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Petoskey Downtown board presses for clarity after Council moves bike ordinance to second reading
Summary
Board members told City Council they want the Greenway left open to cyclists while a non-motorized plan is updated, after the council advanced a bike ordinance in first reading that some members fear could close the upper Greenway corridor.
Members of the Downtown Management Board expressed concern about a City Council ordinance on bicycles that received a first reading and was scheduled for a second reading in July. The board reviewed its earlier recommendation — to prohibit bikes on central business district sidewalks and Park Avenue while carving out the Greenway — and debated whether the council’s draft ordinance reflected that nuance.
The board’s discussion focused on two points: safety concerns on sidewalks in front of storefronts (the rationale behind limiting sidewalk cycling) and preserving the Greenway as a non-motorized corridor into downtown. Several members said they fear a new council ordinance could unintentionally close the upper Greenway to cyclists; others argued the board had already provided its recommendation to council and that City Council should now act independently.
Why it matters: board members said the Greenway is a popular non-motorized entry point to downtown and supports business visits; they cautioned that restricting the Greenway could reduce downtown accessibility by bicycle and erode prior non-motorized planning efforts. One speaker noted there were no police records of bike–pedestrian incidents in the CBD over the past three years, which some members cited as context for seeking a measured approach to any ban.
Requests and next steps: members discussed three options: (1) ask staff to make a clarifying communication to City Council reiterating that the DMB expects the Greenway to remain open while a comprehensive non-motorized plan is prepared, (2) bring the issue back as a DMB agenda item for a formal vote and clearer language, or (3) let City Council proceed without further DMB action because the board’s prior recommendation had already been transmitted. No formal board vote was taken; several members signaled they would consider sending a personal letter to City Council if they could not attend the council meeting.
Ending: The board concluded the discussion without a formal vote at this meeting. Staff was asked to note the conversation and members requested clarity at the council level before further DMB action.
