By Bruce Rolfe
Two new ordinances were approved and discussion about a data center moratorium were the top subjects at the Climax Township Board regular meeting August 11.
Although there was some division, the township board approved two new ordinances following a recommendation by the Planning Commission.
The Keeping of Large Livestock ordinance was approved 3-2 (Steve Walman and Sarah DeBoer voted no).
The new ordinance would allow keeping of horses, cattle, swine, sheep and lamb in the A, R-1 and R-2 zoning district classifications, except for horse boarding or riding stable approved as a special land use, subject to requirements.
The requirements include lot area size, pasture area for each animal unit and number of animal units permitted, land use as pasture area requirements, facility requirements, animal confinement area requirements, animal waste storage area requirements, distance from adjoining property line requirements, and boarded horses not owned by the property owner requirements.
“This is not about farmers. This is only about residential or those that don’t make a living farming. This would be them being able to keep these on their property that is not farm related,” explained Climax Township Supervisor Trent Piper about the ordinance.
The keeping of chickens as an accessory use ordinance was approved 3-2 (Cheryl Bates and Sarah DeBoer voted no).
The ordinance applies to all residential districts and agriculturally zoned property of 5 acres or less.
The ordinance provides standards and adjustments for the keeping of chickens. Roosters are only permitted in the Agricultural district. It is intended to enable residents to keep chickens on a non-commercial basis while limiting and mitigating any potential adverse impacts on surrounding properties and neighborhood.
The ordinance also covers rear yard and secured area, accessory use, coop and pen requirements, feed access, waste material, dead chickens and waste eggs, outdoor slaughter requirements, accessory use requirements, proper permitting requirements, establishment of an accessory use and/or accessory building requirements, and licensing requirements, and written authorization from an owner of the property before a permit shall be issued by the Zoning Administrator requirements (if different from the applicant) consenting to the application.
Data Center Moratorium Discussed
After briefly discussing a data center moratorium at the July township board meeting the board continued the discussion at the August 11 meeting.
Township Board Treasurer Steve Walman said Planning Commission Chairman Dickson Brubaker noted at the July board meeting it might be a good idea to begin discussion on a data center moratorium.
Supervisor Trent Piper said with discussion at the State level to establish a one year moratorium on data centers, the Township Planning Commission does have some time to get a plan in place.
“We also want to be prepared if and when we make that choice that our Planning Commission is ready to take it up and start digging in,” said the Township Supervisor.
The Charleston Township Planning Commission unanimously approved a motion at its July 28 meeting to schedule a public hearing for battery energy storage systems and data center moratorium ordinances.
The Charleston Township Board is expected to begin the moratorium ordinance process at its August 25 meeting.
Road Commission Completes 2027 Early
Climax Township Supervisor Trent Piper said the Road Commission of Kalamazoo County added the top three projects in the 2027 road projects in the Township to the 2026 schedule.
RCKC Managing Director Travis Bartholomew said the Local Road Contract with Climax Township allows additional projects to be added during the construction season when the final costs of the original project(s) come in below RCKC’s estimated budget. As a result, RCKC was able to add the three projects to the 2026 program, and all three have been completed.
Mark Worden, Road Commission of Kalamazoo County public relations director, said the three projects include P Avenue from 38th to 40th Street (crack fill, HMA wedging and chip seal; S Avenue, 47th to 48th Street (crack fill, HMA wedging and chip seal); and Q Avenue, 40th to 43rd Street (crack fill, HMA wedging and chip seal) with no increase in township contributions.
Bartholomew said the Q Avenue project also included a short segment of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) repair prior to the chip seal application.
Piper said the Township will not face additional cost in 2026, but the cost would be rolled into 2027.
Fire Department Report
Climax Township Fire Chief Scott Smith said the local fire department experienced a very busy July.
He said there were 46 calls for service in July. There were 23 medical calls for service. Of those 23 medical calls, eight were in Wakeshma Township and 15 were in Climax Township.
The fire department responded to four public service calls, five false alarms, seven hazardous situation calls, three personal injury rescues, two outside fires and two structure fires. Smith adds 13 total calls for service were in Wakeshma Township and 33 in Climax Township.
There were four automatic mutual aid received calls and the Township Fire Department responded to six mutual aid calls.
An agreement with the Wakeshma Township Board for the Climax Township Fire Department to be medical and fire first responders in Wakeshma Township, started April 1.
Smith said the Emergency Management fire truck loaned to the Climax Township Fire Department will eventually be placed at the Wakeshma Township Fire station.
The Wakeshma Township Board has agreed to pay for insurance on the truck that will be stationed at the Wakeshma Township Fire Station.
Smith adds the body of the new fire truck the Township purchased, has been painted. The new truck could be delivered in October or November.
In other items covered at the August 11 regular township meeting:
After brief discussion the Township Board authorized Supervisor Trent Piper to secure bids to replace some damaged sections of sidewalk in the town of Scotts on QR Avenue near the Elementary School.
Piper said he was approached by some concerned local residents about the repairs, noting they are used often by elementary students and the importance of keeping students on sidewalks instead of walking on the street.
Piper said the sidewalk replacement project would probably not be completed this fall and he expects any work the Township Board approves will be performed next year.
• The Township Board reviewed the township credit card policy. More information will be obtained and reviewed at a future Township Board meeting.
• Kalamazoo County Sheriff Department calls for service report notes there were 13 officer initiated calls for service and 10 citizen initiated calls for service in June.
The number of calls for service picked up in July. There were 23 citizen initiated calls for service and seven officer initiated calls for service in July.
• The Township’s insurance policy was reviewed. The annual package policy is $28,020.00.
• A letter from Flegal & Melnik Certified Accountants confirming an off year review the Certified Public Accountants will perform for the township, is estimated to cost $7, 250.
