City Council

CITY OF STERLING HEIGHTS MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL APRIL 15, 2025 IN CITY HALL 1. Mayor Taylor called the meeting to order at 7:00 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, Liz Sierawski, Michael C. Taylor, Henry Yanez, Barbara A. Ziarko. Also Present: Mark Vanderpool, City Manager; Assistant City Attorney Donald P. DeNault, Jr., Assistant City Attorney; Melanie D. Ryska, City Clerk; Carol Sobosky, Recording Secretary. 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Moved by Koski, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED , to approve the agenda as presented. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). 5. REPORT FROM CITY MANAGER Mr. Vanderpool stated they receive a lot of inquiries from residents at this time of the year as to when the street-sweeping program will begin, and he advised they are a week or two away from that starting up. He indicated it occasionally starts earlier, weather permitting, but the weather has been questionable the last couple of weeks. He stated they normally make four revolutions per year, so they look forward to sweeping commencing. Mr. Vanderpool reminded that the City’s Sterling Heights Initiative for Neighborhood Excellence (SHINE) program will take place on Saturday, May Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 2 3rd, 2025. A volunteer core group goes into the community to help residents clean up homes, once in the spring and once in the fall, and they clean up about fifty homes on each of those SHINE days. They need about seventy- five volunteers, so anyone interested in helping out on Saturday, May 3rd, can meet at 9:30 a.m. at First Church, 39400 Dequindre. Those who show up to help will be assigned a team, and it is nice to help those in need. He hopes to see everyone there. Mr. Vanderpool introduced a special presentation about their dog licensing amnesty program, and he invited Deputy City Clerk Chelsea May to give the presentation. Deputy City Clerk Chelsea May stated that, on behalf of the City Clerk’s office, she is excited to announce the Dog License Amnesty Program. She introduced the Sterling Heights Police Department’s “spokesdog,” Toby. From now until June 30th, residents can apply for or renew their dog’s license without facing late fees or penalties. This limited time program aims to promote responsible pet ownership and enhance community safety. She explained that Michigan State Law requires all dogs over the age of six months to be licensed, noting the benefits of a licensed dog being easier to return home if lost, and it helps ensure all dogs are vaccinated, reducing the risk of rabies or other diseases. She pointed out the licensing provides access to the City’s dog park, located at Joseph Delia Park, where dog owners can enjoy a scenic and safe off-leash area, with the annual pass that can be obtained through the Parks & Recreation Department. She noted that Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 3 license fees vary, depending upon the alteration of the dog and expiration date of the current rabies vaccination. Owners who have never applied for a dog license or may have missed the March 31st deadline will avoid a $12 late fee during this time. The dog licenses in Sterling Heights are offered at no charge for senior citizens and for owners of service dogs. Owners must complete a hard copy application, which can be mailed, faxed, or emailed to www.PetData.com. Their office no longer provides license tabs at the counter, but they are happy to assist with the application and required paperwork. She advised that detailed instructions can be found on the City Clerk’s page of the City’s website, or by contacting the City Clerk’s office. She encouraged residents to take advantage of this amnesty program to help keep their community’s pets safe. Mr. Vanderpool talked about their best-in-class Police and Fire Departments, as well as so many other award-winning departments. He invited Interim Chief Ken Pappas to talk about two great projects not talked about at their first budget meeting last week, and he would like to highlight those this evening. Interim Police Chief Ken Pappas stated both of these programs are in addition to the exciting developments presented to Council last week, and they build on the many ongoing efforts the department already has in place that are serving citizens throughout the City. These initiatives will reflect their preparedness, compassion, and collaboration, and the first initiative, which will be explained by Lt. Craig Cole, is a volunteer program designed to Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 4 improve how officers engage with and support individuals with physical, developmental, and emotional disabilities. The registry is a first step toward engaging with and supporting these individuals. The second initiative, which will be explained by Acting Deputy Chief Dave Allen, is a regional effort, the CERT Games, which is a joint training exercise involving nine community emergency response teams from neighboring jurisdictions. It will be hosted at Lakeside Mall, and this event is a direct example of their strong partnerships with other jurisdictions and the City’s stakeholders. Interim Chief Pappas introduced Lt. Craig Cole to talk about the first initiative. Lt. Craig Cole appreciates this opportunity to present the Special Needs Registry, and he expressed his gratitude to Capt. Mario Bastianelli, Acting Deputy Chief Allen, and Interim Chief Pappas for trusting him with this meaningful project, adding what an honor it has been for him to work on a program that protects their most valuable citizens. He explained the purpose of the Special Needs Registry is to help the Sterling Heights Police Officers better assist citizens in their community. It is voluntary, but it is an opportunity for Sterling Heights citizens to go online, click on the link, and enter any of their family members or caregivers who have physical, mental, or emotional disabilities. This provides the Police Department with important information and helps the first responders to better understand, assist those in need, and respond efficiently and in the right manner. Any individual with special needs can be added to the register, and that includes autism, dementia, those with PTSD, Alzheimer’s, Down’s syndrome, and many more. A parent, guardian, Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 5 or caregiver can enter these people into the registry. This registry is important because it gives first responders critical information fast, especially in times of crisis if one of these individuals is missing. When it is entered into the Special Needs Registry, once approved, they can send it to COMTEC, and they will have the ability to upload a picture, so they have real-time information. Lt. Cole explained the procedure, noting it is step-by-step, and he thanked Community Relations Marketing & Communications Manager Marissa Russo for her integral part in putting this form together. It is an easy form to fill out, and residents have the ability to upload photos and include their communication needs. If someone is non-verbal, that can be entered, and first responders will know that they will need to communicate with cards to help them respond. They can also include any medical conditions, emergency photos and contacts, and information that is so critical for first responders to have, so they do not have to take valuable time during a crisis to obtain all of this information. Lt. Cole advised that people can register by going on the City’s website, clicking on the link, and entering the information. They can also go into the Police Station if they are not able to go on to a computer, or they can call the Police Department if they do not have the means of transportation to go in person. He assured the most important thing for them is to have their family in the right care, so the Police Department will do whatever it takes to help the family get them registered. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 6 Councilwoman Schmidt questioned whether this information will be shared with the Fire Department as well. Lt. Cole assured they have the ability to make sure that information will be shared, since it will be sent to COMTEC. He emphasized it is important for Police and Fire to work together so they all have this information. Councilwoman Schmidt questioned whether everyone in the department will be trained on HIPAA regulations, and how HIPAA will be addressed in this process. Lt. Cole explained that this has gone through their legal department, and there are some disclaimers, allowing the to have this information. There are a couple of check boxes on the registry that gives them the ability to share that information and upload it in real time. The applicants will have to sign off on it to provide that release. Councilwoman Ziarko questioned whether the sharing of this information will only be withing the City, or whether the registry provides a disclaimer so they can share this information with other law enforcement agencies should they need their assistance in locating the individual, for example. Lt. Cole understands that the legal outline the applicants are required to check off prior to being added to the registry also allows them to share that information with any police department that may be assisting Sterling Heights. He added that they are hoping to eventually link up with the Michigan State Police VIP (Vulnerable/ Impaired Person) program. They want to attach the registry to that program as well. He spoke to some representatives from The Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 7 ARC of Macomb, a non-profit in Macomb County that has a lot of trust in the community, and they know all of the people who should be provided with this opportunity for the registry, and they have indicated they will assist the City in this endeavor. Councilwoman Ziarko questioned whether there are any other departments in the area that are already doing this. Lt. Cole replied to inquiry he is aware of only one so far, and that is the Clinton Township Police Department. They did a great job with theirs, and he has met with them several times to assure the Sterling Heights Police Department does it the right way. He is proud to say the City is headed in the right direction, and the program is ready to be up and running. He replied to further inquiry that it should be up and running tomorrow. