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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNovember 9, 2023 - 259th Regular Minutes signedMINUTES OF THE 259th REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLYMOUTH ROAD DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF LIVONIA The 259th Regular Meeting of the Plymouth Road Development Authority of the City of Livonia, Michigan, was called to order at 3:02 p.m., Thursday, November 9, 2023, in the 5th-floor Gallery of City Hall. Members Present: Maureen Miller Brosnan, Mayor Omar Faris, Chair Jeremy Curtis, Vice Chai Dan Laible John Hiltz Susan Harvey Members Absent: Patrick Mies Stephanie Roehl Blatt Others Present: Mark Taormina, Economic Development & Planning Director Mike Slater, Director of Finance Jacob Uhazie, Planning & Economic Development Coordinator Doug Moore, City of Livonia DPW, Assistant Director Robert Bywalec, D&B Landscaping 1. Roll was called. A quorum was present. 2. Audience Communication. None 3. Adoption of the Minutes. On a motion made by Liable, seconded by Harvey, and unanimously adopted, it was: #2023-01 RESOLVED, that the Plymouth Road Development Authority does hereby approve the Minutes of the 258th Regular Meeting held on November 17, 2022. Mr. Fairs, Chairman, declared the motion is carried and the foregoing resolution adopted. 4. Financial Reports — October 2022 through September 2023. Mr. Slater went through all months of financials. He specifically explained the disbursements for each month. Mr. Slater stated that in October 2022 there were about $40,000 in expenditures. It included the street lighting, the irrigation fees, and the OHM streetscape repair consulting fee. The expenditures for November 2022 were roughly $19,000 and it also included November 9, 2023 2 the street lighting and the streetscape repairs. There was a fence at Dollar Tree that needed to be repaired due to someone running through the fence. Insurance was billed on this so some money was received back. Mr. Slater then went on explaining that November is the end of the fiscal year and there were total assets of just under $1.4 million with liabilities of $109,000. The fund balance was $1.275 million. Revenue over expenses was $317,000. These numbers were reviewed by the third -party auditors, so they include the accruals and receivables and everything. The expenditures for December 2022 were just under $22,000 and included the same ones that were seen for the last few months prior, street lighting, irrigation, and DTE. For January 2023 the total expenditure was nearly $102,000. The largest bill of the month is the annual water and sewer bill for irrigation for the year. The bill was $85,629, and then there were street lighting expenses. There were no expenditures in February 2023. In March, the expenditures were roughly $31,000 and they were for DTE. April 2023 was just under $16,000 for DTE, again. In May 2023, the irrigation system was started up and Tech Seven was very busy. The bill was $76,285. The contract with D & B Landscaping started in May and so the expenditures for May were just over $105,000. Mr. Taormina stated that the work D & B Landscaping would have done was on Middle Belt Road. The first part would be for the clean up at Middle Belt Road and Plymouth Road, and then the other part would have been the fertilizing and herbicide treatment. The bills for that will come in June. Mr. Slater went on to say that since there is no June disbursement sheet, he can get that to the board later. The expenses for July 2023 were again for the streetlighting and Tech Seven. The total was just over $58,000. In August 2023 the expenses were, again, the DTE and the irrigation. The Tech Seven bill was just shy of $41,000. Mr. Hiltz asked if the DTE costs were by the contract and Mr. Slater explained when we took over the assets themselves, we pay for the street lighting as a fixed amount per pole. The amount of energy used doesn't matter but is a fixed amount per pole. He said it can change periodically but should be consistent every month. Chairman Faris is under the impression that the luminaires were still our responsibility, but Mr. Slater said that since the luminaires are kind of a stock item, he doesn't believe we pay for those anymore. Mr. Slater said that it was a smart thing of the board to do, to let them purchase the assets. It was shortly after that, that most of the poles had to be replaced and that would have been the boards responsibility. Mr. Slater started to explain about September expenses, the irrigation fees, and the DTE costs. There was a check written to the City of Livonia in the amount of $48,300 for professional services which includes Finance, Planning, Assessing, and Treasurer that provide services to the board in some form or fashion. Ms. Harvey inquired if it was billed back as a percent of revenue balances. Mr. Slater explained that it is a percentage of time. It is based on an estimate of time they spend on this plus an overhead fee for other staff supporting this board. Mike explained that this is addressed at budget time to verify that this is an accurate reflection of the estimated time spent. Chairman Faris was asking about the varied amounts in the Tech Seven bills, but also understands that they are super responsive and have been able to verify their numbers. Mr. Slater did say that they are as high as November 9, 2023 3 ever. Mr. Moore said they shut the system down in October but there were a couple of invoices that got missed and will be paid. Mr. Slater said that the overall for the year will be over $200,000 for irrigation. He said if there are any