The Suttons Bay Township Planning Commission held its annual organizational meeting last week to elect officers and set priorities for 2008.

Commissioners re-elected Jerry Bergman as their chairman and Tom Nixon as vice chairman. Jeff Corbin was elected as secretary to replace Shirley Wall, who stepped down from her seat on the Planning Commission effective Dec. 31 following 12 years of service.

Staff planner Rochelle Rollenhagen reported that most of the Jan. 2 Planning Commission was devoted to a discussion of the commission’s priorities for 2008. At the top of the list was a joint effort with the Village of Suttons Bay Planning Commission to create a common Master Plan for both municipalities.

Rollenhagen said that village and township planners will hold joint workshop meetings on Jan. 10, Jan. 14 and Jan. 25 to discuss the project. She added that planners had received a $950 grant from Michigan State University that will help pay for a “smart growth readiness assessment” that will be conducted during the joint work sessions. The grant will also help pay for the services of Michigan State University Extension land use planning expert Kurt Schindler, who will facilitate the three work sessions.

In addition, Suttons Bay Township planners last week discussed the status of their project to draft an enforceable “junk ordinance” for the township. Rollenhagen said completion of that project will also be a priority for 2008.

“The smart growth work sessions with both the village and township planning commissions involved is probably the most exciting part of what’s going to happen this year,” Rollenhagen said. “I expect that these joint sessions will put the township and the village on the same page in terms of land use planning and cement their commitment to work together.”