Banner 04-14-2022

Page 8 — Thursday, April 14, 2022 — The Hastings Banner

the peace and good order of the proceed- ings of the board. Such person shall there- upon be seated until the chairperson shall have determined whether the person is in order.

If a person shall continue to be disor-
derly and to disrupt the meeting, the chair-
person may order the sergeant at arms,
who shall be the county sheriff or any of
his deputies, to remove the person from
the meeting. No person shall be removed
from a public meeting except for an actual
breach of the peace committed at the meet-
ing.

For parliamentary authority and proce-
dure, the document refers to the most cur-
rent version of Robert’s Rules of Order.
Some Barry County commissioners,
who’ve encountered hysteria and hostility
during their meetings in the past two years,
favored mending their board rules to
encourage courtesy.
“It’s just good manners in a public meet-
ing,” Vice Chairwoman Vivian Conner told

fellow board members when she pitched five proposed amendments to the board’s current rules. The focus of the changes is to clarify acceptable behavior during the public comment portion of the meetings. Commissioners allow people three min- utes to comment and they don’t typically respond to those comments, which some- times elicits criticism and frustration from citizens who would like them to respond. But the point, according to commissioners, is that public comment is time for the public – not the board – to comment. In other business, the board:

approved appointing Nichole Lyke to
fill a citizen at large position on the Parks
and Recreation
Board for a three-year term that began
on Jan. 1 and ends Dec. 31, 2024.

approved re-appointing Don Bowers,
Theresa Moody and Ruth Perino to serve
on the Barry County Community Mental
Health Authority Board for three-year

terms that began on April 1, and expire on March 31, 2025.

approved re-appointing John Laforge
and Jack Nadwornik to serve on the Barry
County Planning Commission for three-
year terms that begin on May 1 and expire
on April 30, 2025.

approved re-appointing Stacey Graham
to serve on the Zoning Board of Appeals
for a three-year term that began on April 1
and expires on March 31, 2025.

approved re-appointing Craig Stolson-
burg to serve in the position of Citizen at
Large, on the Barry County Tax Allocation
Board for a one- year term that began on
April 1 and expires on March 31, 2023.

approved a Memorandum of Under-
standing with Eaton County for an agree-
ment to dispose of scrap tires.

approved invoices totaling $3.435,349,
claims totaling $29,775, and commission-
ers mileage for $291.

adopted a rResolution to accept 2022
Equalization Values as presented.

“I don’t think that’s off the table,” Rental
Development Director Chad Benson said in
a later Banner interview.
However, for the most part, the two sides
have turned to another possibility: Finding a
new location for those 73 housing units.
One option is trading the Royal Coach
site, owned by the Barry Community Foun-
dation, for another property owned by the
city or county. The foundation could use the
tax credits on a new site and the city or coun-
ty could repurpose the Royal Coach land for
public use.
“There’s still a lot of steps that need to be
taken to make all of these pieces fit togeth-
er,” Hastings City Manager Sarah Moy-
er-Cale said. “I definitely think it could be a
good thing for the city and our residents, but
there’s a lot of work left to do and a lot of
unanswered questions at this point.”
Gettys admitted that MSHDA officials did
not give the response she initially hoped for.
But two days after the site visit, as rain fell
outside, she expressed optimism.
“Back 26 years ago, when I first started
working [at the foundation], my mentor

Dick Groos said to me: ‘The most important lesson in life is to listen long enough to understand somebody’s problem, and then help them solve it,’ ” Gettys said. “And I feel like that’s what MSHDA did for us. I really do. It’s not what we wanted. But, when you look at it now, it potentially could be much better.” For Barry Community Foundation, Gen- eral Capital, MSHDA and the City of Hast- ings, the news may represent a light at the end of a windy, frustrating, uncertain and three-year whirlwind. The story of the Royal Coach apartments started in 2018, when the Barry Community Foundation bought the site of the former Royal Coach building from the Baum Fami- ly Foundation. Shortly after, General Capi- tal, a Wisconsin-based developer, jumped on board, and the two parties focused their attentions on obtaining low-income housing tax credits from MSHDA. The tax credit provides affordable workforce housing for people of various income brackets. The residents must have a steady income. “At a minimum, either 20 percent of the

