At a standstill

Planning Commission cannot act any further on Navy Street

HANCOCK -- The City of Hancock Planning Commission met Monday to discuss plans regarding Navy Street and to update the public on a proposed ordinance concerning data center development. No action was taken on either item.

Commission member Andy Lathi one of the hopeful developers aiming to build housing on a parcel west of Portage Lakeside Condominiums (PLC) was in attendance. Lathi said he was supposed to give an informational presentation during Monday's meeting, but could not due to meeting time constraints.

PLC Association President Glenn Bugni said Navy Street Facilitator Glenn Anderson's $550,000 road cost expenditure was inaccurate, and his party estimates a cost of between one and a half and three million dollars for a 400-foot road. He also said there is a potential conflict of interest, as potential lot developer Taylor Auguston is related to City Manager Mary Babcock.

"For this particular issue, I think there has to be a zoning administrator who has no conflict of interest," Bugni said during public comment. "If any action has been taken to this point, it has to be revisited."

Department of Public Works Manager John Erickson said he has site plans from Auguston, which were presented at a conceptual review meeting between Babcock, Auguston and Erickson. In addition to being the city manager, Babcock is also Hancock's zoning administrator.

City Councilor and Navy Street Committee member Laura Givens said there were inaccuracies in Anderson's report. She added the Navy Street Committee was not consulted when Anderson spoke on behalf of them to city council last Wednesday.

"I [am] part of the sub-committee and I can tell you from what I've heard a lot of the stuff he had said is incorrect," Givens said during public comment. "We [the committee] we're supposed to meet with the condo association, but they decided not to do that, and he [Anderson] decided to come to the council meeting, without our acknowledgment." Givens did not elaborate further on Anderson's alleged inaccuracies.

Commission Chair Steve Walton said Auguston's 2024 plans met all planning commission standards but was not permitted due to a lack of road access -- a problem still facing the development today. "At this point, it [development] is an exercise that meets our regulations but cannot go forward because they can't develop there due to access," he said. "That goes back to the Navy Street Committee, which to say out loud, is outside the planning commission ... we don't have a role in this."

On another issue, Hancock Planning Commission member and Portage Township Planning Commission Chair Adam Griffis said the planning commission is neither pro nor anti-data center. Although it will choose to strictly regulate the effects a data center in the community would bring.

Griffis cited talks with Houghton City Manager Eric Waara, alongside his own plans with Portage Township. He said Hancock will not pursue any action on data centers until his Portage Township plans are finalized.

The Daily Mining Gazette obtained a copy of Griffis's memo, titled "Naming, and What We Can Actually Regulate." In this memo, Griffis laid out the current zoning language regarding data centers, as well as what official position the City of Hancock will take on this matter.

"It [the memo] takes no position on whether a facility of this kind should be built in Hancock. The questions here are where and on what terms," Griffis wrote.

The memo references a draft of a data center moratorium in Solon Township in downstate Kent Coumnty. Griffis noted Hancock could follow a similar moratorium. However, the average and noise level concerns would have to be amended.