdivision was developed

and so it was probably originally developed with the driveway that went on to Broomfield and they gave the Broomfield address that would have been appropriated. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Interesting. Good attention to detail. Yeah. Well, that's that's my subdivision. So, I guess I'm more interested in what's going on. That that is that is the reason why the motion got long because explain where this was, you know, what had given enough information so that they read it would understand what we were talking about. So, that's good. It apologize for the long motion, but that's why. All right. Any discussion? All right. Roll call vote, please.

Bradshaw support. Hayes support. Squasho support. Bicking support. Lap support. Over support. Thompson support.

Okay. So, preliminary safe plan is approved. We'll look forward to seeing the final one. So, we are ready to move on to our second new business item. This is also a preliminary site plan application. This is to establish the Central Michigan Christian Academy Private School at 3433 South Lincoln Road. We will follow the same procedure. We'll hear from Rodney, then we'll hear from the applicant and we will go from there. Well, thank you. Uh, everybody should have our report say April the 10th. Uh, this is a this is a very interesting project. It's a project that has been in the works for a long time and this is really kind of I would say step one step three or four but it's early still in the process. Uh this is for said for a private school uh located on a property Christian church uh central church uh uh South Lincoln Road just north of the river. Uh this is uh as I understand it, my applicants can speak more to this, but uh as I understand it, uh this is going to be an initial location for this brand new private school. Uh they you may have seen in the newspaper of efforts to to uh working on a site in the city over at Crawford and Brookfield and some challenges with getting resoning done on that site. uh there's a strong interest and desire to have this kind of school in our community. It certainly is an an asset to the community to have this these sorts of educational choices. And so this is a first step to have this location develop it as you see on the plans the modular buildings using the existing site certainly that's capable of hosting this kind of activity. Um and

uh with the idea that that they will grow and develop and and uh we'd love them to stay there for as long as they need but they I expect that they will eventually move on to another campus. We we talked with the applicants about other sites for for a larger campus as well. So that that's a future hope. But right now, this is I said sort of the initial step to open uh this private school in the township. U we you have our review. Uh this was a rough review. Uh it there there are a number of things that are u need to be dealt with. Uh it's a basic ones. I guess one thing I'll mention is this report. It's on page two of our our uh report page 72 of the packet. Uh you've not there about the partial preeemption of local authority. Uh schools are an interesting creature in Michigan law. Uh public schools we have virtually no uh say at the township level over there's there's one minor area where for a public school uh we have some recommending or or commenting ability on a school location and that's related to a high school. uh that could add to the state law a wild but for any other public school we have almost no control no activity no influence on a public school site uh private schools we do have this level of influence the site plan u but for example I noted here building permits are handled by the state of Michigan so once they get to that stage they will not be working with the township bank u other than the site details so There are some things that need to be dealt with. The land combination you see on the plans, there are two lots. One small oneacre lot and then the larger piece because they're planning to use both for parking and circulation. Uh we simply noted that they will have to combine. Uh that's

something that doesn't need to be done at this stage. They need to be done before uh before they finish the site process. Uh typically we would say about before they get a building permit, but as I said that's handled by state issues. essentially done before um things start happening on site or before the site plan process is finished. Uh it is a non-conforming site. The church site is simply because it was developed many years ago.

Here again the applicants have provided information on improvements they plan to make. They have more than met the requirements uh in terms of those those 10 categories that more than three uh types of improvements are proposing. Uh largely these are things that they will already be doing in relation to adding a school to this site, but that's completely reasonable and okay. Uh so you see pedestrian improvements, vehicle access and circulation, parking improvements, exterior lighting improvements, and drainage improvements are all on that their part of their site plan uh at least at the concept level right now from their site plan. We did note that there are some public safety deficiencies related to the plan. Um and uh those will need to be dealt with. That's on page three of our report. Uh and all of these are are really operational. Uh you see uh that there's we talk about there there's no signage to guide drivers to the site. Uh being a private school, most people will be coming to the site. Most students will come to the site by private transportation. Uh pick up and drop off will be time pick up and drop off will be busy. This is going to be similar to Renaissance Academy over in Isel Road. uh in that sense uh and so uh it will be very important to have that have have that operation take place with guidance. So we're talking about signage, we're talking about uh uh uh having pedestrian pathways be more uh better separated. this plan you see uh that there's a pedestrian pathway that goes from the from Lincoln Road into the site from the church is as a separate sidewalk or an asphalt path really as on this site on this plan but then went from the church the church entrance to the the school entrance. They were simply planning on striping part of the existing parking lot uh as as a pedestrian pathway. That's that simply doesn't meet or requirements. It's not a safe uh

not a safe way to go for students anyway. Um so some of these details will need to be done. You'll see comments in there about operational plan just gets back to that pickup and drop off time. Uh in order to avoid problems on Lincoln Road with traffic backup with conflicts and also with conflicts uh in the side the site they they do need to have active management of traffic during those peak times. That's really having people that will actively manage uh guiding people in and out. Uh if we have challenges on Isabel Road with the Renaissance Academy picking the drop off and that's a four-lane road. The Lincoln Road is a two-lane road. Uh and so it becomes even more important that that actively. So we're looking for how that's going to be done and having that be part of the the updated site. Uh beyond beyond those operational details, uh uh we we had some comments about sidewalks. Uh I'll just note they do they do propose on the plan to to construct the sidewalk along Lincoln Road as well as that as said what at least part of the the sidewalk or pathway going into the site. We have some comments of what the ordinance requires for those things. Uh and then then the sidewalk on Lincoln essentially south of this uh the church the south end of the church property is the wetlands for the river and the sidewalk as it was proposed essentially went down to that and stopped when it was at the wetlands and then they they had a note that they would ask for relief for the rest of the sidewalk that was in the area of the lot that's in the wetlands. a very reasonable request, but it also didn't seem valuable to have a sidewalk that simply went down to the wetlands unless the school has some reason for that. They may uh uh our thought is to have that there's a if you look at Lincoln Road essentially it's open open field uh in the northern half of the lot and then there's a drainage ditch that starts that goes down into the wetlands

and our thought is to bring that sidewalk under the road side of that drainage ditch uh rather than continue on the on the uh on the church side of that drainage ditch. uh simply bring in the roadside and and if essentially that that moves it into the road right away and then it would simply be up to the road commission as to how far where they could put it and if they have to end it because the road commission says it can't go any farther than X in the road rightway and that's where it would end. They just simply would request relief for the rest of it and the road commission what the road commission gave them that would be part of their request. So, but anyway, it seems better to have it bring it into the red boy there at the north end of that ditch rather than than essentially go off and just have it go to the wetland area unless, as I said, unless the school has some reason why they want to take kids down to the wetland for some reason. So, there's that. Um, and that's that's a detail they can address on the final site plan one way or the other. Um, the the other items are really just details for the final site plan. I said there's there's a fair number of items here. There were enough items that you're concerned about in and significant especially those operational details were significant enough that our our report recommends postponing action on this. However, uh we did you've asked us to do these draft motions all the different options. We did do a draft motion for a conditional approval. And so that's in in your in your packet. There are nine conditions. That's more than we usually want to do. But if you if you are comfortable with with the with those conditions or some version of them, uh we could work with the applicant to have these things addressed on the final site plan. This is another one that you will see the final site plan because they have items that will need your action by the planning commission including whatever they do at the site. U so uh you will have another look at this one. So, if you'd like to do a commission

approval, that motion is in there. You also postpone action just ask for the res. I think we'd have to draw straws as to who would read that motion, but um okay, questions for Rodney while he's up there. Anybody? Now, Rodney, you said this is a rural buffer zone typically does not have sewer and water, but appropriate for agriculture. Does this site have access to sewer and water right now? cuz I saw on the plans too that there was a direct drainage out to you have storm water management. That's that's storm water drainage. That's a storm water management here. That's what you're seeing there. Okay. So, they'll have water in Yeah, they have utilities there. Okay.

On on the north side of the the plot, there's a path of driveway sort of thing. Is that private driveway? It it is. it goes to a house that's um background. Be so much easier if it wasn't. Um another question you had, you said that the the proposed sidewalk runs down to the wetlands there. I didn't see any eagle report or anything like that in this initial plan. Is that something that we could expect to see the second? Are they putting up against planning to impact? Nothing to impact on that. Okay, that was my only question. Even if it rains, if the sidewalk was that close to the wetlands, how how you know how how much would that they would be stopping it at the point where they before they impact the wetlands.

Okay. It's similar to what we did with Thrive Church. If you remember where the sidewalk on on Isabella Road portion of Thrive Church turns the corner from Bud Street, goes north on Isabella and stops partway along when it reaches a point where it would otherwise go into the wetland. No value in in uh requiring them to try to construct some sort of boardwalk that would simply stop in the middle of that wetland area. This is a similar case. is the only non-conforming aspect of the site the combination of the two lots

non-conforming site is that because of the is that based around that we need to

it's actually it's a non-conforming site largely because it was developed many years ago so our current site development standards if the if the church facility was developed today it would look a little different the parking lot would look different u the uh the the land a little bit more landscaping I think even the lighting would be different in the parking lot because because the current standards are different than when it was developed. So that that's what that's what non-conforming site means. Simply was developed under a different standard allowed to continue forever that way. Um but because of we recognize these older sites, we want them to be improved. We want exactly this kind of a project to happen on these older sites. is non-conforming section 12.5 was set up to make it easier to to make improvements to these existing sites and by narrowing our scope of what we're we require u it it makes it easier to work with these older sites

kind of allows them to get grandfathered in their current uh arbory

because other what can happen and I've seen this happen in other communities where a project like this comes in and and all of a sudden there are a ton of new requirements that landscaping, lighting, whatever those things may be, a whole pile of things come into play that all have to be done to do this kind of project. Um, or maybe even a smaller project. I mean, the students do smaller things. Um, that that those requirements then tip the balance and make the project not financially feasible anymore. So that's what 12.5 is trying to do is keep the balance, have some things be improved, make sure public safety is dealt with, but to to not not bring the site fully up to the current standards.

