Vassar Township Planning Commission Minutes (draft) Vassar Township Hall April 13, 2017 Call to order 7:02 pm Pledge of Allegiance led by acting-chair Orv Hartung Roll Call: Member Present Absent Excused Erica Aymer x x Orv Hartung(vice-chair) x Fred Welsh(secretary) x Dan Zuzula x Bill Gray x Bob Reil x Amber Hughey x x Election of Chairperson Bill Gray moved and Fred Welsh seconded to suspend the regular meeting to elect a new chairperson. Motion carried. Fred Welsh nominated Bob Reil for chairman. Bill Gray seconded the motion. Orv Hartung nominated Fred Welsh. Fred Welsh declined. Bill Gray moved to close the nominations. Dan Zuzula seconded. Motion carried. Bob Reil was elected Chairman of the Planning Commission. Bob Reil assumed the Chair at 7:10 pm. Regular Meeting Minutes for March 09, 2017 Bill Gray moved to accept the minutes as read. Orv Hartung seconded. Carried. Old Business MTA training was discussed. Bob Reil said we should do some training sessions after the meeting to save the cost of another meeting. Fred Welsh said the meeting should be adjourned with the training to follow.. 1
Marijuana Discussion Bruce Foether spoke about the need to find every marijuana grower. They will need to get a permit. Bob Reil mentioned the Advertiser article which states that the township can set the price of the permit. Bob was told that the permit could be up to $5000. That money can be used for roads and other township needs. Bob said we could get some money and monitor growers at the same time. Bob said there was 1517 growers in Tuscola County. Fred Welsh said that we have reviewed marijuana production in the township. The township must pass an ordinance or all marijuana production in the township is banned. We have around 40 producers in the township now. These producers are not likely to quit. Vassar City has written an ordinance already. Land is being cleared for marijuana production. Bill Gray said he has to get a permit to clear over an acre. He asked how this doesn t affect marijuana growers. Fred Welsh said we have to have an explanation of the approach the Planning Commission took for whatever action is taken. Orv Hartung asked what had happened with the request for an opinion from the lawyer. Fred Welsh reported that the lawyer had given the township a suggested ordinance that mirrored state law. Disaster Training Fred Welsh, Bruce Foether and Tom Borcherding attended training at the Doubletree in Bay City. Township officials need to have a plan to deal with disasters in the township. We were told that only communities over 25,000 had to have a plan. Smaller communities should have a plan as well. Bruce Foether received a copy of the Tuscola County Emergency Plan from our disaster manager, Steve Anderson. Fred Welsh will review the plan and return it to Bruce Foether. The County Disaster Manager is the contact person for state and federal help. The Planning Commission considers possible township hall facilities. Disaster situation should be considered in these plans. Fred Welsh said that the township hall should have a generator for power. The Hall could be a center for disaster relief. Benefits of an automatic generator were discussed. TRUSTEE REPORT VASSAR TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING APRIL 13, 2017 FROM VASSAR TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING MARCH 14, 2017 1. Bruce Foether, Tom Borcherding, Fred Welsh, and Orville Hartung will attend the 3rd District 2
Public Officials Conference. 2. Resolution 07-2017 passed for the 2017 Michigan DNR Passport Grant application 3. Braun Kendrick Law Firm from Saginaw, Michigan has been hired for attorneys for Vassar Township. 4. Motion passed to let the American Motorcyclist Association hold a race September 10,2017. Part of Waterman Road will be closed during this event. 5. Motion passed to approve quote from Miracle Midwest for a slide and climber. Cost will be $8,207.00. The Parks and Recreation committee will have to approve this also. 6. Amber Hughey was appointed to the Planning Commission. Her term will end October 31, 2018. MARCH 20,2017 FROM VASSAR TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING 1. The tire collection date had to be changed. The new date is May 20,2017. "lime of collection 9AM- 7PM or until full. 2. Township clean up dates are May 12 and May 13, 2017. Time is 9AM-7PM or until full. 3. Bruce Foether and Tom Borcherding will attend the MTA Annual Conference in April for the New Official Training class. Mike Clinesmith will attend the Managing Your Township Team Class. 4. Digital sign has been postponed until the new budget hearing. 5. The Renovation Project was approved. For Complete details see a member of the Renovation Committee. 1. Budget meetings set Trustee Meeting Report 3
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New Business Bob Reil would like each member to make a list of three or four items that need to be addressed to present at the next meeting. Public Comment Jack Clark asked Fred Welsh to show the pictures of his flooding. Fred Welsh discussed the pictures of Jack s flooding situation and its relation to the strength of the road. 6
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Bob Reil spoke about his dealings with the Road Commission about road side grading. Bob Reil said the ditch petition to the road commission was the correct approach. Bob Reil recommended Jack Clark get on the agenda for the road commission meeting. Jack Clark said he will continue with his request. Bruce Foether spoke about the possibility of the township cleaning Brown Road ditches as the township has done on Caine and Oak Roads recently. Fred Welsh said that the township can control clearing trees in the Brown Road ditch. The Road Commission is not under our control. Russ Fall asked if the township got reimbursed for the ditch cleaning. The township gets a onetime payment of $2500. Russ Fall requested the wood chips, if available, for the township park. Fred Welsh offered to show pictures of the flooding to those present. Bill Gray moved to adjourn. Fred Welsh seconded the motion. 11
Meeting adjourned at 8:20 pm Next Meeting May 11, 2017 at 7pm Respectfully Submitted Fred Welsh Secretary Vassar Township Planning Commission 989 928 5640 12