The Leelanau Township board voted unanimously Tuesday evening to approve a letter of support for the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians’ (GTB) to continue its efforts to lower the speed limit to 45 miles per hour in Peshawbestown.
“Those of you who drive through it, I don’t think I need to tell you why… the tribe has made a resolution that they want to do this,” Supervisor Barbara Conley said at the meeting. “Their lawyer, Mr. (John) Petoskey, has given us the wording for this letter. As a tribe, they’re not a recognized unit of government, so they can’t lower it like other recognized units of government could… they can lower it to 45 mph and they would like our support on that.”
“I’m in full support of this, I think they should get to make that determination,” added trustee Elizabeth Schwind.
On Sept. 18, 2024, the tribal council approved a resolution requesting representative Betsy Coffia to offer a house bill in the Michigan Legislature that would allow federal Indian tribes to access the procedures contained in MCL 257.627 by including recognized federal Indian tribes as entities that can implement speed limit controls contained in MCL 257.627.
Within the tribal council’s resolution, it explains how the posted speed on M-22 through North Peshawbestown and South Peshawbestown “is 55 mph, despite the presence of a substantial commercial district on the south side of Peshawbestown containing the Leelanau Sands Casino, a large gas station, a 60-unit motel, and several government office buildings.”
The GTB has requested that state agencies in charge of administering the Michigan Vehicle Code on speed limits, to lower the speed limit, however, various state agencies have maintained that insufficient information traffic crash data exist to lower the speed limit. The speed limit can be lower though in an area that is zoned residential “as designated by a local jurisdiction and approved by the state transportation commission under 1951 PA 51, MCL 247.651 to 247.675…” “GTB has previously requested the lowering of the speed limit in Peshawbestown and the State agencies that administer MCL §257.627 have declined because Peshawbestown as an Indian Tribe is not an ‘incorporated city or village’ under the state statute, nor is Peshawbestown eligible to establish a residential zoning district under MCL 125.3101 to 125.3702,” part of the tribal council resolution stated.
In the township’s letter of support to the tribe, Conley expresses the board’s support of the GTB’s request as a federal Indian tribe to be designated as a local jurisdiction to be eligible to request the lowering of the speed limit through Peshawbestown. The designation would allow the tribe to request a reduction of the speed limit through the north residential district of its community along state highway M-22.
The township states in its letter of support that regardless of whether the legislature amends state law or the Attorney General opines that MCL Section 257.627 includes a federal Indian Tribe by implication or by disparate impact on Michigan residents, “there can be no doubt that the safety of all our residents of Leelanau County, Leelanau Township and the Tribe is a top priority for the Township.” The letter continued, recognizing that M-22 is a vital main route to the township, but also acknowledges the increasing traffic volume and the potential hazards it poses to people residing in proximity to the roadway.
“The north residential community meets all the conditions to request a reduction of the speed limit under State Law in terms of residential density, but for the fact that the Tribe is not recognized under State Law as a unit of local government eligible to make such a request,” the township letter of support reads. “Given the residential nature of the northern area of Peshawbestown along M-22 and its proximity to schools, parks, tribal marina and the Tribal Court, lowering the speed limit would greatly enhance safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists alike… We believe that this designation allowing the Tribe to request lowering the speed limit on M-22 will foster better communication and collaboration between our Township and the Tribe, ultimately benefiting everyone who lives and travels in this area.”
