Boards & Committees

Township Board

All Township Board Members are elected and serve for four years.  The terms are not staggered and the election is held the same year as the Presidential election.  All meetings are held at the Township Hall, located at 7275 West Main Street.

• 2024 Board Meeting Dates(PDF, 57KB)
• Board Minutes and Agendas
• Charter Township Act

Planning Commission

The Planning Commission is made up of six members from the community and one Township Board Member. The Planning Commission receives staff support from the Planning Department. The Planning Commission is responsible for maintaining the Master Land Use Plan, living documents that express the community’s vision for the future of Oshtemo. The Master Land Use Plan was originally adopted in 1993, the most recent amendment occurred in 2019.

The Zoning Ordinance is the tool to implement the Master Land Use Plan. Accordingly, all land use proposals and rezoning requests are reviewed to ensure consistency with both the Zoning Ordinance and the Master Land Use Plan. Occasionally it is appropriate to amend the Master Land Use Plan to ensure that still reflects the type of community Oshtemo residents enjoy now and/or desire for the future.

• Schedule of 2024 Meeting Dates(PDF, 146KB)
• 2024 Development Schedule of Applications(PDF, 533KB)
• 2025 Development Schedule of Applications(PDF, 154KB)
• Planning Commission By-Laws(PDF, 124KB)
• Board Minutes and Agendas
• Master Land Use Plan Documents
• Zoning Ordinance

All Planning Commission meetings are held at the Township Hall, located at 7275 West Main Street.

Zoning Board of Appeals

The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) is made up of five members, two of which are liaisons from the Planning Commission and the Township Board. The Planning Commission receives staff support from the Planning Department. The basic responsibilities of the ZBA include:  variance requests, site plan review of permitted uses, ordinance interpretations, and appeals of administrative decisions.   All ZBA meetings are held at the Township Hall, located at 7275 West Main Street.

• Schedule of 2024 Meeting Dates(PDF, 116KB)
• 2024 Development Schedule of Applications(PDF, 533KB)
• 2025 Development Schedule of Applications(PDF, 154KB)
• Zoning Board of Appeals Bylaws(PDF, 161KB)
• Board Minutes and Agendas
• Variance Review Criteria(PDF, 156KB)

Board of Review

March Board of Review (BOR)

The Board of Review meets in March annually to review the property assessment roll prepared by the Township Assessor, to hear appeals from property owners, and to correct the assessment rolls, if necessary.  Appointed by the Township Board, its citizen members serve two (2) year terms.  Per statute, the BOR meets at least 12 hours during a March week selected by the State. At least 3 of those 12 hours must be after 6 p.m. to better accommodate schedules.

The Board of Review meets at the Oshtemo Township offices, 7275 West Main Street.   Call the Assessor’s office at (269) 216-5225 or email assessor@oshtemo.org for an appointment.

July & December Board of Review

The July and December Board of Review can only address Clerical Errors and Mistakes of Fact related to real and personal property assessments. Appeals may also be heard for current year only Poverty Exemption requests. Veterans Exemption requests can also be heard for the current year only. The July and December Board of Reviews are prohibited from hearing property valuation disputes. Please call the Assessor’s Office at (269) 216-5225 or email assessor@oshtemo.org with questions or information requests.

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/l4035f_2658_7.pdf

Downtown Development Authority (DDA)

A Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is a tool, established by the Michigan Legislature, that helps local communities become proactive in halting property value decline and/or helps a particular business area keep up with other areas of the community experiencing growth and/or reinvestment. Its establishment permits the capture and use of future tax increment funds generated in the area for improvements to the area.

The DDA was established by the Township Board on January 27, 2004. The DDA Board of Directors consists of the Township Supervisor and 12 members appointed by the Township Board. The DDA Board is responsible for the formulation and implementation of the Development and Tax Increment Financing Plan regarding the use of captured tax dollars in the DDA area, subject to Township Board approval.

