Zoning change along Bradley Highway introduced for first reading

A proposed change to the zoning map in Rogers City for US-23 property owned by Dick Bennett was introduced for a first reading Monday by members of the Rogers City Council. The proposal, to change two parcels from general business (B-3) to light industrial (I-1), was discussed by the Rogers City Planning Commission early in the fall. It took two meetings, but on October 13 the planning commission recommended approval to the city council. At the request of Bennett, so he could attend a meeting, he asked that it be tabled until he could be there to comment on the change.

Bennett was in attendance Monday and the issue was brought back on the table, which resulted in quite a bit of dialogue between councilmen Gary Nowak and Karl Heidemann — both with differing opinions. Heidemann would prefer staying with the master plan, which he believes will benefit the future growth of the city, while Nowak believes action needs to be taken now to improve economic conditions.

?I DON?T UNDERSTAND why it?s considered anti-business to be pro-plan,? Heidemann said. ?I think planning is the most pro-business thing you can do for a community.? Heidemann said prior councils, on which councilman Nowak sat, took into consideration the needs of the community when creating a master plan and it should adhered to.

A change from B-3 to I-1 in the areas being proposed would reduce a substantial portion of the B-3 district, Heidemann said. Nowak believes the time to act is now. ?I think we need to do everything we can to help anybody,? Nowak said. ?If it means rezoning the whole town, we?ve got to do something or we?re going to die. There?s a lot of businesses in this town that are on a shoestring (budget). ?If we don?t do something to help somebody sell their property like Dick, and possibly sell it to some developer, we?re going to go down the tubes. We need people. How do you get them? You get them through jobs.?

THE INTENT of a general business district is to provide sites for diversified business types and it is often located so as to serve passerby traffic. The B-3 district is intended to prohibit establishments which require outdoor storage of goods and materials. Light industrial is designed primarily to accommodate wholesale activities, warehouses, and industrial operations. After trying to sell the property for years, Bennett believes there is no interest in the parcels as B-3 and that?s why he requested the zoning change. The last inquiry about the property as I-1 was a couple of years ago, Bennett said. Several years ago, the land was cleared to make way for the future home of Vogelheim Lumber Company, but that deal fell through.

Bennett defended the change, saying the rezoned area is 10 acres, but 100 feet back it?s already light industrial. Mayor Beach Hall said one of the reasons the planning commission made the rezoning recommendation was because of the support Bennett received from neighboring business owners. ?I think there?s nothing worse for the economic development of the city than for this council, and any other body in the city to give every businessman anything they want, anytime they ask for it, regardless of whether it makes sense to a master plan,? said Heidemann. ?I think that?s contrary to good business, because all the other surrounding businesses depend upon that plan for their business.?

NOWAK SAID if Bennett gets one job up on the property by selling the property ?it?s well worth us changing it.? ?I feel that, if any person in Rogers City has a chance to sell their property, we should do everything to help them,? said Nowak. ?They are not going to be in competition with the Renaissance Zone

because there are too many perks up there. There?s no water and sewer at Mr. Bennett?s.? Heidemann didn?t see any justification or evidence that there?s a need for more industrial property. ?We have a sufficient amount of industrial property that provides great benefits to people who want to locate here,? Heidemann said. ?I don?t see any justification for making the change, so I would certainly vote against it.? Council accepted the recommendation of the planning commission and introduced the zoning map change for first reading, which enters it into the record, on a 4-1 vote. Heidemann voted ?no? on both motions.

In a separate motion, city attorney Mike Vogler was asked to see if the city can approve a zoning map change without amending the master plan. That was approved on a 5-0 vote. Vogler said ?My impression, in dealing with these questions before, is that you don?t have to change the master plan.?

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