City Council

CITY OF STERLING HEIGHTS MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020 IN CITY HALL 1. Mayor Michael C. Taylor called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. 2. Mayor Taylor led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and Melanie D. Ryska, City Clerk, gave the Invocation. 3. Council Members present at roll call: Deanna Koski, Michael V. Radtke Jr., Maria G. Schmidt, Michael C. Taylor, Barbara A. Ziarko. Absent: Liz Sierawski, Henry Yanez. Also Present: Mark Vanderpool, City Manager; Marc D. Kaszubski, City Attorney; Melanie D. Ryska, City Clerk; Carol Sobosky, Recording Secretary. 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Moved by Koski, seconded by Ziarko, to approve the Agenda as presented. Yes: All. The motion carried. Mayor Taylor explained that this is a Special Meeting for the City’s yearly Strategic Planning, so there will be a number of presentations from Administrators and Directors. He invited Mr. Vanderpool to start the presentations. 5. STRATEGIC PLANNING PRESENTATION A. The Importance of Sustaining Success Mr. Vanderpool explained that around this time every year, they conduct their Strategic Planning session, which is one of the many ways they get feedback from City Council on various community initiatives, and it is a prelude to the Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 2 City’s annual budget process. Depending upon feedback and direction from City Council this evening, many of the initiatives will be included in the City’s Fiscal Year 2021 budget proposal. It serves as a guide for larger policy-oriented initiatives, and their actions are centered on their Visioning 2030 Plan and its guiding principles. There will be six directors / managers who will speak about exciting initiatives planned for the future. He requested that comments be reserved until they conclude with their presentations. Mr. Vanderpool stated the last two decades could be described as a period of survival and growth, with surviving the Great Recession thanks to a great financial plan, and they embarked on a massive investment on infrastructure and quality of life services. These investments have set the City on a course of prosperity, and he stressed it is important to do all they can to protect the investments made throughout the City. They also need to be good stewards of the City’s Green Infrastructure. He invited Assistant City Manager Jeff Bahorski to lead the discussion on sustainability. B. Creating a Sustainable Sterling Heights 1. Sustainability…Not a goal, but a new way of thinking, of being, and a principle to be guided by. Assistant City Manager Jeff Bahorski spoke about sustainability and provided a couple of definitions and quoted that “sustainability is not a goal to be reached but a way of thinking, a way of being, a principle to be guided by.” Mr. Bahorski emphasized it cannot be short-term, and the commitment to a long-range plan is best exemplified by the City’s 2030 Visioning Plan. The City’s bold vision for Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 3 itself as a vibrant, inclusive community that is safe, aggressive and distinctive is not attainable unless there is a commitment to sustainability. City administration recently completed and issued a report called “Creating a Sustainable Sterling Heights.” He elaborated on the key areas to be addressed, including the following: • Natural assets management, emphasizing trees, waterways, open space and parks; • Citizen mobility, which includes an abundance of non-motorized options to move around the community; • Sustainable development and land use, including smart redevelopment, implementing mixed use and higher-density developments; and • Environmental citizenship, including proper disposition of consumer- generated waste by increasing the amount of recyclable material used in the city and improving energy efficiency through new technologies. Mr. Bahorski appealed to Council to commit to creating a sustainable Sterling Heights, admitting it will not be an easy process but it will be worth it and can be done by embracing this new way of thinking and being. He turned the presentation over to Public Works Director Mike Moore. 2. Rethinking Recycling…Adapting to a New World Public Works Director Mike Moore addressed the concerns in the recycling industry and Sterling Heights’ plan to sustain a successful recycling program. Recycling results in a cleaner community, saving resources, preventing Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 4 pollution, supporting public health, creating jobs, removing solid waste from entering landfills, and it is easy. He provided facts on the benefits of recycling and also the challenges in the industry, pointing out the value of each commodity has severely decreased over the years because China is no longer accepting recycling materials, and also for reasons of contamination, and he provided detailed information on both. This is resulting in a backlog of recycling material. The time spent by those who recycle correctly is wasted when one person disposes a contaminated item into the recycling bin, and the entire container has to be taken to the landfill without recycling any of it. He cited some of the common causes of contamination, including plastic bags, which are not recyclable, and unrinsed containers, which contaminate everything in the bin. Mr. Moore outlined their plan, including doing a better job of promoting recycling events, possibly holding them two times annually, and reaching the public through an education plan, including a link on the city webpage to inform where various items should be taken to be disposed of. They can also work on a mailer with recycling information provided, and options for residents to recycle can be included. They can conduct a survey, possibly modifying their public education plan based on the results. He mentioned a cart inspection program, where part-time employees would inspect the contents of a recycling cart on collection day to assure it contains proper items; if not, they can tag the container advising the homeowner either they did not recycle correctly or Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 5 commend them for doing a great job. Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) wants to double Michigan’s recycling rate to 30% by 2025, and they have an ongoing education campaign that can be used by the City. Collaboration with schools to educate the students and provide them with ideas they can take home to start recycling programs with their parents. Costs for these items may be available through grant monies, including the tagging of carts and the improvements to the recycle drop-off centers, as well as the possible purchase of carts. Modification of the contract is a possibility as well, and he pointed out they need to be able to adapt to the ever-changing recycling industry. Understanding the challenges, having a plan, securing funding and being adaptable will lead to success in making Sterling Heights a sustainable community for recycling. He introduced Parks & Recreation Director Kyle Langlois to discuss the natural resources and the non- motorized transportation plan. 3. Good Stewardship…Protecting Our Natural Resources Parks & Recreation Director Kyle Langlois stated sustainability touches almost every aspect of the Parks and Recreation Department, including their contribution by having open green spaces and undeveloped forested land, providing cleaner air, natural resources and a natural habitat for a variety of wildlife species. He talked about water quality and the efforts spent in cleaning and rerouting the Clinton River to assure the water can freely flow. They used a recirculating water