Dec 16, 2025 Committee of the Whole Meeting

[00:00:12]

FROM COMMITTEE. CORRECT. ALL RIGHT THEN, MOVING RIGHT ALONG ON OUR AGENDA. OUR FIRST ITEM

[1. Resolution approving the FFY 2026 - 2030 Consolidated Housing and Community Development (HCD) Plan]

EXCUSE ME. 2026 2030 CONSOLIDATED HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN. SO MOVED. SUPPORT AND MISS BULLOCK. GOOD MORNING. I WAS JUST CHATTING WITH STAFF THAT I FIGURED OUT THAT THIS IS MY SEVENTH FIVE YEAR PLAN, AND SO COULD BE MY LAST, RIGHT? SO YOU CAN GO RUN RUSSIA. NOW? YOU'RE LUCKY IF YOU'RE LUCKY. BUT TODAY, YES, WE'RE ASKING YOU TO ADOPT OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN. SO THE CONSOLIDATED HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN IS REQUIRED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR FEDERAL RESOURCES THAT INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, THE HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS AND THE EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANTS PROGRAMS. THIS PLAN WOULD COVER JULY 1ST OF 2026 THROUGH JUNE 30TH OF 2031. WE ALSO, THOUGH, USE THIS TOOL NOT ONLY FOR THOSE FEDERAL FUNDS. GRAND RAPIDS USES THEIR PROGRAM A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY, AND WE INCORPORATE OUR OTHER RESOURCES THAT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ADMINISTERS FOR WITHIN THIS PLAN AS WELL. SO THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE BURN MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT, OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS, AND THEN OTHER RESOURCES THAT WE MIGHT BRING IN THAT COMPETITIVELY, AS WELL AS WHEN REQUESTED, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND BOARD RESOURCES AS WELL. SO AGAIN, THIS PLAN IDENTIFIES COMMUNITY NEEDS AND STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ISSUES. AND THEN WHAT WE DO IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BIG DOCUMENT WITH LOTS OF DATA AND LOTS OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMMUNITY. IT'S OVER 160 PAGES IN LENGTH.

AND THEN WE LIKE TO TAKE THAT AND ROLL THAT UP INTO OUR FRAMEWORK CALLED THE NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT PLAN, THAT ALLOWS US TO GUIDE THOSE INVESTMENTS IN TERMS OF HOW WE SOLICIT FOR PROJECTS OVER THAT FIVE YEAR PERIOD. AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE GET THOSE EIGHT OUTCOMES IN THAT ANNUAL PROCESS. SO THIS ALLOWS US TO MOVE FORWARD THROUGH YOUR ADOPTION WITH THOSE EIGHT OUTCOME AREAS IN PARTICULAR, AND START OUR FUNDING PROCESS IN THE FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY. AND WE, OF COURSE, HELD ALL THE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC INPUT, PUBLIC HEARINGS AND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS AS WELL. YES. AND THIS IS AS AS THE CASE WITH MANY OF THESE RESOLUTIONS, THIS IS ABOUT OUR FOURTH LOOK AT THIS PROJECT, BUT THIS IS THE POINT AT WHICH WE'RE ACTUALLY DECIDING. SO ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS? COMMISSIONER COKER YEAH, I JUST WANT TO THANK MISS AND HER TEAM FOR THE WORK ON THIS. IT'S BEEN VERY NICE TO SEE WITHIN COMMUNITY. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AT ONE OF OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS GROUP THAT I'M HAPPY TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THIS YEAR. THE FAIR HOUSING CENTER OF WEST MICHIGAN WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THIS PLAN. AND AS FOLKS WHO WORK WITH OUR FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES IN TERMS OF HOUSING, I'M VERY COMFORTABLE WITH MOVING FORWARD AS THEY ARE GIVEN TWO THUMBS UP TO THIS PLAN. COMMISSIONER BOUCEK YEAH, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS TO THERE THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF FEEDBACK THAT WAS PROVIDED, AND IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO SEE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGING IN THAT. I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE CONTINUED CONCERNS ABOUT THE HOW DO WE ADDRESS THE LOWER END OF THE SPECTRUM IN TERMS OF HOUSING, FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT BE AT 30% OR 40%? AMI, WHICH AGAIN, DEPENDS ON YOUR FAMILY SIZE AND ALL THAT. BUT THE COMMUNITY GENERALLY SEEMED VERY IMPRESSED BY THE WORK, AND THIS IS A GUIDING DOCUMENT, SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE WHO WANT TO TAKE PIECES OF IT AND IMPLEMENT IT. LOOK AT OUR AREA SPECIFIC PLANS, LOOK AT ALL THE OTHER THINGS AND HOW THEY CAN COME TOGETHER. AND I PARTICULARLY WANT TO JUST SAY THAT THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO, IN THE NEXT MONTH, RIGHT, TO GET SOME FUNDING POTENTIALLY, OR APPLY FOR SOME FUNDING TO MAKE SOME CHANGE, SOME HOUSING AND EMERGENCY NEEDS MET. RIGHT? CORRECT. SO I TOO AM IN FAVOR. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ALL OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES BRINGS US JOY. THANK YOU. MISS. THAT BRINGS US

[2. Resolution establishing a Neighborhood Enterprise Zone for the 125 Ottawa II, LLC project located at 125 Ottawa Avenue, NW.]

[00:05:02]

[3. Resolution approving an amendment to the Brownfield Plan of the City of Grand Rapids Brownfield Redevelopment Authority for Seeds of Promise Redevelopment Project]

[4. Resolution authorizing the publication of and setting the date to consider amendments to Article 5, Chapter 151, Title IX of the Grand Rapids City Code relating to Noise Control (within 100 feet of a Health Care Facility)]

RIGHT NOW, THIS IS TO BE PUBLISHED TO AMEND OUR NOISE ORDINANCE AND PROHIBIT AMPLIFIED SOUND WITHIN 100FT OF A HEALTH CARE HOSPITAL OR CLINIC. THOSE TWO TERMS ARE DEFINED IN OUR ZONING CODE, AND WE WOULD USE THOSE DEFINITIONS TO DEFINE HOSPITAL AND CLINIC.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT. GREAT. ANY FUTURE DISCUSSION? WE'VE HAD A FAIR AMOUNT OF ROBUST DISCUSSION OF THIS. THIS IS TO AUTHORIZE PUBLICATION. YES, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR THIS. YES. AND I ALSO WANT TO JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING UP, MR. STROM, WITH THOSE THAT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT. IT'S NOT ONE INDIVIDUAL GROUP, BUT DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO HAD APPROACHED THIS ISSUE AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE CITY. AND I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A QUESTION THAT YOU HAD, IN PARTICULAR, COMMISSIONER PERDUE, ABOUT INDIVIDUAL PATIENTS. AND WHAT IS THAT PERSPECTIVE? AND I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO'S A BUSINESS OWNER, WHO'S WHO'S CLOSE TO THE FACILITY, HAS BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THAT FACILITY AND DOES PLAN TO, I THINK, ATTEND TONIGHT TO SHARE SOME OF THAT AND IN PUBLIC COMMENT RELATED TO AGENDA ITEMS. SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT AS WELL. THANKS. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF PUBLICATION? SAY DID I GET A MOTION? I'M SORRY, I MUST HAVE, YES. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE RESOLUTION SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. AND

[5. Resolution authorizing the publication of and setting the date to consider an amendment to Section 9.857.151, Chapter 170, Title IX of the Grand Rapids City Code relating to Municipal Civil Infractions for Nuisances]

FIRST WE NEED A MOTION THOUGH. SO MOVED SUPPORT. GO AHEAD. OKAY. THIS IS TO CARRY FORWARD THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THERE NOT BE A CRIMINAL MISDEMEANOR POSSIBILITY FOR THIS, EVEN IN AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THERE'S MULTIPLE OFFENSES WITHIN A CERTAIN TIME FRAME. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHART, WHICH IS PAGE 27 OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE PACKET, YOU'LL SEE WHAT LOOKS LIKE AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET. THE REFERENCE TO 151 9.63, WHICH IS THE SECOND ROW DOWN IN THAT CHART, REMOVES THE PARENTHESES. NOTE ONE OR NOTE TWO REFERENCE. THOSE NOTES AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT CHART PROVIDE A OPTION FOR A MISDEMEANOR. IF THERE ARE MULTIPLE OFFENSES WITHIN A PRIOR SIX MONTH PERIOD, WE'VE REMOVED THE REFERENCE TO THAT NOTE IN THE CIVIL INFRACTION SIDE OF THIS, WHICH WILL NOT MAKE THIS A MISDEMEANOR. GREAT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. GREAT. THANKS. SO THIS IS ALSO FOR PUBLICATION OF THIS SO PARALLEL TRACK, BUT ONE ISSUE. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION COLLEAGUES SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE.

ALL OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. AND THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT RESOLUTION

[6. Resolution approving the adjusted City water and sewer rates in accordance with the 2025 Water/Sewer Rate Study]

[00:10:03]

THEY ARE THE EXACT SAME. THE PRELIMINARY PRELIMINARY RATES HAVE STAYED THE SAME. NO CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE SINCE THEN. SO FOR THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS, APPROVAL OF THESE RATE ADJUSTMENTS WOULD RESULT IN A 6.8% INCREASE TO WATER RATES AND A DECREASE TO SEWER RATES OF 2.67%. WE DID HAVE 20 DAYS OF PUBLIC COMMENT AFTER THAT INITIAL PRESENTATION. WE DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY DIRECT EMAILS, PHONE CALLS OR LETTERS, BUT THROUGH OUR PUBLIC TABLING AT THE MAIN BRANCH OF THE LIBRARY AS WELL AS COMMISSION NIGHT OUT, WE DID SPEAK WITH 26 INDIVIDUALS. MOST OF THEM JUST WANTED MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHY THEIR RATES WERE CHANGING AND HOW MUCH AND WHAT THEIR BILLS WOULD LOOK LIKE. A HANDFUL EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT RISING COSTS AND AFFORDABILITY, AND THEN A HANDFUL DID EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR THESE RATES OUT OF A DESIRE TO SEE CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN CLEAN AND SAFE DRINKING WATER, MAYOR, I'M GOING TO ASK MR. RODRIGUEZ TO REMIND US OF THE HOLISTIC IMPACT BASED ON USAGE WHEN YOU TAKE THE COMBINED INCREASE AND DECREASE. YES. IF YOU ARE LIVING IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS AND YOU HAVE BOTH WATER AND SEWER, WHICH ARE MOST OF OUR RESIDENTS, YOUR QUARTERLY BILL IS INCREASING, IF I'M REMEMBERING CORRECTLY, BY A LITTLE BIT UNDER $5. ALL RIGHT.

PERCENTAGE WISE IT'S ABOUT 2% RIGHT. WHICH IS SUB INFLATIONARY I THINK. SO THANKS.

ANY DISCUSSION COLLEAGUES I WILL JUST FLAG THAT. I THINK THAT THERE'S A LONGER CONVERSATION TO BE HAD HERE ABOUT LATE FEES AND WHERE THAT MONEY GOES. THAT'S NOT PROPERLY PART OF THIS DISCUSSION, BUT I DO WANT TO KEEP IT ON THE FRONT AND FOREFRONT OF EVERYONE'S MINDS, BECAUSE THERE'S ABOUT $1 MILLION IN LATE FEES THAT GET PULLED OUT OF THE SYSTEM. AND I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT MONEY ALLOCATED TO FOLKS IN NEED, RATHER THAN THE CURRENT WAY THAT WE SEND IT OUT, WHICH IS TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF LEVELING OF RATES ACROSS THE SYSTEM. AND I'M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WHO ARE GETTING THEIR WATER SHUT OFF THAN I AM ABOUT LEVELING RATES. BUT THAT'S A LONGER CONVERSATION. AND SO I'M JUST THROWING THAT IN, GRATUITOUSLY, SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I I'LL ASK FOR A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR OF OF THESE RATES SAY AYE. AYE AYE. ALL OPPOSED CARRIES. THANK YOU. MR. AND THAT BRINGS US TO I'M SORRY WE HAD TWO ITEMS FOR YOU AND THEY LOOK LIKE THE SAME LIKE THEY OFTEN

[7. Resolution approving water and sewer rates in accordance with the 2025 rate review for the retail and wholesale Customer Communities of the City's Water Supply System and Sanitary Sewer System]

EVERY COMMUNITY HAS THEIR OWN DISTINCT RATES, SO IT'S TOO LONG TO GO INTO EACH OF THOSE.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE SYSTEMS AS A WHOLE, THE WATER SYSTEM ON AVERAGE IS GOING UP 6.38% AND THE SEWER SYSTEM IS SEEING A TOTAL DECREASE OF 3.09%. COMMUNITIES PER OUR CONTRACT WITH THEM HAVE 30 DAYS TO SHARE THEIR FEEDBACK, ASK QUESTIONS. A COUPLE OF THEM TOOK US UP ON THIS. SO IN THE PAST MONTH, I'VE GONE OUT TO CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP AND CASCADE TOWNSHIP AND PRESENTED INDIVIDUALIZED RATE BREAKDOWNS FOR THEIR SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES. AND AT THIS POINT, I DO THINK WE HAVE ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THAT THEY HAD. AND THEN LASTLY, I'LL NOTE THE UTILITY ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH MOST OF OUR PARTNER COMMUNITIES HAVE A SEAT ON, DID VOTE IN NOVEMBER TO RECOMMEND THESE RATE CHANGES TO THIS BODY.

OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION COLLEAGUES. SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU. THEN THIS BROADER GROUP, THAT'S THE GROUP THAT SPECIFICALLY AT LEAST ONE OF THEM GOT THEIR GOT THEIR INCREASE SOFTENED BY APPLICATION OF LATE FEE DOLLARS TO THEIR, TO THEIR PART OF THE SYSTEM. CORRECT. YES. THIS YEAR.

YES. AND WHO IS THE BENEFICIARY OF THAT AND HOW MUCH MONEY IT WAS MOSTLY CALEDONIA AND CASCADE OKAY. SO BASICALLY WE I'M GOING TO I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT I AM NOT GOING TO ABSTAIN HERE AND I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE NO, BECAUSE I WANT TO KEEP CONTINUITY IN OUR SYSTEMS. BUT I AM NOT GOING TO BE INCLINED TO VOTE YES ON THIS NEXT YEAR IF WE KEEP THAT MECHANISM IN PLACE. SO I'M NOT DOING IT THIS YEAR, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE HAD ADEQUATE DISCUSSION OF HOW TO HOW TO MAKE OUR WATER SYSTEM MORE EQUITABLE. BUT I THINK THAT THERE'S A REAL NEED HERE. AND SO I HOPE WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AS NEXT YEAR'S RATES AS THAT CONVERSATION IS GOING FORWARD. AND FRANKLY, IF THIS BODY CAN DO SOME DISCOVERY OF

[00:15:01]

I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR THIS THIS YEAR, BUT I DO NOT INTEND TO VOTE FOR THIS NEXT YEAR WITHOUT SOME ROBUST CONVERSATION AND SOME REAL INQUIRY INTO THE APPLICATION OF THOSE FEES. YES, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU. MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO STATE. YEAH, I THINK WE HAD THAT DISCUSSION AT OUR MID-YEAR REVIEW ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME WAYS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT DIFFERENT MECHANISMS. AND COMMISSIONER BELL SHARED FROM OUR KENT COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION THAT THE WATER SYSTEM, WHICH SPOKE REALLY HIGHLY OF OUR WATER DEPARTMENT AND SKIFFLE ABOUT JUST THE INTERACTIONS IN TERMS OF UTILIZING STATE DOLLARS TO HELP WITH WATER BILL FEES, BUT ALSO A RECOGNITION THAT SOME OF THAT MIGHT CHANGE AT THE STATE LEVEL. AND SO THEY WANTED US TO, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE'LL HAVE OUR CONVERSATIONS, BUT I THINK THAT'S A CONVERSATION FOR US.

