To All of You that listened, took time out to read our mailings, visited our website, requested information, perhaps donated and voted in favor of rescinding ordinance 8, we, the TLTCRG Committee, extend our heartfelt gratitude.
It is uplifting to know that when we pull together we can make our township truly representative of our shared visions moving forward.
TLTCRG Committee
PLEASE VOTE YES on Aug 2, 2022 to REVERSE the rezoning of an Eastport village residential property to business.
The original township hearing for the rezoning of 5884 N M 88 occurred summer of 2021 with the majority of citizens opposing the zoning change to business. The Planning Commission approved it with a vote of 5-1, despite the residents objections. The Township Board later approved the rezoning with a vote of 3-2. The two dissenting votes wanted it sent back to the Planning Commission for reconsideration. The peoples’ concern about damaging the peaceful village of Eastport with more business led to a petition drive to place the rezoning issue on a ballot to let the people of Torch Lake Township decide. The zoning change will go into effect officially unless we vote YES to rescind (reverse) the zoning change.
A YES vote to rescind the change and keep 5884 N M 88 village residential will not hurt the Lake Living business because of their special use permit. Keeping it residential will prevent a larger business from developing in the future with a new owner.
The actual wording on the ballot is shown below. The ballot is worded such that when you mark YES it will prevent a permanent change in the zoning of the property by reversing (rescinding) what the township has started. A YES vote keeps this area of Eastport residential.
Ordinance 8 of 2021, adopted on August 17,2021, rezoned land at 5884 N M-88 Hwy in Torch Lake Township (parcel #05-14-106-014-20) from a Village Residential zoning classification toa Village Business zoning classification. Should Ordinance 8 of 2021 be rescinded, and the land at 5884 N M-88 Hwy in Torch Lake ownship remain classified as Village Residential?
YES _______________ NO _______________We are a non profit group whose goal is to ensure that Torch Lake Township government follows the township master plan and ordinances, as well as takes the spoken will of the people, whom the board and commissioners represent, seriously when considering issues.
We are not just watchdogs. We have tasks that focus on things that we as citizens can do to promote ordinance based, representative decisions in our township.
All communications from Torch Lake Township (website, Constant Contact email, tax bill inserts, etc.) are just that - communications from those in charge at the Township. In particular, the Township Supervisor’s censorship of information The same Supervisor who says: “If you have a problem with the Township, call me.”
For a refreshingly unbiased, fact-based voice about what is happening in the Township, we are here to offer you THE OTHER VOICE on the TLTCRG website.
Concerned citizens started TLTCRG and this website to support the citizens’ right to vote on a referendum regarding the rezoning of a parcel of land on M-88 from Village Residential to Village Business. The Township Board approved this rezoning after being advised that doing so would be in violation of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (“MZEA”) which requires any discretionary land use decision be based on regulations and standards in the Township’s Zoning Ordinance.
Since the Township Board would not send the rezoning decision back to the Planning Commission for further consideration, including amending the Zoning Ordinance, we started a referendum petition to put the rezoning decision to a vote of the people.
The Supervisor tried to derail the referendum. First, he claimed we did not have enough valid signatures. We needed 123 and we submitted 179. Eventually, the Township Clerk found the signatures satisfactory. Second, he asked the Board to reject the signature petitions because of the language was not valid ballot language. After we hired an attorney, who advised the Township that ballot language is not the same as petition language and that the petition language was appropriate, the Supervisor again reversed himself and the Board approved the Petitions.
We will continue to keep you updated.
Request for Special Use or Rezoning of property without concern for existing township ordinances or expressed concern of neighbors has been a problem... A specific property in Eastport was rezoned in this fragmented and unsupported manner. Our group has circulated a petition and obtained enough signatures to place this rezoning on the ballot in the next general election in the township. LET THE VOTERS DECIDE if this property should be rezoned from residential to business.
These must be clarified, updated, and approved by the Planning Commission of Torch Lake Township and not just a steering committee of a few people... The ordinances are there to serve as a guide for properties so that they fit within the Master Plan for the township as written to meet the needs of the specific village, rural, and lake front residents. When a request for a zoning change or special use is presented to the township, the request must match the ordinances. The decision process as to whether the request is an appropriate match is done with a fact-finding discussion by the Planning Commission. Fact Finding is done with the criteria, input from residents, and data from the requesting land owner. Any part of the Fact Finding that does not receive a majority vote, should render the request denied, as is done by the Zoning Board of Appeals. This procedure must be followed consistently by the Planning Commission.
Formal government procedures must be followed in meetings, prior to meetings, public notices, and ordinance enforcement.... There are rules and laws regarding communication, meetings, etc, which must be followed. Our group monitors meetings and informs citizens of breaks in procedure. Many township officials are new and appear to have not read township documents or follow protocols as they work. This apparent lack of respect for ethical protocol must be addressed by citizens in order to keep our elected officials representing our citizens, as is appropriate for a democracy. New members appear not to have attended any township law or procedure training