November 20, 2002 Meeting Notes

I. Introductions

The meeting came to order at 7:02 p.m. We took time to identify ourselves to each other. A list of attendees is included as Attachment 1.

II. Meeting Orientation - John Sych

John Sych discussed the format of the meeting, which will focus on reviewing the draft corridor principles and reviewing various alternatives for the future of the US-131 corridor in Schoolcraft.

Notice about the MDOT Access Management Workshop

The workshop tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, December 4, 2002, at the Schoolcraft Village Hall has been postponed.

MDOT will be completing the access management plan that was previously completed to the southern limit of the Village of Schoolcraft and expand it to include the Village and the remainder of Schoolcraft Township. Access management training will be part of the plan development and most likely occur early in 2003.

III. Review of Draft Corridor Principles

A. At its meeting on October 23, 2002, the SAUPC developed Corridor Principles for US-131 related to agriculture, business, environment, planning & zoning, quality of life, residences, and transportation.

The principles are the broad ideas that serve as the basic principles of the planning process. SAUPC first drafted a list of principles at its meeting on October 23, 2002. John Sych typed the draft list and provided the list for review. There were some changes. John Sych will make the changes and provide a final draft for consideration at the January meeting of SAUPC.

IV. Review Physical Constraints of the Corridor and Analyze Various Scenarios

A. In order to address the concerns and the issues of the community at large, the SAUPC decided to look at the physical constraints of the corridor and discuss various scenarios. By looking at each scenario, the SAUPC will be better equipped to answer questions of why certain scenarios are or are not unacceptable.

Scenario #1 - Maintain Existing US-131. By maintaining the existing corridor through various transportation and land use planning and management efforts, the community will be able to delay the development of a by-pass. Given that funding is limited and is not expected to be available in the foreseeable future, this scenario is very acceptable and should be pursued. Efforts to start access management planning should begin as soon as possible.

Scenario #2 - US-131 Bridge over the Village of Schoolcraft. Concerns about this scenario include increased noise, dark shadows, street lighting glare, high construction costs ($200 million plus) and high maintenance costs. While it may be able to move traffic efficiently, the bridge would harm the quality of life that the Village of Schoolcraft wants to continue. Conversely, a tunnel under the Village would be costly and impossible due to the high water level in the area.

Scenario #3 - Easterly by-pass of the Village of Schoolcraft - The pro's of this route are that there is less active farmland, less wetland and the location would place US-131 closer to the Village of Vicksburg. The con's of this route are there would more overpasses that would create a berming affect and increase costs for construction, a greater loss of residences, and US-131 could divide the communities of Vicksburg and Schoolcraft in a way similar to Plainwell and Otsego.

Scenario #4 - Westerly by-pass of the Village of Schoolcraft - The pro's of this route are that it would cost less to build since there would be less overpasses and there is more open (undeveloped) land. The con's of this route are US-131 would be farther from development, Vicksburg, etc. and could lure development to the west, the impact on active farmland would be substantial. In order to address the issue of development being lured to the west, there was great support for interchanges to be located along the existing corridor north and south of the Village of Schoolcraft. It was strongly agreed that an interchange located west of the Village of Schoolcraft would be very undesirable and would draw development in that direction. There was also discussion that this route could be feasible if the alignment followed 12th Street and close to the west edge of the Village of Schoolcraft. The impact on active farmland would still exist but it was believed it could be minimized by this route.

V. Next Steps

The next SAUPC meeting will take place on Wednesday, January 22, 2003 at 7:00 p.m. at the Schoolcraft Village Hall. John Sych will provide a 2nd draft of the Corridor Principles and a review of the scenarios that were discussed.

VI. Adjourn

The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

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Attachment 1
List of Attendees