introduction - Port Huron Township

CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION
In This Chapter:



Historical Setting - History & Memories
Location in the County & Region - Location & Description, Municipal Boundaries
Regional Influences on the Township - Accessibility, Urban Development, Transportation,
Recreation and Cultural Facilities
PORT HURON TOWNSHIP MASTER PLAN
INTRODUCTION
The information presented here is a combination of input from citizens and elected and
appointed officials, as well as Township Planning Commission members and staff, along with
the assistance and guidance of the St. Clair County Planning Commission. It contains
statistical data and information, both past and present, that can give some insight for our future.
While we cannot definitively project future development, we can try to help determine efficient
and effective ways of managing and shaping the way our Township develops.
In concert with that thought, this plan also includes a chapter on a Vision for the Township
which includes both goals and objectives. This can help us focus on what we would like
development to look like when it comes, and to give direction to developers on the expectations
we have as a community. Knowing that these goals and objectives have been developed by
our citizens gives them guidance as to what is desirable and marketable to our residents and
therefore profitable to them.
While many master plans contain an overwhelming amount of statistical information, we hope
to provide a fair amount of usable information in the form of maps, charts and tables that
demonstrate logical and historical reasons and trends for what has taken place in the Township
and how we can benefit from that in our future.
HISTORICAL SETTING
PORT HURON TOWNSHIP HISTORY
The area at the base of Lake Huron originally
occupied by American Indians was settled by
the French with military trading posts as early
as 1686. The territory of Michigan was
established in 1805 with St. Clair County
established in 1821. The area comprising
Port Huron Township was organized first as
Desmond Township in 1826 by Martin
Pickens as it’s first supervisor, with Jeremiah
Harrington serving as it’s first assessor.
On April 12, 1827, Port Huron Township was
formed
by
the
Michigan
Territorial
Legislature. The territory of St. Clair County
was split into those parts of the said county
containing the surveyed townships.
The specific legal authority of Port Huron
Township began when Jeremiah Harrington
organized Port Huron Township into a
municipality in 1828, which at that time
included the current areas of Port Huron
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INTRODUCTION
Township, Fort Gratiot Township, and the
Village of Port Huron. The Village of Port
Huron was first mapped as a village plat in
1835 and referred to as the “Paris” plat. Fort
Gratiot Township was not separated until it
was established 1866.
Most of the current townships are similar to
the areas that they were divided up into at
the time of the platted map shown here from
1876. Most of the changes in the sizes of
the Townships are the result of areas
annexed by cities and villages since that
time.
This was similarly the case with Port Huron
and Fort Gratiot townships. Several sections
of both have been annexed by the City of
Port Huron. Part of the purpose of becoming
a Charter Township is to provide for
independence and prevent annexation by
other abutting municipalities. Port Huron
Township officially became the Charter
Township of Port Huron on Nov 27, 1978.
MEMORIES OF A LIFELONG RESIDENT (JOHN RENO)
For many years the township offices were located at the corner of 32 nd and Dove Streets. The
township still owns the property where they were located until they were destroyed by a
tornado in 1952/53. After the tornado, the township board met at many different places, such
as individual’s homes and the Allendale School, until the Beach School (corner of Beach and
W. Water) was purchased and remodeled as the townships first Fire Hall, around 1959/60. The
township board met there until the township hall was built on it’s current site on Lapeer Rd. The
Fire Hall was built a few years later at it’s current site next to the Township Hall.
The township started its own fire department in July 1960. This occurred in response to the
fees the City of Port Huron was charging to provide fire protection for the township. The City
also would only send one truck and two men to fight many of the fires, which resulted in
structure fires that were devastating to the township residents. When the township started their
own Fire Department, the City of Port Huron, in order to keep revenues, persuaded many of
the township businesses to annex into the city. These included the Prestolite property located
at 24th and Moak Streets, and businesses along Moak and Conner Street. They did not annex
the properties that did not provide a tax base, such as the county owned property where the
Health Department and Road Commission were located. The Health Department is still located
at 28th and Moak, However, the Road Commission has since moved to a different location from
Goulden Street, where Anchor Recycling is currently located.
