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Traverse City’s FishPass project is moving forward. That’s after the Michigan Supreme Court declined to hear the case.
By "denying leave to appeal," the state Supreme Court upholds a lower court ruling that said the Traverse City Charter does not require a public vote before constructing the project.
FishPass would replace the Union Street dam. The new structure would use image recognition to block invasive species like sea lampreys while allowing desirable fish like trout to move up the Boardman-Ottaway River.
In 2020, Traverse City resident Rick Buckhalter sued, claiming the project would “dispose of public parkland” and therefore required a public vote.
In a statement, Traverse City officials applauded the Supreme Court’s decision to leave the case alone.
“We are committed to working closely with our partners to ensure the effective implementation of FishPass, and we are confident that this project will deliver significant benefits for years to come," Mayor Richard Lewis said in the statement. "We look forward to seeing the positive impact that FishPass will have on the Boardman/Ottaway River. ”
They say the project will replace the deteriorating dam and help improve the ecology of the city’s waterways.
