Cascade Township holds public hearing on zoning rewrite after residents urge keeping village housing

Cascade Charter Township trustees opened a public hearing June 1 on a proposed, comprehensive rewrite of the township—uilding and zoning code intended to implement the township'019 master plan and a new form-based village code.

Supervisor Lehi told the room the update was meant to preserve Cascade—harter Township—haracter amid growth pressures and to implement residents—eedback gathered during a multi‑year master‑planning process. He described the draft ordinance as having been through a planning commission review and several public work sessions before being published in a draft dated Oct. 1.

Residents and property owners filled the public comment period to oppose a current draft change that removes or severely limits residential uses in the village core. Joe Erdman, a longtime Cascade business owner who owns mixed‑use properties at 2899 Thornapple River Drive and 6886 Cascade Road, told trustees the change would be “a dramatic shift” and said, “an independent architectural review estimates that taking of this rezoning would result in over $2,000,000 in lost value and project feasibility.” He urged the board not to reduce residential zoning for his property.

“Walkability is important,” said architect and developer Ken Dixon, urging the board to…