The controversy continues
Hancock Council hears Navy St. concerns
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HANCOCK -- Hancock’s Navy Street project continues to be a controversial issue. At the regular meeting of the Hancock City Council Wednesday, a large group, many of them of Portage Lakeside Condominium (PLC) residents listened to a presentation from former City Manager and current Navy Street Facilitator Glenn Anderson. x
Addressing the council, Anderson outlined the history of the Navy Street development, from the original easement, to the split agreed upon in 2011 and where the city is now.
According to Anderson, who currently sits on the Houghton County Board of Commissioners, the city's master plan from 1995 thru 2015 included the Navy Street development, putting a one-lane road behind the Portage Lake Condos' garages. "That was always the plan, giving access to not only the second half of the parcel, but also moving to the other property owners' property line," said.
PLC Association President Glenn Bugni, said the Navy Street committee was not created by any official city council action. Anderson said the committee is made up of two city council members (Dean Woodbeck and Laura Givens), two members of the Planning Commission (Kurt Rickard and Johnathon Nagel and two Downtown Development Authority members (Stephen Olsson and Frank Fiala.)
Anderson said the city has the right to build a road through the easement, connecting to property owners on the other side of PLC. The owner of the parcel immediately west of PLC is Taylor Auguston; the owner adjacent to Auguston is Andy Lathi. According to Anderson, both are eager to develop on their parcels and need a road to do so.
According to Anderson, Auguston plans on developing 10 residential units on his parcel, the cost of which would be $4,500,000, bringing in $45,000-$50,000 in tax capture. Lathi is less certain on his current plans, Anderson said. Lathi presented to committee members and listed a $6,750,000 project cost for 15 units.
Anderson said he estimates the road connecting Auguston's parcel to the east end of Navy Street would cost $500,000. Bugni and other PLC resident disputed this figure along with the amount of revenue being brought in through Auguston's development, in comments to the council. "All of this poses a significant risk to our property and the people who live there," Bugni said. "It appears that the city's administration is only interested in providing access to the Taylor Auguston property at the expense of existing residents."
Bugni said he urges the Navy Street Committee to meet with PLC residents to sort out the legal avenues for development and to let their voices be heard in this process.
In other action, Council appointed John Diebel, Craig Pellizzaro, Dave Dow, Dean Woodbeck and William McKilligan to the Recreation Commission through Aug. 2027. It also adopted an ordinance, granting a franchise agreement to Semco Energy. A public hearing occurred before the meeting but yielded no public comment or questions.
City Manager Mary Babcock said the city received a $120,750 reimbursement grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) for its Site Readiness Program. The council approved receiving the grant at Wednesday's meeting.
"We've been working with the MEDC on a site readiness program for a priority site for the Hancock Business and Technology Park to help us market the site statewide," Babcock said. "The goal is to attract more businesses and make it easy for an entry into development in the city."
According to Babcock, the MEDC will visit the Business and Technology Park on Tomasi Road in Sept.