ESCANABA — Plans to convert the Webster Wading Pool into a splash pad will be a topic of discussion Thursday during the regular Escanaba City Council meeting, which will also feature continuing discussion on the future of marijuana in the city and the proposed development of the sites of the former Delta County Jail and Chamber of Commerce buildings.

SPLASH PAD

During the meeting, the board will be asked to adopt a resolution authorizing the development of the wading pool into the new Webster Park Splash Pad. The resolution is required for the city to receive grant funding from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund.

Under the terms of the grant, the city will receive $150,000 and must supply $75,000 (one third of the project) for a total funding amount of $225,000. The splash pad must be completed by July 31, 2024, and will include the splash park itself, bike racks, benches, a pavilion, picnic tables, a five- to six-foot-wide access path and necessary signage.

The existing wading pool and all related items will be removed during the project.

MARIJUANA

The council will once again review the possible ways that commercial marijuana operations can be regulated in the city.

At the last city council meeting on July 21, the council directed the planning commission to redraw the map regulating where marijuana establishments can be located to remove all but a 500-foot buffer around schools. Any other rules about placement would be established in the related ordinance, which largely defers to zoning designations by restricting retail operations to commercial zones and grow operations to industrial and manufacturing districts.

The planning commission, however, had other ideas about buffer zones around schools. After some discussion, the commission found a middle ground between the 1,000-foot default buffer included in the state law and the 500-foot buffer requested by splitting the difference and establishing 750-foot buffers.

While there is no rule that a planning commission must comply with direction given by the council, deviating from that direction could be a gamble. The council ultimately approves or rejects ordinances, including any maps that are part of an ordinance, like the marijuana map would be. If the council disagrees with the planning commission’s decision to adjust the buffers, it can always bounce the issue back to the planning commission until the commission complies or finds a suitable compromise.

Whether or not the council will approve the 750-foot buffer zones is still unknown. At the planning commission meeting, Council Member Tyler DuBord praised the compromise. Also at the meeting, Council Member Karen Moore, who has historically held positions restrictive to marijuana, expressed her displeasure that other buffer zones had been removed from the map.

Thursday’s discussion will also include the results of questionnaires provided to the council by the city’s attorney for marijuana related issues, Laura Genovich of Foster Swift in Grand Rapids. The results of the questionnaires will be used to help flesh out operational rules for marijuana businesses that will be included in a separate regulatory ordinance.

JAIL REDEVELOPMENT

City Manager Patrick Jordan will give an update to the council on the pending sale and redevelopment of the former Delta County Jail and Delta County Chamber of Commerce Center properties. As of the July 21 meeting, purchase agreements were being reviewed for the properties.

AGREEMENTS

The council is also set to approve a contract renewal between the city and Wells Township for fire protection services in the township. The council is also slated to make adjustments to the city’s Solar Land License and Management Agreement, which is an agreement between the city and residents who own solar panels at the city’s solar farm.

The change to the solar farm agreement would change the 12-month settlement period in the agreement to Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 of each year from July 1 to June 30.

WATER TOWER INSPECTIONS

The agenda also includes a number of requests to enter into contracts with Dixon Engineering & Inspection Services, of Hales Corners, Wis., for engineering inspections on city water towers. In total, the inspections would cost $11,050.