White Lake zoning ordinance will be digital, interactive

The White Lake Township Board of Trustees has approve making the township’s zoning ordinance available in a digital, interactive format.

White Lake is joining several communities throughout Michigan and in other states that have switched to “clearzoning.” Both West Bloomfield and Bloomfield townships are nearby communities that have been utilizing clearzoning’s digital format.

Clearzoning is a subsidiary of Birchler Arroyo Associates, Inc., a planning and transporting consulting firm. The purpose of clearzoning is to transform municipal codes into visually appealing digital documents that better communicate ordinance regulations

According to White Lake Township Planner Sean O’Neil, it’s “a much more user-friendly version of the ordinance.”

“I think the township board recognizes, as well as the Planning Commission, that this is a beneficial tool when assisting the public — general residents or developers. It makes it easier to find things, and comes equipped with graphics and charts that makes it more user-friendly for the average person,” he said.

O’Neil added that going to clearzoning wasn’t so much for the staff as much as it was to help residents, developers, and business owners in White Lake.

“For example, there is an interactive map where you can find a specific parcel of the township on it,” he said. “You click on the parcel you want and immediately you have all the information you need on the zoning district and its regulations. This really will make it easier and much faster. Now people can look up information from their computer at home instead of coming into the office.”

The cost to implement the program is $32,700, and O’Neil said they hope to start the project within the next six months.

“I’m really looking forward to moving ahead with it,” he said.