Arvon Township Recreation Plan

The Planning Commission is updating our Recreation Plan, which will allow Arvon Township to apply for grants to improve our recreation opportunities. Check back here during the spring and summer for updates on this important process.

We are currently looking for input from residents and property owners on what areas and activities you would like to see in our township. We already have several outdoor recreation areas, and are looking for input as to how we can improve these and possibly add more.

Surveys were mailed on Monday, March 20. If you didn’t get one or would like to submit your input electronically, you can use this link for our on-line survey.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/X566M3S

Responses will be collected until early May 2023.

We are planning a public input session at the Arvon Town Hall on Wednesday, May 3 at 6 PM. Please join us!

Planning Commission Work Session February 16, 2023

Thursday, February 16, 2023

Call to Order:  6 p.m.

Roll Call:  Nancy Strohschein, Chairperson; Linnea Barron, Secretary; Joe Bollech, Trustee; Bob Janda, Township Board Representative; Robert Lindert, Vice Chairman; Jay Loman, absent with notice; Donna Preston, absent with notice.

Pledge of Allegiance:  Recited

Guests:  None.

Approval of Agenda:  Bob made a motion to approve the agenda, seconded by Robert.  Motion carried.

Approval of minutes of January 24, 2023 meeting:  Robert made a motion to approve the minutes, seconded by Joe.  Motion carried.

Agenda: 

1.  Recreation Plan:  We reviewed the first three sections, Introduction, Community Description, and Administrative Structure, in the proposed plan with the changes that Jason made.  We still feel the map on page 2, Figure 2, could be larger or just different from map, Figure 1. 

The new sections we reviewed were:  Recreation Inventory; Description of the Planning Process; and Description of the Public Input Process.  In the Recreation Inventory, we removed Roland Lake from the inventory as we do not own it and placed this site under possible new category, Other Natural Resources.  Also in this section under the Arvon Township Waterfront Parcels we would list only the 34 acres of undeveloped Lake Superior frontage property, the 38-acre parcel near Vicks Point and the 100-foot strip of property at Witz Marina as properties that we own.  The Witz Marina, trails and rustic camping at Pointe Abbaye and the area managed by the Keweenaw Land Trust at Lightfoot Bay would be listed under Other Natural Resources.  In the Description of the Public Input Process, we changed the order so that the Community Survey would be the first step for us followed by the Early Public Input, next would be the 30-day Review Period and closing with the Public Hearing & Resolution of Adoption.

We also noted some minor typos that need to be corrected.

Other Recreation Resources include:  Roland Lake, Point Abbaye, Witz Marina, Silver River access, Big Erick’s campground, Lightfoot Bay Nature Reserve, Aura Town Hall and Ballfield, Skanee cemetery and Ravine River cemetery, Arvon Township historical museum.  Natural features include:  Waterfalls (Silver River Falls, Quartzite Falls, Letherby Falls), the slate quarry, mouth of the Huron River and Mount Arvon.

The survey, paper and on-line version, was reviewed in detail.  On #4 to save some room on the survey we combined some recreations.  We eliminated question #10 as unnecessary.  We set the date, May 8, 2023, as the person input session.  Tentative date of May 16, 2023 set for work session.  Tentative date for public hearing in June with final board approval at July 10, 2023 township board meeting.  Completed recreation plan set for August.

2.  Zoning Ordinance.

The need for a noise ordinance was brought up with a recent incident that occurred.  This would involve airB&B’s, short-term rentals, etc. 

Adjourn:  Nancy made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Joe.  Motion carried.  Work session ended at 7;50 p.m.

Next meeting:  Thursday, March 2, 2023, tentative.

Submitted by Linnea Barron, Secretary

Township Board Meeting Minutes March 2023

MARCH 6, 2023 REGULAR MEETING MINUTES

CALL TO ORDER:   Supervisor Jay Fish called the Regular Board meeting to order at 6:00 P.M. at the Arvon Township fire hall on March 6, 2023.

ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS PRESENT: Jay Fish-Supervisor, Lisa Marinich-Clerk, Krystal Eliason-Treasurer, Robert Janda-Trustee , Chris Walmhoff-Trustee.

MINUTES APPROVAL: Eliason motioned, seconded by Janda to approve the February 6, 2023 minutes.  All in favor, motion passed.

AGENDA APPROVAL: Marinich motioned, seconded by Eliason to approve the agenda.   All in favor, motion passed.

PUBLIC COMMENT:  Gabe asked about the cemetery lots in the new area.  Marinich has to sit down with Swanson to understand how to read the new lots.  Marinich will contact Gabe when they are ready to be purchased.

OLD BUSINESS:   Land division will be tabled until next month’s meeting.

-Marinich motioned, seconded by Eliason to approve the increase agreement from Bay Ambulance.  From $10,800.0 to $15,006.00.  All in favor, motion passed.

-No one applied for the Building/Assessing position or the electrical inspector.  Chris Wahmhoff offered to take the courses needed to become the Building/Assessing inspector.  Marinich motioned, seconded by Janda to pay for the courses Wahmhoff will need and to approve him as our new Building/Assessing inspector.  All in favor, motion passed.

NEW BUSINESS:  Mrs. Waara, Mrs. VanBuren and three students from the Arvon Township School attended the meeting.  The three girls presented the board with a project that includes cleaning up local beaches and setting up book boxes in the community.  The box is from Little Free Library.org.  The libraries are fully funded through a grant, won’t cost the township anything and the school will be in charge of the boxes.  One location they would like to put one is at the Skanee Park.  Janda motioned, seconded by Wahmhoff to approve the book box to be placed at the Skanee Park.  All in favor, motion passed.

-Road clean-up will be tabled until next month’s meeting. 

-Strohshein asked about putting Ken Anderson’s records on an electronic storage system.  Marinich contacted MTA, they’re reply was if the records are in order and well kept, nothing has to be changed. 

JAMES FEDIE:   

MAIL CALL:    

TREASURER’S REPORT: Eliason gave the monthly Treasurer’s Report.  General Fund-$352,290.27 Ambulance/EMT Fund-$29,416.62 Fire Fund-$330,454.89 Liquor Fund-$712.37, Road Fund-$151,267.87.  Marinich motioned, seconded by Janda to approve the Treasurer’s Report.  All in favor, motion passed.      

BILL APPROVAL: Eliason motioned, seconded by Janda to approve the bills.   All in favor, motion passed.                                                                                                                                  

NEXT MEETING DATE:   The next meeting date will be April 3, 2023 at 6:00 P.M. at the Fire hall.

ADJOURN:  Marinich motioned, seconded by Eliason to adjourn at 6:55 P.M.  All in favor, motion passed.

Lisa M. Marinich/Arvon Township Clerk

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