Speaking on public safety, my probably biggest concern hearing about this plan and probably based a bit off of what we've been getting a lot from our previous school is traffic and is that lack of any real bare bones. I mean, do you see as someone who knows traffic flow based on this plan here that we could expect to even be able to mitigate what we could expect to see? You're talking about again like this is a two-lane road. It's the major connector for anyone coming from High Street that wants to get into uh you know, south of the city, north of the city. So, I can imagine the traffic flow is going to be intense if it's successful. you know, I don't want to knock on wood, but if people are showing up, it's gonna it's going to be a lot, you know.

So, there's there's a couple things. Um, one is we've been we've encouraged them to talk to the road commission because road commission may want some things done. That's that's up to the road commission. It's their room. Uh but from our perspective what we have recommended is that they modify this driveway which would require road commission approval to be a right in and right out in lane to eliminate leftand turn lanes into the into this site. Um that creates a complication for the church on sun in the church service it's a non-issue on Sunday. So that might be something we have they have to look at a little bit more and figure out how they might accommodate both right in right out during the week but but Sunday you can you can make that left hand.

So anyone approaching the school in the morning time for drop off would have to poach heading north

heading north and then they would leave heading north and and the reason do that is that it's the left-hand turn both the left-hand turn out of the site and the left-hand turn into the site that creates the traffic backups. The right hand turns are smooth. It's easy looking one way. It's you're not trying to look across traffic. U and and it's a far smoother approach. They do have, as you see on the site plan, they have a very large parking lot there that they're planning to use for this pickup and drop off and they have a pattern uh that they that they show on the plans. There's some things that they need to address on it to clarify it a bit more uh as signage and some other things to guide people through the site uh little better. But uh but they have plenty of room in that parking lot to accommodate a good amount of traffic internally so that they're not going to have the problem in red site is there's not a lot of room in the parking lot. U and so there's a lot of backup that happens because there's simply no more room for cars in the lot. In this case, there's plenty of room for cars to be internal waiting their turn to drop off kids and waiting their turn to come back out. So I think in that sense this site is going to be far better than the Renaissance Academy site. It still needs that active traffic management for peak times. But

I would say that like I' I've read at schools for my kids where it's been three lanes and three lanes are packed up and stacked up to the back because that operational management for making sure that the certain lanes are getting dropped off, people are coming out like this. Like again, yeah, there's a minimal information on here about how that would be managed, which I think is to me probably my biggest concern coming in. And also, I guess if we're still doing a right turn on, right turn on L only, we do have a buildup, could that affect that left turn into the roads just north of it there? Right. Okay, this this would be coming right up against where the gravel pit and the stereo thing for the cops and the pet store or the or the vet store that's like north of there isn't the adjacent property there.

There certainly other other properties. There are other sites that there would be left turns. I I'm not saying that they're not going to have an impact in traffic. Absolutely will. U I think we've talked about operational plan number of times active management within the site. I think part of that operational plan uh that I suspect there'll be some notes for this one. I think we've talked about it internally internally with them before uh is education for the parents, education for the folks who are dropping off as well. Uh and you mentioned your experience. I had a similar experience having kids at a charter school and and getting the full education on this is how you do it. This is where you go. This is what you do not do

colorcoordinated sign. So, so that kind of education both for the parents and active management uh during the peak times I think is key to success uh that is going to have an impact but but uh because of the the site u and the internal the space internally I think that they can uh they can manage it if they plan it correctly. Is there a a left turn issue now on Sunday mornings? I'm assuming the church is actively used. No, there never been any complaints about it. Okay. And sort of as a followup to that, what is the proposed capacity for the school versus what you might have on a Sunday morning at at church?

Well, I tell you what, I'll let the applicants talk about the school. Um, and I don't know the number of parishioners at the church. Uh, we always want churches to grow and uh and so and I'm sure that it I hope it's growing. So, it may be more next week than it was last week. Sure. Uh but it you know Sundays are a little different as well simply because there's the the base level traffic is less uh because many many of businesses are are not operating over the opening later. U so it's simply a different condition than than during the week especially rush hour type periods where you have a lot of commuters who have to go through that same space.

As one who heads south on Lincoln at 8:15 every morning Monday through Friday, I'm sensitive to it. I'm just trying to get a sense for the scope. I mean, I guess like the major usage of that is people coming off the concrete company there, too. You know, Central concrete concrete is running up and down Lincoln non-stop in the morning. So, like it's like, you know, when I'm thinking about larger tracks and coming across like Ronnie, were you were you on when we did the initial planning for Renaissance?

No, that was that was before my time. I've dealt with similar charter schools. Was there ever like a traffic study done before that? Is that something that like again it's good to have ideas and kind of anecdotal like evidence about what could be happening? But there's a part of me that's like like man it would be nice to know like in an actual study like how much usage does this get? What's the majority times? What's the peak time that we can look at to see like the change when these people come in? because there's just been based around so many complaints that I know you have heard and we have heard about that backup on Isabella Road due to that. So keep in mind Renaissance is a public school. It's a charter school. It's a public school.

So it's a little different creature in terms of what was required of them uh what their obligations were at the time is what is like it or not. That's what state law allows. They allows them to get away with a whole lot of stuff. Uh this one here here again this is not a special use permit. It's a site plan process. So we have we we certainly can look at this issue but we're not looking at it at the same depth as we do with the special use for public hearing process and all that.

We absolutely can ensure safety one of the one of our standards for recyclers for site approval that 14.2. S that that we read off in the in the motion. Those are the standards we're looking for them to meet. And one of the standards talks about impact on public facility, public infrastructure and such. So we we have a place where we can put our concerns and say you need to meet this. Um and so it will be up to them to show how they're going to meet it. U but uh let's let's give them a chance to do that and then and then we'll see where it goes.

What are the alternatives to a right in right out? I'm I'm having trouble with that. Just how do you enforce that? and then one who lives to the north. I can't imagine going all the way around Broadway and coming back around to to drop somebody off. I just wonder about the practicality. Yeah. Well, I mean, the way you force it is with the design of the driveway. U if you uh if you go to Chris Crystal Oil, if you try to make a left from Picker, Westbound Pickard Road into Crystal Oil, you are going to find it's it's painfully difficult. And it's because the driveway has been designed for right in out. It has a nice island in the middle with a fairly sharp angle. Uh so that it's easy when you're coming eastbound to slip right in.

And same thing going out you can you can't turn left. You said we can't do it. You'd be amazed at how motivated around you in Boston and you can pretty much drive anywhere you want. There you go. Just because you're not supposed to, right? Something along the lines of that design is what what what we have recommended that they look at. The challenge, as I said, is that that would impact the church because the church doesn't need that same design, right? And so there may be a need to figure out how to handle both. But I'll let the let the engineers figure that out. And that that's the only access point to this property, right? All right. So, I'm going to suggest we bring the applicant into the conversation, but thank you very much. I appreciate it.

So, I assume there's an representative of the applicant here. It's our friend Tim. Good evening. My name is Tim Bi. I'm with Central Michigan Surveying Development. The address is 2257 East Broomfield Road. I'm here on behalf of Central Christian Academy and we we have gone through the report. Um we were turning in for preliminary site plan to get get comments. um the process of going to the external uh Isabella County Road Commission uh ICTC and the others is typically after we get your review comments and then we we go out for those. Um we have met with the fire department. Uh we are looking at bringing an 8 inch water line in and as part of that uh the church currently if if the church were to ever have a problem fire hydrants on the opposite side of Lincoln Road they'd have to try and hook drag across the road. So what we're proposing is to uh provide fire protection both for the church and and for the proposed school. um trying to work through some some uh some items with the DPW as far as uh water service uh sanitary sewer. Currently, the church has a uh existing grinder pump that then discharges to the the public sanitary sewer. Uh what we're looking at because this is a a a temporary situation, temporary Is it five years? Is it 10 years? It's going to be how long before we actually build the the the main school. Um we're proposing to to set it

up with kind of a hybrid system where the solids are taken out into a a septic tank. The effluent is brought off. it is pumped to the existing uh sanitary sewer pump that pumps to the the system. Why are we separating out those solids? Well, we've got little kids and we're trying not to send toys and other things to their grinder pump. So, we're we're setting up that baffling system so that if they flush something down the toilet, it ends up in the tank that can be cleaned out before it ends up in the in the grinder. So, it's it's just uh assuring the life of of the church's system. Um, as far as internal, uh, we have a meeting set up after after reviewing the the findings from from staff. We have an internal meeting that we're going to be going through to talk about um, operational and maintenance. The state requires an operational and maintenance plan. Uh, they're in the process of of putting that together for the state. It looks like we are being asked to provide some of that to the township. Um, typically operational systems when we're doing like a commercial site, we don't put together how is the business operating on a day-to-day basis. So, it is it is a little different request. Um, but we are having to do that with the state. So, we'll pull those portions out and try and get it into a format that we can submit. Um, as far as the the sidewalks are concerned, I'm going to meet with Rodney and find out what so I get a better feel

for what what your thoughts are on sidewalks. Personally, I think the sidewalk should be on the other side of the road and maybe they should be constructed there. So, uh, we have we have lands there that potentially I think are going to be developed there.

