Jeff Davis Will Chair Clark Township Planning Commission
Lincoln Boathouse Approved by Planners
By Amy Polk

Jeff Davis was elected to chair the Clark Township Planning Commission Tuesday, January 8, replacing Steve Honnila, who is now vice-chairman. John Grenier remains secretary and Joe Eger is liaison to the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Mr. Eger and Mike Miller were re-appointed to three-year terms on the planning commission December 20 by Clark Township Supervisor Linda Hudson. She did not re-appoint Dave Dunning to the Planning Commission, although he asked to remain on the commission until the master plan and zoning ordinance revisions are done. The seat remains vacant, and Mrs. Hudson is seeking a replacement.

New members of the planning commission and zoning board of appeals are being asked to take the Citizen Planner course offered by Michigan State University Extension under a policy adopted by Clark Township in December. The township will pay for the training and has budgeted $2,000.

Citizen Planner trains public policy makers in their roles and responsibilities and the local government process. Modules include such subjects as what to know before the first planning commission or zoning board of appeals meetings, zoning tools for developers and real estate agents, rural and urban development, community planning and how to create a master plan, and zoning essentials.

Appointees will be asked to take at least one module a year, with each requiring between 2.5 and 10 hours to complete.

Township trustee and planning commissioner Dana Leach has become a Master Citizen Planner under the program.

At the January 8 planning commission meeting, commissioners unanimously approved Connie Lincoln's non-conforming boathouse on South Fox Lane, off Lakeside Road in Cedarville.

Mrs. Lincoln must also obtain size and height variances from the Clark Township Zoning Board of Appeals because the proposed boathouse exceeds the maximum size and heights allowed by special land use permit. The lot has 125 feet of frontage on Lake Huron. Township zoning allows boathouses as large as 600 square feet and 15 feet tall by special land use permit on lots with less than 201 feet of frontage. The Lincoln 24-foot by 38-foot boathouse would be 912 feet, and 16 feet tall as measured from the high water mark.

Commissioner Mike Patrick made a motion to approve the special land use permit, noting the boathouse agrees with the township's stipulations for granting a special land use permit for a nonconforming boat house, including not having living quarters, not interfering with navigation, not hindering or impeding views, and that commissioners considered the unique nature of the shoreline and its impact on neighboring properties among the rationale for approving the permit. Commissioners also complimented the appearance and design of the boathouse.