Let Township Officials Know You Don’t Want a Mine that Creates Very Serious Consequences in Sharon Township
Sharon Preservation Society will be collecting signatures on a petition which will be delivered to the Board of Trustees and Planning Commission prior to a decision regarding a 400-acre gravel mine.
The petition language is below.
If you wish to sign the petition:
- Open and print the petition, fill out one signature line and mail it to: Sharon Preservation Society, PO Box 1, Chelsea MI 48118
OR
2. Look for a copy of the petition in the mail this fall.
If you have questions, contact us.
PETITION LANGUAGE
Petition for submission to the Sharon Township Board of Trustees, prior to its decision on the application for a Special Land Use Permit to mine 400 acres on Pleasant Lake Road.
I, the undersigned, am a resident of Sharon Township Michigan.
I understand that:
- Sharon Township’s Zoning Ordinance for the Extraction of Natural Resources (Section 5.12) requires that an aggregate mining operator apply for a Special Land Use Permit in order to mine sand and gravel in the township.
- The ordinance balances the need for aggregate material against the very serious consequences that can result from aggregate mining. Very serious consequences are defined in the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act.
- Sharon Township’s Planning Commission is expected to review an application for a Special Land Use Permit to create a 400-acre aggregate mine on Pleasant Lake Road, and that a final decision on the permit will be issued by the township’s Board of Trustees.
Further, I understand that:
- Should the Planning Commission’s review find that the proposed mine would create very serious consequences, the Board of Trustees has the legal right to deny the Special Land Use Permit.
- In such a case, the mining operator has the right to challenge the decision in court, and the township may incur legal expenses.
Understanding this:
- I would support the Board of Trustee’s decision to deny a Special Land User Permit for the proposed mine if it is determined that the mine would create very serious consequence for the township and its residents.