7:30 P.M.
Barber School Meeting Room
I. Call to Order
II.
Pledge
of Allegiance
III.
Roll
Call
A.Present: Filber, Fischer, Holland, Keller, Palma
& VanStrate.
B.Motion
to Excuse any absent members, if necessary.
IV.
Opportunity to Discuss a Replacement Council
Member for Melvin Hall
Subject: Maribeth Lawrence, Village Clerk-Treasurer
will report on this matter given her discussions with Attorney Bob Sullivan.
V.
Reports and Statements of Citizens:
VI.
Consent Agenda
A.Consideration
of approving the payment of the bills in the amount of $106,436.26 .
(Attachment A).
B.Consideration
of approving the minutes of the September 6, 2005 meeting. (Attachment B)
C.Consideration of a Motion to Set a Public
Hearing for October 3, 2005 at 7:30 PM at Barber School for a Cost Recovery
Ordinance Associated with the Prosecution on Certain Offenses.
VII.
Report by the Village Clerk-Treasurer
A. Consideration
of a Public Hearing on Public Uses of the Alden Street End and Direction to
Village Staff on Future Public Access and Use.
Subject: The Village Council
received suggestions from nearby neighbors at the August 15, 2005 work
session. The Village Council further
discussed the matter on September 6th and decided to set a public
hearing for tonight.
At the close of public
comment tonight, the Village Council may consider the following chronology of
events and suggestions made over the course of this process and direct staff
accordingly. Village President Keller
will introduce this hearing.
These suggestions are
gleaned from letters, notes and staff.
Each one reflects a viable option depending upon the ultimate Council
policy direction. The history and
suggestions made are listed in chronological order:
1. Provide
“Greater waterfront identity for the Village by non-residents,” Village of
Spring Lake Master Land Use Plan, p. 18, 1987. The entire excerpt reads:
Even though virtually
surrounded by water there does not appear to be a strong perception of the
Village as a waterfront community by non-residents. Any waterfront identity which may be present is more closely
related to Spring Lake being near to Grand Haven. A large amount of frontage on the water is occupied by
residential uses, particularly on the
Spring Lake and Lloyd’s Bayou sides.
Much of the frontage along the Grand River is vacant or in public
use. At least part of the lack of
waterfront identity can be attributed to the fact that the bulk of traffic
through Spring Lake is on M-104, from which water is not clearly visible until
nearing the west edge of the Village limit.
Another reason is the strong waterfront identity of Grand Haven which
tends to create the impression that the Village is “inland.”
2.
Expand opportunities
for access to and enjoyment of the waterfront.
Community Recreation Plan, 2004-2009, p. 48, emphasis added.) The entire
excerpt follows:
Summary
of Park and Recreation Facility Needs
Consideration of all of the above sources of input --
recreation facility standards, citizen surveys, and direct citizen input at
public meetings -- indicates that the Village's plans for park and recreation
facilities should focus on the following major areas:
·Expansion of opportunities for access to and enjoyment of the waterfront.
·Expansion of the trail system in the community, to extend
the Lakeside Trail to the waterfront, and establish a new Grand River Greenway,
Boardwalk, trail connections between waterfront park facilities and other
community facilities.
·Provision of high-quality signage to both direct
and identify in a comprehensive and attractive way.
3.
Canoe/Kayak Launch –
Alden Street (No priority, not listed
in the top 13). Community Recreation Plan,
2004-2009, 2004, p. 57, emphasis added.
A canoe/kayak launch on
Spring Lake is desirable at this end for the Village. Although Parkhurst Street End provides for this need for the
immediate neighborhood, there is no parking; whereas parking is
available at the end of Alden.
4. Event: The
Village Manager launches a canoe at end of Alden with a niece one Sunday. The site was chosen due to ease of
drive-up. The railing, bushes and
rip-rap was difficult to cross to access the water. July, 2003.
5. Develop a Wayfinding Signage Plan. One
of Village Council’s Three Highest Goals for the years: 2003 & 2004.
6. Wayfinding
Signage Committee formed and met to create a plan . Council briefed on the design, along with a
list of locations and planned wording.
Village Manager received go ahead.
February through September, 2004.
7. Wayfinding
Signage Bid Awarded by Council, March, 2005.
8. Village
Manager Requests Public Works to remove bushes at the east end of Alden Street
End and to place stone dust to even out the rocks
down to the ordinary high water mark in time for the comprehensive
wayfinding signage program that was bid. The Manager’s plan was to provide an
additional canoe/kayak launch earlier than expected in the Recreation Plan
at virtually no cost to the taxpayer.
April, 2005.
9. Crab
apple trees severely cut back according to Village
Public Works speaking to the Village Manager.
Public works requested direction on what to do if they died. July, 2005.
10. Manager
visits Mr. Ritter at 417 Buena Vista and seeks more
information. Manager requests that an
offer to replace the trees if they die be directed via e-mail to the
Village. Manager suggests that Mr.
