Township voters to decide ballot proposals on planning commissions 

Voters in several Isabella County townships on Tuesday will be voting on ballot proposals regarding zoning.

All of the ballot proposals were promoted by residents who are opposed to wind farms in Isabella County.

Proposals are on the ballot in Denver, Gilmore, Isabella, Nottawa and Vernon townships to create separate planning commissions in each township to do planning and zoning. Currently, the zoning for the townships is done by Isabella County. Some of the townships also have millage questions related to the idea of forming a planning commission.

Currently, those townships rely on Isabella County for zoning.

Wise Township already does its own zoning. There is a ballot question in that township too, “Shall the portion of the Wise Township Zoning Ordinance establishing a special use permit for Wind Energy facilities adopted by the Wise Township Board on November 17, 2017, be approved?”

Supporters of the proposals say they will give the townships more ability to control zoning in regards to wind farms.

Opponents of the proposals say the planning boards are not needed, because the county already does the zoning for Denver, Gilmore, Isabella, Nottawa and Vernon townships, and that the separate boards would cost township residents more money.

Here is a look at the ballot questions, based on information from the Isabella County Clerk’s Office.

Denver Township

Two questions are on the ballot:

Shall Denver Township impose an increase of up to 3 mills ($3.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution and levy it for five (5) years, 2018 through 2022 inclusive, to provide planning and zoning for the township, which each 1-mill increase will raise an estimated $34,553 in the first year the millage is levied?

The second proposal:

Shall Denver Township adopt an ordinance creating a planning commission pursuant to the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, 2008 PA 33?

Gilmore Township

Shall Gilmore Township adopt an ordinance creating a Gilmore Township Planning Commission pursuant to the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, 2008 PA 33, to transfer the authority of a planning commission from Isabella County to the Township of Gilmore?

Isabella Township

Shall Isabella Township adopt an ordinance creating a Planning Commission pursuant to the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, 2008 PA 33?

Nottawa Township

Shall the Township Board of the Township of Nottawa adopt an Ordinance creating a Planning Commission pursuant to the Michigan Planning Enabling Act?

Second proposal”

For the purpose of providing funds for the creation and operation of a Township Planning Commission, shall the Constitutional limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec.6 of the Michigan Constitution upon the total amount of taxes which may be assessed in one (1) year upon all property within the Township of Nottawa, Isabella County, Michigan, be increased, and shall the Township be authorized to levy, up to 3.00 mills ($3.00 per $1,000 of Taxable Value) for a period of five (5) years, 2018 through 2022, inclusive? If approved and levied in full, this millage will raise an estimated $71,000 for the Planning Commission purposes in the first calendar year of the levy based on taxable value

Vernon Township

There is also a ballot proposal for a road improvement and maintenance millage

Shall the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Vernon Township, Isabella County, Michigan, be increased by an amount of up to 2.0 mills ($2.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) and levied for ten (10) years, beginning in 2018 and through 2027, inclusive, for road improvement and maintenance, raising an estimated $93,787.51 in 2018?

There are two ballot proposals regarding planning, zoning and land use

Shall the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Vernon Township, Isabella County, Michigan, be increased by an amount of up to 2.0 mills ($2.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) and levied for ten (10) years, beginning in 2018 and through 2027, inclusive, for planning, zoning and land use regulation, raising an estimated $93,787.51 in 2018?

The second proposal:

Shall the Township Board of Vernon Township, Isabella County, Michigan, create a Planning Commission as provided for by to the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, 2008 PA 33, as amended?