Huron City Council reviews draft waterfront parks plan; OHM presents priorities and next steps

Huron City Council on Feb. 25 reviewed a draft waterfront parks plan prepared by consulting firm OHM, hearing details on proposed improvements to three lakefront properties, proposed trail connections and how the plan will be used to close out an existing grant and pursue future funding, OHM representatives said.

The plan covers three primary sites — the Showboat property near Main Street, Lakefront Park and a public-access beach on the western edge of the lake — and recommends short-, medium- and long-term actions including a network of multiuse paths, tiered waterfront steps, upgraded restrooms and a pavilion/event space. "The city received a grant, a coastal management assistance grant. This is a 50/50 grant... This is the final step in this process," said Stu Hamilton, an OHM representative, noting adoption of the plan would allow the city to close out the grant and strengthen future grant applications.

OHM said the team conducted a public survey in the fall that drew just over 300 respondents, of whom about 80% identified as full-time Huron residents. Survey results showed strong support for the concepts presented: more than 70% of respondents favored the Showboat property concept (including formalized beach access and tiered seating) and roughly 80% favored improvements at Lakefront Park, where respondents prioritized an extended multiuse trail, an all-ages play area and upgraded restrooms.

The consultants outlined specific design ideas: a set of "waterfront monument steps" at the Showboat site that would act as a flexible event stage and help address storm surges; beachfront seat walls and improved formal entry to the beach; an expanded shared-use path linking Main Street and the marina to Lakefront Park; and a new formal entrance, parking circulation and screening vegetation for the public-access beach, with potential amenities such as sand volleyball and a pavilion. "We show about very little change between what we shared with the public in the survey to what the final recommendation is," Arthur, an OHM project team member, said while presenting renderings.

The plan also flags some higher-cost items — shoreline revetment repairs, tiered steps and a larger pavilion — and notes maintenance responsibilities and funding will require long-term planning. OHM told council members the report includes cost estimates grouped into sensible implementation packages, but the presentation did not list specific dollar amounts; OHM representatives said staff will review the cost estimates in the final report.

Active-transportation connections were a prominent recommendation. The consultants described Wall Street as the highest priority bike/pedestrian connector because it links downtown (Showboat) directly to Lakefront Park and offers enough right-of-way to implement trail infrastructure. Cleveland Road was noted as a constrained east–west corridor with limited right-of-way that will require additional study for bike facilities. "The number one improvement that people would like to see is along Wall Street — that's connecting the Showboat property to Lakefront Park," Erica Tinarello, an OHM project planner, said when summarizing survey rankings.

Consultants also noted site-specific considerations: the potential relocation of a parks maintenance facility to free additional open land at one site; the proximity of the Huron filtration plant to the proposed public-access beach, which the report says requires clear, safe access and screening for adjacent residences; and the need to preserve mature trees and donor bench locations in Lakefront Park.

Council members asked whether cost estimates were available; OHM confirmed the plan includes estimates and grouped implementation packages for staff review. There were no formal votes on the plan during the work session; OHM representatives said the next steps are finalizing the written report for staff review, then returning to council for formal adoption or further direction as needed.

The meeting ended after a short period of questions and a motion to adjourn. The consultants thanked the council and left the meeting after the presentation.