Paradise Township Planning Commission Passes ADU Ordinance with STR Restriction Removed, Village of Suttons Bay STR Committee Recommends STR Ordinance Changes, and Leland Township Planning Commission Considers Limiting the Size of Very Large Homes
This week on the GAD Top Three, we look at Paradise Township Planning Commission's new Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Ordinance that appears to allow short-term rental operation of ADUs if approved. Then, we'll look at the Village of Suttons Bay Short-Term Rental (STR) Committee's consideration to change its STR Ordinance. And lastly, the Leland Township Planning Commission's consideration to limit the square footage of very large homes sparks a lot of discussion.
1. Paradise Township Planning Commission Passes ADU Ordinance with STR Restriction Removed
In a split vote at their June 22nd Meeting (pages 1-2), the Paradise Township Planning Commission passed Accessory Dwelling Ordinance #20-05 (pages 5-6) to the Paradise Township Board with the removal of item 8 which read “The accessory dwelling or the principal dwelling shall not be used as a short-term rental”, a requirement of five acres from a ten acres maximum, and the requirement that “future lot split of the dwelling(s) shall only be approved if it complies with requirements in Article 1 General Provisions, Table 11a” (Paradise Township Zoning Ordinance, page 61). This ADU Ordinance did not make it onto the July 12th Paradise Township Board Agenda. Keep track of this issue as it progresses on the Paradise Township website.
2. Village of Suttons Bay STR Committee Recommends STR Ordinance Changes
The Village of Suttons Bay Short Term Rental Committee is currently reviewing the Village of Suttons Bay Short Term Rental Ordinance and has recommended the removal of some redundant language (View the proposed edits provided in the Village of Suttons Bay Council Regular Meeting Packet on July 17th, on pages 18-27). At the Village of Suttons Bay Council Meeting on July 17th (page 2) they discussed these recommendations as well as adding a Short-Term Rental (STR) section to their website to provide information and considered separating STRs into neighborhoods and districts, such as a commercial district. The Village of Suttons Bay Council did not take any action, the Suttons Bay Village Manager, Rob Larrea stated that he “will continue to work on the ordinance with a couple of tweaks.” If you would like to voice your position on these considerations, you can contact Suttons Bay Village Manager, Rob Larrea, at 231.271.3051, ext. 222, or by email at manager@suttonsbayvillage.org.
3. Leland Township Planning Commission Considers Limiting the Size of Very Large Homes
The Leland Township Planning Commission had extended discussion on a proposed Residential Lot Coverage Amendment (Q&A on the amendment) at their July 6th Special Meeting which would limit the square footage of homes in the township to limit the size of very large homes which is a concern that several citizens have expressed dating back to October 2017. Specifically, this would reduce allowable lot coverage in the R-2 district from 40% to 26.6% and citizens expressed concerns about this constituting a legal “taking”. After a lot of discussion, the Leland Township Planning Commission moved to authorize Leland Township staff to develop and present at the August 2nd Planning Commission Meeting “the necessary text t accompany the Residential Lot Coverage Amendment with adjustments from” the meeting that night “before sending it (the Residential Lot Coverage Amendment) to the Leelanau County Planning Commission for their review and comment.