I I think um so the sidewalks we'd like to get sidewalks all the way up to to Remis Road. So, uh, having a sidewalk on the opposite side is probably a better place to put it. So, I' I'd like an opportunity to talk with you on that. So, uh we'll work on on the sidewalks with staff and I guess the traffic questions that you have, how does it relate to what the what the church currently has? The church on Sunday will have two and a half times as many cars as what the school will. You're looking at approximately 50 cars in the morning and 50 cars in the evening. Internally, we have the ability to to hold that. The question becomes the turning out on the roadways. That is something that is under the purview of of the road commission and we are working with them on what their requirements are going to be. So, uh, it's not an enormous amount. The school is considerably smaller than what Renaissance School is. So when you're when you're looking at that traffic back up and trust back been in the line trying to get around the the parents, that was a very very poor job on internal stacking for uh for pickup and drop off and they stack right out on the roadways. Uh we have sufficient area internally that that's that will not be an issue. We are also not putting in a school that is

preschool through 12th grade. We're putting in preschool through second or third grade and then hoping to maybe expand it to to fourth grade uh so that the kids can can try and move through. Uh the classrooms are set up to max maximum size of classrooms 25 kids doesn't mean we're going to have maximum. How many classrooms is it sped up to have?

Four. So I the school will be very successful if we have 80 students. So, we are not anywhere close to the same level that the Renaissance School is. If you've seen any of the plans for the the school on on the city property, that is where we have the ability to stack 86 cars. talking about the south that south plot opposite of the which which spot are you talking about?

This is the site uh west of Crawford south of Broomfield that we're we're trying to get that worked through and get it reszoned so that the school can go there. Same site you proposed to the Mount city city commission before still pursuing on that site. We're It's been an ongoing process. And then this would just be a temporary.

This is proposed as a temporary. But can I tell you, is it a fiveyear? Is it a 10-year? It kind of depends on uh fundraising and everything else in order to build that school. So, uh, they're wanting to get started and this is a way that they can get started and get their foot in the door and start introducing the area to this parochial school.

Can I ask you a question? What happens if you get approval from Mount Pleasant next year? We still have to raise the funds to build it, which is not a shortterm project. I was on the fundraising when we did an addition for for our paroial school that that my kids went to and we had it. It's nowhere near the size and it was a three-year process of fundraising. So, It would be nice if if we made it through the city's resoning and everything went perfectly well and this summer we get the go-ahad that yes, in fact, the the zoning is approved and they can kick off the because they they've had to do fundraising and the fundraising now is going towards what we're proposing now. So those funds are going to go towards this portion of it. They'll have to kick into fundraising for the main school and it would be great to say that it's going to only be a five-year process, but it depends on how well it goes.

Say Mount Pleasant follows through. Does that refocus your efforts into making this a long-term plan? I mean, is this does this thing because I know last time it came before Mount Pleasant, it was I think six to one against reszoning, right? the last formal it depends depends on which meeting you want to go to. You want to go to the planning commission meeting where it was unanimous. City commission. City commission. I'll go to city commission. City commission was I think like six to one against um so I guess I mean because I'm trying to valid this is I'm hearing this is temporary. I'm also hearing possibly go back to Mount Pleasant. I'm also hearing that but then

sure for our purposes this is a permanent site and that's how I would recommend that you treat it. And you know any business may may operate in what location any anything may operate for a time and and and move somewhere else success or they die whatever it may be. Um so we we really can't predict the future. They can't predict the future. We simply treat it as a permanent installation. It we'd love to have them here uh have great success here. Uh but for us it's not temporary. whatever it may be for them, it's it's permanent as far as Thank you. Right.

Other questions from commissioners for the applicant?

You said you have have room there for 50 cars. Is that just in the parking lot in line to pick up? We have we have uh inline parking approximately half and then we have all the parking in the in the parking lot itself. So we could easily park every vehicle that that comes in in in the parking lot. We have excess parking for for um but we're trying to keep people flowing but we can we can accommodate approximately half the cars that are going to be coming in the morning in line

off the public roads and I think that's Oliver's com concern is the other half that's in in the road uh they won't be in the road they will be in the parking lot. Okay. Now, I know the Mount Pleasant um facility was proposed. Was that just your church or was it a like a couple different churches that were looking to use five churches that are coming together? No, but would this facility only be

for your church or would those five schools still be coming together to use it? I guess I'm wondering because of scaling, you know, say things don't go to like Ronnie say we're going to look at this as a permanent thing because it could possibly do that and we're looking right now at four schools or four classes with a hundred. How does that change if the plans of Mount Pleasant follow through? And then we're looking at this thing. How does that affect headcount? How does it affect the amount of students that we could see coming in which could affect okay

the amount of car flow we're seeing? You know, because car flow here is based around just right now four four classes based around just holding those four classes. I'm assuming for the what you call the temporary time be here, but for us it could be you know substantially going forward. This site is not cannot accommodate the full school. So it even if we decided to try to expand, you cannot expand this site to that point to a point that you expand it. Perhaps two more classrooms.

Are the classrooms going to be uh stick built or are they going to be portable? They're models. So they're being brought in with the idea that this is a a temporary solution. This is this is not the vision that uh Central Academy has for their school. Is there going to be a playground? There will be a playground. Okay. Um it is to the north of the site. the north of the the buildings and to the rear. North to the rear. Okay.

I see kind of a pad area in the back. So, what I'm sorry between that and the retention pond, right? Yes. Yes. Thank you. Yep. So what are the what what would be the drop off and pickup times? Can you help me with that one?

I can. You know, maybe I can help with some clarifications too. My name is Renealian. I live at 1408 North Pleasant. I serve on the board. Uh we have been together on board for approximately six years. Time flies when you're having fun. We appreciate all that Tim has done. We appreciate Rodney for he's given us a lot of insight as well. We are looking at this particular site at Central Church. We have an agreement. It's a lifelong lease agreement with the church. So although it does sound temporary, we do know the difficulty it's been to try to find a location to start a school. Uh we had no idea that it was going to be this difficult but finally coming to an agreement with Central Church. We're looking at this yes as a launch pad. We have four educational modular units with one office modular unit that's planned and at this point we are looking at kindergarten through possibly fourth grade even fifth. It will depend upon the um the parents in terms of the children that we're going to receive. Right now, we're looking at a temporary kind of a a limited launch if possible if everything gets done in January of 2027. And at that point, at this juncture as our operational budget, we're looking at approximately 20 students. So it is going to be a much smaller venue than say Renaissance. I think everybody in the city has been caught up in that Renaissance traffic. Um so this is again a private school not a charter school. So these parents then are going to be

paying a tuition and we hope to provide financial aid or uh make it accessible to those people who desire to have uh an education for their children such as this. I love a comment that we heard early on. This is not an either or, it's an and. And data has shown us that when communities are able to provide a lot of different educational venues, young parents like to have some choices in terms of where they will send their children to school. So, we want to be an and not an eitheror. uh if nothing happened say on the broomfield property we had looked at that property for a while we've been a lot of those meetings it was actually a very close vote that it went down at the very last vote we were a little bit surprised but you know a lot of things happen there are obstacles to overcome uh we are going back again and even if it goes through say even this year to be able to raise the funs for a permanent structure. We're talking for phase one at least eight or nine million dollars and so that will all have to be raised via donation. So I know that some have been involved in organizations that look at donations. So that could take a very long process uh if it goes through. So that's always an if. We know we need to have some kind of a product to launch in order to have the fundraising. So you have one hand and another saying you have to have a product in order to get the fundraising but you need the fundraising to have a product. So you get caught in this catch 22. So we know that starting the school is incredibly important. Uh will it be 5 years? I suspect at least that. Could it be 10 years? Absolutely it could be 10 years. Could it be the permanent site? It

could. So if we don't have the room to say to be K12, then we would be an elementary school and that would be our calling to have an elementary school uh in that location and that would be fine. You have to work within the boundaries that we have. Uh we're hoping to be a K12. It would be great if we had a permanent structure and a soccer field and ball field and all those kind of things. Uh but we do know that we have to work within the realm that we have. We appreciate Central Church. Uh we have um you know four four churches right now represented on the board with a lot of other churches that are very supportive to uh getting this vision launched. So it it's not one particular church that has been the you know the catapult to put this forward. It has been a really a united effort to see this going going to from a dream to an actual reality. So that gives a little bit of outline to it. We appreciate, you know, the consideration to move this forward. Um, six years goes quick. We don't know this six will go much faster. So, you know, we're looking forward to trying to get something started to be a great uh, you know, a great for this community. I don't know if there's any questions that I can answer that does a great job all the technical questions.

I mean I had asked the pickup and drop off times. What what what is the footprint of the what is the footprint of the school day? I just the pickup times would be more towards an elementary structure time of starting. So it's it would be somewhere between 8:30 and 9:00 in the morning and then the the um end of school will be a typical school day will sometime between 3 and 3:30 or 3:40. So does kindergarten have that same full day or are they half day? I'm sorry. Kindergarten is kindergarten the same full day or just a half day?

It really depends upon the school system. We just visited a school uh just a couple of weeks ago, a school down in Lancing, a private school. And we were surprised that they had uh we see some schools just have morning kindergarten. We see some schools that just have two days, full days, two days a week kindergarten. So, it's going to really, you know, that final decision has not been made yet in terms of the school board. Will we be in every day all day? I think Mount Pleasant Renaissance is an all day kindergarten every day. You know, there's a lot of data that goes back and forth. Uh you know, whether or not that that's what should be uh implemented for kindergarteners. Yeah.

We still the verdict is out. What is um with with this layout, which is just before classrooms and I guess an office building, where will the kids eat their lunch?

