Should farmers and agricultural property owners be allowed to host weddings, festivals and other commercial events? 

Elmwood Township planning commissioners will consider the issue tonight (Tuesday) when they review a new zoning ordinance that would allow agriculturally zoned property to be used for special events. With an estimated 75 percent of township land zoned agricultural, the ordinance could dramatically increase the number of events allowed in the area – a possibility that has sparked protest among some residents.

The discussion dates back to 2013, when nearly two dozen residents complained that Lakeview Road property owner Frank Noverr was using his 27-acre farm as a commercial events facility. Neighbors alleged Noverr was hosting late-night parties that brought loud music, bright lights, and rumbling catering trucks and traffic into the residential neighborhood along Lake Leelanau.

“This is a quiet pedestrian road used by kids, people pushing strollers, joggers, families,” says Charlie Kaufman, a nearby resident. Kaufman belongs to the Southeast Leelanau Association of Neighbors (SLAN), a nonprofit group working to preserve the “agricultural and residential character” of Elmwood Township. “This area is not appropriate for a concert venue, or an Oktoberfest with 300 people. Even with weddings, you’ve got people drinking alcohol…and then coming and going until 1am.”

After township officials sent Noverr a cease-and-desist letter, he agreed in September 2013 to stop hosting commercial events on the property and to take down his Leelanau Farms & Vineyard website, which promoted rentals (see photo above). But neighbors say the events have continued, though Noverr contends he’s only held private parties for friends and family.

The proposed zoning change reflects two conflicting interests: the growing regional interest in agritourism, which attracts visitors to farmland with special events and activities while also providing farmers a new revenue stream – and the concerns of long-term residents who worry their area's rural charm is under siege.

“This isn’t just a matter of growth – it's a matter of responsible growth, neighbor-sensitive growth,” says SLAN member Sterling Cole. “We’re part of a community and a culture out here. To completely change the complexion of a neighborhood because you personally want to make money doesn’t seem right.”

Noverr argues special events help “generate a lot of business and support a lot of jobs” in Elmwood Township, from catering to entertainment to equipment rentals. The property owner says he’s invested heavily in his premises to ensure “everything we’ve done here is first-class,” and sees an opportunity for unique venues – cherry orchards, barns, fields – to become a setting for special moments in people’s lives. Noverr says property owners should have the right to offer such services.

“People don’t like the idea of change,” says Noverr. “No matter what I’ve wanted to do on the property, people haven’t wanted to see it developed. It’s been an ongoing battle.”

According to Elmwood Township Zoning Administrator Sara Kopriva, the draft zoning language includes several regulations designed to minimize the impact of events on residents. Agricultural property owners must get a permit to host special events, which are required to be secondary to both agricultural and residential uses of the site. Events are limited to 300 people, must be moved inside by 8pm and require all guests gone by 11pm. The planning commission was “trying to think broadly about everybody that would be impacted in that zoning district” when drafting the ordinance, Kopriva says.

The zoning ordinance doesn’t, however, restrict noise, the number of events that can take place on a property, or their proximity to residential homes (regulations require only a general 50-foot property line setback). The vagaries concern SLAN members, who say the ordinance “doesn’t haven’t enough protection for the people who are adjacent to events,” according to Lakeview Road resident Christine Pacer.

Elmwood Township Supervisor Jack Kelly notes tonight’s meeting – set for 7pm at Elmwood Township Hall – is only the first step in the review process. Both the township board and Leelanau County Commission will also have to approve the proposal, which offers "plenty of opportunity" for public input, he says.

“Everybody is dealing with this question of character – it’s not just us,” says Kelly. He points to the proposed Pine Street development in downtown Traverse City and a housing development slated for Old Mission Peninsula as examples of other communities struggling with issues of growth and preservation. “It's a delicate balance of interests. The question becomes, how do you achieve that?"