Mackinaw City Council Refers Property Abandonment to Planning Commission

Albert Smith's request for the village's abandonment of 9,012 square feet of right-of-way of Straits Avenue and DuJauncey Street will be examined by the Mackinaw City Planning Commission, the Village Council decided during its 15-minute meeting Thursday, September 17.

Planning commissioners want to examine Mr. Smith's request in greater detail and determine what effect it will have on the village master plan, Manager Jeff Lawson said, including potential changes to the roads, parcel access, and utilities.

Mr. Smith sought the village abandonment of the land September 3, a request that was met with caution by the council and ultimately tabled. In exchange, the Smith family would deed a 679- square-foot area on the southwest corner of Lakeside Drive and DuJauncey to the village.

Jeff Hingston, serving as trustee for the final time before taking over as village president, asked if referring the matter to the commission would create difficulties for Mr. Smith and his mother, Peg. Mr. Smith replied he would prefer to have the decision expedited so he could begin construction of a single level house as quickly as possible. He agreed to have the matter reviewed by the commission, saying there is still enough time to build the house before winter. The request will be reviewed during its next meeting Thursday, September 24.

The reason for the request, Mr. Smith said, is his mother has difficulty balancing and her bones have become brittle. Her bedroom and bathroom are on the second floor of her house, making it difficult for her to reach them. The abandonment of property by the village would give Mr. Smith space to build a onestory home for her. The new house would be constructed near the first one, while the original would be shuttered for the winter. The old house would be worked on in the future and would stay in the family, he said.

"It's not a larger home we're looking for, it's a single level," he told The St. Ignace News.

Mrs. Smith wishes to continue living in Mackinaw City. Renovation of her current home is not a solution, Mr. Smith said, as there would be nowhere for her to stay. There are no family members living in Mackinaw City she could stay with during renovations. Living in an apartment would not be possible, he said, as the available apartments have stairs.

"At the end of the day, this is about maintaining her quality of life," Mr. Smith said.

Matthews Property Update

Demolition has begun on the recently acquired Matthews property on West Central Avenue by the village. Darrow's Excavating is removing blighted cabins and will remove a house after the fire department has used it for smoke simulation training.