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Lake Township Government
Benzie County in
Northwestern Lower Michigan
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(Click on the image to be taken to
Google Maps.)
Lake Township is in the northwestern
corner of Benzie County, in the
northwestern portion of Lower
Michigan.
The Lake Township Hall (see red star
on the map above) is located on M-22
just east of the bridge crossing the
Platte River. We're roughly 30 miles
west of Traverse City, 40 miles north
of Manistee, and 55 miles northwest
of Cadillac.
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Phone: 231-325-5202
5153
Scenic Hwy (M-22)
(The office is 500 feet east of the Platte
River
bridge
and across from Lake Michigan Road.)
Honor,
MI, 49640
Normal Office
Hours:
- Monday: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
- Wednesday: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
- Friday: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Entry to the office is in the rear
of the building.
The township office is closed for the
following 2026 federal holidays:
- Thursday, January 1, New Year's
Day
- Monday, January 19, Martin Luther
King Jr. Day
- Monday, February 16, Presidents
Day
- Monday, May 25, Memorial Day
- Friday, June 19, Juneteenth Day
- Friday, July 3, Independence Day
- Monday, September 7, Labor Day
- Monday, October 12, Columbus Day
- Wednesday, November 11, Veterans
Day
- Thursday, November 26, Thanksgiving
Day
- The office is also closed Friday,
November 27
- Friday, December 25, Christmas
Day
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| UPCOMING
EVENTS: |
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Board of Review |
Appeals
Tuesday, March 10, 2026, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Wednesday, March 11, 2026, from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Board of Review for Mutual Mistakes & Clerical Errors:
Tuesday, July 21, 2026 at 10:00 am
Tuesday, December 15, 2026 at 10:00 am
Petition
to the Board of Review
(Updated 3/03/2026) |
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| ANNOUNCEMENTS: |
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Lake Township is hiring part-time
Township Park parking lot attendants for the 2026 summer season. Here is the township
employment application.
For additional information, please contact Mary Pitcher at: supervisor@laketwp.org.
(Posted 3/03/2026) |
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Lake Township Board Meetings are now
posted on our YouTube channel: Lake Twp Benzie County Lake Township Board
Meetings. See what's happening!.
(Updated 1/16/2026) |
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The Planning Commission continues
to work on updating the zoning ordinance. The consultant assisting the Commission
has provided a diagnostic review of the current update
status. Here is the current
draft of the Zoning Ordinance: Articles 1-13
and Article 14.
(Updated 1/29/2026) |
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Recycling & Materials Management
Survey A new Materials Management Plan is being developed for Benzie, Grand
Traverse, and Leelanau Counties. As required under the State of Michigans updated
Part 115 Rules, this plan will replace the current solid waste plan and will prioritize
sustainable practices, including recycling and composting.
Resident input is essential to shaping the plan. The survey takes five minutes or
less to complete and can be found here: Recycling & Materials
Management Survey
(Posted 11/19/2025) |
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The Lake Township Short-term Rental
Application is now available on our Documents and Forms
page in the "Forms" section at the top. Also, the Lake Township Short-term
Rental Ordinance 2023-001 is available on the same Documents and Forms page but in the "Non-Zoning Police Ordinances"
section at the bottom.
(Updated 11/20/2023) |
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County Recycling
Please see the county's Materials Management
(Recycling) page for information
on most types of recycling via Benzie County. For any other recycling questions,
contact the Benzie County Recycling Coordinator, at 231-882-0554, or via email.
(Updated 11/26/2024) |
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Master Plan Survey
Results. Lake Township
conducted a survey as part of the 2023 master planning process. Survey results can
be found here: Summary
of the Results of the Survey,
as well as an Appendix
offering Detailed Write-In Comments.
If needed, here is our current Master Plan for 2023 (which is also always available in our
Documents
& Forms page).
(Updated 12/22/2025) |
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ZONING REMINDER It has come
to the attention of the Township that some persons anticipating building small structures
such as storage sheds, well houses, etc. are assuming that no permits are required
for these structures because the State Construction Code does not require a Building
Permit for structures less than 200 square feet. (This standard was recently increased
from the previous 100 square feet.)
The change in Building Permit requirements has no relationship to Township Zoning
Ordinance requirements. ALL STRUCTURES OF WHATEVER SIZE require a Land Use Permit
from the Township Zoning Administrator. The Land Use Permit is necessary to determine
and assure that the placement of any structure meet all zoning requirements, particularly
setback requirements. |
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| AT THIS SITE: |
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Monthly township meetings dates
for 2026 are now on the Meetings
page.
(Updated 12/28/2025) |
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Planning Commission meeting dates
for 2026 are now on the Meetings
page.
(Updated 3/03/2026) |
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For Budget Adoption meeting
minutes, please see that section on our Meetings
page. |
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See our Documents and Forms page for common forms or documents you may
need as a visitor or resident of the township. |
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See our FAQs
page for frequently asked questions you may have as a resident of the township.
(Posted 5/12/2025) |
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Keep an eye on our Park
page for updated information.
(Updated 5/17/2017) |
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About Us
As one of the least populated but heavily visited areas of Lower Michigan, we
greatly value our many natural resources. When you visit our area you are in a true
"year-round playground," Enjoy...
- skiing, snowmobiling, and ice fishing in the winter,
- mushroom hunting and trilliums in the spring,
- many miles of shoreline and waterways in the summer for swimming, kayaking, and
water sports,
- and salmon fishing, color tours, and hunting in the fall.
We work hard to maintain our undeveloped "up north" feel and preserve
the natural beauty of the area while striving to provide a stable economy and maintain
a high quality of life for all citizens.
Lake Township is also the gateway to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Approximately 10,865
acres of the national lakeshore and approximately 9.1 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline
are located within the boundaries of our township. There are many hiking trails and
other attractions within the national lakeshore. The purchase of a lakeshore pass
allows you to recreate anywhere in this national lakeshore.
When we talk about the Park on this site, we're referring
to our Lake Township Park the pride of the township, located
at the mouth of the Platte River at Lake Michigan. See our Park
page for more details.
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