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski inquired as to whether this hooks up with the Amber Alert system. Lt. Cole replied to inquiry that they should be able to utilize all of the information they can have for Amber Alerts, as long as it meets the criteria to make it an Amber Alert. Councilwoman Koski questioned how they will know that this is a person who needs assistance. She cited the example of an autistic child who is in a grocery store, and how they will be able to identify that they are autistic, and that the information is available. She questioned whether they would have any identification on them to make police aware that they are in the registry. If someone is already registered and has a guardian or caregiver with them, Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 8 that guardian or caregiver can alert the dispatcher, who will be able to access that information within a very reasonable time and still provide the information prior to officers arriving. It is a work in progress, but the registry is primarily set up when first responders are responding to an emergency at the individual’s residence. He added that it is an amazing tool where they can have gathered information prior to their arrival. They are not providing identifiers at this time for the person to carry with them. Councilwoman Koski stated she is very familiar with autistic children, and she expressed concern that if they get sent to the store and are by themselves, it may be helpful if that individual was wearing a small pin or other identifier indicating they are on the registry. Lt. Cole stated he loves that idea and suggested it may be something they can look at in the near future to provide those opportunities for people. He has two nieces with autism, so he is aware of concern when the police are responding, or they are afraid of emergency vehicle sirens or the sight of a police officer. He stressed they have an opportunity with the County, and so far, they have sent about fifteen of the Sterling Heights Police Officers through a CIT course, free to the City and offered by Macomb County, for training on response to those in mental crisis. They also have a general order outlining their responses, which gives officers an opportunity to respond the right way and have some basic knowledge on how to respond to someone going through a mental crisis. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 9 Councilwoman Koski pointed out that Macomb County has schools for autistic children, and she questioned whether the Sterling Heights Police Department will be able to connect with them, asking them to contact the parents so they can become aware of this program. Lt. Cole assured he has been working with Ms. Sue Lind, from ARC, who has a great relationship with MISD. Once they have this program up and running tomorrow, she is waiting for permission, and she will do a social media push on the Police Department’s behalf for this registry, especially for all of those students within their districts and their City, to provide them an opportunity to fill out the Special Needs Registry form. He pointed out that they already have trust within the school systems and the community, so it was rather easy to bring ARC into the realm of the Special Needs Registry to have that trust and foundation. It is important for families to feel protected and that they have Police and Fire Departments that are working proactively to communicate with every citizen within the City. Councilwoman Koski added it is also important for these children to meet the officers, so they know the Police Officers are their friends. Lt. Cole agreed that is of the utmost importance, and he emphasized there is a lot of heart behind the badges of the men and women in the Sterling Heights Police Department, so that is a goal. Councilwoman Koski commended Lt. Cole for doing a fantastic job. Mayor Taylor thanked Lt. Cole for his presentation and answering the questions. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 10 Mr. Vanderpool introduced Acting Deputy Chief Dave Allen to talk about the second initiative this evening. Acting Deputy Chief Dave Allen stated he is here this evening to speak about a project that the Police Department, Fire Department, community volunteer groups, Macomb County Emergency Management, Dispatch, and Lionheart (representatives from Lakeside Mall), have been working on for the past several months. He explained that Lakeside Mall presents a unique opportunity for their community to train and prepare for events, and Lionheart has been gracious enough to allow them to utilize their facility. On May 3rd, they will be hosting CERT Games, which is a multi-tier training with their Police, Fire, and surrounding jurisdictions. It is the first CERT Games in their FEMA region since 2011. Acting Deputy Chief Allen talked about their team’s history, but he first explained that a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) is a group of trained volunteers who help out in their communities during emergencies and disasters. These teams are part of a national program under FEMA, and they are designed to support first responders such as police, fire, and EMS when professional resources are overwhelmed. They help with disastrous support, such as helping with evacuations, setting up shelters, providing first aid, basic light search-and-rescue operations, small fire suppression with portable extinguishers, basic triage and treatment of minor injuries, disaster psychology, supporting the emotional needs of victims and other responders, logistics and communication, helping organize information, direct traffic, or Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 11 keep track of supplies. He explained that their team was established in 2004, and currently has forty-one active members, one of the largest in Michigan. They are only one of two in Macomb County. He emphasized that training brings an element of support and preparedness to the community that few municipalities have access to. He showed a brief video of an event held in 2017, which was a large-scale CERT exercise done at the Community Center before it was torn down. It was in collaboration with the Sterling Heights Fire Department, and he reviewed what took place during the exercise. He cited a recent event where a windstorm took down electrical lines, and CERT members were guarding those downed lines in the absence of having Police Officers or Firefighters present, as they were extremely busy in light of the storm. He hopes they will never need them, but if they do, they have the equipment and training necessary. Acting Deputy Chief Allen talked about the CERT Games agenda, and he listed those who will be involved, including the following: Sterling Heights, Warren, Livonia, Taylor, Ogemaw Northern Great Lakes Bay Emergency Management, Southfield, Detroit, and others. The teams will participate in four main events: Search and Rescue; Victim Identification and Wound Assessment; Stop the Bleed; and Fire Extinguishment. He explained that scenarios will be set up throughout the portions of Lakeside, and the teams will have to identify how to respond appropriately. The events will be timed and scored, and DTE will also be on site, providing power line training while teams are rotating through the event. Ten teams have indicated they would Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 12 like to participate in the event, and the top three teams will be recognized based on final scores. They anticipate over two hundred members in attendance, and they will receive valuable training in these scenarios. He provided the reasons why this is beneficial to the community, ensuring that team members are prepared to collaborate effectively across different regions during emergencies, and it enhances the overall response capacity by familiarizing participants with very local laws, resources, and protocols. This coordination improves the speed and efficiency of disaster relief efforts, ultimately saving lives and minimizing damage. This training is essential because it fosters collaboration in seamless coordination between different agencies during emergencies. It reduces response times and develops a unified approach to handling large-scale cross-jurisdictional incidents. He thanked everyone for the opportunity to help coordinate and collaborate their efforts in this event, and he assured that without the help of everyone involved, this would not have been possible. He stated that if anyone would like to join the team, he encouraged them to visit the City’s website and search “Community Emergency Response Team Registration.” Councilwoman Schmidt questioned whether they need “patients” for this event, recalling that in years past, the students in Career Prep and other schools within Macomb County have participated in mock disasters as “patients.” She questioned whether they need “patients” for triage in this event. