The Three Rivers City Commission Tuesday voted unanimously to begin a 63-day public comment period for its 2020 Master Plan, which the City of Three Rivers is required to periodically review and update.

A steering committee comprised of representatives of several Three Rivers organizations and city agencies worked with staff from McKenna Associates of Northville, Michigan to draft the document, with input from the city commission and staff, the planning commission, and a public focus group. Work began in 2018. 

Entitled We Are TR: Imagine 2040, the document lays out goals and priorities for the city, as well as a vision for land use, zoning, transportation, and infrastructure. It includes possible funding sources. The document is non-binding, which means it is not regulatory, but it provides the city with a cohesive roadmap for development and growth.

The consultant noted that community input overwhelmingly emphasized the importance of the rivers and their connection to downtown. Some of the highlights include proposed completion and growth of interconnected trails for bicyclists and better pedestrian infrastructure, improvement of the city’s main gateways, improvement and expansion of housing options, and continued development of the downtown through public art, business development, better infrastructure, and more usable regulations.

McKenna’s Paul Lippens, who served as project manager for the development of the document, attended Tuesday’s Commission meeting to discuss the plan, which he said “keeps planning current for the city and ensures goals with a long shelf life but enough strategy to work on and produce results in the next three-to-five years.”

Three Rivers citizens are invited to review and make comments on the proposed Master Plan for the next 63 days, beginning with Tuesday’s commission meeting. The document will be available throughout the comment period on its own website via the consultant, as well as the City of Three Rivers’ website. McKenna Associates will collect public comments, and at the end of the comment period, the city commission will review these comments and formally adopt the Master Plan.

Proclamation on Racial Justice

Also discussed at length during Tuesday’s commission meeting was a resolution which reads, in part:

“On behalf of the people of Three Rivers we send our condolences to the family of George Floyd and the people of Minneapolis for the grief they are now enduring over Mr. Floyd’s unjust murder, a murder that comes as it does in the midst of the suffering and stress of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The proclamation language was developed by a citizens group in cooperation with city staff and Mayor Tom Lowry. The commission weighed the COVID-19 language but decided to keep it in recognition of the larger impact that the virus is having on the African American community. The resolution passed unanimously. Said commissioner Clayton Lyczynski, “This is a good sign for the City, saying we are taking this issue seriously, and it is good for the momentum [of the cause].” 

During commissioner comments Tuesday, Commissioner McNary spoke on Monday night’s peaceful “Stand for the Right to Breathe protest” in downtown Three Rivers. 

“The event last night was really impactful and well attended. It was good to see city officials present — I was really proud of the way people conducted themselves,” McNary said. “Even after the protest downtown, there was a group of younger people […] Police led them around town so they could hold up their signs. Our city embraced that, so I was really proud of Three Rivers last night because we showed hope for a change and unity in our community. I hope we will continue to be there to be supportive and to be willing to make change when change is needed.” 

Lowry and Lyczynski offered to echo McNary’s sentiments. Lowry said, “I’m proud of Three Rivers, not just the city but this part of the county. Everyone was peaceful and respectful. It worked out great.” Lyczynski said, “I’m really pleased that as a city commission we’re taking it a step further and putting a resolution behind it. Being a new commissioner, [the protest] was a great opportunity to go and learn and get closer to what people in Three Rivers are supporting and what they believe in. I look forward to helping break down some of the racial barriers that still exist.”

Also in commission business:

• Commissioners voted unanimously to set a public hearing for June 16 to review the 2020 User Fee Ordinance update. Lowry noted there are minimal changes this year; the ambulance rate will go up by three percent as shared previously during budget discussions, but water and sewer rates will remain unchanged due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The commission went into closed session to discuss City Manager Joe Bippus’ annual performance review. The Watershed Voice will provide further coverage on this in a future article.
• City Attorney J. Patrick O’Malley requested the commission recognize the passing of Merritt Brown. Brown was a Petoskey native who served the Three Rivers Department of Public Service as an engineering assistant, forester, and city planner for more than 30 years. He passed away on May 22 of this year. O’Malley suggested the commission might find an appropriate way to recognize him at a future date that acknowledges his love of forestry. Lowry agreed, saying, “because of his friendships in the forestry arena, he got major grants to help fund the Meyer-Broadway Park Trail. Those wouldn’t have happened without him.”

Dave Vago is a writer and columnist for Watershed Voice. A Philadelphia native with roots in Three Rivers, Vago is a planning consultant to history and community development organizations and is the former Executive Director of the Three Rivers DDA/Main Street program.