BUT TO KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT SURE WHERE THAT SAFETY NET OF SUPPORTING WATER BILLS WILL BE AT THE STATE LEVEL IN THE FUTURE. SO I'LL JUST ADD THAT TO THE MIX. I THINK, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF UNKNOWNS. AND SO WHILE THEY HAVE BEEN APPLYING THOSE GRANT DOLLARS, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WHICH IS SMART, WE HAVE TO PROBABLY PROJECT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT WILL BE AT THE STATE LEVEL. AND SO I DON'T I THINK JUST PROCEEDING WITH CAUTION TO MAKE SURE THOSE PREVIOUS SAFETY NETS WILL STILL EXIST. SO THANK YOU. YEP. SORRY. I JUST WANTED TO REAL QUICK I MISSPOKE. IT IS CASCADE TOWNSHIP AND GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP, NOT CALEDONIA. OKAY.

THANKS FOR AND I WITHDRAW MY STATEMENTS ABOUT CALEDONIA THEN. SO I'VE GOT A MOTION. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION. OTHERWISE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK

[8. Resolution approving an updated memorandum of understanding between Downtown Grand Rapids Inc., Ferris State University's Kendall College of Art and Design (KCAD), and the City of Grand Rapids for governance of ArtPrize 2.0]

[00:20:04]

YOU'LL SEE A FEW QUOTES NOT JUST FROM ONE OF OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES, BUT ALSO ONE OF YOUR PEERS FROM MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, HERE IN THIS PRESENTATION WHO CAME TO VISIT OUR PRIZE AND WAS REALLY IMPRESSED. THIS NUMBER HERE REALLY UNDERSCORES THE IMPACT AND THE RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT THAT THE COMMUNITY SEES THROUGH THIS GOOD WORK, THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY DG, FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY, BUT ALSO MOBILE GRPS KENT COUNTY, THE CONVENTION ARENA AUTHORITY AND OTHER PARTNERS ALL COME TOGETHER REALLY TO UNDERSCORE WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE AND AND PROVIDE SOME OF THE SUPPORT THAT ALLOWS THIS TO CONTINUE TO OCCUR UNDER THIS NEW PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP MODEL THAT WE HAVE SEEN OVER THESE LAST THREE YEARS OF THIS MODEL. SO 2022 WAS THE LAST YEAR OF THE OF THE PREVIOUS PREVIOUS ORGANIZATION. 2023 IS THE FIRST YEAR OF THIS MODEL. YOU WILL SEE CONTINUOUS GROWTH AND WE HAVE SEEN 138% INCREASE FROM 25 COMPARED TO 2022. IN THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT TAKES PLACE DURING ARTPRIZE. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT GROWTH, AND IT'S ONE THAT I AM REALLY PROUD TO SAY THAT WE COLLECTIVELY HAVE BROUGHT $208 MILLION INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND CREATED SO MANY JOBS ACROSS ALL DIFFERENT SECTORS IN THE CREATIVE SECTOR SPECIFICALLY. ARTPRIZE. EDU IS OUR EDUCATION PROGRAM, AND THIS REALLY UNDERSCORES THE THE COMMUNITY IMPACT AND THE SOCIAL IMPACT THAT THAT OUR EFFORTS HAVE. WE HOSTED WE DISTRIBUTED 11.2 THOUSAND MAGAZINES THAT ARE USED AS CURRICULUM IN SCHOOLS YEAR ROUND TO TEACH ART CONCEPTS AND THEORY, USING ARTPRIZE ARTISTS IN THEIR WORK AS EXEMPLARS. THIS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO ALL OF THE STUDENTS THAT CAME THROUGH FIELD TRIPS, AS WELL AS TO GROUPS AND OTHER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS AND AGREEMENTS THAT WE HAVE, WE HOSTED 303,000 STUDENTS ON OUR FIELD TRIP PROGRAMS. WE HOSTED 16 WORKSHOPS. THESE ARE EVERYTHING FROM K-12 MAKE AND TAKE ALL THE WAY TO ARTISTS CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. THIS REALLY CREATES MORE ACTIVITY DURING ARTPRIZE, BUT ALSO HELPS TO UNDERSCORE THE THE THE EDUCATION PROGRAM BROADLY. WE PROVIDED BUS GRANTS TO HELP THOSE THOSE SCHOOLS BRIDGE THE GAP THAT MIGHT NEED A LITTLE BIT OF ASSISTANCE IN PARTICIPATING. I WILL SAY THAT ON TOP OF THAT, WE ALSO HAVE A PAID INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. WE DO PORTFOLIO REVIEWS. BY AND LARGE, WE REALLY THINK THAT OUR EDUCATION PROGRAM IS A WELL-ROUNDED AND AND COMPLETE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE CREATED OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, OUR SIGNATURE EVENTS. IT WAS LOVELY TO SEE MANY OF YOU OUT DURING OUR SIGNATURE EVENTS, OPENING CELEBRATION, HALFTIME SHOW AND OUR CLOSING AWARDS ALL SAW SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN ATTENDEES, AND THEY WERE A LOT OF FUN. AND THIS IS THE FUN PART ABOUT ARTPRIZE, RIGHT? SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU SEE CONTINUOUS GROWTH IN OUR MARKETING PRESENCE. ALL THIS REALLY JUST UNDERSCORES THE THE SIGNIFICANT VALUE THAT ARTPRIZE BRINGS BEYOND JUST THE ECONOMIC IN REPRESENTING GRAND RAPIDS IN A PUBLIC LIGHT ACROSS THE WORLD AND ACROSS THE GLOBE, THROUGH OUR PRESENCE AND OUR MARKETING AND MEDIA. I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A 70.4% OPEN RATE ON OUR NEWSLETTERS, WHICH IS VERY HIGH, AND IT REALLY SHOWS THAT PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY, AND WE HAVE TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT HOW WE CULTIVATE THAT MESSAGE AND CONTINUE TO SHARE THE NEWS, NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT ARTPRIZE CAN BE, WHAT OUR COMMUTE RATE OF COMMUNITY CAN BE, AND ALSO HOW AWESOME THE CITY IS. I CAN'T LEAVE WITHOUT THANKING ALL OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT HELPED MAKE THIS POSSIBLE. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT AS PART OF THIS PARTNERSHIP, THE LOGISTICAL SUPPORT, THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND THE PUBLIC SUPPORT THAT OUR OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY PROVIDE IN CREATING THIS HUGE CITYWIDE

[00:25:01]

IT JUST IT'S SUCH GREAT RESOURCES AND INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I WANT TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT IT, BUT I REALLY NEED TO SEE IT FOR THE CONSTITUENTS THAT I REPRESENT.

SO CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? YES. I MEAN, I BELIEVE THAT HOW ARTPRIZE WORKS IS THROUGH INTENTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO REACH OUT AND CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN THE THIRD WARD TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN BEST FIND PRESENCE THAT IS MEANINGFUL AND IMPACTFUL, BUT IS ALSO NOT DISRUPTIVE TO ACTIVITY THAT MIGHT BE TAKING PLACE THERE, BUT THAT IS CREATED WITH THE INTENTION OF BRINGING VALUE THAT REFLECTS THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS AND MAYBE NOT WHAT REFLECTS THE NEEDS OF A DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY OR OTHER BUSINESS DISTRICTS. AND I THINK THAT THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE FACT FINDING AND KIND OF THE FEASIBILITY OF TRYING TO MAKE SOMETHING WORK IS YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CORE DENSITY OF BUSINESSES, BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE WAY THAT WORKS FOR THEM. AND SO I'VE CONTINUED TO PUT FORWARD IDEAS ON HOW WE CAN DO DESTINATION DRIVING EVENTS AND DESTINATION DRIVING ACTIVATIONS THAT MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY PUT THE TAX OF BEING OPEN FOR 1617 DAYS STRAIGHT FOR TEN HOURS A DAY, WHICH CAN BE TAXING FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. AND ALSO IT CREATES A WAY TO DRIVE ATTENTION AND PARTICIPATION TO VARIOUS SELECT SPECIFIC BUSINESS DISTRICTS WITHIN THE THIRD WARD. WHILE NOT OVER IMPACTING THE SINGLE FAMILY COMMUNITIES IN THE WORKING COMMUNITIES THAT ARE DOWN THERE IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. SURE. YEAH, YEAH, I DO RECALL THAT FROM LAST YEAR.

SO IS THERE AND I OR EXCUSE ME, EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN WE SAW YOU, IS THERE A SPECIFIC AS OF NOW, I ALSO RECALL YOU SAYING YOU WERE WORKING WITH SOUTH TOWN CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY. IS THERE A PLAN IN MOTION WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU JUST SAID? IS THERE A PLAN IN MOTION AS OF NOW TO IMPLEMENT WHAT YOU JUST STATED? I SURE HOPE SO. AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. IT'S DECEMBER, AND THE PLAN RIGHT NOW IS TO CONTINUE THE MOU AND GET PAST THIS SO THAT WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A WORKING BODY AND A WORKING GOVERNANCE BODY. BUT I DO INTEND TO CONTINUE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. I HAVE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH GRCC AND SOME OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE TRYING TO BRING TOGETHER A WORKING BODY DOWN THERE. THAT IS A CULTURAL BODY, AND THE HOPE IS THAT THAT GROUP CAN HELP GUIDE WHAT THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE MOVING INTO 2026. MAYOR. YEAH, LET ME FOLLOW.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER KILGORE. AND MAYBE COMMISSIONER PURDUE ALSO HAS SOME INSIGHT. BUT YES, THERE WAS AN INTENTIONAL PLANNING EFFORT WITH SOUTH TOWN THAT UNFORTUNATELY DIDN'T MATERIALIZE THIS YEAR. SO I HOPE THOSE PLANS CAN BE RESUMED. BUT ARTPRIZE CANNOT DO THAT BY THEMSELVES. IT HAS TO BE A PARTNERSHIP. SO WE HOPE THE CIA WILL BE WILLING TO RESUME THAT EFFORT AND HOPEFULLY HAVE THAT MATERIALIZE IN 2026. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ANSWERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I CAN JUST CONFIRM THAT THAT IS THE PLAN. AND WE'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATION THE LAST FEW MONTHS ABOUT WHAT THAT CAN LOOK LIKE. WE HAVE SOME CHANGES IN BOARD MEMBERS OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS AS FOLKS COME OFF AND COME ON, AND THE HIRING OF A NEW CORRIDOR MANAGER. SO THAT'S CERTAINLY PART OF OUR WORK PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR. SO I APPRECIATE YOU KIND OF KEEPING THIS CONVERSATION FRONT AND CENTER. GREAT. MAYOR, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE RECAP FOR 20 2025 AND A LITTLE BIT OF A PREVIEW FOR 2026. SO WHAT'S BEFORE US IS THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU MIGHT SPEAK TO KIND OF WHAT'S BEEN WORKING WELL WITHIN THIS PARTNERSHIP.

AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU NEED DIFFERENTLY FROM THE CITY TO ALLOW YOU TO DO SOME OF THE KIND OF BIG WORK ENVISIONING THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE GOING THROUGH A STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS, WHICH WE HOPE TO WRAP UP IN JUNE OR JULY. AND PART OF

[00:30:03]

BEING ABLE TO COME WITH INTENTION OF WHAT THE NEXT 5 OR 6 YEARS LOOK LIKE AND WHERE WE WANT TO GO, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH IN THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS. AND THEN BACK IN AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS DOESN'T WORK AS A STANDALONE ENTITY, AND IT HAS TO BE A COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP IN MY MIND. AND I SEE THAT. BUT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF IN TERMS OF INVESTMENT, AND HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO TO DRIVE TOWARDS IMPACT? WHAT HAS WORKED? OBVIOUSLY, THE NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, AND I BELIEVE AND I HAVE HEARD ANECDOTALLY, THAT ARTPRIZE IS. SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY LOOK FORWARD TO. AS ONE OF MY FAVORITE VOLUNTEER SAYS, IT'S BETTER THAN CHRISTMAS. SO THANK YOU. SO THANKS FOR THIS. I MEAN, YOU'RE RIGHT, THE NUMBERS DO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. AND I ALSO APPRECIATE HOW YOU'RE FRAMING IT. MAYBE NOT THE SLIDES AS MUCH AS YOUR LANGUAGE, WHICH IS TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I, I WE SEE STUDY AFTER STUDY AFTER STUDY, WHICH TRIES TO SOLVE A MATH PROBLEM OF SHOW US THAT OUR MONEY MAKES MONEY. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH ECONOMIC ANALYSIS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE THING THAT I ALWAYS POINT OUT TO PEOPLE ABOUT ART IS THAT ART IS NOT SOMETHING WE DO SO WE CAN MAKE MONEY. ART IS OUR REWARD FOR BEING CIVILIZED. IT'S THE IT'S THE THING THAT IT'S THE THING WE GET FROM COMING TOGETHER AND DOING ECONOMIC ACTIVITY SO THAT WE CAN AFFORD A COMMUNITY THAT HAS IF WE'RE ALL SUBSISTENCE FARMERS, WE WOULDN'T HAVE POETS, WE WOULDN'T HAVE VISUAL ARTISTS, WE WOULDN'T HAVE NOVELISTS. WE'D ALL BE SCRAMBLING TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD ENOUGH WHEAT TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE WINTER. AND CIVILIZATION ALLOWS ART. SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK FUNDAMENTALLY YOU CAN'T EVER AND SHOULDN'T EVER THINK ABOUT PRIMARILY IN ECONOMIC TERMS. BUT I KNOW YOU GOT THAT. AND YOU SAID IT IN THE PRESENTATION HAD HAD THE ECONOMIC NUMBERS. BUT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S NOT REALLY WHY WE DO ART AT ALL.

