With opening day for many hotels and businesses on Mackinac Island already past or fast approaching, construction crews are laboring to complete projects, and City Council is facing an onslaught of motor vehicle permit requests to get the jobs done. While acknowledging that projects on the Island are relying more and more heavily on the use of motor vehicles than in years past, and the city needs to set a firm deadline for turning down requests in the spring, Council approved 39 permits for construction vehicles Wednesday, April 23.

Construction season usually is between the end of October through the spring. Each spring, Council must determine when to cease issuing permits, taking into consideration the frost laws on roads and the priority of each work project that comes before Council.

"We've tried many times to set a deadline date but because the frost laws play into this, it's hard to pick that date," said Building Inspector Dennis Dombroski. "In some years, the frost laws weren't lifted until May," well after the bulk of Island businesses have already opened.

Council wants construction projects, especially those in the downtown area, to be finished in an orderly fashion, however, it also would like to reduce the number of motor vehicles used.

"Every time we grant a variance for vehicles, our ordinance gets weaker and weaker, so we have to be careful about this," said Councilman Jason St. Onge Friday, April 25.

"I'd like to see no motor vehicles anywhere," added Councilman Michael Hart. "I clearly recall when nobody bothered to ask for permits because they knew they would not get them. Now, it's almost automatic."

With the construction season shrinking as the tourist season expands, Mr. Hart believes manpower is being replaced by motorized shovels and loaders.

"We are seeing different building practices, and we never used to have factory-built houses and the ditch digging equipment we see today," said Mr. Hart. The demand for use of motor vehicles is growing and the ability to maintain city policy is diminished, he said.

Debra Orr, who is building a new home on Cadotte Avenue, was denied four vehicle permits to haul excavated material because the project's start date would not be until May 21.

Issuing permits will end between May 2 and May 10, said Mayor Margaret Doud, although Council would take a case-by-case review of requests during and after that time.

Rob Fraser, owner of Maverick Construction, suggested Council lean on builders a little more during the beginning and middle stages of the construction season to ease the mad rush of requests in the spring.

Mr. Hart said Council will work on getting a deadline date for temporary motor vehicle permits soon.

"We have to bite down and do it," he said.

The city, he noted, has enforced other vehicle regulations, such as speeding and unauthorized use.