The Empire Township Board met on August 11, 2026, and discussed various operational reports, new and unfinished business, and made decisions including the approval of agendas and previous meeting minutes. Key discussions revolved around affordable housing initiatives and updates on the fire department's activities.
Public Comments
There were no public comments from attendees during the meeting.
Affordable Housing Initiatives
The Planning Commission was highlighted for its recent special meeting discussing Zoning Ordinance Review, particularly focusing on workforce and affordable housing. Among the topics were:
- The possibility of allowing multi-unit housing with fewer restrictions and minimum lot sizes.
- The consideration of permitting eight family dwellings without requiring a site plan review.
- No final decisions were made; a follow-up meeting is scheduled for August 26 to address next steps.
Parks and Recreation Matters
Resurfacing of the pickleball courts at Johnson (Lions Club) Park has been completed.
Infrastructure Projects
No specific infrastructure projects such as marina, cell phone towers, or utilities were discussed in this meeting.
Other Business
- The board approved the revised Rules of Procedure, which included amendments to the public comment time limit and clarifications in procedure. The original proposal for separate documents outlining Township Board Responsibilities and Member Code of Conduct was deferred.
- The purchasing policy was discussed with suggestions for improvement, including requirements for quotes and pre-purchase assessments regarding Township resources.
Financial Summary
The Treasurer provided a financial report, noting the status of various funds, and the board approved bills to be paid, including:
- Highlighting expenses related to tree services at the campground around $3,000.
- Acknowledgment of election-related expenditures for master voter file cards and telecommunication services.
Action Items
- The Planning Commission will hold a special meeting on August 26 to further discuss zoning and affordable housing initiatives.
- Wolterink will consolidate and provide an updated version of the Rules of Procedure for Board review, removing redundancies.
Source Document
This summary was AI-generated from the official meeting record. The full source document is the authoritative version.