06/22/2006

Editorial

Elmwood needs to keep pace on zoning changes

It had become apparent over the past few years that the township very much needed to rewrite most of its zoning ordinance. At least part of the previous zoning ordinance had been found by a township attorney to be incompatible with state law, and other portions were badly outdated. At the same time, development pressures were building. It was time to act. Now, it's getting time for the last act.

Earlier this month, a Dallas-based developer dropped plans to revamp the Harleysville building on M-22 because, as developer Fritz Duda Jr. put it, "Our timeline really didn't match up with their timeline."

The Harleysville project would have required changes to both the township zoning ordinance and master plan, and Duda said he didn't expect the township to take action on the issue soon. There were also indications Elmwood wouldn't allow housing densities the plan required.

In March, Wilderness Development Inc. withdrew plans for a massive hotel and water park development off M-72 because the firm didn't have any indication when the zoning work would be done and deadlines on contingency offers were looming.

It has become painfully obvious over the past decade that many, many local governments have inadequate zoning ordinances or master plans; as a result, some have been unable to manage new development in a way best for the community.

But the pace of development — particularly in Elmwood — hasn't slowed. Property owners have every right to expect prompt action by their local government on development requests, and any delay beyond the absolute minimum will be unacceptable to them.

Planner Bill Swanson says the commission is committed to being done by the end of the year. That can't come soon enough.