Right now, the kids will eat their lunch in their classroom. They'll have it will be a bag lunch. We will not be providing any hot lunch, anything like that. That's a whole another realm to get into. These will be a brown bag lunch and there'll be uh you know depending on the number of students that are in the classroom. Again, I know Tim mentioned, you know, 25 would probably be our limit. These are large educational modulars. So, we could even have a kind of a moving section to say, "Okay, here's where we're going to eat our lunch at." um we can be very creative within that actual space that we're working with.

What will you do for like activity during bad weather and um any kind of um group where you want the whole school to be together for meetings? Sure. We've been very appreciative of Central Church and we have you know board members from Central Church and uh be able, I believe, to go ahead and use their building like their large sanctuary area. So, if we need to have a a large gathering meeting, uh we're very appreciative that that uh will be accessible to us or for tornado or

Yeah. If there's a tornado or any kind of uh you know, calamity that's coming, it you know, it it really is great to have partnerships and we feel very fortunate to have a great partnership with Central Church. I'm struggling on the plan here to find the toiletry facilities. Does each is each classroom have its own toiletry facility? I just guess I know these are modular devices. I guess if I could get a little more clarity in just how that's

every every educational modular will come uh with a bathroom facility. The office will also have bathroom facilities that are all going to be ADA approved. Sorry, one toilet unisex type bathroom. Yes, each each modular in itself will have that plus there will be uh two of them uh two bathrooms available uh in the uh office unit. It's open air between the different modules. So kids are moving around between classes or anything like that in the snow. That's not happening. Elementary students would be a standalone stand alone.

This is not going to be a movement where they're going to be switching classrooms at any time. These are all pretty much standalone, which is fairly typical for younger elementary children. Sure. Typically they'd be in a hallway though, right? like hallway between classroom to classroom versus outside. It's a little bit unique and it's for modular outside room classrooms. It's kind of like more of like the little red schoolhouse. Yeah, little red school. I know my first teaching job was in a modular classroom. Uh and little bit of a hike to the main one. So, you know, you got your hair washed a couple of times. It was all right. Good.

Will there be any landscaping around the these? I'm just thinking about the kids and what they would look out the windows to see. Are there landscaping? Okay. Okay. That'd be on the final, right? Yeah. I keep getting

We have talked about landscaping. We We want these to look great. I I don't know. Uh we have a couple on our board who are especially uh have a real keen insight for landscaping, making sure it looks great. Um part of our curriculum that we are really promoting is outdoor education. The data on outdoor education is phenomenal in terms of how it really increases the the learning, the uh getting kids outdoors and it's wonderful to have a little bit of land and property to go ahead and work with that. We we've seen some amazing outdoor educations over in Moskegan. Uh they have these little suits that they put on and they rain and snow and shine. they're out there and uh these kids are are pretty resilient.

I would like to address your comment though with this being a site plan that's submitted under 12 section 12.5. Uh we didn't select landscaping as one of the items that we were improving. Landscaping will be a voluntary thing that they do, but if I put it on the plan, it's a mandatory thing that they do. Okay. So um the the final site plan won't come in with landscaping only for that reason. Okay. Um they're telling you that they will be doing landscape.

My suggestion in that case would be to to just bubble it in landscaping to be added later by by the school or some just show where it will be. That way it's when they do it something give us something to work with. Not a plan necessarily. The only thing that the only thing that I get concerned with is when they change their mind and they don't want it in this spot, they want it in here. And then I have to change plans and resubmit them. They get creative. So, I'll I'll put a note addressing that voluntary landscaping will be done in and around. But

uh landscaping is one of those things that if we if we change what tree we're putting in, I end up having to change plans and resubmit plans. So when it's not an actual requirement, I tend not to show it because if it's shown, it's part of the site period. And they certainly can proof the site later on. It sounds like this probably something that would happen over time anyway.

So, I'm going to suggest to commissioners, I mean, we have several options here, but I mean, I haven't heard anybody suggest that they don't think that this is a project that should, you know, go forward. But we have uh the option of of postponing this and having them get the even the preliminary site plan in better order and coming back with that or uh approving it with a whole set of conditions which would essentially be corrected and and hopefully gotten to the you know finish line by the time of the final site plan. So, I guess I would suggest we give some thought to which you are more comfortable with.

I don't know about you, I don't want to read all this. I'd rather push off to next month. I guess I'd rather read it all and let them get moving because as we know, we're going into a construction season again and any project has limited time before we hit more weather again. Um, and there's a it's a very detailed list. So, I think Rodney and Peter have covered what needs to be covered and it gives them a plan then uh to pursue then for the final site plan. That's just my thought. I support that. Yeah, there's I know it's a lot to read though.

Yeah, there's certain ones on there that I would I wouldn't want to do like forcing them to have a right in write out number four there on the condition. Well, I think to some degree that's going to depend on the road commission. Correct. I think But this this does not say uh thou shalt have writing right out. But it what what it says that it says what I said about trusting

I mean what I it says revise the driveway design. It absolutely does. It says do it consistent with limiting turning movements during pick up pick. He can pick up a drop off. Uh Tim is absolutely right. The road commission controls that road and they decide what design they are comfortable with. And we do have the issue that that the church doesn't need a ride in and write out on Sundays. I trust I trust Mr. BB to figure out a design that will accomplish this. And and as I said, largely this could be that operation plan. Yep.

It may still be a design. It may still be elements that help make this happen. Um the design elements make it happen. But uh I do trust that be able to figure it out. I what I what I don't want to see is I don't want to see left-hand turn lane turns into this site during pickup pickup time and drop off time. I just even if they're saying there's only 50 cars, that's a lot of cars trying to make a left-hand turn.

Um, and and unless they could show otherwise that everybody's coming from the from the south, which I think is probably going to be challenging to show because they don't know who their students are yet. Um, they really are going to have to address this one way or the other. Um, and ultimately because this is coming back to you, you get to decide whether they've met these conditions. And so they come back to you with a plan that that gets to this it gets to the space where you're comfortable that they have they have satisfied that this is going to work. You can prove the plan. So that's part of the key here is it this is not a thou shalt in that in that format. Even even the wording was very carefully done to try to give them some room to work. Um but uh but ultimately this plan's coming back to you for final site plan approval. So you you will decide whether they they met it or not. Could we not accomplish that by putting the period uh number four at the end of the word school in the last line and just not reference to write in and write out only

if you choose? Sure. Yeah. Obviously, just so that we're not holding ourselves to that by passing it now. Um but as I said, for example, if they came back to you and and the plan didn't have right in, right out, you said they come back to you and say, "For these reasons, we couldn't do that. The road commission wouldn't do it. we can't do it for this would be your final site plan to approve.

True. So ultimately you're going to make the decision whether they have satisfied what you want. By putting the right in right out it does say I forgotten I did have it typed that out of the sentence. U by having it in there you were at least putting a a a a stake in the ground to say this is what we prefer. Ultimately as said we have to deal with the fact that we don't control the road. U but by be being clear with what you prefer you have a half chance of getting it. Uh and you know what will happen whatever you approve we're going to share that your approval with the Mr. gaffing the road commission so he's aware of what you what you did

and that way when he's talking to them he at least knows what the what US planning commission wanted to have happen we are we bound by the road commissioner's appro like suggestion say the road commission doesn't say right turn only does that limit our ability to say we need it to be right turn only or no ultimately it's their road they ultimately have have a say over what happens within their road right away

so then our recourse then again just just pificating if they don't get something that we were looking for which is like say right turn lane only like would it be then like our next motion would be to to deny it versus like trying to be able to set any conditions on our own. I guess I'm just wondering trying for more clarity like any stipulations for that road turnage there is done by the road commission and then we have to make our decision based off of their findings or their results.

So let let's say for example the road commission says we don't want you do anything to that driveway. It's beautiful and perfect the way it is. Then our focus becomes more on that operational plan. How are you dealing with this? Are you dealing with it with the parents educationally? How are you dealing with it in active managing the site and and show us that this is going to work. Okay,

that's all that's that's where we focus. I I don't recommend you deny the plan that I said the road commission has control there right away. They choose what what happens with them and it just changes where our focus is. But even in our internal focus, we don't deny the plan. And we simply say show us how this is going to work. You you figure it out and they do have the ability to do that. I they have the space inside uh they have the capacity to have an operation plan as as Mr. B said the state is requiring similar things anyway. So

sure. Yeah. I didn't want to guess give a uh a view of what my decision would be. It was more be like what would our recourse be if like the sign things we didn't have would our only recourse be to deny it versus like you said no we could those other operational plans to kind of enforce it right thank you I appreciate it very well that's why I like leaving the language as it is so you you at least telling you're putting on in your minutes and ultimately as said sharing your motion with the road commission what you prefer they decide what they want to do

not sure where others are but for me the preference or the the direction for a right in write out does not make sense to me. I would like to hear alternatives. So for me, I would strike it from the language and proceed with the conditions knowing that they're going to come back with a site plan that makes sense and that'll have the input of the road commission. But the right in right out does not make sense to me. It doesn't sound like we even have the ability to say that because it goes to the road commission to decide what we could put. But I get the point that if if it's in the language, then that becomes part of the recommendation. The road commission takes a look at that thinking, oh well, the planning commission wants that. I'm not sure I'm there yet. On the right turn only. On the right turn only. Yeah.

You'd be open to left turn into the facility in the morning. I'd love to see a turn lane, but I don't think I'm going to get that. But that's where I I'm curious to see what the alternatives are. Uh because it it doesn't make sense to me for folks to go all the way around to come back down Lincoln to make a right turn. You could say you could say right in right out or the addition of a left hand turn lane. I do I do understand that area I suspect is going to be sort of challenging for left hand. Yeah. That's don't think that way right now. Right now there's that would be expensive to build.

