News of the planned demolition of McNally Cottage and a request from what one business owner regards as a restrictive sign ordinance were issues that drew action from the Mackinac Island City Council at its Wednesday, September 9, meeting.

A joint meeting of City Council and the Planning Commission was called by Mayor Margaret Doud. The city also is inviting a state preservationist to attend the meeting, tentatively planned for next week. The move is in response to a letter addressed to the mayor and read during Wednesday evening's meeting and news from a Planning Commission meeting held the afternoon before when business owner Ira Green presented plans to demolish the McNally house on Main Street and replace it with a threestory, 22-suite hotel building with eight retail shops.

McNally Cottage, as it was known when operated as a bed and breakfast, is a contributing structure to the Island's National Historic Landmark status.

Cottager Christopher Straus, in an e-mail communique, expressed his concerns over the pending demolition of the McNally house. He blamed a lack of city leadership and questioned whether people understood that the historic character of the Island draws tourists and that erosion of that character through development will eventually turn people away.

"If and when the McNally Cottage is lost and the property becomes yet another glaring example

of how our own local leaders are unable to consider the long term effects of their action how other can you expect the National Park system to react?" he questioned. "... Will the relatively few temporary jobs, a new heartless box along Main Street really outweigh the long term loss of character? Is there really no understanding among those indifferent to development that it is the unique quality and authenticity of Mackinac that is the attraction? Research and information has been available (Mackinac Island Community Foundation) showing a 10 fold difference that historic tourists spend relative to visitors who are indifferent to authenticity. Most importantly, these tourists return and repeat their visits more frequently when others do not."

Council members made no comment on the letter, but, later in the meeting, invited Amy Arnold, a historic preservation planner with the State Historic Preservation office, to a joint meeting of the City Council and Planning Commission tentatively set for Wednesday, September 16, at 4 p.m.

Alderman Mike Hart, chairman of the committee to study the formation of a historic district commission, said the committee will meet Tuesday, September 15, at 3 p.m. Members of the committee include Bob Brown, Dan Musser III, Brad Chambers, and Phil Porter.

During the public comment portion of the council meeting, summer resident Susan Lenfestey asked if Mr. Green's planned development would impact the Island's sewer plant capacity. Council said it would and should be considered.

Based on the 22 hotel rooms planned for the facility, the development would require more than eight residential equivalent units (REUs). An REU equals 2.8 motel rooms or 250 square feet of restaurant space or the amount of water a typical four-person household would use. Approximately 60 REUs remain available before current plant capacity is reached, according to the city.

In another matter, Mayor Doud also read a letter from business owner Ron Dufina of the Village Inn of Mackinac, a Hoban Street restaurant. Mr. Dufina asked the ordinance committee to reconsider the sign ordinance, which he said is too restrictive and has hurt his business.

"At the time when the business climate on this Island and in the State of Michigan is as bad as it is," he wrote, "I question the sense of enacting or amending ordinances designed to restrict business advertising."

In the last year, Mr. Dufina has been required to remove a tent sign and a delivery bicycle sign from his property.

Mr. Dufina attended the meeting and said he needed the signs to help visitors find his restaurant.

"I'm on a side street," he said. "Unlike the Mustang, where they can see it right from the main road, I have a difficult time getting people up. We are down so far in the Village Inn in the last two years. I know everyone is down a little bit, but we are down drastically and it is due to a lack of signage. They don't know where we are."

Mayor Doud asked that the letter be forwarded to the ordinance committee.

Council next meets Wednesday, September 23, at 5 p.m.