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Shipman outlines Cherry Street dumpster-enclosure plan; commission signals support
Summary
City staff presented a plan to manage downtown dumpsters through shared enclosures, a proposed ordinance requiring city dumpsters unless a viable alternate is shown, and a maintenance fee; DDA feedback and public comments favored a Cherry Street location as the most practical compromise.
Staff member Shipman presented the Mount Clemens commission with a plan to manage downtown dumpsters by siting shared enclosures and adopting an ordinance to require city dumpster use unless a business can show a viable alternate.
Shipman said the issue has persisted for years, with dumpsters and grease bins placed on city property and businesses using ad-hoc arrangements. "The ordinance would say that everybody had to use a city dumpster unless they could provide the city that they had a viable alternate means of trash pickup," Shipman said, describing a committee-driven, cooperative model that would allow bulk pricing and a small maintenance fee.
The presentation recalled prior work that created an enclosure on New Street and noted two "homeless" dumpsters that have no assigned enclosure; Shipman said the New Street enclosure holds about three to four dumpsters and grease bins but is poorly sited for truck pickup. He also said the city would need to rebid construction pricing if it moves forward with a new Cherry Street enclosure.
Representatives of the downtown development authority (DDA), summarized by the Chair, said they found Partners in Architecture's study "well done" and that while there is no perfect solution, the Cherry Street location proposed by administration seemed the best compromise to make the most people happy. The DDA and staff also supported the idea of cooperative dumpsters that could deliver bulk pricing to participating businesses.
Commissioners questioned which businesses would use the Cherry Street site versus New Street. Shipman named several local eateries and noted that some businesses, such as Mount Clemens Grill, currently use Kirby carts. A public commenter told the commission: "We have 4 eateries... May's, little, Little Daddy's, Craven Raven, and Thai Orchid," and said the New Street dumpster serving the Cherry Street Mall is small and was historically located in the parking lot with the other dumpsters.
Shipman proposed that the city collect a small fee for dumpster use and have the Department of Public Works maintain the enclosures to keep them clean and address issues such as grease spills; the DDA indicated it does not have staff to maintain enclosures. Commissioners discussed whether to proceed with the two existing enclosure locations, add a third site, or require businesses to use alternatives like timed Kirby-cart pickups. Concerns cited included walking distance for staff, early-morning pickups, and limited alley space for cart storage.
Shipman asked for direction on whether to pursue a third enclosure or proceed with the two existing sites while monitoring demand; commissioners expressed broad support for pursuing Cherry Street as the pragmatic option while emphasizing mitigation measures such as more frequent pickups and regular maintenance. The work session ended when a committee member moved to adjourn and the commission approved the motion by voice vote.
Next steps: staff will return with cost estimates, potential ordinance language defining "viable alternate means," and procurement options if the commission directs proceeding with a Cherry Street enclosure.