Uh it would but uh future plans supposedly the bridge was put in so that it could be a four lane. U if the money ever comes available you're going to see a four lane up south up to well frankly you're probably going to see a three lane just you're going to see a mirror image of what's south of the river. Uh the original plan was four or five. Uh I don't think that we'll ever come in that way. U but but it will at some point be a three-way. What is what is the technical term on like at certain drives where you can kind of go around but the main

deceleration deceleration lane. Is that a feasible option in this scenario? Which would be on the north side. There are ways to to improve. Those are always expensive options and when you're trying to build a school uh if you're putting all your money out in the road. Sure. It's it's expensive. Yeah. So, it' be better to try to find a solution that doesn't need that. But anyway, you could you could say, first of all, you could you could delete the statement. You could also kind of give them options say either right in right out or dedicated left hand turn. We want to do it that way too or staggered start times for classes of that sort. That's the operational plan.

Yeah, that's that's more what we probably

I would be fine with putting the period at school. That was actually what I was thinking. So the general consensus I'm hearing is to proceed with a motion with conditions. So the chair by convention and past practice never makes the motion. So one of you is going to have to read it. Well, I shall be the sacrificial lamb yet again. Um

you're terrific. Thank you. Um, I move to approve PRP26-03 preliminary site plan to establish a private school and to construct modular units for classroom for office and classroom space for Central Christian Academy on the Central Michigan Christian Church premises at 3433 South Lincoln Road in the R-1 rural residential zoning district and in the north northwest quarter of section 21. finding that the site plan dated March 24th, 2026 can comply with the applicable zoning ordinance requirements for preliminary site plan approval, including sections 14.2P required site plan information and 14.2 standards for site plan approval subject to the following conditions. One, a land combination of the two parcels is required to be submitted to the township by the applicant and approved by the township assessor prior to the start of any construction or installation of site improvements on this site. Two, revise the site plan set to include the missing sheets and to separately show the overall existing conditions and overall proposed site plan without the topographic survey details which clutter the page making it difficult to decipher. Three, add more traffic direction with either painting on the pavement or signage that clearly takes a motorist in and through out through the entire site from entrance to exit as part of pickup and drop off and provide a detailed operational plan for active staff guidance and direction in the pickup drop off area during peak periods. Four, revise the driveway design and provide a detailed operational plan on the revised site plan to address traffic movements and active staff guidance in direction at the entrance from South Lincoln Road consistent with limiting turning movements during peak pickup and drop off periods for the school. Five, provide sufficient safety margins to adequately separate children and other

pedestrians from vehicle traffic areas within and through the site. Six, provide the required internal concrete sidewalk connector from South Lincoln Road to the church and to the school in a manner consistent with the sidewalk and pathway ordinance and the safety of children and other pedestrians using this pedestrian way. Seven, revise the location of the South Lincoln Road concrete sidewalk to transition from the extra 10- foot wide easement to within the South Lincoln Road rightway at a point just north of the open ditch along the east side of South Lincoln Road, which drains into a wetland area at the south end of the lot. This part of the new sidewalk would be subject to permit approval from the Isabella County Road Commission, ICRC. Eight. revised the note on sheet six of 11 to clarify that quote, "A copy of the final 10- foot wide sidewalk easement document for the sidewalk along South Lincoln Road as reported at the Isabella County Register of Deeds Office will be submitted to the township zoning administrator prior to the start of any construction or installation of site improvements on this site." End quote. And nine, add the required details for the dumpster pad and enclosure. support.

Wouldn't it have been a shame if she read all that and there was no second? Um, okay. That's why I jumped in. Yeah. So, the motion was made by lab. Well, you paused just long enough to give it suspense. Uh, and the second was by Ola.

So, you've heard the motion with uh to uh approve the preliminary site plan with the nine conditions as as specified. Any further discussion? Ronnie, can I just ask an old school question here? Um, I taught at a a private school in Pennsylvania years and years ago and it was on it emptied onto a major road in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and they had a traffic person out there at the end of every day getting people off the site. This was a high school, so a lot of the students drove too. Um, is that not allowed anymore? Is that just operationally not an efficient way to deal with that to have a live person there like directing traffic? That's what we were suggesting that they do.

Yeah. You're not talking about police officers. This was No, no, this was handled by the school. They had someone Ernie H, the guidance counselor, was out there every day with his with his vest on. That's that's what I'm kind of expecting they're going to need to do to make this work to keep that keep the Lincoln Road from being uh traffic being a problem in Lincoln Road. I think they really are going to have some have somebody out there just as they're going to have to have somebody near the school directing traffic and making sure kids are safe. you if you look at that design, there's multiple drop off lanes, you have a lot of kids in between cars. U so that that's going to require some effort to figure out how to how to make that work. But it definitely I think will require people being on on site at the end even on the road though. Yeah. Yeah. Out there the road.

Okay. Now, we'll see what they come up with, but that's that's my thought is that seems to be the the really the only way to ensure that it will work. Okay. Okay. Any other comments on the motion by commissioners? I I think I'd say that my only concern before giving approval here is that the devil is in the details for a lot of these things and there's a part of me that's hesitant to give approval without knowing what we're going to get back from them. Will we have the opportunity to then further approve this? Yeah. The final site plan comes back. It's not it's not constit It's not I'm sorry. Um con it's not going to come back to you for review.

No. because of because of the nature of what they have to do you the sidewalk alone I that item alone they have to come back to you that can't be what needs to be done cannot be approved administratively but but these other items we would send it back to you so we got to look to be able to look operationally at what plans are giving back to us for that traffic management before we give a final site approval that's right you'll see the final site plan will have all those details all part of it okay yeah and my thought to postpone was exactly what you said there's three turning lanes There's a lot of kids there. I I I want caution with kids. Yeah.

Has anyone on your board ever run a school? Just out of curiosity. You have a retired principal. Come up people.

Um we do have a retired principal on our board. Uh I think you did Oasis, you did Muire School and then the high school assistant principal. So yes, we do have uh feel like we have quite a few teachers on our board, retired teachers, retired from CMU as well. So you know, we do have people who have had experience and I would say probably Susan Bernard who is our retired principal has had the most being out there directing all the traffic as well. We have talked about this. This it this is an item that has been on uh on our radar. We looked at we've talked with Tim in terms of how to do the stacking. Um who needs how many need to be out there, how we're going to have kids filtering through if there are more than one lane of cars. I mean all of this our our main concern of course is child safety and that will be at the top of the list.

Thank you. Okay. Any other comments from commissioners? Okay, roll call vote, please. Oliver, support. Vicki, support. Lap, support. Hayes, support. Spartito, support. Thompson, support. Okay, thank you very much. So that is approved and again we will look forward to seeing the final plan. Excuse me just a moment.

All right. So, we have two other business items. These are I'm going to call them previews, right, of potential um special use permits. So, uh, the first one is PSUP26-02, which would be a special use permit application for a short-term rental at 5320 South Whiteville Road. Introduction by Rodney, and we will uh go from there.

Thank you. As we said, this this is a opportunity for an introduction. These two both both applications special use permit uh requirements that request a public hearing by the planning commission. Uh in both cases, the applications that came in were not complete. Uh they were complete enough essentially for initial uh review, but they they did they weren't really ready to set a public hearing. Uh and so timing wise, uh what what we invited the applicants to do is to come in and introduce the projects and uh it's the same applicant, same family for both u and uh basically invite the commission to ask questions. uh give them feedback uh things that they they may even be able to make adjustments to the application if there's things you notice or thoughts about uh that we come back to. The intent is for both applications that they would be on your May agenda for a volunteer. This first one, which is the the short-term rental, uh is actually now complete. They did provide the the uh the additional information that we that we needed for it to be ready for public hearing. It just happened it came in just very recently. Uh the other one's about they're still working on some detail scripts. Uh but both fully expect to be ready for period at your main meeting. One thing with that in mind uh I'll just mention this is this applies to both of these items. I would invite you to hang on to the materials you've been provided paper copies because uh we what we will do is we will add to it to the next packet but the material that you have will not change. We'll be adding to it. the plans. I don't I don't expect the plans will be different if we will there would just be some more information for the plan. So keep keep these last two. We don't normally recommend that or ask for that, but this case you will keep it so we don't have to bring more. Uh with that in mind, any this first unit we have is as said it's a short-term rental. This

was uh the Airbnb type rental housing. uh this was added to our ordinance back in 2020 uh as a special use uh which says it requires a hearing. The main reason to require hearing for this type activity is to let the neighbors know of the change so they're aware of what's coming uh and getting questions answered about it. Uh this one uh the you had a couple short-term rentals that have come front in the past. Uh they were owner occupied rentals where they were renting rooms or parts of their spaces. Um, this is the first time where we've had a short-term rental uh where the entire uh house will be a rental. It's not not not owner occupied. The owner managed, not owner occupied. Uh, perfectly okay. Ordinance certainly allows it. It's just be the first time we've seen one of those. Uh, so with that in mind, I uh I'm happy to answer questions as we go along. Uh, but uh my turn the time over to the applicant and said to amen ask any questions you have. Okay. Any immediate questions for Rodney while he's up.

Okay. Thank you.

