Would you like to let your neighbors know more about what your committee is up to? Or maybe you have news and information you would like to share, such as family announcements, recipes, decorating ideas, or crafts. We invite you to submit content that you think your neighbors will want to know about. We will include information as space allows. All submissions must follow the Newsletter Guidelines for Outside Submissions at the end of this newsletter.

Please encourage neighbors who have not signed up for this newsletter to do so. While those not on our email list will receive a print version of the newsletter, it will be in black and white, only contain basic information, and they will not receive our reminders and updates.

And don't forget to visit the Sylvan lake Website.

-- John Martin, City Manager

We need your photographs!

If you have any photos related to the City that you would like to share, please forward them following the guidelines in this newsletter. The photos can be from a special event, sunset, or just a "nature" photo. Click on "Newsletter Guidelines for Outside Submissions" above to see how to do it.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

Please take a look at our new section of the newsletter - Sylvan Lake History

Community Events

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program

Sylvan Lake will again participate with West Bloomfield for household hazardous waste collection. The collection is May 3rd from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the West Bloomfield Civic Center, 4550 Walnut Lake Road. There is no cost to residents. Have your driver's license ready upon entering the Civic Center site. This documents residents from each community. They are going to take the normal household hazardous material and electronics (including TV’s). There will also be a shredder there so anyone can have documents destroyed. New this spring will be the collection of used syringes at Beaumont Medical Center, 6900 Orchard Lake Rd (rear loading dock) on Friday, May 2nd, 2008 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Lisa Brownlee (248-681-3875), Justin Hatch (248-343-1774), and Preston Weitheimer (248-417-0713) have volunteered to help senior citizens with their collection and to deliver those items collected.

Click here to see a flyer about the Household Hazardous Waste Collection.

Click here to see a flyer about the syringe collection at Beaumont Medical Center.

Sylvan Lake Beautification Day

May 17th, 2008 was proclaimed by City Council as Sylvan Lake Beautification Day. This date has been set aside for spring clean-up of your rubbish and other accumulations from the prior season. Please place your rubbish out for the regular trash pickup on May 21st.

Sylvan Lake Youth Soccer

It is that time again! Please come and join the fun on Saturday mornings from May 3rd through June 14th at 10:00 a.m. Only Sylvan Lake residents between the ages of four (4) and eight (8) are welcome. Registration forms are at City Hall or call Sharon Black with any questions at 248-683-8387.

City-Wide Garage Sale

On May 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, the Sylvan Lake Home and Garden Tour Committee will again be holding the City-Wide Garage Sale. A permit fee of $20 will cover the cost for ads in The Oakland Press and Eccentric newspaper, garage sale signs on Orchard Lake Road, and the list of participants' addresses at City Hall and the Sylvan Market. The application deadline is May 19th. All proceeds will go toward the Community Center project.

Memorial Day Parade

This year's theme: Honor the Fallen and the Living - Yellow Ribbons Tie One On. The Lakes Area Memorial Day Parade is Monday, May 26th. Businesses, local groups, schools, and residents are encouraged to participate in this event. Your help is needed for volunteering or providing a donation. A form is available at City Hall to register to participate, volunteer or donate. Musical entries are still needed. If you have a small band, play the bag pipes, or have a singing group that can walk or ride in a vehicle and perform, please call!!

The day will begin with a memorial service at Keego Harbor’s Memorial Rock at 9:30 a.m. Line up for the parade will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Cass Lake Road. The parade will begin at 10:15 a.m., travel Orchard Lake Road to Inverness to Sylvan Lake’s Memorial Park. Sylvan Lake’s memorial service will begin at approximately 11:30 a.m.

Several streets and intersections throughout the city are closed during the parade. Closed roads are: Orchard Lake Road between Cass Lake Road and Middlebelt, and Inverness. Access to Orchard Lake Road will be closed at Beverly, Warwick, Woodland, Lakeland, Sherwood and Inverness. If you need to get onto Cass Lake Road, you can use Knowlson off Beverly. In order to get to Orchard Lake Road, use Pontiac Drive. We also need help with barricades for the street closings.

If you are willing to help with barricades, be a part of the parade, or have questions, please call Jim Bull at 248-681-3053 or Mel Hager at 248-875-9773.

