By David Fleet
Editor
Groveland Twp.-On Monday night the township board of trustees voted 4-1 to deny a request by the Michigan Renaissance to amend the multi-unit residential (RM) zoning in the district where the festival parking property 12600 Dixie Highway is located. The change was requested to construct a drive-in-style movie facility. Had the amendment been approved, a recommendation of an allowable special use permit from the township planning commission would have been needed. Supervisor DePalma voted for the request. Board members Kidd, Back, Muzzarelli and Christopher voted against the request.
“The reason I supported the amendment was because the drive-in was to be located on the (Groveland) township section of the Renaissance property,” said DePalma. “Since Renaissance is located in both Groveland and Holly township they (Renaissance officials) can now go to the Holly Township planning commission who could still approve the drive-in. Now, Groveland would have no input into the regulation of the drive-in.”
In June, Kathy Parker of the Michigan Renaissance Festival had proposed to the township planning commission a drive-in-style theater using about 3 percent of their Dixie Highway parking property in the township. The project would have included the construction of a movie screen to accommodate a viewing area for about 200 to 300 vehicles. The facilities associated with the drive-in would have been temporary and include generators for electrical, Porta Johns, along with tents for concessions. The planning commission agreed the proposal would be a beneficial addition to the community in the location proposed. As a result, the proposal was presented to the township board of trustees for approval.

The drive-in was proposed due to the coronvirus and the lack of the Renaissance Festival for 2020. To help raise some funds to replace lost festival business the drive-in-style theater was proposed. An expected 100-300 people would attend, no alcohol would be permitted, the movies would run Thursday-Sunday each week into October and be open weather permitting.
“It would be nice to go watch a movie but there are a lot of things I’m disagreeing with,” said Shelly Kidd, township treasurer. “At what sacrifices are our residence ready to give up.”
Kidd outlined several concerns including an overabundance of lighting, to excessive noise to increased traffic in the township.
“The people that are going to these shows are families, and families with small children,” said Parker. “It’s a down home thing to do. People are not coming in to these places and party—it’s not where all the drug addicts hang out and it’s not a big beer party. It’s families going in because they can afford to do it. For $20 you can take your kids and have a good time (where) hot dogs will cost just a dollar. The sound for the movie will come over the car radio, not the speakers. Even more now it’s not a bad thing for this community. If we are going to have something in the community, other than a doughnut shop, what would be more benign?”
Parker said the smaller events in the community are key right now.
“In March or April (of next year) we don’t know if anything is going to open back up,” said Parker. “We don’t know if our family members are going to back in the community. So, the smaller things we can put together and make safe makes sense. The bigger things might not happen.”