Summary
The Leelanau Planning Commission received a public comment on proposed Master Plan Chapter 5 - Coastal Resiliency, addressing shoreline erosion, setback zoning, and shoreline armoring policy. The draft chapter itself outlines the risks of coastal flooding and erosion to the township's tax base and proposes several zoning and land-use recommendations, including changes to setback definitions and a prohibition on new shoreline armoring structures, with grandfathering for existing structures.
Public Comments
Mark Krueger (13008 N Forest Beach) submitted written comments on draft Chapter 5. He noted that shoreline erosion affects one-half to three-quarters of the township's tax base, making cautious zoning changes economically important. He said the draft understates erosion severity, citing his father-in-law's home in the Cherry Home subdivision, built 70 feet from the shoreline in 1972, which by 2015 was under 20 feet from the water. He argued the proposed setback change disproportionately affects gradual beaches with little erosion while barely affecting steep, erosion-prone slopes. Krueger stated that erosion damage is generally uninsurable (unlike flooding) and urged the Commission not to broadly prohibit shoreline armoring, proposing instead that setbacks be increased based on further study of topography, bathymetry, and vegetation, and that existing residential construction be grandfathered for armoring protection. He attached specific proposed edits to the draft chapter in Word and PDF format.
Infrastructure Projects
The draft chapter notes that water, sewer, and transportation infrastructure near the shoreline are at risk from coastal flooding and erosion, alongside residential structures and septic systems. No specific infrastructure project, vote, or funding decision was described; the discussion was limited to risk assessment and proposed protective zoning measures.
Other Business
The document also detailed technical background for the Master Plan chapter, including Lake Michigan water level history (historic low of 576.02 ft in January 2013 and historic high of 582.35 ft in 1986, nearly matched at 582.19 ft in June 2020), and results of "lucky," "expected," and "perfect" storm risk modeling scenarios for the township.
Financial Summary
The draft chapter's risk analysis found that under a "lucky" storm scenario, $296,211,800 (53.2%) of the township's State Equalized Value (SEV) is at risk, affecting 811 parcels (29.4%). Under the "expected" storm scenario, $358,900,800 (64.4%) of SEV and 1,030 parcels (37.4%) are at risk. Under the "perfect" storm scenario, $398,145,000 (71.5%) of SEV and 1,354 parcels (49.1%) are at risk. Residential SEV at risk ranges from $254,722,800 (53.4%) to $353,974,200 (74.2%) across the three scenarios. No budget appropriations or funding votes were recorded in this document.
Action Items
The draft chapter proposes several recommendations for further Commission consideration, including changing the waterfront setback datum definition, setting septic systems farther back than homes, encouraging relocatable construction, promoting cluster development, enhancing wetland and vegetation protections, and prohibiting new armoring structures on Lake Michigan-fronted properties (with grandfathering for existing armored shoreline, estimated at 10% of the township's shoreline). Mark Krueger's proposal to conduct further study of topography, bathymetry, and vegetation before finalizing setbacks, and to avoid a general prohibition on shoreline armoring, remains a resident recommendation not yet adopted by the Commission.