Planning commission recommends readoption of 2023 airport-area zoning amendments, adds wireless facilities in overlay A

Cascade Charter Township’s Planning Commission on June 16 voted to recommend that the township board readopt the zoning amendments adopted in 2023 for land around the township airport and to allow wireless communication facilities as a special land use in overlay A.

The motion follows two lawsuits tied to the 2023 amendments. Speaker 3, who presented the item, summarized the history: the 2023 changes followed about 25 subcommittee meetings starting in mid‑2022 and reorganized previous airport subzones into new overlays A, B and C with different permitted uses. "The allegation is that the notice described the amendments only as text amendments and not a rezoning or zoning map amendment," Speaker 3 said, summarizing the claim by a property owner called Fresh Coast. Speaker 3 added that the township denies improper notice but recommended re‑noticing and re‑adopting the 2023 amendments "so that if there was a defect or deficiency, it is corrected." (Speaker 3)

Commissioner Speaker 4 raised concerns about a letter from the airport (citing Tory Richardson) and said it was "ironic and extremely frustrating" that legislation cited in that letter passed with no public notice; Speaker 4 also proposed adding cell phone towers as an allowable use in overlay B and recommended allowing wireless communication facilities "in overlay A" near the highway between the airport and I‑96. Speaker 3 and staff responded that such facilities would need to meet Federal Aviation Administration requirements and that the recommended zoning approach would be to classify them as a special land use if added.

Speaker 1 moved that the planning commission recommend the township board readopt the 2023 planning-commission recommendations and add wireless communication facilities as a special land use in overlay A. The motion was seconded and carried by recorded voice vote ('Aye').

What happens next: the planning commission’s action is a recommendation to the Cascade Charter Township Board; the board will decide whether to readopt the 2023 amendments and the overlay change. The commission’s vote aims to remove the procedural issue identified in litigation by providing new notice and an additional public‑hearing opportunity.