To prevent legal challenges by developers desiring to get their way, against the will of residents, the Planning Commission should update the Master Land-Use Plan about every 5 years. The current plan was reviewed during 2015-2017 and updated in September 2017. It was then approved by our Board of Trustees after a public hearing seeking comment.
The Planning Commission discussed the reasons for an update and how to go about it their October 3, 2023 meeting. An excellent summary of their discussion can be seen in their comprehensive minutes. (Thank you, Planning Commission, for having comprehensive minutes.)
I suggest you read these minutes at the link below for and understanding of the Master Plan 2024 update.
The video of that 44 minute discussion can at link below at agenda 7a, if you want to see all that was said. (Thanks to 2012-2016 Board, Terry Gonser, Supervisor, for creating meeting videos and putting them on-line)
https://videoplayer.telvue.com/player/KGL-y_dHhCluQTy7c6YoVBzzQ5eHj7Lr/playlists/10233/media/827680
I reviewed the 2024 draft master plan posted on the Oakland Township website and find no big cause for alarm or concern.
I would like to see however the draft Safety Path and Trails updated plan which is referenced in the appendix by title but not included.
I put the two plans (2017 and 2024) side by side using windows and went through all 147 pages, looking for changes. The most important parts to watch for change are Sections II and III, only about 25 pages.
Section 1 describes our township as it is now. See below from the plan.
The 147 page, 2024 draft master plan with an additional 114 pages of appendices can be seen is at this link:
The current 2017 master plan and appendices are separated at these two links
2017 Master Plan
2017 appendices
The appendices consist almost entirely the results of 2003 and 2015 resident surveys. The Planning Commission did not feel it was necessary to do another survey at this time.
I find it disappointing that in the 2015 survey only 24% (1427 of 5946) households responded.
The “Executive Summary” of the survey results in the appendices is recommended reading to see how the survey results were interpreted.
Oakland Township Sentinel 