City Commission - Regular Meeting

The Monday, April 13, 2026 meeting of the Marquette City Commission is now called to order at 6 p.m. Please stand and join us for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

City clerk, roll call, please. Commissioner Davis, here. Commissioner Gotautle, here. Commissioner Hanley, here. Commissioner Larson, here. Commissioner Mayor, here. Mayor Prom Otawway here and Mayor Schlaggel. Commissioners, Mayor Schlaggel is absent this evening. May I have a motion to excuse Commissioner Hanley? I move that we excuse Mayor Schlaggel for personal reasons. Commissioner Gota, I'll second. Um, all in favor, please say yes. Yes. Any opposed?

Okay, the motion passes 6. Uh, commissioners, do we have a motion for the agenda provided to us this evening? Uh, Mayor Larson or sorry, Mayor Larson foreshadowing Commissioner L. Too many mayors up there. Uh, I move that we accept the agenda as presented. Uh, Commissioner Mayor. I'll second the motion, your honor. Thank you. All in favor, please say yes. Yes.

Any opposed? Thank you. Uh, passes 6. I have no announcements this evening. Um, that brings us to public comment. Our first public comment slot uh is on the agenda. As a reminder, public comments may not exceed three minutes per person. Please state your name and physical address when speaking. Be advised, commissioners will respond to your questions at the end of the meeting. Anyone for public comment? Public comment. Yeah, feel free to come right up. Would you folks like I actually uh made a copy of my public comment for all of you to take. You can give it to the clerk actually. Phenomenal.

And I also got a copy for the mayor who is not here.

Give me one second to get situated real quick, folks. two. Um, I'm Dr. Bailey Quinn, a family medicine resident physician. I rent a house over on Altimont Street with my partner Jordan, who's a mechanical engineer. I'm here tonight as both an individual and help Could you Could you give us your name and your address, sorry, 1402 Ultimont. Thank you so much.

Um, I'm here as both an individual and healthcare professional of this community to talk about the horrific experience shared by myself and countless others renting housing in Marquette. Property values exploded with the rise in remote work. A lot of people have used that to maximize their own profits. Since 2019, our home's rent has increased by more than 30% with minimal upkeep in the past four to five years. As is often the case, the company advertised with very old photos that didn't show the current condition of our home despite their premium price tag. Due to the huge potential for profits, a lot of landlords here have taken it upon themselves to renovate their homes. That work is done without permits or proper inspections. This seems to be what happened in our home. We're renting a house advertised as a two-story four-bedroom home with two living rooms. Our finished first floor contains a carpeted bedroom and a carpeted living room that were a former garage and basement. We've experienced intermittent flooding in our home since March the 8th. As of this morning, there was 1 to three inches of standing water in our home with saturated walls and carpet. In the 36 days since our house has been flooding, our landlord, a locallyowned company called ShraMM Superior Properties, has refused to communicate with us or negotiate our lease. We've received legal threats for speaking about our experience, threatening messages from people in the town telling us they know where we live. Today, received an official notice from a local attorney to pay our rent or we will be evicted. Because this is not just cause to withhold your rent under Michigan housing laws. We have diligently searched for local resources to advise us on our rights. City and county officials we've spoken to have no history of permits obtained at our house to convert the garage and basement to a fully finished residence like we are being leased as. I've rented for 30 13 years in Florida, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut. I've never seen landlords act with such insumed assumed impunity as this town. I come to you tonight because my rental experience here is not you new or unique. In the month we've scoured town asking for help, we've heard countless horror stories like

ours. I have patients living in cars because they can't afford housing. I've met college students here rationing insulin because a landlord kept their whole security deposit without cause and it wiped out their savings. I come to you as a doctor because this rental market is so predatory. It is interfering with the health and well-being of your constituents. This entire city suffers because these landlords are so greedy. They drive away young professionals, families, and good people who want to build a life here. Michigan has these rental laws in place, but it's the duty of local systems to put mechanisms in place to enforce them. I cannot in good conscience be a doctor in this city and watch my patients suffer the same housing market currently crushing me and not speak up. We, your constituents and members of this community, deserve better. Michigan law says we are entitled to better. I implore you to brainstorm ways to help us.

Your three minutes is up. You can come back at the end of the uh there'll be a second public comment at Excellent. Just it's my first meeting. How long do these usually last? This one's going to be long. This one's will be a little longer. I will like How often do you guys meet? We can't respond to your questions. I will likely be back next time to keep talking about this. I'll be at the hospital tomorrow. Thank you. You're just fine. Anyone else for public comment? Uh yes, come on up.

Uh same topic. Um my name is Mano Erd and my current address is 1221 Front Street. Um similar but not exactly situation uh with the doctor there. Uh I was a tenant at the Olympia Apartments for roughly a year. Um, I lived into my lived in my apartment for one month before the plumbing quit. In the next month, I started having actual human feces wash up into my bathtub. Um, two months with no plumbing and the waste in my bathtub. Uh, they moved me into a temporary apartment and told me it'd be two weeks till the work got done. Well, fast forward three months, I'm still in this temporary apartment, much smaller, paying the same amount of rent. Um, I go to I'm supposed to move back in. They tell me that that apartment is no longer an option. It's uninhabitable. Um, so I move out. They're still charging you rent. They won't agree that they broke the lease by doing this. Um, I contacted the rental inspector. All they care about is if you have a smoke detector. Um, I contacted the health department. They don't care because it's inside the building. Um, I contacted code enforcement and the only thing they cared about was if the work was permitted and being done by a professional, which it wasn't. It was being done by the company's maintenance men. And these are they were repairing plumbing lines that tied directly into the city lines. And I'm not the only tenant in the building that had that problem. The tenant that lived in that apartment before me, she actually left a Google review with the exact same experience that I had. So they are renting these apartments knowing there's major plumbing failures. There's one woman in my in my unit that in the building that she went three months without heat. They give her a space heater. Um they threatened me with eviction notices even though I was paying my rent. threat me with eviction notices because I would not vacate the temporary apartment. My lease was never for that temporary apartment. I told them I would gladly move out if they would agree to put in writing that they broke the lease. They did not. I moved out. Thankfully, I had a friend that gave me a place to live. Um, again, they still are charging me rent. I've gotten letters from lawyers. I've gotten letters from the company that's starting

to take me to court because technically I'm still on the lease for that place. Um, that the unit is still uninhabitable. I've got plenty of pictures, plenty of proof. I contacted legal aid and all they did was send me the tenants rights brochure. So, I'm asking you, where do we go? What are we supposed to do? I literally did everything that I was supposed to do. We have no one to advocate for us. That's it. And it's predatory. Lucky, I'm old enough that I know the importance of self- advocacy. You've got a bunch of college students here that don't understand that. They're being taken advantage of. They just put up with it because they don't know what else to do. And the landlords know that and they know that there's a shortage of housing. So they got us in this bind. So I ask you what what are we supposed to do? What are our real protections in this city? Cuz I took every step imaginable. So can you please help us? That's it. Thank you.

Thank you. Anyone else for public comment? Hello, my name is Angela Palamaki. I'm a dentist, a business owner, a resident, and a taxpayer here in the city of Marquette. My practice is located in the Savings Bank building directly against your address, please. Um, in Savings Bank building, your physical home, um, 800 Oriana Drive in Marquette. Thank you.

Um, my practice is located in the Savings Bank building directly adjacent to the proposed parking structure and hotel project. My practice has served thousands of PA Marquette patients for nearly 20 years and including the previous provider patients have been coming to this location for almost 40 years. I have several concerns I'd like to address. First, ADA accessibility. For 40 plus years, many of my patients, including those with disabilities, relied on parking directly next to the building or being dropped off at the back door. That access no longer exists. Today, those same patients are forced to navigate longer, more difficult routes, especially during winter. This direct directly affects patient safety and accessibility. I am asking this committee to ensure that the ADA compliant handicap parking and back entrance access to the savings bank building is committed to and maintained throughout the entire construction period. Second, our rights as tenants. Over the past two years, I have for I have faced pressure to vacate, including through lawsuits from our landlord attempting to evict us, forcing us to retain costly legal counsel to cons to successfully defend our rights. There have also been public comments suggesting the building is mostly vacant, implying former tenants left voluntarily. As I see it, they left as a result of this project, not the other way around. In fact, before the current landlord owned the Savings Bank building, it was full of dental offices and local businesses with more staff working in the building than there will be likely ever in a future hotel. Third, construction impacts. Dental care requires a precise controlled environment. Ground vibration and noise from excavation and pile driving directly interfere with the work my staff and I perform on patients every single day. I ask that the committee encourage the developer to work with neighboring businesses to minimize these impacts during business hours. Fourth, public parking at the DDA's re most recent public meeting. No decision has been made on how much public parking the structure will actually provide.

Meanwhile, Main Street may lose existing public parking spots to accommodate a hotel entrance. We may be looking at a project that eliminates some existing public parking while delivering no guaranteed replacement. That is not a net gain, that is a net loss. Finally, the public benefit question. I would like to bring to your attention a significant change in the scope of this project since it was originally approved. When the commission initially approved the brownfield reimbursement in 2021, the development included a public parking garage with over 200 designated parking spaces, a meaningful community benefit that serves as part of the justification for public funding. As the project currently stands, a parking structure has shifted to a private garage that will likely serve exclusively the hotel and restaurant components of the development with no little to public parking availability. Given the substantial change,

your three minutes is up. You're welcome to come back at the end with the second public comment. Thank you.

