The Lyndon Township Board May 11 regular meeting was a busy one for elected officials who discussed and voted on topics that ranged from approval of a 30-year Consumer’s Energy electric franchise agreement to the approval of a consolidated fee schedule for township zoning activities.
Zoning Administrator Scott Pacheco reported that he had issued 6 permits in the month of April, but neither the Zoning Board of Appeals nor the Planning Commission met due to lack of business.
In the upcoming months, the Planning Commission was directed by the Township Board to revisit the township’s zoning ordinance to review the current fence definitions and look at the fee requirements for permitting.
They also asked that the requirements for sheds and interior sidewalks be reviewed as well.
Specifically, the board requested that planning commission look at the definitions of types of fencing and where they are located on a property when it pertains to permitting fees.
So, for example, while there was agreement that a fence on a property line should continue to require a permit perhaps a small interior fence that protects a vegetable or flower garden from varmints or is added as a decorative item might be excluded from the current $75 permit fee.
The township board does not want the ordinance to be one that residents will ignore because it’s overly restrictive.
Although this issue has been briefly discussed previously, a longer discussion took place before the elected officials approved a more streamlined fee schedule presented by Pacheco.
Gary Munce of the township’s broadband Initiative reported that members of the group made a presentation to the Michigan Township Association and the township was featured in the MTA magazine. In addition, initiative members have been assisting other municipalities as they research improved Internet coverage for residents.
Munce said there were 13 news sign-ups for the broadband service in Lyndon Township and there are now a total of 915 households or between 90-95 percent of the township participating.
In addition, the board voted to apply for a $6,000 grant that would allow the township hall to provide meeting teleconferencing for township residents. If approved, the township would pay a 15-percent match for the ability to provide the service for residents who might like to see the public meetings but not attend in person in the future.
In other business, the township approved a 30-year renewal of a franchise agreement with Consumer’s Energy to provide electricity to the township and Stephanie Blatt, a consumer’s Energy representative also explained that in 2023 the company will replace a 55-mile natural gas pipeline that spans five counties, including Washtenaw and was built in the 1940’s. The 20-inch pipeline will be replaced with a 36-inch one and letters have been mailed to property owners who have the pipeline running through their property alerting them of the work that is expected to begin in 2023.
It will be a busy meeting month in June for the Lyndon Township Board.
The regular meeting on June 8 will be held via Zoom, then the elected officials will begin meeting in person for a budget workshop on June 17 and then will hold an in person budget public hearing on June 22 beginning at 7 p.m. inside Lyndon Township Hall. All current health department and CDC guidelines will be followed including social distancing and masks.