IT'S NICE TO BE ABLE TO BACKFILL AND POINT OUT THE, THE, THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS. BUT I THINK THAT'S ALL SECONDARY. THE PRIMARY REASON IS TO IS TO CELEBRATE OUR HUMANNESS. I MEAN, THE QUESTION ART ANSWERS IS, WHAT ARE WE DOING ON THIS PLANET AS HUMAN BEINGS? AND THAT'S A QUESTION YOU GET TO ASK IF YOU'RE CIVILIZED AND NOT IF YOU'RE NOT THE YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK IS WORTH POINTING OUT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, WHICH YOU TOUCHED ON BRIEFLY, IS IF WE TAKE A 20,000 FOOT VIEW AND ASK OURSELVES, LIKE, WHO'S HEARD OF GRAND RAPIDS AND WHY? WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE? I MEAN, THERE ARE NOBODY IS TRAVELING HERE FROM ALBUQUERQUE BECAUSE WE HAVE A LIBRARY, THEY HAVE ALBUQUERQUE. THEY HAVE A LIBRARY IN ALBUQUERQUE. NOBODY'S PROBABLY TRAVELING HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALL LOVE AND CONSUME ON A DAILY BASIS. BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT MAKES YOU IN NEW YORK CITY UNIQUE, WELL, THEY GET THE STATUE OF LIBERTY. NOBODY ELSE HAS ONE OF THOSE. WHEN I THINK ABOUT GRAND RAPIDS AND THE THINGS THAT MAKE OUR CITY UNIQUE FOR ME, THE TWO THINGS THAT JUMP OUT ARE ALWAYS THERE'S THERE'S TWO. ONE IS MY

[00:35:03]

YOU KNOW, THAT ANSWER TO WHY ARE WE HERE? WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY ARE WE? ARTPRIZE IS AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION. SO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING YOUR BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS INTO IT.

IT IS AWESOME TO SEE THESE NUMBERS, BUT I WILL ALSO SAY THOSE OF US ON THE DAIS KNOW THIS. MANY OF US IN THE COMMUNITY KNOW THIS STARTED OUT AS A NON CITY INITIATIVE AND IT AND IT TRANSITIONED INTO SOMETHING THAT NEEDED CITY HELP. AND I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY CLEAR TO ME AT LEAST. AND I THINK TO ALL OF US THAT THAT THIS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY SHOULD APPROPRIATELY SUPPORT, INVEST IN, MAKE SURE IT CONTINUES TO THRIVE. SO THANKS, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO SHARE A COUPLE OF THINGS. YES, THANKS FOR THAT UPDATE ABOUT THE THIRD WARD. I HEARD THAT KIND OF IN DETAIL ABOUT AS THE PROJECT WAS GOING ON FROM A PAST COLLEAGUE ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT WANTED TO HAPPEN BUT DIDN'T HAPPEN. SO I KNOW THERE WAS A LOT OF EFFORT PUT INTO THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I WANT TO SAY TOO, WHAT WE DON'T SEE ON HERE IS ALL OF THE RESIDUAL ENGAGEMENT THAT HAPPENS IN NEIGHBORHOODS. SO I WAS TRYING TO GO BACK ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO SEE, LIKE IN THE CRESTON NEIGHBORHOOD OR EAST TOWN OR OTHER COMMUNITIES WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY COME TO ONE OF THE SIGNATURE EVENTS, BUT PEOPLE WERE ALSO HOSTING THINGS IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS AND, AND DOING THEIR OWN POP UPS.

AND WE HAVE A LOT OF BUSINESSES WHO ALREADY, YOU KNOW, FEATURE DIFFERENT ART THROUGHOUT TIME.

IT WAS JUST THAT. PILATE. PILATE ANOTHER DAY. AND AND THEY HAVE ART AND THEY'VE HAD ART IN THERE FOR A REALLY LONG TIME. I REMEMBER GOING IN THERE FOR THE WHEN IT WAS THE FIRST ART PRIZE. SO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AS WELL, THAT WE'RE SEEING THIS. AND TO YOUR POINT, MAYOR, IT'S YOU KNOW, THERE IS AN ECONOMIC BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE ECONOMIC.

BUT THERE IS A LOT OF ACTIVATION THAT'S HAPPENING, AS YOU MENTIONED, THAT JUST IS IS IS FREEFORM. IT'S OTHER PEOPLE SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER. I WAS ALSO HAPPY TO SEE A NUMBER OF LOCAL INDIVIDUALS WHO, YOU KNOW, WERE PART OF THE COMPETITION AS WELL. AND JUST SOME OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, VARIATION AND PIECES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY I WAS ABLE TO GO TO A NUMBER OF THINGS. I WAS ABLE TO I DIDN'T GET TO ONE OF THE PLACES YOU TOLD ME TO GO. AND SO I'M STILL DISAPPOINTED ABOUT THAT. I THINK IT WAS ONE OF THE IT DOESN'T MATTER. BUT I DIDN'T GET TO IT. AND BUT THERE WAS SO MUCH TO DO. AND I THINK THAT, YES, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN EXCITING, I THINK A RECOGNITION OF HOW STRUCTURE NEEDS TO CHANGE IS REALLY POSITIVE, BECAUSE WE'RE LIVING IN THAT ENVIRONMENT WHERE FUNDING IS GETTING PRIORITIZED IN OTHER WAYS. SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE? BUT JUST THANKS FOR THE EFFORTS AND THANKS FOR THE EFFORTS IN OUR DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, CORRIDORS OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU ALL. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANKS. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THANKS. SO GREAT DISCUSSION. LET'S TAKE SOME ACTION. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE RESOLUTION ON THE MOU SAY AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES. THANK

[9. Motion to go into closed executive session.]

ROBBINS. YES, COMMISSIONER. YES, COMMISSIONER. PERDUE. YES, COMMISSIONER. BELCIK. YES, MAYOR. LAGRANGE. YES. AND WE'LL BE MEETING IN ROOM 601 COLLEAGUES. AND THAT WILL BE AFTER OUR NEXT TWO BRIEFINGS. SO THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT TWO BRIEFINGS. FIRST IS

[1. 2025 Parks & Recreation Annual Update]

[00:40:04]

THAT IS THE INVESTMENT THAT THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES FROM THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND. AND IT IS CALCULATED, GIVEN COMING OUT OF OUR MILLAGE INVESTMENT GUIDELINES. SO I JUST WANT TO TAKE A QUICK SECOND TO TALK ABOUT 2025 IMPACT CAPITAL PROJECTS AND POOL OPERATIONS.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN A COUPLE OTHER SLIDES. BUT ALL OF OUR RECREATION PROGRAMS ACROSS THE BOARD, WE CONTINUE TO SEE SIGNIFICANT GROWTH BOTH IN OUR FEE BASE AND IN OUR FREE PROGRAMING, WHICH JUST SHOWS THE NEED AND THE DESIRE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE THOSE REALLY SAFE, ACCESSIBLE PROGRAMS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH JUST IS REALLY AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY. SOMETHING I WANT TO TALK ON WITH REGARDS TO PARK MAINTENANCE. SO PRIOR TO THE 2019 MILLAGE BEING PASSED, WE HAD ABOUT 30% OF OUR PARKS ACROSS THE SYSTEM THAT WERE RATED A AND B, AND WE HAD BEEN STRIVING FOR 75% ACROSS. THIS YEAR WAS THE FIRST TIME WE HAD 80% OF OUR PARKS ACROSS THE SYSTEM THAT ARE AT AN A AND B, AND THAT IS THE RESULT OF CONTINUED INVESTMENT FROM THE CITY, CONTINUED INVESTMENT FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND AN INCREDIBLY GENEROUS COMMUNITY OF PHILANTHROPY, BUT ALSO STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS THAT HAVE MADE POSSIBLE A LOT OF INVESTMENTS THAT WE'VE DONE. SO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. I WANT TO TALK REAL QUICK ABOUT OUR OUTSIDE. THERE WAS A GRANT THAT WAS ACCEPTED AT FISCAL COMMITTEE THIS MORNING FROM THE OUTDOOR FOUNDATION, WHICH CONTINUES TO HELP US BUILD ON OUR GR OUTSIDE DIVISION. EVERY YEAR WE PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GROUPS FOR HUNDREDS OF YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THE GRAND RIVER, MANY OF THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME THROUGH OUR GRAND RIVER EXPERIENCE, WHICH WAS FORMERLY CANOE MOBILE, WHICH HAS BEEN RENAMED OUR FAMILY PADDLE NIGHTS, AND THEN JUST OTHER KAYAKING ACTIVITIES THAT WE OFFER, I WANTED TO SHARE AN UPDATE ON OUR POOL PASS PROGRAM. THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT THE CITY AND THE DEPARTMENT DECIDED TO UNDERTAKE ISSUING POOL PASSES TO THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE FREE YOUTH SWIMMING, AND WE ISSUED 7000 YOUTH PASSES SO THAT OUR COMMUNITY COULD ACCESS OUR OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOLS ACROSS ALL THE WARDS, ALL OUR WARDS. WE WERE ABSOLUTELY THRILLED WITH THAT. WE HAD SOME HICCUPS ALONG THE WAY WITH WITH OUR STREAMING AND OUR WORKFLOW OF BRINGING PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF THE POOL. BUT WE'VE WORKED THROUGH THOSE AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SEASON. AND FINALLY, BEFORE I TURN IT OVER FOR OUR CAPITAL UPDATE, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE MLK COMMUNITY CENTER. AFTER LITERALLY YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PLANNING, THIS FACILITY, THIS GORGEOUS NEW FACILITY, WE WILL HAVE THE RIBBON CUTTING ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST. AND SO WE WOULD WELCOME THE COMMUNITY TO COME OUT, TAKE TOURS OF THE NEW SPACE, AND REALLY CELEBRATE THIS INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY. WE WILL BE HOLDING JOB FAIRS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF JANUARY ON SITE AT A LOCAL COMMUNITY CHURCH. THAT INFORMATION WILL BE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS, SO WE'RE REALLY HOPING THAT WE CAN GET A LOT OF COMMUNITY CONNECTION IN THE POSITIONS FOR THAT DEPARTMENT OR FOR THAT NEW FACILITY. SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO CARRIE ENRIQUEZ, AND SHE IS GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME PROJECT UPDATES. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. WE WANTED REALLY TO FOCUS ON OUR LEVERAGE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR PARK IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS THE SYSTEM. SO WE ARE WORKING WITH OVER $51 MILLION OF LEVERAGE FUNDING, AND IT COMES FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES. SOME OF IT IS STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING. SO WE HAVE MONEY FROM THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, AS WELL AS THE DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS, INC.

GREENWAY FUNDING, AND WE ALSO HAVE SOME PRIVATE FUNDING AS WELL. SO WITH FANS OF VALLEY FIELD, THE MITTEN FOUNDATION, AS WELL AS THE WEST MICHIGAN TRAILS. LOOKING AT 2025 AND OUR PARK PROJECTS, THE ONES THAT WE'VE COMPLETED IN THE PAST YEAR, LOOKING AT THE EAST RIVER WALK. SO THOSE ARE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE RIVERWALK JUST NORTH OF THE BLUE BRIDGE. THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT IS OF THE HOUSEMAN FIELD PLAYGROUND, THE COMMUNITY BUILD THAT WE DID IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND OTHERS, AND THEN ALSO SOME PARKING LOT RECONSTRUCTION. AND WE'VE ALSO STARTED PROJECTS THAT ARE ON A LARGER SCALE THAT ARE STILL IN CONSTRUCTION AND WILL TRAVEL INTO 2026 AS WELL. SO TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE, CANAL PARK, THAT FULL PARK RECONSTRUCTION, AS WELL AS THE OXFORD TRAIL, THOSE ARE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE EXISTING TRAIL FROM WEALTHY TO OXFORD AND THEN EXTENDING THAT DOWN TO HALL. A LIST OF 13 UPCOMING PROJECTS THAT WILL START CONSTRUCTION IN 2026, SOME OF THEM INTO 2027 AS WELL. I SPOKE OF THAT DNR, OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THEM. WE DO HAVE A GRANT

[00:45:04]

AND THEN AGAIN, LOOKING AT OUR COMPLETED 2024 DOG PARK STUDY AND LOOKING AT WAYS TO IMPLEMENT PERMANENT DOG PARKS THROUGHOUT OUR PARK SYSTEM, AS WELL AS TEMPORARY DOG PARKS. SO CELEBRATING OUR SUCCESS. AS MENTIONED, OVER THE $51 MILLION IN LEVERAGED FUNDING COMBINED WITH SOME OF OUR BOND FUNDING AND OUR PARKS MILLAGE FUNDING, WE HAVE ABOUT $64 MILLION OF PROJECTS CURRENTLY THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE PLANNING, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PHASE.

JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO REALLY THANK THE RESIDENTS OF GRAND RAPIDS FOR VOTING FOR THE VILLAGES THAT HAVE ALLOWED US TO SUPPORT OUR IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR PARK SPACES, AS WELL AS THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD, AND THEN A LOT OF OUR KEY PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE HAVE EITHER ADDED TO THAT LEVERAGE, FUNDING THAT WE HAVE, OR JUST SOME OF THOSE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND CONNECTIONS INTO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. SO WITH THAT, I WILL PASS THIS OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE JOE SULAK. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. GOOD MORNING. MAYOR. CITY MANAGER, I'VE BEEN ASKED TO GIVE AN UPDATE TO OUR FORESTRY DIVISION AND WANTED TO START OUT JUST SAYING THAT FORESTRY IS DEDICATED TO ENSURING PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, WHILE MAXIMIZING THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF THE GRAND RAPIDS CANOPY. I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT WE DID A RECENT, RECENT TREE CANOPY STUDY, AND WE FOUND THAT OUR CANOPY IN GRAND RAPIDS HAS INCREASED FROM 34 TO 37%, PRIMARILY SINCE 2014. WE HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTING SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC PRIVATE APPROACH TO MANAGING OUR PRIORITY WORK IN THE IN THE CITY AS IT RELATES TO TREES, STARTING WITH OUR PRIORITY ONE PROJECT, WHICH SAW CLOSE TO 6000 PRIORITY ONE TREES ADDRESSED, REMOVED AND PRUNED. AND WE ALSO HAVE A 1400 TREES PLANTED PER YEAR. HOWEVER, WE ARE PRIMARILY A REACTIVE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM CURRENTLY AND BECAUSE OF THAT WE HAVE. WE GAINED A $50,000 GRANT FROM THE COMMUNITY FORESTRY AND URBAN AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY AT THE DNR TO DO A FORESTRY OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT PLAN. AND SO I WAS GOING TO REPORT ON SOME OF THAT TODAY. PROJECT UPDATE AS FAR AS PRIORITY TWO WORK THAT WE STARTED PRETTY MUCH IMMEDIATELY AFTER WE DID OUR PRIORITY ONE WORK, THAT WAS A PLAN THAT WE DID AN IN-HOUSE AND A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR PLAN STARTED OUT WITH IN-HOUSE CREWS DOING PRUNING, WHERE OUR PRIVATE CONTRACTORS WERE DOING REMOVALS. AND JUNE OF 2023, WE DECIDED TO DO A PIVOT ON THAT BECAUSE WE HAD FALLEN BEHIND ON THE PRUNING PORTION OF THAT. SO THEN WE PIVOTED TO HAVE OUR CONTRACTORS DOING PRUNING WORK AND OUR IN-HOUSE DOING REMOVALS.

