Conditional rezoning given first reading Monday night by Niles City Council will enable Precision Machining to relocate from 510 N. Second St. to three Lightning Automotive buildings on Michigan Street, west of Legus Shell.

“Rather than follow up with permission granted for conditional rezoning on Second Street,” City Attorney Robert Landgraf said, “they continued to look around and found a better location. This business is a valued citizen of the city. This will allow them to continue what they’re doing. They did not want to move from the city.”

Owner Glenn Millin said the job shop with nine employees is too cramped in its location, where it has been since 1999, and the business looks forward to completing the move as soon as the city gives final approval. The new location makes expansion possible.

A specialty of Precision Machining is crossbow parts.

“You’d be surprised,” Millin said Wednesday. “Thirty thousand a year are made worldwide.”

The council also gave a first reading to a zoning ordinance amendment for the industrial park north of Lake Street to allow construction of communication towers to address broadband demand.

 

City on record vs.

services moving

 

Council adopted a resolution to express to the Berrien County Board of Commissioners Niles’ opposition to relocating services from the South County Courthouse to St. Joseph or Benton Harbor as a follow-up to discussion to its Aug. 13 meeting.

 

Riverfront events

 

Council approved two requests for Riverfront Park events.

Berrien RESA’s Parent as Teachers program will conduct “Read by the River” from 10 to 11 a.m. Sept. 11 with 150 to 200 participants.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital received permission for a walk from 10 to 11 a.m. Sept. 8 to raise funds for the Memphis hospital. Organizers expect 50 participants. The walk starts at the Bond Street boat launch parking lot.

After a public hearing, the council vacated Ney Street, platted in 1836 but never used as a road. It’s located near the southern entrance to Plym Park, just south of the city tennis courts.

Council waived $1,663.25 in fees for the Habitat for Humanity build at 903 Ferry St.

 

Burn Run

made $20,000

 

Mayor Michael McCauslin reported the 11th annual Niles Burn Run, a 50-mile motorcycle ride through Berrien and Cass counties July 14-15, raised $20,000 for Great Lakes Burn Camp in Portage.