Township approves plat ordinance introduction

Bloomfield Township attorney Bill Hampton introduced an ordinance amendment to add neighborhood compatibility as a requirement to new platted property, and trustees approved the introduction at their meeting on Monday, February 26.

Hampton said the introduction to Ordinance 650, amendment to land divisions, subdivisions, engineering design and standards, would be for situations when trustees are presented with cases of newly platted land only, where they would be allowed to consider whether platting the property would offer an incompatibility to neighborhood properties.

“Patti (Voelker, planning, building and ordinance director) and I have collaborated on this. When there was litigation on the Nosan property on Franklin Road (adjacent to the Johnson Nature Preserve) none of the ordinances had incompatibles with neighboring properties,” Hampton said. “I think now is the time to address this. We don't see plats too often. But we'd like to be able to use incompatibility and consistency with neighborhoods for approval. It is something both Patti and I would recommend for the ordinance.”

“I thought it was state guidelines,” asked treasurer Brian Kepes.

“No, it's strictly our ordinances. And it's not an amendment to our zoning ordinances,” Hampton said.

“So it wouldn't apply to Manor Road?” clerk Jan Roncelli asked, regarding a lot split lawsuit in the township which the township recently won.

“No, because it's already platted,” Hampton said. “It's only for new platted properties.”

Trustees approved the introduction. Final ordinance approval is slated for the trustees March 12 meeting.