Suttons Bay Township planners last week recommended approval of a minor site plan modification for the Bluewater Ridge development off Jacobson Road.

Many vacant lots in the development are on hilly terrain and will require very steep driveways, explained the township’s staff planner Rochelle Rollenhagen.

Planning commission members agreed to reduce the front yard setback requirement in the development from 35 to 25 feet so it will be easier to build on the lots, she said.

Only five of the Suttons Bay Township Planning Commission’s nine members were able to attend the March 7 meeting, Rollenhagen reported. As a result, those in attendance delayed an annual organization meeting until next month when new officers will be elected and committee assignments made.

At last week’s meeting, Suttons Bay Township planners discussed with Rollenhagen an ongoing project to draft a “junk” ordinance in collaboration with Bingham Township. Rollenhagen, along with zoning administrator Steve Patmore, work jointly for three municipalities: Suttons Bay Township, Bingham Township and the Village of Suttons Bay.

Suttons Bay Township planners last week also discussed on ongoing project to draft a new joint Master Plan with the Village of Suttons Bay Planning Commission, which last month recommended to the Village Council that grant funding be sought for a related mapping project. Township planners last week decided to make a similar recommendation to the Suttons Bay Township Board.

Rollenhagen reported there was little discussion of the Feb. 27 election during which the planning commission’s “Office Transition District” zoning ordinance amendment and the rezoning of a 7.9-acre parcel into the new district was soundly rejected by voters.

“The people have spoken,” Rollenhagen said. “I get the sense that members of the planning commission are willing to just leave the whole ‘office transition district’ idea on the back burner for a while as they move forward on updating the township’s master plan.”