While only 21% of residents responded to a recent survey about Thompson Township’s land use, 84% of them expressed a desire to keep its rural character in place.
While only 21% of residents responded to a recent survey about Thompson Township’s land use, 84% of them expressed a desire to keep its rural character in place.
Of the 202 respondents, 73.7% also believed preserving the township’s agriculture industry was important.
A Feb. 6 public forum drew a modest crowd to the Global Connection Academy in Thompson Township, where stations displayed information about the survey and ongoing process to revise the Thompson Land Use Plan.
Thompson’s land use plan was last revised in 2004 and is undergoing significant updates, said Thompson Township Trustee Joseph Cindric in a follow-up email Feb. 10.
The public survey sent to 958 households was part of the updating process, which is approximately halfway through, he said.
A land use plan — as explained by one of the displays at the school — guides land use decisions related to subjects such as housing, transportation or utilities via analysis and public input. It acts as a guide for the community to refer to, as well as an educational document, and can be consulted for zoning requests or for grant applications.
Land use plans do not have the force of the law, but may be used to defend zoning regulation if any are challenged in court.
A number of factors go into creating a land use plan, including public input that may include a land use committee; strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats exercises, surveys; public meetings; and considerations like township history, demographics and facilities.
Per the recent survey, 41% of respondents are somewhat satisfied with Thompson Township zoning and 51% believe the size of the commercial zoning district at Thompson Square should remain the same.
Many respondents were generally happy with the square, while others want to see some change, according to one station. Half of the latter population would like to introduce more small businesses and the other half would like to focus on a general cleanup of properties in that area.
About 60% or respondents felt the square needs a small grocery store, 57.4% suggested gas stations and 37% suggested services such as banks, salons or daycares.
The community expressed a mixed sentiment regarding multi-dwelling developments, with many specifically opposing trailer parks, one station read. Support for two-family homes such as duplexes sat at 38%.
Cindric wrote in his email that 51% or people discouraged multi-family dwellings like apartments, duplexes and triplexes.
Some residents argued the township’s dirt roads should be kept as is, while others wanted paving, according to the survey results.
Other township goals included the protection of ecologically sensitive areas and the optimization of amenities at township parks.
Residents also expressed appreciation for the township’s low crime rate and general friendliness.
When it came to home-based businesses, 65.3% of residents supported them, though that number lowered to 29% in favor of short-term rentals, such as AirBnBs.
As the process moves forward, there are still several key steps remaining, Cindric said.
“First, the committee responsible for drafting the plan will complete their work. Once finalized, the plan will be sent to the township trustees for their review,” he said. “Following this, the trustees will post the plan on the township’s official website to ensure public accessibility. The trustees will then review the plan during their scheduled meetings, allowing for further discussion and any necessary revisions.”
Ultimately, trustees would adopt the plan, making it the new official land use plan, he said.
