What began as an innocuous appointment to the township Zoning Board of Appeals turned into anything but this week in Leland Township.
The Leland Township Board was forced to postpone to a later date a special meeting scheduled to consider appointments to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA).
It wasn’t for lack of quorum. More than 100 persons gathered Monday morning at the Munnecke Room for a special meeting to consider appointments to the ZBA. The fire marshal capacity of the room is 80.
Under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (PA 110 of 2006), the ZBA is an independent, quasi-judicial body. Its core duties are to interpret zoning ordinances, hear administrative appeals, and grant dimensional variances when strict enforcement creates practical difficulties. Appointments are made by the supervisorwithsupportof thetownship hall.
“We’re still trying to secure a large enough venue,” Supervisor Clint Mitchell said after the initial postponement and later cancellation of the gathering. “It’s likely at this point that the public hearing will be canceled/postponed, and we’ll need a change of venue for that, as well.”
The postponement and later cancellation of Monday’s meeting comes six days after a similar situation in which the audience exceeded maximum capacity. On the board agenda: ZBA appointments.
The board was scheduled to consider the appointment of Mary Lingaur and Lisa Psenka to three-year terms, through December 2028. Former township trust- ee Tony Bordon and Lynn Dunn are the slate of candidates for two alternates, their terms expiring in December 2027.
The ZBA is scheduled to meet next Thursday, July 30, to receive public comment on an application submitted by Apollos Properties LLC for an appeal of the Planning Commission’s vote to deny a special use permit for Youth for Christ to operate a Christian club at 110 N Lake St.
Kathy Dawkins is the ZBA chair. Other board members, according the township website are Brooks Bunbury, Jim Carpenter and Lee Cory.
Last week, Supervisor Mitchell was named as a defendant in lawsuit filed by Cory who is arguing that her term stretches into December 2028. Township documents places the end of her term is next month.
The supervisor asked legal counsel to take a look at the complaint, and provide the board his opinion on the lawful course of action to rectify what he said was an “apparent administrative error” made by former supervisor Susan Och.
Mitchell said there is no validity to the lawsuit, nor the accusations levied by Acker and Cory.
Larry Acker is representing Cory, who is also an attorney. Acker is known to the township was the plaintiff’s counsel in a lawsuit on behalf of former employee, Ken Hagstrom.
This is the latest controversy faced by the township, which has had a rash of controversial developments.
First was a proposal to build a mixed-use project along Main Street. The township denied that permit after dozens of people opposed the project, saying it impacts the “character” of the community.
More recently, the planning commission has been reviewing a request for Youth For Christ (YFC), which is seeks to host youth group in the commercial district in Leland.
Meetings focusing on the proposal had to be relocated to Northport’s Performing Arts Center to acommodate the audience size.
