Village Council Work Session

Monday, February 21, 2005

Meet at Barber School

102 W. Exchange Street

Spring Lake, Michigan

7:00 PM

 

 

 

Work Session Discussion Items

 

·        Agenda Review:

 

This is the opportunity to discuss any changes to the
Regular Agenda, which follows tonight, or to remove items from the Consent Agenda for discussion.

 

·        Review of the Village of Spring Lake/City of Ferrysburg Police Department Annual Report

 

Copies of the Report were reviewed by the Joint Police Commission at their last meeting.  Copies were previously made available to Council.  Chief DeYoung will cover the highlights and answer any questions. 

 

 

·        TIF Projects and Status Reports

 

1.    Review of the Harbor Steel Redevelopment Streetscape Process, Changes to Rotary Drive, and Access to Central Park

 

Out to bid.  For award on March 7, 2005.  An access agreement is on the regular agenda that follows.

 

 

2.    Graflex Building and West End Redevelopment

 

There is quite a bit of activity planned for the West End by the private sector.  The Marina continues their renovation and expansion; the former Tim’s is slated for a deli and a seasonal ice cream shop; and the former Graflex is being readied for 32 condominiums and a restaurant. 

 

The new potential owners of the Graflex property approached the Village to see if they could long-term lease the former Police Station and pay to have it demolished and turned into public parking.  I am agreeable to this use and will be recommending it as a satisfactory solution to help with redevelopment of the area, as per the grant requirements.

 

At some point, it will be necessary to re-invest in the street and to provide for angle parking on the north side.  This parking would better serve the businesses and would create a better shopping and pedestrian environment. 

 

If the Village Council concurs, we will include this project into the long-term Local Street construction plans to be done once the neighborhoods are caught up and resources permit. 

 

 

3.    The Future of the Tax Increment Financing District

 

I researched the possibility of keeping the TIF district around should it be useful in the future after we are caught up on Local Streets.  The attorneys advised me that Allendale did this exact same thing. 

 

I asked for more information and received the attached opinion letter.  This idea would give the Council future flexibility to use TIF for projects for long-term brownfield redevelopment purposes.  See the letter attached for more detail. 

 

 

4.    Completion of Pending Projects

 

·        Dumpsters and Landscaping

·        Lakeside Trail:  Reapply for grant on March 31st?

·        Wayfinding signs

 

 

·        Discussion of NOWS Contract Amendments

 

See my suggestions attached.  The common theme is that growth should pay for any new capital costs required.

 

Miscellaneous Announcements or Status Reports

 

o       NOWS intake fix and potential $90,000 cost  (See bond information attached.)

o       Applications to Planning Commission (None to date)

o       Applications to Historic Conservation District (Need one more)

o       Mural from Bank One for Barber School

 

Upcoming Agenda Items (Tentative)

 

March 7, 2005

Annual Budget adjustments

Planning Commission Appointments

Public hearing on extension of the groundwater use restriction zone in the South Park Street neighborhood.

Groundwater ordinance revisions

 

March 21

Lakeside Trail Gap Go/No Go

 

April 4

Cancellation?

 

April 18

Review the Six Year Public Improvement Plan and Request Planning Commission Review

West End Redevelopment PUD

Set the Budget public hearings