Still no ?beach party? allowed during Nautical Festival
by Amanda Polaski, Staff Writer–
It has been six years since Nautical City Festival celebrants have been allowed to continue the festivities past closing time on the shoreline of Lake Huron, and due to a decision made during Monday evening?s Rogers City Council meeting, this year will be no different. ?THIS IS a proactive measure to prevent a catastrophe from ever happening,? said RC chief of police Matt Quaine, who presented a city park regulation for council to approve and adopt. ?Since we?ve put this into action (in 2000), we haven?t had to issue any tickets or give any citations during that (after hours) time.? Quaine said that the last year before the regulation was put in place, there were numerous situations at the ?beach party? that had traditionally taken place behind the Little League Fields or South Shore Park.
?We had issued several minor in possession tickets, and we had a drunk driving involving a 16-year-old,? said Quaine. ?We also had a malicious destruction of property, a vehicle stuck on the beach, a vehicle in the water?an assault and battery?and numerous reports of suspicious people in nearby neighborhoods. Since the regulations have been in place, we?ve had none of those problems during that time period. This is the best way we (RCPD) feel we can police the situation.? The park regulation stipulates that South Shore Park shall be closed between the hours of 11 p.m. on Friday, August 3, and 6 a.m. on Saturday, August 4. It will also be closed between the hours of 11 p.m. on Saturday, August 4 to 6 a.m. on Sunday, August 5. No person shall loiter or remain in the South Shore Park during those hours. In addition, Seagull Point Park, Lakeside Park, North Shore Park, the Sports Park (?the hole?), and Westminster Park shall be closed between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. on Saturday, August 4, and between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. on Sunday, August 5. No person shall loiter or remain in those parks during those hours. City council approved the regulation, although councilman Gary Nowak voted ?no,? explaining he felt it was not right to invite visitors to the area, but regulate where they can and cannot go.
IN OTHER city council news: ? Council approved several changes to the Planned Unit Development (PUD) for the Lakeview Development project. The developer, Mike Uzelac, requested to change the language from 20 units to 19, and to change the alignment of the units from perpendicular to Lakeview Street to parallel to Lakeview Street. City attorney Mike Vogler also suggested council change the language regarding an alley from stating it ?must be built? to it ?needs to be built.? Vogler said the third change is regarding asphalt paving of the alley. An alley of gravel must be built; however, the asphalt paving does not need to be.
? The transfer station contract with Waste Management has been extended through December 31, 2007; however, it comes with several stipulations. WM will operate the transfer station from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. each Saturday from July 1, 2007 until December 31, 2007. The cost per 30-gallon bag of trash is $3, and compactable trash will cost $20 per cubic yard. Non-compactable trash will cost $40 per cubic yard. Televisions and chairs can be accepted at $10 each, while couches cost $15. Couches with metal and other metal containing items will cost $20 for disposal, while mattresses can be disposed of for $12 each.
? The Rogers City Council meetings have been changed to the first Monday of every month at 7 p.m., and the third Monday of every month at 9 a.m. These take effect August 1.
? City manager Mark Slown recommended council approve health benefits for harbormaster Brian Wagner. After a brief debate, council agreed to table the issue until a later meeting. Councilwoman Deb Greene said the harbor has ?a lot of bills? and she could not justify the approval of benefits, which she believed would only add to the harbor?s financial problems. Wagner is working an average of 35 hours per week; with 55 hours per week during peak summer months. He stated he believes he is workin
? In an earlier meeting on Monday, the Zoning Board of Appeals approved two variances. The Brooks Smokehouse & Spirits restaurant was granted 21 city parking spaces to meet its requirement. Rogers City Video was approved to have a 10-foot variance ? from 60 to 50 feet ? as a setback for a future addition to the BC Pizza building on Bradley Highway. Councilwoman Greene commented that variances should be ?few and far between,? and only granted if ?it?s not physically possible in any other shape or form? to comply with regulations.
? Ralph Stedman and Jackie Langlois were appointed to the Parks and Recreation Committee.