Notice is hereby given, that the Georgetown Township Board will hold a public meeting on March 9, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., at the Georgetown Township Office, 1515 Baldwin Street, Jenison, Michigan. One item on the agenda will be to review and consider the following general ordinance, which was introduced and read for the first time on February 23, 2026.
ORDINANCE NO. 2026-03
AN ORDINANCE TO IMPOSE A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON THE ISSUANCE OR GRANTING OF ANY ZONING APPROVALS, REZONINGS, PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENTS, SITE CONDOMINIUMS, PLATS, DEVELOPMENT (SITE) PLANS, PERMITS, LICENSES AND CERTAIN OTHER ZONING APPROVALS, AS WELL AS THE COMMENCEMENT OR EXPANSION OF VARIOUS DEVELOPMENTS OR PROJECTS.
THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF GEORGETOWN (the “Township”) ORDAINS:
Section 1. Intent and Findings.
- The provisions of the Township’s Zoning Ordinance and Master Plan regarding various matters have not kept pace with development patterns, population increases and other matters in the Township.
- The Township Board for Georgetown Charter Township desires to revise and update the regulations and provisions within the Township’s Zoning Ordinance regarding rezonings, planned unit developments (“PUDs”), site condominiums, plats/subdivisions, development (site) plans and similar zoning matters (all collectively hereafter, referred to as a “Development Project” or in the plural as “Development Projects”).
- The Township and its officials have substantial concerns about the following matters which should potentially be addressed by amendments to the Township’s Zoning Ordinance as well as the enactment or amendment of other Township ordinances:
- Whether the public water system in various portions of the Township has sufficient capacity to handle further development and growth, and if so, how or where such growth should occur. The pending Wyoming Water Reliability Study is anticipated to be completed by the summer of 2026 and is expected to influence future growth and development within the Township. The current public water system can have its capacity exceeded during peak demand days. The Township must evaluate whether additional water storage tanks and other facilities are necessary to ensure an adequate and reliable public water supply for the community, which will impact Township planning for future growth.
- Concerns about the capacity and ability of the Georgetown Charter Township Fire Department to provide adequate firefighting, emergency rescue and other services as population and development grows within the Township and in various portions thereof. Emergency services are transitioning from the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department to the Georgetown Township Fire Department. At this time, the Township has not yet established the anticipated response time requirements necessary to effectively serve the community under the new service model. The Township will conduct a formal evaluation of response time performance, service coverage, staffing levels, and resource deployment to determine whether adjustments are required to ensure adequate emergency service delivery to the community, both for now and in the future. A Township water pressure evaluation also needs to be completed in the fall of 2026 to determine future tanks and pumps needs.
- Whether the electrical grid and electric service providers in different portions of the Township will be overburdened by future growth and, if so, how that problem can be addressed.
- The impact of increased traffic on public safety, traffic patterns and related matters.
- The impact of anticipated future population growth within various areas of the Township.
- Imposing a moratorium, on a limited temporary basis, is reasonable and necessary in order to allow time for the review of potential amendments to the Zoning Ordinance (and potentially other ordinances) regarding Development Projects.
- During the time of this moratorium, the Township Board and the Planning Commission will work diligently regarding potential amendments to the Zoning Ordinance (and potentially other ordinances) regarding Development Projects.
- During this moratorium period, the Township Board and Planning Commission will investigate potential modifications to the Zoning Ordinance (and potentially other ordinances) that may establish new or prevised reasonable regulations regarding Development Projects.
- On March 19, 2025, the Township’s Planning Commission formally initiated the Master Plan review process. On April 28, 2025, the Township Board approved a contract with Williams and Works for a professional planning contract for the Master Plan review. The Planning Commission and Township Board continue to work diligently to review the Master Plan by holding, planning and scheduling more meetings for discussion on the Master Plan review and to complete the process. This moratorium is also necessary to allow sufficient time for the Master Plan to be revised or replaced.
Section 2. Administrative Action. A moratorium is hereby imposed upon the issuance of any Township permit, license, zoning approval, development (site) plan, rezoning, PUD, variance, or similar approval for any new or expanded Development Project. During the moratorium term specified in this Ordinance, no Township official, employee, body, board, commission or agent shall issue or approve any such permit, zoning approval, development (site) plan, rezoning, license, PUD, variance or other approval for a Development Project.
Section 3 No Development Project. Except for an existing development or project that can proceed under Section 4 hereof, no Development Project shall be developed, expand or proceed to construction during this moratorium.
Section 4. Status of a Development Project. This moratorium shall not apply to any approved Development Project that has all of the following as of the effective date of this Ordinance:
- All Township zoning and land use approvals were obtained and are still valid and in effect.
- Has a valid Township approved development (site) plan which is still in effect.
- The project is under substantial construction.
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As for plats, this moratorium shall not apply to an approved overall preliminary plat and subsequent phases to a previously approved overall preliminary plat when such approvals occurred before this Ordinance became effective. This moratorium shall not apply to final preliminary plat approval or final plat approval for plats that have previously obtained preliminary plat approval when such approvals occurred before this Ordinance became effective.
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In addition, this moratorium shall not apply to any of the following:
- Additions to lawfully existing houses and other buildings. Such exemption also includes decks, swimming pools and similar accessory structures.
- Non-zoning permits and approvals such as permits under the building codes, solicitation permits, business permits and similar permits.
- Sign permits.
- Any single-family residential housing development that will have a total of five (5) or fewer lots, parcels or site condominiums.
Section 5. Term of This Ordinance. The moratorium imposed by this Ordinance shall remain in effect for eight (8) months following the effective date of this Ordinance or until amendments to Georgetown Charter Township’s ordinances regarding Development Projects become effective, whichever occurs first. Prior to the expiration of this moratorium, Georgetown Charter Township may extend the moratorium to allow sufficient time to complete any such amendments to the ordinances and to finish and amend or adopt a new Master Plan.
Section 6. Effective Date. This Ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency ordinance and shall become effective the day following its publication (or a summary hereof) in a newspaper of general circulation within the Township.
Signed: Kelly Kuiper, Clerk
Georgetown Charter Township