The Mackinaw City Planning Commission affirmed its plan to direct any lewd businesses that might come to town to the manufacturing district at the south side of the village and will incorporate the requirement into a revamped zoning ordinance. The amended ordinance will receive a public hearing before being recommended for adoption by the village council.

The plan to put any adult-type businesses into a less visible area has been discussed earlier this summer, and no formal action on the matter was needed by the Planning Commission at its Thursday, August 26 meeting. Such businesses are now be permitted in the lakefront district, along with souvenir shops and other tourist-related stores.

Even though property along the lakefront district is expensive, an enterprising business owner could potentially build a series of adultoriented stores in the high-traffic downtown area, said Commissioner John Reimer, which would detract from the family image the village seeks to project.

Moving such businesses to the manufacturing district will make them less conspicuous but won't isolate them.

Such stores, said Village Manager Jeff Lawson, are “always going to be around somebody.”

State law prevents the village from banning such businesses altogether, but zoning can minimize their impact on the community, Mr. Lawson has said.