Margaret Brum, 404 East Magnetic Street. We're going to tag team this event tonight because the the dentist there got started and I've been asked more questions about this than the past 10 days than I have been for the last 10 weeks. First of all, the way the city handled the work session on this could not have been handled worse because it wasn't filmed. And that's where 99% of the questions come from because it wasn't filmed. There was a story on the news indicating something had changed. But last night I was 45 minutes on the phone with a dear friend of mine who couldn't figure out what had changed. So I put a post on Facebook. This project was sold to the city of Marquette on the basis of, let's face it, 200 free parking spots in downtown Marquette. One hotel, no disruption of the view of the two long-term businesses next to each other, residences which would alleviate the housing shortage and give people a chance to live without feces in their bathtub. and just the general idea that this was going to be a high quality situation. Two years later, we've now learned that oh my lord, there's Napa underneath the ground. Napa is a petroleum distillate. If you want to talk to me about it, let's go offline because it's not good. It's there and it's not good. Which means there isn't going to be any underground parking. There isn't going to be any 200 spots. They have made a deal with a con uh long-term hotel chain and the first chain the first hotel is going to be built has nothing to do with the vault. has to do with the the property next door. It's going to be for uh elite people. It's going to block the view of those two restaurants. In other words, the thing that was promised that would never happen is going to happen. In the meantime, the vault itself, which is supposed to be preserved, has a uh a ramp outside, which is interesting since it doesn't match anything else, but also it has been proven by their own statements at the Brownfield meeting that they're not going to touch the vault for five years. So Avi promised that they made about 200 parking spots.

There's going to be 82 new hotel rooms and 80 parking spots. And if you can do the math, it's going to take away parking in the downtown area. Now, you're probably going to approve this because I've never known a city of Marquette commissioner, I'm not being funny, to turn away a development, but let's call it what it is. Another misleading statement. And I'm not accusing anyone of lying. I mean misleading. They said one thing and then they found out it was a lot harder and now they want to go back and I don't think you would have agreed to having two hotels and blocking the view and no new parking if that is what had been originally presented to you. And you have the right and the responsibility to hold the developer responsible for those original statements. And by the way, the first week the developer was in charge of the savings bank building, my phone rang off the hook for people who were very upset about different things. and the only thing I could do was call contact the fire chief who found uh enough fire hazards there to send an inspector over there to fix it. So, you've got a responsibility here that's way beyond what's on these paperworks and I encourage you to do your job. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Anyone else for public comment? Hello, my name is Daniel Chapman. Um, I'm a soontobe resident of Marquette. I'm currently a travel nurse relocating here. My physical address is 400 Old Orchard Drive. I'm here to speak about the tenant issues, tenant and landlord issues. Um, having been a travel nurse for the last couple years. Um, looking at housing every 3 months, I think I'm pretty experienced in what a good landlord looks like, what a good lease looks like. Um, thankfully I did bump into a lot of very personable landlords, but I also found the single most predatory landlord and lease that I've seen in my life. Um, I think the city needs to either adopt some ordinances or create a person to advocate for tenants. Something needs to be done. Um, especially when we have a vulnerable, naive population of college students in the town. I very nearly got trapped into a lease, which would have been a nightmare. Um, couple years less life experience. They certainly would have been. The company had at least a half dozen listings around the town. They wanted a holding fee of $4,500 to hold the unit. Um, you would get the lease a week later and if you did not like the lease and wanted to back out, you would forfeit $1,300. $1,300 of which even me as a travel nurse, I wouldn't be able to stomach, much less someone living on minimum wage or a college salary. Um, after a lot of back and forth with the company, they finally showed me a sample lease. Um, if you're 7 days late on the rent, they will increase it by 10% for the remainder of the term. It's a $20 late fee per day. Any damages, they are allowed to charge an extra 25% on top of costs and labor. They can install surveillance sensors in the unit. They can restrict visitation.

They have an $800 non-refundable cleaning fee. They can arrange for tours of your unit with 12 hours notice and no scheduling. I toured multiple of these units. Um they all seem to have this scheduling built on the same day. So it doesn't really seem like it was worked out with the tenants at all. Just sort of run over the tenant to do viewings. Um and in the really high pressure leasing environment, it's um pretty hard to do your due diligence. And I think a lot of people walk into the same situation I was facing, don't double check, and then they get entrapped in these awful leases. Um, I know a lot of the landlords in this city are not from the city. I think as um the decades go on and this becomes a more and more desirable climate and place to live, you're going to see more and more interests from outside the city extorting and praying on the residents here. And I think there's a lot of things the city can do, but I think something should be done. Um, thank you for your time.

You any other public comment? Since we have a room full, I'll ask one more time. Any other public comments? Okay, public comment is now closed. Our only presentation this evening is the Peter White Public Library by library director Andrea Ingmire. Andrea, why don't we get you over to the podium over there if we can? Good evening, everyone. I'm glad you all came for my presentation tonight. Prepare to be riveted.

I love that.

Um, my name is Andrea Ingmire. I'm the library director of the Peter White Public Library. Our mission is to enrich the community through access to library services and cultural opportunities. Peter White was established in 1871 under a special act of legislation and we are a part of the city charter. The library also has township contracts with five surrounding townships. The remainder of my presentation has a lot of charts and data. It is available on our website on the um annual report page. Um and I encourage if there's anything in here you want to take a deeper dive into, you just head on over to our website and and do so. Um we have a long election history with our townships um since 1992. We regularly appear on the ballot. This year we will be on the ballot in Marquette Township for renewal of services. We are so fortunate to have an excellent governance board and advisory council. Um our governance board is made up of city residents and our advisory council is made up of two members um appointed from each of our different townships. Strategic priorities for the library are service sustainability and expertise. Um in terms of service, we want to ensure that our core library services are meeting the needs of our community. Um, one of the primary ways that we do that is still books. Yay. Um, and uh, this is a little snapshot we did at the end of 2025. We did a Spotify wrapped sort of thing on social media. And so these are the top titles and top authors from 2025. Here's where the charts begin. Um, we do have a five-year trend of our collection counts. Um, weeding is a big part of what we do. It's big part of collection management. It ensures that what's on

the shelf is actually valuable. Um and it's not full of materials that people aren't interested in. So, uh you will see that our overall collection has gone down over the last couple years and that is intentional. Um we are trying to make sure that everything that shows up on our shelves are materials that people are interested in um utilizing. Um our circulation statistics, our circulation of physical items went down a little bit last year. Digital items went up. Um, I'm not worried about these numbers. They're very on target with what we're seeing nationwide. And I suspect that as AI continues to grow, our physical collection circulation counts are going to rebound right back up to the top. Um, in terms of digital resources, we have lots of resources that we offer. Our top three resources are Libby, Hoopla, and Canopy. I'll be taking a little closer look at those three resources here um as we proceed. Um, e audiobooks are our most circulated item type. So, those are audiobooks provided in a streaming format. Uh, Libby and Hoopla are the two services that we um provide e audiobooks in. Um, and that's a look at those three um highest use uh streaming services overall. The blue bar there is Hoopla. Um, a closer look at that one looks just like that. Um, Hoopla is a payby-use model and as the usage of Hoopla increases, our budget impact increases. So, in March of this year, we did impact implement a budget cap um a daily budget cap to help um address this. We are so thrilled that it's useful and that people love it. Uh we just can't afford it if it keeps going like this. So trying to be reasonable with our budget um and responding to patron use, we didn't want to get rid of Hoopla, but we did need to find a way to throttle it back a little bit so that our budget could um keep up. In terms of program attendance, our program attendance continues to be

incredibly strong even as we focus on quality over quantity. um and are taking a hard look at some of what we're doing and making sure that we're not duplicating services um and that we're providing programming that people are really interested in. This is a little snapshot of summer reading from 2025 and some of the statistics that go along with that. Kickoff kickoff for summer reading is June 6th of 2026, which is around the corner, I'm so happy to say. Also new, in 2025, we partnered with Feeding America to run the Gather to Grow program. Um, we were able to distribute 1,756 meals throughout the summer. Um, that was offering two days of service for two hours at a time. So, that was a really very popular program and really low maintenance for us. We just picked up the book or the books. I'm sorry, I'm a librarian. Picked up the meals um and then distributed them them at the library. So very low maintenance for us. Computer usage continues to be steady. Um while these numbers continue to be steady, our print numbers are going through the roof. So I think part of that is the cost of maintaining printers at home, the complication of technology maintaining that those devices at home. So while I don't have a graph for printers, um our printer, our copers and printers are are working very hard over at Peter White. Uh we have seven rooms that are available for reservation and three study rooms. So this is a 5-year trend of the usage of those spaces and some images of those those rooms. We continue to add website content um recordings of our programming um in particular whenever we're able to. Um of course being very uh cognizant of copyright and other restrictions of items that we can't add to the website. We continue to work very hard on

digitization projects in in cooperation with Uplink. Uplink is a um is a program run out of the NMU archives and is a um really amazing amazing resource for UP residents. Um we've digitized the Cloverland magazine which is a tourist magazine uh focused on agriculture in the UP. Um we've been digitizing the mining journal. We've got 1868 through 1989. Um, most of us can find things that we recognize from that time period. Um, and the Pulk directories have now been digitized. All the Poke directories we had access to. Coming soon is digitization of the Marquette Monthly. Um, our staff will be doing that work all by ourselves. So, we're learning how to new use new equipment. Um, and we'll be doing all of the OCR, the optical character recognition, which makes items searchable. Um, in order to make that uh happen with the Marquette Monthly, we continue to transition the lower level um as MACC moved out. Uh, the DO Gallery is still a fine arts gallery. Studio 1 is a bookable space through the library and studio 2 is secret, top secret, cannot share. It's in progress. Um, teen zone. In the teen zone, we added a mural this year um that was painted by one of our former TAB um so teen advisory board members and it was great to have them come back as an um as an artist and do a really outstanding uh piece of artwork on our wall that made the space really cheerful and we needed that this winter. Um in terms of sustainability, we're ensuring the library will be both environmentally and financially sustainable. We did some pretty um small yet significant um building and grounds updates this year. Our parking lot um we took out all that horrible pearl and put in um cement so that we're reducing the

number of sprained ankles and this winter we were just delighted to be able to snowblow so many times um without picking up pegravel. Um also some sidewalk repairs and just maintaining the the benches in the in the gardens. This is a five-year uh trend of expenses this last fiscal year. Um a breakdown by different expenditure item and then a five-year look at revenues. I will say about this revenue uh graph here this last year with township contract revenue. We had two townships that were cleaning up books and so that number is a little bit larger than really it should be in a typical year um because we were receiving um revenues from previous fiscal years. Um but that's a look at the revenues from this last fiscal year as well. Um financial stability. I've been talking about this for the last 10 years. I'll keep talking about it. We're doing everything that we can to ensure that our um our library is financially sustainable. And part of that is our endowment fund. Our endowment fund total value over is over $2 million and that is amazing. Um, in terms of expertise, we have a really tremendous staff. Um, and it is our goal to maintain a qualified, well-trained staff focused on providing excellent customer service. In addition to our staff, we have a a wonderful Friends of the Library group. They contributed over 1,600 volunteer hours in the last year and raised $75,000 for library programming. That's almost all the programming money that we have comes from the friends of the library and they do a really outstanding job for us. They run the bookstore in the library that's on the main floor. Um and they al also run two sales a year. We have several partner organizations that we work with. Um the master gardeners are in charge of maintaining the gardens out front on Front Street and they do a really nice job of that.

