Planning Commission Meeting Packet

HTPC Meeting Agenda — Draft

Helena Township Planning Commission

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Agenda

• Call to Order
• Pledge of Allegiance
• Roll Call
• Approval of Agenda
• Conflicts of Interest
• Approval of Minutes from August 6, 2026
• Communications
• Public Comment (3-minute limit)

Zoning Administrator Report

See attached Zoning Report.

1. Data Centers - new information
2. Training In Banks Township
3. Multi PC Collab for data center discussion
4. Zoning Amendment Procedures – review
5. FYI: Municipal Civil Infraction Ordinance approved at board level - regulatory ordinance. Effective date: 9.26.26
6. FYI: Nuisance Ordinance - regulatory ordinance (Jackie drafting - 1st version has been turned into board and attorney for review.

Old Business

1. Definitions (Faye and Rachel)
2. Data Centers - next steps
3. Zoning ordinance discrepancies - typos, wording, references (ongoing)
4. Minutes production procedure (Clerk to ZA, ZA makes changes, ZA to clerk for publication.
5. Approval of minutes process (Clerk to ZA, ZA to PC Chair, PC Chair to ZA, ZA to Clerk)

New Business

1. Bylaws- review Milton Township's
2. Meetings go to every week
3. No July Meetings
4. Change MAT to MTA
5. Add Robert's Rules?
6. Sign In Sheet

Next meeting: October 1, 2026 7pm

Adjourn

Minutes are posted on helenatownshipmichigan.gov

Draft

Helena Township Planning Commission Meeting Minutes

Helena Township Planning Commission minutes are posted at www.helenatownshipmichigan.gov

1. Call to Order

Chair D. Hunstad welcomed those attending in person and by Zoom, reviewed the meeting decorum and the three-minute public-comment guideline and called the meeting to order at approximately 7:03 PM.

2. Pledge of Allegiance

All present participated.

3. Roll Call

Present: D. Hunstad, F. VanBerg, J. Gurr, J. Schilling, R. Wanstreet.

Absent: R. Byron, D. Whipple.

Also present: Zoning Administrator J. Petersen; former Zoning Administrator R. Logee; Township Supervisor B. Peeples; members of the public.

4. Introduction of New Planning Commission Member

Chair Hunstad welcomed newly appointed member Rian Wanstreet. Wanstreet briefly described her background in public policy/public administration, local and regional government, research, and prior and current service with Parks & Recreation.

5. Approval of Agenda

Motion by F. Vandenberg to approve the agenda as presented. Motion was seconded (not identified in the recording). All in favor. Motion carried.

6. Conflicts of Interest

No conflicts of interest were declared.

7. Oath of Office

Supervisor Peeples administered the oath of office to Planning Commission members who elected to take it. Completed oath forms were signed for Township records.

8. Approval of Minutes from July 2, 2026

Four corrections were identified: the meeting date was corrected from June 2 to July 2, 2026; D. Whipple was corrected from present to absent; F. Vandenberg was corrected from present to absent; and A. Stuart’s surname spelling was corrected.

9. Communications

J. Gurr reported receiving recognition from the Michigan Association of Planning for twenty years of involvement. No additional communication was reported. The Antrim County Planning Commission did not meet during the month, so no county report was available.

10. Public Comment

• A representative of the Alden Run organizing committee thanked J. Gurr for assistance with overflow parking during the recent event, which helped preserve convenient parking for election voters.
• A resident who had completed the Citizens Planner program encouraged the Commission to reflect on the training, consider opportunities for process improvement, and potentially use a subcommittee or additional public input to strengthen Planning Commission practices. Chair Hunstad asked the resident to provide him with the list of suggested improvements for his review.
• Supervisor Peeples announced the passing of longtime community member Jack Finley and requested a moment of silence. He also announced Election Inspector training scheduled for September 29 and encouraged residents to serve as paid election inspectors. Contact the Clerk for more details.
• B. Wiedemeyer raised concerns regarding short-term rentals near his property, including noise, conduct, enforcement limitations, and the effect on neighboring residents. He asked the Township to consider a permit or licensing structure and meaningful enforcement mechanisms. Chair Hunstad asked whether a homeowners association existed where Wiedemeyer resides. Wiedemeyer stated that one exists but has been inactive for approximately 30 years.
• K. Tomlinson raised concerns regarding blight in Alden, including deteriorated or poorly maintained properties near her home, and asked the Commission to address the issue through planning and enforcement tools.

