Atlas Twp.- With the ballot language ready to go, the much debated five acre minimum is ready to come to a vote of the people.
Ballot language for the Aug. 7 election was approved at a June 18 township meeting.
‘You are authorized to do whatever you need to do to make this happen,? Supervisor Paul Amman told township attorney David Lattie.
The issue is accompanied on the ballot by a proposal from Mott Community College regarding an increase in tax limitation.
According to the Genesee County Official Ballot, the township proposal reads as follows: ‘Shall the Atlas Township Board’s action taken on Feb.19, 2007, adopting a Rural Estate Zoning District ordinance #07-001 and amending the zoning map to reflect the district be upheld??
A ‘yes? vote will authorize the township to keep the five acre minimum it instituted in portions of the township, while a ‘no? vote repeals that decision.
Resident Sue Arnold, a vocal critic of the minimum, said she feels the ballot language is misleading to the public.
‘It doesn’t tell people what they’re voting for,? said Arnold.
Arnold said the language should more clearly reflect that by voting for the rural estate zoning district, voters are electing to change the minimum lot size on existing properties. Such rezoning impacts the landowners? ability to divide land into several smaller lots instead of fewer larger ones when selling property.
?(Voters) don’t know that by doing that they’re destroying people’s property values and taking away their rights,? said Arnold.
Amman said he thinks the language is straightforward enough that people will understand.
‘It’s a strict ‘yes? or ‘no?. (The language) addresses the rural estate zoning district and the amending of the zoning map and should it be upheld, ‘yes? or ‘no,?? said Amman.
The issue comes to the ballot following an April petition drive to bring the matter to a vote. A total of 442 signatures were required to get the item on the ballot. More than twice the minimum number of signatures were obtained, as Township Clerk Tere Onica told The Citizen in April a total of 1,109 signatures had been submitted.
Amman said he is unsure of which decision voters will make on election day, and was concerned many people may have signed petitions based on misinformation.
‘I would hope that people would understand the truth of this issue before they vote,? said Amman.
Amman added he would be happy to explain the township’s position on the minimum to any concerned residents, whether they agree or disagree with the rezoning.
Proponents of the five acre minimum argue the larger lot sizes save wear and tear on township roads, while preserving a rural atmosphere. Opponents have said the measure is exclusionary and infringes upon the rights of property owners.