Click here for more information.

Plant Exchange

The Sylvan Lake Garden Club Plant Exchange will take place from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon on Saturday, June 7th. Bring outdoor plants you no longer need and exchange with your neighbors. If you have nothing to exchange, you may find something you want to buy. Money the Garden Club raises is usually spent to buy more plants and equipment for Memorial Park. If you have questions, call Helen McAllister at 248-682-1082.

Home and Garden Tour Sponsorship Request

June 21st is Tour Day! Tickets may be purchased online this year. Go to www.sylvantour.com and click on the tickets tab. All of the options are listed and available.

Docents are needed! We need anyone who is willing to work from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on tour day. If you would like to help or would like more information, please contact Cathy Jensen at firecat@ameritech.net or call the tour hotline at 248-615-6296. The day's efforts will be put toward the kitchen at the new Community Center. Also, bakers are needed for the day of the tour! Please volunteer to donate a dozen (or more) sugar cookies for our Tour Day break area at Ferndale Beach. This would be greatly appreciated by our tourists and Sylvan walkers.

Some exhibits will be hosted in Ferndale Park, such as:

A Historical Picture exhibit of the City of Sylvan Lake. This has been significantly expanded since last year's Ice Cream Social picture boards.

A lemonade and sugar cookie break area for tourists and neighbors to enjoy on tour day.

An art exhibit by our very own Jill Naeger - beautiful flowers from Sylvan gardens artfully created.

Click here for more information of what is in store for you during the 2008 Home and Garden Tour!!

Sylvan Lake Fireworks

The Boat Club will display the fireworks July 3rd with a rain date of July 5th. Due to the overwhelming generosity last year, this show will be bigger and better, but donations are still needed. Yards signs to show your support will be available for a $50 donation after June 1st. Call the Boat Club at 248-681-2224. They will be sure to get you one, so be the first person on your block to show your support!

A Free shuttle service will again be available the night of the fireworks. The shuttle will be leaving from Gino’s restaurant on Cass Lake Road.

To boat dock holders near the Community Center - if you are unable to find a spot for your pontoon during the fireworks, we have made arrangements with Tom's Pontoon Hauling to pull and store your boat at Zilka Heating and return it the next day. The charge for this is $35. Please contact Tom direct at 248-681-4250.

Community Center

Quick Update - The rules and regulations for renting the Community Center are now on the website at www.sylvanlake.org. Reserved events are noted on the calendar. The application and fees are also posted.

The NEW Community Center is underway and construction is going great!! Remember, this is still an official construction site and only authorized people (Construction crew, City Manager, Construction Manager, DPW and approved personnel) are allowed on the site. There are too many residents and non-residents venturing onto the property. Under no circumstances are any non-authorized personnel allowed on the site. If you want to see the progress, you can look from outside the fence. There are signs posted for "No Trespassing"; violators will be ticketed!

Community Center Vandalism There has been some vandalism on the Community Center site. Equipment has been stolen, windows on equipment have been broken, etc. The latest incident was The night of April 30th or the very early morning of May 1st. Someone rode their bicycle on the fresh concrete requiring much of it to be replaced. If you have any information, please contact the Sylvan Lake Police department. Please look at your kids', kid's friends', and neighbors' bicycle tires to see if there is concrete on the tread.

We are still planning on having the Community Center completed by early summer.

Here are some updated photos of the Community Center.

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News/Announcements

Boat Ramp Keys/ Park and Sports Tags

These are now on sale. Only one of each tag or key will be sold per household. Along with the purchase of any tags or key, the resident must pay a one time park registration fee of $30. This fee helps to pay the property taxes to keep our parks private.

The park tag is $20 ($15 for seniors) and will allow your family and eight (8) guests to use our park facilities. You must have the park tag with you at all times, the Park Ranger will be checking to make sure residents have a tag.

The sports tag will not be sold until it is safe to go onto the Community Center property. Once available, the cost is $10 and will allow you and up to three (3) guests to use the tennis, bocce and volleyball courts. All guests must be accompanied by the resident. Please abide by the rules that are posted at each court. If you have more than three guests, you must borrow a sports tag from a Sylvan Lake resident to make sure you have one tag for every three guests.