questions from the board, that they should be directed to Tech Seven. Mr. Moore said they are super responsive. If he calls them in the morning, they are there in the afternoon and if he calls in the afternoon, they are ready the next morning. He did say that every hole out there is $4,000 - $5,000 for repairing the system. He explained that in front of Buddy's that it was tore up for a while and that he thinks it was from the Salvation Army when they had to do some tie-in work and they damaged the crossing under the driveway. It was an extra charge to get the equipment. Chairman Faris asked, since we approved the improvements to Salvation Army, if there was any way to recoup some of those costs. He feels the $4,000 - $5,000 per hole is a high cost and inquired as to how much of the fees were caused by others. Mr. Moore felt about half, $80,000 to $100,000. Mr. Laible was again mentioning the bonds to pull from if there are issues, and Mr. Taormina mentioned that there are bonds posted in the case of development projects. If the irrigation is damaged as part of the development project, then we would have to coordinate with the Inspection Department to have some of the monies recouped. He said he feels that most of the damage that is occurring are third party utility companies doing work. He said that with other projects we would have some control. Mr. Slater said that when MDOT does work there has been a lot of damage. He also said that we have not been successful in trying to collect from them. Mr. Curtis feels that somewhere on the permit that MDOT has would state that they are responsible for any damage they do to any MDOT or other utility. Mr. Slater said to prove that out is not always that simple. Mr. Hiltz does agree that with the site developments there should be a recourse. He said that it should be part of their development costs. Chairman Faris, once again, agrees that there should be a way tor recoup some of that money being spent. Ms. Harvey inquired as to whether it has been looked into for drought resistant landscaping that looks nice and doesn't need irrigation. She said that in Michigan it is something to be slowly adapted. She said that she has received advice on stuff that could withstand the dry summers. On a motion made by Hiltz, seconded by Laible, and unanimously adopted, it was #2023-02 RESOLVED, that the Plymouth Road Development Authority does hereby accept and approve the Financial Statements of the Authority's Special Revenue Fund for the months ending October 2022 through September 2023. Mr. Faris, Chairman, declared the motion is carried and the foregoing resolution adopted. Mr. Hiltz wanted to know if the financials could be sent out on a timelier basis since the meetings are so far between. Mr. Taormina said he would have Stephanie Reece send them to the board as they are received. Ms. November 9, 2023 4 Harvey suggested including a note with anything unusual or why a bill may be higher than usual would be beneficial. 5. Update on PRDA Asset Management Program. Mr. Taormina explained that at last year's meeting, it was approved to use OHM for the continued asset management program. The first part was to update the database and put it into a form that will be able to be used for years to come. It will track and identify assets that need to be repaired or replaced. He and Jacob sat down with Ohm and ironed out the details of the database. Jake from OHM will be managing the project. He feels he should have it ready by the end of January. It will break the corridor into all its component parts, and track the defects, the date, what action is needed, and it will all be documented with photos. The repairs will all be documented as well as having photo evidence of the correction. He said he is hoping to have a contractor on board that will work on a continuing services contract. 6. Update on the Irrigation System and Replacement of Controller Boxes. Mr. Moore said he received a quote on new boxes, and it is about $4,500 - $5,000 to replace a box with a stainless -steel unit. He said there are 26 in total per system and suggested replacing five or six per year over the next four or five years. He said the stainless -steel units will last a lot longer. Chairman Faris asked what that is. He didn't feel that much money was for the boxes themselves. Mr. Moore explained that it is the box and the installation and the clock and the wires and putting it all together. Most of it is material, though. Chairman Faris wondered about fixing them all at once since the funds were available. Mr. Curtis asked what the ballpark cost for irrigation per year was. Mr. Slater said you could count on $150,000- $250,000 per year. Chairman Faris said, at least in his business, that it is cost-efficient to buy in bulk and get it done at once. Mr. Laible wanted to know if everyone is happy with the direction of this and he acknowledges the amount of money being spent. He would like to know if there are other alternatives. Susan mentioned that her company is looking into alternatives because they are currently doing the traditional irrigation and cutting for a lot of acreage. Mr. Laible agrees with her and wants to know if this is the best thing. He said that the board needs to stay in tune with what other cities are doing and not just rubberstamp this kind of money for the irrigation. Mr. Hiltz gave a brief kind of history of the PRDA with the ups and downs and what the goal of the PRDA was from the beginning. He put it out there that maybe the board wants to have a meeting dedicated to the goals of the PRDA and where do we want to invest and what do we want to see the new developments