City Council Meeting - 2023-10-16

Detailed briefing

City Council Meeting — October 16, 2023 • Council approved the consent agenda. It then considered a resident request to vacate Prospect Street, an unimproved platted street on the city/township boundary near Layton Park. Members discussed the lack of present road plans but expressed concern about permanently giving up city property and possible future connections. By consensus, Council took no action, meaning no public hearing will be scheduled at this point. • The adjacent property owner raised concerns about vehicles entering the right-of-way. Staff said the owner can meet with the city manager and Public Works director to discuss possible boulders or another barrier. Staff said any future road or improvement proposal would likely require a significant public process. • Council approved 2024 marina and waterfront rate changes recommended by the Harbor Commission, with one exception. Seasonal dock-slip and mooring rates will increase 3%. Seasonal dinghy storage for non-seasonal mooring holders will rise from $215 to $225. Commercial city-business permits will rise by $15 and non-city-business permits by $20. Council kept kayak storage at its current $215 rate. Transient rates were not increased. • Council selected Cups Masonry for Spring Street sidewalk repairs near the boardwalk after staff identified it as the low bid, about $8,500. The repaired sidewalk must be widened to city standards, which is expected to remove three parking spaces. Members also discussed better signs for public parking and encouraging visitors to park farther away and walk. • Staff reported that the county approved a bike-path easement around Bay Bluffs, allowing work to move ahead on the Little Traverse Wheelway extension. The Quass Park water-tank recoating project is complete. Staff also said it is making progress toward a renewed Historical Society lease for Old City Hall and is preparing a draft police union contract for possible Council review in the next month or so. • A resident urged Council to establish term limits for city boards and commissions. Staff will check state-law constraints and whether limits can be adopted. Staff will also bring board and commission openings to a future meeting. Worth watching: • Whether Council revisits the Prospect Street vacation request or authorizes a vehicle barrier. • How the loss of three Spring Street spaces is addressed through signage, shared parking, or other parking measures. • The November 6 comparison of substation-site alternatives and line-burial costs. Upcoming: Election Day is Tuesday, November 7; Fall Fest was rescheduled for Saturday, October 21. Why it matters: The meeting paired immediate infrastructure and fee decisions with longer-term choices about public land, parking, utility infrastructure, and public participation.

No open public follow-ups are linked to this meeting yet.