County planners study tunnel, yacht club plans

The Leelanau County Planning Commission last week took a look at two proposed zoning ordinance amendments from Elmwood Township that might allow a developer to construct a tunnel under M-22 leading to a new yacht club on the Greilickville waterfront.

After reviewing the proposed amendments, county planners agreed that the language appeared to be “in order,” and voted 7-0 to return the drafts to Elmwood Township with staff and commissioners’ comments.

According to minutes of the May 22 county planning commission meeting, Elmwood Township staff planner Bill Swanson outlined one zoning ordinance amendment that would change parking standards, and another that would add a definition of “yacht clubs.”

Currently, parking for certain activities must be provided on the same side of M-22 as the activity itself in Elmwood Township. A zoning ordinance change would allow parking to be on the other side of the road from the activity as long as safe pedestrian access is provided in the form of a tunnel, overpass or at-grade crossing.

In addition, Elmwood’s zoning ordinance currently lacks a definition for a “yacht club.” Township planners are considering a change that would clarify the difference between a marina and a yacht club to conform with requirements spelled out elsewhere in the zoning ordinance for marinas.

The changes are proposed in response to a request from developer Ron Walter, who is working with the county’s Brownfield Redevelopment Authority to clean up an old petroleum storage facility on M-22 and turn it into a new mixed-use development that would include yacht slips on West Grand Traverse Bay.

Now that county planners have reviewed the proposed changes, Elmwood Township planners will review comments from the county before forwarding the draft zoning ordinance amendments to the Elmwood Township Board for consideration of adoption.

In other business, the Leelanau County Planning Commission:

• Reviewed and commented on a proposed update to Leland Township’s Master Plan. County planner Kathy Turner noted that she had been involved in Leland Township’s effort to update the plan, and agreed with county staff that the plan should include additional updates such as the status of Fishtown, the Purchase of Development Rights program, the location of county facilities, and other issues.

• Reviewed and commented on two rezoning proposals from Suttons Bay Township. Property owner Chris Branson is seeking to rezone portions of his 7.9-acre agricultural parcel on Peck Road near M-22 just south of the Village of Suttons Bay so that he can construct office buildings. Several commercial properties are already located nearby.

According to meeting minutes, county planner Don Miller commented that the proposed rezoning would “blend in perfectly” with existing zones in the township.

• Reviewed and commented on a proposed new definition of “conditional use” in the Solon Township Zoning Ordinance. According to minutes, county planner Jessica Lukomski commented that “it would be nice if all townships used the same definitions.”

• Discussed options presented as part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore General Management Plan process and agreed that there is “no consensus” among county planners on a “preferred alternative” for the plan.