do for their portion. He feels there is a need to invest in the maintenance and in what has already been established, but also knows that questions have to be asked as to what we want the developments to do, and what standards do we want them to meet. Mr. Taormina acknowledged the ideas and also what the original goal of the PRDA was. He would like to see what ideas are brought up and hear the discussion of future projects. Mark brought the discussion back to the controller boxes and Mr. Moore did say that he was in touch with Tech Seven and the boxes would still be about November 9, 2023 5 $5,000 each. The only savings would be in the cost of the boxes in the future. On a motion made by Hiltz, seconded by Laible, and unanimously adopted, it was: #2023-03 RESOLVED that the Plymouth Road Development Authority does hereby approve the expenditure of up to $30,000 for replacement stainless steel controller boxes as deemed necessary or as prioritized by the condition. Mr. Faris, the Chairman, declared the motion is carried and the foregoing resolution adopted. 7. Renewal of contract with D&B Landscaping, Inc. for Landscape Services to include Fertilization and Weed Control along Plymouth Road. Mr. Taormina spoke about the current condition of the corridor. He stated that D & B will hold their current pricing and would like the Board to consider continuing the service into 2024. He also stated that maybe the Board can consider other landscape services with D&B. Mr. Bywalec from D&B was present and said there are ways to landscape without a lot of water and pruning. He indicated that the lawn from Inkster to Newburgh looked good. He went on to tell the board about a new turf that only requires mowing every six to seven weeks and said it would be a serious money saver. He used it this year in three locations and offered for Doug to go by and see how it is faring by next year. He explained that it is a genetically made turf, and that is supposed to be more constant in height and density. He suggested that plants, shrubs, and trees that do not require a lot of maintenance would be good for the corners. He said that the pavers are in good condition overall. Chairman Faris asked that Mr. Bywalec look into design options for the corners. On a motion made by Laible, seconded by Hiltz, and unanimously adopted, it was: #2023-04 RESOLVED that the Plymouth Road Development Authority does hereby approve the renewal of a one-year contract with D&B Landscaping, Inc. for landscape services involving fertilization and weed control along the Plymouth Road corridor right-of-way areas and maintenance of the three (3) corner plazas at the intersection of Plymouth and Middlebelt Roads, as specified in the proposal/contract submitted by Robert Bywalec, Vice President Sales. Mr. Faris, the Chairman, declared the motion is carried and the foregoing resolution adopted. On a motion made by Hiltz, seconded by Laible, and unanimously adopted, it was: November 9, 2023 6 #2023-04 RESOLVED that the Plymouth Road Development Authority does hereby approve the request of a landscape proposal from D&B Landscaping, Inc. for the landscape of the three (3) corner plazas at the intersection of Plymouth and Middlebelt Roads. Mr. Faris, the Chairman, declared the motion is carried and the foregoing resolution adopted. Mr. Moore was asked to briefly describe the work that Consumers Energy will be doing soon. It will be on the north side of Plymouth from Farmington to Middlebelt. They will install a six-inch medium -pressure gas line, and on the south side, they will install a two-inch gas line. He wanted the board to be aware of this. He said Tech Seven probably won't start the system until the work is completed. Mr. Moore said that at that point the city may be able to get Consumers on the hook for any damages. Mr. Hiltz feels that the city needs to inform Consumers of the water system in the corridor and that they should repair and replace the damaged pieces. Tech Seven should identify those pieces. 8. Update on Plymouth Road Development Projects. a.) PRTC Fence b.) Whitewater Express Carwash c.) LaFontaine Auto Group d.) 34800 Plymouth Road — Renovation and expansion. e.) Wonderland Flats f.) Soave Condominiums g.) Clean Express Carwash Mr. Taormina explained that, through the Zoning Board of Appeals, Roush petitioned for a fence to be placed along a portion of the parking lot at PRTC. It will be a decorative fence, which Roush has approved for installation. Its purpose is to secure a parking lot that Roush uses to stage autonomous vehicle parts. Ms. Harvey stated that they want to ensure the cars are safe and that the cars don't disappear. Mr. Taormina then went on to explain recent approvals involving carwashes. Chairman Faris explained that the new tax code allows 100% depreciation in the first year. Mr. Taormina explained that the old Archies restaurant had been demolished and would be a Whitewater Express. A second one was recently approved. They are all subscription -based. He gave a brief description of what the location consists of and the layout of the area. He stated that it has been consistent in asking that the petitioners bring in the walls and the fencing, and they are all doing that. Mr. Taormina then went to talk about LaFontaine Auto and how they purchased the Hyandai, Volkswagen, and Mitsubishi dealerships. He said that LaFontaine is working with the neighbors, who are great to work with. He explained about the renovation and expansion of the building where the Fed Ex used to be. It is going to be a two-story building now and will have Tots of landscaping in the front. Mr. Taormina went on to give