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News from the Keweenaw Peninsula January 9, 2003 Text and photos © 2003 Keweenaw Now.

Keweenaw County Board names new Zoning/Planning commissioners

By Paul Freshwater and Michele Anderson

EAGLE RIVER -- The need for geographic balance and a recent clarification of voting rules for the Keweenaw County Zoning/Planning Commission led the County Board of Commissioners to increase the number of Zoning/Planning (Z/P) board members by one and to appoint two new members in addition to five returning appointees.

At their Jan. 8 meeting in Eagle River, the County Commissioners appointed new members Janet Shea and Richard Probst, Jr., both of Eagle Harbor Township, to serve on the Z/P Commission. Returning members are Bob Crampton of Allouez Township, Mark Pavlovich of Sherman Township, James Regis of Houghton Township, Robert Rippa of Allouez Township and Keith Walters of Copper Harbor. Retiring from the Z/P Commission was David Latvala of Mohawk.

Since it was recently clarified that the County Commissioner sitting on the Z/P board (presently Eric Bjorn of Allouez Township) cannot vote, the number of positions was expanded to seven in order to help assure monthly quorums and to help avert tie votes. The Zoning/Planning Commission, appointed by the County Board of Commissioners, is responsible for planning future development in the county and administering its zoning laws. Zoning Administrator Jane Pelto also sits in on the Z/P meetings but does not vote.

At their Dec. 17, 2002, meeting in the Courthouse in Eagle River, Zoning/Planning Commissioners discuss potential new Z/P members. Pictured at this meeting are, from left, Robert Rippa, Mark Pavlovich, Eric Bjorn, David Latvala, Zoning Administrator Jane Pelto and James Regis. The Z/P Board also adopted the Keweenaw County Land Use Plan, "Blueprint for Tomorrow," at this meeting. (Photo by Michele Anderson)

The County Commissioners recently advertised that they would accept applications from residents interested in serving on the Z/P Commission.

In a Dec. 16, 2002, letter to the County Board of Commissioners, Janet Shea, who has been active on two township land use planning committees, expressed her interest in serving on the Z/P Commission to represent Eagle Harbor Township.

In her letter, Shea states, "The land use planning process that the County has been engaged in over the past year has raised citizens' awareness of the coming challenges that will have an impact on our quality of life, property values and economic development far beyond our current generation. Much remains to be done to strengthen the Plan upon which County zoning laws and enforcement are based. I am committed to staying involved."

Shea adds that she served as a volunteer on the Grant Township, Eagle Harbor Township and County Land Use Advisory Committees and gained an in-depth understanding of the intent of the Land Use Plan as it was being framed and drafted. (The Z/P Commission recently adopted the "Blueprint for Tomorrow" Land Use Plan for Keweenaw County, with the endorsement of the County Board of Commissioners.)

Besides doing considerable research on land use planning and zoning in similar townships and counties, Shea has posted informative documents about land use planning on her Web site, Keweenawland.com. While a resident of Eagle Harbor Township, Shea is a Copper Harbor business owner and therefore takes an interest in Grant Township issues as well.

The Z/P Commission recommended Richard Probst, Jr., of Eagle Harbor, for a Z/P appointment during their Dec. 17 meeting.

After that meeting, Probst commented that he would be pleased to serve on this board.

"I think it'll be a good place to start to get involved with what's going on in the community," he said.

Probst -- who manages the Eagle Harbor Inn, owned by his parents, Mary and Dick Probst -- said he wasn't involved in the land use planning but believed it was a good idea.

"I think that's the way it's got to be. You've got to have goals to achieve," he noted. "I know that everybody did a tremendous job putting that together."

The Board of Commissioners also decided to reduce membership on the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), which hears appeals regarding county zoning laws. Again the purpose is to achieve an odd number of votes (in this case five) to help avert tie votes. Former sixth ZBA member Clyde Wescoat was elected to the Board of Commissioners in the November 2002 election. Returning members are Pauline Johnson of Mohawk; Frank Kastelic of Sherman Township; Marilyn Marshall of Eagle Harbor; James Regis of Houghton Township, representing the Zoning/Planning Commission; and James Vivian, Jr., of Eagle River.

The Board of Commissioners considered recommendations from some township officials as well as comments from an audience of about two dozen citizens who applauded the group's unanimous decisions at the conclusion of the meeting. The Commissioners indicated they hoped, when making future appointments, to continue to hear from townships affected.

Although by law geographic balance in appointments is not required, county residency is required of only two-thirds of Zoning/Planning board members. 

Five members of the 2003 Keweenaw County Board of Commissioners were sworn in on January 8, including new member Clyde Wescoat of Copper Harbor, who replaces retiring member Jeffrey Turnquist. Elected unanimously as officers were Chairman Frank Stubenrauch of Ahmeek and Vice Chairman Gordon Roberts of Allouez Township. The Board also assigned each of its members as liaison to a number of county boards and other area service agencies. These include Eric Bjorn of Mohawk as ex officio member of the County Zoning/Planning Commission and Donald Keith of Eagle Harbor as representative to the Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region. The board voted to keep its monthly meeting date on the second Wednesday, with the Ways and Means Committee meeting the preceding Monday.

Among several items of other business, the County Commissioners agreed to join a suit by all Michigan counties against Ameritech, who wants to collect a fee for each 911 call made using its system. Keweenaw authorized suit fees of up to $1,000, if needed, from the county's 911 fund paid for by the cellular phone companies. All 14 Upper Peninsula counties have now joined the suit.

Learn more about the co-author of this article, guest columnist Paul Freshwater.

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