MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - The Meridian Township Environmental Commission held a special meeting on Wednesday, March 16 to review an application from the Ingham County Drain Commissioner's Office in regards to the Smith Drain project.

The Environmental Commission looked at different environmental elements and impacts this project might have. Mark Kieselbach, Meridian Township Director of Community Planning & Development, is doing an internal review of the application with staff.

The Environmental Commission will then make recommendations to staff and the director, which will become a part of the response to the project.

The Ingham County Drain Commissioner's Office applied for a special use permit due to the current pipe underneath Jolly Road, which is part of the Smith Drain, being old and undersized. Excavation will occur to create more wetland areas on either side east and west of the Smith drain.

"This project is in response to a need to upgrade the pipe that is currently under Jolly Road that is part of the Smith drain," Associate Planner Harmony Gmazel said. "So they knew they needed to make these improvements down stream from that pipe project in order to collect the downstream flow of water so we wouldn't have any flooding."

The next step for the special use permit to be approved or not includes receiving public comment until March 28, which can be directed to the Department of Community Development and Planning. While there isn't an official start date of when construction will start, Gmazel said the start date relies on when special use permits for work in the floodplain from the township are obtained as well as permits from the state.

Gmazel said she thinks this project will please local residents as it will improve the overall wetland area and that the new native plantings will be something that residents can enjoy.

"It will make a more pleasant area to visit with this pathway and this wooded area," Gmazel said.