Planning Commission Work Session, February 13, 2024

Call to Order
Roll Call
Nancy Strohschein (Chair), Joe Bollech (Board of Review), Bob Janda (Board Rep)’ Robert Lindert (Vice Chair & Secretary), Jay Loman (Board of Review Chair) – Absent with notice,
Donna Preston – Absent with notice
Pledge of Allegiance: Recited
Introductions/Guests: Buddy Sweeny, new Zoning Administrator
Approval of Agenda: Bob motioned, Joe seconded
Approval of minutes of January 31, 2024 Recreation Committee Open House: Bob motioned, Joe seconded.
Approval of minutes of January 31, 2024 Work Session: Joe motioned, Bob seconded.
Agenda:
I. Chairman comments:
A. Welcome Buddy! Our new ZA.
B. Updates from February 5 Board Meeting

  • Lisa & Jay to talk to MTA to finalize bylaws.
    C. Terms on PC. Anyone hear from Lisa?
  • Nope.
    D. Updates to ZBA membership/publication
  • Tabled until next meeting.
    E. Rec Plan upload to DNR site. We may have missed the deadline.
  • Jason believes we may have some leeway.
    II. Recreation Committee
    A. Pending By-Laws approval in March
    B. The expected members are:
  • Robert Lindert
  • Scott Lloyd
  • Mary DeLine
  • John DeLine
  • Kathy Salsbury
    C. If anyone from Arvon Township wishes to join, they will be given priority.
    III. Ordinance Update
    A. Second Review: Article XV updates from our last meeting.
  • All references to “R-1A” need to be changed to “GR” (General Residential)
  • Discussed removing Section 1511 entirely. Doesn’t seem to fit in with other
    changes we’ve made. i.e. shipping container use.
    2
    B. First Discussion: Short Term Rentals (STR) – Document sent by Jason for us to
    review
  • Buddy talked about MTA recommending STRs be classified as Hotels/Motels.
  • Questions for the PC:
    a) Annual Permit – Yes
    b) Fire Department Inspection – 3 Yes / 1 Unsure
    c) Health Department Inspection – Septic/Well OK, most agreed
    d) Fee – Yes
    (1) Fee could cover the FD costs of the inspection, paperwork
    for permits, etc etc…
    (2) Somewhere around $100-$300 annually?
    (3) Could charge fee based on occupancy of the STR.
    e) Approval from Neighbors – No
    f) Notify Neighbors – Yes, but is it really enforceable?
    g) Cap on number of STRs allowed? – No. Not fair to those who are
    “late to the game”. Could always be revisited if there is concern there are
    too many rentals.
    C. Proposed Language: Municipal Civil Infractions
  • What does “plus court costs” mean? We don’t want to be taking everyone to
    court.
  • Should we charge a fee for a zoning permit? We all agree we should. L’Anse
    township charges $35.
  • Buddy to review section & suggest changes he’d like to see for next meeting,
    if any.
    IV. Next meetings
    A. Wednesday February 28th – Planning Commission Work Session @ 6:00pm
    B. Township Board Meeting: Monday, March 4th @ 6:00pm
    C. Public Budget Meeting: Wednesday, March 27th @ 4:30pm
    D. 2024 Quarterly Meetings
  • Wednesday, April 10
  • Thursday, July 11
  • Thursday, October 10
    Adjourn: Nancy Adjourned. 7:10pm

Planning Commission Recreation Committee Open House Meeting, January 31, 2024

Call to Order
Roll Call
Nancy Strohschein (Chair), Joe Bollech (Board of Review), Bob Janda (Board Rep), Robert Lindert (Vice Chair & Secretary), Jay Loman (Board of Review Chair),
Donna Preston – Absent with notice
Pledge of Allegiance: Recited
Introductions/Guests: 18 in attendance outside of the PC
Approval of Agenda: Bob motioned, Jay seconded
Agenda:
I. Purpose of the meeting
A. Jay discussed this at length with the group.
II. Review of the Recreation Plan
A. Why we have one – Nancy discussed
B. How it was prepared – Nancy discussed
C. What are the proposed projects – Nancy discussed
III. Duties of the Recreation Committee
A. By-Laws – Nancy discussed
B. Meetings – Nancy discussed
C. Public input and direction to Township Board – Nancy discussed
IV. Recreation Committee members
A. Interested persons

