Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Members of the Ironwood Township Board look over the agenda Monday at the township hall. Board members include clerk Gayla Salmi, trustee Steve Boyd, treasurer Jyl Renee Olson-DeRosso, supervisor Alan Baron, trustee Kathy Maki and trustee Kevin Lyons.
IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP — Changes to the comprehensive plan for zoning ordinances were discussed by the Ironwood Township Board of Trustees’ Monday.
Ironwood Township resident Tom Schneller spoke to the board during the public comment portion of the meeting about concerns he has with the rough draft that the township planning commission is working on.
“I have read the first 50 or 60 pages, and there are some things that are extremely wrong and that I am extremely concerned with,” Schneller said.
He mentioned instances where peeling paint, broken windows and leaning walls were considered blight.
“You are going to have most of the township not in compliance with these from the beginning,” Schneller said. “This is a one shoe fits all kind of situation, and that is how it has to be treated.”
Some portions of the plan were taken from other municipalities.
Board member Steve Boyd asked for a list of the issues so they may be discussed at the next commission meeting.
The idea of putting the draft on the township’s website was also discussed.
“The more people we have looking at this, the better,” Boyd said.
Other business
The board approved a resolution to allow Coleman Engineering to apply for a state grant to raise funds for improvements at Sunset Road Park.
The township has committed $20,000 to the project, $8,000 above the $12,000-minimum limit set by the state for the grant.
“We had $20,000 budgeted for it, so we just decided to keep it at that amount,” clerk Gayla Salmi said. “It also helps us get more points on receiving the grant.”
The project includes a walking path, tennis courts, baseball field, bathroom facilities, basketball court, playground equipment, fencing, pavilion, connecting the park to the proposed regional trail, security lighting and making the park handicapped accessible.
According to Salmi, the grant application is in the very early stages, but board members spoke in favor of the project.
“It’s going to take a few phases to get through it, but it’s a nice project,” supervisor Alan Baron said.
For more information, call the Ironwood Township offices at 906-932-5800 or visit ironwoodtownship.org.