The tennis courts are closed for safety reasons. Click here for more.

The boat ramp key is $20. Your original boat registration and proof of Sylvan Lake residency must be provided to purchase a key. Along with the ramp key one boat ramp sticker will be provided. When using the boat ramp, be sure to lock the gate when you are done. There will be no replacement ramp keys sold if you lose yours.

Boat Ramp Stickers

Stickers are required on all water craft launched, with the exception of the “guest ramp pass” defined below. Therefore, if you have a second boat, you must purchase an additional sticker in order to launch your water craft. They are available at City Hall for a cost of $10. You must be a resident and show your original boat registration showing the resident owns the watercraft in order to purchase a sticker. You do not need a sticker to have your boat at your dock, only ramp use.

Guest Ramp Pass

A guest ramp pass will be issued to a resident (only) for the purpose of allowing a specific guest to use the boat ramp. The cost for the guest pass is $25 for one day, one watercraft. If a guest places their boat in the water and leaves it in the water for more than one day, another guest pass will be required to use the ramp when the watercraft is removed. You are not charged based on how long the watercraft is in the water, only how many days you use the ramp. To obtain a guest pass, a resident must fill out a very short form indicating the type of watercraft along with the MC# that will be using our boat ramp. Guest ramp passes may be picked up at the city hall during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

City Council Meeting/Budget Public Hearing

The Public hearing and regular meeting are being moved back one week to May 21st at 7:30 p.m. The public hearing is to receive public input regarding the proposed 2008/2009 Budget. Copies will be available of the proposed millage rates, revenues, and expenditures at City Hall. The regular City Council meeting will immediately follow the Public Hearing. On the agenda will be discussion on changing the boat dock policy.

Planning Commission Public Hearing

The Planning Commission will be holding a public hearing at 7:30 p.m., May 6th, 2008 to receive public input on two separate items; a site plan for T-Mobile putting a monopole/antenna at Aguafina, and an amendment to the Code of Ordinances to allow the ZBA to hear and act on land use variance requests.

There is also a Public Hearing tentatively planned for June. That Public Hearing will be to hear three proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance. One amendment will require signs in non-residentially zoned districts to be “monument” type signs instead of allowing “pole” signs. The second amendment will regulate window signs in businesses. The third amendment is the adoption of architectural standards for non-residential structures. The proposed amendments can be viewed at City Hall. The regular Planning Commission meeting will immediately follow the public hearings.

Michigan Week

Celebrate the state of Michigan from May 17th to May 23rd 2008. Greater West Bloomfield salutes those who have made significant volunteer contributions to their community. The Community Awards Breakfast is May 16th, 2008, at 7:15 a.m. at the Bay Pointe Golf Club. Tickets are $25 at the West Bloomfield Parks and Recreation office or call 248-451-1900.

Tennis Courts

The tennis courts are officially closed for safety reasons. We are hoping to have the courts resurfaced soon if the cost is not too high. If it is found to be cost prohibitive to resurface the courts, we will try to temporarily repair them to make them safe enough to open.

Spring Leaf Clean-up

This is a reminder that there is no spring leaf collection. To dispose of your leaves, please put them out for collection as yard waste (see below). All garbage can must be stored so they are not visible from any street.

Yard Waste Program

The program started last month. Yard waste will be picked up on the same day (Wednesday), as your trash but in a separate yard waste truck. Pick up is on a weekly basis. Please place your trash and yard waste a few feet away from each other for pick up so it can be easily seen. Yard waste includes:

cut grass,

leaves,

cut weeds,

shrub trimmings,

brush,

twigs,

small branches,

sod, and similar items.

Here are some guidelines that need to be followed for the yard waste collection.

Yard waste will be accepted only in brown paper yard waste bags (from retail stores) or trash cans clearly marked COMPOST or YARD WASTE. Yard waste stickers are available at no charge at City Hall.

Small branches (three inches in diameter or smaller) will be accepted if securely tied in manageable bundles no more than four feet in length.

Yard waste in any type of plastic bag will not be accepted!

Yard waste may not be placed at the street earlier than 5:00 p.m. the night before collection day.

