Scio Township has a plan for neighboring communities

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Scio Township wants its neighboring communities to know what it’s thinking about when it comes to planning.

This is part of the process for the township as it drafts and updates its Master Land Use Plan.

The Scio Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved at its June 8 meeting the distribution of the draft Master Land Use Plan to adjacent communities.

This is and the entire updating of the plan is required by law.

According to Doug Lewan, Community Planner and a Carlisle/Wortman and Associates Consultant for Scio, the township began work over a year ago to update its Master Land Use Plan. He said in his report to the board that due to the restrictions on public gatherings, public input was gathered through surveys and online meetings.

At this stage in the process, the draft plan is deemed ready for circulation to adjacent communities for their review and comment. This comment period is 63 days by law.

Scio Township Board Trustee Jacqueline
Courteau, who also sits on the planning commission, which did a lot of the work with Carlisle/Wortman in drafting and reviewing the plan, said they’re excited to share the plan. She said it looks at things like sustainability initiatives and thinking about how community benefits play an important part in things like Planned Unit Developments

As an example of thinking about planning and neighboring communities, Courteau said one aspect of the plan is thinking about the Baker Road area and coordinating well/being good neighbors with the city of Dexter.

In the introduction of the drafted plan it states, “The Scio Township Master Land Use Plan articulates a vision for the Township’s future growth and development. It is the primary officially adopted Township document which sets forth growth and development policies for the future of the community.”

In this same introduction, it also states what the plan contains:

“The Scio Township Master Land Use Plan begins with a brief overview of the plan as well as a description of the planning process which was used to develop the plan. It is comprised of seven chapters. The Existing Land Use and Community Plans chapter describes current land uses and provides information on planning initiatives led by the Township. The Community Goals chapter presents the basis for this Master Plan. The goals were developed from input received from Township officials, staff, and residents. The next two chapters, Future Land Use Plan and Other Township Policies, specify the future vision for each Township sub areas and outline Township-wide policies. The Implementation chapter provides the ways in which the master plan can be achieved. Finally, the appendices include the Community Description which provides information on the social, economic, and physical characteristics of the community, and summaries of findings of the public participation methods including the Township survey and virtual visioning session.”

Lewan said in his report the distribution of the draft plan will go to adjacent communities, Washtenaw County, as well as utility agencies that have registered with the township for such purposes.

“These adjacent communities, etc. will make recommendations that will then be considered by the Planning Commission,” said Lewan. “Entities receiving the plan have 63 days to make comment to the Township Planning Commission. The Township is under no obligation to make changes to the plan based on these recommendations as they are advisory only. While the 63-day time period is specifically intended to gather comments from our neighboring communities this time can also be used to garner public comment by placing the draft plan on the Township website.”

The draft plan is posted on the township's website.

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