Mackinaw City Construction Drew Concerns
Village Proceeds With Lieghio Hotel Project
By Paul Gingras

A project to tear down the Huron Motel in Mackinaw City and connect the Hamilton Inn and Comfort Inn, was approved by the village council Thursday, November 8, despite resistance by Village President Ronald Wallin, who had halted the project Thursday, November 1. Demolition is underway on the structure.

Mr. Wallin objected on the grounds that the site plan did not adhere to all zoning requirements, that the buildings could present a fire hazard, and that the project does not reflect the community goal of maintaining the view of the Straits of Mackinac along Huron Avenue, he said.

All council members at the November 8 special meeting voted to approve the site plan, except Mr. Wallin. He later acknowledged that the project's site plan has been finalized, but to guide future projects, the municipal government will take action on safety, aesthetic, and building size matters in the near future, he told The St. Ignace News. Zoning ordinance changes may be made, he added.

Trustees James Alford, Lana Jaggi, and Belinda Mollen called the special meeting, concerned that the council had been negligent by taking no action on the site plan November 1. The special meeting included village attorney Tom Evashevski and developer Joe Lieghio.

Discussion centered on the use of green space in the site plan. Green space could include areas of trees, grass, and shrubs. According to the ordinance, these are to be placed within parking-lot parameters as well as between the hotel and the waterfront, and these requirements are not addressed in the Lieghio site plan, Mr. Wallin said.

The idea is to break up expanses of pavement, which would occur with this project, owing to the combination of the three hotels and their parking lots, he said. He added that Village Manager Jeff Lawson interpreted the green space requirements of the ordinance differently in past projects. The interpretation set a precedent at other businesses, which included green space outside the parameters of the parking lots.

"My idea was to stick with the ordinance, rather than historical precedence," Mr. Wallin said.

Attorney Tom Evashevski said that, for years, his understanding of interior green space differed from that of the Mackinaw City's planning commission, which recommended the project for approval.

Agreeing that there are multiple interpretations possible of the green space requirement, Trustee Jeff Hingston pushed to move forward with the project, noting that the council could review the ordinance and make alterations in the future.

The best way for the council to deal with its concerns about building projects in the village would be to amend the zoning ordinance, a process that would involve public hearings, Mr. Evashevski said.

Mr. Wallin later told The St. Ignace News that the municipal government would be examining building size limits, offsets, and other development issues. Offsets are open areas between buildings, he said, and Mackinaw City is losing its view of the water, owing to limited offset requirements and a lack of zoning language to limit building sizes.

The Lieghio project has escalated concern on these matters and needs to be addressed before the village loses too much waterfront, he said. He believes changes in the ordinance would be beneficial to the village.

"Some of your best ordinances are made in response to mistakes," he said. The price this time is the Lieghios' long building, which offers no offset, he said, and changes in the ordinance will not affect existing buildings, but will apply to future developments.

Mr. Wallin said the view of the Straits is critical for tourism as well as for attracting non-touristrelated businesses to the area, citing numerous reports that reveal employers are locating in communities committed to protecting natural resources.

Protecting the view of the Straits is part of that, and "it is communities like [Mackinaw City] that 21st century employers are seeking out," he said.