Hampton Township staff recommend updated timber‑harvesting ordinance after attorney‑general guidance

Hampton Township staff presented a substantially revised timber‑harvesting ordinance during a public hearing Wednesday and recommended the council adopt the ordinance at the next voting meeting.

Township staff said recent advisory opinions from the state attorney general and changes in municipal planning law required several revisions. “When we learned of those advisory opinions, there were certain revisions that needed to be made to our current timber harvesting ordinance,” a presenting staff member said, and recommended the township adopt the attorney‑general model where appropriate.

Staff and council described the revision as effectively a near‑new ordinance rather than a narrow amendment. Council members asked whether the changes would remove protections the township had previously advocated for; staff replied, “No, not really,” and emphasized that the updates are intended to keep the ordinance compliant with state guidance while retaining local protections where permitted.

Staff said the revised draft maintains forestry as a permitted use in all zoning districts and removes provisions the attorney‑general guidance identified as potentially overbroad. They also noted certain regulatory sections were redacted in response to state guidance and that a redlined comparison showed extensive changes.

After questions from council and no public speakers addressing the ordinance, the council closed the public hearing by motion and unanimous roll call vote. Staff recommended formal adoption at the next regular meeting after any final edits.

Next steps: staff will provide the redline and final draft for the council to vote on at the upcoming meeting; any further legal clarifications will be incorporated before adoption.