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 13 Acting Deputy Chief Allen responded that they will be glad to take that contact information if Councilwoman Schmidt has it. They have already started to communicate with the drama classes at Macomb Community College, with their Explorers, and they have reached out to the Police Academy to see if Cadets would like to be involved. He stated they will appreciate any additional resources if Councilwoman Schmidt has them. Councilwoman Schmidt felt it is a great opportunity for the EMT students as well, and she will get Acting Deputy Chief Allen in contact with the person who handles that. Councilwoman Ziarko questioned whether there will be a designated place for spectators for this event. Acting Deputy Chief Allen replied that it is not for public spectators, but City Council will be allowed to come in and observe any of the ongoing events and competitions. With approval, they would also like to get Media involved to tape the footage because it is a rare opportunity, and it is beneficial to show how they are handling it. Interim Chief Pappas thanked everyone again for this opportunity to highlight what goes on behind the scenes in their department, noting there are several individuals spearheading several projects, and they do very good work, so they should be recognized for their contributions to the department. Mr. Vanderpool concluded his report this evening by thanking everyone who participated in Shred Day last Saturday. It was another successful event, with hundreds of people showing up. He reminded that this Saturday, April 18th, Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 14 they will be hosting the Hazardous Household Waste event at their DPW facility starting at 9:00 a.m. It is a very popular event, and he urged people to pack their patience as there is often a line for this event, but it is a great program and a great way to dispose of hazardous household waste. 6. CONSENT AGENDA Mayor Taylor stated this item is consideration of the Consent Agenda as presented. He opened the floor for public comments, but no one spoke. Moved by Koski, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to approve the Consent Agenda as presented: A. To approve the minutes of the April 1st, 2025 Regular Meeting. B. To approve payment of the bills as presented: General Fund - $733,609.70 Water & Sewer Fund - $3,050,027.77, Other Funds - $13,141,578.06, Total Checks - $16,925,215.53. C. RESOLVED , to approve the property and liability insurance program with the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority for the period of May 1, 2025 through May 1, 2027 at a cost of $961,345 the first year and a cost increase not to exceed seven percent (7%) for the second year and authorize the City’s member representative to sign all documents required in conjunction with this approval. D. RESOLVED , to approve final payment in the amount of $13,047.50, plus interest on retainage, for Beaver Creek Park Parking Lot Improvements, City Project #24-431. E. RESOLVED , to purchase 5,500 tons of "late fill" road salt from Detroit Salt Company, 12841 Sanders Street, Detroit, MI 48217, at unit pricing available through city of Farmington Hills' cooperative purchasing contract ITB-FH-22-23-2388 for the 2025/2026 snow removal season. F. RESOLVED , to award the bid for fire hose to W.S. Darley & Co., 325 Spring Lake Drive, Itasca, IL 60143, at unit prices bid for a one (1) year period. G. RESOLVED , to purchase library books, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, and audio books through the Suburban Library Cooperative, 44750 Delco Blvd., Sterling Heights, MI 48313, for fiscal year 2025/2026 in the amount of $115,000. H. RESOLVED , to: 1. Pay annual base, maintenance, and content fees to the Midwest Collaborative for Library Services, 1470 Rensen Street, Suite 1, Lansing, MI 48910 for OverDrive eBooks and eAudiobook content in the cumulative amount of $29,488.73; and; Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 15 2. Purchase eBooks and eAudiobook content from OverDrive, Inc., One OverDrive Way, Cleveland, OH 44125, at a cumulative cost of $33,000. I. RESOLVED , to purchase the following medical equipment from Stryker Sales, LLC, 21343 Network Place, Chicago, IL 60673, at competitive pricing available through Sourcewell cooperative purchasing contract no. 041823-STY: 1. One (1) LifePak 15 V4 cardiac monitor/defibrillator, with accessories, at a net cumulative cost of $42,262.09; and, 2. One (1) Power-Pro™ XT powered ambulance cot at a cumulative cost of $30,402.52. J. RESOLVED , to purchase janitorial supplies from Network Services Company, 1400 American Lane, Suite 300, Schaumburg, IL 60173, at competitive pricing available through OMNIA Partners cooperative purchasing contract no. 2020002301 through April 26, 2027, and authorize the City Manager to extend the purchase of janitorial supplies through contract no. 2020002301 provided its term is extended by OMNIA Partners through April 26, 2030. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). 7. CONSIDERATION A. Mayor Taylor stated this is to consider the adoption of a resolution asserting the right granted to the City Council under Section 43(3) of the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, MCL 125.3843(3), to approve or reject the new Master Land Use Plan. He invited Dr. Jake Parcell, City Planner, to give the presentation. Dr. Jake Parcell, City Planner, explained the conclusion of their public comment for the 2025 Master Land Use Plan is before Council this evening. He provided some brief background, noting the Master Land Use process occurred nearly through the entirety of 2024, and a very robust public engagement effort took place, leading to the rewrite of their Master Land Use Plan, previously adopted in 2017. Due to the planning efforts taking place since that last adoption, they found it very important to do a comprehensive Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 16 redraft, including things like the Climate Action Plan, Sustainability Plan, North Van Dyke Avenue and new sub-area plan and the City’s new Master Plan. He stated that is all reflected in the current rewrite. They also considered current changes and conditions caused by the Covid 19 pandemic, different uncertainties in the market, and how they have seen land use development evolving since just before 2020. They found it imperative to move forward with some new strategies to bring everything they have “on the same page.” Dr. Parcell emphasized that what they did during the planning process was a very open and transparent plan, including four Planning Commission modules, two open houses, joint meetings with City Council, all resulting in recommendations. They had a broad outreach to businesses, youth of the community, business owners, volunteer boards and commissions, and residents, totaling about 5,000 pieces of public engagement received through this process. He explained they held a student art contest, meeting with the Youth Advisory Board, three surveys and an online mapping tool, meeting with over seventy business owners face-to-face with a member of the Planning Office, and having flyers posted there. They also had a mailer sent out through the water billing, and they reached 30,000 addresses through the City’s ListServ so they could participate in the survey process as well. They also posted a request on the City website for public comment or feedback on the plan. They also mailed out notices to adjacent communities, Planning authorities, and service providers, as required by State statute. They received Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 17 review from the Shelby Township Planning Commission, and they supported the adoption of the Master Land Use Draft. The Oakland County Planning Office reviewed it and found it to be consistent with the 2017 Master Plan and the borders of Oakland County and Macomb County, offering no objections to the plan. They received five correspondences from residents at the intersection of Hall Road and Sterritt Street, and the numerous properties have a variety of zonings now, but the current draft plan reflects it as Regional Commercial. They would like to see it reclassified to either office or retained as open space. He pointed out they have no development proposed on that parcel, although there have been PUD applications before. They received one correspondence that came in on the last day, and it was from the owners of the property on the northwest corner of Canal and Schoenherr Roads, requesting to be listed as regional commercial rather than being enveloped into a district node. There were also letters of support from the community. Dr. Parcell talked about the Future Land Use Map and spoke of one area that will be amended prior to the Planning Commission public hearing. He pointed out a few other areas on the map that have some minor cleanup on road lines, and there are two areas outlined on the map, one at Dodge Park and Plumbrook, and another at 15 Mile and Moravian, have been indicated by Planning Commission and City Council as areas where they may like to see potential node placement. He indicated they are being highlighted on the map as areas to be reviewed in five years. He pointed out the other areas that were highlighted through public comments, one at Sterritt and Hall. It will be Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 18 discussed at the public hearing regarding the public’s comments received. The second highlighted area, located at Canal and Schoenherr, is the area requested by the owner to remain as regional commercial. Dr. Parcell thanked everyone for their time, and he thanked the Planning Commission, staff, and the businesses and residents of the City of Sterling Heights who were engaged in this process. He felt the people gave the best kind of public feedback, more than what he has seen in other communities. He credited the staff in the Planning Office, City Council, Boards, Commissions, and volunteers, for going out and speaking face-to-face with people throughout this process at Sterlingfest, meetings, open houses, and continual follow-up and ensuring people are aware of what they are doing. He thanked the Planning Commission for having so many supplemental meetings and participating in the open houses. He emphasized their feedback was important and helped to guide this process. Dr. Parcell explained there are two motions in front of Council this evening that are included in their Agenda Statement, one being the reservation of final approval for City Council, which is an option under State Statute, and the second being to defer to Planning Commission, which is the default in State Statute. He informed that a Planning Commission public hearing has been scheduled and published in the newspaper for their May meeting, adding this is the only agenda item as of this time. They will be reviewing the public comment and making the administrative changes presented this evening for that hearing. He offered to answer questions. