Atlas Twp.- The five acre minumum issue is going to the voting booth.
Following a petition drive to bring the matter to a vote, Atlas Township Clerk Tere Onica said the signatures have been tallied and it has been verified enough were collected to put the issue on the ballot in August.
‘I had 1,109 (signatures) submitted; 442 was all that was required,? said Onica. ‘We did verify more than that amount in case there were any problems.?
Controversy has centered around last month’s township board decision to designate a five acre minimum for portions of the township.
Some residents, upset about the rezoning, began circulating petitions to bring the issue to the voters. Approximately 124 petitions bearing 1,109 signatures were turned in to the township on April 2. The signatures were received by the township prior to the April 3 deadline to bring the issue to a vote in the Aug.7 elections.
Following Onica’s verification that the minimum number of signatures had been obtained, the responsibility of creating the ballot language fell to township attorney David Lattie.
‘We asked the attorney to provide us with some ballot language. He’s going to present it to us at the May 21 board meeting,? said Onica.
Onica said the language must be given to the county by May 29 for the issue to be on the ballot in August. She expects the board to approve the language on May 21 without a problem.
Proponents of the minimum argue the larger lot sizes save wear and tear on townships roads while preserving a rural atmosphere. Opponents have said the measure is exclusionary and infringes upon the rights of property owners.