Letter to the editor: Freedom Township zoning controversy
October 22, 2022
Dear Editor:
In September I wrote in the Manchester Mirror about my frustrations with township officials and new construction on the south side of Pleasant Lake. I’ve discovered I’m not the only one upset. More than 40 Pleasant Lake residents attended the October 11 Freedom Township Board meeting to express concerns about new home construction at 11240 Hieber Rd, lake zoning ordinances, and zoning enforcement.
My neighbor expressed concerns to officials almost a year ago as she watched the house teardown, extensive excavation, and days and days of soil removal from the property next to her. She and her family have been stewards of the lake for over 80 years. She questioned whether the grade was being altered, setbacks were being protected, and drainage plans were in place to protect the lake, neighboring properties, and a neighbor’s easement. She felt her concerns were met with indifference, unreturned phone calls, and unanswered correspondence. Months later she learned the township’s planner had expressed many of those same concerns multiple times.
During the October 11 Board meeting I learned the township’s July independent survey to confirm construction compliance was dismissed in favor of the already approved building plan and construction. I also learned that an experienced engineer (a lake resident) had reviewed building plans and the township’s independent survey. He found setback encroachments in both and shared that information during the Board meeting.
Board members reviewed drawings and discussed the resident concerns about setback encroachment. Supervisor Larry Lindemann agreed that he and Zoning Administrator Jim Coval would return to the construction site and re-measure. I have since learned that Mr. Lindemann, Mr. Coval, plus the builder did measure again — but included no lake resident representation. Isn’t that like putting the fox in the henhouse? Their conclusion appears to be: no encroachment. Our lake resident engineer disagrees and stands by his assessment — setback encroachment existed on the approved building plan, in the independent survey, and it still exists. As a lake resident concerned about our lake zoning and its enforcement, I’m not confident we’re getting the facts.
At the same Board meeting another resident raised concerns about the height and grade of the yet- unfinished home. Freedom Township zoning limits height to 35 feet and 2.5 stories in the Lake District. “This looks like three stories,” she said. I agree! She noted the township planner cited that same concern as far back as December 2021 and again in January 2022. Officials have told us the final measurement has not yet been taken, which leads me to wonder if the plan is to bring in more soil to create a higher grade in order to achieve the required measurement of a 2.5-story height. That does not seem right.
The new construction appears to have also created a problem for another neighbor with an easement east of the new home. That easement will now have a new slope to it; significant enough that they’ll no longer have the same easement usability as pre-construction. That neighbor was told that any easement conflict must be handled between them and the new homeowner. Really? No township involvement? There was no easement problem before construction. How did that new slope get approved?
The October 11 Board meeting did nothing to alleviate my concerns. Like other residents who were in attendance, I want to know our lake properties are protected with proper zoning and zoning enforcement. I want to know the facts. And if an error has been made, I want to know that, too, plus how the error will be corrected or a compromise solution will be put in place. Doing anything less sets a terrible precedent for all future construction in Freedom Township.
Helen Parker
Freedom Township Resident
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