See draft meeting minutes here:
https://ecode360.com/OA3183/document/753229936.pdf
For background details on agenda items see the meeting packet here:
We Don’t Have Complete Authority to Ban Things we Don’t Want in Our Township
The Michigan Zoning Enabling Act 110 of 2006 https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-Act-110-of-2006 leaves a nice loophole for anyone wanting to build something we don’t want in our township. I don’t understand it very well. Perhaps someone will explain it at the March 3 hearing on zoning ordinance changes regarding Data Centers?
125.3207 Zoning ordinance or decision; effect as prohibiting establishment of land use.
Sec. 207.
A zoning ordinance or zoning decision shall not have the effect of totally prohibiting the establishment of a land use within a local unit of government in the presence of a demonstrated need for that land use within either that local unit of government or the surrounding area within the state, unless a location within the local unit of government does not exist where the use may be appropriately located or the use is unlawful.
Finding the Oakland Township Zoning Map
It’s easier than I thought. Somehow, I overlooked the large box called MAPS on the homepage when making previous post on this subject. Sorry.
Data Center Ordinances to be Proposed March 3rd
The proposed changes are shown below from my FOIA request.
Also read about the data center issue in Washington Township on front page of February 11th ‘”The Record” newspaper. Some free copies are available at Township Hall in lobby.
Sentinel Being Temporarily Discontinued
The Sentinel is being temporarily discontinued while we consider reconsider our mission.
Read minutes on the township website, read “The Record” newspaper or attend township meetings in TV or in person to keep up with current township government meetings. If you have difficulty finding what you want on the Township website, send me an email and I’ll post clear instructions on the website for how to find it.
Bob Yager
Agenda for Dec 10th Parks Meeting and Draft Minutes for November Meetings – including Joint with Historic District Commission
Of particular interest to me are comments by a resident who live immediatley adjacent to Fox Nature Preserve about dangers of off-leash dogs in this park to his 2-year-old daughter. See his remarks starting on page 11 in packet below. Thanks to recording secertary Ingrid Kliffel for providing a complete summary and not just his name only as we get in Board of Trustee minutes.
In my opinion all of our parks need stricter enforcement of our leash ordinance. Issue warning tickets and if there are repeat offenders, $500 fines.
Click below
To watch all or part of the one-hour Parks November 12th meeting video, click below:
https://videoplayer.telvue.com/player/KGL-y_dHhCluQTy7c6YoVBzzQ5eHj7Lr/media/987037
To watch all or part of the one-hour joint Parks and Historic District Commission meeting of November 12th, click below:
https://videoplayer.telvue.com/player/KGL-y_dHhCluQTy7c6YoVBzzQ5eHj7Lr/media/987028
Available – Agenda and Packet for Tuesday, Dec. 9th Board Meeting; Draft minutes from Nov. 11th meetings
Click on this link below to see the packet and info.
One big item is the 2026 budget for approval. The packet contains an overview of where your real estate taxes go (18% to Township) and a listing or top personnel. Per state law none of this information need be supplied; even an agenda is not required by law.
Its interesting to note that the Nov 11th closed session included an “evaluation of the township manager”. This can be done in closed session if requested by the Manager. See state law below.
https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=MCL-15-268
15.268 Closed sessions; permissible purposes; applicability to independent citizens redistricting commission.
Sec. 8.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2), a public body may meet in a closed session only for the following purposes:
(a) To consider the dismissal, suspension, or disciplining of, or to hear complaints or charges brought against, or to consider a periodic personnel evaluation of, a public officer, employee, staff member, or individual agent, if the named individual requests a closed hearing. An individual requesting a closed hearing may rescind the request at any time, in which case the matter at issue must be considered after the rescission only in open sessions.
The law goes on to list other 11 other purposes up to paragraph (l).
One wonders why all our managers opt for closed evaluations?
To watch all or part of the November 11th video click below:
https://videoplayer.telvue.com/player/KGL-y_dHhCluQTy7c6YoVBzzQ5eHj7Lr/media/986743
See Articles in “The Record”, November 19th Issue
This issue has these two items relevant to Oakland Township
1 – Article – Oakland Township – Board considers hiring assistant manager (Page 1 and 3)
2 – Weekly Calendar – Page 4
I think we should support this newspaper. $15 on-line; $40 paper copy. Some free copies are available each Wednesday at Township Hall.
USA Dog Bites – 4,500,000 per year – 27,000 reconstructive surgeries; 98 deaths (2022)
Also –
1,000 per day emergency room visits;
$1,560,000,000 paid out in liability claims
Read more on this website:
https://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics-quick-statistics.php
Parks Update – Volunteer Seed Cleaning Opportunity; New Blog Post from Cam Mannino on Natural Areas Notebook about Spiders; Minutes of October Meeting
Seed cleaning volunteers needed –
Hi Folks,
Join us for our annual native seed cleaning workdays next Thursday (Nov 20) and Friday (Nov 21) from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at Watershed Ridge Park! Note that this year we have two workdays, and they are in the morning instead of the afternoon. We collected lots of seed this year, and so we will be finishing seed cleaning, making seed mixes, and getting things ready to spread in our parks this winter! Our big project this year is creating prairie mixes for 20 acres of prairie plantings at Watershed Ridge Park and Blue Heron Environmental Area. If you’re planning to be there, please let us know by responding to this message.
We will be at our maintenance facilities at Watershed Ridge Park, 1720 W. Buell Road, Oakland, MI 48363, about 1.75 miles west of Rochester Rd and 0.25 miles east of Lake George Rd, on the north side of Buell Rd. You’ll see the yellow and tan pole barns set back from the road. Please park on the lawn near the road. On Thursday we hope to complete most of the cleaning and start data entry. On Friday we will be wrapping up any last cleaning and data entry, then making seed mixes. We’re excited to be rolling out some new seed processing methods this year that will hopefully speed up the process, especially for “difficult” species.
If you haven’t helped with seed cleaning before, you’re in for a treat. You get to know our native plants in a new way. I’m excited to smell the spicy aroma of Mountain Mint and Gray-headed Coneflower wafting through the air, and marvel at the different sizes, shapes, and colors of the seed! The building will be cool (about 50 F in the heated barn), so you’ll want to dress in layers. Seed cleaning is dusty and dirty. We’ll have dust masks and gloves available, but you can bring your own if you have a favorite.
You’ll have a few different tasks to choose from, depending on your interests. We’ll be cleaning seeds with various methods, of course, but also organizing cleaned seed, weighing cleaned seed, and data entry.
If you’re planning to be there, please let us know by responding to this message. That will help us make sure we have enough supplies ready. But if you want to drop in that’s fine too. Hope to see you there!
Ben, Grant, George, and Lisa
Benjamin VanderWeide
Natural Areas Stewardship Manager
Oakland Township Parks and Recreation
4393 Collins Rd, Rochester, MI 48306
P: 248-651-7810 Fax: 248-601-0106
Visit their blog!
www.oaklandnaturalareas.com BEWARE! It’s Halloween and We’re Talkin’ SPIDERS!!!
Read Ingrid Kliffel’s excellent minutes from October Parks and Recreation Commissin Meeting
Oakland Township Sentinel 