11. Zoning Administrator Report

a. Transition / Zoning Report

J. Petersen and R. Logee reported that the transition to Petersen as Zoning Administrator was proceeding well. A sample ordinance/material from Milton Township was provided for reference.

b. Food Trucks

The anticipated special-use request involving a food truck was no longer moving forward, so no action was required.

c. Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)

Petersen asked the Commission to address Accessory Dwelling Units in the ongoing zoning-definition review. The existing ordinance repeatedly references living quarters but does not clearly define ADUs. The Commission agreed the term should be evaluated as part of the definitions project, and additional time will be allowed before the public-hearing stage.

12. Old Business

a. Definitions

F. VandenBerg reported that she and R. Byron had been reviewing and updating ordinance definitions. Work includes updating terminology, aligning references with current Michigan statutes, standardizing capitalization/formatting, and correcting grammar and spelling without intentionally changing the substance of existing definitions.

J. Petersen and Commission members will continue reviewing the draft, including whether additional definitions such as ADUs are needed. The draft is intended to be posted for public review before a future public hearing, likely no sooner than approximately two meetings.

b. Data Centers / Renewable Energy and Battery Storage Language

The Commission conducted a detailed line-by-line review of the proposed amendments, correcting lettering/numbering, capitalization, cross-references, references to the Township Board, and formatting. Discussion clarified that the Planning Commission’s work remains a recommendation until completion of the statutory review process and Township Board action. The next step is review by the Antrim County Planning Commission.

c. Fire / Emergency Access Ordinance

Chair Hunstad reported that he had discussed the matter with Fire Chief Jesse Lane and had not yet received a completed response. Petersen advised that the proposed ordinance is expected to be handled as a police-power ordinance originating with the Township Board rather than as a zoning ordinance. By consensus, the Planning Commission will remove the item from its active old-business list unless the Fire Department, attorney, or Township Board returns it to the Commission.

d. Blight Ordinance

Petersen reported an upcoming meeting with Township counsel regarding the proposed blight ordinance. Because it is also expected to be a police-power ordinance, the matter will primarily proceed through the Township Board/attorney. Discussion referenced ongoing concern about deteriorated properties in the Alden area and the difficulty of addressing conditions on private property.

e. Municipal Civil Infraction Ordinance

The Municipal Civil Infraction Ordinance / police-power ordinance material was included in the packet for informational purposes only. No Planning Commission action was taken.

13. New Business

a. Minutes Production Procedure / Approval of Minutes

Chair Hunstad reported on a meeting with J. Petersen, Supervisor B. Peeples, and Clerk O. Leffew regarding a revised minutes workflow. Meeting recordings will be used to generate a draft summary rather than a verbatim transcript. Before public posting, the draft will be reviewed by two Planning Commission members. The Chair will serve as one reviewer each month and a second Commission member will rotate. The full Planning Commission will retain final authority to approve the minutes at its next regular meeting.

b. Meeting Packet Preparation

The Planning Commission’s final agenda and meeting packet are to be provided to the Township Clerk approximately five days before the scheduled meeting, when practicable, to allow for final preparation and public posting. The Township Clerk is responsible for posting the final agenda and meeting packet on the Township website no later than 48 hours before the scheduled meeting, allowing Commission members and the public adequate time for review.

c. Add-Ons to Meeting Agenda

The Commission agreed that substantive items received after the packet deadline will generally be placed under New Business for the following month rather than added at the last minute. The intent is to provide Commission members and the public with adequate notice and review time before Commission action.

d. Zoning Ordinance Discrepancies

Chair Hunstad reported finding numerous typographical errors, inconsistent references, and wording inconsistencies in the zoning ordinance. The Commission discussed treating ordinance cleanup as an ongoing project rather than waiting for a periodic comprehensive review.

e. Cancellation of July Meetings

Chair Hunstad proposed eliminating the regular July meeting because July attendance is routinely affected by the Independence Day period, summer visitors, and member availability. Public comment suggested retaining flexibility for a later July meeting if needed. The Commission noted that special meetings may still be scheduled when necessary.