um our sister cities group here in town um maintains the collection of sister city artifacts and gifts that have been distributed to the city over the years and then also our queen city seed library which if you don't know about now is the time to get seeds um and the seed library is stocked um partner programming we work with several groups to expand the amount of programming that we are able to offer um with with experts in the area so we have our repair cafe um which is a one once a month program where folks can bring in things that are broken and we have volunteers who help them learn how to fix it. It's pretty great. Um we work with Fresh Coast Film Festival and Meditate Marquette. We've been doing programming with that group for the last couple years um providing weekly programming for um around topics of meditation and contemplative practices. Wow, that's a it's a mouthful. Um I can't say enough about our amazing staff. We have just under 40 staff members at the library and they are where all the magic happens. Um we've seen a great flip um I say great an interesting flip uh in the last 10 years um where we have the majority of our staff um with less than five years service. So we have a lot of really new staff and that presents both both um opportunities and challenges. Strategic planning updates. We've just finished our data collection. Um, and our committee meets at the end of April to set goals for 2026 to 2029. That's all I have. I'd be happy to answer any questions that you may have.

Thank you, Andrea. Uh, of course, Commissioner questions, comments. Commissioner Davis.

Andrea, I'm always impressed with what's happening at that library and it truly is a jewel of our community. So, thank you very much. Um there were well first of all I'm just amazing you know the library your library our library is not what I remember the library of mine growing up but and so the adjustment that you've made to things that have happened in our our society and our world has been pretty amazing. There are two things that really stuck out to me this time because I hear you every year. One is how how the growth of the endowment fund. Congratulations. What a wonderful thing that's happening there. And the second thing is the feeding of the children during the summer. Yeah. Um what a that's so much needed in our community. So thank you for having that partnership.

Yeah. You're welcome. Uh Commissioner Gib, thank you very much for that. And I know this question is on everybody's mind here. My family is a big Uhhuh. should you would rather us use Libby than Pupa? It is I get this question a lot right now. It's not a preference of which one we want you to use. We want you to use whatever works for you in the moment. So, um what I would ask is you don't have to use those Hoopla credits every single month. So, if you're using them just to use them, that's not the right way to use them. But, um there are times when you need to get a book right now, and Hoopla's really good for that. Libby, you're gonna wait a little bit potentially um on hold. So,

not the name of the book I'm waiting for. What's but yeah, ideally Libby is going to be more economical for Libby is more economical. We also have control over the Libby collection. So, that is something that I have a little inkling of concern as we enter in this time of AI uncertainty. There has been content found in some resources like Hoopla that are AI generated and I don't love that. So Libby we have more control over because we are actually adding to that collection manually as opposed to it being a set collection provided by a vendor. Yeah. Thank you.

Anyone else? Well, Andre, I think that's it. Thank you so much. And once again, thank you for for being here. I think we all look forward to hearing from the library every year. It's always a shining star moment for us. So you you give that to us. So thank you. Okay. Thank you so much. Okay. Okay. Our only public hearing this evening is for the Vault Brownfield plan amendment which will require a roll call vote. City clerk, could you please provide the background?

Thank you. The vault Marquette Brownfield plan was approved by the city of Marquette Brownfield Redevelopment Authority on June 17, 2021 and by the city commission on July 12th, 2021 for the redevelopment of the Marquette Savings Bank building at 101 South Front Street and new construction at 119 South Lakeshore Boulevard. Circumstances have required an alteration to the development plan. And while the eligible property, eligible activity, budget total, and impact to taxing jurisdictions have not changed, a determination was made to amend the Brownfield plan in accordance with the process required by act 381. A Brownfield plan amendment has been prepared that reflects the primary change to the to the development plan, shifting from a public parking deck financed by the city and Marquette Brownfield recreation recreation authority redevelopment authority with reimbursement from Brownfield tax increment financing revenues to a private parking deck financed by the developer with Brownfield TIFF reimbursement. A future agreement is planned with the Marquette Downtown Development Authority to manage future public use of the parking deck. As part of the Brownfield plan amendment process, a public hearing must be established and held by the city commission for the approval of the Brownfield plan amendment. This public hearing was scheduled at the March 30th, 2026 meeting. Approval of the Brownfield plan amendment will provide for the reimbursement of Brownfield environmental and non-environmental eligible activity costs, including environmental due diligence and environmental response activities, led and asbestous abatement, demolition, site preparation, and infrastructure, including the parking facility, and public improvements. The property is located in the DDA and local development finance authority tax increment financing districts which have first right to certain tax increment revenues. Interlocal agreements under the urban cooperation act between the MBRA and the DDA and LDFA have been approved and executed to provide for brownfield tiff capture and reimbursement. The DDA has reviewed and endorsed the proposed amendment. The brownfield plan amendment was approved by the MBR at a special meeting held on April 8th, 2026. Fiscal

effect none by this action. Recommendation approve the amended vault Marquette Brownfield plan and approve the attached resolution alternatives as determined by the commission. Thank you, Kyle. I'll now open the public hearing for the vault brownfield plan amendment. Members of the public wishing to make a comment on the public hearing have three minutes to do so. Please state your name and physical address for the record. Anyone wish to speak?

I guess I'll start. Uh, my name is Mary Myers. My address is 209 North Fifth Street in Marquette. Um, I am here on behalf of the LCP. I'm the director of economic development services and I'm here to support the project tonight in downtown Marquette. This project represents a significant opportunity for down town Marquette. For years, the block along Lakeshore Drive has remained underutilized. We now have a real chance to transform it into an active, productive space that contributes to our local economy and strengthens our downtown. As with many complex downtown development projects, this project has evolved over time to due to site conditions and financial realities, the proposed amendment reflects a thoughtful and necessary adjustment to keep the project moving forward. Beginning with the hotel phase, which is a Hilton um pro property, positions the development for success while still aligning with the broader vision for the site. From an economic development standpoint, this project is a strong catalyst. Based on an analysis that we conducted for an economic impact study for them, the phase alone is expected to support nearly 40 direct jobs, more than 80 total jobs across the county, and generate over $5 million annually in economic activity. The construction phase will also bring immediate benefits, including the hundred of jobs and new tax revenue. In addition, the inclusion of the privatelyowned parking structure with public access through coordination coordination with the DDA helps address a critical need in our downtown while supporting the project's long-term vi viability. It's also worth noting that the DDA and the Brownfield Authority have already reviewed this and that there is support on both of their sides. Importantly, the historic saving mquette savings bank building remains a priority for future phases with ongoing efforts to ensure its long-term preservation and use. Supporting this allows the project to move forward now,

delivering real economic impact, activating a key downtown site, and building momentum for future investment. So, thank you for your time and your consideration. Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Anaru. I'm the director of development and investment services for Invest UP. Um my physical address is 443 Oak Street in Ishbaming. I'm here tonight on behalf of Invest UP to express support for the vault brownfield plan amendment. While development plans at this scale are often fluid and change is expected, the overall goal of historic preservation, downtown revitalization, and job creation, as well as the expected private investment and state support remain the same. Our CEO, Marty Fatante, provided a letter of support to the city manager earlier today, and I'm just here to reaffirm our support and respectfully encourage approval of the amendment so this project can continue to move forward. Thanks, Jan.

Hi there. Oh, excuse me. Hi there. I'm Cheryl Feldman, 1630 Center Street in Marquette. I have read all the articles on this project. I have a little trouble visualizing some of it. such as blocking the view of the two other businesses in that block, the two restaurants, which would be the Verling and Elizabeth's. Correct? Okay. And I listen to all the comments. Well, this is all the positive that it's going to bring in. But it never works out like that. We don't see the positives. you are jeopardizing a gorgeous view, which is what people come to these places for, to put up this edifice that's really going to benefit the Hilton hotels. I don't support this. I don't mind change in the city. I don't mind anything that brings in revenue, but I've been here long enough to see that a lot of these projects that are hailed as revenue creating, they don't come back to us. They get put somewhere else. And I don't know where that someone else is. So, I'm really not in support of this at all. Thank you.

Anyone else to comment on the public hearing? Thank you.

