Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Works Cleanup topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents press for cleaner sidewalks and stricter business maintenance in Hamtramck downtown
Summary
Multiple public commenters called on the council to require businesses to keep sidewalks and two feet of curb clear of trash, to add trash receptacles on busy blocks and to engage the downtown development authority in regular street-cleaning and beautification.
During public comment multiple residents urged the Hamtramck City Council to enforce sidewalk cleanliness and require businesses to maintain the two feet of curb adjacent to their storefronts.
One business owner said trash is “everywhere in the city” and described personal practices of placing trash cans at stores in other cities. The commenter asked the council to adopt an ordinance or enforcement plan requiring business owners to keep sidewalks and a two-foot strip of the street clean and to begin issuing violations for noncompliance. “We need to implement that,” the commenter said, adding that more trash cans should be placed on busy blocks in front of restaurants and businesses to keep the downtown presentable to visitors.
Several commenters said the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) should play a larger role year-round rather than focusing on one annual festival. A DDA participant at the meeting said the DDA has a limited budget but is pursuing membership in Main Street programs that could make the city eligible for grants to support cleaning and beautification projects.
No ordinance was introduced at the meeting. Council members and DDA representatives said they plan to continue the conversation and examine options for enforcement, trash receptacles and grant funding through Main Street programs.
