The public hearing on the proposed air park in Leighton Township has had to be postponed until the second week of July.
Leighton Township Clerk Mary Lou Nieuwenhuis said Thursday evening the original date of May 23 had to be moved to May 31 and then finally into July because of publication date deadlines and because Trustee John Hooker will be out of June the second half of June. Hooker has been the Township Board’s representative on the Planning Commission, which has held hearings and in April finally recommended against approving the request from developer Clark Galloway.
Galloway and Township Supervisor Steve Deer are partners in a proposed project for an air park near the corner of Kalamazoo Avenue and 144th Avenue. Deer has recused himself from deliberations and discussions to avoid any possible conflict of interest.
Though plans have been scaled back twice since originally unveiled, neighbors have been very vocal in opposing it because of noise and public safety considerations.
In other business, Thursday night, the Township Board:
• Received a request for a special assessment agreement from Lauren Hughes of the Horseshoe Estates Homeowners Association. The private residential development has three private roads that need paving and Hughes said he heard the township makes special assessment arrangements for projects such as this would entail.
Township Treasurer Char Troost said a vote of the homeowners would be necessary before the project proceeds and, “It’s got to be more than just majority.”
Homeowners would share the costs of the paving, which Hughes said should be about $75,000, according to a bid he has secured from Superior Asphalt. They would have several years to make the payments.
• Received a complaint from local resident Mark Brookens at Stoney Ridge on Kalamazoo Avenue, where a resident appears to be violating residential zoning by bringing in lumber for cutting and sale and making maple syrup commercially.
“He’s a processing plant,” Brooklens said. “According to Kirk (Scharphorn of Professional Code Inspections), he plans to expand next year. It’s an eyesore and it’s noisy.”
• Heard a presentation from Allegan District Judge William Baillargeon, who gave a “State of the Courts” report. he talked about the problem-solving programs such as drug treatment court, veterans’ court, sobriety court and mental health treatment court. All have the goal of saving taxpayers money by avoiding the necessity of incarceration, which costs $42,000 per inmate per year.
• Noted the township issued seven building permits during April, with year to date totals reaching 16. The total value for the first four months of 2017 is $5.1 million. Deer said average value of each residential permit is $320,000.
PHOTOS: Lauren Hughes of Horseshoe Estates
District Judge William Baillargeon