Curtis Monroe, uh, 434 Jackson Street. I come to you today as the owner of 119 South Front Street, um, known as the Verling Building or United Trades, and we are in support of this amendment. Thank you. So, hi, good evening. My name is Maryanne Nunan. Um, I live at 243 uh Lakeshore Drive and I've been coming up here for I don't know 60 years and I love Marquette. I'm not a resident. I am a resident now. Um, I I I hate seeing the empty places on Washington. I do not like seeing it. And I love the building uh that's there. I don't know the people. I don't really know a lot a lot of the residents. I'm just a brand new person here and can't see why anybody would not want this city to thrive. We go, my husband and I go to the pee every day. We swim everywhere. We love it here and we want to be residents and we are residents, but we just want to be here and I love it. And you see empty empty. And why? I don't know why. Cuz it's so beautiful. And there is no reason that that building should be empty. Those are my feelings. And I'm sorry. I'm a Thank you.

Are you laughing at me? No. Never. No. No. No. No. But are you talking about the hoax? Okay. Guys, please don't please don't have discussion right now. Uh we're trying to conduct a meeting. Anyone else for speaking at the public hearing?

Hi, I just wanted to continue from earlier. Um my name is Angela Palamaki. I'm at 800 Oriana Drive in Marquette. Um just again about the public benefit. Um the I just wanted to bring your attention again up about the significant change in the scope of this project since it was originally approved. When the commission initially approved it uh approved the brownfield reimbursement in 2021, the development included a public parking garage with over 200 designated parking spots, a meaningful community benefit that serves as part of the justification for public funding. Um, as the project currently stands, the parking structure has shifted to a private garage that will likely serve exclusively the hotel and restaurant components of the development with no little to uh with no little to no public parking availability. Given the substantial change, I respectively urge the commission to carefully review whether the project as it now proposed will align still line aligns with the original intent and conditions of the Brownfield reim redevelopment funding. The public benefit that was central to the initial approval appears to have been significantly diminished and I believe that Warren's thoughtful consideration before moving forward. We support thoughtful growth, but deferred tax revenue should serve public priorities like our schools, our parks, and shared spaces that everyone benefits. My ask is simple. Protect ADA access throughout construction. Honor the rights of long-standing small business tenants, shield neighboring businesses from disruption, and ensure this project delivers reliable public parking, not less of it. My patients and the health care services this community has relied on for nearly 40 years should not be left behind. Thank you.

Thank you. Anyone else to speak at the public hearing? Once again, because we have so many I'll ask one more time. Anyone else want to speak at the public hearing? Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Miss Brum. Very nice to meet you, ma'am. Never seen you before. She's blaring in. I'm going to start wearing a bell. I don't You usually wear brighter clothes. I don't know.

Margaret Brum, 404 East Magnetic Street, Marquette, Michigan. I remember very well the day that this project was first brought here because that was my last day on the local development finance authority. We'd had our meeting in the afternoon to make the recommendation whether this project should uh proceed or not. And for a lot of reasons, it boiled down to a very bad gut feeling about it, I had said no, I couldn't support it. And I told them if they went ahead without it, I without me with my vote. We had one person uh I think it was a by one vote they got approval. I resigned and then I came to this meeting tonight and I remember very very clearly the the room enthralled with the idea and people waxing eloquently. the arts and crafts people were here. No, no joking, talking about the historical significance of the savings bank building and how it meant Marquette to everybody and the clock and everything else. And then the practical side of it was 200 parking spots. 200 parking spots. 200 parking spots. With all due respect, I can shut my ears and I can still hear 200 parking spots. I would encourage you to understand that you're talking about a completely different project. Now, the idea of the savings bank building being turned into a hotel has been pushed aside for at least five years by the developer's own estimation and it all depends upon the success of the quote first hotel which wasn't even on the table for you and I submit had they come to you back five year four years ago and said forget about the savings bank building we want to build a hotel block the roof block the view and oh yeah we're going to take away your parking spots thoughts, but it's good for Marquette to have, as I they always say, it's good for Marquette to have development here. I'm not so sure you would have gone for it because the things that were in front of you were real things that were saving the Savings Bank building and building 200 parking spots. That is off the table. I went I I

set my alarm. I had about two and a half minutes of sleep Wednesday morning. I went to the Brownfield meeting and they're they're basically it's phase one and phase two. Phase one is that hotel, which is a chain hotel. nothing to do with the history of Marquette. Nothing to do, no promises to save the savings bank building. And also, forget about the 200 spots. They found Napa underneath, which I caution my students in my business curriculum, you should know what's underneath the ground before you promise you're going to build anything. So, I'm encouraging you, even if you have to postpone this decision to think about it some more, to realize it's a completely different project and it was sold to you that it would save the savings bank building and that's off the table. There's no promise by anyone that you're going to save the savings bank building. The only promise is a hotel is going to be built, block the view, another building that blocks the view of the lake, and that we're all going to have to live with it as we do with everything that happens along the lake. Thank you very much and it's a pleasure to meet all of you for the first time.

Thank you, Miss Brum. Geraldine Nalt, 1851 North Mlen. I am not in favor of this amendment. When this first started, there was a nice payoff. Granted, it was a tiff, but also we got 200 parking spots. Not 200 parking spots, but we're still we still got the tiff. And I'm a little bit tired of the tiff. Thank you. Anyone else for public comment?

Hello. My name is Luke Salvatore and I live at 243 North Lakes Shore at the Bird Houses and um I'm from downstate. Uh moved here a couple years ago. I love Marquette. Traveled the world in my business. I I ran a Fortune 150 company and I'm troubled by what I'm hearing today. I mean, progress hurts. It does sometimes, but we deserve to have vibrant a vibrant downtown on Washington. I live right down the street. I want to see places open and I want to have young people come in and want to invest in our community in a historic uh way to protect the ambiance. I it's hard for me to understand how people don't want that to happen and I want it to happen and that's why I'm here. So I so much appreciate your service because I know my father did this. It's not fun but I appreciate your service and I hope you'll do the right thing for the development and the future of Marquette. Thank you.

Thank you sir. Anyone else for public comment? We've had some late stander uppers, so I'll ask one more time. Anyone else for public comment? Okay, the public hearing is now closed. Commissioners, is there a motion? Uh, Commissioner Hanley, I move that we approve the amended vault M Marquette Brownfield plan and approve the attached resolution. I have support. Commissioner Larson, I'll support um discussion.

Absolutely. Um I appreciate everyone that came out to speak on this today. We've gotten a lot of information about this over the last month or two and we spent a lot of time asking questions of the city manager and going through all of the details of this plan. It is a big change. I won't deny it. But what I like about it is that a contractor was faced with problems that they didn't expect in the beginning or a developer was and they shifted to make development still happen in our area while working within the confines of what they were given. Um I do like that they use local contractors for their building which makes me happy. So that I know that even before we have a building they would be using our local labor which is wonderful. I know that a lot of people have been worried about the views of local businesses on Washington Street. And while I can feel for that, I also like to look at it as they've been lucky to have them for as long as they have. The project that's proposed is within the land development code that's in that thing. So even without a brownfield, someone could build on that property with the same with the same structure. it is a different property and we cannot stop development from happening that follows the code that we already have laid out. Um, is the plan exactly what I want? No. Of course, I wanted more parking for downtown. We all do. And I hope that we can find a way to do it. But I do think that this will bring much needed development to that area and I won't have to look at two empty parking lots that are undermine for a long time. So, I like that. Thank you, Commissioner Hanley. Commissioner Larson.

Yeah, thanks. Uh I certainly appreciate the work that's gone into I certainly appreciate the work that's gone into updating the uh the project and the agreement where it uh stands here today. It's certainly clear that there's been a lot of refinement uh that has gone in, you know, since the original plan. Uh particularly with that shift towards, you know, the the the private financing of the parking uh that's happening. But, you know, from my perspective, it, you know, really um, you know, takes takes a look at a a direction new direction for that downtown area, you know, but at the same time, it's certainly important that we continue to understand how public access uh and long-term community benefits are maintained, especially as we continue as the project evolves. Um, so but I mean it is also worth recognizing that the scale of investment that is uh being proposed here and what it could mean for downtown in terms of tax base uh activity and long-term growth. So I appreciate the effort uh that's been put in here to keep the project moving forward while adapting to the changing conditions that you know we have to we have to negotiate as the time moves forward. So I'm I'm in support.

Any other commissioners would like to speak on this? Yeah, Commissioner Gotautle.

Um, just yesterday I was speaking with a restaurant owner who would be impacted by this development and the owner said it would be wonderful to have the new hotel there because it would bring in customers uh more in a uniform way year round. uh taking care of the winter drop off. The concern that they mentioned was parking and the concern I'm hearing here is parking. I accept that it's a possible short-term issue, but I really wish I could hear more about the second phase, third story parking deck and how many of those spots would be dedicated for public use, a guaranteed public use. And until I hear more information, I'm I'm on the fence.

Any other commissioners have comments? I I'm planning on uh hearing from both staff and and them, but I figured I'd ask commission first. Mr. Mayor. Well, your honor, I was going to request uh we give privileged comment for some questions as I also had questions for staff. So, absolutely. Is there anything initially you want before then? It depends who you want to tee up first. Why don't we go ahead and bring uh you folks up uh for any privileged comment um and and questions? Yep. Absolutely. Uh I think we'd rather hear from the developer than the architect if we can. Is there a certain point? Right in the middle. We can

I'm here to answer any questions for you. What are you first? Yeah. Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Jennifer Julene, the owner of the development. Thank you. Um, I assume you heard what I just said, but I'm going to repeat it. My main concern is, uh, I'm willing to deal with short-term inconvenience, loss of parking. Can you fill us in on the second phase, third story parking deck?

Yeah, so the parking deck is being constructed in order to support one more layer of deck. Uh, that additional layer would be financed through the additional vault uh, development. So when that development that's another $20 million in development to support more tiff to the project. Um that would add uh that would make it 122 spaces in total when that is built. So an additional 40. Yes. And of those additional 40 you are willing to commit how many? I think it's it's a measure of what's needed. I guess we we don't need every single space for our uses. Uh we really looking for a commitment What commitment would you like to see?

