Township board approves rezoning request

The Laketown Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved rezoning about 51 acres of land that earlier sparked concerns about traffic congestion.

Ordinance No. 214 Zoning Map Amendment Ordinance passed on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. The property, owned by Covenant Seven LLC with road frontage on 147^th Avenue and 60^th Street, changes the zoning from R-1 Rural Estate and R-2 Low Density Residential to R-3 Medium Density, allowing for the possibility of more housing units.

The planning commission unanimously recommended the rezoning after a public hearing and discussion on Nov. 6. The township board has final say on rezonings. On Dec. 30, the board voted to send the issue back to the planning commission for further study of possible traffic issues.

At its Jan. 8 meeting, the planning commission unanimously voted to send the recommendation back to the township board saying there was no evidence of a problem with traffic and the proposed rezoning is compatible with the master plan and the necessary considerations to meet approval.

At the Jan. 15 meeting, the board passed the rezoning, noting the possibility of legal action by the developer if the rezoning was denied.

The developer must bring plans back to the commission for approval before building.

In other business, the board:

• Approved the 2025-2026 salaries for township board members, increasing them by 3 percent to cover cost of living expenses. The supervisor, treasurer and clerk will each make $17,504.85 and the two trustees will each make $5,304.50. The rates go into effect April 1 when the new fiscal year begins.
• Appointed Planning Commissioner Patrick Dietrich to serve on the zoning board of appeals and Steven Ringelberg to serve on the building authority.
• Adopted the 2025-2026 Poverty Exemption guidelines for property taxes. Details are available here.
• Set a special meeting for Thursday, Jan. 23, from 6:30-8 p.m. at the township hall, 4338 Beeline Road, to discuss budget issues and other topics.