  • Scott Lloyd
  • John DeLine
    B. Process for approval
    C. Officers
    V. Upcoming meetings
    A. Planning Commission work sessions
  • January 31st immediately following the Recreation Committee Open House
  • Next meeting TBD
    B. Next Township Board Meeting
  • February 5th at 6pm in the Fire Hall
    C. Planning Commission 2024 Quarterly Meetings at 6pm
  • Wednesday, April 10
  • Thursday, July 11
  • Thursday, October 10
    Adjourn: 7:00pm

Planning Commission Work Session, January 31, 2024


Call to Order
Roll Call
Nancy Strohschein (Chair), Joe Bollech (Board of Review), Bob Janda (Board Rep), Robert Lindert (Vice Chair & Secretary), Jay Loman (Board of Review Chair), Donna Preston – Absent with notice
Pledge of Allegiance: Recited
Introductions/Guests: Jason McCarthy attended via phone call
Approval of Agenda: Robert motioned, Bob seconded
Approval of minutes of December 21, 2023 Work Session: Robert motioned, Jay seconded.
Agenda:
I. Chairman comments:
A. Official records for PC. 2008 – December 2023

  • Going to be locked in the office.
    B. Official records moving forward
  • Need a way to get all future documents to Lisa Marinich.
    C. 2024 Annual Report to Board will be given Monday, February 5
  • PC estimates that we are 80% complete with ordinance update.
    D. Lack of Zoning Administrator impedes our work.
    II. Recreation Committee
    A. Recommendation to Board on Monday, Feb 5?
  • PC to write grant, Lisa will submit the grant. This way Lisa has very little work
    to do and PC maintains responsibility of grant writing process.
    III. Ordinance Update – Led by Jason
    A. First review of Article 15
  • Made various changes to Jason’s draft of Article 15.
    B. Next meeting topics
  • Robert to get better definition of Dark Sky Outdoor Lighting.
  • Jason to update Article 15 to reflect changes made in this meeting.
  • Jason to present article on civil infractions for next meeting.
    IV. Next meetings
    A. Tuesday February 13th – Planning Commission Work Session
    B. 2024 Quarterly Meetings
  • Wednesday, April 10
  • Thursday, July 11
  • Thursday, October 10
    Adjourn: Robert motioned, Bob seconded. 8:37pm

Planning Commission Qtrly Meeting, January 10, 2024

Call to Order
Roll Call
Nancy Strohschein (Chair), Joe Bollech (Board of Review), Bob Janda (Board Rep), Robert Lindert (Vice Chair & Secretary), Jay Loman (Board of Review Chair), Donna Preston – Absent with notice
Pledge of Allegiance: Recited
Introductions/Guests: N/A
Approval of Agenda: Bob motioned, Robert seconded
Approval of minutes of October 11, 2023 Quarterly Meeting: Jay motioned, Bob seconded.
Old Business:

  1. Planning Commission comments/concerns – None
  2. Bob Janda: Report from Township Board – None
  3. Jay Loman: Report from Zoning Board of Appeals – None
  4. Recreation Plan: Final document has been received from Jason. Posted on website. Sent
    to Homestead Graphics for one printed color copy.
    New Business:
  5. PC Education from the MTA Planning and Zoning Guide
    a. Nancy: Part 3 – Reviewed and went through
    b. Robert: Parts 4 – Tabled until next quarterly meeting
  6. Recreation Committee: Open House and Bylaws
    a. Bylaws – No objections, board expected to approve
    b. Print recreation plan copies
    c. Cookies from Ivy for the open house meeting – Committee approved
    d. Agends
    e. Specific people to invite
    f. Newspaper
    g. Arvon Website
    h. Robert to post on Facebook page
    i. Posters – Joe to put up at the Trading Post and The Finns.
    2024 Budget for Rec Plan Programs (projects, meetings, materials, training) – Decided on
    requesting $10k, this gives us up to $30k we can get in State funds for out $10k input.
    FEMA, Flood Maps, Insurance Program: Booklet received from FEMA to township. We are all
    done with our tasks. Nothing left for the Planning Commission to do.
    Adjourn: Nancy Adjourned 7:20pm

