The Dorr Township Planning Tuesday broke its 3-3 deadlock from a month before and voted 5-2 to recommend a rezoning request from Ed and Amanda Ophoff for their property near 108th Avenue and 21st Street from rural agricultural to rural estates.
The rezoning opens the door to splitting into as many as four lots in what Ed Ophoff said they wanted to “make the property more usable” and enable more options.
Some neighbors had expressed concerns that splitting the lots would result in ruining nearby farm land.
Commissioners Dan Beute and Larry Dolegowski voted against the recommendation for two different reasons.
“Once it gets rezoned, then it’s wide open,” Dolegowski said. “I don’t think that’s good rezoning,” insisting the township should preserve farmland as much as possible.
Beute said, “I don’t want to start us going off the master plan so early.”
Ophoff brought along maps and made a presentation to better explain the request to the commission. He took issue with the notion that the farmland on his parcel is any better suited than neighboring properties.
With rural estates zoning he would be able to have two, 2.5-acre parcels, another 10.33-acre parcel and a 23-acre site he still plans to use for alfalfa farming.
Ophoff also said rezoning would not make the property inconsistent with nearby uses and he insisted the customary checkoff list for the request showed it is not an example of spot zoning.
Commissioner Brian Boot said, “I’d like to be able to let him do what he wants with his property.”
The entire site is located in the extreme northwest corner of Dorr Township, just south of the Kent County line.
Boot, Weber, Chairman Bob Wagner, Jody Schaendorf and Rich Osbun all voted in favor of recommending the rezoning to the Township Board.
