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Charlevoix County planning commission backs conditional rezoning for Wilson Township parcel, urges owner to consider conservation tools
Summary
The commission supported a conditional rezoning of a 20-acre Wilson Township parcel from RR-1 to RDA with the applicant's proposed conditions, while advising the owner that conservation easements or deed restrictions may better secure long-term agricultural use.
The Charlevoix County Planning Commission voted Oct. 2 to support the Wilson Township Planning Commission's recommendation to conditionally rezone a 20-acre parcel at 2707 Wilson Rd. S. (tax ID 15-015-017-013-00) from Rural Residential-1 (RR-1) to Resource Development Agricultural (RDA) with conditions offered by the property owner.
Planning Director Kiersten Stark told commissioners the staff report compared allowed uses and dimensional requirements for RR-1 and RDA, reviewed existing uses and adjacent zoning, and noted the parcel is shown as Medium Residential in the Township Master Plan but is adjacent to RDA parcels. Stark said rezoning to RDA would be "logical" given surrounding uses but that the owner's proposed conditions would be unusually restrictive compared with other RDA parcels and would eliminate some agricultural-related uses typically allowed in RDA.
Commissioners discussed the property owner's intent to keep the parcel in agricultural use. Marshal Bakker and Sherm Chamberlain said deed restrictions or conservation easements would be more durable tools to protect long-term agricultural use than a zoning change, because zoning can later be changed by a subsequent owner or the township. Chamberlain also noted the parcel's sandy soil and questioned whether some agricultural activities (for example, greenhouses or nurseries) would be constrained by the proposed conditions. Commissioners also clarified that rezoning would not, by itself, change the parcel's tax class or the owner's principal residence exemption.
By motion, the commission supported the conditional rezoning as recommended by the Wilson Township Planning Commission and added a recommendation that the property owner consider other protective tools such as conservation easements or deed restrictions and that the Township not change its future land use map if the rezoning proceeds. Marshal Bakker moved the motion; Matt Cunningham seconded. The motion passed by voice vote.
