Cheboygan County Planning Commission
2013 Annual Work Plan
Approved by the Planning Commission on December 19, 2012
This work plan is a schedule of objectives established by the Planning Commission. The work plan provides for an efficient method of achieving the most important goals of the Planning Commission and the community. The priority projects are determined by referencing the Master Plan goals, hearing concerns from stakeholders, and monitoring the types and frequency of variances presented to the Zoning Board of Appeals along enforcement and administration matters presented by the ordinance enforcement officer and other members of the staff.
The projects on this work plan will take priority over other matters unless the work plan is amended by the Planning Commission or a pressing matter or unexpected and extensive site plan review is encountered.
Summary of Work Plan projects – First Priority
- Update the Master Plan
The master plan must be reviewed every five years. This master plan was adopted in 2002 and must be updated. The rewrite began in 2011 with a community visioning process. The timeline for the update has been presented to the Planning Commission. County data has been compiled into 5 Data Book chapters providing background information to inform the decision makers.
Considerable work toward updating the Master Plan has been completed in 2012. This includes community goal setting meetings, completion of special topic summaries, complete draft of future land use category descriptions, community goals and objectives, and future land use map, Also, many meetings have been completed gathering public input on the draft future land use map. The next steps are to draft the final plan which will include some additional details on how the goals and objectives will be achieved. The recreation chapter of the master plan will serve as a recreation plan for some participating townships. This recreation planning will occur in the early part of 2013. An important chapter of the master plan is the zoning plan. This will detail the work to be done to amend the zoning ordinance in the immediate future to meet the goals and objectives of the community.
- Update the Zoning Ordinance
The list of zoning ordinance amendments is in order of priority. The priorities are set by evaluating variances applied for and enforcement concerns. We also evaluate community and economic development needs in the county and make the necessary changes to the zoning ordinance as appropriate to accommodate those needs.
(Currently underway in 2012)
Review signage requirements for single business on larger parcels and within lager buildings in Commercial Development Zoning Districts.
The zoning ordinance currently provides regulation for size and amount of signage geared toward commercial buildings and lots sizes of small or average size. The Planning Commission has been provided a draft zoning ordinance amendment which provides updates addressing content neutral issues, window signs and proposes signage regulation for larger commercial parcels and buildings with a single business.
Camping on private property
The Planning Commission discussed issues that should be addressed in an ordinance amendment in 2012. As a result, a draft zoning ordinance amendment which addresses camping on private property and use of tents, travel trailers, campers, recreational vehicles, undersized mobile homes, etc. is awaiting review by legal counsel.
Clarify subdivisions and their zoning district (map them rather than reference them)
Section 3.8.2. of the zoning ordinance states as follows: Unless specified otherwise in this ordinance, all platted subdivisions in the jurisdiction of Cheboygan County Ordinance #200 are zoned D-RS, Residential Development Districts. Clarification relative to subdivisions and their Residential Development zoning district designation have been indicated on the AccuGlobe mapping system consistent with section 3.8.2.. Zoning maps as provided in Appendix I of the zoning ordinance have been developed by the GIS department. The maps will come before the Planning Commission for review upon final review by staff.
First Priority Category
Review Commercial Storage Uses
Accommodate indoor storage facilities and outdoor storage facilities as currently defined and consideration of other commercial storage uses as permitted uses or uses which require a special use permit in M-AF, D-CM, D-LI and D-GI zoning districts.
Review contiguous land area standards for Private Storage Buildings.
Review standards for private storage buildings per section 17.23 in consideration of providing that parcels under the same ownership which are separated by a road are considered contiguous for the purpose of this section.
Second Priority Category
Review and update the zoning ordinance pursuant to P.A. 143 of 2012
P.A 143 of 2012 provides standards and procedure relative to review and approval of wireless communications equipment. You can read a summary of this legislation in the October, 2012 issue of Planning and Zoning News
Review indoor sport uses including fitness studios.
The Zoning Board of Appeals made a determination on November 28, 2012 that the term sportsman, as used in section 9.3.7 relative to sportsman’s associations or clubs, means outdoor sports with accessory indoor activities. Review indoor sports, fitness studios and similar type of uses which may take place away from public facilities and consideration of the same in appropriate zoning districts by the Planning Commission.
Planned unit development (PUD) language updates
Existing PUD language is outdated. Because of the potential for PUD’s to better accommodate natural resource demands on land use and to create more appropriate but flexible land use, the Planning Commission will review possible improvements to this language.
Shared Parking Requirements
This amendment would allow for commercial developments to show how their parking spaces can be shared with multiple uses if those uses have hours of operation that do not overlap. This would reduce the overall required parking spaces in certain situations as appropriate.
Water quality protection updates
There is a need to continuously improve our water quality as demand on water resources increases. We will review possible updates to the zoning ordinance to accomplish this goal.
Renewable energy facility accommodations
There is growing interest in various types of renewable energy systems due to the rising cost of energy. There have been many recent innovations in the renewable energy field. We will review the zoning ordinance to consider appropriate accommodations.
Recycling operation accommodations
Due to a new county recycling program and more interest in recycling there is a need to appropriately accommodate recycling stations where material is collected.
Review the zoning ordinance relative to regulation of natural gas refining/manufacturing/production etc. -beyond that regulated by the State of Michigan.
Review of the natural gas industry and review of the zoning ordinance as it currently regulates natural gas refining and manufacturing beyond that regulated by the State of Michigan will be conducted.
ON-GOING WORK
Follow-up on approved special use permits and site plans
Consistent communication will be give to the Planning Commission from staff to keep the commissioners informed on the site plans that they have reviewed. A program for follow up inspections of special use permits and site plan review approvals will be created.
Existing enforcement matters
Frequent enforcement updates will be presented to the Planning Commission and ZBA.
Communications with other entities (Boards of Commissioners, townships, citizens, business owners, stakeholders)
We will continue to provide and update communication tools such as email, website, and the press to better inform the stakeholders of Cheboygan County.
Planning and land use education
We will continue to provide educational opportunities for our planning commissioners and the general public on land use.