Would you like to let your neighbors know more about what your committee is up to? Or maybe you have news and information you would like to share, such as family announcements, recipes, decorating ideas, or crafts. We invite you to submit content that you think your neighbors will want to know about. We will include information as space allows. All submissions must follow the Newsletter Guidelines for Outside Submissions at the end of this newsletter.

Please encourage neighbors who have not signed up for this newsletter to do so. While those not on our email list will receive a print version of the newsletter, it will be in black and white, only contain basic information, and they will not receive our reminders and updates.

And don't forget to visit the Sylvan lake Website.

-- John Martin, City Manager

News/Announcements

Planning Commission

The Planning Commission meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 3rd, at 7:30 p.m. at the Sylvan Lutheran Church. They are in the final stages of discussion in updating our Master Plan. Planning Commission will continue discussion on the portion of our zoning ordinance pertaining to lot coverage, garages on the front of the house, and accessory structures in the rear yard. They will also be discussing City identification signs.

*Click here to see Master Plan projects and funding.

City Council meeting

City Council will be meeting on October 11th at 6:30 p.m. with a presentation being made regarding the three millage questions. A question/answer session will follow. Tentatively on the agenda will be continued discussion on the bond and millage questions on the November ballot, adoption of a rental ordinance, discussion on what should be allowed in the road right-of-way, and Citgo's special use approval.

Citgo Gas Station/Keego Energy

At it's last meeting, Planning Commission granted Site Plan approval for the proposed Citgo Gas/Keego Energy construction. The approval was granted with 233 contingencies. Two of the contingencies are approval of the Special land use approval to place a gas station in the C-2 General Commercial zoning district by City Council and the granting of two variance requests by the Zoning Board of Appeals. The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) hearing was postponed until October 11th because the full plans and information were not available. The applicant is requesting an 11-foot variance from the required 25-foot front yard setback and a 20-foot variance from the required 25-foot rear yard setback. The convenience store is proposed at 4,835 square feet with six fuel pumping stations.

Election

Three candidates are vying for two seats on City Council: David MacGillis, Sharon Maurina, and John Shepp. Please watch cable channel 15 for interviews with each of the candidates. There will also be three local proposals on the ballot: Community Center Bond Proposal, City Hall Bond Proposal and a millage for the parks and recreation, and an advisory question for the installation of new docks at the Community Center. See the City's website for the full language.

*The Pontiac School District will also have an approval on the ballot in November to renew their operating millage of 18 mills (this affects non-homestead parcels only). This only pertains to residents living in the Pontiac school district.

Ballot Questions

A volunteer from our City has created a video on the important bond and millage issues being voted on in the November ballot. He did this to help communicate these important issues. He also submitted it to the Civic Center TV 15 and they will be airing it as part of their regular programming. Here is the schedule:

October 2nd at 8:00 p.m.
October 5th at 7:00 p.m.
October 16th at 8:00 p.m.
October 18th at 8:00 p.m.
October 27th at 9:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
October 28th at 9:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
October 29th at 9:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
October 30th at 9:00 p.m.
October 31st at 8:00 p.m. (if no West Bloomfield Township ZBA meeting)

There will also be dates and times for early November. You can also view the video at City Hall or check out a copy on DVD or VHS. If you have any questions or wish to host a small or large informational meeting, please call City Hall or one of the City Council members. Thank you Alex James for your informative video.

There will also be a presentation of the video followed by a question/answer session at 6:30 p.m. on October 11th prior to the City Council meeting. The LAST public forum will be held at 7:00 p.m. on November 2nd. Both public forums will be held at the Sylvan Lutheran Church.

Additional information on the millage proposals. You will be receiving additional information in the very near future. You will receive a conceptual drawing and floor plan for the Community Center and City Hall. You will also receive information specific to your property that will tell you what each of the proposals will cost in property taxes. Remember, the increase in your property tax is tax deductible.

Absentee Voters

You can fill out your applications now for the Tuesday, November 7th, general election. You may pick up an application at City Hall. City Hall will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 4th, for absentee ballots (only) for the 2006 general election.

Zoning Board of Appeals

New members will sit as the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) Board effective October 1st. We are still in need of one more alternate. If you are interested, please write City Hall. Thank you Nicole Menuck, Jerry Nechal, Dave MacGillis, Rob Galacz, Scot Storrie, and Hazel Holly for volunteering for this important position.

Political Signs

According to our City ordinance, political signs cannot be placed anywhere in the City until Monday, October 9th, 2006. When placing political signs, please remember they cannot be placed on any City property. This includes parks, City Hall property, and the road right-of-way (at least 12 feet from the edge of the street).

