At the May 5 regular meeting, the Addison Township Board of Trustees passed a resolution concerning the impacts of the Michigan Land Use and the Land Use Leadership Council.
‘I thought it would be beneficial for Addison to put its voice forth,? said Township Clerk Pauline Bennett. She got the idea for the resolution after attending a seminar and public hearings on the Leadership Council.
In the resolution, the township board agrees that urban sprawl and environmental issues are a concern for the state. The resolution also states that Addison Township already takes a proactive approach on all land use and environmental issues.
However, the township cautions the Leadership Council when trying to pass zoning laws that encompass all municipalities.
‘There is currently zoning laws that allow municipalities to maintain their own master plans because each one has different environmental issues,? explained Bennett, ‘and we want to keep that in place.?
To this end, the resolution asks for support from the Leadership Council and the state in upholding the township’s master plan and land use ordinances, in recognizing that ‘one size? does not work for all municipalities, and that ‘cluster or large lot development are different techniques of development and life styles? and do not always adequately address land use or environmental issues.
To help give the Leadership Council an idea of where the township would like to head, the resolution contains the following suggestions for development concepts:
n Cooperative efforts between municipalities for land use issues.
n Judicial and state support for municipalities that are in compliance with the current State Planning Act.
n Funding for purchasing development rights.
n Judicial and state support for township master plans.
n Tax incentive for property owners maintaining large tracks of land to help with environmental issues.
n Tax incentive for property owners to maintain large woodland tracks to help with environmental issues.
One resident did question whether or not the tax incentives should be included in the resolution.
‘I don’t agree with that,? said resident Robert Smith. ‘They shouldn’t get more just because they own more land.?
Trustee Patricia Eisenhardt explained that the tax incentive in not just for those with large parcels, but to help with environmental issues in the area. Other board trustees explained that these concepts are just suggestions for discussion and that nothing will be acted upon.
‘This is a preventative step so the state and Leadership Council know we don’t want to go down that road and what we do agree with,? said Bennett.
The trustees approved the resolution and it has been sent to Governor Jennifer Granholm, the Leadership Council, Rep. Ruth Johnson, MTA Rep. Larry Merrill, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, the Oakland County Planning and Zoning Commission, and the Townships in Michigan.