PARIS, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – During a special meeting on April 29th, the Green Charter Township board of trustees unanimously approved the adoption of an interim zoning ordinance, as proposed by the recently formed planning commission. It was approved by an unanimous vote of 6-0 with Trustee Dan Hoeh being absent during the vote.

This interim ordinance, recommended by a planning commission that was formed during a special meeting on Saturday April 27th, serves as a temporary measure until a comprehensive zoning ordinance can be developed.

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Attorney Kyle O’Meara clarified that the intention behind this interim ordinance is to address immediate needs while allowing room for adjustments as necessary.

Ordinance uses template of Mecosta County Master Plan.

The Huron Dailiy Tribune reports that the ordinance draws heavily from the Mecosta County Master Plan and zoning ordinance, but has been tailored to suit the specific needs of Green Charter Township.

Notable modifications reported include refining the list of special uses in certain zones, incorporating Planned Unit Developments as a special land use, and removing provisions concerning manufactured home parks, deferring to state standards.

Additionally, the ordinance introduces new regulations such as requiring special use approval for large industrial operations exceeding 100,000 square feet or those necessitating waste pretreatment.

Mecosta County notified of new ordinance.

The township promptly communicated the adoption of the interim zoning ordinance to the Mecosta County building and zoning department, specifying that it takes immediate effect. This ensures that all future land use requests will be subject to review by the township planning commission.

Annette Coles, the Building and Zoning Director for Mecosta County, told the Huron Daily Tribune that the township’s adoption of the interim zoning ordinance will not influence the actions of the county planning commission concerning the forthcoming Gotion site plan review, saying, “We will be moving forward until our lawyer recommends we stop.”

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However, the special meeting with the planning commission scheduled for May 1st to consider Gotion’s site plan application was cancelled.

Saturday’s vote enacted township’s planning commission and elected members.

On Saturday, April 27th, the Green Charter Township Board of Trustees had held a special meeting and unanimously appointed planning commissioners to oversee zoning matters. On the agenda was the establishment of a planning commission following the rejection of a referendum aimed at putting the matter to a public vote.

Supervisor Jason Kruse, after a closed session with legal counsel, had announced the denial of the referendum petition and the board’s decision to proceed with the appointment of a planning commission according to the Pioneer.

Kruse emphasized the board’s commitment to adhering strictly to legal processes, stating that any initiative must meet legal requirements to be considered. He declined to elaborate further on the reasons for denying the referendum but assured that a letter would be sent to the petitioners outlining the decision.

With the referendum dismissed, the board quickly moved to appoint members to the planning commission and a resolution was passed unanimously to appoint seven members, comprising township electors, for varying terms.

Ultimately, as the Township’s plans move forward relating to the Gotion project, it’s likely that the zoning issues concerning the development will be settled through legal proceedings due to an ongoing lawsuit and jurisdictional conflicts.