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 19 Mayor Taylor opened the floor for public comments.  Jim Eppink – representing Nottingham Commercial LLC, which is located at the corner of Schoenherr and Canal Roads; appreciate that this was a transparent, year-long effort, and they have reviewed in detail the Master Plan as published and recommended to City Council as they considered on February 4th; he noted that Nottingham Square was reflected as Regional Commercial on the 2017 Master Plan, and it was reflected and published the same way in the 2025 Draft Master Plan; noted it was never discussed at any of the public hearings; their desire is for this Master Plan to be adopted as it has been published; however, since this has been published, at some point after February 4th, 2025, the Future Land Use Plan continues to get adjusted; they are objecting that anyone can continue to adjust the map; they believe the changes are substantial changes because they directly affect the Future Land Use Plan, and this places Nottingham Square into a district overlay node and this causes confusion; re-writing the Zoning Map, the Future Land Use Map, and the Ordinance is happening in motion as they are adopting it, and his request is to adopt the Future Land Use Plan as it has been presented at the public workshops and published, and if the Planning staff or Planning Commission decide to change it, that should then be re-noticed and go through the additional sixty-three days of public comment; emphasized it does not seem right that something so important should be changed at the last minute.  Richard Sable – representing Nottingham Commercial LLC; noted what is before Council this evening is whether or not to refer this Master Plan to the Planning Commission for review and adoption; he requested that the review and adoption stay with City Council, noting they were involved in the drafting of this Master Plan for over a year, they held a joint conference with the Planning Commission, and gave a lot of input; he pointed out the provision in the Master Plan that indicates “Regional Commercial properties currently held as Regional Commercial should stay there in the Future Land Use Plan”; commented that to find out tonight that there is a substantial change, and if that is the case, they should follow the legal process for it; he emphasized they have issues with what is going on with the Node ordinance; he recalled they needed more time to look at it, met on March 12th and provided their comments to the Node ordinance, but he still has nothing to review; concerned the Master Plan refers to a Node ordinance that still does not exist, and there is nothing that tells them what that means; stressed this is premature, adding they had asked for details on a District Node but it has not yet been established; stressed they have gone through the provisions of the proposed draft that he requested be made part of the record. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 20 Mayor Taylor stated that Mr. Sable can provide the copies of that list to the City Clerk for distribution to himself and City Council members, and Mr. Sable gave the copies to her.  Paul Smith – pointed out that people have purchased property, invested in it, and developed it as permitted by the Zoning Map and Ordinances; concerned that this big package now overrides what was previously included; he acknowledged there were public hearings on it, but noted it is such a big package that no one can comprehend the impact of it; suggested staying with the procedure they have that if someone wants to rezone a piece of property, they can bring it before the Planning Commission after the required notification, and have their public hearing; suggested that is better than rezoning the entire City at one time; he urged the City Council to dismiss this plan. Moved by Radtke, RESOLVED , to waive the right granted the City Council under Section 43(3) of the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, MCL 125.2843(3), and delegate final approval authority for the new Master Land Use Plan to the Sterling Heights Planning Commission. There was no support to the motion, so the motion failed. Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED , to adopt the resolution asserting the right granted to the City Council under Section 43(3) of the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, MCL 125.3843(3), to approve or reject the new Master Land Use Plan. Councilwoman Ziarko pointed out the action on this motion is that it will come back to them for final approval, and she felt that is where it should be approved. Councilman Radtke recalled they generally give the Planning Commission the authority for final approval, which is what they did the last time the Master Plan was approved. He expressed concern that there is a lot of confusion over comments made at the podium, and he requested clarification that the Master Plan has to be updated every five years under State statute. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 21 Dr. Parcell clarified that the Planning Commission can either choose to stay with the current plan, revise, or rewrite every five years, but they are required to examine it every five years. The Planning Commission voted to rewrite it this time. Councilman Radtke felt that the Nottingham Square property should be a node, and that node should extend all the way north to Hall Road. He pointed out the apartments that Mr. Gallo developed in a parking lot are essentially spot zoning, surrounded by commercial developments. He recalled the idea of approving Mr. Gallo’s development was to create a more mixed-use district on the west side of Schoenherr Road. He could not see why they would have allowed an apartment building in a parking lot if they did not have plans to change the general area. He questioned whether that area is still designated on the map as “Regional Commercial.” Dr. Parcell replied affirmatively. He replied to further inquiry that there is some development in that area that is a little out of character with what is seen in Regional Commercial. He suggested when they move forward in five years to reexamine it is to look at the actual Lakeside Village District boundary , noting it is more realistic that area will grow and affect the surrounding properties through people wanting to invest in that area. A Node is a more compact idea with design guidelines and definition in the plan, but it may be more of an expansion of the Lakeside Village as to how it can affect the commercial properties around it. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 22 Councilman Radtke stated he does not disagree and felt that may be the better solution. He added it is important to examine that area. He questioned whether the Master Plan identifies R-60. Dr. Parcell stated the names of the zoning districts are never defined in the Master Plan. He stated the district and neighborhood nodes are well-defined in the Master Land Use Chapter, and they were discussed through the engagement, mainly at the joint meeting with City Council and the Planning Commission. Councilman Radtke commented that the Planning Commission has done a very good job, and he would vest them with the authority of approving or denying the Master Plan. He does not feel it needs to come back to City Council, and he is happy with the way it is. Yes: All. The motion carried (6/1 – Councilman Radtke opposed). 8. COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS Mayor Taylor opened the floor for communications from citizens for any item not on tonight’s agenda.  Paul Smith – reviewed spending in Sterling Heights over the last twenty-five years; talked about percentages that minimum wage, rate of inflation, stock market, population count, and millage rates have risen; talked about some of the items on which tax dollars have been spent.  Emily Young – stated she loves living in Sterling Heights and there are so many things she loves about the City; expressed concern about plans for the Chaldean Community Foundation (CCF) project on Van Dyke Avenue and how it will affect the neighboring wetlands; expressed frustration that their actions could destroy a tree that is 250 years old, and felt that the City is putting what the Foundation wants rather than what the citizens want; she explained they circulated a petition in opposition of this development, and that petition now has Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 23 over 2,000 signatures, with sixty-one percent of those from Sterling Heights; suggested they can find another location for this development.  