City Council

CITY OF STERLING HEIGHTS MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY, AUGUST 19, 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; Marc D. Kaszubski, 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 highlighted another state program, noting that Sterling Heights is once again gaining statewide attention for its bold reforestation and open space preservation initiatives. He informed that on Wednesday, August 27th at 11 a.m., the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) will host a Catalyst Communities webinar highlighting how the City is implementing the Pathways to Play and Preservation millage that was approved by the voters in 2024. He noted that the City’s Sustainability Planner Ryan Fox will lead the discussion and showcase Sterling Heights’ large-scale tree-planting program, replacing trees lost to the emerald ash borer and the Dutch elm disease, and the Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 2 City’s efforts to preserve undeveloped land for future generations. He informed that the City had to cut down 12,000 trees in neighborhoods over the years because of the diseases. He pointed out this is a great opportunity to see how resident support is fueling transformative environmental projects here in Sterling Heights. Mr. Vanderpool talked about a housing initiative taking place at the state level. He was able to participate today in Lansing at a press conference with Councilwoman Ziarko, and he highlighted a couple of key elements of the plan. Sterling Heights has been laser-focused on housing needs in the community, they have discussed it for years, and it will ramp up more with their forthcoming zoning ordinance. He informed that the Southeastern Michigan Council of Government (SEMCOG) is projecting the City’s population will increase by 10,000 people by 2050, so it is anticipated that within twenty-five years, their population will rise to about 145,000. They will need housing to accommodate this moderate growth, and there is a likelihood they will need a few thousand housing units. He informed that seventy-six percent of the City’s housing is owner-occupied single-family, with some of that being condominiums. The other component will need to be multi-family, so they will have to plan ahead for this in a thoughtful way. It needs to continue over the ensuing years, and Lakeside City Center will accommodate some of that growth, but there will have to be other developments in mixed-use and commercial areas. There is pending state legislation introduced last year that would preempt local control, and it would take control of the City’s local control Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 3 regarding housing, mandating certain types of housing such as multi-family, elimination of lot sizes, allowing duplexes to be built in single-family residential areas, and allowing accessory dwelling units. He emphasized that, while there may not be anything wrong with this, it would result in a cookie-cutter approach instead of cities being able to determine on their own how best to accommodate those housing provisions. He stressed the City is very much opposed to the state preempting any of their control over home rules. Their Mayor and City Council members, along with their Planning Commission, and Zoning Board of Appeals are best able to determine, in collaboration with the community, how to best meet their housing needs. They want to oppose that legislation and produce better ways to partner with the state to develop alternatives to preemption. In the press conference today, coordinated by the Michigan Municipal League (MML), it centered on a new program the League is starting whereby it would accommodate and reward communities that have best practices in zoning, and like Sterling Heights, are controlling for growth in a meaningful way. The program is multi-faceted and will accommodate building 10,000 homes statewide over the ensuing years. There is a statewide housing shortage of approximately 75,000 homes, and they have a need for about 3,000 in Sterling Heights. It is an interesting challenge in the State, so the City is pleased to participate in this press conference and be highlighted as a community that is doing it right. He advised they will be talking more about his over the ensuing months, especially as they get Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 4 ready to ramp up to develop their next multi-year zoning ordinance, which is a complete re-draft of their zoning ordinance. Mr. Vanderpool stated he has a couple of brief presentations, with the first given by Library Director Tammy Turgeon to talk about 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten. Library Director Tammy Turgeon explained that the Sterling Heights Public Library’s mission is encouraging innovative living through literacy, discovery, and community. One of their goals is to support and create a community of readers, which is done through providing access to reading materials in various formats, and offering programming that supports reading. She explained that their most popular programming is geared to their youngest residents and focuses on early literacy, and she outlined some of their programs that lay the groundwork for a child’s educational journey and have a profound impact on their overall brain development. Research suggests that children who develop strong early literacy skills are more likely to succeed academically, exhibit higher levels of self- confidence, and actively engage in learning experiences. She noted that children who enter elementary school with a solid foundation in early literacy are better equipped to engage in classroom activities, follow instructions, and actively participate in learning. Parents and primary care givers are a child’s first teacher, and they have a unique opportunity to foster a love of reading and learning. Ms. Turgeon emphasized that reading aloud to children from an early age is one of the most effective strategies to promote early literacy. It introduces children to the Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 5 world of books, expands their vocabulary, and helps them to develop listening and reading comprehension skills. Ms. Turgeon stated that tonight, the Sterling Heights Public Library is recognizing some of their youngest residents who have accomplished the great feat of reading and/or listening to 1,000 books before they start kindergarten. She invited Youth Librarian Jessica Leathers to talk more about this program. Youth Librarian Jessica Leathers stated she believes that books have the ability to change lives, and that is why she suggested bringing back the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program. She thanked all of the amazing volunteers who run the Friends of the Library. She credited them for sponsoring this program and playing a vital role in supporting their other programs at the Sterling Heights Public Library. She congratulated the amazing young readers who accomplished this achievement, noting that reading 1,000 books is more than some adults read in their entire lives. Through this experience, they have met amazing animals, solved mysteries, visited magical lands, may have even giggled at some silly stories, and have discovered how exciting reading can be. She assured them that the library will always be theirs, and she thanked the parents, caregivers, and families for making reading a part of their child’s daily life. She talked about the benefits of being read to at a young age, including stronger vocabulary, sharper thinking skills, better grasp of language, and a natural curiosity about the world around them. It builds empathy, imagination, connection, and creates a wonderful memory they will share for a lifetime. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 6 The following eight children were congratulated for completing this program, with Declan, Lucas and Madeline present, and Elliott, James, Christopher, Charlotte, and Lily unable to attend this evening. Ms. Turgeon thanked the Mayor, City Council, and City Management for their support of the Sterling Heights Public Library as they work to create and support a community of readers. Mr. Vanderpool stated they have been talking a lot about electric vehicle technology, and thousands of residents have electric vehicles with a need to charge them. He is aware the market is growing annually in the United States and worldwide. They have been trying to accommodate the growth in Sterling Heights with installation of charging stations to make it easier for residents and visitors to charge their vehicles in the City. They have partnered with DTE in a number of ways, as well as other electric companies to make sure they have the infrastructure to accommodate this growth. He invited Dr. Jake Parcell, City Planner/City Development Manager to talk about an exciting program they had over the weekend in partnership with DTE. Dr. Jake Parcell, City Planner/City Development Manager, explained that Sustainability Planner Alexis Weinberg is unable to be here this evening, and they are also having technical difficulties with the slides, but he talked about the second year the City hosted the DTE Ride and Drive