Pierson Township planning commission deadlocks on junk ordinance repeal

Overview

Updated Sep 3

Pierson Township's planning commission deadlocked 3-3 on a proposal to repeal the township's zoning rules on junk. The amendment would have removed junk regulations from the zoning ordinance because the general ordinance already covers the same ground; the tie leaves both in force.

Commissioners and residents debated conflicting ordinances, enforcement procedures, and whether the township's rules are accessible enough for the public to follow. Township officials are now weighing adoption of Montcalm County's blight ordinance, which would let the county handle enforcement cases after the township exhausts its own efforts. That decision would give the county a backstop role in enforcement.

Why it matters

Tangled junk rules make blight enforcement harder in Pierson Township; the county blight ordinance would give Montcalm County a backstop enforcement role.

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Key Indicators

3-3

Planning commission vote on junk ordinance amendment

Motion to repeal zoning junk rules failed on a tie, leaving both ordinances in force.

Township ordinances regulating junk

The zoning ordinance and general ordinance both cover junk, creating the overlap at issue.

County blight ordinance under consideration

Montcalm County could handle enforcement cases after the township exhausts its own efforts.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Dan Buyze

Pierson Township supervisor during the 2021 wind ordinance debate

Role as of 2021; current status not confirmed in available records

Jim Ward

Pierson Township Planning Commission chairman during the 2021 wind ordinance debate

Role as of 2021; current status not confirmed in available records

Organizations Involved

Pierson Township Planning Commission

Local government commission

Deadlocked 3-3 on junk ordinance amendment

The appointed body that reviews Pierson Township's zoning and land-use ordinances.

Pierson Township Board

Local government board

Weighing adoption of Montcalm County blight ordinance

Elected governing body with final authority over Pierson Township ordinances.

Montcalm County

County government

Offers a blight ordinance Pierson Township is considering adopting

The county government that could take on blight enforcement in Pierson Township.

The Daily News

Local newspaper

Montcalm County's newspaper of record, covering the deadlock

The local paper covering Pierson Township and Montcalm County government.

Timeline

June 2021 September 2026

2 events Latest: September 1st, 2026 · 2 months ago

September 2026
Planning commission deadlocks 3-3 on junk ordinance amendment
Latest Local Government

Commissioners debated conflicting ordinances, enforcement, and public access. The amendment would repeal duplicate junk rules.
September 1st, 2026
June 2021
Planning commission votes 3-1 to keep wind turbine setbacks at four times height
Local Government

After 90 minutes of comment, the commission recommended the stricter setback. Residents cited poor notice.
June 3rd, 2021

Scenarios

Pierson Township adopts Montcalm County blight ordinance

Possible Resolves by Q1 2027

Discussed by: Pierson Township officials, as reported by The Daily News

The township board could vote to adopt the county's blight ordinance, giving Montcalm County authority to handle junk and blight enforcement cases after the township exhausts its own efforts. The ordinance would act as a backstop for a volunteer commission with limited capacity. It would also give the county a defined enforcement role.

Township repeals zoning junk rules, keeps general ordinance

Possible Resolves by Q1 2027

Discussed by: The three planning commissioners who voted for the amendment

The planning commission could revisit the amendment and pass it on a new motion, or the township board could act on its own. Repeal would leave the general ordinance as the single enforcement tool, ending the overlap. The amendment's three supporters could bring it back at a future meeting.

Deadlock persists, status quo continues

Likely Resolves by Q1 2027

Discussed by: The three planning commissioners who voted against the amendment

If no commissioner brings a new motion and the township board takes no action, both ordinances stay in force and enforcement remains split. The county blight ordinance would not be adopted. The three commissioners who voted against the amendment preferred keeping the zoning rules in place.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

June 2021

Pierson Township wind ordinance fight (2021)

The planning commission voted 3-1 to recommend keeping wind turbine setbacks at four times turbine height after 90 minutes of public comment. Residents shouted at officials and said they had learned of the proposed Apex Clean Energy wind farm and the ordinance only weeks before; officials said every meeting had been publicized.

Then

The commission recommended the stricter setback, and the township board had approved the wind ordinance in February 2021.

Now

The episode left a pattern of residents distrusting the township's notice process and the commission's land-use decisions.

Why this matters now

The same public-access question — whether residents can find and understand the township's rules — is at the center of the 2026 junk ordinance deadlock.

May 2014 – 2019

Detroit blight removal (2014)

Detroit's Blight Removal Task Force surveyed 380,000 parcels and identified about 84,000 blighted structures. The city used federal Hardest Hit Fund money to demolish thousands of them over the following years.

Then

Detroit removed tens of thousands of blighted structures, though critics said demolition outpaced renovation.

Now

The effort became a national model for data-driven blight removal and showed the scale of resources such campaigns require.

Why this matters now

The contrast shows the range of blight enforcement: Detroit built a funded, data-driven removal campaign, while Pierson Township's volunteer commission is still deciding which ordinance defines junk.