Don't Drive on the Grass!

Our parks are being destroyed by people driving across them to access their dock spaces to install their docks and/or hoists. We try very hard to maintain the beauty of our parks and need your help. Do not drive in the parks under any circumstance! Doing so may result in a ticket. In addition, you will be charged for any necessary repairs. It is the responsibility of the dock holder to inform anyone sharing your space, or a company installing your dock, of this rule.

Bikers and Walkers

Please remember when walking to walk on the left side of the street (facing traffic) and bikers should ride on the right side of the street (with traffic). If you plan to be riding your bike or walk at night, please wear reflective clothing so that drivers can see you better. Parents, make sure your children are aware of the laws. Everyone should stop at all stop signs, including on the Trail.

New Boat Dock Committee

The Committee members are: Brad Conkey, Rob Conkey, Rob Galacz, Jim Bull, Patty Harrop and Mitch Black. The new committee will be reviewing the current boat dock policy and making any recommendations they feel are necessary, to the City Council. They will also be enforcing the dock policy over the summer.

New Calenders

Please take the time to look at our website, www.sylvanlake.org. We have created two new calendars: Events and Community Center. When your click on an event, it will give you further details of that event. Residents interested in renting the Community Center can see if a date is available. There is no Grand Opening date set yet for the Community Center.

School Election

The school election will take place on May 6th, 2008. Residents in the Pontiac school district can vote to elect one candidate for the Pontiac School Board. City Hall will be open Saturday, May 3rd, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to hand out absentee ballots (only).

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From The Police Chief

Please be aware that the Police officers are being very strict on enforcing the traffic laws in the City. For everyone's safety, please make sure you follow the speed limit, come to a full and complete stop at all stop signs, and always be aware of residents of all ages walking or jogging.

If you have any solicitors in your area or that come to your door, or if you see a suspicious person, contact the police immediately by calling 248-681-1911. That will go directly to West Bloomfield dispatch, day or night, and they will have a Sylvan Lake Police Officer respond to your call.

Who is allowed to go door to door? Only non-profit groups that register with the Police Department.

If you have a concern or a complaint regarding the Police Department, please send an e-mail to slpdchief@comcast.net.

Street Lighting

The City has been working with Detroit Edison’s Community Lighting group to expedite the repair and maintenance of streetlights. If you see a problem with a street light, please call City Hall with the following information:

Specific streetlight location,

wooden or metal pole,

streetlight pole number (metal pole - at base of pole, Wood poles - it is located eight feet up the pole),

details about outage (intermittent, off, flashing, etc.).

If there is a case where a pole has been knocked down or any other emergency, please call 1-800-477-4747.

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Ordinance Violation Hotline

Residents can call in with any ordinance violations you may see. You do not have to identify yourself, but we need you to provide an address and description of the problem. Call 248-682-1440 extension 6, after 4:30 p.m. or email sylvanlakeordinance@gmail.com. There will be violation notices and possibly tickets given to anyone violating the City's ordinances. This includes common violations such as:

Dogs in the parks or unleashed dogs,

Junk cars (expired plates),

Storage of garbage cans (cannot be visible from the street),

Incorrect storage of PODS, trailers, and RV's,

Illegal parking on the road or in the front yard,

Rocks in the road right-of-way,

Missing addresses on your homes, and

Blight.

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Rubbish Collection

The collection takes place every Wednesday. Richfield Management begins picking up trash promptly at 7:00 a.m. So make sure you have your trash and recycling at the edge of the street by 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday. Trash collection will be delayed one day only for the following holidays:

New Year's Day

Memorial Day

Independence Day

Labor Day

Thanksgiving Day

Christmas Day

*If you have any items that need to be picked up, please call Richfield Management at 877-609-6753.

Building Permits

Building permits must be obtained if you are going to do any repairs, remodeling, renovating, building, plumbing, or electrical work on your home. Always check with City Hall before starting any project. Permits are also required for any improvements made in the road right-of-way. A zoning permit is required for fences, driveways, parking areas, etc.

