Two quick updates for the middle of your week -

Energy Sweep

Exciting news from our friends Sarna Salzman at SEEDS and Brian Beauchamp at MLUI, whose organizations partnered with the city to receive $157,500 in stimulus funds to do a a coordinated energy ‘sweep’ of one City neighborhood. 

Better Buildings for Michigan is a project of the MI Department of Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth that is funded from the federal government through stimulus funds.  Traverse City was selected as one of only 5 non-entitlement communities in Michigan to participate.  The neighborhood sweep will reach 420 homes in Traverse City, of which 80% are eligible for home energy audits and a weatherization package all valued near $1,000.00. 

The idea is to create jobs and sustainability in the energy efficiency industry locally while helping homeowners save energy and money. There is more info here: http://www.betterbuildingsformichigan.org/About.aspx.  A goal of the program is to leverage this funding into more neighborhood sweeps funded by other sources.

SEEDS and MLUI say they are excited to be partnering with the City of Traverse City on this project.  They will present the project to the city commission once the workplan is designed and implementation is underway.

The Record Eagle ran a story about this grant today.  I am personally very excited about it.  It hits on several sweet spots – saving energy, saving money, importing money into TC, helping neighborhoods, collaboration with non-profits, and supporting a growing new business sector.  Outstanding work, people!

Tabu Lounge

We have received word that the Tabu Lounge in the alley behind Union St has closed. 

The business featured “erotic dancing” under an exception in the city’s sexually oriented business ordinance, which otherwise would not have allowed it in the downtown district.  Tabu opened a few months ago and drew concerned calls and emails from nearby residents and businesses.  Opening in the former Small Planet store space, Tabu claimed that their main business was selling art supplies and therefore they did not need building code upgrades or a zoning permit from the city.

The city commission – in response to swift research by the city staff – took two actions in response to the concerns raised about Tabu and about that block of Union St in general.  One was to pass an ordinance limiting the hours of entertainment businesses to close at 2 a.m.  (Tabu was open until 4 a.m.)

The other was to authorize the installation of security cameras in the alley similar to cameras in the Old Town parking deck.  The cameras will monitor criminal activity in the alley, already a problem that draws dozens of police calls to that location.

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