Notes from 16 June 2004 Meeting with St. Joseph County US-131 Corridor Master Plan Committee at the Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce

The meeting came to order at 7:00 p.m. The list of attendees is attached. Those in attendance were invited to go around the room and introduce themselves.

Mr. Sych presented the draft resolution that was crafted by a subcommittee as determined at the May 19, 2004 meeting, consisting of Ms. Carpenter, Mr. Harden, Mr. Lowry, and Mr. Sych. Some changes were made to the draft resolution. The final form the resolution is as follows:

Resolution of the (Insert Local Unit Name)
Supporting US-131 as a Limited-Access Freeway
in Kalamazoo and St. Joseph Counties

WHEREAS the Schoolcraft Area US-131 Planning Committee (SAUPC) and its member municipalities have been working since 2002 to build consensus and to plan for a future US-131 bypass of the Village of Schoolcraft as a limited-access freeway; and

WHEREAS the St. Joseph County US-131 Master Plan Committee (US-131 MPC) and its member municipalities have been working since 1994 to build consensus and to plan for the future of US-131 as a limited-access freeway throughout St. Joseph County; and

WHEREAS both committees believe that the creation of a limited-access freeway will have significant benefits to the economy, quality of life, and safety of residents and travelers throughout the region; and

WHEREAS the goals of the SAUPC include the furthering of community input regarding the future of US-131 in southern Kalamazoo County and the promotion of the needed bypass of the Village of Schoolcraft; and

WHEREAS the goals of the US-131 MPC include the promotion of the usage of the current US-131 footprint as much as possible and the construction of frequent interchanges and overpasses to avoid the unnecessary division of the impacted communities;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by (Insert Local Unit Name) that we support the goal of the SAUPC and the US-131 MPC, that goal being the pursuit of the reconstruction of US-131 as a limited-access freeway from the terminus of the current freeway at the southern limits of the City of Portage to the Indiana state boundary; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we support the joint efforts of the SAUPC and the US-131 MPC in forming an alliance to increase the desirability and viability of the US-131 project to the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT); and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we recognize that the SAUPC and the US-131 MPC will meet both jointly and separately, to promote both the goals of the entire region, and the individual needs of the municipalities and citizens represented by each group; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we request that MDOT respect the individual needs and preferences of each group and the communities it represents, while recognizing the collaborative efforts of both groups in promoting the improvement of US-131 throughout Kalamazoo and St. Joseph Counties; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we request that MDOT restore to a level of priority the US-131 bypass project in Kalamazoo County, and that MDOT maintain and enhance the priority of US-131 as a limited-access freeway in St. Joseph County.

After further discussion, it was agreed that the resolution would first be sent to all local units of government that comprise the two committees. It was agreed that a meeting would be scheduled in August to allow adequate time for those local units of government to take action on the resolution and provide an update on action taken. After the August meeting, it was decided the focus would turn to other local units of government and other organizations along the US-131 corridor, including the Grand Rapids and Cadillac areas.

The next meeting of the joint SAUPC and St. Joseph County US-131 Corridor Master Plan Committee will be held Wednesday, 18 August 2004, at 7:00 p.m., at the Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:58 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

John Sych, SAUPC Facilitator

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Attachment 1
Meeting Attendees

SAUPC Members

Facilitator

John Sych (Kalamazoo County Planning and Community Development)

Prairie Ronde Township

John Chapin
Newell Dean
Mary VerHage

Schoolcraft Township

Don Ulsh

Schoolcraft, Village of

Scot Dailey

St. Joseph County US-131 Corridor Master Plan Committee

Mottville Township

Bill Beppler

St. Joseph County Commission

Eric Shafer

St. Joseph County Finance Director

Dan Carey

Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce

Bruce Snook

Three Rivers, City of

Tom Lowry

Others

News media

Kathy Jessup