The Eaton County Planning Commission on Oct. 7 recommended approval of a district change amendment to rezone a 0.64-acre portion of property at 8850 Lawrence Highway from limited agricultural to local business (C-1).

Applicants Deborah Converse and James Plank requested the rezone so the parcel could be adjusted and combined with an adjacent C-1 parcel (Parcel 0900103005000) owned by James Plank, enabling expansion of an existing retail store and compliance with the Barrie Eaton District Health Department’s requirements for well and septic. Planning staff said the change was proposed because the parcel had been split in the past and “did not keep up with the times,” removing it from commercial zoning that surrounds it.

Agency reviews included MDOT, which reported no objection but requested a traffic-impact study be submitted to MDOT if required by the development; the Eaton County Road Commission said moving and upgrading the existing driveway east of the proposed parcel would be necessary if purchased and recommended it be paved to commercial standards; and Calamity Township (noted in the record) voted unanimously in favor at its Sept. 2 meeting. One written public comment from Jason Thomas of 100 North Ionia Road raised concerns about noise from existing refrigeration/cooling equipment on the site and asked the commission to require noise mitigation measures if rezoning were approved; Thomas’s comment was supported by two nearby property owners, Tom Barnes and Rebecca Stoddard.

A commissioner moved to approve the district change after the planning commission worked through the required A–G findings in the county ordinance. The motion passed by roll call vote with all members voting yes. Staff told the applicants the commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Public Works and Human Services committee (first Tuesday in November) and then to the Eaton County Board of Commissioners (third Wednesday in November) for final action.