Developers will not be able to build a "celebration center" on a piece of property along M-134 between Cedarville and Hessel, owing to a 5-0 vote by Clark Township planning commissioners Tuesday, February 9, to deny their request for a special land use.

Mike McMaken and Diane Patrick, who first suggested constructing the building to host wedding receptions and other events at a planning commission meeting January 12, were hoping for a special land use permit to build the event hall on a parcel currently zoned rural residential, which does not allow for commercial buildings.

Commissioners said they denied the request because the narrow piece of property is bordered too closely by neighbors, whose quality of life could be depreciated by being so close to a commercial property.

"Those who live right there bought their property as residential property," Commissioner Paul Smith said. "It wouldn't be fair to them to have commercial pop in next door."

Local residents Roxanne Eberts and Vaughn Rye, who live on property nearby, both expressed concerns to commissioners about noise and other issues stemming from the construction of such a building near their homes on Mackinac Bay.

Mr. Rye, who also sits on the planning commission, recused himself from voting in the matter January 12 so he could make comments as a private citizen. He also abstained from voting on the issue

"We would love to see them build that celebration center someplace else," Mr. Smith said. "They would just need to find another piece of property. They were trying to cram it into too tight of an area."

A recommendation from the planning commission to re-zone a 300-foot portion of the property nearest M-134 to commercial is now being considered by the Mackinac County Planning Commission, and the final decision on that rezoning would be up to Clark Township's Board of Trustees. This partial re-zoning of the property was offered by planning commissioners as an option for the developers, after they resolved to re-zone 300-foot sections on either side of M-134 commercial between Cedarville and Hessel, which commissioners said would be consistent with the township master plan.

Since then, the Clark Township board has corrected this statement, since such 300-foot sections of commercial zoning are not mentioned in the master plan.

Commissioners also voted to deny a request to re-zone commercial a property along Weston Avenue in Cedarville at the meeting February 9. The request was originally made by the Cedar Cove assisted living facility, in hopes it could build a driveway from its building directly to Weston Avenue, but representatives of the company withdrew their request.

"We just took it to defeat because they backed off their request," Mr. Smith said.

The township's zoning ordinances are currently under review, with changes being made by both the planning commission and the town board before final language can be approved by both bodies. Tuesday, commissioners discussed changes to Article 11 of the ordinance, the section dealing with special land uses.

"Most of the changes were to terminology and the way things were worded," Mr. Smith said, "to make things easier for people to have a special land use, rather than making it so difficult so people can't get it."

These proposed changes will go back to the township board for approval at its next meeting, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, February 18, at the Clark Township Hall and is open to the public.

Planning Commission meetings are also open to the public, and the next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 9, at the Clark Township Hall.