You're gonna go ahead and get started.

That always helps.

I'd like to call this meeting to order.

This is a duly noticed special workshop meeting of Hudson City Council, held in accordance with the Sunshine Laws of the State of Ohio, Section 121.22 and the City of Hudson Charter, Article 3, Section 3.02.

It is Monday, August 10th, 2026.

It is 7.30 p.m.

Before we continue on, we will move on to item two on the agenda.

Since this is a joint meeting with the City of Hudson's Planning Commission.

Therefore, I will turn it over to the chairperson, Mrs.

Norman, to call your portion of this joint meeting to order.

Thank you, Mayor.

I will call this side of the room to order for the meeting with council tonight on Monday, August 10th, 2026 at 7 30 p.m.

And just for the record, Ms.

Smith is on her way here.

So when we take attendance, whoever's taking minutes, um, make sure you note her arrival.

Thank you, Mrs.

Norman.

Therefore, per ordinance 220.031 titled Workshop Meetings and Item C.

I would now like to turn the meeting over to Council President Byrd.

So as we continue through the remaining workshop agenda items.

Therefore, Council President Byrd, the floor and workshop joint meeting is yours.

Thank you very much, Mayor.

Um appreciate all of you uh attending this.

I like I guess it's a regular meeting for you, a regular night, but you're gonna have to do an extra extra meeting to make up for this.

Council, thank you for for um stepping up and attending an extra meeting um tonight as well.

Um I don't have to remind everybody about how important this whole the Clinton Crossing piece is.

Um lots of uh, you know, what is it been 10, 11, 12 years of of trying to get this uh across the finish line.

So um we really uh acknowledge the importance of this, uh, the importance of us working together to um move the the concept plan, advancing that for approval, um, getting some more kind of specificities around uh what is Clinton Crossing going to look like.

Um there are some there has been some interest discussed about um plan development process and how that um kind of structure that uh ordinance the the how how planned developments are defined in our code is not um needs some work.

And so that will certainly um if we identify that um Clinton Crossing might benefit from or even has a chance of and needing a uh or benefiting from a planned development, then we want to make sure that that process of getting that work done to modify the the PD is done as well and can get will be completed before we need it uh with regards to Clinton Crossing.

Um thank you in advance for the review process that the planning commission will be doing.

Um and I guess I'll first um let me just describe the process that we're gonna do is tonight is um staff is gonna work through the staff memo and the information that they've provided to us for tonight.

We'll do one or two topics, we'll take a break, we'll go around the room, I'll do it clockwise so I don't forget anybody, and we'll ask for comments, questions, input, and we'll we'll go around and round until people are have satisfied are satisfied that they have all their answers uh to the questions and they've been able to to comment on everything.

So we will we'll move through it, but we also want to take as much time as is needed to uh make everybody uh comfortable about the information, make sure everyone has their questions answered.

Um so if uh I guess next I'd like to turn it over to um the uh planning commission chair and co-chaired for any comments that they would like to share at the beginning.

Just a few short comments.

I mean, this is a very exciting time and a very exciting project for Hudson and having lived here since 2000.

So seeing first in Maine before it was a thing, um, and seeing the last piece of that puzzle being put together is is it's very weighty, as you say.

The import is is significant, Mr.

or Dr.

Byrd.

Um, the planning commission, of course, is also very excited to work with City Council on this.

We already anticipate excellent applications from the city.

We have seen two in recent memory, one for the um inclusive playground and the other for the public works building.

Both of those were stellar applications, thorough, clean, complete, detailed.

I mean, we had a few questions, but honestly, just reading the packet that the city turned in was really astounding.

One of the things I know that we have to work to protect is that sense of unity and collaboration between the two bodies.

And so one of the things I feel like is important for us to maintain and and especially on social media, but also in our conversations with other people, is that sense of collaboration so that when any uncivil or untoward or derogatory comments get made about the intentions of either body, that we are really covering each other's backs and not allowing those comments to stand, um, especially if they're false and unproven, um, but really going to bat for us because we want to be your resource on what the laws are.

We don't write the laws.

That's your job.

And there are laws that we have discovered problems with, and as you alluded to um President Byrd.

The plan development process is um skeletal at best.

That's the kindest word I can use to describe not only the process but also the guidelines that we have to apply.

They are contradictory.

I've gone at on at length in um detailed um spreadsheet about where the where the problems are, what the contents are, and and that's really for everyone's edification, but we don't expect you to become those experts.

We want to be able to inform your awareness so that we can help you get projects like this and and really whatever work we do to make Clinton Crossing happen is work that will benefit the rest of the city for larger projects, such as down in just the new district eleven.

So as we walk through this process together to finish our downtown, um, you know, we are aligned in mission, and I would like us to and to feel like we are aligned in cooperative spirit to give a really exceptional development product to the citizens of Hudson.

Those are my comments.

Let's do it.

I think she covered it.