event held this past weekend outside of City Hall. They are looking forward to hosting it again next year, and in line with the City’s sustainability goals of reducing vehicle miles driven on ICE Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 7 (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicles, they are providing an opportunity for people to ride them first-hand. They had a choice of fifteen vehicles, there were a total of 500 drives taken over 161 unique drivers, 431 test drives more than last year, and a total of 40 adult passengers, so the event was a large success. They hope to work with DTE and bring this back to Sterling Heights next year to highlight their initiative of bringing electric vehicles to the City’s fleet as well. Mr. Vanderpool stated there are many road projects going on across the City, and they will be winding those down over the next few months. He apologized to all of the residents for the congestion they have encountered, but the City has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in road funding over the years. They are also incorporating in traffic-calming measures to make the City safer for pedestrians and motorists. This has been a long-standing objective of the City, and they have been able to allocate significant resources for this. He invited City Engineer Brent Bashaw to talk about some of those measures being incorporated with the projects this year. City Engineer Brent Bashaw explained they adopted the City’s first-ever Comprehensive Safety Transportation Action Plan this year, and the plan is intended to be the framework to incorporate the concepts into all of the City’s public infrastructure projects, site developments, and stand-alone projects. He explained the end product is not the plan they created, but the physical improvements incorporated improve the safety, and the federal program has Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 8 great funding opportunities to provide these improvements through demonstration and implementation grants. Mr. Bashaw provided an update highlighting what they have done in 2024. and 2025, along with future opportunities, as follows: • Speed cushions placed on Brougham, Hillsdale, and Fox Hill Drives • Installation of median islands on Pond View Drive, effective on slowing down the traffic • Installation of Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at Utica Road and Dodge Park around the City Center campus, 19 Mile Road, Canal Road, and Clinton River Road • Installation of mid-block school crossings at Stevenson High School and Havel Elementary School • Lane width reduction along Plumbrook Road, where the average speeds went down significantly • Speed limit pavement markings on Viceroy Drive • Tree canopy and frontage trees along Maureen, Brougham, and Serra Drives, which has slowed traffic to provide traffic-calming • Traffic calming projects in 2025 include installation of a median island and lane width reduction along Ketsin Drive, and installation of median islands, landscaping trees, and lane width reduction on Brougham Drive • Median islands and landscaping trees along 17 Mile Road, from Van Dyke to Mound • RRFBs and mid-block school crossing improvements will be made along 18 Mile Road • Intersection improvements at 15 Mile Road and Dodge Park, in conjunction with the signal improvements that are also underway • Improvement of more signage at 15 Mile Road and Schoenherr Road to provide more advanced warning for the curves in the road and the signal ahead, and work with County to improve signalization in this area so they can provide more advance warning for motorists Mr. Bashaw talked about future opportunities, including their application for a $2 million SS4A Demonstration Grant earlier this summer. They have applied for many items, such as speed cushions in ten locations, special emphasis crosswalk pavement markings at all major roadways and all school crossings within Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 9 subdivisions (sixty of them), curb extensions and bulb-outs on some of the neighborhood roads. Mr. Bashaw stated their traffic calming website and dashboard is still open and can be accessed by going to www.sterlingheights.gov/trafficcalming. Anyone can file a request, and the Task Force still meets monthly to review them. They will be looking at these in more detail over the next few months in anticipation of the grant for which they applied. Mr. Bashaw talked about future opportunities, including Ryan Road safety improvements, and they applied this summer for $25 million for Phase I (14 Mile to Metro Parkway, including the intersection of 15 Mile/Ryan). They are looking at a boulevard section with pedestrian improvements. Phase II would be from Metro Parkway to 18 Mile, and Phase III would be from 18 Mile to Dobry. Another future opportunity is through the State Highway Safety Improvements Grant, and they submitted two applications: the first application is for a $750,000 grant for improvements on Saal and Stadler Roads, working with Utica Community Schools on Graebner for a crossing plan to incorporate their ideas within their traffic calming plan; and the second application is for a $750,000 grant for non- motorized improvements for midblock crossings at Canal and Utica Roads/Triangle Drive/19 ½ Mile Road. He noted there are a lot of pedestrians crossing in these areas, so they are looking to improve them. They are looking at future projects including the Lakeside Mall Redevelopment, including raised sidewalks, median islands, curb extensions, and frontage trees and landscaping Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 10 buffers to make the area safer. They are also looking at Clinton River Road Improvements Project to incorporate a lot of mid-block trail crossings, frontage trees and shared use path. He stated this concludes his update. Mr. Vanderpool thanked Mr. Bashaw, the entire Planning Office, and their Traffic Calming Task Force who have all been working very hard on these initiatives. He addressed the safety-oriented project on Metro Parkway, which is the lighting between Van Dyke and Schoenherr, noting it will begin this year and will be the last segment of Metro Parkway that needs to be lit up. He stated this concludes his report. 6. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. Mayor Taylor stated this is to consider adoption of a resolution supporting and authorizing the submission of the application by the City of Sterling Heights for a conversion of grant-assisted property for purposes of retaining the existing K9 training area within L.W. Baumgartner Major Park located at 13000 Fifteen Mile Road, Sterling Heights, MI 48312. He invited Parks and Recreation Director Kyle Langlois to give the presentation. Parks and Recreation Director Kyle Langlois explained that this public hearing is in regard to a partial conversion of grant-assisted property within L.W. Baumgartner Park, located on 15 Mile Road, between Schoenherr and Dodge Park Roads. He provided some context information for this request, noting that, consistent with the development of their park system decades ago, Baumgartner Park was developed in the late 1960s using federal grant funds from the Land and Water Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 11 Conservation Fund, which requires the City to keep park available for public outdoor recreation in perpetuity. Nineteen grants have been received to acquire and develop parkland over the years in the City, and the twentieth grant is in the works to develop property adjacent to Rotary Park, currently operated by the Canoe and Kayak operation. The conversion of Baumgartner Park was first discussed in Summer 2023 when the City and the State of Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources team collaborated on other potential projects at that park location. It was determined the K9 training area, installed in 2000 and later dedicated to the late Rich Heins, would need to be addressed. It was determined that the outcome with the greatest result would be to pursue a partial conversion of grant-assisted property. As required by grant guidelines, the conversion of property requires the provision of mitigating land of equal or greater size, recreational value, and appraised value in order to be considered for approval. If the conversion is approved, the section of land is removed from the grant-assisted park boundaries, although he clarified it does not remove that section from the park proper, but from the scope of the grant. Mr. Langlois explained that, before getting to this point this evening, City staff has gone through a variety of due diligence tasks to gauge feasibility of this partial conversion. They had a conceptual plan discussion and received preliminary approval to proceed with the next steps of the National Park Service and Michigan Department of Natural Resources. They completed multiple federally approved yellow book appraisals, included in the support documents. They promoted the Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 12 public notice in the newspaper and on their website and are having a thirty-day public review and comment period on this proposal. As of this meeting, they have received