Lisa Graf – resident of Sterling Heights for twenty-six years; talked about the Chaldean Community Foundation (CCF) – Phase II development on Van Dyke; referred to Channel 7 News segment where this was featured; recalled the City indicated that eight acres will be preserved as open space, but she claimed it is only four acres and showed the area on a photograph; she talked about thirteen landmark trees that are in an area that is proposed to be dug up; talked about the City talking with the Michigan Tree Arbor Certifiers, and the discrepancy over whether the old Oak tree, dating from about 1750, was a Sawtooth Oak or a Chinkapin Oak; commented that tree is probably the oldest thing left in this City, and they need to value their heritage; suggested they find a more suitable place for this development, and turn the subject property into a park. 9. REPORTS FROM CITY ADMINISTRATION AND CITY COUNCIL Mr. Vanderpool stated he would like to respond to a number of inaccuracies made by Mr. Smith. He explained that when they look at budgets, they focus operationally on the General Fund, which was up three percent; however, when they look at the overall budget, it includes funds such as the Capital Fund. He emphasized that the City has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on road improvements across the City, and residents want the City to invest in the infrastructure, including good roads, water and sewer, good storm detention, etc. The overall budget includes Capital Funds as well, so the comparison made by Mr. Smith is inaccurate. He reminded everyone of the City’s low taxes in comparison with any city in Macomb County, and the low debt the City has, which is only twenty percent of their allowable debt, resulting in their superior bond rating. They have a very small city workforce, comparing the number of their employees, still down one hundred employees Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 24 from the Great Recession to the number of employees in comparable communities. Mr. Vanderpool commented on tree preservation, pointing out the City has a very robust tree preservation plan, and they are planting 15,000 trees, thanks to a voter-approved millage. They are reforesting city neighborhoods across the City at a cost of over $5 million. He pointed out the thousands of trees that have been planted along their major corridors that did not have trees. The City is committed to sustainability, and the Sustainability Commission is doing a great job. He admitted that there are times in every community nationwide when Oak trees have to be removed, and he pointed out that even some of the residents who spoke this evening had to have Oak trees removed from their property in order to have their homes built. That occurs on residential, commercial, and industrial properties, and they have to balance development with sustainability. They focus on smart growth. Mr. Vanderpool clarified that the project is not yet finalized, they do not have a site plan, and the property owner has indicated they are interested in doing whatever they can to preserve trees on the site, just like most property owners in the City of Sterling Heights. He offered to address any questions the Council may have on this issue. Councilman Yanez recommended the City Council consider adopting a Responsible Contracting Ordinance that would provide high-quality, cost- efficient, highly skilled, and safe labor for publicly funded projects in the City of Sterling Heights. He explained that such ordinance would level the playing Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 25 field for all contractors when bidding work for the City, and it provides a transparent bidding process that will hold contractors accountable for the work they do, as long as ensuring safety of the workers and others on job sites. Councilman Yanez talked about the key benefits of such ordinance, including quality of work, completion of jobs on time and on budget, and worker safety. The key element of this ordinance is that the City of Sterling Heights will help with talent development. He talked about apprenticeships where employees can receive training while being paid, and once that training is complete, the pay for those employees is drastically increased. He explained the state-of-the-art training facilities are funded completely by the employees with the seventeen-cent-an-hour deduction from their paycheck, along with another employee fund that pays the apprentices while they are at school getting educated and working for a paycheck at the same time. This would all be privately funded by the union. He explained this ordinance does not give any contractor, union or non-union, an advantage, but is a fifty-fifty bidding proposition that is transparent, and gives everyone an opportunity to win a bid. It will ensure that City projects have highly skilled, safe, and well- trained workers spending their taxpayer money efficiently and wisely. Councilman Yanez requested, without objection, that the City Attorney prepare a Responsible Contracting Ordinance for discussion and vote for their second meeting in May, scheduled for May 20th. He noted that he has expressed concern about the future of the City, the cost of housing, and a lot of long-term residents here. He mentioned attending a meeting of the Greater Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 26 Metro Area Realtors, and one of the speakers stated that fifty percent of the new houses they sell are purchased by parents for their children because their children cannot afford them. He added that the population is getting older, and by 2034, there will be more people in this country over the age of sixty- five than under the age of eighteen. He anticipated the people who purchase the homes in Sterling Heights will need good wages. They spend a lot of money on entrepreneurship at the Velocity Center, and this would cost nothing other than if they award a contract to a union contractor, and that money would be going in to training the next apprentice and journeyman, who will ultimately be making more money to live and provide for his/her family in Sterling Heights. He emphasized that he would at least like to discuss this. Mayor Taylor questioned whether anyone has objection to Councilman Yanez’s proposal. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski questioned how this ordinance relates to affordable housing. Councilman Yanez clarified this is not about building affordable housing, but rather to be able to afford a home based on wages. He recalled conversation that a lot of engineers live in Sterling Heights, but he pointed out that not everyone can be an engineer. He pointed out this concept is bipartisan, citing examples of both sides supporting trades and skilled labor. He stated it is about people who make good wages and can afford to buy the houses in Sterling Heights that are ever-increasing in price. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 27 Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski expressed her concern that if this ordinance is going to require the City in some fashion to hire a certain level of worker, it may be in conflict with their fiduciary responsibility to the residents. She does not want to be stuck having to go to the higher bid just because their ordinance requires something of them, when they could go with a bidder that is reputable but may not meet all of these requirements, and that is her objection. Councilwoman Ziarko questioned how this is different from the current bidding process of vetting the companies who come into the City to do business with them. She pointed out they may already be doing the same things. Mr. Vanderpool stated it is a good question. He read the list of highlights mentioned by Councilman Yanez, including quality of work, transparent bidding process, highly skilled and safe labor, worker safety, talent development, apprentice work, etc. Mr. Vanderpool indicated those are all principles that are currently in practice with their bidding, and in almost all cases when the City bids out a project, they are unionized workers who are very skilled in what they do. A high percentage of City projects that require elaborate skilled trades work, including electrical, plumbing, carpentry, are performed by union employees and are well-paying jobs. In many ways, the City is already getting this, but he acknowledged Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski’s concern that there is an increased cost for provisions such as this. The City will pay more if this is mandated for all work, and he pointed out there are situations where this type of ordinance may not be applicable. There are jobs where they may not need to pay that high of an amount based on unit pricing Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 28 or hourly rates. There are pros and cons, or consequences to this, but he assured there is nothing broken with the current system, and the City gets very good pricing. The City Council analyzes the big documents very carefully, they call with questions, and comment on them. The current process is sound and has been fundamentally very successful; however, they have always stopped short of requiring “special preference” ordinances, along with “special preference” for businesses in Sterling Heights. Their philosophy has always been to help their businesses in any way they can expand their market share by bidding on projects all across the state, and that has been very successful for the City. Councilwoman Ziarko commented that comparing this ordinance to Velocity is like comparing apples to oranges. This ordinance would require expenditure of taxpayer dollars, whereas Velocity is not on the tax rolls but is a special district that does not cost the City money. She emphasized that she supports every union in the City, and as an individual, she supports union work, citing an example; however, this ordinance involves her spending someone else’s money, and not everyone in this community feels the same way. Councilwoman Koski agreed with Councilman Yanez. She recalled instances where the City has gone with the lowest-qualified builder, only to have problems with the quality of work at a later date. She cited the steps leading up to City Hall, where they had to have the steps redone. She does not know if that was a union laborer, but she is sure it was the lowest bidder, adding it Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 29 is sometimes better to pay a higher price in order to avoid having to do the job again. She is aware that unions have apprentice programs, so their young people have the opportunity to learn and work in the different skilled trades and find good jobs. She believes in quality, and understands that when they contract a job, a project manager who does not actually do the work is appointed, but contractors who do the work are then hired. She questioned whether the City has any power over the project manager to demand or request that they have skilled