Leland Township Planning Commission announced last week a new, rescheduled public hearing set for January 7 at 5 p.m. at the Northport Performing Arts Center Auditorium for the application of a special use permit concerning a club center for the Youth for Christ (YFC) program at 110 N Lake Street in Leland.
On December 3, the public hearing for the application of the special use permit was canceled due to attendance exceeding room capacity at Leland Township Library’s Munnecke room. With well over 100 people in attendance, which was the Munnecke room capacity limit, the planning commission had to postpone the meeting and said at the time that a new date and venue would need to be arranged.
The special use permit application submitted by Apollos Properties, LLC., is to use a portion of the north side of the building, located at 110 N Lake Street, which was anticipated to be used as a YFC club center starting this month. The north building, one of two commercial buildings on the property, is approximately 2,470 square feet, and falls in the C-1 village commercial zoning district, a zone established for small scale businesses and retail establishments. As stated in the special land use permit application, the tenant, YFC, would operate its county-wide program under a five-year lease. Leland Township planning commission first discussed the Apollos Properties special use permit on Nov. 5, where the applicant, James (Jim) Van Steenhouse, owner of Apollos Properties, was able to introduce himself and the idea of a YFC club center to the public alongside his attorney, as well as YFC staff members/husband and wife duo Micah and Kya Cramer.
