SANFORD – Village officials are addressing some residents’ concerns with shipping containers housed at the former Alex’s Railside Restaurant and the downtown streetscape.
Sanford is moving forward on its streetscape plan and found more light poles needed repair than first thought. The Michigan Department of Transportation is fixing 12 of the poles – but another 18 needed care.
“A lot of the poles standing were leaning,” said councilman Lon Wackerle during the board’s discussion Tuesday at Jerome Township Hall. If the lights are not repaired, the bases will continue to crumble and cause a potential safety concern.
Councilman Carl Hamann said it didn’t help them having seven to eight-foot of water and 45 mph, he said of the 2020 flood.
Council member Marc Thrush moved to spend up to $225,000 for continued work on the streetscape. The vote to approve repairs was unanimous.
Sanford Village President Dolores Porte invited Dave Scarborough, owner of the former Railside Restaurant, to attend the council meeting and share his plans for the location at 201 W. Saginaw. The shipping crates stored on the property have been drawing residents’ concern.
“Storage containers can’t be stored there,” Porte said.
Scarborough wants to open a bike shop, bike repair shop and an ice cream shop in the former restaurant space. The owner said he has siding going up along with a couple more windows installed at the location this week. He is looking for other property to house the containers, Scarborough explaned, and even possibly buying property for them.
“The storage containers need to be gone by the end of April,” Porte said.
He asked if he could hold a rummage sale at the location. He said he was looking for a way to pay for the ongoing construction. However, the village building inspector Brett Spangler said the building can’t be occupied until there is a building permit.
Sanford Village Council meets again at 7 p.m. May 9, at the Jerome Township Hall.