Ritter call and request trimming from Village crews next time in advance or
call to volunteer to assist. Manager
requests the irrigation line be removed. July, 2005.
11. Mr.
Ritter requests a Crimson Maple for side yard (not clear on
which property). July, 2005.
12. “Potential
conflict between fishermen and the kayakers feared.” Irma and Ed Vogt letter, August 4, 2005.
13. “Place
the launch at the end of Parkhurst…except the parking is not paved.” Irma and Ed Vogt letter, August 4, 2005.
14. “The
sign which was erected at Alden and
Savidge showing Kayak would not have to be changed. Just put a small sign ‘Kayak Launching/Landing at the end of
Parkhurst’ which has a sandy beach/landing site from Alden and Buena Vista
pointing to Parkhurst.” Irma and Ed
Vogt letter August 4, 2005.
15.
“Remove path and replace bushes; remount
the sign ‘No Parking Beyond this Sign’; and remove signs at Bike Path.”
Calvin J. Dykstra, MD, August
15, 2005.
16. Received
a copy of the February 6, 1988 minutes that read in part:
It is the
recommendation that the village proceed to develop a final park plan based on
the outline provided by the Neighbors’ Plan….Village Council voted to direct eh
Village Manager to prepare the final development plans for the Alden Street End
Park based upon the outline provided by the Neighbors’ Plan. (emphasis added). From Ed Vogt, August 15, 2005.
17. Concern
voiced that the Village’s grant would be withdrawn since the original Alden
Street End plan was modified. Member
of the Public, August 15, 2005.
18. Parks
and Recreation Board briefly discusses this matter. Draft minutes are attached. “The end of Alden might be better for canoe
launching than kayak launching,” August
24, 2005.
19. “I
do not think the Department would have any problem with providing more public
access. That was the purpose of the
grant.” Deb Apostle, MDNR Staff who handled 1989
Grant. August 31, 2005.
20. Village
Manager tests out the Alden Street End for canoe access. The launching went well. Parking close like you can makes a positive
difference. The grade at Division
Street is too great; Parkhurst Street End has no parking; Buchanan Street End
is fine also.
21. The
Village is “in violation.” e-mail
from Mr. Ritter paraphrasing Jordan Byelich of MDNR, September 6, 2005.
22. Query
from Village Manager, “Is there a problem?” September 6, 2005. “No. It is your own thing to allow street ends,” Jordan
Byelich, September 6, 2005.
23. “The
site plan called for signs indicating no boat docking or swimming.”
(emphasis added). Ed Vogt letter,
September 6, 2005.
24. Village
Council Sets a Public Hearing to Discuss Public
Access at the Alden Street End for September 19, 2005 at 7:30 PM , Council
Meeting, September 6, 2005.
25. Village
Manager learns the bushes on the east side were originally planted
by resident at 417 Buena Vista. Council
Work Session. September 6, 2005.
26. A
number of individuals spontaneously stop at Village Hall and compliment the
Village on posting places to access Spring Lake. These individuals live in and around Spring Lake. September 9, 12 and 13, 2005.
27. Compliments
to the Village from individuals who kayak at a Spring
Lake Village social occasion on September 10, 2005.
Additional Suggestions
What follows are some
potential suggestions to resolve this
matter from a variety of sources:
1. Thank
neighbors for maintenance assistance over the years.
2. Apologize
for lack of better communication.
3. Install
the no parking sign where it once was.
4. Remove
the $50,000 Canoe/Kayak Launch goal from the Community Recreation Plan. There is no hidden agenda to proceed with
any high cost launching facility, as stated as a low priority in the Plan.
5. Install
a fence to the east to match the private condominium fencing to the west. (A
price estimate will be developed prior to the meeting.)
6. Sunset
the kayak launch after one year unless Council action is taken to continue for
future years.
7. Install
a no fishing sign.
8. Install
a park closes at dusk sign.
9. Permanently
remove the private irrigation line from public property.
10.
Place the crimson maple planting request on the
list for 50% cost share as per the June Crosswinds article. Budget is fully encumbered for FY 06 but
could be done in FY 07.
11.
Request and receive a written statement that if
the trees die of natural causes, they will be replaced as dwarf trees at no
cost to the public.
Village
staff seeks specific Village Council direction on all of the above.
Also
attached is a record of police calls from Chief De Young. Three entries are noted in their Records
Management System from the last ten years.
Recommendation: Consideration of a Motion to open the public hearing to solicit public
comment. At the close of public
comment, the Village Council may move to direct staff how to proceed and to
specifically adopt the desired variables presented by the audience and Council
in the public hearing or as addressed above as part of a comprehensive motion.
B. Consideration
of a Resolution of Appreciation to Melvin Hall for Village Council Service for
the Last Eight Years
Subject: Mel resigned two weeks ago due to healt