There were more than a few people who left the meeting of the Sturgeon Bay City Council angry and disappointed Tuesday evening after the council voted unanimously to continue the process of developing a hotel on the city’s west side waterfront. After listening to ten speakers, all more or less against the hotel development, and a short review from city Community Development Director Marty Olejniczak, council-members accepted the recommendation of the plan commission to approve a planned unit development for the Sawyer Hotel on a piece of the property formerly owned by the Door County Cooperative. Alderman Dan Wiegand made the motion to accept the recommendation and was seconded by Alderman Stu Fett. The first reading of a resolution rezoning the parcel from central business district (C-2) to planned unit development (PUD) was also approved, subject to site plan and requirements. What does it mean? It means the process continues to move forward, but a second reading of the ordinance change is needed. The bottom line, the hotel project is by no means a done deal.
After the meeting ended, we spoke with Alderman Bob Schlicht who explained why he voted with the majority…
But Schlicht also noted that the discussion should continue…
On the other side of the fence Hans Christian was philosophical about the outcome. The performer, producer and operator of a downtown recording studio called for continued dialogue…
Christian said it’s time for people who feel like he does to get back to work…
During the public input period, speakers brought up concerns that have been expressed during several other public meetings, too many rooms already, the loss of tugs on the waterfront, the size and scope of the project, a structure that blocks the waterfront view, and an unwanted waterfront park. A tally of the audience taken at the meeting at the Sturgeon Bay Fire Department truck bay showed 146 opposed to the hotel and four in favor of the idea.
