Briley Township 11331 West Street Briley Township PO Box 207 Montmorency County, Michigan Atlanta, MI 49709 Briley Township Master Plan 2016 The Elk Capital of Michigan BRILEY TOWNSHIP 2016 MASTER PLAN Briley Township Montmorency County Michigan Prepared for: Briley Township Planning Commission Members: Gordon Green, Chair Bruno Wojcik Mary Freeman Vacant seat Vacant seat Briley Township Board Members: Mike Wurtsmith, Supervisor Mary Jo Whitmire, Clerk Bonnie Valentine-Flynn, Treasurer John Zollars, Trustee Bruno Wojcik, Trustee Prepared by: NEMCOG PO Box 457 Gaylord, MI 49734 www.discovernortheastmichigan.org Planning Staff: Denise Cline & Richard Deuell Adopted by Planning Commission on October 10, 2016 Adopted by Township Board on October 17, 2016 Briley Township Master Plan Draft TABLE OF CONTENTS | i TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................ 1-1 Purpose and Planning Process ........................................................................................................................... 1-1 Location ............................................................................................................................................................... 1-2 Brief History of Briley Township ....................................................................................................................... 1-3 The Status of Planning and Zoning in Briley Township ................................................................................... 1-4 CHAPTER 2 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS ............................................................................................................... 2-1 Population ............................................................................................................................................................ 2-1 Age Distribution .................................................................................................................................................. 2-2 Household Characteristics ................................................................................................................................. 2-5 School Enrollment & Educational Attainment .................................................................................................. 2-6 Disability Status ................................................................................................................................................... 2-8 Housing Characteristics ...................................................................................................................................... 2-8 Income ................................................................................................................................................................. 2-9 Poverty ............................................................................................................................................................... 2-10 Labor Force ........................................................................................................................................................ 2-10 Commuting to Work ......................................................................................................................................... 2-16 Jobs & Workers - Detailed ................................................................................................................................ 2-17 State Equalized Value ........................................................................................................................................ 2-20 Briley Township Finances ................................................................................................................................. 2-22 CHAPTER 3 COMMUNITY SERVICES AND FACILITIES ....................................................................................................................... 3-1 Township Government ....................................................................................................................................... 3-1 Water Supply and Sewage Disposal ................................................................................................................... 3-1 Utilities ................................................................................................................................................................. 3-2 Media ................................................................................................................................................................... 3-2 Postal Service ....................................................................................................................................................... 3-2 Schools ................................................................................................................................................................. 3-3 Libraries & Museums .......................................................................................................................................... 3-4 Medical Facilities ................................................................................................................................................. 3-4 Cemeteries ........................................................................................................................................................... 3-5 Public Safety ......................................................................................................................................................... 3-5 Transportation ..................................................................................................................................................... 3-6 Recreation and Trails ....................................................................................................................................... 3-9 CHAPTER 4 NATURAL RESOURCES ...................................................................................................................................................... 4-1 Climate ................................................................................................................................................................. 4-1 Topography ......................................................................................................................................................... 4-1 Geology ................................................................................................................................................................ 4-2 Soils ................................................................................................................................................................... 4-5 Briley Township Master Plan Draft TABLE OF CONTENTS | ii Surface Water ..................................................................................................................................................... 4-10 Groundwater ..................................................................................................................................................... 4-10 Pre-Settlement Vegetation ................................................................................................................................ 4-13 Woodlands ......................................................................................................................................................... 4-14 Wetlands ............................................................................................................................................................ 4-15 Fish and Wildlife ................................................................................................................................................ 4-17 Natural Features Inventory ............................................................................................................................... 4-18 Oil and Gas Development ................................................................................................................................ 4-19 Discharge Permits ............................................................................................................................................. 4-20 Sites of Environmental Contamination ........................................................................................................... 4-21 CHAPTER 5 EXISTING LAND USE, ZONING CONTROLS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENT ............................................................... 5-1 Existing Land Use Characteristics ...................................................................................................................... 5-1 Residential............................................................................................................................................................ 5-1 Commercial ......................................................................................................................................................... 5-2 Industrial/Utilities/Extractive .............................................................................................................................. 5-2 Recreational/Institutional 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