Garfield Township trustees will vote tonight (Tuesday) on establishing a no-wake zone near a popular Silver Lake boat launch – a change that’s been long discussed by board members and will require residents to take charge of implementing the ordinance. Trustees will also discuss banning recreational marijuana facilities, changing the township’s fireworks rules to match new state law, and supporting legislation that would allow Michigan townships to hold nonpartisan elections.

Silver Lake No-Wake Zone
Boaters taking off from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) boat launch at the end of Silver Lake View Court could be required to slow down their watercraft or face enforcement from the Grand Traverse Sheriff’s Office this summer.

Garfield Township trustees will consider approving a new ordinance tonight that would establish a 400-foot no-wake zone boundary on Silver Lake near the DNR boat launch (pictured). The change has been discussed at length by the board and was proposed by nearby residents concerned about the safety of swimmers and tubers, as well as noise from boats throttling at full speed out of the launch and potential erosion caused by boat waves. Trustees have been reluctant to take on responsibility for establishing or enforcing a no-wake zone on Silver Lake, but have found a potential solution that would allow the ordinance to go forward without coming at the township’s expense or responsibility.

Under the proposed ordinance, it would become illegal for boaters to exceed a slow-no wake speed within 400 feet of the launch – defined as “a very slow speed whereby the wake or wash created by vessels would be minimal.” While the ordinance states that signs and buoys marking the no-wake zone are required to be maintained by Garfield Township, the ordinance also indicates the no-wake zone is “only enforceable when clearly and properly marked.” Township officials have expressed they have no desire to pay for or put in buoys each year; residents, along with staff at Action Water Sports, have volunteered to cover the cost of the buoys and put them in at the beginning of each season and take them out before winter.

At the board’s March 12 meeting, Trustee Denise Schmuckal pointed out that if residents don’t keep their promise to maintain the buoy system, the ordinance would automatically become defunct, since it can only be enforced with clear marked boundaries in place. Township Planning Director John Sych agreed: “The ordinance is only enforceable if you have buoys out there,” he said. “So if you have it on the books and there’s no buoys out there, it doesn’t really matter.” Township Supervisor Chuck Korn added that as long as buoys and signs are in place, the Grand Traverse Sheriff’s Office has said it will enforce the no-wake zone on the lake. Korn tells The Ticker that since the ordinance “is a resident-driven project,” its success will be “based upon their participation.” Korn anticipates the board will vote to support the ordinance change at tonight’s meeting.

Recreational Marijuana
Township trustees could schedule a public hearing tonight for April 23 to vote on banning recreational marijuana facilities in Garfield Township. The move follows an earlier strategic planning session between township trustees and planning commissioners in which both groups expressed near-unanimous consent to ban such facilities in the township, as they have already done with medical marijuana businesses. A staff memo indicates that while Michigan municipalities originally had until December to make a decision on whether to opt out of recreational marijuana, “there has been talk that the Governor might move up the deadline for adoption, perhaps to July. Therefore, if the township’s intention is to opt out, it should be done immediately.”

Fireworks
Trustees could also schedule an April 23 public hearing to vote on proposed changes to the township’s fireworks law. In accordance with new state legislation, Michigan communities can scale back the number of holidays on which fireworks can be legally used. The new rules would only allow fireworks to be used on December 31 until 1am on January 1, the Saturday and Sunday immediately preceding Memorial Day, June 29 to July 4, July 5 if that day is a Friday or a Saturday, and the Saturday and Sunday immediately preceding Labor Day. Commissioners in Traverse City have also expressed support for changing the city’s fireworks rules to match the new state law.

Nonpartisan Elections
Finally, township trustees will discuss whether to support or oppose potential legislation on allowing township elections to be nonpartisan in the state of Michigan. The Michigan Township Association (MTA) is seeking feedback from townships on a change to state law that would allow candidates to run for township boards without having to declare a political affiliation. In Michigan, cities have the right to decide whether their local commission or mayoral races are partisan or not, but townships and counties – which are considered statutory governments and don’t have home rule like cities – do not.

A series of arguments for and against nonpartisan elections was provided to township trustees for discussion. The MTA is seeking feedback from townships by April 15 on the potential legislative change.