Summary
This document is a letter of correspondence from resident Elizabeth (Betsy) Mallek, submitted to the Leelanau Township Board and Planning Commission in advance of a joint housing discussion meeting held April 9, 2025 at Northport School. The letter raises questions and considerations about housing policy for the Township ahead of that meeting; it does not reflect Board decisions or votes.
Public Comments
Elizabeth (Betsy) Mallek submitted written correspondence raising extensive questions about the Township's housing plans. She questioned who needs housing (income levels, whether renters/buyers are singles, families, retirees, seasonal residents, or local workers), and asked whether business owners and employees had been consulted about housing needs. She proposed several ideas for consideration, including limiting short-term rentals (STRs) to increase long-term rental supply (citing precedents in Detroit, Saugatuck, Ann Arbor, Holland, Mackinaw City, Spring Lake, and Peninsula Township), requiring rentals to serve as permanent residences, encouraging zoning outside the Sanitary Sewer Assessment District (SAD) to allow greater density, investigating smaller Ag land parcel splits under proposed state legislation, using PUDs allowed in the Ag district, exploring philanthropic land donations, and investigating available grants. She also raised concerns about the Township's lack of nearby medical facilities (nearest is Traverse City, nearest pharmacy Suttons Bay), limited local jobs, and the risk of Traverse City-area growth overflowing into Leelanau County without adequate infrastructure. No response from the Board or Planning Commission is recorded in this document.
Affordable Housing Initiatives
The letter centers on housing policy questions to be addressed at the joint Township Board/Planning Commission housing meeting. Mallek referenced a stated goal of "100 homes" for Northport (population approximately 500) but questioned the basis for this figure and the demographic need. She suggested exploring housing types including coach homes (4 units), duplexes, townhomes, tiny homes (under 500 SF), and multi-unit apartments, and asked what current zoning allows for each. She also referenced a $20,000 hookup fee and approximately $2,000 per year user fee associated with the SAD as a potential barrier to smaller-scale development. No decisions, votes, or next steps by the Board are documented in this correspondence.
Other Business
None noted in this document.