City of Sylvan Lake Water Quality Report

Make sure you read the entire Water Quality Report on the Sylvan Lake website. It is found on the left column of the home page titled 2005 CCR (Consumer Confidence Report)

What is a variance? Click to read about the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), how the appeal process works, and how the ZBA tries to relieve property owners from ordinances uniquely affecting them.

CRWC

The Clinton River Watershed Council (CRWC) is a non-profit organization to help protect and improve the health of the Clinton River. The CRWC also wants to assure that the river's natural, economical, and recreational attributes enhance the quality of life for those who are directly affected by it. The CRWC is made up of four full-time and two part-time staff along with a 15-member board of directors. They provide programs in areas of watershed management, such as Stream Leaders, Adopt-A-Stream, River Day, and Clinton Clean-Up Programs. The Clinton River, as some may know, runs through Sylvan Lake. Click here to learn how the CRWC has such an impact on Sylvan Lake.

Consider becoming a CRWC Adopt-A-Stream volunteer!!

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Late Summer in the Parks

School is back in session and the park activity is winding down. There are still a lot of nice days ahead of us until fall, so take advantage of the cooler evenings and earlier sunsets. The restrooms will continue to be open until mid-November unless it gets too cold.

Winter Absence

Are you going away for the winter? If so, please notify City Hall and the City will keep a close eye on your home while you are gone. City Hall can also send you your absentee ballot for the election.

Boat, Trailer, and Recreational Vehicle Storage
Please remember when removing your boat to take your registration with you. You will need to provide it to register next year. We have a recreational vehicle (RV) storage ordinance that governs where recreational vehicles may be stored. This includes boats and boat trailers. The following is a partial list of items.

All RV's must be placed within a completely enclosed building or located behind the required front yard setback (approximately 45 feet from the street) and at least three feet from the side and rear lots.
You cannot store an RV on a vacant piece of property.
You cannot hook up an RV to water, sewer, or electricity, and they must remain unoccupied.
No more than two RV's may be stored on one piece pf property at one time (a boat hoist is considered an RV).
RV's may not be stored in the road right-of-way at any time.

Police Department

The police department is reminding you to keep your cars, garages, and homes locked. There were incidents of vehicles being broken into last month. There have been no reported incidents since then, but be sure to take precautionary measures.

Code Enforcement

There will be violation notices and tickets given to anyone violating the City's ordinances. This includes common violations such as:

long grass/weeds,
junk cars,
storage of garbage cans (cannot be visible from the street),
brush,
trash,
incorrect storage of RV's,
illegal parking on the road or in the front yard,
rocks in the road right-of-way, and
missing addresses on your homes.

Boat Ramp

A boat ramp key is $20 and allows you to use the City boat ramp located on Ferndale, next to the Oakland County Boat Club. Original boat registration and proof of Sylvan Lake residency must be provided to purchase a key. One boat launch sticker will be provided with the ramp key. They are now available at City Hall. There will be no replacement keys sold if you lose yours.

Dock Space Holders

We are still routinely checking dock spaces for compliance. If you know someone that is violating our dock policy, for example doesn't own the boat at their dock, doesn't live in the City, etc. Please notify City Hall.

Boat Removal

If you are taking your boat out of the water early to store it for the winter, we want to remind you to take your registration out of your boat and keep it with you. You will need to provide it to City Hall when you register for your dock space next year.

Bocce Ball

Although summer is nearly over, it's not too late to be thinking about Bocce Ball. There is always next year! If you are interested in organizing a league for a second night of the week, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday are available. Mike Grasser will help you get the organization process started. If you have any questions, contact Mike at 248-681-9022 or 248-505-4744.

Boat Launch Stickers

These stickers are required on all watercraft launched and Removed at the boat ramp, with the exception of the guest ramp pass. If you have a second boat, you must purchase an additional sticker in order to launch your watercraft. They are available at City Hall for a cost of $10. You must be a resident and show your original boat registration showing the resident owns the watercraft in order to purchase a sticker.

Guest Ramp Pass

A guest ramp pass will be issued to a resident (only) for the purpose of allowing a specific guest to use the boat ramp. The cost of the guest pass is $25 for one day, for one watercraft. If a guest leaves his or her watercraft in the water for more than one day, then another guest pass will be required to use the ramp when the watercraft is removed. The charge is based only on how many days the boat ramp is used (not how many days the boat is in the water). To obtain a guest pass, a resident must fill out a very short form indicating the type of watercraft along with the MC number that will be using the boat ramp. Guest ramp passes are available at City Hall during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Cable Advisory Board

There is still one opening on the Cable Advisory Board. This is a three-year term running from July 1st through June 30th. If you are interested or have any questions, please call/submit a letter to City Hall.

