As the only adjoining residence to the newly developed Cloverland Electric Cooperative gravel lot on Cheeseman Road (near the corner of Cecil Road), we are extremely disappointed in Moran Township for their mishandling of this project. Without prior notification to us, clearing of the wooded lot next to our home began in early June. We called the Township Zoning Administrator, and he stated that public utilities were allowed to do whatever they wanted without obtaining a Special Use Permit (which requires notification of adjacent landowners, notification of other government agencies, approval by the Planning Commission, etc.). After we reviewed our zoning district regulations in early August, we again questioned the use, and the Zoning Administrator again stated that a Special Use Permit and required application process were not required. After calling a third time, the Zoning Administrator finally reviewed the use regulations for our zoning district and admitted his mistake.

Now, we are told that the required Special Use Permit process will be implemented. However, over the past two months, Cloverland has invested thousands of dollars developing a property for a use that has not been approved. All of the vegetation and topsoil has been removed, and countless loads of gravel have been dumped and leveled. All of these activities have occurred without being reviewed by the township Planning Commission, Mackinac County Road Commission, and Michigan DNRE as required during the Special Use Permit application process.

The purpose of the zoning regulations in this district are designed “to insure development does not detract from or negatively impact adjacent properties.” The wooded lot adjacent to us has been transformed into a gravel opening. Depending on the Planning Commission decision, this lot may be fenced off, lighted, and filled with power poles and other Cloverland equipment. We are interested to see if the Planning Commission decides to justify this use that appears to be contrary to the purpose of our zoning district regulations, and has been completed to this point, under the incorrect interpretation of zoning regulations by the township’s own Zoning Administrator.

We feel that it is not the job of township residents like us to ensure zoning regulations are implemented, but rather the township officials that residents pay to implement these regulations. We trusted township officials to look out for the property rights of its residents and follow zoning regulations, and that has been a clear mistake.

Derek and Sara Huebner

St. Ignace