Read more: Local, Fact, Finder, Benzie, Planning, Zoning, Budget, Marc, Schollett, Fact Finder
It's a common story these days in county departments across Northern Michigan. Less state revenue sharing, less local tax revenue, less money to do the things that county has done in the past. That's the situation in Benzie County, and the Planning and Zoning Department may very well be the next casualty.
David Neiger is the director of the department and knows the county's current financial situation is going to have a major impact. Neiger explains "It's primarily budget base at the county level. Our budget is very stressed right now and it's going to be much more stressed next year. It's at a junction of time that the county board has decided that they need to right this wrong." And righting the so called wrong is coming in the form a possible budget cut to the department in Benzie County which oversees building, growth and development.
Right now the county funds the department at around $200,000 a year. According to Neiger, "It includes a planning commission of 11 members. It includes a zoning board of appeals of 6 members, a full time secretary, the planning director, zoning administrator and a part time secretary. Normally we also have a part time zoning administrator."
Due to a budget stretched thin, the county board of commissioners proposed cutting funding for the department, essentially doing away with most of the services it provides. The county says for years they have provided the services for free for several of the townships (Benzonia, Crystal Lake, Platte, Joyfield, Gilmore, Blain and Colfax). The county's planning and zoning department has helped establish what can be built where (like gas stations, subdivisions, industry, and businesses), and then enforce the rules (like minimum lot size and riparian rights). In the past they have approached the townships about covering some of the costs, but with little success and little cash coming in. So faced with little funding, the county board has acted. According to Neiger, "The County pretty much has said and passed a resolution that they are going to rescind the zoning ordinance leaving townships without any zoning as of January 1st."
Concerned residents and organizations (including the Benzie County Chamber of Commerce, the Frankfort-Elberta Area Chamber of Commerce, the League of Women Voters-Benzie Unit, the Michigan Land Use Institute, the Crystal Lake & Watershed Assoc., and the Benzie Conservation District) say the townships should be given more time to come up with their own planning and zoning standards and enforcement. Mary Carroll the president of the Benzie County Chamber of Commerce says the group's concern is primarily a "window" where the county no longer has authority and the townships don't have anything in place yet to take over. Carroll explains "We are just asking the county to continue the planning and zoning services that are available here in Benzie County even if it's on a limited basis until the township can make the decision whether or not to bring it in their own services or to partner together some of the township."
If the county board stops the funding for its planning and zoning office, as of January 1st, opponents to the move say all current zoning ordinances will be essentially null and void. At that time the townships could form their own planning and zoning services to take over, but that takes time and money. Something David Neiger knows all too well, "It's not inexpensive at all. It requires a professional planner typically to do a master plan for the township. It requires a planning firm to do both zoning to write the zoning ordinance. It requires a lot of public input, public meetings it can't be just done overnight."
There will be a public hearing on this issue on December 10th at 7 pm at the Benzie County Government Center.
So what do you think? Would you pay to have county wide zoning or would you rather see those decisions made at the township level? Would you be willing to pay to have zoning ordinances enforced or would you like to see the entire program go away?
Let me know. Leave your comments below.
