MISSAUKEE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION

Minutes

County Annex Meeting Room

October 2, 2013, 5:30pm

MEMBERS PRESENT: Linda Hartshorne-Shafer (Staff), Charles Belser, Sherry Blaszak, Natalie Davis, Craig Fisher, Bruce Miller, Don Shaarda, Dean Vivian

The meeting was call to order at 5:34pm, the Pledge of Allegiance immediately followed. The September 4, 2013 minutes were approved following a motion by Dean with support from Don; all in favor. Motion passed. The agenda for the October 2, 2013 meeting was approved following a motion by Charles with support from Sherry; all in favor. Motion passed. There were no handouts and no new business to cover.

OLD BUSINESS:

Natalie gave an update on Ben Jeffs Park; the portajohn at the park has been vandalized again and this time it appears that a chainsaw was used. The Park Board’s Planning Committee has been working on developing the best solution and the best use of the space.

The ConnectMI broadband project has been moving forward; the survey closed and results have been entered in an Excel file and mapped out. Several providers are interested in meeting with the committee. One goal is to eventually schedule training classes, etc.

Review of DRAFT Master Plan:

The Planning Commission continues to review the plan to ensure that all required elements have been included in the document. The Commission feels that Land Use and Infrastructure aspect has been adequately addressed. Recommendations for Physical Development will suggest that industry should be encouraged to take place industrial parks (Lake City and McBain) rather than in other areas of the county if possible to help protect the integrity of the rural and agricultural heritage. The Planning Commission has been assisted in plan development by USDA Rural Development, Michigan State University Extension, the cities of Lake City and McBain, local organizations, the McBain and Lake City Schools, the Missaukee County Road Commission, and others. The Commission believes that it is unrealistic to expect great increases in population, industry, or agriculture over the next decade so the need for a separate Future Land Use map was questioned; a suggestion was made that the existing map be reutilized with the addition of verbiage to clarify.

It was agreed that additional maps should be added, to include a county commissioner district map and school district maps and maps of Lake City and McBain. The S.W.O.T. summary will be added, as will the list of entities notified of the process.

Objectives for October to be completed for November meeting:

1. Sherry will look into obtaining in a digital format the county map that is in the plat book, as well as maps for Lake City and McBain (from publisher of Plat book or from Road Commission).

2. The additional maps will be incorporated into the plan (County Commissioner District map, Lake City and McBain maps, and school district maps, along with the suggested verbiage regarding Physical Development and inclusion of documentation of cooperation with other entities. The following schedule will be followed:

a. October 25th – the updated plan will be sent to the Planning Commission for individual review prior to the November 6th meeting.

b. November 6th - the Planning Commission will discuss the review at the Planning meeting.

c. November 8th – color copies of reviewed plan will be placed in Board of Commissioner boxes for review in advance of their November 12th meeting.

d. November 12th – Master Plan will be on Board of Commissioner’s agenda

P.R.A.C. (Planner’s Review and Advisory Committee) Report: Next meeting 10/11/13

SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS: P.A. 116 – no new applications

Public Comment**

ADJOURN:

NEXT MEETING: November 6, 2013 5:30pm

**Public Comment Rules authorized by the Missaukee County Planning Commission: Each person recognized by the Chairman shall state their name for the record and will have a limit of 3 minutes to state an opinion. All opinions will be duly noted by the Commission & if requiring an answer will be addressed by the chairman first or his designee or in writing. The audience is asked not to interrupt at any time during public comment.

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