Summary
The Committee of the Whole agenda for the Suttons Bay Village meeting on May 5, 2026, included standard staff reports (DPW, Marina, WWTP, Treasurer), a presentation from Housing North on workforce housing funding tools, and a New Business discussion on Elm Street safety concerns. The packet includes several written communications submitted to the Village Council regarding Elm Street infrastructure and safety, along with a request from Trustee Bill Perkins to place stream-crossing repairs on the agenda. No votes or final decisions are recorded in the document.
Public Comments
Several written communications were submitted rather than delivered as live public comment. Kate Fairman and Bill Queen, of 979 Elm St., wrote expressing concern for the safety of their daughter, Lucy Queen, who has Down Syndrome and walks daily along Elm Street to work and community activities; they cited the lack of a shoulder or sidewalk near the Leo Creek crossing and requested improvements to the road/creek crossing for pedestrian safety. Michael Jarvis and Lynne Bracl, of 967 Elm Street, submitted a letter describing broken and narrow pavement, speeds exceeding 50 mph, and no sidewalks or crosswalks; they requested repaving and widening, addition of a sidewalk or protected shoulder, and traffic calming measures. Both letters proposed action by the Council but reflect resident requests, not Council decisions.
Affordable Housing Initiatives
Susan Leithauser-Yee of Housing North requested time on the agenda to introduce two funding tools for "workforce housing" (serving households earning 60%-120% of Area Median Income): a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program and Housing Tax Increment Financing (TIF), noting that state-level changes in 2023 affected both. She distinguished workforce housing from MSHDA-defined affordable housing, which serves lower-income households through different funding mechanisms. This was presented as an introductory item under New Business; no Council decision is recorded.
Infrastructure Projects
Trustee Bill Perkins submitted a letter dated April 17, 2026, requesting that Elm Street and related culvert issues be placed on the May agenda. He noted the degraded pavement and narrow width of Elm Street, along with deterioration of the two concrete Elm Street/Leo Creek culverts, stating a rebuild of Elm Street without replacing the culverts would be "probably impossible." He also flagged two additional Leo Creek crossings, at Richter Road and South Shore Drive, with corrugated steel culverts of similar age and risk of failure, and narrow roadbeds posing pedestrian/bicycle hazards. The Elm Street discussion was listed under New Business; no vote or funding decision is documented. Marina and WWTP (water/sewer) reports were listed as standing agenda items, but no details of their content are included in the document.
Other Business
The agenda included standard items: staff reports (DPW Director, Marina, WWTP, Treasurer), additions/deletions to the agenda, committee member comments, and announcements. No specifics of these discussions are recorded.
Action Items
- Elm Street safety and culvert repairs (raised by Trustee Bill Perkins) - to be discussed at the Committee of the Whole or General Services meeting; no resolution recorded.
- Leo Creek crossings at Richter Road and South Shore Drive flagged for future attention due to aging culverts.
- Housing North's PILOT and TIF proposals introduced by Susan Leithauser-Yee for future Council consideration.
- Resident requests from Kate Fairman/Bill Queen and Michael Jarvis/Lynne Bracl regarding Elm Street sidewalks, shoulders, and traffic calming remain pending Council response.