[00:50:01]

ALTHOUGH WE HAVE UPDATED THE INVENTORY AS WE'VE DONE WORK IN-HOUSE, THEIR TREES DO AGE AND WE NEED TO GET A BETTER ASSESSMENT AS TO WHERE WE ARE AS FAR AS PRIORITY WORK, LARGE COMPONENT OF OUR CANOPY IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS IS MAPLE TREES. I WOULD SAY THE MAJORITY OF THOSE MAPLES ARE NORWAY MAPLES, PLANTED MOSTLY IN THE 60S AND 70S. THEY ARE ALL AGING AT THE SAME RATE, AND WE'RE SEEING THE SAME PROBLEMS CITYWIDE. AND YOU CAN SEE IN THIS GRAPH TO THE LOWER RIGHT THAT 24% NORWAY MAPLES IS HIGH ABOVE THE EARTH STANDARD 10% RULE THAT YOU'D WANT AS FAR AS GENUS ALLOCATION IN THE CITY. PROACTIVE MANAGEMENT SAVES MONEY IN THE LONG RUN. THERE IS AN INITIAL INVESTMENT THAT'S USUALLY NEEDED TO CATCH UP ON THAT WORK. AS WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WITH OUR PRIORITY WORK. BUT THE ONE THING THAT WE DID SEE IN THIS IS THAT WE HAVE OVER 17,000 YOUNG TREES, WHICH IS ABOUT 25, 24% THAT NEED SOME KIND OF TRAINING PRUNE. AND SO THIS GRAPH ON THE LOWER LEFT SHOWS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE THE TYPES OF PRUNING THAT TAKE PLACE IN THE CITY. YOU CAN SEE THAT OVER 50% OF THAT IS ROUTINE PRUNING. AND THEN THE TRAINING PRUNE OUR OUR YOUNGER TREES. AND THEN THE GRAY AREA IS PRIORITY PRUNES. AND THAT'S WHERE WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING. A LOT OF OUR EFFORT IN FORESTRY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IS TO ADDRESS THOSE PRIORITY PRUNES.

BUT AS TREES AGE, THEY AGE INTO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF OUR MANAGEMENT PLAN ARE TO INITIATE A PROACTIVE PUBLIC TREE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, BUILD THE CAPACITY OF THE FORESTRY DIVISION, LEVERAGE DATA FOR INFORMED URBAN FORESTRY MANAGEMENT, AND THAT WOULD BE IN THE FORM OF A NEW TREE INVENTORY. INCREASE THE DIVERSIFICATION AND RESILIENCE OF PUBLIC TREE SPECIES, MEANING THAT WE WANT TO INCREASE THE DIVERSITY AND ALSO PLANT TREES THAT ARE GOING TO BE RESILIENT TO CLIMATE CHANGE, STORM, HIGHER STORMS AND THINGS THAT ARE BEING PREDICTED FOR THE FUTURE. CONDUCT AN UPDATED TREE INVENTORY, AS I STATED, TO SUPPORT PRIORITIZATION AND MAINTENANCE AND REMOVAL NEEDS.

COORDINATE CITYWIDE FORESTRY EFFORTS ACROSS DEPARTMENTS. CURRENTLY, WE ARE DOING TRIMMING AND AND SOME OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS FAR AS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CLEARING, HAVE PROPER CLEARANCE FOR SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT AND WHATNOT. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING ALL OF THAT WITHIN THE SAME DATABASE, AND THEN KEEP GRAND RAPIDS ON A PASS FOR FOR TREE CANOPY GROWTH. IF WE KEEP ON THIS CURRENT PATH, WE'RE ON PREDICTING THAT IN 2030, WE SHOULD HIT THAT 40% CANOPY GOAL THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY. AND I BELIEVE THAT IS WE LOST THAT. THERE WE GO. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I THINK WE'RE OPEN TO ALL OF US.

OPEN TO QUESTIONS FOR THAT. THANK YOU. THANKS, COMMISSIONERS. COMMISSIONER ROBINSON YEAH THANKS, MAYOR. GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. I HAD A QUICK

[00:55:03]

THERE WAS TALKS OF LIKE A CEMETERY MASTER PLAN IS THAT UNLESS IT'S SOMETHING THAT OCCURRED AND JUST FLEW UNDER THE RADAR, I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S ANY UPDATES ON THAT. I GUESS SPECIFICALLY ON THE WEST SIDE, I KNOW THERE'S A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION THAT'S TRYING TO RAISE MONEY TO JUST BETTER INVEST IN OUR CEMETERIES AND MAKE THEM A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN, YOU KNOW, WALK THEIR DOGS AND JUST ENJOY AS GREEN SPACES. SO JUST CURIOUS IF THERE'S ANY UPDATES ON ON THAT PROCESS. YEAH. AS THE SUPERINTENDENT, I ALSO MANAGE THE CEMETERY. SO I'VE BEEN SELECTED TO COME AND ANSWER THIS QUESTION. BUT WE ARE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF OF DETERMINING HOW WE WANT TO GO ABOUT THE CEMETERY MASTER PLAN.

WE DO HAVE AN INCREASED AMOUNT OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT WITHIN THE CEMETERY, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO ENGAGE THAT PROCESS PROBABLY IN THE NEXT IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. I HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH FRIENDS OF GREENWOOD CEMETERY. WE HAVE A GREAT GROUP THAT'S STARTING TO EMERGE IN OAK GROVE CEMETERY. WE HAVE WOODLAWN CEMETERY AND THEN THE ARBORETUM COMMITTEE THAT OVERSEES THE OAK HILL CEMETERY. SO WE REALLY WANT TO ENGAGE ALL OF THOSE CONSTITUENTS IN THAT MASTER PLAN PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN NOT ONLY HAVE AN OVERALL PLAN FOR CEMETERIES, BUT INDIVIDUATED PLANS FOR EACH SPECIFIC CEMETERY. BUT YEAH, WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF PUBLIC INTEREST IN OUR CEMETERIES FOR AN AREA THAT'S DESIGNATED TO COMMEMORATE DEATH. IT'S TEEMING WITH LIFE. SO WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE THOSE IMPORTANT GREEN SPACES WITHIN THE CITY AS WELL.

GREAT. THANK YOU. THANKS, COMMISSIONER. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT POINT. IF YOU LOOK AT A MAP OF GRAND RAPIDS AND I HAVE THEM UP ON MY WALL IN MY OFFICE, I OFTEN GET EXCITED WHEN I LOOK AT THIS BIG GREEN PATCH AND I'M LIKE, OH, THAT'S A CEMETERY, SO NOBODY CAN USE IT. AND I THINK HAVING A CONVERSATION AROUND HOW TO GET ACTUAL ACTIVATION OF CEMETERIES AS USEFUL GREEN SPACES, AND NOT JUST AS TREE REPOSITORIES OR CORPSE REPOSITORIES IS IS A GREAT IDEA.

SO I'D LOVE TO SEE SOME THOUGHT AROUND, YOU KNOW, WALKING PATHS AND SIGNAGE AND THE QUESTION OF HOW WE GET PEOPLE TO USE THOSE CEMETERIES AS GREEN SPACE ASSETS, I THINK ARE REALLY GREAT. ONE HAVE COMMISSIONER KILGORE. YEAH. THANK YOU. IN LINE WITH MY COLLEAGUES COMMENTS. YEAH. I, I BELIEVE IF YOU DON'T COUNT THE CEMETERIES, THE THIRD WARD IS DOWN ABOUT AROUND A DOZEN, AM I CORRECT. LACK OF GREEN SPACE IN TERMS OF TOTAL PARKS. SO I'D LOVE IF YOU ALL COULD SPEAK TO SOME OF THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE SEEING WITH THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT PLAN IN THE THIRD WARD. I'M ALSO VERY HAPPY TO SEE A COMPLAINT THAT I'VE GOTTEN FROM MANY YEARS, EVEN BEFORE I WAS EVER THINKING OF PUBLIC OFFICE WITH MY FAMILY, CELEBRATING REUNIONS AND THINGS AT GARFIELD PARK AND THAT PARKING LOT. SO VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT. BUT AS WE KNOW, WE ARE LACKING GREEN SPACE. THAT IS, AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE NOTED, ABLE TO BE USED FOR ALL DIFFERENT SORTS OF THINGS, INCLUDING DOG WALKING. THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT CONSTITUENTS REACH OUT ABOUT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT NOTE ON THAT. BUT I THIS SORT OF REMINDS ME OF WITH OUR STREETS PLAN, WHERE WE KNEW THAT WE NEEDED DIRECT INVESTMENT IN TERMS OF SIDEWALKS AND REPAIRS IN THE THIRD WARD, AND WE STARTED THERE. SO I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT TYPE OF EQUITY FOCUSED REFLECTED IN THIS CAPITAL INVESTMENT PLAN. AND IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THE DIRECT NEW GREEN SPACES THAT WE CAN EXPECT IN THE THIRD WARD, I'D APPRECIATE IT. YEAH. I WANT TO APPRECIATE YOUR LOVE OF THE PARKING LOTS. I DO LIKE THAT.

SO WITH IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WE DO HAVE THE FUNDING FOR THE NEW PARK SPACE AT 32ND STREET, SO THAT WILL BE SOME NEW GREEN SPACE. WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING IN BOSTON SQUARE AS WELL FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR NEW PARK SPACES THERE AS WELL, AND THEN ALSO WITH OUR SOUTH SIDE CREEK PROJECT. SO LOOKING AT WAYS TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE EXISTING PLASTER CREEK TRAIL AND KIND OF TO BRIDGE SOME OF THOSE GAPS IN THAT TRAIL SYSTEM AND ALSO DEVELOP A NEW TRAIL SYSTEM FOR SILVER CREEK THAT WOULD CONNECT FROM BOSTON SQUARE WEST TO ROOSEVELT AND UP.

SO REALLY TRYING TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE POTENTIAL NEW OPPORTUNITIES. WE ALSO HAVE FUNDING SET ASIDE FOR ACQUISITIONS, SPECIFICALLY IN THE THIRD WARD. SO WE'RE ALWAYS STRATEGICALLY LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL TO ADD PARK SPACE. BUT AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT'S HARD, RIGHT? THERE'S A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, BALANCING OF PRIORITIES FOR HOUSING AND AND JUST TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST ACQUIRING PROPERTY JUST TO ACQUIRE IT.

WE'RE TRYING TO BE STRATEGIC IN IN THAT PLACEMENT OF THOSE LOCATIONS. YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND MAY I ASK FOR THE BOSTON SQUARE DEVELOPMENT. IS THAT GOING TO BE NEAR THE NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, OR IS IT MORE OF LIKE A POCKET PARK DESIGN THAT. CORRECT. NOT NECESSARILY A POCKET PARK, NO. SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ALMOST WHERE THE MODERN OR MODERN HARDWARE FACILITY IS FOR A PARK SPACE THERE. SO WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. YEAH. AND I DID WANT TO TOUCH ON COMMISSIONER ROBBINS. YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE

[01:00:04]

SO THAT IS INFORMING THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING. SO JUST TRYING TO ROLL THAT INTO A HIGHER SCALE MASTER PLAN THAT JOE WAS TALKING ABOUT. WE ALSO WE ALSO INCREASED OUR INVESTMENT IN CEMETERIES IN THE LAST BUDGET, I BELIEVE AS WELL. YEP. COMMISSIONER STACEY THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU, MR. ENRIQUEZ AND THE WHOLE TEAM FOR SHARING THIS UPDATE. AND I WAS LEANING OVER TO COMMISSIONER PERDUE AND I SAID, OH, SO NEXT YEAR WE CAN HAVE AN ACTIVATION FOR OUR PRIZE IN THE NEW MLK, MLK LODGE. SO WE'RE GOING TO SPEAK IT INTO EXISTENCE. BUT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I HAD, BECAUSE WE ARE NOW ALMOST AT 2026 AND BACK IN 2020 AND 2021, 26 SEEMS SO FAR AWAY. BUT THAT WAS THE ARPA DEADLINE. AND SO I WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT ANY OF THE PROJECTS THAT YOU TALKED. OBVIOUSLY SOME THINGS THAT WERE STARTED. ANY CONSIDERATIONS OR CONCERNS? OBVIOUSLY, I KNOW WE'VE MOVED AND CITY MANAGER, THIS MIGHT BE FOR YOU TO MOVE SOME MONEY IN DIFFERENT SPACES SO THAT WE COULD USE IT UP IN CASE THERE WAS A CONSIDERATION. RIGHT. BUT JUST TO MAKE SURE WE DIDN'T LOSE OUT ON ANY ARPA DOLLARS, I WAS ALSO INTERESTED IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON THE STATUS OF THE LETTERED AND TRAIL, JUST WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT. SO THAT'S THAT WAS KIND OF A COMMENT ABOUT ARPA. THEN THE QUESTION ABOUT LEONARD. AND THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATES. IT WAS GOOD TO SEE THE LEVERAGE FUNDING. AND I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE. MANY DEPARTMENTS AND TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOU ALL OF A LEVERAGING THOSE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS DIFFERENT.

OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE FRIENDS OF PARKS. BUT YOU NOTED A NUMBER OF THEM. AND SO JUST FROM ANOTHER I THINK FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE AND I'VE SEEN THIS LIKE ON OUR CIVIL SERVICE BOARD DESIGNING THIS DEPARTMENT OF WHAT ARE THE RESOURCES THAT WE NEED. BECAUSE PARKS IS IS IT'S THE FUN THINGS. BUT THERE'S ALSO PUBLIC SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS. LAST WEEK, WHOEVER CUT THAT TREE DOWN, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE CUT THE TREE DOWN. RIGHT. THAT WAS ALL. THAT WAS ALL ON THE NEWS. THAT WAS THAT WAS THE HEADLINE. AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO CONSIDER. YOU KNOW, I THINK WE THINK THERE'S A GREAT EVENT AND ACTIVATION HAPPENING, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER LIKE SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS AND DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU ALL ARE ENGAGING WITH. SO THAT'S A COMMENT AND A QUESTION. BUT BALL PERKINS PARK, THANK YOU FOR A NUMBER OF EFFORTS THERE. WE HAD TO WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH CONSUMERS ENERGY.

WELL, I DIDN'T, BUT CAREY DID. AND JUST FINDING OUT DIFFERENT THINGS. SO THAT IS COMING TO FRUITION. I KNOW AS WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS IN THE SECOND WARD ABOUT THE POTENTIAL REDEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTY SITE AT FULLER AND THE THE OVERPASS, THAT ARNICA NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, HAVING BALL, PERKINS PARK. BUT ARE THERE SOME OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR US, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT TYPES OF PARK IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT DOG PARKS, BUT ALSO TO YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER KILGORE, ABOUT WHERE ELSE DO WE GO IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE WE HAVE OUR CITY LIAISON MEETING, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO BE SCHOOLS THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY GOING TO TURN INTO SOMETHING. BUT REALLY THROUGH THOSE RELATIONSHIPS IN THE PAST WITH FRIENDS OF PARKS TO KEEP THAT GREEN SPACE, HOW DO WE ENGAGE IN THAT? SO I THINK THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY ABOUT WHAT MIGHT BE IN THE FUTURE AND JUST, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIPS. SO I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THAT WITH.

