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Zoning/Planning Board revising county development plan;
Keweenaw residents to hold land use meetings
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 Lac La Belle resident Diana Jones, left, chats with Copper Harbor seasonal residents Barbara and Don Ash after the
Keweenaw County Zoning/Planning Commission meeting in the Courthouse in Eagle River Tuesday. Jones said during the
meeting she has requested the county set up a bank account for citizen donations to a Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Barbara
Ash spoke about zoning/planning concerns of seasonal, tax-paying county residents. Photo courtesy Janet Shea.
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EAGLE RIVER -- In order to update Keweenaw Countyís 1987 Comprehensive Development Plan, the County Zoning/Planning Commission is seeking advice from Kim Stoker, planning
director of the Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region (WUPPDR), Zoning Board Member Robert Crampton told the board Tuesday.
Stoker said Crampton contacted him earlier Tuesday in the absence of Jim Stingle, WUPPDR executive director. Stoker added that to his knowledge it was the first time a Keweenaw County
official had asked for WUPPDRís assistance in the project of updating this plan.
"In the western six counties (Baraga, Houghton, Gogebic, Iron, Keweenaw and Ontonagon) there are little or no zoning controls to help us determine our future, and we need to start developing a
Comprehensive Land Use Plan (for the six counties)," Stoker said. "We feel that should start at the
regional level, and then the counties can use that document to refine their own comprehensive land use/zoning plans . . . Thatís the issue that Keweenaw County is dealing with now."
County Zoning Administrator Jane Pelto said the 1987 plan contains obsolete information and some updating has been done. She noted the WUPPDR study "Jobs 2000," would be
incorporated in the plan now being revised. While the 1987 plan contains a section titled "Future Land Use Plan," that plan was never completed, except in the form of land use maps.
Gratiot Lake residents Bud and Janet Avery noted UP Engineers and Architects, Inc., who drew up the 1987 plan, stated in the plan itself:
"Presently, Keweenaw County does not have an adopted Land Use Plan, however, the County has adopted and enforces a zoning ordinance and map. Without a Future Land Use Plan to
provide the basis for zoning, the legality of the existing zoning ordinance is questionable."
Said Zoning Board Chairman James Regis, "Once the county board adopted it (the Comprehensive Development Plan) then the plan was in effect."
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 James Regis, Keweenaw County Zoning/Planning Commission chairman. Photo courtesy Janet Shea.
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Copper Harbor seasonal resident Barbara Ash noted the land use map was adopted in the winter (January 1994), when many residents were absent.
"It was the first step to give you power to do things that we didnít want to do," she said to zoning board members.
Regis explained the land use plan was not the same as zoning.
"This is a plan of what you want to see the land used for. You cannot rezone it without public hearings," he explained. He added any rezoning needs the approval of the Department of Commerce.
Lac La Belle seasonal resident Frederika Cote asked about the procedure for changing zoning from Resort Service to Resort Residential.
Said Regis, "First you have to have a request from the owner of the property . . . for any rezoning . . . and then weíll have a public hearing."
Ash asked whether these hearings, if held in the winter, were well attended. Her point was not that county business should stop until seasonal residents were present, she noted, but that these
residents wanted to have a voice in land use issues.
"Thereís a lot of unrest here because weíre not getting a voice," she said. "I see a lot of unfairness."
Asked board member Fritz Longpre, "What are you suggesting we do?"
Ash said, "Iím asking - for very controversial things - if you could possibly include seasonal people . . . I donít know how."
Pelto noted the zoning ordinance listed specific time periods for complying with certain requests, such as variances, and these cannot be postponed.
Ash said she realized that, but added the recent primary election, in which several incumbents were unseated, was a "wake-up call," showing how dissatisfied people are.
Lac La Belle resident Anita Campbell noted, "Community input is really important in land use planning."
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 Anita Campbell
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Campbell announced that a group of Keweenaw County residents will hold an informational public meeting on the need for a Comprehensive Land Use
Plan for Keweenaw County at 2 p.m. Saturday, September 23, at the Mohawk School. The group is inviting both county and township board members to attend, as well as the general public.
"Weíve invited speakers up to inform the public on whatís necessary to do a plan," Campbell said.
She explained the speakers would probably include two expert Michigan State University Extension planning experts and Timothy Bureau, president of Resource Management Group, Inc.,
Environmental Planners and Consultants of Grand Haven, Mich.
"The Michigan State Extension people are very enthusiastic about coming up to help us," Campbell said, "and they are free. Thatís our tax dollars at work."
Lyle Peterson, county board chairman and county commission representative on the zoning board, said he liked the land use plan as it is. With the exception of a few points, he said, he didnít think it
needed changing.
Said Campbell, "Maybe a professional planner can help us out."
Stoker noted he would not attend the Sept. 23 meeting unless invited by Keweenaw County officials, since the county is a member of the WUPPDR regional commission.
"We want to be part of the process, and weíre more than willing to, but the bottom line is it takes money," Stoker said.
He added the main base of funding for WUPPDR comes from its members: the six counties, the cities of Houghton and Hancock, Calumet Township and Portage Township. Stoker said while
WUPPDR is a state regional planning agency, it is funded locally, and to his knowledge there is no state or federal funding available for the services it provides.
- Michele Anderson
August 30, 2000
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