Manchester - Washtenaw County's New Banquet Hall Capital?

They're at it again.

The Manchester Planning Commission has requested a proposal from contracted planning advisers, Carlisle/Wortman, to change the wording in Manchester Township's A/R zoning ordinance, section 5.03 (Follow this link and go to section 5.03 to read it as it exists today beginning on page 43.), which would expressly allow banquet halls as a conditional use within the zoning ordinance.  This move comes on the heels of the Planning Commission's March 1st vote to allow a banquet hall under the undefined use of "country club house" in the ordinance, despite opposition from over 60 residents, as advised by Carlisle/Wortman planning consultant Andrea Bibby.  That decision resulted in a large group of residents filing a lawsuit against the planning commission and the township over the mishandling, misconduct, ordinance violations, and Open Meeting Act violations associated with the acceptance and erroneous approval of the conditional use permit application submitted by Dan and Carol Huntsbarger for a banquet hall facility at 13291 Tracey Road.  The applicants for the permit have since requested that it be revoked, and stated publicly that they will not be seeking approval to use the property in question as a banquet hall.  However, construction and facility improvements continue on the property and appear to be in accordance with the planning commission's latest move.  Area residents have speculated that this has been part of the plan for the project since the March 1st meeting, and have long questioned the incentive behind planning commission chairperson, Les Kopka's, motivation to push an approval through despite such strong opposition by township residents.

The new proposal from Carlisle/Wortman offers several options to the planning commission, the first of which would simply change the wording in the A/R zoning ordinance, section 5.03 item H, from "country club house" to "banquet hall".  This would allow anyone within the A/R zoning districts to apply for a conditional use permit for banquet hall purposes, opening up everyone in the township owning property in an A/R district the potential to operate, or be forced to live with the operations of, a banquet hall in an area historically used for agricultural and rural purposes.  Curiously, this is offered as the first, and presumably, most favored of the options presented by Andrea Bibby of Carlisle/Wortman, who previously dubbed the Huntsbarger project a "country club house", "special event facility", and now, a banquet hall.  Other options presented on the list include striking this allowance from the zoning all together, which seems incredibly unlikely given the determination shown  by Bibby of Carlisle/Wortman, planning commissioner and township board trustee candidate Pete Stumpo, and planning commission chair and township supervisor candidate, Les Kopka, to see that the Huntsbarger project gains approval at any cost.  While no dollar amount has been released for the total expenditures by the township for this particular conditional use permit application, approval process, and subsequent proposals and changes from Carlisle/Wortman, it is certain that the township has wasted a significant amount of time, resources, and township tax dollars pursuing the approval and changes required to allow the Huntsbarger's private venture.

It remains unclear why such a project, which will benefit only the applicants, and will severely disturb the quality of life for area residents, is being treated as a priority by our appointed and contracted representatives in the face of strong, consistent opposition by Manchester residents.  While the initial protest of 60+ people was comprised primarily of residents in the direct area of impact for the Huntsbarger project, the new proposal affects a much greater number of Manchester residents and is likely to produce a far greater demonstration of disapproval.  This is a very odd move by commissioner Stumpo and chairperson Kopka, who are both seeking election in other offices outside of the planning commission.

 

Below are links to the Planning Commission's March 1st meeting minutes, and the audio from July's planning commission meeting where these changes were discussed - it's a must listen for everyone within the township.

Find the Manchester Township Planning Commission meeting minutes here (NOTE: meeting minute availability is limited due to township personnel constraints) 


Listen to the full July 12, 2012 Planning Commission Meeting here - how your planning commission and advisers plan to allow banquet hall facilities in your neighborhood. 



Related links:

http://heritage.com/articles/2012/03/02/manchester_enterprise/news/doc4f50fa306e638277268641.txt

http://www.wireenterprise.blogspot.com/2012/03/strange-vote-at-manchester-township.html