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PORT HURON TOWNSHIP MASTER PLAN
Port Huron Township became a Charter Township to mainly stop the City of PH from annexing
adjoining property. Back then all the City had to do was petition the State Boundaries
Commission to annex adjoining property and it was usually granted. Some examples of this
are the City Marina at the end of Campau Ave. They just annexed the river front and left the
residents on Water Street in the Township. They also took the Mueller Brass Company located
on 32nd St. leaving all the vacant land.
In the early 60’s after creating the Fire Department the township started expanding the water
system. The last hydrant in the township on W. Water was between Oakwood and Brownwood
Drives. The last hydrant on Lapeer was at Michigan Rd. There was water on Strawberry Lane
and Sharon lane but not going out W. Water. The Township started by running a new 16”
water main from the city limits on Water Street. It ran out Water Street to W. Water, out W.
Water to Beach, down Beach to Lapeer and east on Lapeer to Michigan Rd to loop the system.
Also, in the late 50’s early 60’s W. Water was paved from Beach to Range. In the late 60’s
early 70’s the water system was expanded to cover W. Water from Beach west to Charmwood
area then north to Atkins, east on Atkins to Beach and south on Beach to W. Water. Then the
next phase was from W. Water, south on Range to Lapeer and east on Lapeer to Beach.
Today very little of the Township is not covered by municipal water. In the mid 70’s the
Township started putting in sanitary sewers, covering the Township North of Lapeer to Black
River.”
The township voted on November 7, 1978, to form a charter township which was submitted for
acceptance on November 27, 1978. With the official approval in place the township became
responsible for providing the services required under the act regulating Charter Townships.
LOCATION IN THE COUNTY AND THE REGION
LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION
The Charter Township of Port Huron, with an
area of 13.8 square miles, is located
approximately 60 miles northeast of the
downtown area of the City of Detroit. It is a
political/geographical part of St. Clair County,
which contains seven additional cities and 22
other townships. The cities of Port Huron and
Marysville, along with Kimball and Clyde
Townships, and the Charter Township of Fort
Gratiot, all abut the Charter Township of Port
Huron boundaries. Together they comprise
almost 50% of the population of the County.
The City of Port Huron is the County seat and
is the principal marketing, trading and cultural
center for the area.
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INTRODUCTION
The Charter Township of Port Huron is located in close proximity to these Michigan commercial
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PORT HURON TOWNSHIP MASTER PLAN
and industrial areas, as well as these Canadian business centers:
 60 miles northeast of downtown Detroit
 65 miles east of Flint
 80 miles southeast of Saginaw
 120 miles east of Lansing
 100 miles northeast of Ann Arbor
 1.5 miles from the Canadian Border
 5 miles west of Sarnia, Canada
 70 miles west of London, Canada
REGIONAL INFLUENCES ON THE TOWNSHIP
ACCESSIBILITY
Urban growth depends upon a number of interrelated geographic, economic and cultural
factors. Locational factors, such as being on a major trade route or near natural resources,
influence urban growth to a great extent. Accessibility to markets, labor and resources also
strongly influence the economic growth of an area. Accessibility does not necessarily mean
that the resources, markets and labor are located within the region, but that transportation
systems, both natural and manmade, allow these economic factors to conveniently converge at
a specific location. Good transportation is perhaps the greatest single factor in an area’s
growth.
All the above factors will be considered in the discussion of the regional location of The Charter
Township of Port Huron. The regional setting of the Township will be assessed in its relation to
the City of Port Huron, the southeastern Michigan region and the international setting.