zero comments and zero phone calls. They received three emails about this subject, with one of those seeking clarification on how this would impact the Red Run Park development, approved with the most recent Pathway to Play and Preservation millage. The second email shared feedback and desires to ensure the park areas surrounding the training area be maintained and improved to best support park use, as well as ensure that the mitigation parcels are truly equitable replacements with improvements that residents can enjoy. The third email inquired about the parcels and whether they were eligible for mitigation based on land and water conservation guidelines and how the subsequent millage might have an effect on it. He assured all correspondence will be submitted in the final application to the DNR and National Park Service for the conversion requirements. He added they will also make note that the first email was just unsure of how the two parks are situated in comparison to each other, so that was quickly addressed and satisfied with the response. The second email sender was pleased with the plans that the City is continuing to find ways to connect Baumgartner Park and Red Run Park together, ultimately connected by a bridge crossing, and that the mitigation property will be a major component of the Rotary Park reimagination with the Pathways to Play and Preservation millage as well. He added that they reduced the K9 training area by about one-half acre to help with the mitigation. Regarding the third email inquiry, he assured the City was very up front with the Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 13 State of Michigan and the National Park Service about how the mitigation land would be situated adjacent to the parcels they are looking to acquire from Clinton River Canoe and Kayak, which was also adjacent to Rotary Park, so they understood it would be a contiguous parkland and approved based on that information as well. Mr. Langlois showed an aerial of Baumgartner Park, with the K9 training area highlighted. The area is marshy and close to the Red Run Drain, so it was not very desirable land, and that was originally thought of as a good area for the K9 training area. They have reduced that space by one-half acre, and he pointed that out on the aerial, adding that is a large area of space vacated to make this a slightly smaller area. He pointed out the 4.94-acre area along Utica Road and Palmer Woods Boulevard. East and south of the areas is the Clinton River Canoe and Kayak site, and to the east of that is the existing Rotary Park property, making it attractive and viable to use as mitigation property for this conversion. He advised the mitigation parcels were purchased in 2024 in an unrelated transaction but can be used for this purpose and will now be preserved as outdoor recreation in perpetuity as part of this agreement if and when the conversion becomes official. He pointed out the mitigation parcel is greater in size, being 4.94 acres compared to 2.28 acres, but it also adds equivalent recreational value with it being continuous to the Master Plan for the reimagination of Rotary Park. He felt this has greater recreational value than the K9 training area currently occupies at Baumgartner Park. Appraisals identify that the financial value of the mitigation Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 14 parcels exceeds the value of the K9 training area in Baumgartner Park by $31,800, which means that all land value criteria has been met. Mr. Langlois stated that, at the conclusion of this public hearing and if the resolution of support is adopted by City Council tonight, they will be completing the architectural and archeological reviews with their established contractor, who will also be preparing the Compliance in Stewardship and Environmental Impact forms with the goal to submit the final application for partial conversion by the end of 2025 calendar year. Based on the information he has received from past conversions, it takes about three to six months before they receive any ruling from the National Park Service. He assured they are moving forward with this but are a long way away from this being officially completed. He stressed they remain in good standing with the State of Michigan and the National Park Service, and they had this open conversion on their record when they went for this acquisition of the Clinton River Canoe and Kayak property, and that did not prohibit them from receiving the acquisition grant, so they are very familiar with this. They are working collaboratively with the City to get this done. He reminded everyone that the public hearing comments need to be directed specific to the partial conversion of the grant-assisted property at Baumgartner Park and the mitigation property at Rotary Park, as opposed to comments regarding the greater picture of the millage. He stated he is here to answer questions or provide further clarification. Mayor Taylor opened the public hearing, but no one spoke. He closed the public hearing. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 15 Moved by Schmidt, seconded by Ziarko, RESOLVED, to adopt the resolution supporting and authorizing the submission of the application by the City of Sterling Heights for a conversion of grant-assisted property for purposes of retaining the existing K9 training area within L.W. Baumgartner Major Park located at 13000 Fifteen Mile Road, Sterling Heights, MI 48312. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Councilwoman Schmidt commented that Mr. Langlois went over this in depth, and felt it is a technicality that they are doing this land swap, actually increasing their property, which should make the State happy. She stated it is important to emphasize that the K9 training facility remains with their Police Department, adding it is an important piece of training equipment for not only the City’s K9 officers, but for K9 officers around the entire area. She noted on Wednesdays, there are sheriffs and police cars from all over southeast Michigan, so it is important to keep it at this location. She stated she is in full support of this, and she thanked Mr. Langlois for all of his work. Councilman Yanez apologized if he missed something in the large amount of documentation provided, but he questioned whether there is any potential contamination from dumping, either legal or illegal on any of these properties. He recalled discussion last year regarding a potential development at 15 Mile and Schoenherr, and they discovered there had been dumping in that area. Mr. Langlois replied to inquiry that Baumgartner Park is a known landfill site, and that it has been a capped landfill site for decades. Councilman Yanez explained he is more concerned about Palmer Woods and the kayak area. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 16 Mr. Langlois explained that floodplain is their concern with the Palmer Woods area. The Canoe and Kayak property would be the separate piece of the puzzle because that is part of the conversion. He explained it is almost a misnomer in terms of environmental impact, but it considers what it could potentially mean for neighbors such as traffic, noise, etc. It is not as specific about dumping, contamination, soil, or using the property, but how it would impact the surrounding properties. Councilman Yanez questioned whether they know whether there has ever been illegal dumping on that site. He further questioned whether they will start work on this property at some point and discover a contamination they wished they had found out before they started the project. Mr. Langlois assured that, as they get into the reimagination of Rotary Park, they will be doing environmental work because it plays a role in how they design the park. He assured that work will be forthcoming. Councilman Radtke followed Councilman Yanez’s concerns. He questioned what they will be doing with the excess land after the pullback of the fences for the K9 area in Baumgartner Park. Mr. Langlois replied to inquiry it will revert back to natural parkland. It is not considered “undeveloped” because they cut the grass, but it provides residents and park patrons an opportunity to walk along the drain, where they were unable to get as close to the drain with the current fencing in place. There is not an established path, but it will be a mowed grassy area that people can use. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 17 Councilman Radtke commented that declaring an area a park and having it be only a grassy area is not an actual park. He questioned their plans for Baumgartner Park to make it better. Mr. Langlois explained the connection to Red Run Park will be further to the west, based on the Red Run Drain and where it will make the most sense to cross. If there is a viable opportunity to use that side of Baumgartner Park to activate that space, they can do so. He emphasized that green space in parks is also important, whether it is activated or inactivated. As they get further into the Red Run Park development, they will see how people want to use Baumgartner Park, and that opens the door for them to do any number of things. He added there is no specific plan at this time. Councilman Radtke expressed concern that they are talking about linking Baumgartner Park to Red Run Park, and although he is excited about it, he pointed out that Baumgartner Park basically serves as soccer fields and baseball diamonds. He does not understand why anyone would walk to that park other than to use the restroom because there are no other activities available for young families. He suggested that, as part of this entire process, they need to reevaluate the point of installing a pedestrian bridge other than providing access to Red Run Park. Mr. Langlois clarified that pedestrian bridge will be their final connection piece of the Iron Belle Trail, and there is a playground and space for people to utilize. He pointed out the object is not only to connect the two parks together, although that is an option, but it will provide a non-motorized option for residents who are Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 18 on the north side of the drain, and it completes their Iron Belle Trail connection in Sterling Heights. Councilman Radtke disagreed that this is a “technicality,” and explained the City has illegally been using the parkland for a K9 facility, for which they used grant money to purchase. He agreed they need a K9 facility, but it was a choice and now they are correcting it. He recalled it was the National Park Service who informed the City it was being used illegally, and he questioned whether that is correct. Mr. Langlois explained they were looking at some other uses for the park, surveying the different areas of the park, and the use of the fenced-in area was questioned by the State of Michigan. As conversations continued, they recognized it was a spot that was not truly open to the public in perpetuity, which is required under grant guidelines. Councilman Radtke stated he is glad they are correcting it, and he wants to be supportive of this proposal to fix it. He understands it occurred prior to Mr. Langlois’ employment with the City, but he hopes in the future they will not have other instances such as this. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski stated she has been to Baumgartner Park quite a few times, but she pointed out there are different types of parks. She pointed out Dodge Park has trails, play areas, and many amenities for many needs and wants, but parks that support sporting activities are very important, especially in the summer when they have teams through Parks and Recreation or private organizations, because many of those kids are not on school teams. She agreed Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 19 that Baumgartner Park may not have the multiple uses found at other parks, but it serves a good purpose. She pointed out they are going to keep the playground area at that location. She is very happy about the parcels being purchased, noting they are intentional and mindful of what they want to do with the canoe and kayak space. She felt it is a great use to swap the land for an even more purposeful use. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski emphasized the City should be very proud of their K9 officers and handlers, adding they are amazing and serve an extremely important purpose in law enforcement. Councilwoman Ziarko thanked Mr. Langlois for doing this and walking them all through the complicated process. When the State of Michigan noted that the City was misusing this property, she questioned whether there was anything else that came up that would indicate they will have to go through this process for another park. She would like them to check to make sure the City finds any questionable issues rather than having the State find them. She agreed they have to keep the K9 training area there because it is used throughout the County, noting they are using it every Wednesday. She appreciated the fact they can help out other communities because that type of facility should not have to be duplicated in every city when the facility here in Sterling Heights can be shared. Councilwoman Koski recalled Mr. Langlois noting that Baumgartner Park was constructed on a landfill. She questioned whether the City has records of all of the landfills located in Sterling Heights. She recalled a list of approximately seven or eleven locations of landfills, and she understands there are ways to mitigate it by Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 20 hard covering it to make use of the property. She questioned whether they will be able to handle it well if they find that any of the other properties they are combining are on landfills. Mr. Langlois responded to the inquiry by stating that the County maintains a list of landfills which are accessible to the City. He noted that the redevelopment of brownfield sites or contaminated areas is a common practice and can be undertaken successfully. Councilwoman Koski commented they have to remember that this was farmland, and farmers had to have a place to put their waste, so they did it along 15 Mile Road. She agreed with previous comments about the K9 training center, noting it has been extremely well-used. They have won championship awards there, so she is very proud of their K9 unit. She is happy to see they were able to work it out so they can continue to use it. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). 7. ORDINANCE INTRODUCTIONS A. Mayor Taylor stated this is to consider introduction of an ordinance amending Articles 26, 28, and 31 of Zoning Ordinance No. 278 to regulate the location and use of ground-mounted, roof-mounted, carport, and building- integrated solar energy systems. He invited Dr. Jake Parcell, City Planner/City Development Manager, to give a presentation. Dr. Jake Parcell, City Planner/City Development Manager, stated he is here in place of Sustainability Planner Alexis Weinberg to present this solar ordinance. He Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 21 thanked Ms. Weinberg for her hard work on this as liaison on the Sustainability Commission, and although she felt bad being unable to be here tonight to present it, they look forward to feedback. He provided some background on this ordinance, which was drafted by the Sterling Heights Sustainability Commission throughout 2024. They made a resolution in February 2025 to recommend adoption to City Council. As part of their normal process, it was reviewed by the Planning Commission at their July meeting, where it was unanimously recommended for City Council to adopt the ordinance. Solar is something currently existing in the City based on best practices, the Building Department reviews it, although it is not expressly allowed in the zoning ordinance. They recognized a gap in practicality of how it is being applied through permitting and how the ordinance needs to address it and work to modify it, so they have some type of regulation on it. The purpose of this amendment is to codify what is already being allowed, and to allow for modest and reasonable expansion for solar generation as a permitted use. He emphasized that solar generation as a principal or accessory use on a large utility scale is not permitted under this ordinance. They will not be able to have large solar utility on any lot, but it is to supplement what they have on lots in the zoning districts from an energy standpoint for the lot itself. It is also not a comprehensive zoning policy for solar energy generation, but they are looking to address more sustainable land practices such as that in their upcoming zoning ordinance rewrite. This will allow people to have it on their homes and/or businesses. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 22 Dr. Parcell explained the solar this would permit is roof-mounted, ground- mounted, carport, and building-integrated. There are safeguards in this ordinance for adjacent properties, including the requirement that it has to be designed and located in order to prevent reflective glare, so people in the public right-of-way and adjacent property owners are not having glare created from solar. It is not a huge concern with the way some of them are oriented or tilted, but they want to make sure there will be no issues. If something is a non-conforming structure and they want to add a solar roof or solar panel to a carport, it would not be considered an expansion to a non-conforming use since it is just an augment of the structure itself. He talked about roof-mounted solar systems, noting it is permitted as an accessory structure in all zoning districts except for P-1 Parking District, adding they do not anticipate this one existing following their zoning ordinance rewrite, nor do they want it in the floodplain. It will be permitted as an accessory structure on principal and accessory buildings, including sheds and garages. It is no longer required to be flush with the roof, although it cannot exceed ten feet above the roof. The appropriate tilt recommended for the City of Sterling Heights is approximately thirty degrees, based on their latitude, so it does not have to be tilted to a very significant degree. Dr. Parcell explained that the second type of solar systems are ground-mounted, permitted in all districts other than P-1 and Floodplain areas. They cannot exceed fifteen feet in height, or ten feet in height on