Summary
The Empire Township Board met on August 11, 2026, with Supervisor Wiejaczka presiding; Trustee Noonan was excused. The Board approved the agenda and July 14 minutes unanimously, approved bills to be paid, adopted amended Rules of Procedure, discussed purchasing policy revisions, and heard reports on assessment roll corrections, pickleball court resurfacing, and fire department operations. The Planning Commission's ongoing zoning review of affordable housing options was a major discussion point, with no final decisions made.
Public Comments
No public comments were made on agenda items or general topics during the meeting.
Affordable Housing Initiatives
Trustee Wolterink reported on the Planning Commission's July 28 Special Meeting focused on Zoning Ordinance Review, where much discussion centered on encouraging workforce/affordable housing. Topics included allowing multi-unit housing and associated requirements, minimum lot sizes across all districts, and clustered housing options. A significant outcome discussed was allowing eight (8) family dwellings without requiring a site plan review. The Commission emphasized balancing these changes with the Master Plan, green space goals, and development of the Gateway Mixed Use district. No final decisions were made. A follow-up Special Meeting on the Zoning Ordinance Review is scheduled for Wednesday, August 26 at 7:00 pm to address general changes such as definitions, grammar, and clarifications.
Parks and Recreation Matters
Resurfacing of the pickleball courts at Johnson/Lions Club Park has been completed, as reported by Supervisor Wiejaczka.
Infrastructure Projects
The Board received a Notice of Day of Review of Drainage District Boundaries and Review of Apportionments for the Little Glen Lake Drainage District. Chet Janik of the Leelanau County Drain Commission was identified as the contact for questions on this matter.
Other Business
Assistant Fire Chief Chad Dykgraaf reported 105 calls in July (346 total from January through July) and 372 training hours in July. The ladder truck was out of service for most of the month. Garage doors for the Empire Station have been ordered; the Glen Arbor station remodel and Decon Room layout changes are on track. The Board congratulated Dykgraaf on his official pinning as Assistant Fire Chief. The Supervisor reported the Michigan Department of Treasury confirmed the assessment roll corrective action plan resulted in "all substantial items have been corrected." The Board also began preliminary discussion of general budgeting approaches, with further discussion planned over coming months.
Financial Summary
Treasurer Price presented financial totals for all funds (details in the meeting packet). The Clerk noted Bills to Be Paid and Post-Audit bills, highlighting election supplies and payment to the County for Master Qualified Voter File cards. A $3,000 expense for tree removal at the Campground was noted; the Consumer's (utility) bill for the Campground was discussed, with historical July bills ranging $400–$500. The P&L Statement showed expenses in line with budget. Motion by Wolterink, support by Bacon, to approve Bills to be Paid and Post Audit Checks passed unanimously.
Action Items
- Wolterink to consolidate and remove redundancies from the Code of Conduct document for future Board consideration.
- Purchasing Policy revisions to return to the Board for approval in September.
- Planning Commission Special Meeting on Zoning Ordinance Review (including affordable housing provisions) scheduled for August 26 at 7:00 pm.
- Board to continue budget discussions over the next few months.