units must be for residents whose incomes do not exceed 50 percent of area median income or 40 percent of the units must be for residents whose incomes do not exceed 60 percent of the area median income,” the MSHDA website explains. Their initial application was denied, fail- ing to score high enough on the point scale MSHDA uses to choose developers. The Royal Coach team reapplied in April 2020, but failed again. They planned to take another shot at the tax credits in October 2020. Then arsonists set fire to the massive brick building where once Hastings tables and, later, Royal Coach travel trailers had been manufactured. It burned to the ground in a matter of hours. In the process, the project lost key historical points, and the application looked like a wash. “We thought, ‘Oh my gosh, now there’s no way we’re going to get it,’ ” Gettys remembered. But they kept trying. That’s when they brought in the Gun Lake Tribe, earning points for Native American housing. The warehouse building still standing on that property was registered as a historic site, regaining the points lost in the Royal Coach fire. In February 2021, they tried again and, in April 2021, received the word: The project was conditionally approved. Supporters rejoiced and called it a town-changing project. But “conditional” proved to be the key word. In the conditional “go” letter, MSHDA requested additional information related to Hastings Manufacturing Co., less than 200 yards from the proposed housing development. MSHDA had not previously dealt with a chrome plating site in such close proximity to a proposed housing development. Offi- cials wanted to learn more about Hastings Manufacturing’s operations, MSHDA Envi- ronmental Manager Daniel Lince said. “The purpose of our additional inquiries: Well, what do they do there? What sort of chemicals do they use there? What is the process?” Lince said. “We didn’t know that

not in a really verified way.”
It’s normal for MSHDA to give the
go-ahead with conditional approval, repre-
sentatives said. Still, projects often pass
through without issue, and, despite the con-
cerns, they didn’t see any reason to hold up
the Royal Coach development.
“We didn’t have enough information at
that point in time to be able to say housing
can work here or housing can’t work here,”
Benson said. “It was just questions at that
point in time.”
For all intents and purposes, the develop-
ment was “full steam ahead,” Benson said,
and from July to November, 2021, develop-
ers spent more than $325,000 in preparation.
MSHDA received the results of an envi-
ronmental report in November that caused
them to pause. MSHDA found that the man-
ufacturing facility held nearly 50,000 gal-
lons of oils and hazards, and possibly flam-
mable chemicals.
“To chrome a piece of metal, you have to
clean it with strong acids and bases; they
have to react with a chromic acid solution,”
Lince explained.
Looking at the potential repercussions
worried Lince and the environmental review
team.
“We’ve got to remember that we have to
evaluate this over the attempted lifespan of
our development that would be 45 years,”
Lince said. “So, over 45 years, we’re obliged
to consider all sorts of scenarios, and we

would look at things like fire or a [chemical] release. These things do happen, especially when you’re talking decades. “We would look at this and say: What if the worst-case happened with this collection of chemicals and the wind happened to be blowing [just] right? So, it’s this unlikely series of events that we’re nonetheless obliged to consider because this wouldn’t be true at a site that wasn’t near [Hastings Man- ufacturing].” Still, though, Lince wondered if they were being too conservative. They searched for other plating companies statewide. They found 71 such facilities. Only one, a smaller operation, featured a multi-family housing development nearby. Benson clarified that MSHDA does not have any issues with Hastings Manufactur- ing. Rather, it is more concerned with the industry of chrome plating. After looking through the material, Lince, along with the environmental team, made a recommendation to management that MSHDA halt the project. And less than two weeks after receiving the environmental review, management signed off and MSHDA issued that “no-go” letter Nov. 30, 2021. “You have to appreciate how conservative and prudent MSHDA has to be,” Lince said. “What we do in Hastings, we would have to do everywhere.” In Hastings, supporters were blindsided by the news. They didn’t understand it, either. Hastings Manufacturing, for more than 100 years, has been surrounded by a residential community with few issues. What was different about this housing? Why was MSHDA balking over what seemed like a minor concern? Didn’t MSHDA know how much this project could help the community? Calley, who was first informed of these issues in the fall, confessed she was “really surprised” to learn about MSHDA holding the tax credits. “I completely understand their focus on safety, and I respect that,” she said. “But let’s say you have a housing project in the middle of a beautiful residential area, and everything seems perfect. You could play the what-if game – what if an airplane falls out of the sky? What if one of the houses becomes a meth lab and it explodes? To what extent are we going to allow the what- ifs to play out and impact projects when you have a community-based business who has successfully operated for over a century, safely?” As the months wore on, the two sides went back and forth. Supporters pointed to emergency-response protocols in place, offered to move back the housing development and brought in two consultants to com-

