iminor@dailypress.net
ESCANABA After some discussion, the Escanaba City Council unanimously approved a change to the city’s code of ordinances that will ban hunting within city limits.
The ordinance, which was first presented at the April 22 regular council meeting, aimed to address an ongoing issue with hunting on land within the Westside Recreation Area. Over the years, the number of hunting blinds appearing in the recreation area has increased, suggesting the area has become popular with hunters. However, hunters could only be ticketed for hunting within the city limits if they were actively seen discharging a firearm.
The change approved Thursday expands upon the rules against discharging a firearm by explicitly prohibiting hunting activities. Specifically, the amended ordinance reads, “There shall be no hunting of wild or domestic animals within city limits with any kind of air gun, spring gun, cross bow, or firearm or any dangerous weapon. There shall also be no baitin
iminor@dailypress.net
ESCANABA Efforts to bring more housing options to Escanaba for the city’s aging population were highlighted during Escanaba’s regular city council meeting Thursday.
“Escanaba has a large population of Baby Boomers who are slowly approaching retirement age, this has increased the need for alternative housing as homeowners in this age group search for a smaller and easier to manage home,” said Council Member Karen Moore. “Condominiums are an excellent choice for this group. There are very few in this category in this city. In fact, when I was running for city council this was the most requested need.”
iminor@dailypress.net
ESCANABA A new assisted living and memory care facility is one step closer to being built in Escanaba after the city council approved plan for the project.
The Parkview Assisted Living facility will include a 26,145 square foot home for the aged, consisting of both assisted living and memory care units, as well as a garage and 17 cottage duplexes. The cottages will total 34 units, for seniors who are able to live independently.
The main building and two of the duplexes are expected to be constructed in 2021 with the remainder of the cottages to be constructed in the future.
iminor@dailypress.net
ESCANABA No changes have been made to Escanaba’s animal ordinance despite concerns raised by an Escanaba woman that limits on the number of dogs that can be kept in a home could prevent foster homes from taking in animals from the Delta Animal Shelter.
The issue was first raised last month, when resident Kathy Woodbury approached the council saying she had been visited by an Escanaba Public Safety officer for violating the city’s animal ordinance while fostering dogs that were seized from an alleged puppy mill in Maple Ridge Township. Woodbury, who said she and her husband had been long-time fosterers of animals from the shelter, had dogs of their own, which pushed them above the legal limit of four dogs over the age of four months in a single residence.
iminor@dailypress.net
ESCANABA The Escanaba Planning Commission was the major topic of discussion at Thursday night’s regular city council meeting, which was held virtually.
In addition to a presentation on the commission’s actions over the past year by Planning Commission Chair James Hellerman, the council introduced two potential ordinances put forward by the commission. Both ordinances will be readdressed at the March 18 city council meeting, at which time the public will be able to comment during public hearings and the council will vote whether or not to adopt the ordinances as presented.
The first ordinance offers a compromise for a long-standing dispute between the council and the commission over the role of public hearings for developments that would be permitted by right under the city’s zoning ordinance. By law, the planning commission cannot deny a use that is permitted under the zoning ordinance, but the commission has historically held public hearings as a way