• Adopted DDA 2024 meeting dates(PDF, 94KB): All meetings will be held at the Oshtemo Community Center, 6407 Parkview, at 3pm on the dates listed.
• 2024 DDA & SoDA Open House Flyer(PDF, 1MB)
• DDA Bylaws(PDF, 137KB)
• Board Minutes and Agendas
• About the DDA and DDA Boundary Map(PDF, 235KB)
• 2024 DDA Contracts: S&T Lawn Care(PDF, 148KB), SignArt Banner Swap(PDF, 73KB)
• DDA Development and Tax Increment Financing Plan(PDF, 3MB)
• Full Text of State Law(PDF, 458KB) – Click on individual section number to read the text.
• DDA Village Theme Development Plan(PDF, 13MB) – 2019 Update
• DDA Facade Grant Program and Application

Capital Improvements Committee

The committee’s charge is to coordinate and fund capital improvement projects which make the best use of limited public dollars. Annually the CIC will develop a list of capital expenditures for the township, in the form of a Capital Improvement Plan and forward it to the Township Board for adoption.

Sewer & Water

The CIC will consider water and sewer improvements, develop the water and sewer long-range capital improvement plan, and hear appeals. The CIC will review proposed sewer and water rate increases, policy changes, and ordinance amendments. After completing their review, recommendations will be presented to the Township Board.

Roads

The upkeep of the local and primary roads is the responsibility of the Kalamazoo County Road Commission. However, the Township has authority to assist in the upkeep and maintenance of these roads. In addition, the oversight and control of the road rights-of-way, to deal with utilities, as well as traffic issues (including truck routes), rests with the Township.

The CIC will review the condition of the local roads, and after conferring with the Kalamazoo County Road Commission, make recommendations for needed improvements as funding is available.

The funding for these road projects comes from the following sources: The Kalamazoo County Road Commission receives Act 51 monies to maintain all the roads in the County. The Kalamazoo County Road Commission provides matching funds to assist with certain local road projects. The Township receives no direct state or local funding, and therefore uses General Fund monies and special assessments from property owners to support local road projects.

Sidewalk & Trail

The CIC will work to prioritize and implement the “Non-Motorized Facilities Plan”. If considered a trail, the CIC will work with the Parks Committee to implement the project.

Parks Committee

The Parks Committee consists of two Township Board members, two Citizen Representatives, and Township Staff.   They oversee the development of the Township parks, by responding to public interest and use of the Recreation Plan. Yearly development plans are created and a budget is prepared with monies transferred from the General Fund. There is no direct millage for Park development and maintenance. When a project is identified and estimates are obtained, a recommendation is sent to the Township Board.

Friends of the Parks

The Mission of the citizen volunteers of Oshtemo Friends of the Parks is to promote the expanded stewardship and preservation of natural features within the community, to further the development and maintenance of existing and future parks in keeping with adopted park plans, and to effectively advocate Township parks as community resources for all to enjoy.

South Drake Road Corridor Improvement Authority (SoDA)

A corridor improvement authority (CIA) is a tool, established by the Michigan Legislature to assist local communities with funding improvements in a commercial corridor by permitting the capture and use of future tax increment funds generated in the designated area.

The SoDA was established by the Township Board on March 18, 2014.  The Board of Directors consists of the Township Supervisor and eight members; the majority must represent the designated area, appointed by the Township Board. The SoDA Board are responsible for the formulation and implementation of a Development and Tax Increment Financing Plan, subject to Township Board approval.

• Schedule of 2024 Meeting Dates - All meetings will be held at the Township Hall, located at 7275 West Main Street, at noon on the dates listed(PDF, 85KB).(PDF, 91KB)
• 2024 DDA & SoDA Open House Flyer(PDF, 1MB)
• SoDA Bylaws(PDF, 132KB)
• Board Minutes and Agendas
• About the SoDA and SoDA Boundary Map(PDF, 626KB)
• 2024 Contracts: Currently None
• SoDA Development and Tax Increment Financing Plan(PDF, 4MB)