City Council will vote on the bond ordinance next month. It appropriates $1.5 million for beach replenishment, $1.4 million for road improvements and $230,000 for a North Street playground and a new City Hall boiler.
About $25,000 of the bond will pay for a conceptual and design study of a new bike path between 51st Street and Crook Horn Creek.
Some residents say a separate path is needed to take bicyclists off West Avenue and other busy roads they must share with cars and trucks. Others say the path would intrude on privacy, damage wetlands and despoil wildlife habitat.
The residents who live there don't want their serene existence violated, south-end resident Robert Fetty said.
Sandra Lilley of West Avenue said she lives far from the proposed bike path. But she opposes it for fear it will damage wildlife habitat that is home to red foxes and wading birds such as great blue herons.
It's a major encroachment into the wetland, she said.
Business owner Gail Ping said residents would like a safer place to ride bicycles on the island. Bicycles are very popular in the resort. Some residents even ride their bicycles to City Council meetings.
It's a great project that will enhance our town, Ping said.
Council mustered the five votes necessary to introduce a bond ordinance. Councilman Roy Wagner dissented. Councilman Gregory Johnson was absent.
Wagner said the path would cause irreparable harm to the contiguous marshes along the old railroad right of way.
We have a lot of higher-priority items in our capital plan. I can't support any expenditures for recreational biking at this time, Wagner said.
Councilman Keith Hartzell said the bike path would be a safer alternative to the designated bike lanes on West Avenue.
I don't ride on West Avenue. I'm scared to death of it, he said. I just don't think that's a safe place to ride a bike.
Mayor Sal Perillo said no decision would be made until there is more public discussion.
It will be public to a fault, the mayor said.
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