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Council adopts abandoned-properties amendment and introduces tree and demolition ordinance revisions
Summary
Council adopted an amendment on abandoned properties and introduced updates to tree and demolition/site-plan rules, sending the latter for planning-board review.
The council adopted Ordinance 25-17 at second reading Sept. 8, amending Chapter 360 (Article 7) concerning abandoned properties. There was no public comment and the ordinance passed by roll-call vote.
Council members also introduced several other code amendments for first reading and referred them for public notice and planning-board review. Ordinance 25-18 updates local schedule provisions; Ordinance 25-19 revises the township's tree regulations, adding heritage-tree review in the permit section and changing the application/registration fee structure. Staff described a proposed increase to the clerk'handled registration fee and discussed whether to split fees between the clerk and building/zoning functions; council asked staff to carry a related amendment to chapter 2-12 (fee schedule) for a future meeting.
Ordinance 25-20 updates demolition, tree-preservation and site-plan review rules; staff said the primary changes are clearer definitions of demolition, review thresholds (such as when work exceeds 50%), and stronger coordination between planning and zoning. The council introduced the ordinance at first reading and passed a resolution referring it to the planning board for review and recommendation prior to final adoption.
Councilmembers asked staff to circulate fee comparisons with neighboring towns and to return with recommended fee and escrow changes for the zoning board'related applications at a later meeting.
