DRAFT
Arvon Township Planning Commission Quarterly Meeting Minutes
Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 6 PM
Call to Order:
Roll Call:
- Nancy Strohschein (Chair)
- Joe Bollech
- Bob Janda (Township Board Rep)
- Jay Loman (Zoning Board of Appeals Chair)
Donna Preston – Absent with notice
John Salisbury – Absent with notice
Recognition of visitors: None present
Pledge of Allegiance: Done
Comments on agenda: None
Approval of agenda: Motion: Jay Loman. Second: Bob Janda. All approved. Agenda approved as presented.
Approval of minutes from October 2025 meeting: Motion: Joe Bollech. Second: Bob Janda. All approved. Minutes approved as presented.
Public comments: None
Chairman Comments:
- Nancy Strohschein (Chair) will present the annual Planning Commission report to the Township Board at the February 2, 2026 meeting.
- Meeting Minutes: Nancy is acting as both chair and secretary, and needs additional time during the meeting to record minutes based on the Michigan Compiled Law (MCL) for Records Management and operational decisions by the Township.
- Draft minutes of Planning Commission meetings need to be available within a week of the meeting.
- Draft minutes are posted on the Arvon Township website for easy access by community members.
- Although the MCL does not require a specific format, draft meeting minutes will be typed, not hand written.
- Therefore, we will take additional time at the meeting for Nancy to type meeting minutes real-time, during the meeting.
- These minutes will be distributed to PC members for review within a week of the meeting.
- Draft minutes will be posted on the Arvon Township website by Nancy within a week of the meeting.
- Notes from recent Board Meetings, including Recreation Plan upload to State of Michigan
- December: Joe will be stepping down in June. We will serve as a 5 member PC.
- January: Lisa uploaded the Recreation Plan. We need Recreation Committee updates before we would update the plan. It’s good for 2 more years. We should consider updating the plan in 2026 with any accomplishments and recommendations, even if we do not upload a new version.
- Reminder to PC members and public that this is a meeting to conduct business as a board.
- PC Member terms:
- Joe Bollech – 1 Year, expires June 2026
- Bob Janda – per term on township board
- Jay Loman – 10/2024, 3 years, expires 10/2027
- Donna Preston – 10/03/2025, 3 years, expires /10/03/2028
- John Salsbury – October 2024, 3 years, expires October 2027
- Nancy Strohschein – August 2024, 3 years, expires August 2027
Old Business:
- Planning commission comments/concerns:
- There is concern about a family living in a camper on Park Road. Jay has been approached by several neighbors to see if there is an ordinance that should be enforced on this matter. Jay has brought it to Buddy’s attention. This may be a health department issue and not one for local zoning enforcement.
- There was discussion about how to efficiently make our Zoning Ordinance updates. We may need a work session in May to finalize the changes. We will have to go through all the steps of public hearing, posting the draft changes and posting notice in the newspaper. The group agreed that doing an update every 2 years is a good goal, unless there are things of an emergency nature that need to be addressed. It will be necessary for all PC members to do individual study before the meeting.
- Bob Janda: Report from Township Board Rep. No comments.
- Jay Loman: Report from Zoning Board of Appeals. Jay reports that he has not set a meeting date for the Marcotte’s request to expand the Finn’s toward Skanee Road. Jay spoke to Doug Mills (Baraga County Road Commission) on concerns he might have in the expansion getting close to the road. Doug did not express any concerns. Jay wants secretarial support on the ZBA so the process can run more smoothly.
- Buddy Sweeney: Report from Zoning Administrator. It was recommended by Jay Loman and other members to keep a running list of the projects the Zoning Administrator is working on. Not just adding the new ones since our last meeting. This will be good info for the public if it is included in the minutes.
- Since the last report
- A25-018 Craig Vickstrom 14166 Bay View Dr. 24X34 Garage
- A25-019 John Carroll 19494 Beesley Rd 26 X26 Garage
- New year
- A26-001 Woodland Retreats Inc. 12313 Ravenswood court, 38 X48 Garage / Apartment
- Since the last report
- Tracking Zoning Ordinance APPROVED Changes (PC has discussed and agrees)
- Change 1: Use of campers on property for occasional use. There was discussion on how to define “occasional use” to make sure people are not living in a camper year-round. Possibly use “occasional recreational use” to clarify.
- Change 2: Minimum acreage for Forest Resource. Should be 10, not 40
- Change 3: Amend section 404 with definition of “high water mark”. High water mark is where grass starts to grow. Not where the water is at the shore. May have more beach in different years.
- Change 4: Page 38 “Section 602” typo
- Change 5: Edit water setback regulations, in conjunction with high water mark.
- Change 6: Revise section on fences, to include comments from Buddy Sweeny on height and placement.
- Change 7: Remove section on Short Term Rentals, as requested by the Township Board after review by township attorney.
- Change 8: Revise/Strengthen section on civil infractions after consultation with township attorney
New Business:
- Are there any additional items to consider revising in the Zoning Ordinance? None recommended.
- Determine schedule to update the Zoning Ordinance with the approved changes.
- Nancy will find info on the approved changes and provide it to all PC members for review.
- All PC members will be prepared to discuss 1-8 and decide how changes should be done at the April 2026 quarterly meeting.
- Make draft changes in a copy of the Zoning Ordinance as a draft.
- Decide if a work session is needed in May.
- Define and publish an overall schedule for milestones and notifications of changes.
Topics for Next Meeting:
- Focus on Zoning Ordinance changes
- Each member to review relevant sections, especially for fences, high water mark and water setbacks.
Upcoming meetings:
- April 23, 2026
Adjourn:
6:49PM




