Your Vote Counts! Use it Wisely.
Vote No on the Amended Zoning Ordinance affecting the Commercial Resort district. Here are things you need to know about the Amended Zoning Ordinance.
It was created after the township board put a moratorium on the existing ordinance allegedly to protect the health and welfare of the citizenry.
State law requires that townships have competent, material and substantial evidence that ordinance changes are necessary but the township has absolutely no evidence that this was or is the case.
Supporters of the new ordinance claims it offers greater environmental protection, especially for wetlands. That's interesting to us since Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) has already approved wetlands permits for the Timber Shores property. Since EGLE is staffed by environmental experts and is known for their unbiased approach, what does that say about the supporters claims?
The former township supervisor and his wife, who remains a township trustee, have a clear conflict of interest as they live across the road from the property. They should not have been in discussions about the moratorium and should not have voted to direct the planning commission to revise the ordinance.
At least $30,000 of township taxpayer money has been spent to stop Timber Shores, according to township records. Imagine what the township could have done to improve our community rather than fight the fight of a few people who bought next to a property zoned Commercial Resort and are now appalled that it might be used for that purpose.
The amended ordinance also triples waterfront setbacks, increases side setbacks 10 times the original ordinance and excludes locals from using the park on day passes.
It’s time to tell Leelanau Township to back off.