Guest editorial by Judy Graves:
George Lucier, chairman of the AuTrain Township Board, was conducting a meeting last Thursday evening at the AuTrain community building when he told me, and I quote “If the people are concerned about their businesses,
or the transient rentals being allowed in AuTrain Township then they should be here asking questions and participating in the discussion not you.” I think I got my walking papers, but maybe now people will believe I am not present at the meetings just for the 16 mile lake area, but for all of AuTrain.
There is never an announcement for a meeting in the local paper letting people know what is being discussed or how the zoning could be changed. Certain zoning commission members do not want public participation and not every resident is going to go to each meeting like a few others and I have been doing for over three years, because we never know what is going to be discussed from one meeting to the next or what will be decided. Chairman, George Lucier, will be the first to tell you that you will have 3 minutes at the end of the meeting to make any comments. The whole process smells of dictatorship- we are allowed to participate after they have made their decisions.
The Zoning Commission is charged with the obligation and responsibility of creating the LAWS that you and I have to live by.
Here is a major announcement for AuTrain residents. At Thursday’s meeting the Zoning Commission passed a motion to allow transient rentals as either a conditional use or a permitted use in each current zoning district.
Some members will respond saying, nothing is written in stone and there will be a public hearing before the new zoning goes to the township board for approval, BUT WAIT the Zoning Commission board members have already received a note from the township board stating they will back the decisions of the zoning commission 100%. Where does that leave you and me?
In my opinion the township board thought the 16 mile lake area residents would be satisfied and go away if what was made fair in their district was made fair in all the districts. You know, “what’s fair for one is fair for all.”
I tried to state that legitimate hotels, motels and resorts would suffer throughout the county and people’s jobs would be in jeopardy. I believe the majority of the people in residentially zoned areas would prefer not to live alongside a transient rental. It is human nature to feel more secure when you know who your immediate neighbor is. Alger County is very dependent on the tourist trade, but I firmly believe there are ample accommodations available without impacting family orientated areas for what appears to be greed and a lack of respect for ones neighbor.