How many spaces do you think are going to be needed for the vault? So, the vault's expansion is around 38 rooms. Um, Marquette has around a 60% occupancy rate with its hotels. So, sometimes that's 100% and sometimes that's 20% depending on the time of the year. So, and do if you Yes. Mayor or mayor prom, sorry.

Mayor for the day. may for the day. Um that is actually a topic that um the DDA is working on negotiating um some usage for daytime parking um especially at those times where it's going to be underutilized because guests are are leaving. Um so that is a an item for negotiations and I'm looking at um executive director for the DDA Tara nodding her head at this point too. So there is work being done on that.

And Commissioner Gotautle um just to point out there is no public parking on site right now. There's zero spots on the site. Um, it's my understanding that the agreement being worked out u between the developer and the downtown authority is much like the one uh at Founders Landing where it would be DDA management of private parking lots. Um, you know, first off, the any, you know, space being utilized by a hotel guest is basically a member of the public who's using downtown businesses and facilities. Um, so it's I don't think that can be easily discounted. Um, but it also seems clear from the traffic studies, not the traffic, the parking studies we've done in the past that hotels do not use all their parking every single day, all day. They primarily use all their parking at night during peak season. Um, but there is a lot of availability in those lots and it behooves the developer to have an arrangement where that parking is used to its its maximum. Um, you know, no one wants a vacant lot. Um, full lots are productive and paying for themselves. Um, so I I think there's a lot of incentive um for the developer and the DDA to work together. They've definitely um shown every sign that they're going to it was a that was the one caveat that the downtown development authority put on their endorsement of this plan is that the developer work with the DDA and I see every good faith effort to do so. So Sean, if if I may, uh, since I do have this question right in front of me, I just want to clarify that the amendment went from basically a a parking lot, uh, that was publicly publicly managed, publicly owned, uh, to a private lot with a public benefit. Is that basically what the amendment is going to?

Uh, so it was a about $8 million condominiumized parking facility within the greater development, which did originally include a separate hotel in addition to the vault. Um so it included a lot of space for a number of different uses on the property. Um the public process that we've laid out through the brownfield authority, the downtown development authority, and now the city commission has been to recognize that the significant change is a publiclyowned publicly bonded for parking facility to a privatelyowned facility. Um and I would say the uh there is going to be a public benefit to that uh private parking. Um, I would say the primary public benefit to this project can be defined as redevelopment of redevelopment and environmental remediation of a contaminated property in line with the act 381 and brownfield act uh requirements.

Thank you, Commissioner Collie. Any other questions? Not at this second. Okay. Commissioner Mayor, thank you. Um, I'll start with the developer. Uh, vault 38 rooms. The trestle is how many rooms approximately? 80. 80. Okay. And the initial plan included 90 hotel rooms, which the hotel rooms are the economic driver of this. And you said the occupancy rate for Marquette was what approximately 60%.

So I mean, if we're talking 120 rooms, uh, you'd be pretty close to 60% just between the two hotels, wouldn't you? for parking spaces 60% of the parking spaces on depends on the time frame. So in Marquette, you know, heavier summer tourism, lower in the the winter and fall. So Okay. Yeah, it is. I I mean like I guess what Sean's describing is there's just so much eb and flow to parking for hotel use. Uh we do have our we have 111 rooms at our Hampton in in downtown H Hotton which also has a a restaurant and um during the the day those are essentially empty.

Um additional question and this might be more towards staff uh you know I see we have 4.76 million in here for public infrastructure. What exactly is that?

Yeah. Um so we are actually seeing a significant reduction in eligible activities from the plan that was initially approved. Um so the difference is basically that $4 million. It's unallocated at the moment. Um I think basically our plan would be to see um the actual development schedule, the actual tiff capture and repayments um you know after everything is built and assessed and then see if we are able to basically utilize some of that capture for any city infrastructure and at a future date. We basically we leave the line item in there as unallocated infrastructure so that we can go back and say hey we'd like to use the capture from this property the state capture um and capture that with you know sorry Tara otherwise we go into the DDA and reallocate it for city projects so at a future date we have the opportunity to go back it's much harder to go in and amend a budget up in an act 381 plan and get the state agencies to amend a approve a amendment of a you know a budget that's raised. So, it's just we leave it in there and if we have the opportunity in the future, we can incorporate it.

And can I can I just want to clarify something on that as well? Because this is in the DDA, if we are able to utilize those funds for public infrastructure, we are basically using DDA funds to pay for a city project. Absolutely. Because this is all DDA funding. I've talked to Terra about this, but I mean basically that is a benefit that we would receive. These would never be our tax dollars ever under any circumstance because it's a DDA, but we would be able to utilize those monies through reimbursement for that project. You ready for some follow-ups? Absolutely.

Okay. Uh so if I'm understanding you correctly, I guess first question is is I mean does Eagle is Eagle aware that we've got 4.7 million of float in public infrastructure in this current plan? Eagle is not the approving body for that. That would be the MEEDC. Um the MEDC has already given their you know conditional approval of this project. Um yes, basically these budget these budgets on allocated public infrastructure need to approve this amendment. What does the MEEDC need to approve this amendment?

Yes, absolutely. Yeah, this is state tax capture. The MEDC has to approve all this stuff. That's the next step. We do the local approvals first. Um but I, you know, MEDC has been reviewing this along with us. The MEDC has given a significant grant to this project, the RAP grant. Um that is pretty much contingent or dependent on uh this Brownsfield plan being executed. Um so the these you know unallocated things are pretty common. We would so say we identify a piece of public infrastructure and you asked. Okay. You asked well saying pretty common. I mean say we identified a piece of.7 million.

Yeah. No. So it's it's theoretical at the moment, right? That revenue hasn't been generated. That money hasn't been captured. It hasn't it's not a granting agency kind of thing at all. Um basically what would happen is, you know, we have this within the budget. If we want to go get approval, if we want to add that into the plan, if we want to add a water main into the plan, um we would do an amendment to the plan, uh which can be done administratively and that is then submitted to the state and they approve the state portion of the capture for that. So you you with this tonight basically you're approving the city portion of infrastructure which you're approving city capture being used for city projects, right? It's not really a super controversial thing like we you would approve that project and that expenditure anyways. The state if we decide to amend this budget in the future would approve the project itself and approve their capture for that project. It's just doing it's a much easier approval to say, "Hey, we figured out exactly what we're going to do with this. Um can you say yes to the project?" And we do this all the time in our plans. If you look at the the old hospital project for example, um you know, we have a significant budget there. We don't have the street design drawn out for any of that yet. When we get the street design actually drawn out, then we will go submit that to the state for that approval. Right. So when we when we draw out the project, when we determine what that's going to be, the brownfield authority reviews it, approves it, sends it on to the state for final approval.

Sure. So it's a very typical common practice. Granted, I think you could also very quickly get into a scenario where where the public infrastructure that we're investing in is directly associated with the development. Um, but this is what probably five and a half years worth of the tiff life would be this float that we haven't allocated plan for yet. Uh, yeah, probably. Okay.

Yeah. So, I mean there there's also a trade-off there. Um, you know, we could look towards the end of this project and say, "Hey, we want this tiff to end. We want that revenue to go to the downtown development authority under their tiff capture. Um so we're not going to put any projects in. We could say this is, you know, an opportunity to take advantage of tax revenue that we might not otherwise be able to. Um, we have, you know, a project that, you know, it doesn't have to just, you know, solely benefit that it, if it was a water mane, for example, that would go all the way up Lake Shore Boulevard and benefit the developments to the um the north and south there up to and including the birdhouses, right? Um, so it can extend much further past just the adjacent, you know, very, you know, macro, uh, footprint of this project. It can be a city project. It just has to have some benefit to this property.

Thank you, Sean. Someone else have a question here. I can go somewhere else. I think Give me a couple minutes. Give me a couple minutes. You want me to comment? If you would like. I think I have to. Yeah. First of all, I spent Yeah, you can sit down. I don't have any questions. Oh, okay. I did have a photo. I had asked if it could be shared um at some point, but do you Okay, I'll sit down. Questions. We'll bring you back up if we have to. Thank you.

Okay. Um, you know, I spent a lot of time comparing the two um I guess I call them two plans, the the plan, the original plan and the amendment. And um and I viewed the the video of our commission meeting in from July 21 and I have to thank our city staff for answering all the questions I have. I don't that's why I don't have any for you. I've been asking questions at nauseium and they've been answering them very nicely. So I appreciate all that. But I have to tell you this project makes me very sad. You know, it makes me sad because it re removes another view of the Lake Superior from our general public. And I'm also sad because of the congestion that will happen at in that area of our city and um and the feeling of more claustrophobic on that road. You know, for years we've heard from the public that they value the lake and um we have listened to that and it's but it's not really about access to the water because people don't not that many of us go in the water or on the water. We view it. So it is about the view. Um, we stand in awe is that that landscape changes and we look at the boats out there and we appreciate the diversity of our community and um just we view the sunrise and think about how lucky we are to be here in Marquette. So you project by project we are losing this precious view. Not necessarily just this project, but project by project, we are losing that view of the lake. Theo the Trestle Hotel is the major focus of this amendment. It's a fivestory building. So, as usual, I spent a lot of time not only studying all those plans, but walking around that area. From the water, we will not be able to see some