trades do the actual work. Mr. DeNault replied to inquiry that the power lies in the specs, so if they put out a Request for Proposal or Request for Bid, it defines what the City is looking for. The proposer tells the City what they are bringing to the table. Councilwoman Koski questioned whether an ordinance such as what Councilman Yanez is requesting would strengthen the City’s position on requesting quality work. Mayor Taylor stated that it is hard to say without specifying what is being proposed. Councilwoman Koski cited the example of one of the City buildings, where Roncelli was appointed to serve as general contractor. She noted the City does not have control over who they hire to do the actual work, because the General Contractor determines that. Mayor Taylor explained that Councilman Yanez is proposing a Responsible Contracting Ordinance to be studied, proposed, and presented to Council. It is difficult to answer Councilwoman Koski’s question of whether the ordinance Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 30 would address specific issues because they do not yet know what the ordinance would look like. Councilwoman Schmidt clarified that, as a parent of a skilled tradesman, she will not be buying his home for him, and he will have to buy his own home. As a union member, she understands the benefits of unions. She also understands that there are many skilled non-union trades workers who are just as skilled as the union workers. She is concerned there is collateral damage when their hands are tied as far as who they can and cannot hire through their contracts. She emphasized she has great respect for the inspectors and engineers in the City who ensure the contractors who are serving as engineers on the projects are not left alone, and that codes are followed, and specs are met. She agreed with Councilwoman Ziarko that they are spending the taxpayer’s money. She pointed out that there are a lot of items she votes on that may not be in the best interest of her household, but they are in the best interest of the City. She supports unions and she is a union worker, but when it involves spending taxpayer dollars, the non-union skilled trades personnel are very good at what they do, so she does not want to discount that if the City can pay less of the taxpayer’s dollars to get the same result. At this time, she is not in favor of tying their hands. Councilman Radtke stated he is proud to support Councilman Yanez’s request for a Responsible Contracting Ordinance. He believes they should be favoring businesses in Sterling Heights when considering bids, and he clarified this would not be a union-only ordinance, but rather than ordinance Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 31 that sets a bar everyone has to meet. He believes the timeline, however, is very ambitious. He has not seen the language of an ordinance, and he is not sure which city’s ordinance will be reviewed. He is aware that Canton and Ann Arbor have this type of ordinance, but he wants to make sure whatever the City of Sterling Heights would put together will be the best possible ordinance. He inquired as to how much time the City Attorney feels they would need to review ordinances of other communities and provide details to City Council so they can craft the best possible ordinance. Mr. DeNault admitted the timeline proposed is a bit ambitious because of the logistics of it. They would want to gather samples from across the region, as long as other good sources, and they would go through them to determine what works and what does not work in those communities, as well as what might work for Sterling Heights. They would then want to vet those with staff and other professionals, so he anticipated they may want a couple of months for that process. Councilman Radtke agreed with Mr. DeNault, and he felt sixty- to ninety-days may be a more reasonable timeline. He talked about the Community Center and the general contractor they hired to serve as the construction manager for that project. He recalled when he was first elected, he visited the site and found things taking place that should not happen. He expressed concern as to whether the lowest bidder is following the rules and keeping their employees safe, so he wants to make sure this ordinance is strong and keeps their employees safe. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 32 Mayor Taylor stated he will support this if they push the timeline back. He is not exactly sure what is being proposed, but he is not opposed to studying it and better understanding it. Councilman Yanez apologized, explaining that he had to put a time on this and arbitrarily selected the second meeting in May. He agreed with Councilman Radtke that a timeline of sixty- to ninety-days would be more realistic. He pointed out other communities have had similar ordinances, and no one has been decimated as a result. He would like to make sure they have time to draft an ordinance, present it, and have a discussion on what it is and what it does. They already have a bidding process, and if it takes everything into consideration, and if they do, that could be codified with a Responsible Contracting Ordinance. He agreed with Councilman Radtke’s point that there are contractors who allow dangerous work every single day. He assured this is not about targeting high-priced union contractors, because he knows there are non-union skilled trades that are very good, but it is about establishing a set of parameters, and if every contractor meets those parameters, everyone can bid, regardless of whether they are union or non- union. It is about having a fair and open bid process that makes sure the City gets the best work possible, the best warranty, and the safest work sites possible. He pointed out that when considering taxpayer dollars, they do not want to spend taxpayer dollars on extras because someone did not bid properly or made a mistake and had to fix it, cashing in on the extras. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 33 Mayor Taylor suggested bringing this back to City Council in August. He felt further conversation on this will be more meaningful when they actually have an ordinance to review. Mayor Taylor questioned whether the first meeting in August would be acceptable for this to come back. Councilwoman Ziarko stated that, once this is put together, she would also like to see the process of how it is currently handled in comparison with a proposed ordinance. Councilman Yanez stated the last two years, he has been invited and attended the Parks & Recreation Department’s Sterling Stars Dance Recital. He explained it is scheduled for May 13th and May 14th this year at Macomb Community College Center Campus, and he invited everyone, especially his colleagues, to attend this year’s event. He emphasized that the staff, the dancers, the kids, and the parents all put so much work into this program, adding it is amazing and one of the best things he experiences here as a citizen of Sterling Heights. Councilman Radtke talked about the terrible accident that recently occurred at 15 Mile and Schoenherr Roads. He talked with Assistant City Manager Dale Dwojakowski about the Safe Streets Task Force, and he believes they will examine the intersection at 15 Mile and Schoenherr to see if there is anything they can possibly do to make it safer, possibly light timing. He felt it is the same thing they experience at 15 Mile and Ryan Roads, and he requested that Mr. Vanderpool briefly speak on this topic. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 34 Mr. Vanderpool stated the Traffic Calming Task Force is looking at high- accident intersections across the City, and the 15 Mile/Schoenherr is one of those, with some horrific accidents. He pointed out they could have a traffic circle at that location, and he does not feel it would have changed the outcome, pointing out one of the drivers was traveling at a very high rate of speed, estimated to be close to one hundred miles per hour. Toxicology reports are not in yet, and the accident is still being investigated. The person traveling at speeds close to one hundred miles per hour rear-ended a person who was stopped at a red light, and he does not believe there is any traffic control measure that would have stopped that situation. He noted there was a similar incident that occurred last year outsize of the intersection, due to a medical condition further up the road. Mr. Vanderpool stated that big cities have higher percentages of those situations, but they are interested in making their roadways as safe as possible, not only for motorists but for pedestrians as well. This intersection is in the top twenty, although not in the top ten, in terms of number of accidents resulting in fatalities. He pointed out there is a lot of emphasis on traffic calming throughout the City. Councilman Radtke stated that, in speaking with Assistant City Manager Dwojakowski, he sent a page from the City’s Safety Study about the most dangerous intersections and the location of the most accidents. He was shocked to see that two of the three worst intersections in Sterling Heights are along Hall Road, from the freeway to Schoenherr. He pointed out that Delco to Kemp averaged 113 crashes. He is glad they are doing this work Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 35 because, although it is very data-intensive, they want to do everything they can to make the City safer. Councilman Radtke knows with the PPP millage and the acquisition of greenbelt property across the City, they have talked about creating a landbank. There are different ways to create a landbank, one of which is a sustainable landbank through the Landbank Act, which is state law. He requested, without objection, that the City Attorney prepare a report on the possible benefits of codifying this as an actual State Landbank, and whether there are grants available. He would like to know the pros and cons, and while he is not saying they need to create a landbank, but he would like to know whether it would be beneficial. He is curious whether a more formal structure will afford the City more opportunities. He also noted that it may not be in the best interest to preserve every property forever, citing examples of foreclosed properties, looking at the possibility of splitting heavily treed lots or trading them for property that may be more desirous for their long-term sustainability planning and recreation goals. He would like to examine this to see if there are grants available to pay for it, and also whether the landbank should be codified so they have a city landbank like they have in the City of Warren. He added that he is not going to put a timeframe on it but would like more information so they can decide. Mayor Taylor inquired as to whether there are any objections. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 36 Councilwoman Ziarko stated she does not have any objection, but she would also like them to take into consideration developers of new developments who would like to landbank part of their own property for future parking. Councilman Radtke stated he is in favor of developers preserving green space that could be developed into parking if needed in the future. Mayor Taylor pointed out since there were no objections, so the City has direction. Councilman Radtke pointed out that developers of residential property are required to place a tree in the right-of-way; however, there is no corresponding requirement for commercial or industrial properties. He noted that about one-third of residential properties do not have a tree in the right- of-way, which is why they created the PPP millage to reforest the City. He commented that a lot of their commercial corridors do not have trees, so he would like a report and possible ordinance change recommendation about what they can do to require those right-of-way trees when redevelopment occurs in their commercial corridors. Mayor Taylor questioned whether this would be for any new development only or for any commercial/industrial property. Councilman Radtke replied to inquiry that he would like to see this for any new development, noting he does not see how they can change their site plan once the property is developed. There are properties that are being redeveloped, demolishing the old buildings, and if that occurs, they should Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 37 also be required to plant a right-of-way tree. He reiterated that he would like a report on it and possible ordinance change. Councilwoman Schmidt questioned whether developers of commercial and/or industrial properties have to follow the Tree Ordinance. Mr. DeNault replied affirmatively. He explained their ordinance already requires a landscape plan for new development and redevelopment, but there may be some discretion in the process to which Dr. Parcell can speak. Dr. Parcell clarified that they have a Landscape Ordinance they are required to follow, but it is for the parcel itself. The tree canopy in the public right-of- way is what is being addressed more. Residential homes in a new subdivision are required every thirty feet. If it is a commercial or industrial property, they are not required to plant in the public right-of-way but only on their own property. They plug trees into where they are able to meet the requirements to fill in the front spaces, but they also have to take into consideration room for maneuvering lanes, lines of shrubs every thirty inches in the front yard setback, etc. If those items eliminate space to plant trees, they cannot require them to plant trees in the right-of-way. Councilwoman Schmidt questioned whether that would reduce the number of trees they would need on their site. Dr. Parcell stated it depends on how they would write the ordinance. They could require both, but they would probably want to talk with some of the larger rights-of-way such as DTE, ITC, and the City’s Office of Engineering and Department of Public Works to make sure there is not an issue with lines Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 38 of sight, plows, power lines, etc. He stated they could identify areas where it is possible, and it would make sense on many of the smaller industrial streets off of Mound. There is a robust greenbelt that could be planted. Councilman Radtke brought this forward because he has observed over the last two years instances where developers come in and want to plant their entire tree canopy in the back corner of the site, with no trees in the front. He felt that defeats the idea of having a greenbelt along the front of the properties which shape the public right-of-way and provides curb appeal to the properties. He is in favor of more trees everywhere, and since the City does not allow residential properties to be developed without the right-of-way trees, he does not feel the new or redeveloped commercial and industrial developments should be able to occur without those trees, noting that there are instances where trees cannot be planted due to possible disruption of power cables, etc. He would like to see public rights-of-way to be shaded. Councilwoman Koski stated she was reading the backup material on the Master Land Use, and there was a section about purchasing green space through the landbank. She noted that when they purchase property that is to be preserved, is it something that they are going to do, and will they get instruction as to how that occurs. Mr. Vanderpool stated the Master Plan references a landbank in a different sense than Councilman Radtke has mentioned. The landbank that Councilwoman Koski is referring to in the Master Plan is their land preservation effort that was approved by the voters to acquire property across Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 39 the City, and to ensure that, forevermore, it is preserved as open space by placing a Land Conservation Easement over it. It can be called a Landbank or Land Preservation Initiative, but the description is not as important as the effort to preserve open space. He clarified that Councilman Radtke was mentioning a state statute, defined by the State, called a Land Bank, and that is where they are purchasing property through foreclosure. It may be distressed property, property in the Brownfield District, but it is more complicated. He assured that is not to say they cannot both be merged in one way or another. Councilwoman Ziarko questioned whether someone can donate land to the Landbank. She would like to see that in the ordinance as well. There are areas of the State that do not want any more land banking because they are at a capacity. People donate them when they go into foreclosure, or they cannot sell them. Mayor Taylor asked for a show of hands if anyone objects to Councilman Radtke’s request, but no one raised their hands. Mr. DeNault requested clarification on the trees. Mayor Taylor stated they are requesting a report that could potentially be an ordinance regarding trees in the right-of-way on commercial and industrial properties. Councilman Radtke stated that is all he has this evening, but he is excited as to what the PPP millage is going to do for the City. The ideas they are discussing tonight are enabled by the voters. They supported the millage, Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 40 and Council is excited, so they finally have the resources to make it great for the citizens. Councilwoman Ziarko welcomed Mr. DeNault this evening. She talked about the Chinkapin Oak tree talked about earlier in the Communications from Citizens. She questioned how they can get saplings from this tree. She pointed out they do not know whether this development will ever happen. She is not familiar with this tree, but she would like their arborist to look into how they can get saplings from this tree. They could end up having many trees, so without objection, she requested that the City’s arborist be contacted to see how they can get saplings from this tree. Mayor Taylor asked whether there are any objections to Councilwoman Ziarko’s request, but no one voiced any objections. Councilwoman Ziarko stated she attended a Clergy Forum meeting on Friday morning. She expressed disappointment that they do not get more churches involved, so she urged residents to go into church this Easter weekend and let them know that the City is looking to communicate information to their church communities. She felt they need to stress that part of this is that the City is there to help them. They talked about mental health with Interim Chief Pappas, and she felt it was one of the best discussions this group has ever had together. It as a problem they all experience. She would like to see better attendance, so if anyone can help with that, it would be wonderful. Councilwoman Ziarko went downstairs at the Parks and Recreation Office in the Community Center, and some of the residents coming up to the counter Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 41 who wanted to do something online with the City had to go to the front door of the Community Center in order to get their phones to work and for the City to receive the emails they were trying to send. She does not know what they need, and the staff indicated this has occurred many times, where people have to go to the front door of the Community Center in order for emails to go through. She talked with Parks and Recreation Director Kyle Langlois to see what they could do about it. She would like the City to look into this, to determine if they need a booster or some other way to fix this issue. Councilwoman Ziarko referred to Councilman Radtke’s concern about the serious accident that occurred on Saturday evening at 15 Mile and Schoenherr. She stressed this has been a chronic problem at this intersection, even prior to it being widened. She is hoping that some of the c cameras in the area will have recorded what happened. She pleaded for people to slow down. This was something totally out of their control, and she felt there must be something in their control that