City of Wayland may sell lot next to Henika Library

The City of Wayland may sell the property immediately south of the Henika Library.

The City Council Monday night authorized City Manager Josh Eggleston to issue requests for proposals for the potential sale of the parking lot at 203 S. Main St., which many years ago was the location of the Dr. Arthur Larson dental practice and later was a watch repair and jewelry shop until the building was purchased and hauled away. The city owns the parking lot, the library owns the parcel, according to a Library Board member.

It has since been used for parking and a large chunk is simply grass, with a few reading benches, which is owned by the library. The city owns the blacktop area, the Library owns the grassy lot on the corner..

Eggleston acknowledged there is a potential for the city to lose some parking space if the sale is made, but it still can decide whether to sell or not to sell.

The city manager indicated there is an interested party in buying the parcel.

In other business at Monday night’s meeting, the council:

• Held a second reading and then approved a special events policy and procedure to streamline handling requests for special events downtown. There may be a fee structure, which Eggleston said might be needed sometimes, “to make sure our costs are covered.”
• Adopted a noise ordinance after a second reading that allows noisy celebrations until midnight Fridays and Saturdays and 10 p.m. weeknights. Schools and non-profits are exempt.
• Approved a request to rezone the property at 236 Railroad St. from I-1 industrial to B-2 business.
• Adopted a cost recovery ordinance to recoup costs for city police and fire personnel handling emergency developments. The ordinance was in existence six years ago, but it wasn’t signed. Mayor Jennifer Antel said adoption was merely a matter of “dotting our i’s and crossing our t’s.”
• Learned that a $20,000 grant has been secured for the fire department.
• Approved three special events, the Ladies on the Main Sept. 23, Monster Mash Oct. 28 and Snowiest Winter Social Dec. 2.
• Approved a permit for Wayland High School’s homecoming parade at 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22.
• Learned that about 110 people showed up earlier this month at the Carpenters and Millrights center to hear a presentation about Proposal 2 from 2022 from Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.
• Approved a request for use of city assets for the Bike Night Oct. 18.