Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP — The Ironwood Township Board of Trustees approved an update to the township’s zoning ordinance Monday.
The approval comes after the township’s planning commission recommended the adoption of the document’s latest draft in June.
Among the changes made by the commission during the revision process were: new language regarding the placement of wind energy in the township, a redefinition of blight to make it appropriate for the township, added penalties for nuisance and blight and changes to bring the ordinance in line with changes to state statutes.
There were several brief discussions throughout the meeting regarding the new ordinance.
One centered on what would happen to properties that were in compliance with the older ordinance but were in violation of the new version due to the changes made.
Darrin Kimbler, the planning commission’s vice chair, explained these properties would be grandfathered into the ordinance.
“(These would be in) the nonconforming-use chapter. Anybody who is not conforming to the new (ordinance) is now ... nonconforming,” Kimbler said. “Which means as long as they don’t change anything they’re within their rights to continue doing that.”
Kimbler said any updates to the nonconforming property would require the property be brought up to the current requirements.
There was also a discussion regarding how revisions to the ordinance would be handled going forward. The consensus was the township will likely address any significant issues as they arise.
The ordinance goes into effect one week after the township legally posts the ordinance.
In other action:
— The board approved a resolution raising the limit on the township’s credit card from $1,000 to $3,000.
— The board approved another resolution allowing the township to obtain financing for the purchase of a tractor. At the board’s last meeting, it approved the purchase of a John Deere 4044R for $38,300.
— The board approved paying the Gogebic-Ontonagon Community Action Agency $500 for services for the upcoming year. According to information presented at the meeting, the township paid $500 for last year’s services too.
— The board also approved going out for separate asphalt bids for work on the township hall’s parking lot and fire department driveway.