Keep Grattan Township Rural Vote August 5, 2025 Vote NO on the Referendum

Repeal Zoning Ordinance 2024-003

What is the vote about?

In November of 2024, the Grattan Township Board approved a zoning ordinance change, which changed 2 parcels from A-1 Agriculture (Prime Farm Land) to A-2 Agriculture zoning designation. This was done against the recommendation of the Planning Commission. This action was done with the knowledge that the developer is proposing a 30+ house development at the corner of Belding Road and Tiffany. The change from A-1 to A-2 is the first step in making this development happen, as an A-1 designation would not permit as many splits. We believe that 30 houses would be just the beginning, as the entire tillable area there is over 225 acres with a roughly 30 acre wetland in the center.

We believe that this was the wrong decision by the Township Board and organized a signature collection drive to put the question to the Grattan Township voters. We collected 520 signature (of the 4000 residents of the Township) and it is on the ballot for the August 5, 2025 election. This is the referendum we are asking you to vote NO on August 5 - to return these parcels to A-1 designation.

Things to Consider

Keep Grattan Township Rural

Grattan Township voters consistently rank "rural character" as their primary reason for living here when polled

Where are the parcels in question that were changed from A-1 to A-2?

These 2 parcels are at the corner of Belding Road (M-44) and Tiffany, just as you enter the township on the north side of the road.

The entire field (multiple parcels) runs around 290 acres with a large wetlands in the center, which is home to much wildlife - deer, sandhill cranes, turkeys, and fox.

20 years ago, the farmer tried to put a 690 single-wide trailer park on these same parcels.

These parcels have been farmed from the 1900s, so it is good agriculture land and wildlife habitat.

Why is agricultural land important?

Farmland is the basis of a rural life, and once lost to development, it is unlikely to ever return. Agriculture is dependent on the availability and quality of land to survive - when farms go, so too does the businesses that support agriculture and the culture supporting farming. Kent County's agriculture is one of the most economically profitable in the state, and the pressure of urban sprawl puts that in jeopardy with the continued loss of farm land.

While this referendum might seem like a small matter - the return of the proper zoning designation of these 2 parcels - this election tells the township that we the citizens of Grattan Township like our farms and rural life and we want to preserve it.

Why This Matters

What are the criteria the Township used to determine that these parcels should be changed from A-1 t

The Township Board used the criteria of the "3 C's" to determine if this zoning change should occur. The 3 C's are: Compatibility, Consistency, and Capability.

Compatibility: is the zoning change compatible with the land use and zoning of surrounding areas?

Consistency: Is the zoning change consisent with the Township master plan?

Capability: is the land able to support the proposed use the zoning change would allow?

The Township Board determined that the zoning change met the criteria and passed the zoning change. We, the residents of Grattan Township, disagree with this decision and collected signatures to put the question directly to the vote of Grattan Township voters. We believe this would just be the beginning of losing our rural community to development.

What is the difference between A-1 Agriculture and A-2 Agriculture?

A-1 Agriculture designates prime farmland, with greater limitations on how it can be split for development to encourage the land remaining farmed.

A-2 Agriculture is farm land that is not considered prime, per se, with the understanding that in time it may be developed and thus allows for more splits.

Land quality depends on a lot of factors - soil, topography, farming practices, and crops grown. Just because a field may not be the tops for soybeans, it may be perfect for hay, pickles, or Christmas trees!

The Township board relied on the farmer's representative for the information on the parcels in question that the "land was not good for farming." The Township Board asked for no documentation or evidence to support this claim. , other then the verbal claim that the land wasn't great and therefore was worth changing from A-1 to A-2 Agriculture. The Township Board had full knowledge that this was the first step in permitting a large housing development.

The Township Board determined that a change in designation would be compatible with the surrounding parcels, as they are already A-2 zoned. If that is all it takes, to be next to A-2 land, then any A-1 parcel could be easily changed to an A-2. Looking at the Township zoning map, we could likely lose most A-1 land with that logic.

If all it takes is the verbal claim that the land is "no good," and that it borders an A-2 parcel, then can we expect any farmland in Grattan Township to remain? We can all see the sprawl in Cannon Township all along M44 - do we want to become "Cannon Township East?"

Vote August 5, 2025 to Preserve Farmland

Vote NO on the referendum

Voting NO on the referendum will overturn the Township Boards zoning change and return the land to A-1 zoning designation

Voting NO will let Grattan Township know that we are watching and taking action to protect our rural life here in the township.

Whether you live on a farm, in the woods, or on one of Grattan's beautiful lakes, we all have an interest in retaining our rural way of life. Allowing this zoning change is just the camel's nose under the tent - the first step to Grattan Township becoming just like Cannon Township. We owe it to the future to take a stand now.

Also on the ballot.....

Along with the referendum, the township has put forth a millage for a Farmland Preservation Fund. This would create a fund in the Township budget specifically earmarked towards farmland preservation. This fund would work in conjunction with Kent County Farmland Preservation Board to solicit both state and federal grants towards farmland preservation. For more information about how it works, click here

Keep Grattan Township Rural Vote August 5, 2025 Vote NO on the Referendum

Keep Grattan Township Rural Vote August 5, 2025 Vote NO on the Referendum

Repeal Zoning Ordinance 2024-003

What is the vote about?

Things to Consider

Keep Grattan Township Rural

Where are the parcels in question that were changed from A-1 to A-2?

Why is agricultural land important?

Why This Matters

What are the criteria the Township used to determine that these parcels should be changed from A-1 t

What is the difference between A-1 Agriculture and A-2 Agriculture?

Vote August 5, 2025 to Preserve Farmland

Vote NO on the referendum

Also on the ballot.....

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