Chapter 11:

Community Goals, Objectives, and Policies

Before a community puts forth a plan for its future growth and development, it must first determine the future needs and aspirations of community residents. It must also establish community-wide goals, objectives, and policies in response to these future needs and aspirations which support the community’s vision of its future. Without the foundation of goals, objectives, and policies, the Township Master Plan is little more than a colorful map. The following sets forth goals which describe the ultimate purpose or intent of the Suttons Bay Township Master Plan, as well as objectives to help the Township achieve its goals. Policy statements are also provided to guide the future review of development proposals and direct specific actions of the land use policy makers of the Township during the twenty-year planning horizon.

The Master Plan truly is a “Community Vision Plan” in that many individuals and groups throughout Suttons Bay Township made suggestions that were incorporated in the final Master Plan. This community input into the planning process was valued highly by those responsible for the plan’s preparation, in that the residents of the Township are well educated, informed, and comprise an involved constituency concerned with the many local issues paramount in the community today.

One of these issues is the protection of natural features, particularly those that shape the scenic character of the Township. Scenic vistas are prevalent throughout the entire Township. Inland lakes and streams and Grand Traverse Bay make these vistas even more spectacular. The scenic vistas on Stony Point and along the major roads of the Township provide the visual reminder of the rural character of the community. This is the “Image” that forms the lasting impression for the visitor and the reason for being for the permanent resident. These rural scenes form the memorable small town and rural character of the Township.

Land use changes over the large expanse of the entire Township seem incrementally small when viewed individually; however, when these changes are viewed collectively, their impact is large. The cumulative effect of rapid land use changes has produced; a loss of small town, hamlet, and rural character; increased congestion and sprawl; degradation of the environment; and strained public services. The desire to take a more active role in shaping the future development of the community has prompted the creation of this Master Plan.

Community Vision Goals

Achieving a shared vision for the future of Suttons Bay Township is a critical goal of this master planning process. To paint a complete picture of community opinion, a sample group of 815 Township and Village residents were issued a survey in August 1997. Approximately 30 percent of those surveyed responded. To sharpen specific areas of focus, community stakeholders were interviewed to add their unique perspective on issues related to land development. They included officials of neighboring communities, holders of critical land, developers, and representatives of business and philanthropic interests. The previous chapter and the appendix include a summary and detailed result of the stakeholder interviews, respectively.

To understand the context of these opinions, a series of background studies covering the Township were completed by the planning team to examine past, current, and future trends. These studies were separately presented to the Township and Village Planning Commissions. On June 6, 1998, the two commissions came together for a joint visioning session. Attendees were asked to assess community-wide strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. They were then asked to mentally leap twenty years ahead in time to express their vision of the future.

What follows is a recommended path for development that leads to the year 2020. Its course follows the common vision set by community leaders through intensive debate and discourse. Along this path are a series of guideposts that serve to provide direction to the Planning Commission in making sound land use decisions. These guideposts are hereafter referred to as policies. The intended object of reaching each checkpoint determines their placement. Moreover, they are supported with an examination of constraints and opportunities to implementation. Underlying the goal of the Suttons Bay Township planning program are two fundamental objectives: to facilitate responsible land development and to preserve and improve the unique rural character of the Township.

The Suttons Bay Township Planning Commission adopts the following goals to guide future development in the Township and to enhance the quiet, scenic and rural character of Suttons Bay Township.

Suttons Bay Township will:

Ø Guide new development in a manner that conserves natural features, open space, cultural, historical and environmentally sensitive areas, meets the long-term needs of the community, and does not create economic hardship on the land owner.

Ø Establish development guidelines that preserve and enhance current land values.

Ø Protect environmentally sensitive areas such as wetlands, lakes, steep slopes, and groundwater recharge areas from the impacts of incompatible development.

Ø Foster scenic and recreational opportunities that meet the needs of area residents and future generations.

Ø Protect agricultural lands from incompatible uses.

Ø Balance the rate of land development with the availability of public facilities and services such as roads and utilities.

