Savoie Doesn't Agree With Attorney Opinion

Hi All,

At the Oct. 12, 2015 Board of Trustees meeting, the Bloomfield Township Board voted 6-1 to send Township representative  Supervisor Savoie to the Joint Development Council (JDC) meeting this Wed., Oct. 21, at 9 AM to be held at the Pontiac City Hall, 47450 Woodward Ave.   to cast a YES vote to approve the proposed mesh fencing with graphics.  Six of seven Bloomfield Township board members agreed with Savoie and determined that mesh screening with colorful graphics was NOT a sign.  Treasurer Dan Devine, the former Township representative on that JDC committee, informed the board that our Township Attorney, Bill Hampton,  had previously written an opinion on the very same subject. Two times the previous developers apparently dropped the request for this kind of mesh fencing presumably because of the attorney opinion.  Supervisor Savoie said at the meeting:  "The question is whether this is signage.  I've read the attorney's opinion, and I don't agree with it."

The Township posts PACKETS for the Board of Trustees meeting.  There is a LOT OF INFORMATION concerning DETAILS about this mesh fencing/graphics.  READ the PDF pages concerning this mesh fencing/graphics issue at: 
http://bloomfieldtwpmi.minutesondemand.com/
choose:  Board of Trustees
from drop down menu choose: Board Packets
then choose 2015/  Oct. 12    wait for PDF to download
then choose AGENDA #3   pages 12-31 of the PDF are about the issue/  Graphics/ mesh fencing

The Township also audio/video's the Board meetings.  Go to this link: https://vimeo.com/142249385
to view the Bloomfield Township board meeting/ word for word.

At this Wednesday's  Joint Development Council meeting, discussion will concern the area under the 425 Agreement. The site was known as "Bloomfield Park".  REDICO now owns the approximate 80 acre property and is in preliminary site development for what they are calling the Village at  Bloomfield.  The 425 Agreement should be the framework for proceeding with all work. 

At the August 19, 2015 meeting, the following was presented. 
The last paragraph of those meeting minutes say:
 

 
There was another JDC meeting held at the Bloomfield Township offices on September 23, 2015 to discuss the same issue, however, Ms. Waterman did not attend this meeting.  The minutes for that meeting are not posted at this time.  I stated (during public comment) at this meeting that I was in favor of the mesh fencing with graphics.  There was NO picture shared with the audience of the design.  I did not realize that it was multicolored and that detailed in design. I also did not know about the prior attorney opinion with previous developers.  I have since changed my opinion and feel that the graphics do make this mesh fencing a "sign".

Graphics on the fences/ or mesh on the Telegraph Road front  is the main discussion for this upcoming Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015 meeting.
I wonder..... Is there a document governing the Bloomfield Township 425 Agreement?  If so, where can one read the details?  What is permitted and what is not?  How many times will each issue or  design proposal come before the Council? THIS IS THE THIRD  JDC MEETING WHERE THIS FENCING IS A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION. I believe the taxpayers pay money to the participants to attend each meeting. This could be costly. I certainly hope that THIS time a project can be completed on that site, but I also believe that adhering to the 425 Agreement in all cases will hopefully eliminate potential problems and/or lawsuits.  

Therefore, when the Township attorney writes an opinion... IS IT in Supervisor Savoie's or the Trustees authority to ignore that opinion?  This may be a minor issue in many minds... but it suggests that some Trustees and Savoie are willing to do what they want.. not necessarily what is correct or recommended by counsel.

The JDC meeting is a public meeting. 
Wed., Oct. 21, at 9 AM to be held at the Pontiac City Hall, 47450 Woodward Ave.

Illegal Electronic SIGN /Corrupt procedures ?

Hi All,
How will the Bloomfield Township Supervisor Savoie.... present this issue at the Monday, August 24, 2015 @ 7 PM Board of Trustees meeting?  How will the Trustees vote?



Bloomfield Township has many ordinances, one is for SIGNS  

Those ordinances also specifically address signs located at schools.
Click here: then click on "Adopted Bloomfield Zoning Ordinance":  then go to Sec. 42-5.9: specifically for schools see p. 149 of the pdf.
FYI:  Electronic signs are NOT permitted anywhere in the Township.
 
