Minutes of Helena Township Planning Commission
September 02, 2015
Meeting called to order by Gurr at 7:01 p.m.
Opened with Pledge of Allegiance.
Roll Call: Present: Jim Gurr Ken Renaud
Bob Johnson Bonnie Robbins
Chris Dewald
Absent: Mike Robinson Rodger Dewey
Township officials present: Guy Molby,
Approval of Agenda: Motion: Johnson, 2nd Renaud. Carried (5,0)
Statement of Conflict of Interest: None
Approval of Minutes: Spelling correction. Motion: Renaud, 2nd Johnson. Carried (5,0) Carried (5,0)
Public Comment: (1 in attendance) No comment.
Communications: None
New Business: ZA report 6 land use, 10 field checks, 2 attorney contact, 15 other public contacts, 0 violation (tickets written
Molby asked if we should revisit the need for medical marijuana sales in our township.
Old Business: Master Plan Review: Discussion of points noted previously. Commissioners will review the language and make recommendations to assure the language is cohesive between the master pland and the zoning ordinance at the November meeting.
Fines and Penalties: Language currently in the zoning ordinace was reviewed. Discussion of areas where minor changes might meet the needs of the township based on recommendation previously submitted by legal counsel. Commissioners have moved this item to the list already noted and will discuss it again during zoning ordinance review.
Public Comment: Question raised about townships ability to recoup enforcement cots of nuisance violations. How does the township enforce these violations? Gurr explained that it is a concern for the township to be able to not have unreasonable cost to enforce our ordinances. This ordinance is a policing ordinance and while it has been the role of the township board of trustees to address the ordinance the planning commission would take them into consideration if that were the desire of the township board. The township has been successful so far at not having these issues be a cost concern by working with property owners to get the issue resolved.
Adjourn: Motion Johnson, 2nd Renaud. Carried (5,0)
Respectfully Submitted,
Bonnie Robbins
Helena Township Planning Commission Recording Secretary