Rules to govern the outdoor placement of vending machines are being discussed by the Mackinac Island Planning Commission. Prompted by a complaint that pop machines in view of the street detract from the quaint character of the business district, the commission is reviewing regulations from several other communities. That information and the policies of the Mackinac Island State Park Commission will be used to determine what, if anything, the city should do to keep vending machines out of public view.

The city licenses businesses that provide food and beverage vending machines, but does not keep track of the machines that are installed here, except through personal property tax inventories.

At the commission's Tuesday, August 10, meeting, regulations from Santa Barbara, California, and Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, were reviewed, solicited by Commissioner Michael Straus.

Vending machine guidelines in Santa Barbara are designed to maintain the aesthetic and historic nature of commercial districts or neighborhoods, and indoor placement, out of sight, is preferred, but not required. The machines must be approved by a review board that considers their location, materials, colors, details, signage, lighting, and screening.

“Outdoor vending machines shall be screened or recessed into the building in new construction and be located to minimize their visibility from the street,” the ordinance states.

The city's detailed regulations restricts size of the machines and the size of the letters on the equipment. If a machine is placed against a building, the regulation stipulates its color must match the color of a building. The machines also must be integrated with the architecture of a structure and not block architectural features like windows and trim.

Outdoor machines are prohibited in two of the city's landmark districts.

At Annapolis Royal, to maintain its integrity as a National Historic District, vending machines in the district can't be visible from any street within the district.

As for the Mackinac Island State Park, Phil Porter, Mackinac State Historic Parks director, told the Town Crier Wednesday, August 11, that vending machines are only in three state park locations on the Island. A machine at the Mission House and one in the service area behind Fort Mackinac are for staff use.

“In both cases the machines are inside and not visible to the public,” he said.

At the Mackinac Island Airport, vending machines are inside during the winter and outside the terminal building in the summer.

Seasonal Fence Approved

An after-the-fact temporary seasonal permit was granted for a fence on the borough lot between the school and Grand Hotel tennis courts. The 100-foot by 200-foot fenced area was used for about five weeks for the Festival of the Horse, organized by the Mackinac Horsemen's Association (MHA), and the Mackinac Island Horse Show. Commissioner Armand “Smi” Horn voted against any permit because, he said, the fence is not wood.

The fence is owned by MHA, which now is required to pay a permit fee of $135 for a commercial operation.

“I knew nothing about having a temporary permit or any kind of a permit until just a few days ago,” said Leanne Brodeur of the Mackinac Horsemen's Association. “That's not a problem, we're not arguing it. The temporary permit is fine, but I was not aware it was necessary to have one until just a few days ago.”

Approval of the structure now allows the fence to be erected each summer, said building inspector Dennis Dombroski.

During a lengthy discussion on the fence, commissioners questioned if it is a fence or corral.

“The ordinance actually spells out the requirements for corrals, and that's what this fence is,” said Mr. Dombroski.

Ms. Brodeur disagreed. The fenced area is not a corral, rather it is an arena, she said.

“I'm going to argue the distinction between a corral and an arena,” she said. “To me a corral is a place where you keep a horse for a specific amount of time and it's built to contain a horse. This arena is meant for a place that specifically [is for] riding a horse, but not leaving a horse.”

The long-term use of the fence also makes a difference in requirements, he said.

“If this was put up for a weekend, like the wedding tents, this wouldn't have been an issue.”

The city does not regulate temporary wedding tents.

But to fall into that category, the fence then would have to be taken down at the end of each weekend. Commissioners could consider the fence as it does seasonal tents and grant a temporary seasonal permit. Like Grand Hotel's smoking tent approved by the commission last month, if the fence is approved, it could be set up next year, said Mr. Dombroski.

Projects Approved

Horse hitching posts will be installed at the Cannonball restaurant at British Landing pending completion of a zoning application and payment of the $135 fee,

Owner Jack Armstrong, who attended the meeting, said the hitch would be comprised of six-inch by six-inch posts, spaced every eight feet for 24 feet. A chain through the top of each post would have a slight swag and prevent the horses from walking around the posts and becoming entangled.

The hitching area only will be for the use of local residents for both carriage and saddle horses.

Mr. Armstrong said he plans to remove the chain at the end of each season, in response to Commissioner Dan Wightman's concern that it could be a hazard in the winter for snowmobile riders.

A new two-story modular home planned by RoseMary and Jon Wood of Paw Paw received commission approval. The request was tabled last month because the site plan lacked details about height, materials, and foundation.

Contractor John Bezemek of United Construction of Sandusky attended the meeting, along with Mr. and Mrs. Wood.

The foundation above grade would be two feet, said Mr. Bezemek, and the structure will be 23 feet tall. The foundation would be covered with cement board, which meets ordinance requirements in the area, said Mr. Dombroski.

The home is expected to arrive on the Island in November with gray aluminum siding, which will be replaced with cedar shakes in the spring.

A second floor deck, 20 feet by six feet, on a Third Street Harrisonville home owned by Curt Munson of Okemos was approved.

An existing main floor deck is six feet wide and encroaches on state park land by one foot. Mr. Munson supplied the commission with a letter from the park that supports the construction of the deck, as long as it did not encroach further onto state land.

Steve Moskwa sought approval to use man-made material on six inches of bottom trim board at the base of posts near the street in front of Horn's Gaslight Bar and Restaurant on Main Street. He withdrew his request during the meeting and said he would replace the rotting wood in the fall with treated wood.

Early morning street flushing has caused the trim to rot.

The city requires wood on the first floor of structures.

The fence committee chaired by Mary Dufina was unable to meet in the last month and had no report to offer the commission. The committee was organized at the July meeting with the purpose of developing guidelines for Island fences. The proposed guidelines were to be discussed by the commission, with a plan to add them to the ordinance. Now, the Island lacks regulations regarding fences. Also on the committee are Trish Martin and Candi Dunnigan.

The Mackinac Island Planning Commission next meets at 4 p.m. Tuesday, September 7, on the second floor of Community Hall.