Neighborhood Planning Council 11 - Lakeview east

NPC 11 November 28, 2018 Meeting Agenda Minges Brook/Riverside Neighborhood Planning Council (NPC) #11 Central Christian Church - 713 Riverside Drive Battle Creek, MI 49015 1. 7:00 PM – Welcome and opening – Leah Ortiz 2. Attendance sheet: Frank Egland, Fran O’Neil, Helen Larder, Leah Ortiz, Randall Champlin, Talia Champlin, Tate Trujillo, Susan Baldwin, Jake W. Smith, Jim McDonagh, Jim Haadsma, Cathy Lucas, Elizabeth Insley. 3. Additions or deletions to this agenda 4. Approval of the Oct. 24 meeting minutes distributed via email – Motion Approved. 5. Correspondence sent/received and upcoming events:  BCATS – Leah Ortiz received Correspondence (see below for copy of newsletter from BCATS) 6. City staff reports and Commissioner Comments:  State Representative – Jim Haadsma has been elected to represent our areas, will be sworn in Jan. 9, 2019.  City/County Commissioners’ remarks  Susan Baldwin – City Commission i. Goals for commission – Discussed amongst Commissioners how to better operate the commission (e.g. better communication with each other) ii. Dec. 6 – Workshop for City Manager performance requirements at Battle Creek’s Public works (DPW) building off of Kendall St. iii. Moved to approve putting on Demand electricity devices on waste water and water treatment plants to save electricity costs. iv. Heritage Tower received final funding from State. Current plans are estimating to start accepting the first tenants around summer 2019. v. New Holland Brewing is planning on opening downtown Spring 2019  Jake Smith – County Commission i. Finally hired full-time road department manager. As roads take almost half of County Budget this manager was a welcome to hire for his importance to the program. ii. MDOT grant has paid for consultants to study a county wide transportation solution through different services. Expect to take a year. iii. 2019 budget is coming up.  Police Department Report – No representative present  City Representative Report – No representative present 7. Committee reports:  Beautiful Battle Creek Award Nominations - Approved i. Mr. Tom Berry, 613 Jennings Landing. 1. After moving to Battle Creek, Tom has spent about 3 years restoring his formerly neglected landscape to its original & natural state, as it was established many decades ago. The yard is also a sanctuary for many birds.  Neighborhoods and Land Use – Susan Baldwin i. Approved re-zone off of 293 Columbia for medical marijuana dispensary. ii. Looking at new ordinance for residents to store recreational vehicles in front yard over various improved surfaces (e.g. gravel). iii. There is a city ordinance that states that if you have a public sidewalk in front of the house, you are responsible for shoveling snow. It is hard to enforce since the snow may melt as soon as code compliance gets to un-shoveled sidewalks. iv. There is a proposed new Dog Park around/in Bailey Park.  NPC 11 Programs – Jim McDonagh (Recently volunteered! Thank you Jim!)  i. If you have any idea’s or suggestions for subjects (they can vary from concerns of what City government is doing to local business to life stuff anything that affects our NPC) please feel free to send to Jim (Email: jmcdonut@sbcglobal.net) 8. Old business:  None 9. New business:  Monthly informational Program: Louie Lussier – Long time Fed Ex Driver, give insight/advice over packages being delivered during the Christmas season and all year long. i. 37 years at FedEx ii. Package Security 1. There are different types of package shipments. Does not need to be signed for (FedEx can just drop off at porch) and those that need a signature (FedEx can not deliver unless there is someone there to sign for it). 2. New partnership with Walgreens. Any package needing signature can be now be dropped at Walgreens if you are busy and not home all day. You can then go to Walgreens to sign and pick it up. 3. FedEx has meetings to be aware of “Porch Pirates”. These individual’s will follow the FedEx delivery guys to scout out delivery routes and potential picks. According to Louie, our area experience’s these very rarely. iii. Are there normal delivery hours? – Deliveries in residential areas have cutoff hours by 800 pm. iv. Package Damage 1. If receiving a package that is visibly damaged and have deliverer in front of you, have the deliverer check that package in as damaged for help with a reimbursement of the potentially damaged product inside. 10. Public Comments:  South hills drive: Yield sign not being observed. Area described to be passed to Ms. Susan Baldwin to pass along to city for awareness. 11. Members’ comments:  Leah Ortiz: NPC Leadership Meeting i. Encouraged Filling out Recreation Department Survey ii. Ways to get more involvement in the NPC from the neighbors 1. Ensure B.C. Website is up to date for NPC location. 2. If you have any suggestions for greater participation please send to Leah (EMAIL: hannahleah.msw@gmail.com)  Susan Baldwin: Selling home (164 W. Hamilton Lane) to a private resident that owns more than three dogs. The city has an ordinance that if you own more than 3 dogs then you must have a kennel license. This private resident is not operating/running a kennel (no signs, customers, breeding etc.) these dogs (around 7) are her own personal rescue dogs. She has submitted waiver since zoned for residential, and this waiver can be tailored to this single instance and would not be transferable in the deed. If you would like to comment you can contact the City Planning and Zoning Division at (269) 966-3320. i. (see below for more on Susan Baldwin Letter) Motion moved to accept the proposed and specific use variance with consideration of noise management/barrier – Motion Approved ii. This Public Meeting waiver process will be heard: Dec. 11 at 4 PM at City Hall, Commissioner Chambers. 12. Next meeting: January 23, 2018 at Central Christian Church - 713 Riverside Dr  Program: TBD 13. Adjournment - 8:30PM  CITY OF BATTLE CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING COUNCIL (NPC) 11 MEETING PUBLIC COMMENT PROCEDURES & RULES Welcome to this NPC 11 meeting. We appreciate your taking the time to attend. Everyone will be given an opportunity to speak. Question may be ask when the Chairperson or program speaker invites them. Speakers will be provided an opportunity to address the NPC with general comments during the public comment portion of the agenda Please understand that the meeting participants may, or may not, answer questions from the public that are raised during public comments portion of the meeting. In order for us to have an effective meeting, we ask that you abide by the following rules: 1. Please wait for the Chairperson to acknowledge you before you speak. 2. Begin by stating your name and address, and please write down your information on the sign-in sheet. State your comments, opinions, or questions on the issue being discussed and direct them to the Chairperson. 3. To ensure that everyone has time to speak and that we can address other items on today’s agenda, each speaker is ask to limit comments or questions to no more than three (3) minutes at each meeting, except that a speaker’s time may be extended by decision of the Chairperson. Speakers are requested to speak one at a time on any item and to refrain from repeating the comments of previous speakers. 4. Please be respectful of your neighbors and presenters. Again, thank you for taking the time to attend this Neighborhood Planning Council meeting. Minges Brook/Riverside Neighborhood Planning Council (NPC) #11 Calendar of Upcoming NPC Meetings (4th Wednesday of the month unless otherwise noted) Chair: Leah Ortiz Vice Chair: Tina Yost/Dan Buscher Secretary: Tate Trujillo All times are 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Location: Central Christian Church - 713 Riverside Drive Battle Creek, MI 49015 DATES: Combined Nov/Dec Holiday meeting Nov 28th Wed Jan 23rd 2019 Wed Feb 27th 2019 Wed Mar 27th 2019 Wed Apr 24th 2019 Wed Mar 22nd 2019 NPC 11 meetings have moved to a new location at Central Christian Church – 713 Riverside Drive. This is across the street approximately 1/5th of a mile south of our old meeting location, Riverside Elementary School.