they can do, so they need to seriously look at it. She questioned whether it could be the ingress/egress locations of the businesses on the corner. She stressed the lighting would have had nothing to do with this accident, but she pointed out that there are times of the day when the leading left turn arrow is not leading, and she questioned whether this needs to be consistent. She pointed out that three people have died at that location in the last seven months. She heard the horrific accident, went to the door, but did not see anything. Once she heard the sirens, she went outside and emphasized that watching the City’s team in Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 42 action, with the firefighters, police officers, along with two members of their COPS Team who happened to be in the area, and when she saw the County trucks putting up the barricades, she knew how serious this accident was. She noted they had to call in extra police officers, and she observed a Universal ambulance because all of the City’s ambulances were occupied. This was a major event, and she stressed the City needs to learn from it and do something about it. She thanked every City employee there that evening for helping with this situation. Councilwoman Koski commented that it seems that now red means stop, green means go, and yellow means go as fast as you can because it will turn red. She suspected that the woman who was hit saw the light change and opted to stop very quickly. The man who rear-ended her may have anticipated that she was going to go through the yellow, and he sped up to do the same. She observed lights on the side of the road, flashing when the traffic light is going to turn red. She questioned whether that is something they could look at for this intersection. Councilwoman Schmidt requested that Mr. Vanderpool forward the report to all of the Council members that he forwarded to Councilman Radtke. Councilman Radtke clarified it was a copy of the letter from Mr. Dwojakowski. Mr. Vanderpool assured it is in their Comprehensive Traffic Analysis, conducted by HRC, but he assured he is happy to send them that page. Councilwoman Schmidt stressed that speeding is out of control in every city, and impatient drivers have caused so many fatalities and so much damage. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 43 She has witnessed people passing in the left turn lane because they feel the drivers in the other lanes are going too slow when they are actually travelling the speed limit. She suggested that enforcement needs to step up a little with the speeders, but she does not know the solution. She lives very close to 15 Mile and Schoenherr and drives that intersection every day. Since Saturday, she has not wanted to stop at that red light. She pointed out there is a curve on southbound Schoenherr, approaching Utica Road, and it is a dead curve. There is a light there, and there are systems that will caution “Be prepared to stop if flashing.” It warns drivers that they are approaching a red light. Councilwoman Schmidt referred to the CCF’s Phase II talked about earlier, and Mr. Manna’s comment that he will try to preserve as many trees as possible. He does not address the specific Chinkapin Oak that was being discussed. She questioned as to whether there is any way they can reconfigure that building because, to her knowledge, they have not yet received approval from EGLE. She noted keeping that tree could serve as an oasis for the residents. Mr. Vanderpool stated they have not had any site plan submittal yet, and once they receive that, it will place them in a position to work with the CCF to see if there are any options to be considered. He assured the City would like to save that tree as much as anyone else, so if there is a conceivable way to save it, they are focused on doing so. He emphasized they are years away from any determination being made on this tree, but they share everyone’s concern on the tree preservation. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 44 Councilwoman Schmidt felt once they have plans drawn up, there will be no way they will want to change those plans, so she felt it would be helpful to have discussions prior to the plans being drawn up. She hoped they can be more flexible when they are working with their architects. She loves Councilwoman Ziarko’s suggestions about getting some saplings from that tree. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski noted that Schoenherr has a lot of lights and a curve in the road, so there is a little natural traffic-calming on that road. She pointed out, however, that 15 Mile Road has a long straight-away, and she suggested that if a few more traffic lights were added, it may slow traffic down. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski agreed with her colleagues’ appreciation for the trees, stressing that she loves trees. They did not know about this tree when they voted on this project; however, she pointed out that the average life of a Chinkapin Oak is only two hundred-fifty years, so if they can get some saplings, that would be great. She had talked with Mr. Manna, and he assured they will try to reconfigure the property, keeping that tree in mind. She also reminded that they will need approval from the City, and he is also aware of that. She reminded they have the volunteer “Think Sterling Green” event on Saturday, April 19th. She questioned what time it starts. She indicated the “Think Sterling Green” initiative is their second event and is in celebration of Earth Day and Arbor Day, so it is an opportunity to not only love one tree but to help the entire City. They are promoting sustainability, environmental Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 45 stewardship, green initiatives, and attendees are participating in community tree planting and workshops. She stated she is planning to go. Mr. Vanderpool confirmed that it is on Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski emphasized that the City is concerned about trees, and she requested that residents do not demonize the City and spread intentional false information because it does not help anyone. She asked for patience, kindness and understanding because they are doing their best. Mayor Taylor appreciated his colleagues mentioning a lot of important items this evening. He responded to the concerns raised about the Chaldean Community Foundation – Phase II development on North Van Dyke. He noted that the property is a ten-acre parcel, and two acres are proposed to be developed, leaving eight acres undeveloped. He questioned whether that is a fair summation of the project as proposed thus far. Dr. Parcell replied affirmatively. Mayor Taylor emphasized that it is not that four acres will be developed, and six acres will remain undeveloped, but he reiterated it is two acres to be developed, and eight acres to remain undeveloped. He stressed that everyone says they love trees, and he does not doubt that. He added he loves trees and bought a house because it has a big yard with a lot of mature trees in his rear yard. He is a huge supporter of the millage recently passed by the voters to plant more trees. He stressed that there is a balance, however, and there are approximately 45,000 to 50,000 single-family homes in the City of Sterling Heights, with more than that when including apartment complexes Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 46 and businesses. He addressed the comments on Facebook about the people who are upset that the trees are being taken down, yet he pointed out that trees were taken down so that those people can live in the homes they are living in now. He has not seen one of those people offer to give their property back to the City, bulldoze their house, and let the City use the property for planting trees. There is a mentality that it is okay that trees had to be removed for the homes that are currently in place, but it is not okay to remove trees for any future development, and they will “just have to find somewhere else to live.” He cautioned that it is a delicate balance, and it may be different if it was a rich outside developer coming in, but this is a proposed plan for eighty apartment units for lower/moderate income people to be able to live in a vibrant area of Sterling Heights. He loves preserving trees, but he stressed that eighty families having affordable housing in Sterling Heights is more important to him than a 250-year-old tree. He took offense to the earlier residents’ comments and their insinuation that the Chaldean Community Foundation (CCF) is a rich, deep-pocketed outsider. He stressed that the CFF is staffed with wonderful selfless people who give their time and energy to the most vulnerable people, adding they are a non-profit organization. He added that the CCF is open to immigrants, refugees, people of any religion, color, or creed, and they help these people realize the American dream. Their foundation is not wealthy, but they are getting by through contributions and donations from average people who want to support that organization. Mayor Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Page 47 Taylor commented that it is okay to disagree with what they are doing, but that does not make them bad people. Councilwoman Ziarko reminded that they have a Special Meeting at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. Mayor Taylor stated they will be back at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow with an exciting initiative in partnership with the City of Warren, and he invited anyone interested to attend or tune in. 10. UNFINISHED BUSINESS There was no unfinished business. 11. NEW BUSINESS There was no new business. 12. CLOSED SESSION PERMITTED UNDER ACT 267 OF 1976 Mr. DeNault stated there are no items for closed session this evening. 13. ADJOURN Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Radtke, RESOLVED , to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried (7/0). The meeting adjourned at 9:28 p.m. MELANIE D. RYSKA, City Clerk