residential lots less than a quarter acre in size. These heights mirror what accessory structures are allowed. They Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 23 must be placed in the rear yard in residential districts, and it is subject to a three- foot side-yard and rear-yard setback. They may be located in side yards of other districts, subject to a minimum three-foot rear-yard and side-yard setbacks, or at least one-half the otherwise required side yard setback, whichever is greater. Lot coverage is limited to twenty percent of the parcel on which the system is located. He advised that car port systems are allowed in all residential districts and R-2 Two Family Residential Districts, with a maximum height of twenty feet, which is typical for a carport, so it would not be adding any significant height to carports. If it is an existing carport, it would be falling under what is roof-mounted, but if the carport is a new construction as part of a single- or multi-family development, they would then be able to install a carport with solar panels on it. The last type of solar system is building-integrated, one of the newest types. This would include the Tesla Solar Roof and other similar systems and is allowed in any zoning district where the underlying building is allowed. Dr. Parcell advised that all systems would need a building permit, and this was reviewed with the Office of Building to ensure they are comfortable with it. They have to comply with all relevant building and electric codes which update over time outside of the zoning ordinance. Any best practices of the building industry would be mirrored through this ordinance. The addition of carport solar would not require preliminary site plan approval, so if there is an existing home or development with a carport, instead of having to go to Planning Commission, they would be allowed to add the solar onto the carport administratively. He offered Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 24 to answer questions. He once again credited Ms. Weinberg for the huge lift she did on this project. He stated he will do his best to answer questions and noted the Sustainability Commission Chair is present and may provide some insight into how it went through the process. Mayor Taylor opened the floor for public comment. • Nathan Inks – Chairperson of the Sustainability Commission; clarified that carport solar would be allowed on everything other than residential; cited Michigan State University’s parking lots and what they have installed for their carport solar, noting this would allow solar panels that are actually forming the carports themselves; this would typically be seen on their industrial sites or very large commercial sites; it would not be allowed in any of the residential units, and if someone in the residential district wants to add solar energy to their carport, it would be roof-mounted; commended Dr. Parcell for his report, and stated he is happy to answer questions on the process or details on the ordinance. Moved by Sierawski, seconded by Yanez, RESOLVED, to introduce the ordinance amending Articles 26, 28, and 31 of Zoning Ordinance No. 278 to regulate the location and use of ground-mounted, roof-mounted, carport, and building- integrated solar energy systems. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski thanked Dr. Parcell and the Sustainability Commission, including Chair Nathan Inks, for putting this together. She has seen the carports at Michigan State University, and she considered them brilliant, pointing out they are multi-use with great function. She does not have any problems with this ordinance. She questioned whether there is any localized heat generated, or a heat island created from use of these solar panels. Dr. Parcell understands that there is no heat created. He explained that, because of the reflective nature of it, it works in a way where it does not create a heat island. He stated he would have to look into a more technical answer for Mayor Pro-Tem Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 25 Sierawski, but he reiterated his belief that it does not generate heat. He also pointed out that this is on such a small scale, it is not a significant concern. Councilman Radtke thanked the Sustainability Commission for their work on this. He commented that it is smart and mimics accessory structures throughout the community. It makes a lot of sense, and he is happy to support it. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). Mayor Taylor thanked Mr. Inks for being here tonight and for working on this. He added that this is exactly what they look for from the Sustainability Commission. B. Mayor Taylor stated this is to consider introduction of an ordinance amending Article VI of Chapter 2 of the City Code to update and enhance the bidding requirements of contractors for public improvement projects. He invited Assistant City Attorney Donald DeNault Jr. to give the presentation. Assistant City Attorney Donald DeNault Jr. stated Purchasing Manager Erik Skurda is here tonight if there are any questions. Mr. DeNault explained he is here this evening to present an ordinance that was requested by Councilman Yanez, and they have developed this ordinance for Council to consider this evening. It is a Responsible Contractor Ordinance, and when it was proposed to prepare this, there were three goals: 1) Encourage qualified contractors to bid to perform work in the City of Sterling Heights; 2) Encourage ensured quality work and make sure it is performed by an experienced workforce with proper oversight by contractors that have a documented history of high performance, and; 3) To provide the best value for the City’s residents. He stated when he asked ChatGPT about responsible Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 26 contractor ordinances, and those three goals are very similar to what it came up with, noting ChatGPT and Google AI both felt that responsible contractor ordinances tend to promote fair labor practices, quality workmanship, community benefits, promote safety, protect workers, and ensure the public money supports companies that invest in the community. The proposed ordinance is an amendment of existing provisions in the City Code, and this draft codifies pretty much everything the City of Sterling Heights and its Purchasing Department already does. It is developed for large-scale projects that exceed $250,000, and it codifies and requires that any bidder for big projects submit a lot of basic information, including business history, making sure everyone they are using is licensed, compliance with all state and federal laws, that they have certifications about the training their employees have been through, their evidence of experience with various construction techniques, standards and projects and workmanship, and whether they have been in litigation over work they have done. They also want to know if the bidder’s company has been banned by anyone, found non-responsible or non-compliant with any public or private construction projects, fitness for duty, the types of programs they have for their employees with regard to drugs and alcohol, assurance that they will follow all state and federal wage laws and local laws, and assuring they understand the City’s requirements. He assured that the City currently does just about all of that, and by codifying it, they would be reducing it to the City Code for bidders to understand and see in advance. He stated he and Mr. Skurda are available to answer questions. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 27 Mayor Taylor opened the floor for public comments. • Jacob Bottoms – tradesman and resident of Sterling Heights for 28 years; spoke in favor of this ordinance, believing that Sterling Heights should be a city of quality; believes these standards in the ordinance will not only raise the quality of the work done, but will make their jobs safer and the projects more affordable in the long run; he has witnessed how lower- quality contractors can make job sites unsafe from subpar materials to unsafe practices by employees; higher standards will afford a higher quality of life for their City. Moved by Yanez, seconded by Radtke, RESOLVED, to introduce the ordinance amending Article VI of Chapter 2 of the City Code to update and enhance the bidding requirements of contractors for public improvement projects. Councilman Yanez inquired whether the proposed ordinance introduces any additions or omissions compared to the City’s current practices. Purchasing Manager Erik Skurda replied to inquiry this ordinance does not subtract or take anything away from their current practice. As far as additions, this ordinance requires them to have an additional form and information submitted by the contractors with their bids. He replied to further inquiry that this will not require additional personnel to be hired to handle paperwork. Councilman Yanez questioned when they do a large project, such as the Community Center, who is responsible for making sure all of the safety measures are met, the wages are being paid appropriately, etc. Mr. Skurda replied to inquiry it depends on how the contract was set up for those particular jobs. If they hire an architectural