Leelanau Housing Ready Program Quarterly Update

Zachary Hillyer, the Housing Ready Director for Leelanau County and has been working nonstop in Leelanau towards housing solutions and helping Leelanau become Housing Ready! Some of Zach's big activities this quarter are:

  • Worked with the Leelanau Township Planning Commission to complete the Housing Ready Checklist and is reviewing potential housing strategies as it works to complete an updated Master Plan. Zach has attended recent meetings where the commission discussed housing and provided commissioners with information and resources to help them consider housing-ready strategies. 

  • Zach submitted a letter of support and provided public comments in support of proposed zoning changes initiated by Peninsula Housing to increase density in certain zoning districts in the Village of Suttons Bay. These changes are still under consideration.

  • The Suttons Bay Township Planning Commission is reviewing the Housing Ready Checklist as it works to complete zoning ordinance updates and review its current Master Plan. Zach had the opportunity to provide commissioners with information and data on housing topics.

  • Work with the Village of Suttons Bay which also completed the Housing Ready Checklist and included strategies from the checklist as housing action items in its draft Master Plan. The Master Plan is currently out for public review.  

  • Bingham Township is working with Networks Northwest on an updated Master Plan, which includes ways to help address its housing needs. 

  • The Leelanau County Housing Action Committee (HAC) is in the process of distributing hard copies of the Michigan Association of Planning’s Zoning Reform Toolkit to all 14 Planning Commissions in the County thanks to Sharon Oriel, (a HAC member and Housing North Board Vice President), and Zach who distributed a copy of the toolkit to the Glen Arbor Township Planning Commission. Glen Arbor Township is featured in the toolkit as a case study/best practice for minimum dwelling unit size on pg. 58.

 

Promoting the Housing Ready Checklist, reviewing ordinances, and gathering community data have been a priority for Zach. If you'd like to speak with Zach and learn more about his role and work in Leelanau, please click here. 

Jamie Jewell