Summary
The Northport Village Council met on May 15, 2025, with President Christopher McCann presiding. Trustee Ruble was absent. The Council approved the April 10, 2025 minutes as corrected, adopted an investment policy, approved funding for the Fourth of July fireworks display and marina seal coating, and paid April bills. Significant discussion centered on public housing proposals, including the potential use of Buster Dame Park and the West Street property, with substantial public comment opposing development of parkland for housing. The Council also discussed the FY 25-26 budget, a joint Housing Task Force, and appointed new staff liaisons for infrastructure, parks, and the marina.
Public Comments
Written correspondence was submitted by Abigail Charter, granddaughter of Buster Dame, expressing support for keeping Buster Dame Park as-is, and by Alan Dalzel, who supported developing Buster Dame Park for housing.
- Barb Conley, Leelanau Township Supervisor, thanked the Council and Planning Commission for a successful housing community meeting and reaffirmed township support for future housing efforts.
- Eric Potes, Ransom Street resident, opposed developing Buster Dame Park for housing, citing a DNR grant requiring recreational use and a 1991 township easement restricting the land to public recreation. He urged the Council to remove the park from housing consideration and enact permanent protections for parks and green spaces.
- Abigail Charter spoke against housing development at Buster Dame Field, stating the Dame family does not support a land trade or housing plans, and criticized the village for not consulting the family before discussions began.
- Carmen Van Nieuwkerk urged the Council to preserve public green spaces and raised concerns about transparency, noting difficulty locating the Zoom link for the meeting.
- Lisa George spoke in favor of preserving Buster Dame Park and the dog park, citing the community value of accessible green spaces.
A second round of public comments later in the meeting addressed the Seventh Street property:
- Eric Potes reiterated concerns about protecting public parks, noting that a DNR land swap requires formal public input and compliance with state guidelines, and that the township easement legally restricts the property to recreational use.
- Hugh Scott recommended forming a joint study group between the village and township to inventory properties before establishing a Housing Commission.
- Joanne Swanson recalled prior Council direction to Jim Dyer regarding the Seventh Street hardscape area and suggested returning it to a natural state given its proximity to wetlands and Lake Michigan.
- Chris Holton, DPW Superintendent, noted that only about 6% of the Seventh Street property consists of wetlands and stated utilities already exist along the front portion of the property.
Affordable Housing Initiatives
Housing was a major topic of discussion. President McCann reported preliminary conversations with John Simpson of Home Stretch and Larry Mawby of Peninsula Housing regarding potential development of the village-owned West Street property. Trustees Cavendish and Harper expressed support for exploring multiple potential sites while avoiding immediate financial commitments; the Village Manager and President will continue discussions with Peninsula Housing and report back to the Council.
The Council discussed forming a Joint Housing Task Force to address local housing needs, debating whether to expand the Planning Commission's role or create a separate Housing Commission. Trustee Harper and Planning Commissioner Hugh Scott supported a joint task force to evaluate village and township properties, while Trustee Cavendish suggested starting with a property inventory at the Planning Commission level. President McCann referenced Frankfort's model, which includes representatives from the council, planning commission, county, and housing experts. The Council supported pursuing a joint Housing Commission as outlined in a previously adopted resolution, with next steps including discussions with the Leelanau Township Supervisor, development of a property inventory by the Village Planning Commission, and further exploration of the legal authority and structure of a Housing Commission.
Significant public opposition was voiced regarding the potential use of Buster Dame Park for housing, citing DNR grant restrictions requiring recreational use and a 1991 township easement. Trustee Harper noted that any change to the park's deed restrictions would require approval from both the village and township boards, and stated the township has no intention of altering it.
Parks and Recreation Matters
Buster Dame Park was a central topic, with residents and family members opposing any development of the park for housing, citing legal restrictions from a DNR grant and a 1991 township recreational easement. Trustee Harper confirmed that changing the park's deed restrictions would require joint village and township board approval.
The Seventh Street hardscape property was also discussed during public comments, with differing views on whether it should be restored to a natural, wetland-adjacent state or considered for other uses given existing utilities and DPW history at the site. Trustee Cavendish indicated interest in alternative preservation approaches but did not elaborate since the topic was not formally on the agenda.
Trustee Hugh Cook was appointed as the Council staff liaison for Parks and Marina.
Infrastructure Projects
Trustee Ager moved, supported by Trustee Harper, to approve a $4,560 invoice for seal coating work at the marina. Roll Call Vote: Yeas (6), Nays (0), Absent (1). Motion carried.
Trustee Laura Cavendish was appointed as the Council staff liaison for Infrastructure.
Other Business
- Village Manager Jered Ottenwess reported cancellation of the spring 2025 solid waste pickup, with plans to budget for it in 2026.
- Progress continues on the Social District, pending state licensee approvals and council resolutions for participating businesses.
- Citizen of the Year selection is to be finalized by the June 19 meeting.
- New zoning requires a special use permit for short-term rentals in all districts; existing rentals are legally nonconforming and can continue under new ownership without a new permit. The first special use permit for a short-term rental will be considered in June.
- A draft social media policy will be reviewed in a future work session as the village plans to launch official social media pages.
- Planning Commission report: ongoing work on the Master Plan, with two sections reviewed per meeting; the rezoning application for the Fleece Road property was withdrawn; the commission is considering moving meetings to the second week of the month; discussion is underway on a rubric for evaluating village-owned properties.
- Trustee Cavendish suggested creating a policy for selecting and appointing Planning Commission members to standardize the process.
- The Council discussed holding a goal-setting session; President McCann suggested Chet Janek as a potential facilitator (possibly at no cost). Village Manager Ottenwess was tasked with coordinating possible dates and facilitator options.
- Trustee Ager moved, supported by Trustee Cavendish, to approve $18,860 for the Fourth of July fireworks display, band, and insurance. Trustee Harper raised cost concerns and interest in exploring a drone show alternative in the future. Clerk Joni Scott noted $10,000 in private donations offset costs last year, and rising costs were attributed partly to tariffs. Roll Call Vote: Yeas (5), Nays (1 - Trustee Harper), Absent (1). Motion carried.
- Trustee Cook expressed disappointment with the comments made regarding the Fourth of July fireworks.
Financial Summary
- Investment Policy: The Council adopted a new investment policy allowing low-risk investments such as T-bills, aimed at earning better returns on the village's cash reserves while emphasizing liquidity. The village's auditor had previously recommended this policy. Implementation will involve oversight from the Finance Committee and the treasurer. Roll Call Vote: Yeas (6), Nays (0). Motion carried.
- FY 2025-2026 Budget: Village Manager Ottenwess described a status quo budget focused on operational expenses, with capital projects removed. A new expense of approximately $60,000 for cloud-based financial software will be spread across various funds, including a conversion fee and annual subscription. The COLA for the upcoming fiscal year is 2.5%. A draft budget is expected at the June 5 work session, with adoption planned for June 19.
- Fourth of July Fireworks: $18,860 approved for the display, band, and insurance. Roll Call Vote: Yeas (5), Nays (1), Absent (1).
- Marina Seal Coating: $4,560 invoice approved for seal coating work. Roll Call Vote: Yeas (6), Nays (0), Absent (1).
- Payment of Bills: The Council approved payment of April bills totaling $96,373.02, pending fund availability. This included the final land contract payment to Steven Heather Craker for the Eighth Street building, making the village full owner of the property. Roll Call Vote: Yeas (6), Nays (0), Absent (1).
Action Items
- Village Manager Jered Ottenwess and President McCann will continue discussions with Peninsula Housing regarding the West Street property and report back to the Council.