14. Next Meeting

The next regular Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 3, 2026, at 7:00 PM. Members indicated that the 7:00 PM meeting time is an improvement over the former 5:00 PM start time and will continue.

15. Adjournment

Chair Hunstad adjourned the meeting at approximately 8:11 PM.

Prepared by Oryana Leffew from the August 6, 2026 meeting agenda, recorded transcript, and meeting recording for Planning Commission review.

Data Center Readiness Self-Assessment Version 1 — June 2026

How Likely is a Data Center Developer Interested in My Community?

A five-question self-assessment for Michigan local governments created by the Quello Center for Media & Information Policy at Michigan State University.

Ask your leadership team these five questions to gauge whether your community is a likely site for data center development — and how much planning energy to invest now. Mark YES or NO for each.

1. Energy Readiness

Have we confirmed through our energy provider (DTE, Consumers, or our electric co-op) that they can deliver 10 MW and 100 MW of new load within two years — AND do high-voltage transmission lines run within several miles of a developable site?

Co-op communities: your 100 MW answer depends on your generation and transmission supplier — see reverse.

☐ YES     ☐ NO

2. Fiber Connectivity

Does high-capacity fiber run through or near our community or are we on or near a major long-haul fiber route?

☐ YES     ☐ NO

3. Available Land

Do we have contiguous, flat, developable land that is already zoned industrial or readily rezoned, with road access for heavy construction traffic?

How much land you have shapes the scale of facility you’re a candidate for — see reverse.

☐ YES     ☐ NO

4. Water

Can a likely data center site get the water it needs — whether from our (or another) municipal system with surplus capacity or from adequate groundwater?

☐ YES     ☐ NO

5. Regulatory & Political Readiness

Do we have a predictable permitting process — clear industrial zoning with a known approval path — AND is our local leadership generally welcoming to large industrial development?

Public sentiment matters too but plays a different role — see reverse.

☐ YES     ☐ NO

How to Read Your Score

4–5 YES — Start planning now. A data center ordinance, zoning review, and community engagement framework should be priorities before a developer calls.

2–3 YES — Worth preparing. Maintain your utility relationship, build basic zoning literacy, and monitor regional activity. You are unlikely to be approached, but being prepared for large industrial projects is never a bad thing.

0–1 YES — Hyperscale risk is low. Smaller edge or colocation facilities remain possible, but your planning energy is better spent elsewhere.

If You Don’t Know an Answer

What each question is really asking — and who to contact to find out.

Q1 · Energy Readiness

Why this matters. The 10-vs-100 MW split is your key self-sorting signal: 10 MW but not 100 MW points to edge or colocation rather than hyperscale. For DTE and Consumers, 100 MW within two years is credible — both are expanding generation and can bring recently retired capacity back online — so a YES is meaningful. Co-op communities should treat their YES as provisional until their generation and transmission (G&T) supplier confirms. Transmission proximity helps but isn’t decisive. A utility relationship won’t reliably warn you of developer interest, since deals often move under NDA, but it’s how you get direct capacity answers.

If you don’t know, who to ask:

• Your utility’s large-load or economic development team (DTE, Consumers) — deliverability, timeline, and whether nearby transmission has capacity.
• Co-op communities: your distribution co-op — which will engage its G&T supplier as needed for the real 100 MW answer.

Q2 · Fiber Connectivity

Why this matters. A developer won’t run many miles of new high-capacity fiber to reach an isolated site — they’ll choose one already near a major route, so proximity is a potential screening factor. Being on or near a long-haul route is especially important; having more than one physically separate path can also be useful so there is network redundancy.

If you don’t know, who to ask:

• Your local broadband or fiber provider(s) — what runs through or near the community, and at what capacity.
• Merit Network — may be able to assist you in identifying high-capacity and middle-mile fiber routes in your area if your local Internet provider is not.

