Why do we have people who apparently don’t believe in democracy serving on public bodies in Leelanau Township?
Build & Invest in Leelanau Township LLC (BILT)
A current planning commissioner and a former member of the commission have criticized us for using the right of petition to try to put on the ballot the township’s new commercial resort zoning ordinance. This is the ordinance that added several new restrictions to make it more difficult, if not impossible, to restore Timber Shores. It’s the ordinance where the township changed the rules after they received an application for Timber Shores development, then imposed a moratorium on RV parks and campgrounds, and told the planning commission to ‘review’ the ordinance and ‘update’ it.
The latest criticism of the petition is that it disrespects the planning commission’s work on the new ordinance.
Apparently it will come as news to some township officials that the right of petition is guaranteed to all US citizens by the First Amendment to the Constitution. That’s the amendment which gives us the Five Freedoms – freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and the right of petition.
It’s a sad day when public officials regard a constitutional right as disrespectful.
It’s a sad day when public officials have such little respect for their neighbors and fellow Township property owners that they want to prohibit them from exercising their guaranteed rights simply because “those people” don’t agree with these high and mighty public officials.
This isn’t really much of a surprise. Some commissioners and community busybodies who are often wrong but never in doubt also accuse us of disinformation, misinformation and outright lies.
Interestingly they refuse to name the lies. That’s probably because there aren’t any.
Here’s our interpretation of their discomfort – they’re afraid, and rightly so, that we’re going to succeed in getting enough petition signatures to put the new ordinance on the ballot. And they’re afraid that the voters are going to shoot it down in flames.
If the voters decide to reject the new ordinance the current ordinance stays in effect. That’s the ordinance that has been in place for decades. It’s the ordinance the property owner relied on when making plans to restore Timber Shores. It’s the ordinance that was in effect when Timber Shores submitted its application. It’s the ordinance that should apply to the application.
To see the facts about the new ordinance and its ridiculous new restrictions follow these links.
Quick Facts - a list of bullet points about the new ordinance
Details - a longer fact sheet with more information
If you would like to sign the petition please call us at 231-386-2205 or email us at BILT@BuildLeelanau.com .
Timber Shores supports Build & Invest in Leelanau Township LLC (BILT).