Neighborhood Planning Council 11 - Lakeview east

Meeting Minutes Minges Brook/Riverside Neighborhood Planning Council (NPC) #11 Riverside Elementary School Library 650 Riverside Drive Battle Creek, MI 49015 Wednesday, December 7, 2016 1. 7:00 PM – Welcome and opening – Randall Champlin 2. Attendance sheet: Coleen Jewell, Dave Hawks, John Godfrey, Ken Long, Leah Ortiz, Marge Barda, Marge Barda, Randall Champlin, Rudy Barda, Sally Goss, Talia Champlin, Tim Martinovich, Tina Yost, City Rep: Yolanda Johnson, County Commissioner Jim Haadsma, Commissioner Elect Jake Smith, City Commissioner Mike Sherzer, Karen Todd for Representative John Byzon, Dawn Hawks, Helen Larder, Fran O’Neill, Frank Hawks, Holly Hawks, Joan Grieger, Elizabeth Insley, Cheri Branch, Thomas Johnson, Alice Johnson, Christine Ayres, Sharon Weathers, Barb Dowell, Brian Newton, Sheri Schmidt, Caye and Bill VanZandt, Marvin Ganfi, Rhonda Turner, Henry Turner, Mary Jo Stanton, Ed Stanton, Marvin and Barb Eyre, David and Shannon Martin, Ernie and Annette Morgan, Tom Klopfenstein, Amanda Chapel, Douglas Chapel, Lew Lok, David Kaynor, Les and Linda Ecklund, Jim Rich, Mike Eyde 3. Additions or deletions to this agenda: None 4. Approval of October 26 meetings minutes distributed via email. John Godfrey moved to approve the minutes and Tina Yost supported the motion. Motion passed unanimously. 5. Correspondence sent/received Rezoning Request: City has received an application to rezone land at the west side of Riverside, north of 94 to commercial. Future use of the land would be commercial/residential/open space 6. City staff reports and Commissioner Comments:  City Commissioners’ remarks: Commissioner Mike Sherzer announced our water rates will be going up. We have a user fee system, so the funds paid for water usage go directly to provide water services. The increase is subject to the passage of water service expansions by Springfield, Pennfield, Bedford, Emmett and Leroy Townships. Question on whether users using only well water will see an increase. Mike will find out for us. Question regarding what rates are paid in comparable communities. Mike will research. Question regarding the amount of increase. 50 cents immediately and $1 per year for the next 7 years, contingent upon approval for an area- wide expansion of the water services. Question regarding whether the rates can go down. Laughter in response (although Mike was not laughing.) Question on whether suspended filtration services will be reinstated with the increase. Mike will see if he can find out about this.   County Commissioner’s report: Current County Commissioner Jim Haadsma reported the county submitted and unanimously approved a balanced budget. Jim then introduced Jake Smith, who will be our County Commissioner starting next term. Jake offered an open invitation to reach out to him on any issue. His cell number is 269-967-9799 and his email address is J.W.Smith04@gmail.com.  Police Department Report: No police department update this month – The department did not realize the November and December meetings are combined on the first Wednesday in December.  City Representative Report: Yolanda Johnson brought an NPC report. She is the code compliance officer for NPC 11, and she shared her contact number so residents could alert her to neighborhood concerns: 269-966-3387 x1256. Mattresses must be wrapped in order to be picked up by Waste Management, which has resulted in some neighborhoods having mattresses laying around. This is a new requirement, and information is being disseminated.  Karen Todd from Dr. John Byzon’s office asked us to please feel free to contact her or Rep. Byzon with concerns about our district. Question about Representative Byzon’s support of the Energy Bill. He is still gathering information on this bill and has not decided his position yet. 7. Committee reports:  Beautiful Battle Creek Award Nominations – Dave Hawks 269-962-6712 – Dave explained the Beautiful Battle Creek Award process and asked people to nominate residents who have done a good job maintaining or improving their properties.  Neighborhoods and Land Use – John Godfrey reported that the next Land Use Meeting is 12/14. Question regarding the Columbia Drain Project. Randall referred attendees to October minutes explaining the project. Question regarding the large puddle at Riverside and Beckley. Commissioner Mike Sherzer will contact Chris Dopp about this issue.  NPC 11 Programs – Laura Herzing (unable to attend December meeting) 8. Old business: Terms of NPC membership for the following members have expired: Randall Champlin, Beverly Vallillee, George Vallillee, Bobbie Wilson, Ann Wyson, Rick Baron, Janice Barry, Dave Hawks .Motion by Tina Yost, supported by John Godfrey, to recommend extension of these members’ terms. Motion carried. 9. New business: Nov/Dec Program – Todd Gerber, Superintendent of Field Services for the City of Battle Creek, gave us insight on plans for snow removal this winter. We have 630 lane miles which are maintained by the city using 25 plow drivers. These roads include some MDOT roads such as Michigan Avenue. More talent and better equipment allows them to keep up with the city needs without a  budget increase in many years. Snow plowing is not generally paid for with property taxes. The State sends money from road funding and gas taxes, so we were encouraged to drive gas-guzzling vehicles to help the department. It takes about 3 days to get around every street in the whole city, assuming no further snow fall during the rotation. A limited number of drivers also clear sidewalks on city property. To get a feel for pricing, a truck that cost $75000 in 2000 now costs $150,000. Salt will cost about $300,000 this year. Our current snow removal policy says if we don’t get 4” of snow, no overtime is paid to remove it. Monday through Friday, there are 3 