The Dorr Township Planning Commission Tuesday night attempted to set a master plan public visioning session for sometime in August and reviewed the local setback ordinance.

The visioning session originally was planned for last March, but the COVID-19 virus crisis took care of that.

“It’s a shame that COVID-19 came when it did,” remarked Commission Vice Chairman Robert Traxler. “Things related to the master plan update were going swimmingly.”

Indeed, the commission had hired a consultant from Williams & Works and was making a lot of headway in the process.

Lori Castello, zoning enforcement administrator of Professional Code Inspections, asked the Planning Commissioin to examine the township setback ordinance to see if it is up to date.

Commission Chairman Bob Wagner said, “Some of this stuff was written quite a few years ago. I know fire safety has improved a lot since then.”

However, he noted there were only 10 requests for variances in the last year that went to the Zoning Board of Appeals. Most involved having to move septic systems and avoid wetlands, and all were approved.

“We haven’t had a lot of people complain,” said Chandler Stanton, a ZBA member. “But it’s a benefit to our citizens to give them a voice.”

Stanton said he is in favor of reducing the fee for variance requests from $450 and Traxler noted that question will have to go before the Dorr Township Board.

Commissioner Dan Beute added that he’d like to see the setback requirements for the rear of properties to be increased from five to ten feet because of the possibility of encroachment of neighbor’s property.