I'm Mike Plump. Uh address is uh 7700 South White Road, Shepard. Here with my wife Jade. So, uh we're the owners of actually both these properties we're talking about, but um I guess the first one on the agenda, uh the short-term rental. Um uh it's a house on a 1 and a half acre lot. We're just looking to basically go in and uh be completely remodeling this house. So making sure it's all up to uh code and things. Um we've already had the Union Township inspector come out and do a preliminary inspection and stuff for us, let us know all the things that would need to be done as far as smoke detectors and parking requirements and all these kind of things that uh that he wants to see. So we've already went through that process. I'm just looking to um get this approved so we can move forward with the building um project of it. Um the reason we're doing this, I guess it kind of goes into our next our next uh special use permit is we have the this is directly located across the road from our farm, which is an aggra tourism um uh spot that we have. So, we're really we're doing this for the the short-term rental, the Airbnb portion because of obviously things in Mount Pleasant with with CMU and the casino and things like that. I think it could be very well used, but we're also really looking forward to be able to use it for events and stuff that we have across the road and be able to use it for ourself. Um, people coming in town wanting to do events and stuff there and then have a place for them to stay that's right next to the property. So, that's really the the main goal. Do

you have any questions for me? I guess on What's the state of the place right now? You're going to do operational, you said renovations. What's the what's the rehab time frame BC for it?

Yep. We uh we purchased the property, went in there. It was pretty bad uh inside, so we already went in and basically just um uh gutted, if you will, the whole thing. Um it's um uh stripped down to just basically bare drywall right now. So it'll have all brand new um kitchen, bathrooms, uh HBAC plumbing and then it'll be pretty much brand new um from the top to the bottom. Uh outside will be all redone to new siding um steel roof and those kind of things as well. So it'll be a pretty much a a complete remodel when we're done. So, how many square feet is it?

It's roughly It's a 1,800, I think. Around 1,800 ft². It's a four bedroomedroom uh four bedroomedroom, two bath house, roughly 800 ft². Has a detached uh threec car garage with it. So,

so this is just a random question. This map Yep. So, this Are there two lots? Are there That's another house. Uh, so it's So, that's a separate one. Not Yes, a separate one. Yep. The red is what we're talking about. Correct. This one. Yep. Yep. Okay. And so just to remind us, short-term rentals are how long? Like what's the maximum? Yeah. Is there one?

There's so many days consecutive. We can only rent two and then so many uh I don't have it in front of me, but yes, there is a in your guidelines there. I don't know if you know. I don't I don't I haven't deter but but it's frankly as a rental it would be in our rental inspection program whether it's short-term rental or it's regular rental. Yeah. So for for us they do need meet the standards of the ordinance ordinance applied short-term rentals. But but either way the really the rule is the same for us. We just simply require be part of our rental inspection program. Yeah. uh the short-term rental the reason special use is really because it's a turnover of people more frequently than a standard rental. So it has more impact of neighbors that way.

Yeah. I thought somewhere it said four nights. Yeah, that sounds that sounds I read something in one of these packets. Yeah. And Rodney, you had said that this will be public hearing and that would come forward in May and that is correct. I think we uh we would hold a hearing on it at the main meeting that would be too public would hear about it and have the opportunity to ask questions comment and obviously go through normal deliberative process neighbors are supportive had conversation. Yep. Yep. Yep.

Cool. This is not a concern in asking this, but so Ronnie like on this map for these kinds of things, we don't necessarily know who the land owners are of other when people bring stuff to us. You mean the neighbors, right? Well, this is that not something when we when we do the hearing, we'll have actually the list of neighbors. Okay. At the hearing, we notify everyone within 300 ft of the property. Now, their their own property is within 300 ft. So, they're going to get a notice. They have to go side to get a notice, but but all the neighbors within 300 ft of that residential lot will receive a notice from this. Okay.

If if all of this is approved, what is your anticipation for when you think you might be able to actually start renting it? Uh, we would hope to we have to obviously want to get this approval first because we may remodel the house differently if we didn't do it this way, right? So we want to get this first and then the idea would be to start uh the remodeling process here probably in the next 30 to 45 days you know construction we would start and then um probably at least a threemonth window you know construction season probably we want to do and then be able to start running right after that you know so about probably like late summer early fall probably

so tell me again how many units It's four bedrooms. One unit. Okay. Okay. So, one house. So, it would be one It would be rented by one person or group at a time. Yes. Correct. But it could be up to I don't know. Yes. Between 8 to 10 people. Yep. Total people. What would it go? A night? I don't know. That's a great question. We're trying We're trying to research better. Got your first renter, right? You looking for a place or

Well, I want to I live I mean I'm just up north on Broomfield, so I'm not really that far away, but I would I would like to I would like to win a stay through like some local whatever like drawing or something which is not conditional on his approval for anything. Probably not something you want to say during a commission meeting. Can I ask another question? Sure. Have you considered adding another bathroom if you're going to have 10 people in there? Well, that's something I think I mean it has two going to be two full baths right now. So, I think that's something it only has has the four bedrooms, so we know we're going to schedule at least for eight um for sure. Yeah. And it would be difficult probably to fit in another bathroom, but

yes. Well, those are the kind of things too if you remodel it for a short-term rental, you know, like like things like big closets like master closets and stuff aren't really in need, you know, if people aren't going to be living there. So we we'd use up that closet space and could be able to maybe add an extra half bath or do some things like that to really hone in the design based on what we're going to do with it. So how many events are you guys running right now per Sorry, I thought that was me feeding back. It was a car outside. Uh how many events are you guys running a year? I'm assuming this will probably be used around your season when you guys are open and active building up towards sunflowers at the end of the year and stuff.

That's really going to depend on the next item on your agenda. I guess if we uh if we get the next item on the agenda approved then um hopefully we're going to be ramping that up significantly. Are you guys the winery? Yes. Yep. Before that one. Yep. They really kind of tie in together really, you know. So yeah, winery is where all the questions are. Brandon question with the laundry. You're going to let people do laundry there or that would be to do the laundry there. We would allow people to use the laundry there if they want washing clothes or something like that.

Somebody used an Airbnb for two weeks down in Florida. I was grateful for that. Yeah. washer and dryer. That's a big deal to have. Mhm. As the father of four who does three loads of laundry every day. Yeah. Perfect. I might rent it out and just come over and do some laundry. So Ryd, we're not in a position to make any motions or recommendations today. Just open open discussion. So we get to the next one. I think it's great.

Well, I'm just looking at the uh Rodney's notations here. What is the what is the relationship between Shift 4 LLC and Clump Management LLC? Yeah, so it's actually being uh converted over to uh Clump. It'll be in Clump Management LLC's name here uh shortly. Shift 4 LLC is actually owned by my son. So, Yep. Yep. Yep. It's actually the house is currently in his name and it's being switched over um in the next 30 days or so probably to uh club management's name. So yeah,

what we asked them to do is is provide the the uh the agreement to allow the application essentially had to allow them to apply. We that was provided as part of the application materials. Does any approval take effect once that transfer happens or does it does that not matter? It the special use permit doesn't depend on ownership. Got it. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. The special use permit is tied to the to the prop property. Okay. We can go ahead if you'd like to go ahead move on to that. I don't have anything new for the second item. Okay. Yeah, that's fine. Yeah.

Yeah. Um Yeah. So the the second one obviously is is across the road, the uh 5297 South Whiteville property. So um you granted us a special use permit um back in 2022 for this property to do um agurism style events out there. We've been conducting those um ever since doing things like um um you pick sunflowers um um cut flowers, different things like that out there. Um some other agricultural style events and stuff bringing people out to the farm. Um we had some things that uh like community uh events like the uh outreach come out with a kids and culture day and those kind of things and stuff out there. So then trying to interact with the community a little bit, bring some people out to the farm and do those kind of things. So, what we're looking to do, we just want to expand on where we're at. We're really limited on on what that original special use allowed us to do. So, the things the new special use um would incorporate for us would be the use of the existing barn there. Um it wasn't in our first plan to actually uh utilize that barn for the public's use. So, we'd like to open up that barn as essentially a venue um uh for the barn uh there, make it a multi-purpose space and a venue. Uh we'd also add like to add a couple of pavilions. So one big pavilion uh you'll see on there right out back of the barn and then also another pavilion out in the orchard. And those are both the things for you know for gatherings or um uh other events like the like the cutting of flowers and they have you know people come out and do bouquets and these kind of things. It's nice to have like a pavilion out there to get under um in the uh in the field and stuff like that. So, a couple pavilions on there. Um, obviously expansion of a parking area. Um, uh, a gate and stuff in the front. We really need to kind of gate this off. So, hours

of operation, we'd have a gated entry and stuff. We get a lot of people just kind of nosy people and then they end up tooling around way back in places they shouldn't, you know. So, we really like to get a gate out there to be able to close this uh close this off. And then uh then the adding of uh doing a a winery, brewery, and distillery uh permit um to go along with the space. So that'd be a separate uh building where the production of that would be located in in a tasting room. So we're looking for the tasting room permit um to be attached to that as well. So we started planting grapes in the property probably, I don't know, four years ago or so, probably four or five years ago. Uh we have uh four acres of uh uh orchard and stuff out there now. We have um uh apple trees, peach trees and stuff. We're growing a lot of those kind of same things um right there on that location in that farm. Uh we also have uh honey bees, honey production out there and stuff as well. And then we also operate a farming operation um right there in Isabella County as well. So we grow a lot of other things. So, we're kind of trying to get this full circle of using the things that we're growing, kind of a sustainable agriculture model, and be able to to pull this stuff back in into a a winery, brewery, distillery, and then be able to offer just our own spirits, you know, on site, um, tasting room and those kind of things out there. So, um, that's probably the biggest of of all the asks that are on there of biggest change would like, um, I think that's I think that covers kind of, you know, in a nutshell. I mean, it's all in your packets. I think our packet, like you said, Rodney said, I believe the drawings are are pretty much done. U, there were just some operational things that uh, we were going to put together yet. um fine-tuning like um uh hours of operation. Uh before hours of operation, I think ended at like six o'clock I want to say in our last special use permit. We'd like to extend the hours of

operation obviously with with these new events and stuff we'd like to do. Um so we're kind of trying to put that into a operational plan when we come back with the final plan to present that to you on what that on what that might look like. Do you have a head guess at how late you thought you'd be kind of pushed till 9:00 p.m.?