Permits are required for a few reasons, safety being the primary reason. It is very important that work performed in your home meets the current codes and regulations. Even something as small as adding a circuit to your electrical panel or installing a water heater needs to be inspected. Both could have disastrous consequences if installed improperly. If you have a contractor do the work for you, make sure they have pulled the appropriate permits. Also, part of the permit fee is a bond that is refunded if the work is completed properly and all applicable inspection fees were paid. We want you to be aware of this so a contractor doesn't’t add this “bond” fee to the cost of your project and then they get the bond refunded to them when it is completed. If you have questions on how the permit process works, please call City Hall.

Recycling

Only 25 percent of Sylvan Lake residents recycle. Recycling is included as a part of your normal trash collection. Bins are available at City Hall. It is not necessary to use their recycling bin. Your first recycling bin is free, but if you like more, they are $10 each.

You can use a plastic "storage" type container or a cardboard box.

Make sure it is marked RECYCLING so the contents are not disposed with the regular trash.

Newspapers, magazines, and ads should be tied securely with a string or placed in a brown paper bag.

Telephone books do not have to be bundled.

Plastic jugs, bottles, glass bottles, and jars must be washed out.

Only bottles marked with a 1 or 2 on the bottom will be accepted.

Metal cans need to be clean and the label must be removed.

If any recycling is dirty, it will be thrown out with the regular trash.

Click here to view a flier for RESIDENTIAL HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE and ELECTRONIC RECYCLING.

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Road Right-Of-Way (ROW) Policy

City Council has approved the ROW policy governing improvements in the ROW. The ROW is City right of way, the strip of land along the street, from the edge of the street to the property line. The area generally extends from 12 to 15 feet from the pavement. The ROW policy requires a permit before ANY improvement is made in the ROW. This includes digging, filling, installing sprinkler systems, planting trees, etc. Improvements that do not require a permit are minor things such as maintenance, planting grass, or flowers.

The Policy requires that the first four feet (4') of ROW adjacent to the street be grass, low approved vegetation, or at-grade rocks for retaining (around a culvert end for example). This vegetation could be flowers (hostas) etc. If you are wondering what would be allowed, please call City Hall. Items that are absolutely not allowed within 4 feet of the edge of the pavement are above grade items like rocks, boulders, tall plants or bushes, landscape planters, reflectors, etc. The entire ROW policy will be available for review on the web site and at City Hall.

What is a variance? Click to read about the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), how the appeal process works, and how the ZBA tries to relieve property owners from ordinances uniquely affecting them.

SEMCOG - For more information, go to www.semcog.org/ourstoprotect.

CRWC

The Clinton River Watershed Council (CRWC) is a non-profit organization to help protect and improve the health of the Clinton River. The CRWC also wants to assure that the river's natural, economical, and recreational attributes enhance the quality of life for those who are directly affected by it. The CRWC is made up of four full-time and two part-time staff along with a 15-member board of directors. They provide programs in areas of watershed management, such as Stream Leaders, Adopt-A-Stream, River Day, and Clinton Clean-Up Programs. The Clinton River, as some may know, runs through Sylvan Lake. Click here to learn how the CRWC has such an impact on Sylvan Lake.

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Clinton River Trail

Use of the Clinton River trail is increasing. It's great to see so many people enjoying it.

Mike Schwanitz continues to volunteer his time patrolling the trail from Orchard Lake Road to Inverness picking up trash and making sure everything is OK.  If someone would like to help Mike by policing another part of the trail, that would be great! Please call City Hall if you are interested.

Betty Delaney continues to head the Trail committee. A meeting was held in August and plans are being made for the cleaning maintaining, and improving of the Trail. There will be much more to come!

Sharon Hughes continues to lead a planting program on the trail near Pontiac Drive.  She would appreciate help planting and maintaining the areas.   If you have something you would like to donate, please call Sharon at 248-681-5557, or email her at Slynnhughes@netzero.net.

Clinton River Trail Website

The old railroad that is now a trail that goes through Sylvan Lake is part of the Clinton River Trail system. For all of you trail users and enthusiasts, the Clinton River Trail's website is full of news and updated features. It is updated by the Friends of Clinton River Trail (FCRT). Thanks to John Hensler, and FCRT member, the website is getting better and better. For any words of appreciation or any suggestions, please contact John at john@sunkenanchor.com



Sylvan Lake History

We would greatly appreciate any assistance you could offer to expand this important and interesting section of the newsletter. We are looking for any interesting articles relating to the City's history. We are also looking for photos relating to the City, such as:

the Oakland County Boat Club,

Memorial or Veterans Park,

Ferndale Park,

the beach on Lakeview,

the Interurban,

City Hall,

Free Press Fresh Air Camp,

the Community Center, and

the Daniel Whitfield School.