Two new ordinances were approved and discussion about a data center moratorium were the top subjects at the Climax Township Board regular meeting August 11.
Although there was some division, the township board approved two new ordinances following a recommendation by the Planning Commission.
The Keeping of Large Livestock ordinance was approved 3-2 (Steve Walman and Sarah DeBoer voted no).
The new ordinance would allow keeping of horses, cattle, swine, sheep and lamb in the A, R-1 and R-2 zoning district classifications, except for horse boarding or riding stable approved as a special land use, subject to requirements.
The requirements include lot area size, pasture area for each animal unit and number of animal units permitted, land use as pasture area requirements, facility requirements, animal confinement area requirements, animal waste storage area requirements, distance from adjoining property line requirements, and boarded horses not owned by the property owner requirements.
“This is not about farmers. This is only about residential or those that don’t make a living farming. This would be them being able to keep these on their property that is not farm related,” explained Climax Township Supervisor Trent Piper about the ordinance.
The keeping of chickens as an accessory use ordinance was approved 3-2 (Cheryl Bates and Sarah DeBoer voted no).
The ordinance applies to all residential districts and agriculturally zoned property of 5 acres or less.
The ordinance provides standards and adjustments for the keeping of chickens. Roosters are only permitted in the Agricultural district. It is intended to enable residents to keep chickens on a non-commercial basis while limiting and mitigating any potential adverse impacts on surrounding properties and neighborhood.
The ordinance also covers rear yard and secured area, accessory use, coop and pen requirements, feed access, waste material, dead chickens and waste eggs, outdoor slaughter requirements, accessory use requirements, proper permitting requirements, establishment of an accessory use and/or accessory building requirements, and licensing requirements, and written authorization from an owner of the property before a permit shall be issued by the Zoning Administrator requirements (if different from the applicant) consenting to the application.
Data Center Moratorium Discussed
After briefly discussing a data center moratorium at the July township board meeting the board continued the discussion at the August 11 meeting.
Township Board Treasurer Steve Walman said Planning Commission Chairman Dickson Brubaker noted at the July board meeting it might be a good idea to begin discussion on a data center moratorium.
Supervisor Trent Piper said with discussion at the State level to establish a one year moratorium on data centers, the Township Planning Commission does have some time to get a plan in place.
“We also want to be prepared if and when we make that choice that our Planning Commission is ready to take it up and start digging in,” said the Township Supervisor.
The Charleston Township Planning Commission unanimously approved a motion at its July 28 meeting to schedule a public hearing for battery energy storage systems and data center moratorium ordinances.
The Charleston Township Board is expected to begin the moratorium ordinance process at its August 25 meeting.
Road Commission Completes 2027 Early
Climax Township Supervisor Trent Piper said the Road Commission of Kalamazoo County added the top three projects in the 2027 road projects in the Township to the 2026 schedule.
RCKC Managing Director Travis Bartholomew said the Local Road Contract with Climax Township allows additional projects to be added during the construction season when the final costs of the original project(s) come in below RCKC’s estimated budget. As a result, RCKC was able to add the three projects to the 2026 program, and all three have been completed.
Mark Worden, Road Commission of Kalamazoo County public relations director, said the three projects include P Avenue from 38th to 40th Street (crack fill, HMA wedging and chip seal; S Avenue, 47th to 48th Street (crack fill, HMA wedging and chip seal); and Q Avenue, 40th to 43rd Street (crack fill, HMA wedging and chip seal) with no increase in township contributions.
Bartholomew said the Q Avenue project also included a short segment of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) repair prior to the chip seal application.
Piper said the Township will not face additional cost in 2026, but the cost would be rolled into 2027.
Fire Department Report
Climax Township Fire Chief Scott Smith said the local fire department experienced a very busy July.
He said there were 46 calls for service in July. There were 23 medical calls for service. Of those 23 medical calls, eight were in Wakeshma Township and 15 were in Climax Township.
The fire department responded to four public service calls, five false alarms, seven hazardous situation calls, three personal injury rescues, two outside fires and two structure fires. Smith adds 13 total calls for service were in Wakeshma Township and 33 in Climax Township.
There were four automatic mutual aid received calls and the Township Fire Department responded to six mutual aid calls.
An agreement with the Wakeshma Township Board for the Climax Township Fire Department to be medical and fire first responders in Wakeshma Township, started April 1.
Smith said the Emergency Management fire truck loaned to the Climax Township Fire Department will eventually be placed at the Wakeshma Township Fire station.
The Wakeshma Township Board has agreed to pay for insurance on the truck that will be stationed at the Wakeshma Township Fire Station.
Smith adds the body of the new fire truck the Township purchased, has been painted. The new truck could be delivered in October or November.
In other items covered at the August 11 regular township meeting:
After brief discussion the Township Board authorized Supervisor Trent Piper to secure bids to replace some damaged sections of sidewalk in the town of Scotts on QR Avenue near the Elementary School.
Piper said he was approached by some concerned local residents about the repairs, noting they are used often by elementary students and the importance of keeping students on sidewalks instead of walking on the street.
Piper said the sidewalk replacement project would probably not be completed this fall and he expects any work the Township Board approves will be performed next year.
• The Township Board reviewed the township credit card policy. More information will be obtained and reviewed at a future Township Board meeting.
• Kalamazoo County Sheriff Department calls for service report notes there were 13 officer initiated calls for service and 10 citizen initiated calls for service in June.
The number of calls for service picked up in July. There were 23 citizen initiated calls for service and seven officer initiated calls for service in July.
• The Township’s insurance policy was reviewed. The annual package policy is $28,020.00.
• A letter from Flegal & Melnik Certified Accountants confirming an off year review the Certified Public Accountants will perform for the township, is estimated to cost $7, 250.
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