ESCANABA — A rezone of property located along North 30th Street to be a light manufacturing district was approved unanimously by the Escanaba City Council Thursday. The move could result in a car and truck wash being constructed on in that area if permits are approved by the state.

The land that was rezoned Thursday includes the area property located north of 6th Avenue North from North 30th Street to the railroad tracks and North 26th Street. Previously, the land was a combination of heavy manufacturing and commercial districts.

“Obviously, North 30th Street is the perfect place for a truck route and that’s what this thing is going to be. So it should be the first one in the U.P. when it gets built, which is another first for this area, which will be nice,” said Rory Mattson, who serves as a consultant for the project proposed by Beavers Land Management.

According to Mattson there were some prior issues with permitting for the project from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, known professionally as “EGLE” and colloquially by many who worked with the department when it was known as the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality as “MDEQ” or “DEQ.”

“The only issues we have out there are a few with the DEQ,” Mattson told the council before explaining the developers had hired a professional soil scientist. “… He went out and debunked a lot of what got put down, so we’ll be reapplying but before we do that we’ve got to make sure the zoning allows it.”

According to a preliminary site plan presented to the Escanaba Planning Commission on Dec. 12, the new facility would front on North 30th Street and include a car wash, dog wash, and a truck wash for semis.

In other business the council approved the schedule for public hearings on the city’s budget. The hearings were set for Jan. 16, Feb. 20, and March 20, all of which will coincide and take place during regularly scheduled council meetings.

The first worksession on the budget — which is separate from the public hearings but is open to the public for individuals who are interested in the city’s finances — is set for Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 3 p.m.