Debate gets 'testy' over parks use

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The Open Space on West Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City. Traverse City Commissioners will take a closer look at use policies for the park. Record-Eagle/Jan-Michael Stump

April 18, 2012

Debate gets 'testy' over parks use

Committee to rework city policies

BY BRIAN McGILLIVARY bmcgillivary@record-eagle.com The Record Eagle Wed Apr 18, 2012, 07:19 AM EDT

TRAVERSE CITY — City commissioners will review policies for use of public parks including the Open Space and the discussion's already generated some terse debate.

The commission this week named a three-member committee to rework city policies governing use of city parkland, specifically areas along the bayfront including the Open Space. The move follows recent city approval of a new weekend festival in June at the Open Space to feature music and a beer tent. Several commissioners said they felt obligated to approve the event from local promoter Sam Porter because it met existing city policy.

"Of all the issues I've addressed since I've been mayor, this is number one for people stopping me on the street to talk about it," Mayor Michael Estes said.

The group will address the number of events allowed, their duration, possible rent charges by the city and preference for certain groups, Commissioner Mary Ann Moore said. She'll chair the committee that will include Estes and Commissioner Barbara Budros.

"Redoing the policy manual is going to be a little testy," Moore said. "We'll weigh everything and try to come up with some sort of compromise that makes everybody a little happy and everybody a little unhappy, because that's the nature of compromise."

Commissioner Jim Carruthers argued unsuccessfully Monday night to include members of the city Parks and Recreation Commission and other interest groups. He challenged parts of the park policy, and wants all festivals treated equally without special consideration for the National Cherry Festival and Traverse City Film Festival.

That drew objections from Commissioner Michael Gillman.

"They are special, they are two of the trademarks of the community, the Film Festival and the Cherry Festival," Gillman said. "To compare a beer tent put up by a two-bit nonprofit to two of the major events in Traverse City is absolutely silly."

The cherry and film festivals are nonprofit organizations that give Traverse City its character and should be treated differently than events by for-profit promoters sharing proceeds with a charity, Gillman said.

Smaller weekend festivals, similar to the June 1 and 2 water-themed Great Wakes Festival promoted by Porter, point to wide community and downtown business support as events to attract and keep young people in the community.

But Carruthers agreed residents are concerned about overuse of the Open Space.

No meetings are set but Moore pledged to invite various groups, from festival organizers to neighborhood associations, to meet with the committee and discuss their concerns.

"We want to bring everyone in, anyone who has an in interest in the bayfront, because that's the only area in the policy that is going to be controversial," she said.