CASCADE TOWNSHIP, Mich. — An updated zoning ordinance recently adopted by Cascade Township leaders will go before voters in August after opponents gathered enough petition signatures to trigger a referendum.
The group turned in over 2,000 signatures on March 19, with 1,954 verified by leaders — more than the 1,799 required to put the issue on the ballot.
Mark Ansara, a petition organizer and commercial sales agent, said the group opposed the ordinance because it restricts property rights and values.
"We just don't believe our opinions were heard around property rights, property values of any future development within the Cascade village," Ansara said.
"This is a last resort. I'm all for it. If the voters decide to keep the zoning ordinance that they put into place in February, we have no choice, but up until that point, we can fight it," he said.
Township's Vision for Village Core
Township Supervisor Grace Lesperance said the ordinance was written after more than a year of public meetings and committee work to manage pressure from several developments.
"The overall intent is to protect residents, public safety and also to preserve Cascades character and residential feel," Lesperance said.
The new zoning limits large-scale development in the township's "village core" — the area from the Thornapple River on Cascade Road down to where 28th Street meets Cascade Road. The ordinance caps buildings at 35 feet, bars drive-thrus and restricts larger apartment-style projects in that area while still allowing higher density development in other parts of Cascade with existing infrastructure, according to Lesperance.
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Safety and Infrastructure Changes
The ordinance also changes rules for future private roads, requiring them to be 22 feet wide instead of 18 feet.
"Instead of 18 feet, they have to be 22 feet in width, and that's because to get our fire trucks in and out, it's a public safety issue," Lesperance said.
The zoning also limits development on private roads in more rural, well-water dependent areas due to existing PFAS concerns. Lesperance said the township has four active PFAS sites and noted that some new subdivisions have experienced well water contamination within a year of construction.
Property Rights Concerns
Ansara, who represents property owners as a commercial sales agent, argued the restrictions are too broad for the township.
"This is not a big community, so why are we restricting people's personal property rights, and don't even know if their values will go up or down with any of those restrictions that are currently in place," he said.
He specifically criticized the restrictions in the village core, saying they limit property owners' options for development or sale.
"If a resident wants a fast casual drive through restaurant in that village core, and it doesn't impede the traffic on 28th Street, and it's allowable in today's world, why is it a now not allowable in tomorrow's world?" Ansara said.
Extensive Public Process
Lesperance said the township conducted over 21 committee meetings, multiple work sessions and public open houses during the ordinance development process. She noted that while some opposed the changes, resident feedback at open houses was "overwhelmingly" supportive.
"Most of the zoning is the same, like it really is. It's reorganizing it making it more clear, but the vast majority of the zoning stayed the same," Lesperance said.
When asked about potential financial interests in Cascade properties, Ansara declined to provide details.
"What I have, personally, as far as investments in Cascade, it's just, it's just throwing mud in the water. It's not necessary," he said.
Neighbor's Perspective
Cascade neighbor Tom Gottlick says families should be the township's priority.
"The character should be maintained. Like I said, there's a way to do it. There's a thoughtful way to do it," Gottlick said. "Not just tear apart woods and then put up, you know, 900 townhouses."
What's Next
Lesperance said the township will mail information to all neighbors and update its website with frequently asked questions before the August vote.
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