JCDC Chair: A Critical Look at Leoni Township Rezoning

“Members of the Leoni Township Board of Trustees, neighbors, and staff —My name is Amador Ybarra. I live in Summit Twp. I am here to oppose the proposed rezoning of the former Pine Hollow Golf Course at 5400 Trailer Park Drive to Heavy Industrial. This parcel is valuable open land—200 acres that we use for groundwater recharge, flood buffer, wildlife habitat, and quiet rural character. The Leoni Township agenda and recent news show the rezone is actively moving forward; residents packed the planning meeting because this matters to everyonme in Jackson County. leonitownship.com+1Turning this property to “heavy industrial” risks irreversible damage to our air, water, and the health of residents. The State of Michigan and federal mapping tools identify potential wetlands and wetland soils across Jackson County and the Pine Hollow area; EGLE’s Wetlands Map Viewer and the State Wetland Inventory identify designated wetlands in the area of Pine Hollow. The designated wetlands on or adjacent to this site deserve protection—those maps are the place to start. (An on-site jurisdictional determination by EGLE or the U.S. Army Corps is required to confirm regulatory boundaries.) Michigan+1I want to be identify some of the kinds of heavy industrial uses and the real impacts they cause:• Chemical manufacturing / petrochemical plants — example impact: toxic process wastewater and accidental releases can carry volatile organic compounds and carcinogens into groundwater and nearby wetlands. EPA• Metal smelting and primary metal manufacturing — example impact: airborne and waterborne heavy metals (lead, cadmium, arsenic) that persist in soils and bio-accumulate in local food webs, harming children and wildlife. EPA+1• Petroleum refining, bulk fuel storage or major trucking terminals — example impact: spills, chronic runoff, and benzene emissions that contaminate soils, wells, and air downwind. EPA• Cement, lime, or mineral processing plants — example impact: large dust and particulate emissions plus high greenhouse-gas and local particulate loading that damage respiratory health and degrade vegetation. EPA• Hazardous-waste treatment or incineration facilities — example impact: releases of dioxins, furans, and other persistent organic pollutants that contaminate soils and can travel long distances in air and food chains.2 / 2FrontiersPlease understand: wetlands are not just “wet lawns.” EGLE and Michigan law recognize wetlands for the services they provide—flood attenuation, groundwater recharge, water-filtration and nutrient removal, and critical habitat for migratory birds and other species. Michigan’s Part 303 (the wetlands protection provisions of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act) generally requires permits before filling, draining, or otherwise developing regulated wetlands; state inventories are the first screening tool, but EGLE must do a field determination for regulatory status. Where federal waters or wetlands might be affected, the Clean Water Act’s Section 404 permitting program (administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with EPA oversight) requires avoidance and minimization of impacts and—where impacts are unavoidable—mitigation and stringent review. In short: both state and federal laws set high bars before heavy industrial activity can lawfully destroy or degrade wetlands. Michigan+1For these reasons I urge the Board to: (1) halt any rezoning to Heavy Industrial until a full environmental assessment and EGLE jurisdictional wetland determination have been completed; (2) require a transparent traffic, air, noise and storm water impact study paid for by the applicant; and (3) prioritize the long-term public benefits of preserving open space and wetlands over short-term development incentives.We show up, stand up, and speak up for clean air, safe water, and a healthy community. Rezoning Pine Hollow to heavy industrial puts all of that at risk. Please protect our wetlands, our health, and our community.Thank you.” Amador Ybarra