AND THEN REALLY THE LAST PIECE I HAD IS, IS REALLY ABOUT THE FORESTRY. I PROBABLY JUST MORE OF A COMMENT OF SUPPORT. I SHARED THIS IN THE MID-YEAR REVIEW. MY PREDECESSOR. THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT SHE WORKED ON PRETTY CLOSELY BACK IN 2019. COVID HAPPENED. A LOT OF THINGS GOT PUSHED OFF. I WAS ABLE TO GO TO A URBAN FORESTRY COMMITTEE WITH SOME NEIGHBORS.

GOSH, I THINK THAT WAS IN THE FALL. OR, YOU KNOW, IN THE FALL, END OF SUMMER. AND SO I THINK ALL OF THOSE PIECES THAT GOT BROUGHT UP, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, CHANGING SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS, WHICH WE DO, WHICH WE DID CALL OUT IN THE CAP AND JUST, YOU KNOW, SOME SOME DELAY IN HOW DO WE BE MORE PROACTIVE TO REACTIVE. AND SO I THINK ABOUT THAT AS OUR CORE SERVICES.

AND THAT'S BEEN A SORT OF A MANTRA FOR ME AS WE GO INTO 26. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE CAN DO, BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON WHAT ARE OUR CORE SERVICES AND DELIVERING VALUE. SO THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THE THE THE RECOMMENDATIONS. OVERVIEW. JO.

SO, SO SOME COMMENTS AND SOME QUESTIONS. I GUESS MY MOST JUST TO RECAP IT, MISS ENRIQUEZ IS REALLY ABOUT THE LEONARD AND TRAIL AND THEN THE ARPA DOLLAR CONSIDERATIONS. THANKS. YEAH.

THANKS. SO FOR THE CITY ARPA FOR THAT FUNDING FOR THE PROJECTS. SO FOR OXFORD TRAIL, WE'VE ALREADY SPENT THE FUNDING THAT WE HAD FOR THE CITY ARPA. AND THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION, PLASTER CREEK, SILVER CREEK THAT PLANNING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY. AND WE'RE ON SCHEDULE TO SPEND THAT ARPA FUNDING BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.

MLK IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION WILL BE DONE, YOU KNOW, IN FEBRUARY FOR THE GRAND OPENING. SO THAT IS SPENT. AND THEN LET'S SEE, I THINK THE OTHER ONE IS THE LEONARD TO ANN. I THINK THAT'S THE LAST ONE. SO LEONARD ANN, IT HAS BEEN SPLIT INTO TWO DIFFERENT PROJECTS BECAUSE OF

[01:05:03]

AND THAT IS SET. EVERYTHING IS MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT. AND THEN THE NORTHERN PORTION, WHICH IS THE RAILROAD TO ANN, IS GOING TO BE BID BY THE CITY. AND WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON THOSE BID DOCUMENTS. THEY'VE BEEN APPROVED BY THE DNR AND WE ANTICIPATE BIDDING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. SO WE WILL BE BACK IN JANUARY FOR APPROVAL OF THAT CONTRACT. YEAH, YEAH. I THINK, COMMISSIONER, MAYOR, CAN I JUST SUPPLEMENT THAT RESPONSE? SURE. JUST BECAUSE COMMISSIONER GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY, JUST A FLAG THAT 2026 IS GOING TO BE A VERY PRESSURE FILLED YEAR FOR OUR ENGINEERING STAFF, OUR PARKS ENGINEERING STAFF, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT STAFF, AND THE CONTRACTORS WE ARE WORKING WITH BECAUSE OF THE CRITICALITY OF SPENDING THOSE DOLLARS BY THE END OF 26. THERE'S ALSO SOME AMBIGUITY CURRENTLY ABOUT HOW THAT WILL BE INTERPRETED.

SO IS IT GOING TO BE ENOUGH THAT THE WORK IS DONE AND THE LIABILITY EXISTS FOR US TO PAY, OR DO WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO HAVE PUSHED THE MONEY OUT THE DOOR? AND THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTFUL. SO JUST WANTED TO AND WE ALSO HAVE THE BIG AMPHITHEATER DELIVERY FOR OPENING IN MAY. AND THAT IS AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT THAT IS VERY VISIBLE AND IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY AND SOMETHING WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE FLEXIBLE AND ADAPTABLE FOR PROJECT TIMELINES THAT THAT AREN'T IMPLICATED BY ARPA OR SOME OF THOSE OTHER VERY HIGHLY IMPACTFUL AND LOTS OF PLANNING AND PEOPLE TRAVELING IN FROM OUT OF TOWN TO BE AT THOSE KINDS OF EVENTS. SO AGAIN, APPRECIATE YOU RAISING THE ISSUE. AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO HOW THAT WILL IMPACT HOW WE PRIORITIZE AND USE STAFF TIME, AND IT WILL PROBABLY REQUIRE SOME FLEXIBILITY IN 2026. AND WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO COMMUNICATE TO EVERYONE, SORT OF, IF WE HAVE TO SHIFT RESOURCES AROUND TO COMPLETE THOSE PROJECTS. OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO USE THOSE DOLLARS AND NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND I JUST WANT TO PICK UP THE BATON, THE RELAY RACE HERE ON FORESTRY. I APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS EVERYONE'S MADE ABOUT PARKS AND AND CEMETERIES SO FAR, I, I HAVE ACTUALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THE FORESTRY OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE PLAN. IS THAT GOING TO BE PRESENTED BEFORE THE ENTIRE COMMISSION AT SOME POINT, OR IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WANT TO TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT? I CAN I CAN RESPOND, NO, THAT WAS THAT'S NOT ON THE PLAN FOR A COMMISSION UPDATE. OKAY. WE HAVE NOT TYPICALLY BRIEFED ON OPERATIONS PLAN FOR FORESTRY.

WELL, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT I DO SEE THE SIGNIFICANT NEED IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS FOR MORE PROACTIVE MANAGEMENT. I THINK THAT WE ARE BEHIND POSSIBLY 5 TO 10 YEARS IN SOME OF OUR PRUNING, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT. AND WHAT DOES PRUNING ACTUALLY ENTAIL? HOW MUCH OF THE TREE ARE YOU GUYS CUTTING AND WHERE THE CLARITY ON WIRES AND WHATNOT WOULD BE FOR HOMEOWNERS AS WELL AS CONSUMERS ENERGY? BECAUSE I GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. WELL, A COUPLE THINGS. SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IN THE ORDER I HEARD THEM. SO THE FIRST IS THAT THE PRUNING I WOULD SAY THAT WE ARE I WOULD AGREE WITH YOUR ASSESSMENT AS TO THE NUMBER OF TREES THAT NEED PRUNING, ESPECIALLY IN THE TRAINING AND YOUNG PRUNING CATEGORY. THE COMPONENT OF THAT PLAN OF BOOSTING THE IN-HOUSE WOULD BE TO ADDRESS THOSE YOUNG TREES. YOU KNOW, FORESTRY IS A LONG GAME. SO IF WE CAN FOCUS ON YOUNG AND AND TRAINING TREES, WE WILL SAVE MONEY IN THE LONG RUN. AS FAR AS THE SPECIFICATIONS FOR PRUNING, WE ARE FOCUSED CURRENTLY. WE WROTE A LOT OF THOSE SPECIFICATIONS TO FOCUS ON CLEARANCE ABOVE SIDEWALKS AND STREETS, CLEARANCE AWAY FROM HOUSES AND WITH SOME STRUCTURAL PRUNING DONE. A LOT OF THE STRUCTURAL PRUNING WE DO IS IN HOUSE JUST BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF TRAINING AND EXPERTISE WE HAVE WITHIN OUR IN-HOUSE STAFF. AND THEN YOUR THIRD QUESTION WAS, AGAIN, I'M SORRY, THE CLARITY ON WIRES BETWEEN THE HOMEOWNER RESPONSIBILITY, CITY RESPONSIBILITY AND CONSUMERS RESPONSIBILITY. AND AND THEN MAYBE WE COULD ADD ON, SINCE THE STRUCTURAL PRUNING IS DONE IN INTERNAL LIKE HOW QUICKLY WHAT COULD A RESIDENT EXPECT RETURN RESPONSE AND STUFF LIKE THAT. WELL RESPONSE ON COMPONENTS AS FAR AS THOSE ARE STRICTLY BASED ON INSPECTIONS.

AFTER PEOPLE REQUEST SOMETHING DONE TO THE TREE. SO WE'LL GO OUT AND WE'LL DO AN INSPECTION

[01:10:02]

ONE THING I DIDN'T SHOW IN THAT STUDY, AND YOU PROBABLY SAW IN THE MANAGEMENT PLAN, IS THAT WE HAVE A VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF TREES THAT ARE SMALL CANOPY TREES, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN PROACTIVELY PLANTING UNDERNEATH POWER LINES SO WE CAN AVOID THOSE CONFLICTS IN THE FUTURE, TRYING TO PLANT THE RIGHT TREE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AS WELL. SO WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE WIRES BETWEEN THE MAIN PRIMARY LINE INTO THE BUILDING OR HOUSE? SOME OF THOSE, THOSE ARE MORE FEED LINES TO THE HOUSE. THOSE FALL WITHIN THE RESPONSIBILITY MOSTLY WITH THE HOMEOWNER. IF IF IT'S A CITY TREE THAT'S CAUSING A CONFLICT, THEN WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE HAVE THAT ON ON OUR LIST AS WELL. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH. COMMISSIONER PERDUE, THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION. WHERE TO START. SO FIRST I WANT TO SPEAK TO KIND OF THE FIRST SECTION OF THE PRESENTATION AROUND PARKS AND ACTIVATION. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT ONLY PUBLIC BUSSES ONLY GO TO TWO OF OUR THREE PARKS. IS THAT TRUE FROM YOUR UNDERSTANDING. AND IS THAT SOMETHING ON YOUR RADAR OR SOMETHING TO KIND OF ADDRESS WITH THE RAPID? TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR PARKS ARE ACCESSIBLE BY EVERYONE IN THE CITY, PARTICULARLY GIVEN ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT WE'RE DOING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PASSES AND YOUTH PROGRAMING AND THE LIKE. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION THAT I'LL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON. I CAN CHECK IN WITH OUR MOBILITY EXPERTS AND GET YOU SOME BETTER ANSWERS ON THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IN EVERY PROGRAM THAT WE DO AND ALL OF OUR PARK SPACES, WE WANT TO REMOVE AS MANY BARRIERS AS WE POSSIBLY CAN TO ACCESS. ABSOLUTELY. RELATED TO THAT, I MENTIONED THIS WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FEE SCHEDULE FOR MLK LODGE. BUT REALLY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR RENTAL FEES, OUR SPACE FEES, BOTH FOR OUR OUR BUILDINGS, ON OUR PARKS, BUT ALSO THE PARKS THEMSELVES ARE REALLY ACCESSIBLE. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE MENTIONED FRIENDS OF GRAND RAPIDS PARKS A FEW TIMES THIS MORNING, AND THEY'RE KIND OF PART OF THE CITY IN A WAY. AND IF THEY WANT TO ACTIVATE OUR PARKS, BRING PEOPLE TO OUR PARKS, KIND OF REALLY AS AN EXTENSION OF THE CITY'S WORK, THEY HAVE TO PAY US FOR ALL THE RENTAL FEES AND EVERYTHING AS IF THEY WERE OUTSIDE ENTITY DOING KIND OF A PRIVATE EVENT. SO I THINK THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF IN SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER TODAY, MAYOR, ABOUT HOW DO WE UTILIZE FEES? I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK AND TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PUBLIC PARKS AND OUR SPACES ARE TRULY ACCESSIBLE TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR SITUATEDNESS IN THEIR IN THEIR INCOME LEVEL. SO I WANTED TO TO FLAG THAT AND BE CURIOUS IF OTHER FOLKS ARE INTERESTED IN THAT. FINALLY, I JUST WANT TO COMMENT JUST ON OUR SPACES IN GENERAL. I THINK WE HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS, BUT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO FURTHER AND REALLY QUESTIONING OR DEFINING WHAT USERS. WE'RE DESIGNING DIFFERENT SPACES FOR. SO WE DID A WALK THROUGH ON THE SOUTH SOUTHEAST SIDE, ABOUT WHERE THAT POTENTIAL SILVER CREEK TRAIL MIGHT GO. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WALKING THROUGH SOME OF OUR EXISTING PARKS AND THAT THE ONE I'M THINKING ABOUT

[01:15:01]

OTHER FOLKS WANT TO WALK AND SO JUST WANT TO CHALLENGE US AS WE THINK ABOUT THESE SPACES, TO THINK ABOUT VERY DIVERSE USERS THAT EXIST IN OUR COMMUNITY AND DESIGN AND ACTIVATE FOR THAT.