Yard Waste Program

Yard waste will be picked up by a yard waste truck on the same day as garbage collection (Wednesday). So make sure your yard waste is separated from your garbage. Yard waste includes: cut grass, leaves, shrub trimmings, sod, twigs, small branches, etc. Please follow the guidelines below:

Yard waste will only be accepted in either brown paper yard waste bags or trash cans clearly marked COMPOST or YARD WASTE. Yard waste stickers are available at City Hall with no charge.
Small branches, three inches in diameter or smaller, will be accepted if they are securely tied in manageable bundles no more than four feet in length.
Yard waste in any type of plastic bag will not be accepted!!
Yard waste may not be placed at the side of the road any earlier than 7:00 p.m. the night before collection day.

Rubbish Collection

Richfield Equities has been picking up your trash for a month now. As you have probably noticed, they start early and are finished early, so make sure your trash is out no later than 7:00 a.m. You can continue to set out bulk items, but you will need to call the hauler for a special pick-up. They will also be collecting the leaves this fall. The flyer Richfield Equities sent out lists days your street will be collected for leaves only. Watch for further details on the October newsletter.

Leaf Collection Guidelines

The leaf collection program will have a few changes this year. Our waste collectors, Richfield Management will be collecting the leaves this year. You should have received a letter from them a couple months ago. Collection will begin the first week in October and continue through the second week of December. Please review their map, which they provided to you, for your collection day (Monday, Wednesday, or Friday). If you do not have your map please call 1-877-609-6853. Please be sure to get all your leaves this fall because the spring collection has been eliminated. In the Spring, all leaves will have to be bagged and put at the curb for collection with yard waste. I’m sure most of you are very adept at the procedure, but we need to make note of a few important points.

Please rake the leaves onto the edge of the street. Please do not leave them in the ditch or put them in the street.
We will appreciate having all cars parked in your driveway and off the road between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. during the leaf collection program.

Dead Trees

We have been receiving complaints about about dead trees and not maintaining trees. This can be dangerous to not only your household, but your neighbor's as well. Dead trees allow animals to harbor in them and it could eventually fall on a house. Please take care of them properly.

Recycling

Only 10 percent of Sylvan Lake residents recycle. Recycling is included as a part of your normal trash collection. Bins are available at City Hall. It is not necessary to use their recycling bin. Your first recycling bin is free, but if you like more, they are $10 each.

You can use a plastic "storage" type container or a cardboard box.
Make sure it is marked RECYCLING so the contents are not disposed with the regular trash.
Newspapers, magazines, and ads should be tied securely with a string or placed in a brown paper bag.
Telephone books do not have to be bundled.
Plastic jugs, bottles, glass bottles, and jars must be washed out.
Only bottles marked with a 1 or 2 on the bottom will be accepted.
Metal cans need to be clean and the label must be removed.
If any recycling is dirty, it will be thrown out with the regular trash.

Road Right-Of-Way

Rocks, boulders, wood, and reflectors are not allowed in the road right-of-way (ROW). Violation notices will be issued, and a ticket will follow if necessary.

24-hour Tax Hotline

Property tax information is now available on the Oakland County 24-hour tax hotline by calling 248-858-0025. To access tax information, you will need to enter your 10-digit parcel ID number. There is no charge for this service.

SEMCOG

SEMCOG, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, believes that pollutants during the warm days of spring and summer most effectively creates ground-level ozone. Many of these pollutants are caused by everyday activities, such as driving, refueling, painting, barbecuing, etc. Here are some tips to help decrease pollutants during the warm days that are knocking at our door!

Refuel in the evening and avoid spilling gasoline while topping off the tank.
Limit long periods of idling. Turn off the engine when a long wait is expected.
Keep tires properly aligned and inflated.
Receive regular tune-ups to increase engine efficiency and follow the maintenance schedule in the owner's manual of the vehicle.
Avoid using oil-based paint and household solvents.
Consider natural gas, propane, or electric grills for barbecuing.
Try transit or carpooling to work.

If you would like to be added to SEMCOG's notification list, please send an email to ozoneaction@semcog.org.

Street and Drainage Project Update

The project is coming to a close. There are a few areas that still need repair, but the majority of the project is complete. With the last large rain events, the drainage system worked fantastically. I am sure for many of you, the restoration done in front of your yard is not as nice as you would have done. Please remember that the contractor is moving through the city and trying to make things uniform, create proper drainage, etc. As the grass grows in, please feel free to spruce up the area, just do not fill in the ditch or place rocks or stones above the ground. Most of you have been very patient and it is appreciated.

