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Resident protests city's decision on vacant lot sale; manager cites adopted vacant-land policy
Summary
A resident asked to buy a long-vacant lot in a historic R zone; city staff said the lot is being held for highest value and the sale follows the city's adopted vacant-land sale policy. The council and manager said staff will meet with the resident after the meeting to explain the policy.
A Port Huron resident, identified in the record as Nicole Bowers (address given), told the council she wants to purchase and develop a vacant lot at 740 Court Street that the city absorbed for back taxes and which she said has been vacant for 10–15 years. She said the lot is an eyesore in a historic district, described sewer and nuisance problems on the parcel and said she had been told the minimum purchase price for city lots was $5,000 but was later told the city was holding the lot for "highest value" and had listed it as buildable.
Bowers asked the council to reconsider and allow a resident to develop the lot into a single-family dwelling consistent with the R-zone intent for owner-occupied homes. Her remarks included a request for the council to follow the intent of the historic district and zoning that discourages commercial use.
City response and policy
The city manager said the sale of city-owned vacant land follows an adopted vacant-land property sale policy and a vacant-land process the council previously adopted. He said the property sale does not go to the planning commission and that the city must follow the written policy unless the council votes to change it. The manager said staff sent council a memo explaining the reasons for the sale decision and offered to meet with Bowers after the meeting to explain the policy and next steps.
Why it matters
The exchange highlighted tensions between resident requests to allow small-scale owner-occupied development in a historic district and the city’s policy to hold certain properties for higher-value uses or specific development outcomes. Council members said they would meet with the resident and that policy amendments can be brought forward by the council.