shifts. The department has 13 plow areas and only 14 daytime drivers, so any staff shortages can cause them to get behind. Priority areas get early and fast attention – MDOT roads and major arteries, then the roads around transit routes and schools, and then side streets and finally cul-de-sacs. Todd asked us not to weave around the big trucks while they are plowing – it is hard to see out of those trucks and it slows the drivers down. Todd guarantees the department never fills someone’s driveway on purpose. When temperatures drop below 20 degrees, the department adds a liquid corn product to enhance the performance of the salt. The average truck on the department’s fleet is 17 years old, demonstrating that the department staff work hard to maintain the equipment. Questions about a “declared snow emergency.” This declaration means no parking on streets is allowed so the service can get to all the streets as quickly as possible. Question regarding plowing on Christy Drive when there is not snow on the ground. No answer on that. Question regarding training and safety for employees who have been pulled from other departments. Answer: No one is put on the big equipment unless they are qualified to run the equipment. Question regarding shoveling sidewalks near schools. This is the school’s responsibility. Question regarding street sweepers. Goal is to sweep the whole city about 3 times per year. Question regarding the school bus routes being a priority. Suggestion that this priority be revisited. Action on rezoning request if needed - Michael Eyde of Land One LLC announced that he was applying for a zoning reclassification for a 12-acre parcel at Riverside Drive and I94. He has owned the land for 35 years. He is the developer of Eastwood Shopping Center in Lansing, along with many other quality developments. He is thinking a hotel and/or restaurant would be appropriate and asked residents for their suggestions. A heated discussion ensued, and was quickly brought under control. Mr. Eyde let it be known that he would sell to someone who wanted to make the property a park or deeded open space. NPC Chair Randall Champlin recognized Fran O’Neill, who presented a petition requesting denial of the reclassification. Hardcopy of the presentation was made available to NPC11. Concerns outlined by residents included but are not limited to: The property only has 350’-400’ feet of road frontage The roads in that area are already flooding, and residents are concerned about runoff from further hard surfaces Concern about the possibility of the land not being environmentally sound (able to pass a percolation test,) as a chemical truck reportedly spilled there in 1968 or 1970 Belief that south of 94 would be commercial and north of 94 would be residential Traffic increase for the neighborhood would be detrimental to the safety of current residents, and especially neighborhood children If reclassification is granted, noise pollution may be increased Many neighbors have wells in that area, and the safety of the ground water may be compromised The possible negative impact on Shortridge and Christy as more people cut through the neighborhood to get between Capital and Riverside The land is currently home to local wildlife who could be adversely affected The trees on that parcel currently provide a noise barrier that helps protect the surrounding area Increased light pollution from illuminated signs Dangerous precedent for deviation from an apparent limitation on access to businesses to Riverside in that area Question regarding price on property. No price has been established. Question regarding the time of day of the Planning Commission meeting, as meetings held at 4pm are not accessible to residents who work during the day. This is the standing meeting time. Question regarding the apparently low number of residents who were given notice of the proposed reclassification. State law says property owners within 300’ must be notified of a zoning change proposal. One neighbor who believes he is within that radius reported he was not notified. Randall asked if anyone wanted to speak in favor of the rezoning, and there were no further positive comments. Dave Hawks made a motion to have our NPC on record as recommending denial of the proposed reclassification of the Riverside parcel owned by Land One LLC, and Tina Yost seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously supported. John Godfrey abstained. It is estimated that approximately 40 NPC guests were also in support of this motion. Don Bradstreet encouraged residents to attend the Planning Commission Meeting on December 14 at 4:00 pm in City Commission Chambers This is only the beginning of the process to uphold the denial. If a resident cannot make the meeting, please send comments in care of Planning Commission to the City of Battle Creek. Don also encouraged us to remain civil and respectful in these types of discussions. 10. Public comments: Extensive comments during the presentation. 11. Member Comments: John Godfrey reminded attendees that the NPC meets monthly, and they are welcome to attend every meeting, and not just those meetings with an agenda item that impacts them directly. Leah Ortiz, Executive Director of ARC of Calhoun County, announced the ARC’s new location at 506 Riverside Drive  and invited residents to support their work. ARC provides services to residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A caution about a new crime in the area: people following UPS trucks and picking up packages off front porches after the packages are dropped off. A “thank you” to the police for their attendance at the meeting. 12. Next Month’s Meeting: 7:00PM Wednesday, January 25th, at Riverside Elementary School Library. Program to be determined. 13. Adjournment: There being no further business, Randall Champlin adjourned the meeting at 8:29 pm.