an update on Wonderland Flats. He explained that an apartment November 9, 2023 7 building was denied and that the city is in litigation. There is a potential settlement looming. He said it would be one of the more significant developments along Plymouth Road if Council approves it. Mr. Taormina told the board about Leo Soaves' project at the old Cochran's market. He told them it would be an 11-unit complex of attached condominiums. He said he hopes it is successful and serves as a model for future redevelopment along the corridor. He told the board about the carwash at the old Burger King next to Dunkin Donuts. This property will have walls and fencing along the frontage. Mr. Hiltz wanted to bring the conversation back to the board and that their duty is focused on the aspect of the corridor itself and whether the investment will help bring value to the corridor. He stated that he wondered if they should be concerned about overdoing too many car washes. Potentially, it could end up with a blight if they don't make it because it will be about four car washes in a very short distance. He is more concerned about the longevity of the businesses and less about immediate landscaping and whether there are many vacancies, which plays a vital role in the corridor's success. 9. Discussion on Future Plymouth Road Development Projects. Chairman Faris opened it up for discussion. Mr. Laible agreed with Mr. Hiltz that a strategic session would be to realign the mission, brainstorm, and share some best practices. Just stimulate conversation. Mr. Slater mentioned that he will be retiring next year, so he doesn't know if this will be his last meeting. It depends on when the strategic meeting may be. He said he wished that there had been a video from before he started so the improvements could be seen. He said that the plan expires in 2027 and can be extended. He wanted someone to put it on their to-do list. He said if the PRDA isn't around, then the city will have to take care of the minimum obligations like street lighting, irrigation, and all the things the Board does, which are taken for granted. He suggested that extending the plan should start a couple of years ahead of the end. Mr. Slater explained that the two mills levied on the properties within the corridor would go away if the PRDA is not extended and no longer exists. The Mayor mentioned that this would be a good time to readdress whether this is the plan we still want to advance for the city. She addressed some of the projects that are going on in the corridor and how they can start changing the face of what this group might want to advocate for. She wants to ensure that what the Board has been working toward is still right or whether there is a better way to sustain the corridor for the next 20 years. Ms. Harvey asked whether the millage must be approved by the general public, and Mr. Slater informed her that it is approved by Council each year. Mr. Hiltz asked if the PRDA is eligible for seeking grants in case there were any eligible for streetscape type things. He feels it would behoove the Authority to investigate if they had something in mind that they wanted to do. Mr. Slater said a meeting in February would work for him. 10. Election of officers: Chair and Vice Chair. Chairman Faris said he can run pre -construction meeting like nobody else, but he feels another chair could take PRDA to a level that he cannot. His business has become bigger November 9, 2023 8 than he ever thought it would and it is taking a lot of his time. He wants to resign as Chairman. Mr. Hiltz informed the board that he is looking to retire from OHM and feels it would not be appropriate to be the representative, so he will not be able to serve in any officer capacity. On a motion made by Hiltz, seconded by Curtis, and unanimously adopted, it was: #2023-05 RESOLVED, that the Plymouth Road Development Authority does hereby elect Dan Laible as the Chairman, Susan Harvey as Vice Chairman and Patrick Mies as Secretary of the Authority for the term January 1 through December 31, 2024. Mr. Faris, Chairman, declared the motion is carried and the foregoing resolution adopted. 11. Comments from Board Members. Mr. Hiltz mentioned that in the past there was an executive committee and also a construction committee. He doesn't know the total number of board seats and how they are filled but he would like that looked at again to see if there is any value in trying to resurrect those. Mr. Taormina agreed that there is value in that and also if the board only meets once or twice a year, that one of those be devoted to brainstorming and having the construction committee or the executive committee help guide on the other issues that will be taken to the Planning Commission and Council. He feels it would be extremely helpful. The Mayor would like before the February meeting to look at the capacity of the board and would like to add people to it. Mr. Taormina mentioned that there is room for one more. He said he will look into the end of John's term and if there is one or two vacancies. Ms. Harvey would like the original vision of the board to be emailed to her prior to the next meeting. Mr. Hiltz said he was honored to be a part of the board for all the years and that it is a resilient group. The Mayor did ask Mr. Hiltz to come to the meeting in February as a guest to be able to pass on historical information and she feels it would be extremely beneficial 12. Adjournment On a motion duly made, seconded and unanimously adopted, the 259th Regular Meeting held by the Plymouth Road Development Authority on November 9, 2023, was adjourned at 4:47 p.m. Patrick Mies, Secretary