Q3 · Available Land

Why this matters. Land requirements scale with facility type, just like the power threshold. An edge or colocation site may need only 5-10 acres; a medium facility, roughly 20–50 acres; a hyperscale campus, 200+ contiguous acres. So limited land doesn’t put you out of the running, but it sorts you toward smaller facilities. The large hyperscale figure is not a building footprint: it reflects a multi-building campus with room to expand in phases, plus space for the on-site substation, water infrastructure, and a buffer between operations and neighbors (data centers are noisy). Contiguity and ready zoning often matter more than raw acreage because developers can assemble adjacent parcels.

If you don’t know, who to ask:

• Your local planning/zoning Administrator (or county planning/zoning if they administer your local planning) — current zoning, parcel sizes, and the rezoning process.
• Your economic development organization or land bank — available or readily assembled industrial sites or ag sites that could be rezoned through a special use permit, and any state or regional certified-site programs.

Q4 · Water

Why this matters. Water demand is set by the cooling design, not the facility itself: an air-cooled or closed-loop facility uses little water, while an evaporative one can consume hundreds of thousands of gallons a day. The source then determines how a high-water draw shows up — on a municipal system it can compete with residents for capacity; on a well it falls under Michigan’s large-quantity withdrawal rules and can draw down neighboring wells. So, water is seldom a hard physical gate in Michigan, but a high-water design will trigger community opposition — which makes this as much a sentiment question (see Q5) as a capacity one.

If you don’t know, who to ask:

• Your municipal water/wastewater utility or DPW — surplus capacity, if a site is on municipal service.
• Your regional EGLE District Office can answer inquiries about groundwater availability.

Q5 · Regulatory & Political Readiness

Why this matters. The decisive factors here are a predictable process and a welcoming leadership, because your board/council/commission holds approval authority. Industrial zoning and approval paths are the most actionable thing local governments control. A data-center-specific ordinance isn’t required, but a few communities have one in order to better address data center specific issues (e.g., noise). Public sentiment is important but is often secondary to developers: it raises the political cost to developers and officials and can bring delay, litigation, or electoral turnover, and occasionally tips a close decision — but it rarely decides on its own. So strong local support isn’t a green light, and strong opposition isn’t a guarantee against development; both mainly change the political temperature around a decision officials still make.

If you don’t know, who to ask:

• Your planning/zoning Administrator or your municipal attorney — current zoning and permitting path, and whether a data center ordinance is needed.
• Your regional planning agency, MSU Extension, or the Michigan Townships Association — may be able to assist with ordinance and zoning guidance.
• Your economic development organization — leadership’s posture and any prior experience with large industrial projects.

For Your Records

Completed by ______________________________

Role / title ______________________________

Date __________________     YES total ____ / 5

Data Center Readiness Self-Assessment Version 1 (June 2026) - Michigan Data Center Planning & Development Working Group. Prepared by the Quello Center @ Michigan State University.

Sample Data Center Ordinance Version 1.0

Note: This is a sample ordinance to regulate the development and operation of data centers within a township. These provisions may not suit the unique aspects of your township or may regulate too much or too little for your area. Adopting this ordinance without considering changes to fit your community is strongly discouraged and may have negative legal consequences. Please consult with your township attorney. Additionally, new information continues to come out often, so please check back periodically to see if there are newer versions of this sample.

TOWNSHIP OF _____________
ORDINANCE NO. _____
ADOPTED: ____________________
EFFECTIVE: EIGHT DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION AFTER ADOPTION

An Ordinance to amend the Township Zoning Ordinance to authorize Data Centers; to provide regulations and standards for Data Centers; to repeal all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith, and to provide an effective date.

TOWNSHIP OF ________________
________________ COUNTY, MICHIGAN

ORDAINS:

Data Center Ordinance Amendments to Township Zoning Ordinance

HTPC Bylaws – HTBOT 2026-07-09 - Adopted

Helena Township Planning Commission Bylaws

1. Name

This commission shall be known as the Helena Township Planning Commission.

2. Regular Meetings

The Planning Commission shall meet on the first Thursday of every month, except July, at 7:00 p.m. in the Helena Township Governmental Room.

