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Protect Old Town

To the Journal editor;

Negaunee residents please vote yes on August 6 to protect a key portion of the Old Town Negaunee/ Jackson Mine Park recreation complex. This area is located on the west edge of Negaunee near the downtown and the Senior Citizens Center.

Old Town Negaunee is an old neighborhood that was evacuated many years ago to make way for mining operations that have long since ceased. The area has been largely reclaimed by nature with remnants of the old residences and the mining operations remaining.

The city of Negaunee wisely purchased the land and opened it up for public recreation about 20 years ago. The area has become very popular with hikers, runners, bicycle and snow bike riders, dog walkers, disc golf players and others.

A paved section of the Iron Ore Heritage Trail winds its way through the area. The city has developed the adjacent Jackson Mine Park with a pavilion, rest rooms, picnic tables, parking lots, and recently, a new playground. This area has not only become a center of attraction for Negaunee residents, it also draws in people from outside the area which benefits Negaunee restaurants and stores.

This past January, the Negaunee City Council held a public hearing on a proposal to rezone 5 acres of Old Town to multi-family residential so that it could be sold to a private party for development. The large number of residents at the meeting were overwhelmingly opposed to the development proposal. Yet the city council approved the rezoning anyway on a 2 to 4 vote in disregard for the public sentiment.

Frustrated citizens held a petition drive that got the issue on the Aug. 6 ballot. A yes vote on the ballot initiative would return the land to public use. A no vote would expose the land to private development where it would forever be lost to public use.

Although the proposed development would occupy a relatively small portion of Old Town, it would occur in a currently heavily used portion of Old Town. There are basically two main access points to Old Town: the Iron Ore Heritage Trail, and the old Snow Street entrance. The development would occur alongside the Snow Street main entry route.

A July 6-7 Mining Journal article reported that City Manager Nate Heffron said “If residents vote to retain the multi-housing zoning, public meetings will be held for public input on the type of property citizens would like to see developed…” Given the disregard for public input on the rezoning issue, why would anyone believe that public input would now start to matter?

Youth and adults alike spend too much time indoors looking at little computer screens. We all need to get outdoors and enjoy the natural beauty that makes Negaunee so special. Keep Old Town intact for present and future generations. Vote yes on Aug. 6.

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