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Council corrects minutes on ordinance 25-505 language after discussion; resident raises fairness concerns about triplex review
Summary
Council voted to correct the minutes for ordinance 25-505 to show the item should have been referred for RT (duplex) consideration. During public comment, a resident criticized perceived unequal treatment of a triplex petitioner and raised parking concerns.
The Alpena City Council on March 17 approved a correction to the meeting minutes that changes the record of action on ordinance 25-505. The correction replaces a reference to "R2" with "RT" — the transcript indicates the intent was to refer the matter to the planning commission for RT (duplex) consideration — and council members voted to adopt the correction.
A member of the public, Kevin Ginter of 114 East Whisner, addressed the council during the public‑comment period and urged the council to apply its ordinances consistently. Ginter said he was frustrated that, in his view, meeting the code requirements had sometimes been treated as a mere formality and that neighbors’ objections — he mentioned parking and personal opposition to triplexes — appeared to be driving decisions rather than objective enforcement of code. He said the petitioner in the case was a new landlord seeking to improve the property and questioned whether the code itself should be reviewed if it fails to address neighbor concerns.
During the public‑comment exchange a council member (identified in the transcript as a speaker making a correction to the minutes) moved to change the minutes’ text to show the referral was for RT rather than R2. That motion was seconded and approved. Roll call on the minutes correction recorded council members voting in the affirmative and the presiding mayor indicating the motion carried.
Ginter also commented that he felt the situation became awkward when he referenced the sex of council members in explaining his reaction; a council member responded in the meeting record that such a remark was offensive. The transcript records the council admonishing Ginter for the gender comment; the exchange is included in the public record.
Action on ordinance 25-505 itself was not taken at this meeting beyond the minutes correction; the corrective motion pertained to the minutes’ wording and the referral language.
