By Lisa Carolin
Lima Township’s Multiple Residences and Guest Houses Ordinance was amended by the Township Board in a unanimous vote at its Oct. 10 meeting. The amended ordinance does not allow guest houses in the township because of how difficult they are to enforce.
“The problem when we’ve allowed guest houses is they rapidly become another residence,” explained Township Supervisor Craig Maier.
The second part of the amended ordinance states that additional homes that have been allowed to be built on 40-acre and larger parcels, must now be split off on 5-acre lots.
Maier updated the board about Midwest Consulting’s engineering study of the Lima Township Hall property as to whether another building could be constructed on the site. The answer is yes. Now Maier is setting up a meeting with members of the Washtenaw County Road Commission to determine where a driveway would be located. This step would need to take place before a specific location of a possible new building on the property can be planned.
Regarding the dangerous radon levels inside the Township Hall building, Maier said he is awaiting prices on remediation from four companies that he contacted. Radon levels are 12.4 in the basement and 5.7 on the main level with the acceptable level being less than 4.0.
A representative from DTE spoke at the meeting regarding the pipeline construction across Dexter-Chelsea Road. The eastbound lane is shut down until the end of the year. He said their work is on schedule and that they need to have the pipeline completed by the end of the year for budgetary reasons.