system in their splash pad construction, saving thousands Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 6 of gallons of water daily. They also contribute to human sustainability, providing park amenities, walking paths, classes and programs which contribute to residents living healthier, active and enjoyable lives. They have minimized the use of energy and new raw materials, and he cited some of the ways in which this has been accomplished, including an electric charging center at the new community center, recycled glass countertops and bio-based acoustic ceiling tiles, high-efficiency HVAC systems and LED lighting. They are reusing materials in the construction of the new DPW building, which minimizes the use of raw materials and conserves financial resources, and this can also be seen in the renovation of the previous Parks and Ground Division office on Clinton River Road to better support the needs of multiple city departments. Mr. Langlois highlighted two large-scale concepts which remain unsolved but are priorities in the sustainability plan. The first is natural resources management, including the incorporation of “no mow zones,” which involves the strategic planting of native wildflowers and grasses to stop the erosion of banks along the rivers and lakes, creating new habitats for animals and saving the city thousands of dollars annually. He showed pictures depicting some areas in the city and what they would look like as “no mow zones.” Although this would help areas along the Clinton River, Nelson Park and nature trails, they would like to start with Island Park and Meadowview Park. The plan also includes the mitigation of invasive species, and to date, the Department of Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 7 Public Works has been successful in using a contractor to treat Phragmites in ponds throughout the City, most noticeably at 17 Mile and Schoenherr, but the Parks and Recreation has yet to further expand this program. 4. Taking the Road Less Traveled…The benefits of Non- Motorized Transportation Plan Parks & Recreation Director Kyle Langlois stated the second concept of sustainability he would like to address this evening involves non-motorized transportation and connectivity between the City’s five major parks, noting the City is in its final years of its first-ever Non-Motorized Master Plan. While they are making progress in this area, there is so much more to do to provide ways for residents and visitors to traverse the city without using traditional methods of transportation. He depicted a map showing a proposed connection of parks with the use of hike/bike trails, bike lanes, paved shoulders and other forms of transportation. Sidewalks can also be used but they are less than ideal in their current configuration of five feet wide when it comes to higher volumes of use and mixed varieties of use. Ideally, sidewalks would need to be at least six feet in width, preferably eight feet in width for accessibility, and ten feet in width to meet universally-accessible guidelines. Dodge Park and Farmstead Park are the only two parks currently connected, with Baumgartner Park being a third park that could be added within the next couple of years. Mr. Langlois talked about Michigan’s Iron Belle Trail, introduced by the County a couple of months ago, and the advantages of connecting their major parks, which includes the reduction of the carbon footprint while providing a safe, Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 8 effective way to traverse all areas of the City without having to use motor vehicles. A network of trails would support a true life-sharing program which would likely bring in new revenue to the City as well as a for-profit business. It could also mean that less vehicles on the road would result in a reduction in maintenance costs and longer periods between road reconstruction. It would result in health sustainability, encouraging residents to exercise more and be healthier. Mr. Langlois introduced City Planner Chris McLeod to provide the next presentation. 5. Making a Difference…The Case for Reforesting Sterling Heights City Planner Chris McLeod stressed the importance of tree preservation and tree planting in the city to make up the tree canopy. He talked about some of the efforts that have been made to this point, as well as some of the potential efforts moving forward. He referred to the City’s 2030 Visioning Plan, and he outlined the benefits of preserving and planting trees to increase the City’s tree canopy, including reductions in overall soil erosion, storm water impacts, water consumption, reducing the water needs for long-term usage and energy consumption. This results in improved air quality, animal habitat, biodiversity, happiness and stress reduction and overall quality of life. It also results in increased property values and the ability to sell property. Treed shopping areas typically yield more sales per square foot than commercial areas void of trees, with trees providing positive community perception. Mr. McLeod explained Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 9 that the foundation for ensuring tree canopy was continued in the development of the City’s Master Land Use Plan adopted in early 2017, and the concepts outlined in that plan are working in unison with the City’s 2030 Visioning Plan. They completely overhauled the set of ordinances that dealt with landscaping plan requirements on non-residential sites in the City, and these standards are designed to preserve good quality existing trees on site while still allowing economically-viable development. Photographs were depicted of some of the businesses in the City with the enhanced landscaping. The City also invested heavily in the public planting program through a variety of sources, which he reviewed, and photos of the enhanced areas were shown. Mr. McLeod stated the City has been a partner of Green Macomb since its inception about four years ago and has benefited from significant tree and tree canopy information, including mapping of the overall tree canopy, materials, tree canopy percentage in specific areas, tree planting hotspots and impervious surface areas, etc. He stated this mapping has been used specifically for the City’s planting efforts as well as the efforts to obtain tree- planting grants, for which the City has been quite successful. He cited specific areas where there have been extensive tree plantings, including Dodge Park and the Dodge Park Road project, Van Dyke, M-59 Boulevard, and the Delia Park nature trail, citing the specific numbers of trees that were planted in each of these areas. Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 10 Mr. McLeod explained how the tree canopy can enhance how the City takes care of stormwater and he provided detailed information as to how that takes place, including the use of raingardens and bioswales. He stressed education is a huge part of this, emphasizing that trees are not liabilities, obstacles to development and unnecessary costs, but rather are amenities, increasing value and decreasing long-term costs. This education can be provided in numerous ways, including information on the City’s website, emphasizing the overall tree canopy is an asset and something that is essential, and having information such as Green Macomb’s “right tree in the right location” information being readily available. The City needs to secure policies and standards that there should be a minimum of no net loss to trees and continuing their commitment to planting heavily on their own projects in an effort to increase the tree canopy towards their goal. The tree canopy is currently at about 19%, but the goal should be set between 25% to 30%. Mr. McLeod addressed the public inventory and an Urban Forestry Plan, noting they are working with EGLE for grant opportunities to develop an inventory of public trees, which can include the number, general location, species and quality. They will be working in conjunction with the state and county on this regarding the potential of a joint effort. He outlined their tree preservation requirements and the several options, which include meeting the preservation requirement, replanting, or payment into the City’s “Payment in Lieu of” fund as a last resort. Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 11 Mr. McLeod stated that Sterling Heights has been an active Tree City for 34 years and is ranked in the top 15 in the state in terms of number of active years. The City can increase its tree canopy percentage from its current 19% to 30%- plus if they concentrate their efforts on ordinances, funding and education. He talked about some of the innovative ways in which this can be accomplished, including the utilization of a Planned Unit Development (PUD) ordinance that allows for flexibility of development regulations, especially when lot size, configuration and ordinance requirements make tree preservation difficult. He explained how the PUD process can help with that. Increasing the overall tree preservation requirements beyond the current 37%, or developing a different means of achieving that 37%, may require inclusion of additional trees that are currently omitted. This percentage requirement differs among communities, with Rochester Hills requiring 40%, Shelby Township requiring less than Sterling Heights, and Grand Rapids varies between 30% to 35%. He reviewed other ways the tree preservation can be increased through development and ordinances. He concluded his presentation by noting that the City has always considered trees and tree canopies an important asset, and they need to continue to push forward and increase the presence of trees and overall tree canopy within the City. 6. The Way Forward…Implementation of Sustainability Mr. Vanderpool stated much of what they are doing under the umbrella of sustainability is very good, but it can be done even better. The sustainability Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 12 initiatives discussed will require significant feedback from stakeholders, internally and externally, and many, if not all, will be cost-effective. Some will be a higher priority than others, and will range in length of time to complete, with some taking months, years and even decades. The City’s first-ever Sustainability Commission is being recommended, and he invited City Attorney Marc Kaszubski to provide an overview and creation of this committee. City Attorney Marc Kaszubski stated the City has been diligently working to improve the sustainability across all departments. The City is not alone, and residents, business owners and all other stakeholders must play an active role in developing and redeveloping a clear path toward sustainability for everyone. He summarized an outline detailing a new advisory board, to be known as the Sustainability Commission, with their purpose of helping to create a model of sustainability through collaborative efforts to advocate, educate and advise City Council on social, economic, and environmental health of the community now and in the future. He outlined the tasks he has been commissioned with, including preparation of an ordinance, recruitment of five motivated and passionate individuals to work with the City to research, study and provide recommendations to City Council and administration concerning environmental issues, and recommendation of programs aimed at protecting and preserving the resources of the community for the present as well as the future. They will also work with state and local officials, businesses, organizations, residents and experts, including two ex-officio sustainability Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 13 commission members who would be appointed from SEMCOG and the County, to perform various duties which he noted. The goal of this Commission is to develop and implement the Sterling Heights Sustainability Plan. He outlined some of their duties and explained they will hold meetings open to the public and will invite input from all stakeholders in the community. Mr. Kaszubski provided an anticipated timeline, with adoption of the ordinance in February 2020, the recruitment of commissioners in March/April 2020, appointment in June 2020, creation of a draft Sustainability Plan to be presented to Council around July 2021, and then to begin implementation of the plan at that point. He outlined the Commission’s mission and challenge of consistently identify new opportunities and advise future councils administration on ways to improve policies, set new goals, and modify and implement the Sustainability Plan. C. Closing the Gap…A New Strategy for Completing the Sidewalk System Mr. Vanderpool stated that alternative transportation is an important component of their sustainability plan. There are hundreds of miles of sidewalk, and they have been making a concerted effort in closing the existing “sidewalk gaps.” He invited City Engineer Brent Bashaw to lead the discussion. City Engineer Brent Bashaw stated that Sterling Heights has made a priority of establishing the sidewalk network and developing a walkable community, and there has been significant improvement on this over the last ten years. There is much more work to do. He talked about the existing sidewalk network, the Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 14 methods used to establish this network and the plan to complete the sidewalk gaps within a couple of years. The City’s sidewalk network contains 694 miles of sidewalk, with 520 miles along local roads and 174 miles along major roads, and he added that 11.6 miles of major road sidewalk has been constructed. He showed a map indicating the sizeable inventory of sidewalk and existing gaps, as well as existing trails. There is a lot of information on the map, which is posted on the City’s website under the map section of the Engineering webpage. Mr. Bashaw reviewed the four methods of delivery of the sidewalks and provided details on each over the last ten years, with 37% coming from land development, 19% from the City’s sidewalk program, 44% as part of a road project, and a small amount from grant funding. Mr. Bashaw noted the cost for sidewalk installation, which have significantly risen over the last decade from $2.43 per square foot in 2010, to $2.62 per square foot in 2012, and up to $7.00 per square foot in 2019. There are continued opportunities to improve the sidewalk network, and prioritization of sidewalk gap inventory has been completed, based on factors including potential usage, point of origination/destination, safety, cost, natural obstacles, consumer demand, upcoming opportunities related to timing, and consideration as to whether there are road rights-of-way or easements in place, as well as the cost of that acquisition. He showed a map depicting the areas where the sidewalk gaps have been identified and are a priority. The estimated cost of the improvement to complete the sidewalks is $6.5 million, and all Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 15 methods of delivery would be used. He outlined the two goals, with the first being to complete the sidewalk over a ten-year period, and the second goal to tie in the local road network into the major road network. Mr. Bashaw stated the final part of the plan is to set a strategy to assure the goals are met, and he provided information on that strategy, which is using the four methods of delivery with a strong focus on the sidewalk gap program. An