Attorney General Dana Nessel has filed an amicus brief in support of Traverse City’s FishPass.
The proposed FishPass project, designed to keep invasive species out of the waterways, has been on hold since groundbreaking was set to begin at Union Street Dam Park.
A city resident argued that altering the parkland required a vote of residents under the City Charter, and in February 2021, a judge agreed.
The city says it’s not officially parkland, and that FishPass doesn’t alter the use of the space.
The issue will go before a Court of Appeals next month.
“The FishPass project is important to the residents of Traverse City to protect the downtown from flooding, but it is also important to the entire state to ensure that invasive species do not travel the Boardman River and other Michigan waterways,” Nessel said. “Furthermore, cities depend on the straightforward authority contained within their charters to govern as intended. Complicated interpretations risk hindering the ability of municipal governments to ensure the health and vitality of their communities.”
A copy of the amicus brief can be found .
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