You know, I think I think they're going to be a a situation where it's like general operating hours will be like maybe around the 9:00 and then we may have like an ask for like special events to go till midnight, you know. So, if we have a special event there on occasions or a Saturday or something to be able to go till midnight on that operation, but on just the daily probably pushing it till 9:00, you know, operating hours is what we're looking at doing. So, Just remember the 10pm noise ordinance, right? We do have that that address. Yes.

Yes. And we talked about that too as far as you know uh that's going to be in there as far as like decibel ratings and things at at different maybe locations on the farm and you know our property lines and those kind of things. And the nice thing about it is we actually own we actually own 80 acres that's there that sits on um I think we own roughly I don't know probably 350 acres or something in that section. And so we own we own a pretty big chunk of that section and we just bought the house across the road. Um there's a good chance we may own some more property right there, too. You know, we're not neighbors are really good.

Yeah, we're we're trying to Yeah, we're trying to be really nice to the neighbors. Um the neighbors that we've all talked to are very supportive of what we want to do. Um, in fact, when we were doing the the sunflowers and stuff like that, when um they were out there doing them, the girls, they when a ton of people were coming up and asking for things like that, like, "Hey, you guys should you should open a winery or I wish you had more things to do here, you know, can we do events up in your barn?" And all these questions are being asked, you know, that um you know, a lot of it was the neighbors and stuff around there because they were there a lot um doing the things that we had, you know. So, I think we have pretty good support. Um I think if we did the open meeting, um I would anticipate too many people showing up, you know, that that are against it, but um um that's kind of what we're looking for. So

Rodney, is there precedent for this commission to do a field trip for something like this? You want you do a field trip right now to see it or Well, it's now and I don't want to make too much noise too late, but you know, I think it would be interesting to every time I'm in these meetings, I think these are really cool things. I'd like to go see it in person. So, so yes, absolutely. If if you as a commission would like to go out and and see the site as it is now, you get get a tour around. Yeah. If you want to do it as a group where you have a quorum of members present potentially, right?

Uh we have to we have to give notice. We just certainly put notice that there going to be a group of commissioners doing this thing at this location on this day and time and no business will be done that is open the entire time. We certainly can do it. Uh so if you're interested in that, we can see we can send it. Is that something for a little bit? Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. It's not a problem. We can wait till after the winery's open. Might be a different tour. It's also It's also true, correct, that any one of us can go out to a site at any time and walk it. In fact, I I mean, frequently I do that if I'm not really familiar with the site. Yeah,

typically you don't when you do that though, typically you don't see the owner and so you're just walking the site and visually inspecting what's out there. The key to this site, if you see Phil out in the field, that's what he's doing. That's what I was going to say. But this is an active farm, so I'm not sure. I'm familiar enough with this site that it wouldn't be one that I would sure specifically be walking around. Yeah, if anybody wants to come out, you know, personally or one by one, I mean um I think I think myself and them in the pack and I'm not sure. I mean, they can certainly get a hold of me and um you're more than welcome to to come out or we can give you a tour one individually or whatever, you know.

So, what this is what I would suggest u you certainly could go oneonone. What I would suggest is is you want to be careful of what's called exparte communication. So, that's the absolutely you won't really need a guided tour. you were walking through some his farm, you need to have somebody there to walk you around. Uh but just you want to be careful about the communication that happens there. Listen, learn and and come back and have a conversation because any direct communication with somebody that has a proposal like this in front of them can be viewed as a little too close.

It's definitely so but but we certainly you al we can arrange it as a group. So, if I will say this, maybe what we do do at this point is if you're interested in going as a group, those that are interested, just let me know, send me an email tomorrow. Uh, we can work with the applicant and and hit them at a date and time that works for for everybody and uh we'll set that up for you. copy the entire commission so everybody has is aware of what's going on and can um you know indicate their availability sign up if they want and so on. So that if good that way like I said then we we put notice on the building and the exact gets the same information.

Yeah. Um let me ask a question. So first of all I think the concept is wonderful. It looks great. It really looks like something that would be an asset to the community. If you are successful with the winery, brewery, distillery, you basically now have an alcohol license. Is would you be holding events there where there would be greater consumption than just sampling? In other words, is there concern about people leaving inebriated and driving away?

Sure. There's actually something that we brought up. We had a discussion with Rodney and Peter um a couple different ones actually that we met and the way we're going to handle that is if we be able to provide that say if somebody comes in has an event they want to have their their anniversary party there or something set something up and they want alcohol we're not going to let people just come in and and bring coolers of alcohol they consume on our property. So, what we want to do is be able to provide that alcohol as a service and then we'll have licensed bartenders um that will be there and we will be the ones uh serving the alcohol a little different than like a bar would essentially. So that way the the licensed bartenders know when to cut people off. They can keep control of the alcohol and those kind of things on the site and not just let it be kind of a a freeforall if you will um for people coming and going. So that's for for a lot of reasons. Number one, our liability. We don't want people, you know, having too many there and then going out and driving, those kind of things. If we have control of the alcohol on the site, that's really going to help, I think, reduce those kind of concerns. And that was a concern we had, too. And that's why by allowed us to do it this way, you know, versus um not having the permit, then, you know, people would be able to the only option they would have would be kind of a a bring your own kind of thing where they could consume themselves. But this will be no different than you couldn't show up to um say uh Bucks Run and rent their room, but you want to bring in your own coolers of beer or something to consume, right? So you'd have to you'd have to purchase um that and be served that by, you know, our people. So

Okay. And then I'm just going to ask because I'm interested. What kind of grapes have you planted? Oh man, you're asking the wrong person, but we have several. St. Are any of those uh ones that would lead to reds? Okay. Cuz cuz you you go up to the you go up to Grand Travers and of course there's all these wineries up there and so on,

but I get the impression that they really struggle with the reds that it seems like mostly they grow white wine grapes because of the climate or whatever. But I just feel like we need we need more red wine grapes. Yes. And we started quite a few years ago, you know, doing plings and stuff and and doing more plans and they're going to be more plans next year. So, we've been trying to build, you know, build it up and we can obviously buy other grapes in and be able to make more production and stuff until we get ours up to the capacity we need. But, um, we've been trying to plant different varieties and stuff all along. And the same thing with the other fruits out there. you know, we have different kinds of apples and peaches and pears and those kind of things. So,

what kind of distillery products are you looking at?

Yeah, so just your main stuff like a a vodka, uh a gin, those kind of things that are pretty easily distilled, spirits and stuff that are easy for kind of mixing drinks, you know. So, you could um offer those kind of mixed drinks as well. So, that way you kind of have a a full bar, if you will. You could have a beer, a wine, and maybe, you know, a vodka with a mixed drink or something, you know. So, Um, I noticed on the plan here there's a couple different parsons of a location for portable restrooms. Would those be portable restrooms that are there like extraneously like going forward or those just pulled out for events? I'm just kind of wondering what the pull is got this really great nice event barn market proposal right there and then portaotties like right next door.

Yep. Yep. So, there's going to be um in the designs of the barn there's uh there's restrooms up in the barn um in the design plans we have. of restrooms up there and then obviously in the uh in the new winery distillery, there's restrooms located inside there as well. It just when we have bigger events like outside in that pavilion and those kind of things, that's when the the portable restrooms we have an area designated um uh Rodney and Pier want to make sure we have lots of restrooms for the number of people that we have. Okay. So, we have Yes. Those are the additional ones that we would bring in for those larger events as well. Yeah, they might be kept off otherwhere on the farm and then pulled out for those events.

Yes, we just when we need them or have them spotted there when we need them on a big event, but I think most the time with the restrooms we'll have inside the barn and inside the winery, we're going to have plenty of restrooms to accommodate unless we have some bigger events going 300 person wedding maybe. Sure. The other thing to keep in mind I'm speaking attorney I'm pretty sure about this one these are not portaotties. Correct. Yeah, they're going to be nicer. Yeah, there's some really like luxury. There's a Yeah, there's different tiers you can move up to when it comes to those guys. Yep. Yep. Exactly. Yep. That's that's what we're trying to trying to do. Like I said, we don't want to have just a turn off of a port. I was looking at the aesthetic that's beautiful designs and beautiful Skypes. And I'm like,

yeah, those the webs ones that they bring in for these kinds of they're very nice, very well appointed and easy to work with. Great. That was my own. Yeah. Any other comments? Yeah, I I assume with this growth, you're going to be adding more staff to to help with that. Yes. Oh, yeah. It's definitely going to create jobs. Um, for sure. You know, we're going to need uh create quite a few jobs over there, I think. So, uh we don't have a total count on it. That'll be in our operational plan and stuff, but um definitely going to create jobs for the area. So, what is your construction timeline once approvals are?

Yeah. So, the first thing we're going to do kind of obviously phase this out a little bit, but the first thing will be start on the barn. Uh, we've got engineer drawings up to the point of um getting the engineer stamp on them. We got the drawings pretty well done. Um, we'll finish the drawings, get permits, and then we'll get to construction on the barn, basically installing the restrooms inside the barn, bringing it all up to code electrical wise and all those things to be able to access and utilize um the barn first and foremost. That'll be kind of the first phase. And then uh obviously adding parking lot, you know, space that we need and those kind of stuff. And then then as we move out back, you know, the next things would be, you know, the the winery distillery building and then the pavilion, the other, you know, kind of we're going to kind of phase it out just a little bit, but we would like to get started um on the barn, you know, as soon as we can, construction season, you know, to get that up and operational as a first and foremost to them. So

So will the barn be an event location in and of itself before these other buildings? Yes. Yep. Yeah. ability to get that up and going so we could obviously start having some revenue coming in from the, you know, renting the barn out and having having things there at the barn um and be able to use the inside space there. So, do you keep any animals? So, we have not on this property or this outlined area, but in the in the far back corner of this 80acre parcel, um there's uh private horses that we have back there. Yeah. Horses in the back of this on this 80 acres, but that's the only animals we have. So, yeah. Yeah.