3. Membership

The Planning Commission shall consist of seven (7) regular members appointed by the Township Supervisor and ratified by the Helena Township Board.

4. Terms of Office

Planning Commissioners shall serve one (1), two (2), or three (3) year terms as directed by the Helena Township Board. Terms shall expire June 30 of the applicable term year.

5. Commencement of Terms

Terms shall commence at the first meeting following appointment by the Helena Township Board and shall end when the term expires.

6. Election of Officers

At the April meeting, the Planning Commission shall elect from its membership a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and Secretary.

7. Chairperson

The Chairperson shall conduct all meetings according to Robert’s Rules of Order and applicable MTA guidance.

8. Vice Chairperson

The Vice Chairperson shall preside in the absence of the Chairperson.

9. Committees

The Chairperson may appoint committees as necessary. Such committees shall expire upon completion of the assigned work or at the end of the year unless extended by action of the Planning Commission.

10. Conflict of Interest

Before casting a vote on a matter in which a Planning Commission member may reasonably be considered to have a conflict of interest, the member shall disclose the potential conflict of interest to the Planning Commission.

Failure of a member to disclose a potential conflict of interest as required by these bylaws constitutes malfeasance in office.

11. Amendment of Bylaws

These bylaws may be altered, amended, or repealed by a majority of the Planning Commission members present and with the concurrence of the Helena Township Board.

Amendments Requested

• Meeting time changed to 7:00 p.m.
• Regular meetings changed to monthly, except July
• No regular Planning Commission meeting in July
• “MAT” corrected to “MTA”

Adoption

Adopted by the Helena Township Planning Commission on: June 4, 2026

Planning Commission Chair: D. Hunstad
Planning Commission Secretary: J. Gurr

Concurred in by the Helena Township Board on: July 9, 2026.

Township Supervisor: C.C. Peeples
Township Clerk: O. Leffew

Reference Material Included in the Helena Township Meeting Packet

Milton Township Planning Commission Bylaws

The following rules of procedure are hereby adopted by the Milton Township Planning Commission to facilitate the performance of its duties as outlined in the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, Public Act 110 of 2006, as amended.

Section 1: Officers

A. Selection and Tenure

At the first regular meeting each year, the planning commission shall select from its membership a chairperson, vice chairperson and secretary. All officers shall serve a term of one year, or until their successors are selected and assume office, except as noted in B and C, below. All officers shall be eligible for re-election for consecutive terms for the same office.

B. Chairperson

The chairperson shall preside at all meetings, appoint committees and perform such other duties as may be ordered by the planning commission.

C. Vice Chairperson

The vice chairperson shall act in the capacity of the chairperson in his/her absence. In the event the office of chairperson becomes vacant, the vice chairperson shall succeed to this office for the unexpired term, and the planning commission shall select a successor to the office of vice chairperson for the unexpired term.

D. Secretary

The secretary shall execute documents in the name of the planning commission, perform the duties hereinafter listed below, and shall perform such other duties as the planning commission may determine.

1. Minutes — The secretary shall be responsible for maintaining a permanent record of the minutes of each meeting and shall have them recorded in suitable permanent records maintained by the township clerk. The minutes shall contain a brief synopsis of the meeting, including a complete restatement of all motions and record of votes, conditions or recommendations made on any action and record of attendance.
2. Correspondence — The secretary shall be responsible for issuing formal written correspondence with other groups or persons, as directed by the planning commission. All communications, petitions, reports or other written materials received by the secretary shall be brought to the attention of the planning commission.
3. Attendance — The secretary shall be responsible for maintaining an attendance record for each planning commission member.
4. Notices — The secretary shall be responsible for issuing such notices as may be required by the planning commission.

E. Township Board Representative

The township board representative shall present the recommendations of the planning commission as required by the zoning ordinance, subdivision ordinance or other ordinance to the township board prior to their consideration of such request.

F. Zoning Board of Appeals Representative

The planning commission representative to the zoning board of appeals shall report the actions of the zoning board of appeals to the planning commission and update the zoning board of appeals on actions by the planning commission that relate to the functions and duties of the zoning board of appeals.

