Trending
By CHRISTIE MASTRIC
Journal Staff Writer
MARQUETTE -- The Marquette Township Board of Trustees on Wednesday unanimously approved a climate action resolution that addresses issues such as erosion zones and wetlands.
"The resolution is intended to be kind of a broad brush," Township Planner Erik Powers said.
He noted that it would strengthen existing policy that already exists within many township documents, including the master plan, and further commit the township to working toward collaboration with Marquette County and the Marquette County Climate Adaptation Task Force. It also would help with future grant and funding opportunities.
The township in June 2022 joined the Marquette County CATF, which involves community leaders and organizations and provides a "sounding board" to work on cooperative regional responses to effects of climate change, Powers said.
"It talks about people coming here who want to live at a different climate level than where they might be now," township Supervisor Lyn Durant said.
The resolution indicates that the township has plans to preserve designated environmentally sensitive areas that are incompatible with development through well planned land-use management practices as well as updated regulations and enforcement measures.
The township has deemed shorelines to be environmentally sensitive areas, the resolution states, and continued low-density development along shorelines will protect residents from flooding and erosion stemming from wave action.
The resolution addresses a "well-planned" transition to a clean-energy economy, redeveloping existing infrastructure to maintain a "compact and efficient" community, using an in-fill strategy to reduce the need for expanded infrastructure systems while preserving the community's rural character.
It also addresses the need for coordinated emergency response teams with updated mapping and 911 capabilities, updated zoning ordinances regarding stormwater management practices, and a variety of health issues.
"Climate change has impacted the seasonality of Marquette Township, leading to milder winters and longer, hotter summers," the resolution states. "These changes allow for a greater survival rate among insects carrying vector-borne diseases."
The resolutions include these actions:
≤ The township will incorporate into future planning efforts a focus on energy conservation, increasing efficiency in all public facilities and adoption of renewable energy technology when possible.
≤ The township will maintain a low density of residential development in areas determined to be environmentally sensitive, such as erosion zones, flood plains, caving areas, shorelines, wetlands such as swamps and marshes, wellhead protection areas and aquifer recharge sites.
≤ The township will update ranking criteria for capital improvement projects to better align with its master plan and seek state, federal, philanthropic and private funding for climate efforts.
≤ The township will plan infrastructure supporting climate adaptation and mitigation.
≤ The township also calls upon its residents, businesses and organizations to join with the township in mitigating and adapting to a changing climate.
Powers pointed out that Marquette and the city of Marquette have passed similar resolutions, and believes that other local municipalities are working on them as well.
Wright Street incident
The board also discussed a single-vehicle crash that occurred on Monday on Wright Street near Forestville Road.
A Marquette County Sheriff's Office news release indicated that a driver from Lansing was headed south on Wright when he left the roadway and struck a fire hydrant, which was significantly damaged, causing water to spew.
The driver was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs.
Township Manager Jon Kangas said preliminary numbers showed a loss of 1 million gallons of water due to the incident, which he called the "decapitating of a fire hydrant." He also said the crash took place just north of what the board considers to be a problematic and unsafe intersection.
Township Clerk Randy Ritari said he spoke with Leonard Bodenus, township superintendent of public works, and expressed the desire that the township be reimbursed for costs associated with the incident.
Kangas said the power bill from the city of Marquette to get the extra 1 million gallons of water was almost $2,000.
"That's not even getting into the damage to the hydrant, the cost to repair it, the cost to close down the road -- all of those things," said Kangas, who said he hoped as many of those costs could be recouped.
Trustee Dan Everson mentioned the possibility of recouping those costs from the driver or his insurance company.
Kangas said the loss of water occurred within about an hour and a half.
"It was a swimming pool around that hydrant," Kangas said.
Christie Mastric can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net.