Dear Editor,

I often ask the residents of Independence Township why they think the planning commission and the township board members don’t seem to be working for them or protecting the residents when it comes to new developments in the community.
The residents understand there will be development. Do the board members understand they work for the people not the outside interests trying to get in?
The residents I have talked with say they don’t participate because the board has shown no interest in their opinions and consistently ignore their concerns. They also feel like all decisions are made before the meeting, so why waste their time, which one may conclude by the article in the November 18 edition of The Clarkston News by Supervisor Pat Kittle where he’s quoted as saying, “We have our differences, but we try to work those out behind closed doors before the meeting so that we can put our best foot forward to let the residents know that No. 1, we care, and we understand that this is not our money; it’s taxpayer dollars, and No. 2, what can we do that is in the best interest of the community?”
Why do they refuse to have any kind of open discussion on any items with the public? Is it that they think they know what’s best for us and are above being questioned about their decisions? Or, do they just not understand the difference between acting on something that’s not an agenda item and discussing in public something that’s not an agenda item? There’s a big difference between the two. Do they understand they are supposed to protect the residents?
Why do they spend more time explaining the rules of a public hearing and setting a three-minute time limit to address the planning commission even when there’s only one person at the meeting? Is it that they think your comments don’t matter? Or is it that they don’t know that all meetings are allowed to go until 10 p.m. without a formal extension for the purpose of making sure everyone has a voice? Do they not know who they represent?
Why would the planning commission and the township board members vote for a bad development that they wouldn’t want in their backyard? There isn’t a single resident that would want a two-story apartment building balcony 40 feet from their backyard, yet all the board members and the majority of planning commissioners don’t think it’s a bad thing. Is it that they don’t care about what happens to your property values as long as there is growth, or is it that they don’t know that they have the power to ask the developer to move it to another area of the almost 70-acre property?
Why would the planning commission recommend a strip mall to be approved next to a resident’s home, while recommending a special exception be made to allow it? Is it that they don’t understand transitional architecture? Or is it they just don’t want to say no to anything presented? Why so many concessions for projects that negatively affects the neighboring residence? They could approve the same business with minimal impact but choose not to.
Why would a board member want to change the character of our community and make it like the place a lot of us left to come here? Is it that they don’t understand anything about our rural community? Or is it that they want to turn us into one of those towns? Although some of the planning commission members may have experience in cities more than twice our size, that is certainly not what we are or aspire to be.
The scars this planning commission and township board are planning to put on the township will be visible forever, long after they are gone.
The sad part is they have the power to do the right thing and they choose not to. All of the developments can still be done in a much better way without a negative impact on the surrounding residents and still generate a tax base. We need strong leaders, not followers. You decide why they are making the decisions they are making and who they are truly representing.
A good rule to follow: If you wouldn’t want it in your backyard, then don’t allow it in someone else’s.

Sincerely,
Sam Moraco
Independence Township
Planning Commission member