Home and Garden Tour - More Gardens!!

For the 2007 Home and Garden Tour, the tour committee would like to add more gardens. The committee has no specific requirements for the gardens as long as they are pleasant places to be. Residents who know of any gardens that would be a good addition to the tour should call 248-681-2750.

Join the Garden Club - The Sylvan Lake Garden Club was organized in 1939 and has been meeting ever since. Activities include putting on the Ice Cream Social, organizing the Plant Exchange, and working in Memorial Park. This year, several members participated in the garlic mustard pull for the Michigan Nature Association in Davisburg. The meetings feature field trips, speakers, and idea exchanges among members. Some members are very experienced gardeners and others are novices. The club meets on the third Thursday of every month, typically around 1:00 p.m. Members who cannot attend the meetings can still take part in many activities. Anyone interested in joining should call Helen McAllister at 248-682-1082 or email her at helenmcallister@sbcglobal.net.

Clinton River Trail Website

The old railroad that is now a trail that goes through Sylvan Lake is part of the Clinton River Trail system. For all of you trail users and enthusiasts, the Clinton River Trail's website is full of news and updated features. It is updated by the Friends of Clinton River Trail (FCRT). Thanks to John Hensler, and FCRT member, the website is getting better and better. For any words of appreciation or any suggestions, please contact John at john@sunkenanchor.com

West Bloomfield Library

This library has been ranked one of the top 100 public libraries in the United States. The main branch is located at 4600 Walnut Lake Road. Another branch is Westacres located at 7321 Commerce Road. Feel free to look at their on line programs and services, computer terminals, audio books, and videos. There is no charge for this service. Just provide your driver's license or state I.D. number.

Mortgage and Deed Fraud

On Wednesday, October 11th, there will be a free seminar for seniors on mortgage and deed fraud. The seminar will be held at the Older Person's Commission in Rochester, located at 650 Letica Drive, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. There is an excellent group of speakers who can help victims of the scam artists stealing your money. Make sure you attend this seminar!!

Community Events

Parade in the Park

Sylvan Lake residents of all ages are welcome to join fellow neighbors for a costume parade in the park on Saturday, October 28th, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Join us for games and more! Please bring two rolls of toilet paper and 12 treats or goodies. If you have any questions, please call Sharon at 248-683-8387.

Trick or Treat!

Trick or Treat will be from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 31st. Do your best to not park your cars in the street so children are more visible. Please leave outside lights on and ask your children to not play in any leaf piles. The police department will be available from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. to check your treats for any metal objects. Have fun and enjoy the season!

Flu Shot Clinic

Kiwanis is having a flu shot clinic on November 5th, 2006, at the Sylvan Lutheran Church from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. You need to register for the clinic prior to your arrival. Please call 248-682-0770 and leave a message letting them know how many in your party will be coming.

Special Thanks/Kudos

Alex James for volunteering his time and talent for the very informative video about the ballot questions.

New ZBA Memebers For volunteering your time to attend training and sit on the very important board.

Project Updates

New City-owned Docks

See information above.

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Community Programs

Dogs Please remember that dogs are not allowed in the park. This also means that your dog cannot go into the water. There is an ordinance requiring dogs to be on a leash at all times and the leash cannot exceed six feet. This ordinance is for the safety of everyone in Sylvan Lake.

*Be considerate and throw dog waste into the trash, not your neighbor's yard.

School Is Back In Session!

It's hard to believe summer is almost over! As always, we want to keep the City as safe as possible, so please make sure to keep a close watch on your children. If you are driving, watch for children and stop for all buses.

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Fur-e-tails Newsletter

A new electronic newsletter for pet lovers, fur-e-tails, has been launched by Sylvan Lake resident Linda Wasche. Every monthly issue contains information and news covering all topics ranging from pet care and nutrition to the latest in pet products and pet lover events. For your FREE subscription contact editor-fur-e-tails@oaklandpetfund.org. All proceeds from fur-e-tails advertising will go to benefit Oakland pet fund, bringing the No-More-Homeless Pets movement to Oakland County.

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Community Service Directory

In the future, this will be used for local businesses to list their name, description of service, website, email address, etc.

Listings in the Community Service Directory will be renewed annually.

Classified Advertising

Residents in the future will be able to advertise items for sale, rentals, services, etc.

Listings for the Classified Advertising will change monthly.

The City of Sylvan Lake welcomes articles, news and updates from members of the community. Such information should be relevant to Sylvan Lake, to its residents and to living in the community. The editor reserves the right to accept or reject any such information. All such information will also be edited for style and space.