Summary
This document is a written public comment submitted August 12, 2026, and entered into the record for the Leelanau Township Board's consideration on August 13, 2026. It addresses a proposed Option and Lease Agreement between the township and The Towers, LLC (Vertical Bridge), for a communications tower at Braman Hill Recreation Area (9995 N Morningside Drive), to serve Verizon Wireless under site reference US-MI-5390, "Northport West." The comment takes no position on whether a tower should be approved, but raises concerns about lease terms and unanswered factual questions. It consolidates 17 numbered requests and 6 questions for the Board to answer before any vote.
Public Comments
The comment was submitted as a written filing entered into the record; no speaker name is given beyond identification of the document as public comment. The submission raises several concerns: the lease sets no maximum tower height despite a 195-foot monopole shown only in site plans, and Verizon's narrative indicates a preference for 375 feet; federal rules could allow height increases without further township approval once built; no FAA Form 7460-1 determination has been produced despite Woolsey Memorial Airport being roughly three miles away; lease sections 1(a), 9(c), and 1(d) would commit the township to cooperate with and not interfere in permit approvals before any zoning review occurs; rent is proposed at $900/month rising 1% annually with no revenue share, across a term up to 54 years; and various warranties, confidentiality clauses, and missing protections (no removal bond, no construction deadline, no termination right for the township) are noted as unfavorable. The commenter proposes striking certain lease sections, adding reservation-of-power language, requiring an FAA determination and stated height cap before signing, and improving economic terms. These are recommendations from the commenter, not board decisions.
Parks and Recreation Matters
The proposed lease site is located at Braman Hill Recreation Area, township-owned park property. The comment raises a question (Q5) as to whether the site has received Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) or Trust Fund assistance, which could require a conversion process and replacement parkland if so. It also asks (Q6) whether a lease of this duration on dedicated park property requires elector approval or other special procedure. No answers or board decisions on these questions are recorded in this document.
Infrastructure Projects
The core subject is a proposed 195-foot (199-foot with lightning rod) communications tower and ground lease. Concerns raised include: no maximum height specified in the lease itself; the tower's proximity (roughly three miles) to Woolsey Memorial Airport, owned by the township; and the FAA notice-filing status (Form 7460-1 has not been filed or produced, though the analysis suggests a "no hazard" determination without lighting is likely). The comment also flags that the township's own Airport Ordinance No. 2 of 2026, unanimously adopted June 9, 2026, requires the Airport Manager to notify the Michigan Aeronautics Commission and Township Supervisor of such construction, and states nothing in the record shows this has occurred. No board votes or decisions are recorded in this document.
Financial Summary
Proposed lease terms: an option fee of $900 for two years, renewable for two more years at $900; rent of $900/month rising 1% annually; a term of 5 years plus nine 5-year renewals (up to 54 years); total nominal rent across the full term estimated at roughly $700,000; no township share of carrier sublease revenue. The commenter proposes alternatives including a share of sublicense revenue or fixed per-carrier rent, a 3% annual escalator or 10-15% increases every five years with a fair market reset at year 25, and an independent valuation opinion before accepting any rent figure. No financial decisions were made; these are proposed requests only.
Action Items
- Six questions posed for answer before any Board vote: (1) whether the Airport Manager has notified the Michigan Aeronautics Commission and Township Supervisor per Ordinance No. 2 of 2026; (2) whether the Woolsey Memorial Airport Consultation Panel has been asked to advise; (3) whether an airport approach plan has been adopted under MCL 259.442; (4) what airport grant funds and sponsor assurances are in force; (5) whether Braman Hill has received Trust Fund or LWCF assistance requiring a conversion process; (6) whether a lease of this duration on park property requires elector approval.
- 17 consolidated requests proposed by the commenter, including: striking lease Sections 1(a), 9(c), and 1(d); adding reservation-of-power and non-assertion covenants; making the lease effective only upon final land use approval; stating a maximum tower height with township consent required for changes; requiring the FAA determination before execution; adding a termination right if lighting is imposed; prohibiting illumination beyond FAA requirements; revenue-sharing or escalator changes to rent; narrowing Section 14's restriction to the leased parcel; correcting warranty disclosures regarding the existing shooting range lease; and striking the confidentiality clause (Section 30(i)) as conflicting with Michigan's Freedom of Information Act.
- The document notes several unresolved defects in the application materials, including blank legal description exhibits, inconsistent option-term language, three differing descriptions of the leased area, and a removal commitment in the applicant's cover letter that names "Vienna Township" rather than Leelanau Township.