Ortonville- Several residents took aim at a proposed ban on hunting during the village council’s Jan. 8 meeting.
The council was expecting Village Manager Ed Coy to bring an amended ordinance before them, making it unlawful for any person to engage in the sport of hunting within the geographical limits of the village, including the use of not only firearms, but also bows, crossbows, slingshots, and the like.
What they didn’t expect was the dozen or so residents that came to the meeting, vocal in their opposition to the plan, upset with what many perceived as a lack of proper protocol on the part of Coy and councilmembers, and adamant that there be a public hearing with the Department of Natural Resources.
There will be a public hearing, confirmed Coy, who had learned the day before from the village attorney that a public hearing is required to ban hunting on private property, although one is not required for the village to ban hunting on their own property.
Dennis Knapp, a policy specialist in the law enforcement division of the DNR, said Michigan voters approved by 69 percent a proposal in 1996 that gives the DNR exclusive authority to regulate the taking of game.
‘On their own property, the village can (ban hunting),? said Knapp. ‘On private property, they can’t… They have to go through the DNR to regulate hunting and the discharge of firearms. At the local level, they must adopt a resolution asking the DNR to step in and do an investigation, have a public hearing and make an ultimate recommendation as to what should happen.?
‘Lots of people hunt and enjoy that right,? said village resident Dan Eschmann during the meeting. ‘It floors me that the village says they can do what they want at any given time. It doesn’t make sense.?
Councilmember Larry Hayden responded by saying that the council has not yet passed the ordinance and wants input from the public.
The village council at first agreed to amend the ordinance at their Dec. 11 meeting. The current ordinance only prohibits the discharge of firearms or cartridges in the village, except by law enforcement personnel. The proposal to amend the ordinance was precipitated by a walk-through of a 48-acre parcel of land owned by the village after a nearly 1-mile nature trail was proposed for the property. During the walk-through, two tree stands were observed by Coy on the property, which runs from Granger Road north to Mill Street, directly west of the Crescent Hills subdivision, and east of the H.T. Burt/Harvey Swanson complex.
Coy, who has acknowledged that hunting was permitted on village property ‘years ago? was unaware hunting was still taking place on the property. He, as well as the councilmembers, have expressed concerns over safety.
Melanie and John Nivelt, the owners of the tree stands that were on the property, were mailed a letter last month from the village, requesting that the tree stands be removed and they no longer hunt on the property. Melanie Nivelt called the letter ‘totally out of line,? and believes the village took the tree stands, which were missing from the property in December. Coy has said the village did not take them.
‘Our opposition is to the way they are making decisions in this village,? said Nivelt, who owns a home in the Crescent Hills subdivision that backs up to the property. She was joined in her opposition by several members of the Crescent Hills Homeowner’s Association, including Glennis Hubbard, who spoke to the council on behalf of the group.
The association members are opposed to not only the ban on hunting, but also the proposed trail, and Hubbard cited concerns particularly with patrolling and safety issues, as well as costs to maintain in the future.
‘There’s always been hunting, so why change it now?? asked Hubbard. ‘They’re changing it for a trail…38 people are saying we don’t want a proposed trail behind us. The trail will only affect a few who choose to use it, because we have so many other parks, and places to walk. When grant money runs out, it will affect us, with fires, kids hanging out, smoking dope, trash, stolen and abandoned bicycles, bottles. Kids live back there and camp. Those are the issues we’ll have with a trail back there.?
A date for a public hearing has not been set, but as of right now, Coy says there is no hunting on village property, for both safety and insurance purposes. The ordinance has been tabled for the time being, but no hunting signs will be posted on the village property.
‘I’m not anti-hunting,’said Coy. ‘But for the safety and good of all, hunters should hunt in more open areas. (This is) not directly because we want a trail there. That is still in the idea stage.?