Welcome!

CITY BEACH PARKING LOT PASSES NOW AVAILABLE

May 16, 2012 — City Beach parking lot season passes are now available at City Hall for City residents and/ or taxpayers.  Your City taxes support the City Beach, so you can get up to two City Beach parking lot season passes per household for free.  City Beach parking lot season passes are now proximity cards.  No more windshield stickers!

How do I get my City Beach parking lot pass?

Just as before, you can come to City Hall to get up to two season passes per household.  (City Hall is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Eastern Time.)  These passes are not stickers for car windshields, so there is no need to bring us your vehicle registration.  If you are a City taxpayer, we can look you up in our taxes database.  If you are a City resident, but are not a property taxpayer, you can just show us proof that you live here (such as a current bill mailed to your address in the City) to get your season passes (which are now proximity cards.)

What is a proximity card?  How do they work?

Proximity cards are a little bit like tollway passes (like the I-PASS,) but not as far of range.  When proximity cards get placed close enough for the gate machine to read it (which is very close,) the gate’s light will turn green, and the gate will lift open.  After a proximity card lets someone into the parking lot, it will not be able to be used immediately to re-enter the City Beach.  It takes a while to re-set.  If you want to leave the parking lot to get dinner, the card would have enough time to re-set, and you could re-enter the parking lot (as long as it is not full.)

Where is the entrance and exit this year?

Just like last year, you will pay or use your season pass to get into the parking lot at the entrance.  However, this year the exit is no longer at the entrance.  The exit is back to where it was two years ago, where Whittaker Street curves into Marquette Drive, on the riverside.

What are the parking lot fees for this year?

The City Beach parking lot has a flat fee of $10 for each day of the week.  This fee is an entrance fee – it is not good for all day.  You may re-enter the City Beach parking lot later in the day if it is not full and if you pay again.

Are non-resident passes available?

Non-resident passes are available for purchase for $50.  They are good for all days of the week.  There is a limit of only thirty (30) of these passes, so do not wait!  These season passes are also proximity cards.

When does collection start?

The new beachgate system will start working on Monday, May 21st.  Sunsets and sunrises are still free.  Collection hours are between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM.  Visitors using the parking lot before or after these collection hours do not have to pay to enter the City Beach.
 

 
POST-DREDGING SOUNDINGS ARE NOW AVAILABLE
 
May 14, 2012 — Post-dredging soundings are now available for the New Buffalo Harbor Federal Navigation Channel.  Please keep in mind that conditions can and do change.  Always use cation when navigating.  This year's dredging was made possible by a grant from the Pokagon Fund and from contributions by harbor entities and the City of New Buffalo to the Emergency Harbor Dredging Fund.  (A map of pre- and post-dredging bathymetry is also available.)
 
Please see the News Archive's 2012 Dredging page for: (1) information on bidding the dredging, (2) the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) pre-dredge soundings for the Federal Navigation Channel, (3) Congress considering funding for harbor maintenance, (4) the Pokagon Fund awarding the City a grant for dredging, and (5) USACE Shallow Draft Stakeholder Meeting which was attended by City representatives.
 

 
CITY ELECTION RESULTS

May 8, 2012 – At the City Election both incumbent City Council Members were re-elected for a second three-year term:  Margaret M. Murray, 227 votes; Ray Lawson, 223 votes.

 
Selection of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem will occur during the Tuesday, May 15, 2012 City Council Meeting.  These positions are selected by the City Council from amongst the Council Members themselves.

The City Special Election had a turnout of 311 voters (approximately 20% of the 1,524 registered voters.)

New Buffalo Area Schools Operating Millage Renewal (including results from all three precincts):  Yes 539, no 129.
 
The City did not have any other ballot issues, but area residents may be interested to know that New Buffalo Township approved a Parks and Recreation Millage Renewal (279 to 59.)

Detailed election results are accessible from the County Clerk's website.
 

OSELKA PARK: PHASE 2 UPDATE

April 26, 2012 — Work is on-going at Oselka Park, including paving the parking lot, paving paths, putting up light poles, and more.  Please see the update page for more information.

 
U.S. ROUTE 12 ROAD WORK

April 23, 2012 – The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has begun work along U.S. Route 12 in the City limits (Buffalo Street) to make sidewalk ramps ADA accessible, per federal standards.

Work will begin near the Post Office, traveling along that side of the street heading east, then switch to the other side and head west. This will involve removal of sidewalk ramps at intersections which do not meet ADA standards. Then sidewalks will be replaced per ADA standards.

Sidewalks in these areas will be marked sidewalk closed. MDOT and their contractor want to have these all completed by the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. Even if work is not completed by then, MDOT will have all lanes of travel open for the holiday weekend.

The second part of the project involves repaving U.S. Route 12 in the City limits. This work will not begin until after Labor Day weekend. Repaving work will involve a milling of the current road surface and repaving of the surface. MDOT and their contractor will close one side of the traffic lanes at a time and create a temporary two way street utilizing the two lanes not under construction.

If you have questions you are welcome to contact City Hall, and we can try and secure an answer for you from MDOT or the contractor.

THE CITY NEEDS YOUR HELP

City residents, if you are interested in serving on any of these boards, please send a letter of interest to the City Council, 224 West Buffalo Street, New Buffalo, MI 49117, or email: clerk@cityofnewbuffalo.org.  For more information, please call City Hall, 269-469-1500.

VACANT POSITIONS

Park and Recreation Board

1 Member (May 2013)

1 Member (May 2015)

1 Alternate (May 2013)