The Keweenaw County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 Tuesday to repeal countywide zoning, marking the beginning of a process that could take more than a year to complete.
Commissioner Mike LaMotte cast the only vote against the repeal. The board cited budget constraints as the primary reason for the decision, saying the county must choose between maintaining zoning or funding the sheriff’s office.
Township leaders raised concerns about the lack of communication preceding the decision. Rob Fisher, Houghton Township’s supervisor, told the board the repeal could threaten his community’s viability.
“Our township is barely hanging on by its fingertips as it is,” Fisher said. “Anything added to this would likely lead to a dissolving of our township, which puts everything back into the county’s hands. We are a very small township, an aging township. We had to beg, borrow, and plead for people to be on our team. And at no point was where we’re at, I wasn’t asked.”
A county resident also warned that repealing zoning could increase neighbor conflicts, particularly in areas where short-term rentals have settled.
Gina Nichols, executive director of the Keweenaw Outdoor Recreation Coalition, told commissioners the repeal process will likely take more than the year the board anticipates. She urged the county to improve communication with townships, stakeholders and residents as the process moves forward.
The board of commissioners also approved a MSHDA grant program to support low-income housing improvements, and approved the county’s health insurance plan for 2027.