amendment would be recommended to ensure costs are equitable, and two action items would be required: 1) A boost to the allocation of the sidewalk gap program, with a continual funding source over the next ten years of $3.8 million; and 2) An amendment to the City sidewalk gap program to reduce the financial burden of property owners by the following: increasing the term of the SAD loan from five years to ten years; providing a low-interest loan on that term, offered at the prime rate; providing a low-income assistance program, where nothing is due until the time the property is transferred; and /or providing an equitable financial cap on properties based on the increased costs seen over the last decade to ensure all property owners are treated fairly and unit costs are comparable regardless of the time of sidewalk completion in relation to market costs. He concluded his presentation by stating they would like to hear from sidewalk users and residents who may have any requests regarding sidewalk gaps they would like to see completed. He indicated they can contact the Engineering office to make those requests. D. Creating Opportunity…The Case for a Fire Cadet Training and Development Program Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 16 Mr. Vanderpool stated the final presentation is centered on workforce sustainability, which includes a well-trained and diverse workforce, as well as a workforce that has a good succession plan in place. Sterling Heights University has a renewed focus on training, which is paying dividends in cost efficiencies and employee satisfaction, also creating greater stability in the work force. He stated that, with respect to diversity, best practice necessitates that a city’s workforce should reflect the demographic makeup of its community. Although the city’s workforce is becoming more diverse, they must continue to make progress in this area. He invited Fire Chief Chris Martin to discuss an innovative program which will enhance the quality of new fire/paramedic recruits while also fostering a more diverse workforce in the Fire Department. Fire Chief Chris Martin provided information on a new program they felt will not only help recruit firefighters but will help them make the demographic make-up of the Fire Department more in line with the community. Communities nationwide are struggling to recruit good firefighters, and it is the same with police forces across the nation. There are multiple reasons, including the job changing in a way that a lot more requirements are put on their firefighters with EMS and hazardous materials, to name a few, and there is more required of them in training. There have also been struggles with cities as far as pay and benefits, and during the Great Recession, many trained firefighters could not get jobs and left the field. The biggest hurdle they have across the country is the requirements it takes to be a firefighter. He pointed Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 17 out in the years from 1957 to 1977, Sterling Heights, then Sterling Township, required only a high school diploma. For those accepted, the Township would provide them one week of “Firemanship” training, and upon completion, they would be firefighters for Sterling Township. He reviewed how those requirements gradually changed over the years, up to the current requirements of a high school diploma, successful completion of the Fire Academy, which started as an eight-week program and is now an eleven-week program, paramedic training for Advanced Life Support, as well as a physical agility component. It is a well-thought-out plan to put all of these in place, but it has also become a hurdle. Fire Chief Martin outlined some of the steps they need to take, including being more proactive and identifying interested future recruits at a young age, engage them early and often, and help them meet the requirements. He explained they have been meeting with Utica Community Schools to help start this system, which they are referring to as MedStart. The Fire Department is going to start offering a “Junior Fire Academy,” a one-week program which will be part of the high school curriculum. He added that he is not sure at this point whether it will be offered two times or four times next year, and if it becomes too big, he is confident he can get other Fire Departments to join in. The concept is for those in tenth grade who are interested, to have them come to the Fire Department for that one week of school and learn about what they do. Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 18 They also want to pursue EMT and fire training. If this is successful, they will look at other school districts where they can offer this program. Chief Martin explained the focus on the Cadet Program would be to get these same students into this program when they graduate from high school, where they would become part-time employees in the Fire Department, with a flexible work schedule to accommodate their schooling. They would be required to be actively enrolled full-time in the Paramedic-Firefighter Program, with a 50% tuition reimbursement from the City, and they would do their clinical ride-alongs with the Sterling Heights Fire Department. They would be required to maintain a certain grade point average, and although they would not be responding to fire calls or manpower on the engines, but would be working on a smoke alarm program, home safety and helping with fire prevention education, open houses, etc. Chief Martin explained they would like to start with four Cadets, bringing in two each year to be able to maintain a total of six. He anticipated it would be a two- to three-year program rotation, depending on whether they have had previous training when they started. Chief Martin identified the projected costs, with the Cadets starting at $12 per hour for approximately twenty hours per week, the fifty percent tuition reimbursement is about $7,500 per year, and a uniform cost is $250 each. The entire program is estimated at about $81,000 for the first year and $125,000 for subsequent years. This will help with their diversity because their high schools Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 19 represent the makeup of the community, and if they can engage them into the fire service, this will help for the future of the Fire Department. E. Closing Comments Mr. Vanderpool concluded the presentations by stating that Sterling Heights is well-positioned for continued success, due in large part to the City’s Visioning 2030 Plan, a robust local economy, major redevelopment and a major transformed reinvestment in quality of life services. He stressed the last five years have been exciting and have energized the community, the hard work of everyone involved will have been wasted without a strong focus on sustainability. He stated they are available to answer any questions may have and look forward to their feedback. 6. CITIZEN COMMENTS ON STRATEGIC PLANNING PRESENTATIONS Mayor Taylor thanked all of the employees, managers and directors who gave the well-done presentations this evening. He opened the floor to the public. • Mr. Jonathan Matthews – appreciated the presentations that were easy to understand; tree planting; commended the implementation of an Sustainability Commission; liked the “No Mow Zones” idea; public education on recycling; suggested color-coded bins. • Ms. Jazmine Early – liked the presentations, especially getting the youth involved in firefighting careers. 