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Charlevoix County planners ask Chandler Township to add housing analysis, maps and corrections to draft master plan
Summary
The Charlevoix County Planning Commission reviewed Chandler Township’s draft master plan, requested editorial corrections and additions including a zoning map, community survey appendix and the housing needs assessment now required by state law, and voted to return the draft after revisions.
The Charlevoix County Planning Commission voted to send Chandler Township’s draft master plan back for further revisions after members identified both editorial errors and substantive omissions, including the absence of a zoning map and a housing needs assessment that state law now requires.
Planning Director Kiersten Stark summarized the draft, saying consultants updated socioeconomic data and facilities information and left most maps and the future land use map unchanged; she noted the existing land use/cover map on page 44 was recently revised. Commissioners raised a series of concerns about presentation and substance, including inconsistent species naming and punctuation, a mislabeled hospital, and parcel boundaries that are difficult to read on printed maps.
Chairperson Nancy Ferguson and other commissioners pressed for specific additions and clarifications. Ferguson asked for grammatical corrections and map-label fixes; Sherm Chamberlain suggested the plan show taxable value trends in addition to assessed value, given the number of year‑round residents using homestead exemptions. Marshal Bakker recommended the township slow the adoption timetable to incorporate a housing analysis and to address renewable‑energy siting concerns after a recent proposal near Gaylord drew attention to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ leasing practices.
During public comment, Hayes Township resident LuAnne Kozma told the commission the draft lacks a zoning map, omits the community survey (which should be appended), and does not include a housing needs assessment or housing goals ‘‘as now required by state law.’’ After discussion, Commissioner Nancy Ferguson moved that the commission request additional corrections and additions and have the revised draft returned to the county for further review; the motion, seconded by Dave Wheeler, passed by voice vote with all present in favor.
The commission did not adopt policy changes at the meeting; it asked that Chandler Township incorporate the listed edits and missing materials and resubmit the draft for another county review. The timeline for resubmittal was not specified in the record.
