News from City of Belding

Belding Bugle

April 2011

In This Issue

Belding Housing Commission

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LIBRARY

For information about the Alvah N. Belding Memorial Library and to see the event calendar, please click on the link above to visit the library's website.

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Please click on the link above to visit the City of Belding website.

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Spring Clean-up

The City of Belding has scheduled the annual spring clean-up for Saturday, April 16, 2011 from 8 a.m. until noon at the Pitsch Landfil, 7905 Johnson Rd. City residency will be checked. Residents may bring junk, trash, appliances or other waste. However, yard waste, hazardous waste or liquids of any kind will not be accepted. Residents will be allowed to dump up to four car or pick-up tires. Any additional tires will be disposed of at a cost to the resident, $2.50 off the rim or $5.00 on the rim. Any appliances containing Freon will be accepted, however, the resident must pay the $25 difference in price. Residents are required to offload all materials at the landfill site.

Brush Pick-up 2011

April 25 August 22

May 23 September 26

June 20 October 24

July 25

Brush to be picked up must be placed at the curb by 7 a.m. on the above listed dates, but no earlier than the 18th of the month. The total amount of brush and limbs per household shall not exceed 10 cubic yards per month. This may be waived at the discretion of the Director of Public Works in cases of devastational storms.

Yard Waste/Leaves

Yard waste and leaves placed in biodegradable bags will be picked up every Friday through November 23, 2011. Please place bags at the curb on Friday by 7 a.m., but no earlier than 24 hours before pick-up. Just a reminder that DEQ regulations prohibit disposing of leaves or yard waste in the river. Loose leaf pick-up will take place from October 10 through November 23, 2011. Please remember - a loose leaf pick-up is not held in the spring.

15th Annual Community Showcase

Belding Area Schools, in cooperation with the City of Belding, will host the 15th Annual Community Showcase on Tuesday, April 19, 2011 from 5-8 p.m. at the high school. You won't want to miss this huge community event, so mark your calendar now!

Representatives and students from the schools, as well as many community organizations and businesses, will be there to showcase their activities and projects.

Displays and demonstrations will be running continuously throughout the main floor and gymnasium of the high school. There will be snack stations scattered throughout the building.

Arbor Day Trees

The Silk City Nature Association, along with the City of Belding, will be hosting Arbor Day on Friday, April 29, 2011 at the Belding Depot from noon to 3 p.m. Red Maple seedlings will be distributed to area residents - two per household.

This annual observance celebrates the role that trees play in our lives and promotes tree planting and care. Please join us!

Spring into the Past"

"Spring into the Past" at one of your local museums! The Belding, Museum, along with the many others in the Tri-River Museum Network, will be open on Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Many of the museums will have special displays or events commemorating the 150th anniversay of the Civil War.

Locally, a special exhibit, "Weddings Revisited," will highlight bridal fashions throughout the century. Visitors will have a chance to guess the couples featured in several wedding photos.

Many other displays explain "Silk City" and how it came to be the Belding we recognize today.

The museum is housed in the historic Belrockton, located at 108 Hanover Street. Admission will be free at each museum, with donations being accepted.

Music in the Park

"Music in the Park" will be held at East Riverside Park on Thursday evenings throughout the summer from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., beginning June 9, 2011.

Free, fresh popcorn will be provided, donated by the Belding V.F.W.

"Music in the Park" is coordinated and staffed by Mike Verdun, Verdun Family Funeral Home. The concerts are funded by generous sponsors.

Please join us for a relaxing evening of music in the park this summer!

Police Department - Code Enforcement

PARKING

Please park all vehicles facing the right way. A vehicle stopped or parked upon a highway or street shall be stopped or parked with the wheels of the vehicle parallel to the roadway and within 12 inches of any curb existing at the right of the vehicle. A vehicle shall not be parked, except if necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the law or the directions of a police officer or traffic-control device, in any of the following places: on a sidewalk; in front of a public or private driveway; within an intersection; within 15 feet of a fire hydrant; on a crosswalk; within 20 feet of a crosswalk, or if there is not a crosswalk, then within 15 feet of the intersection of property lines at an intersection of highways; or within 30 feet of the approach to a flashing beacon, stop sign, or traffic-control signal located at the side of a highway.

Front yard parking is prohibited under the Zoning Ordinance. Vehicles shall be parked in the driveway or garage.

GRASS MOWING

The grass shall not exceed 10 inches. Failure to comply will result in a citation being issued and the lawn mowed by a contractor. The cost of mowing and administrative fees will be charged back to the owner.

SIDEWALKS

Unsafe sidewalks that are broken or have tow kicks of over one inch, rough surfaces, spalling or large holes shall be replaced by the property owner. Keeping the grass off the sidewalk promotes longevity of the cement and edging the sidewalk promotes good drainage. As you start to work on your yard, please keep these things in mind.

TRASH RECEPTACLES

Trash receptacles can be placed at the curb after 6 p.m. the night before pickup and must be removed after the trash is picked up or emptied from the can by the hauler.

ANIMALS

Two dogs and two cats are allowed per residential or dwelling unit in the city. A dog license is required for any dog, six months of age or over, within the city. Licenses are available from the Ionia County Treasurer at the Courthouse in Ionia. No dog or cat shall be allowed to run at large in the city unless such dog or cat is under the reasonable control of the owner. No domestic animals shall be permitted in any public park or on a public pathway unless on a leash, not exceeding six feet in length, controlled by the owner at all times. Owners shall remove all animal fecal discharges from park and pathway property immediately. No dangerous or vicious animals shall be permitted in any public park or on a public pathway.

Fire Department

Bon Fire Permits

Annual Bon Fire permits may be requested by contacting the Fire Department at 794-1900, Ext. 212 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Renewals of existing permits may be accomplished by stopping in at the fire station and speaking with the on-duty firefighter. Brushfires or the burning of yard wastes is strictly prohibited within the city limits.

Severe Weather

The city's weather warning sirens will be tested on the 1st Saturday of every month at 1 p.m. starting in April and continuing throughout the severe weather season. The National Weather Service will issue a tornado watch when conditions are right for the formation of a tornado. This is the time to begin preparations. The weather siren will be sounded when a tornado warning has been issued for our area. A tornado warning means a tornado has been sited and that persons should immediately take cover.

House Numbers

City of Belding ordinance requires visible house numbers at or near the front entrance of all residences and businesses within the city limits. Visible street numbers are critical to emergency service personnel when trying to locate the origin of an emergency call.

Smoke Detectors

City of Belding ordinance requires working smoke detectors in all existing residential occupancies. Residential occupancies will include all one and two-family dwellings and apartment houses. Detectors must be located on the wall or ceiling in each room used for sleeping purposes, on the wall or ceiling outside of each separate sleeping area, and one on each floor of the dwelling unit. Installation information may be obtained by contacting the Fire Department. Working smoke detectors save lives. Please check smoke detectors regularly and change the batteries at least twice yearly.

ISO Class Reduction