7. MAYOR AND COUNCIL COMMENTS ON STRATEGIC PLANNING PRESENTATIONS Councilwoman Ziarko stated this is her favorite meeting of the year because it is a meeting of possibilities. She addressed the topic of sustainability and would like to see someone look into the feasibility of having a satellite library at Lakeside Mall, whether it be a used bookstore or a lending library. She Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 20 addressed the topic of recycling, noting that plastic bags are not recyclable but they are reusable. She questioned why some of them are allowed to have the recycling symbol on them when they are not recyclable items. She stated she likes the idea of the city collections, i.e. hazardous waste, shredding, being offered twice a year. She would like to see everyone using hard plastic trash containers instead of plastic garbage bags, which can be torn open by animals, although she added she would have no objection if people would want to purchase their own rather than obtain them from GFL. She liked the idea of the public education plan outlined by Mr. Moore, especially staff tagging the recycling carts so residents can learn from their mistakes. It wastes the time and effort of everyone who is recycling if one contaminated item mixes in, so she felt tagging the carts is ahead of the trucks would be a good thing. Councilwoman Ziarko liked the idea of “No Mow Zones,” noting is a benefit for all and is aesthetically pleasing when done right. She recalled the mention of 8- foot-wide sidewalks, and she questioned the ADA requirements for sidewalk width. She questioned whether the City would own the bike-sharing, or whether that would be through a vendor. She felt a bike lane is needed through Dodge Park for safety to separate the bicyclists from pedestrians and strollers because it is a dangerous situation. Councilwoman Ziarko liked the term “rain gardens,” which she felt will help them with the eco cycle, and she questioned what plantings would help in those areas. She referred to an earlier comment about “changing the mindset” Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 21 with regard to trees, and she questioned whether that is changing the mindset of individual residents or owners of commercial facilities. She receives calls from residents who want to cut their trees down because they do not want to rake leaves anymore. She agreed they need to change the percentage of their tree canopy, and she questioned whether they could look into grant funding or Community Development Block Grant funding to help with the cost. As far as replacement trees for new construction, she suggested it be based on not only the number of trees removed, but also the size of the development. She cited Maple Lane as an example and felt that will be a huge loss of trees, so she would like to see the requirements based not only on the number and size of the trees taken down, but also on the size of the development. Councilwoman Ziarko agreed with having a Sustainability Commission, but she questioned whether five members is enough. She suggested they could start with five, but she could see it going to a seven-member commission. She commented on sidewalks, stating she would like to see them wider because it makes a difference when walking. She inquired as to the frequency of sidewalk inspections for older sidewalks and whether the City waits for complaints or whether they are proactively walking these areas to make that determination. Councilwoman Ziarko agreed with Chief Martin about the plan to be proactive in staffing the Fire Department, adding that younger people in the workforce think differently, and she questioned whether incentives that were used in the past, such as overtime, are as effective today. She is aware that research on Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 22 firefighters working 40-hour weeks has been done across the country, where they do not work 24-hour shifts, and she inquired as to whether that is the trend. She commented that the reimbursement for the Cadet program is fair and could serve as an incentive to get them in place, especially if they know part of their education is being paid for. She felt this is moving them in a forward direction. She thanked everyone who worked on these presentations this evening, adding it was a lot of hard work. Councilwoman Koski heard a lot of great ideas this evening and is looking forward to seeing information on the Sustainability Commission, which she felt is important for future generations. She would like to see the Nature Preserve left alone without a path around it. She commented on recycling and agreed communication with residents is important. She hoped Community Relations will work with staff to make sure their message gets out, and possibly include on the website a list of items and whether they can or cannot be recycled. She would like to see the City’s current program of having specific recycling days offered a couple of times each year for residents to get rid of unusual items, as well as information on the website as to what kind of items are taken and where they can be dropped off. She would like to see the recycling centers remain open and maintained until the City has something else in place and suggested hiring college students part-time to monitor the centers to assure the recyclable items are not contaminated. Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 23 Councilwoman Koski was pleased to see the plan continue for non-motorized transportation. She questioned whether the City has an arborist on staff to answer questions from residents, either by phone or email, regarding the types of trees they can plant. Councilwoman Koski would like to see the possibility of turning the former Kleino bridge into a ten-foot-wide walking path to connect to the Hanson bike path, enabling cyclists to make a complete circle through Dodge Park and along Utica Road. She noticed that Canal Road, between Van Dyke and Delco, is scheduled for sidewalks in the future, and she inquired as to whether Canal Road could be made into a three-lane road, including a center left-hand turn lane, and install sidewalks along that stretch at that time. She liked the suggested ideas presented to make the sidewalk program more affordable for residents and suggested money be set aside to help move that program along a little quicker. Councilwoman Koski commended Chief Martin on putting the Fire Cadet program together. She commented the cost is reasonable and anticipated they will be pleased with the results. She thanked everyone for their presentations and is pleased with the direction the City is taking. Councilman Radtke stated the presentations were wonderful. He questioned whether it is still the City’s plan to close the recycling centers. Mr. Moore replied affirmatively, noting the plan is to close one center in July 1, 2020 and the last one in July 1, 2021. Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 24 Councilman Radtke stated some residents are concerned about those closures since there is not a plan for curbside recycling for every home. He believed Sterling Heights is the only large city in Michigan that does not provide curbside recycling by default. He agreed with Councilwoman Koski that the two centers could be gated with attendants to check what is being dropped off. He recalled prior to being on City Council that a price for curbside recycling was quoted at $9 per house per year, adding about $1.5 million annually if the City opted in. He questioned whether that cost is still available. Mr. Moore stated he has not discussed the cost with GFL; however, since the state of the market has decreased, he anticipated the cost would likely have gone up. Councilman Radtke requested him to bring forward the cost to the Council so they can evaluate their options. He stated he has advocated for a recreation center on the southern side of the city and inquired as to that possibility. Mr. Langlois replied their focus has been getting the central Community Center open. He stated they have great partnerships with the school districts, specifically Warren Consolidated Schools to the south, and he felt there are a lot of opportunities on the horizon. He added their time at Fillmore Elementary School has been fantastic, so they see value and have had conversations about strategically using that school, depending upon what the school district has planned. Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 25 Councilman Radtke likes the idea of a bike-sharing program but expressed concern because they do not have bike pathways in place to get throughout the city. He expressed concern that pedestrian/vehicle accidents are on the rise, and once they have safe bike pathways to navigate, he was confident that he, along with the residents, would value the program. He suggested once it is incorporated, they could have sponsorships. Councilman Radtke is happy about the reforestation program, but he would like to see a new ordinance and felt 37% is low compared to neighboring communities. He asked Mr. McLeod for his suggestion on a plan for better tree coverage in the city. Mr. McLeod replied he does not have an issue with the structure of the ordinance, which is very similar to other communities. The priority is preservation first, and if that cannot be done in totality, then preservation plus planting is required. He added payment in lieu is the last choice. He stated the 37% can go up, but it has to take into consideration the allowance for viable developments while assuring tree preservation occurs at the proper rate. He reminded the City is built out, so the sites left are going to be challenged sites, which will also have to be considered when determining percentage. Councilman Radtke hopes to be able to do things administratively, as they did with the Mound overlay district for parking, to create better sites and help developers build in this city, but he acknowledged that residents are Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 26 concerned about losing landmark trees and the tree canopy. He questioned whether Jode Pointe Subdivision is in violation of the tree ordinance. Mr. McLeod replied there are concerns about its compliance, so the City is actively pursuing remedies to bring that site into compliance. He replied to further inquiry that the ordinance has not been changed, but they have changed the implementation policy that Planning approval is one of the prerequisites before signing off on the site. They will verify all of the trees that were supposed to be preserved on the site, as well as any additional landscaping that was to be added, is also in place. He cited an example of an industrial development where they recently required the replacement of damaged trees before granting the final Certificate of Occupancy. Councilman Radtke stated residents want to make sure developers are held accountable because residents are held accountable for adhering to the ordinances and should not be favoritism for companies with “clout” in the city. Mr. McLeod assured there is a lot of collaboration between Building, Engineering and Planning when a site comes to its culmination to assure compliance. Councilman Radtke inquired as to whether the City has investigated requirements for stormwater utilities. Mr. McLeod replied if he is referring to water run-off, that would be better addressed by Mr. Bashaw. He explained the Engineering Department makes sure water is collected and disposed of appropriately, and he assured they do Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 27 this better than most other communities in the region, resulting in the fewest number of flooding incidents. They are using more innovative appropriate stormwater methodologies to implement stormwater practices. Mr. Vanderpool reported that there is current legislation pending in state legislature that would allow communities the authority to approve a stormwater utility and associated fee. He added it is something they would support, but it is still in the legislature, although some cities have implemented it. He assured they are following it closely. Councilman Radtke questioned how we determine who maintains retention ponds, the City or are they privately maintained. Mr. Bashaw replied some are maintained by the City, while others are privately maintained. If it services one development, it is usually maintained by that development. If it is a joint retention pond that services multiple parcels, it is established at the time of development as a city pond that the City maintains. Councilman Radtke recalled there has been approval this year to change out the mechanics of the system so the ponds run better. Mr. Bashaw replied that when a retention facility is part of a development, it is generally the responsibility of the developer. Generally, the pump repairs are for regional retention facilities that were constructed some time ago to service larger district areas. Councilman Radtke is pleased with the sidewalk gap program moving forward, although there are so many gaps so it takes a lot of time. He requested that a Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 28 gap at 14 Mile and Van Dyke be looked at immediately, specifically where the last remaining turn is located at the bus stop, which has no wheelchair accessibility. Additionally, he questioned whether they would put a cap or standardized price on what they charge property owners, because it is not fair for someone to have to pay more because their sidewalks were not evaluated until after prices went up. Mr. Bashaw replied they have not yet worked out all the details, but it would be something to make it more equitable. Councilman Radtke agreed with Councilwoman Koski that the ordinance should be changed to extend the length of the loan, assist low-income homeowners and lower interest rates. He mentioned the possibility of a sidewalk tax that is currently generated in other communities. Councilman Radtke expressed his support of the Fire Cadet program, noting that diversity starts at home, and their high schools are representative of the people who live in this community. He felt the youth of today is different in that they do not want jobs with 24-hour shifts but would like flexibility. He suggested other changes, noting that they only run a fifth ambulance which is only necessary Monday through Friday during peak times of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and he commented it does not make sense to expand 24-hour firefighters for a service only necessary twelve hours a day. He supports the Fire Department and believes they need more firefighters, but they need an increase in calls to match the resources they are expending. Having more firefighters scheduled Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 29 for 24 hours when they only need the additional staff for twelve of those hours is a waste of resources. He hoped the Fire Department and administration will work with them to create a sustainable plan to provide more firefighters in Sterling Heights while, at the same time, balance their costs. Councilman Radtke agreed with Councilwoman Ziarko’s suggestion that hard- sided garbage cans should be required, adding that garbage bags left at the curb are too often ripped open by animals. He requested, without objection, that the City Manager bring an ordinance to Council within thirty days to include the provision that everyone have a hard-sided garbage can. There was no objection from City Council. Councilman Radtke commented that there is no sidewalk on the north side of 15 Mile Road in front of the Sterling Heights Chrysler Plant, from Van Dyke to the railroad crossing. He