Fenton planning commission receives refresher on zoning, plats, variances and Sunshine Law

FENTON — The Fenton Planning and Zoning Commission held a workshop training session focused on the commission’s duties, procedures and legal limits, covering comprehensive plans, zoning, special-use permits, site and sign plan review, subdivisions and plats, variances, and open-meeting (Sunshine) requirements.

Trainer Aaron (staff member) told commissioners that the comprehensive plan is the long-range policy guide for land use and that the zoning code is the local law adopted to carry out those goals. “The thing you are mainly solely that is your responsibility … is the comprehensive plan,” Aaron said during the training.

The training explained why rezonings are reviewed under a fairly-debatable standard (deference to the local government where reasonable arguments exist) while administrative actions such as special-use permits (SUPs) and site-plan reviews require substantial evidence in the record. “If an applicant comes with a traffic study … it is not adequate for you to rely on testimony…