AND THEN, RELATEDLY, PARTICULARLY AS WE THINK ABOUT MAJOR POTENTIAL INVESTMENTS OR CHANGES, LIKE A NEW TRAIL OF NOT WAITING UNTIL THOSE POINTS TO MAKE INVESTMENTS IN OUR PARKS AND OUR CURRENT AMENITIES. YOU KNOW, WE WALK THROUGH DICKINSON PARK. THERE'S SO MUCH THAT WE COULD DO FOR IT RIGHT NOW TO MAKE IT A BETTER ASSET TO THAT COMMUNITY AND TO THE CITY AS A WHOLE. THAT SHOULDN'T REQUIRE US WAITING UNTIL WE KIND OF HAVE THIS HUGE NEW MASTER PLAN ABOUT A TRAIL SYSTEM. SO I WANT TO MAKE THAT POINT, ENCOURAGE US TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. AND THEN LASTLY, MORE OF A QUESTION. WE KNOW THAT SEVERE WEATHER IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE. SO I'M CURIOUS, YOU YOU SHARED THE THE CHART OF KIND OF INCREASES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND WHAT THAT HAS MEANT FOR TREES. I'M CURIOUS IF YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS LOOKED AT WHAT THAT MEANS FOR COST INCREASES. IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT AS WE THINK ABOUT THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE? SO THAT'S A AND THEN B ARE WE THINKING ABOUT FRUIT TREES IN OUR PARKS. AND THEN LASTLY WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE CONNECTION IS. I THINK URBAN AG IS THAT URBAN AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE IS THAT. AND WHEN PLANNING OR WHAT IS YOUR CONNECTION TO IT. PARKS AND FORESTRY. SO THAT'S A THREE PARTER. SEVERE WEATHER PROJECTIONS FRUIT TREES AND OUR BAG. SO SO LET'S DISSECT ALL OF THAT A LITTLE BIT. AS FAR AS URBAN AGRICULTURE, IT IS IT HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN UNDER PARKS DEPARTMENT. IT'S TRANSITIONING OVER TO THE SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT. BUT I GUESS THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE TWO PEOPLE WE HAVE HERE, BECAUSE WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO RECEIVE A $500,000 GRANT FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT. AND WE HAVE ANGELICA, WHO IS OUR URBAN AGRICULTURE COORDINATOR. I DID ALSO WANT TO INTRODUCE COURTNEY PERKINS, WHO IS OUR NEW MLK COMMUNITY CENTER MANAGER. SO I, I FAILED TO DO THAT DURING. BUT WHEN YOU MENTIONED URBAN AGRICULTURE, IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE THESE FOLKS AS AS FAR AS THE LONG TERM IMPACT OF WHETHER JOE CAN SPEAK TO THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT I KNOW THAT THAT WAS A CONSIDERATION IN DEVELOPING POTENTIAL MODELS FOR WHAT A FORESTRY OPERATING PLAN COULD LOOK LIKE TO BRING US TO TO A SUSTAINABLE PLACE AS PART OF OUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 27, WE WILL BE INTRODUCING A COUPLE DIFFERENT POTENTIAL MODELS THAT COULD HELP US GET TO THIS PLACE OF BEING SUSTAINABLE. SO I'LL PASS IT OVER TO JOE FOR THE QUESTION ON FRUIT TREES. SO AS FAR AS FRUIT TREES GO, WE ARE ALWAYS CONSIDERING FRUIT TREES FOR PLANTINGS WHEN THEY'RE PLANTED ALONG STREETS OR IN PUBLIC PROPERTY. WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THOSE ARE PLANTED, WE HAVE AN ENTITY OR GROUP THAT UNDERSTANDS THE AMOUNT OF MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP, ESPECIALLY DURING HARVEST, THAT'S NEEDED SO THAT WE CAN MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS FROM THOSE TREES AS WELL. SO IT'S AS LONG AS EVERY TIME WE PLANT TREES, IT'S NORMALLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE GROUP THAT'S VERY INTERESTED IN IN HAVING THOSE AND AND GETTING THE FRUIT OFF OF THOSE TREES AS WELL. WITH THE GRAPH THAT YOU SHARED OF THE TYPE OF TREES IN GRAND RAPIDS, DO ANY OF THOSE HAVE FRUIT ON THEM? THE MAJORITY OF THE TREES THAT WHERE DID THAT GO? THE MAJORITY OF TREES THAT YOU SEE IN THIS GRAPH ARE PRIMARILY TREES THAT ARE EITHER STREET TREES OR PARK TREES. THE NUMBER OF ORNAMENTAL TREES THAT WE HAVE IS INCREASING BECAUSE, LIKE I SAID, THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE PLANTING UNDERNEATH POWER LINES, FRUIT TREES MAKE UP A SMALL PORTION OF THE OF THE URBAN FOREST. BUT WE, AS LAURA INTRODUCED, WE DO HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL URBAN AGRICULTURE GRANT THAT WE ARE EMBARKING ON. AND WE WE CAN IMAGINE THAT SOME OF THOSE GRANTEES, SUBRECIPIENT, SUBRECIPIENT GRANTEES WILL BE INCORPORATING ORCHARD TREES, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THAT MODEL.

AND THEN JUST LAST, SORRY, GO AHEAD. JUST A FOLLOW UP TO LAURA, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE URBAN AG MOVING TO SUSTAINABILITY. COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE THINKING BEHIND THAT CHANGE? IT. IT IS JUST BEEN THE OVERSIGHT OF THE URBAN URBAN AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE. OBVIOUSLY, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS STILL VERY INVOLVED JUST BECAUSE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN OUR PARK SPACES, WHICH WILL BE FURTHER EXPLORED AS WE CONTINUE MOVING

[01:20:02]

WE'VE GOT ANOTHER, I THINK, PROBABLY GOING TO BE A VERY ENGAGED CONVERSATION ABOUT ZONING AND PLANNING. SO I'M JUST GOING TO ESSENTIALLY DO A MAKE A COUPLE THEMATIC COMMENTS HERE RATHER THAN ASK QUESTIONS. I, I THINK FUNDAMENTALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PARKS, IT'S ALWAYS WORTH ASKING THE QUESTION OF WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PRODUCT OR A SERVICE A LOT. AND I WANT TO CHALLENGE ALL OF US TO NOT THINK OF PARKS AS PRODUCTS. A LOT OF THIS LOOKS SORT OF LIKE A CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENT WE'RE DOING. WE'RE BUILDING THIS, WE'RE BUILDING THIS, WE'RE BUILDING THIS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE INVESTING IN THIS, AND WE'RE BUILDING OUT PARKING LOTS. AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE IF WE HAVE A HOUSING COMPLEX IN TOWN, WE DO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. BUT FUNDAMENTALLY, WE THINK OF THAT AS SORT OF A PRODUCT, BECAUSE I THINK OF PARKS AS FUNDAMENTALLY A SERVICE. AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, RESONATING WITH SOMETHING. SOME OF THE POINTS THAT COMMISSIONER KILLGORE, PARDON ME, COMMISSIONER PERDUE WAS MAKING, I THINK THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO CHALLENGE OURSELVES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SEEING THESE PARKS ARE ONLY VALUABLE IF THEY'RE USED, AND THAT IS SO THEY'RE NOT SET ASIDE LANDS. WE'RE NOT INVESTING IN YOSEMITE HERE. WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO GET THINGS THAT THAT HUMANS CAN USE. AND SO IN THOSE TERMS, I KNOW WE'VE HAD A LONG STANDING GOAL OF HAVING PARKS WITHIN TEN MINUTES OF EVERYONE'S HOUSE. FRANKLY, I'D LIKE TO HAVE USABLE AMENITIES IN PARKS THAT PEOPLE CAN GET WITHIN A TEN MINUTE WALK OF THEIR HOUSE. AND THAT PROBABLY MEANS, I MEAN, I'D RATHER SPEND MONEY ON THAT THAN SPEND MONEY ON A WHOLE LOT OF PARKING LOTS. AND I'D RATHER GET THINGS EMBEDDED IN PEOPLE'S NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY USE. I DIDN'T SEE ANY. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION OF LIKE SURVEY SURVEYS OF USERS, IF YOU'RE SEEING AS A PRODUCT, THEN YOU CAN BE LIKE, OH, LET'S, YOU KNOW, LET'S SEE WHAT, LET'S SEE WHAT WE WANT TO MAKE. BUT IF YOU'RE SEEING IT AS A SERVICE, I THINK THAT SURVEYS AREN'T JUST SOMETHING YOU DO TO SEE WHAT PRODUCT YOU MAKE. THEY'RE THEY'RE YOUR CORE, THEIR CORE FUNCTION. SO IN FUTURE I'D LOVE TO SEE REPORTING OUT ON ON ASKING PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT IN AN ENVISIONING WHAT THEY WANT. BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE DREAMING ABOUT USES. AND SO IT'S NOT AS IT'S NOT LIKE AN APARTMENT BUILDING THAT WHEN YOU'RE DONE, YOU'RE JUST LIKE, OH, GREAT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT ALL THE INPUT. HERE IT IS. IT'S DONE. IT'S GOING TO BE THERE FOR 40 YEARS. I THINK THAT PARKS ARE MUCH MORE FLUID AND DYNAMIC THAN THAT. AND WE SHOULD PROBABLY EMBED CONVERSATIONS ABOUT USE AND SURVEYS ABOUT USE AND QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS, REALLY AS PART OF THE LIFEBLOOD OF OF WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE'RE PROVIDING FOR OR, YOU KNOW, MAKING FOR OUR RESIDENTS NOT JUST STUFF, BUT ENGAGEMENT. SO I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT AS AS SOMETHING THEMATICALLY, ALL OF US AT THE CITY WORK TOWARDS. THE OTHER THING THAT I THAT JUMPED OUT TO ME WAS THAT ACTIVATION QUESTION.

SOMETIMES PARKS FAIL IN THEIR ACTIVATION, AND ONE PARK THAT I DIDN'T SEE ANY ANYTHING IN THIS DOCUMENT THAT I'VE HEARD A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT AS A PROBLEMATIC USE. PARK IS HEARTHSIDE. AND SO THE QUESTION OF HOW YOU HOW YOU ACTIVATE DIFFERENT USES IN PLACES WHERE YOU'RE NOT SEEING THE THE USES THAT YOU MIGHT WANT, IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD WELCOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT INVESTMENT IN. SO WE'RE OUT OF TIME. I'M JUST I'M JUST DOING A MIC DROP HERE. SO THIS IS I JUST I WOULD LIKE TO SEE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ABOUT STEERING USE, BUT ALSO AS, AS THINGS EVOLVE, I MEAN, EVERYONE IN THE WORLD WANTS TO DO PICKLEBALL. IT'S LIKE THE NEW HARI KRISHNA'S LIKE PICKLEBALL USERS ARE ALMOST CULT MEMBERS, BUT THAT MEANS THAT, YOU KNOW, GETTING THOSE FOLKS JUST LIKE JUST LIKE I'M A I'M A MEMBER OF THE DOG PARK CULT. WE SHOULD WE CAN BE THINKING ABOUT HOW TO MAKE THOSE SORTS OF THINGS A LOT MORE AVAILABLE IN A LOT MORE. SO I GUESS I'M I'M HOPING WE CAN MOVE TOWARDS GRANULARITY.

AND I SOME OF MY FAVORITE PARKS IN THE CITY ARE SMALL. THEY'RE NOT BIG AND THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY HEAVILY USED. SO THAT'S THAT'S WHERE I HOPE WE CAN MOVE WITH OUR VISION. THANK YOU FOR

[2. Zoning Ordinance Update: Project Launch and Process Preview]

SO. SO CAN I GET GOING OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY. AN UPDATED ZONING ORDINANCE IS IS PRETTY MUCH ON THE TOP OF EVERY STAFF PLANNER'S WISH LIST RIGHT NOW. SO YOU CAN IMAGINE OUR EXCITEMENT TO BE HERE

[01:25:06]

WE BELIEVE THIS TEAM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY STAFF, WILL REALLY HELP US CREATE A USER FRIENDLY ZONING ORDINANCE THAT WILL IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY MASTER PLAN. AND TODAY, WE'LL BE DETAILING THAT WORK FOR YOU ABOUT WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS THAT WE'LL BE TAKING. ALSO, RECAPPING THE PROCESS THAT WE'VE HAD TO DATE SINCE THE ADOPTION OF THE COMMUNITY MASTER PLAN. AND SO REALLY, WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED SO FAR. AND AGAIN, WE'RE THRILLED TO BE HERE TODAY. SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO LAYLA ZANI, OUR INTERIM ASSISTANT PLANNING DIRECTOR AND PROJECT MANAGER. AND SHE, ALONG WITH THE CONSULTANTS, WILL PROVIDE THE VERY BRIEF PRESENTATION FOR US, FOR YOU TODAY. AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE'LL BE AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, KRISTEN, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY. SO KRISTEN WENT OVER THIS. WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF RECAP OF THE MASTER PLAN. SINCE WE HAVEN'T BEEN HERE SINCE MARCH. WE'RE GOING TO THEN WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR ON THE ZONING ORDINANCE UPDATE AND INTRODUCE THE CONSULTANT TEAM, AND I'LL HAND IT OFF TO THEM TO DISCUSS MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS AND NEXT STEPS. SO YOU'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE, BUT FOR PEOPLE JOINING US AT HOME, AND JUST AS A REFRESHER, WE HAVE OUR VISION STATEMENT FROM THE COMMUNITY MASTER PLAN. OUR THEMES WHICH ARE EQUITY, SAFETY, VIBRANCY, CULTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY. OUR GOAL AREAS WHICH FORM THE CHAPTERS OF THE COMMUNITY MASTER PLAN, WHICH ARE GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS, VITAL BUSINESS DISTRICTS, A STRONG ECONOMY, BALANCED MOBILITY AND DESIRABLE DEVELOPMENT CHARACTER. AND EACH OF THOSE CHAPTERS HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WEAVE THE THEMES THROUGHOUT THE DIFFERENT CHAPTERS. IN THE WHOLE PLAN, WE GET ASKED A LOT ABOUT WHAT CHANGES ARE IN THIS MASTER PLAN VERSUS THE PREVIOUS ONE, AND WE CREATED THIS LIST OF BOLD CHANGES. THE FIRST ONE IS ALLOWING ADUS UP TO QUADPLEXES IN RESIDENTIAL ZONE DISTRICTS BY RIGHT RAISING THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, REQUIRING DEVELOPMENTS THAT MEET A CERTAIN THRESHOLD OR SIZE TO HAVE A TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT PLAN, AND THEN ALLOWING MORE USES IN COMMERCIAL AND RETAIL DISTRICTS LIKE 28TH STREET, MAYBE ALLOWING MORE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN LIGHT MANUFACTURING IN AREAS LIKE THAT, AND THEN LOOKING AT OUR PARKING REQUIREMENTS AND PARKING LOTS TO ENCOURAGE INFILL DEVELOPMENT AND CREATE MORE WALKABLE AND VIBRANT BUSINESS DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. SINCE WE'VE BEEN TO YOU IN MARCH, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY. WE'VE BEEN AT COMMISSION NIGHT OUTS, WE HOSTED A LUNCH AND LEARN ON ZONING AND WHAT IT IS. WE'VE BEEN AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMIT ALSO TO INTRODUCE PEOPLE TO ZONING AND THE CONCEPTS BEHIND IT. I KNOW SOME OF YOU WERE THERE. WE HOSTED THREE WORLDWIDE MEETINGS IN SEPTEMBER. WE WENT OUT TO EACH WARD AND TALKED ABOUT ZONING, AND THIS IS ALL TO PREPARE THE COMMUNITY FOR THE UPCOMING CONVERSATION THAT WE'LL DO WITH THE CONSULTANT TEAM. AND THEN WE'VE ALSO GONE BY REQUEST TO OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND GROUPS. AND IN TOTAL, WE'VE ENGAGED 400 PLUS PEOPLE. SO THAT WAS EXCITING. WE'VE ALSO FORMED A TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THOSE ARE REGULAR USERS OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE THAT ARE GOING TO HELP US IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE CONSULTANT TEAM VET THE RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE WE BRING THEM OUT TO THE PUBLIC FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. WE DID A ZONING ORDINANCE USER SURVEY. SO ANYONE THAT'S USED ZONING ORDINANCE. RECENTLY, WE SENT OUT A DIGITAL SURVEY AND ASKED FOR THEIR FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE GIVEN TO THE CONSULTANT TEAM.