firm to oversee that part of the contract, it would be within their scope of work, and the City would rely on those professional services at the time to verify, when those invoices are coming in and Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 28 the projects are moving along, that those are certified and notarized before the City receives them for review and approval for payment. Councilman Yanez commented that one of the biggest concerns taking place across the country is the idea of wage theft, where there is a prevailing wage and contractors claim they are paying their workers this wage. In reality, they pay a lesser wage and skim some off the top. Councilman Yanez pointed out they are hiring professional people to do a job and get paid professional wages, and they want to make sure they are getting paid the money that the City is paying out for them. He is concerned if this responsibility is turned over to a contractor, they are not following the dollars. He does not know that it has ever happened in this City, but he is aware it has happened across the country and right here in Michigan. He hopes that by codifying this into law, they have some recourse to make sure this is done when they agree to a contract. Councilman Radtke stated he fully supports this ordinance. He is confident it will benefit the City and the community. He recalled when he first got elected and they were just starting the Community Center. He came here and witnessed workers in a trench with bucket trucks over their heads, and they were not wearing any safety gear. He was worried because it did not seem safe, and he felt this ordinance will better codify and protect the City from that happening. He commented this will make their job sites safer and they will have a higher quality contractor, leading to efficiencies and better work in the long run. He concluded that he is happy to support this. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 29 Councilwoman Koski questioned if they have repeat contractors, does the City just update their information, or are the contractors required to fill out a new form each time. Mr. Skurda explained that they have several repeat contractors, but they include the same forms with every solicitation, so the language they are presenting would codify them to update their information within thirty (30) days of their information changing. In this regard, even if they are in a mid-contract, they will have the most updated information and be able to decide whether or not they are complying. Councilwoman Koski thanked Mr. Skurda for the information, and she complimented him on doing a great job. Councilwoman Schmidt understands that this ordinance basically covers everything they are already doing; however, it adds a burden onto the person submitting the bidding. Mr. Skurda admitted it could add a little burden on them, but for these contracts that are large in nature and are for construction of public improvements, they are not making it so hard for them that it would deter them. It adds another layer to the contractor’s forms that they would have to fill out and make sure they are kept updated. Councilwoman Schmidt questioned whether they had just gone through something to make the bidding easier. Mr. Skurda replied affirmatively. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 30 Councilwoman Schmidt questioned how the City will have the ability to see what someone is paying their workers. Mr. Skurda explained that they provided, in the question-and-answer document for the contractors to fill out, is that, under Public Act 105, local units of government are prohibited from requiring employer or its employees to participate in any specific fringe benefit. The City does not have the ability to dictate whether or not they are paid above and above what the federal minimum wage standards are, so they cannot go into the contractor’s files to see what they are paying their employees. It is incumbent upon their employees to take that up with their employer. Mr. DeNault agreed with Mr. Skurda’s answer. If the contractors do something contrary to what they have represented to the City, and it is brought to the attention of the City, revocation or some other penalty type of oversight would most likely kick in at that point. The bottom line is whether the City finds out, and not so much the City being able to access those records to find out what they are paying. Councilwoman Schmidt understands the City cannot dictate what the contractors are paying their employees, as long as it is above the federal minimum wage. She understands that the City cannot dictate what the contractor pays their employees, as long as it is at or above the federal minimum wage. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 31 Mr. DeNault replied that it is correct, and the point of the conversation as it began was that they do not want the contractor to misrepresent to the City what they are trying to do. Councilwoman Schmidt questioned when the City signs a contract with a company, she assumed they have a clause or bond they have to post to make up for anything they are doing wrong or for an extended period beyond the contract. She questioned whether this is what a contract typically entails. Mr. Skurda replied to inquiry that is correct. Councilwoman Ziarko requested clarification that the changes are just for contractors for public improvement projects. Mr. Skurda replied affirmatively. Councilwoman Ziarko questioned how many more of these projects he anticipates will happen in the future in the City. Mr. Skurda replied to inquiry that he hopes there will be many more public improvement projects. Councilwoman Ziarko requested some examples, noting it comes to her mind that public improvement projects would be City Hall, the Community Center, and any of the buildings they own. She further questioned how the City is better off by passing these amendments. Mr. Skurda replied to inquiry that it forces the bidder to maintain updated information to the City. It also forces the bidder to self-certify that they are being honest throughout the entire process. If the City finds out they are not being Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 32 truthful, it is an automatic breach of contract, and the City, through this ordinance, will have more ability to enact the bond if they find the contractors are working in a negative way against their contract. He clarified that they have not had to do this historically, and they have had great relationships with most of their contractors to date. He addressed Councilwoman Ziarko’s question about this applying only to public improvements, bringing to mind only things they see, such as buildings; however, they have a lot of underground infrastructure, and they need to protect that along the way. Councilwoman Ziarko questioned whether this can be seen as any infringement on a business on how they run their operations. She does not want to infringe on them, telling them this is the way they have to run their business. Mr. Skurda explained that, from the language as presented, he does not see it being a major hindrance in the way they operate. Councilwoman Ziarko agreed that they have been trying to make it easier for contractors, and that was even brought up in the press conference this morning about how the City is making it easier for a contractor or developer, so she wants to make sure this does not make it harder for them to win a bid. She is going with what Mr. Skurda and Mr. DeNault have researched, and if they do not have a problem with this, she does not have a problem with it. She questioned whether they have researched other communities that are already using this verbiage in the bid process. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 33 Mr. Skurda admitted that there is not a lot using it, but they did look at it, and that is partially where they established their dollar threshold for this to be in line with the neighboring communities that already have a Responsible Contractor Ordinance. Councilwoman Ziarko questioned whether they see a negative effect on requiring this information. Mr. Skurda explained that, based on the way their language is written, it could vary slightly from what is being proposed, so it may be comparing apples to oranges. He could not say that the City has specific data to show it negatively or positively affects what they have done thus far. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski questioned whether the ordinance provides guidelines to ensure they seek damages if any information provided from the contractor to the City is false, or if the contractor is unable to follow the ordinance once they have been awarded the contract. Mr. DeNault replied to inquiry that, while the ordinance does not provide specific guidelines, it does indirectly. The goal was to codify the expectations they have of the information being presented to the City. The ordinance includes several bullet points stating that contractors who engage in serious misconduct are deemed irresponsible and are disqualified immediately. This would involve such actions as falsifying information in their presentation to the City. Those items are typically contractual in nature and not directly addressed in the ordinance. