A.
Intent. The intent of this district is to implement the open space protection goals of the Township Master Plan. The district is designed to provide for the arrangement of land uses that are compatible with the conservation and preservation of large tracts of land that represent areas of desirable natural environment and should be minimally disturbed. Use of these areas will be generally limited to those allowed by state law. Single-family homes are intended to only be allowed on exceptionally large lots with adequate spacing and land area to adequately handle on-site septic tanks and wells. It is the intended goal of the Township to support application of voluntary conservation easements and to protect and preserve the large areas of open space within the district.
B.
Permitted uses:
(1)
Existing agricultural production. A parcel, or parcels of land under single ownership, of at least 10 acres in area may also be used for agricultural production, subject to the applicable provisions of the AGR District.
(2)
Single-family dwellings and seasonal dwelling units, when located on a parcel, or parcels of land under single ownership, of at least 10 acres in area, and not located within a floodplain or regulated wetland.
(4)
Public, semipublic or private nature preserves and conservation areas, when located on a parcel, or parcels of land under single ownership, of at least 10 acres in area. Smaller parcels that are contiguous to land governed by a conservation easement may be approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals.
(6)
Foster care (small group) facilities.
C.
Special land uses:
(1)
Nonintensive recreation facilities related to the natural environment, including campgrounds, hunting/fishing reservations, and water-related activity sites, when on a parcel, or parcels of land under single ownership, of at least 10 acres in area. (See § 42-8.04.)
(2)
Cemeteries.
(3)
Outdoor recreational facilities, including golf courses, country clubs, hunt clubs and gun clubs. (See § 42-8.22.)
(5)
Earth removal, quarrying, gravel processing, mining and related commercial mineral extraction. (See § 42-8.08.)
(6)
Publicly owned and operated buildings and uses, including community buildings and public parks, playgrounds and other recreational areas.
(7)
Public utility buildings and structures necessary for the service of the community, except that:
D.
Lot, yard and area requirements. Except as elsewhere specified herein, the lot, yard and area requirements shall be as specified in Article 6.00.
(1)
Lot area. A minimum lot area of 10 acres is required, except as provided herein:
(a)
Existing parcels of less than 10 acres. All parcels of land legally established and recorded with the Register of Deeds of Van Buren County having less than 10 acres of land area shall be entitled to one dwelling unit land division right, provided the location of said dwelling unit is in compliance with applicable requirements of this district, unless varied by the Zoning Board of Appeals pursuant to Article 11.00.
(b)
Parcels of 10 acres or greater. Parcels of land legally established and recorded with the Register of Deeds of Van Buren County having 10 acres or greater of land area shall be entitled to dwelling unit land division rights such to allow one dwelling unit for each 10 acres of land area.
(c)
Abutting properties in common ownership. Where the owner(s) of individual abutting properties held in common ownership (a tract being two or more parcels having common property lines as defined by Michigan Public Act 288 of 1967, as amended - Land Division Act[3]) wish to have dwelling unit division rights assigned to the abutting parcels of land as a single parcel, the number of dwelling unit land divisions shall be computed based on the total land area divided by 10 acres rounded to the nearest whole number.
[3]
Editor's Note: See MCL § 560.101 et seq.
(2)
Alternative lot area requirements.
(a)
Land division rights shall be assigned to a parcel of land no less than two acres in land area that complies with the dimensional requirements of the ARR District (Article 11.00) for the specific purpose of creating a "lot split" in compliance with the Michigan Public Act 288 of 1967, as amended - Land Division Act[4] and the Paw Paw Township Land Division Ordinance.[5]
(b)
An application for said land division may be submitted to the Township by the landowner. Said application shall include a site plan having sufficient information, as determined by the Zoning Administrator, to define the location, lot size and total area of the proposed lots to be assigned the dwelling unit land division rights.
(3)
Prohibition of further land divisions. The application for use of dwelling unit land division rights shall include a legal document that indicates the availability or unavailability of further dwelling unit land division rights for approval by the Township Attorney prior to receiving Township Board approval and shall be recorded with the Register of Deeds of Van Buren County.
(4)
Tenure of assigned rights. Dwelling unit land division rights granted pursuant to this section shall remain in full force and effect until either:
(a)
The Township Board, upon recommendation of the Planning Commission, changes the zoning district designation of the subject property.
(b)
The landowner obtains approval of a cluster development pursuant to the provisions of Article 8.00.
(c)
The Township Board, upon recommendation of the Planning Commission, changes the minimum lot size provision of this zoning district.






