TOWNSHIP APPOINTEES:
ZONING ADMINSTRATOR:
Brad Barnes 989-450-6270
ZONING PERMITS
Before starting construction on your property YOU MUST contact Zoning Administrator Brad Barnes at 989-450-6270 to see if a permit is required. In some cases a permit is not required under township zoning, but may be required from the county building codes. Contact SafeBuilt (LINK) in Caro at 989-262-4546.
A zoning permit makes sure your project meets the local zoning ordinance, and is the first step in obtaining a building permit from Tuscola County.
ZONING PERMIT APPLICATION is available on the website under the "DOCUMENTS" tab.
PERMITS ARE REQUIRED for the following improvements: remodeling when changing size of structure (additions); replacing existing structures; decks; swimming pools; all storage or accessory buildings; and all fences.
FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PERMIT will result in penalties.
SITE PLAN REQUIRED: A application must be accompanied by a plot or site plan that shows the dimensions of all property lines, any existing structures on the property, and the proposed new structure.
ZONING COMPLAINTS:
Complaints are received from citizens regarding violations of the various codes of Wisner Township. Residents may call any township board member or the zoning administrator to verify whether their neighbors have received permits for construction or simply to report a violation they might have observed. The name, address and phone number of the complainant is required. The complainant's identifying information is required in order to make a complaint. This information may be requested by the violator and will be furnished upon request.
ZONING PERMIT APPLICATION is available on the website under the "DOCUMENTS" tab.
When complaints are received, a friendly letter is sent to the person allegedly accused of violating the ordinance explaining that a complaint has been received. The complaint is described to the homeowner and the appropriate ordinance section is sited. The resident is then asked to consider whether they are indeed in violation and if they are, to please correct the situation. If this first step is not effective and it is determined that a violation indeed exists, an official Notice of Violation is sent to the homeowner. If the problem remains unresolved, a summons is issued by the township attorney, which then goes to circuit court. Most complaints are remedied by the first step of this procedure.
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TOWNSHIP ASSESSOR:
Nathan Hager (810) 614-8487
Email: ndhager@yahoocom
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BOARD OF REVIEW:
Secretary, Tracy Freed, Twp Supervisor
Dianna Nelson
Michelle Pretzer
Toni Reese
Alternate: Marlee Stein
What Is the Board of Review?:
The Board of Review (BOR) is a local committee of electors from the township. Three BOR members are appointed to two-year terms by the township board to receive and hear taxpayer appeals of the annual assessment roll. They are local taxpayers, property owners and peers of the average citizen who appear before them.
The Michigan State Tax Commission has stated, “A Board of Review is not the assessor and the assessor is not the Board of Review. Every citizen who appears before the Board of Review is in fact challenging a decision of the assessor and it is the Board of Review’s responsibility to make an independent judgment based on the facts and on law.” Every property owner should therefore review their annual Notice of Assessment, Taxable Valuation and Property Classification for the exact dates and times of their local Board of Review. A property owner may also contact their local assessor for the same information.
The Board of Review is required by state law to meet in March of each year to hear the various appeals for that specific assessment and tax year. The BOR may also meet in July and December; however, the type of appeals the board hears is dependent upon the specific meeting of the BOR.
A short time after the adjournment of the local BOR, the assessing office will forward a written copy of the Board of Review’s decision. Whatever the decision of the BOR, should a property owner not be satisfied, the decision form will provide information on further appeal rights to the Michigan Tax Tribunal.
More information can be found in this article.
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BOARD MEMBER LIASONS:
ACW Ambulance Board - Tracy Freed
ACW Fire Board - Wade MacFarlane & Lisa Valentine
Planning & Zoning Commission - Lisa Valentine
PLANNING COMMISSION:
Chair, Wayne Dinsmoore (thru 2027) 989-385-5524
Vice chair, Dale Nelson (thru 2026) 989-450-3473
Twp Board Liaison: Lisa Valentine (thru 2028) 989-233-2970
Member: Ken Wiles (thru 2027) 989-233-3302
Member: Deb Goslin (thru 2025) 989-977-0821
Email: valentine.wisner.twp@gmail.com
Most local governments establish planning commissions to oversee the development (or updating) of the master plan and later, the zoning ordinance. Once established, the planning commission conducts public hearings and advises the township board on planning and zoning issues.
Authorities and Responsibilities:
- Shall make and adopt a basic plan as a guide for the development of the unincorporated portions of the township. Shall approve/deny construction, location and character of streets, squares, parks or other public ways, grounds or open space, or public buildings and structures.
- The township board may designate the powers of a zoning board to a planning commission, including making recommendations as to a zoning plan, districts and ordinance, and, per the township's ordinance, approving special land uses, planned unit developments and site plans.
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ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS:
Norine Weiler (township board liaison)
Ken Wiles (planning commission liaison)
Doug Vader
Alternate: Evan Goslin
Alternate: Jim Valentine
Authorities and Responsibilities:
- Shall hear and decide questions that arise in the administration of the zoning ordinance, including the interpretation of the zoning maps.
- Shall hear and decide appeals from and review any order, requirement, decision, or determination made by an administrative official or body charged with enforcement of a zoning ordinance.
- Shall hear and decide matters referred to it by the zoning ordinance or that it is required to pass under the zoning ordinance.
- Decides variance requests.
- Hears special land use and planned unit development appeals only if provided for by zoning ordinance.
The Appeals Process
When an applicant experiences an unfavorable decision from the Planning Commission, they have the ability to appeal that decision to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA).
Applicant must do the following:
- Make written request within 30 days of being denied for a Dimensional (Non-Use) or Use Variance to the ZBA. Non Use - is unique to the property itself: i.e. setback or size of lot. Use is use of the land that is otherwise not allowed or permitted.
- Request for appeal must specify the grounds for the appeal.
- Applicant must present evidence the ordinance would restrict the owner from using the property for a permitted purpose.
- All papers of record will be given to the ZBA that pertain to this denial.
- Base Fees shall be paid at the time the notice of appeal is filed, any additional costs incurred by the township; i.e. publication and notices, shall also be payable to the Township. Current fee schedule is available on the website under the "DOCUMENTS" tab.
A Public Hearing will be necessary to insure that all surrounding land owners know about the public hearing requesting a variance.
- A notice shall appear in a newspaper of general circulation in the Township at least fifteen (15) prior to the hearing.
- A notice of this public hearing shall be sent or delivered in person to whom the real property in question is assessed within three hundred (300) feet.
- A notice of this public hearing shall be sent or delivered in person to the occupants of any single and two family dwellings within three hundred (300) feet regardless of whether the owner or occupant is located in the Township.
The ZBA will not make a decision at the Public Hearing. Decisions are made at a ZBA meeting.
- Two thirds (2/3) of the ZBA members are needed to grant a variance for an approved use.
- ZBA decision is final
A party aggrieved by the ZBA decision may appeal to the Tuscola County Circuit Court within 30 days of the written decision of the ZBA.