AND WE ALSO USED TO SCOPE THE PROPOSAL. AND THEN WE'VE HIRED THE CONSULTANT TEAM. AND NOW WE'RE IN THE ONBOARDING STAGE. SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY. AND WITH THAT I WILL INTRODUCE LESLIE OBERHOLTZER FROM CODA METRICS, WHO'S THE PROJECT MANAGER FROM THE CONSULTANT SIDE. THE PRESENTATION FORMAT. SORRY. CAN YOU MAKE IT IN FULL SCREEN IN PRESENTATION FORMAT? OH. WELL GOOD MORNING. I'M REALLY THANKFUL TO BE HERE. I'M HERE TO JUST INTRODUCE OUR TEAM AND TO SORT OF KICK OFF THIS PROJECT. SO IT'S VERY EARLY STAGES HERE. I'M JUST GOING TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD. SO OUR CONSULTANT TEAM WAS PULLED TOGETHER SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS PROJECT. EVEN THOUGH I WORK WITH THESE FOLKS A LOT AND HAVE

[01:30:02]

BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US. I KNOW YOU HAVE A PRETTY JAM PACKED AGENDA, SO APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. BUT WE WANTED TO QUICKLY INTRODUCE ALL TOGETHER. ALL TOGETHER IS A SMALL BUT MIGHTY WOMAN OWNED FIRM OUT OF THE CHICAGOLAND AREA. WE ARE SUPER EXCITED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH NOT ONLY YOU, BUT YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOUR WONDERFUL STAFF ON THIS PROJECT. WE KIND OF HAVE THREE AREAS OF EXPERTISE WHICH ARE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, COMMUNICATIONS AND PLACEMAKING, AND PLACE BRANDING. WE REALLY STAY TRUE TO THOSE AND SOMETHING THAT MAKES US UNIQUE IS WE'RE VERY MULTIDISCIPLINARY, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE GRAPHIC DESIGNERS, CREATIVE WRITERS, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, PEOPLE WHO HAVE BACKGROUNDS IN SOCIAL WORKS, ALL OF US HAVE AN URBAN PLANNING BACKGROUND. SO WE ARE NOT JUST A PR FIRM THAT CAN'T GET PAST JUST DOING THOSE INTRODUCTIONS. WE ARE SO EXCITED TO BE ON THIS AND BUILD OFF THE WONDERFUL WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE WITH YOUR MASTER PLAN. THANK YOU. NOT JUST URBAN PLANNING, BUT THEY'VE ALSO WORKED ON SEVERAL ZONING PROJECTS. AND BELIEVE ME, IT'S NOT EASY TO GET PEOPLE ENGAGED IN ZONING, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE THEM ON OUR TEAM. SO CODE METRICS IS ALSO A WOMAN OWNED FIRM. I AM THE OWNER, AND I AM THE PERSON THAT YOU WILL SEE ON A REGULAR BASIS. I DO EVERYTHING, I TOUCH EVERYTHING.

I DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT HELP ME. BUT I AM THE MAJOR CODE WRITER. I HAVE BEEN WRITING CODES FOR OVER 20 YEARS. I WAS A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT BEFORE BECOMING A PLANNER, AND SO I SORT OF COMBINE THOSE INTO URBAN DESIGN. I AM ALSO SERVE ON THE CENTER FOR ZONING SOLUTIONS WITH SMART GROWTH AMERICA, AS IN TERMS OF A STEERING COMMITTEE, TO HELP SORT OF FORWARD BEST PRACTICES IN ZONING IN, IN OUR, OUR WORK. AND AS I SAID, CLARION ASSOCIATES HAS DONE HUNDREDS OF DEVELOPMENT CODES AND THEY BRING THEIR EXPERTISE FROM BOTH DENVER AND NORTH CAROLINA IN TERMS OF HELPING US TO LOOK AT YOUR PROCEDURES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STREAMLINING THOSE, AS WELL AS THOSE KIND OF SORT OF STICKY LAND USES THAT MIGHT REQUIRE SOME LEGAL EXPERTISE. SO VERY BRIEFLY, WE HAVE FIVE PHASES THAT WE'VE PROPOSED FOR THIS PROJECT. THE FIRST PHASE IS ORIENTATION, WHICH IS WHERE WE ARE TODAY. AND THAT ORIENTATION IS MEANT TO SORT OF HELP US TO GATHER AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, TRY TO GET TO KNOW THE COMMUNITY SO THAT THAT WE CAN THEN DIVE INTO THE SECOND PHASE, WHICH WE CALL DISCOVERY AND DIRECTION. AND THAT PHASE IS A THREE MONTH PHASE WHERE WE INTEND TO REALLY GET TO KNOW THE COMMUNITY IN GREATER DEPTH. I SHOULD SAY THAT WHEN I STARTED MY CAREER IN CODE WRITING 20 YEARS AGO, THE FIRST PROJECT THAT I DID WAS FOR THE GRAND VALLEY MET COUNCIL IN DOING A STUDY ON ZONING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. SO THAT WAS THAT WAS REALLY MY SORT OF ON THE GROUND HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS. AND SO I GOT TO KNOW THE CITY QUITE A BIT. BUT THAT WAS 20 YEARS AGO AND LOTS HAS CHANGED AND I CAN TELL. SO AT THE END OF THAT DISCOVERY AND DIRECTIONS PHASE WILL CREATE A REPORT CALLED THE DIRECTIONS REPORT, WHICH IS MEANT TO, ALONG WITH YOUR MASTER PLAN, SEND US IN THE PROPER DIRECTION TO WRITE THE ZONING DRAFT, WHICH IS PHASE THREE. THAT INITIAL DRAFT WILL BE MOSTLY INTERNAL. WE'RE GOING TO WORK CLOSELY WITH STAFF, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY STARTED DOING, AS WELL AS THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH WE WILL BE MEETING WITH TOMORROW, AND WE'LL CREATE THIS SORT OF PUSHING AND PULLING OF A DRAFT THAT WE'VE CREATED BEFORE WE PUT IT OUT FOR ANYBODY ELSE TO SEE. SO IT'S VERY INTERNAL AT THE END OF THAT PROCESS. THAT'S WHEN WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU AND AND SHOW YOU WHERE WE'RE WE'RE WHERE WE ARE AND SEE IF THAT'S SORT OF READY FOR PRIME TIME, WHICH DRIVES US INTO PHASE FOUR, WHICH IS THE PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD. SO THAT INITIAL DRAFT WILL GET PUSHED AND PULLED INTERNALLY. THEN WE WILL GET

[01:35:04]

YOU CAN SEE ACROSS THE BOTTOM THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL SORT OF POINTS THAT WE WILL BE ENGAGING BOTH WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE CITY COMMISSION, BUT ALSO WITH THE COMMUNITY WITHIN THOSE ENGAGEMENT EVENTS. SO WE WILL ACTUALLY HAVE AT THE END OF EACH ONE OF THESE PHASES, AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH BOTH YOU AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. THIS IS A SORT OF LINE OUT OF ALL OF THOSE ENGAGEMENT SITUATIONS WHERE WE'LL MEET SEPARATELY WITH YOU ALL OR WITH A JOINT COMMISSION, BUT IN THAT PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD, THAT SORT OF PHASE FOUR, THAT'S WHEN WE WILL GET IN DEEP AND WE EXPECT TO HAVE, FOR ME, AT LEAST FOUR MEETINGS WITH PLANNING COMMISSION AND FOUR MEETINGS WITH YOU ALL, AS WELL AS TO POST THAT PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT AND THEN HAVE A FULL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AT THAT POINT AS WELL. SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS? SO THE FIRST PART OF THAT DISCOVERY AND DIRECTIONS IS REALLY LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT LAYERS OF INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US. AND THE FIRST AND FOREMOST IS YOUR COMMUNITY MASTER PLAN. IT IS A WELL WRITTEN MASTER PLAN. VERY RARELY DO I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON A PROJECT THAT HAS SUCH A NICELY WRITTEN MASTER PLAN THAT GIVES US LOTS OF GOOD INFORMATION THAT IS INDEED VERY RARE, BUT THAT WILL BE SORT OF OUR BASIS. BUT THIS IS A ZONING PROJECT, AND SO WHAT WE NEED TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE IMPLEMENTING ZONING. ZONING IS INCREMENTAL. IT CHANGES OVER TIME. AND OUR GOAL IS NOT TO JUST CHANGE EVERYTHING IMMEDIATELY. THINGS WILL CHANGE SLOWLY. WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THAT MASTER PLAN SLOWLY OVER TIME.

SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CURRENT ZONING AND OVERLAYING THE FUTURE LAND USE, AS WELL AS THE CURRENT ZONING, BUT FURTHER, AND A KIND OF A HALLMARK OF MY FIRM IS I REALLY GET TO KNOW THE COMMUNITY AND THE BUILDING FORMS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. SO I WILL DO EXTENSIVE SURVEY AND ANALYSIS AND OVERLAY THAT INFORMATION AS WELL. ULTIMATELY, OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE A CODE THAT IS EASY TO USE, CLEAR, VERY PREDICTABLE. WE WILL BE REORGANIZING THE CODE. WE'LL BE MAINTAINING ITS SORT OF HYBRID FORM BASED AND USE BASED SORT OF SITUATION, BUT WE WILL ENHANCE THAT QUITE A BIT. WE WILL BE CLEANING UP LOTS OF REVISIONS AND SORT OF MOVING THINGS AROUND IN ORDER TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO FIND WHAT IT IS THAT YOU NEED WITHIN THE CODE. AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE WILL CREATE REGULATIONS THAT LOOK SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WHERE WE'RE TAKING THOSE SERIES OF METRICS AND WE'RE FOLDING THEM INTO TABLES. YOU USE TABLES IN YOUR CURRENT CODE, BUT WE'LL KEY THOSE TABLES TO DIAGRAMS AND ILLUSTRATIONS AND HAVE IMAGES OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HOPE TO SEE DEVELOPED USING THESE REGULATIONS, THIS SORT OF IDEA OF OBJECTIVE AND VERY WELL TESTED STANDARDS MEANS THAT THE OUTCOMES OF THE CODE HOPEFULLY WILL BE MORE PREDICTABLE, BUT ALSO THE USE OF THE CODE WILL BE EASIER AND MORE PREDICTABLE. AND IN TERMS OF THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, AND THIS IS A GOAL OF CLARION IN EVERY PROJECT THAT THEY WORK ON, WE'RE LOOKING AT STREAMLINING THE APPLICATION PROCESS. WE'RE LOOKING AT MAKING IT EASIER FOR DEVELOPERS TO DO THE RIGHT THING. SO IF WE CAN WRITE VERY CLEAR AND PREDICTABLE REGULATIONS, AND IF WE CAN MAKE THAT PROCESS MORE STREAMLINED FOR THEIR APPROVALS, THEN WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS GETTING EVERYTHING THAT THEY HOPE TO SEE IN THEIR COMMUNITY. WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLDING IN FLEXIBILITY AND AND ADJUSTMENTS TO THE CODE, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING VERY CONSISTENT IN HOW WE APPLY THAT FLEXIBILITY THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS, BUT ALSO THE DIFFERENT USERS OF THE CODE. SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO ABIGAIL TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS. THANK YOU LESLIE. ALL RIGHT. WELL, WE WERE GOING TO START FIRST WITH THE FIVE KEYS OF A FAIR PROCESS. SO REALLY THINKING THROUGH THIS, YOU GUYS DID A GREAT AMOUNT OF ROBUST ENGAGEMENT WITH YOUR MASTER PLANNING EFFORT. WE ARE NOT GOING TO START FROM SCRATCH. WE WANT TO BUILD OFF THAT. WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT WAS SUCCESSFUL. WHAT ARE THE LESSONS LEARNED? MAYBE WHERE ARE THOSE MISSING GAPS THAT WE NEED TO FILL? WHAT CAN WE IMPROVE? WHAT WE CAN BUILD OFF AND STRENGTHEN? WHAT RELATIONSHIPS HAVE YOU MADE WITH YOUR COMMUNITY CONNECTORS? WHERE CAN WE FURTHER THAT? SO WE FIRST WANT TO CONVENE THE RIGHT PEOPLE EARLY ON. WE WANT TO COMMUNICATE IN A COMPELLING

[01:40:02]

AND WE'RE CONTINUING THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU RECEIVED FROM YOUR MASTER PLANNING EFFORT. SO WE'RE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT TWO OF THESE AND DIVE A LITTLE DEEPER JUST BECAUSE WE ARE VERY GRAPHIC PEOPLE. IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY REALIZED BY OUR SLIDES, BUT WE WANT TO COMMUNICATE IN A COMPELLING WAY, ZONING IS NOT AS ACCESSIBLE AS IT COULD BE. MYTH BUSTING IS A GREAT WAY TO DO IT. HUMANIZING IT IS A GREAT WAY, AND ALMOST TO THE IMPACT LEVEL TOO, SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IT IMPACTS RESIDENTS, LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS, FIRST RESPONDERS, BUILDERS, DEVELOPERS THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY, OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY, YOUR STAFF, THEIR CAPACITIES, THEIR WORKLOAD AS WELL. SO WE WANT TO THINK THROUGH ALL THE WAYS WE CAN MESSAGE THIS TO MAKE IT COMPELLING, TO BUILD OFF THE WORK YOU'VE DONE AND MAKING IT EXCITING AND PROFESSIONAL. SO THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS, IF THEY SEE ANYTHING RELATED TO THIS EFFORT, THEY'RE LIKE, OH, I'VE SEEN THAT BEFORE. OH, THIS IS IDENTICAL. AND THINKING ABOUT MAKING AN ACCESSIBLE TO AND THEN CREATING THIS WAS THE ONE THAT I REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT WAS A VARIETY OF THE SCALES AND STYLES. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE STAFF THE , BUT BEING VERY STRATEGIC ABOUT AUDIENCES, GROUPS, PEOPLE, TYPES OF ENGAGEMENT THAT WE CAN DO, THINKING ABOUT YOUTH DISCUSSIONS, LARGER WORKSHOPS. SO THOSE WARD WORKSHOPS THAT WE WANT TO FURTHER HAVING THINGS LIVING DIGITALLY, ALSO IN PRINT AND PUBLIC REALM, YOU CAN SEE KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE BOTTOM, THE PUBLIC REALM. THOSE ARE WINDOW DECALS. THAT WAS A RETAIL ACTION PLAN IN EVANSTON, ILLINOIS. WE DID A STORYTELLING EFFORT WITH A CALL TO ACTION.

