Proposed zoning ordinance rescinded after community criticism
GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) — A Grand Traverse County township meeting was overflowing with people Tuesday evening and many were there to speak up against a proposed zoning ordinance.
The proposed ordinance has been talked about by the planning commission and community for months.
“I’m here to ask you to revisit the part of the draft ordinance having to do with the change in density for land that’s zoned agricultural,” one attendee said at Tuesday’s meeting.
Currently in the agricultural area in East Bay Township, one housing unit can be built per acre.
The proposed ordinance would change that to one housing unit per two acres.
“The draft ordinance that’s in front of you would basically allow for the 100 acres and would limit you to 50 units; single-family homes,” said Claire Karner, who is East Bay Township’s director of planning and zoning.
Karner said the change would be to preserve the land in the area and development within the urban boundary is needed.
“That desire to really concentrate and focus development within the urban growth boundary, and that’s historically not always what we’ve seen,” Karner said.
But many people within the community say it will cause less affordable housing to be built outside of the urban boundary and farm land would be less valuable to developers.
“A fair share of these property owners are self-employed farmers who have worked this land for decades,” one meeting attendee said. “The majority don’t have a 401K, they don’t work for somebody that’s going to match it. The value of their land is their retirement, and you’re cutting it in half.”
And many community members were left upset that they weren’t involved in the planning process.
“Why didn’t you ask us?” another attendee said. “Why didn’t you ask the people who built this up?”
In the end, much of the planning commission agreed.
The planning commission ultimately rescinded the ordinance and will keep zoning the way it is.
They also plan to create a task force of community members and farmers to be involved in zoning and density conversations going forward.