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Editor’s Note: Peninsula Township Supervisor Maura Sanders reports on the fireworks ordinance, an upcoming ribbon-cutting ceremony, a scam alert, cooperative training with the Peninsula Township Fire Department and the U.S. Coast Guard and more. Big thanks to Maura for these weekly updates. Read on for this week’s note. -jb)
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June 26, 2026
The Agricultural Advisory Committee met last week on June 16th (view the meeting packet here). They discussed the progress of the (township) sign ordinance, the small processor language and recommendations, and the introduction of farm stay language. Please follow along on the Township’s YouTube channel (videos are available for 30 days following the meeting).
The Township Board (TB) held a special meeting on June 16th. The TB took up a FOIA fee appeal request and moved to deny the request with the fee determination being upheld. The TB discussed and approved the appointment of Planning Commission (PC) member Donna Hornerberger to serve on the Zoning Board of Appeals. The TB also accepted the resignation of long-time PC member Randy Hall. Thank you, Randy, for your years of diligent service and commitment to Peninsula Township, fair winds!
Peninsula Township is accepting letters of interest and/or resumes for an individual to serve on the Planning Commission. One position is open with the term through August 2027. Additional meetings may be scheduled. Applicants must be qualified electors of the township. Please submit a letter of interest and/or resume to Township Supervisor Maura Sanders, [email protected], or mail it to her at 13235 Center Road, Traverse City MI 49686 by 4 p.m. on June 30, 2026.
The Parks Committee met on June 24th with a packed agenda. There were several updates on the Old Mission Peninsula State Park, new parks signage, dogs off leash issues, and the parks ordinance update. Additionally, they discussed the ribbon cutting for the Hemlock Wing at Pelizarri Natural Area:
Please Join Us for a Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony to Celebrate the Grand Opening of the Hope for Hemlocks Sustainable Boardwalk at the John Spencer Trail at Pelizzari Natural Area on Monday, August 10, 2026, at 6 p.m.
**Please be mindful of our Peninsula Township Parks Regulation Ordinance #57 (this is for all public properties within the township, including DNR land and MDOT beaches) and the Fireworks Ordinance #51. We receive the same questions every year. Reminder: No pets off leash and No fires/camp fires. Please call the non-emergency number, (231) 922-4550, to report a violation. Please call 911 if the situation warrants an immediate emergency response.**
Our County Drain Commissioner, Andy Smits, orchestrated the remediation of the washed out Haserot Beach drain culvert. This was of significant health and safety concern to all beach patrons and adjacent landowners. Last evening at the Road Commission meeting, Andy requested and the Road Commission unanimously approved moving forward with the petition to extend the Old Mission drainage district through the proper drain code process. Thank you to the Drain Commission and the Road Commission for their support of Peninsula Township.
The Peninsula Township Fire Department held joint training with the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station TC in Bowers Harbor this week. It was great to see our local and federal first responders out in and above the water!!
Updates From Down The Hall
The Treasurer’s Office is following up on the Supervisor’s PSA regarding a sophisticated phishing scam that has recently hit Peninsula Township and townships around the state. The treasurer’s office is the only accounts receivable department within the township office. We never request payment electronically and do not accept wire transfers. For permits, we accept payments in the form of check, money order or cash. For property taxes, you can pay by ACH or credit/debit card, but that is 100% customer initiated through the township’s website. If you have an outstanding tax invoice, you will receive an actual paper notice in the mail. We do not keep resident’s phone numbers or email addresses on file. If something looks or seems off, do not pay it. We would rather answer hundreds of emails or phone calls to validate the invoice than have a single resident lose money. Please call if you have any questions or concerns regarding a payment.
The Clerk’s Office Update: The summer newsletter hit mailboxes this week, and the clerk’s office is humming with work! The absentee ballots have arrived on schedule, and the clerk has successfully completed the preliminary accuracy testing with the election equipment that will be used on election day. Now the clerk’s office is preparing to mail the absentee ballots to everyone who is on the perm ballot list or has turned in an application to receive one. If you haven’t received yours by the end of next week, reach out to [email protected].
Looking Ahead To Next Week – And Beyond
The Peninsula Township Summer 2026 Newsletter has hit the mail (or your email). Click here to view the current previous newsletters. We hope you enjoy the summer edition as it is full of great information and updates from around the township! Thank you to our Clerk, Becky Chown, for another fabulous newsletter!
The Peninsula Community Library (PCL) will be hosting a celebration as a part of the Sharing the Spirit of America event. They are hosting a reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 8th, the date in 1776 that the document was first read aloud. PCL is registered for this nation-wide event which will happen on the front porch of the library at 6 p.m., a synchronized time across the State. Peninsula resident Jane Boursaw will start us off and end with a few patriotic songs, and the event will be followed by cherry pie for all. The event is supported by Michigan Humanities, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The Meijer Festival of Races will take place on Saturday, July 11, 2026. Sections of Peninsula Drive used for the Half Marathon and 15K routes will be closed or heavily restricted while runners are on the course from 7 – 10:30 a.m. Peninsula Drive generally re-opens to drivers progressively as runners move from north to south toward downtown Traverse City. Please direct any questions to Mandy DePuy, Marketing and Communications Manager, (231) 947-4230, or email [email protected].
The TB and the Planning Commission will hold a special meeting with MSU Extension and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) to host an education session regarding the Right to Farm Program and Generally Accepted Agricultural and Management Practices (GAAMP) on July 13th from 12 – 3 p.m. This will help inform and educate the PC during the planning process for the zoning ordinance re-write in the agricultural district based on recommendations from the Township’s Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC).
Old Mission Peninsula School is Now Enrolling! Come experience Old Mission Peninsula School in person! Take a tour with our Administration and let them show you everything OMPS has to offer and why our students love to learn!
Log Cabin Day will take place on Sunday, June 28th, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Please come out and take a step back in history with music, poetry, craft demonstrations and children’s activities! More information is available at the Old Mission Peninsula Historical Society website or on the Gazette here.
Please keep an eye on all upcoming meetings via the Township website and our live streamed meetings (saved for 30 days on our YouTube Channel.)
Have a great weekend, neighbors!! 🌻
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…
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Randy Hall deserves a lot of thanks for his work on the Planning Commission. He would always come to the meetings well prepared on the subject matters. Thanks for your service.
Maura,
In 2022, while the Citizens Advisory Committee was drafting Ordinance 201, it invited Hoag to give a presentation to educate the committee. Before that meeting, Grant Parsons submitted a letter expressing his “fervent hope that Mr. Hoag stay as far away from discussing the application of GAAMPs & the Right to Farm Act as possible”
https://www.peninsulatownship.com/uploads/1/0/4/3/10438394/03-24-22_citizens_ag_advisory_committee_packet_addition.pdf
That letter appears to have attempted to influence not only what the presenter discussed, but also what questions the committee would ask.
Although the Township emphasized transparency throughout the process, no meeting minutes were taken, and the presentation was not livestreamed. As a result, the public has no way of knowing what was ultimately presented, what topics may have been omitted, or the extent to which PTP influenced the committee’s understanding while it drafted Ordinance 201.
Because the lawsuit is still ongoing, I have several questions:
Will Hoag’s upcoming presentation be limited or altered because of the pending litigation?
Will the topics covered or the discussion again be monitored or coordinated as part of the Township’s legal strategy with PTP?
Will detailed meeting minutes be taken?
Will the meeting be livestreamed or otherwise recorded so the public can see the full presentation and discussion?
You have previously stated that people deserve the respect of a response. I hope you will respond to these questions and explain what steps the Township will take to ensure this process is transparent and open to the public.