At least five Isabella County townships will ask voters on the August ballot whether the municipalities should form planning commissions independent from the county as Tuesday deadline looms for proposals.
Denver, Isabella, Nottawa, Gilmore and Vernon Townships have all submitted voter questions that will allow residents to decide if planning and zoning should be overseen by a township board as a Tuesday afternoon deadline looms to get questions on the August ballot.
Additionally, some of those townships —including Denver, Nottawa and Vernon— plan to ask voters for millages to support independent planning and zoning efforts should they be approved in August.
The proposals come at a time when some residents in rural townships are at odds over energy company Apex Clean Energy’s bid to build a wind farm across parts of the county.
That contention led at in part to petition drives to get the question on the ballots in at least some of those townships, as vocal anti-wind farm community members try to block turbines building.
Denver Township is asking voters for up to a three mill increase for five years to support planning and zoning for the township, with each mill raising about $34,500 in the first year it is levied.
Also proposing a three mill levy, Nottawa Township would raise about $71,000 in the first year of a five-year millage for the proposed planning commission, should voters support both initiatives.
Vernon Township voters will decide on two millage proposals; a two-mill levy for 10 years that would support zoning and planning efforst, and another two mills for road improvements and maintenance over 10 years.
Each of Vernon Township’s millage proposals would raise about $93,700 in the first year.
While Gilmore Township is not so far asking for a millage to support a proposed planning commission, a separate ballot questions specfically asks voters if the township should “transfer the authority of a planning commission from Isabella County to the Township of Gilmore.”
Here are the ballot proposals submitted to the Isabella County Clerk’s office to be included on the August ballot so far:
DENVER TOWNSHIP
BALLOT PROPOSAL LANGUAGE
Proposal 1
Shall Denver Township impose an increase of up to 3 mills ($3.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution and levy it for five (5) years, 2018 through 2022 inclusive, to provide planning and zoning for the township, which each 1-mill increase will raise an estimated $34,553 in the first year the millage is levied?
Yes? or No?
Proposal 2
Shall Denver Township adopt an ordinance creating a planning commission pursuant to the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, 2008 PA 33?
Yes? or No?
ISABELLA TOWNSHIP
BALLOT PROPOSAL LANGUAGE
Shall Isabella Township adopt an ordinance creating a Planning
Commission pursuant to the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, 2008 PA 33?
NOTTAWA TOWNSHIP
BALLOT PROPOSAL LANGUAGE
Shall the Township Board of the Township of Nottawa adopt an Ordinance creating a Planning Commission pursuant to the Michigan Planning Enabling Act?
Yes
No
NOTTAWA TOWNSHIP
MILLAGE PROPOSAL
FOR FUNDING A PLANNING COMMISSION
For the purpose of providing funds for the creation and operation of a Township Planning Commission, shall the Constitutional limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec.6 of the Michigan Constitution upon the total amount of taxes which may be assessed in one (1) year upon all property within the Township of Nottawa, Isabella County, Michigan, be increased, and shall the Township be authorized to levy, up to 3.00 mills ($3.00 per $1000 of Taxable Value) for a period of five (5) years, 2018 through 2022, inclusive?
If approved and levied in full, this millage will raise an estimated $71,000 for the Planning
Commission purposes in the first calendar year of the levy based on taxable value
YES
No
VERNON TOWNSHIP
BALLOT LANGUAGE
ROAD IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE MILLAGE
Shall the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Vernon Township, Isabella County, Michigan, be increased by an amount of up to 2.0 mills ($2.00 per $ 1 ,000 of taxable value) and levied for ten (10) years, beginning in 2018 and through 2027, inclusive, for road improvement and maintenance, raising an estimated $93,787.51 in 2018?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
VERNON TOWNSHIP
BALLOT PROPOSAL LANGUAGE
PLANNING, ZONING AND LAND USE REGULATION MILLAGE
Shall the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Vernon Township, Isabella County, Michigan, be increased by an amount of up to 2.0 mills ($2.00 per $1 ,000 of taxable value) and levied for ten (10) years, beginning in 2018 and through 2027, inclusive, for planning, zoning and land use regulation, raising an estimated $93,787.51 in 2018?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
VERNON TOWNSHIP
BALLOT PROPOSAL LANGUAGE
CREATION OF PLANNING COMMISSION
Shall the Township Board of Vernon Township, Isabella County, Michigan, create a Planning Commission as provided for by to the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, 2008 PA 33, as amended?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
WISE TOWNSHIP
BALLOT PROPOSAL LANGUAGE
Shall the portion of the Wise Township Zoning Ordinance establishing a special use permit for Wind Energy facilities adopted by the Wise Township Board on November 17, 2017 be approved?
Yes
No
Gilmore Township Ballot Proposal
Shall Gilmore Township adopt an ordinance creating a Gilmore Township Planning Commission pursuant to the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, 2008 PA 33, to transfer the authority of a planning commission from Isabella County to the Township of Gilmore?
Gilmore Township Ballot Proposal
Shall Gilmore Township adopt an ordinance creating a Gilmore Township Planning Commission pursuant to the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, 2008 PA 33, to transfer the authority of a planning commission from Isabella County to the Township of Gilmore?
DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP
PROPOSAL
Renew and Increase Extra-Voted Millage to Offset Headlee Rollbacks
Shall the expired previous voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Deerfield Township, of One (1) Mill ($1.00 per $1,000.00 of taxable value), reduced to 0.9824 mills ($0.9824 per $1,000.00 of Taxable Value) by the required millage rollbacks, be renewed at and increased up to the original voted One (1) Mill ($1.00 per $1,000.00 of Taxable Value) and levied for Six (6) Years 2018 through 2023 inclusive, for the purchasing of equipment for fire protection for Deerfield Township, raising an estimated revenue for the first year of collection of One Hundred Twenty Thousand, Seven Hundred, Fifteen Dollars ($120,715.00).