Family photos and any and all events around Sylvan Lake will also be accepted and reviewed. Please label your photos and bring them to City Hall. They will be scanned and returned promptly. There are also two City Council Meeting Minute books missing. The book that dates before 1928 is the first City Council book. It would be interesting to read about how Sylvan Lake became a Village. Another missing book is for the years from 1946 to 1950, when Sylvan Lake became a City. Please look around your home for these missing books and return them to City Hall.

Beautification Day Origin

The following proclamation was offered by the President of Sylvan Lake in March 1929.

"Whereas, it is customary in all Villages and Cities to set aside a day in the spring of the year for the cleaning up of rubbish and accumulations of the season prior thereto.

Therefore, I, Fred B. Ellicott, President of the Village of Sylvan Lake, do hereby designate Monday and Tuesday, April 15th and 16th, 1929 as clean-up days for said Village and ask the residents thereof to place rubbish at the front of their lots in barrels and boxes that the Village may remove same on said dates."

Signed, Fred B. Ellicott, President

Veteran Park Bid

This is from the archives of the Village of Sylvan Lake Board of Trustees of the Village of Sylvan Lake meeting minutes - April 5th, 1944 and September 6th, 1944 - Veterans Park

Mrs. Jarvis, representing the Garden Club, reported on the plans for the Veteran Park, and requested that the Board’s approval of their tentative bid for $99 to cover expenses for completion of the Park program. She wishes the Board to extend word of appreciation to Mr. Clarence Stolpe for his work on assembling and varnishing the Village benches and tables. The Board discussed the Veteran Memorial Plaque and it was agreed that Mr. Joseph Leavy be a committee of one to make a selection from the catalog available and submit a report to the Board.

Pewabic Tile Connection

Over the fireplace in our Community Center is a pewabic tile-framed inscription. It reads "Warm the hand & cheer the heart". This was installed in the fresh air camp (the Community Center) around 1910. Click here to read more!

Special Thanks/Kudos

The clean-up crew that worked in the park last Saturday. The park looks great!!

Helen Jane Peters and Joanne Eberhardt for information and the photos for the new section of our newsletter, Sylvan Lake History (see above).

Pet Supplies Plus of West Bloomfield for the cat trapping program that took place in our City. We appreciate your help (see below).

Project Updates

Community Programs

Fur-e-tails Newsletter

A new electronic newsletter for pet lovers, fur-e-tails, has been launched by Sylvan Lake resident Linda Wasche. Every monthly issue contains information and news covering all topics ranging from pet care and nutrition to the latest in pet products and pet lover events. For your FREE subscription contact editor-fur-e-tails@oaklandpetfund.org. All proceeds from fur-e-tails advertising will go to benefit Oakland pet fund, bringing the No-More-Homeless Pets movement to Oakland County.

Pet Supplies Plus of West Bloomfield was involved in the cat trapping program of our City. They are also working together with the Nooters Club on how to prevent littering.

To read more about how to prevent littering and help improve the environment, click here.

A "garage sale" will be taking place from now until May 10th to help benefit the Oakland Pet Fund. If you are interested, click here.

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT BECOMING A NEW MEMBER OF NOOTERS CLUB!

CAN YOU FIND A HOME FOR TWO KITTENS? CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

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May Calender Of Events

3rd    - No Haz Collection at West Bloomfield Civic Center from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

3rd    - Absentee ballots available at City Hall from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

6th - Planning Commission Public Hearing and meeting at the Sylvan Lutheran Church at 7:00 p.m.

6th    - VOTE for the School Election at the DPW garage, 1820 Inverness. Polls open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

16th   - Michigan Week Breakfast at 7:15 a.m. at the Bay Pointe Golf Club.

17th   - Sylvan Lake Beautification Day, Spring clean-up.