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 34 Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski understood that if the contract is breached, the City would seek litigation if necessary. Mr. DeNault confirmed this, noting that such provisions would be included in the contract. Mayor Taylor stated he is going to vote yes on this, although he believes the City is already doing this. He commented it may add a little bit more regulation on the businesses, but it also adds a layer of protection for residents and taxpayers. He is comfortable with this, and he reminded they are talking about projects over $250,000, so the contractors they are hiring are going to want to demonstrate they have the ability to do it and are doing things the right way. He does not feel the added administrative burden will cause many contractors to shy away from bidding on this type of work. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). 8. CONSENT AGENDA Mayor Taylor stated this item is consideration of the Consent Agenda as presented. He opened the floor for comments from the public, but no one spoke. Moved by Koski, seconded by Sierawski, RESOLVED, to approve the Consent Agenda as presented: A. To approve the minutes of the August 6th, 2025 Regular Meeting. B. To approve payment of the bills as presented: General Fund - $$1,010,543.85, Water & Sewer Fund - $4,172,831.80, Other Funds - $6,975,336.04, Total Checks - $12,158,711.04. C. RESOLVED, to accept the competitive quote by Public Safety Solutions, MO, LLC, 1401 E. Trafficway Street, Springfield, Missouri, 65802, for the purchase of twenty (20) Sierra Wireless AirLine XR80 5G routers and 10 in 1 Dome Antennas, inclusive of programming and shipping, at a total cost of $36,800.00 and authorize the City Manager to sign the quote on behalf of the City. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 35 D. RESOLVED, to accept the competitive quote by LCEO, LLC – Own the Night, 30 Mountainview Drive, Waterford, NY 12188, for the purchase of twenty- one (21) Exfil® Ballistic Helmets, with accessories and shipping, at a total cost of $26,255.33 and authorize the City Manager to sign the quote on behalf of the City. E. RESOLVED, to purchase four (4) NCR ADA-compliant bleachers, with four (4) concrete pads and installation services, from PlayCore Wisconsin, Inc., d/b/a GameTime, 150 Playcore Drive SE, Fort Payne, Alabama 35967, at discounted pricing available through OMNIA Partners / U.S. Communities cooperative contract no. 2017001134, in the cumulative amount of $139,119.71, inclusive of material surcharges and freight, and authorize the City Manager to sign the pricing quote on behalf of the City. F. RESOLVED, to purchase the Genie TZ-50 trailer-mounted boom lift, with Honda generator, from MacAllister Machinery Co., 3229 S Saginaw Road, Midland, MI 48640, at competitive pricing available through Sourcewell cooperative purchasing contract no. 020923-TER, at a total cost of $63,280.63. G. RESOLVED, to: 1. Purchase Federal brand ammunition from Keisler Police Supply, Inc., 2802 Sable Mill Road, Jeffersonville, IN 47130, at competitive unit pricing available through state of Michigan MiDeal cooperative purchasing contract no. 240000001217 at a total cost of $73,906; and, 2. Purchase Hornaday brand ammunition from Vance Outdoors, Inc., 3723 Cleveland Avenue, Columbus, OH 43224, at competitive unit pricing available through state of Michigan MiDeal cooperative purchasing contract no. 240000001218 at a total cost of $7,965. H. RESOLVED, to purchase the Vactor combination jet / vacuum system, model Roots 824-18 Blower, 2026 tandem-axle Peterbilt MX13 chassis, and accessories, from MacQueen Equipment, LLC, 78 Northpointe Drive, Lake Orion, MI 48359, at discounted pricing available through Sourcewell cooperative purchasing contract no. 101221-VTR at a total cost of $633,764. I. RESOLVED, to purchase Bentley SELECT Program Services in support of OpenSite Designer and Microstation software licenses from Carahsoft Technology Group, 11493 Sunset Hills Road, Reston, VA 20190, for the period of September 24, 2025, to September 23, 2026, at a cumulative cost of $13,728. J. RESOLVED, to purchase the Dell computer equipment identified in Quote # 014145 v1 from People Driven Technology, Inc., 6300 Venture Hills Boulevard SW, Byron Center, MI 49315, at discounted pricing available through Midwestern Higher Education Compact contract no. MHEC- 04152022 at a cumulative cost of $127,281.91 and authorize the City Manager to sign the Quote on behalf of the City. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 36 K. RESOLVED, to approve the following amendment to the approved minutes of the July 15th, 2025 regular meeting of the Sterling Heights City Council: NOTE: On August 19th, 2025, the Sterling Heights City Council approved the following amendment to correct inaccurate statements recorded in the minutes of the July 15th, 2025 regular meeting and approved at the August 6th, 2025 regular meeting: Councilwoman Koski had wanted to show a few videos on domestic violence and child abuse at the weekend event, and Pat not only set up the equipment and helped her with the script, but she also loaned her a dress for the evening, and she even arranged for Charlie Langton to speak at the event. Councilwoman Koski also noted that she wanted to record a few videos on domestic violence and child abuse. Pat set it up, helped her with the script, set up the panels, and even arranged for Charlie Langton to moderate one of them. On another occasion, Pat loaned her a dress for a special event. L. RESOLVED, to set the public hearing on Monday, September 15th, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. regarding the application by 12555 14 Mile, LLC for an outdoor self-storage facility Planned Unit Development (PUD) on approximately six (6) acres of land situated on the north side of 14 Mile Road, east of Maple Lane Drive; PPUD25-0002. Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). 9. COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS Mayor Taylor opened the floor for communications from citizens for any item not on tonight’s agenda, but no one spoke. 10. REPORTS FROM CITY ADMINISTRATION AND CITY COUNCIL Mr. Vanderpool stated he has nothing further to add this evening. Councilman Yanez questioned whether Mr. Vanderpool received a formal response back from Macomb County in regard to the City’s request to split the cost of the lighting on Metro Parkway. Mr. Vanderpool replied to inquiry they have not yet received a response, but he expects they will have a response in the near future. He explained they have had engagement with Commissioner Joe Romano, and they have been in discussions Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 37 with the Deputy County Executive, but they have not given a formal answer other than that they are considering the matter and will “be in touch soon.” Councilman Yanez stated he has a high level of frustration with the County government. He relayed a recent incident where he was coming home and witnessed traffic backed up across Schoenherr Road caused by a concert at Freedom Hill Amphitheater. There is one lane available, so people have to maneuver through one lane to get through the intersection. There were no police from Sterling Heights, no sheriffs from Macomb County, and there was no signage telling concertgoers to stay to the right, with thru traffic to the left. It was a mess, and he commented they are fortunate that there has not been an accident or a road rage incident. He questioned whether the Freedom Hill Amphitheater is a private entity. Mr. Vanderpool replied to inquiry that the operator of the Freedom Hill Amphitheater is a private entity, but the park is owned by the County. He stated that Councilman Yanez is correct in saying the County Sheriff is responsible for patrolling it on site. He agreed with Councilman Yanez that there could be better collaboration and better signage, and he assured he will bring that to their attention. Councilman Yanez emphasized they need to communicate this to the County because something could happen. He indicated it is highly frustrating for motorists who want to travel northbound or southbound on Schoenherr, as well as the people who unexpectedly get stuck in the right-hand lane heading east on Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 38 Metro Parkway, not realizing they are stuck in concert traffic. He reiterated they need to let the County know they need to do something about traffic in Sterling Heights, whether that means they want to hire the City to handle it through overtime, or whether they want to have the County deputies handle it. Councilman Yanez questioned whether the $50,000 in fines assessed to Priority Waste go into the General Fund. Mayor Taylor replied to inquiry he believes they reduce payments to Priority Waste by that amount. Councilman Yanez felt that is fair. He mentioned the Ride and Drive event recently sponsored by DTE, noting he attended last year’s event and drove the Chevy Blazer. He stated that, because of that, he made a commitment to purchase an EV, which he did last December. He stressed it is a great opportunity for people to try out the EVs. He added that he has taken his EV to the Upper Peninsula and also to the far reaches of northern Michigan, both trips with no problems. He admitted it adds time to a trip, but it is a very comfortable ride, with no problems charging it and getting to where he wanted to go. Councilman Yanez appreciated the mention of the upcoming EGLE webinar, where the City’s team will be making a presentation on reforestation. He receives the updates from EGLE and has already reserved a spot. He commented that this is a moment of pride for the City to be able to present to the rest of the State as to what they are doing with their reforestation. He encouraged everyone to RSVP, and he requested that the City share the link on how to RSVP for that webinar. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 39 Councilwoman Schmidt relayed that she has been hearing from residents some concerns about short-term rentals through Vrbo, Airbnb, and others turning into party houses, negatively affecting neighborhoods. She understands that Sterling Heights is not a big tourist city, so they probably do not have a lot of these, but she felt they need to start a discussion on it. She requested, without objection, that Administration do some research and possibly bring it up during Strategic Planning as to what other similar communities are doing. She pointed out that this becomes a weekly story on the news in other communities, and she will hate seeing Sterling Heights not have anything in place if this becomes more of an issue. Mayor Taylor questioned whether there are any objections, but no one indicated any objections. Councilman Radtke referred to Councilman Yanez’s comments about the traffic on Schoenherr Road during concerts at Freedom Hill, and he suggested the possibility of putting pavement markings on Schoenherr at 16 Mile Road to direct that the pathway not be blocked. He felt Freedom Hill Amphitheater should be reimbursing the City if they have to send their police out to do traffic control, and he does not feel they should get away without paying if they are not going to get any support from the County. Councilman Radtke stated that he was on Goldberg and Canal yesterday when he witnessed a dirt bike fly by on the ITC trail. He stressed this is unacceptable, noting the bike was weaving between pedestrians. He would like the City to get their Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 40 police bike patrol to monitor this situation, and if people on motorized vehicles are caught on a non-motorized trail, those vehicles should be confiscated. He considered it reckless driving, and in talking with the people who live in that area, they claim it happens frequently. He stressed the new trail is great, but they have to make sure they maintain safety on it, so he hopes Mr. Vanderpool will talk with the Police Chief to come up with a strategy to address this situation before it becomes dangerous. Councilman Radtke has talked about AI and the new police drones they will likely be developing this year. He read in the newspapers how other cities have dealt with this technology. He questioned whether the drones will be recording while flying over people’s homes on their way to their destination. In other cities, specifically in the State of Maryland, they do not allow the drone to look down and record while flying to their destination out of respect for privacy. He requested that they have a conversation about their AI and drone policy. They used AI cameras at Sterlingfest this year to detect and arrest a youth who threw a firework at a police officer. He is glad this young person was caught, but he wants to make sure their ordinances for AI codify how they use it, how they keep it, and for how long. He noted that other cities, specifically Detroit, have had problems with viewing AI and facial recognition to arrest people, and they have specific ordinances protecting against this. Without objection, he would like a report on how the City keeps AI, how they will run the drone program, and how they will make sure they are respecting the privacy of residents while keeping the City safe. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 41 Mayor Taylor questioned whether there are any objections, but no one voiced any objections. Councilwoman Ziarko talked about the press conference on housing this morning that Mr. Vanderpool mentioned earlier in the meeting. It is a partnership because they are asking the State to put a fund together that will be accessible to people who are either buying homes to live in, sell, or maintain for ownership only, although they have to live in them for a certain amount of time. Some of the funds would be for the actual purchase and building, and the other part would be for restoration in order to help people get into their own homes. She felt they need to ask their legislators to get on board with this because, in the end, the City will benefit from it. It has not officially been introduced, so if they can get some of their representatives on board with this to help it along, she felt it will make a difference in the amount of dwellings they can actually build in Sterling Heights. This involves not only grants but loans, so it has a lot of positive points to it. She can see where it will help first-time buyers, and there are qualifications that would need to be met. For so many years, cities across the state have been blamed for zoning laws, and this is not necessarily about changing the laws, but rather options to consider, making it easier for people to build a home. They have three State Representatives and three State Senators they can talk to. She recommended the City reach out to emphasize how important this is to pass. She talked about rentals, noting people in this area are not buying up homes to rent out as vacation homes in the summer. They may only have a handful of homes Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 42 that people are turning into Airbnbs, but if they are being used for parties, she agreed that it needs to stop now. She felt the problem is different in various areas of the state, and she agreed the City needs to look at it and fix it now before it becomes a big problem. Councilwoman Ziarko read that Velocity’s Executive Director, Paula McPherson, was just recognized as 2025’s Most Valuable Professional, Entrepreneur & Young Professional by the Michigan Inventors/Entrepreneurs Coalition (MIC), which is an honor. She commended her for doing a great job and hopes she keeps up the good work. Mayor Pro-Tem Sierawski stated she loves the ideas on sustainability and new housing, adding they have come up with great ideas. She reminded that there are only two more weeks of Music in the Park on Thursday evenings in Dodge Park, with fireworks on the final night. She does not believe they have had an attendance of less than 6,000 or 7,000 each Thursday, and she urged everyone to attend, noting everyone has fun, it is well-policed, and there are families and people of all ages in attendance. Councilwoman Koski stated she watched the recent Planning Commission meeting when they were reviewing homes on different properties, and tonight they are hearing about grant-funding that will be available for first-time homebuyers, which is great news. She understands they are 90-plus percent built out, and she questioned where there is a place for million-dollar homes. She noticed in the paper recently that Shelby Township, Washington Township, and Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 43 Macomb Township all have some homes worth $2 million to $3 million dollars, but Sterling Heights does not have homes in that price range. She is not sure they have any at $999,000, and she questioned whether that is something they do not want, do not have space for, or do not want. Councilwoman Koski stated that school will be starting soon, and she noted there is a video on what to do when a school bus stops. This covers questions that people often forget, such as when they are required to stop and when they do not have to stop. She suggested that, with school starting, the video be shown as many times as possible to remind people about the rules on this. She stated they have a cabin in Roscommon, and since their heat is electric, their supplier is Consumer’s. They sent out a brochure informing they will be marking trees in color code to reflect that they will be cut down, cut it up, or take it away. It assured there is no additional cost because it is included in their electric bill. She stated she would be more than happy to share the flyer because it talks about planting trees, distances between the trees, how to address tree location when there are wires above, etc. 13. UNFINISHED BUSINESS There was no unfinished business. 14. NEW BUSINESS There was no new business. 15. CLOSED SESSION PERMITTED UNDER ACT 267 OF 1976 Mr. Kaszubski stated there are no items for closed session this evening. 16. ADJOURN Moved by Ziarko, seconded by Schmidt, RESOLVED, to adjourn the meeting. Regular City Council Meeting Tuesday, August 19th, 2025 Page 44 Yes: All. The motion carried (7/0). The meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m. MELANIE D. RYSKA, City Clerk