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Brian Rowell
browell@dailypress.net
ESCANABA -- The Escanaba City Council voted to postpone considering whether to allow a group to build and maintain a garden at Sand Point. Council made the decision after discussing the request at its meeting Thursday night.
Enhance Escanaba had proposed creating the garden and asked that the city allow use of the land on Sand Point east of the city's water treatment plant. Enhance Escanaba is the same group that planted flowers and trees on Ludington Street last summer.
Council Member Karen Moore is a member of Enhance Escanaba and explained the project to the council. She did not take part in the final vote citing a conflict of interest. Moore said the project would have a local history theme and would include more artifacts of local industry such as railroads, shipping and iron ore than trees, shrubs and plants.
She said the size of the garden would be determined by the current renovation of the water plant and would not begin until 2024. The garden would be designed as a self-guided tour, which Moore said would become a tourist attraction.
Moore read letters of support for the project from the Delta County Historical Society and the Escanaba Downtown Development Authority.
Moore said she could not describe what would be in the garden because that would depend on what type of artifacts Enhance Escanaba could collect.
One of the concerns brought up by council was the type of artifacts that would be placed there.
Moore said she didn't intend to have the garden full of antiquated machinery.
"I don't intend to put a full-size iron ore car there," Moore said. "It will be tastefully done."
Moore added the project would be completely funded by grants sought by Enhance Escanaba and the group would be responsible for upkeep.
Council Member Tyler DuBord was concerned who would be responsible for upkeep if Enhance Escanaba ceased to exist.
"We are giving the city a gift in my opinion, Moore said.
Council decided that a proposed agreement with Enhance Escanaba had to be reworked to address the concerns brought up at the meeting. They instructed City Manager Jim McNeil to bring the issue back to council when he saw fit.
Meanwhile, Moore is asking the public to donate artifacts they may have for then garden.
In other business, council
– approved a request from Lake Effect Distillery, 723 Ludington St., to establish an Obsolete Properties Rehabilitation District (OPRA) that would allow partial exemption of property taxes for specified period for property improvements. The company is converting a former bank building into a distillery. Council also set May 18 as a public hearing date for the OPRA request.
– discontinued the condemnation process for a structure at 1620 9th Ave. S. McNeil told council a new owner has been repairing the structure.