Saline City Council Meets to Discuss Recovery Zone Plans Wednesday

Saline City Council will discuss the downtown recovery zone on South Ann Arbor Street at a special meeting set for 6 p.m., Nov. 4, at Saline City Hall.

The recovery zone, known as Umbrella Square, allows restaurants to use a portion of the closed street for outdoor seating. The state's COVID-19 restrictions have dramatically reduced indoor capacity at restaurants. The outdoor seating area is being used by Brecon Grille, Mac's Acadian Seafood Shack, Smokehouse 52 and Carrigan Cafe.

The city order allowing the recovery zone is set to expire at the end of the month.

Saline Main Street, a non-profit organization dedicated to downtown revitalization, and at least one local restaurant owner are lobbying council to extend the recovery zone time frame beyond the end of November. They're also asking for the ability to use fire pits on South Ann Arbor Street to help keep diners warm. Holli Andrews told council that the use of Umbrella Square has plummeted since the cooler weather moved in.

According to a plan submitted to the city by Andrews, the recovery zone dining area would feature 18 tables, 10 on the street and eight on the sidewalks, and 12 fire pits. A social district, south of the gateway to Murphy's Crossing and north of Excalibur Barbershop, would have six fire pits and some Adirondack Chairs.

According to the proposal, the stainless steel fire pits made by Breeo are smokeless. They have a diameter of 22 inches, are 16 inches tall and weigh 48 points.

In the proposal to the council, Andrews said there are numerous potential benefits:

• Retailers can sell s'more kits with proceeds going to Saline Area Social Service and churches.
• Retailers will sell fireside kit products, blankets, hand warmers, hats gloves and more.
• Restaurants will benefit by having a heat source for outdoor customers. Restaurants might also be able to use the fire pits to sell things like bratwurst or hot dogs.
• Outdoor dining is safer.
• A new attraction for downtown Saline.

Andrews said the fire puts can be easily moved for any emergency vehicles needing access to the street.

The item is listed on the agenda as "new business" and there is no recommended motion from Interim City Manager Mike Greene. 

The proposal has been vetted by Police Chief Jerrod Hart and Fire Chief Craig Hoeft.

Hart listed a couple of concerns. For one, he suggested the fire pits are not truly smokeless. He said the fire pits also seem to lack a "spark arrestor" to contain sparks and embers. He suggested portable fire extinguishers be on hand, the fire pits have a spark arrestor, determination of safe storage for firewood and where fire pits will be stored when not in use, and identification of procedures for extinguishing fires at night's end.

Hart noted the traffic control order closing Ann Arbor Street expires at midnight, Dec. 1.

"This seems like a significant investment for roughly six weeks of use. Council should be prepared to discuss extending the road closure," Hart noted.

Fire Chief Craig Hoeft said burn pits can be done safely. He recommended that he and Chief Hart meet with businesses to formulate a safe operations plan.

He also recommended the pits only be used on weekends. Hoeft said the city should also consider agreements for other businesses to use fire pits - but said these agreements should be for a limited time and end on a date decided by the council.

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