REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
BELDING CITY COUNCIL
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
7:00 p.m.
A meeting of the Belding City Council of the City of Belding, Michigan was convened in open and public session at the Pere Marquette Depot, 100 Depot Street, at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 1, 2025.
Mayor Jeannine Leary called the meeting to order and led with the Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance.
City Clerk, Janae Ortego took the roll call:
Members present: Shelley Gladding, Bonita Steele, Nikolai Zerkle, Linda Curtis and Jeannine Leary
Members absent: None
City Manager Keven Krieger requested the following additions to the Consent Agenda: Add two additional ACH Payments. Moved by Zerkle, seconded by Gladding to approve the amended agenda. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes - all.
A. City Manager Keven Krieger gave an update supplemented with a PowerPoint presentation on the progress of the new City Hall.
Moved by Steele, seconded by Gladding to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes - all. The Consent Agenda is as follows:
A. Approve Independent Bank checks 83638 to 83707 in the amount of $364,727.95
Approve ACH Payments
B. Approve Minutes: City Council Regularly scheduled meeting - June 17, 2025
Zerkle reported that the ZBA has not had any recent meetings.
Gladding reported that the Planning Commission discussed a proposed Taco Bell, a proposed development by Sable Homes, amendments to section 2.13 of the Zoning
Ordinances of the City of Belding and reducing our current site plan fees to be competitive with the surrounding area.
Steele reported that the library had budget meetings and further reported their largest turnout for their summer reading program.
Curtis reported that she was out of town and was unable to attend the Housing Commission meeting.
A. Moved by Gladding, seconded by Steele to approve for John Bitely of Sable Homes, Build Belding LLC, to construct Crooks Street and pursue a Brownfield TIF, so long as Bitely pursues all of the city standards as discussed tonight and at the Planning Commission meetings. Some standards discussed are as follows:
1. Construct 17 homes with potential options for more, as there is more developable land available
2. Planning Commission willing to forego concrete gutters and trees to make this a viable option.
3. Brooklyn Street to be built the same size as Gooding Street
4. City to pursue grants for trees through Consumers Power, DTE and the DNR.
Motion carried 4-1 by the following roll call vote:
YEAS: Council members Steele, Gladding, Zerkle and Mayor Leary NAYS: Council member Curtis
Zerkle stated that he is a member of the Brownfield's board, so he would not be voting when this comes before them due to a conflict of interest.
B. ZBA Substitute - Councilmember Zerkle is an active member of the U.S. Military as well as a member of the ZBA. Due to the nature of some of the responsibilities of the ZBA and their need to do site visits, and Zerkle's impending deployment orders, the topic of appointing a council member to serve as a substitute for Zerkle while he is deployed was discussed. Zerkle advised that he understands the concerns, but a substitute is not needed. Gladding commented on the ability to perform the duties virtually as people are paying money for the ZBA to research and make decisions on their requests. Curtis noted that statutorily, military are allowed to participate virtually, and expressed concerns of 'crossing the line". Upon further discussion, Mayor Leary recommended that no action be taken.
C. First Reading- Consider additional amendments to Section 2.13. This amendment was read and approved at the last council meeting. However, there are additional sections to this amendment that were not discussed and had been revised by the planning commission with public hearing and their approval. The council approved the section related to garages. Mayor Leary read the additional amendment sections. Action will be taken on the second reading. 1otion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes- all.
D. Truverse Belding II Limited Dividend Housing Association Limited Partnership, previously referred to as "Jacklyn Apartments" at 1250 Kenwood has a specific parcel which needs to be added to the State of Michigan PILOT program. This ordinance would Authorize the payment of an annual service charge in lieu of taxes for residential units serving low- or moderate-income persons and families in accordance with the State Housing Development Authority, Act 346 of the Public Acts of Michigan of 1966. Moved by Zerkle, seconded by Steele to approve the amendment to Ordinance 551 & 556 Act 346 of the Public Acts of Michigan of 1966 adding parcel 34-401-250-000-035-00. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes - all.
E. The Belding Downtown Development Authority have been working on updates and revisions to their bylaws over the past several months. Attached are the current bylaws they are proposing for approval. Moved by Zerkle, seconded by Steele, to approve the Downtown Development Association (ODA) Bylaws as presented and recommended by the DOA Board. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes - all. (The new ODA Bylaws are on file in the Clerk's Office).
F. The DDA voted to change their term expiration dates from May 31st to December 31st to coordinate with the majority of the other boards. Doing so would require the City Council's approval to extend all of the current terms by seven months. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes - all.
G. The Planning Commission were tasked to review the current fees for Site Plans for the City of Belding. Currently, we are asking for a $10,000 payment, made in escrow, to the City of Belding. Our guidance from Williams & Works is to potentially charge a non-refundable fee and lower our escrow ask, with conditions for increases if expenses are exceeded. Moved by Zerkle, seconded by Steele to approve the revised Site Plan fee structure. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes - all. (The revised Site Plan fee structure is on file in the Clerk's Office.)
John Bitely, Sable Homes/Building Belding LLC, thanked the council for adjusting the Site Plan fees, removing the building codes from zoning ordinances and encouraged their continuing down this path.
Mike Tefft, 7155 Bridge, thanked Bitely for investing in Belding, and commented on the amendments to Section 2.13.
City Manager Keven Krieger commented on the following topics of interest:
• Met with C&L Trucking. 231 Lead Service Lines have been completed. Asphalt patching will be done over these areas after several spots accumulate. When Shook Asphalt comes, they bring a lot of asphalt and patch several spots at once.
• Police Department received radios.
• Police Department almost had a chance to use the drone; a child was missing but was fortunately found before the drone was launched.
• Dump passes are available.
• Fire Department has been busy.
• DPW has been handling a water main break due to a bad section of pipe. This emergency delayed brush pick-up, however brush pick up was completed today. As it has been incredibly hot, Krieger thanked everyone who has given water to the DPW workers.
• The new Community Development Director, Hanna Samuels, is getting acclimated and has a lot of good ideas.
Steele made closing comments, more specifically thanking Craig Crebessa and the DPW for fixing the damaged retaining wall from an accident last year. She further commented that the Master Plan recommends Rental Ordinances.
Curtis made closing comments.
Zerkle made closing comments, and further advised that Taco Bell is coming to Belding and that it is not a myth.
Gladding made closing comments. Mayor Leary made closing comments.
Moved by Gladding, seconded by Zerkle to adjourn the meeting at 8:27 p.m. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes - all.
Jeannine Leary, Mayor Janae Ortego, MiPMC City Clerk