Planning Commission

Planning Commission Minutes Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at 7:00 PM 27400 Southfield Road, Lathrup Village, Michigan 48076 1. Call to Order at 7:08pm 2. Roll Call Present: Chair Stansbery, Commissioner Nordmoe, Commissioner Hillman, Commissioner Robinson, Commissioner Hammond, Absent: Commissioner Dizik and Commissioner Scussel Also Present: Attorney Baker, City Clerk Emanuel, DDA Director Colson, Community Economic Development/DDA Project Coordinator Kennedy 3. Approval of Agenda Motion by Commissioner Hillman, seconded by Commissioner Robinson to approve the agenda. Yes: Hillman, Stansbery, Robinson, Hammond, Nordmoe No: N/A Motion carried 4. Approval of Meeting Minutes A. July Meeting Minutes Motion by Commissioner Hillman, seconded by Commissioner Hammond to approve the July meeting minutes. Yes: Hillman, Stansbery, Robinson, Hammond, Nordmoe No: N/A Motion carried 27400 Southfield Rd | Southfield, MI 48076 | 248.557.2600 | www.lathrupvillage.org 5. Public Comment Diane Anderson, commented about businesses that were in Lathrup Village in the past that she liked versus businesses that are here now that she doesn’t approve of, and expressed her belief that the DDA can control property that is privately owned. 6. Old Business and Tabled Items None 7. New Business A. Officer Elections Chair Stansbery, Commissioners, DDA Director Colson, Community Economic Development/DDA Project Coordinator Kennedy, and Attorney Baker Discussed:  This being Chair Stansbery’s last meeting and needing to elect new Commission members including: a Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary  Thanked Chair Stansbery for his work on the Planning Commission  Chair Stansbery expressed that he thought the Planning Commission collectively got a lot accomplished, he served under different administrations, he wants there to be Public input for the upcoming Master Plan review, and hopes that people will be involved and fill the openings on the Planning Commission  When the Elections will be held, and doing the Elections in January  Commissioner Hammond cannot be Vice Chair as a Council liaison  Will Fobbs was a Secretary and then became Vice Chair  City Clerk opening the next meeting and then appointing a Chair at that meeting  CED/DDA Project Coordinator Kennedy applied for and got a $28,000 grant to go towards the Master Plan review and reduced the burden on the City  Giffels Webster was approved to do the Consultation for the Master Plan  Younger residents are looking for different things in a City than older residents  Covid changed the way business is conducted and impacted businesses in Cities B. 26021 Southfield, Ste 103 Chair Stansbery, Commissioners, DDA Director Colson, Community Economic Development/DDA Project Coordinator Kennedy, Planner Pietsch, and Attorney Baker Discussed:  Babylon Printing’s review for a screen-printing business, which is a change of use in an existing building in a mixed-use district, that is only required because there is no site plan on file that could be found or it could have been administratively approved  Same parking standard as prior use which was a Tailoring business  The other businesses in the building and their traffic flow  If other businesses want to change use in this building they would have to come before the Planning Commission too, because there is no site plan on file  Getting a site plan on file  If there was a need for chemical storage on site  If ventilation of the printing chemicals are needed 27400 Southfield Rd | Southfield, MI 48076 | 248.557.2600 | www.lathrupvillage.org   If the chemicals can just be thrown out, or does it require special care  The business owner showed a small container of ink to the Planning Commission members  If they would have to remodel Motion by Commissioner Nordmoe, seconded by Commissioner Hillman to approve the site plan for 26021, Ste 103 Babylon Printing Service. Yes: Hillman, Stansbery, Robinson, Hammond, Nordmoe No: N/A Motion carried C. Schedule Public Hearing – Crypto Currency Machines Chair Stansbery opened the Public Hearing for Crypto Currency Machines at 7:49pm. Diane Anderson, expressed that she was against having the machines in part due to the lack of regulation of the machines and that she thinks they are like a Ponzi scheme. Chair Stansbery Closed the Public Hearing at 7:51pm. Chair Stansbery, Commissioners, DDA Director Colson, Community Economic Development/DDA Project Coordinator Kennedy, Planner Pietsch, and Attorney Baker Discussed:  Fraud in the billions related to the Crypto Currency machines  Once a transaction has been completed it is irreversible  Warning signs on the machines either on the machine or on the screen or both on the machine and on the screen  Can the machines be programmed with a custom prompt or warning?  