Leelanau Township Planning Commission members will move forward with considering a change to a zoning ordinance text amendment to provide for farmstays in the Agricultural Zoning District.
Phil Hallstedt of Hallstedt Homestead Cherries in Northport first introduced the application to board members at the April 25 township planning commission meeting. Hallstedt’s application/proposal is a text amendment that would provide working farms with 40 or more acres to have the option to host up to four farm stays (campsites) under a special use permit, with a goal to ultimately help farmers generate additional on-farm income. The special use permit could be rescinded if deemed necessary.
“So we can define farmstay camping or lodging pretty easily and not have to define agritourism at this point…” said Leelanau Township Zoning Administrator Steve Patmore at the meeting. “So that’s my recommendation to go forward. I do think that if you want to have more discussion about the size of the parcel and who can do this, that would be appropriate.”