of our historic buildings that we can now see. From Kids Cole, we won't even be able to see St. Peter's Cathedral. Traveling down the hill on Washington Street, we will no longer be able to view the ordoc from Main Street down that hill. We won't be able to see Matson Park. There is a view of Lake Superior on Front Street between the Savings Bank building and the other building next to it that I often look at. um that will be gone as well as the the view from the two iconic restaurants and those those views will be reserved for the people that are staying at the hotel, our visitors. So, I appreciate that the developers who are willing to take on the risk associated with this kind of project. I know it's not easy and I know that there have been a lot of changes and the rest of us don't have that creativity and that skills and that talent or frankly the stomach to to take that risk. As I listened to the comments from 2021, many people asked us not to approve this project. But here's the real deal. As Commissioner Canley said, this is a private sale. The plan presented by the developers and the architect meet all of the requirements of our formbbased code. And you know, we have a very talented architect here who knows that stuff and can make sure that that the planning commission is appeased with what they need to do. It's been very carefully vetted. Um the I haven't heard it tonight, but the um public or the private investment from the first plan to the second plan from $21 million to $50 million. That's a huge economic benefit to our community and the increase the taxes and it it'll take a while for that to happen. I this isn't going to happen in the next year or two. It'll take a while for that benefit that that investment will take place. Um and then we'll have the increased taxes

and but the increase the taxes, you know, and then the developers will pay the taxes. Yes, it'll go into the brownfield fund until 201 and then the city will be able to collect those taxes. But those taxes won't fix our roads. They won't get us a new fire station. They won't help with the police or the plowing of the roads or any of our infrastructure because the increase in taxes will go into the downtown development authority. And that's that's important to me. And I'd love Tara. I love the DDA, but we need we need taxes for the for our essential services because otherwise it puts so much more strain on those of other property owners that aren't in the DDA. Um, and thankfully recently we negotiated a revenue share, but that revenue share is only 5%. So only 5% of the increased taxes will actually go to the city and the city services. So by watching the video of July 12th, 2021 commission meeting where the original brownfield plan was approved 5 to2, the plan that was approved at that meeting put a major focus on the red redevelopment of the savings bank building into a boutique hotel. It included 40 residential units and the 200 space parking that we keep talking about. The background at that meeting that that our city clerk always reads talked about those same three things. The renovation of the um vault into um Boutique Hotel, the parking and the residences. Then came public comment. Barry Pollson, Jen Julian, John Julian all spoke. And what did they emphasize? those three things, the historic building being renovated into a a a boutique hotel, the 200 parking spaces, and the residences. So

many people in our community heard those points as promises, and I think um Miss Brum even talked about them as promises. This amended plan before us tonight removes the residences, turns the 200 space parking into 80 spaces. I didn't know. I read those plans. I didn't know about the other 140. That's news to me. Okay, point making. Um, and proposes a new hotel, not one hotel, but a second hotel called the Trestle with the vault apparently being phase two, which might start five years from now. So even the resolution that was signed that night as a result of that vote talked about the adaptive reuse of the former state savings bank and residential space and the incorporation of integrated collaborative parking. So that's really the end of my comments. I just I will conclude with again I'm sad it's not just for the view or the congestion or the claustrophobic feeling of that we're getting at driving down that road but because what was originally proposed is not is so different from what we're looking at tonight.

Thank you. Anyone else have comments? Another question. Perfect. Mr. Mayor, uh, if I could borrow the developer again real quick. Uh, one thing just going back over and reviewing everything. If I remember correctly, uh, Brave Works does have its own kind of contracting firm that it employs local people from the UP with, right? Um, it's a separate company that my husband and I own, right, in

home. Okay. The I I'm seeing a number. It's 239 jobs during construction. Are those locals here? Is it over on the west end? Um where are the, you know, where are you sourcing the 239 construction jobs? Uh so our contractor for this project is Clausner Construction in Marquette. Uh those 239 jobs are often uh that's part of the LSCP economic development study and that's often including subcontractors um and any supporting work that's being done. Uh, I would have to ask the contractor, but I would assume most of these jobs are local. Thank you, Commissioner Gota.

I'm sorry to be stuck on this. I'm having a hard time with the third floor of the parking structure. Maybe this question for the architect. How does that fit in there? I haven't seen any pictures of the third floor. I don't know if you have any. Yeah, we we do have some images that actually fits in there perfect. It's like a little it's like a glove. You won't even The beauty of this is all that parking is contained, but the two upper levels, the second which will be built first and then the third level which comes with the sa the savings bank project um they they slide in behind the new hotel and the existing buildings and the the new hotel is is 70 ft away from the back of the Elizabeth and the Verling. So, and all of that parking is below the floor levels of the Verling and Elizabeth. So,

they have a picture anywhere. I'm working on it, uh, Commissioner Gallib, right now. Yeah, unless it's was in the package and I'm just misinterpreting the picture. I believe there is a rendering in the packet. Um, I'm trying to find the presentation from the work session. Basically, the the third floor of that parking was I think already rendered in. Um, I think the full Yes, the renderings do have it. It's just another step on that deck. But I'm first floor under. Yes. First floor is at Lakeshore Boulevard level. We can't dig below that. First floor, second floor, third floor. That's another question.

So the third floor is the one that would exit or second floor would exit on to uh Washington. You the second level you can drive into from Maine and Washington. You can you can drive right through it literally. The third level you would enter from Washington because it's it's higher than Maine at that point. So there would be no hotel rooms above the No, there's nothing above the parking. It's just open space then.

Also, are there planned uh commercial spaces there like restaurants or coffee shops? So, there is a restaurant at the corner of Maine and Lakeshore and then an event space um on the inside of that. So, off of Lakeshore. Yeah. Uh the future savings bank uh there's a a plan for the street level to have a coffee shop.

So, while you guys are thinking of other questions, I just want to say thank you to the developer and the architect for for being here. Um, ultimately I just want to remind everyone that this has already passed uh the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority as far as the amendment goes. Um, as well as the DDA as far as the amendment goes. Um, you know, honestly, it was really a goodwill gesture for the developer to come here today and bring this to us and it it kind of shows their partnership that they want to build with the city, which I think is very important for any type of development we have moving forward. One big important aspect about brownfields that people don't seem to ever want to talk about is it gives municipalities a seat at the table. It really allows us to kind of have a an understanding of what's going to happen. A lot of the things that are being brought up by the commission and other commissioners are that you know the view is going to be lost. The building is going to be built and it's very important that the public understands that without a brownfield they could still put that up to that story. And I know Commissioner Davis already kind of explained that, but I'm just trying to reemphasize that it's it's very important to understand that. But ultimately, this gives us a seat at the table. I I try to look at a brownfield as as an economic development form. It is a way for the city to generate money because right now that is a vacant lot. It's a unattractive vacant lot. And ultimately, um, a lot of people are are concerned about what the vault, you know, savings bank potential is going to be. But the developer at no time that I have heard has said that they're going to tear the building down or do anything. They they are in interested in in reconditioning that and turning it into what they originally hoped to. They just cannot do that at this point, which is what the amendment is for. So, I just kind of want to clarify some things uh on that aspect. Um commissioners, any other questions for anyone? Um comments for staff? Sean, is there anything you would like to say? I know you've you've really worked hard on this. Um just that you know we've there's been

some significant changes in this project from the beginning. Um I think the core of it you know having a parking deck having um you know two hotels um that was always the the plan. Um and having a really significant investment downtown that that all remains um here today. Um, I think we as staff really recognize there was a significant change here. Um, and we're almost looking at an entire, you know, a whole new brownfield plan. I know it's presented as an amendment amended plan which technically could have been done administratively on the brownfield redevelopment authority level. Um, but we really recognized along with the developer the need to have a pretty extensive public process on an amendment that wasn't otherwise called for. Um and that that's what you have presented in front of you today is you know the result of I think we've spent three brownfield authority meetings on this um one DDA meeting on this and up to three city commission meetings on this now if you include the last meeting on consent which maybe you don't um so then two city commission meetings on this with the work session. So, um that's that's kind of the culmination of the efforts here is to bring as much daylight on some changes to a project um that are just a result of, you know, time taking its toll, the economy taking its toll on really a huge amount of investment in Marquette.

Thank you so much. Uh city manager, any further comments? I really can't top that up, so no. Okay. Yeah, absolutely. Um we'll go to Commissioner Davis first.

Oh, we're going to be on the line. Okay. Um, I don't think if you have to stand there, I am well aware that this didn't need to come to the commission. I'm well aware that um because the project meets all of the codes and and that we needed to meet that this can move forward. It can move the brownfield can move forward without the commission approval. My thoughts tonight are simply because this is what I'm hearing from the community and this is also the difference in Brownfield plan one to Brownfield plan two that I think there's going to be some disappointment in. So,

Mr. Mayor,

thank you, Mayor Pam. Yeah. uh one one more I guess uh quick thing but I I I do want to mention I I I personally feel though that a change of the significance uh does require to come back to the city that's my personal opinion but um I just wanted to state that the uh the last I think question or thought I'm having here uh and I'm honestly looking for more of a commitment from the developer is as far as the both volatile and semi volatile uh organic compounds that are under the soil. Uh looking at throughout the documents here, you know, there's mentions of due care compliance and mitigation plans uh in respect to the actual workers that are going to be developing the property. Uh can we get some sort of commitment that we will in fact receive some sort of mitigation plan for that? Um

yeah, so that is all uh being done under Eagle's jurisdiction and we've been submitting work plans to them. So the processes uh we do the the due diligence required by Eagle which was four quarters um of due diligence and we've been doing it longer than that at that at this point. Uh and then we work with the engineers uh we've worked with both Try Media and Marquette and now AKT peerless is if filling in the gaps there that needed to be done. Uh and then Eagle receives the work plan, does their approval, and then we have the the proper um mitigation efforts from there.

