Council sets hearing for rezoning ordinance
No decision yet on homeless shelter in Escanaba
"Homeless people ... are not second-class people," said William Gasman when discussing the potential for a shelter in downtown Escanaba. "I know a few of them. You all know a few of them. They're human beings. They're human beings that are in a bad need of what this building will provide." (Courtesy image)
Escanaba City Council Members Tyler Dubord, Todd Flath, Mark Ammel, Ron Beauchamp and Karen Moore attend to business during ther Escanaba City Council meeting of Sept. 3. (Courtesy image)
Jim Gehling of Ford River said that Escanaba is the appropriate place for a shelter, as it is also the home of many other fixtures as the county seat. (Courtesy image)
Escanaba City Controller and Interim City Manager Melissa Becotte tells the city council about a proposal from the Recreation Department to paint the exterior of the Civic Center. Becotte has been serving as manager since Jim McNeil's departure, but a full-time replacement may be hired soon. (Courtesy image)
Craig Woerpel said that the Downtown Development Authority has no problem with Cat-Man-Do's and Race-Driven Powersports hosting a block party on Sept. 25, in part to celebrate the reopening of the street.
Jim Sankovitch of Escanaba said that when the matter of a homeless shelter comes to a vote, he does not want Council Member Karen Moore to participate, because she had previously told him she didn't want one in town, he relayed last week. (Courtesy image)
"Homeless people ... are not second-class people," said William Gasman when discussing the potential for a shelter in downtown Escanaba. "I know a few of them. You all know a few of them. They're human beings. They're human beings that are in a bad need of what this building will provide." (Courtesy image)
Escanaba City Council Members Tyler Dubord, Todd Flath, Mark Ammel, Ron Beauchamp and Karen Moore attend to business during ther Escanaba City Council meeting of Sept. 3. (Courtesy image)
Jim Gehling of Ford River said that Escanaba is the appropriate place for a shelter, as it is also the home of many other fixtures as the county seat. (Courtesy image)
Escanaba City Controller and Interim City Manager Melissa Becotte tells the city council about a proposal from the Recreation Department to paint the exterior of the Civic Center. Becotte has been serving as manager since Jim McNeil's departure, but a full-time replacement may be hired soon. (Courtesy image)
Craig Woerpel said that the Downtown Development Authority has no problem with Cat-Man-Do's and Race-Driven Powersports hosting a block party on Sept. 25, in part to celebrate the reopening of the street.
Jim Sankovitch of Escanaba said that when the matter of a homeless shelter comes to a vote, he does not want Council Member Karen Moore to participate, because she had previously told him she didn't want one in town, he relayed last week. (Courtesy image)
Trending
ESCANABA -- The controversial question of rezoning 113 S. 10th St. so that it may become a homeless shelter is still on the table and will be addressed again at the Oct. 1 meeting of the Escanaba City Council.
The council's last meeting began with 25 minutes of public comment, all on the subject of homelessness and a proposal for the former Bertrand's and Bittner Engineering building. Of the nine people who spoke, eight were in favor of allowing the rezone and shelter; a local business owner was the one opponent.
However, the planning commission unanimously voted denial of the rezoning, citing that a shelter in the commercial district was not in line with the city's master plan.
It must be noted that a shelter would be able to open in any place in the city designated Zone C for multiple-family residences. This means that if a home at the intersection of First Avenue South and 15th Street were to go up for sale, Hope on the Horizon would be able to buy it and transform it into a homeless shelter by right, without having to go through the city council and planning commission or hold a hearing.
The group looking to open the shelter would rather not occupy a house so close to others, though.
"We discussed the needs and the goals of a homeless transitional shelter and realized a house would be probably too small and too closed in and too close to its neighbors for the ideal situation," said Laurie Kaski-Hammar, the main person behind Hope on the Horizon. "...We will move forward regardless of the decision of the building in question. If the city council declines changing the zoning to C, we will be moved forward with the house in C that we are in the process of purchasing, and utilize the building at 113 S. 10th for the remainder of the services we want to offer. So either way, we’ll be in one location or two."
Dennis Bittner, owner of the property in question and former operator of Bittner Engineering, commented on the vacant state of a formerly hopping business.
"The staff was up to between 25 and 28 people at one time, so it was a big boost to the to the community. To see that building sitting empty now -- large building, huge parking area, very sound building -- to me, is it’s unthinkable that somebody would deny the proposal that the prospective buyer is looking at doing," Bittner said.
But according to Planning and Zoning Administrator Joseph Walker, the needs do not necessitate a zoning change.
"We would be taking away a big chunk of commercial property right on that commercial corridor offshoot of Ludington ...within the downtown TIF district. As far as the zoning and land use decision, it’s not a very good case for a rezone," Walker said. "It’s been vacant for a long time. Does that mean it cannot be utilized as it stands? No."
He noted that although citizens polled during the crafting of Escanaba's master plan identified a need for assistance for people experiencing homelessness and addiction, no indication was given about where such a facility should be.
To the people worried about a shelter detracting from the neighborhood's character, Chris DeSalvo, another public commenter, said: "they don't want it to be a slum. It’s going to be made so people feel like they have a home, and they can feel confident and start looking for work and raise them up."
Others aren't so sure.
"I don't oppose (providing) help, but bringing it into a failing place or struggling place -- it'll 100% be the black eye of downtown," said Logan Triest, who owns an adjacent commercial building.
One commenter said that Escanabans have been saying that we need a shelter, but “not here, not there” for decades.
A couple citizens referenced the city’s marijuana dispensaries: "You have two pot shops that you put on Main Street downtown, where they should be out on the highway, not in the city. ...Is it supposed to be like a candy store, like Gust Asp used to be? ... It's just not the place for that. ...But you’re telling me that building there is not the place for the shelter for these people," said Jim Sankovitch.
A Ford River resident declared that a shelter should be in Escanaba because it's the county seat. 'These good people are not asking you to man the shelter. They’re not asking you to fill the shelter with furniture. They’re simply asking you to stop standing in the way," said Jim Gehling.
When the matter came up on the agenda, Walker pointed out the property on the zoning map and explained the situation. The city council members did not engage in discussion, but set the second reading of the ordinance and public hearing for Oct. 1, when the council may make a decision to adopt the zoning change. That regular meeting begins at 7 p.m. in City Hall at 410 Ludington St. and is open to the public.
In other business at the Sept. 3 meeting of the Escanaba City Council:
– A permit for a special event jointly hosted by Cat-Man-Do's and Race-Driven PoweSports was discussed, amended and accepted with contingencies. The event is meant to be an open house for Race-Driven as well as celebrate the reopening of Ludington Street with two live bands.
Though the permit application requested the closure of Ludington Street from 13th to 14th Street, council decided that was too soon since the reopening of Ludington to close it again, even for just one evening. Instead, they approved side streets to be closed to allow pedestrian crossing between the marketplace, Race-Driven and Cat's.
– The board approved to hire Bosk Paint and Sandblast of Escanaba to repaint the exterior of the Catherine Bonifas Civic Center for $38,640.
– Kreig's Painting of Escanaba will be hired to prep and paint the soffits and fascia of the marina building for $2,665.
– A special event permit for UPtoberfest, the beer festival hosted by the United Way of Delta County and held in Ludington Park, was approved. It is scheduled to take place Oct. 10.
– Council members approved a proposed employment agreement for Danielle Tiedeman, currently manager of a village downstate, to take over the role of City Manager. Her hire will be contingent upon the results of background checks.