Planning Commission Work Session December 21, 2023

Call to Order
Roll Call
Nancy Strohschein (Chair)
Joe Bollech (Board of Review)
Bob Janda (Board Rep) – Absent with notice
Robert Lindert (Vice Chair & Secretary)
Jay Loman (Board of Review Chair)
Donna Preston – Absent with notice
Pledge of Allegiance: Recited
Introductions/Guests: Jason McCarthy attended via phone call
Approval of Agenda: Joe motioned, Jay seconded
Approval of minutes of November 9, 2023 Work Session: Robert motioned, Jay seconded.
Agenda:
I. Housekeeping
A. Chair: Post meetings on website calendar.
B. Members: Be familiar with the website for our documents.
C. Chair: Agenda for an upcoming meeting must be sent out to PC a week before
the meeting.
D. Joe: Post meeting notice at Fire Hall or Town Hall few days before the meeting.
E. Secretary: Minutes of the last meeting should be sent out to all PC members the
week before the meeting.
F. Secretary: Approved minutes need to be sent to Kay Erickson to be put on the
township website. Mary Erickson maryk.erickson.me@gmail.com Please note
this is not the official copy of the minutes.
G. Secretary or Chair: Place approved agenda and minutes in notebooks in Fire Hall
office. This is the official copy.
H. Quarterly PC meetings have been added to the Sentinel Notices in Brief. This
needs to be requested annually.
II. Recreation Plan
A. Final compiled plan received from Jason. Will be posted on website.
B. Status of submission to DNR? Lisa Marinich needs to post it.
C. Comments not part of Rec Plan – No action taken yet
D. Recreation Committee

  • Update from request to board on December 4, 2023
  • Jason to provide public act describing duties of and requirements for the
    Recreation Committee
  • Jason reached out to MI Township Association for information on recreation
    committees.
    2
  • Jason suggests a work session agenda item to probe for recreation
    committee members—perhaps advertise the work session meeting to the
    individuals who listed themselves as interested in the recreation committee.
  • A question was asked about Section 4 of the Recreation Committee Duties
    and Responsibilities document regarding attending meetings remotely. Jason
    clarified this was from a temporary COVID-19 policy that allowed remote
    attendance of public meetings.
    III. Ordinance Update – Led by Jason
    A. Jason provided some examples and templates of Marquette Township zoning
    ordinances such as a sign ordinance for discussion.
    B. Went through newly added definitions and old definitions to finalize them.
  • Added Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) to first page definitions
  • Remove greenbelt line about “see page 55-56”
  • Move mobile home requirements to later in the ordinance as they don’t
    belong in the definition
  • Remove “native protection strip”
  • Remove “lodges”
  • “ECHO” removed, converted to ADU
  • Added “not a mobile home” to “RV” definition.
  • Update “nuisance” definition to that which was used in the adopted wind
    energy ordinance definition. This way our definitions match.
    C. Zoning Districts
  • Added duplex to General Residential (GR)
  • Added ADU & Short Term Rental (STR) to GR subject to special conditions.
  • Many small changes to Recreation Residential (RR) district. Made language
    more consistent with modern ordinances. For example “single family” vs
    “primary”
  • Move STR to permitted use in every district but GR. In GR it will be subject to
    special conditions. Regardless, in every district they will require a permit.
  • In Forest Resource (FR) removed point 6 about gravel/sand extraction and
    instead used “Mining/Mineral Extraction” which is defined in our definitions.
  • In FR we moved STR and single family back into permitted uses.
  • In Farm & Forest (FF) we cleaned up some of the duplicate permitted uses.
  • Shipping containers, since they are not a primary use, will be handled later in
    the ordinance.
    D. Signs
  • Jay commented about real estate signage term of 1 year, most agreed we
    didn’t like this.
    3
  • Lots of thoughts on LED signs, to be tabled for later discussion. Jason to
    provide example on signage lighting requirements.
  • Change “temporary political signs” to “temporary election signs”
  • Permit only required for signs in a business district
  • Remove permit for constructions signs
  • Sign variance discission fits with current doing of variances. This is OK.
    IV. Next meetings
    A. December 21st, 2023 @ 6:00PM: Planning Commission work session
    B. 2024 quarterly meetings will be moved to Thursdays at 6 PM.
  • January 11
  • April 11
  • July 11
  • October 10
    Adjourn: Robert motioned, Jay seconded. 7:30pm