WITHIN THE FIRST DAY, WE HAD 1500 SURVEY RESPONSES. AND WE'RE NOT JUST ABOUT NUMBERS, BUT THAT WAS PRETTY ASTONISHING TO ME. BUT PEOPLE WERE LIKE, OH, THIS IS COOL. THERE'S SOMETHING OUT THERE. WE DON'T HAVE TO JUST GO TO A GYM OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, A COMMUNITY BUILDING FROM 6 TO 8 P.M. AND NOT THINK ABOUT CHILDCARE OR PEOPLE WORKING OR DINNER AND MAKING ACCESSIBLE. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING SO MANY DIFFERENT PATHWAYS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO ENGAGE. POP UP EVENTS ARE HUGE. I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN DOING THEM. WE MAKE THEM REALLY EXCITING, ENGAGING TO AND MEANINGFUL. SO BUILDING OFF WHAT HAVE YOU ALREADY ASKED WITH THE MASTER PLAN? MAYBE. LET'S NOT ASK THE SAME QUESTIONS. LET'S FURTHER THAT AND DO IT IN A CREATIVE WAY SO WE CAN REALLY GET THE FEEDBACK WE NEED TO MAKE THIS REGULATORY TOOL WHAT IT SHOULD BE REALLY SHAPING THE FEEL LOOK OF COMMUNITY AND THE CHARACTER AND THEN COMMUNITY CONNECTORS IS REALLY EXCITING. WE'VE DONE THIS ON DIFFERENT EFFORTS. I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE. THEY WILL BE PART OF OUR TEAM AND PAID THROUGH OUR TEAM. THIS WILL BE VERY INTENTIONAL. WE WANT THESE TO BE FACILITATORS. WE WANT THESE TO BE YOUR AMBASSADORS, YOUR CHAMPIONS THAT HAVE THE TOOLS, RESOURCES AND EDUCATION.

BECAUSE ZONING SOMETIMES IS HARD TO EXPLAIN SO THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO HELP US AND SUPPORT US AND BE PART OF THE TEAM TO MAKE SURE THE ZONING TOOL IS EASIER TO IMPLEMENT, IS MORE STREAMLINED, IS MORE MEANINGFUL, AND PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IT. SO WHEN YOU ARE GOING THROUGH DIFFERENT ZONING MEETINGS, DIFFERENT PROJECTS, PEOPLE JUST HAVE A LITTLE MORE BACKGROUND AND THEIR DAY TO DAY AND IT HUMANIZES IT. AND I WILL HAND IT BACK OVER TO LESLIE. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I KNOW THIS WAS QUICK, BUT IT AGAIN, IS JUST MEANT TO SORT OF INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PROJECT AND OUR TEAM. OUR NEXT STEP WILL BE TO DEVELOP OUR BRAND FOR THE PROJECT, AS ABIGAIL WAS MENTIONING, AND TO START THOSE WEB PAGES SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY. WE WILL BE RECRUITING THE COMMUNITY CONNECTORS WITH WITH STAFF OR ASSISTING WITH THAT RECRUITMENT. AND MY JOB IS TO REALLY START ASSESSING YOUR CURRENT CODE. I'VE ALREADY STARTED READING AND ORGANIZING MY THOUGHTS ON YOUR CURRENT CODE, BUT THEN WE WILL BE DRAFTING THE PROJECT DIRECTIONS REPORT. THE PROJECT DIRECTIONS REPORT WILL PROBABLY BE AN INITIAL DRAFT TO STAFF. I WOULD SAY PROBABLY AROUND FEBRUARY. AND THEN WE'LL WORK THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, PUSHING AND PULLING THAT TO BRING IT BACK TO YOU ALL PROBABLY MARCH OR APRIL. SO THANK YOU. WE LOOK FORWARD TO ANY QUESTIONS. YEAH

[01:45:09]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. OLSON AND EVERYONE THAT DID THIS PRESENTATION. SO I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT POTENTIAL ZONING TOOLS TO REGULATE DATA CENTERS AND GET SOME DIRECT FEEDBACK ON THAT. AS WE KNOW, DATA CENTERS PRESENT A UNIQUE AND GROWING CHALLENGE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

WHILE THEY ARE OFTEN CATEGORIZED AS INDUSTRIAL OR WAREHOUSE USES, THEIR SCALE, ENERGY DEMAND, WATER CONSUMPTION, AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPACTS CAN FAR EXCEED THOSE OF TRADITIONAL INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES. AS INTEREST IN DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT INCREASES ACROSS MICHIGAN, MANY COMMUNITIES ARE RECOGNIZING THAT EXISTING ZONING CODES MAY NOT ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE DISTINCT CHARACTERISTICS OF THESE FACILITIES. RATHER THAN RESPONDING TO PROPOSALS AND REACTIVE MANNER MANNER, SEVERAL JURISDICTIONS ARE PROACTIVELY UPDATING THEIR ZONING ORDINANCES TO CREATE CLARITY, SET EXPECTATIONS, ENSURE THAT DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT ALIGNS WITH COMMUNITY PRIORITIES LIKE OUR MASTER PLAN RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE CAPACITY, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, AND NEIGHBORHOOD COMPATIBILITY.

SOME OF THESE CHANGES BEING CONSIDERED ARE CREATING A SPECIFIC DEFINITION FOR DATA CENTER. TO DISTINGUISH THESE FACILITIES FROM GENERAL INDUSTRIAL OR WAREHOUSE USES

[01:50:01]

AND AND THAT'S IN SOME WAYS VERY INTENTIONAL BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO BE MORE NIMBLE.

WONDERFUL. COMMISSIONER KOEHLER I MEAN, PARDON ME, PURDUE I DON'T KNOW WHY. THANK YOU.

THANKS. THANK YOU. YOU ALL POINT OF CLARITY AT I WASN'T HERE FOR THE FIRST FEW MINUTES OF THE PRESENTATION. SO IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS WORK PLAN TO ESSENTIALLY IMPLEMENT THE THE ZONING ORDINANCE UPDATES THAT WE APPROVED LAST YEAR, OR WILL THERE BE SOME EXTENSIONS IN ADDITIONAL CONTENT POTENTIALLY INTERWOVEN INTO INTO THE PLAN THAT THAT WE DIDN'T APPROVE LAST YEAR? YEP. SO FUNDAMENTALLY THE THE PROCESS WILL REALLY HYPER FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY MASTER PLAN. HOWEVER, THERE ARE USES AND CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE. ADMINISTERING AND ENFORCING THE ZONING CODE, OR WE HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH A PARTICULAR USE AND OUR COMMUNITIES BECOMING MORE COMFORTABLE, AND THEREFORE WE CAN CHANGE THE PROCESS. SO THERE'S CERTAINLY A VARIETY OF OTHER AMENDMENTS. SO I WOULD SAY THAT THIS WOULD BE A FAIRLY COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE THAT WILL BE DONE TO ADDRESS CURRENT NEEDS, RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY MASTER PLAN AND SOME OF THOSE STAFF LEVEL FRUSTRATIONS WERE LIKE, GO WISH IT WAS WORDED A LITTLE BIT

[01:55:02]

AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT THERE. I AM AWARE FROM GOING THROUGH THE MASTER PLANNING PROCESS AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AT VARIOUS TABLES ABOUT THESE.

ARE THERE ARE CERTAIN AREAS IT'S LIKE THESE ARE GREAT IDEAS, BUT HOW HOW WILL THEY BE IMPLEMENTED? HOW WILL THEY BE DONE? SO PAYING ATTENTION TO THOSE AND ENGAGING THOSE CONVERSATIONS I THINK IS GOING TO BE GREAT. AND I'D BE CURIOUS TO KNOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE ASSISTANCE OR THOUGHTS FROM US ABOUT COMMUNITY CONNECTORS. I ASSUME THE ANSWER IS YES, AND MY QUESTION WOULD BE FOR OUR CONSULTANTS. WE HAVE SOME NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE PARTICULARLY RESISTANT TO CHANGE. WHAT IS YOUR OUTREACH PLAN OR THOUGHTS WHEN DEALING WITH THOSE KINDS OF NEIGHBORHOODS? I'LL START WITH THE COMMUNITY CONNECTORS.

TYPICALLY, WE WOULD LOOK TO BOTH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS WELL AS THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE. AND IMPORTANTLY, OUR COMMUNITY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND OUR COMMUNITY CONNECTORS THAT WERE THAT WERE SUPPORTING US THROUGH THE COMMUNITY MASTER PLAN. I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE KIND OF OUR GO TO. WE'VE LEARNED A LOT OF LESSONS THROUGH THAT PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY SORT OF EXPECTATION OR MISUNDERSTANDING, THAT WE ARE ASKING OUR COMMUNITY CONNECTORS TO BE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, BUT RATHER LEVERAGING SOME OF THEIR THEIR SOCIAL CAPITAL, THEIR ACCESS TO COMMUNITIES THAT MAYBE CITY STAFF HASN'T BEEN AS AS PRESENT IN HISTORICALLY. AND SO THAT THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY TO THE COMMUNITY CONNECTOR PIECE. AND I GUESS I'M NOT SURE. AND WHILE SHE'S COMING UP BEFORE YOU, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE'RE ASSUMING THE CITY COMMISSION UNDERSTANDS THEIR ROLE BECAUSE WE'VE DONE A LOT OF ZONING AMENDMENTS BEFORE. BUT JUST AS A REMINDER OF THE PROCESS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ALLOWING THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO BE VERY INTIMATELY INVOLVED, LEADING MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY COMMISSION, THEN FOR OUR DELIBERATION AND CONSIDERATION AND NOT TRYING TO GET AHEAD OF OUR OWN PLANNING COMMISSION.

CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT, PLEASE? I THINK YOU DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF THAT CITY MANAGER. SO, YEAH, SO OBVIOUSLY WE'VE USED THE COMMUNITY MASTER PLAN AS THE GUIDE, AS THE POLICY GUIDE THAT WAS SET BY THE COMMUNITY AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION. BUT WHEN WE GO TO IMPLEMENT THAT, I THINK OF IT AS A TOOL THAT WE USE THAT IS PERHAPS A LITTLE BIT MORE USED ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS TO MAKE DEVELOPMENT DECISIONS. AND THAT PROCESS REALLY IS CHARGED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS YOUR YOUR LAND USE EXPERTS FOR THE COMMUNITY. THAT CITY STAFF OF COURSE, WORKS ALONGSIDE WITH TO IMPLEMENT THAT, TO DEVELOP THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEN ARE BROUGHT TO YOU AS THE DECISION MAKER. SO TYPICALLY WE LOOK AT THE DEVELOPMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY STAFF, WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT USE THE ORDINANCE, AS WELL AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WHO THEN WE THEN PROVIDE THAT RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COMMISSION. SO I WANT TO POINT OUT, I THINK THERE'S AN ETHICAL TENSION THAT NEEDS TO GET NAMED.

AND I THINK THAT THERE'S ALSO A PROCESS CONCERN, AND THAT IS ONE OF OUR ONE OF OUR STATED VALUES AS A CITY IS TO BE WELCOMING. AND SO EVEN FRAMING THE QUESTION OF LIKE, WHAT WAS IT YOU TALKED ABOUT IT BEING FAIR? I THINK. SO THERE ARE TWO GROUPS. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CURRENTLY LIVE IN THE CITY, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT LIVE IN THE CITY IN THE FUTURE. AND HOW DO YOU GIVE VOICE TO A GROUP THAT THAT ISN'T AS READILY AVAILABLE? AND HOW DO YOU ARTICULATE THE THE VALUES OF ALLOWING PEOPLE TO JOIN OUR COMMUNITY? AND IF ALL WE DO IS SURVEY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY HERE, WE'RE NECESSARILY BIASING THE STRUCTURE OF THE CONVERSATION IN FAVOR OF EXISTING RESIDENTS. AND I GUESS THERE'S A FOUNDATIONAL QUESTION, WHICH IS IF WE, YOU KNOW, WE I GUESS WE HAVE DECIDED AS A COUNTRY THAT WE DON'T LIKE INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT ANYMORE. BUT I, I HOPE THAT WE STILL ALLOW MOVEMENT INSIDE THE COUNTRY. AND SO THE QUESTION OF, YOU KNOW, HOW IF GRAND RAPIDS IS GOING TO THRIVE AND PROSPER, GOING, GOING FORWARD, THAT NECESSARILY INVOLVES THE THE PROSPECT OF NEW ENTRANTS TO THE COMMUNITY. AND WE OFTEN FOCUS ON CHILDREN AS A PROXY FOR NEW ADULTS. BUT AGAIN, IF WE ONLY FOCUS ON THE CHILDREN WHO ARE HERE, WE HAVEN'T REALLY ESCAPED THAT DYNAMIC. SO I'M WONDERING IF YOUR TEAM CAN TALK ABOUT THAT. SURE, I CAN START. AND LESLIE, IF YOU WANT TO

[02:00:06]

GOOD QUESTION. HOW ABOUT WE I'D LIKE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT. I JUST WANT TO RESPOND TO SAY, YOU KNOW, ZONING IS AN IMPLEMENTATION TOOL. IT'S ONE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR TOOLBOX. AND WE ARE VERY AWARE OF THE PROCESS OF YOUR MASTER PLAN.

AND WE WILL RELY ON YOUR MASTER PLAN TO SORT OF SET THE STAGE FOR THOSE KINDS OF POLICY DIRECTIVES. AND I THINK THAT YOUR MASTER PLAN DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF LOOKING AT THE FUTURE OF GRAND RAPIDS IN TERMS OF ITS GOALS AND ITS STATED OBJECTIVES. AND WE WILL FOLLOW THAT. WE WON'T SORT OF REVISIT THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, BUT WE WILL BE DIVING IN DEEPER TO PUT MORE SORT OF MEAT ON THE BONES OF, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE REGULATIONS. AGAIN, IT'S AN IMPLEMENTATION TOOL. YEAH. COMMISSIONER KELLER YEAH, I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE DATA CENTER THINGS FOR JUST A MOMENT HERE. CITY MANAGER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REMINDING THE COMMISSION ABOUT OUR PLACE IN TERMS OF ZONING. AND OF COURSE, YOU NEVER WANT TO TRY TO CIRCUMVENT OR DISRESPECT THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS A SEPARATE ENTITY. BUT THERE ARE THINGS, AS THE ELECTED LEADERS, THAT WE HEAR FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE VERY TIMELY. AND I THINK THAT DATA CENTER ZONING AND LANGUAGE IS ONE OF THOSE CONCERNS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T OFTEN USE OUR CITY COMMISSION RESOLUTIONS. SO THESE ARE RESOLUTIONS DELIBERATED BY THE CITY COMMISSION, BUT WHICH DON'T DIRECTLY COME FROM ONE OF OUR STANDING COMMITTEES. WASHTENAW COUNTY DID THIS AND PASSED A RESOLUTION REGARDING THIS TYPE OF ZONING TO URGE THEIR STAFF TO BE PROACTIVE, RIGHT. TO NOT SAY YES OR NO TO DATA CENTERS, BUT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ELECTED LEADERS WHO SERVE THE PEOPLE ARE PUTTING THE VALUES THAT THEY'RE HEARING FROM COMMUNITY FORWARD IN TERMS OF ZONING AND JUST AT LEAST SAYING, AS WE DO IN LOTS OF OUR DOCUMENTS, SUCH AS OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, WHERE WE STAND OF WHERE WE WANT, WE WANT TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE FOLKS AREN'T EXPOSED TO EXTREME NOISE. SO I THINK THAT'S AN OPTION AS WELL, AND HOPE MY COLLEAGUES CAN

[02:05:05]