appreciates Chrysler being one of the City’s greatest employers, but they have also received millions of dollars in abatements, so he felt they need to be encouraged to put in the sidewalks. He recommended a Community Benefits ordinance in place for companies with billion-dollar projects to ensure companies are giving back to the citizens who are giving them tax breaks. Councilman Radtke recommended combining the Art and Beautification Committees, and he suggested some of their other committee structures be reformatted. He agreed with the Sustainability Commission and the suggestion made that it should have more than five members. He suggested that the City Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 30 should pay for postage on absentee ballots, which he believed is $21,000. He anticipated they will eventually save money with fewer people needed working the polls on election days. He questioned whether the Solid Waste Commission is required by charter or by law and whether it can be combined with the Sustainability Commission. Mr. Kaszubski believed it is required by law and has to remain separate from the Sustainability Commission. Councilman Radtke addressed additional concerns, including the lack of lighting on the crosswalk and sidewalk in front of Sterling Heights High School, and suggested the City do what it can to improve that intersection, including a possible traffic study. Councilman Radtke would also like to see the Planning Commission consider amending the ordinance to allow accessory structures which provide a way for families to move together. He claimed it is difficult in Sterling Heights to create housing that may be higher in density but that works for the current family structure. Councilman Radtke addressed excessive rain events and cited the recent event where the City of Warren dumped 30 million gallons of sanitary sewer overflow into the Red Run Drain, which then runs through Sterling Heights. He felt that is unacceptable and requested, without objection, that the Council, at a future meeting, prepare a resolution to ask the City of Warren to improve their treatment facility to prevent these occurrences. Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 31 Councilwoman Schmidt stated the Community Relations Department is very talented at putting together information snippets, and suggested an educational piece about recycling and possibly a twenty-minute program aired on SHTV on the recycling, its benefits and a guideline of what is and is not allowed. They can add information to the water bills, and she felt the more that is made available to the public, the more they will understand. She stressed she is not in favor of closing the recycling centers when there is not an alternative in place for everyone, and suggested they pursue grant money, if available, to buy security gates, clean up the sites and install better signage identifying what is allowed and how items need to be cleaned. After watching a television show on recycling, she was horrified to see how much ends up going to the dump. She could understand not reopening the third site at the DPW facility, but she would be happy if there are two facilities with some security measures in place. Councilwoman Schmidt stated she is excited about connecting their parks via bike trails, but she addressed “bike trails” versus “bike lanes” on their roads. She has observed communities that have reduced the width of the lanes for traffic in order to allow for a bike lane, which has bottlenecked traffic. She stressed this is particularly dangerous during the winter months when the bike lanes are not being utilized. Councilwoman Schmidt was pleased with the efforts in reforestation, but when there are new developments with landscaping requirements, there seems to Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 32 be more bushes and pine trees instead of hardwood trees. She is in favor of businesses submitting a payment in lieu of planting trees and landscaping then the City can decide where to plant trees on a particular site. Councilwoman Schmidt is in favor of the Sustainability Commission but believes that seven people would be better than the proposed five. The more people they get involved in this, the more they are branching out into the community. Councilwoman Schmidt addressed the sidewalk gaps, citing Maple Lane between 14- and 15-Mile Roads, noting there are a lot of students who walk along there to get to school. Maple Lane is narrow with no shoulders and no lights, so it is dangerous for the kids to walk from 14- and 15-Mile Roads, and she hoped they will not have to wait for the Maple Lane Development. Mr. Bashaw stated there is a lack of right-of-way on the golf course side, so as part of The Verandas development approved by Council, it requires the completion of that sidewalk. They improved the crossing of the Red Run Drain so the bridge crossing is in place for The Verandas developer to install the sidewalk. Councilwoman Schmidt was pleased there is a protective barrier between the pedestrian walkway and the traffic over the Red Run Drain. She inquired as to whether the sidewalk will be put in at the end of the Moceri development, or whether the City can ask the Moceri’s to make that improvement at the beginning of the development. Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 33 Mr. Bashaw replied it would be reasonable to have it completed at the beginning of the development. Councilwoman Schmidt stated she would be appreciative of that, since Maple Lane is very dark and not safe for pedestrians. Councilwoman Schmidt commended Fire Chief Martin on the Cadet Program and felt the students will benefit greatly from this post-high school incentive program. More than 50% of the students in the EMT program at the Career Preparation Center test out State certified as EMT’s at the end of the program. This is a huge opportunity and it is a reasonable investment for the future. She thanked all for their presentations this evening. Mayor Taylor commented this is a great Strategic Planning session. He stressed sustainability is something that speaks to all. Sterling Heights is a built-out community and there have been a lot of new developments over the last three years, but they are fitting them in where developers can find land. The City was part of the suburban sprawl out of Detroit in the 1970s through 1990s, but now we are 40-50 years into that infrastructure and it now needs to be replaced. To not make the same mistake again, the City is setting this sustainability plan in action now. Mayor Taylor reported that he recently sat on a panel discussion about recycling in Washington DC and he questioned whether the City has requested an anti-contamination kit from the Recycling Partnership. Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 34 Mr. Moore replied he received the anti-contamination kit from that foundation, and it is currently in process to be instituted. He replied to further inquiry that his presentation pulled a lot from it, so there is a good majority of public education, which included the tagging of carts. He replied to still further inquiry that they have the social media kit, which was also included, but he intended to work with Community Relations. The kit involves a third-party social media company; however, he is going to try to work with Community Relations to do that. Mayor Taylor inquired as to whether they receive data from GFL regarding the recycling program and how many recycling customers there are. Mr. Moore replied if they ask for data, it is shared, but they do not receive it on a weekly or monthly basis. They have approximately 7,500 curbside recycling customers, and there are approximately 40,000 households in Sterling Heights. Mayor Taylor estimated that, with the 7,500 households each paying $57 annually, that equates to approximately $427,500 annually. He noted when GFL bid this out in 2016, their bid indicated a 30% participation rate would cost $650,000; however, they are not even at 20% participation at this point. He suspected the costs now would be at least 20% to 30% higher, although he does not know how they can attain that information without going out and rebidding. He reviewed the prices bid in 2016 based on the percentage of participation. He noted if they had 70% participation, the total cost would be $1.2 million annually, which would equate to $27 per household; however, it is Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 35 a subscription-based program and some people do not want to subscribe. He questioned whether there has been any concentrated effort made to get people to sign up. Mr. Moore replied that they can look into it and he believed it will be part of their public education program. Mayor Taylor questioned whether it would be possible to get addresses for the subscribers and send direct mail only to them. Mr. Moore replied affirmatively. Mayor Taylor stated there will be a lot of information going out to residents about the Census 2020, but possibly after that is done, they could address the recycling program the same way, with a public forum, stakeholder meetings at Velocity, public education and information posted at the library, and hold sign- up drives. He stated that the recycling problem has been diagnosed by every mayor and public works department throughout the country, and there are no good answers. Mayor Taylor commented on the non-motorized plan, indicating he is interested in seeing bicycle lanes with new road projects. He suggested that for every new road project, the City should consult their Complete Streets ordinance or resolution which was passed nearly ten years ago. The State of Michigan has a Complete Streets policy. He understood Councilwoman Schmidt’s safety concern, and he is aware there would be an outcry if they eliminate a lane of traffic to accommodate a bike lane, but he stressed they Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 36 have to start somewhere. He noted that widening roads to accommodate more cars does not ease the traffic jams, it only brings more cars to the roads that were widened. He could not see where there will be money to fix or maintain the roads, so people will have to change their habits and look for other methods of transportation. He stated there is terrible public transit in southeast Michigan, but people make a lot of trips that are within two to three miles, and if it was easier to get to their destination without using their cars, possibly they would look at that option. He added that they need to figure out a way to get people to use a less expensive infrastructure. Mayor Taylor stated he is excited about the sidewalk gap program, and he would like to see as many as possible expanded to six-foot to ten-foot paths rather than the standard five feet. He added that bicyclists do not want to ride on sidewalks, and pedestrians do not want to dodge bicycles as they are walking, so there has to be a different way to do that. Mayor Taylor felt five members on the Sustainability Commission is a good number because they have a different mission and objective, which is to go out and interact with State, SEMCOG, County and with the business community. He added it should not be made up of only people who are passionate about this issue, but also knowledgeable about it. He questioned whether there would be ex-officio members. Mr. Kaszubski replied to inquiry there would be two ex-officio members, one from the County and one from SEMCOG. He replied to further inquiry they Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 37 chose to have five members to keep it lean, adding it gets unwieldy when there are too many people, and it is hard to fill those positions with the expertise for which they are seeking. They select five who are very talented and have the motivation they are seeking, and add in the two ex-officio members, they have a commission of seven. Mayor Taylor agreed with his colleagues and the Fire Chief on the need for the Cadet training program. He noted that Sterling Heights is able to retain their staff, but recruitment is an issue. Mayor Taylor also commented favorably on the sidewalk gap program and the reforestation program. Trees make a big difference in the quality of life and rejuvenates people when spring arrives. He appreciated Mr. Langlois’ presentation on natural resources, noting that the air and water quality start right in the community rather than at the Federal level. The City needs to play an active role in protecting our natural resources. He stated he appreciated the presentations and the direction in which the city is going. It is going to be an exciting year with the Community Center opening soon, the 2020 Census, and all the other events going on throughout the year. Mayor Radtke talked about a total transportation plan, because whether they are talking about roads, sidewalks or bike paths, it is about moving people from one point to another. He felt they need a series of solutions that interlock and work together. He noted the City subsidizes the cost of roads, but residents are responsible for paying for sidewalks, yet they are all designed to get people to Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 38 their destination. Since there is no public transit, there are more cars on the road. He is in favor of a total transportation plan that favors pedestrians over cars to decrease the number of pedestrian accidents in the City. Councilwoman Ziarko clarified a statement she made earlier about employing people when she indicated that “young people think differently” about longer work shifts and overtime, and she clarified that people are more focused on a work/life balance, which is a good thing and something needed for families to stay together. She felt there is a way, as employers, that they can consider this and work/life balance should be the focus. Mayor Taylor commented that when they talk about sustainability, they have to think about a population that is changing, with everything being available almost instantaneously. They have to think about building streets that will accommodate a totally different transportation model, as well as delivering services to people who are used to getting things instantaneously, and that takes forward-thinking to be sustainable for the next twenty to forty years. He thanked everyone involved for the presentations. 8. COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS • Ms. Jazmine Early – comments on social media; public forum on roundabout at 15 Mile/ Ryan and safety for pedestrians; bike-sharing idea not practical during winter months. Mayor Taylor stated the current configuration at 15 Mile and Ryan is not working because of so many ingress and egress points east of Ryan, so they are looking at all options to make it safe and better for the residents. Special City Council Meeting Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Page 39 Councilman Radtke inquired as to whether they will be doing a traffic study at that location. Mr. Vanderpool replied affirmatively and assured he will provide Council members with an update on what has been done and any recommendations. 9. CLOSED SESSION PERMITTED UNDER ACT 267 OF 1976 There was no closed session this evening. 10. ADJOURN Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, to adjourn the meeting. Yes: All. The motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 9:33 p.m. MELANIE D. RYSKA, City Clerk