Township staff invites commissioners to zoning‑ordinance work session amid form‑based code and tree‑preservation edits

At the close of the July 7 meeting, township planning staff invited Planning Commission members to a board work session scheduled for the next day to review proposed changes to the township zoning ordinance and to gather feedback before the item moves through the formal review process.

Staff said the packet for the work session was published on July 3 and remains online. The packet includes a change table that highlights substantive edits. Staff noted one substantive insertion into the proposed zoning ordinance’s section on accessory structures: a provision that would allow an accessory structure to be located in the front yard by right for parcels zoned Rural Conservation (RC) or designated farmland‑preservation parcels larger than six acres and when the structure lies more than 200 feet from the front property line. Staff said the language was added to address recurring situations that have been repeatedly appealed to the Zoning Board of Appeals and to make an objective administrative pathway for large rural parcels.

Staff also said most public responses have been positive and that the packet contains a set of edits tied to the township’s tree‑preservation ordinance and a list of minor "Scribner’s errors" that clarify incorrect references or typographical mistakes in the draft. Staff encouraged commissioners to review the materials before the work session and to offer feedback to reduce likelihood of reciprocal revisions between the board and the planning commission.

The staff presentation emphasized transparency: the published packet highlights where substantive changes were made and provides a change table so reviewers can identify edits quickly. The planned board work session is set for 5 p.m. tomorrow; commissioners were encouraged to attend.