Section 2: Meetings

A. Regular Meetings

The planning commission shall hold not less than four regular meetings each year and by resolution shall determine the time and place of such meetings. Other meetings may be held as necessary. When a regular meeting falls on a legal holiday or upon a day resulting in a conflict, the planning commission shall, if possible, select a suitable alternate meeting date in the same month as the originally scheduled meeting.

Notice of regular or scheduled planning commission meetings shall be posted at the principal township office within 10 days after the planning commission’s first meeting each year in accordance with the Open Meetings Act.

B. Special Meetings

Special meetings may be called by the chairperson or upon written request to the secretary by at least two members of the planning commission. The business the planning commission may perform shall be conducted at a public meeting held in compliance with the Open Meetings Act. All costs of special meetings held to consider requests of applicants for approvals under the zoning ordinance (or for such other purposes as may be necessary) shall be paid by the applicant for such requests.

Notice of special meetings shall be given to the members of the planning commission at least forty-eight hours prior to the meeting. Such notice shall state the purpose, time and location of the special meeting and shall be posted in accordance with the Open Meetings Act.

C. Subcommittee Meetings

A permanent record of each scheduled subcommittee meeting shall be maintained as follows:

1. It shall be the responsibility of the subcommittee chairman to assure that a secretary for the meeting be appointed. If the subcommittee chairman does not appoint a secretary, it shall be deemed his/her duty to perform the job of secretary.
2. Any designated secretary for a meeting shall prepare minutes of the meeting.
3. Information to be recorded shall include but not be limited to the following:
   1. Date, time, and duration of meeting
   2. Attendance
   3. Points to be referred to the planning commission for further attention.
   4. Planned date and time of a subsequent meeting of the subcommittee.

CI. Speakers Addressing the Commission

The chairman has the prerogative to limit any speaker other than the commission members to three (3) minutes on any issue. At the Chair’s discretion, they may allow up to fifteen (15) minutes when speaking on behalf of a group. If abused, the chairman has the prerogative to call for adjournment of the meeting. The planning commission also has the prerogative to waive the restriction when deemed necessary.

CII. Public Records

All meetings, minutes, records, documents, correspondence and other materials of the planning commission shall be open to public inspection in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, except as may otherwise be provided by law.

CIII. Quorum

Four members shall constitute a quorum for transacting business and taking official action for all matters. Whenever a quorum is not present, those present may adjourn the meeting to another time and day, in accordance with the provisions of the Open Meetings Act, or hold the meeting to consider the matters on the agenda. No action shall be taken at a meeting at which a quorum is not present.

CIV. Voting

An affirmative vote of the majority of the planning commission membership is required to adopt any part of the master plan or amendments to the plan (MCL 125.328). Unless required by statute, other actions or motions placed before the planning commission may be adopted by a majority vote of the membership in attendance, as long as a quorum is present. Voting shall be by voice vote; a roll call vote shall be required if requested by any commission member or directed by the chairperson. All planning commission members, including the chairperson, shall vote on all matters, but the chairperson shall vote last.

H. Agenda

Staff or the chairperson shall be responsible for preparing an agenda for planning commission meetings. Agendas shall be provided to planning commission members and posted to the website seven (7) days prior to the scheduled meeting.

I. Public Hearings

All public hearings held by the planning commission must be held as part of a regular or special meeting of the planning commission. The following rules of procedure shall apply to public hearings held by the planning commission:

1. Chairperson opens the public hearing and announces the subject.
2. Chairperson summarizes the procedures/rules to be followed during the hearing.
3. Applicant presents the main points of the application.
4. Township planner/engineer/other consultants/subcommittee present their report and recommendation.
5. Questions from Planning Commission to applicant or staff.
6. Members of the public provide comment on the application.
7. Chairperson closes the public hearing.
8. Planning commission begins deliberation and arrives at a decision.

To ensure everyone has the opportunity to speak, the chairperson may elect to allow persons to speak only once, until all persons have had the opportunity to speak, at which time the chairperson, in his/her discretion, may permit additional comments.

All comments by the public, staff and the planning commission shall be directed to the chairperson. All comments shall be related to the land use request; unrelated comments shall be ruled out of order.

