The decision by a circuit court judge to halt the FishPass project in Traverse City, will be appealed. Traverse City commissioners voted unanimously Monday night.
Traverse City and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission planned to start constructing FishPass at the Union Street Dam in January.
There, experts could research and control the movement of native and invasive species of fish.
But a resident sued, arguing the city was overstepping its bounds.
He claimed FishPass would destroy parkland, which can’t be done without a three-fifths public vote.
Circuit Court judge Thomas Power agreed, leaving the city two options: put it to a vote, or appeal the ruling.
At Monday’s City Commision meeting, resident Mitchell Treadwell spoke in favor of the commissioners’ decision.
“While I believe that Judge Power’s ruling was well meaning, I don’t feel that it considered the full history and use of the area being discussed.”
The city’s defense is applying for financial support through the Michigan Municipal League, so legal costs don’t fall on taxpayers.