Machines IDS operator contact information  Banning them outright or registering and restricting them  What Grosse Pointe Farms has done regarding the Crypto Currency machines  Spokane, Washington has banned the Crypto Currency machines  Having an Ordinance in place regarding the machines, since we currently do not have one  Traditional ATM and Crypto Currency ATMs can be merged into one machine  Asked Attorney Baker about legislation related to them and his recommendation about banning them or not  Knowing where the machines are located  The shift from Cash to digital currency  Younger people are interested in having the machines  Having the machines around could normalize them  Working with Southfield to have warnings signs too and/or work together in some way to educate consumers  Working with other communities  If the City banned them and got sued, having the money for a lawsuit 27400 Southfield Rd | Southfield, MI 48076 | 248.557.2600 | www.lathrupvillage.org   The time and effort that law enforcement would have to put into taking reports related to fraud, and that there is nothing that can be done, after the report is made since the machines are not regulated  Asking for an Ordinance is not encouraging having the machines, it is a proactive step  The role that the City Council and Planning Commission would take if they were banned  Restricting the number of machines and/or the distance between machines, using the wording similar to the Small Box Discount Retail Stores Ordinance  Limiting them to the Commercial Vehicular District only  Getting Law Enforcement’s view and opinion on our proposed ordinance  Asking City Council to ban them, and putting it on their agenda to discuss banning them  If they are already in an existing business and we pass a ban, or enact an ordinance  Asking City Council to impose a moratorium on the installation of Crypto Currency machines Motion by Commissioner Hammond, seconded by Commissioner Hillman to set a Public Hearing date for Nov 18, 2025. Yes: Hillman, Stansbery, Robinson, Hammond, Nordmoe No: N/A Motion carried Motion by Commissioner Hammond, seconded by Commissioner Robinson to amend the agenda to add item 7D for setting a Public Hearing for Solar Energy Systems. Yes: Hillman, Stansbery, Robinson, Hammond, Nordmoe No: N/A Motion carried D. Schedule Public Hearing – Solar Energy Systems Motion by Commissioner Hammond, seconded by Commissioner Hillman, to set a Public Hearing for Solar Energy Systems for the September 16, 2025 Planning Commission meeting. Yes: Hillman, Stansbery, Robinson, Hammond, Nordmoe No: N/A Motion carried 8. General Communication A. Site Development Update Report DDA Director Colson, gave updates on the status of development projects. Commissioner Hammond, shared that Marra Greens had a soft open, and people can book time online, and that they have a subscription system. 27400 Southfield Rd | Southfield, MI 48076 | 248.557.2600 | www.lathrupvillage.org Community Economic Development/DDA Project Coordinator Kennedy presented Chair Stansbery with some golf related gifts that he made. DDA Director expressed his appreciation of Chair Stansbery’s public service and that he appreciated the conversations that they had. Commissioner Hammond thanked Chair Stansbery on behalf of the City Council. Commissioner Hillman, asked if in the status update a column could be added for a brief summary description and emphasized that he wants there to be community input in the fore front of the Master Plan Review process and include other Committees and Commissions in the process. DDA Director Colson, spoke of an upcoming joint meeting for the Master Plan. Commissioner Hillman mentioned that they did not vote to excuse the absent members today, and Attorney Baker, said the Commission did not hear from the members to excuse them. 9. Adjourn Motion by Commissioner Hillman, seconded by Commissioner Robinson to adjourn the meeting at 9:01pm. 27400 Southfield Rd | Southfield, MI 48076 | 248.557.2600 | www.lathrupvillage.org