A technicality seems to have resolved a controversial planning issue for Independence Township.
Richard Carlisle, township planning consultant, finds his recommendation duties fully restored. The reversion is not because of a shift in votes on the Planning Commission, but because the first vote never officially happened at all.
‘Unfortunately it was a consensus and not a motion,? said Sam Moraco, commission chairman. ‘The planning commission didn’t feel that a text change in the consultants report warranted an official vote ? I was incorrect. It did apparently, so that’s been retracted.?
A 3-2 vote by the commission Feb. 28 to remove Carlisle’s recommendation from some of his reports to the township was never motioned or seconded; therefore it was just a consensus. Commission bylaws require a motion for all resolutions, recommendations, acts, approvals and denials.
Commissioner George Kroll made a motion March 13 to postpone further discussion until a later meeting.
The vote was split 3-3. With no majority for either side, the issue is ‘dead.? Commissioners Curt Carson, Joan McCrary, and Moraco voted no, while Kroll, Larry Rosso and Cheryl Karrick voted yes.
‘I voted against it because we basically already hashed over the thing, and there is really nothing there. We need to move on to the important things of the township,? said Carson. ‘The whole concept of the discussion for me was a matter of fairness. It had nothing to do with any consultant. It had to do with the general public; the residents of this township believing something had happened or was already decided before it ever came before the commission.?
The commission does not reach decisions before public meetings, based on consultants? recommendation or anything else, he said.
‘I don’t frankly know what’s on the agenda because I don’t get it until the week before,? he said.
About 25 members of the community attended the meeting, including attorney Neil Wallace.
‘It is good for the township that it turns out that the attempt by a few members of the planning commission to suppress the professional planner’s recommendation was invalid,? Wallace said. ‘The professional planner’s recommendation is a valuable tool for the planning commission and the citizens who are concerned about development proposals.?
Karrick agreed the consultant’s recommendation was a tool needed for making decisions.
‘They are the ones with the knowledge; they’re the ones who have done this for 25 years,? she said. ‘To say that we don’t want that upfront I think is ludicrous.?
Moraco said they just want to put the issue behind them and focus on ‘more important issues.?
Rejecting the postponement vote removes any obligation to bring the subject back, he said.
‘It was apparent it was dividing the board,? said Moraco. ‘We got way too many important things to talk about right now than a language change on a consultant’s report, so there’s no reason to pursue it.?