Just to uh kind of echo that, you know, better than even a commitment, these are all public funds being expended. Um even more than brownfield funds, they are eagle dollars being spent on this. Um I I don't know if Abby is in the room with us tonight. She's been at many of her meetings, but she has been uh Abby Hansen's been there every step of the way uh monitoring this project and any data that comes out of this is foyable um and is you know the developers responsibility along with their environmental engineers TR media to be submitting that to Eagle um and to the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. So it is a requirement that that information is submitted and publicly available if requested. I think Commissioner May, if you don't mind, I did have a photo of a historical photo of the site that I was hoping could be shared, Sean. Um,

and and I do appreciate that information, Sean. Um, you know, per per the charter, our one of our main responsibilities, health and safety of the community and um some of this stuff historically in Marquette can be extremely toxic and uh absolutely uh Commissioner Mayor and I I know that I know that quite well. I just want to reassure you that, you know, it's it's not even a a question of guarantees. It is legally required and forceful. So, the one thing I was going to add is if the city would like to have some sort of copy even of a summary of that report, can we do that with uh without having to foyer Eagle? Yeah. No, I'd prefer not to foyer our state agencies.

Um, we we get that. I'm on I I'm on I've been on monthly calls for the Eagle portion of this project for the better part of I think three years now. Um I can get you whatever you'd like now and you know well past the the monitoring stages of this. Thank you

Commissioner Gib. Um one more comment for me. Um, I was not on the city commission when this first came up and I kind of like Commissioner Davis really like the proposal on on the first one better than the second one. Things happen. I get that. I my thought right at the second unless something changes between now and the vote is I'm going to vote for this and I want to tell people why because I'm probably going to get flack for it. I like the DDA is going to be getting more tax money or more development money and I think that's really great. I think Marquette needs it. I also think it fits the LDC and the planning commission has done its job and approved this. I can't fault them. Uh I think this could happen as Commissioner Davis said it can happen without uh the brownfield money. Uh I just am hoping that maybe this opens our eyes that we really do need a hotel tax, a bed tax, and that you will be in favor of it when it comes. So uh there is a 6% uh additional assessment tax by that is collected by Travel Marquette and the UP Travel Association that stays locally on hotel rooms and

but only because I know I was just bringing that up. We know that. So that is a that is an assessment that is only on hotel rooms. Yep. Uh, thank you, Commissioner Gib. Any further questions? Any further comments from anyone on the commission? I've talked enough. Um, city clerk, can we have a roll call, please? Commissioner Davis, no. Commissioner Gotautle, yes. Commissioner Hanley, yes. Commissioner Larson, yes. Commissioner Mayor, yes. and Mayor Prom Ottawa.

Yes. The motion passes 5 to one. That brings us to the consent agenda, which will also require a roll call vote. Uh, can I have a motion and support, please? Commissioner Davis, I move we approve the consent agenda as presented. Commissioner Gota, I will second. Uh, any discussion? No. Roll call vote, please. Commissioner Davis, yes. Commissioner Gotautle, yes. Commissioner Hanley, yes. Commissioner Larson, yes. Commissioner Mayor, yes. Mayor Promway,

yes. Motion passes 6. Uh, that brings us to new business. First, we have an amended reimbursement agreement for the vault uh brownfield plan. City clerk, could you please provide the background?

Thank you. Due to the changes in the Vault Brownfield plan and project plan and amended reimbursement agreement between the Marquette Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, the Marquette Vault LLC 100 South Lakes Shore Boulevard LLC and the city of Marquette is needed for reimbursement of environmental and non-environmental eligible activity costs and related expenses. The amended agreement outlines the roles and responsibilities for Brownfield TIFF reimbursement between the MBR and the entities that conduct eligible activities as well as repayment priority. The reimbursement agreement is a required submitt for the MSF Act 381 work plan. Eligible activities will be reimbursed in a cascade to the MBR, the city of Marquette, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, and the developers for obligations and expenses as detailed in the agreement in Brownfield plan. This agreement has been reviewed by the city attorney and was approved at the April 8th MBR meeting. Fiscal effect, none by this action. Recommendation: Approve the amended vault brownfield plan reimbursement agreement and authorize the mayor and city clerk to sign the agreement. Alternatives as determined by the commission.

Thank you. Commissioners, do we have a motion? Commissioner Larson, I move that we approve the amended vault brownfield plan reimbursement agreement and authorize the mayor and city clerk to sign the agreement. Commissioner Hanley, I second. Uh discussion discussion. Nope. Commissioner, any discussion? Okay. Um we don't have a roll call this time. So all those in favor, please say yes. Yes. Any opposed? Motion passes. Six to zero. Next up is the Mlen Meadows site condominium 01- CSD-3-26. City clerk, could you please read that background?

Thank you. On March 24th, 2026, the planning commission conducted an administrative review and site plan review of a proposal to create a site condominium subdivision to be called Mlen Meadows, which is proposed to have seven units located directly south of the Center Street Rideway on the east side of Mlen Avenue. The land development code specifies a two-step review process. The planning commission first reviews the site condominium proposal and provides a recommendation to the city commission. The planning commission made the following motion after consideration of the proposal as documented in application materials, the staff report, site plans, and other related materials and dialogue with the applicant. It was moved by S. Lowry, seconded by M. Rainer and carried 8 to zero that after review of the site plan and the supplemental documentation dated April 26th 2024 and the staff report for 02- SPR-3-26 and 01- CSD-3-26. The planning commission finds substantial compliance with the city of Marquette Land Development Code section 54.1405 and section 54 54.503 503 and hereby recommends that the city commission approve 02- SPR-3-26 and 01-CSD- 03-26 with the condition that an amended plan is submitted to meet staff comments. Approval of the condominium and site condominium by the city commission or city staff shall confer upon the developer the right to proceed with preparation of a condominium master deed. Copies of the draft master deed and or restrictive covenants shall be provided to the zoning administrator for review by the city to determine compliance with city ordinances and standards prior to final approval of the condominium or site condominium or as a condition of final approval. Within one year of the completion of the development project, the developer shall furnish the zoning administrator with two copies of an asbuilt survey. The asbuilt survey shall be reviewed by the city engineer or zoning administrator to

verify compliance with city ordinances and standards. Fiscal effect none. Recommendation approve the condominium site development proposal for Mlen Meadows based on the proposal's substantial compliance with the city of Marquette land development code and consistent with the planning commission's recommendation alternatives as determined by the commission commissioners. Uh can I have a motion? Commissioner Hanley. I move that we approve the condominium site development proposal for Mclavlin Meadows Meadows based upon the proposal proposal substantial compliance with the city of Marquette land development code and consistent with the planning commission's recommendation. Commissioner Gotautle I'll second uh any discussion

I'm just really excited to see this project moving forward. Uh there's been a lot of work over the years to make this happen and do this land swap with Beacon House and I'm really happy that we were able to find a way or they were able to find a way to work for everyone and I'm excited to see this move forward and see the houses built. Awesome. Commissioner Gota, I've seen that empty parking lot for 35 years plus and it's nice to see something happen. Yeah. Exciting. Uh anyone else? Oh, uh sorry. Uh I just I just want to make one clarification on the motion. Um because the planning commission did include a condition that um Do you want me to add that? Yeah, maybe we should. Yeah, I would like to add as long as the amended plan is submitted to meet staff comments.

Thank you. I accept. Perfect. We good with that, Suzanne? Okay, good. Any further comment from commissioners? Yeah, Commissioner Mayor. Yeah, I just want to say uh initially when I saw the address and I was pulling up and looking at the document, I thought we were going to be knocking over a lot of green space and I was getting ready to be very angry. Uh but I am all for putting houses on top of empty parking lots. That's all I have. Awesome. Thank you. Anyone else? Okay. Uh seeing no other comment. Uh all in favor, please say yes. Yes. Yes. Is anyone opposed? Motion passes six to zero.

Okay, this brings us to our last public comment portion of the evening. As a reminder, you may not exceed three minutes per person and please state your name and physical address if you have not already done so.

Margaret Brum, 404 East Magnetic Street. I'd like to congratulate the commission on making the third worst decision in the history of the city of Marquette. The first being the commission that bought the cliff style property and all the environmental damage with $1. The second being the Marquette area public school board forcing the renaming of the Marquette schools and they're now looking for money from the city and the taxpayers. And the third being you have a report in front of you which I've not been privileged to see that already has recited a huge amount of napful dissolates underneath the water. I don't want to bore anyone with the fact that I know more about this than you do, but you're not going to find just NAFTA. There was never any distinction at the time, but I do know something about that piece of the property, and I would love to share it with all of you. This is not going to work. And I know why it's not going to work is I had Mark O'Neal come and talk to my class about the history of sewage treatment in the history of Marquette. And if you think, why am I doing that with business people? It's because if you mess up your water intake or your sewage, you're not going to have a business. And they didn't believe me. So, I brought in the expert and he convinced them. One of the things he showed us was a map of the city of Marquette before there was sewage treatment. There was at least six discharge pipes of raw sewage into the lower harbor, including where your new hotel is going to be built. Now, what happens with raw sewage when it gets into water? If you want, I can go into gross detail about it, but the bottom line is this. You might even start construction. I have nothing to say about that. I'm not a civil engineer. But the fact what you found, what you found with your detectors is one thing. The fact that once you crack open it, um it's going to be things that uh my friend Don Fospender spent five years cleaning up the lower harbor and now there's actually fish down there and there wasn't for five years because of the huge amount of contamination. and you've managed to contain that because

literally you didn't do anything down there. Now, you've been told by experts that there's really bad stuff down there. I'm speaking, you know, scientifically. There's really bad stuff down there and you're going to crack it open. And when you crack it open, it's going to be like Pandora's box. And you're going to be the commission that sits in front of here saying, "We didn't know. We weren't advised." And I'm sitting here saying, "You did know. You were advised." and my congratulations to Sally Davis who continues to impress me by being the only one of you who consistently knows common sense. This is a disaster that's going to happen. In the meantime, if you think I'm exaggerating or I've been accused of speaking with hyperbole, I'm speaking on the cliff style, the history of Clif. I'm speaking this Saturday at the Mark Market Peter White Public Library, which I love. By the way, giving my usual history of Peter White Public Library at 100 p.m. That that facility shut down in 1969. It is 2026. It is still poisoned and still not suitable for habitation. I offer you this for wisdom as best I can. Good luck with this decision. Thank you very much.

