Charlevoix County planning commission pauses work on countywide farmland, open-space ordinance

The Charlevoix County Planning Commission discussed reviving a countywide Farmland & Open Space Preservation Ordinance but stopped short of pursuing it without explicit direction from the Board of Commissioners.

At the May 1 meeting, attendee Dave Skornia urged the commission to keep the proposal focused on "working lands," saying the program should include both agriculture and forestry. Commissioners reviewed the ordinance's two-decade history and expressed concern about potential funding sources, particularly using General Fund tax dollars.

Commissioners emphasized that township buy-in is essential for a countywide program. Marshal Bakker said many landowners seem supportive, but other residents and property owners may be neutral; he suggested scaling back funding options so the county's General Fund would not be tapped. Planning Director Kiersten Stark said she favored the approach taken in the county’s 2006 ordinance that relied on parcel identification and incorporation into the County Future Land Use Plan to guide preservation efforts.

After discussion, the commission reached consensus that it should not pursue the ordinance further unless directed to do so by the Board of Commissioners. Dave Skornia agreed to take the commission’s comments back to the farming community for further consideration.

The commission did not take a formal vote on adopting the ordinance at this meeting. The matter remains at the discussion stage pending Board direction and further outreach to townships and landowners.