By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com


The Putnam Township Planning Commission is recommending approval of the rezoning of 24 acres that some neighbors have complained about, but no evidence of wrongdoing has been found.

A public hearing was held this past Wednesday for a zoning amendment that would reclassify the property in question from Rural Residential(RR) to Agricultural/Open Space (AO). The property is owned by Shane Monroe, who owns Monroe’s Rubbish, but this is his personal property and not company property. Prior to the public hearing, a few complaints had been filed to the township, with WHMI receiving one from a neighbor who accused Monroe of several ordinance violations. The complaints, however, do not have a bearing on the rezoning request. Those complaints include working on commercial equipment that is producing loud noise and commercial truck activity at the site.

One member of the Planning Commission, however, said that he and the ordinance officer had been out there individual multiple times and have not been able to substantiate the claims.

Putnam Township Supervisor Dennis Brennan told WHMI by email that they have asked the neighbors to furnish pictures or video, but they have not done so. He said if they receive “proof or similar complaints from other neighbors, the township will certainly take steps to achieve compliance without orders.”

Monroe said the complaints are based on unfounded speculation that it is coming from his property. None of the residents who expressed an issue by email were present for the public hearing.

One other issue that came up was that the rezoning was not consistent with the future land use map. The map calls for low-density residential there. However, the township’s master plan calls for the preservation of agricultural property, which this would do. Monroe said he plans to use it just for farming.

The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval. It will now go to the Livingston County Planning Commission before heading to the Putnam Township Board of Trustees for final approval.