Fremont Area Joint Planning Committee
Monday, September 12, 2005
5:00 – 6:30 PM
Fremont City Hall
Council Chambers
Members Present: Dayton Township: Chuck Witteveen, Planning Commissioner
Dayton Township: Shirley Hooker, Township Supervisor
Dayton Township: Barbara Popp, Board Member
Dayton Township: Vern Staley, Planning Commissioner
Dayton/Sheridan Townships: Peter Lance, Zoning Administrator
Sheridan Charter Township: Dave Lue, Supervisor
Sheridan Charter Township: Don Potter, Board Member
Sheridan Charter Township: Jack Taylor, Planning Commissioner
Sheridan Charter Township: Jeff Wharton, Planning Commissioner
Sherman Township: Joan Obits, Supervisor
Sherman Township: Fran Derks, Board Member
Sherman Township: Dean Van Ostenberg
City of Fremont: Jim Rynberg, Mayor
City of Fremont: Jim Breinling, Councilmember
City of Fremont: Robert Goscicki, Planning Commissioner
City of Fremont: Chuck Whitman, Planning Commissioner
City of Fremont: Richard Rought, Zoning Administrator
Alternates Not Present: Sheridan Township: Sandy Vandenberg, Planning Commissioner
Sheridan Township: Jennifer Christenson, Board Member
Members Absent: Sherman Township: Randy Paulson, Planning Commissioner
Sherman Township: Roman Miller, Zoning Administrator
Other Officials Present: Ryan Coffey Land Use Educator, MSU-Extension Office
Chris Yonker Fremont City Manager
Michele Ribant Fremont Director of Neighborhood & Economic Develop.
Consultants Present: Joe VanderMeulen Executive Director, Land Information Access Association
Call to Order
Chairman Witteveen called the meeting to order at 5:02 PM.
Because this was the first meeting of the reconstituted Fremont Area Joint Planning Committee, time was taken for each member to introduce themselves.
Shirley Hooker indicated that the minutes from the August 8, 2005 Fremont Area Joint Planning Committee meeting should reflect that Sandy Vandenberg from Sheridan Charter Township was present. A motion was made by Dave Lue to approve the Fremont Area Joint Planning Committee minutes from the May 16, 2005 meeting and the minutes from the August 8, 2005 meeting with the correction noted by Ms. Hooker; the motion was seconded by Joan Obits and carried.
Because there were several new members on the Committee since the last meeting, Mr. VanderMeulen briefly summarized the goals of the Partnerships for Change Program. He indicated the Committee’s goal for the project matched up with the Program’s mission, which is to foster new and expanded cooperation between cities, townships and villages in developing and carrying out local land use policies that contribute to the preservation of cultural and natural resources. Mr. VanderMeulen gave an overview of the project through a power-point presentation.
Mr. VanderMeulen indicated that the Mayor of Fremont and each Township Supervisor should have received the Agreement letter that outlines the description of the service grant. He reviewed the description and the project agreement stipulations with the Committee and stated that he looked forward to receiving a copy of the Agreement with all the pertinent signatures.
Mr. VanderMeulen reviewed the elements of the Joint Municipal Planning Act with the Committee. He pointed out that the Committee will have to work through a number of issues to decide how they want to structure the Joint Agreement the Committee is working to create. For example, he observed that it is the only planning act where alternate members are allowed. He reminded that the Agreement that is created must abide by the Open Meetings Act and the Freedom of Information Act.
Mr. VanderMeulen provided the Committee with the Ordinance of the Bellevue Joint Planning Commission as an example of how an agreement establishing a joint planning commission could be structured.
Joe VanderMeulen provided the Committee with a copy of a proposed Project Work Plan. He indicated the Plan could be structured in a number of ways. He asked the Committee if they wanted to consolidate some of the tasks and hammer out an Agreement in an all-day Saturday workshop rather than spread out the creation of the Agreement over several months. At this time, the Committee felt that they should address each task over a number of meetings. The Committee did recommend the following changes to the Work Plan:
Michele Ribant stated she would review the public notice requirements for this meeting. She said she would put a notice in the local paper outlining when all the informational meetings would take place.
Jim Breinling and Jack Taylor offered to attend the next Garfield Township meeting to inform them about the joint planning efforts of the Committee in hopes of encouraging them to participate.
There being no further business of the Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 6:45 PM.