Monday afternoon (June 21), a boom truck will be placed in Sunset Park that will replicate the height of a pagoda-style lighthouse proposed by the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association to be located within Sunset Park.  This project had been endorsed June 2 by the Parks and Recreation Commission following a public hearing to receive comments concerning the proposed project.  The Parks and Recreation Commission has now recommended its approval to the City Council.  The City Council will discuss this proposed lighthouse project at its June 21 meeting.

Meeting in regular session last night, the Planning Commission:

• Conducted a public hearing and recommended approval to the City Council for a text amendment to the B2 Central Business District to allow residential uses on all floors of a building for that part of the B2 District that is north of Bay Street and West of Lewis Street provided:

(a) Garage or accessory building access shall be from an alley if available, where no alley or rear entrance is available a garage or accessory building entry shall not protrude into the front yard beyond the principal building façade, nor exceed 50 percent of any first-level façade; and 

(b) A new structure shall not be setback farther on its lot than the setbacks of existing structures on either side of the subject lot. 

• Turned down a requested amendment to an approved April 8, 2010, special-condition use site plan for Swirls of Summer, 1000 Bay View Road, for planting container, seating size reduction, and fencing changes.
 
• Reviewed and approved a site plan for Petoskey Surgeons, 501 Connable Avenue, that would permit construction of a 14,000 square-foot, single-story, medical office building, with conditions.
 
• Scheduled a July 15 public hearing to receive comments concerning amendments to the Sign Ordinance that would include all recommendations by the Planning Commission Sign Committee.

Meeting in regular session Tuesday, the Downtown Management Board conducted routine business and heard reports from its Downtown Marketing, Downtown Events, Downtown Design, Downtown Economic Enhancement, Downtown Parking, and Downtown Beautification Committees.  The Board also heard a summary report following the recent Spring Open House program that included items of event support, activities, promotions, and participation results.

Petoskey residents will soon be able to take advantage of additional recyclables that will be accepted for curbside pick-up starting June 25, 2010.  As part of improvements being made at the Emmet County Materials Recovery Facility, residents throughout Petoskey will be able to recycle addition types of cardboard and plastics as part of the regular curbside pick-up program offered by the City of Petoskey in partnership with Emmet County.

Recycle More:
Many new recyclables will be accepted beginning June 25, 2010:

• The new recyclables will include many new plastic items and two types of cardboard that were previously not recyclable.
• The new recyclables will not include Styrofoam.

Sort Less:
Residents will be able to keep their recyclables in just two simple categories, down from the previous seven sorting categories.

The new “Simple Sort” categories are:

1. Paper, Boxes and Bags which will encompass the newspapers, magazines and books, office paper and cardboard categories, plus two new items (to be announced Friday, June 25).
2. Containers which will include plastic bottles, jugs, and jars, metal cans, foil, and trays, and glass bottles and jars, plus two new groups of items (to be announced Friday, June 25).

How
Residents will see changes at the Recycling Drop Sites as dividers are removed from the bins and the labels are changed to reflect the new Simple Sort system.

Residents of Emmet County’s Curbside Recycling District will be provided with a second recycling tote. Information on the new recyclables will be left in curbside totes. The Curbside District includes Bay Harbor, Bay View, Bear Creek Township, Harbor Springs, Little Traverse Township, Petoskey, and Resort Township.

Details regarding the new recyclables will be made available through local and regional media and on www.EmmetRecycling.org.

Recycling more and sorting less are being made possible by a recently completed expansion of the Emmet County Recycling Center.

How Does the Facility Allow You to Recycle More?
The 24,000 sq ft addition gives Emmet County Recycling room to unload ever growing volumes of recyclables, including room for all of the new materials. With plenty of space to unload, Emmet County Recycling has been able to work with additional factories which are looking for supplies of the new plastic and cardboard recyclables.

How Does the Facility Allow You to Sort Less?
New sorting equipment will efficiently sort the steel, aluminum, glass, and plastic from one another, with plastics further hand sorted based on their resin code and form.

When
Preparations, including modification of Recycling Drop Site bins and distribution of the second curbside totes will be ongoing now through early July.

The new recyclables will be officially announced on Friday, June 25 at the Grand Opening of the new Recycle Processing Facility.

The Grand Opening is scheduled for 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.. It will be held on-site at the Recycling Center, 7363 Pleasantview Road, Harbor Springs and is open to the public. The Ribbon Cutting will be at 10:15 followed by refreshments, music, children’s activities, and behind-the-scenes tours.