A written notice containing the decision of the planning commission will be sent to petitioners and originators of the request.

Section 3: Duties of the Planning Commission

The planning commission shall perform the following duties:

A. Take such action on petitions, staff proposals and township board requests for amendments to the zoning ordinance as required.

B. Take such action on petitions, staff proposals and township board requests for amendments to the master land use plan as required.

C. Prepare an annual report to the township board.

D. Take such actions as are required by the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, Public Act 110 of 2006, as amended.

E. Review subdivision and condominium proposals and recommend appropriate actions to the township board.

F. Attend training sessions, conferences or meetings for which appropriations of funds have been approved by the township board.

G. Perform other duties and responsibilities or respond as requested by any township board or commission.

Section 4: Duties of the Zoning Administrator and Planning Consultant

A. The planning commission shall be assisted by the zoning administrator and/or planning consultant in performing the planning commission’s duties, as noted in Section 3.

B. The zoning administrator and/or planning consultant shall be responsible for the professional and administrative work in coordinating the functions of the planning commission.

C. The zoning administrator shall:

1. Supervise and review the work of the planning consultant and township staff.
2. Accept applications for matters to be reviewed by the planning commission and ensure that such applications are complete.
3. Forward application materials to the planning commission at least one week prior to the meeting at which the materials will be considered.
4. Inform the planning commission of administrative and enforcement actions taken on behalf of the township related to the zoning or other appropriate ordinance.
5. Attend planning commission meetings, subcommittee meetings and public hearings.
6. Consult with the planning commission and other township officials concerning interpretation, procedural questions and other matters arising from the zoning ordinance.
7. Prepare amendments to the zoning ordinance as directed by the planning commission.
8. Prepare and forward to the planning commission written reviews and recommendations, if appropriate, for all requests and development proposals to be considered.
9. Meet with applicants, their representatives and/or township officials as needed to properly perform project reviews.
10. Perform other duties as directed by the planning commission.

D. The planning commission may be assisted by other professional or township staff as needed, including the building inspector, township attorney, township engineer or other person or agency.

Section 5: Absences, Removals, Resignations and Vacancies

A. To be excused, members of the planning commission shall notify the planning commission chairperson when they intend to be absent from a meeting. Failure to make this notification prior to the meeting shall result in an unexcused absence.

B. Members of the planning commission may be removed by the township supervisor, after a hearing, with the approval of the township board.

C. A member may resign from the planning commission by sending a letter of resignation to the township supervisor.

D. Vacancies shall be filled by the township supervisor, with the approval of the township board, as soon as possible following resignation or removal of a planning commission member. Successors shall serve out the unexpired term of the member being replaced.

Section 6: Conflict of Interest

A. Planning commission members shall declare a conflict of interest and abstain from participating in a hearing or deliberations on a request when:

1. A relative or other family member is involved in any request for which the planning commission is asked to make a decision;
2. The planning commission member has a business or financial interest in the property involved in the request or has a business or financial interest in the applicant’s company, agency or association;
3. The planning commission member owns or has a financial interest in neighboring property. For purposes of this section, a neighboring property shall include any property falling within the notification radius for the proposed development, as required by the zoning ordinance or other applicable ordinance; or
4. There is a reasonable appearance of a conflict of interest, as determined by the planning commission member declaring such conflict.

B. The planning commission member declaring a conflict of interest should state the nature of the conflict and whether he or she believes he or she could impartially consider the request before the commission. He or she should individually decide to abstain from any discussion or votes relative to the matter that is the subject of the conflict. The member declaring a conflict may absent him/herself from the room in which the discussion takes place, unless doing so would violate his or her constitutionally protected rights to participate. He or she should not make any presentations to the planning commission as a representative of the proposal.

Section 7: Amendments

These bylaws may be amended at any meeting by a vote of four members of the planning commission.

Adopted by the Milton Township Planning Commission at a regular meeting (January 14 2020).

Milton Township Planning Commission Bylaws — Draft 03.04.26. Included in the September 3, 2026 Helena Township Planning Commission meeting packet as reference material.