Homestead Township

The Benzie County Board of County Road Commissioners will be holding a public hearing on Thursday, June 12, 2025 at 10:00 AM at the Road conference room located in Honor, Michigan.
The purpose of this hearing is to take public input/comments regarding a Road Abandonment petition submitted for a portion of N. Weldon Road, from Brownell southward approximately 900 feet.
Please contact the Road Commission office if you have any questions or comments regarding this request.

The Township spring clean-up day is set for May 17, 2025 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Benzie County Road Commission building on the corner of Ely Road and US 31. 

Please enter through US 31 entrance

That the Homestead Township Board is holding a 30 day comment period for their 2024-2029 Park and Rec Plan. A public hearing will be held after the comment period at the Regular Board Meeting scheduled for March 12^th at 6:00pm. A copy of the Plan is available for review here or at the Township Hall.

Special Meeting to be held January 22nd 2025 at 6:00pm to address the following

• Policy for Personnel Administration
• Policy for Accounts Payable
• Policy for Accounts Receivable
• Procedure for Administering Land Division Act Policy
• Administrative Change Request for BS&A Tax System
• Establishing a Bank Escrow Accrual Account
• New Hire of Medical and Ground Support Personnel

Homestead Township has adopted a new noise ordinance. 

A Special Meeting will be held on Wednesday June 19th at 5:30pm regarding the resignation of current Township Clerk and appointment of a new Township Clerk.

A Special Meeting will be held on Saurday June 8th at 6pm regarding the resignation of current Township Clerk and appointment of a new Township Clerk.

Just a short message to let you know that we are organizing a work bee at Platte River Park.

It is scheduled for Saturday, April 20th between 9 am and 12 noon. You can park at the Indian Hill entrance and take the trail into the park. We will focus on trimming the blueberry patch and general spring clean up. Bring gloves, boots and hand tools. If you are not able to physically help, you are welcome to bring treats. 

This is a chance to see our progress to date and to meet your neighbors.

Also, heads up...we are planning a Grand Opening event scheduled for May 18th. Stay tuned for more information about this and a general update on the planned work to be done in 2024 and beyond.

Ingemar

On behalf of the HARP board.

Homestead Township is seeking members for our Zoning Board of Appeals. If interested, please send letter or email to the supervisor or clerk. 

The Board only meets if there is a zoning appeal request. Position pays $80/meeting.

Officials and residents can provide input to two state departments seeking comment from Michigan residents and others:

• Road funding. Officials and their residents 18 years and older can share their input until March 1 on new ways to sustainably and fairly fund and maintain roads, bridges and other transportation infrastructure in a new Road Usage Charges Survey from the Michigan Department of Transportation. Qualifying survey participants may be invited to participate in a study pilot phase this fall and could be eligible for incentives.
• Public participation. Share input through April 1 on how the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) can increase and enhance public participation. Draft updated Public Participation Policy and Language Access Plan are available for review, and listening sessions will be held March 6, from noon to 1:30 p.m., and March 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. Email comments to EGLE-Engage@michigan.gov.

Due to cardboard trailers being removed at the school, the recycling bins have been filling up fast!

Here is the current schedule for emptying bins for anyone interested.

Homestead Township is looking for a member for the Planning Commission. Please mail a letter of interest to PO Box 315 Honor, MI 49640. Or email us at supervisor@homesteadtwp.com.

Please take notice that the Homestead Township Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment No. 001, initiated by the Homestead Township Board, to amend the Homestead Township Zoning Ordinance which will remove language that indicates a Joint Planning Commission exists with Inland Township.  Said hearing will take place on Monday, December 19, 2022, at 6:00 p.m., at the Homestead Township Hall located at 11508 Honor Highway, Honor, MI. To inspect the complete text, contact the Homestead Township Clerk at (231) 325-6772.

Homestead Township Clerk

Karen Mallon

Benzie County has seen a rash of breaking and enterings (B&E's) into vehicles, garages and sheds.

Listening session for the Platte River Park at The Gathering Place on August 25th @ 6:30pm 

August 16th planning meeting cancelled - no business

November Board Meeting changed to Tuesday November 1st

August 2, 2022 State Primary Election - 7:00am - 8:00pm

Results

Homestead Township is a rural area in the northeast part of Benzie County in the lower peninsula of Michigan. It has the quaint Village of Honor within it, which is home to the National Coho Salmon Festival nestled on US-31. It also has the beautiful Platte River not only running through Honor but most of the township.

Homestead Township was established in 1864 and was a logging area at that time. Today it offers ample hunting and fishing to the sportsman, along with canoeing and kayaking for paddlers. It has a section of the Betsie Valley Trail running through the southeast end of the township. For those that enjoy the winter sports, there is snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing

Homestead Township is 12 miles from the harbor town of Frankfort and Lake Michigan to the west. The city of Traverse City is 25 miles to the east for those who would like a bit of city. The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is 20 miles to the northwest.

The township is home to the Platte River Fish Hatchery and the Cherry Bowl Drive-In, one of the last outdoor theaters left in the country. For those who would like to primitive camp, the township offers two state parks, Veterans Memorial on US-31 and Goose Road State Park on Goose Road. Both parks are on the Platte River.

We hope you will come and check out all we have to offer.