June 12, 2023
City of Dexter City Council
Public Hearings and Meeting
Monday, June 12, 2023 at 7 p.m.
3515 Broad Street, Dexter, MI 48130 and via Zoom
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Meeting ID: 881 4138 1694#
Meeting Agenda: https://files.dextermi.gov/City_Council/2023/Agendas/2023-06-12-CC-A.pdf
Meeting Packet: https://files.dextermi.gov/City_Council/2023/Packets/2023-06-12-CC-P.pdf
Public Hearing (2023-2024 Draft Budget and Millage Rate) Official Notice: not yet posted, but should appear here: https://dextermi.gov/government/public_hearings_and_notices.php
Public Hearing (2023-2024 Water, Sewer, and Rubbish Rates) Official Notice: not yet posted, but should appear here: https://dextermi.gov/government/public_hearings_and_notices.php
NON-ARRANGED PARTICIPATION
As always, there are two opportunities for non-arranged public participation: one near the beginning of the meeting and one near the end of the meeting. See the agenda for details. Just state your name and address and then share your thoughts–it’s that easy!
PRE-ARRANGED PARTICIPATION
During pre-arranged participation:
Mayor Keough will make a proclamation recognizing the Debate Team.
Gordon Smith, the executive director of the Dexter Senior Center, will make a presentation (see the packet for additional details).
PUBLIC HEARING #1: Setting the 2023-2024 Millage Rate and Administration Fee
The City of Dexter creates budgets for the following funds: 101 General Fund, 202 Major Streets, 203 Local Streets, 204 Municipal Streets, 226 Solid Waste Collection Fund, 275 Tree Replacement Fund, 352 Facilities Bond Debt Service Fund, 353 Road Bond Debt Service Fund, 402 Equipment Replacement Fund, 590 Sewer Enterprise Fund, and 591 Water Enterprise Fund. See the packet, beginning on page 25, for a detailed summary of planned expenses. Note that the actual proposed total millage in FY 2023-24 is 17.3062, not 15.3062 as indicated in the table in the packet.
PUBLIC HEARING #2: Setting the 2023-2024 Water, Sewer, and Rubbish Rates
The draft ordinance below includes a 5% increase to water rates and a 7% increase to sewer rates. These rates are based on a rate study performed by Baker Tilly.
Council will review (1) minutes of its most recent meeting(s) and (2) the upcoming meeting list. We will also hear various updates from staff, including the City Manager and the Mayor (note that corresponding written reports are included in the meeting packet).
STAFF UPDATES
Staff updates that might be of interest:
3045 Broad Redevelopment Project–The DDA voted unanimously to hire an outside consultant to help them understand the assumptions being made regarding the project costs associated with the redevelopment of the property, so the Sub-committee and DDA can be comfortable negotiating a potential purchase agreement with Common Sail, in additional to providing the support required for various state grant and loans programs. The consultant, Eric P. Helzer, Principal at Advanced Redevelopment Solutions, will also be helping the Sub-Committee and DDA figure out how to restructure the Brownfield TIF, such that a bulk of the reimbursement for eligible project costs come through the State, rather than through the local tax capture.
Public Safety Facilities
Bond Sale. Bids on the City’s public safety facilities bond sale were due on May 11, 2023. The City received 7 bids, and the most advantageous bid was from R.W. Baird. A copy of the bond sale information and confirmed debt schedule are attached to this memo. The millage required in 2023-24 for bond repayment has been calculated to be 1.765 mills, which is significantly lower than the estimated 2 mills.
User Group Meetings. The Public Safety Facilities User Group has met 3 times to-date. During the June 7th meeting, the group reviewed the following items:
Review preliminary design sketches and block planning for a new build concept test.
Review the phase one meeting schedule and plan for Construction Manager RFP/RFQ acceptance and interviews.
Starting the discussion for temporary relocation of fire and police services
Ways to reduce future maintenance internally and externally through the design process
Phase II environmental in the process of starting
Pre-Bid Site Walkthrough . Partners in Architecture, DAFD, WCSO, and City staff met with prospective construction managers on June 6th at 8140 Main Street. The group walked through the main level of the WCSO Substation and DAFD Station as well as park level of the facility.