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
The development of the City of Port Huron and its environs is similar to many cities throughout
the United States. Development has not been controlled, but rather has spread out from the
central city along major transportation routes. The St. Clair River and Lake Huron provide a
physical barrier to the east. Port Huron development has thus spread to the north, south and
west.
Certain commercial uses have followed residential development out from Port Huron. Services
and convenience facilities are found strung out along major highways and near population
concentrations. Major shopping facilities are no longer located primarily in the City of Port
Huron. New centers have been, and are being developing in the outlying townships. This has
unintentionally created a deterioration of the inner core of the centers of previous growth, such
as the downtown area of the City of Port Huron.
Industrial activity had also been centered in Port Huron and Marysville. The reasons for theses
activities were originally the availability of utilities, such as water, sewer and electricity; and
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INTRODUCTION
easy access to major international transportation lines, including railroad and waterway routes;
proximity to other like industries; and a ready labor supply. Another industrial location factor
important to St. Clair County is the proximity of raw materials, in particular, salt and natural gas.
Also, Port Huron Township and St Clair County have an organized Economic Development
Corporation to aid in the process of commercial and industrial development.
The Charter Township of Port Huron is also located directly in the path of urban development
expanding from the City of Port Huron. The Township is immediately west of the City and has
the third largest population of any municipality in St. Clair County. While municipalities
surrounding the Township only experienced an average of 2% growth in population during the
2000 to 2010 census span, Port Huron Township saw an increase of 23.7%. Industrial and
commercial uses have also expanded in the Township due to it’s location. It can be expected
that urban development will continue to locate within the Township as growth expands outward
from the City of Port Huron and new development is attracted. The expansion and
development of Commercial, industrial and residential uses is also related to the utilities that
are available in an urban setting. The Township has taken an active role in the participation of
the maintenance and expansion of utilities within the Township, particularly over the last few
years.
TRANSPORTATION
Adequate means of transportation has also always been a prerequisite to an area’s growth.
Accessibility to raw materials and markets is necessary. Historically, water and rail
transportation have played an important role in the development of the City of Port Huron as
well as the development of the expressway system in the 1960’s.
Expressways are extremely important to the overall transportation system of an area. People
and freight can be moved at a fast speed between urban regions. Urban development
frequently takes place along this ribbon of fast transportation. Markets and labor force become
more accessible, and industries are encouraged to move out of the crowded cities into open
spaces where more land for parking and expansion, and less traffic congestion, are found.
The Charter Township of Port Huron has both the I-94 and I-69 Expressways passing through
it. The I-94 Expressway now links The Charter Township of Port Huron with Detroit and
Chicago and is part of an overall transportation network which links Toronto to Mexico. The I69 Expressway links Port Huron to Flint and Lansing, tying into I-94 prior to it’s connection to
Canada. This has some great potential considering the recently enacted North American Free
Trade Agreement (NAFTA) of 1994. This agreement was signed by the governments of
Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade block in North America. This
route has great potential for national and international trade.
Experience has shown that expressway interchanges generate urban development, with the
consequent higher land values in their vicinity. Port Huron Township now has direct major
access to both of these interstates with the opening of the interchange called the "Lapeer
Connector" which was completed in 2012. The interchange that was formed by the reconstruction of the two expressways will be of particular importance to The Charter Township
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PORT HURON TOWNSHIP MASTER PLAN
of Port Huron, since it now provides local access for Township residents. It also increases the
Township’s accessibility within southeastern Michigan, which is very important to the industrial,
commercial and residential growth of the Township. The construction of this new access has
also resulted in the current construction of a the largest “super sized” home improvement store
in St. Clair County. This will have a huge impact on both the economy and the traffic. More
specific detail on the impact of this store on traffic is found in Chapter 4 of this plan.
As well, in the past, the general traffic has been severely impacted on the roads that run North
and South by the railroad lines that generally run East and West. This problem is currently
being addressed by the construction of an overpass of the railroad lines on Michigan road. This
construction was completed during the summer of 2013. This will solve the problem of not
being able to easily access different portions of the Township by industrial, commercial, and
residential users.