Ø Encourage a variety of housing types, which meet the needs of a changing population, are integrated with the natural environment, and are compatible with existing neighborhoods.

Ø Encourage commercial development intended to primarily satisfy local market needs and provides a positive contribution to the local tax base without compromising the Township’s rural character.

Ø Encourage industrial development that provides a positive contribution to the local tax base and provides local jobs without compromising the Township’s rural character.

Ø Promote cooperation with and among other governmental units in the Grand Traverse Bay Region.

Ø Coordinate planning activities with the neighboring governments.

Ø Recognize that a planning sub-area is established around Peshawbestown. The sub-area will be jointly planned and coordinated with the Township and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.

The goals of Suttons Bay Township can be achieved if the Township adheres to the following objectives and related policies regarding agricultural lands, environmental features, residential, commercial and industrial land uses, community facilities and infrastructure.

Objectives and Policies Related to Agricultural Land Use

Objectives

Maintain an Agricultural Zoning District that discourages the development of non-agricultural, including non-farm single-family residential units in the most prime and unique agricultural areas.

Assist owners of prime and unique agricultural land to enroll their property into the State of Michigan Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program (Public Act 116) or other similar local farmland conservation program.

Encourage the use of overlay districts to preserve prime and unique farmland, forested areas of the Township, and other areas of special consideration.

Policies

Ø The Township shall encourage the preservation of active orchards and vineyards through the use of cluster development, and offer incentives for development proposals that utilize this type of open space preservation technique.

Ø The Township shall amend or revise the Agricultural Zoning District to embrace the primary functions of the Agricultural Land Use designation as a classification to protect agricultural land and to identify land that is not needed to serve projected growth of the Township. These areas are typically lands within the Township having minimal road access and no public sewer or water services. The agricultural land use classification is to be used by the Township to reserve existing farmland or forested areas for future use on land including those areas, which are, and continue to be, used primarily for agricultural pursuits, as well as agricultural processing activities.

Objectives and Policies Related to Environmental Features

Objectives

Preserve the Township’s scenic and rural character by minimizing the impacts of development on environmental features such as wetlands, woodlands, steep slopes, night sky and scenic views.

Require the retention of important farmlands, forestlands, and open space areas.

Protect the quality of surface and groundwater resources in the Township from development related impacts.

Protect Township residents and property from natural hazards associated with development that infringes on natural systems.

Policies

Ø Require the maintenance of undisturbed natural buffers around inland lakes, wetlands, and other sensitive environmental systems.

Ø Prohibit development on slopes greater than 25 percent and ensure adequate development controls for construction on slopes with an incline of 15 to 25 percent. Further, encourage hillside development to be designed in consideration of topography.

Ø Create incentives to foster the use of cluster designs to conserve scenic views, agricultural lands, wetland areas, and inland lakes, groundwater recharge areas, steep slopes and other environmentally sensitive areas.

Ø Encourage the use of native plant species and naturalized landscape designs, where appropriate, to enhance the community’s existing character.

Ø Encourage the retention of productive agricultural and forest lands through available mechanisms such as open space and farmland agreements, forest stewardship programs, and conservation easements, as well as local zoning incentives.

Ø Encourage the stewardship of privately owned forest lands, wetlands, inland lakes and other environmental systems.

Ø Encourage the establishment of a continuous open space system that interconnects public and private natural areas and recreational facilities, as well as providing for wildlife habitat.

Ø Encourage the inclusion of parks, bicycle and pedestrian linkages and open space areas in conjunction with new and established developments. Promote the purchase and donation of environmentally sensitive or unique and culturally important land for the enjoyment of all.

Ø Ensure that all county, state and federal environmental regulations are adhered to in the development of land.

Ø Evaluate the impact of increasing impervious surface area on the quality of surface water bodies in the Township.

Objectives and Policies Related to Residential Land Use

Objectives

Provide for a range of residential styles and densities to meet the needs of the Township’s diverse population.

Promote the development of residential neighborhoods that are well integrated into the existing landscape and complement the character of existing neighborhoods.