Community Park Swings Installation. Staff has been notified that the new accessible swings that were ordered for Community Park are in-transit. Staff will be working with the DPW to excavate the new playground swing area to prepare for installation.
Fido Fountain. The Fido Fountain has been installed in Monument Park on the corner of Main St. and Central St. Staff is ordering the plaque that was requested along with the donation.
CONSENT AGENDA
Following the presentation and any discussion of these reports, Council will consider (i.e., take formal action on) the following items as part of the Consent Agenda. Unless Council votes to do otherwise, these items are voted on as a single bundle without Council discussion.
Bills & Payroll in the amount of: $265,446.25
Student Representative Appointments
Mayor Keough is recommending the appointment of the following student representatives (* denotes previous such appointment):
Resolution to Apply to the MDOT TEDF-B Grant Program
On an annual basis, the City submits a application to the TEDF-B grant program. This is a State grant program to assist in funding local (non-TIP eligible) road improvement projects. The TEDF-B grant is available for villages and small cities for a maximum grant of $250,000.
Staff and OHM Advisors are in the process of developing a draft road improvement plan, as approved by Council. This plan is still in the early stages - OHM representatives recently completed an update to the City’s PASER ratings. Staff is anticipating that the plan will be complete by fall of 2023. Based on the preliminary work to-date and the program’s scoring criteria, OHM Advisors is proposing that the City apply for a combination of streets in the Westridge neighborhood and the Huron Farms neighborhood. OHM is proposing that the streets in the Westridge neighborhood receive a microsurface treatment, while Ulrich St. in Huron Farms receives a more intensive treatment via full- depth mill and overlay with base work.
Dexter Pride Festival Road Closure of Central St. on June 17, 2023
A road closure permit request has been submitted by the Dexter Pride Festival Planning Committee to host the annual Dexter Pride Festival for Central St. from Main to 5th on Saturday, June 17th from 7:00am to 9:00pm. This is the first time that the Dexter Pride Festival has requested a closure of Central St.
The Pride Festival organizers will be required to work with the Dexter Area Fire Department with regard to DAFD’s new food truck regulations.
Summer Concert Series Road Closures for Central St. on Fridays From June to September
A road closure permit request has been submitted by the Dexter Chamber of Commerce to close Central Street from Main St. for 5th St every Friday from June 9th to September 1st (June 9th would not be included due to the timing of the permit being brought in front of City Council). Per their permit request, Central St. would be closed from 4:00pm to 9:00pm.
Due to the number of closures requested, staff is working through the logistics of the road closures and determining whether DPW staff has the capacity to perform the closures as would normally occur with one-off events, or whether an alternative solution will need to be found. If the DPW is able to perform the closures, the overtime salary cost could exceed $1,500 for the summer.
The Chamber will also be required to work with the Dexter Area Fire Department with regard to DAFD’s new food truck regulations.
Paint Dexter MLCC Permit Request
The Paint Dexter Plein Air Festival event organizers are requesting a two-day liquor license for Friday, August 18th and Saturday, August 19th. This liquor license is designed to allow service for an Artists Wine Reception event Friday and then sale of any remaining wine and beer Saturday.
If the resolution is adopted by Council, the entire application will be submitted to the Washtenaw County Sheriff for review and approval before going to the State of Michigan Liquor Control Commission.
DISCUSSION AND/OR CONSIDERATION ITEMS
In addition to any items described under Consent Agenda (above), Council will consider (i.e., take formal action on; “C”) or discuss (i.e., take no formal action on; “D”) the following business:
Mill Creek Flats Conceptual Planned Unit Development (7965 and 7997 Grand Street) (D)
The purpose of the conceptual review it to provide an applicant an opportunity to present conceptual plans to the entire Planning Commission and City Council, respectively, and obtain valuable feedback before submitting for preliminary PUD review. No action is taken and comments provided are not binding. At this stage, detailed landscaping, site grading, drainage, and utilities, etc. are not required. Basic question of use, density, design, architecture, integration with existing development in the area, impacts on and the availability of public infrastructure and PUD eligibility are generally discussed.
