Escanaba council rescinds 1977 park resolution, approves sale of six lots and opens another parcel to public bid

The Escanaba City Council on Sept. 4 voted to rescind a 1977 resolution tied to a triangular parcel near South 30 Second Street and approved the sale of six residential lots on South 30 Second Street for $120,000. Council later denied a direct sale of a separate five‑acre triangular parcel at South 30 Second Street and Third Avenue South and directed administration to open a three‑week public bid process for that parcel.

The rescission reverses a council action from April 21, 1977, that residents said designated the triangular parcel for recreational use. City Manager McNeil told the council that the city’s legal review and a state review found the deed language did not create an absolute, perpetual restriction preventing sale. The council voted to rescind the 1977 resolution after discussion and legal briefing.

Why it matters: neighbors said the parcel was conveyed to the city decades ago for a public purpose and that selling it without a public vote would break community trust. Supporters of development said the city needs housing, and a local developer committed to building condominiums could spur additional projects and tax revenue.

What the council decided and why - Sale of six lots: Council approved a motion to sell six lots on South 30 Second Street for $120,000. The city manager briefed council that the buyer (a…