Keweenaw Report Your Source for Local News and Sports
A contentious rezoning issue was wrapped up by the Houghton Planning Commission Tuesday night. Up for debate was whether to reclassify roughly 15 acres that was annexed by the City of Houghton in 2008 from single family residential to allow for potential business development. The site, near Coles Creek, is a superfund site and many neighbors, of which all live in Stanton Township, are worried about the potential environmental effects from building out for commercial activity. They have proposed that only single family residential uses be permitted. The public comment session featured many speakers who were against the request.
Attorney Matt Eliason questioned whether commercial development is actually more risky.
He said that while the property is currently zoned residential, all past plans for a subdivision there have fallen through. For all intents and purposes, it has been commercial for the past 150 years.
Chairman Tom Merz said the issue boiled down to how much input other municipalities and their residents should have on zoning issues within the City of Houghton.
Merz said he was sympathetic to the viewpoint that others would be harmed if there were negative consequences for water quality related to construction on the parcel. However, he said that responsibility fell to other state regulatory agencies to monitor and was outside the purview of the Planning Commission.
The measure passed unanimously with one abstention. Member Mike Needham sits on both the Planning Commission and the City Council, but can only cast a vote with one body. He decided to weigh in on the subject after a public hearing at a future council meeting instead.
Correction: This story originally identified Matt Eliason as a member of the commission. He is an attorney and spoke to the commission after public comment had concluded.
