To view or leave comments on this story, click HERE.
(Editor’s Note: Peninsula Township Supervisor Maura Sanders reports in with news about our Planning and Zoning Administrator, shoreline regulations, the PDR committee, and a record-breaking year for Mission Point Lighthouse. Read on for this week’s update. -jb)
Old Mission Gazette is Reader Supported.
Click Here to Keep the Gazette Going.
Happy 2025, Neighbors!!
The Township has been busy through the wonky holiday calendar daze.
First and foremost, I would like to sincerely thank our outgoing Planning & Zoning Administrator, Tori Wolever. Tori is embarking on her next professional chapter with the Conservation Resource Alliance as an engagement specialist.
Upcoming Meetings
The Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) Selection Committee will be meeting on Monday, Jan. 6, at 4 p.m. in the conference room at the Township offices. Among other items, the agenda includes an update from Will Manty, our PDR administrator from the Grand Traverse County Regional Land Conservancy, on current PDR applicants.
View the agenda here and the meeting packet here. Going forward, these meetings will now have an agenda/packet assembled, and a recording secretary will be taking minutes.
The Planning Commission will hold their regular meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 7 p.m. at the Township Hall. Among other items, on the agenda is the DRAFT Intent and Purpose Statement for Shoreline Regulations. View the agenda and meeting packet here. If interested, please attend the meeting or watch it on the Township’s YouTube Channel here.
Updates from Down the Hall
Clerk’s Office: The next installment of the Peninsula Township Newsletter is being drafted right now. Becky, we are looking forward to publication!
Treasurer’s Office: Our Treasurer, Katie Clark, reminds us all that the winter tax bills are out. You have the option of paying online (there is a direct link on the Township’s home page), mailing your payment in, or dropping it off in the secure drop-box in front of the building. If you would like a receipt, just let the Treasurer’s office know. February 18 is the cut-off date for on-time payments.
Assessor’s Office: Sally Murray, our Township Assessor, is working on the new assessment rolls for 2025.
Planning and Zoning Office: Our Planner, Jenn Cram, is putting the packets together for a very busy January with the Planning Commission, Town Board, Ag Advisory Committee and the PDR Selection Committee.
Mission Point Lighthouse: 2024 was a record-breaking year for Lighthouse Gift Shop sales, which totaled $253,530.13. Ginger Schultz, our Lighthouse Manager, has informed me that 98 percent of those gift shop sales were from first time visitors to the Lighthouse.
As always, check the Peninsula Township website for updates, agendas, meeting minutes and info from all Township departments and services.
Stay warm, and have a great week!
Maura Sanders
Peninsula Township Supervisor
Phone: (231) 223-7323
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Mondays 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesdays – Thursdays 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Friday – Sunday and Holidays. If TCAPS is closed due to weather, Peninsula Township offices are closed at least until 10 a.m. Please check the website homepage for any updates.
Also Read…
SUPPORT YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSPAPER: I started Old Mission Gazette in 2015 because I felt a calling to provide the Old Mission Peninsula community with local news. After decades of writing for newspapers and magazines like the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Family Circle and Ladies' Home Journal, I really just wanted to write about my own community where I grew up on a cherry farm and raised my own family. So I started my own newspaper.
Because Old Mission Gazette is a "Reader Supported Newspaper" -- meaning it exists because of your financial support -- I hope you'll consider tossing a few bucks our way if I mention your event, your business, your organization or your news item, or if you simply love reading about what's happening on the OMP. In a time when local news is becoming a thing of the past, supporting an independent community newspaper is more important now than ever. Thank you so much for your support! -Jane Boursaw, Editor/Publisher, Old Mission Gazette
To keep the Gazette going, click here to make a donation.
To view or leave comments on this story, click HERE.
I strongly encourage residents read the meeting packet AND watch the 1/7/25 planning commission meeting on YouTube. The rewrite of the shoreline regulations is on the agenda. Many citizens have valid concerns about jurisdiction, enforcement, parking, grandfathering, lawsuits/cost to the township to name a few. Due to supposed complexity the township attorney did not give/want to give any definitive answers. When asked why the township was pursuing the answer was this is what the majority of people wanted per the 2019 survey (from which the Master Plan was derived). Note the survey response rate was less than 20%. The 2 survey questions asked:
1. Would township residents support or oppose an ordinance to regulate “OUTDOOR STORAGE” of docks, hoists, recreation vehicles on the shore or near the roadways.
2. How important is “STRICT ENFORCEMENT” of the ONE DOCK & TWO BOAT HOISTS PER 50 FEET OF SHORELINE”.
When asked about the existing ordinance Jen Cram answered “ONE DOCK PER PARCEL, ONE HOIST PER 50 FEET. AND MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT MEETING IT.”
CLEARLY THE ORDINANCE QUESTION (number of hoists) PEOPLE RESPONDED TO ON THE SURVEY WAS NOT CORRECT!!!!
Perhaps people are not meeting it because the township survey says two hoists & the ordinance indicates one! B
Due to this huge error & all the negative concerns/feedback the township had gotten on the potential rewrite, I would strongly request the township again survey the residents & ask very specific & accurate questions to determine how to proceed.
Have to wonder how the township extrapolated a need to rewrite & include so many more restrictions on an ordinance where citizens were just asked about regulated storage & enforcing number of docks/hoists.