It isn’t often when a township board overturns or sends back a recommendation to a planning commission, but that prospect is very real in Dorr Township.
The Township Board Thursday night decided to send to its attorney a rezoning request from Tyler Wustman, 1538 144th Ave., who is asking for a rezoning of his 2.59-acre parcel from agricultural to B-1 residential so he can split it in two and sell one of them. The Planning Commission last week recommended the rezoning on a contentious 4-3 vote.
Residents nearby Wustman’s property voiced strong objections to his plan, maintaining it eventually would result in a slew of residential properties springing up along 144th Avenue, which only recently receiving a paving job.
Neighbors David and Linda Dumond, who appeared Aug. 21 before the Planning Commission, said they have owned their property for 28 years as farmland and Wustman’s rezoning approval would be the first of many dominoes that would fall to residential development in the area.
Dave Dumond told the board if the rezoning request is approved, he and a couple of his neighbors seriously would consider asking for similar rezoning and then selling them before leaving the area.
“If he does it (sells half his property), I’ve got to go with the flow,” Dunond said.
His wife added, “You are probably running a lot of farms out of business.”
Randy Williams, another nearby landowner, said, “You can’t stop somebody else from changing to B-1… we are concerned about (residential) density.”
Megan Fish asserted, “144th Avenue has been getting a lot of attention lately… there’s even talk about putting in a wedding barn.”
One very vocal resident opined, “Let’s just keep this property and the area as they are,” saying he moved from Kentwood to get away from city living and wants to preserve Dorr’s rural character.
Some of the critics, including Planning Commissioner and Township Board Trustee Terri Rios, insisted Wustman’s request amounted to spot zoning, which is illegal.
But Dan Beute, another member of the Planning Commission, said, “I think we did dispel the notion that it was spot zoning, according to information presented.” He added that Eric Thompson of Professional Code Inspections agreed.
Noting that the request is compatible with the township’s master plan from 2007, Beute added, “I don’t see how we can stop it if it’s not spot zoning.”
Wustman called out Rios, saying, “I don’t think you are giving a fair representation of what happened that night (at the Planning Commission meeting). The Planning Commission voted yes (4-3).”
But Mrs. Dumond charged, “He (Wustman) bought that property knowing full well it was agricutural.”
Board Treasurer Jim Martin countered that the parcel is not big enough to be effectively farmed.
Finally, Clerk Debbie Sewers proposed the Township Board refer the issue to its attorney, suggesting, “There may be a lawsuit. Maybe we should first call our attroney and get some advice.”
Supervisor Jeff Miling said next month some kind of decision will be made, whether it be approval, rejection, or referring the matter back to the Planning Commission for further review.
Ah!!!
The I don’t want it in my neighborhood, but pave my road syndrome strikes again.
Close to 50 years ago Dorr was a rural community….once Litchfield and Ranchero developments hit town it was the beginning to the end of being rural. Every year since the township has seen more development..
Sorry but as you improve the roads you just encourage more development. Which is only natural, the days of Dorr being a farming community has steadily disappeared.
You can not make the area so attractive for residential development, and expect it not to develop.
High Density housing is not what Dorr needs. The School is already bursting at the seams. The apartments going in are already going to put more strain on the schools, now this? Also, We didn’t move out of the city just to end up where we started. More single family homes is one thing, but high density housing is too much.
Michael
I understand your feelings, I came to the area almost 49 years ago. Since than things have changed…
The sad truth is when an area starts improving their roads, schools, parks, water and sewer systems, people like yourself want to leave the “city for country life” Soon the large amount of gravel roads, poor excuses for parks, school systems needed to be upgraded. All promote the out cry for improvement, with these improvements come more development
. We may not like or approve what is happening there is no real stopping it. One can slow it down, but not for long. Approve or not it is going to happen.
Unless one is independently wealthy, or does not have need employment to survive there are very few places development will not catch you in a few years.
Guess you will do as I have over the years. Stay and try to enjoy the changes, or if possible find that place where development can not catch up with you. ( as you may have guessed I could either not find or afford that place)
There are many Dorr residents praying to keep our town small and farms large. Change and growth cannot be avoided but can be managed. Do not be shy! Go to the township meetings, go to the planning commission meetings! Share your thoughts and opinions. Together we can stop another tragedy like the apartment complex debacle. What a toll that is going to put on the work commute and school system.
Small Town Gal:
Norman Taylor, superintendent of the Wayland Schools, testified at the Planning Commission public hearing for the apartment complex, that the number of students would be small and it not a problem for him or the schools.
Please go to the Planning Commission meetings, all are welcome and will be heard.
In my humble opinion Mr Taylor has his sights set on another millage to handle the influx of students. We will see that on the ballot a couple years down the road.
I may stand corrected, but if the development falls into the master plan for the township, denying it to proceed could very well cost the township (taxpayers) a lot of money in a lawsuit they will lose.
You really want to slow growth hope Michigan’s economy goes into the dumpster. A prosperous economy promotes development… we living in Dorr Township must realize we are going to grow and most likely very rapidly.
How many really understand what is happening in the agriculture industry? Many farms are becoming housing developments due to taxes, trade regulations, etc.
Farming is a business, what once was considered a large farm years ago is now a small operation in today’s world. As goes the small farming operations, so disappear the small towns.
The small towns today only survive because of a large farming community.
An example could be Byron Center, once a small town. Today only those farming the muck are still running. Most solid ground ( buildable property) has a home on it
We scream, holler, and scratch wherever and to whom ever we want. Sorry to say the wave of development has hit our township. We have to grip the fact that try as we might, Dorr Township will grow and even more quickly if our economy starts to flourish…
Growth is unavoidable. That being said, we can make plans to grow wisely. We can keep a “small town feeling” by making good choices. Keep commercial growth near the highway and for goodness sakes, no more apartment complexes!