Houghton City Ordinance 2020-314, passed on February 24, 2021 has potential major impact on the Houghton Community.  Residents of Canal Road, Liminga Road, Old Mill & Cole's Creek Roads as well as residents of Portage Township and the City of Hancock are all affected.

314 allows the construction of up to a 5 story major hotel on the Michigan Smelter EPA Torch Lake Superfund site.  The excavation required by this type of large scale construction has the potential to disturb the arsenic, heavy metals, and poisonous organic compound which until now have been safely capped at the Michigan Smelter site.

The Michigan Smelter site being re-zoned by 2020-314 is the only Superfund site found by the EPA in their Record of Decision to have "an unacceptable cancer risk".

Ordinance 314 allows the re-zoning of the area between UPPCO and the Cole's Creek Wetlands from the current R-1 which has been in place for 15 years to B-2 which would allow the construction of Hotels, Motels, Taverns, and Bars among other Commercial uses under both B-1, B-2, and R-2, R-3.

2020-314 fails almost all of the Administrative Standards for Re-zoning in Houghton City Ordinance 98-772.

In addition to concerns about air and water pollution, construction of a major  Hotel could add up to 300 more vehicles PER DAY on Canal Road affecting every one who lives in the area.

Sign the petition now to show your opposition to this Houghton City Council Ordinance and Zoning change. 

Informational website: http://stop314.com