I guess I'm just trying to I mean, like I said, I I I like it. It sounds nice. I'm wondering how much of this and maybe it's just that's where the money is, but I wonder if it's going to head off in a direction of becoming more of a I don't know how the right words to use there. There must be people out there when you say agurism, they actually want to go to something and be like on a farm and do kind of farmy stuff. I wonder if this the this new stuff seems less farmy and more kind of like h high-end, you know, entertainmenty type stuff. Do you know what I'm saying?

Sure.

I'm just curious is can you can you do both or is are you heading to a different niche? No, I think um we're trying to combine that. I think like like doing we want to do some like farm the table dinners and things out there as well and do those like out in the orchard like the pavilion we're going to put out in the orchard and be able to have people come in and do like some farm the table style things um bringing that you know the farm stuff um back to it. But I think you're 100% right. That's where I think too the the Airbnb across the road if somebody did want to come in, you know, and and spend the day there some things and have some place to spend the night if they if they went to the, you know, winery and they going to probably get a hotel somewhere there anyway, right? So, they'd have that to be able to stay across the road, those kind of things to

to be able to offer more and more of a package to people as they go, you know. Yeah. Bring more people into the community and Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. you know, I think and I think it need be something else for this community to be able to do too, right? I don't think we, you know, we don't have anything like this anywhere around here, you know, especially in town. So, I did have a couple questions. Is the barn new or was this barn existing a long time ago and you've just cuz this pictures these pictures look really nice. So, is it a new barn or No, it's not a new barn. It would have been cheaper to build a new barn. Yeah. No, it's not. It's a It's a really old barn. Um, do you know how old?

Yeah. Um, well, the the cement in the basement was born in 1960, but the barn was already built. I think it was in the 40s in the 1940s somewhere. Um, Herb Hill is what uh the old owner of the original builder of the barn. Um, it's called it's called the Hill Farm. If you know any any farmers around the countryside, they refer to it as the Hill Farm. And there used to be an old farmhouse out front. So, we bought the property. There was an old torn old really bad farmhouse out front. The barn was pretty tattered uh shape. We went in and um cleaned the house all up, cleaned everything up. There was junk all over. We cleaned the whole farm up. Then we went into the barn and basically structurally got the barn back in shape. We repainted it. We did a lot of things to get it uh up to date along with the farm. And then we started planting all the orchards and vineyards and all the stuff out there the last few years while um my wife's been doing the the upupic sunflowers and these kind of things there as well. Um we build a greenhouse just down the road to support our operations and stuff too. So we have a greenhouse um essentially on site there now where we're growing our own plants and stuff in to be able to bring over to the farm. So um we just keep adding on to and expanding it and you know hopefully making it a nicer place all the time. And so now we're to the point where to take this next step, I think, is to is to go here and and um you know, get to the next level, you know. So,

do you see part of the old barn from the inside? Yeah. So, the whole top of that barn will be um an event space up there. Yep. So, the whole top of the old barn and it's um and it's all um I don't know there's probably no pictures in there, packets of the uh barn, but it's all original uh old barn and stuff up in there. It's really it's a really neat space, you know, so I'd like to invite people out to be able to use that and and have, you know, different events and stuff inside the barn. So, and this is a preliminary, right? So, we get a different set of because I was going to ask some other questions that I probably just wait. Uh, yeah. Yeah. The plan the plans you have set there will be a final set.

Okay. I think my only other one was um are you doing anything to the landscaping eventually or are you keeping it like it is? Yeah, there's definitely I've not been there so I don't know but I'm just saying. Sure. Yep. Yep. There's definitely some added things. Um we're constantly It's a working farm, right? So we're constantly

planting more plantings. We're putting more grape vines and stuff, you know, out back that we're going to keep adding. Um right now we have like a perennial. It's like tulips in the front right now that only come up in the springtime. We are going to change that from just tulips because they only come up a certain time of the year. Um, so we're going to actually change that to a bigger like perennial garden which was spelled out in our original uh special use permit. We're going to get that so there's something out there year round instead of just tulips. So yeah, there's definitely um more changes and things coming around. We want it to be aesthetically pleasing obviously, right? I mean that's the that's the goal is to is to make it look nice, you know? So that's it for now. Okay. Thank you. So thank you.

When's your first bottle getting ready? Yeah. Yeah. Soon as I get this uh little deal I need to sign. How hard is it to get a a liquor license for this sort of project?

Yeah, it's not that bad. I mean, the I need to uh basically we come to you for uh the township has to sign off on um essentially having the the tasting room, the banquet facility there. And then there's a, you know, seven or eight page application to the state of Michigan um and some fees assessed and we we get that and then register with the federal government for the taxes essentially for the liquor tax and then uh that's it. I mean they'll if we get the approval here, we can certainly get the approval at the state level. Um not a problem. Probably takes about 3 months um from the time I'd get the approval here, we could probably have the approval to be able um to have the license. So

So the just To add a little bit to that, the the tasting room element does require the state requires an action by our board of trustees to basically support the application uh to show show support or not. And so what what we talked about is that that the special use permit would need to be dealt with first and then if you approve the special use permit, we'll we'll put that that tasty malement on the board agenda for their action. um based based on on your your your approval on the special use side of it and our board has has supported this kind of thing. We u for the micro brewery over bell road they they had a similar action they took uh there two or three that that they've taken action on the last few years. So and agree this kind of uh permit is pretty easy to get to state local because they want to see these happen. This means more local local operations, local activities. So, it's it's definitely a good thing.

Okay. I think we'll look forward to the special use permit hearing then. Okay. Thanks.

Okay. So, those were our four new business items. And is there any other business that needs to come before us tonight? Okay. Okay. If not, then we'll have extended public comment. This is the portion of the meeting where individuals are invited to address the planning commission on any item, whether it was on tonight's agenda or not. If you want to do so, if you're in the room, come to the podium, give us your name and address for the minutes, and limit your comments to five minutes. If you're online, raise your hand or otherwise make your presence known, and we will uh make it so that you can speak. So, extended public comments open at 9:19. Good evening. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about being online. Uh, in fact, I sent in a a comment. I was online for one of your meetings. I was actually traveling and had it up on my phone. I don't know if I did something wrong or if you just can't raise your hand, but I kept trying to get somebody to acknowledge that I wanted to speak and the entire meeting went through and I wasn't able to do that. So, I don't know if it's an issue because you're trying to do it on a cell phone, if it's an issue that the site was having, if it's an issue because I'm old and I don't do things like that. Well, um, but I had also there's comments and I had sent a comment in asking for uh help with that and I hadn't heard back. Did

you send a comment in through the website? Yes. Okay. When did you do that? Two meetings ago, but you you share a comment on our website. Not on No, there's there's a comment comment. Oh, through Zoom. Yeah. Oh, okay. Those disappear at the end of the Zoom call. Yeah. Unfortunately, those don't get none of none of those meetings that anything that's done in the Zoom is gone by the end of the meeting. Anything need to be submitted to the website. But that's that's a good thing to know as well that we I appreciate the comment because that's something we'll we'll look into to see if we can find out what's going on. With with the hotel discussion the other week though, we had people online who were raising their hands. So some people must have had I wonder if it's a cell phone issue more than Yeah. And and I don't laptop or something. That's that's what I was hoping somebody would help me with.

Do you think maybe you could have someone go on the phone with you next time you need to pull it up so you can see if it's you know user error or something like that? because we do have people come up and able to raise their hand and call for issues before. So, you know, I think this is a wonderful opportunity. So, you're going to have to forgive me. But, you know, I I I think that maybe it's just your gave me grief earlier, so I'm going to give it back to you. Just old. Sorry. If you ever um send a message or don't get a return call, call the front office because Ter and I will return your call. Yeah. I know I had mentioned something to be here when I was in You're not hearing back. Yeah. Call Terror Eye or shoot us an email.

But I just hoping that somebody can show me if I if I was doing something wrong. This is what you did wrong. If it just doesn't work with a cell phone, then I know next time I have to stop and be on my computer. I think what we'll do is we'll open the meeting up and we'll do some we'll do see what's Thank you. That was it. Excellent. Thank you. I wish we could just go back to issuing people uh Dixie cups and some string. Those those things are pernicious. Those all those things. They're weird. All these stuff. Anyway, uh any other public comments?

I have nothing on mine. Okay. Well, unfortunately, we don't know if there's some poor old guy on there with a cell phone who's trying to get through and we can't get them. All right. Um, okay. Well, we thank the public for their comments. We'll go ahead and close that back up at 9:23. Final board comment. Any comments from board members?

You know, just one thing I want to say. Um, I know this meeting is a long meeting and everybody has questions and as everybody's going through their different proposals, it can take time. I just I noticed that while some board members were raising questions, I was seeing a lot of uh movements from certain people in the audience beaning or taking time rolling their eyes. I just asked that maybe if whoever is still in uh view of the people here have respect for the people and the board members that are raising questions if it's not your time at the docket. We try to respect everybody's time. So, I know as it gets later in the day, we can all be looking at our clock, but let's please give everybody's questions the same uh I don't know, I guess worth or value, respect you would if you were the one up at the podium. That was it.

Okay. Thank you. Uh, anything else? Okay. We have completed our agenda. So enjoy the rest of April and the first part of May and we'll be back here for our May meeting and of about four weeks and we're keeping part of our