Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By P.J. GLISSON
Hurley — Members of the Iron County Comprehensive Planning/Land and Zoning Committee voted on Tuesday to deny the construction of a recreation-based business at a site owned by Melvin Pemble on Boyer Road in Mercer.
The application by Chad Bierbrauer would have included a 3-unit campground with rental cabins, storage buildings, and pontoon and snowmobile rentals.
The committee’s action followed a conditional use public hearing attended by several residents of that district.
“There’s approximately 80 residences there,” said Frank Kopecky of Mercer, who spoke on behalf of other attendees. Potential traffic was among their concerns.
According to Erika Roeder, the county’s land and zoning administrator, the site is in an RR-1 (Residential-Recreation) zone, which makes it eligible for Bierbrauer’s request.
The land involved in the request was in Section 2, Township 42 North and Range 2 East.
Kopecky also asked what he and fellow residents can do to prevent zoning in that area from being changed to commercial.
Committee Member John Sendra, who also is the town chairman of Mercer, suggested that residents “form a covenant that you will not allow thus and such.”
Kopecky asked whether the town of Mercer would need to approve such a covenant, and Sendra said no.
Committee members also voted to approve a Schedule C IRS status for persons running tourist rooming houses, which are considered short-term rentals.
Roeder said that persons offering such rentals now are required to pay a $100 annual permit.
“It used to be conditional use,” she added of the permitting.
Roeder explained that, under the new terms, “As long as they’re updated on their septic system maintenance, they’re good for a year.”
Roeder told The Globe that Iron County now has 120 such rentals, and she added that there is no limitation on the number.
She explained that the state allows people to rent their personal property and noted, “We can’t be more restrictive than the state.”
Board members also:
—Voted after a related hearing to accept for withdrawal the rezoning from F-1 (Forestry District) to R-3 (Rural Residential) land owned by the Whiskey River Land & Timber LLC in Mercer. The site address is at the Kaiser and Moose Lake Access roads in Section 2, Township 43, Range 2 East. Sendra explained that the town was unwilling to support the rezoning because the remote location could result in unsafe passage of residents to the site.
—Voted to approve the construction of an accessory building of 1,500 square feet at the Mercer address of 4550W County Highway FF, owned by Charles Purpero. The RR-1 zoned district is in Section 6, Township 42 North, Range 2 East. Roeder said the town of Mercer already had approved it. The action followed a conditional use hearing.
—Voted after a related hearing to approve a request to rezone from F-1 to R-3 land owned by David and Mia Erspamer on U.S. 51 in Oma in Section 20, Township 44 North and Range 3 East, so as to align with the Asset-Based Community Development Plan.
—Voted to postpone a related hearing and action on a request to rezone from RR-1 to R-3 land owned by Kurtis and Kally Bucknell in Carey. The land is on Flowage Road in Section 11, Township 45 North, Range 2 East. Roeder said that a clerical error will require reposting of that request, which then can be addressed in a future meeting.