Anyone else for public comment? Do I have to say my name again or all the time. No, no, you already said your name. You're fine. They all know me. This gentleman here spoke Oh, you're supposed to talk to us. I'm sorry. That's fine.

This gentleman back there spoke about he loves Marquette. I too love Marquette and I believe in progress. But I'm sitting here and I'm looking at all these vacant faces who from talking to Sally whom I support has assured me that that Beacon House and uh the medical center did due diligence, whatever they had to do to get this low-income housing in there in that parking lot. Parking lots are vacant. That's why they're called a parking lot. So, we who live off of Center and West and those other streets, yeah, we're very concerned about our our property, the value, maintaining it. And I I don't have a problem with anyone coming from lowincome housing. Very fine people have grown up and contributed to a community and they started off in low income. But you are affecting the quality by not standing up for us who live in that area. and seeing if somehow you could have stopped this. And that's on you. I don't see any of them building low-income housing near your house, but I'd like to see it on Lake Street. We have all that lovely property facing the water. Why can't we put low-income housing there? Oh, excuse me. That's for the wealthy. That's just how I feel. Am I pissed? Yes. Do I have a right to be pissed? Yes. I don't feel that you really are caring about the people who live in that area. I could be wrong and I'll be willing to apologize to you, but that's just how I feel. Thank you.

Thank you. Anyone else for public comment? Anyone else for public comment? Public comment is now closed. That will bring us to comments from the commission. Why don't we start with Commissioner Gotautib? I've said enough tonight. Are you sure, Commissioner Larson? Oh, you're bouncing. Look at you. Uh, no further comment tonight, Commissioner Hanley.

Thank you. Um, I wasn't going to say anything, but I feel like someone should after the last com public comment we heard, Cheryl, to say that anyone that is lower income is less than or will bring down the property values in your neighborhood is appalling to me. You are saying that because of someone's income they are less than and that is unacceptable. Okay, this isn't a back and forth please.

Just but but it's just Habitat for Humanity gives families a chance to live in our community that is very very high prices in rents and in housing prices right now. They work with people who are hardworking in our community, who have jobs, who help to build their home, who maintain it, who pay for it. And to say that we shouldn't build houses like that everywhere. I would put them anywhere. And you can say that low-inccome doesn't isn't by any of our houses. I live near low-income housing where I live in the city of Marquette, and I love it. And I do not complain about it. So, I just want to make it clear that I am happy that this development is happening in Marquette.

Commissioner Mayor,

thank you, your honor. Yeah, I have um two two comments. One was from our first public comment session. Um you know, I I hear so much the comments from renters that feel like they have no one to turn to uh in the community. Um, I myself have had a similar scenario happen to myself while I've been a resident of Marquette. Um, if you know, I don't necessarily have a great answer or solution for those folks. It's been one of the few things I I've Don't worry, I'm getting your comment next. the uh the I am more than happy though to uh try to assist the best I can and direct you to the appropriate staff for your individual scenario. Um feel free to reach out to me uh see if I can help. My next comment um you know the idea you know not too long few years ago we had a much much larger development uh where we're talking about a couple homes are going right now. Uh and a lot of people came out and voiced a lot of opposition. It was going to change their neighborhood. Um and those were more geared towards workingclass families. Um, and the commission ended up voting no on it. And one of the bit another big reason was a lot of the green space that would be lost even though the city decades ago put the infrastructure in underground already. Um the idea of not approving to put housing on a vacant concrete slab that's currently there uh because it's quote unquote for lowincome people makes me physically nauseous. The thought of that. Um when I was first

elected to this commission I lived at uh LSV in town which is income housing. Um, I'd like to think I'm pretty pretty upstanding resident for the community, but uh I don't think I have anything else to say on that. Thank you, ma'am. Ma'am, it's our time to talk. Thank you. Um, Commissioner Davis. Yeah, that's me. The last one.

Uh, a couple things. Those of you who spoke on rent, um, those are some pretty appalling stories that we've heard. I was not aware of the severity. We've been hearing some stories, but um I guess I I'll leave that to our city manager to respond to. Uh to our two new residents who talked about um empty buildings. Um I don't believe on Front Street there are empty buildings except well except for the Savings Bank building which is empty because there's going to develop and the building that sits on the corner of front in Washington which is a pretty large space. And that building, God forbid, it's been emptied because there's going to be a new development in there. So that building, and it does look pretty empty down there, but it's emptied. And and Tara's nodding her head. There are plans for that building. A new developer has bought that whole building and has um going to renovate all of that and put some things in there. So don't worry about that as much as you are worried about it. Um Cheryl, it's really good to see you back here. Um, I just want to correct one assumption that you're having. When you talk about low-income housing, you're talking about subsidized housing, and that is not what this is. This is Habitat for Humanity. They will not have um a PILT or payment in lie of taxes. They will be paying these are residents that help build their homes and they will be paying full taxes. And just want that to be clarified for everyone. It's not a subsidized housing that is going to go in there. And that's it.

Thank you, Commissioner Davis. Uh, first and foremost for me, thank you for allowing me to be mayor for the day, uh, allowing me to get through that. Um, I will say in response to the the nimism that we just heard, I wasn't planning on saying anything, but a lot of people don't know that I grew up in low-inccome housing in the city of Marquette. and to hear someone in our community talk like that. Basically making it seem like that person or those people are not welcome in their yard does not represent this community. Uh this community does not view that opinion and it it's not one and the same. So I hope people don't believe that. Um because this is a very inclusive community and it it will stay that way as long as we can possibly make it that way. Uh secondly, I want to commend my fellow commissioners tonight for having a a great discussion uh about the Brownfield Amendment Plan. Um I am always I'm always uh amazed basically when we come into these discussions and really not having an understanding of how people are going to vote. Uh you have some thoughts in your mind of of you know just in prior conversations that that have been had publicly uh which way people lean. Uh, but ultimately everyone that sits up here does their homework. They do their research. People put in the time. And I can tell you as someone who ran for office because I didn't necessarily feel like the people that were represented me were doing that. I am very very pleased by the people that are sitting next to me and I hope the community is as well because we take what you have to say seriously. Um, and we have to weigh those options versus what is the good and what is the bad. And I think that there are many viewpoints up here and we sit and we discuss those and while you know someone like Commissioner Davis may have an opposing viewpoint tonight, um she may have a different viewpoint the next time and her opinion matters and I want everyone to understand that those are things that you should value as a community. Your community representation

cares about what you say. Um and please don't forget that and don't take it for granted. I've talked enough. Uh city manager, let's kick it to you for your comments. Uh I I just wanted to comment on the vault project um here because not that anybody needs to to know how much work you all have put into this because it's very obvious, but we had um a number of questions and back and forth with every single commissioner um between staff and commission. And so um it was definitely a reassuring um feeling here to know that there's that homework that has been done and that all the information we are providing is what makes um the decisions that you see up here. So, I really commend the city commission for making such a tough tough decision. Um, the pros and the cons out there um you know are are certainly something to be weighed and what we saw tonight then um just wanted to kind of put a cap on this is this is a significant investment uh into our uh into our community and for a project that um would not otherwise be able to be accomplished without the public um support and without the the brownfield support. So, um this is something that is is certainly um one that I know I have colleagues across the state and across the the Midwest that would would love to have something this size of of $50 million potentially coming in. Um would love to have that kind of development in their in their town. And I'm incredibly proud to to get to this point where we can have discussion on um some of the things that we have concerns on, but then also get it to the point where we can start seeing some shovels in the ground. Um, so I look forward to the continued partnership with that um, and working with the DDA um, to make sure that the parking and the traffic and the views and everything that we heard tonight is addressed and hopefully we come to to an understanding once we see start seeing the ribbons cut. So, um, I a couple of announcements I just wanted to make was uh, the parking ban should be done in two days. So, um, thank you for everybody who has had a

little bit more, um, patience with us and a little bit more humor probably too with us, um, on having to extend that parking ban so we can clear out some of those snow banks, um, and those streets widening. So, um, the parking ban will be extend 4:15. I'm hearing you want me to Can you speak on?

Yes. Okay. Sorry. Um, making sure I wasn't wrong on that. Um, also, uh, speaking of ending a little bit, uh, early, the dog park will be closing at the end of April, um, instead of a little bit into May like we had originally planned on, uh, just because there are some, uh, trees and some other debris that needs to be cleared out before the camping season can start. And that's where that revenue comes in is really from the camping. So, um, unfortunately, we can't really extend any more for that dog park um, past, uh, April 30th. So, um, just, uh, please explain it to your dogs. Um so um lastly I did have a request um from the commission to touch on the rent um or the the tenant landlord discussion that we we heard or the public comments we heard. Um it's important to note that uh we do have ordinances uh and rules in place for inspections on rental units. Those are really focused around the life safety codes um that we have in place. Those are talking about hab, you know, um, living conditions, um, safety standards, things like that. And some of the the other issues that we do hear, um, are not ones that the city are are legally to allowed to get involved between. And that's usually the tenant landlord um, issues that we just we may have heard. I'm not entirely sure because we don't have all of that information. So, we can certainly um try to work with residents if they do have some concerns, but ultimately some of those things are going to be turned back towards the resident and saying that that is between the landlord and the tenant and that is a civil matter. Um we cannot provide any legal guidance on that. That is not our role. Um but we will try to direct them in that capacity. Rent is another story that we can talk about at some point, but um rent control is also not allowed by the state of Michigan. So, a lot of the things that we may have heard today were not within our purview as the city to to manage. Does that cover the questions?

Um, some of the public housing concerns that we have heard um with some of those public housing um facilities are with the housing commission and we can certainly direct them. So, we are here to direct you to the right resource, but we may not be that resource. Did I get it all? You got it all for me. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Uh we are adjourned at 7:50. Thank you.