Pet Ownership, Beavers, Social Districts & More – Dexter Community Update 12-14-20

By Doug Marrin

Highlights from the Dexter City Council meeting on December 14, 2020:

Commercial Kennels and Pet Ownership: The Council held a public hearing taking comments on proposed text amendments to the City’s General Code regarding commercial kennels and pet ownership. The purpose of the text amendments is to reconcile conflicting language between the Zoning Ordinance and General Code. The Council postponed taking action on the amendments to its first meeting in January.

Women’s Field Hockey: Interim City Manager and Clerk Justin Breyer told the Council that Dexter Women’s Field Hockey State Championships for 2019 and 2020 would be added to the city limit championship lists.

Damming Beavers: The City has had conversations with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy (EGLE) regarding the beavers at work in Mill Creek. Options are being explored to see what might be done to stop the tree damage and flooding their dams will create.

Millennium Place Condos: The development’s applicant and DAFD have not resolved a code requirement regarding vertical height clearance for fire apparatus access roads and the number of fire apparatus access roads required for this project. The project location is on Grand St, across from Grandview Commons.

Hilltop View Apartments: The existing storage buildings have been prepped for demolition, and Avalon has applied for demolition and building permits from the County.

Variety Die and Stamping, located in Bishop Circle, has applied for combined preliminary and final zoning compliance for a 2,016 sq. ft. addition. The project is expected to be reviewed by the Planning Commission at its January 5th
meeting.

Dexter’s Pub has applied for a permit to install a tent for outdoor dining behind the pub to offset indoor dining restrictions.

3268 Central St Demolition: The City granted zoning approval for a demolition permit for all property structures. This is the white house next to Monument Park.

Medical Marijuana Caregiver Facility: The City received an inquiry from a medical marijuana caregiver regarding city regulations for a medical marijuana caregiver establishment. City staff has contacted the city attorney for assistance.

Parliamentary Training Session: The City is organizing a training session on parliamentary procedure for the City’s Council, boards, and committees.

Conflict of Interest Training: The City is also organizing a training seminar with City Attorney Scott Munzel for the Council, boards, and committees on interest conflicts.

Management Internship: Interviews with Graduate Management Internship candidates is complete. The City has extended an offer to one candidate.

City Meeting Space: The City has worked out an agreement with the Senior Center to use its space to meet in-person after the first of the year when the State requires such meetings to resume. However, the Michigan Legislature is currently considering HB 6027 to extend virtual meetings to March 31, 2021.

Community Garden:
A summary of the 2020 season was included in the Council’s packet. Read more here.

Consent Agenda: The Council approved the following in its consent agenda.

1. Bills & Payroll of $481,012.82
2. Re-Appointment of Rob Toth to Economic Development Corporation
3. Second Street Water Main Break Repair from Watertap Inc. for an amount not to exceed $7,300

Amendment to Council Rules:
Following City Council elections, the Council reviews and updates its Council Rules document, which puts into written form the norms for conducting business. The Council postponed action on this amendment to clarify some of the language.

Social Districts:

A social district is that area within a city where the state allows local government to establish common areas for people to consume alcoholic beverages purchased from an establishment licensed to serve such. Social districts in Michigan are designed to help offset the capacity restrictions for bars and restaurants that sell alcohol. It has been a frustrating process for the City of Dexter because social district rules keep changing.

The latest permutation from the state that has interrupted the City’s efforts is that for an eligible business to participate in a social district, it must be contiguous to the established commons area. This new information has forced the City to reconfigure its common area for submission to the state. The Council passed the new plan, which will be submitted in the City’s request for a social district to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.

Outdoor Service Areas: Zoning ordinance text amendments were discussed by the Council, who voted to postpone action.

DAFD Needs Assessment: The Council voted to direct the Dexter Area Fire Department to prepare a revised Needs Assessment.

The complete City Council meeting packet can be found on the City’s website.