plete their own technical assessment of the manufacturing facility. They found that it “did not present a threat to the health, safety and general welfare of potential future residents,” according to a letter written by Gen- eral Capital employee Sig Strautmanis. But MSHDA didn’t change its response. The frustration only grew. “This is not acceptable,” Moyer-Cale said at the time. “You can’t just take tax credit funding away for no substantive reason. You know, the community is behind this project. We’ve invested a lot in it. And just because we’re a small community doesn’t mean that they can push us around.” In early February, MSHDA responded with a formal letter, further cementing its decision to withhold the tax credits. The letter seemed like a death blow to the project. But in Hastings, the community only ramped up its campaign. Over the ensuing weeks, stakeholders turned to the community, asking people to write to their legislators and MSHDA in support of the project. Moyer-Cale and Barry County United Way Executive Direc- tor Lani Forbes went door-to-door asking residents to join in. Local organizations like the Barry County Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Alliance spoke in the project’s favor. They reached state Rep. Julie Calley, representatives from the office of Sen. John Bizon, R-Battle Creek, and even Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who all met with MSHDA about the housing development. “This was a project that we all thought was going to be a model for the rest of the state in terms of the public-private partner- ship,” Calley said, “and how a community really came together and used all possible resources to create much-needed housing.” The pressure led to MSHDA officials vis- iting Hastings April 5. And although they didn’t approve the site, both parties said they felt energized by the visit. Both expressed confidence in finding a solution – even if that means a different location for the project. “It was a very good meeting, and every- body walked away feeling that this is a good positive; it’s the best outcome that we could have had,” Gettys said. It won’t happen overnight. Even if they do find a solution, both sides are facing more months of waiting and planning and discus- sion. But plans are moving forward. And, after months of a standstill, that’s something Get- tys wanted to hear. “This is what I love,” she said. “I love when people say, ‘Then solve it.’ Not a no. “There’s always a way.”

178712

RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP

BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN

NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT AT MAY 4, 2022 MEETING

TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ALL OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS:

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE the Rutland Charter Township Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at its regular meeting on May 4, 2022, which begins at 7:00 p.m. at the Rutland Charter Township Hall located at 2461 Heath Road, within the Charter Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan. The item to be considered at this public hearing is the proposed amendment of §220-12-3 of the Rutland Charter Township Code (Zoning) so as to allow as a special land use in the LI Light Industrial District retail sales of building materials and/or light industrial related products contained in an enclosed building, or screened from view from public streets, and where all loading/unloading areas are located at or near the rear of the building (proposed to be added as new subsection L, with the content of existing subsection L re-lettered as subsection M).

The Rutland Charter Township Code, Master Plan, and the tentative text of the above-referenced proposed zoning text amendment(s), may be examined by contacting the Rutland Charter Township Clerk at the Township Hall during regular business hours on regular business days maintained by the Township offices from and after the publication of this Notice and until and including the day of the hearing/meeting, and further may be examined at the hearing/meeting.

The Township Planning Commission reserves the right to modify any of the proposed amendments at or following the hearing/meeting and to make its recommendations accordingly to the Township Board.

Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services at the meeting/hearing to individuals with disabilities, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered, upon reasonable notice to the Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk as designated below. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 948-

178591

RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF PLANNING HEARING SPECIAL EXCEPTION USE TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS:

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Planning Commission of the Charter Township of Rutland will hold a public hearing/rescheduled regular meeting on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, at the Rutland Charter Township Hall, 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Michigan, commencing at 7:00 p.m. as required under the provisions of the Township Zoning Act and the Zoning Ordinance for the Township. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the proposed item to be considered at this public hearing include the following, in summary:

Special Exception/Land Use Permit Application to allow for Outdoor Sales/Open Air
Business.
Parcel # 08-13-014-009-00, located at 2033 W M-43 Hwy is zoned MU-Mixed Use.
Rutland Charter Township Zoning Ordinance Article 220-9-3 requires a Special
Exception/Land Use Permit for this request. Property is described as RUTLAND TWP
COM 50FT S OF THE NE CORNER OF THE NE ¼ OF THE SE ¼ OF SECTION 14,
TOWN 3 N, RANGE 9 W; THENCE S 26.5 RODS; THENCE W 13 RODS; THENCE
N 26.5 RODS; THENCE E 13 RODS TO THE BEGINNING.

Such and further matters as may properly come before the Planning Commission.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Application for Special Use along with the Zoning Ordinance, Zoning Map, Land Use Plan, and Land Use Plan Map of the Township may be examined at the Township Hall at any time during regular business hours on any day except public and legal holidays from and after the publication of this Notice and until and including the day of this public hearing, and may further be examined at the public hearing to determine the exact nature of the aforementioned matters.

You are invited to attend this hearing. If you are unable to attend, written comments may be submitted in lieu of a personal appearance by writing to the Township Clerk at the Township Hall, 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, MI 49058, at any time up to the date of the hearing and may be further received by the Planning Commission at said public hearing.

This notice is posted in compliance with PA 267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act), MCLA 41.72a(2)(3) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon reasonable notice to the Rutland Charter Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Rutland Charter Township Clerk by writing or calling the Township.

All interested persons are invited to be present for comments and suggestions at this public hearing. Robin J. Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Michigan 49058 Telephone: (269) 948-

'Let’s say you have a housing project in the mid-

dle of a beautiful residential area, and every-

thing seems perfect. You could play the what-if

game: What if an airplane falls out of the sky?

What if one of the houses becomes a meth lab

and it explodes? To what extent are we going to

allow the what-ifs to play out and impact proj-

ects when you have a community-based busi-

ness who has successfully operated for over a

century, safely?'

State Rep. Julie Calley, R-Portland

ROYAL COACH, continued from page 1 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Tuesday’s concert also will spotlight some of Hastings’ youth, including the high school’s symphonic band as well as four seniors. The symphonic band will open the concert by performing “Within the Castle Walls.” The first senior spotlight will feature Zach Franklin, playing an original piano composition based on “Chester,” an old hymn/Revo- lutionary War song. Franklin was a recent winner of Michigan Music Educators Asso- ciation Composition Contest and presented his piece at the Michigan Music Conference

in January. Franklin will then be joined by the HHS Symphonic Band for “Dream Song.” Hastings pianist Mark Ramsey will be featured playing Jelly Roll Morton’s “The Crave” and a new original composition, “Pogrom and Prayer.” Ramsey is a local artist who has shared his talents with the Hastings school music department for many years. After the solo, Ramsey will join the symphonic band for “Pride and Prejudice.” Hong will then be seated at the Steinway

for solos before being joined by two more students for senior spotlights: Harrison Smalley and Connor Lindsey. Then in a special “six-hand piano” perfor- mance, Hong, Ramsey and Franklin will play side by side. The final number will be “Fortress Varia- tions” performed by Hong and the symphonic band. This program will be conducted by HHS band directors Spencer White and Jen Ewers. The free concert is expected to last 1 1/ hours.

PIANO FEST, continued from page 3 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

RULES, continued from page 3 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Banner 04-14-2022

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