The railroad is also a significant transportation facility. The railroad lines run from east to west
across the Township in close proximity to the expressways. The location of these facilities will
be of great significance to the industrial potential of the Township. The rail lines form part of a
network covering all of southeastern Michigan and ultimately the State, the Nation and our
continent. Recently, several dilapidated and unused railroad buildings have been torn down,
thus providing additional usable vacant land for development. Some of the sites, though
polluted, may be able to be developed utilizing grants for brownfield development. There is also
talk of passenger terminals that might be developed and utilized for this area as well.
While the railroad’s primary purpose is to transport materials for industry, water transportation
also performs this function at a reduced cost. Water transportation can play an important role
in the development of an area, as the City of Port Huron has port facilities on the St. Clair
River, which are part of the St. Lawrence Seaway. These waterways also have the possibility
of additional tourism for the area. That in combination with a railroad passenger terminal could
help spur tourist and entertainment related businesses to the area. At the present time Port
Huron Township is not greatly influenced by the Seaway. However, access by international
shipping lines for cruise ships and industrial and commercial cargo ships are readily available
to the area and could dramatically affect us in the future. Of even possible greater importance
is the abundance of fresh water available to the municipalities in the Port Huron area.
Another transportation facility not being fully used at the present time is St. Clair County
international Airport. Airplane transportation allows freedom of movement and speed
unattainable by other modes of transportation. The airport can be important to businessman for
business transactions and the shipping of small, high valued, manufactured goods. Although
the airport is not in the Township, it's close proximity and easy access off of I-94, provides
another readily available transportation hub, and currently houses the County Air Industrial
Park.
The Charter Township of Port Huron is in an ideal location to take advantage of all these
transportation facilities. The freeways and railroad lines are located within the Township, and
the port facilities and airport are all within easy travel distance.
RECREATIONAL AND CULTURAL FACILITIES
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INTRODUCTION
Port Huron is located on Lake Huron and the St. Clair River providing easy access for Port
Huron Township residents for beach and water recreational activities. Port Huron Township
also borders the Black River, which again provides water recreational activities during
summer and winter months. The St Clair County area also boasts numerous golf courses,
parks, and camping facilities, including one owned and operated here, by the Township.
There are also several other privately and publically owned campgrounds and parks in the
area such as the KOA Campgrounds, Fort Trodd, Thousand Trails, Lakeport State Park,
and numerous St Clair County parks and picnic areas as well.
The Township also has seven different parks for sporting activities such as baseball and
soccer, fishing, picnicking, hiking, biking, as well as its own boat launch. The Township has
dedicated itself to the pursuit of recreational space and the activities listed above as
indicated in the goals section of Chapter 5 which discusses the Community Vision. The
County has also entered into partnership with the Township to develop both the Township
parks as well as their own facilities and programs, some of which may utilize our facilities as
well. The County has also currently submitted one of their 16 water trails, known as the
“Blueways of St. Clair” for designation as a “National Water Trail”. This trail, which is their
most popular water trail accesses the Bakers Field Park where our Boat ramp is currently
located.
For the enjoyment of major sports teams, the theater, or the Symphony, downtown Detroit is
less than a one hour drive away. This area
also has the McMoran Hockey Arena which
currently hosts the Port Huron Flags, as well
as an award-winning international orchestra
located in the City of Port Huron and Sarnia.
The City of Port Huron is also home to St.
Clair Community College, while Baker
College has a campus located right here in
Port Huron Township with convenient access
from the larger surrounding multi-county
area, due to both the I-69 and I-94 corridors.
Other major educational institutions are also
located with easy access to Port Huron
Township. These include Wayne State
University, located in downtown Detroit, as
well as other Macomb and Oakland County
university extensions and the University of
Michigan, Flint extension, all located within
reasonable driving distances of Port Huron
Charter Township.
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