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Printer-Friendly ModeRezoning efforts stopped by Township majority
Yanca cites residential anger as reason for large turnout, referendum success
March 20, 2006 —
Kochville Township voters overwhelmingly rejected the Feb. 28 referendum to rezone 13.98 acres on the southwest corner of Pierce and Davis from single-family residential to mixed-use development.
Of the 781 valid ballots cast, over 74 percent, or 580, opposed the rezoning, while only slightly more than 25 percent, or 201, supported it. The defeat marked a blow for Campus Village Communities and investor John Leuenberger, who had hoped to build the $20 million expansion of the Cardinal Townhomes as well as 10 small businesses.
Kochville First member Stephen J. Yanca wasn't surprised by the outcome, although he conceded he did not expect the high turnout, which fell fewer than 100 votes short of the 2002 gubernatorial election.
"If someone said you were going to get close to 800 votes, they would have asked if you were nuts," said Yanca, professor of social work at SVSU.
Yanca said he believed the high turnout was fueled by resident anger over commercial expansion into residential areas, noting a 2000 residential survey that showed 77 percent of residents wanted to limit commercial expansion to the Bay and Tittabawassee corridor.
"This just doesn't belong this far off of Bay Road," Yanca said. "If the Board and developers had listened to (the survey), we wouldn't have gone through this."
Leuenberger had no comment, only expressing gratitude to those that voted in favor of the project.
A statement released by Supervisor Kenneth P. Bayne stated, "A strong majority has spoken and delivered a resounding mandate to their officials: Cardinal Corners, on the northeast fringe of the area master-planned for smart growth, is expanding smart growth too far."
The statement added that "Regardless of how we voted, we are still all residents of the same community and must co-exist together by showing respect and understanding of our personal differences as we strive to achieve common goals."
Gag order illegal?
Kochville Township has found itself amid controversy recently for allegedly adopting a gag order policy that would have forbidden Township officials, other than Bayne, from talking to media outlets.
However, Bayne denies that this is the policy, citing both state law and Township regulations. The revised Press Releases and Inquiries policy that was approved at the Township Board of Trustees meeting Feb. 27 states that only appointed members are included under the policy.
"The definition of a Board member means any member appointed by the Township Board (of Trustees)," Bayne says.
The policy would give the Township Board the power to remove appointed officials - such as those on the Planning Commission - that talk to the media, but would not apply to Board of Trustee members, as they are directly voted in by the citizens.
If the policy included Board of Trustee members, it would be illegal.
Bayne also says that while he has considered naming an official Township spokesperson, he has not definitely decided one way or another yet.