9 & 10 News
Judge Rules TC FishPass Must Go to a Vote; Project Stopped
“I’m so happy we saved a city park, which is what this was all about. “ - Rick Buckhalter
April 29, 2021
The fate of the FishPass project is decided – and now the city of Traverse City has a decision to make.
Thursday a judge took up the issue of whether the issue must go to voters, or whether the city can move forward with plans at Union Street Dam Park. Construction was stopped just days before it was due to start in January with city resident Rick Buckhalter’s move to sue the city.
9 & 10 News
April 7, 2021
The Fish Pass project in Traverse City is back before a judge – with a new defendant asking to join in the lawsuit. And the latest update includes a change in strategy from the city: whether the site is even on city parkland after all.
The Great Lakes Fishery Commission wants to join in on the suit, brought forward by a Traverse City resident who is suing the city. Construction on the 20 million dollar project was put on hold as the court hears the arguments about whether FishPass should require approval of city voters.
Attorney Scott Howard represents the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. He says, “We aren’t asking for any new claims or extension of timelines… we would agree the case should move forward as it is scheduled and wouldn’t ask for any delay or changes to the court’s scheduling order.”
FishPass would be a testing ground for technology that’s designed to allow some fish species to pass upstream beyond the dam, while locking less desirable fish downstream. If successful, it could be a possible solution to the devastating impact of dams, which can decimate fish populations by blocking their access to rivers and streams. Proponents envision the project assisting fish recovery efforts globally, from Michigan waterways to the Mekong River in Vietnam.
“This milestone represents years of hard work from many dedicated partners,” City Manager Marty Colburn said in a statement. “We ask the community to be patient with our construction partners as this exciting project advances.”