On June 5, 2023 the Planning Commission reviewed and discussed a Planned Unit Development Application for a Conceptual Site Plan Review, which was submitted by Grand Development Group. The applicant is proposing a multiple-family residential housing development, at 7965 and 7997 Grand Street, Dexter, MI. The proposed multiple-family development project consists of two (2) three story multiple-family buildings, with a total of seventy-six (76) apartments, eighty-five (85) on-site parking spaces, six (6) on-street parking spaces, as well as an stormwater management system, dumpster enclosures and landscaping.
According to the project narrative submitted with the application, “The goal of the development is to provide a plurality of attainable housing options for the residents. This requires provision for several tiers of dwelling types and sizes to accommodate a range of future residents. The highest concentration of the unit types is focused on a blend of efficiency and one-bedroom units. These are complimented by a smaller number of two-bedroom units and ultimately a range of all three types with private roof-top terraces.”
The narrative also states, “The focus on Mill Creek is a central feature to the layout and function of the development. Since the project’s inception the idea has been to provide and instill opportunities for an active lifestyle for the residents. This includes multiple points of access directly to the Mill Creek pathway from the site. Additionally, defined architectural gestures have been established to emphasize the physical and visual connection to the creek. The southern building has a “portal” cut out at the first level which allows a vision zone directly between the wings of the structure. This picture window captures dynamic views between the architecture that symbolically frame Mill Creek and the adjoining wetland from the primary level of the site. Additionally, this same zone offers a series of terraced outdoor sitting areas that transition to an elevated boardwalk overlook that connects back to the common pathway.”
The subject site is designated Village Commercial on the Future Land Use Map in the City of Dexter Master Plan. The intent of the Village Commercial future land use designation is to “maintain the well- established character, scale and density of the traditional pattern of the neighborhoods in the original plat of the Village, while allowing uses other than single-family residential for adaptive re-use of public and institutional buildings.” This designation plans for “transition between mixed use districts.” In the Village Commercial Future Land Use category, 3-5 story new multiple-family buildings are listed as appropriate. The Master Plan notes that the density “should be limited by the existing height and bulk of the building and the capacity of the infrastructure - streets, sewer, water, etc.” CWA documents the manner in which the applicant’s proposal satisfies goals and objectives in the Master Plan.
See the packet, beginning on page 177, for extensive details.
Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment Article 10.10 Multiple Family Use For Adaptive Reuses (C)
On June 5, 2023 the Planning Commission conducted a public hearing for the purpose of considering a text amendment to Article 11, Section 11.10 Form-Based District Use Table, sub-section B, in the City of Dexter Zoning Ordinance. The purpose of the amendment is to add Multiple-Family Dwellings as a Special Land Use in the VR-2 District, on Site Type B parcels fronting on Village Streets and only if adaptive re-use.
The Planning Commission discussed whether adaptive reuse of existing single-family dwellings was appropriate in the VR-2 District, but determined that it was not appropriate. The Planning Commission then voted unanimously to recommend approval of the proposed text amendment to City Council, with the following language added:
1. Adaptive reuse is exclusive of single-family dwellings.
During Non-arranged Citizen Participation, Item 7 on the Planning Commission’s agenda, Zach Michels, 3325 Dover Street cautioned that the recommended ordinance may have a loop hole. He explained there could be situation in which a single-family dwelling is converted to duplex (two-family) dwelling, which is permitted in the V-2 District. However, the proposed amendment would allow a two-family structure to be converted to a multiple-family dwelling, as an adaptive reuse of an existing structure. That was not the intent of the amendment, and he suggested the loophole be closed. Staff has included language clarifying that adaptive reuse is exclusive of both single-family and two-family dwellings.
CLOSED SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING LABOR NEGOTIATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH MCL 15.268
Potential Action Following Closed Session to Adopt Tentative Agreement with Teamsters Local 214