21st   - Budget Public Hearing and City Council meeting at 7:30 p.m. at the Sylvan Lutheran Church.

22nd, 23rd, and 24th - City-wide Garage Sale.

26th   - Memorial Day Parade, City Hall closed.

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Variances

The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) has the power to grant variances upon appeal, from the strict application of the zoning ordinance. An appeal may be filed when there is a practical difficulty or hardship preventing the property owner from conforming to the strict letter of the ordinance. The ZBA will consider the request for a variance and determine whether it may be granted without substantial detriment to the public good and without substantially impairing the intent and purpose of the ordinance.

The authority of the ZBA is designed to provide relief to a property owner from an ordinance that is uniquely affecting him/her. The problem the property owner faces must be created by circumstances unique to the property and not shared by surrounding parcels and the problem cannot be self-created. Typically, the following situations must exist:

The alleged practical difficulty is exceptional and peculiar to the property and generally does not exist throughout the City. An irregular shaped lot or odd natural characteristics of the land are possible examples of this.

The alleged practical difficulty must be more than a mere inconvenience or need for financial gain or financial savings.

The practical difficulty was not created by an action of the applicant and either existed at the time of the adoption of the requirement from which the variance is requested, or is necessary as the result of governmental action such as road widening. A self-created hardship is typically not a valid basis for a variance.

The variance is the minimum necessary to permit reasonable use of the land and building for activities permitted in the zoning ordinance.

Justice considering: Public benefits specifically defined by zoning rules, AND individual hardship suffered by not granting variance, AND the rights of affected property owners.

The appellant presents information usually showing that the requested variance:

Will not be contrary with the intent and purpose of the zoning ordinance,

Will not cause a substantially adverse affect upon adjacent properties,

Will relate only to the property under control of the appellant,

Will not essentially alter the character of the surrounding area,

Will not increase the hazard of fire, flood, or other similar dangers; and

Will not increase traffic congestion.

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Newsletter Guidelines for Outside Submissions

The City of Sylvan Lake welcomes articles, news and updates from members of the community. Such information should be relevant to Sylvan Lake, to its residents and to living in the community. The editor reserves the right to accept or reject any such information. All such information will also be edited for style and space.

In submitting information, please follow the guidelines below.

Submit your information, preferably in electronic form, to:

Newsletter Editor

Sylvanlakenewsletter@gmail.com

248-682-1440

1. Articles and updates

Limit articles, updates and other information to no more than 200 words. Such items must be written from the perspective of an outside objective third party. We do NOT accept editorials or opinion pieces. Let readers know where they can go for more information, where appropriate, by including a phone number, email address or website. Also, be sure to include your contact information in case we have questions.

2. News releases

We welcome news releases on upcoming events and programs, but cannot run releases in their entirety due to space limitations. Be sure to include contact information.

3. Photos

Color photos are welcome IF THEY ACCOMPANY ABOVE DESCRIBED NEWS OR INFORMATION. All photos MUST be in ELECTRONIC format as a .gif or .jpg. If photos include human subjects, be sure you have their permission to submit the photo. Be sure to include a caption explaining what is in the photo as well as a name and contact information for the person submitting the photo. If a photo was taken by someone other the person submitting it, you will need his or her written permission to allow us to use the photo.

4. Deadlines

Information for the newsletter is due as follows:

The 12^th of the month preceding the issue (For example, information for the December issue would be due November 12th and so on.)

Sylvan Lake Spotlight

Sylvan Lake Spotlight is published by the City of Sylvan Lake, 1820 Inverness, Sylvan Lake, MI 48320. Resident news and information are welcome, but must follow newsletter editorial guidelines. To request a copy of the Editorial Guidelines, contact City Manager John Martin at martinsylvanlk@comcast.net.

In the future, Advertising may be accepted from residents and local businesses. Please watch future newsletters to obtain advertising rate information, or to place an ad in the Community Service Directory or Classified Advertising section..

LEGAL NOTICE: This email may be considered an advertising or promotional message. If you no longer wish to receive this email, please unsubscribe using the link found at the top of this newsletter. Views expressed or implied herein are not necessarily those of the City of Sylvan Lake, City Council or its affiliates.