The key concerns over natural water quality and aquatic weed control in the channel were addressed at the Sturgeon Bay Common Council on Tuesday night.

After a 30-minute presentation on the 2024 Aquatic Management Plan by Onterra, the Sturgeon Bay Common Council unanimously approved the plan that was recommended by the Joint Parks & Recreation Committee

Before the vote, Onterra Aquatics Ecologist Tim Hoyman told the council that the plant biomass had slightly decreased from 2016 to 2023 while the plant population in the waters of Sturgeon Bay is in relatively good health. He noted that the management of plants in Sturgeon Bay is done so boaters and users have reasonable access to the waters of the bay.  Only three percent of the bay is currently being managed with the harvesting of plant fragments.   The aquatics management plan includes about 125 acres of harvesting again but with a new second herbicide treatment in late July or early August with the assurance of best management practices.  You can read the complete 2024 Aquatics Management Plan here. 

In other council business, Mayor David Ward’s appointments of committee chairs and vice-chairs were approved.

The first reading of an ordinance for property located at 148 North 8th Place would allow rezoning from (R1) to (R-2) so the lot can be split to allow the building of another home on the second lot.

The other first reading that passed was a repeal of an ordinance for portable fueling of watercraft to make it safer for all concerned by prohibiting transporting fuel in containers that are not federally approved.

An Urban Area Boundary Adjustment for the City of Sturgeon Bay in the southwest portion of the city to include an area on South Duluth Avenue was approved. 

Three retiring city employees were honored before the meeting by Mayor Ward.