Township Board Denies SLU Permit

At a special meeting last night, the Sharon Township Board of Trustees voted unanimously to deny a Special Land Use (SLU) permit to Stoneco. On June 13, the township’s Planning Commission (PC) recommended the Board deny the permit. According to the township’s ordinance, the Board could have agreed with the PC’s findings and denied the application OR sent it back to the PC for further review, OR approved the application with or without conditions.

During the meeting, Board members referred to a letter sent by Stoneco on July 7. The letter offered a few conditions Stoneco would accept if it were granted the permit. Board members called the offers “too little, too late.”

It seems likely that Stoneco will legally challenge the decision. Over the last several years, Stoneco has directly or indirectly threatened to sue the township if the Board denied the permit; it has referenced legal action in recorded public hearings and in the letter it sent on July 7th. The litigious posturing is not limited to Sharon Township, as documented in local news outlets:

[Sharon Township] “Stoneco will be left with no option but to challenge the entire Sharon Township Mining Ordinance, and have it struck down as a violation of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act,” the letter (authored by Stoneco attorney states.” (MLive, April 12, 2022)

[Freedom Township] “The Stoneco attorney told the Planning Commisioners, “We’ll see you in court,” after a heated exchange regarding the setback requiremennts. (Manchester Mirror, Dec 14, 2020)

Sharon Preservation Society is grateful for the efforts and actions of the PC and Board; members have spent many, many hours reviewing information and documenting findings, all while carefully following the township’s ordinances and listening to the concerns of residents.