Policies

Ø Ensure the incorporation of existing vegetation, topography, and other natural features into the design of new residential developments.

Ø Require new developments to consider the impact they will have on the Township ecosystem, specifically the impact of increasing impervious surface area in the Grand Traverse Bay Watershed.

Ø Encourage new residential developments to be sited in a manner that protects the Township’s rural character and scenic views by maintaining proper setbacks, using appropriate site design and providing landscaping.

Ø Discourage large-scale residential development in the absence of a documented demand for such development.

Ø Discourage a pattern of scattered rural housing development on overly large lots, particularly in areas of productive agricultural or forestlands.

Ø Encourage the layout of new residential developments to be logical extensions of existing neighborhoods. This shall apply to lot layout, road extensions, and open space plans.

Ø Encourage higher density and affordable housing only on lands that have the capacity to support such development and are adequately served by existing public roads and utilities.

Ø Create incentives to encourage cluster housing and other creative forms of development to permit higher density housing while protecting the Township’s rural character and balancing the needs of the agricultural community with the interests of the non-farm residents.

Ø Develop local incentives to encourage residential development that complements the Township’s rural character without compromising the provision of public services and facilities.

Objectives and Policies Related to Commercial Land Use

Objectives

Provide reasonable opportunities for the establishment of commercial uses, which meet the demonstrated market needs of Township residents.

Ensure that the architecture, landscaping, and signage associated with commercial establishments is compatible with the Township’s rural residential character.

Policies

Ø Encourage commercial development in locations where compact and coordinated development can occur with minimal impact on residential land uses. Discourage strip commercial development and isolated commercial uses.

Ø Prohibit the establishment of multiple access points for freestanding commercial uses. Encourage the use of shared access and service drives.

Ø Encourage new commercial site developments to conform to the applicable recommendations of the proposed M-22 Scenic Corridor Design Guidebook.

Ø Review commercial architectural and landscape designs to ensure that such uses are carefully integrated into the Township’s landscape.

Ø Require the establishment of transitional uses and/or landscape screening between commercial and residential, agricultural, or open space land uses.

Ø Consider the impact new developments will have on the Township ecosystem, specifically the impact of increasing impervious surface area in the Grand Traverse Bay Watershed.

Objectives and Policies Related to Light Industrial Land Use

Objectives

Provide locations for light industrial uses that are adequately served by public facilities and services.

Ensure that the architecture, landscaping, and signage associated with industrial establishments is compatible with the Township’s rural character.

Policies

Ø Discourage light industrial development which will negatively impact environmentally sensitive areas or require substantial changes to natural systems.

Ø Utilize the concept of planned light industrial areas that emphasize access control, building and site design, and controlled signage and lighting.

Ø Encourage new light industrial developments to conform to the applicable recommendations of the Michigan State Highway 22 Scenic Heritage Route Management Plan.

Ø Consider the impact new developments will have on the Township ecosystem, specifically the impact of increasing impervious surface area in the Grand Traverse Bay Watershed.

Objectives and Policies Related to Community Facilities and Infrastructure

Objectives

Provide for the efficient location of public facilities and delivery of public services.

Policies

Ø Participate in inter-jurisdictional planning efforts to assure the representation of Township residents in regional decision-making.

Ø Work cooperatively with other public agencies to facilitate the improvement or construction of public facilities, such as roads and other forms of public transit.

Ø Require that adequate public infrastructure be in place prior to the initiation of any new residential, commercial and/or industrial land development.

Ø Consider the construction or extension of public water and/or sewer facilities only to those areas where existing population densities and natural resource conditions require such facilities to protect public health.

Ø Utilize the concepts of planned light industrial that emphasize access control, building and site design, and controlled signage and lighting.

Ø Encourage new light industrial developments to conform to the applicable recommendations of the M-22 Scenic Heritage Route.

Ø Consider the impact new developments will have on the Township ecosystem, specifically the impact of increasing impervious surface area in the Grand Traverse Bay Watershed.