Planning Commission Work Session, Decembe 7, 2023

Call to Order
Roll Call
Nancy Strohschein (Chair),Joe Bollech (Board of Review), Bob Janda (Board Rep) – Absent with notice Robert Lindert (Vice Chair & Secretary), Jay Loman (Board of Review Chair)
Donna Preston – Absent with notice
Pledge of Allegiance: Recited
Introductions/Guests: Jason McCarthy attended via phone call
Approval of Agenda: Joe motioned, Jay seconded
Approval of minutes of November 9, 2023 Work Session: Robert motioned, Jay seconded.
Agenda:
I. Housekeeping
A. Chair: Post meetings on website calendar.
B. Members: Be familiar with the website for our documents.
C. Chair: Agenda for an upcoming meeting must be sent out to PC a week before
the meeting.
D. Joe: Post meeting notice at Fire Hall or Town Hall few days before the meeting.
E. Secretary: Minutes of the last meeting should be sent out to all PC members the
week before the meeting.
F. Secretary: Approved minutes need to be sent to Kay Erickson to be put on the
township website. Mary Erickson maryk.erickson.me@gmail.com Please note
this is not the official copy of the minutes.
G. Secretary or Chair: Place approved agenda and minutes in notebooks in Fire Hall
office. This is the official copy.
H. Quarterly PC meetings have been added to the Sentinel Notices in Brief. This
needs to be requested annually.
II. Recreation Plan
A. Final compiled plan received from Jason. Will be posted on website.
B. Status of submission to DNR? Lisa Marinich needs to post it.
C. Comments not part of Rec Plan – No action taken yet
D. Recreation Committee

  • Update from request to board on December 4, 2023
  • Jason to provide public act describing duties of and requirements for the
    Recreation Committee
  • Jason reached out to MI Township Association for information on recreation
    committees.
    2
  • Jason suggests a work session agenda item to probe for recreation
    committee members—perhaps advertise the work session meeting to the
    individuals who listed themselves as interested in the recreation committee.
  • A question was asked about Section 4 of the Recreation Committee Duties
    and Responsibilities document regarding attending meetings remotely. Jason
    clarified this was from a temporary COVID-19 policy that allowed remote
    attendance of public meetings.
    III. Ordinance Update – Led by Jason
    A. Jason provided some examples and templates of Marquette Township zoning
    ordinances such as a sign ordinance for discussion.
    B. Went through newly added definitions and old definitions to finalize them.
  • Added Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) to first page definitions
  • Remove greenbelt line about “see page 55-56”
  • Move mobile home requirements to later in the ordinance as they don’t
    belong in the definition
  • Remove “native protection strip”
  • Remove “lodges”
  • “ECHO” removed, converted to ADU
  • Added “not a mobile home” to “RV” definition.
  • Update “nuisance” definition to that which was used in the adopted wind
    energy ordinance definition. This way our definitions match.
    C. Zoning Districts
  • Added duplex to General Residential (GR)
  • Added ADU & Short Term Rental (STR) to GR subject to special conditions.
  • Many small changes to Recreation Residential (RR) district. Made language
    more consistent with modern ordinances. For example “single family” vs
    “primary”
  • Move STR to permitted use in every district but GR. In GR it will be subject to
    special conditions. Regardless, in every district they will require a permit.
  • In Forest Resource (FR) removed point 6 about gravel/sand extraction and
    instead used “Mining/Mineral Extraction” which is defined in our definitions.
  • In FR we moved STR and single family back into permitted uses.
  • In Farm & Forest (FF) we cleaned up some of the duplicate permitted uses.
  • Shipping containers, since they are not a primary use, will be handled later in
    the ordinance.
    D. Signs
  • Jay commented about real estate signage term of 1 year, most agreed we
    didn’t like this.
    3
  • Lots of thoughts on LED signs, to be tabled for later discussion. Jason to
    provide example on signage lighting requirements.
  • Change “temporary political signs” to “temporary election signs”
  • Permit only required for signs in a business district
  • Remove permit for constructions signs
  • Sign variance discission fits with current doing of variances. This is OK.
    IV. Next meetings
    A. December 21st, 2023 @ 6:00PM: Planning Commission work session
    B. 2024 quarterly meetings will be moved to Thursdays at 6 PM.
  • January 11
  • April 11
  • July 11
  • October 10
    Adjourn: Robert motioned, Jay seconded. 7:30pm
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