Some township employees, township trustees, township leadership, Bloomfield Hills school superintendent, school board members, and some school employees and perhaps even the construction contractor....should ALL KNOW that there are sign ordinances in the Township.

So, why has the new Bloomfield Hills High School  officials and the Township officials ... not followed the procedures for sign approval?  Why is the sign already installed?  What is happening at the Monday, August 24, 2015 Board of Trustees meeting?   

QUESTIONS:

• Was there a permit application for the high school sign?  It was not shown in the Board Packet.

• IF so, why didn't it go to the DESIGN REVIEW BOARD?   The first step for sign approval. Again, no meeting minutes are shown in the Board Packet.

• IF the sign didn't meet the requirements for approval, why didn't it go to the Planning Commission or the  Zoning Board of Appeals?   No minutes from any of those committees found in the Board Packet. 

• Why wasn't there a public hearing, if needed?  This AGENDA item is NOT listed as a Public Hearing.  That would need 15 days noticing... this agenda was posted late on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015 with the Township offices CLOSED on Friday... so no questions could be asked or documents gathered.

• Why did the township attorney hold a "closed meeting".... about the sign issue...   when "closed meetings"  for attorney/client  reasons should be for discussion on a PENDING LAWSUIT?   That meeting was held at the end of the Aug. 10, 2015 Board of Trustees meeting.  I objected to that closed meeting...as being illegal.   Go to hour:  @2:01 of the meeting and again at 2:15 of the meeting.   Notice that Leo Savoie takes over before the attorney answers as to the reason going into closed session.  WHAT pending litigation?   I see no evidence that the school district even applied for a sign permit.  I want to know what the attorney and the Board are hiding !!!
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• Why on earth is the township considering a "MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING"   instead of holding the school district to the criteria of the written sign ordinance?   THIS IS A MUST READ DOCUMENT...please ... read it.... THIS IS WHAT IS BEING VOTED UPON...

• Go to: Board of Trustees/ Board Packet/ 2015/ August 24, 2015/  AGENDA # 6   to read the entire proposed document:     http://bloomfieldtwpmi.minutesondemand.com/

Why did Patti Voelker, Township Planning Director, make it her job to "propose" alternate criteria?

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Isn't her job to see that the ordinances are FOLLOWED....??? Isn't her job to PRESENT the agenda item/explain the ordinances for the TRUSTEES to rule on?  Why is SHE writing up "conditions" for this sign and apparently other school signs?   Did the township attorneys participate in this document?


Since when did the Township hold "behind closed door " meetings to NEGOTIATE different criteria for ordinances and change the permitting process?  Why has there been no public meetings on this issue?

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What does this suggest?   What "good and valuable considerations"  ???   $$$  ????   The taxpayers have the RIGHT to know the facts.

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There is an ISSUE "claimed"  ... which I don't believe is an issue....and I believe the TOWNSHIP officials should fight for compliance to our sign ordinance.   This is not only about the school sign... ELECTRONIC SIGNS will change the look of the township with future requests for all buildings.   Where are the attorneys representing the taxpayers of this township?  We have ordinances....I, for one, want them upheld!   I don't want to see ELECTRONIC SIGNS all up and down Telegraph Rd./Woodward/ and other neighborhood corners.   IF the township so clearly and blatantly circumvents the ordinance for the schools...who is next?

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IF the Board of Trustees approve this "Memorandum of Understanding".....I believe they will have betrayed their position and trust of the citizens.  

There has been such a SEVERE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY  with this issue... 

I believe those that have "negotiated"  to "change/corrupt"  the sign ordinance are arrogant and "want what they want" and I also believe that they are confident that they can get away with this corrupt activity.  MY OPINION.

You can watch this meeting LIVE on your computer (you will need to click again/see the bottom of that page)  or watch it LIVE on Bloomfield Township Comcast Channel 15 @ 7 PM.... on Monday, August 24, 2015.   Can't do that?  The entire meeting will be archived (again, another click on another link Board of Trustees Meetings) a few days after the meeting.

Better yet, come to the meeting at Township Hall.

What will the Trustees do?  It is time to tell Supervisor Savoie.... no ...we will NOT go along with this "deal" you have participated in...   The taxpayers deserve to have their ordinances defended and upheld.